Project Marriage

I am so excited to be able to write this post. I'm linking up with Life without Pink and her endeavor to keep the Flame of love alive in our marriages with Project Marriage. there are a few options to choose from to write about this month, but I'm choosing our proposal, b/c it makes me so happy when I think about how wonderful Richard made our story.

I hope I can get across just how surprised I actually was . . .

I was a senior in college, ready to graduate, but no where to go. My parents live in Ecuador and so that made "going home to live with my parents" a little challenging - I would never have been able to work or make a life for myself there. I had been dating Richard for about a year and we had discussed our relationship very in depth and we were both convinced that we would be married soon. Richard is a patient man. He is slow to making decisions, wise and very thoughtful about his actions. He had worked out to go to Wyoming and work for a man mowing lawns for the summer to make money for a ring and to save for "life". Now, I was "a wreck". Where do I go? What do I do? I'm not engaged yet, so I can't start planning for a wedding and making plans for marriage, but while waiting I needed to do something -I couldn't just sit around and twiddle my thumbs. I "threatened" Richard with going to Nanny in Spain for a year to see what his reactions to me being gone that long would be. didn't get much answers there. Pondered working for Sport's camp ministries. that didn't really go anywhere. so I settled on going to live with my wonderful Auntie Terre for the summer and see what happened and trying to get a job there in Woburn MA. (right outside of Boston). This was my hometown in the US growing up, so i did know a few people there.

Now the problem is knowing that we were going to be apart, I also realized probably the next time we planned to see each other again would be our engagement. I really wanted to be surprised. It was hard to talk with Richard about plans for our future b/c we weren't technically engaged yet, and he hadn't actually said word for word that we were going to get married. We had just talked about our commitment to the relationship.

I was had a huge DILEMMA - and didn't know what to do. I questioned Richard's "leadership" commitment or his level of understanding towards my situation - did he realize he was putting me through this time of worry b/c I didn't know what he was going to do?????

Anyways - get to the exciting part.

It was right after graduation from a small college in WI - my parents drove me and all my stuff out to MA to move in with my Aunt. the day we showed up, I had scheduled to meet with a friend to go look at a place for pictures for her wedding! I was tired and didn't really feel like going, but my mom pretty much made me keep that appointment to meet up with my friend. She picked me up and we drove at sunset to a beautiful lighthouse on the coast in MA somewhere. (hahaha, I think it's called Marblehead). Now also realize her wedding was scheduled for December, and while we were getting out of the car to look around at the lighthouse, the ocean and the view I even asked her, "isn't it going to be cold in December to take pictures out here?" hahaha, I don't even know what she said, but she made up some lame excuse.

Also realize - my crazy mind of mine had already wondered if Richard would be in MA to surprise me. But he had called me earlier that day and talked all about Mountain biking and hurting his knee, and even had a conversation with his mother while talking to me. All so that I would think he was in CO with his family!!!!! So after that phone conversation I was completely disappointed with the idea that he might be surprising me.

-back to the Lighthouse - As we turn around a bend, in the distance i see Richard Gardner sitting on a bench looking my way, he stood up when he saw me, and started walking towards me. (my friend ran away, and I have no idea where she went). Completely surprised to see him and speechless, he gets down on one knee and proposes to me. Of course I say "yes". And the rest is our lives together!!!!

The amazing part is that he was planning this for a few months, to time it all with my parents, to find this lighthouse online and work with my friend in setting it all up, in buying the ring, and plane ticket, and faking like he was in CO. All of it!!!! He COMPLETELY surprised me!

I was one happy girl that night!!!!!

And really - I am blessed to be called his wife, I am honored that he chose me. He is so forgiving f my faults and flaws and he LOVES me very unconditionally!!!!

This was our Wonderful Wedding Day!!!!

I can't believe I'm saying this but "We look so Young" !!!!!!

And our journey continues together.

We've had our dry times and our bountiful times

I'm sure there are many more to come

but through it all

We are committed to each other

We love Each Other

Thank you Richard Gardner for your LOVE!