Walk through this world together

We are pleased to announce that our beautiful daughter Amy is engaged to be married to Corey Park. He asked for her hand in marriage (all of her, really) right after Jud and Kara's fabulous wedding, at a breakfast meeting he'd requested. Corey phoned Paul that week prior, to request the meeting, calling him Mr. Goldsmith. We keep telling him Mr. and Mrs. Goldsmith are our parents - we're Paul and Leslie! ;>).

Anyway, we met him in the hotel after Jud and Kara's big event. We had an inkling about what he might ask us - so I stopped at the bank that week, busted into the lock box and picked up the "family jewel". It's my mother's diamond. I ended up with it when Dad died because Jud is the oldest boy. Lucky for Amy, Kara's family had their own beautiful diamond, so we saved Mom's diamond for her. I believe it was originally my Dad's grandmother's diamond - so the gem has some family history.

Have I mentioned that we really like this young man who has become an important part of Amy's life? I especially appreciated getting to know him last Thanksgiving, enjoying how he interacted with our family so well. He met several of Paul's family members that weekend. At Jud's wedding he met the rest of my sisters and more. Thumbs up! I guess he was on best behavior or something.

Anyway - we said yes and passed along the diamond. I must admit I got a bit choked up when we talked that morning. He said some pretty nice things about our girl. She deserves someone who adores her. Then the poor guy had to carry the "rock" around STL for the rest of the day. He told me later that he doesn't know how we women do it - wearing diamonds around...

And then I had to carry around a HUGE secret for several weeks. It was like a pressure cooker. Don't worry - I let off steam by telling people at work. They don't know anybody, right? haha. On Mother's Day, Corey sent a teaser email saying that Memorial Weekend would be the big day - on Saturday, so we've been waiting excitedly. He had that diamond set into a ring - after finding out just what Amy might like. (Gold of course - it's in the name). She's wearing Mom's ring, but has a personality more like Paul's mom - gold.

pretty simple - like Mom's

We went to a movie that evening, and then couldn't stay up late enough for the whole big event. Can you believe it? They tried to call but we missed it. We didn't talk to her until Sunday morning. Amy's said that night before, her girlfriends announced that she was going on a scavenger hunt of her favorite bars. In the end she was blindfolded and arrived at a place that smelled suspiciously like the Mansion where Corey lived when they first met nearly two years ago. At the top of the stairs, Corey awaited. Sneaky!

romantic setting

surrounded by their friends

Paul and I are smiling. Our children have found their partners. We love them all! Jud met Kara in college. Some cute stories were shared at their wedding about their early relationship. (That story sounds familiar = Paul/me).

Amy has taken a different path - one where chance caused Corey to take room in a mansion for a 6-month work stint in Denver. That just happened to be where Amy's friends lived. From a friendship, love grew.

Life is good.

From Marc Cohn's Walk Through This World With Me

Won't you walk through this world with me
Walk through this world
Over the miles of mystery
Walk through this world with me

Walk through the world with me
Walk through the world
Over the mountains and the shining sea, yeah
Walk through this world with me
Come on, now