recollection of a dream.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009.

Just another Tuesday. Or so I thought.
Woke up, went to class, attended chapel. Saw Evan.
He looked and acted calm, cool, and collected. Apparently that’s not what was going on inside.
Went to another class.
Went to my room to kill time before I had to head to Allie’s office for some mysterious meeting…

*day before*
I had received an email from Allie, my RS, about a week ago asking me and 3 other RAs to come to her office on Tuesday at 4 pm to help her out with some project she was working on. She assured us it was just a quick job, but she really needed our help. As happens with most emails I receive, I read it, mentally comprehended its contents, and told myself I would reply later… of course that means that I totally forget to reply. Sometimes it doesn’t matter.

This was not one of those times.

So come yesterday, I receive another email from Allie, reminding us that she needs our help at 4 tomorrow… and asking us to please reply if we will be able to make it.
[at this point, Evan and all his cohorts are freaking out, since I of course have not confirmed that I will be at the meeting tomorrow…. And I kinda needed to be there]

Silly me, forgot to reply to another email. Allie was promptly replied to, assured that I would indeed be in attendance at this mysterious meeting.

*return to Tuesday*
3:55 rolls around and I make my way down two flights of stairs to Allies office on the first floor of our dorm. I walked in and was greeted by the usual Allie grin. “This is mysterious….” I tell her. “what are we doing?” A calm smile followed by “its just a project I need help with. I’ll fill you in once the other girls get here.”

5 minutes pass.

Allie picks up her phone to “find out where those other girls ended up”

They’re on their way, we’re assured.

2 minutes pass.

So there I am, sitting on Allie’s couch, living amidst a normal Tuesday afternoon when my world was suddenly on its way to being forever changed.

Into Allie’s office bound, dressed in black, 6 of my dearest friends and most favorite people on Moody campus. After some screaming and a bit of struggle on my part, I was blindfolded and picked up and carried out of Allies office, out of Houghton Hall, through campus (yelling, laughing, and all around hoopla ensuing on the part of my kidnappers), out to the parking lot where I was gently placed into a mysterious car with an unknown driver. My kidnappers bid me farewell and I was driven off into the silence (because of course the driver was not about to answer any of my questions).

10 minutes of excruciating silence pass.

“Ok,” says a familiar voice. “You can take off your blindfold.”

It was, of course, my best friend in the whole world, who had driven 2 hours down to Chicago to pick me up.

“NAOMI! OH MY GOSH! WHY ARE YOU HERE?”

A grin.

“Naomi, is this really it? Is it really happening tonight??”

Another grin.

By this point, I knew exactly what was going on.

*side note: I was shocked. I thought I totally had Evan figured out. I pride myself in being able to read people and pick up on subtleties. Of course, Evan knows this about me, and so was sending intentional accidental hints about another significant date that he would propose on.*

I was handed a small bag with snacks for the ride, compliments of my kidnappers, my makeup from my room (which was confiscated shortly before I was) a hot mug of coffee (do my kidnappers know me or what), and a large envelope.

Inside the large envelope contained 4 smaller envelopes. I was given permission to open the first one. And only the first one.

Inside, in Evan’s script, was a recollection in narrative form of the night that Evan asked me out on our first date. He retold events leading up to that first risk he took, and the thoughts and emotions revolving around the asking of the actual question.
March 22, 2009. Six months ago today.

Thus began mine and Naomi’s 2 hour car ride to my hometown, Port Washington, WI.

Vocal outbursts were occasional, butterflies remained constant.

Mile 50. I could now open envelope number 2.

A letter. Written with natural flow and giftedness, with the romance of Shakespeare. It was beautiful.

Vocal outbursts were occasional, butterflies remained constant

Mile 100. Envelope 3.

Another letter. Again from Evan, but it’s addressee was to One much higher than I: our glorious King, who had brought us together.

10 more minutes. As we got closer to Port Washington, the butterflies increased. I was commanded to replace the blindfold until directed otherwise. 10 minutes later, the car parked and I was permitted to remove the blindfold. We were parked at the bottom of a hill downtown. I was handed the fourth envelope.

“go to your spot…. I’ll meet you there.”

*my spot: a beautiful little lookout in Port Washington. Located at the top of a tall staircase, at the top stood a large Catholic church. Overlooking the lake and downtown main street which was lit up with lights, my spot was one in which I would frequently go to sit and think. It was also the place that I first told Evan that I love him.*

I made my way up the staircase. Already breathless before beginning my trek. The weather outside was perfect. Drizzling.

2 more steps.

There he was. Dressed in black dress pants, black dress shirt, black vest, and a white tie. Gosh he looked good.

I stood at the top of the stairs. Breathless. He walked up to me.

“Hi, baby.”

Much of the following moments are a blur in my mind, but his words were not lost in the moment. Those words however, are for my memory only.

Moments later, there he was. One knee touching the ground, small white box opened in front of me revealing the most breathtaking ring I had ever seen.

“Grace Elizabeth, will you marry me?”

I said no. just kidding.

A gleeful “YES!” followed by an embrace and a kiss in the rain.
The ring was slipped on to my finger. Perfect fit.

Breathtaking.

I never wanted that moment to end.

After relishing the moment for a while, we drove the half mile to my parents house where we were greeted by my parents and youngest sisters running out of the house to congratulate us. We had dinner with my parents, then left to drive back to campus.

We had class in the morning.

Back on campus, I was greeted with screams, hugs, and signs decorated by my RA small group and the girls on my floor. My hand was grabbed numerous times as I retold the dream I had just lived.

It was magical; every part. Beautifully executed; its amazing hearing the story from his side and all the little details that were worked out to make it so perfect.

And so our love story continues and our life together begins.

Thanks to Allie, my loyal RS who lied to my face.
Thanks to Katie, Kathleen, Kristin, Katelyn, Lisa Kay, and Jessica, my kidnappers and dear friends.
Thanks to Naomi, my best friend in the entire world. And apparently a really good liar. I had no idea. Your friendship has shaped me into the woman that Evan will marry.
Thanks to my parents, i dont even know where to begin. thanks for putting up with me these 21 years so far and daddy for giving Evan permission. my prayer is that our marriage looks like yours.
Thanks to Evan: my prince charming, my best friend. I cant wait to marry you.
And Thanks to God. For Your faithfulness, for bringing us together, for teaching us how to love.

I’m slightly excited.