Where all the magic happened! Trust me, it was real magic! No one stapled the other's fingers to the back of the board! It could have happened too, the conditions were right!
Just so you can get the full effect of how the clean living room with the 'baby sofa' really does make my new bed look great! Trust me, this is as clean as it will ever get! haha!
We haven't found too much to do in Mobile yet. It is really ok. I need to be studying and Ben will be working soon, so we aren't dying here. We have a few great friends and it seems that every social outing we have these days seems to involve food!!! So we definitely aren't starving. But we did have the pleasure of catching some FANTASTIC college baseball this past Saturday :-) University of South Alabama vs. University of Alabama. There were some great hits, several home runs, and even (GASP!) umpire chest bumping!!! At least that's what Ben told me.... haha!
Just before Ben and I became engaged (I had a hunch it was coming) I wrote this below to give him on our wedding day. Needless to say, nothing went as planned! I was 3 hours late to the wedding venue because I regret to inform you, I LEE, had a "melt down" over my hair. (Shocker, I know!) Emmy Belle was the only brave soul who would sit with me as I squalled about my: "Stringy, frizzy, too curly, not curly enough, bleach blonde, 'Oh my! I see roots!!'"head of hair. To which she finally couldn't watch anymore and imparted her 4 year old words of wisdom upon me. As she settled into a chair with a story book to wait on me and thumbed through the pages she said, "Lee-lee, don't cry! You know that God made everybody and he made everybody SO, SO perfect. And you are perfect and very pretty." It was at this moment I was able to bring everything back into perspective. The simple words of a child. Her simple understanding of the world and God's love. Ben loved me no matter what, even with no make-up and ugly hair. I wiped my tears and replied, "Thank you Emmy. Yes, I know, He did make everyone so perfect because He loves us all, right?"She jumped out of the cozy chair, threw her book on the floor and replied, "YES! He loves us!!! Just like I love you! Can we go to your wedding now so I can throw the flowers and eat your cake?!"Of course, Emmy Belle. HAHA! Within minutes I was dressed, hair, head piece and all, walking out the door to walk down the aisle to meet the right, "one".I must confess, I have had to defy my own gravity;
And during our 3rd chapter, there came a day when I had to let go and just love you.
Just as you have loved me.
For 963,950,400 moments
You’ve loved me and made sure that I knew it!
That’s 1,834 days.
There have been days we have been far a part
But there was still a love.
And days when we just simply couldn’t say goodbye.
Then you REALLY loved me!
There have been days of absolute and utter personal devastation
Days when there was nothing left but a shell.
Yet you still love;
Even when we weren’t speaking, you called to make sure I was still breathing and remind me that there is always tomorrow.
You’ve lifted me up in prayer and in smiles and awful jokes.
“We’ve sat in the ash of stupid words can’t take back”
Yet we have still loved each other.
You bring out the BEST in me.
You help push me, because you know, like I, You have to change to grow.
You help to remind me of the faith I must exercise as a daughter of the Prince of Peace.
We’ve always been genuine and honest in every part of our lives with each other
And we still love.
They say the best duos are not those who look into each other’s eyes but those who look into the directions.
We wake each morning knowing that when we were born, the Lord provided us with a great inheritance (Ephesians 1:13,14)
In return we serve His Kingdom.
You are a soldier for Christ, just as I am a soldier for Christ
We will not serve ourselves but the Lord first and then those around us and each other.
In tandem each day as Paul tells us in Ephesians we will “Take up the Whole Armor of the God”.
Fastening on the belt of truth
Putting on the breastplate of righteousness
Shoes for our feet, in readiness given by the gospel of peace.
Taking up the shield of faith, to extinguish all the flaming darts of evil.
Taking the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit.
And with that, together we will persevere in the name of the Lord as His ambassadors. (Ephesians 6:10-20)
We are NOT perfect humans but we try. That’s what the Lord calls us to do.
“you and I are best because we know we gotta try”
I stand here before you, promising to try every day, to be a Godly wife,
To be the funny girl, the pretty girl, so yes, I WILL brush my teeth once in while!
The same girl that you met in an 8 am college class which in itself is a miracle that I actually showed up on time to sit in the back and next to you.
To be the same girl who totally stalked you on MYSPACE!
