Lovey-dovey

This weekend while I was riding the "bike to nowhere" I was listening to Whitney Houston's new song, I Didn't Know My Own Strength- which is the only song I purchased off her newest album. (Don't judge. I watched the Oprah special and had a moment. A moment of something, that caused me to purchase this Celine Dion/ Titanic-esk song. It's not coincidence that Cher's Song for the Lonely follows it on my newest playlist.) Anyway, while listening to the notes drip like sugary syrup, I looked at my engagement ring.

I usually don't wear my ring at the gym, but I was just pedaling so no harm right? I haven't stared so longingly at my ring in a very long time. I've only had it four years and it's already so much a part of me that I hardly notice it! Well, I notice when it's not on, and my heart skips a beat. I thought about getting the ring, in November, in New York City and being so so happy. So thrilled. So overwhelmed. That night Chris said to me, "The stress for me finally over. I've been so anxious and secretive and giddy hoping that everything would go just right. Now all that stress- it's all on you! You know how you feel now Stef? I've felt like that since August when I bought the ring."

I love planning and organizing and all that jazz- so I enjoyed each moment of planning our wedding. And I loved, and still love, the ring that Chris gave me on that November night in 2005. Looking at my ring this weekend I thought about all the planning he did prior to proposing to me: the trip to NYC- that seemed so spur of the moment, Phantom of the Opera, visiting the recently opened Top of the Rock- which I thought was my very own idea. The private helicopter ride. Dinner at Terrace in the Sky. And that ring. I couldn't believe he had held onto that ring the entire time we'd been in NYC. How sneaky. How sweet. How romantic. (This picture was taken the night of our rehearsal dinner in Tyler, Texas at Josephs where our dear friend is the chef.)

I have such a romantic husband. I've known this since I was sixteen. I was intrigued. I was wooed. I was given a picnic in the park. He learned how to play songs on the piano just for me. One year for Valentines Day he learned how to play the saxaphone. He went to Jr. High band rehearsals (he was in High School band and played trombone) and taught himself a couple of songs. In my parents driveway on Valentines Day he played me You are my Sunshine.

I've received periwinkle roses (he put in a special request, because, afterall, periwinkle is my favorite color), mixed tapes, surprise playlists on my iPod- that really did surprise me, some jewelry and dozens of roses. He's spent hundreds of dollars on long distance phone calls and thousands, I'm sure, on gallons and gallons of gasoline- for me of course. He's organized a surprise party to celebrate my piece in Chicken Soup for the Soul, even preparing chicken soup in the crockpot, and sent me on a scavenger hunt one Christmas. He's endured a Jim Brickman concert, my passion for visting every health food store we pass, and My Fair Lady, ---AND he gets to go with me to see Carole King and James Taylor at Madison Square Garden this summer!

And in case you didn't know, he's the one who insisted on the Oct. 5th wedding date. October 5th, 2006 was a Thursday. He didn't care, it was all about the DATE. The meaning. The romance. He chose the rose garden for our wedding venue as well. (The garden photo was not taken on our wedding day, thank goodness, but during one of our pre-wedding dreamy walks through the garden.) I was concerned about rain, or noise, or people just being loud in a public garden in general, but none of that happened on our wedding day. There was a small crowd- under 100 people- and a full moon and we left on the back of his motorcycle. And we honeymooned in Paris, France- the most romantic city in the world.


I'm so lucky to be so in love. I realize I've been this crazy in love for almost half my life. It's a good feeling. I adore this man, this 6'5" hairy, testosterone filled man. And he adores me. And I still love my ring and I'm sticking by my word, "I just need one big stone."(I know you can hear me saying this. Which is what I told Chris when he'd ask me what kind of ring/ setting/ cut I'd always wanted.) That's all I need. I'm not looking to upgrade- ever. I don't want a 5-year anniversary band or a new setting in 10-years. After 50 years- then we'll talk. I'm not hard to please, am I? Just one Big Rock, okay?

I just felt like reminiscing a little today. I realize I rarely mention Chris on my blog, and it's not for any other reason than to keep our life, our life. But it's funny, for the ten years we dated he was the driving force, the passion behind my writing. The on again, off again teenage angst. The drama. The unrequited love. He is the topic of the novel I wrote and closed and haven't edited on bit. He is the main subject of the pieces that I have gotten published. Maybe I should stick with what I know. With what my passion is. With what I can't live without telling everyone about. My Christopher Chad.