The day that led to...

the day.

Seven years ago on this date, in the presence of his family, in the holy city of Jerusalem, Shawn got down on one knee and asked me to be his wife.

It was a hot Sunday afternoon thirteen days into our trip overseas. We had spent the morning going through the 12 Stations of the Cross, reflecting on the life and ministry of Jesus. When we arrived at the place believed to be where Christ was crucified, Shawn proposed. It was significant, he told me, because this is where the ultimate act of love occured - Christ dying for us. He wanted to learn from that example, lay his life down and learn to love me with that sacrificial love. He didn't have a ring, only words of love and willingness to commit himself to me. He asked the same from me.

As we know, my answer was yes and always will be yes.

After a visit to the Tower of David, we spent the afternoon roaming the streets of Jerusalem looking for a ring. We found my ring at the King David Hotel. I knew it right when I saw it. I was only sad that I had to wait a day (a whole day!) to have it sized and ready before we boarded a plane for Turkey. After passing through customs, I put that ring on and that's where it sits today.

Three months later we married.

And so we continue to walk through life together. Peaks and valleys, times of complacency and boredom, times of intimacy and bonding. All, times of growing.

We will probably never visit that place again. Pictures will have to do. But I will always have the memory of Shawn confessing his love for me in the place that Christ first demonstrated the ultimate act of love for all of us, there on the cross, dying so that we might live.

And love.

And be loved.

I love you, Shawn.