post-it note proposal part 2

Brief history of our post-it note tradition:

Eric and I have dated long distance from day one. A big part of our excitement in seeing each other happens through countdowns. I started off writing each day on a post-it note and then tearing it off each day. But Eric found a countdown app on our phone! Thank you, Lord, for the iPhone Countdown App! We are big fans :) In this photo, little did I know I was counting down to Eric's proposal!

Thanksgiving Countdown

Another post-it note memory is how I told Eric I loved him for the first time. He had already told me he loved me, and I had finally built up the courage to tell him but we weren't going to see each other for another few weeks. I couldn't wait to tell him any longer. I had written out everything I wanted to say on the post-it notes a couple weeks before. I was ready. So one evening, on Skype (our favorite means of communication--what did people do before Skype??) I busted out my post-it notes and told him I loved him. Always and Forever. One word on each post-it. Down below is a photo of the actual moment:

Display of Love

 And now for the much anticipated continuation of the story! :)

He slowly opens the passenger door for me and.......

Talking with my Papa

....yellow post-it notes.  All over. The seat. The door. The dashboard. A little white board sign has the words "Things I Love About You" written on it. Each post-it has a word or phrase that Eric loves about me. A single rose sits on the seat. And a letter. While I'm taking it all in, Eric gently nudges me and tells me to read the letter. With fumbling hands, I open the letter and the first thing I see is a photo of Eric and my Dad in front of my house. I turn around in amazement and Eric is just smiling. "Read the letter," he says. Eric was supposed to meet my parents today! I knew he wanted to talk to my dad, but this photo meant they had already talked! This had Eric Wenzel craftiness written all over it. I am notorious for reading fast and once I read the letter in like 2.5 seconds I turn around to face Eric. He seems taken aback by how quickly I read it. However, he recovers quickly, clears his throat and looks me in the eyes.

Engaged!!

Eric told me things that made my heart sing. Then later I had to have him repeat what he said because I couldn't remember :) A lot of thoughts can jumble up in a girl's brain when she is getting proposed to! With Eric, I feel loved. And known. And happy. Our dating relationship has been so full of adventure. And laughter. And becoming more like Jesus.

A couple summers ago, I did a bible study with some wonderful women and we went through the book "Praying For Your Future Husband" by Robin Gunn and Tricia Goyer. Robin spoke hope into my heart. She told us that a day would come when everything would change.  I was recently reminded of my girly-dreamy-eyed face when we did the chapter on how Rebekah got matched up with Isaac. How Rebekah had no idea what her day held in front of her.  Robin told us that day would come for us. We would wake up not knowing that we would meet a wonderful man. Or fall in love. Or be proposed to. Happy sigh. I have so many things I would love to share. About God's perfect love-story writing abilities. And about how much I am looking forward to the day I take on Wenzel as my last name. He stole my heart so I get to steal his name :) 

I guess I can finish the proposal story :) After he shared his heart, Eric got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. And I said yes! The photo above is our first photo as an engaged couple. Rosy cheeked and thrilled :)

My other big news is that I am officially island hopping to Oahu to be closer to this awesome guy! At the end of December, I will be closing my Maui chapter and opening a new one on Oahu. Maui has been my home for over 3 years. I love this island, so so much. My Ohana here is incredible. I have grown in grace and truth on Maui. I know that the Lord is walking before me. Already I am blown away by the love and support I have gotten during this season of change and engagement and wedding planning. I am blissfully happy and so excited for what is to come :)

Risa

post-it note proposal (part 1)

Have you.....

ever prayed about something for a really long time? 

prayed so hard you thought your heart may explode?

told God you would wait patiently, but then stepped forward anyway?

cried because you felt like you would never "get it"?

realized God has a plan for you?

 experienced that HIS plan is perfect...

....even when it seems out of reach?

I have. In the past. Right now. And I will tomorrow too. Specifically, this entry is about romance. Good old-fashioned knee-scraping falling in love business. BUT, I have so much to say, process, figure out, and talk through when it comes to trusting God with your life. Another entry perhaps :)

Flashback to First Date:

My hair is whipping in the wind. Driving with the top down on H2. Eric is talking about our tentative dating plans for the next few months. He mentions he will be home in Kansas for Thanksgiving. I tilt my head back, look up at the stars and pray that I could go home for Thanksgiving too. 

4 months later, I'm running off an airplane and into Eric's arms at the Kansas City airport, gripping my pillow (a traveling favorite) and trying not to knock over any unsuspecting elderly folks. We are usually pretty jittery and love-struck for at least the first 20 minutes after not seeing each other for weeks. I brace myself for the chilly November air and we head out to our rental car. Which is parked pretty far away from us. And it's cold. Like really cold. Eric had brought me a coat and CHEESEBALL MOMENT we had our love to keep us warm :) Ahem. END OF CHEESEBALL MOMENT. Eric puts my bags in the back and quickly throws some stuff in the backseat. He slowly opens the passenger door for me and.......

