Enjoy Pinterest | Engagement Rings

"she'd had no idea,
started to cry,
she said in a good way
someday somebody's gonna ask you
a question that you should say yes to"the 97'sSince I'm still knocked off my rocker and have not nearly kept up my blogging schedule for the week, I'm going to jump back into the daily Enjoy Project schedule while I simultaneously crow about my immaculate ring and the boy who gave it to me.

(Aw! Look! That's us! Little did I know what was ahead for me.  And poor baby, I had just been ragging him about deleting a text from his brother.  Why? What did he say! Why did you delete it? I'm just so much work.)

This 2.1 carat rose-gold peach-sapphire ring, lined with another full carat of stones (3.1 carats total!) is a completely custom ring.  My will-be-husband loves to remind of that You are the ONLY woman in the ENTIRE world with this ring. The ONLY one. And I love being reminded of it :D  It may or may not surprise you just why I love that sentiment so much: not because the ring is incredible and sparkly and more than I ever dreamed of, but because My Man took such care and effort and time to make this ring come to life.

Like I mentioned before, the jeweler who finally made all of Caleb's visions come to life told him "In 52 years of business I have never seen a man who cared so much about the ring, or was so particular about it!" After 5 months of research, failed attempts, disappointment, nearly giving up on "this" ring and just buying another, late nights on Etsy, sketchy phone calls with loose stone sellers, a limited budget and patience galore, Caleb nailed it.  This ring literally looks like a $10,000 ring.  It looks like an $1,000,000 ring to me, actually ;) But we don't got dat kinda dough! Nothing even remotely close to it ;)

When I look at this ring I see beauty, precision, excellence, diligence, happiness, perseverance, ingenuity, patience, overwhelming love, the excitement in his eyes when he presented to me and all the little Caleb-stomps of frustration I'm sure went into this ;) I think of him in every way.  

The ring is also fun because the stone changes color in the light! From up top it looks white, inside it looks yellow-ish, outside it has a very pink tone, and I'm still catching new hues every day!  Now that is just plain fun, ladies and gentlemen.

Love that calloused, sand-paper hand holding my feminine ring ;)

I just couldn't be more impressed with him, honored by him, or happy to have him. He's taken me, entire. I'm just taken by him.

It makes me smile thinking about my complete explosion of emotion when he proposed.  Here we are, he a little stiff and apparently so nervous, and I, perfectly content and cheeks hurting from smiling.  I love to be with him, especially all day long.

Aaaaand after he proposed. Ha.  As he would say "We look a little rough." Make-less eyes, red runny nose, cold cheeks, bright lips, and that somethin'somethin' ring.  I tell you what, he just does something to me ;) And I love it.

PINTHURSDAY RULES:1] I created a group board called "Enjoy Project"... follow it!2] Every Thursday I will blog about a particular topic (today, for example, is engagement rings.)

3] Leave a comment with your Pinterest name and I will add you as a contributor to the group board.  Also leave a link to your favorite/rad find for the theme.  4] Once you are added to the group, you can pin your find right to the page.  If you would like to contribute to the group, but do NOT want to be an official contributor, leave your Pinterest name and link and I'll post your find myself, with credit for the find to you.

5] We'll collect ideas together! Sitting all alone on your computer, scrolling through pages and pages, waiting for pins to fetch, is very isolated ;) This way we can interact together! And get to know one another.

6] Once a pin is in the group you can (obviously) re-pin to a different board if you'd like more organization for yourself.

7] Be kind, have fun and enjoy one another, please and thank yaaaa.8] When pinning on this board, use the #enjoyproject hashtag! It will make it ever easier to find when we have more and more posts.9] My goal is to have the board available to the current topic for one week.  So you have from Thursday-Wednesday to post engagement rings! Then Thursday-Wednesday to post _______. (I'm not giving away next weeks topic just yet ;) haha).10] Enjoy yourself. And the ideas. And the other people. 

Alright! You ready? Go pin!

