Pakasal na tayo!
Nine years ago, my boyfriend and I were at my house, my parents’ house, watching tv. Then out of the blue, he blurted out, “Let’s get married.”*
I looked at him, aghast. “What?”*
He held my hand. “Let’s get married.”*
“Ha?”* I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. The words “marriage” or “future” had never been part of our conversations since we became kami na about a month ago. We were busy having dinner dates and watching movies and introducing ourselves to family and old friends and divulging our favorite foods and colors. So how could we talk about getting married?!
“Pakasal na tayo,” he insisted. *
“Kelan?” I asked.*
“Next year!” he replied with absolute conviction. *
”Ano? Ang aga naman,” I said. *
“Bakit pa patatagalin? Hindi ko na ma-imagine ang buhay ko na hindi tayo mag-asawa, ” he said. *
Hmm. I ought to think. “Sigurado ka?”
“Oo naman!” he said, his eyes gleaming. *
“Sige!”* was my enthusiastic reply, after about less than a minute. “Anong date?” * Then I rummaged in my bedroom for a calendar. We had to set a wedding date.
There was no ring in a wine glass, no trail of flowers, no singing quartet. He didn’t even prepare a script.
Looking back, I realized how bold the move was for someone like him. It was just so out of his character to blurt out that he wanted to get married with me considering how young our relationship was.
You see, he is and always has been well, kind of a very calculated risk-taker. He is a safe guy, a think-long-and-hard-before-you-leap guy.
Looking back, the time he spent thinking about whether or not he should see an optometrist took much, much longer than the time it took for him to decide he was going to totally change his life by getting married.
I guess that was why many couldn’t believe we were engaged so soon. Friends expressed fear we were doomed.
Anyway, here we are. Thinking of how to celebrate our 8th wedding anniversary (January 21, 2000) and the 9th anniversary of our first meeting (January 1, 1999), our first date (January 12, 1999), and when we became an item (January 17, 1999).
Sometimes, you really just know.
* Ah yes, those were exactly what we said. I cannot and will probably never forget the lines. I can even remember the expression on his face.
This is my entry for Toni’s collection of marriage proposal stories.
Bambi:
and here i thought i was the only one who didn’t get a formal proposal (^_^) it’s nice to know i’m not alone in the world =P
LC: oh definitely not bambi, the reason why i decided to write this story is bec i saw another proposal story wc was just as simple and fuss-free. hindi tayo nag-iisa
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13 December 2007, 9:57 amfeng:
Cess, bilib ako kay Hubby mo.
very frank and straight forward! but you know, the same courage to ask you straight, without fancy, truly indicated his sincerity of his intention for both of you to be together for the rest of your lives. and that what makes it all romantic. 
I agree, sometimes you’ll just know he’s the one.
kilig to the bones ako, alam mo ba yun?
LC: hahaha, salamat feng! oo nga, the fact that he was so spontaneous meant it was so very very real! kilig nga yon! hay, wala dito, sarap sana ng ka-hug
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13 December 2007, 10:12 amChateau:
Hi Cess! Nakakatuwa naman to read your love story. Mine was a whirlwind as well. So it doesn’t always hold true that a relationship has to be long-standing to make sure it works in marriage. Sometimes, you really just know. Blessed we are! Cheers!
LC: thanks chats! we have something major in common pala, glad to know that
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13 December 2007, 11:01 amjulie:
Ay! Ang saya! ok lang, who needs those romanticized proposals. What matters most if the marriage itself at hindi yung mga kung anu-ano pa. Malapit na anniversary nyo, Cess
And I’m happy your blog is ok na, hehehe.
Have a great day!
LC: thanks julie. mage-eight years na nga kami, wow. i mean, eight years sound so short
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13 December 2007, 11:32 amnoemi:
It looks like the guys are the ones sure of the marriage. I wasn’t too sure about Butch then because we were just too young, fresh out of college.
LC: oo ngaaa (using a tone of voice like i discovered an important truth).. youre right noemi. i guess the guys knew they met their God’s gifts (ehem ehem!), so they had to marry us or we could get away
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13 December 2007, 1:07 pmMari:
He knew he caught the right one, and didn’t want it to get away; and he’s got to make sure to tie it down. And now they live happily ever after. Nine long happy years.
