Jonathan and I are engaged!

Jonathan and I were engaged at Deluge Lake in Vail, Colorado on June 19,2009. We could not be more happy and are thanking the Lord for the beautiful day he gave us. So here is the story- Jonathan was working as a Youth Pastor overseas this summer and I picked him up at the airport last Saturday. I woke up and did the Beaver Creek Xterra Triathlon, had a great time, threw my bike on top of my car and drove down to Denver to get my man. We drove straight back to the mountains and stopped at Beuj Joe's Pizza in Idaho Springs. We had a great drive back up just talking, laughing and having fun with each other. We were supposed to have dessert with some friends and we all were so tired that we just talked on the porch. Jonathan mentioned wanting to see Carol and Doug, so he called them to come over. I thew together a Berry Cobbler so we could have dessert together. Carol and Doug came over to my house and Jonathan greeted them at their car. He gave Carol a big hug and then was super awkward and close to Carol, kinda throwing himself in the car looking inside their car. Weird- I said, " Jonathan, What are you doing" Oh... you are looking at their car. ( Jonathan and I had a conversation about Toyota Trucks earlier in the day). I thought thought he was being hyper and werid.... and I was trying to get over how wild he was being. Little did I know the exchange of the ring had happened between Carol and Jonathan. Jonathan had shipped my ring to their house while he was overseas this summer. Anyways.. we all hung out, had dessert and Jonathan was excited beyond imagination and was going on 48 hours with zero sleep. I took Jonathan to the Schneider's where he was staying and some much needed sleep happened......

Jonathan knocked on my door at 8 am on Sunday Morning. Our Friend Debi had dropped him off on on her way to Church. Jonathan woke me up and brewed a fresh pot of coffee and started to make breakfast. We started to make plans for the day and decided to hike to Deluge Lake in the Gore Range in Vail. So we got lunches packed, water bottles filled and were off for the day. I was praying we would have good weather as I looked out from my house there were thunder storms just hanging over the valley. Those of you who know Colorado know you can get 85 degree weather and snow in the same day, so who knew what we would get, we just knew that beautiful back country awaited our day.......

Jonathan is a lean 6'3 packed full of sweetness- but let me tell you.... those legs can crank it up a mountain..... so he lead on the trail and I followed. The minute we set foot on the trail...the vivid colors and bounty of wildflowers made my heart swom...... and we enjoyed our 10 mile hike to the top. At one point Jonathan and I were so amazed at the flowers he said, "Wildflowers are like God's Wedding Band to us, he pursues us and impresses us with this creation...." Ok, Mr.Romantic spilling out of your mouth.... this actualy did not give anything away... Jonathan is full of words so this was pretty normal.

We made it to the top and there was still snow melt so the lake looked nasty. We ate lunch under a tree and headed back down the mountain. As we were still near the top there was a meadow full of wildflowers with every color of the rainbow. Jonathan asked if we should walk down and I insisted that it was not a effcient use of time and that we would have to walk back up. We walked a little bit.... and then I asked him, "As we serve God with our lives, what are dreams on your heart..." ( man, I know how to give someone a good lead into a proposal). Jonathan at that time walked off the trail into the meadow (ingoring my commentary about having to come back up). There we sat next ot a stream in a meadow and had a 360 degree view the the Gore Range. It was stunning! Jonathan got his journal out and began reading me a covenant that he wrote about marriage and his commiment to a constant pursual of my heart as we serve Jesus with our lives, the greatest force of any ministry will be our marriage together and in the four walls of our home. As he is reading the long list to me... I started thinking.... "Oh my goodness, is this happening?" I was not sure... he is pretty romantic and him reading that could have been pretty normal.... until he asked me to stand up...... Jonathan got down on his knee and asked me to be his wife... that part was a total blurr.....then is slipped the most stunning elegant ring on my finger, a ring that we went to great lengths to study and find.... We sat in the meadow and I was amazed at all it how happend.... how God has brought a man who fought for my heart and pursed and prayed and pressed in and just hoped that this California girl would soemhow be his friend ....and somehow was able to get thought to some walls that had been build aroud my heart. For now..... Jenny Schlenker is engaged to a man who I could have even dreamed of..... Thank you for all of your love and prayers and just loving me for me. Jesus lead us.........