Nate and I had looked at rings a few times and I had made it very clear to him that I wanted him to pick it out. I even gave him my class ring so he could use that as a size guide so he could get it sized (I figured that was smart!) One day we went to the jewelry store to get a few charms for my bracelet and he mentioned looking at rings. After hours of trying them on and decided what we liked, I finally had 3 rings picked out for him to choose from. I knew it was not going to happen any time soon, we had a million things going on and bills that needed to be paid before it would ever happen.

                It was about 6 months later and we needed to go take my tennis bracelet in for its annual inspection. We ended up looking at rings once again! I told him for a second time, I wanted him to pick it out. So I gave him 3 choices (not remembering what I had previously picked.) They ended up keeping my bracelet to replace a lost diamond and said they would call me in about a week to let me know when it was ready.

                 A week later I got the call that it was ready and I had asked Nate to go pick it up. Every time he goes to the jewelry store I always tell him “oh, and feel free to buy me another charm for my bracelet while you are there!” So of course I said that!

                Later that afternoon I got home from work and he and Avery were already home. I immediately asked him where my bracelet was so I could take a look at it to be sure they did what they said they were going to do. He told me it was on the counter in the kitchen so I went in there to look. I noticed there was an extra little jewelry box sitting on the counter next to it and I laughingly said “oh yay, you got me another charm!” So I opened the box to see the charm and there sat my class ring……I was totally confused. I turned around and there was Nathan on one knee, with Avery standing beside him!

                Tiffany and I went to the jewelry store one day looking at charms for her bracelet.  We had already been discussing looking at rings and had done so just by browsing magazines that had come in the mail and online.  I suggested that we take the time to look at them since we were already going to be at the jewelry store and she was all for it.  The one stipulation she had was that she wanted me to be the one that picked her ring out, it just made it that much more special to her.

                We spent several hours in the jewelry store and narrowed the favorites down to three different rings.  Our jeweler that was helping us was beyond fantastic and very thorough in his note keeping which helped tremendously!!  We left and as time went by we continued looking online and in magazines at rings.  Tiffany gave me her class ring so as I had something to go by for the size when the time came for me to get her ring….little did she know my plans of getting her one were well in the works already ha-ha!!

                On one of my days off I slipped up to Georgetown to the jewelry store to drop off her bracelet to get fixed.  During this visit I also I met with our great note keeping jeweler and I decided on one of the three rings we liked the most.  The ring was sized using the class ring and ordered that day.  Several weeks later I received a call from the store letting me know the ring was ready for pickup.  I went to pick up the ring and her bracelet which had been replaced.  She knew I was going to pick up the bracelet but none the wise on the ring portion.  

                After arriving home I took the ring out of the black felt box and put her class ring in it.  I put the ring box and her bracelet box on the kitchen counter for her to find when she got home from work.  I went and picked up Avery from school and waited for Tiffany to get home from work.

                When she arrived home she immediately asked about her bracelet.  I told her nonchalantly it was on the counter and kind of stood there in the kitchen trying to act like nothing was going on.  Of course I had Avery on board with what I was doing and she was a perfect sidekick in keeping things calm and low key with me.  Tiffany opened her bracelet box and after examining her bracelet noticed another box next to it.  She opened the ring box and still had her back to me.  I pulled the “real” ring from my pocket and got on one knee with Avery next to me.  Tiffany kind of seemed stumped as she opened the ring box to see her class ring.  A she turned around she looked like she had been hit with a jolt of energy, I never had to ask….she just said yes, laughed and cried all at the same time.