Third time's a --- diamond.

Those of you who know me well, also know of our nightmare, big headache of a process, story that is----  my engagement ring.

Need a refresher?

It was a nice, warm July night in 2011 when my darling husband got down on one knee and asked me to be his wife. (Butterflies) At that same time, he presented me with a beautiful diamond engagement ring that he purchased from a store that will remain nameless.

(Hint: it rhymes with Boger and Schollands)

Matt and I had been "ring shopping" (ie: I had been pressuring him to propose) for quite sometime. One day, at the mall, I laid my eyes on this ring and I fell in love. THAT was the ring I wanted.

It was very high set, 4 prongs. You could see the entire diamond perfectly. I absolutely loved it.

So naturally, when he proposed while holding that BEAUT --  I was on cloud nine. Sheer happiness.

Fast forward about one month, I'm making the bed in the morning and my hand hits the side of the bedframe. All of a sudden, I hear this "DING"............  I quickly look at my left hand to find out that my DIAMOND is missing from the ring. Frantically, I search the bed and find the diamond resting on the sheets. THANK GOD.

I rush to Boger and Schollands in a panic to state my side of the story. They reassure me by saying that my fiance purchased ring insurance, blah blah blah. And that they just had to send in the diamond and ring to get remounted. It should only take about 4-6 weeks.............

UMMM WHAT?! We have engagement photos in three weeks! What am I supposed to wear?!

Unwillingly, I agree to hand over my broken engagement ring and reschedule our engagement session.  After about a month, I get the ring back. All in one piece. HAPPINESS AGAIN!!! Until it happened the second time, the third time, the fourth time, and so on..... Each time with me having to wait at least a month for it to get fixed.

After my diamond fell out AT LEAST seven times in ONE year (i really stopped counting after that) **BY THE WAY -- with me finding the DIAMOND each and every time -- I was fed the fuck up.

I raised hell at Boger and Schollands.

"IM TERRIFIED TO WEAR MY FUCKING RING!!" 

"THIS IS NOT NORMAL"

"THIS HAS BEEN THE MOST STRESSFUL PART OF MY ENGAGEMENT"

"HOW ARE YOU GOING TO FIX THIS?!?!?!?!?!?!"

They told me not to worry. They were going to send in the ring one more time, and if it fell out again --- they would buy back the ring from us. Well, I really didn't want to change rings, but also at the same time, I almost had zero emotional connection to the ring except PURE TERROR of breaking it for the eleventy billionth time.

Yes, it was the ring Matt proposed to me with, yes it was THE engagement ring, BUT -- I was sooooo fed up by this point. So annoyed.... Constantly in tears.

People would find out that I was engaged and would ask to see my ring. I'd have to answer with :: "Oh, um, I dont have it. Its getting fixed." or "Oh, um, I don't have it. I'm terrified to wear it."   Shitty.


So, the store manager put it in writing that if the ring broke again -- they would buy it back. Wanna guess what happened???       YOU'RE RIGHT!!!!! The diamond fell out.

So, we went to Bogers and Schollands that night -- with the paper stating they'd buy back the ring. I'm in tears. Matt is frustrated. The store manager goes on to tell us that we CAN'T get cash back -- only a store credit. And with the store credit we get back -- these are rings you can choose from.

I was so annoyed. We were also smack dab in the middle of paying FOR A WEDDING and BROKE as a JOKE. All the rings we could get for that same amount, I didn't like. The only ring I liked just as much as MY FIRST ENGAGEMENT RING (so ridiculous that I even have to say that) was thousands of dollars more. Again, we were smack dab in the middle of PAYING FOR A WEDDING.

Except for one.

There was a beautiful, vintage, pear shaped ring. It caught my eye immediately. The store manager responded with: "Oh, you don't want that one. Its only 1000 dollars. You have X amount of dollars in store credit."

Ummm.... (sassy Jaclyn talking): EXCUSE ME, WANT TO BET I DON"T WANT THAT RING?!?!? Who cares about the fucking amount of money it cost?!?! It was beautiful. We couldn't afford to go over that amount for the other ring and I NEEDED something to wear on my wedding day!

So, we took $1000 of the store credit and purchased the pear ring. The remaining amount of money we had left went to Matt's wedding gift. His Movado watch. That he wears once every blue moon. And a necklace and earrings for me, then some...

WHY WOULD I AGREE TO SUCH A THING!? Here's why:

That same night, Matt promised that once "we got back on our feet" (from the wedding costs) he would start saving money for a diamond ring. A ring NOT from Boger and Schollands. A ring from a reputable jeweler, here in Madison. Not some mall chain jewelry store. (NOT SAYING THEY'RE ALL BAD!)

So, we saved. And saved. And saved, saved, saved.

As we saved, I fell more and more in love with my pear ring.  After all, this was the ring I wore on our wedding day as I walked down the aisle and I said "I do."  It held a special place in my heart.

And DUH! It was beautiful.

Until it broke (the pear fell off from the band).

AND I SWEAR!! Its not like I'm banging my left hand against 2x4s all day!! I'M AN ADMIN, YALL!!!! I sit at a desk and eat vegan bonbons all day!!!!!!!!!!!

So, this was after the wedding - THANK GOD. Since then, I've been reppin the "just the wedding band look." All the while -- Matt has been saving, saving, and saving. Our plan is to take the pear piece and make it a necklace.

Our wedding bands are surprisingly from Boger and Schollands, too, and haven't given us any problems. Yet. Let's hope it stays that way.

So -- we bought a house, got new counter tops, new appliances, new furniture, and puppies. You must think we're rolling in the dough, right?!

No - not really. We've been saving. And saving. And saving, saving, saving.

Last week, Matt said he had to go pick up something in Madison after work. I was obviously with him - since we have one car and work together - and witnessed the beautiful moment that he took all the money we've been saving, and saving, and saving, saving, saving (Want me to stop??) to purchase my new, stunningly gorgeous, engagement married with four furbabies ring. And its NOT from Bogers and Schollands and has SIX PRONGS! It was supposed to be my Christmas gift, BUT DO YOU THINK I WANTED TO TAKE IT OFF??? Nope! I've waited three years for this baby!

 So, third time's a charm diamond???  I'm wrapping this puppy in duct tape if I have to.

Also, I have the bestest, most patient husband I could ever ask for. Thank you, my love.