Guest Bloggers (126)

As Grandpa mentioned Ryan and I have some exciting news! As you might have already guessed we have recently became engaged. Grandpa wanted to share it with everyone and we weren’t sure if he would get all the details right and who better to tell it then us! I have always secretly wanted to blog a bit…

It all started over a year ago. Ryan and I met inside Purdue Christian Campus House. We both attended church there and were actively involved in a service group. We had both been asked with two others to help transport toys to Lafayette Urban Ministry’s for their Christmas Jubilee. It was actually a very short meeting and quick service opportunity but that was the first time we met. In our short chat back to campus we realized we had both signed up to go on a short four day service project in Chicago. The place is called JPUSA (Jesus People USA) you can read up on them on the internet but most people describe them as hippies who live as a community in an old hotel they bought to outreach to the Chicago north side. They take care of elderly people in the old hotel and run three different shelters. After getting to know each other more while in Chicago it all really just took off fast from there…

Now to the engagement story…We all know there is usually a lot of pressure put on the guy to make the proposal special and memorable. Ryan and I had planned to go to Chicago for two days as our Christmas present to each other. We had planned it at least three months in advance and I wasn’t suspecting anything. We left early Sunday morning arriving to -28 degree wind chills in the WINDY city. We went to Navy Pier, checked into our hotel, and then about four we headed down the Magnificent Mile (Michigan Ave). It was so cold out we were getting what felt like brain freezes. So we would walk about five stores and enter the sixth to get warm again. Ryan’s parents had bought us a carriage ride for Christmas and we were ultimately walking to find them. We get to the street where they are suppose to be picking up and they are no where to be found. (Meanwhile Ryan is freaking out a bit because the carriage ride was where he wanted to propose). We finally hear from someone it is probably too cold for the horse to be out. And I was thinking no kidding its too cold for people to be out! J Well we were hungry so we walked back down Michigan Ave. to get some Chicago style pizza…

Throughout the mile or more walk Ryan is texting. Little did I know him and his parents were trying to come up with plan ‘B’. We get to Giordano’s pick out our pizza. Ryan then asks if I want to go to the top of the John Hancock building and see the city at night. I ask him where the building is-he replies, “All the way past where the carriages were supposed to be.” We made a deal to take a cab there and back! ;)

We get to the John Hancock building and the entrance down into the building is all blocked off with ropes. At this point Ryan is thinking he can’t catch a break. We go around the building and find our way in. We get to the top(94th floor) and it is absolutely beautiful to see all the lights at night especially around Christmas time! We walk all the way around the four sides and Ryan says lets go out on the sky walk. Well it was closed due to high winds. Poor guy!! ha! Well he pulled me aside said a few words, pulled out a little black box, and asked me if I wanted to spend the rest of my life with him. And I said YES!

Enjoy the pictures, hoped you enjoyed the story, and I hope the critics are not too hard on me as this is my first blog J
We hope you and your families had a Merry Christmas! Love and Prayers for a Happy and Healthy New Year!

Lilly and Ryan