I'm getting married

to Ismael Cortez. Because he's my best friend. And he loves the Lord, and I love him, and he loves me. And we make a really good team.

We met four years ago when I went on a mission trip to Ecuador where he lives, and over the years God has been growing a really wonderful friendship between us.

Last year when I stayed in Ecuador after the missions team went home, that friendship began to change into something else. It was a flawless transition; so perfect, in fact, that I didn't even know things were changing until they were already changed and I realized I couldn't live without him.

On September 25th (two days after my unexpected deportation) he asked me to be his girlfriend and we spent the first seven months of our official relationship writing letters and e-mails, and talking online and on the phone every day. And what a blessing it was to have all that time to get to know each other better! And what a trial it was to be so far away for so long!

And things just keep getting better and better. Last Friday afternoon Ismael asked me to spend the rest of my life with him. And after taking a few moments to weigh the pros and cons of said proposal, I decided that...haha, no I'm just kidding. There was no time to weigh any of the cons. I weighed only the pros and then accepted.

Really, I was too thrilled to think anything except for "YAAAAYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!" And that's how I feel every day with him. We're getting married next year. I'm so excited! ("Yay!" remember?)

Anyway, so now you know.