02:54 pm October 23rd, 2005
Funny How Fast Things Change... (Girls Only Update!)
On Oct. 12, I posted a Girls Only entry about my thoughts on the available guys I knew... since then, things have seriously changed. I didn't know it then, but a guy had emailed Daddy asking for permission to get to know me better!! He had sent it on Monday (the 10th), but Dad was out of town and didn't get it until Thursday (the 13th). I got a call from Mom & Dad telling me about it that night... I was completely surprised, but very excited... Especially when I discovered who it was from:

Remember this part of that LJ entry:

"New dude... just a possibility, but someone who seems to be a lot of what I'm looking for and stuff. I'll probably post more later on in the month about him, if things go like they seem to be going."

That's who emailed Dad!!! I was VERY happy about that - he'd really peaked my interest and apparently I had peaked his too. :-) After Dad replied to his email (which was incredibly sweet and complimentary about me), he emailed me for the first time the next day!! We IMed for a few days (including one time of iming for several hours until 4 am), and he called me (with my parent's permission).

I almost posted this without telling you anything really about him... so I'm back tracking to add in this paragraph: He's 25, 5'9" (just right!!), has strawberry blondish/reddish hair, lives in NH (but is totally willing to move to NC if I or Dad so desire!), reformed, wants to homeschool, and is currently writing a wonderful fiction novel as he's working in his other job. He shared the first 9 chapters (all that he's written so far) with me & my parents... he hadn't shown it to anyone else! The book is great and I'm already looking forward to the ending. :) He's a very talented writer.... Dad is always blown away by his emails & correspondence.

Last week at work was positively lovely since he called me on my lunch break and at night, as well as sending emails during the day!!! :-) We talk usually an hour or so each time and have covered allllll of the deep major things and most of the minor things and are in complete agreement on everything except Macs vs. PCs & Red Sox vs. Yankees - though both of those things are just sources of teasing. :-) My parents, sisters (Amy & Erin) and Jake & Rita are all mightily impressed with him. He's amazing, and he likes me for some reason! :-D!!!!!!!

Then, yesterday, we finally met face to face. Wow. It was wonderful. He's wonderful!! I was so nervous since we'd already gotten to know each other through the emails, phone calls and IMs (mostly through the phone calls though), and I wasn't sure if he'd like me once he saw me... but apparently he did/does. :-) He called me later to say that he already missed me and it'd only been about 2 hours since we'd parted. :-D :-) At supper he thanked Mom & Dad for letting him "get to know your lovely daughter" and right before we had to part, he told me that I "have a lovely smile." :-) His family was great and got along well with my parents and me. His Mom hugged me twice and I got hug from all of them except him (I think he wanted to get Dad's permission to do that). We're already looking forward to seeing each other again.

Needless to say, I'm smitten. :-) He so measures up to and surpasses my internal list of what I want in a husband. He's just amazing!! I've been going around with stupid grin on my face for the last week and I get incredibly happy whenever he calls. :)

I'm really sorry that I've kept this from y'all - it's been so difficult not shouting from the rooftops that I'm being pursued!!! but I wanted to be cautious at least until we met face to face. I've had an experience before where a guy & I IMed and phone called for a month or two before meeting face to face and when we did, it was a disaster. I wanted to throw him back on the plane within a few minutes of being in his presence... and after last year's kinda-courtship disaster (where y'all got the play by play), I was really gun shy about sharing this time. BUT, he's nothing like any guy I've ever been interested in before. He's pursuing me, complimenting me, and constantly amazing me. He's just wonderful and cute! :-)

We're not officially courting yet, but I'm thinking it'll happen pretty soon. When it is official, I'll do a public post about it, but I just had to share with y'all about it. It's really been killing me to not tell you... but I do hope y'all understand my reasons for wanting to wait. And yes, this was the vagueness that I've been alluding to for a while. It was just too hard to contain the happiness! :-)

Oh, and I just have to share this with y'all that he told me... he was telling me how writing to Dad was the scariest thing he's ever done... then he shared this with me that explained his reasoning behind writing to Dad about me:

"I wrote a diary post about what I did the next day. In it I wrote:
Perhaps I acted rashly, though. I do barely know this girl and I'm acting on impressions and from reading some LJ entries. That might be a legitimate criticism. Maybe I got ahead of myself. I can liken my enthusiasm to that of an art collector who finds an original Rembrandt or Monet in perfect condition at a yard sale. Maybe hundreds of people have passed by that painting, not seeing it for the treasure that it is. When the art collector sees this painting, he is going to rejoice and he is going to pay whatever the seller asks for it because the item is priceless."

I about melted when I read that and tears pooled. I was speechless and touched. And it's been like that ever since. He's just so wonderful!!!! Praise the Lord!!!!!

