I said YES!!!!

Yes, to what you ask? Saturday night Eric asked me to marry him, and I said yes! We had discussed the subject, and I knew it was coming at some point, but I really had no clue as to when. After the Illini football game on Saturday afternoon we came back to my house and took a nap. After napping I had the fixings for a nice dinner, and I decided it would be nice if we didn't wear our pajamas for dinner :) Eric took it as a good sign that it was the right time to ask when he suggested that maybe we could even dress up a little bit for dinner, and my response was "Sure that would be nice." and so the stage was set.

After dinner we were sitting on the couch listening to one of the music stations on the TV, and enjoying a nice bottle of wine. I thought I might have felt a ring box in his pocket, but said nothing, figuring it was probably just his inhaler. Near the end of the bottle of wine Eric got down on bended knee, told me he loved me and asked me to marry him. I said yes! After the initial round of hugs and kisses, I asked him what was in his pocket. He soon produced a beautiful ruby engagement ring. The picture below doesn't really do it justice, but my camera was not really cooperating for me.

A ruby ring, an unconventional choice for an unconventional girl. Many of you may have heard me say over the years that I didn't want an engagement ring, but instead something more practical like and engagement couch or something of the sort. Well I am actually not that practical, but just really not a diamond type of girl... hence the ruby. Eric picked the ring out himself, but we had discussed it earlier in the summer and even did a little bit of "window shopping" so he had a general idea of what I wanted. The ruby came about for several reasons, primarily because it is Eric's birthstone, and well frankly I just find them attractive. The red color also represents love, the blood Christ shed for our sins, and of course... the St. Louis Cardinals, one of our shared passions.

We really don't have any details figured out about the wedding other than sometime in 2009.

I am so excited!!! It took me 38 years, but Lord Almighty Eric was worth the wait. I love him like no other, and I know he loves me just as much. I am so truly blessed to have Eric in my life, along with special friends and family who have been sharing our excitement as we have made phone calls to share the big news.

Oh, another great engagement moment. A few minutes after Eric had proposed, I was wearing the ring and we both had calmed down to the point where we could breath... I realized that the song playing on the TV music channel was none other than "Walking on Sunshine" by Katrina and The Waves. Many of you know that this is one of my most favorite songs of all time. It only seems appropriate that this song was playing... does Eric have great timing or what?

I will leave you with the lyrics...

Oh! Ohhhh yeeeaaaah

I used to think maybe you loved me, now baby I'm sure

And i just cant wait till the day when you knock on my door

Now every time i go for the mailbox, gotta hold myself down

Cos i just can't wait till you write me you're coming around

I'm walking on sunshine, wooah

I'm walking on sunshine, wooah

I'm walking on sunshine, wooah and don't it feel good!!

Hey, alright now

and don't it feel good!!

hey yeah

I used to think maybe you loved me, now I know that it's true

and I don't want to spend my whole life, just in waiting for you

now I don't want u back for the weekend not back for a day, oh no no

I said baby I just want you back and I want you to stay, woah yeh!

I'm walking on sunshine wooah

I'm walking on sunshine, wooah

I'm walking on sunshine, wooah and don't it feel good!!

Hey, alright now and don't it feel good!!

Hey yeah, and don't it feel good!!

Walking on sunshine

Walking on sunshine

I feel the love, I feel the love,

I feel the love that's really real

I feel the love, I feel the love,

I feel the love that's really real

I'm on sunshine baby

Oh, I'm on sunshine baby

Oh I'm walking on sunshine wooah

I'm walking on sunshine wooah

I'm walking on sunshine wooah and don't it feel good!!

I'll say it again now

and don't it feel good!!