My True Bollywood Story: Part III...

Tony and me about to set out on our 18 hour road trip adventure!! :)

Today, I'm writing to you from Sunny (okay it's a little rainy today) Florida!  

I'm here!!  I'm here!

I have so much to tell you.  F.U.S.E camp was kick AWESOME in every way.  I can't wait to tell you all about it.   The 18 hour UHaul drive from WV to Florida with Tony was also surprisingly awesome.

But today, I'm going to tell a different story.  

Today we're going to turn to another chapter in My True Bollywood Story.

My True Bollywood Story: Part III

I can't tell you how many conversations I've had with my girlfriends regarding boys and relationships over the course of a lifetime.  If there are world records for such things, I think at one time, we probably broke all of them without batting an eye.  We would laugh, cry, and struggle together through each heartache and painful moment; each rejection and cringeworthy date.  (One day I think we'll write a book compiling all of our favorite dating horror stories.)

After 4 years of a boyfriendless existence, my parents worried aloud to me as I told them that I refuse to just "get out there" so that I can meet my soul mate.  I told them what I had to tell myself over and over again....He'll find me while I'm living my life for Jesus.  The End.

I would tell people what I wanted and what I was waiting for and they would tell me over and over again that that guy doesn't exist.  

They meant well.  I know they did.  

But I'm stubborn.

So I waited.

I hoped.

I had faith....even though it truly was the size of a mustard seed.

And in God's timing, Tony found me!!!  That guy DOES exist!!!!  

Or more accurately...Tony found my blog.  

It's been 7 months since he first wrote a comment on my blog.  

It's been 5.5 months since we started our whirlwind long distance relationship.

It's been 3 months since he told me he loved me for the first time while we were standing in the waves at Deerfield Beach, FL.

And....It's been 2 days since he asked me to marry him...

He liked it so he put a ring on it....

I hate to ruin the end of the proposal story, but....I said YES!!!

I knew we were getting engaged when I decided to move to Florida, but Tony somehow managed to totally surprise me with his proposal.

I know you're just dying to know how he did it, and I'm dying to tell you, so here goes:

Sometime during our loooong drive down, Tony mentioned to me that his best friend, Andy, was having a 4th of July party at the beach in front of his place on Monday evening.  

Even though I was still totally exhausted, and I am sure Tony was as well, I couldn't wait to see the ocean and stick my feet in the sand!

When we got to the beach, Tony and I walked around looking for Andy's party and couldn't seem to find them.

We walked down closer to the water  where the sand was harder and easier to walk on.  

We kept walking for a minute but couldn't seem to find them.

I wondered aloud where they might be as Tony scanned the beach for them.

After a few minutes of joking about throwing me in the water, Tony finally said, "If I'm being completely honest....they're not here."

"Really!?  Why?" I said with a confused look on my face.

"Well, I really just wanted to bring you to the beach."

I didn't say anything, but my first thought when he said that was, "Well, why didn't you just tell me you wanted to go to the beach with me instead of making up a story about Andy's party...?"  But before I could form that thought into an audible sentence, Tony said, "I just know how much you love the beach.  It's the first place I told you that I loved you, so I figure it's the perfect place to propose to you."

I jumped back, threw my hands up over my smiling mouth, and said, "NO WAY!!!! Oh my gosh...NO WAY!!!!"

Tony reached into his pocket, pulled out a little, shiny wood box, got down on one knee, opened the box to reveal the most beautiful ring in all creation, and......proposed to me!!!

I said YES and he stood up and kissed me.  Well, he actually kissed my teeth because I couldn't quit smiling!  

It ended up that there actually was a party at Andy's so we were met with tons of hugs and congratulations when we finally arrived.  That night we all sat out on the beach and watched the 4th of July fireworks explode over the warm waters of the Atlantic.  

As the sand around us lit up blue, green, and red, I looked over at Tony and thought to myself, "Look what God can do for you when you only believe enough to put one foot in front of the other!  Look how good and faithful He is to give us what He promises us!  How can God really love me so much that He would give me a partner in life that is custom made for me, and me for Him!?  How can His power and reach in my life be so much bigger than my fears and worries!?  This God I love and follow is truly beyond my understanding, but yet, with my permission, wants more than anything to live in me, guide me, counsel me, comfort me, hold me, discipline me, reveal truth to me, strengthen me, and fill me with love so abundant that it overflows into the lives of those around me.  His lavish love is enough to make me blush."

The ring that Tony picked out for me is completely perfect in every way.  Every where you look there is a tiny detail that makes it all the more special.  It's as if he has known me all my life and not just a few short months.   

When we let God write our story, He doesn't just give us the big desires of our heart...He gives us things we hid away deep in our hearts.  He gives us the details.  

The moral of this story is...

Following Jesus no matter where He goes or how long He takes to get there isn't always easy, fun, and is most certainly not painless, but believe me...it's worth it.  If you are tempted to give up because you feel like God isn't answering your prayers, or you've experienced too much pain, or you're just plain tired of waiting....I encourage you to keep pressing in toward Him.  Claw, crawl, and bawl....but don't stop.  

Don't give up.  

He's there.

He is always there.

He hears every prayer, He knows your hurts, He collects every tear,......He loves you.

Please keep Tony and I in your prayers and we set down the narrow path together.  We know that marriage isn't easy, but we aren't looking for easy....we're looking for Jesus.  

Thank you for your encouragement, thoughts, and prayers!

Love,

The Future Mrs. Alicea!