Continued in part 2 :)

wait and sea

Ahem. I am very overdue on a blog post. Instead of apologizing a thousand times, like I want to do, I'll jump right into it. A lot has happened over the summer!

My 24th Birthday

-The lovely ladies of my life on Maui-

For my birthday this year, I was completely and utterly blessed to get to spend the evening with some amazing women. Each one of these women means so much to me, and I was filled to the brim with encouragement after some quality time with them. Food. Laughter. Tears. Truth about God and His love for us. It was a birthday to remember! Also, Jill's daughter made the most delicious chocolate cake I've ever had in my life. Legendary. I am so thankful to call these women my friends :)

Camp Mokulei'a

-Kayak Attack!-

One of my dearest friends, Leslie, asked me to help serve at the WyldLife island wide camp on the North Shore of Oahu in July. WyldLife is the junior high version of YoungLife. So basically, I got to hang out with some pretty cool junior highers for a week. My job was sports tech, which included a lot of four square games, picking up dodgeballs, playing knock out, and making sure no one got a black eye with a frisbee. I was also recruited to help lifeguard and, an added bonus, take all of the girl groups out on kayak adventures! (I'm the one in the yellow kayak in the photo!) Some highlights were: Men In Black alien combat training. We flipped off the lights, turned on the dubstep music and strobe lights, and shot q-tips through straws at each other. I took some insane hits to my eyeballs and jugular. Fierce. Ketchup, shaving cream, and baking powder wars. Messssssssyyy. Working the snack bar with Leslie and Jenna. Convincing an entire pool of kids to make a whirl pool. All kinds of water fights. Singing songs. Talking about Jesus. Learning about Jesus. I was an innocent bystander in what turned from lighthearted beach games into me having a squid tentacle swiped through my open mouth. Ick. Salty. Cruising with the sweetest junior high kids. High ropes course and zipline. Blessed with new friends. Solid conversation. I got to fall asleep every night with the sound of waves lapping against the shore, less than twenty feet from my bed. Breezy beach winds flowing through our open windows. Learned how to play the ukulele. I was feeling pretty burned out from doubling up on jobs--as awesome as they both are. I spent a lot of time reading out of John. Here is my favorite passage of the week:

"The Word became flesh and blood,

and moved into the neighborhood.

We saw the glory with our own eyes,

the one-of-a-kind glory,

like Father, like Son,

Generous inside and out,

true from start to finish."

John 1:9-14 (Message)

I learned so much about myself at my week of camp. I had some quality quiet times with the King. On an ordinary green bench. Lanky legs draped over the sides. Hair whipping in the wind. Bible pages flapping. LOVING every second. The rhythm of the waves resetting the rhythm of my heart. Tapping my toes to the tunes of His love and grace. Overall, camp was AWESOME :)

Christy and Orin's Wedding

-Christy and I at her Bachelorette Party-

Christy is one of my best friends and I was STOKED to be able to go and celebrate with her and her family. I had never met Orin, only heard wonderful things, and he is all that I heard and more! I spent some quality time with her family and really enjoyed getting to meet Christy's other close friends. Even though this was my second trip to Canada, I still get such a kick out of how similar, and yet how different Canada is from the States. And how hilariously different Hawaii is from the rest of the States. I had known weddings were a lot of work. But seriously, weddings are a lot of work! It was worth it. Christy was a stunning bride. The wedding went smoothly. The weather cooperated. I can't wait to see all the photos! I loved staying up late and giggling with Christy, talking about how great Orin is and all the wedding details we were excited about. I'm honored to have been a part of her special day and I'm looking forward to the adventures God has in store for the wonderful Mr. and Mrs. Saunders :)

The Boyfriend

-Eric and I Upcountry-

Flashback to Camp Mokulei'a. While I was there, a friend of mine (notorious for set ups) told me one of the leaders from Oahu had gone to K-State. I was skeptical. Another K-Stater in Hawaii? Semi-unbelievable. I made a point to figure out who he was that day. Tall. Handsome. Really good with kids. Hmm. The next day he came over and talked to me and the conversation went a little like this: "K-State? No way. You lived where? This is crazy!! I know him too!! How did we never meet?" (I was exclaiming all of my statements, blown away by the fact that we had so many things, places, friends in common. He played it calm and collected) After our first conversation, I began to do some information gathering about this guy. I mean, I didn't go to a camp bursting full of junior high kids to pick up a boyfriend. I was a little unprepared :)

Throughout the week, Eric and I would bump into each other. He would come and chat with me while I lifeguarded. I watched him play basketball with his campers. Interact with other leaders. Our notorious set up friend (along with the encouragement of the one and only Leslie) pulled me aside and told me that I really just needed to know one thing about Eric. "Risa, he is super adventurous and has a pure heart of gold." I wanted to see if that were true about Eric. So far everything I had seen of him was pretty legit.

