have a good life.

Finally – only because that’s like one of the highest frequency keywords, other than congratulations, found in the texts and comments received when the news is broken.

We got your blessings and love. Thank you very much. : )

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This is going to be a very long post as I am writing to chronicle the event for my (bad) memory sake. I suggest you jump to whatever interest you more (the words in bold) lest I bore you. *flying kisses*

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It all started with a birthday trip to London and a surprise city which he refused to tell me, or anyone.

(It’s Berlin btw.)

Was I expecting a proposal?

Maybe yes. Maybe not. I knew there was speculations among our friends but I didn’t want to over think it so I basically ignored everyone. We have been taking an overseas trip every lunar new year ’cause it’s the only time I get a solid 2 weeks break away from work.

Hence it wasn’t too out of norm that we are travelling to begin with and that he totally ripped off my birthday trip idea *bleap*. (Last year, my birthday present to him was a trip to a surprise country, i.e. London.) But wells, he did tweak it and made London a confirmed going and added a second surprise country. Haha.

So maybe yes a little – when I realised the country we are going is Germany, and he knew it was a country I always wanted to go. But again, I brushed off all strange thoughts and happily went on my trip with him without much suspicion. I guess I just didn’t want to have any expectations too.

How the day started rolling.

It was on my birthday (23 February), and also the greyest, coldest, gloomiest and windiest day of all the days we were in Berlin and London. Haha, great day I know.

So basically when Collin plans your itinerary, it’s akin to saying there’s no plans for the day. Haha, if you look at his ‘itinerary’, it’s always a list of shops he wants to go – and not even classified by locations. So that morning, he said to go to Charlottenburg Palace. I should have realised it’s strange already, but I assumed he was just trying to come up with something interesting to do so I said, okay. #spontaneityFTW

Then because I couldn’t trust him, haha, I did a quick google while he is bathing and realised that the palace is closed that day – it was a Monday. To which, he replied when he was out of the shower, “but we can still go into the park right?”

I should have suspected at this point, but I still didn’t. Like why he does he still want to go to a park when the palace is closed. I simply slight rolled my eyes and said matter-of-factly, why will the park be open when the palace is closed? Haha.

So out we went shopping – always top of our priority list when we are overseas – and ended up at Galeries Lafayette & Quartier 206, Friedrichstrasse. Very boring malls, I’m sorry but it also make me unsuspecting when Collin suggested we check out this Gendarmenmarkt nearby.

So, Gendarmenmarkt.

Being very bored and up for anything, we braved the cold and walked towards Gendarmenmarkt. I must say I thought there will be shopping there because Collin pronounced it as Gendar-men-MARKET. Haha, I am sorry, consumerism much.

We reached the square and there was absolutely nothing going on. Just three nice looking architecture and a statue in the middle. And it was drizzling. -_-

(I later found out through Wikipedia that the buildings are the Konzerthaus and the French and German Cathedrals, and statue In the centre of the square is statue of Germany’s renowned poet, Friedrich Schiller.)

I took out my HTC RE (great to-go camera btw), snapped in all directions (since we are already there) and told him let’s get out of the cold.

He wanted one more picture of both of us with one of the buildings (which I just found out, it’s the French Cathedral). The great thing about HTC RE is, it’s a wide angle camera which you can connect and control with your phone through their RE app; so you can take all your landscapes, architectures, ootds and silly couple pictures without any help from strangers. Even if we needed help, there will be no strangers there that day, because everyone is indoor since it’s so freaking cold and wet.

And then it took place.

Then he told me he wanted to take a video, and started putting his bag down on the wet ground.

E X T R E M E L Y  W E I R D .

As far as I can recall, it was only this moment I kind of knew what was happening.

