Joe and I were engaged on May 30, 2009, but the engagement story began long before that. It all started with the ring. Back in January of 2009, I was visiting the monthly Nashville flea market with my parents and we stopped at the booth of an estate jeweler. {Side bar: This was not an uncommon occurrence for my mother and I, who both have a passion for antique and estate jewelry} I immediately spotted a beautiful 1920s ring that had a setting unlike anything I had ever seen. Most antique rings are very small in size (5 or 6), but this ring fit me perfectly! I was so taken with the ring that I dreamed about it, and thought about it often.
A month later, Joe and I were out celebrating his birthday and Valentine's day at Ruth's Chris. He offhandedly mentioned that he had been ring shopping at a place called Walton's in Franklin, and said he had decided that I needed to be a part of the decision since I had such unique taste. He wanted to take me to Walton's to see what interested me, so I took my chance and said, yes! let's go next weekend and stop by the flea market first! I wanted him to see the ring I was so taken with.
The next weekend, our visit to the flea market ended in disappointment. The ring had been sold. The jeweler travels around the south and he could not remember when or where it had sold. We headed to Walton's, but I sulked the whole way. I tried to put the ring out of my mind and focus on the beautiful things waiting at Walton's, but my heart was not in it.
I lazily looked through the case at the estate rings when something caught my eye and I told Joe, "THAT is the ring from the flea market!" Joe, disbelieving, asked the clerk if we could look at the ring, and I slipped it right back on my finger. I was certain. I cried, the clerk was puzzled, and Joe asked me if this was my ring. Yes! He planted me next door at Starbucks and returned to Walton's alone. When he came back, he said there would be no more discussion about the topic. What a tease! So, he tortured me for 3 more months before I got to see and wear the ring that found me.
On the evening of May 30, we were planning to drive up to my parents house in Springfield for a cookout in honor of my Aunt's birthday. Mom called me earlier that day and asked me to drive over and check on their condo because the staff in the building had spotted wet carpet outside their door and she was sure the fridge was leaking. I remember being worried that this ordeal would ruin our evening's plans.
When I arrived at the condo, here is what greeted me:
So, I rushed home, packed my bag, and hopped in the car. I was a little early, so I thought I would stop and kill time at Walmart once I got into town. As I was pulling into city limits, feeling so excited (and yes, a bit distracted), I got pulled over and given a speeding ticket! {In my defense, it was a total speed trap. The cop was sitting right behind the speed limit sign where the speed had just dropped coming into town. Anyways...}
When I pulled in the driveway at my parents house, I saw many cars and Joe sitting outside in a lawn chair waiting for me. He took me on a walk down to the creek that my brother and I played in every year as a children {and adults}. A path had been plowed in the tall grass and at the bend of the river, there was a picnic with champagne.
There he privately proposed, we drank champagne, and soaked in the moment before walking back up the hill to our waiting family who had prepared an amazing cookout! We all spent the night at my parents house and celebrated! It was the perfect day.
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