A quick look through July posts from the past few years, and this week’s recycled post was a no brainer. Two years ago this week, Allen called with big news that delighted us all. He and the love of his life were engaged. Our delight (and theirs) has only increased in the past two years. Abbey and Allen complement one another beautifully, and she is a blessing to our family.
Big News – Recycled
On Sunday, the last full day of our vacation, an email with the subject line “ET Phone Home” landed in my inbox. The cryptic message from my sister said, “You and Hiram need to call Allen (HE IS FINE), no need for angst.”
Immediately, I knew our son had one of two things to tell us. Either his beloved truck Rumblefish had died, or he and Abbey were engaged. I was pretty sure it was the second because he’d told me he was saving for a ring. A few minutes later, he confirmed my hunch. He’d surprised Abbey on Thursday evening with the question and the ring. She cried and said yes.
Allen and Abbey took us to supper after our flight from Spokane to Minneapolis Monday. The wedding details haven’t been fleshed out, but they’re tossing about a tentative date of April 10, 2010. The word “happy” does not adequately describe either their delight with one another or the fun we had talking about wedding plans.
Those of you who’ve been following Allen’s story know he was in a monastery for over five years, preparing to take final vows as a monk, and that he left at the end of last November to be treated for post-traumatic stress disorder. So you may be thinking, “Hmm, this seems like a pretty fast 180 degree turn.” On the surface, that’s exactly what it looks like. But if you look back six or seven years, to the days before Allen entered the monastery, you’ll see Abbey in the picture. She and Allen first met after their junior year of high school, and they clicked immediately.
But the full story is theirs to tell, not mine. I’ll just say that for me it illustrates how God uses His mercy, grace, healing and restoration to meet the deepest needs of our hearts and set all things right. So welcome to the family, Abbey. You are a joy beyond anything we could have imagined or conceived.
