2007 started off so well. Jamie and I had been talking regularly about the things we wanted to do with our lives and he was making a big move. He was quitting his job and had been looking for a new one in Glasgow. I had accepted a job that I declined to go to Scotland in 2006.  We were both happy with where we were heading and it was a good start to 2007. But this is the year that things really began to sound like a broken record for us.

In July Jamie planned on coming over to visit. We were going to do a lot on this trip. We had planned to go to Atlantic City, New York City and spend some down time in Wilkes-Barre with my family. The trip was something we were really looking forward to. We were heading back to NYC and we were staying in a new place, which turned out to be not so great and will not be mentioned here. We preferred On the Ave for so many reasons. In Atlantic City we were staying right on the boardwalk at Caesars and that was a nice hotel in a great location. Spending time with Jamie was something my parents wanted too. They had loved him for years and made no secret of their desire for us to be together even if that meant me moving to Scotland.

When Jamie arrived I was excited as usual. I couldn’t wait to see him but the nerves always got the best of both of us. This is not to say that there were not some really great moments on this trip but quiet time spent with Jamie was fraught with anxiety and hopes were always dashed. So we did our now routine of running around all day and crashing at night so we would minimize the awkward moments.

We went to NYC first. This was another amazing time. We did a lot but at a much slower pace than last time. We took long walks around the city, did some shopping, sight seeing as usual and frequented a newly discovered Sushi restaurant. One memorable thing that we did, which ended up being so funny, happened on one of our walks in Central Park. The day was really hot and we were tired and hungry so we decided to get drinks and something to eat and have a little sit down in the park. While we were sitting we noticed that a film crew was setting something up. We were intrigued, especially me. I was and still am a huge fan of Law and Order SVU and I was hoping that an episode of the show was about to be filmed. So I asked Jamie if we could sit and watch for a while until we could find out what was going on, he agreed. We sat for ages and watched as the crew set things up, lights and cables were everywhere. Then people started to arrive that looked as though they were actors. After well over an hour I finally asked on of them what was being shot… a Yaz commercial. Yaz… really? We sat for nearly two hours watching a birth control commercial getting ready to be filmed! We decided it was a good time to leave. Now every time I see that commercial I think of sitting there waiting to see some stars with Jamie and what we got were yoga mat carrying, birth control using extras.

Our trip to Atlantic City was so full of things that I don’t know where to begin. We packed in things for all waking hours. We watched very good street entertainers, walked the boardwalk looking at the same rubbish in different stores, took a walk on the beach at night (and got chased off the beach by a cop on a quad bike), I got my hands tattooed with Henna courtesy of Jamie, and in return Jamie had his first funnel cake. That was something to see, Jamie digging into dough and powdered sugar was bliss to behold. We were very near The Pier Shops which excited Jamie because there was an Apple store there. I was excited because there was a Tiffany’s. We could both go look at things that we wanted. It was an easy way to get our minds off of the elephant that was between us.

At Tiffany’s I looked at so many beautiful things. There was a bracelet that I couldn’t take my eyes off of and it was $350 and I kept coming back to a necklace that was probably the cheapest thing in the store at $98. I Kept thinking that I should buy that necklace for myself as a reward for finishing up my MSc and getting a good job. I walked away from Tiffany’s empty handed but kept that heart necklace in my mind.

The next day Jamie and I went back to the mall just to browse some more and I was drawn into Tiffany’s again. I loved the bracelet so much but could never afford it. I decided to not get my necklace either and that is when Jamie made his move towards Adrienne who had been helping us. He said he was going to get me the bracelet and the necklace and I said “NO!” He said it was a good exchange rate and he wanted me to have them. I said that it was too much money and to choose one if he was certain he wanted to buy me a gift. Adrienne just looked at Jamie and asked which one, then winked at him and he handed her the credit card… I left with 2 pieces of Jewellery from Tiffany’s. Jamie was smiling as big as I was. I was shocked and felt unworthy of such wonderful things but appreciated that I had a man who loved me enough to buy me jewellery from Tiffany’s. This was the beginning of our love for shopping at the store with the little blue boxes.

When I look back on this trip I think of how we had such a wonderful time in spite of the awkward moments. I enjoyed so many new things with Jamie and it made us long for more. We began to talk seriously about getting married. We had a ring picked out at none other than Tiffany’s and we were going to do it this time. We didn’t have a plan but we knew we needed to try… he was coming back in September and we were going to make it happen…so we thought. x heather