December 10, 2003

Six years ago today, Joel and I were in Orlando. We went up to Disney World. I remember waking Joel up around 5am, telling him I didn't feel so good, my throat was hurting me. I thought it was because of the cold weather. (I was hoping anyway.) It was a bit nippy up there. We had had breakfast at Chef Mickey's, and then spent the better part of the afternoon at the Magic Kingdom, until I couldn't take it anymore. It got to the point where everything was sore. Joel was walking and taking pictures and I would find a place to stand. And wait. So he said we would go back to the hotel so I could lay down. Did that, and felt better. We had plans to have dinner at the California Grill in the Contemporary Hotel. (Super nice.) After a nap, Joel wasn't feeling so good. But he said he wanted to go anyway. We had reservations for 7p.m. I think Joel was pushing me out the door around 5:30p.m. He said he didn't want to be late. I told him, I told think we will. We just have to take the bus to catch the monorail and it will drop us off at the Restaurant. But whatever. He was a little keyed up, like do we have everything? Are you ready? On the way there, and then when we arrived, waiting for the table, (because we were an hour early) he couldn't sit still. I asked him WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU? Nothing. So now I'm getting nervous. I'm starting to wonder, is he gonna propose? No, don't get your hopes up. So, we sit down, place our order. We talking, it's a nice evening. And all the while I'm trying to tell myself to not be upset if he doesn't ask. Before they brought dinner, I went to use the bathroom. You know, one of those nervous pees, where it feels like you have to go, but not so much. Yeah, that was me. When I came around the corner, our food had been brought, and mine had one of those silver domes over the top of it. My heart started pounding! And I was trying to keep this huge stupid grin off my face. As I sat down, the waiter came to remove it, and you know what was under it? My food. I can't remember now what I had, but I remember taking small bites thinking maybe Joel hid a ring inside my food. I didn't want to choke on it. (Man, that would have been a story!) We finish our meals and the waiter asks if we would like dessert. Joel asked if I would like dessert. I said sure. But I was thinking HELL YES! Even if I hadn't wanted it, I would have ordered some. While we were waiting, we were talking. And he was telling me how much he loved me and how much I mean to him. And thank you for putting up with all that I had. So now, my heart is pounding. I was for sure he would notice it. Like the pulse in my neck was so obvious. (But now, I think his own heart beat was too loud for him to hear mine.) He asked me like 3 times,"You know I love you, right" I answered him yes every time and said I loved him. By the 3rd time, I asked Joel, are you ok? He said, yes, I'm fine, but I need to make sure you love me if you're going to marry me. And then he slid a small black box across the table to me. Stupid me, I ask him if I can open. (No, Chris, you can't open it. I'm just giving you a box, but you may never open it. Hope you like it. He didn't say this, but he should have.) When I opened it, I didn't know what to say. The fact that this was actually happening, and that he loves me enough to want to spend the rest of his life we me, left me speechless. I'm not really sure how many times he said it, But I remember answering him 3 times. He keep saying "Well?" And I'm answering,"yes." But it wasn't sinking in, and he kept asking. So I got up and hugged him, and I was crying at this point. (Duh. I was probably crying before that and just don't remember.) The table behind us realized what just happened and was congratulating us. Then here comes the waiter, (This guy was good. Kinda reminds me now, of the butler from the movie Mr. Deeds. Very sneaky, appears out of no where.) telling us congratulations. I have the biggest smile on my face as we're leaving. And as we were walking toward the elevator, all the hostesses and servers were at the door, clapping and congratulating us. It was pretty cool.
So we're hugging, and talking, and I'm staring at my ring. I don't know how I didn't walk into a door or wall. Then, a thought came to me. I asked Joel do you ask me to marry you or tell me I was marring you? He said he wasn't real sure, but I knew what he meant. True. We got on the monorail to take us to the bus and then back to the hotel. We riding, and talking, and riding, and riding. Then we notice that we're going right back to we're we started from. Yeah, we got on the wrong one. And since it was late, we had to ride the monorail to Epcot, get off there and catch the bus. Oops. :) Oh well.
I remember when we where laying in bed, and I think Joel was asleep, I was still looking at my ring. And smiling. Then waking up the next morning, not feeling so great, and looking at my ring, thinking, cool, it was real, I didn't dream it. (It was so hard to not talk with my hands. I'm a hand talker as it is. If I sit on them, I can't say crap. But now it was even harder. I felt like I was hand model on QVC or Home Shopping Network.)
The rest of our trip was ok. Joel felt worse and it didn't help that we went to Epcot and rode that space one and Body Wars. First, how old is that?(Body Wars.) And how stupid could we be? That will give you motion sickness even if you aren't already sick. I wasn't sure who was gonna throw up first.
Needless to say, the worst was over for me. I had to drive home, because he would get dizzy after driving for awhile. And I think when we got home, for the first time, Joel said he needed to go to the hospital because his fever wouldn't go down.
Looking back, I wouldn't change any of it. The being sick, nothing.
I love you more today than I loved you yesterday, Joel. Thank you for asking me on this day 6 years ago to marry you. If you asked again, I would say yes again.
XOXO