Engaged!!!

I had planned to ask on the 27^th. It would have been my parents’ 40^th wedding anniversary, so it held a lot of meaning for me. I bought the ring on December 6 (which incidentally, was the 5 month anniversary of the day we met). It is a white gold Claddagh and inside I had inscribed go deo which is Gaeilge for forever. Of course once I had the ring, I wanted to ask her every bleedin’ time I saw her! I had to seriously stop myself quite a few times by gentle internal reminders that a commercial break during Bones was probably not the most romantic time to ask the woman of your dreams to spend the rest of her life with you.

Yesterday morning I woke up and said to myself this is the day to do it! (Yes, I do partake in a lot of internal dialogue.) I kind of realised that although the 27^th has a lot of meaning for me, it would be better for Kay and I to have a day of our own to share. Winter Solstice is all about new beginnings and what better day to start this wicked journey. It was also—incidentally—the five month anniversary of our first kiss. I figured that if I asked before the holidays (and she said yes) then we could all celebrate her as a new Duffy together. Most of all, I had already waited 15 days and was coming very close to justifying the romanticism of Bones commercial breaks.

The day was just like any, with Christmas in the air as well as a heck of a lot of blowing snow! I had planned for us to go for a walk on the grounds of the Alberta Legislature and casually asked Kay if she would be up for that. She was but only after she went on her run. The crazy weather meant she got home from work late, so her run went until about 8:30. Meanwhile I was plan B-ing as much as I could. I thought about going up and asking her on her treadmill, making her come outside in the backyard, finding an episode of Bones to put on and simulating a commercial break... Luckily, she was still up for the walk!
So, we bundled up in long-johns and touques and went to see the lights and ice sculptures at the Leg. As I walked her around to the Centennial Flame, I took the opportunity (as any self-respecting Social Studies teacher is wont to do) to talk about Canadian Confederation. Of course as any self-respecting American is wont to do, Kay took the opportunity to dis my nation and the fact that Canada has “technically only been its own country since 1982.” It was a beautiful lead in to what I had planned! :)

As we approached the Flame, which is eternal, we had to sing a few bars of Eternal Flame by The Bangles. Then Kay asked me to teach her something else. I looked into her eyes and said “you are everything I want, you are everything I need.” I was trembling a little (not just because of the cold) as we hugged, and said “I want to be your everything, forever” then whispered “Will you marry me?” Kay said “Of course” but I don’t think she realised how serious I was until she saw the little velvet box in my mitt. Luckily she didn’t take her answer back!