Southern in the City

Looking for me????

2014-02-04T15:55:00.000-05:00

You can now find me over at my new blog....

http://amyalexandersylvestre.blogspot.com/.

I hope you will keep following me there!

93 year old man runs NYC Marathon for the 13th time!

2013-11-03T16:23:00.000-05:00

Tim Keller on Walking with God through Pain & Suffering

2013-10-07T15:05:00.000-04:00

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Mistaken Identity

2013-08-17T22:11:00.000-04:00

So if you have talked to me in the last few weeks you've probably heard me say things like, "I feel like I'm in the movie Body Snatchers (which I haven't seen) or Identity Thief or the sappy tv movie Mistaken Identity that I found on Netflix out of boredom.

You see in May I was living in Manhattan, working full time, living with roommates in a lovely brownstone on the upper west side, going on runs in Central Park. I was planning a MUCH anticipated wedding to the most amazing and let's.face.it handsome, godly man, or as I tell him...the handsomest :).

I am currently wrapping up my job for Redeemer in the coming weeks. I've been working remotely since the wedding in May minus a few weeks spent in NYC in July. I live in Myrtle Beach and not to intentionally offend but on its best day this place is the Redneck Riviera and I could stand not to ever come back. Sorry if you just love this place. I do have this wonderful husband I mentioned above who is working 16 hour days and should be the one writing a blog about how hard things are for him instead of me :). He is most certainly the icing and the cake and loves me and Jesus really well. He is worth my mini-identity crisis. A little side note: I will add that he asked me last week if I would show him how to set up a blog. I fell for this little joke as I started to explain and then he continued and said the name of his blog would be, "My wife: the wimp" and of course I laughed until I cried and then smacked him a little.

You see I'm not writing simply to get your pity....well that may be part of this...I'm only human ;) but more to share what I think I'm learning. I say think because it isn't all clear just yet. I'm realizing all the labels I've carried for so many years. Labels that I grew to like, feel proud of. Whether they be things I didn't even earn like Southerner or Upper West Sider. Or labels I've worn that are more like war wounds like Single. Even the labels that sometimes feel like battle scars I don't think I realized the pride that was just underneath them. Where I've lived, my heritage, my job title & responsibilities have been telling me who I am more than I ever realized.

I know a lot of verses that tell me my true identity. Daughter of the King, co-heir with Christ, new creation, apple of God's eye, free, adopted, in the light, ambassador, made in His image.

I guess what I'm working through right now is how much do I rely on those eternal truths and how often I've held onto the glitz & glamour of my Manhattan address and my role in ministry.

As I lose and gain new labels during this season of incredible transition, I'm trying to press down into my heart the labels that are eternal and from God's Word. My address will continue to change as we make a move to the Charlotte area in the fall. My job with Redeemer will be completed by that point and I hope to be starting another job (pray for that!!).

I honestly cannot complain about where I am. I prayed for Corey for so many years. I cried for him. He's definitely God's best for me and I love doing life with him even if it has been in Myrtle Beach :). The transitions will continue to hit us and you can pray with me that I hold onto the lasting truths and labels more strongly than the temporary ones.

Alexanders & Sylvestres

2013-08-08T21:44:00.001-04:00

One amazing thing about a wedding is getting to have lots of people you love all in the same room at the same time. It can also be demanding and overwhelming but totally worth it :).

When Corey and I began to talk about the wedding weekend, we really wanted to capitalize on the minimal time we had with our entire families in the same place for a few days. Our parents had met via skype on Thanksgiving 2012 but never in person. Corey's parents live in very far north New Hampshire and had made the trip along with Corey's siblings/wives/children to the Alexander farm.

So, the Thursday before the wedding we all gathered for some snacks and time on the farm to just hang out together. A few friends and other family dropped in as well. I wish I took more pictures of the family together but this at least gives you an idea. People sat around on the porch, played horseshoes and took tours of the farm in the back of the truck.