I'll let y'all know whenever something else happens. :)

Edit: Click here to see a picture of us from yesterday. The picture quality isn't that great due to really poor lighting (though I did try to lighten it in Photoshop), and pictures don't do him justice (he's really cute in person and has amazing eyes), but I thought y'all would want to see it anyway. :-)

07:49 pm October 23rd, 2005
Vagueness Unveiled: Oh Happy Day!!!! :-D (Public post)

I can now post what I'm sure many of you had already guessed: I'm courting!!!! :-D

Mike is absolutely wonderful and amazing. I had a great and way too short time visiting with him & his family yesterday. My parents and I were/are so impressed with him - he's so godly and wise. He's just amazing! :-D He's the reason why I've been so happy lately. :)

He emailed Daddy asking for permission to get to know me better on Monday (the 10th), but Dad was out of town and didn't get it until Thursday (the 13th). So the poor dear had to wait for four days in suspence! After Dad & Mom read it, I got a call from them telling me about it that night... I was completely surprised, but very excited... Especially when I discovered who it was from since he's already peaked my interest by his responses on my reformed singles group, RSUSA. After Dad replied to his email (which was incredibly sweet and complimentary about me), he emailed me for the first time the next day!! We IMed for a few days (including one time of iming for several hours until 4 am), and he called me (with my parent's permission). Last week at work was positively lovely since he called me on my lunch break and at night, as well as sending emails during the day!!! :-) We talk usually an hour or so each time and have covered allllll of the deep major things and most of the minor things and are in complete agreement on everything except Macs vs. PCs & Red Sox vs. Yankees - though both of those things are just sources of teasing. :-)

Then, yesterday, we finally met face to face. Wow. It was wonderful. He's wonderful!! I was so nervous since we'd already gotten to know each other through the emails, phone calls and IMs (mostly through the phone calls though) but we had no trouble talking face to face. :-) He called me later to say that he already missed me and it'd only been about 2 hours since we'd parted. :-D :-) His family was great and got along well with my parents and me. His Mom hugged me twice and I got hug from all of them except him (I think he wanted to get Dad's permission to do that). We're already looking forward to seeing each other again, which will hopefully be soon.

Needless to say, I'm smitten. :-) He so measures up to and surpasses my internal list of what I want in a husband. He's just amazing!! I've been going around with stupid grin on my face for the last week and I get incredibly happy whenever he calls. :)

He's 25, 5'9" (just right!!), has strawberry blondish/reddish hair, lives in NH, reformed, wants to homeschool & have lots of kids, and is currently writing a wonderful fiction novel as he's working in his other job. He shared the first 9 chapters (all that he's written so far) with me & my parents... he hadn't shown it to anyone else! The book is great and I'm already looking forward to the ending. :) He's a very talented writer.... Dad has been blown away by his emails & correspondence (so have I!).

I'm really sorry that I've kept this from y'all - it's been so difficult not shouting from the rooftops that I'm being pursued!!! but I wanted to be cautious at least until we met face to face. I've had an experience before where a guy & I IMed and phone called for a month or two before meeting face to face and when we did, it was a disaster. I wanted to throw him back on the plane within a few minutes of being in his presence... and after last year's kinda-courtship disaster (where y'all got the play by play), I was really gun shy about sharing this time. BUT, Mike is nothing like any guy I've ever been interested in before - he outshines everyone a million times more. He's pursuing me, complimenting me, and constantly amazing me. He's just wonderful and cute! :-) It's really been killing me to not tell you... but I do hope y'all understand my reasons for wanting to wait. And yes, this was the vagueness that I've been alluding to for a while. It was just too hard to contain the happiness! :-)

So that's my happiness. :-)

I am feeling: EXCITED!!!!!!

01:08 pm October 26th, 2005
Mike makes me happy

This morning at work was extremely hard & stressful. I was counting down the minutes to lunchtime so I could leave. I had brought my food with me, but ended up going back to the apartment to eat it. I called Mike while I was on break and he calmed me down by reading two passages of Scripture to me (Psalm 17 & 18) while I ate and then he prayed for me. It was so relaxing and touching to have him do that for me. Just talking to him is calming and relaxing, but today's call was extra special. :-) He makes me so happy and is already taking care of me!! I'm so blessed!!

05:16 pm October 27th, 2005
I'm falling!!!! (Girls Only Post)

Girls, my few posts on how wonderful Mike is really aren't sufficent to tell you exactly how wonderful and amazing he truly is. I am so very happy when I talk to him and am constantly amazed at how much we agree on. Seriously, it's wildly amazing how well we think on thinks. This truly feels like the real deal and I have absolutely no qualms about him at all! I feel at peace when I talk to him and miss him as soon as we hang up. I'm falling, and I don't wanna come back up! Can this be happening, and so soon???? He's just wonderful!!!!!!!!!!!!

11:49 pm October 29th, 2005
On Cloud Nine

This is me: :-D

This is me regarding most (minor) decisions and things: "Ok, I don't care. :-)"

This is my family: "She's loopy!"

My response? I don't care. I'm happy. Mike makes me happy.

I don't care about much else these days. I've missed two to three straight weeks of my favorite shows (CSI, Crossing Jordan & CSI: Miami) and really, I don't care. :-) I'd rather talk to Mike. :-D

--

Is the definition of Smoo: Sappiness + Mushiness = Smoo?

