My Thoughts on Surprises and the Story of Our Engagement

February Challenge Question 18:
18.  What are your thoughts on surprises?
I’m a big fan of surprises. This is how much of a fan I am—I know my wedding anniversary present is in Michael’s sock drawer.  I could go find out what it is right now if I wanted to, but no, I want it to be a surprise.  Side note—since my present is in his sock drawer, he said I’m not allowed to put his socks up.  Woohoo! Less laundry!

Michael is a good surprise planner.  The biggest surprise he ever planned for me was our engagement.  (Okay, I have to admit, I had a feeling he was going to ask me when he did.  Women’s intuition, I guess. But he still did a wonderful job of planning the occasion.) On September 19^th of 2009, Michael picked me up from work and swept me off to the Japanese Garden in Houston, which is lovely by the way.  When we first walked in, he reached into his pocket. A ring box!  No, a camera.  He wanted to take pictures.  Here they are:

Then we started to walk around the garden, hand in hand. We passed a gazebo with a hobo sleeping inside, a lesbian couple having a picnic, and a pond full of giant gold fish.  Then we came to a quiet bench and sat down together.  Neither one of us said anything.  Then Michael finally spoke.  “I memorized a poem for you,” he said.  “You did!” I was really surprised here because Michael is not a fan of poetry—but I am. He started to recite the poem, got nervous, and read the rest from his cheat notes he had tucked in his jean's pocket. (Isn’t that cute?!) Here is the poem:

There is a time when freedom must be bound
By what we freely choose to call our own.
For if not, someday we will have found
That we have made the choice to be alone.
I cannot call my love for you a choice:
I simply made a turn and you were there;
And all I was came singing with one voice
To lift my soul ten feet into the air.
But lightning bolts do not outlast the storm:
The years demand not ecstasy but will.
My love for you must take a different form,
One that lasts a lifetime, deep and still.
And so I make my choice, if you'll agree,
And seek your answer: Will you marry me?

When I heard the words “if you’ll agree,” I knew the next line must end with “Will you marry me?” And it did! I said yes, and almost knocked him over with a big hug. We were both so excited and jittery and happy.  I remember Michael asking me if I was okay.  He said I looked like I was going to cry. I had so many emotions at that moment—I was a mess.  But overall I was elated! 

God has shown me more of His sweet grace by giving me such a loving husband—what a gift! 

 And what a great surprise. :)