Enjoy Project | How Us People Got Engaged

"life is so constructed, that the event does not, cannot, will not, match the expectation."
charlotte bronte
This is a once in a lifetime post that is understandably hard to know where to begin.  Last week I began the story of "us" on this blog, fully expecting I had plenty of time to build up to this post I'm typing right now.  I had no idea I'd be engaged the very next day.  By "no idea" I mean zero minus nothing subtracted by absence take away nihility and then get rid of oblivion and that is how little of an idea I had that this would be happening.  I'm not sure how much detail I should include in here, but my heart and head and knee-caps are still quivering and I have lot to say ;)  Feel free to skip down and look at all the perfect pictures (taken by Lydia Jane.)  If you'd like to hear this the whole goozy-girly way, snuggle up ;)
Friday: I had spent a full week at the hospital with my sick Mama Bear in Florida.  We had found out the previous week that she has cancer, so I flew down to take care of her in the hospital.  I bought a one-way ticket and wasn't sure when I'd be heading back to Maryland (where I live).  On Wednesday Caleb and I finally firmed up plans for him to come visit for the weekend.  He told me he couldn't miss any work, so he would need to take a late flight to Florida on Friday, and be home at a decent hour on Sunday.  In the hospital mom and I booked his flights.  Our plan for the weekend (actually, correction MY plan for the weekend... MY idea for the weekend... MY suggestion for the weekend... MY dream for the weekend...) was to go to DisneyWorld with my whole family and Caleb, the-never-been-to-Disney-ed.  You have to understand something about Disney Parks and my family: my grandparents, California natives, went to Disneyland opening week.  My mother was born a few years later and she grew up at the park, as did her three siblings.  As they grew older and married and had their own families, Disney was always the dream vacation location.  I will still never forget my first trip to Disneyland (a Christmas present for us kids).  My aunts and uncles and parents saved up to take big Disney trips together, with coordinating outfits for the album pages.  My aunt used to have a Disney room and her e-mail addresses over the years are always Disney related.  As a child watching and hearing your parents and adults in your life so excited about Disney, and literally like giddy little children in the park, well, it's completely contagious and particularly happy.  When I was nine my parents moved from the Washington DC area back to the Southern California area.  We got season passes to Disneyland and though we only lived in San Diego for 15 months, we went to Disneyland nearly 20 times.  We quickly found ourselves back in Maryland, but my parents moved to Florida about 18 months ago.  Without hesitation they bought season passes to Disneyworld.  My cousin met her now-husband at Disneyland and also got engaged at Disneyland.  AND my favorite movie (not Disney movie, movie) is Cinderella.  I love Cinderella's castle and character and mice friends ("GusGus! GusGus! NooOoo. Lucifey not funny.  Lucifey meaaaaan.")  I can quote all the lines, sing all the songs and I still laugh at the witty lines.  I love Cinderella.  I love Disney.  I only have happy, sing-song, smiling-parents, excited hearts, beautiful memories at Disney Parks.
So, for me to want to bring Caleb to Disneyworld with my whole family, especially the little children and especiallyespecially my mom, is a huge deal to me.  Not to mention facing this new season of mom being sick, I really was begging everyone to make this trip work.  Mom said she felt well enough to go, and half the kids were planning on going with friends that weekend anyway.  But somehow, come Friday, everyone had backed out... including my mom.  My dad insisted my little sisters not miss their soccer tournament.  My brother had to work.  Mom was much more tired than she thought she'd be.  My other sister needed to drive soccer carpools.  It just wasn't working anymore.  I didn't want to go without them.  My mom pleaded with me to go.  "It would make me so happy.  You've had a long week.  Go with Caleb and enjoy it.  Take lots of pictures and come back and tell me all about it."  I wasn't convinced.  I told her I'd talk to Caleb and see what he thought.  When we chatted on the phone about it he was equally reluctant to go.  "Man, I would almost rather just stay home with your mom and spend time with her than go without her!"  But somehow my parents swayed me and I said I would ONLY go if it was absolutely what my mom wanted.  
After about three hours of sleep Caleb and I loaded up and left for Orlando.  Let me re-phrase that: after three hours of sleep I loaded up and Caleb slept in. (I note this not to bash Caleb... I love when he gets to sleep in!  But I certainly did not expect him to sleep peacefully and well the night before he proposed.) Let me also add here one important note: I have always only wanted one thing when I got engaged, and that was to be completely surprised.  I didn't care if it was in public or private, with a big or small ring, with friends around or totally alone.  I just wanted to be caught off-guard.  Sweet.  
Caleb and I are now at Disney.  And I'm in full-out Disney mode.  I got my maps.  I got my schedule of events.  I'm large and in charge and woman hear me roar.  Coordinating fast passes, show times, our little cash budget, and pointing out all sweet little children in costumes was keeping me oh-so-busy.  Not to mention smiling from ear to ear.  I told Caleb half-way through the day that my cheeks hurt from smiling so hard.  We were having so much fun.  My mental countdown knew he was leaving in X hours and I couldn't bear the thought.  I was so happy being in such a cheery place and not in a hospital.  I was so happy that mom was home and resting well.  I was so happy that Caleb loved all the detailed buildings, charming employees, manicured landscaping, constant music, colorful atmosphere, and surreal mood as much as I did.  We ooo-ed and awww-ed about crown molding and scalloped foot-paths and coffee ice cream floats in the French Quarter.
