Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Marriage Proposals

There is an engineer where I work that shared an interesting story about how she and her husband met and got engaged. This is the second marriage for both of them.
She’s from Kentucky, so it is rather entertaining to listen to her talk. (I told her it is hard to believe that she’s from Kentucky since she still has all of her teeth).

They had dated for a number of years. He was a contractor and she was an engineer for the state. On her way to work one morning, as usual, she stopped by the jobsite to see him. Their conversation that morning went something like this…..
(him = DS, her = J)
DS: “We’ve been together for a long time, haven’t we?”
J: “Yes DS, we have.”
DS: “And we’re pretty good together, aren’t we?”
J: “Yes, we are.”
DS: “And you know I love you, right?”
J: “Yes, I know you love me.”
DS: “And I know you love me too, right?”
J: “Yes, you know I love you.”
DS: “So I was thinking, maybe you and I should get married.”
J: “I think that’s a great idea.”

At this point, DS hands her his checkbook and tells her to go to the jewelry store across the street and pick out whatever ring she likes……

J (in total disbelief): “I can’t pick out my own ring!”
DS: “But I want you to be happy with it and I don’t know what kind of ring you would like.”
J: “I’m sure whatever you choose will be just fine.”
DS: “But…. “

The look on her face clearly said, “Are you freaking kidding me?!?”

She shoved that checkbook back at DS (more like hit him with it), then stormed off and went to work.

Nearing the end of her day, he called and asked her to stop by the jobsite on her way home from work. So she did.

DS handed her a small box (from the jewelry store across the street) and she opened it.

J: “This is very pretty. What is it for?”
DS: “It’s for you!”
J: “How nice. What’s the occasion?.”
DS: “It’s an engagement ring!”
J: “Oh. Really?”


After a long pause…….

DS: “Well?”
J: “Well what?”
DS: “Are you going to marry me or not?”
J: “No.”
DS: “Why not??”
J: “Because you have not properly asked me.”
DS: “Oh, good grief……”
He got down on one knee and proposed.
She accepted and they were married two months later in a park surrounded by family and friends in a small ceremony that had about as much romantic appeal as the proposal. But the flowers were pretty, she said.
That was over seven years ago and they are very happily married.



Well, I have finally met my very best friend. I have no idea yet as to how to propose, but I will.  What I do know is that the marriage relationship itself is so much more important than the proposal, or even the type wedding.  I am convinced that if both people spend their time putting the needs of the other person first, then that marriage will last a lifetime.  (Phillipians 2:3)  And because of the kind of person she is, serving her and honoring her is really easy, and enjoyable.



Blessings.

7 comments:

Heather {Desperately Seeking Sanity} said...

Hope that there are still some decent men still out there...

CrazyDeb said...

Amazing story!! Since the stories are not worth printing I can only say I've been engaged 3 times and never married any of them. Still waiting for that soul mate, best friend, love of my life.

Unknown said...

My future hubby and I emailed each other constantly (we worked together.) We had an ongoing list of "requirements" that occasionally either of us would add to. He said things like "Don't cut your hair. Ever." (He likes long hair.) Actually, that one was on there twice! "Late nights a must. If I don't sleep, you don't either." Those are just a few of the rather silly ones.

I had also written him a letter of "promises" and he had written me one in return. We used to joke about sealing the deal by signing it to make it binding.

So on the day he proposed, we drove all over Boone, NC while he looked for the perfect spot. It was pouring the rain, so that was tough. Finaly he stopped on the top of Howard's Knob, an old lookout spot. When he gave me the ring, he also handed me our lists, signed. To seal the deal.

I kept them, and on our wedding day they were tucked in my bouquet. I signed them then and gave them back...

Go ahead....Awwwwwwwwww :-)

I know you want to. :-)

Real Life in South Carolina said...

That proposal sure beats getting stuck at the top of a Ferris Wheel! I'll have to post my story on my blog. I'll let you know when it's up. ;) I hope you kept the PP presentation so she can watch it again whenever she wants!

Dr.John said...

The how you proposed is not nearly as important as that you love each other now. Movie stars propose in the wildest ways but their marriages don't seem to last long. The fact that God is the real center of your marriage is what is really important.

EE said...

Awwwww!
Steve proposed to me in the kitchen at my apartment a few days before Christmas.
He pulled a little jewelry box out of his pocket and I just knew that he was finally going to propose.
I opened the box...there was a pair of gold earrings.
I was trying not to cry and acting overly excited about the gift, when he pulled another small jewerly box out of his other pocket.
He got me!!!!!

Gerbil said...

i was late to my proposal and i still get teased. he marshalled my kids together, they cleaned the house, went and picked up Carraba's for dinner, bought flowers, set the table, lit candles... and waited. nd waited.

and waited.


where was i? as i was leaving work in that horrific dc traffic, i saw an older man trying to climb the steep embankment of the onramp. about 50 feet down the road, i could see a broken down car. so i stopped, because it was clear he had no idea where he was going and the road was dangerous. i let him use my cell phone but none of his friends or family were home. so i asked where he lived and it was about 12 miles south... a little out of my way but not by much so i drove him home. and although i sort of knew the area he lived in, i completely took a wrong turn out of the developent after dropping him off and i got bloody lost.

i wound up getting home more than two and a half hours late, completely unaware that dh and the kids had planned this elaborate dinner during which he was going to ask me to marry him and they were all so nervous by then, they were read to vomit.

um. whoops.