The Continuing Saga of the Engagement #RockstarsJimandElle

OK. They're not really rock stars, but they all thought this photo looked like an album cover. That is, if they were actually musicians and had an album which they do not. Although some of them (all?) are musicians.  (Hey....moms who love music always get these ideas...)

This photo was still on Mackinac Island but I actually want to continue the saga of Jim and Elle's engagement..

So Jim had the entire engagement surprise planned out. But there were indeed a few glitches.

The Ring!! He ordered the ring from an online jeweler and, knowing that they ship overnight express, thought he had plenty of time to get it. Alas, they needed more than just the shipping time. They needed to make the ring. (Jim picked out the diamond and the setting.)

Not only was it not ready for Mackinac Island, it would not be ready before Jim had to return to school. But if he was going to propose he needed a ring, right?

Well, after many trips to the store, and many consultations with the other women in his life, and a number of texted photos, Jim made his decision. Trying to decide between pearls which he knew Elle loved and diamonds which one traditionally expects for an engagement, he decided to get both.

Yes, these two purchases, in addition to the major diamond ring which was coming.

Extravagant? Yes, but you know, gentlemen, there are times to be extravagant. (But not stupid.)

The occasion of asking your girlfriend to marry you is one of those times.

So Jim purchased a string of pearls and a much lesser diamond ring to give to Elle at the time of the proposal. The thought was that she could have this ring to remember the proposal and perhaps wear it later on another finger. He was given strict instructions to tell Elle that this was not the REAL ring, before giving it to her. We don't know if those instructions were followed because Liz, thankfully, was shooting pictures from a distance that was too far to hear the words being spoken. You have to give the couple some privacy, after all.

I think Jim was feeling pretty good about this decision...

Yeah, real good....

It's not the official engagement ring, but it is a sweet ring with two little diamonds in it. (Jim doesn't mess around.) Tomorrow, I will write about the arrival of the REAL ring.