The Best Birthday Gift Ever
Shortly after my second date with PIC, I told my family, “I’m going to marry this man.”
My mother’s response was, “Yeah, okay…”
My brother’s was, “What? You’ve only known him for like two weeks!”
He had a point, but I just knew, to my very core, that this was different. Mainly because I was different, as in I finally felt, for the first time in my life, like I had sh*t together. I had a house, I’d just come back from my first press trip and I had a clear sense of what I wanted to do with my life.
And so I made my brother a bet: $100 that I’d be engaged to PIC by the end of the year.
That was about 8 months ago, and although I know 8 months isn’t a very long time, it’s not always about time. Sometimes it’s about timing, and the timing couldn’t have been more perfect in our case.
Still, the past few weeks have seemed to drag on.
PIC went to talk to my parents back in March.
We went ring shopping April.
Our parents met in May.
July was replete—absolutely replete!—with opportunities for a proposal.
Then my best friend from high school got engaged.
Then my best friend from college got engaged.
And although I was thrilled for each of them, there was a tiny, small, not-so-nice part of me that was left wondering, “When’s it gonna be my turn?”
PIC had assured me that he “had a plan” and that it was going to happen before my 30th birthday but after teaching all week, and cat sitting, and attempting to log at least 3 novel-writing hours each day, I was exhausted by the time Friday evening rolled around. I didn’t even remember to pack a lipstick in my dance bag, and I’d drank so much iced coffee that I felt nauseated by the time we arrived at the art museum.
I almost didn’t want to go.
But I’m glad I did, as though of you who read yesterday’s post will know.
And on Sunday night when my brother presented me with my birthday gift, he also gave me these, totaling $100.
I think 30 is going to be a good year. I
Kat Echevarría Richter 
17 Responses to “The Best Birthday Gift Ever”
I am so excited for you! Congrats again.
Thanks! Sounds like it may be your turn soon…? 🙂
First of all, I think everyone has felt that ‘when is it going to be my turn’ thing. I know the genuine excitement for someone else getting engaged only came about once I was engaged. The rest of the time it was like ‘oh, that’s amazing, I’m so happy for you (sorta)’. I’m genuinely happy for you! I only met your PIC for two minutes, but he seems like a good guy. 😀
[Oh – one piece of wedding planning advice: if you are able, you should set up a website that is easy to remember. We have http://adamandbecky.net, which has a link to our wedding wire website. It’s just so much easier for people. And spend some time enjoying the engagement before really diving into the wedding planning.]
Secondly, the day before FH proposed I told him I was looking forward to my doctor’s appointment on Friday more than his party. He got very sad. But my knee was killing me and I was hopeful that the doc would have some answers…still I ended up having a pretty good time. 🙂
https://reverseorderofoperations.wordpress.com/2014/06/26/the-ruse/
Glad I’m not the only one to feel kinda sorta just a little bit jealous of other people getting engaged. You two had a very cute proposal. And now I’m totally off to check out your website 🙂 (I just love wedding websites.)
Yay! Congratulations again, and happy birthday!! Hopefully you can enjoy it to the fullest with that beautiful ring on your hand 🙂
Also, I’m not sure if I told you this, but I realized I loved R. at your parents’ house during NYE and we discussed marriage for the first time a day later 🙂 I love how our lives are unfolding along a similar timeline!
Awww, my goodness!
That is the cutest story! Thank you so much for sharing, I’m sitting at my desk at work right now with a huge smile on my face 🙂 Congratulations, I know how hard it is to wait for things to happen sometimes!
Yay! I guess its true that the best things in life are worth waiting for 🙂
Congratulations I started planing my life with my man in 4 months of meeting him. I’m 33 with two kids and this time I knew in my heart this was it so I knew total get you on the just knowing
Wow! Four months? I think we started planning right around that same time, if not even a bit earlier. Best wishes to you, your kids and your new man.
This is so awesome! Congratulations!
Thank you 🙂
As you know congrats and also happy birthday to you! I know what you mean by how you meet them and you just have that feeling ‘I’m going to marry him.’ I actually didn’t want to be married, ever, but meeting my husband flipped that on it’s head. I’m excited for you and your man and that you have an extra $100 to spend with the bet money! 😉
Yay for flipping! 🙂
Congrats!
Thanks!
Congrats! It’s interesting how people really seem to *know* when they meet the one..it sounds magical. Thanks for sharing!