A Hot June Day

Saturday had to be the most perfect day ever created. It was Will's 30th birthday. To celebrate, he decided to plan a whole day for us. I only got hints now and then. None of them made any sense. But, on Saturday morning, we met in Champaign at Wal-Mart and rode together to our first destination: Robert Allerton Park in Monticello, IL. It is absolutely beautiful. I felt like I had stepped into an English storybook.

We began by walking around the visitor's centre and a few gardens and statues. The Mansion was lovely- complete with a lake and what appeared to be a bowling green. We got back in the car and made our way to the West Entrance of the Park where we found a huge Sun Singer statue. Will parked the Scion and we got out. After walking around the statue, we found a path that led into the woods and decided to take it.

Upon reaching a fork in the road, we found the rest of the path(s) flooded. We stood still for a few seconds. It was at that moment, he changed my life. Will chose that spot to propose to me. He got down on one knee, sand and all. After I said "YES", he prayed for us. We walked back up the hill and got in the car again. We were both pretty speechless for a few miles.

The rest of our day included lunch at the Brown Bag Deli and a train ride between two old depots in Monticello. It was warm enough that we had the windows open. At one stop, there were old train cars to tour. Our day was completed by going back to Paxton for a few hours and driving back to Champaign, where Will opened his birthday gifts.

It's hard to believe I'm engaged now. Something I've wanted my whole life. Now it's here. And, I can't imagine spending the rest of my life with anyone else. God has so blessed me and put everything I love into one person. wow.