The one where we are halfway there

grabe...we are exactly 6 months from the day that simon proposed to me (well, technically on the 25th pa) and 6 months from our wedding day! yahoo! super mixed emotions. it's just but fitting to share our wedding proposal story...

it was a christmas day, dec. 25, 2004. we love Christmas so much. we love how people are extra mabait when they get their bonuses, we love the chrismas lights, we love wrapping up gifts and most specially we love the real reason why we celebrate christmas. we did the usual thing...go to the mall, eat, eat, watch a movie, and eat again. hehe. we did just the usuals. on our way to Eastwood, which by the way is our favorite place to hang out, we wanted to watch a movie sana but then the line was so long...so we just decided to eat. pag labas namin ng mall, may nakita kme mini concert so we stayed muna there for a while. paalam sya, "beh, bili lang ako ng gift for my monito, dito ka lang ha." dahil pagod nako, sabi ko cge. when he came back, tanong na sya san daw may acoustic music na resto. i personally wanted to just eat at any resto kc dami naman food at home. so sabi ko, "beh, kung uwi na lang kaya tayo?" taranta na sya, hanap na sya ng kahit anong resto na makita nya. we saw this chinese restaurant sa corner, West Lake. sabi nya, "gusto mo dito?" sabi ko, cge. we sat down and ate. dami ko nakain. wala pako idea of what's gonna happen. as in, NADA! pagkatas kumain, nag-excuse sya to go to the CR, pag balik nya, maya-maya lumapit ung waitress na nag-seserve sa amin. sabi nya, "ma'am on the house po". it was a white bowl covered and a spoon on the side. alam ko tlga chinese people have so many traditions esp. pag may occasion. i blurted out, "AYOKO TO BEH, DI BA ETO UNG PINAPAMIGAY NG MGA INTSIK NA MUKHANG KULANGOT?!" as in, lakas boses ko ha...Simon did'nt know how to react since i don't want to open the bowl. pero promise, no idea pako nung time nato. then, he opened the cover. i saw a red box with a ribbon. syempre, red eh, so akala ko nga promo ng mga intsik...sabi ko na naman, "OH ETO NGA 'YON, UNG BILOG NA LASANG MAALAT-ALAT NA TAMIS-TAMIS! PARANG MARAMING KULANGOT" hahaha...you cant imagine how he looked like...parang oh no, bat ayaw nya tanggapin. i did'nt want to open it, buksan ko na daw. until after so many convincing, i opened it. I saw a ring with a diamond na kumikislap. I felt myself all red. di pa rin masyado nag sink-in, sabi ko, "shucks! eto na!!!" then, he went towards me and asked, "Will you marry me?" oh mi gas!!! nanginginig sya...as in, ang lamig ng kamay nya. i saw tears forming sa sides ng eyes nya...and i just can't say anything...We hugged...and we hugged more...after that, i said, YES. tapos, speechless lang kme..as in. titigan lang na parang walang nakatingin sa amin. our lips were tired from smiling and nangawit tlga ang panga ko. sabi namin, "so this is how it feels..." iba, grabe! we left the resto with all the staff smiling at us and greeting us congratulations.

on our way to the parking lot which was at the roofdeck na open space, we didnt know that we were in for a surprise. first, it was a full moon, super romantic. and as soon as we were in front of the car, the first FIREWORK started! Boom! and we were surprised and amazed. it was so timely. parang pinagawa talaga ni simon for me. as in! it was 10pm pala and eastwood has a schedule of fireworks at that time. grabe, heavenly! we stood there for 5 minutes embracing each other...we even kissed...hehehe, PDA i know. and we held each other's hands. haaayy!

when we were driving pauwi, we forgot the receipt of the resto. i want to make it as a souvenir of a special evening we had. we went back and requested the resto to print us another copy of the receipt. West Lake was so understanding. their staff overstayed to help us find the receipt. so bait!

On Backstage: how did simon know about my size ring? dec. 23, i stayed at Richmonde with my bestfriends. my MOH kept on telling stories about college rings. i didnt have one so i said, "sana ako rin meron nyan". then she asked, "why, ano ba size mo?" sabi ko 5 to 5.5. then, she's "ahhhh..." tapos nung pakwento nako, she suddenly changed the topic. hehe. porque nakuha nya na size ng finger ko.

How the proposal was so perfect in a way that all the elements of the universe were so united and timely. for one, nung nagpaalam si simon to buy a gift, he was to get talaga the ring which he left sa car. if i have insisted on coming with him, he would'nt have proposed. 2nd, simon ran over the same waitress who was serving us the whole dinner, if he asked other waitress, then i would have suspected. 3rd, the fireworks were really so exacto! feeling talaga namin gift sa amin ni God un. 4th, all my other friends and officemates, and his family knew, ako na lang talaga ang hindi. lastly and the most important, days before christmas, wala na talaga syang budget to buy me a ring coz of all the money he has were spent in buying gifts for his parents. then, bigla na lang may ang-ask of his services and paid him the exact amount to fill in for his budget to buy a ring. and best of all, he got as much as 40% discount from the store. hahaha. so many blessings. feeling talaga namin, meant talaga sya to propose on a christmas day since dati nya pa gusto yun. so there, that's the story that started it all.

and now, we are just 6 months from our wedding. more stories of love, blessings, graces from God to come.