.lost and found.

It was four years ago next month, October 27th to be exact, when Hubs popped the question. He presented me with a beautiful "proposal ring" made of silver and encrusted with opal, amethyst, and diamonds. It was stunning and one of a kind.

After moving four times in two and half years, I had been unable to find my beloved proposal ring anywhere. I'd lost countless hours of sleep thinking this priceless piece of our history as a couple had been lost somewhere.

I had hopes that perhaps it was buried in a box in our garage, but after de-junking the garage all week, and finally emptying the last box labeled "Brittney," I knew it was gone forever. I silently mourned the loss of my precious ring and started moving on to boxes labeled "kitchen stuff" and "electronics" and "misc. junk."

Ben was unpacking a box of books and discovered some misplaced items in the bottom of said box. He pulled out a jewelry box, which I noted out of the corner of my eye.

"Whatcha got there?" I asked, coyly. I just knew it was my ring! He was going to be sly about it and then reveal the ring in a blaze of glory, affirming again that he is, indeed, my knight in shining armor.

"Nothing," he said.

"Really?" I asked, snatching the box from him. I opened it to find... a pair of birthstone earrings I had gotten from my grandmother years ago. A wonderful find, but my heart sank. I was so certain that we had found my ring, but no... Just then, however, I spotted one more jewelry box in the bottom of the box. I tried not to hope as I opened it.

And there it was! My beautiful ring! My amazingly gorgeous, truly priceless, presumably irretrievable ring! It was a miracle! 

I was so happy, I cried. Some people would attribute that to the pregnancy hormones, but I have no shame in admitting that I would have bawled like a baby even if there weren't a tiny little being in my belly. 

Since finding it, it hasn't left my finger, except to take a couple of pictures to show all of you. The smile that finding it put on my face hasn't faded either.

P.S. To top off such a perfect evening, Hubs finally got to feel the baby move for the first time this pregnancy! The little squirt usually stops moving as soon as the presence of a hand on my belly is felt, but this time, we must have caught Jelly Bean of guard. Hubs said it was "weird," but I know he was thrilled to feel that little kick.