Engagement!!

Hey friends…

Just wanted to let you guys know Mark proposed this weekend while I was in Amarillo.

It was a great time with the kids and being on his turf. Lots of information to take in all at once….meeting Addison (3 yr old daughter), seeing his house for the first time, getting to know Amarillo, met his church friends, etc. oh yeah, and a good ‘ole ice storm. Woohoo!

No, the weekend went really well. Addison was a little leery of me initially but after a few hours and reading a few books to her….no problems. I enjoyed getting to spend time with her. It was definitely different being a family with them. So different…I suppose it will get better and easier with time.

Saturday Mark took us all to the Nutcracker in downtown Amarillo. It was really well done. The kids loved it. Seeing the nutcracker with a 3 yr old on your lap makes it so much more entertaining. I was really impressed with the kids and their attention span during the show. Needless to say, they were exhausted by the time we went to dinner and headed home afterward.

After the kids were fast asleep Mark and I were watching tv and he began to talk about the snowmen figurines on the window sill. There were several of them and they had “special” meaning to Andrea, Mark’s former wife. (Later, I found out this was all made up). He said there was a snowman just for me…uniquely for me on the sill and that I needed to go and figure out what it was. Me, being the logical rule-follower that I am..looked only at the snowmen on the sill. Mark stood back and laughed at me and kept saying “it’s so obvious!”. Because I was just following the directions to look at snowmen….i had overlooked a silver jewelry box right in the middle. I guess I just thought it was part of Andrea’s collection somehow…but out of desperation in this little game I picked it up. It was engraved to me: “Robyn, I love the way you love me! Mark”…really sweet and romantic…

Then I opened the box and found a silver rhinestone-studded fortune cookie. Yes, I said fortune cookie. Ultimate in randomness. I open the cookie and found a little engraved fortune that says “will you marry me?”. I look up and Mark is on his knee with the ring…and he asks me himself. I said yes!!

Now, what you don’t know is that I found all the gushy romance a little much throughout our relationship... and Mark knew it. He also knows that I don’t really like figurines and little sentimental stuff. I’m a purger at heart. He knows all this….so he knew I was cringing the whole time as the gifts kept a’comin. I didn’t want to spoil his efforts and really wanted to relish the time…so I didn’t say anything. About 30 minutes later Mark tells me that the whole thing was planned to make me cringe and to create a little joke between us as he knew I would never be able to purge these gifts. Now, I’m laughing out loud. So funny. He did a great job!

Oh yeah, the ring is amazing. Perfect…I love it. Wish I could get a decent picture to post …but it just hasn’t happened yet.

Thanks for celebrating with us!

Save the date--- June 1, 2008…the wedding will be in North Richland Hills, Texas. More info to come.

Love you guys!

My Mark

Hey all…

I’ve been encouraged by several of you to update everyone on the happenings in my life since the summer. Thanks again for walking with me through the summer and praying for me. I’m sure you’ll be encouraged as I have been with how the Lord has worked since then. No, this stuff isn’t on my blog yet….not much has happened there in a while…oh well.

As you may remember, mid summer I shut down all my online dating profiles mid-summer and took at break from the online scene. It was good for my heart. When I got home during the first week of August eharmony sent me new matches. I didn’t bother to look at them...because I was “done”. One decided to initiate with me...(basically said they are interested and wanted to communicate with me)which is rare…so I gave him the courtesy of looking at his profile. Few strikes against him from the get-go. #1 no picture….#2 atrocious spelling and #3 Lives in Amarillo. Not a good start. I was delighted to see that he loved football—especially the Texas Longhorns. I like that he was masculine and apparently 6’2”….and there was just something that endeared him to me…can’t explain it.

Well, since I had closed my account with eharmony I could see my matches but could not communicate with them unless I paid up again for another month or something. In light of the necessary additional financial investment required and my past experiences online I prayed/hesitated for a few days. Although I was fearful of yet another rejection I paid my pennies to communicate with this guy- Mark- hoping he wouldn’t shut it down immediately.

Well, long story short. We’ve been dating since August...yes, I said dating….and I’m not wetting my pants anymore from excitement!!! Go ahead….I know….I never thought it would happen either.

More about my Mark---

Widowed- wife passed away from Leukemia at 31. He is 37.

Two kids—Kyler (boy) 7, and Addison 3.

He’s been to Austin twice for real dates…but we have daily phone dates. He has been so easy to get to know and he has clearly pursued me and the Lord in our relationship. He doesn’t let me wig out about the future but always reminds me that the Lord is bigger than whatever obstacle is ahead. I have met Kyler…he came with Mark last time he was in Austin. He’s a great kid…so cute and sweet. Apparently he likes me too….he called me Halloween night to tell me all about his ninja costume and his “girlfriend”. So so cute. I have not met Addison yet…but will the first week of December when I go to Amarillo for the first time.

Mark works for the state with Child Protective Services….he’s been with them for a while in a variety of roles. He has some crazy stories. He as such a soft, caring heart for kids; he is very kind but strong with folks when he needs to be. Seems, to me anyway, that he has really healthy boundaries….and has dealt with the death of his wife very well. He’s shared with me about how he walked through the grieving process and continues to do so. He is very open with me. All I know is that he has walked through more hard doses of life at 37 than most of us will in a lifetime…and is loving Jesus…and very joyful. I really admire him for his attitude.

I could go on and on……I really love him. He loves me really well too…never thought I’d share this kind of relationship with a man.

Yes, love him. I said it…and he knows it too. He is coming to meet my family after Thanksgiving and I’ll be meeting his just after Christmas. So, as you can imagine…we are talking about a future together.

FAQs:

1. Would you move to Amarillo? Yes, I will. It just makes the most sense. The kids and Mark’s community and roots are there….I’m much more portable than they are. I want the best for the kids emotionally as they get used to me being in their life.
2. Stay on staff? Possibly/probably- we’ll see how my support raising goes… and, I’d have to be approved for an exception. I would like to simply because it would help me transition. I flip out a little when I think of all that will change for me…and my identity as I’ve known it. To stay w/CCC in a different admin role (not conferences) will allow me to keep CCC relationships and identity for a season at least. The Lord is in control
3. When would you get married? Don’t know yet. We want to wait and see how the kids are when we’re all together…and don’t want to force them into anything they are not ready for at this point. We’re waiting on the Lord to give us the green light.

Thanks for praying for me and for your continued prayers for our relationship and the kids. (so crazy to even type this)

I love you guys…thanks for letting me gush and share.