vinny and i are in new mexico this weekend - i was accompanying vinny on his crusade to put his feet down in all 50 states (12 more to go after NM) and we had a hot air balloon ride schedule for this morning, LUCKY 7/7/07, at 6 am for the sunrise sail in the sky......................... it was a little rainy - but by 6 it really turned out to be a beautiful day! and hey, the rain produced a BEAUTIFUL rainbow as we set off!!!!! i knew we had a balloon ride scheduled, but i did NOT know that vinny had reserved a private balloon - just the 2 of us and the guide. we're in the sky for 10 minutes and he says something to the effect of "how romantic is this?" and i, of course was in AWE and agreed it was SO romantic. THEN, he shares that he wrote a poem he wants to share with me. he asks me to turn and face him and he reads this poem he had in his pocket.................. i'm speechless as i listen to the SWEET SWEET romantic words he's reciting. THEN, he gets to a line that makes me go "OMG OMG OMG WHAT ARE YOU DOING??????????????" he contines, and as you can tell - the end of the poem was him asking me to spend the rest of my life with him. he got down on one knee (which was NOT an easy task for a 6'6'' man to do in that little balloon basket) and asks me if i'll marry him.

needless to say, i am CRYING my eyes out.... and blubber "yes" as i kissed him and told him how much i loved him. and the ring.............. OMG - the ring!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! holy bling! haha -- it'll take some getting used to lugging around that bad boy!

and this was not all he had up his sleeve.... he had roses waiting for me at the landing.... then a limo arrived after the champaigne celebration was complete. THEN, we get inside and vinny pulls out a CD to play! (((WHERE and HOW did he hide THAT????))) it is our song and several other special songs to us............... i'm melting inside! next, we went to old town albuquerque and had the most lovely mexican lunch and walked around at all the shops, etc. THEN we get back to find that our room has been changed ---- to an upgraded SUITE! in which, there is a bottle of my fav. red wine (shirraz) and chocolate covered strawberries.......... MMMMMMMMMM!!! Then we went for a swim and just relaxed for a couple hours.

the rest of the evening, needless to say, was SUPERB! We showered and dressed our best - then went to the very picturesque "sandia casino and resort" and tried our hand at a 777 slot machine (we put in 5 bucks and TRIPLED our money on like the 3rd spin - so we stopped! haha) then he had reservations made for this FABULOUS restaurant on the top floor overlooking the mountains surrounding the valley the resort laid in. he had a table by the window reserved WITH MY FAVORITE FLOWERS on it!!!!!!!!!! and we sat and talked and ate for HOURS. we watched the sun set behind the mountains ---- they call the resort "sandia" bc that means "watermellon" in spanish and the color of the sky at sunset is like the inside of a watermellon....................... BEAUTIFUL!

the n the lightening! wow!!!!!! i've never seen such a beautiful storm in my life (or ever, actually) i was MEZMORIZED! lightening sideways, upwards, downwards, etc.. etc.. TRULY beautiful. and they say they get these lightening storms almost every night. wow! who knew a storm could be so gorgeous!

and let me tell you the BEST part that brought tears to my eyes and made it hard for me to even speak the words i wanted to say to vinny when i noticed them.............................................. ..... as we're finishing up our coffee and sorbet after dinner, i look out the window to see TWO (yes, 2) rainbows. one of which touching down on the golf course below. i've never seen more than one rainbow in a day - and seeing 2 side by side was truly just glorious! i felt it was grandma marie giving her blessing on the day and wishing us luck (she LOVED vinny!!!! first and only boyfriend she ever gave her stamp of approval on!) anyway, i was so OVERCOME with the beauty and tho u ghts of her and everything that was going on that day - that i just began to cry and pointed and said one single word to vin: "look". it was the BRIGHTEST most clear rainbow i could have ever imagined. and can you believe i did not bring a camera?????????? but vin and i agreed that THAT would be one thing we just share a memory of, rather than pictures to share with everyone else. I have never heard of anyone before seeing more than one, nevermind THREE rainbows in one day!!

oh, and vinny admitted that he had the ring since feb. and actually met and talked with my dad back them too..................... HOW did he not let on in all that time???? and those of you that know me well, know it PROBABLY came up a time or two between then and now! haha!! anyway, i know what an insanely lucky girl i am. and what an incredibly lucky couple we are to have found our best friend within one another. i am so blessed.

hugs,
jess

Sounds sooo FABULOUS!! Best of luck with everything...Enjoy this special and exciting time..

Hey Cara -- thanks for your note!!!