THE PROPOSAL

Dear reader,
you must be thinking, 'Wow!  Isn't it a little soon to be 'popping the question?'
Perhaps it would be for some.
But not for me.
Definitely not for me.
I was so ready.

You see, we weren't kids anymore.
We knew exactly what and who we wanted.

And we both wanted a lifetime commitment.
To one another.

It was late one evening and we were sitting together.
Cozy on the couch.
Talking about things.
I wasn't expecting what would happen next.
Odell turned to me.
He looked into my eyes and smiled.
'Honey, you know how much I love you?
What would you think about being my wife?'


He hadn't planned some big, romantic proposal.
Just simple.  And sweet.  Like him.
He was, after all, a down to earth, country boy.
And he was the country boy I had fallen deeply in love with.
'Yes!  I would love to be your wife.  I love you so much!'

It was official!  We were engaged!
I just didn't have a ring on my finger yet.
As the old saying goes,
We 'got the cart before the horse.'

So when did we want to get married?
Of course I was thinking, 'the sooner the better.'
We decided on April the 2nd.
It was to be Good Friday that year.
It just sounded so special.
The Friday before Easter.

Did we just want a simple ceremony?
Without a lot of frills?
No.
Not with my sweet Odell!
His first wedding had been before a Justice of the Peace in the Phillipines.
And this time he wanted the real deal.
I would be in a traditional wedding gown.
He would look amazing in a tux.
Or as he called it, a 'monkey suit.'
You know.  The whole nine yards!

Looks like my guy is somewhat of a romantic, after all.

Okay!  Sounds good to me.
I needed to get busy!
I had a beautiful day to plan.
And not a lot of time in which to get it done.

A short time later, we went ring shopping.
So many to choose from!
And then there was the wait while they were sized.
But I didn't mind.
I would soon have my beautiful ring.
My little heart felt so full
I didn't see how it could hold any more happiness!

But it did.

It just kept expanding.

Making a little more room.

For each lovely memory.

We knew God had brought us together
and each new day would be like opening
a new gift. 

We eagerly untied the ribbons.