Two Big Shocks in One Weekend!

As you saw in my previous post, Duncan and I are engaged.

But it almost didn't happen. In fact, had God not intervened, I might not have been around for Duncan to propose to. You see, on Friday night, I was travelling to Duncan's place in Buntine with our friends Jill and Bek, when I nearly had a car accident.

We were no more than five minutes from Duncan's place when my car started swerving all over the gravel road. I struggled to regain control of the car but I knew it was best not to over correct or brake too suddenly. Somehow I managed to slow down and bring the car to a safe halt.

I was in shock that I could have killed myself and my friends and now I'm determined to do a defensive driving course and not keep putting it off. I was still in shock for the rest of Friday night and was shaking a bit.

The next day, little did I know I was in for a shock of a different kind. After driving around the farm and patting the pet lambs in the morning, we headed back to Duncan's place for lunch and to watch the Eagles game. Well, as you know that was a fiasco. They didn't even put up a fight! I was asleep by the second quarter and at half time, Duncan woke me up and suggested we go for a walk. Jill was asleep and Bek had already gone out for a walk by herself, so I agreed. It was a walk that would change my life.

So there we were, ambling along a dirt road in Buntine, me jabbering away like a monkey in a tree when Duncan suddenly turned me around and I thought he wanted to go back to the house. Then he got down on one knee and proposed!!

You're probably all going to think the worst of me when I tell you what I said. I was in shock though and so many thoughts were racing through my head that I can't properly remember everything that happened but I said the one thing I swore I'd never say should I ever receive a (serious) marriage proposal.

I don't really remember but Duncan said as soon as he started getting down on one knee, I screeched "What are you doing? What are you doing?" After he proposed, I couldn't control my big mouth and I said, "Are you serious?"

The poor guy, there he was kneeling down on a dirt road and oh so very nervous and I go and say that. Then I had so many thoughts swirling in my head like a fog, all I could think was Think carefully Sarah, this answer is one of the biggest answers you will give in your whole life. Then I said 'yes'.

I think I was so shocked because the whole thing was such a surprise. I'd told Duncan months earlier that I'm not easily surprised and can be very suspicious. I thought we'd be together for at least a year before he proposed. Duncan obviously decided I was the woman for him and that the time was right right now. I knew he was the man for me as well, but I often struggle with desires to dictate and control and had mapped out in my head exactly when we were going to get engaged. Suddenly all my well made plans were thrown off course because I was determined to do things MY way. Why wait if you know that you've met the person you know you want to marry? That was a big lesson for me. I'm not saying jump into marriage recklessly or thoughtlessly but there's no point in dating for years and years, if you know you're with THE ONE.

We didn't tell anyone at first except for family and the bridal party because we planned to announce it to all of our friends together at Duncan's birthday last Saturday. We were pretty excited about all the screams of surprise and delight we got and are now getting stuck into planning our wedding which will be held sometime in April next year.

Both sets of parents are thrilled and have now met each other last weekend in Perth. They got on really well which is a big relief. It's ironic because the majority of Duncan's family are Christian and mine are all non Christian (except for me of course). We're praying that God will be using us to witness to my family so they might come to know him.

I have apologised to Duncan repeatedly over botching up his proposal. My big mouth just ran away with me. So I let him propose again ;) Poor guy but I have never made things easy for him and he still wants me anyway. Bless him ;)

I love you Duncan. I thank God for you and I can't wait to marry you in eight and a half months. You are the only fish in the sea for me xoxo