As they day went on Caleb and I often stopped to scout out our ideal place to watch the fireworks.  He wanted to be on the side of the castle.  I insisted that we be in the center of the castle.  "Trust me!  It's the best view! You have to see this from the center!" then we'd skip over to Tom Sawyer's Island or The Haunted Mansion.  By dinnertime we found ourselves at Liberty Tree Tavern, my favorite restaurant in the park.  Mostly because of their green beans and gravy.  I LOVE THEIR GREEN BEANS SO MUCH.  Caleb also happens to love good green beans.  All day long I talked about the crisp, garlic-y green beans.  I googled the menu to make sure green beans were still on it.  I announced that I was going to order five plates of green beans.  I literally brought up green beans five or six times throughout the day.  Once we got to dinner I asked the waiter if the seasonal vegetable was green beans.  He said "Yes, they are."  I bopped in my seat and clasped my hands together.  Five minutes later Caleb looked up and noticed the food on the table next to us.  "WHat! They have green beans here?!" he exclaimed.  I must have given him "the" look we girls give.  "Caleb.  Are you seriously asking that?"  I wasn't actually annoyed, more shocked.  Has he really missed that much today?  How could he not remember me talking about that so often?  We continued on with our meal, Caleb made multiple trips to the bathroom, I even caught him on the phone in the hallway not in the bathroom, he didn't eat, he was acting weird and aloof.  All the signs everyone tells you about ;)  But I wasn't suspicious of anything.
We left dinner and I changed plans: instead of riding a ride and then going to find a spot for the parade, lets just go to main street and get a really, really good spot:I marched across the street and informed Caleb that this center view of the castle, off the curb, next to a garden (away from people) would be the best view of the fireworks.  Aren't I a helpful little fiance'-to-be?! He loved it.  And though he had planned to do something a little different (in grass, not in a gated PERECT flower garden) he didn't want to give anything away so he let us stay there. We had over an hour to kill before the parade (at 9:00, followed by the lights show at 10:00, followed by the fireworks display at 10:30).  I talked and asked him why he wasn't listening to me ;) and talked some more and tried to stay warm and wondered why he was looking all around and talked and asked him if the mints he was pulling out of his pocket was really a ring. I'm a lot to handle.The parade finally started.  I asked Caleb all kinds of questions.  He gave me one-word answers.  I told funny jokes and he really didn't laugh.  I assumed he was tired. And we arrive at the fireworks portion of the evening.  I can hear Caleb's heart beating violently.  I think nothing of it.  Instead I went into a huge rant about firework preferences.  "Caleb!  What is your favorite kind of firework? My favorite fireworks are the gold shimmery ones that look like willow trees!  Not the ones with lots of little lines that shoot out but the soft drippy ones.  Like THAT one! It's sooOOOooo pretty!  What's your favorite kind?" He doesn't answer, instead he's looking over his shoulder again.  "Caleb.  It's an important thing to know about your boyfriend.  What is your favorite kind of fireworks?" He managed an answer: "The big ones."  I scrunch my face and start to question is answer "The big o--..." but as I started talking he scooped my up and set me over the fence, right inside the flower garden.  "MY PURSE!" He told me not to worry about my purse.  And that is the last thing I clearly remember for the following five minutes.Once I realized I was leaving my purse behind I knew what was happening.  I lost it.  Full on ugly bawling.  Quivering second-chin and smooshed-nose and sputtering, goat-like sounds.  He got down on one knee.  He said a few things.  I don't remember any of it. I started to fall over and crumple.  He held me up.He asked me three times to be his wife.  I had no words.  I didn't forget to say yes.  I couldn't say yes.  I felt like I was about to fainting and fly and turn into a vapor.  I've never experience so much physical reaction to a single thing.  Every part of me was firing off and going ballistic.  I didn't know how to even begin to reign in the emotion.  It would be like try to hold off a tornado with a spoon.A "yes" tumbled out eventually.
Apparently the fireworks continued on, dozens and dozens of people cheered and whistled and clapped and photographed us, Lydia (who secretly flew in to photograph this!) snapped away.  I didn't hear or see any of it.   I did cry a lot, however. And I finally "came to" as the finale started to fire away.  The first thing I said was "This means I'm going to be Kristen Morris!" - two words I had never said side-by-side, out loud.  I literally felt my knees knocking together.  The fireworks were nothing compared to my insides.  He did it.  He surprised me at at Disney, in front of Cinderella's castle.  I'm still undone. I didn't look at the ring until well after the fireworks stopped.  It's just utterly gorgeous.  The most beautiful, glamorous, lovely, special, perfect ring.  He spent months making that ring happen.  Five months.  He worked so hard on it.  He spent so many hours and nights.  As much as I love that ring, I love how ardently he attended to that ring.  The jeweler who finally made his dream come to life told Caleb that in 52 years of business he'd never seen a man put so much care into the ring being perfect.  I stand by it: no one on earth loves as excessively and fully as Caleb does.  I don't know how he gets to be mine.   I'm so glad I stopped crying at some point ;)  Because I was so happy.  I literally had no idea it was possible to be this full of joy.   The ring just got better and better the more I checked it out ;)

