Tuesday, December 9, 2008

We're Getting Married!!!-REVISED

Robert started reading my other post, and he stopped. He said I'm such a better writer than that, and not only did he ask me to revise the post, he asked me to revise it today. 'Yes Sir'! And it goes a little sumthin' like this......

About a year ago, I met this man. He's a nurse-hence-he's a giver. At that time, he was nursing his ill grandmother, the light of his life. Maybell Bellamy Deaton. She had been sick for a few years, but took a turn for the worse, so he moved in with her to care for her. I had spoke to him many times, but we never went out together because his grandmother was his first priority, and the only woman that was allowed to call him 'Bobby'. Maybell Bellamy passed away December 12th, 2007. I told him to take care of himself and his family, and get in touch with me when he was feeling better. No one knows better than me what it feels like to watch the light of your life slip away. December 20th, I spoke to this man again. He asked me if I would like to go to a Panthers game with him. I made 3 phone calls for advice, did a lot of soul searching and a background check (yes, he knows this) and I took my own car to meet him at Monticello's, where we would share our first meal together. That night he told me I was even more beautiful than he had thought. We ate, we walked the city streets, and we went to the game. He bought me a jersey that day. He was afraid to get loud at the game, because he didn't want to scare me (giggle giggle). He walked me to my car after the game, and said good night to me, and that was it. He didn't try to kiss me, or even hug me for that matter. I actually hugged him. That was the end of our first date. If you ask him today what he thought after that first date, he will say "I wasn't sure if you liked me. I thought you were way out of my league" (giggle giggle again). There was something very 'comfortable' about him. I felt at ease. Considering that this was my first 'date' ever in my 34 years of life, I was very happy that I was comfortable. I had never gone on a date with someone before. Any relationship I have ever had (all 2 of them) were with people I had already grown to know. When I told Robert that it was my first official date, he couldn't believe his ears.

Fast forward to December 6th, 2008. A year has passed, and we have grown close, we've grown together. Life is what I've always wanted. Peaceful. Calm. Easy going. Full of laughter. These things are more important to me than anything that money can buy. I am loved unconditionally. I am 'more than he could have ever asked or imagined for'. I am respected. I am appreciated. I love him for who he is, AND I love him for what he's not. You have to know me personally to know how profound that statement is, and how much it means to me. We are so similar, almost to a fault. So December 6th. The day before my 35th birthday. We're going out to lunch for my birthday. My mother has been reserved to watch the kids for about 3 weeks at this point. My sister even took them the night before so I could get up and get dressed and ready for my big date in peace. I was lookin' pretty good if I might say so myself. And it's a good thing I was, because I was in for quite a day.........

REWIND
In the mean time, Robert and Sean Lyon had gone to Monticello's the night before to work the plans and angles and pick the table and speak to the owner........

We're leaving for our date, and guess what? I'm running late, and I was irritated because I was pulling a staple out of my shirt from the dry cleaners and MESSED UP MY BIRTHDAY MANICURE. Robert was unusually concerned that we were going to be late for our 1pm reservation. Reservation-what's that? He knows I'm late for everything. It's just a part of who I am. Well today, it seemed to bother him. He wasn't laughing at my usual late jokes. He should have given me a buffer like everyone else does.

REWIND

Sean and Tonia were going to be there by 1:45, and lunch was supposed to be over, and dessert was to be plated and ready for photos in the kitchen.

We get there, and the server shows us to a table. Robert quickly insists that he made a reservation for that table. One that was right in front of the full glass front wall of the restaurant. Let's see....I suppose so a clever and talented photographer could take pictures from across the street? hhhmmm.....

So lunch was delicious, and the server insisted that I save room for dessert. We picked one, and a little later, out it came.

REWIND

When Robert 'went to the restroom', he really went to give the ring to the manager, and asked him to put it on the dessert. They had discussed this all the night before.

Out came dessert, and there it was. Sparkling and beautiful. Robert asked me to marry him. And of course, I said yes. Within moments, I spotted Tonia, and I spotted Sean. The whole restaurant was clapping and fussing over us. It was a magical moment. We ate our dessert as Sean took some not-so-formal photos, and then we re-enacted our first 2 dates, and added some more spots as well during a three hour engagement photo shoot. We took pictures at the restaurant, in the Starbucks where we had one of our very first long conversations getting to know each other, in front of an old church built in the 1800's, by a mosaic wall near McGlowon theater, in a building in front of a beautiful Christmas tree, In front of awesome waterfalls, and just when I thought it couldn't get any better, out of the trunk came our jerseys from our first date. So we headed to the stadium and put them on, and took a bunch of fun photos there. Robert likes to dip me. I get randomly dipped, and I never know it's coming. Sean and Tonia were tickled by this. So we incorporated the dip into a couple of photos. I can't wait to see those. Lastly, we took our final photos in front of the city skyline.

No. The alarm didn't then go off. No. This didn't happen in a movie I saw, and decided to borrow it because it sounded really cool. This is how I spent December 6th, 2008. And on April 25th, 2009. I will be a wife. A wife to an awesome man, and I can't wait.

Is that better sweetheart?

6 comments:

♥ Karen Luke ♥ said...

Oh Colleen, that is such a wonderful story and Robert was right, you are an awesome writer and the first post didn't do it justice! You are a very lucky woman to have found your "Prince"! I hope you will be able to post some of those pictures you were describing! They sound incredible!

Marie Marsicano said...

Now this is more like it.

I wish everyone reading this could hear it first hand from my sister. Her voice, expressions etc were so, heartwarming.

She so, so, so deserved a fairytale like this. And she is so right when she says loving Robert for everything he isn't is the key for her.

They are like 2 kids in a candy shop right now - and it is AWESOME.

Because of Love said...

Oh, love the Christmas look and new title! I also got to see my first glimps at your ring! Can't wait to see it in real life.

Congradulations again. It sounds like it was a great day.

Candice of 'The Beautiful Mess' said...

Yay! Congrats! I love happy endings!

Anonymous said...

Well I would like to just take MY time to say congrats to you and Robert, and for making the decision to committ to, not only one another, but to your children. I belive EVERYONE deserves happiness. Good luck with all the planning, if i can help at all please let me know :)

xoxox susan

Anonymous said...

Congratulations!!