Almost engaged...

My husband-to-be hasn't officially proposed yet.

We've been dating well over two years, have met each other's families and spent holidays with them, have the blessings of his just about grown daughters, and have been looking at houses for over a year.

At the first of the year, it was agreed we would get hitched some time in 2008. Yea!

We started ring shopping about a month ago and I had a perfectly nice set selected and thought it was a done deal only to find out he wanted to visit with more jewelers and see if what we decided on was really a good deal. We went to more jewelry stores and I picked out another perfectly nice set at another store. He likes it just fine but noted that it cost a little more than the other set from the other store. I smiled nicely and said, "Every time we go shopping for a new set after I've made up my mind on one, you can pretty much guarantee any new selections will be more expensive. Might want to stop while you're ahead." He took note and we haven't been shopping since.

But I don't have a ring either. He wants to talk to the jeweler some more about diamond selections and pricing. That's fine with me. And he wants to do up some nice proposal scheme. Okaaaaaay...

But I don't need a nice fancy proposal scheme. We're middle-aged. We've done this before. It's not exactly a surprise. My first husband was going to do a nice proposal thing, but was so excited when he picked up the ring that he rushed over and gave it to me as I stood in the laundry room, looking like a disaster, wearing rubbing gloves and a quantity of Comet as I had been scrubbing the floor. Not the romantic luncheon I thought was going to happen, and as it turned out, an omen to the rest of our time together. But that's another saga for another time.

So when are we getting hitched? Next year, I think. We had a date "set" for later this year, but he thinks he won't be ready to take the plunge. He has a few family things to deal with and close the door on before he can devote more time to wedding planning and getting a new house. A new date has been selected for near the end of winter; maybe the weather gods will cooperate.

So here we are... a middle-aged couple on the way to the altar, again.

I'm excited. He wants to be excited. I think this can be fun.