Some sweet whistlers-and-clappers just had to see my peach sapphire goodness ;)  And they are officially the first people I got to show-off my ring to!

I adore that man.  "Can one die of happiness?"  

I'm ever-impressed with Caleb and his detailed, quiet, patient, specific, happy, fearless, dreaming love.  I love him.  I love him so much.  I love that he's so different from what I imagined for myself.  I love that he is an excessively talented musician and you'd never ever hear that or believe that by talking to him.  I love that he packed up his pick-up truck and moved across the country to date me, that he wasn't afraid.  I love that he sings "Tale Old as Time" constantly.  I love that he brings scripture to bear, for the Word of the Lord is living and true.  I love that he plays with me. Oh, we have so much fun playing together!  We love to play.  I love that he doesn't make excuses for himself, he doesn't put any burden on me, but always comes along side me to help carry the weight or he removes it all-together, I love that he brings my glasses of ice water at night.  I love that he loves children and that they love him.  I love that he can't wait to be a father.  I love that he talks about building his daughter's a dollhouse.  I love that he always is up for anything; he's so flexible and easy-going and selfless.  I love that he's a perfectionist and has to have things done a certain way.  I love that he falls asleep anywhere (just like me... It's a big family thing, I think.)  I love love love love his accent and jawline.  I love that he's humble, happy and loves a good challenge.  I love that his hands are calloused, his biceps are hard, his eyes tear easily and that his smile is constant.  I love his country upbringing, his family and his vigor.  I love him.  I love that he schemed and planned and played it cool and worked so hard on this proposal.  I love how well he had to know me in order to pull it off.  Cowboy, you far exceeded my expectations.  

"I hold myself supremely blest - blest beyond what language can express.  I know no weariness of my Edward's society: he knows none of mine, any more than we each do the pulsation of the heart that beats in our separate bosoms; consequently, we are ever together. To be together is for us to be at once free as in solitude, as gay as in company. We talk, I believe, all day long: to talk to each other is but more animated and an audible thinking. All my confidence is bestowed on him, all his confidence is devoted to me; we are precisely suited in character - perfect concord is the result.” (Charlotte Bronte)

"You have done wonderful things, plans of old, faithful and sure."  God did this, and this is for Him.  Our joy is a morsel of our joy in Him, and mostly His joy in us.  Our Happy King delights in us and with us, and it is good to be His.  So so good.  Because He gives His children good gifts.  Gifts like falling in love and Caleb and DisneyWorld and grandparents and fireworks and Walt Disney and best friends and shiny stones and wonderful mama bears and marriage and green beans.


