Of Riddles and Love

I never knew that 21 hours could be so amazing. Or how it could end so quickly.

After the end of the Oregon tour {which was great by the way} I flew down to Los Angeles Monday afternoon. It was like a dreamy event that went by in the blink of an eye.

Adam kept informing me the few days before I arrived that he was planning a special surprise date for us. I was super excited to see what he had concocted. Like I’ve said before, he surprises me over and over and over. And this was no exception.

If anyone reading cannot tolerate blissful sappiness, you might want to go on to whatever boring task you were doing just before opening this blog page. But if you think you can tolerate it, read on. Be awed. Ooo and ahh. And if any guys are reading this, you might want to take notes. ;)

After picking me up at the airport, we somehow managed to find our way back to the car; after lots of hugging and admiring looks at each other. {Readers should be awed by this feat. It took a lot of walking back and forth between parking garages, because a certain one of us gets easily distracted when trying to find his car. Super cute by the way!}

The date started by Adam pulling out a card from his pocket. And the story went something like this.

“This date will be a series of riddles that will lead us from one spot to the next. You have to figure out the riddles before moving to following location.”

The first was about cold, sweet treats… Pinkberry Frozen Yogurt. YUM! When we got there, Adam pulled me around the corner of the building and there hidden in a flowerpot was the next clue card.

With a stomach full of watermelon flavored frozen yogurt, Adam read me the next clue. As soon as I heard the bit about watching the setting sun, I knew we were headed for the beach. {Note: This guy is amazing. He did all of his homework, all the way down to checking the exact time the sun would set. No details were left undone. He’s just that good.}

Here’s one of the many things I love about Adam Neesby. He has a plethora of places around his home from coffee shops, to parks, to cliffs overlooking the ocean; where he goes to read the Word, pray and talk to me. I love when he lets me into his world and takes me to his ‘spots’.

Last night he took me to another spot I’d never seen before. A rocky cliff over looking the ocean. The grey waters and foam rushed into the small inlet far below. The next clue was hidden behind a sign that said something about flying model airplanes in the designated areas only. {I LOVE this guy’s attention to details.} By this point, I was already so giddy with love and respect for my man’s superbly romantic date; my spirits couldn’t be dashed by the sunset that was severely masked by thick fog.

That third clue led us to a seafood restaurant on the pier. The atmosphere was amazing; a dimly lit, fishing cove type building with an entire wall of floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the waves crashing on the pier. {My favorite thing about seafood restaurants is my lack of knowledge when it comes to the menu. Adam is my obliging translator.}

One side note on Adam and I at restaurants. We always like to sit on the same side of the table, with our chairs pulled as close as possible. As we sat in this fashion that night, whispering secrets in each other’s ear, our sweet old-lady waitress said, “Do you want to move over to a booth? You might be more comfortable there.” Needless to say, we tipped her well. ;)

We finished our night with a stroll along the pier. The last clue, which had been hidden under a park bench along our walk to dinner made me laugh and dance out loud.

While still in China, I had a dream one night about chocolate truffles. I told Adam and it became this huge joke about him trying to find me truffles in Kunming. He even said that one night he flew to Ecuador to search for them, but to no avail. I tease him occasionally about this unfulfilled dream. The last riddle said that because he is a man of his words, the truffles would be found, purchased and consumed.

And that is how the most amazing date ever ended. Then again, we never quit dating. It’s almost like our relationship is one constant, glorious date. The loving looks. The prayers from the heart. The laughter over crazy games and jokes. The tender care and love. The sharing of hearts. The bearing of souls. The dreams of our future together. The constant thanks to God for His unspeakable gifts. {And if what my married friends say, it can only get better.}

As I desperately hugged my Captain Awesome goodbye in the airport this morning and headed for that cursed security line, an older couple behind said these words. “This must be your first time away from each other?”

I sadly answered that we are apart most of the time. The man, looking back to where Adam was standing, said, “He looks lonely already.” And the wife laughingly stated her husband only drops her on the curb to say goodbye.

I realized again what a gift I have been given. The Bible talks about a man who finds a wife, finds a good thing. I wonder where the verse is that says a woman who finds a man who loves and tenderly cares for her, finds a very very good {and awesome} thing!

My plane is just beginning it’s descent into Des Moines, as Captain Awesome and I enter yet ANOTHER stretch of time away from each other. Sometimes I think I won’t make it. How can I manage to keep myself away from pure awesomeness?? But until I look into his blue eyes again, I’ll keep thanking Jesus for the incredible man he is… and I’ll live off those memories for a long time of our perfect 21 hours together.