He Proposed!

It shouldn't have taken me by surprise. After all, we had been talking about a future together. And he's made such great effort and unimaginable progress with Myla Rae since he met her. Who would do that... for me??? There's not many people I would be comfortable leaving Myla Rae with for the day (she is a rambunctious 2 year old who has no danger awareness) but he's most definitely one of them. (My mom is the other one, and that's about it for now)

It started out as a regular date night, which we try to have at least once a month, you know, go somewhere we haven't been to yet, just the 2 of us... and feel like a regular dating couple lol. Apart from date nights, our outings have always been family oriented, which is great too, but I do look forward to our date nights.

We went to The Clifford Pier at Fullerton Bay Hotel. I didn't think anything was out of the ordinary. He mentioned this place several weeks ago, saying he had a discount voucher so let's have a date night there soon. Then last week he said ok let's do date night here because his voucher expiring already. (I did think, eh why this voucher so fast expiring one. Lol. I didn't know that it didn't exist! Sneaky Sneaky). The couple of weeks leading up to date night he was so busy "at work" with events and meetings after hours. I didn't complain but inside I was a bit sad lah, cos hardly get to see him. But actually he was busy arranging everything, including the engagement ring. I'm amazed at how long this guy can hold a secret for lol. If it's me I would have surely let slip.

We had Foie Gras for the starter, which wasn't even on their menu but he said they could get it done for me, so OK. It's foie gras, my favouritestessssss dish in the world. I wasn't going to question how.

He wore a shirt I got him. For my main course, I chose Laksa. Quite unglam, (but delicious). And it's not something I would order like on a date because messy, but our date nights are like for enjoying and stuffing face, not for pretenses. However, if I had any idea he was going to propose after this course, I would not have chosen Laksa. Plus I really took my time and finished the whole huge bowl some more *smh*

All this while, he was actually nervous, plus the wait staff and restaurant manager were giving him signals and cues... but I honestly didn't pick up on any of it. They really worked it out like a master plan of cues and signals ok... for instance, he had a bottle of wine, and our waitress (her name was Princess) topped up his glass and then said "we're almost there, sir."

And I looked at the bottle and it was more than half full and I'm like wtf, the bottle still so full. But actually it was the signal for him to know that our friends have all arrived and finished their dinner and are now seated outside the restaurant by the waters and that my dessert was ready. So he can proceed with the proposal very soon.

Actually another sign I should have picked up on but didn't... was that while he was away at the toilet (he must have made like 3 toilet trips during our dinner, he said his stomach pain lol. But actually when he left our table he went to speak to the manager to check on stuff, and his friend coordinating our friends group outside, etc etc etc). Any way, during one of the times he was away "in the toilet", I asked Princess for the dessert menu. I wasn't going to order without my partner laaaa.... I just wanted to look at the choices first because I'm greedy like that. But the waitress politely turned me down by saying, the night is still young, take your time. Something along those lines. And I looked down at my Laksa which  was halfway through, and thought ok, I must seem like a damn greedy pig hahaaaaa paiseh.

I ordered the thick French toast with condensed milk and peanut butter ice cream. In retrospect, I should have gone for a daintier looking dessert (of which there were many), I didn't know my engagement ring would be in it!

So here's the scenario. Dessert is served... there's live music, the singer sings At Last by Etta James (which some time ago we shortlisted as our wedding song in the future). Princess explained that there is a way to eat this dessert... you pour the condensed milk over your french toast, then you crack the chocolate ball, then you start eating. I said ok.

So... I poured the condensed milk over the french toast... and I started eating. Bahahahaa.... the singer looped the song around one more time. The staff standing a discreet distance away (behind me so I could not see) were all wondering ehhh what's happening, it's not going as planned!? And there's my sweetheart Adamson next to me, suggesting that I should crack the chocolate ball... and in my head I'm like nah not feeling like chocolate at the moment Baahahaha... I even passed the spoon to him and said, "you wanna see what's inside the chocolate ball, you crack la" cos like I'm busy eating french toast with peanut butter ice cream and condensed milk man. Trololololol.

Finally my curiosity got the better of me, and I cracked it. But I did it so gu niang like, making only a small crack and some gold coloured edible beads flowed out. Then I said oh, it's like your mum's (I was referring to the silver coated chocolate beads his mum has in an Eiffel tower glass bottle). And I was about to go back to eating my french toast, when he suggested cracking the chocolate ball open fully. And so I did (all this while I still totally didn't suspect anything at all). And out popped this beautiful diamond ring!

And then he went down on one knee (although I've been married before, this was actually the first time any man has gone down on one knee)... he said that he would try his best to make me happy, and that he loved me, and stuff like that which I can't really recall because I was looking at him, and I could feel the heat build up behind my glassy eyes (like when you're about to cry that kind), and the whole moment just seemed surreal. Like whoooshhhhh....

(I think later today I'll ask him to tell me again all the things he said.)

Then he ended it with, Will you marry me?
Of course I said Yes.
He slipped the ring on. We kissed.
Then some staff and guests at the tables near us offered us congratulations.

Then he brought me outside to finish our dessert by the river. And when I stepped out... a second surprise. Our friends and my brother and his wife were there. 

His friends who have over the course of the last few months have become my friends too. 

Plus really sweet of him to include my close friends Farizan and Lauretta... and my brother and Sheng juan to share this special evening. (Thank you all for coming).

I really hope for the best and that life takes us where we want it to. It's quite scary, i won't lie. Taking the plunge again. But you really do learn from your mistakes and life experiences and it really does make you stronger. Plus it feels so right. And when I have my hand in his, I feel so loved and secure. I want to do right by him and be his pillar of strength too. 

I'm not asking for anyone to support this or give us blessings. But I just wanted to share this very special and pivotal moment of my life and my journey to that happily ever after ending. It's there. We'll get there. This feels like the right path.

(Happy belated Valentine's Day and happy Chinese New Year everyone)