Good things come to those who wait

-a quick tangent from our planning progression.

I want to stop and give some credit to Javs for how much I love my engagement ring. (I know, I've jumped back 2 months just when it felt like we were getting on a decision making roll - i.e. no friends, I did not buy a wedding dress this weekend, but I will catch you up on that later...)

I bring this up today only because another colleague announced her engagement and eagerly passed around a picture of her bling. As you can see - its gorgeous. Really beautiful. And yet I look at it and immediately think 'I don't like it as much as my ring.' Which is great, right? I mean isn't that the point? Shouldn't she in turn look at my ring and think the same endearing thought for her own? The ring (like the wedding) is supposed to be about you and not so cookie cutter that any girl could pick it up and feel equally special and loved wearing it. (Whoa. That's a lot of pressure for a ring...) But I think part of my ring attachment comes from knowing the time and love that Javier put into purchasing it.

I was getting impatient. There I said it, admitted it out loud not just to myself but to witnesses. Javier and I had talked about getting married way before our Albert outing. He was the one, and I was his and we both knew it. We even went as far as talking high level planning for the big day. Details like...2012...Charlottesville...October...Jamie Cullum singing at the reception. (Wow look at how much of that is coming true already!) So there it was October 1st and I was ring-less and wondering.

You guys know the end of that story, but I'm still weaseling the rest of the back story out of Javs. Like that he started looking a long time ago.
-That he stole my rings back in the spring when I forgot them one day (one of two times I have forgotten them in the 3 years we've been dating) to learn what size I was. (I've found out since then that my pearl ring was actually bent and the jeweler straightened it out for me for free while Javs was getting it sized...never noticed.)
-I've seen a value audit dated back in July and asked 'you had it in July?!!?' - somewhat accusingly.
-He's described to me the stress he felt picking a size (even after using my rings as a starting point) because he wanted it to slip on so perfectly in that moment.
-That he hugged the man he bought the ring from when he finally got to pick it up (which, I know, sounds very Javs because he is such a hugger, but still).
-That his mom was actually the one to suggest the shop where he bought it because his father had shopped there a long time ago.
Just some of the details I've learned of a whole story he experienced that I didn't even know about.

I give Javs a hard time about not being much of a planner - whoops. He planned so much and bought the most expensive thing we own as a gift...for me. And I love it. And I love that people look at it and say it 'looks like me.'
(I went wedding dressing shopping for one day and whined to him that I needed his help! and wanted to talk about the dresses - don't worry he's not interested and wants to be suprised.)

But he planned a really big and really fun surprise for me for months! And on Oct 1st all I was thinking was 'hurry up and buy it, how hard could it be? we need to get planning!' - man do I need to work on those patience.

But I'm so glad he took the time, so glad he planned it out and so glad I haven't wanted to take it off since it slipped perfectly on my finger.

Good job Javs :) Love you :)

**Advice Alert** Learn to have patience. Good things come to those who wait.