T-Minus 3 Days: Make Time

I will be the first to admit that I have not read my Bible nearly as much as I should during our engagement.  I easily got caught up in the wedding planning stress.  Like a lot of people, my diligence and intensity with which I read my Bible goes in cycles.  Even though you would think it would be the opposite given where I am in my life, I got sucked into wedding planning and am on one of the downward slopes with the time I've put into my relationship with God. 

I don't know about you but I can tell when I haven't been feeding my mind with Truth.  I get irritable, easily angered, and impatient. I worry and become fearful.  Those qualities are not good to begin with, but they are even harder to deal with during an engagement (for Brett and my family). 

I've known this was a problem but I thought my upcoming wedding was more important.  I had pushed to the back of my mind the truth that if I'm not right with God, I can't be the wife that He desires me to be nor the wife that Brett deserves.  This morning, I wanted to change that.  I started my day by reading my Bible.  I know it's only three days until the wedding but it's better now than later.  I feel more at peace today.  It's amazing given the level of stress I've been feeling.

Reading the Bible isn't something that I should have to "make time" for.  It's something that should be first on my list followed by everything else.  I know with today's world, everything moves so fast and there never seems to be enough time.  I need to be intentional about setting out some time to work on my relationship with God.  Hope you'll join me!

3 days!!!

T-Minus 4 Days: The Daunting Task

I'm starting one of the more daunting tasks: packing for the honeymoon! We are going to Lago Mar Resort and Club in Fort Lauderdale.  We'll be there for 7 days and 6 nights.  I tend to overpack... a lot. Luckily, my brother bought us our luggage (and Cheryl bought the cute satchel). Here's the collection Chris bought us.

Unfortunately, the forecast for the weather in Fort Lauderdale is 60% chance of thunderstorms through next Thursday.  That means I'm not exactly sure what I should be packing.  Summer in Florida can mean anything in terms of weather so we're praying for the best.

I'm trying to be resourceful with the space that I have in the two suitcases. Does anyone have any packing tips?

T-Minus 5 Days: Family is Invaluable

We're five days from the wedding!! Brett and I got our marriage license today so we can OFFICIALLY get married.  I sent him off with Greg to coach the ECU football camp. It gives me a little time to get errands done, pack, and clean a little before the wedding.  I went over to Mom and Dad's afterwards to hang out.  I wanted to get some sun but about 10 minutes after I went out the their pool, it started to downpour. It rained the rest of the night.  I helped Mom with the welcome bags and then Dad and I watched Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I.

I've always known that family time is invaluable, but it's become even more so the closer that we get to the wedding.  Brett and I have been blessed with amazing families.  We have grown up with committed, Christian marriages all around us.  I never realized how important that was until the last year or so.  We have seen couples fight to keep their marriages alive and to put in the time in order to keep them fresh.  I know I am forever grateful for that. 

I'm so excited to have my family all together to celebrate our marriage.  My mom's parents come into town tomorrow and then my family from San Diego, my brother, and my cousin come into town on Wednesday.  Yay for family reunions!!!

T-Minus 6 Days: Giving up Control

We're in our actual wedding week. I can't believe it.  The topic of today's post is one that I have a TON of trouble with.  I'm a control freak. I have a really hard time delegating tasks and not knowing if or when they are done.  My tight control over things has caused a whole lot of stress because I've tried to delegate, but then I worry about it the whole time. That just makes me not want to delegate.

My mom and Brett have tried to remind me that even if things don't go perfectly, the only thing that matters is that we are married at the end of the day.  My type A personality has a hard time dealing with everything not going perfectly.  I've been very thankful that Mom has been sending me texts with verses about patience and trust.  Trying to dwell on those these last six days before the wedding so I can enjoy this time.  Please pray for me to be able to give up control and trust that everything will turn out just how God plans it to turn out.

