Two years of "I Love You"

 Two years ago, on August 18th, 2012, Ryan asked me to marry him. I answered "Yes - with all my heart." And our hearts have been soaring ever since. :)

I also heard "I love you" from him for the first time, and was able to say back what had been bursting in my heart: "I love you!" Saving that and holding hands until the day he proposed has made both of those things a treasure to us, something that communicates true, committed love.

There have been hard times. A LOT has happened in what seems like such a short time. But it's been amazing walking by the side of the one I love.

 I made a fancy dinner and wore the same dress I wore when he proposed, even doing my hair the same way, french braided and pinned up with pearls. Then Ryan did what he does many evenings, playing with and reading to Hadassah while I cleaned up the kitchen. What he didn't know was that I was trying to clean up extra quickly, because people were coming...

Around 6:15 PM the doorbell rang. I was waiting for a delivery of groceries, so told Ryan that maybe that was it. To be fair, I thought it might be, since they were supposed to be delivered before 6 PM. Ryan's face when the people who came up the stairs were our friends, the only other Americans we know of that live in this area, was priceless. :)

"We're going for a walk" I told him. "They're here to watch Hadassah."

I was so glad the surprise worked. Two years ago he surprised me with a walk before supper, in which he asked me to marry him. Our friends had been so kind to come and babysit, even walking through the rain, so that I could surprise him this time with a walk after supper, to remember. :)

 Because of the rain, we didn't walk far... just down the street and across to the university campus, headed for the gazebo by the lake. Since it was raining, we had it to ourselves!

 We love our little girl SO much. But sometimes, we just need to be the two of us. Able to walk hand in hand and very close, without trying to push a stroller too or hold a baby that increasingly wants to get down and try to walk herself. :)

Two years ago, this was the scene Ryan surprised me with... the details are still so vivid in my mind.

 Two years later I still have the same dress, and even the same shoes, though they're a little beat up now. ;)

After many attempts, Ryan got the self-timed camera aimed perfectly :)

 There "just happened" to be one dry bench in the gazebo for us to sit on. I made a card with pictures from that day and thankfulness to where God has brought us since. Our Father is so faithful!

 I'm pretty sure Ryan never thought he'd get a call at work from his wife saying "If the food processor is smoking, should I submerge it in water?"

Yeah... In my haste (Hadassah was occupied with a toy and I knew it wouldn't last long so was hurrying!) I accidentally plugged it in the wrong output plug from the converter we brought, so that's the end of that. But, it worked long enough to make a peach smoothie which made me happy, since a peach smoothie is what Ryan gave me before our walk...

So we enjoyed a peach smoothie two years later. :) So thankful!