Un Dia Especial

I mentioned in my last blog that a certain event during Alan's visit deserved its own post and here it is.

On Monday, October 29, Alan's 3rd full day in Bogota, we set out to see some other parts of the city that I had heard were "chevere" (cool). We decided to go to a place on top of the mountains called Monseratte.

First we took the Transmilenio bus to Candelaria, which is a neat historical area with cafes and artesenias. We stopped for a small bite which turned into a large meal because the waiter thought we had ordered two of the same plates when we actually wanted to share. (I wasn't too happy about this because I wasn't very hungry and didn't want to pay for two large meals. In the U.S. you wouldn't be charged for something like this. Alan calmed me down and we decided to find a homeless person to give the extra food.)

Then we left and began walking towards the bottom of the mountain where Monseratte is located. (We found a homeless guy on the way). From the bottom of the mountain, we took a cable car lift thing called the Teleferico to the top of the mountan. As the car ascended up the mountain we were able see a great view of Bogota. Once on the mountain we had an even more amazing view of the city and were eye level with the clouds. On top of the mountain there is a gorgeous famous Catholic Church, some artesenias, 2 restaraunts, and a walkpath with statues of the sequence of Jesus' death. It didn't take long to do everything up there but it is very peaceful (especially on a Monday when everyone is at work) and we spent a good amount of time looking at the view and watching the clouds. When we first arrived the sky was clear, then the storm clouds surrounded us and we were inside of them, seeing nothing but white all around, then later the sky cleared again.

Around 5pm we went to an early dinner at the nicer of the two restaraunts. It was a super cozy French restaraunt with amazing food and we sat in the glassed in sun room with a view of all of Bogota. There were only one or two couples in the whole restaraunt. We ate and talked for a few hours. Alan started asking me serious questions like "where do you see yourself next year", "how many kids do you want", "when did you first start falling in love with me", etc. I felt a bit strange answering those questions because I usually avoid talking about "married people stuff". Then he started telling me about what he wanted out of life and how he felt about me. (I don't remember exactly what he said because the whole time I was wondering what was going on and denying what I thought might have been happening.) Then he started messing with his pocket and leaned over the table to kiss me (or distract me) and then went back to talking about the future. Next thing I know he was telling me that he wants to be with me forever and will never leave me and then he asked me to be his wife. I think my response was "OF COURSE", but said with shock and a gasp of air and a kiss before I even looked at the ring that he had hidden under his hands while talking to me. (He pointed out that I didn't look at it yet as he was giving it to me and then told me about how he designed it himself, how he decided to not do a diamond from a past conversation we had about the movie "Blood Diamond", how he asked/told my dad that he wanted to marry me, and how he didn't want to wait until I came home for Christmas to propose even though he had no way of planning it out in Bogota, Colombia.)

I later told him that I had pointed him out to my friends at church sometime in February/March of 2006, before ever officially meeting him, as the guy I thought I was going to marry, even though I didn't believe it myself and new I was crazy for saying it outloud (but my friends new I was crazy so they didn't think anything of it). I think I am finally getting over the shock that this actually happened and that I am not dreaming (even though it is a dream).

So I am engaged and maybe by July or October of 2008 I will be Mrs. Alan Wilser or as the students at my school say, he will be Mr. Mclambcito.

So my request is that you be praying for us both as we are apart from each other while I finish up my year in Bogota and while he is who-knows-where, as we plan for marriage, as best possible without being together, and that God will bless this time apart to help bring us together as one.