Finally!! I've been dying to see these pictures since July 5th! I was shocked and giggling out loud when I saw Kyle in a LEOPARD ROBE!! Haha  Nice, Jerry.. very nice.

One month of searching...
And the Lord has blessed me with a new opportunity--- and I took it!

My last day at my current job will be Jan. 4th--- and then I'll be off to the financial investment world:

2 weeks of training.
New people, new environment.
An exciting and useful industry!
A shorter commute.
More opportunity & growth in the long run....
Humility

Things I'll miss, and have to give up:
The people I work with now.
The BART ride to sleep and think on.
SF-- the working people make it seem so exciting, all dressed up, etc.
The beautiful city when it's sunny.. haha
The comfort and confidence of my position.
The opportunity to be a supervisor...my ego.. my pride..

(singing): And so I thank the Lord, for giving me the things I need, the sun and the rain and the apple seed...
the Lord is good to me.

Yesterday I took BART around 6pm.

At Powell station, it abruptly stopped.

The AC turned off.

Then, the lights turned off.

It was dead silence.

Then we heard many police and ambulences driving overhead on the street level.

We were told to evacuate due to a "medical emergency"... but here's what really happened.
I can't believe it was the train I was on....

I'm so thankful that Kyle came to rescue me... they shut down the station and I had no way to get home.

Sometimes you think you are serving the Lord when you enter into a new ministry... and you really think your heart is in the right place until you actually see all the challenges that arise.

So I stop to think:

"Is this something I can change to make it better?"
"What am I doing wrong?"
"What's wrong with the people involved?"
"Why isn't it going as planned?"

Then it hits me-- and I'm so thankful for the way that He speaks through others too-- God is challenging me to realize that ministry is not about me. It is about Him and serving others, and learning to let Him take control because I can't control everything. So... I will pray for those in the ministry, the people involved... and for Him to change all of our hearts, to instill passion, fear, and a yearning to know him more without disappointment. But a little bit of humility is good, because we can then realize that we need Him to serve and that we can't do it all on our own.

(I recently changed/updated pictures thanks to Kyle's Uncle John and Auntie Lesli)

About 2 months ago, I thought Kyle would propose to me... why? Because of some peculiar things going on like:

- my parents acting funny and asking me what kind of dress I wanted, or what kind of favors I wanted...
- Kyle surprising me at home after work (I thought, and now it's confirmed) this was the day he talked to them about asking me to marry him
- Kyle's dad saying... haha.. nm

Then this week, I went to Santa Cruz with his family (I went last year too!)... and all week I had no idea because I thought he would wait until my family would be around...

On Friday, July 20th around 6pm, I got engaged to Kyle.

We were building sand castles and taking pictures when Kyle's 9 year-old cousin, Colby, pulled out a clam shell (with metal rimming clasping it shut) and says "Look, a clam. I found it. Do you want it?" I started cracking up in laughter for a few seconds thinking it was totally random. Then I said, "Colby, should we see what's inside?"

Then I opened it up and saw the ring (thinking, "Woah, someone lost their ring on the beach!"). But then Kyle proposed to me (he was already on his knees). And I threw my arms around him saying "Of course!"

He invited many of our closest friends and family to the beach house for dinner. I was totally enthralled when my sister surprised me, while I was taking a shower. I started screaming with joy that she flew all the way from Washington to celebrate with us!

I found out later that Kyle was so nervous, he wouldn't go in the water (the ring was in his pocket inside the clam shell). I also found out how frustrated he was when I almost made a pie instead of going to the beach with them.... I almost ruined his plans AND the surprise!

Thank you friends and family that have encouraged Kyle and I through this journey... thank you for loving us and supporting us through the ups and downs and most of all, thank you Heavenly Father for being our joy and growing us closer these past ~ 2 years. I am so very thankful for Kyle..more than words can say.

I'm sooooo happy!!!

Kyle's perspective


The story with photos:

Kyle's cousin Coco giving me the clam he "found"


Me thinking "Oh no! Someone lost their ring!" and then realizing it...


Kyle telling me he loves me...

  
Crying with joy....                                                ... Kyle proposing...


Feeling tremendous joy and excitement!


Our friends surprised me at the beach house...we had dinner.. then headed back to the beach


Thank you to those who were able to make it to the celebration =)


The special "clam shell"