Sunset Dinner Cruise

On Sunday, the day after Blake proposed, we had a relaxing day at the beach and then got ready to go on a sunset dinner cruise. This was a five star cruise, which entailed a 7 course meal.

The lobster was great...and Blake had fun playing with the claw.

The Proposal

Blake had been acting more weird than normal when we were leaving for the trip, on our way to Oahu, and even on Saturday. My dad took us to the airport on Friday, and my dad was acting weird, which I had pointed out to Blake...my dad even hugged Blake when he dropped us off at the airport...which I noted to my sister (who I was on the phone with dad just hugged Blake and it was weird)...

On Saturday night, we were suppose to go on a dinner cruise. While we were at North Shore, swimming with the turtles during the day Saturday, Blake got a text from his sister-in-law Vanessa saying the dinner cruise was overbooked, so we would have to go on Sunday night, and they would give us a discount. I, of course, pressed Blake on this. How could they overbook a dinner cruise? When I asked him what we were going to do instead, he said instead of going to the beach on Sunday night to watch the sunset and drink a bottle of wine, we would do it tonight (Saturday). I then asked him what we were going to do for dinner, and he said we would figure it out.

Side Story....For months we have talked about getting chinese food (take out) to Woodward Park for a picnic, then we were going to do it one time in Santa Cruz (weather was bad)...

so after Blake said we would figure it out, I said "I don't know if you were planning on this or had thought about it, but why don't we get chinese food and eat it on the beach tonight" Blake played it off saying that we would figure it out.

Side note: Blake cannot play anything off. He is so easy for me to read. Props to him for holding out...

We continued on with our day, swimming with the turtles, playing in the water, walking around at North Shore, and having Shave Ice (not to be confused with shaved ice). As we were driving back to the house, it started raining again. Since we had a couple hours before we were going to take off again, we both figured it would stop raining, which it did, for awhile.

We got ready, I blogged about our day, and around 5:45 we left to go to the beach....and it was raining. I asked what we were going to do if it was raining when we got to the beach, he said we would open up the back of the suv, watch the sunset, and drink the wine. We took a wrong turn, I got frustrated with him, we called Vanessa, and we were once again headed in the right direction.

When we got to the beach, it wasn't raining! We got the wine, the chairs, and the blanket, and started walking on the sand. He started to set us up right behind a bush (because he was too preocupied with the actual proposal, but I didn't know that...obviously), and when I pointed out that we wouldn't be able to see the sun set, we moved the chairs back 50 feet. He set the chairs up and the blanket down, and he opened up the wine.

We sat there for about 10 minutes, drinking wine and looking out at the ocean and the sun setting, and from around the corner came a man, in a top hat, carrying a box lid with little boxes in it. Right away, I knew it was chinese food. I immediately had this huge grin on my face, Blake looked at me, got up, met the guy, and brought the food to us. We sat down on the blanket, and started eating.

We were talking about the vastness of the ocean, how it reminds of us how big God really is, we talked about the food, talked about our favorite part of the day...then Blake started talking about how God has really blessed us both, how it was awesome how it was raining on our way over, and not 10 minutes down the road it wasn't, how God has given us each other...then he told me that he didn't want me worrying the entire trip...which I replied with "worrying about what?"...as I said this he reached into his pocket and pulled out his wish token. On one side it said "wish token" and on the other side it said "good for one wish"

Side story: Memorial Day weekend of this past year I was in Catalina (like I am every memorial day weekend). In one of the stores, they had tokens that had different things on them (massage token, kiss token, drink token, wish token, etc) and I bought Blake and I each a set.

I looked at him, and my eyes teared up...he then reached into his other pocket, pulled out the ring, got on one knee, he teared up, couldn't get out the words he wanted to say, and was finally able to ask me to marry him. I said yes, he put the ring on my finger (it got stuck on my knuckle, but I pushed the sucker on). We kissed. I told him a thousand times yes. Then I pulled out a token...one he didn't know I had.

It was a love token. On one side it said "love token" and on the other side it said "good for all my love". I told him that I didn't know if he was going to propose tonight or even in Hawaii, then I pulled it out of my pocket and handed it to him (I had it in my pocket all day) He read it and started laughing, and then he said (sarcastically) he thinks he got the raw end of the deal. He asked how long I had been carrying it with me, and I let him know only for a couple of weeks. :) We sat awhile longer, talking, then as we were praying, a cop came by and so graciously informed us over his loud speaker that the beach was closing. We pretended like we were getting up, cop left, and we finished praying.

Then the phone calls began, at least to our parents and our closest friends.

It was pretty much one of the best days of my life (up until this point). Blake wanted the day to entail some of the things I have always wanted to do to make it special (like swimming with the sea turtles).

It is two days later, and we can't believe we are engaged. It still seems surreal. I have caught myself lookg at the ring a lot. Blake randomly grabs my hand to look at the ring. We are excited about what God has for us in the future and are looking forward to beginning planning our lives together.

We did go on the dinner cruise on Sunday night...it was wonderful...pics of that amazing night to come soon!

Teaser...

Here are a couple pics...story to come soon :)

Oahu or Bust!

Blake and I are visiting his sister in law in Oahu...not a bad place to visit somebody. We got here last night (Friday the 12) and are here until late Sunday night the 21st (taking a red-eye back to the mainland, we get back to Fresno at 9 am on the 22nd).

Today, we got up way to early for a vacation....7 am! Our bodies felt like it was 10...the sun was shining through the window and there was no way I was going back to sleep. We made a quick trip to the store to buy food, so we wouldn't eat all of his brothers food. We had pineapple, which was delicious!

After breakfast, we put on our suits, and headed to North Shore. There is a place there called Turtle Beach. I love turtles. I was told that I would get to swim with sea turtles. And this provided us a way to both get our way...I got to swim with the turtles and Blake didn't have to spend any money. :)

On the way over, it was raining, but I had resolved that even if it were raining, I was still getting in the water...I have done it before (huh, Dad, remember, in Mexico?). Just as we were arriving, we saw blue skies!

We swam around for awhile, snorkling, for about 45 minutes...no turtles. I was bummed. They were around when we got there, but no dice during that time. Then, we saw them...and they were huge! I screamed when I saw them because I was so excited. At one point there was one on each side of me. I touched them, on their shell and their legs. It was awesome!

Off to drink wine on the beach and watch the sunset!

Hard Times

This past month has been a hard month for me. It always seems like when it rains, it pours. Every area of my life has had something going on in it...I don't want to say "wrong" but definitely some really tough things.

The amazing thing is, I have a God who cares so deeply about the things I am going through. He has been my rock and my strength in all of this. I don't believe that God puts us through tests and trials without reason. And I can now see numerous reasons as to why I am going through these things during this season of my life and at this exact point in time. There is indeed something about God's timing.

And if it were not for this time, I would not be experiencing God's love, grace, and strength in such a way. I know the creator of the universe and the lover of my soul just a little bit better this day than I did a month ago.

Psalm 91
1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust."
3 Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare
and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
5 You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
8 You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.
9 If you make the Most High your dwelling—
even the LORD, who is my refuge-
10 then no harm will befall you,
no disaster will come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
12 they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread upon the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
14 "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call upon me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life will I satisfy him
and show him my salvation."