Our Wedding

Ryan and I recently received the final copies of our wedding photos, and looking through them made me want to revisit my memories of that day.

The gorgeous photos by Laura Loomis reminded me of how incredible our wedding day was. I am so thankful that we were able to enjoy such a stunning and sacred event with our closest family and friends. God blessed every moment of that day, and we were happy that our wedding could be a testimony of how good He is.

I absolutely loved every detail of our wedding. When I started planning the ceremony and reception, I knew that I wanted it to be outdoors to reveal the beauty of Colorado, the place where we had grown up together. The Tapestry House was the perfect location, with the ornate Victorian style of the house and the beautiful garden-like atmosphere of the grounds. The twinkle lights throughout the trees, on the gazebo, and overhead in the reception pavilion gave a romantic feel and made our wedding even more charming.

The colors I chose (champagne-gold, ivory, and some green in the flowers) helped to achieve the overall look that I wanted: simple, timeless, and elegant. The shimmery champagne-gold bridesmaids' dresses contributed to an antique style that flowed well with the Victorian look of the setting. Cream and green hydrangea bouquets with crystals scattered throughout also went with the romantic yet clean theme.

My strapless dress (which I REALLY want to wear again) made me feel like a princess without being too frilly or flowery. Once again going with the Victorian element, it laced like a corset up the back and fit closely down around the hips, with the perfect amount of crystal beading and a sweat-heart neckline. I loved the elegant flow of the organza skirt and the crystal detail on the train as well. The ivory color looked beautiful next the the golden bridesmaids' dresses and full flowers. I also adored my hair, thanks to Cheryl Bueler at Changes Salon in Loveland. It was also fairly simple, full on top with soft curls that peaked out perfectly over my fingertip veil.

Talking about all of the details of our wedding makes me want to go back and relive the whole day! I will forever remember the way that God blessed our wedding, clearing the rain to let the sun shine down on our ceremony, using the words of Carl Sutter to join us together as husband and wife, and allowing us to celebrate our love with all of the people we care for most. We could not have asked for more!

I Am Whole

I've been going through Jennifer Kennedy Dean's "He Restores My Soul." This morning, the lesson was about choosing the way of the cross and leading a "crucifixion life." As followers of Christ, we can choose to react from His perspective even in difficult situations. As we respond to God's power and love, our old habits of pride and selfishness are crucified, and a new soul is resurrected within us. I love how God used Christ as a model for this. He resurrects my soul just as Christ was resurrected after doing the Father's will.

All of this is so much easier said than done, but sometimes I wonder how much more peaceful my life would be if I simply surrendered my own pride and worries to someone who has the power to heal and solve all things. My guess is that my peace would pass understanding :-).

I Am Whole

Let this my crucifixion be,

as I lift my gaze toward the cross.

That Christ is my sufficiency;

I count all else as deepest loss.

Broken as Jesus on the tree,

and like the Savior's risen soul,

I sense the power of Him in me.

my life is renewed, I am whole.

A New Job for My New Life

After being in Florida for about two weeks, I decided that it was time to look around for a part-time job. Until I start school, I need something to keep me busy and productive while Ryan is at work, especially as he is working evenings. So I picked up applications for several places: Starbucks, Panera, and a local smoothie cafe. If not for my husband, Mr. smoothie fanatic, I probably wouldn't have even thought to apply at the third place. I had never really noticed it before, and I hadn't heard of the name. But after Ryan told me how thrilled he would be if his wife worked at a delicious smoothie store, I thought I'd give it a try. Low and behold, I got the job!

My stylin' uniform

I am now past my first few days of training, and I am having a lot of fun. The people I work with are very friendly and willing to help, and the smoothie samples I get to taste throughout the day are definite pluses as well! It's interesting how even a part-time job can make you feel better about yourself. I feel like this is another step toward getting settled into my new environment and living a productive life. It's nice to have a job where you can show people generosity and kindness every day, simply by offering a warm smile and a yummy smoothie :-). It may sound silly and trite, but it's true. I guess a little job can go a long way.

My Unexpected Love Story

This is part of a creative non-fiction story that I've compiled over time. I'm sure you can guess where I gathered my inspiration for this story :-). Hope you enjoy!

There was once a girl who wandered the imaginary woods of her neighborhood, climbing the trees and envisioning her prince charming off in the distance of her future. He would be tall and handsome, with green eyes and a soothing voice. He would take her in his arms and awaken her with his kiss. He would be her Prince Phillip and she his Sleeping Beauty. Like many little girls, this is the dream she had in mind, though she often doubted the likelihood of its fulfillment. The girl grew older and soon began to forfeit her childhood hopes of prince charming. In her heart, she believed that God had someone special in store for her, but the world sometimes made this faith frail.

