Lately I have been working on some fall cleaning to get rid of old junk. Throughout junk cleaning, I came across some fun memories. Today when I was going through files on my computer I came across a story. This story was written [By Lorah, Rachel, Josh, and I] for our friends Brian and Megan. Rachel read the story at their wedding reception.
Once upon a time, in the land of surfer dudes and movie stars, mountains and beaches, national parks and happening cities, there lived a young man named Brian. He was not exactly a surfer dude, and he was decidedly not a big name in Hollywood. He was, in fact, a Dutch Reformed guy who grew up on a dairy. All his life, he dreamed of being a millionaire businessman, and when he graduated from Ontario Christian High school he enrolled at Providence Christian College to fulfill those aspirations.
Meanwhile, far North in the corner rainy state of Washington, in the town of Lynden a lovely girl by the name of Megan Hemnes had grown up. She was a country girl to the core, with a great love for horses, an affinity to pink and green, and an increasing love for coffee. She was also, coincidentally, one of the chosen people: Dutch and reformed! Megan had never had a consuming passion to become a master surgeon, a politician, or a university professor. But, like most of her fellow high-school graduates, she applied to college, not sure about what she would major in. Little did she know, God had some plans for her time at college that went beyond preparing for a future career. As it turned out, she (with some trepidation) ended up deciding on the tiny school of Providence Christian College in Ontario, California as well.
Megan’s first Sunday in the magical land of California, she and her parents headed to a near-by church, named First Chino URC. It was here that Megan and Brian met for the first time. Little did they know, they were meeting the person who would later become the love of their lives.
Over the next couple of months, their attraction grew, as the small campus allowed them to get to know each other. Sparks couldn’t help but fly – every time their eyes met, it was magnetic. It couldn’t be denied and finally one beautiful night in the month of October, while strolling on the picturesque Laguna Beach, the manly dairy farmer turned to the red headed horse-lover and asked if she would be his girlfriend. Oh Cows! Need you even ask? It was the beginning of a wonderful romance.
Slowly, Brian began shedding his HUGE tough boy persona, wooing the girl of his dreams. How could the dairy farmer secure the red-haired girl from Washington? Much to the surprise of their friends, stealing her phone, keys, or pillow and racing around campus seemed to do the trick. Just to be sure, though, sometimes Brian would call up his sweetheart randomly, tell her to meet him outside at his car and hand her pink and green flowers…just because it was Wednesday. Moments like this put the twinkle in their eyes.
The next months were filled with strolls to Starbucks, in which Megan consumed unearthly amounts of caffeine, yet could not manage to stay awake, day trips to San Diego, where, following the traditions of their ancestors, they biked around town, and a rigorous routine of jogging as a couple…*SARCASM SIGN*
By this time, they were desperately in love, but faced some tough realities, like being separated by thousands of miles, when Meg moved back to Washington, and only being able to communicate over that blessed gadget known as a cell phone. They faced an even tougher reality when they got their cell phone bills. But to keep his mind off of his distant red-headed sweetheart, he milked many a cow and cried bitter tears into the piles of…manure. Meanwhile, far up north, Megan spent her lonesome days consoled by the presence of her darling niece Sydni and working long hours surrounded by the (other) subject of her dreams: coffee.
The long days passed slowly, but they did pass, and joyful reunions came and went. Finally, it was November – that cold month of Thanksgiving. And for Megan and Brian, it was sure to be a month of Thanksgiving. Tuesday night, Brian boarded a plane, full of confidence and anticipation, knowing the next day would be a complete surprise to Miss Megan Hemnes. Early Wednesday morning, Megan and Brian headed to one of their favorite places – Deception Pass, a beautiful and romantic setting. After enjoying the scenery, and taking memorable pictures, Brian began OPERATION PROPOSAL.
Before Megan knew it, the song My Best Friend, by Tim McGraw, was playing on Brian’s phone and he was down on one knee, asking the question a girl waits her entire life to hear: Will you spend the rest of your life with me? Gently, the very carefully chosen ring was slid onto Meg’s left hand and they were betrothed.
Throughout the next nine months, the wedding day Megan had dreamed of since the age of seven was planned and organized. In the midst of the wedding flurries, they were reminded that the real reason the momentous day of August 14, 2009 would forever be ingrained into their memories was because they would be joined in love to each other for the rest of their coffee-drinking, businesses dealing days. And so it has come to pass. They have met, they have loved, they have been betrothed, and now they are married. Forever and ever. Happily ever after.
The End.
Brian and Megan Vanden Heuvel have been married for a little over a year now and currently live in Vancouver, WA.
