Our Engagement Story

Eric's account of December 15, 2008:

I arrived at Elizabeth's place of employment, St. Brigid's, at around 3:15 to join her for her Holy Hour of Adoration, where Jesus is truly present in the Eucharist, according to Catholic teaching. My plan was to propose at the end of her Holy Hour, or 4 o'clock. I, trying to be sly, made some lame comments about the stain glass to explain my nervousness in looking for a clock, which of course could not be found in the chapel. Then, once again, thinking I was being so tricky, I asked her how she knew when her Holy Hour was over, under the pretense that I had to go back to work at the same time. After fidgeting, with a hole burning in my pocket, and actually trying to pray to Jesus for what seemed like 10 minutes and 3 hours at the same time, I picked up one of Elizabeth's daily reflection books and began reading the reflection for the day. Of course, it had been about 43 minutes since I arrived and by the time the bells chimed to signal 4 pm, I had read but not comprehended the first 2 sentences about 7 times. Elizabeth got up to leave and in my head I calmly asked her to wait as I was almost finished, but in reality I probably lunged at her and pulled her back into the pew mumbling. In an attempt to carry on the charade of reading the reflection I stared at the book and counted to no particular goal until it would seem legitimate that I had read the full page. At this point, I pulled down the kneeler with my right hand (I swear I heard Elizabeth sigh with impatience) and the ring out of my pocket with my left hand, in what Elizabeth described as a ninja move. I quickly stammered out "Will you marry me?" before my vocal chords shutdown at which point Elizabeth in her completes shock started tearing up and of course her vocal chords had shut down, mumbling things like "Are you serious" and "Oh my God". Meanwhile I was waiting patiently and awkwardly wondering if I should accept that as a yes or wait. She finally said "Yes", and then she said it emphatically several more times as I think it was the only thing she could say.

Elizabeth's account of December 15, 2008:

As I made my way to the chapel, my favorite Haitian priest said to me, "Leave your books at home. You pray."  Little did we know, it was my books that would later save Eric from going stir crazy!  The hour started out at usual, a little reading and a little journaling.  A few minutes in, this khaki and green blob plopped itself awfully close to me.  It took me a second to realize that it was Eric playing hookie from work.  I figured he must be having a REALLY boring day at work.  We held hands, as we commonly do when we pray.  As we sat there quietly I thought, "Today would be the perfect day to get engaged" and then my mind started wondering as it often does at moments like these, but the moments had always ended with Eric pulling a tissue or chapstick out of his pocket....not a ring.  Minutes passed like hours and my curiosity of Eric's presence was killing me.  Finally the bells chimed four o'clock and I was just about to bolt out of there when Eric asked me to sit with him while he finished reading.  Of course!  "Why am I always in such a hurry?" I thought.  And the next thing I knew the kneeler went down, he turned around, and there was a diamond awfully close to my face.  I am pretty sure he asked me to marry him, and I must have said "yes" a hundred times over the next hour, because I couldn't remember if I'd said it yet!

Thank you all so much for your prayers during our Engagement -  We are truly blessed!