It's easy to become what you're doing in the moment. My life so far has been jumping from title to title, allowing what other people say I am to become my identity…never really finding out for myself who God says I am. I went from a morally absent, prideful car salesman (not saying that all are that way…*not all salesman are slimy), to a World Racer who was making a difference in 11 different countries. Now, sitting here…I am someone's fiancé.
That's right, my manfriend of almost one year and nine months, proposed on the 5th of July. It couldn't have been more perfect…or more of a surprise!
We went away for the weekend with another couple we are close with, for the Fourth of July, to Traverse City and Petoskey in Northern Michigan. It was a wonderful time of much laughter, amazing food, and beautiful scenery. We stayed in Traverse City for the fourth…I lost a not-so-close (for me) game of putt putt…and we bundled up to watch what was probably the best firework shows of my life. It was seriously magical!
The next day (the 5th), we decided to go to the Air Show that they were showing at the pier…which was just as incredible! (Our favorite was the F22 Raptor.) It was amazing to see just how far plane technology has come in the past 30 years! And what people could do with those planes! I highly recommend anyone to go if they have the chance!
After the air show, the plan was to head to a vineyard in the area and do a little winetasting…which I had never done before. We found a cute little vineyard called Brys Vineyard…and decided to check it out. I figured, because Jacob hadn't proposed yet, especially during the fireworks, that he wouldn't do it this last weekend. And I was genuinely okay with it…I was content being his girlfriend, and would be right now even if he hadn't proposed. I just loved him and knew that someday it would work.
Jacob went to the bathroom with his friend, Theron, and me and Amanda picked out our 5 taster wines. When they came back we ran through the list of wines, decided on our favorite and walked out to the outside deck…which was breathtaking.
You could look out over the vineyard and see the beautiful water of Traverse Bay…I was definitely already overwhelmed at how beautiful it was. We decided to take a picture on the deck that extended out over the vines below, just because it was a beautiful view. I took a picture of Theron and Amanda, and they returned the favor.
It was crazy windy too! Just as I began to call over Theron and Amanda, Jacob says : "No, wait."
He turned to me, face definitely getting redder by the second, and it definitely was not from sunburn. He followed with, "Babe…I love you."
I felt like my legs were going to collapse underneath me. Something had changed in his eyes…something that looked to me like a mixture of panic and determination.
"What are you doing?!" I asked before I could think.
"Babe, I know that I want to spend the rest of my life with you." With that, his hand reached into his left pocket and pulled out a brown box. My heart felt like it was going to explode when I saw him bending down on one knee…everything else was gone in this world, except for this man, whom I adore, kneeling in front of me.
"Brittany Nicole Dietzman…will you marry me?"
"Are you serious!?" (Not my brightest response…)
"Yes, I'm serious! Swear to God!"
Shaky hand covering my mouth, my brain frantically searched for that three letter word that I knew I wanted to…no, needed to say, but forgot how! I couldn't believe that he was there, beaming up at me, ring in hand…I couldn't believe he wanted forever with me! I practically yelled "Yes!" as I swung my arms around his neck and kissed him…this incredible, patient, loving, godly man just asked me to spend forever with him…and I'd never been so relieved.
He slipped the ring on my finger and we finally took that group photo. I was stunned…I was shocked…I was and am so incredibly happy I could cry!
We spent the next hour or so staring that the ring on my left hand, and calling our families and friends…celebrating this next step in our lives. So, I'm getting married!
I've made a quick transition from Racer, to Bride. Reentry for me has felt like a whirlwind of blessings…and to be honest, I feel like at any second something is going to go wrong. Then, I got to thinking…I think the reason something ALWAYS goes wrong when big things happen in my life, it's because I make the good things in my life become who I am. Instead of being rooted in who Christ says I am, I listen to and take advantage of the situation I'm in. Which could be the reason I have a hard time following up and finishing a task. I don't focus on the Lord and get burnt out.
Being a salesman, racer, ballerina, fiance, husband, wife, isn't a bad thing…you can be those things in a healthy way. My prayer for this next extended period of time being engaged, is to marvel in who the Lord says that I am. To enjoy and be a good steward of the blessings He's given to me…and to further prepare myself to be the best wife I can be to my soon-to-be husband.
I am so stinking excited about this next chapter in my life!!! I'm incredibly thankful for such an amazing weekend and I cannot wait to marry my best friend!!!
