We've got news...

I kind of hate to do this over a blog, but it is probably the best way to let everyone know... We got engaged!

I'd said early on that I didn't want an engagement ring or the timing of the proposal to be a surprise, so I knew well ahead of time that he was proposing on Saturday night. And we have been joking all trip that we were "eating the ring" with our dinning habits while in Spain. But even with my goofy restrictions, Matthew made his proposal sweet and personal.

I was looking for a shirt under the bed--don't ask--when I found a packed weekend bag. I wasn't going to ask, but he came into the room and says "I heard you find the bag, I guess I should tell you dinner tomorrow night is in Madrid." He had gotten hotel reservations, high-speed train tickets, and dinner reservations while I was totally in the dark.

Matthew's second surprise for me was the hotel room that he had reserved. He found a hotel that has actual ancient art in their public areas and our room had 2 big mosaics from 4th century Syria (I love love mosaics), which Matthew had specifically requested. It was a huge 2 story suite, at by far the nicest hotel either of us have ever stayed at. We had a big terrace overlooking the Spanish Parliament.

Saturday night we went to dinner at Gastro, and enjoyed a wonderful meal at the chef's table: we got to walk through the kitchen to get our table. During our walk to the restaurant, Matthew warned me that he didn't have a long speech prepared (my sister had asked to be phoned in for the speech). He said he could just make Charlie Brown noises, since he was expecting me to cry and not actually hear a word he said. (We had just heard Shan and Travis tell us that she couldn't remember what he had said when they got engaged.)

(Quick back story: Early in our relationship, we spent one evening watching a movie, and as it ended, we turned and looked at each other, and he shrugged and said "Let's" and kissed me for the first time.)

During dinner, he got down on one knee, and said "Let's," and then went into saying "mgh mghey mghoy" while I teared up as he predicted. After I was done laughing/crying, he followed up his proposal with another one: "Let's get the dinning room table that our kids will eat breakfast at." So now we're spending way too much time researching furniture on the internet.

Why else would you go to Spain?

The Difficulties of Travel

I have one or two long posts from Hondarribia left to write: I need to explain my visit to the Spanish emergency room (I'm fine!)


But right now, I just have to remark on this Bank of America representative, who is a lovely lady, and who is convinced that the reason why my online banking won't let me sign in is not that it requires a text message (which I can't check from Europe). Rather, it's because the United States has economic sanctions on Spain.


She tried to give me a phone number for the Department of the Treasury!


And when I said that wouldn't work, she spent a few minutes thinking, and then transferred me to the Spanish-language help line.

Oy.