How Long?

So, how long have you known each other?

I get this question a lot.
Sometimes I don't know exactly how to answer.
Sometimes I think of the first day I met Christian (see this post).
Sometimes I think of the first dance we went to together when I was fifteen.
Sometimes I answer by telling about when we became "official" as a couple once we both graduated from high school.

Most of all, I smile when I think of our friendship over all these years. First, before we fell in love or we dated, we were buddies. It happened like this.

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First, Christian and I spent time with each others' families. From going to the school's family square dance to going to family camp together, we got so many chances to hang out and get to know each other and our families. I think that I was better friends with Christian's younger brother Jon before I was even friends with Christian. Christian was a grade older than me in high school  so we were rarely in the same classes. I have good memories of being invited to join Christian's family to do things like come over for dinner and a movie or go to a museum for the day. We had fun. These were fun and relaxed times getting to know each other better.

When we could (finally) drive, we would force get our siblings to go do fun things with us around town. We had to be chaperoned : ) At this period in our relationship, we had come to realize just how much we enjoyed being together. When a member of the National Honor Society as a junior, I helped plan to volunteer at an event at a local elementary school. I always knew I could count on Christian being there to help. One beautiful day, we coerced some of our siblings to hike up Kennesaw Mountain. This was something Christian and I really wanted to do together. So we drug our sisters up the mountain and I think they legitimately complained the entire way up. We didn't mind though. We were together. The first time that he put his arm around me was seriously at the park with all of our sisters and brothers. They laughed at us. They knew that we were more than friends. I guess a lot of people knew.

Christian likes to say that he took every opportunity to take me to dances and events through high school. He really did. Going to these special events were, well, special. It was a fun time for me to dress up and be the date of a handsome guy, but it didn't really mean anymore than that. That doesn't sound very romantic, but it took the pressure off. Christian never once made me feel like we had to define our relationship or anything. In fact, that didn't happen until years later, but that is a story for another day.

For Christmas 2009, we exchanged gifts with each other. We were still "just friends" at this point. I got permission from both sets of parents to buy Casting Crowns concert tickets to give Christian. We both enjoy Christian music and I knew it would be a great gift. Why did I have to get permission for going to a Christian concert you ask? Well, I was basically indirectly asking if we could go on a date. On our own.

Once we were in a relationship and going out on our own we appreciated it so much. It was SO different from having to be with family all the time. We actually got to talk! Today, we often remember and are thankful for that season when we were able to build our relationship in a comfortable context among family and friends with plenty of accountability. Because of all this, the transition from being just friends to a serious relationship was natural and the timing was right.  Our families approved, but they began to realize that once Christian and I began to go out on our own, they hardly ever saw each other! At one point my mom asked one of  Christian's brothers, "Jon, are we still dating?" It was never just Christian and I dating, it was our families too!

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I have been so very blessed over the years of knowing Christian. I can honestly say that I have grown closer to the Lord through our relationship. We look forward to marriage and getting to grow up together. We also hope that our story and the way it has played out will encourage young men and women to think outside of the box when it comes to relationships with the opposite sex. We felt the Lord calling us at very young ages to do things way differently than the world does. I challenge you to talk to the Lord about this topic. I promise that God cares about your love life. You cannot put God in a box and exclude him from this part of your life. I am thankful for Christian who is a man after God's own heart and who has guarded me. He truly is my knight in shining armor. I am also thankful for all our family and friends who have supported us and kept us accountable to God's best. These are the blessings you need to be on the lookout for girls!

I Said Yes.

PART ONE

PART TWO

I'm not sure why, but the story turned to silence as we sat side by side watching the clouds go by. Eventually, we jumped out of the boat and went up to the lake house to get ready for dinner and pictures.

For being at the lake where the dress code consists of wet swimsuits and shorts, it is an odd thing to get at all dressed up. I happily spent a generous amount of time showering, drying my hair, straightening the hair, perfecting the make-up and selecting an outfit. All for my amazing guy. At one point, even my mom and sister were in there helping me get ready for much more than I realized then - that's for sure!

I went downstairs feeling quite pretty and greeting my handsome man, I grabbed some dinner. We sat for a little while; me, Emilie and him. He said that he had already eaten and sat just watching me eat but not saying much. We ended up going inside and singing happy birthday to my little cousin Luke and afterwards I s-l-o-w-l-y enjoyed a few pieces of watermelon. Those must have been excruciatingly long and nerve-wracking moments for Christian who was about to make the biggest leap of faith of his life.

Christian asked me if I wanted to go on a walk. I said okay and he took me by the hand, all the while I was kind of not wanting to get all sweaty and gross right before we were going to go down to the beach anyways to take pictures.

I wondered if I should have told my parents where we were going so that they could meet us down there.

I wondered aloud where we were going...trying not to sound too annoyed.

I told him that I could walk all day long as long as I could be with him.

I thought of my parents' engagement story - how my mother complained the whole time and nearly ruined my dad's great, romantic plans.

This was one of those running-like-crazy, mind of a woman moments with so many thoughts going through my head.

I was totally oblivious.

So, we walked down to the lake's shore hand in hand. I chattered a little, but he remained relatively quiet. When we got towards the end where the beach was quiet and empty he stopped and pulled me into his arms. He was just holding me as I looked out on the lake and the beautiful sky.

