The Meeting of the Mothers & I have an Engagment Ring

Monday was Raymond's birthday. We had a birthday dinner at his parents house. This also happened to be the night that our mothers meet. They spent the entire evening telling each other how perfect we are for each other, how well we go together, how we just fit together. My mom likes to say that we look good together. She was ranting about she adores Raymond, how funny he is and how good he is to me. His mom was raving about how much she loves me, how I compliment him so well and how perfect I am for him. It was much wedding planning they could do in a room full of people without Raymond and I actually being engaged. I had to leave the room after about 20 minutes of listening to how we are 2012 super couple of the century.
Now onto the ring...
I have been helping a wonderful elderly lady for just over 4 years. Last week she had a heart attack. Between the heart attack and her other health conditions there isn't much that they can do for her without severely exchanging a slightly longer life for a poor quality of life. She has decided that she has lived an amazing and wonderful life and does not want any procedure no matter how small. She wants death the old fashion way, without medical intervention of any kind. Though she is taking morphine to ease her pain till she goes. Given her circumstances I think its a good decision for her and falls in line with how she has always wanted.to pass away; on her own TERMS. Her only regret is not seeing me get married and have babies. According to her I'm going to have twins, a boy and a girl. The boy has to be first, because boys should be older. This has been her dream for me since I started my dating journey about two years ago. If on the rare chance I have twins with a boy and mintues later girl I told her id name my daughter after her. Which I totally would, I love the name Christine and not just because of her.
I'm pretty sure she knew Raymond was THE ONE before I did (though she's had me married with twins for two years now just with different names for my babies daddy.) Since no one really knows when her last day will be everyone is going to visit her now. She really wanted to see Raymond again. She meet him a month or two after we started dating. He came and met Christine and I at her favorite resturant for lunch. Taking my hint he brought her flowers. She loved him before she even met him, but the flowers sealed the deal for her. I think of Raymond and I didn't work out she'd be more heart broken than me. She never had kids with her husband and although she loves her sisters children and their kids, I have always let her live out her grandma dreams with me because she felt more free with me and I indulged her.
When Raymond and I went to see her this afternoon I told her nows the time to ask him whatever you want, no holding back. She sometimes was embarrassed to ask questions she really wanted to know the answer to. Here are her first two questions and Raymond's answers.

Christine: Are you going to propose?
Raymond: Yes
Christine: Right now?
Raymond: ummm...uhhh...

Christine started laughing then asked Raymond of he had bought me a ring yet. After Raymond told her he hadn't she asked if he wanted one. Raymond and I both had puzzled looks on our faces. Christine told me that she'd like me to have her wedding ring set from when she got married in the early 1950s. That way Raymond would have a ring to propose with. I was instructed to pick up the rings at her house later that day and bring them with me when I visit her tomorrow. The rings are beautiful though not quite my style and defienitly not my size. The diamonds on them are beautiful and will look amazing in a more modern setting. I am so honored and blessed that she would give me such a loving part of her life. She holds a very special place in my heart and always will. I have been her fun every Wednesday for the past 4 years and am very sad that I don't get another 4 more. I am looking forward to every visit with her until she is gone. I am also very sad and heart broken that she won't live to see me get married or have babies. She has been a substitute grandma to me as much as I have been a substitute granddaughter to her. I am truely honored and blessed to wear the same wedding ring as she did.

-single with an engagement ring minus the engagement.