How to Lose and Find Your Engagement Ring in Ten Easy Steps

Younger Sister has devised these easy steps for you to follow:

1. When a slight medical condition messes with your hands, decide not to get the ring sized for fear it won't come off if your hand swells.  And then surround yourself with people who don't mention there are such things as ring guards.  Or just never get around to figuring all that out because you're all over-the-moon and stuff.  Additionally--and this will be important later--lose one of the ring's little diamond chips and don't replace it.

2. Pick a cool April evening to meet up with friends at a baseball game.  You know, the kind of chilly evening that makes your hands cold and makes your fingers shrink after you've been out there for hours.

2A. Prior to that, attend an event that is sure to help you keep your wits about you.

3. After the game ends, take the Metro home.

4. Walk in the door very late and night and look down at your ringless hand.  (My sister is not a weepie like me but there might have been screaming.  Her housemate probably is sworn to secrecy but I'll get it out of her during one of our pre-wedding get-togethers, I'm sure.)

4A. E-mail your mom because you figure she's gone to bed already so she won't be alarmed until morning.  (YS obviously was not thinking clearly because she didn't remember how late many of the time-stamps are on the e-mails we get from Mom.  Once Mom read the e-mail, she did not sleep well!)

5. The following day, get the word out.  EVERYWHERE.  The stadium, the metro, everyone you meet.  Especially if they can offer to pray for you.  Our mom hit St. Anthony up hard and she was not alone.  In addition to St. Anthony, I hit up the patron saint and namesake of the parish where I was cantoring the following Saturday.  I just knew someone had found the ring and prayed whoever found it would do the right thing.

6. After a few days, start looking into filing a claim with the ring's insurer.  Groan at the deductible.  Joke that your fiance' should propose to you all over again when you get the replacement ring.

7. Browse the Lost and Found section in your regional CraigsList site after your usual cruise through Missed Connections.  (What? They're weird and occasionally amusing.)

8.  Read a "Found" post about a ring found near the Metro station near your home.  Calm yourself down and contact the person with a description and photos including mention of the missing chip. WE HAVE A MATCH!

9.  Hear the amazing story of how this guy went jogging Sunday morning and saw something sparkly on the ground near the Metro station.  Passed it by, thinking it was a SODA CAN TAB--and then heeded the feeling that he should go back and pick it up.  Marvel at this miracle that has made the jogger a hero in his sentimental wife's eyes.

10.  Go with your fiance' to retrieve your ring and express your gratitude.  Offer a reward and when the beaming couple refuses it, stick it on their mantelpiece on the way out the door.  And then continue to wave them off as you're in your car trying to leave and the lady is running to the curb trying to hand you back the reward (not the wisest thing to do in that particular neighborhood).  And then REJOICE because you and your ring have been Reunited.  

 

And So It Begins

She got a powder pink manicure the next morning.

Last night started off as the usual for me--got off work, went home and took a quick nap, went to the gym, and then came home to make dinner.  While I was cooking, it occurred to me that I needed to text my Younger Sister to advise her she might get a strange phone call Saturday morning.  This weekend is her birthday, and I had managed to win a "character call" from Monsters Inc. as the result of a promotion in a package of juice boxes I'd purchased for my sixth-graders.  (I know--so random.)  The character "Boo" has a strong resemblance to her as a child, and she also has a fondness for PIXAR films.

It seemed a little uncharacteristic of her to respond so enthusiastically (and effusively) to my message, but it was after 9 p.m. and I figured she might have started celebrating her birthday, so I didn't think much of it.

About ten minutes later, my home phone rang.*  I looked at the Caller ID and it was Younger Sister's cell number.  I thought to myself, "Jeez, she's dying of curiosity about the mystery phone call and can't wait until tomorrow morning? Isn't she doing anything more interesting with her evening?"

Me: (Laughing) Hello?

YS: (Sing-songy) I got something shiny for my birthday. . .

Me: (Nothing but a HIGH PITCHED SQUEAL which I'm sure bothered all the dogs in the building)

Yes, YS's Boyfriend had set her up for a proposal under the guise of a fancy birthday dinner. . . and even The Question was hidden in what looked like a birthday card!

Pretty slick.

After I screamed, I was able to get a couple of words out as she told me how it all went down.  I could tell she was happy as she talked with me.  She even said she cried--and then continued to cry off and on during dinner--which is really unusual for her.  If you know your Zodiac you'd say she's a typical Taurus in that she usually keeps her emotions close to the vest.  The man who can get happy tears out of her is a keeper, for sure.

Of course, I knew he was a keeper the first time he came for Thanksgiving, and very late that night after all the company had left, I walked into my parents' TV room and there he was, dangling a string patiently for my parents' very timid, not-very bright cat.  The mere fact that the cat had come over to a big, muscle-y English guy in the first place was astonishing.**
 

But what an exciting night it was, Friday evening, just to hear the happiness in her voice.  I wanted so badly to hop several states over to hug her and fuss over the ring--and take her for a manicure.  I got to do that for my now-Sister-in-Law after Older Brother proposed.

And that's honestly all the envy I have--that her friends down where she lives get to witness all the early thrills and conversations and plans firsthand.  I was among the first called; they waited to change their facebook statuses until this afternoon (probably a wise move so they had time together before the frenzy).  And I know all her married friends (and probably my SIL) will be able to offer all sorts of opinions and wisdom that I know nothing of.  

I might even be mentioned as an "older model" that's "still on the market" like Jennifer Aniston's Beth at her sister's wedding in the movie version of He's Just Not That Into You***.

Even so, regardless of where she lives or who else is close to her, I know I matter to her and she's always going to be my sister--something no one else can claim. Maybe all this stuff will bring us closer.  

And it remains to be seen how all the things in the future with their wedding and married life will play out, and I couldn't begin to speculate on all that--or be anxious about it, for that matter.   

I say that now.  This blog may bear that out. . . or catch me in my moments of weakness.  Or both.

In any event, it's going to be an interesting ride.  You're welcome to go along with me--keep reading. 
    

*Don't judge me--I make a lot of local calls!
**Real men have a soft spot for cats. It's true
***Again, please don't judge me.  I kind of like Jen.