HOW THE BIG DAY EVOLVED

 After three years of seeing each other I finally worked up enough nerve to say, "lets get a ring" in March of 2000.   It was not the most romantic proposal, but not bad for this old farm boy, who was reluctant to ever get married again after a failed first marriage.    Celia replied, "what kind of ring" and I suggested an engagement ring, we both had tears of joy.    She always had a twinkle in her eyes I could not resist, plus she would ask me occasionally, "when our we going to the next level in this relationship," which to me meant the forbidden "M" word.  

The day we went shopping for rings, I told myself that I must be patient and let Celia visit all the jewelry stores she wanted to go to.   I set my mind that this might involve every jewelry store in Eugene and Springfield.   We started at Valley River Center in Eugene where we entered a jewelry store, but nothing appealed to her.   Next we went to the JC Penny store and looked over what was available at their jewelry counter.   A small single diamond ring caught her eye and she asked to try it on.  It fit perfectly and she made up her mind right then and there that was the one she wanted.  I was stunned that it happened so fast and was spared from going to anymore stores.  

We had not set a date to get married until Celia called her younger daughter, Rosanne to inform her of our engagement.   Rosanne asked her mom when is the wedding date and Celia replied, "we had not settled on a date yet."   Rosanne said she needed a time frame to fit her schedule in fear it might conflict with some future commitment.   The date of October 7th of 2000 was agreed upon by all.