The most popular song of the week was Call Me Maybe. The day before camp ended, Eric got in line at the snack bar when I was working, with a bunch of his campers behind him. He waited in line and when he got there he asked me for my number. All his campers were pretty impressed. "That's all you have to do?! Just ask her for it?" Smile. So my response to him was "So here's my number, call me maybe?" 

And he did call me. And ask me out on a date. I was staying in Waikiki for the weekend with some friends. So Saturday he picked me up in his classy convertible and we explored Oahu together. Minor detail, we live on different islands, so we are doing the long-distance gig for now. The past couple months have been filled with lots of phone calls, texts, letters, packages, and skype hang outs. I've gotten to visit him, and he has gotten to come over and experience the awesomeness of Maui with me. I like where it is going. We are both pretty excited to see what God has in store for our relationship. I'm discovering that Eric does have an adventurous heart of gold and I'm really thankful to have him in my life!

In case all of my photos and stories didn't entertain you.....

DOLPHIN SIGHTING! At work!! My favorite!!!!!! EEEEEEeeEeEEEeEeeEEEeeee!!

In Him,
Risa

caffeine machine

First, I apologize for neglecting this blog for so long. That being said, lots has happened!! :)

It seems silly to some, but I have always wanted to be a barista. I love coffee. Espresso. Hot and cold beverages with caffeine in general. The smell. The taste. Smooth and rich. The excitement of the first sip of a vanilla coconut latte. I love it. Love it all.

I recently found out that a friend of mine, who owns an amazing coffee shop business, needed a couple extra girls to work part time for her. I prayed about it, felt a peace, and ended up getting the job! A barista dream fulfilled.

My co-workers on the boat call me "BaRISA" now :)

Some things I thought I knew about coffee, but really did not know at all:
1. Differences between espresso and slow drip coffee. Fast energy versus slower energy.
2. Pulling a shot of espresso is a lot of work!
3. I am extremely intimidated by steaming milk.
4. A dirty chai latte has espresso in it.
5. How specific, and generally demanding, being a barista is. I love it :)

Don't fret. I still work on a boat. In fact, in preparation for our yearly Coast Guard check, here is a video of me trying to shimmy out of the wing decks of Lady Odyssey. Imagine a small, damp, and salty attic crawl space. We took head lamps, wire brushes, and towels, and scrubbed that place clean! I now know what it feels like to be a pretzel! Salty and twisted up! Please scroll down to the bottom to watch the awkward and awesome video of me trying to manipulate my long limbs out of the wing decks. You'll probably chuckle.

Nautical Nonsense stories:
1. When I was kayaking at Molokini, a lady swam up and asked me to throw her a spaghetti. A whaaa? Spaghetti! Oh, you mean a pool noodle? Ha, no problem :)

2. I was perched on the starboard hatch in the cabin during a whale watch. A baby whale was doing lazy breaches on the port side, but I had heard something and wanted to see if it was my imagination. I looked out and there was a puffer fish, expanded to his full capacity, on his back, flapping his fins! It may have quite possibly been the saddest thing I've ever seen in the pacific ocean. And the sound of his fins hitting the water rivaled that of a child crying through his snorkel. That's a pretty sad sound. I hope the little guy was able to calm down and deflate back to his normal life.

3. Odyssey did a private charter for 120 high schoolers from a Kamehameha school on Oahu. They were on Maui for their senior trip. Part of the trip involved a swim test. They split into groups and had to complete the task of swimming around the boat. It was highly entertaining. Flora and I lifeguarded in the kayaks just in case. I lingered at the bow, her at the stern. I was the halfway point. All of them made it, with a few random exceptions. One dude was complaining so loudly that he couldn't make it, I paddled over to make sure he was okay. He gripped my kayak, and mumbled something about not wanting to swim. I assessed the situation, and said "You just wanted to hang on to my kayak...." He looked at me, smiled, said,"Yep!" and swam away. The energy was totally different on the boat with them. I love high schoolers.

4. Tap on the shoulder. "Excuse me (looks at my nametag) um, Reeza? Is all of this on right?" I do a once over at the passenger standing before me. She is wearing a life jacket. Backwards. How did she buckle them in the back? Also, her mask is on upside down. But the mouth piece is twisted upside down to reach her mouth. She's holding the bottle of canola oil we use to grill chicken and she's about to spray it into her mask thinking it's our defog. I smile and lightheartedly switch everything around, inwardly wondering how in the world snorkeling can be so complicated!!

5. Last week, we witnessed a lady, wearing full floatation devices, flip onto her back and panic. She still had her snorkel in her mouth and was trying to breath through it even though her mouth was out of the water and the end of the snorkel was under water. In the end, Jeff jumped in to help her out and all ended well.

6. I rounded the corner of the galley a few days ago and was taken aback by not just one passenger throwing up over the edge, but three! All lined up in a row, getting sick over the edge while we were tied up at Molokini! Team effort.


Sigh. I will never be able to say my life is uninteresting :)

In Him,
Risa

Emerging from the wing decks (Click on the link to watch the video!)