The Condo and The Proposal

If you knew anything about our condo search, you knew that what had started out easy and with no issues became a true nightmare.  We went from condo to condo where people were denying our use of a VA loan.  Just total crap.  And then Randy left for Michigan.  I was told to keep going with the condo on Argyle or to keep looking and that if I found anything to just get it. He said that I knew what he wanted and that he would be okay with whatever I wanted because he knew that I was way pickier than he was.  I didn't completely agree with this, but I was starting a new job in August and that pesky "womanly nesting" crap made me want to get settled with him before I started my job.

I kept imagining a nice home cooked dinner and then then next morning running off to work.  I think in this image I was dressed like Lucille Ball and had a brief case and a big dopey grin on my face.  What I didn't think about was that if we did close as early as we wanted I would be closing on a Friday and then starting work on that Monday.  I know that I am very talented at organization, but even with the ton of help there would be now way to paint, organize and put the entire place together by then.  I sometimes don't think things through.  I sometimes bite off more than I can chew.

But skipping forward, we got the place I picked out (Randy hadn't seen it until he got here).  Although he thought the second bedroom was kind of small, he did like the place.  Which was a huge relief.

So...

We closed on Friday, August 19th and then I kissed Randy goodbye and headed to the new place to sleep and spend the night by myself.  I was going to wake up to friends and new furniture and Randy moving our stuff with the help of his friends.

Flash forward a bit more to a place that still needs a bunch of paint and a lot of small repairs.  But I cannot say this loud enough or enough times.  MY FRIENDS AND RANDY'S FRIENDS ROCK!  From Laura, to Bridget to Libby to all of Randy's friends.  They were absolutely unbelievably amazing.

We got settled a little bit that weekend and then I started work on that Monday.  We had a small get together of people on that Saturday after the job had started.  Everything was going really really well.

The week of my birthday Randy asked me to keep Wednesday evening open and be ready and dressed to go out by 5:15PM.  I assumed it was a celebration for our birthdays simply because I had kept saying that we would just go out to dinner together.  I told everyone at work we were going out and they were definitely suspicious.

I came home to a suited up Randy.  He looked amazing and I don't know why I didn't get any pictures of him.  We are not very good at bringing a camera to the different events we attend.  For future I need to be much better at this.

He surprised me with a trip on the Odyssey, which is a small cruise ship at Navy Pier. Actually a bunch of my friends had their proms/dances there.  I definitely was suspicious but couldn't figure out where he would be keeping a ring if he had one.  There was no bulge in his pockets and although he seemed weird (it's Randy).  Randy did great.  He had roses and champagne and waited until the fireworks started to ask me to marry him.  He got down on one knee and the crowd oohed and ahhed.  And then I said yes and everyone congratulated us.  It was a pretty amazing moment.  I love him!  I am so excited to be his wife.  Just so wonderful.

Ok...that's the abbreviated story.


Next Post:   The Palmer House and the beginning of the planning