The Joel and Michawn Story - Part 15

As I said before, the day we talked in Saline was Sept. 22nd. We had our first date on Sept. 30th. We went to the Longview Symphony. It was really nice. We went to Shogun to eat before the symphony. It was such a great time. Nicole (and kids) had gone shopping with me the day before. It was really fun.

Let me tell you...it was a bit of a challenge to find a dress that was even remotely classy and pretty and not stuffy, but also modest. But, as noted in my journal: So glad I didn't get one of those hoochie mama dresses. Joel told me that night that he was glad I didn't dress like some of the other girls there.

I went to hang out with my friend Alisha the week of Oct. 4th. She was living in Fort Worth and Joel was actually there in Dallas for another helicopter thing of some sort. We had a great time there with Alisha and Piper.

We weren't engaged and we weren't making plans up until that point. The week in Dallas we actually started talking about things like that...plans as far as the 'when' of everything. There were so many factors, one of the biggest ones being my trip to Costa Rica. Remember, I was slated to be gone January - March (3 whole months).

The COTR premarital counseling was 6 months long. We didn't want to start that until we were engaged. The timing of everything was not falling into place, esp. with the Costa Rica trip factored in.

We went to the Angola Rodeo (near Baton Rouge LA) with my family the weekend of Oct. 21st. When we got back that Sunday night, Joel secretly asked my parents' permission for my hand in marriage.

Saturday, October 28th, Joel and I went to a wedding in the morning. Funny...I caught the bouquet and guess who caught the garter? Yep, Joel. It was perfect. More perfect than I even knew. Why? Well, we hung out all day and in the afternoon went back to Joel's house. We went out in the canoe (with the plan to "scout out a camping area" on the lake as Joel told me...that big liar) and watched the sunset. And...Joel proposed. His exact words were, "Will you marry me and go wherever God takes us?" That had been what his dad said when proposing to his mom (they then spent about 20 years in Brasil).

It was very surreal. I kept thinking, "Oh my gosh. Is this it? Is this the proposal? Is this when I say 'yes' and we get married and stuff?" Joel had thought of everything and it was so perfect. I was so excited about going back to the house and making some calls of course. Well, everybody (that lived locally) that I was going to call was back at the house. There were about 50 of our friends there waiting to surprise me. Joel had tried to think of everything that I love and put them all together...the lake, the sun, a party with all my friends, surprises, and even pictures and video (he had John and Brian Boyle out in the woods near the lake taking pictures and video of the whole proposal). It was so great and I was super impressed with him. So, we had a big party...friends, food, and cake included. And, I was getting married!!

Tomorrow, Part 16.

Eating at Shogun on our first date.
Self-portrait taken while putt-putt golfing with everyone that went to the Angola Rodeo.
The group of us (at the putt-putt place) that went to the Angola Rodeo (Angola is the Louisiana State Penitentiary for those of you who don't know...it's a very interesting thing to attend).
This was taken at that wedding we went to the same day we got engaged. The wedding photographer took this of us...and the bride (a co-worker of mine...she was actually my charge nurse) and groom included this in their wedding present to us.
On the lake in the canoe...getting proposed to. :-)
I was so surprised to see everybody there when we got back to the house. It was so fun. The next few pictures are of the party.

Giving all of the girls the scoop on the canoe ride.
The cake. Yes, my name is spelled wrong, but in her defense, the girl who got it done has a family member whose name (one of her names...not her first name) is the same as me, but spelled Mishon (or something like that)...she always got confused about whether mine was with an 's' like her family member or not. And yes...the tags say Brazil...there was a possibility we would be headed straight to Brasil at the time...you'll read more about that later.
Reading the sweet card they got for me.
Ben and Brian Boyle wrote an impromptu song for us after we got back from the canoe ride. It was so cute. The ring that Joel got me for the engagement was from James Avery and came in a little cloth pouch, about the size (length and diameter) of a finger. So, after Joel asked me to marry him, he asked me if I also wanted a "pinky warmer." The song even incorporated that. It was a great song...they are some talented guys.
Everyone looking on as the song was sung. After the song, everyone gathered around us and we had a great time of being prayed over...it was SO powerful and so special.