Dating for Two Weeks, Then Engaged :)

David and I took some time to take out our journals and compare what was going on in each of our lives during the time before our engagement. It brought us a smile to look back at all the events and has blessed others we have told. I hope it does you as well.

Jan 04, 2009
David moves to Yuma from Los Angeles as God confirms to him that this is where he is to go.

Jan 07, 2009
David first attends church in Yuma. We meet for the first time. A man from church asks David, "Are you married? Have you met Luz?" (He might be the one who officiates our wedding. :)

February
David goes to church in Algodones, MX for the first time. I really notice him.

Next week
Feb/March
David is hanging out with my brother Miguel, as Miguel’s phone rings, David feels his heart tug...it’s me calling my brother. I offer David tickets to a comedy show. He takes them.

Before March 14
Next week
David gives me a journal as a “thank you” for the tickets. I give him a hug.
Sometime before April 1.
David asks Miguel to pray for him, as The Lord might be showing him a potential wife in Yuma.
Miguel assumes it is me and tells me that David has found a wife in Yuma.

Sometime Later
I ask David to pray for me to pass the Arizona Educator’s Proficiency Test (AEP), so that I can continue to teach in Arizona in the future.

Sometime Later
David finds out that I will be leaving to Spain and begins to be saddened...but trusts that God is still in control and that if it is His will for us to be together, that I will return.

Sometime Later
David goes to church expecting to hear something from God. He doesn't get anything during the teaching. Disappointed David wonders why God didn't show him anything. Then I approach him and ask him to pray for me because the door has closed to Spain and feel like the door to stay in Arizona to teach has opened. I found out I passed the AEP test the same day that the pastor of the church I was going to serve in has moved to Brazil. So God spoke to David: there is still time.

April 1, 2009
Miguel tells me I shouldn't spend too much time with my friend Jeremy, because someone in Yuma likes me...I think it may be David.

April 11, 2009
I am disappointed that I was not invited to David's birthday party.
David invited Miguel, hoping that he would take me.
I prayed: Give me a Godly attraction to who You want me to be with. Please, above all help me be in Your will.

April 24, 2009
I watched a movie called, "Love Comes Softly" Having never really thought that love could grow slowly, this was a new, pleasant thought.

April 30, 2009
David has a dream that he and I are sitting around a table teaching children the Word of God and rubbed noses. :) He told Miguel about the dream. Miguel told David, "I'd be a hundred percent sure that she is to be your wife."

Sometime later
David prays that God would get me out of his mind while at work. On the way home from work, David turns his head while at a stop and sees me. I don't see him.

May 10, 2009
David gave me a letter that said he will miss "such a bright light" if I left to Spain, but prays that God's will be done.
I prayed: I want to be in Your perfect will. Guide my steps, especially, now with David.
I find this out later:
David is ushering during today's Mother's Day service at church...and as he passes by me, the pastor says to not worry about being noticed by someone, simply serve God and He will bring the right person to you. As all the mothers pass to the front to receive roses for Mother's Day, David is thinking as he looks at me “one day she will be mother of my children”

May 15, 2009
David prayed at a little chapel that God would confirm to him if that dream he had April 30 was from the Lord. As I was driving home, I see a car at an intersection where I don't think I had ever seen a car coming the other direction. Well today there was a car there....it was David.:) We pull over and David gives me a beautiful bracelet. He is shaking as he puts it on my wrist (I didn't even notice). David got home and thanked The Lord for the encounter and asked him to guide him and direct him to do His will.
I pray: God, You're so good to me, putting loving men in my life that want to build up. Lord, help us guard our hearts. I was very excited to see David; he is attractive to me, his outside and inside light.

May 16, 2009
David gives me a beautiful poem saying he's waiting for the "one".
Someone tells David that he has a lovely wife...me.
I pray: Is that Your will? Please show me what your will is for my life.
The Lord tells David that He has opened a door that no one can close (our relationship), and closed a door that no one can open (David’s previous marriage)
David is afraid of getting hurt again, but trusts that if I am the wife God has for him, everything will be fine.

May 28, 2009
The last teaching at Gila Ridge High School.
I pray: Please guard my heart as I see it unraveled with David.

May 29, 2009
David sent me a text message saying,
"I pray your future husband encourage, nurture, protect, uplift, build, appreciate, and love you.”
I respond "Thank you, though I may never marry."

June 8, 2009
David took a group of 10 kids with me to a Christian concert in Huntington Beach, church in Oceanside, (where God willing David and I will be married May 15), and surfing.
I was sad when David left Sunday morning to LA instead of staying with me and the kids.

June 15, 2009
I pray: I am constantly thinking about David. I'm going to Spain... Help me know if it's him.

