Let the Celebration Begin

Its finally official! I can now actually marry the woman of my dreams. This past Monday and Tuesday Hannah was very busy at work. She nailed down a church, recepti0n hall and bridesmaids dresses. So everyone mark your calenders, this happy union is going to commence on August 9th in the year of our lord 2008. I thought this would be an easy date to remember when I have Alzheimer's! All you have to do is think of two numbers. 8 and 9. so just go 8-9-8 and there you have the date! So this should prevent me from forgetting an anniversary down the road. Not that that would ever happen but I figure I will make it as easy on myself as possible! The church is Hope community. It is very accessible from the highway! Please keep me and Hannah in your prayers for grace and faith and to keep God at the center of all we do!

Thankful!

Well it has been a week of lots of phone calls, dress shopping, visiting different churches and halls, searching online and a week revealing my heart. Last night I was talking to David on the phone and was feeling overwhelmed by all the decisions that needed to be made. As we continued to talk David was so kind and gracious to direct my heart back to truth. He reminded me that, yes we will need to make these decisions, but that our focus should be not on which church we use or where we have the reception but on bring glory to God! And that we get an opportunity in all these areas to trust Him and rely on this grace in this process!

I am so thankful to God that this engagement and soon to be marriage is not about me. It is about bringing glory to His name. It is about living a life completely dependent upon is grace. It is about rejoicing in the the finished work of the cross! It is about God carrying out His perfect plan. It is all about HIM!!

Not to us, but to your name alone

Be all the glory, the glory forever

For your faithfulness and steadfast love

Receive the glory, the glory

Belongs to you

The Details

Now to fill in the details of all that are wondering what i really said during the elleged blank out by my now future wife. First I did not just say gibberish or talk about ligers bred for their skills and magic but if fact if I recount right I got the distint privilage to first bring out some of her finest qualities.

First her Servanthood is matched by none that I have met, serving me at a long distance, giving herself to the tireless and faithful service of the church and to serve her family so faithfully! but in all this I never once heard grumbling or complaining. Another quality that I so admire about my fiance is her humility and teachability. She always asks for my input into her life and responds to my correction by looking into her heart and examining her motives. Her laugh and smile brightens up even the darkest room and helps me laugh at myself. This all speaks of her love for God and her whole hearted commitment towards him in everything that she does!

As I bent down on one knee I asked her to give me the greatest privilage and honor that anyone could bestow upon me. This is where our stories coincide with her Leaping toward me saying YES YES YES!! The best words (besides your sins are forgiving) that this sinners ears have ever heard. She is the greatest gift that God has given me! (or soon to give me on August 9th!!!!)

our journey

The Count Down Has Begun

24 weeks, 2 days and counting....

Will You Marry Me?

Out to lunch!














The beach in Cleveland














The RING!!!! David did such a great job! I love it!














Many adjectives of excitement!!!!!














This was the question David asked me Friday afternoon. The question left me speechless and shocked for several minutes...but here is what I can remember:

David arrived late Thursday night in Cleveland (Valentine's Day) and said that on Friday afternoon he would like to take me out to lunch for Valentine's Day. I was so excited to see him and knowing that I had the opportunity to spend the whole day with him would be an absolute joy!! So he took me to this extremely nice restaurant for lunch which overlooked the lake. It was such a beautiful day in Cleveland, the sun was shining and the weather was not to cold, although we still had snow on the ground. There we ate a wonderful lunch together and to top it all off, David ordered chocolate fondue. What a treat! After lunch we drove to a near by beach to walk around on the snow covered sand. Being in Cleveland in the winter we had the whole beach to ourselves. We then went to sit on a big rock to exchange our Valentine's Day cards. David opened my card and then he gave me his sweet card. After cards he gave me this box and said that it was a really silly gift and that I should not even try to guess what it is because there is no way I will. So as I unwrapped the gift I was surprised to find it to be a pop tart box. This was very exciting to me because I absolutely love poptarts! And I was thinking that this was a great gift...little did I know what the box really contained. David said, lets open up the box to have a poptart. As I opened the box there was a small box inside...I looked to him and said what is this? Then he proceeded to take the box out of my hands and began his proposal.

Now this is the point where I am completely taken off guard and have a loss of memory because I can't remember anything he said to me from here on out. All I can remember is him saying will you marry me? And I responded by saying, YES YES YES YES YES!!!!!!!!

At this moment I am overwhelmed by the kindness of God to allow me to have such a wonderful man in my life. I think to myself, what did I do to deserve him? And the answer is...I don't deserve him, but in God's mercy and kindness I am the most BLESSED girl in the world to be the future Mrs. David DeVries! I love him so much and cannot wait for the day when I can call him my husband!