(This picture is from July 1996)

The Day We Got Engaged…

Andrew mentioned that he thought by Valentine’s Day we would be engaged, and he also asked me to keep Feb 23 open, that we would spend the day in NYC and that he had a surprise. So my engineering mind figured, and my optimistic heart hoped, well, if not Vday then 2/23. VDay I got ready! We went to this restaurant, and had a good time, and he gave me chocolates and a card that said he was ready to go to the next level… no proposal, so I waited for 2/23 (like an if-then loop).

The next week, I had a real sense of calm and peace about our future, and a real busy week so I didn’t give it much thought.

On 2/23, I was a wreck. Had it not been for my friends I might have lost my mind. I got up at 5, had a plan and a schedule. Andrew was going to arrive between 12:30 and 1pm, and I was going to be ready! But I got distracted and distressed. But my big sister Val called at just the right time to put everything in perspective and reminded me to pray whenever I thought I would get anxious. My best friend Angie helped me with my hair, and advise me that no matter what happened, just enjoy the day. I know they were praying for me. I was also blessed to run into my first lady, Vanessa, and friend Malika. They gave me some encouragement as well. Later on I would learn (funny enough) that my anxiety was probably more hormonal than anything else.

I got home from running around at 12:10 pm, and by that time, I still had to shower, get dressed, put on make up, fix two chipped nails, and I was expecting Andrew at 12:30! Ugh! I thought I would’ve had time for a relaxing bath (think Calgon commercial, candles and everything). Instead I had to rush, and was still not ready at 12:30. But I was ready by 12:50, and Andrew arrive at 1:10, so by that time I had prayed and calmed down.

He came in, calm and cool as always, and in a suit. I thought we were going to do lunch first so I didn’t eat.

Juanita: So where are we off to…

Andrew: The movies…

J: Oh I thought we were going to eat first. I’m hungry…

A: We can stop and get a little something, the movie is not until 2

J: Popcorn will do, but I feel a little over dressed.

A: You look beautiful.

J: What are we going to see?

A: A Beautiful Mind. But we have a few minutes so let’s drive around the area and look at some of the houses.

The theatre was located in a middle to upper class town, and Andrew’s job is moving to NJ, so we we’ve been trying to determine where we will eventually settle.

Now here’s where it gets funny…one of the last times we went to the movies we had a choice between Vanilla Sky and A Beautiful Mind. He wanted to see Vanilla Sky, I wasn’t crazy about it, but I figure, next choice will be mine… I HATED Vanilla Sky. I was upset and mad when I left the theatre. I actually said out loud, “What the Hell was that movie all about! I can’t believe I actually saw that mess!” Then I repented, and prayed that no one from my church heard me yelling like that (I was that hot). A Beautiful Mind was a great movie! And it reinforced the whole “In sickness and in health, ‘til death do us part”. We laughed over the similarities of both movies (the main characters dealing with delusions). If anything, suffering through Vanilla Sky first helped me appreciate A Beautiful Mind all the more.

It was a great start to the day…and then there was dinner. Andrew took me to the Highlawn Pavillion (http://www.highlawn.com/). It’s on a mountain reservation that provides spectacular views of the NYC Skyline. Since we were early we visited the make shift Sept 11 memorial that was up there. Dinner was WONDERFUL, and our view, which was during SUNSET was phenomenal. We were still in NJ…

J: Are we still going to the city…

A: Yes

J: What are we going to do, or should I just wait…

A: Just wait…

The valet brings the car opens the door for me and says “Enjoy the theatre”. Andrew gets in.

J: The valet told me to enjoy the theatre, is that where we’re going?

A: Yes

J: How did the valet know?

A: We chatted while you were in the ladies room. I didn’t tell him it was a surprise…

J: What show, or do you want to surprise me?

A: I want to surprise you…you know it’s the theatre that should be enough for now

J: Okay

We drove into the city, and parked in this garage. We then walked, passing several theatres and we stopped at a light. I looked across the street…

J: Are you taking me to see Aida?!

A: Yes

The seats were 7 rows back in the center aisle. And the show was GREAT. Not as good as Lion King, but it was a love story so it was in line with how all had gone that day.

We left the theatre to go back to the car. Because all the theatres get out around the same time it was mini gridlock on the street we were on. So we had to wait for them to get the car, and then we figured we would be stuck in traffic. The car came, and as we were getting in, someone yells “Hey Andrew!” It was the brother of one of Andrew’s friends. The guy, Joey DeCicco, is an interesting personality. He’s a nice guy, just has a Al Pacino/Scarface kind of crazy thing going on. He’s funny, but it’s not my kind of humor (Remember, I’m a church girl). I had an interesting exchange with him last summer, and since then, you just understand that he comes with the package, and you’ll only run into him a few times a year…but he has a heart of gold and is fiercely loyal to his friends and family. Anyway, he was on the street in the car with his wife and someone else I didn’t know, but he blocked traffic and allowed us to get out, and when we did, we were clear all the way to the light (you have to have gone through NYC traffic to appreciate this). In the car I thanked God that He would have Joey DeCicco in that spot, at that time, to help us out…

We were on our way back to Jersey, it’s about 11pm

J: Are you going to drop me off at the house and keep going? (Yes I was fishing!)

A: Yeah probably, it is late

J: Okay (so he’s going to do this at the house, or maybe he’s not going to do it today…but I still had a good time tonight)

We get into NJ…

A: I want to stop at the lookout in Hoboken to see the skyline

J: Okay (YEEEESSSSS!!!)

We get to the lookout, there’s only one other couple there, and they leave as soon as we get there. It is cold, and colder still since it’s on the water, but the view is beautiful. There was bench but we kept standing next to each other holding hands.

A: Well Nita….

At this point he says a lot of stuff which would take another page, but in the middle he had me face him, and he said some other things. Silly me, I had my glove on my left hand but not on my right hand since we were holding hands. I had my left hand in my pocket trying to get the glove off on the sly… He had me close my eyes, and told me not to peek. I could hear him rustling for something, and then I heard him get down.

A: Are your eyes still closed

J: Yes

A: You can open them now

Then he said some more things and had the ring in his hand. He asked me to marry him, and I did say yes, and cried. It was 11:30pm, over 10 hours since he had picked me up.

Even though I was 95% confident it was going to happen, I had no idea how wonderful it would feel. He went to a lot of effort to put together an absolutely wonderful day.

Oh and the ring. It’s BEAUTIFUL! Three (very clear) round cut diamonds on a white gold band.

We don’t have a date yet, but we’re targeting this year…stay tuned, keep us in prayer.