(Um. And I'm going to get married? And be a wife? Because I'm engaged... to be married... what other kind of engaged is there? HE'S GOING TO BE MY HUSBAND!)

James + Julie {Bethany Beach Proposal}

    there is nothing for me but to love you, 

and the way you look tonight.
frank sinatra 

May 9, 2009

jewely: are you still up?

me: sure am :D

jewely: so i had to work till 3:30 

then james came over and was the sweetest everrrr

me: aww!!!!! tell me about it!jewely: we hung out and studied together then i had a soccer game

and just about 5 mins ago he put on "the way you look tonight" and we danced to it in my family room. 

while he sang it to me :)

yeah...me: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!that actually gave me tears in my eyeswhy am i so lame? wow THAT is adorable.jewely: awwww :)no you are not lame at all!!!!

 me: hahah that is so so sweet julie

jewely: it was so so cute. 

we were sitting across from each other doing homework 

and he just kept looking at me and was like will you dance with me?

i was like heck yeah i will!  me: ohhhh my word so so sooo fun
 jewely: :) :)
 me: :) :) you have a good boyfriend, lady
 jewely: oh my gosh do i everr!me: um yeeeaa
 jewely: i'm a big fan of his :)
--
One of my best friends, and favorite people on this whole earth,Julie,accepted a marriage proposal (and RingPop...and diamond ring) from her boyfriend and best friend, James. 
I got to be there to take pictures and celebrate with her.I'm pretty sure it was a highlight of my life.

Because, you see, before there was "James and Julie" in my life,
there was "Julie."
A loud, athletic, funny, laugh-y, junk-food-lovin', talkative, happy, joyful, brave Julie.

And one summer, in 2006, her life headed down a road -
one she didn't really know she was on -
that would change her life forever.
With our church youth-group on a Missions Trip to Mexico,
Julie started crushing on James.
(Bee tee dubs, we pretty much built that little wooden thing right there.
with 12 other people.
And we didn't finish it.
But it was fun pretending like we were really helping.)

I noticed James chilling around my girl at the beginning of the trip
(gotta love group trips wearing matching shirts! ow ow!)

And then I noticed Julie cozying up to James by the end of the trip.
Hmm.
They look great together.

And pretty much from that summer in 2006... "the rest was history."
Obviously there is more to the story then that.
Their wedding won't be until six years later...
you can bet your bottom dollar there is more to the story ;)

But in good time there will be an engagement and wedding blog-post to tell that story.
For now, there is the story of how they got engaged.

The little Team Proposal Crew started to set up James' adorably perfect "love boxes."

On the most perfect night of life, no less.

James had various boxes filled with things Julie loves.
Sour Patch Kids, cause she loves candy.
Soccer ball, cause she loves soccer (duh.)
A blue cross, cause she loves Jesus AND the color blue.
These little love boxes (that actually started earlier in the evening...
he gave her a few on his own, before they got to the beach) were laid out in a path on the beach.


The last box was at the end of the sand "path,"
waiting for the big question.
Let me say real quick:
James nailed it.
Man does he know that girl.
This is SO a Julie-proposal.
The beach, the "craft-ness," the game/hunt-for-a-box element, sunset.
It was perfect,
right down to the somewhat elementary but COMPletely adorable love boxes,
where stickers, colored pencils and sticky rhinestones decorated each box.

Once everything was in perfect place, our sneaky group had to wait and wait.

And wait.

And waaaaAAaaait.

And then the tide was rising too fast, so we had to move everything back,
make a new "path"
and cover up the old "path" with sand.
It was rather epic and incredibly adrenaline-rush-y.

We nestled down to wait some more...

...and then some more.
I was getting nervous.
"This is gonna happen in the dark! James WOULD be late to his own proposal!"

And FINALLY we had a siting.
(turns out they were right on time.
But hey, time moves slow when you are waiting for your bff's engagement to happen.
Sue me.)

I was hoping Julie wouldn't "take her time" at each box,
but that was NOT a problem ;)

She'd hop right up, run to the next one, and show off her mad sprint-skills.

