Alrighty...so quite a few people have been asking to hear about 'the proposal'. It was adorable, unexpected and just perfect.
It was Saturday Sept 29 and I knew we were going to St. Elizabeth (about 2-3 hr drive) to pick up his bro Tan who was working there and then come back. I knew this was going to be an all day trip so we loaded up in the car and off we went. On the way there we stopped in a little town and Andree says "just wait here, lock yourself in, I'll be back"...now, let me just tell you...this made me a little confused because Andree never left my side or let me get out of sight if we were off somewhere...let alone leave me in the car in a busy town by myself. So I did a quick glance around to see where the heck he was headed, but the way he parked, I couldn't tell which shop he went into...I saw a shoe shop, a pawn shop, a flower shop and a dress shop. I decided he definitely went into the dress shop because the whole trip he was saying how he wanted to buy me "a real Jamaican dress", so I spent the rest of the time in the car thinking HA I figured it out...
He gets back and just tosses the bag into the backseat - which I noted, because it was strange and it must have meant it was something I shouldn't see because normally he would ask me to put it in my purse/bag right away so people don't just see it lounging on the seats. He doesn't trust anyone, obviously. Street smarts - something I lack to an extreme.
So, we pick up his bro and I have completely forgotten about the bag and Tan is going on about how we have to have a big party tonight - we'll head into Montego Bay and visit a few friends and hang out for the evening and that's exactly what we do. It was going to be our last opportunity to see everyone because I was leaving in two days...I thought this was PERFECTION!
So we bop around to a couple different places with the car loaded up with two of Andree's bro's and his best buddy Roy...and we head to a friends place who is a DJ and he was so cool and Andree was saying 'when we get married, he'll be our DJ" so that was fun to think about! Then he and Andree went in the house for a little while and I was outside with the boys chatting away and the other two come back out and Andree's demeanor had changed some, he seemed excited and almost nervous..and said something like "the best is yet to come" which had been our saying the whole trip just thinking about our future together and how we had so many things to look forward to - so I didn't think much of it. Then I had a chance to talk to his DJ buddy and he told me flat out that Andree was inside telling him how much he loved me and how I was "royalty" and that I make him so happy..and I was floored. What nice things to say!!! So I was making a mental note to bring this up and tell Andree how unbelievably adorable that was.
The night was SO much fun, we were all sitting around outside chatting and laughing and Andree said something like "are you ready to head home?" and I kept saying "no, Im not tired at all! we can stay longer" because normally I was wiped by like 10 or 1030 (time change). Turns out we didn't get back to the cottage until almost 1 am ( I didn't know he was planning to propose ok!?). So really the proposal took place on Sunday, Sept 30..Andree came in and was sitting on the couch and I was in the room wide awake and starting to get my stuff together to make packing easier the next day...and I thought hmm it strange that he's just sitting on the couch and not in here chatting with me so I went out and he was sitting there kind of dazed and I could tell his was thinking about something and he was like "I'll soon come see you".
So, I carried on with my music playing and he walks a few minutes later and he has a super serious look on his face and so I shut the music off and we sit on the bed and he takes my hands and brings me close and starts telling me all these WONDERFUL and romantic things and I would blurt them all on here but a) TMI b) as horrible as it sounds, while he was talking I was saying to myself "remember what he's saying, remember what he's saying!" and I remember lots but I don't remember everything he was saying... But I do remember the expression on his face, how I felt in the moment, how time stood still and how I couldn't believe how blessed I was to have this wonderful man asking me to spend the rest of my life with him.
Turns out he went into the FLOWER shop! and bought me a beautiful, perfect, red rose and wrote a precious note attached to it, that I will cherish forever!
God is so good. He has made what would seem like an impossible task of having a random Jamaican guy and a random Canadian girl come together and be at the same points in their lives where they are wanting a committed, loving, Godly relationship and they find it in each other. I mean wow, 1 year ago I couldn't have imagined my life would pan out like this - but I'm so unbelievably thankful to God for Andree, every day. He's my match! He's the one I've been waiting for all my life!
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Monday, January 28, 2013
Some highlights from the trip!
Well night one I got introduced to most of the family...turns out they are some of the most wonderful people I've ever met. They were so welcoming and I felt like I've known them for years. Andree and I went with his sister Sharnett to get some food and necessities from the market and shops and it was such a cool experience to go to that market - wow. It's like a Farmers Market x1000... First thing Andree did when we got back to the cottage I was staying at was put together our first purchase - a Fan. and it was my favorite purchase of the whole trip lol. Everywhere we went for visiting, Andree would find me a fan...even once when we set up a fan OUTSIDE on the porch...yeah...the white girl was always hot.
