I have just completed my 28th year as an individual person.

A year ago, I worked for HP and was getting ready to go to Chicago to start the rollout of HPSA for HSBC.

11 months ago I was getting ready to go to London to participate in more HSBC stuff.

10 months ago I was enjoying a week vacation away from technology in Bamber Bridge, UK.

9 months ago my parents were just getting ready to head back to NY after visiting me in NC for a couple weeks.

But while all those were fun, they pale in comparison to what happened 8 months ago. On 1 February 2009 I was “matched” with a Kentucky girl named “Christina” on eHarmony.

I sure didn’t know 8 months ago how very, VERY different this year would be from any previously.

A few days after being matched with Christina, I started making plans to go to Hong Kong for work to complete the HSBC rollout. Then, part way through February, I found out my position was being targeted for a “workforce reduction” due to slow services sales.

7 months ago I was in Hong Kong, finalizing my work with HSBC, and searching for a new job – and, oh yeah! – talking to this sweet southern girl in Kentucky.

I was also being intermittently spoken-to by a recruiter in Singapore about some HPSA contract work for an “investment bank”.

Part way into March I moved from merely emailing Christina to talking to her on the phone.

6 months ago I was more aggressively job-hunting because my tenure with HP was closing-out quickly. I was also planning a week trip to Florida with my dad for the EAA’s Sun-n-Fun convention and airshow.

5 months ago I was debating whether or not to accept the position with Barclay’s Capital. Oh – and planning to meet Christina in person for our first “date”.

On 9 May I met Christina at a small Italian restaurant in Corbin KY called Dino’s. We enjoyed some pasta, talked, and then went to Cumberland Falls. Talked more, watched the flood waters course through the gorge, noticed a wedding party getting pictures, and then headed into town for a coffee – where we again talked more.

After a few hours, we parted, and I headed-on to Detroit to visit some old friends I’d never met.

2 weeks later, we were making plans for a trip to Asheville for our second in-person date. I had already decided I liked Christina a LOT, but was nervous about expressing that – so I held off till just before our time together was done. Turns out I coulda said something sooner, cause [thankfully!] she felt the same way 😀

Next up was scheduling a trip to meet her parents. I spent a bunch of time in KY before I left for Singapore. Wish I’d spent more!

3.5 months ago I arrived in Singapore for a few weeks to start working for Barclays. I was also eagerly awaiting my month-long trip back to the US to see my sweetheart.

Part way into July I boarded my flight for Tokyo, as the first leg in a 36-hour Thursday which was going to terminate with me driving to Corbin to see Christina. The next day we flew to Boston for my friend Dan’s wedding.

The following weekend I made official a commitment I’d already made in my head weeks previously, and asked Christina to marry me!

Now I’m counting-down the days (9.5!) till my fiancée arrives in Singapore for two weeks!

It’s truly amazing how much can happen in a year. Or a month. Or a day.

I’m continually amazed, awed, and thankful at how God orchestrates everything in our lives together for good.

I can only imagine what God has in store for the next year! If it goes anything like I hope, my next birthday won’t be alone – it will be with my wife!