About the couple...
Jessica and I had been dating for over three years. At the time of our engagement, I was a student at U.C. Davis, working hard on getting my B.A. with a double major in psychology and communications. Jessica was working in cosmetics at the local Longs drug store. We had a bit of a distance between us, as Jessica is was living at home and working in Pleasant Hill, CA. During our engagement we would see each other regularly on the weekends and were fortunate to be able to go on many romantic dates! We've always enjoyed taking long walks together, as well as fine dining. We've been to many restaurants in the Bay Area, and we have tons of suggestions! We love to pray together because we believe that a cord of three strands is not easily broken (Ecclesiastes 4:11). Spending time with friends is always a treasured event, too!
How we met...Timothy: I believe in love at first sight. I met Jessica in 8th grade, and I knew then that she was my soulmate. We dated for two weeks and I told her that I believed I loved her...and she freaked out and dumped me. But I could not give her up. I learned an unselfish love then; instead of wanting her for myself, because of how incredible she is and how great it makes me feel to be around her, I simply desired whatever would be best for her life, and I eagerly hoped and dreamed that I could grow to be that! From eigth grade we continued to build our friendship as she started coming to our church's youth ministry. After four years of rebuilding our relationship around God, friendship, and communication, we began dating again as a couple on December 24th of 2000. We went to both of our senior proms together, and have been joyfully and gratefully dating for a total of 3+ years now, and our 8year friendship is a beautiful foundation that we look forward to building a strong God-glorifying marriage on!
Jessica: Timothy has always been so romantic! In eighth grade, he used to come and visit me at the student store, where I would work after school. He asked me one day what it would take to get the heart of a girl he liked. At the time, I was eating my 'wildberry' Skittles so I told him that purple Skittles were the key! The next day, he brought me a ONE POUND bag of those Skittles and asked me to be his girlfriend! I think it only lasted two weeks then because I was soon intimidated by his maturity in love. I now understand that I was afraid of the spirituality that I saw in him. Even though I broke his heart, he never stopped loving me. I only started to understand that this was a godly quality after I became a disciple. Our friendship was transformed as we began to help each other grow to have faith in God. I believe I truly fell in love with Timothy when I realized that he loved me for who I am on the inside and that he cared more about saving my soul than about being my boyfriend! I had never understood a love so deep. Timothy continues to remind me of how much God really loves me, because now I know that he is my gift from God. He will always be my angel. How could I now have seen this before? Only God knows how to answer that! And only His timing is perfect!
The Engagement...Jessica: I stayed at some friends' house in Davis the night before Tim proposed. I was feeling a lot! I was hopeful that he would ask me to marry him on our date that he had planned for the following day! As it went, Tim had planned for us to attend a wedding (of all events!) that day. At the wedding, I went up to the tossing of the bouquet and I caught it (even after it hit the rafters)!! I remember looking up and saying to God, 'Please don't tease me with this!' Little did I know!! Then when the groom threw the garter, it got stuck in the rafters! What a trip! Then all the guys got together and lifted Tim up to get it(I don't even know how many of them really even knew Tim)! It was all totally unplanned and I couldn't help but laugh about it all day! After the wedding, Tim took me and another couple (Mike and Jaclyn) to the Arboretum in Davis. What a beautiful day it was! We saw so many incredible things as we walked around the park! We even saw a peacock! Later, Mike and Jaclyn left and Tim suggested that he and I go for a prayer walk back towards the car. We took a different route and saw the sun setting as we prayed and thanked God for each year of our relationship. As I prayed and thought about how blessed I am, I got all choked up! Then we approached a gazebo that was lit up with candles all around and beautiful rose petals were sprinkled sweetly all over the area! Tim had some friends set up a cute little table for two and prepare a dinner for us. I could hardly eat because now I was really hoping that this would be the night! Tim suggested we dance and after a couple of songs, he told me that he had written a song that he wanted to sing to me. He cried as he sang, which of course brought me to tears! Then he brought over two dozen roses, with one beautiful white rose in the middle. Guess what was in the white rose?! The RING!! Then he got down on one knee and read me this incredible scripture and he asked me to marry him!! Of course I said YES!! through my sobs and tears!! This was the best and most romantic night of my life!! I love Timothy forever!!!
