What is love.

On September 6, I got the surprise of a lifetime. 

We left our house in the morning for a girls’ weekend in San Francisco. Although I was excited for this little getaway, I woke up on the very wrong side of the bed. 

Complaining.

My hair wasn’t right.

My favorite shirt was dirty.

I woke up with a zit on my chin.

And to top it off, I dumped my scrambled eggs in my lap as we left the driveway.

I can only imagine what my family was thinking as they watched me struggle through the morning.

Molly has no idea this is about to turn into the best day of her life. 

Things began to get better. We spent the day shopping, going to lunch and just enjoying our time together before I moved to Oregon for the school year. 

Little did I know...

Jeffrey was on a plane. He was pushing through the nerves. He was coming to pop the biggest question he would ever ask. Coming to talk to my father… to ask for my hand in marriage. Something that both, my parents and his, have prayed for since before we were born – Something that we have dreamed of for years. Starting our life together. He was coming to make that a reality. 

And I was absolutely clueless. 

We left our hotel to go to dinner, and my mom said that she had forgotten something in the room. I volunteered to run up and get it. As I went, I called Jeffrey. I wanted to fill him in on my day and ask him how his practice went. We talked for a few minutes, and as I was about to say goodbye I fell speechless. I turned the corner, and there it was. “Will you marry me?” 

Nothing quite prepares you for the moment. You can dream about it all you want. You can plan and imagine the most perfect proposal in the most romantic setting. But NOTHING can prepare you for it.

For the moment when the one that you are so deeply in love with tells you he is going to love you, serve you, protect you and provide for you for the rest of your life. When that same person gets on one knee, pulls out the most beautiful ring and asks, “Molly, WILL YOU MARRY ME?”

The commitment and love and sacrifice that lies within that one question is so deep and overwhelming… to choose to love each other no matter what—to persevere no matter what—to serve God, raise our family, pursue our careers, laugh, cry, rejoice and mourn together, no.matter.what. 

And without a single doubt in my mind, I chose YES. 

We have laughed, and cried, and encouraged, and argued, and struggled together. We have fallen, and we have gotten back up. We have had highs, and we have had lows. We have lived in the same town, and we have lived in completely different countries. But we have learned, and we have prayed, and we have grown together. 

We are reminded almost daily, that we are sinners. Whether we are together or apart, we are broken. We are not perfect, and there is no such thing as a perfect relationship. It takes work, and it takes Jesus. But it is worth it. When we have each other, and we are seeking God for our future together, it is joy and laughter and adventure and peace. 

And I can absolutely not wait to pursue that for the rest of my life.

Jeffrey, you may not be the perfect man of my dreams... that's going to rub my feet nonstop, bring me breakfast in bed every single morning, take me on unlimited shopping sprees, and put the toilet seat down 100% of the time. 

And I might not achieve the perfect wife award... who cooks six meals a day, keeps the car spotless at all times, works out twice a day/seven days a week and is never PMSing. 

But I am so excited that it's YOU I get to experience this crazy, dysfunctional, "hot-mess" of a life with. I love you!