(I liked this moment.  I couldn't hear anything they were saying,
but I heard her say "It's BLUE!"
Apparently James said "Yeah, your favorite color!"
Lovelovelovelovelovelasjakakaj)

However, this was no time to slow down because of a color.
And just like *that* she was off again.

Completely, fully and excitedly ready to get to this last box.

After she squealed in delight over her RingPop,
James asked a very simple
"Julie, will you marry me?"
and presented her with a stunning diamond ring.

Julie yelled "YEAAAH-ES!"

Followed very closely by a giant collapse into his arms ;)

The waves turned,
and a few beach-anchored onlookers cheered,
but other then that there was silence under the pink moon.

Just some lovin'...

...and some bling checkin'-out-in'.

Happily, Julie didn't see us hiding (she was never the most observant girl ;)
but how could she?
She was totally in the moment.
So was James.
It was flawless, beautiful and breath-taking.

A few minutes later it was pitch-black.
We snuck away to let them enjoy each other.

Julie and James, I'll never forget the way you both looked that night.
Not to creep on your romance or try to insert myself in a special song,
but seriously...
I have never seen the two of you happier.
"God has done this.  We are glad."

Bring on the weeeeeedding!

  

Angel + Lindsay {Maryland Proposal Photography}

I've seen the waters, that make your eyes shine

Now I'm shining too,

Because, oh because

I've fallen quite hard over you.

landon pigg | falling in love at a coffee shop

*Just a heads-up**I'm using asterisks because I want your attention*
******Look at all these asterisks*******This post will be a lot better and sweeter and precious if you read the words.But there are going to be a lot of words.*Awesome.
So you know about Emma?The classic match-maker of Jane Austen literature?I share some of her qualities.Mostly the match-making thing.It's bad. I need to stop.I'm trying to.
But I matched Lindsay and Angel up.I called it.They seemed like a little Ali + Roberto.I knew they'd be perfect together.
Who's Lindsay?Lindsay and I have been friends since highschool.Lindsay has been down at University of Maryland her whole college "career,"therefore I don't see her very much.It's just what happens after highschool.She's going to be a Spanish teacher.(An amazing one at that.)
But when we do have a chance to talk and catch up,(maybe twice a year)we always jump right back to where we left off.
I love friendships like that.This past Thanksgiving Break in 2010,I had some girls over one night.Lindsay was one of them.She updated us on her recent trip to Ecuador.
I grilled her on boys.
Pause while I introduce Angel.I met Angel this summer,but had heard about him a fair amount because of all the evangelism work he is involved with at church.He also fights.Like, he's a professional fighter.And he's funny, likes salsa dancing and absolutely loves God.Oh. And he's Guatemalan.Basically, perfect for Lindsay.
 Back to the Thanksgiving Break grilling."Linds, I think you and Angel would be great together."She gasped her cute little Lindsay gasp."Kriiiiiisten. Really? You think so? I don't even know him!"
The rest of the night I explained why I thought they'd be great,I follow-ed up with some texts reminding her that I thought they'd be great,and started spreading the word to the rest of my friends,so they could help hint at Angel + Lindsay.
Angel lives with the Smith family down near the University of Maryland.Long story short, I was visiting the Smith's.I told Jenni, the Smith Wife, that I was trying to set Angel and Lindsay up."Huh.  Do they know each other?She never comes over here to hang-out...But she's such a sweet girl!  I could definitely see that!"
Two minutes later, Lindsay came to the door.I kid you not.She hadn't been over to the Smith's in months.We all hung out with a few other friends who came over, too.Lindsay studied.She said she was going to leave when I left.So I stayed really really late.  Angel... well, he was impressed with Lindsay.After that night, he wanted to see her more.A lot more.
And within six weeks, they were dating!And about 10 weeks later, Angel got in touch with me,and wanted pictures of the proposal.
Yeah. It was fast.Because they are perfect for each other.Kneeeeew it ;)
Okay. lots of words, I told you.But time for some pictures.
Monday afternoon Angel and I met up to perfect this proposal plan.He showed me the three-page-letter he had for her,he showed me the ring,the spot he wanted to propose (at the same table in Starbucks where he first asked her out),we practiced the route from Lindsay's school to Starbucks,and I approved of Angel's outfit (He wore orange.  Lindsay's favorite.)Angel had been leaving notes, flowers and hints of the upcoming proposal all around for Lindsay all day long. This three-page-note was the final one.The plan was for her to come out of class and find this note.He poured out his heart on those pages,and at the end said something along the lines of "I have a question for you, please come find me where I first asked you out."