LC: thanks mari. i’m the biggest fish he could find in the water, hehehe!
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13 December 2007, 5:32 pmrHo:
ayaw ka na talagang pakawalan ni kuya raymond kaya inaya ka na agad magpakasal! hehehe… pero alam mo, naniniwala ako dun sa “ypu just know” thing. yon na yon…
LC: i read somewhere that some women are skeptical of the us just knowing it, pero in my case and yours, ganun talaga e
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13 December 2007, 8:39 pmLAdy Luxie:
How enchantingly sweet! Congratulations!
LC: thanks lady luxie
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13 December 2007, 9:48 pmAileen Apolo:
Oh yes, I remember when you sent out the invitation. We were all in shock! But now I understand…
You will just know =)
LC: hahaha! ayon, in love talaga ako e
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14 December 2007, 10:22 amtikey:
Parang nung ako ang mag propose di sya naka hindi! nyhahahha! panira ako ng moment eno? hahha!
LC: naku, kawalan niya pag tinanggihan ka niya!
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14 December 2007, 11:59 ammanilenya:
ang sweet naman pala ng asawa mo …
parang kailan ko kaya maririnig yung ganung salita … : I can’t imagine my life without u” naks!
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14 December 2007, 1:17 pmjho:
sabi nga ni Ms. Cuano diba, hindi sa tagal o sa ikli ng relasyon nasusukat ang itatagal ng marriage.
CONGRATULATIONS!
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14 December 2007, 5:41 pmKongkong622:
Ahem…you guys don’t waste any time…hahaha
Sabagay, bakit nga patatagalin pa eh kung dun din naman ang punta
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14 December 2007, 6:05 pmdhanggit:
nice marriage proposal entry… anyways as forest gump puts it..marriage proposal is like a box of chocolate you’ll never know what you gonna get…!!!
im happy for you guys…
here is my entry
http://dhanggitskitchen.blogspot.com/2007/12/when-romeo-proposed-to-juliet-art-of.html
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15 December 2007, 4:25 pmRowena:
Wow 8 years na, congrats Cess. I was re-reading your post, di nga kayo nagmamadali, he he…Memorable talaga January sa inyo noh…Saken, I got 3 proposals, I mean from each boyfriend (di yan sabay-sabay ha..), nag yes lang ako ke hubby….I guess I made the right choice then…
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15 December 2007, 9:29 pmEm Dy:
Wow. Another whirlwind romance. I’m just curious. When was the actual proposal? How long did it take you to prepare the wedding?
LC: a little after valentine’s day. it took us around 4-5 months to prepare for the wedding
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15 December 2007, 10:38 pmann:
Hindi ka na rin nag-isip ha at hanap ka agad ng kalendaryo…hehehe.
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16 December 2007, 8:45 amRach (Heart of Rachel):
Hi Cess. Kakatuwa naman. That only means that you are very sure of the love you have for one another because there was no need to think it over. Thanks for sharing your story.
Now I know that January is such a special month for you. So many wonderful memories worth celebrating. A great way to start the year!
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16 December 2007, 10:37 amrazberry:
kakatuwa naman.. oo nga sabi nga ng sis in law ko.. “you just know..” at kung di mo pa maramdaman yun, maybe he’s not the one… in reverse naman ito, kase girl un nagsabi..hehehe
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16 December 2007, 12:37 pmWifely Steps » Blog Archive » The Marriage Proposals Blog Carnival Round-up:
[...] writes in Pakasal na Tayo!: Nine years ago, my boyfriend and I were at my house, my parents’ house, watching tv. Then out [...]
17 December 2007, 7:33 amToni:
Hello fellow whirlwind romancer!
The carnival is now UP!!! Maraming salamat sa entry. Tuwang-tuwa ako sa sinulat mo. You just know talaga ano? 
Galing talaga ng luvvv!
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17 December 2007, 8:15 amkneeko:
aba… pareho pala tau ah… wala pang 1 yr nagkakilala kami ng fiance ko eh… next year ikakasal na… maraming nagulat pero… un ang naramdaman namin…
“expect the unexpected.”
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26 December 2007, 1:33 pm