His South African Princess

This post is especially for MB...we wish you were with us right now!

Yesterday, one of my dearest friends, Elmarie, had her 23rd birthday. What did she get? A husband! Or at least, the promise of one! Yes, Jordan and Elmarie are engaged! It was such a happy day yesterday---it took me back to the day I got engaged--and I think I was almost as excited for El as I was for me! I couldn't sleep the night before, I was so excited for her day and I was jittery all day, checking my phone to make sure I didn't miss her call. Then when she called me, I was so happy I was shaking. (That's what I do when I'm happy---I'm wierd)


Jordan did a great job. He woke her up early and tried to take her on a hot air balloon ride, but the winds were bad. Then he took her to breakfast and gave her a scrapbook full of ticket stubs, pictures, notes, and other things from pretty much everything they've ever done together--he'd secretly saved up all that stuff. Then he took her to the mountains and gave her another gift--a book of all their emails they exchanged while he was out of the country last year. Then he took her somewhere special. Several years ago, he'd gone camping with some guys and found what he calls "a grassy knoll." He told the guys that someday he was going to marry "the woman of the knoll." So he took her to that grassy knoll and they had a picnic and then he gave her her last present---the ring! Sorry the picture is so bad. My camera, was obviously quite dazzled by it's beauty and had trouble focusing. It is gorgeous and its exactly what she wanted.


So, last night we all hung out and toasted and ate and watched El cry as she told us her story and looked at wedding magazines---yes---even the boys! (They started a tradition when I got engaged of "picking out a dress for the bride." It's more like they look for the most frightful dresses they can find and dog-ear the pages)



I'm so excited for them. They have such an amazing story--God truly orchestrated their relationship. Elmarie was clear across the world and he brought her here and brought her to the church, to Jordan! (And the rest of us!) Fun times are ahead! I can't wait to see what God has in store for them!