Our LIFE CHANGING Engaged Encounter Weekend =)

Well, this weekend Danny and I had to go to our Engaged Encounter weekend (pre-marital prep classes).  Honestly, we weren't looking forward to it at all.  Especially Danny...he was DREADING it!  But I have to say, our relationship is honestly on an entirely different level at this weekend.  It was amazing!! It's taken me 4 years to get Danny to open up as much as this program did in one weekend.  It dragged on a little bit, but it literally opened a new chapter for us (and even Danny was surprised how much it helped our relationship!)  Here's some quick pics:

This is before we left in our living room =)

We stayed in a VERY old convent building.  It was a different experience for Danny having nuns live right down the hall!  He learned on the first night not to walk to the bathroom with just a towel on ;)  LOL

This is the sign outside our "dialogue room."  Here's how it worked:

Our 2 sponsor couples would talk about  an issue (say communication for example).  They would talk about how to have good communication and give personal experiences.  Then Danny and I would separate into 2 rooms and answer btwn 10-15 VERY personal and intense questions.  And we had to answer 100% honestly.  Then Danny and I would meet in our dialogue room and read what each other wrote and talk it out.  Let me tell you, there was sobbing and crying and hugging...he took it SO seriously and poured so much emotion into it which I REALLY appreciated =) We did this all day (8am to 11pm) for 2 days! Exhausting. But, we worked out all of our issues, even ones we didn't know we had yet!  And it really brought God back into our relationship.

Here's our 2 sponsor couples.  They were great!!

Honestly, it was probably the best thing that we've ever done as a couple for our relationship.  I feel like couples that haven't gone on this weekend are really missing out tremendously.  Like they don't know the secrets to a REALLY REALLY great marriage!  I would reccommend it to all my friends, Catholic or not.  

The only cons of the weekend were the food was HORRENDOUS.  Literally, my dad's prisoners at his jail ate better than we did.  I felt so malnourished and weak after the weekend (but it was incredibly emotionally and physically draining!)  And everyone felt it dragged on a bit at the end and were getting a little antsy to finally get home.  But I'm so glad we went.  We even made new friends!  It was amazing to see Danny come out of his shell, he was the life of the weekend!!  Danny even started discussing eventually going back to church...which is the biggest blessing I could ever receive =)

If anyone reading this in interested in going on this weekend, just leave a comment or email me and I can give you the info and who to call. Like I said, it was very honestly a life changing experience for us =)

OH!  I always joke with Danny that we should combine our last name when we get married to either Shantz or Luman.  Well wouldn't you know it that as soon as we left when we were finished we were on Shantz Road! I was like WHAT?!?  It's a sign from God, for sure ;-)

Love,

The Shumans