Papa Bear proposed to me Friday night. Again. This is sort of the fourth time. I said yes. Again. And I alerted him to the presence of my finger minions. My knuckles have faces. Can you see the face? He has friends.
The for real stand-in engagement ring!
So how did we manage to go through four proposals and two rings before we have even gotten hitched? Funny story about that, and my finger minions too.
Keep reading, because I also share where you can get this ring and other gorgeous handmade botanical jewelry – because as you may know, the only kinds of jewelry I wear are animal and nature themed.
Ever since I was a kid, I have noticed that the folds in the skin of my knuckles look like little people. Apparently I had not clued Papa Bear in to their existence until just the other night. He seemed disturbed, but accepting. Which is why I love him.
We both think it is no coincidence that the most nicely formed of the finger minions happens to reside on my ring finger.
Meet my finger minions. They are always there, I just traced their faces.
Now, what about these multiple proposals?
Proposal #1, December 2009: Papa Bear was house and dog sitting for his parents over Christmas. I was over to enjoy the big empty house with him. We embraced at the bottom of the stairs, and he whispered “marry me” in my ear. I freaked out a little. He apologized.
He said, and his friends seemed to agree, that his brain had never gone in that direction before, but something was different for him this time around. From about that point on, we both had a pretty good idea of where this was headed.
Proposal #2, August 2010: We moved in together in May of 2010. Around August of that year, we figured we should maybe officially announce that we were getting married and, you know, maybe plan a wedding. So we just started telling people and picked a date. Which has since moved. Twice.
Everyone was happy for us, but when they people reached for my hand to see the sparkle, there were some disappointed faces. There is still no sparkle, but then again, I’m not really that kind of girl.
Proposal #3, May 2011: My grandmother passed away in April of 2011. She had been married and divorced twice, to grandpa and then to Lloyd. Although she did not particularly like her second engagement ring (or Lloyd, as it turned out), it was an engagement ring nonetheless, and she had figured that hey, maybe I might want it because I did not have one.
Grandma did not seem to have any sentimentality towards this ring whatsoever. The fact that I wore it for a week before finding that it clashed with everything I owned would likely not bother her one bit.
Proposal #4, Friday, April 13th: It wasn’t until I was just writing the date that I realized this last proposal happened on Friday the 13th. The last Friday the 13th that rolled around was also the date of my first car accident (not my fault!) with another car that was the same make and model as mine, with the same insurance carrier. So very Friday the 13th.
But this Friday the 13th was much better than the last. During a long day of school, I get an email that my shipment had arrived! Papa Bear and I ordered this ring together. I’m not keen on surprises. Being the sweet boy he is, he Papa Bear got down on one knee again. This is not how they do it in the movies.
But you know what? I’m happy about that. Honestly, if a man proposed to me and I did not know it was coming, I don’t think I would say yes right then.
There will be no one asking for my hand in marriage nor would I be waiting until he decided to ask me. Our marriage is about the two of us and between the two of us – like the marriage itself, the decision to enter into it is an agreement between the two of us, not a gift from one to the other.
I have also never needed a big honking diamond to scare away the circling vultures, or whatever engagement rings are supposed to do.
I can take care of myself, thank you very much.
But now I have something that is so very me to tide me over until Papa Bear and I can get our custom wedding rings made.
This ring is pretty and delicate without being too girly, and it has no snaggy edges, so it won’t mess with me at work. It’s nice and functional and makes me smile every time I look at it. And isn’t that the job of an engagement ring?
The best part? Less than $40. So if I end up losing it, it won’t be the end of the world.
This should be the last proposal then. But the reign of the finger minions has just begun.
So where do you get my beautiful little Curly Willow Branch Ring? Etsy of course! Check out the rest of Elizabeth Scott’s Botanical Jewelry too, it is beautiful stuff.
via esdesigns
Since I’m your mother, I knew about three out of four of the proposals, but never about the first one – sweet! Good man, that Tyler…
Hey look everyone, my mom came by! So happy you dropped by mom. He is a good one.
Gee, thanks Susan. I’m just keep asking to make sure it’s still a yes. Finding a good match is tricky. I gotta hold on to this one.