Big News!!! :)

Here are a couple pictures... one of me and Colin and one of my engagement ring... who knew being in love could be soooo wonderful?

Well, I know that things have been quiet on my blog lately. This is only an indicator of how crazy my life has been (in both good and bad ways... but mostly good).

Since the end of exam prep I have been contracted to a different ministry and had my contract extended until the end of March (at the earliest). This has been both good and bad for me. On the positive side the money is good and I have been kept very busy, on the not-so-positive side I have not had time to do all the promotion and launching of my cd that I had thought I would. Currently I am taking a few days of stress leave from work due to the OTHER stuff happening in my life right now...

In December I began dating Colin, a good friend of mine who I have known for about 8 years. In all my years of dating I have never felt like this about someone before. Being with him is inspiring me to do everything I have ever dreamed of doing. He has become my love, my support and my best friend almost overnight. The most wonderful, crazy thing is that he feels the same. If ever there was such a thing as soulmates, we are it!

At the beginning of February things in the life of my family started getting hectic and have been wearing down my reserves of optimism a bit. Thank goodness for Colin in my life to help me with everything that is going on right now and for keeping me sane!

My step-dad, Ted, has been needing surgery for two of the vertebrae in his neck for the past several months. He was told the operation would be either at the end of February or the beginning of March. Luckily there was a last minute opening so he was able to go in for the operation at the beginning of February. He is out of the hospital and recovering well now. It looks like he is going to be fine! :)
One of the upshots of his last minute surgery was that my mom (and her four small dogs) needed a place to stay in Victoria for five days while Ted was in the hospital. She was thinking about staying in a hotel but with the per animal rates the cost would have been huge so she needed an alternative.
In stepped Colin to the rescue. He offered his place for her and her dogs to stay in which (after much checking with strata council) she accepted.

Half an hour after my mom and Ted called to tell me about all this (which was two days before they came down to Victoria) my dad called to say that he was in legal trouble (which I cannot go into in detail) and that he needed me to come and help him out. As it turns out, my dad was unable to go back to his apartment so Colin and I had to pack and move _all_ of his stuff (and I will tell you, a bachelor can collect a LOT of stuff living on his on over 40 years) in one weekend.

Colin did most of the heavy lifting and hard stuff and really went above and beyond the call of duty to help with the packing when I just couldn't do it. Again, thank GOD he was there for me! I can only hope that I will be able to do the same for him throughout our lives together.

So at the end of the weekend from hell of moving Colin decided to take me shopping on Sunday afternoon downtown for a ring... we ended up at Turtle Express in Fan Tan Alley where we found the most beautiful opal ring. I absolutely loved it!
We were on our way out to Sidney to have dinner with Colin's parents, Marjorie and John, when Colin said something to the effect of:

"So, this ring is burning a hole in my pocket. I know you are dying to wear it but I am torn. Would you rather that I waited for the perfect moment to ask you, like on a starry night with a full moon, or would you rather we just go somewhere now and do this?" (It was just about twilight and it was a misty, rainy day.)

(Me:) "Well, I think that we should go somewhere and _make_ a perfect moment right now."

At that point we were just driving past Elk Lake on the highway. Colin and I had gone for a really nice walk there during the New Year's weekend so I suggested that we drive around the back of the lake (where there is a boat launch entrance) and do it there.
Colin pulled off the highway and drove us around to the quiet side of the lake.

There was no one around as we pulled into the dirt parking lot near the edge of the lake. We got out of the jeep and wandered along the path down to the grassy verge near the water. As I said, it was a misty, rainy afternoon and as such the ground was muddy and damp.
Colin had his arm around my shoulder as we walked and he asked,
"You didn't want me to do the one-knee thing, did you?" (To which I responded with a vigorous nod and a grin... to which he rolled his eyes.) At this point we were right near the water and I threw my old leather jacket on the ground and said,
"Oops! Well, now that it is on the ground you can use it if you like..." (teehee :)

He was very romantic about the proposal. He said that I am the most wonderful woman he has ever known and that he wanted to be with me for the rest of his life if I would have him. I kept waiting for him to actually ask me a question as he looked deeply into my eyes with his green ones. Eventually there was a long pause and he asked,
"Do you actually want me to ask The Question?" (more vigorous nodding and grinning).

So then he did it... He went down on one knee, got out the ring (and had a little trouble with the knot, which we giggled over a bit) and then looked up at me with eyes as green as the mist-shrouded trees around us and said,

"Will you marry me?"

(Which, even now, is bringing tears of joy to my eyes.)

"Yeah." (I couldn't say any more at this point as I was so choked up with tears.) He put the ring on my finger then stood up and gave me a big hug and kiss. We started giggling (and I couldn't stop for about half an hour after that). We toasted each other with Colin's flask of Grand Marnier down by the lake's edge in the mist.

It was SO FREAKING ROMANTIC (heeheeheeheehee)!!! :D

So then we went for dinner with his parents and told them and then I called my parents later and told them. Everyone has been overjoyed for us... though no one more so that we have been.
Wedding plans are in the works. We had originally thought of having a big wedding at a campground but now are thinking we might just have a really small, family-only wedding in May and then have a more informal one at Sealion War (SCA event) in June to which all our friends can come and celebrate with us.

So come one, come all to Sealion War at Camp Bernard in Sooke. It is an SCA event so you will need to wear something approximating medieval clothing. It will be on the Saturday night. It will likely be a potluck feast of some kind and then partying late into the evening. I will post more info as it comes available.

Oh yeah... and this week has been moving week for me. I am now _almost_ moved into Colin (and my) two bedroom condo. It is lovely! It is big and sunny and perfect. I feel like I am living in a fairy tale... Life is wonderful...