Our anniversary is this Halloween and it will be 4 years since we our first kiss and when we first started going out. Since then we have been inseparable and have gone through our own ups and downs. We spent our 1 year anniversary away from each other, because he was in basic training for the United States Air Force. In our letters we both talked about getting married (soon) and what our wedding was going to be like. As time progressed and we had more communication we continued to talk about getting engaged and then married within the next year. However, when he came home he decided to give me a promise ring, instead of the engagement ring he led onto. He then left for Texas for several more months until he finally returned home and was stationed at a base near where he already lived. Once he came home we moved in together. We first got an apartment (for one year), we then moved into my parents basement to save money for a house. Last month we just bought our first house together, both of our incomes and savings accounts were used to pay for the home and are used to pay all the bills for our home. We look at things like we are already 'married', we go over each others bank accounts together, I manage all of our bills and make any appointments necessary for either of us. Our families even think of us as 'married' sometimes and talk to us about having kids soon, and saying things like "oh, Kay, the bassinet is in my closet when you need it" (which I love; I have baby fever). Everything is PERFECT... except we are not engaged yet!
He has been getting pressure from his family, my family, our friends, and myself to finally 'pop the question'!!!
Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can encourage him to 'pop the question'. I know that this shouldn't be the case, and I don't want to force him to marry me. BUT he loves to talk about our FUTURE kids, and plans for the next 10 years. He has suggested going down to the courthouse multiple times to get married but I declined (knowing both of our families would be in an uproar if everyone was not included).
What do i do?