The Engagement!

So... this happened this weekend!

Ahhh!!! :)  I'm engaged!

Here's the story:

Mark and I met at Camp Crucis back in the day.  We're pretty sure the first time we remember each other is from the Sr. High session his senior year and my sophomore year, but neither of us can remember talking to each other, other than a small "hey, how's it going"... if that... until this past year.

A bunch of our camp friends have a young adult ministry called A1:8 (stands for Acts 1:8), so we were hanging out in the same crowd with those events.  A1:8 also hosts Youth Rally and College Retreat each year.  It was at the College Retreat that it kind of clicked with me that I might want to date this guy.  :)  (Fast forward about 4 months and Mark tells me that he had similar feelings that weekend.)

So!  The part you've been waiting for.

This past weekend was Youth Rally, which is held out at camp.  I had a feeling this might be "the weekend" but I was trying my best (and failing) not to think about it too much.

After a long and incredible day of theme sessions, small groups, and activities, we had an end-of-the-night staff meeting in DeWolfe.  It was around 11/11:15 and I was exhausted.  To the point of being a little giggly and delirious and trying to get things moving as quickly as possible so we could go to sleep.  On top of that I hadn't seen Mark in a while and he had kept disappearing.  Finally he came in for the closing prayer.

He started walking me up to the infirmary, where the young adult girls were staying, and when we were close to the building he asked if I wanted to go to St. John's to pray.  Of course I said yes.

So we headed up to the little chapel, chatting about the day, and finally get to St. John's.  We walk inside the dark chapel and Mark turns on the lights.  Down in front of the altar are pink roses and rose petals scattered around.  "Oh my gosh," I'm thinking, "This is happening."

So we get up to the front and he turns to me and says, "So, I didn't bring you up here just to pray.  I love you [this is when I started crying], I want to spend the rest of my life with you, I'm going to do my best to be the best husband I can be...[and I think he said some other sweet things but I can't remember at the moment!]...and I had a lot of other sweet things to say but I can't remember them now."  :)

And then he got down on one knee and proposed, and I said yes.  :)

After hugging and kissing and crying and saying "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh!" Mark said he had bought another ring as a backup and asked if I wanted to see it (uhh, what??) and turns out it was a big blue plastic heart-shaped ring.  hahaha.  (I happily kept the original.) Then we sat and prayed for our relationship and our future and thanked God for putting us in each other's lives, and for His good and perfect timing.

Then we headed back down to DeWolfe where I could see the glow of some Christmas lights and all the shades were drawn.  What?!  We walked in and all the girls came rushing at me saying congratulations!  (Followed by the boys rushing at Mark saying congratulations!! hahaha)  Cue more tears from me and lots of picture taking.  :)  (And music playing in the background... like songs from Titanic... hahaha)

Pretty sure Mark is saying "Ahh! Surprise!"
...And I'm crying. haha

Scott, Mark, and Luke with the "backup"

Some of our Bible study girls!  Love these Godly women!

But wait!! There's more.  :)

The next morning I went to church and was standing around talking with some people there when my friend Starr walked up.  What?? And after some, "What?? What are you doing here??" I see my parents walk up too, and then Mark's parents, and then some of Mark's friends, and then more of mine.

That sneaky man!!

So there you have it, folks.  :)  Now on to wedding planning!

Your prayers and good wishes are very much welcomed and appreciated.