And introduced you to the world of crafts and cookies with munchkin brothers and sisters
Yet I promise to be the girl, who will always see the unbridled beauty of horses,
The girl who is also the woman who wants to change the world and love this life of lemonade as much as possible
I promise to be supporting you in the endeavors that the He calls as I know you support me.
I commit to you this life, within this circle of love.
May the Lord bless you and protect you and shine His face upon us both and be gracious to us, may He give us peace.
Once you choose hope anything is possible.
That day in our chapter 3, I knew it would be you in my heart always.
So with this:
I promise to love you more than any other, in good times and in bad;
I promise to be slow to anger and quick to forgive and to treat each morning as a new opportunity to share life and love with you.
I love you forever Benjamin.
Got to LOVE those honeymoon self portraits!
Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their work:
If one falls down,
his friend can help him up.
But pity the man who falls
and has no one to help him up!
Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
-- Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
Looks like we were excited!
Don't I resemble Lovey Howell from Gilligan's Island here?!
We could have stayed here for days :-)
Matthew showing me his new design and where his new "Fort" will go
SISTERS!!! Together again!
I am sorry Bo, Jack and Hannah were unavailable to be photographed for this trip due to their lack of cooperativeness... Here are their representative pumpkins....maybe real photos next time.
Oh, the proposal.....
So...some of you may be saying, engaged??? Or maybe...engaged!!!
Well, no matter what your reaction, here is the story of how I surprised the girl who hates surprises.
You have read our story by now, or you know it because you were there for a part of it. I speak for both Lee and I to tell you that we are so very grateful for everyone's help along the way no matter how big or small.
This all started when we spent the last 2 months, 500 miles apart and missing each other more and more everyday. We had talked about marriage many times in the past. This time was different however. Naturally we both loosely ran the idea by our respective families and soon there after we were suddenly picking dates and shopping details and all WITHOUT a ring or a certain question! (This is where the train left the station without both Lee and I on it! ha!) I had not even talked to her dad yet. I will say that there was never a doubt in my mind about asking her, but I wanted a little more surprise involved...a little romance if you will. The reason this was needed to be discussed now is simple. We could not stand to be apart, did not want to live together before marriage, and because of Lee's school schedule, would have had to endure the separation for another year or more if not now.
Fast forward a few weeks, and a few more plans, and one AGITATED Lee Emanuel. Why you ask? Well I still had not asked the question yet. She was getting to the point that she was almost willing to accept an emailed proposal! She would say, "Whenever we discuss marriage I always say, 'No, no, no, not yet!' and now that I'm all in, you make me WAIT!!!" Little did she know that I had in fact purchased a ring, talked to all parental parties, and even started a little creative story telling involving me not asking her for a while in order to "preserve the romance" and wait until the school semester was over. This is where the fun begins, and it involves more creative stories and alot of help from her family to pull it off.
Here is the fabricated story in short...basically Lee was to be picked up by her Aunt Jan and Uncle Dennis, under the guise of "catering work" for and FCA event, all things she loved, work, catering work, Aunt Jan and Uncle Dennis and FCA. Naturally, the servant that Lee is, was happy to help. Meanwhile, as I am racing to Mobile, AL from Nashville, TN with her sister/photographer in toe in order to make her moment easily remembered I am telling her that I "can't talk" because I have to go into work at another store as a "fill-in", this way she would not call me at work for the rest of the afternoon. You see...she was being lured to her favorite spot on Mobile Bay, a pier in Fairhope, AL overlooking the water and at sunset. This is a spot where Lee and I have shared many moments in the recent past and the only spot to tell her how much I love her and want to spend the rest of my life with her. In order to get her there, they told here that the catering 'event' was running behind and they had time to catch the sunset on the pier. Lee was terribly excited about the extra time before lots of work that night, because she had brought her camera to capture Mobile Bay just in case this exact thing happened!
Fast forward again to Jill and I arriving early to scope out the place. This is where my nerves are starting to kick in. I was starting to talk excessively and scrutinize every detail while I waited for my unsuspecting love to arrive. Needless to say, Jill was thoroughly entertained with my now ridiculous behavior.
