After a few months of dating, Zach and I knew that we would end being married some day. I always wondered how I would "know" I had found the "one", and was amazed it was just as simple as I'd heard... you just know. I was still in graduate school and did not want to get married while still in school, but that didn't mean I didn't want that ring on my finger letting everyone know I was officially taken! Zach asked me about what style ring I liked (princess cut and white gold) but besides that I wanted to be surprised about everything.
The summer of 2005, Zach and Jessica went to visit Granny Helen and the rest of their Arkansas family for a few days. Zach had all but convinced me that it was going to be awhile before he could afford to get me ring so not to be expecting anything for a while. I was a tad disappointed because I thought that he would be getting my ring on that trip to Arkansas. I knew he trusted his grandmother and sister's opinion and that Granny Helen had a jeweler that she really liked to use and I just thought that maybe. Well I tried to put thoughts out of my head and focused on school work, family, etc.
Zach came home on July 4th, but it was very late that night. I wouldn't see him until I got done with school the next day. I got out of class and he met me at my apartment. We decided on Subway for an early dinner and picked it up and took it to a nearby park to eat. We were on the bench and Zach really wasn't eating all that much. He started talking about all the things he would say if he were going to ask me to marry him. He got down on his knee in front of me and what I remember was him reaching into his pocket and getting out a box and saying "Angela Lee will you marry me?" (I remember thinking that he didn't say my last name, and later found out that it was a rhyme!) I was shocked, unsure if all this was real seeing as he had just been "pretending" right? Wrong. It was real and there really was this wonderful man in front of me asking me to marry him. Before I said yes, I was reaching for the box. He pulled back and reminded me that I hadn't answered. Of course, I said "yes" and took the box.
I opened the ring and was amazed. It was absolutely beautiful. More perfect than I could have pictured. He then told me that the setting had belonged to Granny Helen and that when her husband passed away, she had the diamonds taken out and made into another ring. She had kept the setting. Zach, Jess, and Melanie found the setting in her stuff before Zach and Jess had left for Arkansas. He took it with them to see what Sissy (the jeweler) could do with it. She added new prongs and gorgeous diamonds to make a perfect ring. The amazing part was that it was the perfect size for me. They didn't have to change it at all!
We spent a few more minutes at the park, enjoying the moment. Then we headed to the car where I immediately got on my cell phone to call every one of my family and close friends! Zach also got on the phone. I remember him telling his sister that he was sitting there with his fiance. The sound of that made me laugh out loud in pure joy. I loved hearing him say that for the first time.
Pure excitement sharing my wonderful news!!
The newly engaged couple!!
We went back for a few re-enactment pics...
My favorite!
1 comment:
This is a beautiful story and I got tears in my eyes while reading it.
I am so happy to have been a part of it.
Granny Helen
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