Family Gathering

Today is our family reunion.
My brother and sister will be there, as well as my aunts and uncles and cousins and grandparents and of course my parents.
I can't wait.
My boyfriend will be with me, he's met my whole family before, we've been dating for six years now - I am in Love with him.

We drive to my parents house in his car, I don't let him drive my car because he loves to imagine himself as a professional track racer, so no thanks, if he wants to drive his way, he must drive his car.

When we pull up to my parent's house, cars lined the road.
We find a place to park and walk to the front door where my mother is standing.
My boyfriend has been in a very good mood these past few days and today he can't keep the grin off of his face. He hugs and kissed my mother and hands her the bottle of wine.
I hug and kiss her and hand her the basket of fresh croissants.
We stroll in and greet the rest of my huge family.

My sister and her husband are here with their two year old daughter who is the most loveable little girl ever!

After lunch we all sit around and chat, we start laughing about the past years like; how my brother was so scared to speak to this one girl and now look, he's been dating her for a year. His girlfriend blushed and he hid his face with her hand - which was entwined with his.

When the sun starts to set, my boyfriend stands up and grins down at me.
"Can I have everybody's attention? Please?" Everyone stops talking and looks at him.
He takes a deep breath.
"What are you doing?" I ask him, confused.
What does he want to say in front of my whole family?

"Love?" He holds his hand out, I take it a stand in front of him. "I have known you her almost ten years now, and I have dated you for six of those amazing years!" He bends down on one knee in front of me. My eyes widen. "I am in love with you, I have loved for since the beginning when you walked into that glass door at our school when you were ten years old. I loved you when we went to the movies together - our first date - when you were fifteen. I loved you when I asked you to my prom. I loved you when you asked me to yours - you looked beautiful by the way. I loved you when you graduated high school. And I love you now, and I always will.
"I want to spend the rest of my life with you, I want to have children with you and I want to grow old with you..." He puts his hand in his pocket and pulls out a little black box. "I Love You. Will you marry me?" He holds the box open.

I nod, "Yes!" I nod again. "Yes I will marry you!" I say louder.
He stands up and slips the ring onto my ring then wraps his arms around me and hugs me close, crushing his lips to mine. When he pulls away he slowly raises one of his hands and gently wipes the warm tears from my cheeks.
I hadn't even realised I was crying.
Everyone erupts into an applause and crowds around us, congratulating us.

This has been the best day of my life!
And I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with the man I have loved since I walked into that glass door when I was ten years old! *