I Said Yes with All My Heart

On March 18th, he smiled at me. A virtual smile through eHarmony, followed up with some multiple-choice questions. I was intrigued enough to respond...and when he later answered some open-ended questions I chose for him, I was smitten. This was a man of faith, a humble man who could see God at work in his life and express his insights well through writing.

We spent the next two months falling in love through our words. Emails. Texts. Phone calls. Skype sessions. Handwritten letters.

Memorial Day weekend arrived...and so did Josh, standing there in person for the first time at the airport. I was worried I might not recognize him. I needn't have been. :)

We spent our Saturday out at the coast, walking a trail, sitting by a waterfall, and visiting my favorite lighthouse. We were awkward. We didn't quite know how to navigate the newness of finally being together. But we learned, and it was as sweet and silly and emotional and wonderful as a first real date ought to be.

Then summer came, and with it a series of delightful visits. Vacation with my family in the high desert of Central Oregon. Trips to see him in Washington. Trips to see me.

We meandered through a garden. Explored a lava cave. Went on hikes. Canoed under the stars. Enjoyed a festival with friends. Took a road trip down the coast, viewing a couple more lighthouses along the way.

We experienced some great highs and some tough lows through the summer and into the fall. Quite the new adventure, falling deeper in love while still being hundreds of miles apart. But God has been there through it all, reminding us what love means...showing us new levels of humility...growing us closer together as the seasons changed.

We talked about marriage, about a forever commitment. We spent Thanksgiving together with some of his relatives, with so very much to be grateful for, even in an in-between time.

He completed another difficult quarter of school with success, getting closer and closer to realizing his dream of being an airplane mechanic. And right after his last class before Christmas break, he hopped in his car to head south, trying to beat a winter storm on his way to surprise me with a visit he had been secretly planning for months.

The storm beat him instead.

That evening he called me, devastated that his plans had fallen apart. But God gave us a Christmas miracle early this year. :)

Despite the snow and ice covering the roads, Josh made it safely back home the next morning. We both knew it would be too dangerous for him to try to drive down to see me. He didn't give up, though. He had been able to book a seat on a flight that afternoon...a flight that kept getting delayed as the weather continued to conspire against us.

The odds were high that he would get stuck in an airport overnight, but he got on the plane regardless. And in an answer to prayers, his second flight was delayed long enough for him to make the connection!

We had dinner that night with dear friends of mine who hosted Josh for the weekend. And the next day, Josh was able to carry out his special plans with another outing to the coast.

We had breakfast in a restaurant by the ocean. Took a walk along the beach. Browsed some favorite little shops. And finally made our way to that favorite lighthouse of mine, the one we visited together back in May.

On a trail above the lighthouse, Josh got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. I said yes with all my heart!

So now we're entering a new season, one full of uncertainties and newness and incredible possibilities as we start to plan our wedding and our new life together. But God has brought us to this place, and we trust Him to watch over us in all the days and adventures to come.

I couldn't ask for a better companion for the journey. ♥

Thank you, friends, for letting me share my story with you. :) I hope you all have a beautiful Christmas full of reminders that God is at work and very near!

My Night at a Lighthouse

If you ever wonder where my characters get their impulsiveness from...well, wonder no more!

A few weeks ago when my sister and I visited Heceta Head Lighthouse on the Oregon coast, the lighthouse tour guide told us about the bed and breakfast operating out of one of the former lightkeeper homes. I was delighted at this discovery and definitely intrigued at the possibility of staying the night in such a beautiful location.

My thought was to come back in winter sometime, when the rates are a little cheaper (being off-season). But then last week I saw that one of the smallest rooms remained unreserved for Labor Day. After double-checking to make sure I could get Tuesday off, I promptly booked it.

And I'm ever so glad I did. :)

My comfy bed. (And that pile of papers? That's what I have so far for Where Trains Collide. Per my dear friend Lena's suggestion, I printed it out and read it. I think perhaps Trisha and Paul's story isn't hopeless!)

The breakfast room. (Seven-course meal, friends. Seven. Courses.)

The grand porch, perfect for sunny-evening reading.

See what I mean? (I re-read Daddy-Long-Legs. Once again delightful!)

A peek at the lighthouse.

Sunset glory.

A view from above.

The bed and breakfast.

Last light.

Next morning.

Hello from Heceta Head!

A distant view of the lighthouse (left) and B&B (right).

Such an amazing, relaxing, unforgettable experience! (The lighthouse at night, surrounded by stars? A memory to cherish.) I totally recommend Heceta Head Lighthouse Bed and Breakfast - and even just a visit to the lighthouse. Light is such a magnificent thing, isn't it?

And now that I've finally finished another story (the first draft of Sting Me to Sleep - didn't I tell you? :)) and had a chance to look back on my poor neglected novella, I feel grateful and encouraged and motivated to tackle Where Trains Collide once again. Wish me luck!

(Don't you think that Heceta Head Lighthouse should appear in a future story? Me too!)

P.S. This post was not sponsored by Heceta Head Lighthouse B&B. I just wanted to share some pretty pictures and gush about the beauty of it all!