Candy's E-Mail Announcement

An October Day in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Candy filled in the details on a very special day... Jamie took her to a familiar place, Cade's Cove.

Here's her e-mail just as she wrote it...

TO:  My Family

FROM:  Candy

DATE:  October 27, 2000

I have run this email through my head so many times - thinking of the perfect way to tell you all - and now that the time is finally here, I have no idea where to begin.

You all know I love this man - James Brent Ostrander - his presence in my life has been God's blessing  - I believe God has changed my perspective on life, brought a lot of depth to my views and granted me even more confidence in myself through Jamie.  I am able to love easier, and make decisions more confidently and listen more intently - to laugh and giggle to my hearts content:)

I hope and trust that you have all caught a glimpse of who this man is, and from what I have heard, all my uncles and aunts approve of him, and I love that - I need that.  I love my family - and Jamie loves you too.  I love his family - and they have shown me they love me too.

I don't think I can bear the excitement -

On October 21st - (Later we found out it was "Sweetest Day"), Jamie symbolically washed my feet, and got down on both knees and asked me, as I stood, if I would be his wife - "Oh my goodness" was probably my most used phrase that day...I could not stop looking at him...and then my ring...him...ring...(you married couples know how that goes:)

He took me on a hike, through the smokey mtn. National park, which, by the way, was absolutely georgeous with all the leaves changing colors - He had a backpack with a picnic in it - which his mom packed for us.  I had no idea that he also had the ring, and that he would be purposing to me that day.

Once, when we were walking, we went over to look for fish in the stream - and wouldn't you know, I slipped in the water, soaking my tennis shoes, and my feet.  The trails we hiked on were dirty, and my feet were so incredibly muddy by the end of the time, that it truly was an act of servanthood that Jamie would wash my feet later on:) 

We never found a place to picnic on the trail - there was a cliff on one side, and the stream on the other...

The park was packed - with thousands of people wanting to enjoy and take in the beautiful colors of fall - frustrated on the inside and calm on the outside, jamie turned around and drove out of the park, so we could find a place where there weren't any people - little did I know that we had big plans at 7:00 and it was 4:30 - he was getting nervous.

I couldn't tell, though.  I have to admit that part of the day, my mind was filled with "what if's" - I was dreaming of him asking me on that day, and I was praying for God to take away the thoughts, so I could just concentrate on jamie:)

Anyway, we finally found a field with a stream running through it...we layed out the picnic, I took my muddy shoes off, and we ate....after washing my feet, he pulled out a silver ball - an ornament...through my tears, and uncontrolled emotions - jamie asked and I answered (he had to ask twice:) and he replaced the ring that was inside the ornament with the one I have always worn from grandma and grandpa - he has a promise ring too – Every year we will put that ornament on our tree (with our rings inside)- and remember this weekend, and our promises to eachother - promises we made before we even met.

After this, we rushed off to his house were there were roses for both of us from his mom, and dresses laid out for me to choose from.  We were going to one of the nicest restaurants in knoxville - where jennifer, his sister had previously planned our menu and payed for our meal - incredible.  We drove back to his house, hardly able to contain ourselves - there is too much to talk about!!! - the drive went by sooooooo fast. 

The next day, we were treated to full body massages at the Blackberry Farm - where his mom and sister work - woh - I have never had that done before - that was incredible too!

Well...I better let you all go...

What a perfect weekend, and I couldn't wait to get to a computer to tell you all our story.

I love every one of you.

Candy

if you want to email jamie... jamie_ostrander@tayloru.edu

P.S. - Two very important details I almost left out!!!

I will send a picture of the ring via email soon - and... We are thinking of setting a date sometime in early august or late july  - how about another reunion?