1. College Heights. Can I just say I LOVE this church! It's an awesome place for a college student to grow and go to worship each week. But more than that- the people I worship with follow me throughout the week. It's awesome. Our youth ministers wife, Michelle, has invested a lot in me and is helping me learn how to be the significant other of a minister. She's awesome. We are so different in so many ways, but that challenges me more than anything! I love her a lot.
My d-group meets weekly and they are awesome! I have four girls that are honest and transparent. They ask questions and bring thoughts to our group that I did not think of. I don't think they realize that they are leading me just like I am meant to lead them. They are so awesome. We are going through My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers. It's just a very short daily reading, but SO thought provoking and deep. It's not something to be taken lightly. These girls have been consistent and growing. I love them a whole lot!
2. This past week was VERY exciting. I mean VERY exciting. Friday and Saturday were both AMAZING days. Lets start with Friday.
Last week I got a call telling me that the Cambodian director of Rapha House would be in town to visit as he is in the US for the National Missionary Convention. When I heard this I was VERY excited! I finally got to see a Khmer person for the first time since Cambodia- and it happens to be one of my favorite Khmer people. Let me just tell you a bit about this man. He used to have a pretty awesome job. He gave it up for Rapha House. He gave it up to take part in rescuing girls from awful lives and letting them explore Gods plans for their lives. He is incredible. He was never too busy for the girls. He spent evenings out playing soccer with them. Even if he was on his way to do some important work, he always found time to stop and hug each girl or stop and play with them briefly. He has a heart for these girls as big as anyone I know. Not only that, he cares about every single person he meets. Including the perpetrators of these girls. His heart is awesome.
So as I walked up to him on Friday night at the Rapha House open House, I got a reaction I didn't expect. He totally recognized me. I didn't expect him to remember my name but he knew he had met me. I was excited about that. He was very happy to see me and meet Tyler as well. I was so so so glad that at least one of the people closest to me could have the opportunity to meet a man I look up to. Not only did he recognize me, but he gave me very detailed updates on my two little sisters that I love and miss so so much! He told me that the younger of the sisters is doing so well and growing to love God more and more each day. Praise the Lord! He did say that the older sister has troubles from day to day. She is in a bit of a different stage of life so it's a little different, but it was not too concerning he said. That's another awesome thing about it. They have around 100 girls in their program... and he knows the progress of each of them as individuals. He is awesome. I sent him a letter and some pictures a couple months back and so he finally put a face and a name to that package. That was fun. He took a picture with me on his camera to show my little sisters that he saw me. That was an awesome night!
Okay so Saturday came. And well, that was pretty exciting.
It all started with a typical date. Tyler took me to one of our favorite places (Olive Garden). This is where we had our first date. When we go to dinner he usually tells me sometime during the meal what the rest of the night holds for us. This particular night he told me we would go to Kara and Jeremiah's to play games. Recently we have been going over there a lot and playing Clue. So, it's not that I don't want to hang out with my best friend, but I was kind of upset. I didn't understand why would spend our date night with them. So I kept asking how long we would be there and why were going and it that meant our special date time was over as soon as dinner was over. I was genuinely upset.
So we got to their apartment and usually they have to let us in the first door and then we walk through the hall and get to their actual apartment door. So I thought it was strange that neither of them waited for us but both doors were just cracked (but no, I still didn't understand what was going on.) So I opened the door to their apartment. It was pretty dim and I could see a couple of tea light candles from the walk way- again, I thought, this is weird. So I kept walking further and all of the sudden one of our favorite songs, "Until You" by Dave Barnes, began to play right at the chorus. (the first words I heard were "I need you now and forever") So it kinda began to fall together. As I walked further and got my first view of the living room, this is what I saw: (but just imagine it dimmer)
I was shocked!! So I just kinda stopped because I didn't have any idea what to do. So Tyler came over to me, got down on one knee, and asked me to marry him! It was the best thing ever! I couldn't believe it. I was sooo upset with him that we were going over there... little did I know. He definitely did the best job ever surprising me. He also did the best job ever getting me this:
Yeah I love it! I was so excited! And I was also equally surprised by this ring! After he proposed, my best friend and her husband came out of hiding and celebrated with us. She had two bridal magazines and a card ready for us. They were so awesome and I am so thankful they got to be a part of that night as well! So thanks to them for letting it all happen in their apartment. Apparently Kara has known about this for two weeks... I couldn't believe it!
I am so excited to finally get to start planning my life with Tyler! I have liked him for so so so long. I cannot believe that we are getting married! It's so weird. After 6 1/2 years of being friends, and we are finally moving to this awesome step! It's all so very exciting.
Anyway, there you go. I thought you should know a little bit about what has been going on with me.
"I need you now and forever, just stay right here with me, don't ever leave. Love was kept from me like a secret, I swore that I was through until you."
