How we Met
By Lena
Ryan and I met nine years ago at a high school church summer camp (CBM). On the last day of camp as everyone was saying good bye and exchanging addresses,
Ryan and I also exchanged contact information. We had no idea of what was to come down the road.
For six years, we were pen pals and later email pals. We wrote off and on and occasionally would hang out when mutual friends got together for post-CBM events.
We still had no idea that our friendship would become anything more.Then, during the summer of 2004, my good buddy He-Joon was moving up to the Bay Area for an internship and needed a place to stay. I knew Ryan had recently bought a townhouse and was looking for roommates. I suggested they live together. They had never met, so when He-Joon set his move-in day over the July 4th weekend, I went up to the Bay Area to introduce the guys.
Fortunately, He-Joon was running late so I ended up hanging out with Ryan all day. This is when everything started. We went to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk for some roller coasters and then to Phil's Fish Market for cioppino (where I charmingly caused a piece of crab to jump out of my bowl, hit my head, and dribble down my shirt to my pants with its lovely red sauce -- this still makes Ryan laugh).
We also went to see fireworks. Fireworks! There were more fireworks than the ones in the sky that weekend.
A few weeks after July 4th, we made the commitment to date. We retained our pen pal letters but mixed in long chats and weekend visits as Ryan was in the Bay Area and I was in Southern California. After a year and a half, I moved back to the Bay Area. We continued to grow close: in love, in focus, and in commitment. We're looking forward to January when we'll make one of the biggest commitments of our lives: a lifelong commitment to each other.
God has brought us together, is keeping us together, and is continuing to knit us together. While we still don't know what's coming down the road, we look forward to walking it together in faith.
The Proposal
By Ryan
I knew Lena was ready for us to be together because whenever I asked what she wanted for her birthday or Christmas, she would respond with, "Sparkley!" Sometimes she would say she was kidding, but I knew she meant it. I wasn't ready to tell her, but I was ready, too.A few weeks after Christmas 2006, I stealthily made arrangements to meet with Lena's parents to ask for her hand in marriage. I picked an evening when Lena was eating with Kathleen, one of her good friends (and bridesmaid). After an evening of a few questions, her parents gave me their blessing. Phew!
In February 2007, Lena and I went on a vacation to Florida with some of her college roommates and their respective husbands. I thought it was the perfect opportunity to propose but didn't tell her friends because I was worried they might spill the beans out of excitement. I was also concerned about the ring. Lena is particular about most things, and I especially knew she was particular about the engagement ring. Instead of guessing wrong, I was smart and got a temporary ring... on eBay!
On our last night in Florida, we had a nice dinner at Emeril's Orlando (the guy that coined the phrase "BAM!") in Universal City Walk. I didn't end up proposing there, but there were good reasons! (1) Alvin (one of the husbands) had to go home early because he was preaching on Sunday and (2) it was rainy and noisy outside where it all would have went down.
So after our vacation in Florida, Lena's employer had planned a snow trip at Squaw Valley in Tahoe and I came along. I brought the temporary ring with me but had no real plan. At lunchtime, we went back to my car to grab the food my mom packed for us (thanks mom!). We sat down in the parking lot and after praying for the meal, I told Lena that I had something for her and that it was something she wanted for a long time. Then, I asked Lena to marry me... and she said yes!
