As my siblings and I were growing up, I remember Mom expressing many times how she wished her children were still babies. Oh, how she loved the “baby years.”
When our first daughter, Alyssa, was born and began to grow and develop, I realized that I loved her as a baby, but more than that, I loved to witness each phase of development. I would never wish for them to remain as babies.
Rolling over by herself
Crawling
Standing while holding onto something
Taking first steps
Muttering first words
Talking incessantly
Potty training
First day of kindergarten
Sleepovers with friends
Puberty
Boyfriends
Driving
More boyfriends
High school graduation
Going away for college
College graduation
Living independently
First job
Serious boyfriend
Graduate school…..
All this has led to….now….
Two weeks ago, Alyssa’s boyfriend, Casey, met Leslie and I for breakfast, at his invitation. He arranged this meeting to ask for permission to marry our daughter. He drove all the way from Idaho, overnight, to do this.
About Alyssa
The name “Alyssa” comes from the Greek word meaning “against madness”, or “Rational”, which was a highly regarded characteristic in the time. It is also the name for a flowering herb, Alyssum, or commonly called “Sweet Alyssum”.
Alyssa’s middle name is Brooke, which is from my Grandfather’s middle name of “Brooks”. A brook is a small quiet stream which to me symbolizes peace an tranquility, a comforting spirit.
When Alyssa was dedicated as a baby, the pastor prayed for her to keep her body pure and clean in God’s sight and that she would grow and develop in righteousness. Then he prayed that God would begin at that moment to do the same for some young man in preparation for them to unite.
God answers prayer
Alyssa began dating Casey only a few months ago, but they have been good friends for several years. Casey grew up near our current home in East Valley. He attended a different Nazarene church than the one we attend, but our church youth groups combined for various activities, so Alyssa and Casey were acquainted back then. In fact, Casey had even been in our home a few times during his high school years.
Casey and Alyssa both attended Northwest Nazarene University. While there, they began attending the same church, mostly because Casey didn’t have a car so he would hitch a ride there with Alyssa. Today, they continue to attend that church and Casey is on staff there as the Children’s Pastor.
When Alyssa announced to us that she and Casey had begun to date, Leslie and I both agreed, “What took you so long?” We had both wondered for several years, of all the guys that Alyssa dated, why she didn’t pick Casey. Alyssa reasoned to us later that she didn’t want to take the chance that it would mess up a great friendship.
God is fulfilling his plan
Tonight, Casey proposed to Alyssa.
I couldn’t have planned it better myself.