WE'RE ENGAGED!!!

That's right friends, I'm trading in my last name for another one! Here are the juicy details:

The Proposal

Last Friday night I came home from work, expecting to have a quick bite and then go see We Own The Night with Jon. When I got in, Jon seemed disinterested in the movie and said he got some groceries for us to make dinner. Cooking together is one of our "things" and was actually our first date, back in September of 2005. Well, it was as if the Food Network exploded in our kitchen. The table was covered with fresh ingredients and produce: chicken, risotto, string beans, apple cider, and scallions....all for a Rachael Ray recipe. Also on the counter was a little chocolate devil cake. None of this tipped me off that something was about to happen, so I said something like "This looks great, let me go change into some jeans." With that Jon grabbed my hand and told me to wait a minute, got down on one knee and popped the question! I immediately started repeating "oh my gosh" and we both began to well up with tears (even though he may not admit it). My answer was "OF COURSE!" :)

The Ring

So this ring is huge. It's literally a rock, and I hope you can understand that I'm not trying to brag. I actually feel a little ridiculous wearing a piece of jewelry so large. The ring is so very special to me though because it belonged to my grandmother, who left it to me when she passed away. My grandmother's original engagement ring was a single pearl, so my grandfather purchased the diamond for her years later when he was more financially secure (obviously!). Jon asked my grandfather for his blessing during the summer, and coordinated ring details with my mother. Because my grandmother wore the ring so often, it needed to be reset in a new band, as well as seriously cleaned. The diamond is a marquis cut, set in white gold with one baguette cut diamond on each side. Altogether, it's 1.8 carat....whoa! 

The Plan

So far there really isn't much of a plan in terms of wedding specifics. We're still soaking it in, spreading the good news, and enjoying Cloud 9 :) What we do know is that the wedding will be sometime next fall, preferably late October or early November. Our ideal ceremony would be outdoors and at dusk, so that we could have an evening reception. If I had to pick a theme, I'd tell you "simple elegance with an intimate audience." Oh, and I'd love to have a live jazz band playing Louis Prima songs at the reception but that's kind of a fantasy! 

I also must say that one of the most exciting things about our engagement is how our friends and family react to the news. Every time I tell someone I get that rush of joy all over again as if it just happened. So thank you to those who have shared our excitement and celebration :) :)