When I said yes to Tom Wednesday night, I didn't know it was going to be this big of an ordeal.
On our way to work today, we discussed in the car whether or not we were going to tell everyone. I said I'd rather not make it a huge announcement, lets just wait and see if anyone notices the ring and asks about it or not. Tom agreed that that might be the best way to go...
Not even 15 minutes go by when as I'm walking across the department to grab something for a customer, Paula comes running up to me begging to see my ring. I told her I'd be back in a minute to show her. When I finally showed her, she went nuts over it. She asked me and Tom a bunch of questions about the ring and how he proposed. After a few minutes, I went back to my own department to get back to work. Five minutes later, the general manager comes running across the department to the computer I was working on. At first I thought he was going to say something about more than one associate being in the back corner helping customers at the same time. Instead, he grabbed my left had as I'm typing and stared at the ring. He commented on the ring, how beautiful it was, and mentioned how he couldn't believe how bright red my face had turned. He congratulated me and asked if we had set a date yet. I laughed and said no and went back to work. Right after Robbie walked away, the customer I was working with as well as two others standing in the back corner with me said congratulations to me too! I couldn't believe it.
Just after I had finished dealing with that customer, the ops manager and the woman working in the cash office cornered me and demanded to see the ring. The moment I showed them, they got all giddy and started giggling. They couldn't believe that Tom had that kind of taste in jewelry (I make sure to tell everyone that he's the one who picked it out...hey, the ring is so beautiful, I want everyone to know that he is just that good.) Then they started asking all the typical questions (have you set a date yet, how big of a reception are you going to have, etc.) and started talking about having a lingerie party for me. At that point I couldn't help getting all embarrassed and of course they started making fun of me for turning bright red.
The rest of the day went just like the beginning... having coworkers running up to me begging to see the ring and asking me all sorts of questions. At one point, I found myself standing up at customer service in the middle of a bunch of CSR's answering questions about how Tom proposed to me and what my reaction was and all of that. Everyone seems so excited for us, which is absolutely wonderful.
Some people have asked what our parents think about our engagement. I haven't quite thought of a way in which I can break the news to my parents...I'm really quite nervous about talking to them about it. I spent the whole evening with my mom yesterday and managed to do everything one handed so she wouldn't see the ring. I went the whole time trying to think of ways I could tell her. I guess I'm just so nervous becuase I have no idea what their reaction is going to be to it. I ended up bitting off all of my nails in anxiety, they're now dangerously short and painful. I feel bad that all of my coworkers ended up knowing before my own parents, but at least at work I know everyone will have a positive attitude. At home, I'm not really expecting a positive reaction to it...I think that's why I'm so nervous.
I feel bad for Tom's parents, though. Its bad enough they don't really like me. Well, according to Tom they feel nothing at all towards me (which is supposed to be better than having them not like me.) Tom ended up telling them in an email entitled "To Whom it May Concern." I'm sure he's going to kill me for posting it, but I think its just so cold and hilarious at the same time, I just have to share it with everyone. Here is the email Tom sent out to his family to announce his engagement...
to whom it may concern,
after months of planning and serious soul searching, i proposed to katie on oct. 19th. she gladly accepted. the opportunity never arose to tell you all individually and i figured that this was the most efficient way of getting the message out. preliminary discussions indicate an october wedding, but things could change at this point. as of right now, grandma and robert know about this and were extremely supportive (as supportive as a seven-year-old can be expected to be). thank you ahead of time for your support.
tom
Isn't that ridiculous? I suppose I can't really say anything right now, since I haven't even told my parents yet. Cross your fingers for me...I'll need all the help I can get just trying to muster up the courage to tell them. I'll let you know how it goes.