BLING!

Today I was feeling a bit better, so Boy Wonder took me ring shopping! We went to about five different stores and saw several nice rings that weren't exactly right. I was about to pass out from exhaustion when we finally stopped at the last store.

The second I put it on my finger I knew it was the one. I think I lit up like a Christmas tree when I put it on! I never thought I could be so enamored by a ring--or any piece of jewelry--but I was. He loved it, too, and he bought it on the spot.

It is not a traditional engagement ring, but it is what I have always wanted: garnet and white gold. This one has three little garnets and two precious hearts--yes, hearts!--on the sides...and it is even prettier than I ever hoped for.

Here are the cheesy obligatory engagement photos that my mom took:











I am so annoyed that none of the photos show just how sparkly and pretty the ring is...although they DO highlight how strangely creepy-looking my hands are! I'm gonna go ahead and blame that on the tonsillectomy too.



Though the swollen tonsil holes still require ice packs, love makes the pain bearable....aaaaaah! Sorry about that.

We are thinking September 19th for the big day. And no, we are not rushing into this for the reason you may be thinking--we are simply eager to start our lives together already.

Oh--after we bought the ring I asked the sales lady if I could wear it home. As she was putting the ring in a box she looked at Boy Wonder and said, "Oh no--you still have work to do...the whole knee thing and flowers and dinner and all that."

So, when we got home yeah he got down on his knee in the grass and popped the question again...and I said, "mmmmkay" and then reminded him that I am not supposed to make important decisions on painkillers. Ah, romance.

As you can see, we are very happy & a wee bit scared.

Make sure you look at yesterday's OFFICIAL engagement post and pics, too!

love,
Scraps (now w/bling!)

I had a very ENGAGING conversation on my tonsillectomy bed yesterday....

Yep, he proposed--precisely one year after our first contact!





At the time of proposal I had just woken up: no shower, no make up, no hair combing, still in ratty t-shirt. Not to mention my very romantic scabby tonsil breath! Basically, the boy is not just sweet and romantic; he is also brave.




I hope this self-taken cell phone engagement photo (which I really do want to put in the paper as our official announcement) fully captures the pain of a tonsillectomy and the fear in our tiny loving hearts...

You know you love it!



For those of you who have asked/are wondering: the big bruise on my left hand is from the tonsillectomy IV. The dark spot on my finger is an old ring (from AL-Stephanie, I think?) that we put on for the purpose of the photo--we are going ring shopping as soon as I am able to get out of bed!

Also, I am feeling much better today--they upped my pain meds and I seem to be making progress toward healing--finally.

So much love,
Scraps

I Feel Like Scrap!

We want our tonsils back.

Happy Independence Day!

Funny, I don't feel very independent with my poor mother waiting on me hand and foot and my being unable to talk or eat or drink.... Yep, I went through with the surgery. I can't even eat ice cream right now! What a rip off—that was supposed to be the only perk of this darn surgery! Swallowing my liquid painkiller makes me double over in pain. I just started taking the steroids this morning, which should make it all much better soon; they better not make me angry and hairy like I heard they might. Gross.

The good news is I can tell this surgery will help with my asthma--I can breathe better already now that my airways aren't obstructed with enormous tonsils! Still can't swallow, but I can breathe. I think my recovery will be a tad harder because the doc says it is harder when the tonsils are infected and big at the time of surgery and mine were both.

So, I am going to be out of work for at least a week to recover, and there IS a good chance that I will be fired upon return for some things that I couldn't possibly get done before taking my sick leave.

I’m sorry, but when you are sick and exhausted from working to death for paychecks smaller than what I made in undergrad and you are asked to stay over to finish up a project the night of the TOM WAITS show you spent $195 on and have been waiting since 1992 for…. well, I guess it kinda skews your priorities a little. So, I may get fired and I may not care…

And I am sooooooo glad I went to see Tom Waits. This guy really knows how to put on a show. I knew he’d be good, but this was downright thrilling. We were in the center of the tiny (gorgeous & old) theatre--only 15 rows back....perfect view. The audience was great, too….they knew all the words and got really into clapping for the encore and randomly standing up to yell and clap after certain awesome songs. After the show we walked out the side door where he was standing about 10 feet from a bunch of fans and talking to them! I stood behind everyone and waved timidly. HE WAVED BACK! I expect his proposal any day now. Then he walked over and started shaking hands with everyone, but not me because I just couldn’t put my hand out there or make eye contact. This man fully defines cool. Boy Wonder only knew two songs before the show: “Mocking Bird” and “Goin’ Out West.” Now he is a HUGE fan and wants to go see him again!

The perks of possibly being fired after sick leave: not working that hell job any more and at least a day off before I start my new emergency job. Any job, no matter how quickly rushed into, would have to be better than the current one. And I should know by the beginning of August if I have a teaching gig or not. The principal seems convinced that I do…. It is all in the Board of Education’s court.

Much love,
Scraps.