Jenn, Jeff & Zazu (their doggie)

Paw Gene and Amy's mama

Paw Gene & Amy

Corey's brother and Amy's brother on the piano

Amy's Parents, Paw Gene Alexander, Corey's parents

Two bridesmaids getting a tour country style in the back of a pick up ;)

Ladies & Bridesmaids Brunch

2013-07-22T23:57:00.000-04:00

It was such a joy to plan a special brunch for friends who mean so much to me. Aunts, cousins, middle school friends, college friends, NY friends, new sis in laws, mom, new mom in law, new nieces, NY mom, my 2nd mama. A moment in my life where I was able to gather such significant people all in one room to love on them.

My aunt hosted us for the brunch at her beautiful home on Lake Norman.

In true Aunt Jeanette fashion, she decorated in very memorable ways :). So cute!

There were bridesmaids dresses lining the driveway. I've been in like 14 weddings so this was very fitting :).

Ladies praying....

Alexander ladies

Bridesmaids & NY friends

Bridesmaids

NYC friends

Sylvestre ladies

A few significant things we did at the brunch were eat yummy food, pray, the ladies signed my wedding shoes and I had the ladies sit in a circle and I shared a word or phrase that I thought of for each person. A day I'll never forget.

Thanks so much to my aunts and cousins for hosting this very special day!

*Thanks to Darla & Bethany for the pics!

Missing Manhattan

2013-06-28T11:30:00.000-04:00

So I've been out of New York since the end of April with wedding planning, the wedding, honeymoon and settling in our life in Myrtle Beach. We are here temporarily so settling is a bit confusing for me.

Today in particular I am missing my life in New York. City life is not necessarily better than the suburbs...well maybe it is :) but mainly it is just so different. They say that re-entry into your home culture can sometimes actually be more shocking than experiencing a new culture. When you go to a new culture, you expect the differences. When you return home, you notice new things that may not have stood out to you previously. I experienced this to an extent after returning from studying in France my sophomore year of college.

NYC is the best city in world. Sure missing it today :).

I took for granted all the fruit on the corners of my neighborhood.

I miss runs through the park (with Robyn!)

And whoa....do I miss all these faces (and lots more)!!! Thinking of you today! Love you all so much!

North Carolina Wedding Guest Welcome Bags

2013-06-21T23:40:00.001-04:00

Corey and I wanted our guests to feel welcomed to the great state of North Carolina properly. I am from NC. He is from New Hampshire. More than half of our guests were coming from out of state. They were coming from New Hampshire, Maryland, New Jersey, Indiana, Rhode Island, New York, Virginia, Florida, California, Massachusetts and I'm sure I'm forgetting some places. Some guests had never been to North Carolina and I can even think of a few who had never been to the south before.

We wanted to greet our guests with little local goodies and a note from us.

We included Cheerwine, Pepsi (born in the Carolinas!), moonpies, a local magazine and a few postcards. We added other snacks like granola bars. We also included these two notes as a welcome and for wedding weekend details. They were distributed as guests arrived at the hotel.

Dear Family & Friends,

We are so excited to welcome you to North Carolina!

We have been anticipating sharing this special wedding weekend with you for a long time. We hope that your experience will be enjoyable and memorable. We have left a few local goodies to help you start out your trip with little tastes of North Carolina. You will also find a list of places you may want to see during your visit.

If you have any questions or need any help, please call Amy’s brother, Jeff Alexander at 704.xxx.xxxx.

Thank you so much for taking the time to come all the way to Mooresville, North Carolina to celebrate our wedding!

Love,

Corey & Amy

Welcome to North Carolina!

THANK YOU for coming! We want to share a few little goodies with you that are from the area. A few items you will find are NC postcards, Cheerwine (local soft drink), Moonpies (southern dessert that Amy grew up with) & a local map to help you find your way.

· Ceremony takes place at 4pm at Mooresville ARP. Parking is available at the church, on the street and at the doctor’s office directly across the street.

· Reception takes place just after the ceremony at Charles Mack Citizens’ Center. Parking is available at the back of the Citizens’ center and on Main St.

Local Places to make note of:

What A Burger: Amy’s parents met at this diner as teenagers (Closed on Sundays)

Mooresville Senior High (Amy’s high school)

Memory Lane Museum (owned by Amy’s Uncle & Aunt)

Nascar Hall of Fame

Mooresville Deluxe Ice Cream

Davidson College (A very beautiful campus; You can walk around for the view or run at the track.)

