He Popped the Question and I Said "YES!"

I would like to officially announce to the blogging world that I am ENGAGED!!! YAY! Even though I think I've already talked to the only people who read this, I'm announcing it anyway! Why not, right? It happened on Thursday Sept. 13th. Here's how it went down: I was working that night and my boyfriend (now fiance ;-), Michael (and fellow-blogger), and I were planning on meeting at my house to go to this fun restaurant that only serves desserts and wine. However, when I got to my house, there was a note taped to my door telling me to meet him at the restaurant instead. I got there and the owner handed me another note telling me to meet him around the corner at this place with fountains that has chairs and tables to sit and people-watch. So I walked in my heals over there and there was a table set up with a white tablecloth, flowers, and a laptop. I got to it and it said "click here" so I did. A movie started with our song (Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol) and a slideshow of pictures of us. At the end, it said "Turn Around." And Michael was walking up. He had tears in his eyes and told me how much he loves me and wants to spend the rest of his life with me. He then got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. It took a few moments (I was having issues breathing properly) for me to squeak out a "yes! Of course! I love you too!" After we finally got our breath back and could focus, he informed me that instead of walking back to the restaurant, he had made reservations at The Melting Pot (a really nice fondue restaurant)! We made all of the initial phone-calls and headed over to my sister's house to show her the ring. After getting our picture taken and jumping up and down in excitement, Michael and I headed over to the Melting Pot. We ate sooo much food! But boy oh boy was it good! It was the best night of my life! I love Michael so much and can't wait to spend the rest of my life with him! (I just realized this is the first picture of me I've ever posted... now everyone knows what Michael and I look like!)

No Pain, No Gain in Relationships

I posted a blog on Jason Clark's site a while ago about the redemption of the father in the movie, "Little Miss Sunshine." Since then, I have experienced redemtion in my own life. This last week God helped me gain the courage to confront and deal with some difficult issues with friends and a family member. Needless to say, I was glad when the week ended. However, through the very difficult process of confronting hurt feelings and negative feelings (and the anxiety that went along with it), God redeemed those relationships. I know that my friends and family love me and care about me and our friendship/relationship, so I had nothing to worry about. But boy oh boy is dealing with it difficult. This whole process helped me realize the amount of redemption I experience in my life. Each day I fall on my face, God is there to pick me right back up and shows me how to not fall next time. It's, again, a difficult process, but very necessary. But I'll bet God doesn't get knots in His stomach when He does show me my crap. I guess that's what you get for being the creator of the universe... Anyway, God uses the love and friendship I have through the people in my lives to continue to redeem me and my relationships. I love my friends and family more than I could ever express and it broke my heart this week to have so many issues to deal with! But through dealing with those issues, my friendships and relationships are even deeper and stronger than they were ever before! But why must it be so painful to have to go through all that? No pain, no gain! And what a gain it was :-)

Disturb Us, Lord

I heard this prayer read today and I thought I'd share it. It's really interesting. Read it and think/pray about it:

Prayer of Sir Francis Drake

Disturb us, Lord, when we are too well pleased with ourselves,
When our dreams have come true Because we have dreamed too little,
When we arrived safely Because we sailed too close to the shore.

Disturb us, Lord, when With the abundance of things we possess
We have lost our thirst For the waters of life;
Having fallen in love with life, We have ceased to dream of eternity
And in our efforts to build a new earth, We have allowed our vision Of the new Heaven to dim.

Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly, To venture on wider seas
Where storms will show your mastery;
Where losing sight of land, We shall find the stars.
We ask You to push back The horizons of our hopes;
And to push into the future In strength, courage, hope, and love.

I Go College!

Today was a day for "Katie's History Book." I have had this mortal fear ever since I started college that I would end up in the wrong classroom for my class. I have spent the last 3 and a half years successfully avoiding that predicament. Well, I guess it had to happen-- my college experience would not be complete without it. Here's how it all happened. I was on campus to do research for a class and a friend picked me up to run some errands. It was before my first class would start and we had plenty of time. My first class, I already knew, was canceled, so I had the whole morning open until my next class. Well, in the confusion of getting back to campus and not having my class, I walked confidently to the classroom where my second class of the day is held... except that I was an hour early! I sat down, read the school newspaper waiting for the professor to come in and begin. But my professor is not a big, gray-haird man... With a twinge of panic and trying to be as casual and nonchalant as possible, I picked up my stuff and hurried out of the room, just as the class started! I was so embarrassed! That kind of thing is acceptable the first week of classes, but not the beginning of the 4th! I hope no one realized what had happened-- and if they did, then I gave them something to laugh about. Well, I can surely say that I can graduate without feeling like I missed out on anything! :-) If the class were interesting I may have stuck around but every time I come in when my class actually meets, there are equations and drawings all over the board-- no thank you! I'm about to graduate and this is my shining moment! Here, mom and dad, this is where all that money is going for my education....