June 29, 2009
My birthday. David gave me a lovely shirt last night. Lord, show me if you want David to be more than a friend--I see qualities of a husband in him and I am attracted to him. Please guide me.
Here are the things I asked for in a husband, that he would:
Love God above everyone and everything
Serve with passion in a Christian church
Wouldn’t kiss me on the lips until the pastor says, “You may kiss the bride”
Be romantic
Like to dance
Play an instrument (he plays the bass)
Know how to cook
God is so good in giving me everything, from the little to big things, that I wanted in a husband. David has is all these things and much much more.

Sometime in July
David prays "Lord I know that you have called me to be her husband...but she is not sure whether she is to be my wife. In my mind I already see her as my wife. I see us married and am convinced that this is Your will. But just to make sure, just to seal the deal, God please show me in your Word...King David and his wife...as a sign that this is your will"
David opens the Word of God at a random page and out of 800 hundred plus pages he opens to the very page that relates the story of King David asking for Abigail to be his wife...now there is no doubt in my David’s heart.

July 9, 2009
We took another group of teens to the church in Oceanside and surfing. We gave each other a real, big hug yesterday for the first time. It was sweet. He picked me up off the ground.
Lord, help David and I treat one another like brother a sister please. That is what we are and only that until you will, if you will. May Your will be done.

August 7, 2009 (This day is written by David from my point of view--it blessed me to read what he thought)
This is the last weekend that I can go to L.A. before leaving to Europe. David wants me to meet his mom before I leave, his dad has already approved and so has his brother Bobby. We plan a day at a Dodger game. David is wondering what sign I am waiting for from God...besides the obvious ones. Although beginning to become impatient, David trusts that The Lord is in control. I believe that God will show me in Europe or after. David believes it will be before I leave.
David wants to spend time with his sons and with me, so we go to their swim lessons. I meet David’s ex-wife and David is proud at how gracefully I handle this awkward situation...this further confirms to David that this is God’s will. After swim lessons, David takes the boys and me to the Rose Garden at USC. David tells me about how he used to walk here and wonder if he would ever have someone to walk with here (hand in hand)...now he does.
As we make our way to the car, Andy, his oldest son, wants to go for a hike/climb (David doesn't realize that this is the sign I have been waiting for). David suggests that we shouldn't go, because I am wearing white pants, so this might be disastrous. Andy however goes ahead and Daniel follows him, but soon Daniel slips and comes down to the bottom. I go and comfort him, this shows David that I am going to be a good mother to his kids--our kids. David asks Daniel whether he wants to climb and meet Andy, who is now at the top of the hill. Daniel signals that he prefers the stairs, hesitates and then points up to the hill. David asks me whether I want to climb or not, then upon seeing my willingness he says that we should climb; we do, all the way to the top. Upon reaching the top, I smile and tell David that this was the sign that I had been waiting for, that The Lord with this, confirmed to me that I am to marry him. David embraces me then gets down on his knees and thanks God and prays for our future marriage.

August 9, 2009
David and I go to the chapel he prayed at on May 15. David asks me when I would like to get married. I had said summer, now I say summer or spring, hoping more for spring. I had been reading the Song of Solomon and these verses had popped out at me:
My beloved spoke, and said to me: "Rise up, my love, my fair one, And come away.
For lo, the winter is past, The rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; The time of singing has come Song of Solomon 2:10-12
David tells me he has been reading something in Song of Solomon, the very same thing. We talk about how spring comes right after winter. We check to see if May 15 falls on a Saturday; it does. We pray asking God if that is a good day to get married.

August 10, 2009
David asks me if I'd like to get married May 15. I tell him it doesn't really matter. He asks me to read Proverbs 5:15. The title of chapter 5 is The Peril of Adultery. David's ex-wife had been unfaithful to him; not the most promising chapter of the Bible to open for confirmation about marriage, but verse 15 says: Drink water from your own cistern, flowing water from your own well. As soon as I finish reading it David says, "May 15 it is."

August 14, 2009
God, You are so awesome--You do abundantly more than I could ever ask or imagine. Help me live a life worthy of your calling. David is able to accompany me to DC on a cross country road trip.

August 16, 2009
David and I have our first argument due to lack of communication. It was quickly addressed in a marriage class we attend at church that the evening. :) We learn that one should express to one another our thoughts, feelings and desires, in order to be understood, not to try to convince the other. The other should try to understand. We do so and make up. :)
As we have been doing this and seek to honor God first and foremost, He has blessed us with a beautiful relationship.

Other firsts, much sweeter:

First date: Air hockey

First meal out: Mickey D's
Luz orders the food while David goes to the restroom. David eats all his food without complaining.

First nice meal: Red Lobster
I'm glad I chose it. We had sweet time sitting in a cozy booth the same side of the table. :)