Soon, I have taken my place with ring in hand and disguise ready to go. Jill is in place with the camera, Lee's grandmother, Mimi, has arrived in her very own disguise, looking much like a mysterious movie star in the airport and finally the transport team has arrived to meet the surveillance team for action!!! The only thing left is to surprise Lee!!! By now my heart is literally pounding, I am blinded by the setting sun and straining to find Lee on the pier. I am desperately trying to find her without blowing my cover.
Suddenly, I hear the whistle from Jill telling me she is coming...I spot her and wait...she passes me by, taking photos of me, while I pray she doesn't notice it's me! Luckily, she wasn't wearing her glasses and she was quite enthralled with the amazing picture that the Lord had painted for us that day! I spring into action...GAMETIME!!! I come from behind her and call her name...she doesnt turn around...I call again and she even kind wants to run away a bit!!! haha! I call one last time(third times a charm ;) and she turns around and sees that its me!
Here is where she gives me the biggest surprised look I have ever seen and is in total shock. We hug and kiss, she calls me a liar, and I tell her that I need to talk to her..I tell her that I love her very much, and just had to surprise her with something since we were doing this planning thing a little backward. I tell her that I had to bring her to the water and sunset to tell her that I wanted to spend the rest of my life making her feel like the luckiest and most beautiful girl in the world. The entire time she is saying OMG! OMG! OMG! I dont think she even heard me words, except "Will you marry me" on bended knee...In fact, she even asked me to say it twice! I was so nervous I said it very quickly. At this point, there is a line of perfect strangers and family screaming in joy, blocking the pier and in turn, giving me a bit of stage fright! She said, "YES!" I stood up, took the ring from the box and placed it on her finger and the family revealed the rouse. She still had not seen Jill! After several posed photos, she realized I brought her a personal photographer and the entire event was caught on camera!
We later exchanged hugs and tears and laughter and parted ways from the family for a little alone time on the pier and soon to dinner to enjoy the moment. On the way to the restaurant we had a fortuitous moment when "Marry Me" by Train came on the radio ;) Truly a perfect moment for both of us and I am very grateful to everyone who helped me surprise the most special person in my life. Lee, I love you very much and can't wait to start our life together!
Love you forever... Your Benjamin
In our typical humorous fashion: here we are sharing a sunset kiss...next to the garbage can....
Just in case you want to see the amazing photos that Jillian (and Lee too) captured that day, check it out here:
The two of us back in 2006 when I was working for a children's party company and Benjamin was "Prince Charming" in the form of being my driver on the weekends.
The Lord took each of them down separate paths only to bring them back together in 2008. It was then that they realized they were definitely "Better Together" www.youtube.com/watch. 
Lee's path had become a bit weathered and Benjamin arrived just in time to pick up the pieces. Their summer romance was put on pause when Ben got the amazing opportunity to visit the beautiful country of Greece and it's people on a Mission trip. Little did Benjamin know that God's work was not done at the end of his mission trip. On the Sunday morning that Ben was to return to the States, Lee's sister, Jillian was in a near tragic car accident on her way home from church. The Emanuel family grounded to a screeching halt as they rushed to the ICU unit of Vanderbilt and looked to the Lord for His wisdom and comfort. Lee was chosen to "Man the HOUSE" ALONE during the crisis!! Not only was she trying to stay faithful and calm, she was trying to comfort her small brothers and sisters too. No sooner did the wheels of Benjamin's plane land in Nashville was he on his way to help serve, protect and comfort in any way he could at the Emanuel house that night. For several days they were there side-by-side reminding each other the He never gives us more than we can handle even though it felt like He had forgotten about them because their world was falling a part. It was then that Lee leaned on Ben for strength and he stood strong in the Lord to remind her of the the great inheritance they had chosen as small children and as a soldier in Christ, she would never be left behind,to simply keep looking forward and acting now. Small funny moments and prayer seemed to be what recharged and they became masters of changing diapers, fixing juice cups, playing video games, cleaning up dog food off the floor and getting "Jill" updates.
In the following weeks/months the Lord showed His will to all involved and Jillian was able to heal up enough to leave the hospital and eventually make a full recovery. He had also done work in the hearts of Ben and Lee. A great deal of trust was formed between the two and they began together at MTSU that fall, enjoying college life and once again surviving 8 AM classes and other terrors of the academic world. As we come to the end of Chapter Two, it seemed that God's perfect timing was not quite in place for Benjamin and Lee.
In early winter of 2009 they parted ways once again.
