November 24, 2005. Negril, Jamaica.
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I will give this to Chris. The boy can keep a secret.
The details:
We were in Jamaica for Chris and Jenn’s wedding – enjoying a week long vacation at Couples Swept Away filled with amazing food, sunshine and fun times with some of our dearest friends.
The trip fell over the Thanksgiving holiday, and that Thursday night the entire group (all 26 of us) found ourselves at The Palms chowing on fish, duck and fried plantains – watching the transformation of the restaurant into a disco right before our very eyes. As the lights dimmed, and the rum punch flowed – we were ready to get our groove on.
And groove we did.
Half way through the night someone started one of those ‘dance circles’. You know the kind. You form a circle on the dance floor and watch as one or two people go in the middle and dance like they have never danced before. The circle this evening was pretty big and consisted of most of our party, plus another 50-60 or so of the hotel guests who seemed to find our group fairly entertaining.
Though he was standing next to me not but a minute ago, I realize Chris is now across the circle from me, smiling like a Cheshire cat and signaling for me to meet him in the middle. ‘Oh no’, I say with my creative hand signals as though I am not shy about embarassing myself in public, the music they were playing at the time was simply not moving my feet enough to get down. Then Hot, Hot, Hot came on. Not normally a favorite dance song for me, but inside clicked. So I look across the floor at my consort, his hips shaking and his hands gesturing for me to join him, so into the middle I went.
Next thing I know, I am being swirled around so hard that I ended up back in the crowds. Dizzy, laughing, wanting to get back in there with him – I turn around only to find him down on one knee, smiling even wider than before as he holds a ring in the air.
Then come the words I never expected to hear…
‘Will you marry me?’
Holy crap. Confused, buzzed, electrified, and thinking it all a joke (some history here, I had tried to propose to him the night before – sort of as part of a dare)…I walk up, punch him in the shoulder (hard) and say lovingly…’what the %&*# are you doing?’
Then I looked down and realized it is not just ANY ring, it is his grandmother’s ring. The one she wore proudly for 53 years before she passed on. The love of his grandfather’s life. A woman Chris thought/still thinks the world of. And he is presenting her ring to me. Shit. This is for real.
Realizing I needed to act quickly (and nicely)…I hold his face in my hands and while kissing, laughing, and then hugging – I said ‘yes’.
Then of course all hell breakes loose. Hugging him. Hugging friends. Kissing him. Kissing friends. Champagne corks popping. People toasting. Everybody in that room celebrating our love (and the cojones of my boy).
Now, mind you, no one there knew he was going to propose. Thankfully, some of our friends were quick to react with their cameras so some of the moments are available to share with you. Wow. Chris English even got a great shot of THE exact moment. Thank you CE, I will be in debt to you forever.
The night was truly amazing. The moment itself. Having our friends there. Getting photos too. Makes me smile thinking back to it still.
The wierd part too is the song it all happened to. Not one of my favorites (or wasn’t before anyway), but something made it all happen then – to Hot, Hot, Hot. And when I did a little research and read the actual lyrics, I realized it really was meant to be. That place. That night. That song.
As Buster Poindexter so eloquently says:
Me mind on fire, me soul on fire
Feelin’ hot hot hot
Party people, all around me
Feelin’ hot hot hot
Oh what to do, on a night like this
Music’s sweet, I can’t resist
We need, a party song
A fun, Jamaican jam
So we can boom boom boom boom
Yeah arroom boom boom boom
See people rockin’ yeah people chantin’
Feelin’ hot hot hot
Keep up the spirit come on let’s do it
Feelin’ hot hot hot
It’s in the air, celebration time
Music’s sweet, captivate your mind
We have, this party song
This fun, Jamaican jam
So we can boom boom boom boom
Yeah arroom boom boom boom
Feelin’ hot hot hot
Feelin’ hot hot hot
Looking at those words – several pop out at me which I highlighted as they really hit home and capture that night. Chris and I have been on this incredible journey, and as I think about the 50+ years we have ahead of us, I can’t believe how lucky I am to have him in my life. And of course, how lucky he is too. Don’t get me wrong…he is an amazing man, but I am not bad either.
Oh. And happy one year ‘engagement’ baby.
Chris and Kristie got married 
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