Rica and me met two years ago during Razorback’s concert in Damosa Gateway. I guess that was around Octoberfest of 2006. During that time, she was busy with her cousin and cousin-in-law organizing their Night Hunt on the succeeding week and, I was asking her magazine to be one of our sponsors on our upcoming Ultimate Frisbee Benefit Event. It was such a great night to forget – uhmmmm…. not really that romantic but definitely, I FLIRTED with her (both intoxicated on a humid October Davao night…thanks to Aris Japitaña of GSM) coz apparently she told me she was Mexican (hmmm…fetish! Hehehehe…) and a great fan of Cecile’s lug lug (not knowing a week after we were MEANT to meet again through her cousin, Eliza Magno who is apparently a good friend of mine and Cecile’s are my aunts’ bakeshop – so, our first date was in Cecile’s Malvar branch three weeks after). And to top it all of, our first meeting happened to be photographed and printed on Roger Layson’s article at the Daily Mirror in 4R (what do you think now?) hehehehe…was it all coincidence? Hmmm…I don’t think so…coz I don’t believe on that.
Honestly, looking back at it, kinikilig pa rin ako! Hehehe…
From that day on, our relationship budded to something deeper and perfectly brewed. We’ve been living together for more than a year now and good thing though; everyday was always a new day for us! “We’ve learned the art of complimenting each other”. On our first year anniversary was the time I gave Rica a 'promise ring'.
There are a lot of romantically spine-chilling ways I can think of on how to formally propose to Rica. With her audacious, strong and “hard as a rock” persona – within her is a soft and genuine heart that is worth feeling affection for. She basically described herself like that – someone who looks tough yet mushy within (reminds me of M&Ms though). In a recent survey in the US, over 80% of women (and men) who were proposed to said that the proposal was "less romantic" than they had hoped for.
Though I must admit I am a hopeless romantic. I pictured out my proposal to Rica as something you watch in chick flicks and just sweeps the girl off her feet. Only focusing on the girl and no one else. Something that would leave everyone teary eyed and just dumb founded and a very comforting sigh and heartfelt contentment. I originally intend to do it with “the works and shit I know of you know”, with flare that makes it amazingly special and a lot of vanity! (A rock and a rain of flower petals) But, I must say last Sunday caught me off guard. There are just things you don’t have control. And I should learn to accept it. I must say what happened last Sunday includes us in the 80%. It wasn’t really quite I was expecting to happen or planned initially BUT IT MUST BE DONE.
Our formal engagement announcement was a HUMBLING EXPERIENCE for me.
I am not saying that we or I was rushed to make a formal proposal to be witnessed by her family and her mom whom just had a short vacation in Davao. I am not saying I was or we were coerced but, with the limited resources I am enjoying now, vanity wasn’t my friend that night. I actually felt frustrated about it since, you guys know how “all out” and “galante” I am as a person, but what happened last Sunday just made me feel limited in proposing. I felt there should’ve been more I have done to make it more romantic. But, I can’t afford anything as of the moment. I believe that what makes the girl shut up are diamonds. Seriously, I must learn to accept and learn the value of being HUMBLED in what I have – and that is all LOVE. What my fiancé just said, “I feel that it was good to see that everyone that night was sincerely happy for us”. And it just lightens me up!
But, on that crazy day – it was all worth it. Nevertheless, now we both know that our friends and family sincerely RECOGNIZE our relationship, legitimately BLESSED by our parents and with certainty FOUNDED by the love we’re taking care of. The only missing thing is the blessing from the LORD. So, without further ado, I would like to announce as early as now and ask you guys to mark your schedules and prepare your beach wear on 2010. It’s going to be different this time. We will do everything our way.
It’s going to be one intimately rowdy beach wedding-partey yo!!! Cheers to all!
*This blog serves as your invitation! Hahahahaha…(cost cutting with the invitation printing expense)