After everything was just how he wanted, Angel left to wait at Starbucks.
I hid in my car waiting for Lindsay.
My heart was racing.
It took her fooooorever to come.
But finally the tiny and sweet girl arrived at her car.
She gasped her Lindsay gasp and just stared in the window for a good long while.

And the first thing she did was grab her camera for a picture ;)
My kind of girl! Woot woot!

Then she sat down to read Angel's sincere, deep, honest letter about his affection for her anddesire to lay down his life for her.Lindsay smiled and cried.She read slowly and her hands trembled.

I had asked Angel why he wanted to marry Lindsay a few days prior.  
He had a good answer:
"She loves God, she loves people, 

and wants to have a home that is open so others can enjoy her hospitality

(something I love.)

She is compassionate and caring.

She cracks me up like crazy.

She is a critical thinker. 

She calls me out on things, but she does it graciously. 

She encourages my leadership.

God has gifted her in areas I am not.

She is amazingly beautiful -  I mean I can stare at her for quite a while." 

"I am happy when I am with her.I hate saying goodbye.

  It is difficult not to want to lay my life down for her,

  not because I have to but because I get to.

It is only right that I commit to finding my joy in hers, doing everything in my power to make her a success, and to brag about how I am what I am because of her help.
Even if I told you in more complex or even in other languages,I would not be able to pin what I want to say down."  

"My heart rate jumps up a few beats when I know she is five minutes away

 and it slows down five minutes before she is gone.

  I am like a giddy school boy when she calls."

If you didn't catch that from all he said,
Angel is in love.  He's in love with Lindsay.
He wants to marry Lindsay.
Being her husband can't come soon enough.
And she couldn't come soon enough for him to ask her ;)
Poor guy was an antsy, fidget-y, nervous mess!

But he finally spotted her car.

And he just LIT up.
"I'm going to propose to her! I see her! She's here!"

The following few seconds were surreal.
It was probably the most dream-like moment of MY life.
And I was only taking pictures.
It felt like slow motion.
I think there was a sound-track.
It was just breath-taking.

Lindsay ran into his arms,
with her sweet Lindsay gasps.

Angel locked eyes with her,
and just absolutely beamed.

They hugged and he practically held the dear emotional girl up.
She could have just collapsed right there.

"My decision is easy not because I know or think marriage will be easy, 
but because there is no one I would rather lay my life down for 
than you."

"I have had dreams, read books, and seen others lay their lives down for their wives, 
yet none of them told me 

how sweet this death is. 

And even if they did, 

language failed them."

"I want to lay what I am down for your greater good. 

I want to magnify your gifts. 

I want to live life with you. 

I want to build a family with you. 

I want to find my joy in things that bring joy to you. 

Will you let me do this for as long as I live?"

Lindsay just sang out a confident yet gasp-y
"YES! YES YES YES yeeees!"

The next few minutes were my favorite of the day.

The moments where reality settled.

Where such full, intense, joyful emotions reigned.

I couldn't help but tear up watching their utter joy.
"God has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes."

I left them to enjoy the moment,
to enjoy "their" coffee-shop,
to enjoy God's kindness,
to laugh and look at Lindsay's new bling.
THEY ARE GETTING MARRIED!

This post isn't the time or place to go into details,
but both Lindsay and Angel have hard stories from the past.

I've specifically gotten to watch Lindsay walk through trial.
And I've watched her raise her head in the swallows of pain and say
"He gives and takes away,
my heart will choose to say,
Lord, blessed be Your name."

It is so sweet to watch you in a season of "give", Lindsay.
It does my soul good to watch you so.happy.
To watch you fall in love and stand beside your future husband.
Angel, thank you for being so wonderful to this amazing girl.
She's amazing.

God has prepared you for each other,
and I get chills thinking about what He has for you both.
This marriage is going to impact eternity.
I'm so glad you've fallen for each other.

"Blessed be Your name."

And your match-maker ;)

Enjoy the slideshow!