Lake Norman: Ramsey Creek Park

Alexander Farm:

Please feel to stop by the farm or drive through to see where Amy grew up.

Area churches

Grace Covenant Church

Stonebridge Presbyterian Church

Mooresville ARP Church

Charlotte

Uptown Charlotte:

Discovery Place

Panther’s Stadium

UNC Charlotte: Amy’s alma mater

Area Malls: Northlake off interstate 77, Concord Mills off interstate 85

Helpful places

Wal-Mart on hwy 150

Target on hwy 150

There are lots of stores & restaurants off of Highway 77 at exit 36.

Bachelorette Celebrations

2013-06-13T18:30:00.000-04:00

The weekend before I left New York my friends threw me an incredible "Frenchie Bachelorette" party. We gathered at Katherine, Robyn and Monica's apartment. We had yummy snacks and chatted for a while. Then the ladies had me play a game where I had to guess Corey's answers to a series of questions. If I got one wrong, I had to put a piece of gum in my mouth. Corey, of course, didn't give the easiest answers so I ended up with I think 14 pieces of Juicy Fruit gum in mouth. GROSS!

We also opened gifts and played another silly but cute game. I can't believe how spoiled I am!

After the fun at the apartment, we went up to Prohibition on Columbus & West 84th and heard a great band that played a lot of recent covers. We danced and sang and had a blast!

We totally got photobombed by strangers! Ha!!

I had another "Bachelorette" celebration the Thursday evening before the wedding. My sweet friends/Bridesmaids took me to dinner and spoiled (and embarrassed!) me again with honeymoon goodies.

Love you ladies so much!

New York Bridal Shower

2013-06-11T12:13:00.000-04:00

If I've learned nothing else over the last several months of my life, I should know that I am incredibly loved. Friends and family have gone out of their way over and over again to celebrate this very special season in our lives. I feel like every time I see my friends I just need to hug and thank them again for spoiling me and making me feel like the bride to be. I know that many people do not get celebrated this significantly and personally. I actually told friends we should throw showers when ladies turn 30...married or not!! I've already shared about my NC showers and how loved I felt there. You can see that post here.

The hostesses of my New York Shower did a great job of making things pink and lovely. What amazing friends!!!

Bethany, Amy, Ashley, Adriana

The Invitation....

The decor and yummy food....

Chris (Bethany's sweet Mama) made this cake. I could have eaten the whole thing! Not a crumb left of it.

Big life transition moments cause for lots of personal evaluation and reflection in me. If heaven is at all like spending time with this group of women...I can't wait! They love me so so so well. They made New York my home and that is near impossible with a place like NYC. I love you ladies. Thank you for all you did for me and throwing me a shower I will never forget.

Sandi, Abby, Amy

Bethany, Amy, Chris

Adriana had the ladies go around and share funny stories and significant things they remember. What a gift! I'll never forget this!

Community Group Family!

Community Group Family now!

Erin, Robyn, Abby, Daniela, Amy

New York Family (minus the guys!)

Each friend made a page in a book with a note and picture. Something I'll always treasure! Thank you!!!!

Friends also brought cards and gift cards for Corey and I. What thoughtfulness! Thank you so much!

Most all of these photos are from Bethany Griffith. You should check out her blog. She posted about this shower too.

President Obama in my home town

2013-06-06T23:29:00.000-04:00

Congrats Mooresville Middle School and Principal Carrie Tulbert!

*Can't believe I graduated high school with the MMS Principal :)!

Save the Dates

2013-06-06T13:56:00.000-04:00

We sent out Save the Date cards in December and January to friends and family. It was so fun to choose the design with Perryn Pettus, our friend and graphic designer. More on her to come!

We chose a font that we ended up using throughout other wedding printing.

D Day Presidential Prayer

2013-06-06T13:23:00.002-04:00

http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/us/2013/06/05/erin-dnt-harlow-jeep-recall.cnn.html

You have to skip the stupid ad but worth listening to.

Thank you, veterans!

Catching Up

2013-06-04T15:53:00.000-04:00

As most all of you know I got married recently. Woot Woot! Yippee! Hooray!!