There was once a boy who found adventure in everything he saw. Fireflies were fading sparks from the fiery breath of a dragon; a tree branch became his sword, while his bicycle served as his chariot. When he went crawdad fishing, he was heroically slaying the monstrous beasts of the earth. And fourth-of-July fireworks were bombs sent to conquer the evil rulers of the land. He was what any girl would want in a prince charming. He was brave and strong; he was heroic and honorable; he was tall and handsome, with green eyes and a soothing voice. The boy grew older and soon began to forfeit his childhood fantasies and heroic ideals. In his heart, he believed that God had something special in store for him, but the world sometimes made this faith frail.

The year was 1998 when they met, in an encounter that could scarcely be deemed groundbreaking or magical. After all, the girl and the boy were young, not yet teenagers. Members of the opposite sex were not exactly desirable. The years would go by, and the girl and the boy would become friends, spending time together at church and school. They would even become boyfriend and girlfriend, but only for a short hour during middle school, when boy-girl relationships consist of little more than momentary and uncertain flirtation. More years would go by; the girl and boy would begin high school; they would find new friends, join new clubs, become the girlfriend or boyfriend to someone else, and drift apart.

How little they knew about what the future held…

Blessed

It's hard to believe that with all of the blessings in my life, I could ever find a reason to be discontent. But it happens, I am ashamed to admit. This world consistently sends us messages of materialism, self-indulgence, and of course the idea that other people have things better than we do. Unfortunately, I often pay more attention to these messages than to the true Message. I forget that my life is "a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes" (James 4: 14). It is a speck of dust in the grand scheme of eternity. And not only that, but this incredibly small life that I possess on this earth is abudant with blessings.

The last couple of days, my attitude has not been where it should be. Yes, I miss my family, and yes, I am facing many changes in my life. But it is time to stop making excuses and start looking at things God's way, instead of my own. I decided that the best way to do this is to make a list of the clear blessings God has bestowed on me. When you focus on what you have, it's a little harder to complain :-).

I have...

The most loving and handsome husband

a beautiful and sweet little sister

two unbelievable parents

the most perfect in-laws

a beautiful home

a warm bed

plenty of good food

great health

a new job (at the first place to which I applied...God is good!)

the opportunity to attend college

supportive and compassionate friends

the promise of my salvation.

And that's just the beginning of how God has blessed my life! If you're feeling down today, make a list of your own.

Domestic Attempts

Now that I'm a married woman, I have been putting forth my best efforts toward domestic success :-). I've always liked interior decorating (HGTV is definitely a personal favorite), but the whole cooking/baking thing... not my area of expertise.

I've really enjoyed putting our apartment together! We are very blessed to have such nice new and hand-me-down furniture to make this space more like home. Much of the furniture belonged to my late grandma and to my parents, so I feel like I have pieces of my family with me. I almost cried when we finished arranging the living room. I almost felt like I was back in my grandma's house.

Now for my endeavors in the kitchen... not always as successful. I think Ryan is as good a cook as I am at this point. But a few meals have turned out pretty well. About a week ago, I made cheese blintzes with fruit topping. Ryan and I both like having breakfast food for dinner, so I decided to try a new recipe from a breakfast cookbook we received as a wedding gift. The process was a little bit longer than I expected. The crepe batter alone has to sit in the refrigerator for an hour before using. Then there's the cheese filling to mix and the syrupy fruit topping to make. And to top it all off, you have to cook the crepes, build the blintzes, and everything still has to bake for fifteen minutes before you finally get to eat. After all the work, the blintzes were good, but I have a few alterations I would make to the recipe... if I get the energy to do it again :-). At least they looked pretty!

And It Begins

I have now been officially married for one month and two days. It doesn't seem quite real. Early in my life, I would never have guessed that God would have led me this direction. Not once did I dream that I would budge from Colorado, home not only to the breathtaking Rocky Mountains, but also to my family for the past twenty-one years of my life. When you fall in love with a member of the Coast Guard, however, living on the coast is a bit of a requirement.

Now I am in St. Petersburg, Florida, in a cute little apartment that I share with my wonderful husband (it's still a bit strange to use that word). I know a grand total of six people in this area, one of them being the man I live with, and four of them being extended family members. Let the adventure begin!

Even though you're slightly prepared for the load of changes the military will throw your way, I'm beginning to understand that the surprises will always keep coming. When we arrived in Florida, Ryan (my husband) learned that he would no longer be working daytime hours as he expected, but he would instead be working from the early afternoon into the late hours of the night. Right away, our sleep schedule, dinner schedule, and any other kind of schedule turned upside down. It's not the ideal situation we had in mind for our first months of marriage, but we're gradually figuring it out. Thus, my first lesson as a Coastie wife: don't make any rock solid plans unless you can handle them changing :-). I suspect that this is one of the first in a long line of works God will do in me as I follow this life with Ryan. I've never been one for change, but I think the point is to rely on His plans rather than my own.

Before I start to sound too high and mighty or deeply in touch with God's will for my life, I have to admit that I've had a few meltdowns since leaving Colorado. It's not easy to face so many changes, but I'm immensely thankful that I can look at my new husband and remember why I chose this life as a Coastie wife.