After the proposal on Sunday we went to see 'It's a Wonderful Life' at the Music Box, a beautiful old Chicago theater. It was a nice film to see in the first hours of our engagement, about how the support of family and friends can make you "the richest man in town" (and only slightly about how a man feels so trapped by responsibilities to work and home that he's driven to suicide).

An organist led the packed house in singing Christmas carols beforehand and it was all very Christmas-y and we-just-got-engaged-y.

My still-recovering back ached a bit from sitting in the theater seat for so long. I had to get up a few times during the movie to walk around.

My back is mostly better now, but I was a little worried during the days leading up to the engagement, most of which I spent laying down, resting, worrying about the fact that my proposal plan involved climbing three flights of icy back porch stairs. Saturday night, the night before the proposal, I hobbled into the bathroom, locked the door behind me and secretly practiced getting down on one knee and getting back up, just to make sure I could do it, and that I wouldn't get stuck, clutching a ring and clutching my back.