A few days later it was my 27th birthday...and it started off with waking up at midnight to Andree wishing me a happy birthday! he set his alarm to go off at midnight..what a sweet thing to do! then he made me a (huge) breakfast which of course I couldn't finish, but I loved it! My man can coooook!Then we packed a picnic lunch of yams, dumplings, ackee and saltfish and some bottles of Wata water and Malta which is a drink that tastes kinda like molasses...Then we were off to Ocho Rios for a day at Dunn's River Falls. Wow. What a wonderful day it was. We got there before noon and didn't leave until it closed at 6. We lounged on the beach and waded in the water for HOURS loving every minute together then we climbed the waterfalls (in the water...as the falls rush down...I kept losing my flip flops (or slippers as Andree would call them) because of the current and Andree would go back for them and save the day haha and he would be like "do you want to exit here or keep going" and I was like no!! Keep going!!! I didn't want to get out and I didn't want to leave...but eventually we did & went back to Montego Bay for ice cream on our way home...it was the best day ever.
We must have visited everyone in the community of Axe and Adze...well, maybe not but it felt like it! We visited relatives/friends almost every day and everyone was so wonderful. They were all so happy for us being together and kept saying "when are you two getting married!" They all had such wonderful things to say about Andree's character and everyone was just solidifying what characteristics I already saw in him, and it was such a wonderful feeling to know that he is loved an respected by everyone in that community! I got a real gem of a guy... I still can't believe my family hasn't met him or even gotten to share more then a quick convo on the phone here and there...they are truly missing out!
Another wonderful memory, for me at least, was when we had to do our laundry....by hand. I must have seemed like such princess to him when I told him I'd never done that before. I think he was a little surprised but he covered it well...haha. He helped me get my water buckets ready and then got his ready and I started washing away and he stops and looks over and was like "no baby, it has to make the sound" and I was like "Oh...what sound?" and he dipped it and showed me. Turns out there is a technique to make your clothes literally squeek (I'm convinced this is where 'squeeky clean' comes from)...proof: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sb9QGDf1150. I never did get the sound to work...but boy did I try.
There are so many more wonderful memories but my favorite one of all is coming up in the next post!
A few days later it was my 27th birthday...and it started off with waking up at midnight to Andree wishing me a happy birthday! he set his alarm to go off at midnight..what a sweet thing to do! then he made me a (huge) breakfast which of course I couldn't finish, but I loved it! My man can coooook!Then we packed a picnic lunch of yams, dumplings, ackee and saltfish and some bottles of Wata water and Malta which is a drink that tastes kinda like molasses...Then we were off to Ocho Rios for a day at Dunn's River Falls. Wow. What a wonderful day it was. We got there before noon and didn't leave until it closed at 6. We lounged on the beach and waded in the water for HOURS loving every minute together then we climbed the waterfalls (in the water...as the falls rush down...I kept losing my flip flops (or slippers as Andree would call them) because of the current and Andree would go back for them and save the day haha and he would be like "do you want to exit here or keep going" and I was like no!! Keep going!!! I didn't want to get out and I didn't want to leave...but eventually we did & went back to Montego Bay for ice cream on our way home...it was the best day ever.
We must have visited everyone in the community of Axe and Adze...well, maybe not but it felt like it! We visited relatives/friends almost every day and everyone was so wonderful. They were all so happy for us being together and kept saying "when are you two getting married!" They all had such wonderful things to say about Andree's character and everyone was just solidifying what characteristics I already saw in him, and it was such a wonderful feeling to know that he is loved an respected by everyone in that community! I got a real gem of a guy... I still can't believe my family hasn't met him or even gotten to share more then a quick convo on the phone here and there...they are truly missing out!
Another wonderful memory, for me at least, was when we had to do our laundry....by hand. I must have seemed like such princess to him when I told him I'd never done that before. I think he was a little surprised but he covered it well...haha. He helped me get my water buckets ready and then got his ready and I started washing away and he stops and looks over and was like "no baby, it has to make the sound" and I was like "Oh...what sound?" and he dipped it and showed me. Turns out there is a technique to make your clothes literally squeek (I'm convinced this is where 'squeeky clean' comes from)...proof: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sb9QGDf1150. I never did get the sound to work...but boy did I try.
There are so many more wonderful memories but my favorite one of all is coming up in the next post!
So much to talk about...
My life has changed SO much since the last time I blogged...I will explain it over the next few posts but first, lets go back....waaaayyy back to where we left off.
