10 things I've learned from being engaged.
I could write a book on this, so it was hard to consolidate it down to 10!
1. EVERYONE wants to see your ring. Not all will ask to see it, but they will all stare at your hand until you show it to them. It's weird and sweet all at the same time.
2. Almost everyone wants to know when the date is (and when they should expect their invitation) and if you haven't set a date, they want to sit you down and set a date with you. If you dodge the sit down then they will ask you every time they see you. Which means if you work with them or see them often you will get asked A LOT!
3. Having a shiny new ring on your finger is pretty distracting! Especially if you have a projector in your classroom - then, when you see your ring under the project you will stop your Math lesson and say "Look how pretty my ring is" or something like that for the hundredth time. I teach first grade, so my kids are pretty excited about my shiny ring and love to look at it. You will also find yourself playing with it and looking at it when you should be doing other things. Lesson planning - why would I do that when I can sit here at stare at my ring?
4. People get so excited for you! Some will literally squeal with excitement when you tell them and others will hug you and you will squeal out of pain from their grip. Being engaged is fun, so enjoy their excitement (and your own of course)!
5. You get A LOT of unsolicited advice. Where you should or shouldn't have your wedding, who you should invite, where you should register, and a lot of other things. So far, most of the unsolicited advice has not been good - some has been downright funny!
6. Friends and family LOVE to help - they want to be there to pick out your dress and other milestones and will offer plenty of advice if you want it! This kind of advice is the good kind!
7. People treat your relationship different. This is hard to explain, but people think you are actually serious about your relationship now.
8. If you want to do something non-traditional (like have a private wedding or elope) your family and friends will hate it and be offended or love it and support you. Either way they will love you again soon, so don't worry about it!
9. Your future husband wants you to wear your ring everywhere you go. Looking at feeder pigs - why, yes you should wear your ring! Duck hunting - of course you should wear your ring!
10. People will ask you when you are going to have kids ... seriously! You will laugh and tell them one thing at a time and they will stare at you and wait for an answer. It is awkward ... You will have to walk away or tell you them you haven't thought about that yet.
What have you learned from being engaged?