Travelling through Life

As unbelievable as it sounds and eerie as it felt, last week I found myself making the five-states'-long drive from Texas to South Carolina to be with my man. As one young girl asked me in Louisiana when I stopped to buy a road atlas, "He told you to quit your job and move in with him?!?" No, child. I wouldn't marry someone like that. As if I'd listen anyway! No one puts baby in a corner.

Yet, since arriving, I've discovered a very "traditionally feminine" part of myself. I've done such things as buy a vacuum cleaner, fold laundry on a regular basis, and have supper on the table when he comes home each day. I've refinished furniture, cross-stitched our wedding album cover, and hung photographs in this formerly-sparse apartment home. I've lost weight, I feel more confident and more content than perhaps I ever have.

It is, to say the least, very different; particularly for, as I've been described by his coworkers, fellow Marines and lawyers, "a career woman." And perhaps the most disconcerting part (if it is, in fact, disconcerting) is that I like it. I really like it! I don't think of this phase of my life as a transition to something else -- as I did, with my job, when I had it. I give no thought to where I'm going next. There is a next, but it's not what drives me. Right now, finally, I'm content with my life. I am where I ought to be. I exist, and every day is right.


I have never been happier.

Engaged!

OK so I suspected this was going to happen but, when it actually rolled around, man I was DENSE.

He wanted to go to the State Park, which is really scenic, but that morning, I had dropped a pyrex lid and cut my leg. Even though he fixed me up, we didn't think I could hike that much (which, I would've!) But, we wound up going to this park south of my house that used to be an RV park, it's a green space now; and we walked along the river there until I spotted a BIG fallen log, big enough to walk on!
So we went up there, and I was standing, looking around, with Ginger, it was nice and scenic, maybe the prettiest place in the park. You could see the creek and the foliage. I started to get down, and Alec was like "wait"! So I got back up and he smiled a big smile and said "I sure am happy, Ravenna R*****." He used my whole name, so I knew something was up. 'Uh oh! I thought. He had been agitated all day. Things weren't going as we'd planned them to.
"Yeah?" I asked.
"Yeah" he said. "Only one thing would make me happier." And I was thinking "oh no he's been agitated all day because I was too hurt to go to the park, what could it be now?" So, I just said, "What?" and then he surprised me. He got down on his knee and pulled this tiny sparkly thing out of his pocket and said "If you would marry me."
I didn't even hesitate. (Frankly I'm glad I didn't wind up saying "When?" or something stupid. The first time he said he loved me I said "I know." FAIL) I just said "Of course" And hugged him really tight. And Ginger was confused but happy that we were happy.


The ring itself is from the 1920's. It was someone's engagement ring on New Year's eve, 1/1/29! It's art deco style, and he had it re-plated with rhodium. Other than that, it's zero impact, and it's a good style for me. It's a little big, I'm going to get it sized. But I love it!! Although to be honest, it's just a gesture - albeit a beautiful one - what matters is how he feels, and I already knew that :)