I am feeling: giddy

10:49 am November 2nd, 2005
Update

I tried to negotiate some time off of work for when Mike is here at Thanksgiving. :-)

Speaking of Mike, things are going beautifully. I don't think I've ever been so happy in my life and so completely at peace. :-) In 9 days I'll get to go up to NH to see him with Mom, then in another 8 days, he'll be down here for a week!! I can't wait!! :-D

04:15 pm November 5th, 2005 I understand now.

Whenever my friends would be courting or dating and just be totally enthralled with their guy, I never understood why they seem to forget the rest of the world exists. It seemed as though the guy takes them away from their friends, and I'd miss them while watching their relationship from the sidelines. But since meeting Mike, I completely understand! It's not intentional that I'm losing touch with everything else - it's just that he's so wonderful that I want to spend as much time as I can with him. Right now that's mostly through many long phone calls throughout the day... and I'm forgetting about everything else. I've not seen any of my favorite shows in weeks, read any books, or gone to any movies and I just don't care. I'd rather spend that time talking to Mike. :-) I love being happily distracted with him. :-)

I really do miss reading your ljs and generally not knowing what's going in your lives, but well, I like talking to Mike more. I'm sorry....well, ok, no, not that much really. haha. Just kidding. ;-) :-D Seriously though, I do miss y'all a lot, and with my really limited internet access (they've made us cut back at work, so I can only check email & LJ once a day), combined with staying where there is no internet access, I'm really limited on being able to keep up with y'all. Oh, and on the weekends my family wants to see me and I have more time to talk to Mike, so I'm not able to read LJ that much either then. I try to at least skim as much as possible but if I miss something major, I'm really sorry! I hate that I'm not as able to comment as much as I'd like, but I really hope y'all understand. I'm incredibly happy and content. Mike is just absolutely wonderful. :-)

I am feeling: loved

09:56 am November 9th, 2005
It's going to be a looooooong day...

I think the days are intentionally dragging until Friday... I want them to fly by now and then slow down when I'm with Mike this weekend! :-)

Work is basically slowed down to a complete stop due to the server completely shutting down for now apparently reason. I've done a few redesigns that we already had on file but I can't access the site at all to do the other 5 that need to be done asap. Everyone is just hanging out right now waiting for the server to get back online. This seriously slows down my production, and I was on a roll! I had finished 29 files in the first hour. We've been down since 9 am. I hope it gets working soon or well, hmmn, maybe not... I might get off work early if they can't fix it. I could use the extra time! I've got so much to try to cram into the next 2 days before heading up north to see my sweetheart. :-)

Speaking of traveling this weekend, in case anyone hasn't figured it out yet, I really can't wait to see Mike again!!!!!!! :-D

God is so good to bless me with Mike!! He makes me so incredibly happy and content. :)

I am feeling: happy & loved :-)

07:58 am November 11th, 2005
Today's the day!!!!!!!!! :-D

I'm getting off of work early (4 pm) so I can get ready to go to NH tonight - Mom & I are leaving Charlotte around 7, and should get to Manchester around 9... I get to see Mike tonight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :-D!!!!!!!!!! I can't wait to see him!!!! :-D!!!

Oh happy day!!!!!!!! :-)

I am feeling: excited!!!!

12:55 am November 13th, 2005
Tell the world: I'M ENGAGED!!!!!!!!!!!! :-D!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow, the Lord is awesome indeed! Tonight, er, rather last night, Mike proposed to me after a wonderful dinner out, and of course, I gleefully accepted!! :-D I have a beautiful oval diamond & white gold ring that he got down on his knee to ask me!!!!!! Praise the Lord, dreams do come true!! :-D!!!! Our wedding will be on January 21, 2006 in Concord. I am ecstatic, to say the least! :) I love Mike with all of my heart and I can't wait to be his wife!!!

I am feeling: smooey

02:05 pm November 14th, 2005
A little bit more on the engagement.... :-)

I'm sorry I've not been able to update y'all anymore yet on the engagement. I do plan on showing pictures as soon as I can, but since I don't have internet access at Emily's house and I can't upload while at work, they'll be posted tonight. Mike will upload some pictures from my camera this afernoon, so maybe you'll get to see them before I get home. Mom took some with her camera, so I'll post them tonight. I'll also post a more thorough description of the events this evening as well. :)

But, the main thing is that I want to Thank You all for the well wishes and prayers. Mike and I are extremely happy, but also very confident that we've made the right decision. Though it may be quick to some, this was not decided without lots of prayer and counsel. My Dad gave Mike the permission to marry me, and his blessing. Both of our families are excited and well pleased. :) I already love my future in-laws and my future sister-in-law, Bekah, just totally rocks!! :-D She sent me a lovely email earlier that just made my day. :)

We are eagerly looking forward to married life and hope to continue to grow to love each other as the days go by. The Lord has been so gracious and compassionate to us in our relationship, so we don't expect Him to abandon us now. :)

As soon as I get some of those pictures, expect a whole bunch of new LJ icons!! :-D

OK, gotta get back to work now. I'll write more later.