The Good News

I had a fantastic weekend this weekend.  The best of my life.  I know, I know, sounds a little dramatic.  Right?  Well it was the best weekend of my life.

For anyone who doesn't already know:  I'm getting married.

My wonderful fiance and I were engaged this weekend to be married November 3 this year.  That means that in only four months (and a couple weeks, sure) I will be kissing goodbye this woefully aimless single life and beginning a life that will be full of companionship and purpose.  I hate to sound like a BYU coed here but, I'm counting down the seconds.

Carmen and I met online.  Yes.  Online.  It was through one of those online meeting sites like the ones you see advertised here on Myspace, except cleaner and for Mormons (which I guess would typify the 'cleaner' aspect).  We spent a few weeks writing emails back and forth and then swapped phone numbers.  Since then there hasn't been a single day that we haven't shared an average of 3 hours on the phone with each other.  You see, she lives in Georgia.

Yes, one of the regreteable things about online dating (something I never thought I'd do but is statistically becoming a more common avenue of introduction for successful couples) is that once you meet someone you know you're attracted to, what then?  If they live 240 miles away it's not as easy as calling your interest up and asking them to a movie or out for dinner; Suddenly seeing them becomes an event that requires planning, foresite and time off from work!

I knew from almost the first email I received from her that Carmen is special and if I'd seen the future as it's rolled out to be, I wouldn't have been surprised.  She's my match in a lot of ways.  From convenient preferences to personality quirks we have enough in common to adore each other's company and enough differences for each other's company to not get old.  Our families are uncannily alike; I am asked regularily by Carmen's wonderful mother if I'm sure I know what I'm getting myself into by becoming a part of their family and I consistently reassure her that my family was practice enough to prepare me for anything.

After a lot of very personal thinking and a lot of prayer I knew that she was the person I wanted to marry.

July 15, 2006, Carmen and I visited one of her favorite places, Saint Simons Island, GA.  We spent four hours driving one of the straightest interstates I've ever seen to finally arrive in the beautiful little island community.  After driving around for awhile, Carmen wanted to take me to one of her favorite restaraunts and we visited a small place called Barbara Jean's and ate world famous crab cake, red beans & rice, squash casserole, broccoli casserole, kettle corn, french fries and 'Chocolate Stuff'.  After we ate we decided to visit the beach and began walking back to the car.  On our way back to the car we took a detour through a comfortably shady park with large trees covered in spanish moss where I sat her down on a worn out stone bench, knelt down on one knee with a ring in my hand and asked her if she would allow me to marry her and she said "Yes".

So yes.  Four more months.  I'm ecstatic.  I've met the best friend I've ever had and I'm looking forward to an eternity by her side.