e is for...

Engagement!

(I swear I didn't plan that).

I'm engaged! Well I guess we're engaged because you know, Tom apparently also has to be involved.

We woke up to our disgusting 06.45am alarms as usual on Christmas Eve because we both still had work, to Harvey barking for a wee. Tom went down to let him out and I could hear him rummaging around in the lounge. I was still in bed and the puppy came running upstairs and did his adorable little morning routine of jumping on my head, pulling my hair and biting my face. It was as I was trying to prise my abandoned bedsocks out of his mouth that I noticed a note wrapped around his collar. It said that a christmas elf had been and to come downstairs quick for an early christmas present. We went downstairs and Tom was sat under the tree with a present for me. I probably should have been really suspicious, but it was still only 06.55 by then, and it was quite a big box so I just thought it was going to be something weird and silly. I opened it and there was a huge card inside, I had pointed this one out to him when we were doing last minute christmas shopping the weekend before, pretending to moan why he never got me christmas cards that say 'to my dearest, the love of my life on'. I looked up and he was on one knee and talking to me. I'm not too sure what he was saying but I finally got the jist of what was happening. All that was going through my head was; "But wears the ring? Why is it so damn early? I don't think I looked in the mirror on the way downstairs so he's waited 7 years to do this when I probably have make up under my eyes and my plait is all falling out." But yay! Out loud I obviously said yes!

It turns out he'd rung my dad the night before to ask his permission (what would he have done if he'd said no?!), but my mum answered the phone. So Tom did what anyone normal person would do and pretended he was 'Adam from Sky' My mum was none the wiser and later said she normally hangs up on people like that, the only reason she didn't on 'Adam' was because he sounded so nice! Thank god she didn't or else I'd still be gathering dust, sat on the shelf at the back of the spinster cupboard. (My Nanna has been telling me my time will come for about 3 years now every time she rings me - but then, she is mad soo...) Tom even did a Welsh accent. Inventive! That's actually him coping well, he has been known before when asked his age at a football stadium to panic and answer with "18!".... .he's 25.

But isn't the ring beautiful?! So sparkly and shiny and just perfect, whoever picked it must have such style and good taste and just know me SO well! I picked it. Tom didn't have a clue so offered me a Haribo gummy ring and told me I could pick what I wanted from the Jeweller Quarter, music to my ears!

But then I had to go to work and wait until the afternoon to actually go ring shopping. I got a bit weird and scared to tell anyone, and didn't say anything until about 10.30. I didn't want to just stand up and shout 'I have an announcement!', and I didn't have a ring, so was it still real? So instead I sat at my desk worrying and being weird all morning. My boss was signing our cards and putting our christmas bonus in them though so I thought maybe if I did announce it I'd get a bit extra. I didn't - shock. But everyone in the office congratulated me and shouted at me for keeping it a secret for two whole hours and it was announced to the whole company over Christmas Fish and Chips. So it was kept really quiet and low-key.

I did enjoy telling Tom it was only a provisional 'yes' until I'd got a ring though. To be fair, I'm the fussiest person on the planet and I didn't even know what I wanted so he obviously hadn't got a clue. Plus I did LOVE shopping for the ring. Initially I had insisted on rose gold, which is what had thrown him in the first place. My mum has a rose gold wedding band and I love it, but the metal is so pink nowadays when I saw it in the jewellers I went off it. We both thought I wanted a coloured stone as well, but for someone who is sick in their mouth at the work bling *vom*, I went surprisingly gooey eyed at how sparkly the real diamonds were.

We picked this one in Newey's eventually. I would definitely recommend them as a jewellers and certainly head over to the Jewellery Quarter if anyone is thinking of popping the question soon, or for any special jewellery in general really. There is so much more freedom of choice there and they can work with any budget. We basically just said what we wanted, what our budget was and they showed us the best quality we could get for it. The prices are so so much better than high street jewellers there as well because it's straight from the wholesalers. We're definitely going back there for our wedding rings.

The original ring had diamonds down the band and a yellow gold head on, but I wanted a plain band and they changed the head to white gold as the yellow can dull the diamonds. I even got to pick the main diamond in the middle! Even though it's so hard to tell the difference in them I had quickly become obsessed with the carat and the colour and was chatting to the sales people about the cut of the stone like a pro, I had convinced myself I was pretty much a diamond expert by the end of it.

Now the fun stuff starts. As far as Tom's concerned his part is now over, even though his main duties were just smiling and nodding then paying at the end. I have some venues to visit over the weekend with my mama and I obviously have a very impressive 'Wedding' Pinterest board.

I have a vision!

Let's see how much fits in the budget though shall we?

Gemma

xXx