*Engagement Rings*

I can't believe it's already been 7.5 years since I received my engagement ring. Around Christmas of 2001, Joe and I began talking about "our future." I was going to be graduating from college in May 2002 (he had one more semester after me because he was double majoring) and I already had a job lined up in another city.

By then we'd been dating for a year-and-a-half and there was no question we were in love. We knew each other well and couldn't imagine there being a better fit for ourselves. He was the type of guy I'd always pictured as my husband and father to my children. I didn't want to start my life in "the real world" without him. Even though I had only just turned 22, I decided I was ready to make a life-long commitment to Joe!

So, we went to a few ring stores and I fell in love with the round cut diamond set in 24K, the purest gold. Our plan was to wait to get engaged until the end of the summer (around August 2002) and then have our wedding the following year (October 2003 - my favorite month). But, Joe surprised me by buying a full carat engagement ring on his own in January and proposed a month later, on Valentine's Day 2002! I'm so glad he did because it was so much better to have the proposal be a surprise :) It was very romantic. . .I'll wait and share the story this upcoming Valentine's Day.

I adored my engagement ring and continued to when it was sautered with my wedding band the following year (our wedding ended up being in April 2003, a beautiful & perfect spring day, exactly three years from our first date, we were both 23)! Now, several years later my ring is more than just a piece of jewelry - it's a special symbol of my relationship with Joe. Where we've been, what we've been through together, who we've become.

I am not a big jewelry person (I don't really wear anything else but my ring), but today I went to JewelryVortex.com and felt my heart flutter the same way as it did that day Joe & I held hands and shopped. I remember that when I closed my eyes that night, all I could picture were silver, platinum, white gold bands as well, and emerald, marquise, and princess diamond cuts, too.

I would still pick my same ring! :)