ROAD TO LOFE | WE ARE ENGAGED
Monday, December 31, 2018
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I made a promise to that student that “regardless of my religion” I would check it out. God sure does place you right where you need to be, and His timing, well, you’ll see what I mean.
That next Sunday, on April 22nd, I had a feeling that I needed to keep that promise. I told my mom and grandma that I had this weird feeling about going and so they agreed to tag along. The first sermon (well actually like 5th) I had ever heard from Pastor Matt Brown was on the enneagram. It happened to be on type 2 that day, the helper. Again, God’s timing, because as soon as the sermon started, the three of us started nudging each other, poking each other, laughing, and even at one point cried a little, because guess what our numbers are... you bet we are all 2s and I was hooked right then and there.
On May 6th I went over to our community group house formally known as the ZEN house for a celebration. Two of the leaders in our group had gotten engaged and arrived only moments after I did. I can remember being so genuinely excited and thinking they were just the sweetest people. We walked into the house together, I ran over to my friend Edwin, and slammed a box of honey bunches of oats on the counter. I had a bet going that cinnamon was way better than chocolate. I won. In the background there was this super cute guy cooking Dino nuggets. I remember thinking he was so handsome but hearing from someone else that he was off limits. Daniel and I never really talked much, even at group, until one summer night in July when we said goodbye to the ZEN house once and for all.
Fast forward to the night of the last ZEN house party. I was irritated with someone in the group and decided I needed to take a minute for myself. My best friend Tegan agreed to let me vent while we went on a walk. As I was complaining, and contemplating how to handle the situation at hand, Daniel pulled up in his blue Corolla, waving, with that perfect quirky, scrunched nosed smile. He asked what we were doing and we said we were walking over to ACA. We told him that he was welcome to join, so he did. It was the first time seeing him in a new light, running, racing, dancing through sprinklers, and up close and personal. That night I can remember moments where my heart was gravitating towards him, and I guess he felt the same. After consuming way too many snacks and then dancing them off I decided to say my goodbyes and head out. Little did I know that Daniel went and told my friend Bekah, the one who got engaged that first night I had ever been over to the house, that he almost walked a pretty girl to her car... me! Now, I didn’t know any of this until about a month later.
On several occasions Daniel and I talked about our mutual love of all things Disney and that we both had passes. He asked me to go a few times but there was always a reason I couldn’t. On August 1st he helped me, along with several other friends, move into my first apartment downtown. My mom claims that the moment she met him, she knew he was supposed to be there. I can remember her stopping him and asking where she knew him from. She kept saying he was so familiar, and that it was the strangest thing. What’s even crazier, Daniel’s mom said something similar about me when we had first met.
Later that day, after all the moving had been done, after Daniel insisted on going with me to a house to checkout a Facebook marketplace item so I wouldn’t be alone, after exchanging glances and laughs, he asked if I would go to Disneyland with him and his mom. Now that’s an entirely different story for an entirely different time, but long story short, I didn’t end up going.
He went with his mom, brought me a Christopher Robin pin back, and asked me to coffee two days later. What should have been an hour long coffee sesh with a friend turned into an all day event of moving items to a new school I was about to start teaching at, a long walk at Prospect Park, another coffee date at stell, and ended with him asking, “unless Facebook is your absolute favorite form of communication, can I have your number?”
A few moments later I got a text from him and I remember calling several friends asking what they thought. “Was he flirting? Do you think he likes me as more than a friend? What does this mean?”
August 8th was the night we finally went to Disneyland. He picked me up and we were on our way. Shortly after walking through the park, Daniel reached for my hand. I freaked out to be honest, ha! I guess I pulled away pretty quickly, but ended up not letting each other go the rest of the night once I realized there was a bit more there than just friendship. We walked through the Disneyland hotel lobby where once upon a dream came on and he asked me to dance. It was like we were the only two people in the room, because we actually were, minus a security guard. I thought for sure he was going to kiss me right then and there, but didn’t because I ran away. Any of you who know how quirky and weird I am can probably envision this just as it happened... yes, actually physically jogged, well, trotted, a bit away to mutter the words, “holy shit” under my breath and take a moment for myself.
We eventually made it back to the car, told each other literally everything about our lives, the good, bad, ugly, really ugly, and when I got home I decided I didn’t want to leave the night without knowing for certain if we were more than just friends. I kissed him, he kissed back, and the establishment of 40 days of no kissing was implemented. About 10 days later he told me he wanted me to be his girlfriend. 2 days after that he told me he loved me. 2 days after that he said, “life, change one letter and that’s what I’m going to make you someday...” and that’s how the word “lofe” was created.
3 days or so later, Daniel proposed we go to financial classes and premarriage workshop. I was in shock that he was so direct and straightforward, but loved it. I agreed, so we signed up for Financial Peace University first. Daniel decided we needed to be on the waitlist for premarriage, since the spots fill up quickly and we wanted to make sure we got in for the spring. Just as planned, he received an email about his inquiry and onto the waitlist our names went... for about 24 hours.
Daniel leads a group of 8th and 9th grade boys at our church. One evening, the devotional was on being radically obedient and saying yes to God no matter what. After writing down that the next thing God placed in front of him he would say yes to without questioning, Daniel received an email saying there was one spot available for premarriage if we wanted it. I let him make the final call and so off to premarriage we went! Was it trying? Absolutely. Did we both lose sleep over hours upon hours of discussions about our future? You bet. Did it pull us closer and make us realize this was really it and we weren’t crazy? 100 %.
Now... for the part you’ve all been waiting for... how did he ask?
Remember the two sweet people I mentioned at the beginning of the story who got engaged the night Daniel and I had met? We scheduled a for fun bridal session for sunrise in Big Bear. When we arrived to the hiking trail we were supposed to go on, but the snow had melted and refrozen so many times we decided hiking with a wedding gown wouldn’t be the best idea. We found a nearby park that was perfect and so we threw an audible and adjusted as necessary to still get that yummy morning light.
We skipped rocks across a frozen lake, which makes the coolest sound ever by the way, wandered around marshy ground, and eventually found the perfect spot to shoot. About ten minutes in, Nasi said, “okay we have to get some of you and Daniel really quick, the light is perfect.” And me, being me said , “ no no! We need this light for you guys!” But of course, I got over ruled and Daniel walked over to meet me.
We took a few photos, and then Daniel looked me in the eyes and said, “I have something for you.” It was one of his moms delicious sugar cookies in the shape of a bread slice. It asked “ lofe?” on it with a guy down on one knee, and before I knew it, there was Daniel, on one knee too.
It was honestly such a blur. I can remember him saying my name and asking me if I would marry him, but it took the video to realize I once again was saying, “holy shit” under my breath while shaking and accidentally smashing the cookie due to my excitement.
Looking back, nothing has been coincidence. There have been so many confirmations and intricate moments that have lead us here. What if I would have moved to Texas? What if I never listened to that student? What if he didn’t ask me to coffee?
Our entire relationship has felt God lead, as if he is cheering us on. It’s indescribable and so incredible.
We couldn’t be more thankful or excited to spend the rest of together forever. And guys... I’M GOING TO BE HIS LOFE!!!!