SEPTEMBER: I did go to Jamaica to see Andree and to see if things were just as wonderful in person. I'm very happy to say that YES things were fantastic! We spent almost 3 weeks together all day, everyday and we quickly realized that we were meant for each other and just HAD to spend the rest of our lives together :) Over the next few posts I'll fill you in on some highlights...but for now I'll start at the beginning.
Sept 15..I woke up and I was in "travel mode"...I don't think it really hit me where I was going and what I was doing until I got to Toronto and was boarding the plane to Jamaica...All of a sudden I panicked. I sent a text to a few people saying "WHAT THE HECK AM I DOING?!!?!!? Am I completely crazy?!!?" and I just started bawling...we hadn't even taken off yet and I think the lady next to me thought I was scared to fly...or crazy... I just had such (now) stupid insecurities...I was worried what if he isn't who he seems, what if we don't get along, what if we have nothing to talk about, what if his family hates me, what if he doesn't like what he sees in me...what if, what if, what if!
Then I was getting very encouraging texts back and I started crying all over again (lady def thought I was crazy...) but this time it was because I was SO OVERWHELMED with love for this person I was about to see again and I had a peace about what I was doing and that it was right and it was what we needed to see what the future could hold for us as a couple...and that even if it was time for the chapter of us to close, I had to know either way and this would show us. Although, I did have a very good feeling that this was only the beginning and boy, was that gut feeling right!
I got off the plane and it seemed to take FOREVER to get through immigration and get my bags and I finally got through the doors outside to a sea of Jamaican people waiting around and I was like "Oh crap, I'll never find him!" and then before I could take another step, there he was rushing through people and he had his arms around me before I could finish my next thought. Aww I'm all giddy just thinking about that moment. I was shaking like a leaf..I do this anyway, just from any type of rushing or excitment or nervousness (my sis Samantha has always said "Jill, why are your hands shaking..") and this was like overload..so you can imagine...Andree says I was trembling...he was right, whatever.
It took me until we got to the rental car place and got into the car before my adrenaline stopped pumpin'. It might have had something to do with the fact that I got such a kick out of the CD selection Andree had and that at that moment he was blaring (and singing) "I can love you like that" by All 4 One. There was no awkwardness, we were immediately comfortable with each other and I just new this trip was going to be an unforgetable one!!
SEPTEMBER: I did go to Jamaica to see Andree and to see if things were just as wonderful in person. I'm very happy to say that YES things were fantastic! We spent almost 3 weeks together all day, everyday and we quickly realized that we were meant for each other and just HAD to spend the rest of our lives together :) Over the next few posts I'll fill you in on some highlights...but for now I'll start at the beginning.
Sept 15..I woke up and I was in "travel mode"...I don't think it really hit me where I was going and what I was doing until I got to Toronto and was boarding the plane to Jamaica...All of a sudden I panicked. I sent a text to a few people saying "WHAT THE HECK AM I DOING?!!?!!? Am I completely crazy?!!?" and I just started bawling...we hadn't even taken off yet and I think the lady next to me thought I was scared to fly...or crazy... I just had such (now) stupid insecurities...I was worried what if he isn't who he seems, what if we don't get along, what if we have nothing to talk about, what if his family hates me, what if he doesn't like what he sees in me...what if, what if, what if!
Then I was getting very encouraging texts back and I started crying all over again (lady def thought I was crazy...) but this time it was because I was SO OVERWHELMED with love for this person I was about to see again and I had a peace about what I was doing and that it was right and it was what we needed to see what the future could hold for us as a couple...and that even if it was time for the chapter of us to close, I had to know either way and this would show us. Although, I did have a very good feeling that this was only the beginning and boy, was that gut feeling right!
I got off the plane and it seemed to take FOREVER to get through immigration and get my bags and I finally got through the doors outside to a sea of Jamaican people waiting around and I was like "Oh crap, I'll never find him!" and then before I could take another step, there he was rushing through people and he had his arms around me before I could finish my next thought. Aww I'm all giddy just thinking about that moment. I was shaking like a leaf..I do this anyway, just from any type of rushing or excitment or nervousness (my sis Samantha has always said "Jill, why are your hands shaking..") and this was like overload..so you can imagine...Andree says I was trembling...he was right, whatever.
It took me until we got to the rental car place and got into the car before my adrenaline stopped pumpin'. It might have had something to do with the fact that I got such a kick out of the CD selection Andree had and that at that moment he was blaring (and singing) "I can love you like that" by All 4 One. There was no awkwardness, we were immediately comfortable with each other and I just new this trip was going to be an unforgetable one!!
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