Christmas Engagement

Reuben Betts and Shirlyn Bauer

Background:
Reuben and I have known each other since we were in the 7th grade. We were best friends, dating each others friends but never each other. There was always a connection between us but we didn't realized what it was. It was not until we lost contact with one another that we realized how much we needed each other.

About a year or so into our relationship:
Reuben was on his way to school and decided to leave a message on my voicemail.

Wed March 15, 2006 @ 7:52 AM

You are my sunshine my only sunshine,
You make me happy when skies are gray.
You'll never know dear how much I love you
So please don't take my sunshine away.

From that day I have saved that voicemail on my phone. Any time I feel lonely, I call my voicemail and listen to that song he sang for me. So many times when the distance from Salem to Hood River seemed to destroy me, that voice mail gave me hope and happiness.

About a year ago:
Reuben and I visited his Grandmother in Lincoln City. We went for a walk on the beach and he began to sing me a song. It was the same song he sang that was on my voicemail but he modified the words to fit us.

You are my Muffkin, my only Muffkin.
You have no ringer on your little finger.

We both laughed and thought how funny that song was. I wanted so bad to have a ring on my finger but he was not ready yet. We had looked for rings together, found one we both loved, and then we stopped talking about it.

A month ago:
Time passed, we both grew as individuals and our relationship grew stronger. Reuben began joking around with the song again.

You are my Muffkin, my only Muffkin.
You have no ringer on your little finger.
So please just wait another day.

I waited, patiently.

Christmas Morning 2007:
Reuben had hoped to be able to cook me a great breakfast Christmas morning, but all the stores were closed the night before due to the holiday and we could not go shopping. He had to make due with breakfast burritos (which is one of my favorite breakfasts anyway).

So there I was, to my surprise, woken up with breakfast in bed. He sat on the bed with the plate in his hand and hidden on his finger under the plate was a ring. I asked him where his food was and he said in the kitchen, trying to go around the subject. I was oblivious.

Reuben then began to sing me MY SONG:

You are my Muffkin, my only Muffkin.
You make me happy when skies are gray.
You have no ringer on your little finger

Then a paused as he pulled the ring off his pinky finger and hanged it to me with the final sentence I have been longing for of that song…

So please wear this forever and a day.

I started to cry on his shoulder and he had to ask me if I had said yes. Of course I said yes, just couldn't actually say it. Reuben then continued to tell me that the ring was his grandmother's and that she wore it most of her life. She had given it to him a few moths before to give to me.

He asked me to marry him when I looked my worst. I had makeup across my face from the night before, my hair was a ratted mess, and I had morning breath. When I told him that I looked horrible he said, “If I can love you at your worst, I can love you every day.”

I cannot tell you how honored I am to wear the ring his grandmother wore for so many years. You can see the wear on the bottom of the ring. Wear of love. I could not ask for a more perfect, personal engagement. It seems appropriate that I wear his Grandmother's ring, for it was at her house that he began to sing me my song.

I got my ring and I heard the full verse of my song. A song I will cherish my entire life. Maybe someday Reuben will add to the song. We have the rest of our lives to find out.

You are my Muffkin, my only Muffkin.
You make me happy when skies are gray.
You have no ringer on your little finger
Please wear this forever and a day.

Love sent to you all,
Shirlyn