the ring

the ring was a long process!

I (austin) started thinking about proposing to Erin sometime in the fall so I started my journey a very ignorant boy. I thought back to Holly Golightly and visited the place with the blue boxes, only to find it wasn't quite Erin and I.

Erin and I are both artists so I decided I want to do something creative, like design the ring myself. So I went on a journey and met a guy named Jason through my friend Geoff in a Starbucks who told me he lived in an intentional living community and artists participated in their Bible studies and other gatherings. So before even taking a moment to get to know his last name I asked, "any of them make rings?" He pointedly responded, "yeah" (as if everyone knows someone who makes rings). His confidence was assuring that I would have a ring maker!

I met Kaoru a few weeks later and she and I chatted at what I believe was called Monica's, an espresso and pastry cafe. I told her my future wife's favorite color is white (we laughed) and thought about how to make a simple, elegant ring. We discussed how to etch an orchid into the ring. Kaoru admitted she'd be too busy to make the ring, but would ask her instructor at the studio she used.

Two jewelers later, a month before the engagement, I had dinner reservations, a plane ticket, and no ring. Then Tara called me and everything changed. I called Tara almost every other day, she was very patient. She'd send me sketches over the internet and we'd chat out the final project.

Now for the ring itself. The stones are white sapphires, the ring is made of silver and has a very organic, almost white look to it. Tara made three bands soldered together and etched an orchid in the wider, center ring. On the underside of the orchid is the hebrew word יַקִיר

which means "treasure", which is sometimes also "beloved", like the way Solomon addresses his love in Song of Songs.