More than a circle of metal...or always listen to your fiancee!

Finally! After months of searching and trying on several different styles of rings, we at last have The One Ring. Sorry... got a little Lord of the Rings geekiness out. But to be serious, it has been a long search to find a ring that would go well with Elizabeth's beautiful blue sapphire engagement ring. With it being so different and unique, most rings just did not go with it. The engagement ring would either overshadow the plain simple white gold bands we looked at or it would get overshadowed and swallowed by the big, clunky contoured bands we tried to match with it.

We even tried to look into getting a band of white gold made to match the ring. That way it would not have diamonds on it so as not to take away from the beauty of her engagement ring. But WOW! The price to get a custom-made ring without diamonds would be $600 to $700 dollars! A ring just made of white gold would cost more than one with diamonds? We were both sticker-shocked at the quotes we were given.

It was getting to the point that Elizabeth was thinking about not wearing a wedding band and just having her engagement ring blessed when we get married, doubling as her wedding ring. I did not like that idea at all. When she asked me why I didn't like it, I told her it was because of tradition and that she needed the wedding band. She giggled and we kept searching for the perfect ring for her.

We finally found it. A beautiful, delicate ring that was designed to look like it was a continuous infinity symbol made of white gold and very small diamonds. It matched her ring perfectly and the two rings actually complement each other. We checked the price for it and it wasn't that bad ether. We found it at Jared's, and since we got the engagement ring and my ring from them, we thought it would only be fitting to get her wedding band from them also. We debated about how we could pay for it, since this was an extra expense when our budget is already starting to feel the strain.

Believe it or not, it's because I was lucky enough to have my car blow up.

I know what you are thinking. 'How can your car blowing its motorhead be a lucky thing?' Simple, really. Without the car, my money is not going to gas and car insurance, just a bus pass. So it is now free to go to this special ring that we found. We were discussing our options on how to pay for it. I really wanted to go with Jared because they have treated us so wonderfully, and the lady who had sold us Elizabeth's engagement ring had gone out of her way to help us get the ring.

But then a little dilemma came up. We checked out a jewelry store in the Galleria before we had lunch. They had the same ring! And it was $100 dollars cheaper than Jared's asking price. As much as we loved Jared, that was a big price difference that we really couldn't ignore. We went to eat lunch and tried to decide which place to go to get the ring. We loved the price difference, but we love all the good customer service that Jared has provided for us. We had no idea how well this other place was going to treat us or to take care of the ring on their warranty.

Elizabeth suggested once again that she just use her engagement ring as her wedding ring. I told her that would not be right. She asked me, putting tradition aside, why it was so important that she have a wedding band.

I thought about it for a minute trying to find the right words. I told her that the wedding band is not just a circle of metal. It is blessed by our priest beside my wedding band, forming a spiritual bond between the rings and between us. It will not only join the rings together in love, but also our souls, and make it a promise that this time, we will make this work. She asked, "Why wouldn't it be the same with the engagement ring?"

I said that it is because the engagement ring is a representation of my love for her and the desire for me to marry her. The wedding band is the actual bond between us, with her ring and mine touched and blessed by a priest. She smiled and said that I was adorable.

We decided to go to Jared and tell them that we found the ring they carried at a cheaper price at the competition, in hopes that we could keep our business with them. As luck or fate would have it, the woman who sold us Elizabeth's engagement ring now works at the Jared store over on our side of the river. We went there today and we found the ring that we wanted.

Elizabeth told her that we had found this same ring cheaper at another store, and asked if there was any way they could match their price. Jared Lady told us she would talk to her manager about it. She went away and Elizabeth told me to go look at the shinies. That lasted until Jared Lady came back and said that would be no problem at all.

I was overjoyed and it showed on my face. Elizabeth informs me that I am not allowed to ever play poker because I have no game face at all. I made my first down payment on this beautiful ring and left the store.

As we drove home, I told her that I was surprised that they agreed to lower the price of the ring. She smiled and said I should always listen to what my woman says. I laughed, and said that she was right. She asked for me to repeat that. I gladly did. Elizabeth is always right... and I have no shame in saying that. ;)

Swag

We've just returned from a bridal event. Hush, three of the vendors we needed to talk to were there, so it was convenient. We conferred with one of our potential florists, rental company and caterer, plus we met a new cake vendor. Jimmy personally devoured half her samples, I swear.

When we got home, I sorted through the swag bag and found a pair of pink panties, tied in curling ribbon. I pulled them out and unfurled them. Courtesy of the Dillard's lingerie department, at which I have never shopped because literally nothing is in my size. Including these tiny pink panties they put in the swag bag. Now, there may have been a time when I could have worn this scrap of fabric, but it definitely was before graduating from school and bearing a child.

"Look at this," I said, showing them to Jimmy. "One size fits all my ass. Literally."

Jimmy took the panties from me and held them up. "Yeah, that's ridiculous."

Of course, Ian chose that moment to walk into the dining room. And saw me and Jimmy sitting at the table. With Jimmy holding women's lingerie up in the air.

Ian stopped in the doorway, staring. Jimmy turned to him, still holding the panties up in the air. "Um," Jimmy said. "It... it came with the stuff. From the show."

I was no help at all, since I was laughing my ass off.

Without missing a beat, Ian said, "Jimmy, if you're not too busy..."

Jimmy gratefully escaped outside to toss the Frisbee around with the boy. I still haven't stopped laughing.