Last fall, I posted about my son's engagement to his lovely fiance, Danielle. They're settling in to their 'engagement' stage of their relationship. I appreciate the time they are taking to do things 'their way'.
Like many brides, Danielle is working her way through nursing school. She's in school full time and working full time, too. Honestly, I don't know how she's doing it. But she is.. and is always just a sweet bubble of sunshine. She is showing extreme patience in setting their wedding date, because another goal they have as a couple is to purchase a home. They've found the perfect 'nest' and are patiently awaiting a complete stranger's approval on them making it their own. Once they check that off their 'to-do list' I think they can select their big day.
As if that isn't exciting enough, last night, my darling daughter Jen and her boyfriend of 6 years JC, got engaged! Late last week, JC happened to call me to see if Jen had gotten home yet, I wasn't sure because I was working late because of Derby and Mother's Day. Little did I know, he just happened to stop by our house to speak to my husband about marrying Jen. My husband said he'd planned to ask Jen next week while they celebrate their six years together. Needless, that ring an a guy's possession is very hard to contain and rather than waiting- he popped the question just a bit early.
To some couples, six years is indeed a long time, but to them and us, their families, it's even more than that. For a good majority of their relationship.. they have been apart. A few months after they started dating, JC left for 4 years in the ARMY. Yes, she knew he'd signed up, and she was still willing to be adventurous, patient, supportive and encouraging while he was gone. Even during a deployment to Kuwait for over one year. They got to spend one prom together, her junior. She spent three years of college on her own. In return, he supported and encouraged her, too. She has just finished her senior year of college. Is she done? Not quite. She changed her major going into her Junior year. So, that meant she'd be a semester off on graduating because she now has student teaching to add to the list.
Now, at the end of this summer, Jen is the one leaving town for a while. She'll be going to Germany to teach her major- English, at, of all places- a US ARMY base. So needless to say, I think they have to jump on the wedding planning. She won't return until December...so, I think we'll definitely have double bling and lots of wedding bells coming this Spring.
In the mean time.. I hope she'll breathe for a while, enjoy the engagement bliss and soak in her last summer of being single.
[the photo posted, is one of my very favorites.. after over a year's deployment to Kuwait, Jen and JC were reunited. I think the photo says it all for patience and love.]
