Mr. D and I have been together for 6.5 years. This coming June 20, we'll be celebrating our 7th and last year together as lovers. Friends might not know how we got together and we didn't bother to explain to them as well. It all started with a KISS! Medyo fast forward ang story namin right from the start. Yun huli nalang ang medyo bumagal. :p

August 1998 - I had just fallen out of a relationship during those times. When my weight started to drop, my friend Aileen thought of cheering me up by distracting my attention from the heartbreaks. She brought me to the choir where she sings every Saturday. That's the first time I met Mr. D. Hm.. recalling the scene some 6 years ago makes me wanna laugh. I can still remember how funny Mr. D's face was. He was so totoy and yet he had this beard that made him look even more like Mr. Shu-li from Mongolian BBQ. HAHA.. He's gonna kill me for this!! Sabi ko kay Aileen - nakakatawa naman bigote niyan! And oh, his famous two front teeth pa pala! hehe.. Basta he looked funny.. but it turned out, charm pala niya yun sa girls. Anyways, I had a really happy time with the choir and quickly got myself out of the previous relationship. Every Saturday night, the group would always hangout somewhere after practice. I still remember it was that first bar experience with the choir that got me and Mr. D closer to each other. Mr. D was always the quiet type of person, especially to the newly acquainted lass - that's me. One of Mr. D's barkada ordered two submarines (1 shot of tequilla + beer) at hinamon kaming dalawa... bottoms up daw kung sino mauna. Aba! Papatalo ba ako?? They didn't know I could drink! hehe.. Since then, Mr. D and I became drinking buddies. Well, day by day, our love for each other started to develop. Hm.. sound like lasing lang kami kaya we're attracted to each other? Maybe. But I remember during those times, I was trying to stop myself from falling for him. We're such good friends and I'm afraid getting a step further would ruin the friendship. Weekends after weekends, we got even closer to each other, but still remained as friends. Some of our choirmates even started to notice our closeness. In order to disguise my true feelings, I even coached Mr. D some ligaw tips. It's heartbreaking, but I know we can't go further. Actually, I didn't know back then that he felt something for me. Akala ko barkada lang. Until some time in June 1999, I was to be sent to Vietnam for a project assignment. At the same time, Mr. D's to be sent to US for greener pasture. It's uncertain when will we meet again in the future. The last Saturday before my departure for Vietnam, the choir again went bar-hopping after the practice. My heart really ached a lot but I have to force myself to smile so that the loneliness won't show. Drank a lot that night, so did Mr. D. On the way home, he sent off our friends first before finally sending me home. He walked me to the door that night (which he normally doesn't do)... He stood by the doorsteps for quite sometime... before I finally closed the door... that's when we both got over our barricade and showed our love for each other .. with a Kiss. (* KILIG!!!) We both confessed that we have feelings for each other. Future is uncertain, we might not meet again, but at least we won't regret for not being able to express our true feelings towards each other. Days passed, we were so love sick during the times we're apart. Imagine we have to part ways 2 days after we got together. But God was kind to us, we finally met again after 3 months. And we've been together since then.

There were times we both felt tired. There were times we're irritated with each other and hate each other to no end. Despite the glitches, in the end, we would always kiss and patch up. 6 years of going on and off... we're finally sure.. we want each other for the rest of our lives. I've seen the best in him... and I've seen the worst as well. In the end, I still love him... he's not just a man in my life, but also my best friend.

With regards to proposal, I thought I wasn't gonna have one. Our wedding was finalized because Mr. D's grandma is old already and his family wanted us to tie the knot. With that, I wasn't hoping for any proposal at all... and certainly not the ring as well.

Feb 19, 2006 - Mr. D and his family met my family for the formal "pamamanhikan". Honestly, I feel so touched because I could see how much his family wanted me to be part of them. And I feel so lucky to have future in-laws that are so understanding and so kind to me. The pamamanhikan went well. I'm glad my mom welcomed them with all smiles. Hm.. knowing my mom pa naman.. well, forget it... After the pamamanhikan, Mr. D and I went to the bridal fair in SM Megamall. After a tiring day, he said he would treat me dinner... anywhere I want. Sa sosyal daw. HEHE... We decided to have dinner at UCC. Yum yum... japanese burger curry rice and grilled eel rice.. plus plus... yummy cake and coffee! hehe We get along well when it comes to food! :) After dinner, he sent me home. Before we got out of the car, I saw him finding something in his clutch bag. I saw a CD and asked what it was. He said: "tignan mo nalang pag uwi mo.." (with his usual mataray tone)... while I was looking at the cover of the CD, he threw a little box to me and said nothing. I was like.. WHAT??? binato mo lang sa akin?? But deep inside, I felt so happy... I thought I won't have an engagement ring anymore. Kahit na ganon nya binigay sa akin, I know he meant it as a proposal. Haay.. taray talaga ng labs ko kahit kailan. :) And the CD that he gave me, it was an AVP containing a presentation of my pictures. I mean my ha.. wala man lang ni anino niya! At the very end of the presentation... it popped out "Will You Marry Me?" wwwwwhhhheeewww.. kilig!! :) That's Mr. D -- TARAY yet so loving! =)

Labels: matters of the heart, wedding