The one weird thing about getting engaged to someone that you've been dating for six weeks is that you have to tell people, and people are going to say things like but you've been dating for six weeks. Then you have to explain that technically you've known each other for longer than six weeks and you're not engaged, you're just getting married but your younger brother may be moving in with you today but you're trying to see if he can undo his move so you can move in with your, well, fi-ance as Mrs. McDunnough would say, and you're holding off on telling your dad 'cause you don't exactly know what's going to happen, even though your Mom knows 'cause she reads your blog and while she thinks it's sort-of insane she doesn't think it's totally insane. And you're going home for Mom's annual Russian Christmas Party in ten days and you're gonna have to tell everyone then.
But then you get emails from your Mom like this:
i haven't told dad or jer about this new development -- thought i would leave that for you -- just a heads up - i think we will talk about it and you can make your announcment when you come home for the week end -- real russian party -- perogi, vodka, salmon, beets and nina's getting married -- hoo ha -
ps will seems to be nice but don't know about his dad -- seems to know way too much about midgets -
pps -- you have a ring -- your grandmother's
So it turns out your brother's move can be undone and all that's left to do is call your father, and you start to think about your Dad who's 64 and has a heart condition and while you Know You Want To Marry Mr. Boy you suddenly feel 16 years old and don't know how your Dad who has never met your intended will say.
But you tell him, and he asks without asking if you're in a Family Way and you interrupt him before he has to finish the sentence and embarrass you both. And suddenly your voice is shaking when you just say I know it seems crazy but this is it, this is really it and he says if you're happy, I'm happy. He then asks if your mother knows and you have to say she's known for days and he chuckles and says well, I'll be damned.
You hang up the phone and call your Mom but she doesn't pick up but the machine doesn't either and you realize she must be talking to Dad, who then calls you a second time to ask can I tell people? and you realize that not only are they okay, they're happy for you and then you're shaking because you can't believe it.
You then get through to Mom who tells you that she has the ring and it needs to be resized and it can be done when you get home and that she's happy and you're happy and for the first time in ages everything's coming together. You're thinking that sure, you need to lose twenty pounds and you need to steer the career back on track but that you didn't just survive the past year, you thrived, and while the beginning of 2006 wasn't exactly kind, it made the beginning of 2007 possible.
Vegas. In May. Stay tuned.
