Day 145 and "We got Engaged!!"

Sunday, February 7, 2010

"We got engaged!" Jessie exclaimed last night to some friends.

Did Jeff know that he got two for the price of one?

This special day was the orchestration of not only my fiance :) Jeff, but also of my closest friends, family, and of course....Jessie. Remember that call this summer I made to you Jessie? "So...there is this guy, Jeff..."

This past weekend, I had been on our Spring Muster Retreat while Jeff had been at the Sky Ranch COR Leadership Retreat. I had not talked to him all weekend except for a brief conversation on Saturday morning, so I was so excited for the phone date we had planned for 2pm, as he drove back to Ouachita.

When I got back at 10:30 from my retreat, I took my usual weekend trip to the grocery store and then came home to begin my homework for the week. I was very overwhelmed at all that I had to accomplish and wasn't very excited when Jessie said she had a great 365 idea to get dressed up and take a picture on campus. We would be meeting Katie and Emily at 2pm.

I had Spanish homework. I was tired. I already had a phone date planned with Jeff at 2. I did not want to go.

I asked Jessie if we could take the picture somewhere closer, and when those words came out of my mouth she looked devastated. I began to tear up. She walked back to the room and until 1:15. She came to the kitchen table and in her best mom voice said:

"Bailey, we are taking this picture today. I have a dress laid out on the bed, and you will be ready to go at 1:45."

There was no messing with this tone. At this point the thought of a proposal did cross my mind, but I quickly dismissed it because of all the factors that would keep it from happening.

He was (supposed) to be in East Texas, he was (supposed) to be working that night. I talk to him all the time and I know that he hasn't been ring shopping, much less taken a trip to Dallas or East Texas to ask my parents.

Little did I really know....

When we arrived to meet Katie and Emily, they were standing on a bridge at Spence Park on the A&M Campus. Jessie proceeded to read a letter from Jeff that described what was about to take place, and the journey that we were about to embark upon. They each spoke of our friendship and the encouragement that I have been, then they prayed over me.

Then they asked ..."Can we take this walk with you?"

Next, they brought me to two of my co-counselors from Sky Ranch this past summer, Alana and Amy. They repeated the same process and then asked..."Can we take this walk with you?"

We then walked to two of my dearest friends, Macie and Kaitlyn. They, too, spoke of our friendship, read a letter from Jeff, and prayed over me. Finally they asked..."Can we take this walk with you?"

They then took me to the top of Rudder where I was greeted by the Green family. A nine hour drive they took to support us and welcome me into their family. They also wanted to know "Can we take this walk with you?"

I saw my mom and little sister, Abbey, and lost it. As we cried together, they spoke of how excited they were for this day and how happy they truly were for both of us. What a sweet moment as we prayed as a family and they asked..."Can we take this walk with you?"

They brought me to Academic Plaza, where he was waiting. As our friend Chris read aloud the final letter, based on Hebrews 11, we were surrounded by our own "Great Cloud of Witnesses"; They were friends and family that have walked this journey with us. They have prayed for us, encouraged us, and guided us since we began our relationship seven months ago. They have been the biggest blessing, and will continue to walk with us as we enter into marriage. They each said a prayer, blessing us as we begin our own walk together.

Jeff asks to take the final walk with me as we walked to the Century Tree. He gets down on one knee and asks..."Will you marry me"

"Yes!," I said. Then he proceeds to put the ring on the wrong hand. :)

As our first act of being engaged, we thanked God through prayer and remembered Him and what he has done for us by taking the Lord's Supper.

While Jeff was proposing, everyone else had gone back to our house to set up the wonderful engagement party that Macie planned (thank you, thank you, thank you!).

Friends and family came to celebrate with us. There was ice cream cake, food, punch, beautiful decorations, and presents!

As I sit here at the kitchen table staring at my ring, I am still amazed at this journey God has brought us on. Eight months ago I didn't know him and now....I can't imagine life without him.

We've got some exciting changes in store and a lot of 365 pictures to take, capturing each moment.

I still can't believe it! "We got engaged!"