We're Engaged!

The proposal:

Froggie came and picked me up from work last night and took me to the second largest ferris wheel in the world here in Taipei:

He looked really nervous and scared when we got on, and I was secretly laughing at him for being scared of heights, even though I was a bit scared myself. Here is his face when we sat down. He looked sick:

I felt kinda sorry for him and was going to ask if he wanted to get off...

But he kept talking and saying stange things and then he started reciting my favourite poem - "I carry your heart" by E.E Cummings.

That's when I kinda knew... cos I told him once that was my favourite poem, but he didnt get what it meant. And I said "let me know when you do..."

I was so impressed, cos he got it all right (he told me later he practiced it 50x and then this morning I found it printed out on a piece of paper - cute!)

Then he gave me an agnes b bag and said "open your present" and I was like "OMG..." but I thought it couldn't be cos the bag was wrong~~ and then I opened it and the ring was there and he asked the question and ....

Well~~~ I SAID YES!

And took a photo straight away, so we could remember the moment. Look at my panda eyes from the tears! (well, he cried too...)

Then we went to this nice French restaurant, but it was all a blur cos I was too excited about the ring and just giddy from the whole experience...

The Ring:

It is a beautiful 3.08ct round solitaire from De Beers.

For those of you who are plebs and dont know who De Beers is, they are the biggest diamond mining company in the world, and supply all the diamonds for names like Cartier & Tiffanys. De Beers went retail under LVMH about 7 years ago, but they only have stores in London, the US, Dubai, Paris, HK, Japan, Seoul... and Taipei. They pioneered the term "Diamonds are Forever" and has the best cuts of any diamond jeweller.

I think it's perfect and very me.

Bold, classic, and it has a really big head.

LOLOLOLOLOL.

I hope all my girlfriends approve :P






Isn't it beautiful?

Ok, and just before everyone starts asking ~~ We are planning for this to be a rather long engagment, as we want to be back in Sydney for the wedding. So there is no date set and we are not in a rush!

The story behind the story:

"Qi Xi" (Night of Sevens), also known as Chinese Valentines Day, occurs on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month each year on the Chinese calendar.

This year, that day fell on August 7 - yesterday. Here is the story behind this day:

A young cowherd named Niulang (牛郎) happens across seven fairy sisters bathing in a lake. Encouraged by his mischievous companion the ox, he steals their clothes and waits to see what will happen. The fairy sisters elect the youngest and most beautiful sister Zhinü (織女) to retrieve their clothing. She does so, but since Niulang has seen her naked, she must agree to his request for marriage. She proves to be a wonderful wife, and Niulang a good husband. They lived happily and had two children. But the Goddess of Heaven (in some versions Zhinü's mother) finds out that a mere mortal has married one of the fairy girls and is furious. Down on Earth, Niulang is very upset learning that his wife is gone. Suddenly, his cow begins to talk telling him that if he kills him and puts on his hide, he will be able to go up to Heaven to find his wife. With tears flowing, he killed the cow, put on the skin and carrying his two children with him and off he went to the Heaven to find Zhinü. The Goddess found out he had come and was very angry. Taking out her hairpin, the Goddess scratches a wide river in the sky to separate the two lovers forever (thus forming the Milky Way).

Zhinü must sit forever on one side of the river, sadly weaving on her loom, while Niulang watches her from afar and takes care of their two children.

But once a year all the magpies in the world take pity on them and fly up into heaven to form a bridge ("the bridge of magpies") so the lovers may be together for a single night, the seventh night of the seventh moon.

It's a beautiful story, and I think that it has particular significance to us.

I came all the way to Taiwan in the hope that Froggie & I could be together, and he has given me in return far more than I could ever wish for. I am the luckiest girl in the world.

Thank you Froggie, for being so amazing and I cant wait to spend the rest of my life with you...

Gracie xxoo