We're Engaged!, originally uploaded by bkmanhole.

I never knew what I wanted to be when I grew up. So when it comes to talking about hopes, dreams and aspirations, a big part of me still doesn't know what is in store for the future.

But I knew I wanted to be married, and start a new life with the right person. Luckily enough, paths crossed and I met Sandy.

Three years, four months and eighteen days later. I'm one step closer. I'm engaged!

Getting married was an eventuality for us. We knew it would happen sooner or later and talked about it often, without setting any real time lines for things. Sandy only said two things; wait till I graduate, and talk to my parents first.

One was easy, two was a tad bit more terrifying (not for the reasons most would be terrified for though)

I had been ring shopping for months. So in short order I got my diamond education, tips from friends and set out to figure out on all sorts of things diamonds. It was a tough balance between knowing what she wanted, making it happen and not getting ripped off and completely broke in the process.

With covert ninja ops while Sandy was away for work on the island and late night ventures for "gas", things started to work themselves out. I had a rock purchased and the custom band in the works, tweaks here and there and it was all done. Not without totally stressing out about it being "perfect".

I struggled a lot with, working the plan and going with my heart. It's hard when you set your mind to something, sometimes all you need is someone to give you permission to go with your heart and just throw away all (okay, not all, but some) of the work. I remember someone saying "Ian, you already know which one you want" that was all I needed to let go of the plan and go with what my heart was saying.

I knew how I wanted to ask for a long time. With a simple "will you..." note placed inside an envelope in my front shirt pocket. When Sandy and I first started dating, I used to put little things for her in my shirt pocket, and for some reason it became a thing she would check for. Of course, more recently, she would check and there would always be nothing in the pocket for her.

It was something simple, and uniquely us.

I asked Sandy to be my wife, new years eve 2008.

Sandy had always wanted to go to Blue Water Cafe, a restaurant I had promised to take her to for months. So I figured that would be a good start to the evening.

At first I had considered doing it at the restaurant. But something felt not right about it all. There were too many variables I couldn't control to make the moment perfect. Questions kept crossing my mind, like... would she be sitting across from me or next to me, or would it be weird in public in front of people...

I asked at home, in my bedroom with a shirt hanging above a table laid out with her favourite flowers, a soda bottle I had used to first ask her out, and other memorable trinkets from our relationship together. My room was a comfortable place for both of us.

She was suppose to go to the room to pack a change of clothes for me as we were going to countdown at a friends. I was suppose to get sleeping bags and games to bring. Instead, she wanted to nap in my room before we left. Either way, she was on her way to my room.

I came up a few minutes later and found her musing over the table I had set up, she had this "aw, this is so sweet" reaction to it all. I don't think it dawned on her what was happening. I watched as she looked at everything, eventually getting to the envelope.

I told her to open it, while I had the ring in my pocket. She was seated on my bed facing away from me, fiddling with the ribbon to get the envelope open. As she opened it, I got down on one knee, took out the ring box and opened it and waited for her to look my way.

As she looked my way, I told her how much she meant to me and asked her.

She screamed "Is this for real!?" I chuckled and asked again, blurting out how I had gone to talk to her parents the Sunday before while she was at work. She replied, "yes" and started to cry.

She wasn't sleepy anymore; and I had a fiance. :)