Waking Sleeping Who?

Eleven years ago today I spent a Saturday night out with friends and this guy that I really liked. I spent extra care making sure my outfit was great and my hair was amazing. We had been dating for 2 months now, yet he still hadn't proposed (what was wrong with this guy?)but I was sure this was the night. He kept hinting and smiling and just giggling all week long.

My family is notorious for over the top engagements and wedding receptions and we had a reputation to uphold. I had made it perfectly clear that I wanted a fairytale wedding so there would be no issues when the time came. I imagined him proposing in front of a large crowd at the Excalibur Hotel. Maybe he'd take me onto a mountain top and ride out on a white horse or stop traffic with an old fashioned stage coach and trumpet playing coachmen.

The night came and I tried with all of my might to contain my excitement and imagination.

We talked, met up with the group (who I was sure would break into song at any moment), ate (where I checked every bite for something shiny), talked some more and then ended up at a friends house to play board games. Okay. Not how I expected but we'll go with it. He pulled me to the side on numerous occasions just to hold my hand. He'd whisper and look at me and my heart would start beating out of my chest. He even reached his hand in his pockets so I just knew what he was going to do. We'd be right in the middle of a "moment" and someone would interrupt; calling a name, joining us or just breaking the mood with their loudness.

I just wanted to get out of there so he could pop the question already but no matter what we did or where we sat- we stayed with the group and HE just bounced back and forth from the idea. When he first started gazing into my eyes I waited the initial dramatic pause so I wouldn't miss the fireworks that were surely lighting up the sky in my behalf. Then, as the night went on, I was just looking for anything- grand finale or not- I just needed closure!

Five hours and Nothing.

I am real sweet, mostly, but I am also a girl who knows what she wants and when I don't get it, I get, well, a little moody...WHAT? I don't really like board games- I just played along in case one of the cards read something meant exclusively for me. Once I realized there were no implanted cards, fireworks or even flowers- I just laid down on the couch to wait out the evening. It was after 10:00- my bedtime and I couldn't keep from turning into a pumpkin.

My date seemed completely unaffected by the moving hour hand. How insensitive I thought. He knows I like to go to bed at a reasonable hour! When he gave the cue to leave I could not get in the truck fast enough. I'm not sure what we talked about on the way home and to be completely honest I'm not sure I even talked to him at all. All the magic had worn off and I was back to my rags and farm pumpkin. I just needed to go to bed and all would be well.

Apparently the proposal I had been anticipating was some really big miscommunication. "Chicken. What's he afraid of", I thought.

I'm pretty sure I still kissed him good night, I think, and I just headed straight for my room. Walking through my door I noticed my room looked different. Crazy Mom- I told her I'd clean my room- she didn't have to do it for me. Oh, well. At that point I didn't care what had happened or what I was wearing; I just put on an over-sized t-shirt and some old shorts I used for pajamas and as I laid in my bed half a sleep my mom yelled in to me reminding me to put my clothes away. Obsessive aren't we? I just wanted to go to bed but since she'd worked so hard to clean up the room I figured I'd give her one less thing to worry about while she slept. (A grown woman waiting to get a proposal has her mom cleaning her room- yeah.) I did as I was asked and fell quickly into my long awaited sleep.

Giggles. Heavy Breathing. More Giggles.

I woke up to find my bed surrounded by people. They were all smiling- slightly goofy if I might say. They obviously knew something I didn't. It wasn't my family that threw me off- they do crazy things all of the time and I just thought I'd have to give them the bad news that my finger was still ring-less but it was the other people that made me question if I was still dreaming or heading straight for a nightmare. I'd only met them a few times but you don't mistake the family members of the man you're hoping to marry. I wiped the tired sleep from my eyes, ran my fingers through my unimaginably messy hairdo and sat upright. Kneeling at my bedside was a prince holding a ring. Really. He knew he needed it to be good so after employing my family's help, he dressed the part to awaken sleeping beauty. (Mom, instead of just making sure I didn't get embarrassed with a messy room maybe a cue to wear cuter pj's, brush my hair and teeth would have been helpful:)

He didn't say anything (I couldn't tell if he was frightened from the experience, my morning appearance or if his tights caused concern) but I took the ring anyway. We hugged, we kissed and of course- pictures were taken so I couldn't lie about my not so glamorous appearance.

I eagerly began touring every church building in the city to show off my ring and began to fill him in on all the wedding plans I had made since I was six. He was very quiet that day; can't imagine why.

The whole night before was plotted to keep me asleep until he could be there to wake me up. I am an early riser and he knew that if he didn't wear me down he'd never get to me in time. Obviously my mom knew. Every friend knew and were all involved in confusing me with the hopes that if they played me enough- I'd never expect the real thing in the morning. They were all right.

Sleeping Beauty is in fact my favorite fairytale and he nailed it, except in the cartoon she was still as gorgeous waking up as when she fell asleep and probably didn't have morning breath. I could have imagined a million proposals but never that one, no matter how obvious it seems looking back.

Without saying a word, He asked me to make this journey with him as he leaned over the bed and gently kissed me. While I try to forget the details of my appearance and who knows how long everyone was around me before I woke up (that's a scary thought) I will never forget my prince waking me from one dream and carrying me into another. Two kids starting out a life of growing up together. The best part about this proposal is that I get to relive it every morning of my life... no, my mom's not there to make sure my room is cleaned but I still sit up while wiping the tired sleep from my eyes, combing messy hair and awake to find myself surrounded by smiling, mischief family; but this time the giggles come from our children.

What can I say? I'm a romantic and enjoy a good love story. My favorite part about Happily Ever After is that it never has to end...