I also moved from Manhattan to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to join this sweet new husband of mine who started at his new job as a tour helicopter pilot.

We are settling in nicely and have already had visitors. My parents stayed at our place while we were on our honeymoon and then stayed two nights with us when we got back. My brother Bradley and his wife/my best friend, Crystal also spent a few nights with us over Memorial Day weekend.

Once I realized I would be leaving the most amazing city in world, I also realized I would need a new name for my blog. I am still southern as they come but I guess sadly I’m no longer, “Southern in the City”. I will rename my blog in the coming months as Corey and I make more permanent plans.

Because of all the major changes I’ve been going through, I’ve seriously neglected my blog. But, I’ve been making little notes of things I wanted to be sure I put on the blog. As I planned the wedding I would be tempted to write about different little ideas I had but held back so that they would be surprises for our guests on the actual wedding day.

My summer plan is to look backward a bit at all the fun celebrations we had leading up to the wedding and also walk through the different elements of the wedding to share with you my planning process and why we chose the things we chose. Some of this is for me to remember the different elements of the wedding that meant so much to me and to Corey. Some of it is to share ideas with other brides who are in the planning process. We wanted a meaningful day focused on Christ and that is just what we had!

We are also anxiously wanting on our wedding pictures. We will be sharing these along the way as well. Plus, we have honeymoon pics to share with you and I will write a post about that trip soon.

I’m excited to be able to rejoin the blogging world after a month or so lapse of writing. I hope it will be a blessing to you, a way to stay connected to us and a way to see a little bit of our lives from afar. You could also come visit us in Myrtle! You know you want to :).

Here's a pic of our little beach home. I'll write more about that soon too!

Engagement Party and Bridal Showers

2013-03-22T10:00:00.000-04:00

Hello friends and family! Corey and I have been so loved. We wanted to share some of the recent pictures of celebrating our engagement season.

Thanks to everyone for celebrating with us and for so many of you who have hosted, made food, given gifts, written notes, etc. We are so grateful for you.

Counting down the days to May 11th.

Thanks, sweet Daniela! I sure have!

Needed a laugh today: Jimmy Fallon & Justin Timberlake

2013-03-06T11:38:00.000-05:00

Click here....

http://youtu.be/-fhQ2UfEQxo

Snow Fun 2013

2013-02-11T23:25:00.001-05:00

Photo Credit goes to the wonderful Bethany for the first 5 pics.

A Decade Late?

2013-02-01T12:55:00.000-05:00

As most all of you know I got engaged to Corey Sylvestre on September 27th. We have gotten to know one another over the last year and have grown to love and really appreciate each other. I can't wait to be his bride on May 11th.

Since our engagement I have started the much anticipated wedding planning. Most of it has been fun, exciting and what I hoped it would be. Some of it, not so much.

As I was starting this process, I began noticing a trend in my friends' facebook statuses. "Happy ten years, honey!" "Can't believe we've been together a decade!" "Just got back from celebrating ten years of marriage!" These are my friends who married their college sweethearts.

Honestly, my late twenties were incredibly difficult as a single surround by couples in love and starting families but as many dear friends reminded me, the Lord knows what He is doing and knows my needs.

I've always wanted marriage and children but my heart's desires have also been pretty broad. I love traveling and being with people from different cultures from my own. I constantly feel the tugs and tensions of the dual country girl/city girl parts of my personality. I love being deeply involved in the lives of many young believers and watching their faith take shape and the Gospel take root. I love to work and to create systems for clearer management and function to make the team I'm on more effective. I love being a resource for people and to network friends for personal, spiritual and professional growth.

