The Story
To say we are excited is a huge understatement. My (Susan's) head is whirling.
Abigail met Dayton Warren when she and Paul took a Father daughter trip to pick grapes with Hayovel in Israel in 2010. As we look back we can really see the Father's hand in their meeting and the deepening friendship between our families. When Paul and Abigail arrived in Israel, the Hayovel computer had crashed and they weren't there to pick them up. Paul gave them a call but they were a long way from the Airport. So, they asked the Warren's to pick them up. They ended up spending the whole weekend with them. Dayton's grandparents were visiting also, so Paul and Abigail got to go with them to the Dead Sea. On the way home their van broke down in the middle of the West Bank. A very bonding experience :) Here is the link to the post on our blog we made at that time. Dayton is the one with the yellow hat.
http://quiverfullofkids.blogspot.com/2010/10/first-week-in-israel.html
When our whole family went to Israel in 2011, the Warren's rented a huge house and we stayed there with them for 2 months. We had our own van and whenever we didn't know where we were going (most of the time) Dayton rode along with us to show us where to go since he had been there before. We learned to love Dayton then. Paul and Dayton had many good discussions about the things we were seeing and learning. We were impressed with his knowledge of Scripture and his love for Yeshua.
This last December Dayton started seriously considering and praying about the possibility of Abigail being his bride. He got to ponder the possibility in person (we live in Alaska and he lives in Oklahoma) when both our families met with over 600 other people for Family Week with Hayovel at Kenlake State Park in Kentucky. After Family Week our family spent time in North Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas and Texas visiting family and friends. We then headed to Oklahoma to spend some time with the Warren's. By this time Dayton had decided that he really wanted to marry Abigail so he had his father approach Paul (their family tradition) and talk it over with Paul. Paul then talked with me and let me know why he and Monty had been talking in the Suburban for a couple of hours. Paul has always envisioned this day. He figured he would spend days if not weeks or months getting the know the prospective groom and asking him questions to see if he was the right guy for his daughter. As Paul and I began to pray about it (this is on a Thursday) we realized that there was nothing that we could think of to ask Dayton. We already knew him and his family very well. We realized there was nothing left to do but put it to Abigail. If Abigail thought that it was a good idea we thought he would make a fine husband for her. We have taught our children to guard their hearts and not let any passions develop until we have approved of the perspective bride/groom. So, although Abigail and Dayton were good friends she had not entertained the idea that Dayton would ask her to marry him. She knew as soon as Paul told her that he had something to discuss with her what he was going to say. Her response was to just smile and she didn't say anything. Over the next few days Abigail prayed and pondered and talked to Paul and I. One of the most important things we told her is that she was now released to feel feelings for Dayton. We told her that if he was the right guy for her, the Holy Spirit should prick her with an intense desire for Dayton and that if she wasn't feeling those feelings then he wasn't the right guy for her. We told her that she could take as much time as she wanted. In fact Paul had told Monty that he doubted he would even tell Abigail about Dayton's proposal until we had left their farm. Dayton had had his turn to observe, pray and ponder without Abigail's knowledge and now Abigail was able to do the same without Dayton knowing that she knew. For the first three days I could tell she was very nervous. Then on Sunday I could see a peace come over Abigail. I figured she had made a decision but I didn't press her for an answer. We really wanted her to take her time and be sure of her decision. We had already put off our departure from the Warren's farm for a few days. All the kids including Abigail were pressing for us to stay until at least Wednesday. Paul and I pulled Abigail aside and asked her if the reason she wanted to stay was because she had come to a decision or would it be better if we left to give her time and space to think and pray and ask questions of Dayton if she wanted to. She told us that she had come to a decision. She wanted to marry Dayton. Whoohoo we were excited but she had to spend the next several minutes convincing Paul that she really did want to marry Dayton, that she was excited to marry him, that she was starting to feel real passion for him. She convinced him and he went to let Monty and Dayton know. They talked for about 3 hours and then we got our children together and let them know what had been going on for the last five days. When we all went up together to the Warren's barn Dayton had a chair waiting for Abigail. He got down on his knee and asked Abigail to marry him and she said yes and he put his signet ring on her finger.
Then we danced and they held hands and they haven't hardly let go of each other since. It is the first time that either of them have ever held another's hand in a romantic way. They are committed to having their first kiss at their wedding so holding hands is as close as they will get. But they and we are amazed at how fast passionate feelings can develop. They are already longing for their marriage feast to come quickly.
We went shopping together that afternoon and then that night we had a beautiful Betrothal ceremony.
We are narrowing the date down and we'll post another blog as soon as we have it set.
Dayton's sister Sarah and brother Will are great photographers. They took Dayton and Abigail and did a photo shoot. When they get them posted I'll put up a link. Here is sneek preview of a few of them.
