Something tells me there are a few of you out there still not quite sure what all went down in the whirlwind adventures of this past week of my life. Let me try to put together the pieces for you.
On Friday July 9th, I flew with a group of girls to put on a girls retreat in Zacapa, Guatemala. It was an amazing week seeing God at work in our hearts and in the hearts of the girls and women we were there to serve. We were challenged, encouraged, and experienced God's grace and provision every day. Lots of laughs...lots of silliness....lots of praying...and i mean LOTS of praying...and lots of eating gooooood guatemalan food :)
On Friday July 16th, we left Hope of Life Ministries, and took a 4 hour bus ride to the cobblestoned city of Antigua. I fell asleep half way through and woke up as we pulled up to the Hotel Posada Don Valentino. In my sleepy-headed glory, I got off the bus and began the adventure of getting our bajillion suitcases into the hotel. I had just dropped my bags in the lobby, and was turning around to go back for more, when I heard someone say "Tim". I didn't actually think it was MY Tim, but I turned around anyways to head out the door. Only I stopped. Because it WAS MY TIM. So a very confused but happy Lindsey walked over and gave Tim a hug and said something very romantic like "wa...wa...hey what are you doing here?" :) He was smiling and all I remember him saying is "Come with me..." as he put his arm around me and led me out the door of the hotel and around the corner....into a pretty little corridor-ish place with green stuff :)
He took both my hands, took a deep breath, and dropped to one knee. Looking deep into my eyes, he said lots of beautiful things, including (but not limited to) "You are the one I want to spend the rest of my life with. Lindsey, will you marry me?"
Right before he popped that question, while I was looking deep into his eyes, I laughed. I laughed because I realized that this was real life. And the man of my dreams was really about to ask me to marry him. It hadn't even sunk in yet that he had flown all the way to GUATEMALA to do so. But when he did ask, I said yes. And then there was much happiness and hugging, as Sam Krieg can testify to....since he was hiding in the taxi van video taping the whole thing :) Gotta say it just feels right to have Sam's spanish/english commentary in the background of mine and Tim's engagement...he's been there since the very beginning of our friendship as 7 year olds :)
I told Tim then that I found the whole experience even more ridiculous and humorous because just the day before, I had been floating around in the pool with my friend Angela. We had been talking about how you know that someone is THE ONE you are supposed to marry. She asked me, "If Tim showed up HERE in Guatemala TOMORROW and asked you to marry him, what would you say?" And I told her "Yes. Without a doubt yes." To which she added, "Well i would like it if he did, because then I could be there."
Wish granted.
After long-hug number one, Tim took my hand and slipped on a ring he had gotten for me that week. He explained that he hadn't thought of this Guatemala plan until the day I left, so he only had a week to plan everything, and that wasn't enough time to get the engagement ring he wanted. So engagement ring numero uno is a beautiful white gold ring with a heart surrounding my orange birthstone :) Long-hug numero dos ensued.
We finally walked back out to join my team of crazy lady friends who had been clued into what was happening by our very own Mrs. Wine (who had successfully kept the secret ALL WEEK LONG, as Dr. Wine had called her very early on to get information for Tim so he could be at the right place at the right time :) They were MUCHO excited for us :)
I was pretty much speechless. (I know, I know, you didn't think it was possible for me to be lost for words. But it is. Pretty much only when it involves Tim...and love....:)
The rest of the day we spent exploring Antigua, and Crina took some "engagement-ish" photos for us so we wouldn't forget what had just happened to us :) I had spent all week wishing Tim was with me to experience Guatemala together.....and now he was :)
I have just noticed that I have used an excessive number of parenthetical smily faces in this note. Take that as just a glimpse of the kind of joy I'm feeling these days. God has been so kind and gentle with me in leading me on this path, in teaching me how to live and to love more selflessly, and helping me to open my heart to the man who has walked a thousand miles to fall down at my door (yes, thats a Proclaimers reference. Best song ever. And he may not have walked the whole way, but he's definitely gone more than 1000 miles for me in the last few years...even when I didn't know he loved me...)
So that's the short version of my love story :) Enjoy.