I share these desires because I've gotten to experience all of them in this sometimes not so easy decade of singleness. By the Lord's amazing grace, I've lived in South Africa for 2 summers, spent 2 weeks in Cape Town on a missions' trip, traveled to India, gone to Europe many times and gotten to live for the last 5 years in one of the most diverse, amazing cities in the world, NYC.! Because of these experiences, I have friends from around the world who have taught me so much about life, the world and myself. For the years after grad school, I got to live within 45 minutes of my family and continue being the country girl that I am. THEN, I got to move to New York and let that part of my heart flourish and grow. My time in New York has been priceless in terms of expanding my horizons, my view of what I am capable of and where I can go in my future. Some of the leaders of our culture are my friends. Little 'ol me :). Over the last ten years, I have been a part of women's groups where I've grown to know God in deep ways. Each of those women are treasures to me and have made lasting, eternal impacts on my life. YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE. My jobs with UNC Charlotte, Campus Outreach and Redeemer have developed me into a professional and given me skills & experiences beyond what I had planned for or dreamed of. I've been able to use my gifts, talents and education broadly and with lasting impact. I've had opportunities to write, speak and do the nitty gritty of ministry in a full time capacity.

I know that I have been able to leave my current context for extended times because of my singleness. I can decide that my budget can be shifted to meet goals like going to India or Cape Town or France or to live in this crazy expensive town. I can devote myself to work and ministry and to more people. I could only build this many deep relationships over the last ten years because I've had the capacity of single woman.

I'm writing most of this for myself to remember all God has done. While all of these things are true in hindsight, this prolonged season of singleness has not been a rosy one. Church has been an incredibly hard place for me. Church is often a time for family while I've spent Sundays trying not to cry. Dating is a cruel, brutal pathway to finding an honorable man worthy of partnership (don't get me started on how crappy online dating can be). Babysitting my friends' children is an incredible delight and also a painful reminder. Buying two cars, a house, renting an apartment in New York City, joining churches, changing jobs, going through broken hearts and grief, leaving family, moving, handling finances are not things to be done alone for the weary at heart. Especially the rent a New York apartment one! These are things that my lovely, wonderful friends who are celebrating that decade mark have done together. I know they have struggled as well and no walk on this earth is without pain. BUT, having a partner in the pain does make the burden lighter. My single girlfriends have definitely done some of that for me in many circumstances.

I share these personal thoughts with you mainly to highlight God's sovereign plan in my life. Over the last ten years I've prayed prayers that God didn't answer the way I wanted him to. I prayed to marry men that weren't my husband and now in hindsight, I'm so grateful that His ways are not my ways and His thoughts are above my thoughts. I'm thankful He gave me time to have deep roots with my family and wings to see the world and love people with awesome accents different from my southern draw.

God knows that if I were among those sweet friends who are on their third or fourth child now, that I easily could have been bitter or feeling trapped. He knew that I needed this time to experience Him and to fulfill some of my heart's desires. There were many days in my singleness that I couldn't even identify my real desires because they were so masked by my desire for marriage. But, my sweet Jesus knew them all the while.

I guess my point is...marriage is not coming to me a decade late. It is in His perfect timing. Corey is the right man and this is the right time. I think I will be a much better wife to Corey now than I would have been ten years ago (largely because of your friendship). I tried to know these things in the midst of the loneliness but honestly couldn't see it most of the time. That is why I write it now.

To God be the Glory for Corey, for you, for the secret prayerful tears that stained my pillow when I was 27 and so single & for our wedding day, May 11th.

Here are few sneak peeks at some of our engagement pictures:

Boiling Water to Snow

2012-12-21T23:25:00.000-05:00

WDAM.COM - TV 7 - News, Weather and Sports

Happy Veterans Day: Being the child of a Vietnam Veteran

2012-11-12T21:30:00.004-05:00

I grew up with my dad periodically pulling out a white sheet and hanging it in the living room and showing us slides of his time in Vietnam. He was drafted in 1969. My brothers and I heard and hear regularly stories from that time in his life. I honestly thought this was a normal part of childhood. I now know as an adult that it is a real privilege to be a daughter of a veteran. I get the lessons my dad learned from that horrible war passed on to me without the suffering he saw and endured.