Timothy: I chose the day of our friends' wedding because 1)I knew Jessica would be super-emotionally charged, and 2)it was less conspicuous than getting all dressed up for some random date in the middle of April! At the Arboretum, around sunset, Mike (my roommate) was to 'forget' his phone in the car, which he needed for our reservation at Illa Baggio's (our decoy restaurant). We had rehearsed it all earlier in the week. There were rose petals all over the ground and table in the Arboretum, and candles inbetween the pillars. My friend Carlos cooked a special dinner I had planned, and Mike and Jaclyn served it. I had a special CD of love songs to play in the background. We danced to Billy Joel's 'Just the way you are' and then I sang a song I wrote for her called 'My love for you' while we danced without music. Afterwards, I got her a 2dozen red rose bouquet with a single white rose, which secretly bore the ring. I brought it to her and told her I wanted to read her a scripture I had been saving. On one knee I read Hosea 2:19-20,then asked her to marry me. She is my heart's desire!
The Wedding Party (named from left to right)
Timothy's Attendants:
Timothy - Groom
Victor - Best Man, Tim's best friend
John - Groomsman, Tim's brother
Joshua - Groomsman, Tim's brother
Patrick - Groomsman, Jessica's brother
Michael - Groomsman, Tim's roommate
Special Comments:
I was born an only child, but God has given me an incredible set of friends who are my true brothers.
Victor . My first and best friend, he has a powerful and persevering personality, and his charisma is invaluably entertaining. A great listener and true soldier of Christ. Victor is my brother in the faith.
Patrick, a.k.a. PJ . Not simply my fiance's brother, but truly a friend of my own, he is my best snowboarding companion, and we've had many adventures together. He is talented, daring and caring, and has a great sense of humor. I am grateful to call him my brother-in-law.
John. A wonderful brother to me, who always spoke the truth in love. He has shown me much respect and love... more than I've deserved. He is strong in heart and body and mind. A gentle giant of sorts, his humor and character have matured greatly, and he is a man of many talents and much potential. My true brother.
Joshua. Josh is growing into a talented young man. His talents have always been obvious, and his love is made obvious through his serving and desire to always hang out. He loves relationships, and has always been giving to his friends. Joshua will become a great man someday.
Michael Allum. The best roommate I've ever had... the only roommate I'll ever have! Mike is the first and last (thank goodness!), and I'm grateful for his love, support, listening ear, and serving heart. A unique sense of humor, that is sometimes hit or miss... Mike is an incredible man of God, and will impact many along the course of his life.
I love all of these men. They have all taken care of me in different ways. They are all uniquely talented and I could not ask for a more loyal or valuable set of friends and family. They are my true brothers.
Jessica's Attendants:
Kirsten - Bridesmaid, Close friend
Marilyn - Maid of Honor, Jessica's best friend
Cynthia - Bridesmaid, Tim's sister
Jessica - Bride, Tim's Love!
Dara - Bridesmaid, Close friend
Erica - Bridesmaid, Jessica's cousin
Special Comments:
Marilyn, my maid of honor: You are the best friend I have ever had. You have never given up on me and your faith in God encourages me. I am so grateful that we have been able to grow and mature together over these past few years. I am honored that you have chosen to help me make my dreams come true in marrying Timothy. Thank you for always believing in us! You and Micah deserve a lot of credit for helping us stay focused on God first! I love you so much!
Miss Erica, my dear: You have always been a sister to me. In my mind, that has never changed. Distance and time have separated us, but everytime we talk my memories flood in and we can always pick up right where we left off. Thank you for sharing in my joy and excitement about this life change! I can't wait to watch you catch the bouquet!! (LoL) I love you so much!
Cynthia, darling: You are going to really be my sister now! I can hardly believe that it is finally happening! You have always been so crucial in helping me see things more clearly, especially when it comes to the relationship that Tim and I have. I love your honesty and how genuine you are. I love you so much!
Dara, my friend: Ah! You have kept me laughing and loving life! Thanks for showing me how to have fun and just relax! I love you so much!
And Kirsten, I have not forgotten you! I am so grateful that I have gotten to know your amazing personality! You help me to stay humble you have been so good at reminding me that I don't have to know what I am doing here! Thank you for taking such good care of me! What a wonderful friend you are! I love you so much!! Thanks for hangin' in there with me, girls!!
***
This is a poem I wrote to my betrothed during our engagement...
'Smile for Me'
The joy you bring
When there's light in your eyes
Makes my soul sing
You are the sunrise.
The peace you share
With the gentlest of touch
Relieves my fear
You are a diamond in the rough.
The faith you speak
Can make a heart right
You help trust peak
You are the starry-night.
You're all these things,
And you'll always be
So take some time
And smile for me.
From One Soulmate to Another...
