PRAGUE

It was crazy leaving on Thanksgiving Day... baking the night before and having a couple of friends over for dinner didn't help either. Then there was the whole flooding toilet incident. However, Thanksgiving lunch was very good! I had corn casserole for the first time and really enjoyed it! I liked the cranberry sauce, and the pumpkin pie I made was wonderful. The pecan pie had WAY too many pecans in it... definitely writing that in the epicurious review - not the best recipe! Flying later that day on a full belly - not the brightest idea, but what are you going to do when you are flying on Thanksgiving Day???

Let's get to the good part... Prague was wonderful. I really enjoyed the sites, and I actually didn't find the food all that much. We tried about 10 different beers (including a vanilla and a sour cherry beer at a microbrewery we went to), so that was fun! Ultimately though... the last meal at Kampa Park really tied everything together. The setting was SO romantic - swans, incredible view of Charles Bridge, candlelit room, and soft jazz playing in the background. Rob said something along the lines of, "Well... I thought it was time to maybe stop all the comments" and he pulled out a ring!! He totally had me convinced the whole trip that nothing was planned - said that his brother had asked him, and he said that he didn't have a ring, so nothing could be planned, etc. etc. etc... he definitely fooled me! The ring is beautiful! I love it... today we went to the designer, as this is only a sample/base for the real ring. I made some suggestions for things I would like, she made a wax model (while we had dinner across the street), and then we went and it looks SO great! December 17th estimated date for the arrival of the real ring... the one that is mine. Edwardian antique style, which is what I love! Round diamond, with some smaller diamonds. The ring is actually from a place that a friend of ours got his ring from a year ago... I had said that I liked his wife's ring, so Rob asked him for the address of the jewelry shop. The only stipulation in exchange for address was to not get the same ring - we didn't, of course! I want my own ring too!! I'm excited to see it, as it's not her standard settings, and she was excited to try something a little different too... can't wait! It's what I had been looking at online (ssssh... don't tell Rob!) only better!

So now... the calls and e-mails have begun. I quickly realized I couldn't call everyone, so I've already sent an e-mail, though a second round of those have to go out too. I've talked to a few people, missed a few people... first call was my sister; she was SO happy! She really likes Rob, and she is going to fly to Toronto for the INTRODUCTION. Time to meet the parents. This is what makes it so scary... I really feel like this is a transition in my life, and it makes me SO nervous. Things will never be the same, but I can't wait! I know my parents will love him, and I'm sure he'll love my family, and I can't wait for it to be the end of the month... and then again, maybe I can. It's all a bit overwhelming right now... but I figure it's got to all be downhill once the meeting is over with...