Joe Alexander, 20 years old on R & R in Australia

A few details I remember him sharing:

He said he didn't sleep for 364 days.
The area he was in was bombed more than any area of Vietnam.
He would have to "pull guard" all night and then still report for duty the next day.
He built and rebuilt bridges as they were blown up or collapsed.
My grandmother put his name in the Mooresville Tribune and he received so many letters over Christmas that they asked him to stay on the stage during mail call. He said if someone wrote, he always wrote back.
He was in Vietnam at the same time as his childhood best friend & my godfather, Sam Hill.
We've met several of his Vietnam friends over the years. We took a trip to Indiana when I was ten to spend a week with one of them.
He said he couldn't cry for almost four years.
He says he has gotten through the effects of war only through knowing and walking with Jesus.
I only know my dad a funny, story-telling, belly-laughing, brave, tender-hearted man who loves Jesus deeply. This is not how he describes himself in the years post war.
My mom was a senior in high school when he was drafted to go. She had to go to her prom with my dad's friend.
My great-grandmother passed away while my dad was in Vietnam. They didn't tell him until he came home.
My dad told everyone he was leaving for Vietnam "tomorrow" but left that day because good bye was too hard. He said my grandmother gave him a look as he left that she knew.

The helmet says, "War is hell, Joe & Cathy (my mom) buddies & Home Sweet Home.

Right behind my young parents is where they built the house I grew up in just four or five years after this picture. My aunt Mary made this banner for my dad.

Lights Out Over New York

2012-10-31T17:05:00.002-04:00

http://updates.jalopnik.com/post/34708889928/this-amazing-time-lapse-video-shows-sandys

The City that Never Sleeps......

2012-10-30T01:57:00.005-04:00

http://mashable.com/2012/10/29/nyc-hurricane-blackout/#98647-10

Prayers of the People

2012-10-22T20:38:00.000-04:00

I had the great honor to pray on behalf of my church last night. I was so nervous to pray in front of all those people but I felt very special to have the opportunity.

Here's the prayer I wrote.

Pray with me….

Dear Heavenly Father, you are our King of kings and Lord of Lords. You are high and lifted up and worthy to be praised. You are the author and perfecter of our faith. All things were created by you, for you and all things hold together in you. We praise that you are our strong tower and that you never tire. You remain the same loving, just and merciful God through all generations. You know our thoughts before they are on our tongues. You know the number of hairs on our heads and you set the stars into place.

We come now in confidence to the thrown of grace, needing your mercy and asking for your presence to fill this place and for your spirit to fill us. Lord, we ask that salvation would spring up from the ground in places like Morocco, North Korea, the Sudan, Iran & Iraq. We pray on behalf of Christians and church planters who are serving you and putting their lives on the line every day for the sake of the Gospel. Please be close to them, Father. Allow their service to you to be a pleasing offering. Give them honor and favor in their cities and with the governments so that the Gospel would be the aroma of Christ to their neighbors.

We thank you for the United States and for the freedom that we live under and so easily take for granted. God, we know that your Word says, “The authorities that exist have been established by God.” During this election season, God, we pray for wisdom. We trust in your sovereignty and look to you as our ultimate King. Give wisdom and discernment to our president and to our federal & state government officials. God, please protect our rights to worship you freely.

We are so privileged to live and serve you in the amazing city. God, help us to be brave ambassadors of reconciliation. Please provide homes to the 16,000 homeless children living in New York City. Show us how to specifically use our time, talents and resources for the renewal of New York.

Oh God, make Redeemer a community where people are known and cared for, who fight for social justice and give generously. Help us to invite our neighbors, care for the hurting & the lonely, equip the Christian and love our city as Christ has loved us. We come before you on behalf of the children and youth of Redeemer. Lord, please walk closely with them and sustain them under the incredible pressures from their peers. Protect them from leaving the God that they love.

We pray for the Downtown congregation as they begin their services today. We pray that many new people will hear about your saving grace and transforming power. Establish this congregation in the Union Square area as a haven for those who are seeking you and needing community. Allow their doors and hearts to be opened wide to new comers. We send them out from us with love, excitement and prayer. Lord, may this day of launching healthy congregations happen again and again in the future of Redeemer.

Lord, makes us humble, tender and like your son, Jesus. May your Kingdom come and your will be done on earth, at Redeemer & in New York as in it is in heaven.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

The Proposal

2012-10-04T09:46:00.000-04:00

I get to marry Corey Sylvestre!

Corey and I have been dating just over a year. Last August we shared our first of many Central Park walks. Though we recently have been talking more seriously about a future together, Corey pulled a fast one on me last week.

