i said yes...

As I was prowling Facebook yesterday I came upon a post by one of my childhood friends. Jeni and I lived 3 doors from each other during 6Th - 8Th grade. We were close and always getting into mischief. I know you find that hard to believe. Jeni lives in New York now with her husband and 4 beautiful little girls. Jeni posted that today would be the 18Th anniversary of David proposing to her and as I was reading her post and yes crying, I realized that 12 years ago today Mr. Miller officially "popped the question" and I said yes, eventually.

Mr. Miller and I had known each other since I was 18, but didn't date for 9 years. When we did start dating I knew that he was it. Crazy that in all the years we knew each other I would not have ever guessed that he was the one. I have to say that when he kissed me that first time it was it! I had a "Sabrina" moment, corny but true. Our relationship was a long distance one with him in Kansas City and me in Topeka but we made it work. The year we got engaged it had been and unusually warm season and he was a landscaper which meant lots of hours. We snuck away over Thanksgiving to see the Deacon and Pops in Illinois. We took the train and were going to drive back as they were gifting Patrick with a car since the "bucket" had died.

While on the train Mr. Miller told me to get my calendar out. I thought it was strange but I went with it. So he said lets just do it, pick a date. Not so romantic I know but it does get better, eventually. We discussed lots of options and settled at the time with October 16Th, 1999. (Little did we know at the time the church would double book that date and we would end up with October 9, 1999.) I think I was so excited that we actually had the time to talk about getting married that I didn't realize I wasn't given a ring. Come to find out he had already been shopping with my Mom and because it had been such a crazy season for me he wasn't able to go pick it up and actually present it to me on the train.

I knew the ring would come and we started planning and figuring things out. Along comes Saturday, December 10Th, 1998 and we were in Topeka meeting with Fr. Terril about the ceremony. We met my family at the mall to do a little Christmas shopping so I was told. Mr. Miller and Mimi had a different agenda, while Erika and the kids took me to the Dillards shoe department, they went to the jewelry store.

We met up in the food court for dinner. Things were fine and we were laughing while enjoying our Chik-fil-a and then it got quiet. He grabbed my had and said, finally and officially, "will you marry me?" and I just looked at him and the first thing I could muster was "as far as you know!" (that was Mr. Miller's answer for everything) He just looked at me like a lost puppy and Mimi said ask her again. He did and I said "YES!". He slipped a cigar band on my finger first followed by what I call my Princess Diana ring. He gave me a sapphire surrounded by channel set diamonds and I LOVE IT! You ask why a cigar band? I had always told him I didn't need a ring that would put you in debt, if we couldn't pay cash for it we were not getting it. I didn't care if it was a cigar band or twist tie, all that mattered was that we were together forever. I still have that cigar band and will keep it forever and plus what a great story if Chik fil a ever has a contest. Haha...

I love you Mr. Miller!