Oh! It just hit me!

[pesce]

So I'm going back home in October for my 20 (cough) year HS reunion. I realize that BF and I will not be engaged by then. Sigh. Small bit of LIW itis there, because it would have been nice to go back with such a neat occurrence to share with my family and friends. Senor Pesce isn't coming with me, and I will be stuck calling him "my boyfriend" or "my man-panion" instead of fiance. I hate that that makes us sound so much less serious. Especially since i'm in my upper...upper 30s. Frown.

Anybody feel like there is an important event coming up that you wish you could be engaged for?

 

[amc80]

I'm solidly in between by 10 and 15 year reunions, so I'm okay there. It would be nice to be engaged by Christmas, since we are spending it with his extended family. "Girlfriend" just sounds so trivial.

 

[SweetPea-<3]

I hear you. "Boyfriend" sounds so, well, high school. And I don't think "man-panion" sounds any better! But don't let that stop you from getting all dolled up (new dress, hair coiffed, fresh mani, bright smile) and walk in there with your head held high. Don't worry about your friends/family--they know you're happy and finally found the right guy. And don't worry about what the other people think because their opinions frankly don't matter.

 

[monarch64]

My 15 year is this September. I attended my 10 year with my ex-husband. So, 5 years later I will be attending with a new fiance. My point is that everyone has drama and stories whether they are apparent or not. Don't get caught up in the games--everyone else is just as worried about what others think of them. If people want to gossip and concern themselves with the fact that you are not yet engaged, let them--who cares? We all want to be loved and accepted, but at the end of the day the only ones whose opinions really matter are the ones we go home to. It's nice to re-unite with classmates every few years, but you can't let it make you feel insecure.

 

[hawaiianorangetree]

So I'm going back home in October for my 20 (cough) year HS reunion. I realize that BF and I will not be engaged by then. Sigh. Small bit of LIW itis there, because it would have been nice to go back with such a neat occurrence to share with my family and friends. Senor Pesce isn't coming with me, and I will be stuck calling him "my boyfriend" or "my man-panion" instead of fiance. I hate that that makes us sound so much less serious. Especially since i'm in my upper...upper 30s. Frown.

Anybody feel like there is an important event coming up that you wish you could be engaged for?

Can you refer to him as 'your partner'? People don't need to know that he is 'just' your boyfriend, esp if you know there is an engagement coming in the future. Partner definately sounds more serious than boyfriend.

 

[Sizzle]

So I'm going back home in October for my 20 (cough) year HS reunion. I realize that BF and I will not be engaged by then. Sigh. Small bit of LIW itis there, because it would have been nice to go back with such a neat occurrence to share with my family and friends. Senor Pesce isn't coming with me, and I will be stuck calling him "my boyfriend" or "my man-panion" instead of fiance. I hate that that makes us sound so much less serious. Especially since i'm in my upper...upper 30s. Frown.

Anybody feel like there is an important event coming up that you wish you could be engaged for?

Can you refer to him as 'your partner'? People don't need to know that he is 'just' your boyfriend, esp if you know there is an engagement coming in the future. Partner definately sounds more serious than boyfriend.

Most people I know who use the term "partner" are gay or lesbian. I guess around here the term never took off as being neutral. If he's not coming with you I don't think you have to label him beyong "SO/Significant Other"

 

[Guilty Pleasure]

I don't think you have to refer to him as anything since he's not coming with you. He probably won't even come up in conversation, and if he does come up because someone asks specifically if you're seeing anybody, then you can tell the person that you've been dating for x years and he's the love of your life.

 

[pesce]

You guys are sweet! Thanks for the advice. The "what to call him" thing is a bit of a tricky thing. I've used partner and SO before. ("man panion" is a little joke we use) I'm sure everyone will be asking, I lived in a small, nosy town. Hopefully I can just use my interviewing skills and begin asking them questions before it gets out of hand!

I am focusing on enjoying my old friends and seeing my family. Looking good wouldn't hurt either, so i'm doing a bit of toning up before I get there (evil grin). Mr. Pesce asked this weekend if I wanted him to come with me, and I countered with "You are welcome to come if you wish, but it's not a requirement" -- turns out he has environmental work to do that weekend, so it wouldn't have worked anyway.

Of course, my birthday is coming up just 5 weeks after that, so....a girl can dream!

 

[periwinklegirl]

I know exactly how you feel! I graduated in May from my Masters program, and I knew I'd be seeing all my girlfriends from school, but I didn't have my ring yet. Argh!!! Even though I had it all picked out in March (he let me choose my own ring ), he stilled hadn't ordered it

 

[hawaiianorangetree]

So I'm going back home in October for my 20 (cough) year HS reunion. I realize that BF and I will not be engaged by then. Sigh. Small bit of LIW itis there, because it would have been nice to go back with such a neat occurrence to share with my family and friends. Senor Pesce isn't coming with me, and I will be stuck calling him "my boyfriend" or "my man-panion" instead of fiance. I hate that that makes us sound so much less serious. Especially since i'm in my upper...upper 30s. Frown.

Anybody feel like there is an important event coming up that you wish you could be engaged for?

Can you refer to him as 'your partner'? People don't need to know that he is 'just' your boyfriend, esp if you know there is an engagement coming in the future. Partner definately sounds more serious than boyfriend.

Most people I know who use the term "partner" are gay or lesbian. I guess around here the term never took off as being neutral. If he's not coming with you I don't think you have to label him beyong "SO/Significant Other"

Where I come from it is used as a term to describe someone in a commited defacto relationship, i have never thought of it as being exclusive to gay relationships.

 

[TruLuv858]

OP- Yes!! I am in the process of leaving the westcoast to live on the east with my FF, we had a brief hiatus (long story) and now I am in the process of moving back- while we are ecstatic, and are excited about the proposal, I know that it will not occur until I move back east in the month or so...this means that I will not be able to share my ring with my family based on the westcoast until the Holidays I was hoping to get to show all of my friends and family, but alas, I will not be able to share for a while...so feeling you!!