and it's... official!

I'm engaged! This should have been "effective" months ago, since we've been talking about marriage anyway, but I guess SOMEWHERE you have to pinpoint when exactly it became "Official", right? And for me it's not when I started wearing the ring nor when we started talking about marriage. It's when you happily get the approval of the people closest to your heart.

I never knew I'd come to this day - when a man would talk to my parents with such level of seriousness. LOL. One thing I realized: to finally have a man to tell your parents that he's marrying you, is one of the things that girls dream of... BUT it can be NERVEWRECKING at the last minute. When Lou told me of his plans (and script. LOL), I felt more nervous rather than excited. It was like having someone/something to trigger my dad's heart attack again. It was like saying something as huge as "I can't graduate" or "I'm pregnant!" (haha). It made me think exaggeratedly of what ifs scenario and family drama, and all that. But I guess it's a natural thing, getting married will always be something big.

But Lou was chillaxed as always, up to that day. Which I found really ironic. Because it's actually him who'll do the talking, while I was the one being super nervous. I asked him why he's not nervous, 3 times. And he gave a different answer each time: 1 - "A man is nervous when he knows that his capacity to build a family is still questionable" 2 - "I am confident." 3 - "Ewan ko ba sayo bat ikaw ang kinakabahan!". haha!

So he first talked to my mom (no biggie, she kinda expected it), then to my dad probably at his best state - after dinner. When Lou said he's planning to marry me, he was just silent, slightly nodding, staring at space. Then I asked, "pa, ano masasabi mo? okay lang sayo?" He then turned to me and said, "oo naman okay lang sakin. Ikaw, okay lang ba sayo?" HAHA! I laughed, saying "oo naman!". I figured he's probably confused that Lou asked him first, not me. He was smiling but teary eyed. One thing I remember in that conversation: he said he is fine, he never objects to his daughters' decisions, just like how he was to my sisters.

It seemed though that he wasn't telling something, so we just waited. Finally, he softly said "Alagaan mo si Leda, kase bunso namin yan...", then tears rolled down his cheeks. AHK! that's it, I started crying too! and my mom too! haha! I knew though, they were all tears of joy. As for papa, they're both tears of joy and sadness. I've seen this in the past when my sisters decided to marry. Papa can nonchalantly agree, but will be too sentimental at the end of each day. starting today. Until God knows when! Of course, as expected, Lou said, "Opo, aalagaan ko po si Leda" -- I hope it's not because it was in his script! haha!

What broke the drama was my sister, holding a furry dust cleaner. She started walking around the house singing TENTENTENENNN..TENTENTENENNN, teaching my niece Sofi to walk as the flower girl. using the dust cleaner as the bouquet! hahahaha! I kissed papa on the cheek, saying "Thank You" -- I know that at the end of the day, only my decision matters. But admit it, a wedding can't be 101% happy without approval of the bride's father!

When Lou was about to go home, I walked him to the gate, saying nothing but THANK YOU, GOOD JOB over and over. To which he replied, "See, just a piece of cake!" -- Really my future husband is the most [reasonably] confident man ever ...one of the reasons why I love him!!!

WHEW. one down! Next item on the list: PAMAMANHIKAN.

P.S. My ring:

(details next time!)