Engagement Story

Hi! So, I was INCREDIBLY blown away by this past Sunday. Arm had been away at a retreat he was leading for our church and I didn't go because my parents were in town. However, I had no idea what our "special night" entailed. It all started on Sunday afternoon when I was taking my mom, dad, and their friends to see my apartment and university, etc. I walked in the door and saw 6 flower arrangements all over my room and red rose petals on my bed spelling out I love you. Actually I heart you. He also bought me 4 pictures with gerbera daisies on them that I had shown him I liked. You could have knocked me over with a feather. I just stood there speechless, but tried not to think anything because Arm had continually told me that he didn't have enough money for a ring and that I was getting a big surprise. Like a big in size surprise.

Then, my mom and her friend helped me get ready. He knew I liked to get dressed up and go out, so he said we should get dressed up. He came by around 5 and my mom was taking pictures of us like we were going to prom. I made her take one silly picture because it was all so sweet and picturesque and I felt a little weird with my parents there, so we took a silly picture. Then, he and I went to a park he had found earlier. He seemed a little nervous or strange, but he kept saying he was tired. He even looked at me and acted like he was going to propose, but then only pulled out a key. He told me he didn't have enough money for that.

Then, we got to the park and he was acting a little strange again, but I just kept talking myself out of it. It was going to be a fun night and I didn't want to be disappointed if he didn't ask me. So, we found a place to sit on some steps and he pulled out a Thai English Bible that I had been wanting for awhile. I thought that was my surprise. We read 1 Corinthians 13 in Thai and English and then he said he wanted to pray, but we had to switch to a new location. I didn't understand why and I was worried that someone would steal my video camera (hahaha) but after a few minutes, he got me to move a little bit. We prayed together and then we talked for a little bit. He told me he wanted to love me like Jesus forever. Next thing I know he said "Princess Danelle Marie Harting" and paused. I was thinking "If you don't have a ring I'm going to push you in the water". Then he got down on one knee, said "Will you marry me?" and pulled the ring out in one swift motion and I was stunned. I stood there for a minute and said "Oh my gosh!" and then remembered I had to say yes. So, I said yes and then he stood up and said something about the ring, but he hadn't put it on yet and that's all I was thinking about so I didn't even hear what he said.

He documented this all very well. He had 2 mp3 players in his pocket, our video camera, another girl with a video camera, and our friend disguised taking pictures of us. I don't have the pictures from the actual engagement right now because we left that camera in Thailand (and we're in China right now), but I have some pictures from my mom's camera. I will try to upload the pictures I have :D.

Engaged!!!!

So . . . I guess I have some explaining to do :D. When I moved to Bangkok last year, I met a guy at church the first week who was there who attracted my attention. He was handsome and seemed nice, so I started watching him at church, but I didn't really have any way to get to know him because an American girl talking to a Thai guy alone in church isn't a normal situation in Thailand. I had no idea that I attracted his attention almost just as quickly. We had a sport's month a month after I started going to that church and we were on the same team. That's when he found me on Facebook and we started talking. About a month and a half later (in mid-December) we started dating, much to everyone's surprise at church. An American girl and a Thai guy is not a normal couple in Thailand, but 2 of my American girl friends have also dated and married Thai men.





The more we talked, we found out that our dreams were very similar and that we had both been praying for quite some time about God bringing us our spouse. The more we got to know each other, see my parents' reactions to our relationship, see God work in our relationship, and talk with several other married people in our church, it became more and more apparent that God had brought us together.




On October 19th, 2008 Arm (Sunyaluck Singhanart) asked me to be his wife and I said yes. He wanted to ask me while my parents were in Bangkok, which meant SO MUCH to me. I have some pictures from before he asked me and one picture from the day after. Sorry, but all the pictures of the actual engagement were left in Bangkok and right now we're visiting E.Asia. I will have a picture blog next week or you can look me up on Facebook. :D.

He got my mom and our exchange student (Ting) to go into my room and make up 6 flower arrangements, put the rose petals on my bed, and leave me 4 gerbera daisy pictures that I had said I wanted at a flea market.

My mom was taking pictures of us like it was prom. The top one is a sweet one I let them take so I could take the silly one below. We were being super mushy and I guess it made me feel strange with my parents there, so I needed to take a silly picture. This is before we were leaving for his big surprise.

This picture was taken the next day in the van with my family as we were touring Bangkok. You can see the ring a little, but I will put better pictures up later. :).

He and I are truly excited about everything God has planned for us, even though we know it won't always be a bed of roses. The married couples we have talked to at church are excited as well as my parents. It has been quite a week, but it is all starting to seem real. I would love all of your prayers for he and I as we will be busy working and planning a wedding and marriage counseling as well as for our life together. If you would like any more details, you can just e-mail me. :D.

Politics . .. Again

Hi! Well, I saw the newspapers this morning and that is the only way I knew about the political crisis that happened. Do I feel safe in Bangkok? Yes, I do. Life outside of those few blocks is going on as normal and in some ways it felt like I was reading about an event in another country because there are no signs of the friction near my apartment, work, church, etc. Am I going to go to that area? No. I have no reason to go down there and even less desire to be in that area. I even found one part of the story a little funny. The Prime Minister had to climb a wall to get out of the Parliament building. Can you just picture this dignified man in a 3 piece suit climbing a wall to escape HIS government building? Come on, it's a little funny.

However, I do feel this situation does need a lot of prayer. Please join me and the rest of the Thai Christians as we are praying for many situations and all the people of Thailand. On October 1, the Thai churches nation-wide began a 40-days of prayer and fasting. Different people are fasting in different ways from eating only vegetables or not eating before 6pm, etc. but they are all doing it together. This has been happening in Thailand for at least 3 years and I think much longer, but I have only personally known about it for 3 years. It will end on November 10th.

In personal news, I have officially been in Bangkok for a year. It FLEW by, but I still really enjoy it here and I see again and again how God has brought me here to allow me to grow and heal from some things I didn't even know had affected my life so deeply. I also love working at Kasetsart University and enjoy getting to know my students there. My parents and their neighbors will be coming in 6 days!!! Pray for them as they will be jet lagged. I'm trying to keep a pretty busy schedule for them so that they keep moving, yet I realize they will need time to rest as well.

Thank you all for your support and prayers as I am in Thailand. I appreciate all the comments and e-mails and updates on your own lives so much! May God be with you all :D.