The Proposal
Posted by Caroline on Nov 20, 2011 in Family, journey to marriage | 10 comments
Since Day 1, Clayton and I have communicated through letters. It started with email senior year of high school; I had debate class first period and he had it second period. I had a habit of leaving myself logged into my email on the class computer, and Clayton would send me emails from my own account. Then, emailing never stopped.
We emailed each other my entire freshman year at Baylor.
The day after I said “Sure, I guess” to being his girlfriend (the best decision with the worst delivery), 18-year-old Clayton creatively brought me something to depict each of my facebook interests– pink starbursts, sonic, a Mario Kart magazine (!), the last page of a book… and US Mail. Stamp and all. He got my address wrong, but I treasure the letter.
In college Clayton spent a summer as a counselor at Kanakuk. I sent him a letter every day. I wrote letters from the beach, from the library while babysitting, in coffee shops, and regardless of how I planned it, I found myself rushing to the mailbox to meet the 3 p.m. pickup time. Clayton says he reread all of the letters every day while at camp.
The letters sit in his bedside table, and he still pulls them out.
We haven’t stopped emailing, writing, journaling. With the risk of being more sappy than is blog-appropriate, my heart still leaps when I see his name pop up in my inbox.
Writing capture memories, makes love tangible. Our letters are like a time capsule of our relationship.
When we’re discouraged we read our emails and letters and end up feeling closer together. When we’re giddy and excited, we pull out the letters and relive our relationship unfolding. It’s an Ebenezer– a monument– to remember God’s faithfulness to each of us & to us together.
Thus, the proposal: letters.
Clayton read me a series of letters that he had written to his future wife. He wrote about ways he was preparing to be a good husband, how he wanted to lead and love and protect. He wrote about how he wanted to see his future wife thrive, know she is loved, and know true commitment.
The next letter was addressed:
Dear Caroline.
He wrote this letter the night he realized for the first he wanted to marry me (2 years ago). He had left my house that night and journaled
“it hit me. I want to marry you… tonight something came over me and I had a clearness and assurance I’ve never had.
I want to spend my life with you.”
The final letter was written earlier during that Saturday. At the end, Clayton wrote,
“Caroline, tonight I am going to ask if you will marry me… it’s with complete assurance that what I’m doing is right for both us, tied with a giddiness and anxiousness to see what exactly our life will look like…” Love, Your Fiancée Clayton.
Clayton got down on his knee, and I said YES. Not “sure,” but YES. of course. Yes with complete assurance. Yes to marrying my best friend. Yes to a new stage in our time capsule. Yes to forever. Yes. Yes. Yes.
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Hey There
In a matter of days I'm going to marry my college sweetheart Clayton. I'll be the resident chaplain at a girls dormitory this year... which will add a few quirks to our first year of marriage. I've been adopted into Texas culture and I keep Sonic in business. I blog about faith and the struggles with faith. My first name is Jane; I'm Caroline.
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That is completely adorable and lovely and romantic! May you still be 80 years old and writing letters to each other, perfectly in love and suited for each other! So happy for you both.
great blog post, Caroline!
That was sappy… And so AWESOME!!! I can’t stop smiling for you, sweet friend!
That assurance is such a beautiful part of your relationship with him. God is so good!
I knew my grandson would pick the person to live with the rest of his life with assurance, admiration and love and he certainly did that.
You both have such wonderful insight of each other that I know
you will maintain the rest of your lives. I look forward to watching you two grow in your relationship for the rest of my life with such happiness.
This is SO good!! Thanks for the reminder!
Caroline,
I have known Clayton all his life and have known what a great guy he is, how smart, how fun, how cute! But until I read your blog, I never realized the wonderful man he has become and what an awesome husband God has prepared for you. I am assured as well that God has brought a wonderful wife for Clayton. Welcome to the family, Caroline. I am so looking forward to meeting you!
Sincerely,
Aunt Valerie
sososososoSO precious. I love you and my happiness for the two of you is beyond words. Maybe a great big smiley face will suffice.
Oh, I feel so overjoyed! Loved the blog post. Thanks for keeping us all updated in the special details of your life.
Dear Caroline:
How lovely and sentimental. I’m a sucker for romance
I’m sure you realize that you will have one of the most wonderful mothers-in-law on the planet. What a blessing!
This makes the top of the list of all Jennifer’s newsletters.I’ve been a follower of Jennifer and her family since she sang/gave her testimony to Jacksonville’s Women for Christ organization. What a precious,lovely account of a Godly young couple. That is what romance should be. How pleased Jennifer and Dr. Phil (Jennifer’s Dr. Phil) with their son. God bless Conner,too. May he follow his brother’s beautiful example.
Caroline, sweet little, this was PRECIOUS!! As I sit at my little cubicle, wiping small tears from my eyes, I am so so excited for you!! This is such a beautiful story!!