WE ARE GETTING MARRIED!

In my search for community I recently started attending McLean Bible Church. I had only been going to the Thursday night bible study but my friend had suggested I try the Citywide Sunday Evening Service. I texted my friend letting her know I was going to check it out. Shortly after, she let me know she wasn't going that Sunday. I debated going because I didn't know many people, but felt that God was challenging me to go out of my comfort zone. So I went. After the Service ended there was something called "Citywide After Party," which was a hang out where young adults could have fellowship. On my way to this "party" I ran into my friend Cindy, who was accompanied by tons of people, trying to find this party as well. Among them was this really cute guy wearing a royal blue shirt and a beautiful smile. We found the room and shortly after the guy with the blue shirt approaches me and introduces himself. Noah caught my eye and my attention for the rest of the evening. We spent most of the night talking, even after he stepped on my foot. A bunch of people were heading out to eat after the party, before committing to dinner with strangers I made sure to check if Noah was going too. Lucky for me, he decided to go and we even ended up sitting next to each other. Throughout the night, I thought to myself, "who is this guy singing to himself, speaking Spanish, buying me dinner?" On my drive home, I could not stop thinking about him. I went home that night and remember saying to my roommates as soon as I got home, " I met a guy." I texted my closest friends about him too . As I went off about my night to them, I get a Facebook message from him and the rest is history.

I was attending a young adult service at Mclean Bible Church and I was still very new. After the service, there was a fellowship event. So, I left in search of the event and noticed a few girls walking nearby. One of them in particular caught my eye as she said, "It's this way, right?" As I replied, I tried not to let my eyes linger on the dashing young lady. Instead, I pretended to know what I was dong. At the event, I said hello and the same girl extended her hand and said, "I'm Angi!" I thought, "Nice, direct eye contact and boldness." We then talked. She told me she was originally from Bolivia. Well, well ....similar to when Jar Jar Binks eagerly informed Qui-Gon Jinn that he was an intelligent life-form with the ability to communicate, I was eager to show her I spake spanglish. Yo empecé hablar sobre mi trabajo; frases que yo ha hablado muchos tiempos. She was a little surprised :-D We then played a game wherein you try to pop balloons on the ankles of others without getting yours popped. "Wow," I thought, "I have regressed in maturity and life...But, maybe this is where I am. So, accept the Lord's discipline and have fun!" I got a little into it. Besides popping Angi's balloon, I also stepped on her foot & sweated thru my shirt. Things were off to a smashing success (Angi is competitive & thus admired such recklessness). Afterwards, we went to dinner with the group. I noticed Angi make a few good moves to sit next to me. We shared a meal and I paid for the whole dinner and I figured it could be a nice foreshadowing of perhaps more food purchases for her in the future (aka dating). I was sure she got the hint. Later, we connected on Facebook and I soon afterwards got randomly friended by a guy named Mario Martinez....only mutual friend: Angi Perez Paz. "That's interesting," I thought. "She must've told her friends about me." Although in the moment she obfuscated such truth, I saw through the opaque explanations. That's how things got rolling.

A couple weeks after we met, our young adult group from church went on a hike to Old Rag in the Shenandoah National Park. Besides both of us cleverly but not too obviously orchestrating a car pool scenario to be together for the multi-hour drive, we also spent probably 75% of the nearly 7 hour hike talking together along the trail. As Angi told me (quite a bit) about herself, I thought, 'Hmmmm...Who is this girl who boldly proclaims the goodness of God?' I found her faith to be incredibly refreshing. Speaking with her also made me think of the scripture where Jesus says "I have called you my friends"(John 15:15) as I thought, 'Who is this girl who speaks of Jesus as her friend?' As it is written, "Let him who boasts; boast in the LORD." When Angi told me about her life, that's basically what she did and it really drew me to her. Truth be told, I was actually wired. Even though the hike was hours-long, by the end I was off running down the mountain singing to myself. I also chased a wild turkey, in part to try to impress her, and stood on my head at the bottom of the mountain. Even if she wasn't impressed, I figured she'd laugh and that was pretty much as good. Afterwards, we went out to eat with the group. It wasn't a date, but I paid for her food again (sending more signals). I also let her borrow my sweatshirt since it was cold. Not gonna lie, I kinda hoped that it would smell like her later and remind me of her. I can't remember if that worked or not; but having your crush wear your sweatshirt is never a bad way to start sending the she's-semi-taken-flares. On the drive back to Northern Virginia, I have two vivid memories of Angi. The first is making her laugh; she turned her head with her beautiful French braids and I LOVED the way she smiled when I made her laugh. The other vivid memory is us, and the others in the car, singing and worshiping to the entire "Simple Gospel" album by United Pursuit. It was my favorite day in a very long time.

It was the Wednesday before my proposal and I was a cripple on a mission. I had the perfect plan: propose to Angi across from the Wharf in DC; where our church (MBC Maine Ave) launched about 10 months earlier the day after we started dating. Back then, she hadn't yet plumbed the depths of my ability to be late every morning, forget my cell phone in the car as she pulls away, or think about something until she just wishes there is an off-button. Squish. My crutches sank into mud. I had to dig it out with my bare hands and it reminded me that this is why I need to be more of a planner like Angi. But, at least I had the location planned! Gummel drove me around Friday for some last-minute prep. I was officially "out of it" as things got surreal. I forgot my backpack with my computer at CVS and also nearly left without paying for the photos I printed. I woke up early the next day to get a haircut in the morning because, as Angi had told me the prior day, I looked like I was from the 80s. The next morning, Angi's roommates got her to go down to DC for a friends fall photoshoot. They took pics together and walked along the river until they were across from the Wharf...boom! I came out from behind a wonderfully yellow tree. I had a picnic set as well as yellow flowers, some fave snacks, and a guitar. Besides singing a song I wrote her, I also had the receipt from our very first date nearly a year ago...because I thought that this proposal might come and I wanted to be ready :) After walking down memory lane of our shared moments, we stood up and I got down on a knee; I practiced earlier to ensure that I could do it as a cripple. Finally, I asked her if she would marry me and she said yes; after commenting on the fact that her diamond was yellow. Just like she always wanted. God has been gracious to us both. Afterwards, I told her that we were gonna go take pictures on a rooftop across the water. But actually, close friends and family awaited for a surprise party!