We didn't have the opportunity to celebrate our one year anniversary on August 27th because our flight was delayed (four times!) in Charlotte. We had gone down for my grandfather's 95th birthday celebration and to see family. Once we got back to NYC, we were too tired to even think of getting dressed up and going out. We ended up ordering in and hung out with Bethany! It was a restful, nice night.

So, when Corey asked me early last week to go on a "get dressed up" kind of date, I merely thought it was to celebrate our anniversary. We had a nice dinner at a restaurant in Columbus Circle called Robert that overlooks Central Park.

After dinner we were maybe going to get dessert somewhere and Corey suggested we take a walk through the park. This isn't unusual at all. We walk from Columbus Circle to Sheep's Meadow to Poet's Walk and then he starts heading east.

Taken in the park close to Columbus Circle. Look at that smirk!

I was fine until that point. See, I was wearing heels. I was trying to be a good sport but a girl can only do so much :). So after asking a lot of questions about why we must walk so far, I gave in and just tried to go with it. I wasn't suspecting anything. Corey is adventurous and likes to walk and wander the park. We ended up walking to the Great Lawn. They were setting up for a very large concert. I didn't know at the time but this threw Corey's plans out the window. He had planned to propose in the middle of the Great Lawn. So from there he was looking for plan B. We walked up to Belvedere Castle. This was the moment I thought, "Wait. We are dressed up. At night. In the park. The castle is where we came on our first date. Is he going to propose?" But, then I talked myself out of it. I mean I thought he didn't have the ring yet, that he was for sure going to propose at his parent's farm in New Hampshire and it wouldn't happen just yet. So when we left the castle, I thought, "Yep. He's going to propose later on his family's farm."

This is a picture we took at the castle just before he proposed. Ring in his pocket...being sneaky!

So we continue to walk a bit heading south. We passed the Swedish Cottage: Marionette Theatre. Corey noticed Shakespeare's garden behind the theatre and said they were working on it a few days earlier and he wanted to see what they had done. So we walk back in there. Now this is away from my apartment so I was thinking, I need to take a break from walking. Remember, HIGH HEELS! I noticed they had some benches. We passed a few and he keeps going. The next set of benches that I see I ask, "Hey, can I take a break?" Once again trying not to be too much of a brat ;).

Before I could get all the way turned around and seated, Corey was on one knee with the ring box out and open. He said, "Amy Alexander, will you marry me?" Corey said I didn't say anything for a few seconds but all I remember is screaming, "Are you proposing?" He said I continued to ask him that and several other questions over & over again while hugging him but I didn't give him my answer for almost 2 minutes. Poor guy. He had to ask me, "So what's your answer?" And because I am a very smart woman, I said, "Yes, of course I'll marry you!" I heard Corey telling the story to someone later. He said I screamed so loudly that not a person in the park missed it.

We sat there on the bench where he proposed and called my parents. They were the only 2 people besides Corey that knew he was going to propose that night. Corey had called them earlier in the day to ask permission to propose to me. Corey said my dad started to cry which made me cry. We called my brothers and a few friends who we thought might still be awake at that late hour. My roommate screamed too!!

This is on the walk back to my apartment. We stopped a random lady to take our picture.

We walked towards my apartment and then we stopped and prayed and I cried. My sweet roommates, Ashley & Meredith, stayed up to congratulate us and scream with me :).

Here's a pic they took.

And here's my ring! I love it!! I really wanted something that looked antique or vintage.

Yeah! Thanks so much, baby!

A glimpse into my heart. This verse has been hanging on my closet door for several years now.

While Jesus is ultimately the desire of my heart, I wrote this verse in light of my deep longing to find my husband to do life & ministry alongside. Over the last several years God has given me a very tangible peace about being single that I had lacked years prior but the longing to be married never went away.

I look forward to many years of looking at that handsome face of Corey's and being his ministry partner. He is a steady, godly man and I highly admire & love him plus he makes me laugh a lot!

Helen Roseveare: on Singleness

2012-09-26T17:10:00.000-04:00

The phrase I always say when I think of Helen is from Campus Outreach New Year's Conference in 1998.

"It is worth it? No. Is He worthy? Yes. The answer is always yes."