Ethan and Raquel's story starts a long time ago, back when they both were little. When she was around 7 and he was 9, they met because her parents started hosting house church and his family would come over. During the next three years, they saw each other almost every week, but never became friends— Raquel thought boys had cooties and Ethan was even more shy than he is now. He never had the courage to tell her he liked her before they moved away in 2005.
Aside from a short visit before the Dottle's moved to Ecuador in 2008, they had no communication until the summer of 2010. The Dottle's had returned on furlough and stopped by the church to say hello to the old house church group, and wound up meeting up with the Rutherford's several times over the next few days. 3 days wound up doing what 3 years of seeing each other weekly couldn't— they became best friends. After an entire summer of Facebook chat, they were closer than ever, and helped each other through relationship drama in the fall. Finally, on October 16, 2010, they started dating thanks to a game of truth or dare and a push from Daniela.
Almost a year later, in August of 2011, they had a weekend together thanks to Raquel's visit to the states for her sixteenth birthday. They spent a single weekend together, and shared their first kiss as well as a promise— the ring that Ethan worked so hard to save up for. He told her that the promise was that someday it would be an engagement ring; little did they know how literal that would be. It would be some time before they saw each other again.
Another year and a half went by, and Ethan started school at Abilene Christian University. He couldn't stop talking about how much fun he was having. Thanks to a gift from a relative, he was able to visit Ecuador for his first spring break trip in 2013. They had a blast as she showed him her world, and couldn't wait for the day until he showed her his. Later that summer, Raquel was able to visit for her eighteenth birthday, a visit that marked the longest time they had ever spent together. Every time they saw each other, it was less awkward and more fun, and each grew to realize how much they truly believed in the promise Raquel wore on her hand.
As she was searching for schools that fall, Raquel applied to several universities but knew that ACU was her dream school— and not just because her guy was there, though that was an added bonus. God guided her steps there, giving her the most financial aid from ACU so her parents couldn't say no. In the summer of 2014, she moved back to the states, and after settling in with some help from her mom, aunt, and grandmother, began to call ACU home.
Over the next two years, they were inseparable. As they advanced in their academics, they taught each other about life. Raquel helped Ethan come out of his shell and deepen friendships, and Ethan encouraged Raquel to pursue her passion for technology. They grew closer than ever, and hoped that they wouldn't have to separate again, though they knew Ethan was brilliant enough to go anywhere with his career.
During Ethan's senior year, he was encouraged to attend a luncheon and interview with Faithlife, a Bible software company. They hired him for an internship beginning immediately after his graduation, meaning he would move out to Bellingham, Washington for at least 12 weeks, unless he was hired full time. As he struggled through his last classes, Ethan also wrestled with what to do about their relationship. He had wanted to propose to her for quite some time, but his course load barely let him work enough to pay rent, and his savings all were funnelled into his move. Graduation came and went, and his flight was booked. He knew what he had to do.
Ethan took Raquel aside one night and quietly asked if she would be willing to keep wearing her promise ring as an engagement ring. After some debate, she accepted on one condition: he had to actually ask her, properly, on one knee. Later that night, he did: he knelt on both knees and tied a ring knot around her small finger, saying how it symbolized the strength of their love and lots of other romantic stuff. How could she not accept?
Thus began their engagement, and their second separation. They've been able to spend the holidays together these past two years, and Raquel has been able to visit enough times to know that she'll love living in Bellingham. Both of them can't wait until the big day, when their long distance relationship will finally be completed.