And because I was sincerely surprised, I kept going ‘oh my god, this is so weird’ at the start of the video. I was also very fidgety and doing random stuff like walking in circles, making faces, mumbling at times, all in all – just very awkward. : (

While Collin was actually very sweet to have came up with what he wanted to say to me beforehand. The whole thing took 6 minutes 51 seconds. What exactly was said and happened – I’ll save it for my buds. *wink*

I think I finally said, yes or okay lah, and then we proceeded to hug in a very awkward manner like a pat pat pat on your back kind of hug, instead of a deep hug or a huge wet kiss.

I know. My bad. : (

How Collin imagined it.

This is the funny part. He imagined I will just stand there and listened, and maybe start tearing. And because he imagined he will proposed in an open area – like the park of Charlottenburg Palace – there will be people hanging around and eventually clapped for us when I say yes. Happily ever after, haha.

Did you cry? Are you happy?

My eyes did welled up when Collin was saying some things, but I didn’t brawl. And yes, I am happy most certainly.

That moment when it happened, my thoughts was far from finally.

I was perhaps thinking oh, so this is how it is rolled out for me. (I always like the idea of proposals.) What should I do? What should I do?

I know this is what I want for us, unquestionably. But I was also feeling something else but that overwhelming OMG YES I LOVE YOU.

I took 3 days to tell my parents. 5 days to tell Tingli when I finally see her in person. 7 days to tell my groupies. 11 days to announce it publicly.

Friends are love.

Which lead me to this – that’s why we need friends. : )

I said I am a proposal fan girl – and usually the proposals I see/hear end up in tears of happiness and affectionate kisses and hugs. My favourite story till date came from my friend, Kelly, who said she started crying the moment she realised what’s going on and started (aggressively) asking the husband where is ring, give me the ring. I love this girl.

I was feeling a barrage of emotions right after. Not quite the way a newly engaged person is supposed to feel i think, haha.

I know certainly it wasn’t that I was unsure of our relationship. Although time is not an accurate measure of love, but it must be something precious that Collin and I still enjoy our time together despite dating for 15 years.

When I saw Ting that night, I couldn’t verbalise the news. So I showed Ting my hand with the ring, she was really happy and she hugged me; and that’s when I started crying uncontrollably.

I was freaking scared.

Ting knew exactly what I was feeling and told me, I don’t have to be scared because nothing changes with this.

Very dramatic I know. Everyone, even my parents, think it is bizarre to not be prepared for a proposal after dating for so long. I too imagined I will be. In fact, I have a plan A reaction if he had decided to do it in front of our friends. Heh, story for another day.

But when it really happened, I was so scared I couldn’t let my happiness shine.

I was scared that this changes things between us. What if we start taking things for granted. What if we stop appreciating each other. What if we wake up one day and realise this isn’t what we wanted. What if we become one of those couples that simply live with each other because we just do, or for the kids. What if all it takes was a change of status.

Day 21.

It has been 3 weeks since I was proposed to, and now engaged to the boy I met from secondary school. The boy who calls me daily to ask me for the homework list even though I already wrote them the list. Urg. Until one day he decides to ask me to chat on the phone with him; the rest is history.

I am no longer scared; I only have anticipation how we are going to build a life together and constant reminder to ourselves that we should never take each other for granted.

You said Berlin, because it’s like our feelings towards marriage – it’s a place we wanted to go but we don’t know what it will bring, or how we will feel when we are there. But it’s a place we know we will eventually go, and without any regrets.

You said that I made you a better man, and I shaped your character from the day we met till now. And that you like the person you are with me. (Thank you for including this segment in your speech. Like how it was in Gossip Girls really; best proposal script ever. Haha.)

What can I say to that? When you already said all that is on my mind.

Of course I like the person that I am with you. And the way you love me, and remind me to love myself.

How as much as I lament you are boring as hell when it comes to food choices; you are also as steady as a rock. I can always rely on you as a pillar of support, and I hope I can be your pillar too.

How things are always simpler with your version of the world – as it is and hardly sugar coated.

How it will be nice to be able to grow old together, still looking fashionably good and enjoying the simple joys in life with the company of each other.

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Thank you for the surprise, the support, the responsibility, the care, the company and above all, the love.

I will be crazy to say no.