I accepted Joey's proposal of marriage Jan. 7, 2009

I am excited to announce that I am now engaged to Joey Douglas Bardin as of January 7, 2009. We have set our wedding date as August 6, 2010.

I want to finish going through the seasons of Ed passing and then be able to focus on our wedding. I can't express how much Joey has been there for me these past 6 months, but for those of you who have some questions, let me give you some of our history.

As many of you know, Ed and I met when we both went on a mission trip through Destiny Unlimited Singles in 2000. We were very involved with the Singles ministry. We married in Feb. 2003. We continued to stay involved with Singles after we were married.

About 6 months after we were married, I was working the single booth at church and I used to stay there until half of worship was over to get the late comers. It was at this time that Joey started to come back to Church. I started talking to him a little each week and unbeknownst to me he was drawn to me. It was a few week before he realized that I was married. I introduced him to Ed and we all became friends.

Ed knew that there was a special kind of friendship between me and Joey. He recognized that it would be very easy for me to break Joey's heart. I didn't see it, but I respected my husband and my marriage and so I did what Ed suggested. I did not do things or go places alone with Joey. Ed and I loved Joey and wanted to support him and help him better his life and show him just want he could achieve. We were instrumental in Joeys 1st year of sobriety. (Joey feels the same) We were privileged to take him to Disney World for the very first time. I felt like he was the brother I never had. We (the 3 of us) always had a good time together. Ed would do anything for Joey and often did.

I won't say that things were always roses, because with strong personalities there is always some strife. but nothing that ever stuck. When Ed became sick and was hospitalized, Joey was one of the first to come see him, and continued to come by many times. He and Doug came to help close up the office and Ed was having a bad day. We left early and went back to the hospital. Doug and Joey held Ed's hands and prayed for him just before they left. Ed looked at Doug and then looked to Joey and told him to take care of me. Joey was with me his last four days. His strength supported me then and many times thereafter.

Joey took those words to heart. He has done everything to help me increase my faith in God. Every time things look bleak. Joey is there to remind me that God has us in his hands and that He ALWAYS ALWAYS comes through. Faith was something that Ed was trying to instill in me and Joey has picked that up and continued to instruct me in the ways of God.

Joey and I are so very will compatible it is frightening at times. He is truly my equal and mate. I love him very very much and thank God daily for him being in my life and loving me so much. I can hardly wait to become a Bardin and have a new family that truly wants me around.

We talk about Ed almost daily, We remember him fondly and sometime we cry over the things we are missing him doing with us. Christmas was the hardest so far, but with Joey there and the Schroyers and Dad and Diane, I made it through. We miss him and love him and are so very happy to know that he is well and in the presence of his saviour Jesus Christ.

Joey has a blog site as well. His is: JoeyUnedited.blogspot.com it is just as it claims. Straight from the heart and out the mouth. He doesn't pull any punches. It is a place for him to get things off his chest. So be forewarned.

My love to everyone and know that you are in my prayers.