Christian said something like, "Do you remember the story...our story that I was telling you earlier today? You know it wasn't finished yet."

He paused.

Now remember, I was facing away from him. At this point I was thinking and even mouthing to myself, "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh! This is it! Christian is going to get on one knee!"

"Do you want to hear the rest of the story?" he said. "The boy wanted to spend the rest of his life with the princess, but he had never backed it up...until now."

As Christian said those words, the world seemed to be moving in slow motion as he turned me to face him. He pulled out a little brown box and a ring, got on one knee and asked, "Lindsey, will you marry me?"

I don't even know what all I said except that I said "yes" over and over.

I would've given anything to see this moment from his eyes. What exactly did I say? What faces did I make? He told me later that I buckled at the knees a few times - he got a little worried, but he was so thrilled that I said yes!

We talked back and forth a lot - I said that I was excited and scared and so, so happy. I asked about the ring which is so perfect. I asked about who in my family knew. Everyone kept it a perfect secret from me. He had asked my dad back in December 2010 while I was  in Colorado skiing. He sat in my dad's office to ask for my hand in marriage...the same exact spot that he had asked my dad permission to take me to the homecoming dance when we were fifteen.

When we had hugged, and hugged and skipped and jumped around with joy he took my hands to his heart and prayed the most humble and sincere prayer over us. We absolutely just took in that moment in thanksgiving and worship to our holy and amazing God.

I was so nervous and excited walking back up to the house where all of my family awaited us. Part of me didn't want those moments alone to pass, but I couldn't imagine what it would be like to share this exciting news!

Almost to the lake house, I could see everyone standing on the deck. I heard someone behind us and turned to see Landon with a tripod, camera and FERNS. Yes, ferns in his hat attempting to camouflage. I have never been so happy to have a stalker as a sibling! I laughed ...and cried later when I saw the beautiful moments that he captured in the photos.

Everyone was just so thrilled. Especially my mother who was being eaten away at by keeping such a big secret from me. So full of joy! It was so sweet sharing what was going on with all the children in my family. Their little voices kept crying out, "Christian and Lindsey are engaged!!!" They sprayed silly string on us and threw ribbons and confetti. Everyone hugged and shook hands and congratulated us. My dad poured drinks to toast with. Some shared a fun word or blessing. I told our engagement story for the first time. I was teary-eyed as all of the people who dearly love us gathered round and laid hands on us to pray. What an overwhelming sense of peace rested on us in that moment.

The rest of the night was a whirlwind as we all went down to the beach to celebrate some more. My papa took beautiful pictures of us; we couldn't stop smiling. Later, we watched as the breathtaking Texas sky was painted by the hand of God. Many remarked that the weather and the sky was perfection; almost creating the feeling that we were inside a snow globe.

I had never been so unbelievably happy in my entire life.

The Set Up

Okay friends, this is the moment that you have all been waiting for. Girls, this is a moment that you have been dreaming of for most of your lives. Pinterest ideas have nothing on the story that I am about to tell. This is our wonderful, precious, only-orchestrated-by-God engagement story...

PART ONE

July 4, 2011

He got down on one knee and he had a ring in his hands. It was the right time; God ordained. There was such a peace and presence that can only come from the Lord.

It all started earlier in the day. That morning at Lake Sam Rayburn was picture day. They had matching shirts for all the cousins, complete with birth order numbers ironed on the backs...the whole nine yards. This was one of the best stops on my dad's sabbatical for the summer. Christian got to fly out to celebrate July 4th with us at the family reunion. I was thrilled to have him there with us. As we stressed to get all the kids to smile and photos snapped, Christian pulled me aside and asked if I would like to get all pretty that evening to take pictures together. I said that we could do that, but deep down I really didn't want to because I was already sick of taking pictures.

Fast forward to the afternoon and we found ourselves out on the lake and skiing. It was my mom, dad, Landon, Emilie, me and Christian. We had a great time together. Once again, the idea of taking pictures later that evening was brought up; this time, it was my mom. She said that she wanted my Papa to take pictures down at "the beach" of her and my dad and also me and C. I started to think that it sounded like a sweet plan.

After the boat had been pulled in and parked near the shore, everyone slowly made there way back up to the lake houses. Eventually, it was just Christian and I that remained relaxing on the boat. We soaked up the sunshine and shared memories of our fun times together. Things like Christian subtly trying to impress me in high school or the times that we used our siblings as an excuse to hangout with each other. Those are funny stories for another day!

We talked of how difficult we have found it to share our story with others; often struggling to even find the words to describe all that God has done and all that he has taught us in the process. We also shared the desire we have to encourage young people to have more intentional and God-honoring relationships with the opposite sex. We both feel that God has written our love story and that he has used it to ultimately draw us closer to Him. We so desperately want to share the things that we have learned to others younger than us, maybe even those older.

Finally, and most especially on the boat that afternoon, Christian decided to begin telling me a story. He began telling our story aloud almost as if he were telling a child a bedtime story. I hope to have Christian write out that story for our children someday.

It is a story of a princess and a boy. I know that he mentioned that the princess was loved by her father and by many others, but especially by the boy. He did everything he could to get close to her; to get to know her. He learned that she loved people, loved to drink tea, but more importantly, she loved the Lord. The boy took her to every ball and they loved to dance the night away. Eventually, they began to fall in love...