It's been three years...

I stood there with my dad. The doors opened and my breath caught in my throat. I hear Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata begin playing as the people around me stand in unison. I look down the aisle to see my beloved standing there, beaming. I can hardly believe that in a matter of minutes, I will be married. The man standing in front of me will call me his wife and we will spend the rest of our lives together.

I honestly don't remember much about the time that followed. There were vows, laughing, a few tears [[mostly from my sisters]] and then lots and lots of hugs.

It's hard to believe that this all happened three years ago. The last three years have been both the longest and shortest years of my life. We've had rough times and we've had joyous times, but we've loved each other through it all. God continues to draw us closer to Himself and each other as we continue on this journey called marriage. I feel so blessed to call Joshua my husband, my best friend forever, my partner.

Here's to another three years, hun! [[and hopefully many, many more than that!! haha]]

Let's do this thing!

We were positively giddy!

What have we done??

Next Thing Ya Know...

I round the corner and see a girl, holding a balloon and a sign that I can't quite make out. As we get closer, I realize it has a name on it...my name. I've never seen this girl in my life, but I'm sure that I'm meant to meet her. As I approach, she smiles and says, "You must be Jessi." I nod, still unsure of what's going on. She introduces herself, hands me an envelope and the balloon, and puts me in a cab. She explains that everything I need to know is in the envelope.

As I open it, the cab driver asks me where I need to go. I quickly shuffle through the pages that I've just extracted from the envelope and find an address. I don't know where I'm going, but as the cab pulls away from the curb, I begin reading the letter.

1/5 Dear Jessi Daniel, it's your boyfriend, Josh. From Indiana. 

Welcome to my game. In this envelope, you should find a card with a location. 

You'll be getting there by cab. Just tell the driver where you want to go, and they'll take you. 

Pay with the cash enclosed and be sure to leave a tip! Hold on to the change.

Your first location is Buckingham Fountain. 

When you get there, you will see one of my friends holding a balloon, and a sign with your name. 

Talk to them to get your next clue. Don't worry. This won't be stressful, 

and I'm not sending you to super crowded places. 

This is just my way of being creative and having a little fun before you leave. 

Don't call or text me unless you have an emergency.

That is all.

J.L.S.

As we pulled up to the fountain, I saw a guy standing there with a balloon and sign. I got out and walked up to him. He handed me another envelope and put me in yet another cab. I pulled out the instructions, told the driver the address [[which was another fountain]] and read the next letter enclosed.

The same thing happened at stop 3/5 [[The Moody Bible Library]] but when I got into the cab this time, it was a sweet older Indian couple. I told the man where I needed to go, [[which was the courthouse in The Dark Knight where they are holding the funeral/memorial service and all those people get shot...romantic, right?]] and he asked why I was holding a balloon. "I think I'm getting engaged," I told the pair. They immediately burst into enormous smiles and said many "Congratulations!" I turned red from all their attention and excitement. They proceeded to tell me about all the joys of being married as they held hands. They were seriously the sweetest couple!

When we arrived at the courthouse, a man was standing there with a sign and a balloon. He handed me an envelope and as I turned around, I noticed the couple still sitting there in the cab watching us with huge smiles. As we approached the cab, the man exclaims "Is this the lucky fellow??" I explain that no, this is not my boyfriend and that I think I have one more stop. They tell me to get in quickly because they "really want to get me to my engagement!"

We drive over to the Planetarium [[my fifth and final destination]] and see nothing but a huge crowd of people. I see no signs. I see no balloons. I'm so confused as I get out of the cab. Where was Josh? I begin searching around the entire building. I get back around to the front to see my sweet cab drivers still sitting there giving me questioning looks. I tell them that Josh is around here somewhere, I just have to find him. I stand there and wave as they drive away. 

Panic sets in. 

I don't know where I am.

I don't know where Josh is.

I don't know where my family is.

I'm lost in Chicago!

I call Josh. He answers [[sounding worried but slightly annoyed]] and tells me how to find him.

I walk along the beach and find a secluded spot surrounded by trees, and Josh. There he is, sitting in the sand, waiting for me. I join him and as we look out at the beautiful waves of Lake Michigan, he proposes. 

I, obviously, say yes and we sit there quietly for a few minutes, just soaking in all of the beauty of this moment. I then decide that I should call my parents, tell them the happy news [[which they totally knew about the entire time and still kept quiet all day! Kudos to them!]] and that I hadn't been kidnapped during the process.

I'm not the best at being in front of the camera...

The rest of the day was kind of a blur of calling loved ones, and trying to soak in the fact that I was to  be married. Everyone was emotional, and there were many tears [[mostly from mom who was excited because we had just gotten engaged but also super nervous because I was going to Southeast Asia the very next morning!]]

Well, enough words!

Here are a few of our engagement pictures [[courtesy of the lovely and talented Beky Smith!]]

My arm looks super dark in this picture!

I just love Josh in this picture. haha

These next two are a little blurry, but I just loved them so much.

It's True That We Love One Another

It was summer of 2008. I was 19 years old and had just completed my first year of college. It had been a rough school year full of change [[I had just decided to transfer schools and completely switch majors]], heartbreak [[oh, the ache of unrequited love...]], and panic [[I was supposed to go on a trip to India, but things fell through last minute and never happened so I had to find a job for the summer immediately.]] The job I had landed for the summer was working in the kitchen at Miracle Camp in Michigan. I was ready to make some new friends and leave the past school year behind me, but due to my recent heartbreak, I wasn't ready for any kind of relationship.

I was introduced to the crew I'd be working with, there were six of us in total, four girls and two guys. One of these guys was super rude and mean. He was constantly picking on me for my life choices [[at the time I had hot pink hair and was a vegetarian]]. All summer I couldn't help but think that I would be glad when I would never have to see this jerk again. Come August, as we were all preparing to head back home, something inside of me clicked and I realized that I could no longer live without this man in my life. We called each other that very night and every night for 2 weeks straight. He came to visit me at the end of those two weeks and that is when we became "official." About two weeks later, I knew that this was the man I was going to marry.


To be continued....