Well I'm not really sure where to start. I'm not only new to this website but new to the engagement world in general. Not technically engaged but planning a wedding all the same, which is not at all how I planned it. I wanted it to be a complete surprise. Unfortunately, my father's health has taken a turn for the worse and my family is trying to do a hundred things at once. On top of that my SO and I are separated by oh, 3,000 miles, give or take a few yards. I'm going to see him at the end of the month for about four days and in those four days is when I'll get my ring. I don't know which day, so there's my surprise.

To make things even better, the wedding is going to be where he is (unless he can convince me to elope to Vegas which is sounding better and better) AND my parents really don't care for him. Also, I just graduated but have two classes to finish before they'll give me my degree. One I can do online, the other I'm pretty sure I have to do on campus here in California, most likely after we're married, since it's only offered in the spring. If it was up to me, I'd push back the wedding. I've always wanted a long engagement to begin with but I already have to get married without one really close family member and I refuse to get married without my father. I've begun to stress a little, especially since we haven't set a date in stone. Any advice? Please?