T-Minus 7 Days: Change but More of the Same

I get married in 1 week!! I'm going to TRY to do on post each day the next week.  We'll see if that actually happens.  One week until the wedding means a whole bunch of last minute tasks and lots of changes that are about to happen.  One of those would be work.  Yesterday was my last day of work for 3 weeks!  I've been working at the same place for almost 4 years.  Wow that's hard to believe.  I started as an administrative assistant, then became a research assistant my senior year in college, and was hired full-time as an analyst once I graduated.

I know I have been blessed working at Veritas.  I seriously have the most understanding, patient bosses.  Matt and Jason actually really dislike the word boss; they consider themselves my coworkers.  Anyway, I was planning on working until next Wednesday, but Jason told me I would need to be off the whole week before the wedding.  I already know that he was right.  I think I'm really going to need the whole week for my sanity.

My office the past three years.

One thing that has reduced my stress immensely is the fact that I can keep my job and work from home once I move.  That took away the potential of having to job search, plan a wedding, and move at the same time.  After I finished work, Brett came to the office to help me pack everything up to move it to SC.  I didn't know how much stuff I had accumulated over the past couple of years.  Here's the office after we packed everything up.  Hard to tell a difference since you can't see the whole room, but it was pretty sad. 

Bye bye office.

Even though I won't be at the Cary office anymore, I get to open up the South Carolina branch.  Thankful for the opportunity to have worked and continue to work for such an amazing company.

Way to Go Pack!

Not that Wolfpack silly reader :) I'm talking about Whiteville High School Wolfpack.  Brett's cousin Justin played in the NCHSAA 2A Baseball State Championship this weekend.  Since Brett was in town, we decided to go to Five County Stadium to watch Game 2.  Whiteville had won Game 1 so there was the potential that this would be the last game of the series.  We weren't going to miss it.

My soon-to-be Aunt Phyllis saved us great seats behind home plate.  It was actually a little chilly because we were in the shade, and there was a breeze.  I'm glad Aunt Phyllis brought a blanket.  Justin played a fantastic game.  He hit a seed out to right field, and ended up scoring after some great base-running by the whole team.  He caught two fly balls while playing right field, one of which was pretty impressive. 

Whiteville ended up winning 3-1.  It actually made me a little teary-eyed to see these young men accomplish something so special.  They will never forget this the rest of their life.  Plus, it was Justin's last high school game. Can't think of a better way to end your high school career.

I looked at Brett a couple of times and saw the flood of emotions coming over his face too.  You see, in 2004, Brett was part of the West Brunswick High School team that won the 3A State Championship.  I knew he was thinking about that time.  It's by far his most treasured sports memory.  That almost broke open the floodgates from my eyes but I kept it in check.  I know, I'm astonished too.

I'm glad I got the chance to share this moment with my soon-to-be family.  I loved being there and being able to support Justin, Phyllis, and Ed (we missed you Brittany).  Congratulations Justin and the Whiteville Wolfpack!

 

Memorial Weekend Fun

I know this is a little late but I figured I'd write about it anyway.  My brother was able to fly in from Montana for Memorial Day weekend.  It was really nice to see him and get to spend some quality time with him before the wedding.  I have a feeling with so many things to do before the wedding, we won't get to see each other much.

Chris was able to play with a bunch of old ECU teammates in Kudzu 2012, a fun ultimate frisbee tournament hosted each Memorial Day weekend.  I usually play in it but with the wedding, and knowing that I'm due for an injury (yes I am injury-prone), I decided it was the wise decision not to play.  I went out to watch them this weekend though.  Here are a couple of pictures from Saturday and Sunday.

Monday was my best friend Jessica's 25th birthday. Man she's old ;)  Her boyfriend gave me some ideas about presents (thanks David!).  In addition to things I could buy, one thing he mentioned was some quality time. I invited her over to Mom and Dad's to swim, hang out, and give her her gift.  It was great being able to be around her some more before I move.  I really cherish her and know we will still be best friends despite the distance.

It was a very good Memorial Day full of friends, family, and good food. Those are always the best kind.