Wedding Countdown

It's official we can definitely start to remember the exact amount of DAYS until the wedding (52 days!!). With the small window of time left, that means the pressure is on. And boy am I starting to feel that pressure. The pressure of deadlines and decisions I put off for months. I don't think I've been slacking and lagging behind by any means but there were certain things that had to wait to be done. But now it is time for them to get done and I feel overwhelmed by the deadlines. I mean it could also be a combination of the summer classes I'm taking, and the observations I have to do in a school district, and moving Mike into our house (post soon to come) that has brought on these overwhelming feelings but either way I want them gone. I'm getting married once, I am planning my wedding once, I've enjoyed it up to this point I don't want to start hating it now. I have to remember that I have 7 awesome bridesmaids, two awesome moms, and one amazing man I get to call my husband (in 52 days!!!) to help. Then all top of all those wonderful people I have a God who's peace surpasses all understanding. So no more worries, things will get done when they get done and I'll still enjoy planning my wedding. 


I've said from the beginning that I want to focus on planning for my marriage, the thing that will last forever, rather than the one day that it starts. I'm going to love my wedding day and I can't wait to say I do. But the real deal comes after the dancing and laughing and tears. The real deal is the next day,  next year, and the next ten years down the road. Those are the days I'm excited for, spending time with this awesome and crazy guy. 

Love him!!!

Wishing you all peace and joy.

With love

~BA

Our First Home

A few months back Mike and I put an offer in on a house. We had been searching for awhile with little luck. Our budget was small, but so were our expectations. We wanted a small newer house in a nice neighborhood, not far from where we call home now. One day his uncle/our realtor called us in a hurry to come see this house he said was perfect for us. If I am going to be honest, we had heard that line before and we were not thoroughly convinced until we saw it. It was perfect for us. A small three bedroom house in the same neighborhood as Mike's home now with all new appliances and flooring. It was exactly what each of us had pictured, and it was in our budget (the higher end, but still in it). We were so excited we put an offer in on the house the next day. We waited about two more days to find out that someone else had offered just slightly more than we did. We were a little bummed, but we both agreed that before we put the offer in, if God wanted us to have that house then we would. So we said it's just not where God wants us right not and we trusted Him and kept searching. Any time we did find a decent house we would compare it to the other house. Once we both started our semesters we didn't have as much time to search and always had the back-up plan of living in the condo my grandparents owned. About a month ago my grandparents told us that they renewed their lease with their current tenant and Mike and I no longer had a back-up plan. Needless to say I freaked a little, but reminded myself that God has always provided for us before and He would do it again. House searching was put on hold while everyday things of school, work, and family took priority.


We had driven by the house we put an offer in on one day and it was still empty so we had Mike's uncle/our realtor look into to see if it was on the market again or what was up. He found that their closing date was coming soon and we decided to keep an eye on (it just in case). The day of the other people's closing date I get a call from Michael (who was home from student teaching with whip-lash from being rear-ended and totaling his car the day before) while I was in class and knowing he may need me I left class and called back right away. He told me that the other people who had put in a higher offer in on that house fell through and that we could possibly get that house was truly was perfect for us. After a few phone calls we had again put an offer in on the house and the buyer had agreed to it. When Mike told me it's just a matter of paperwork we have to complete, I jumped up and down, screamed (squealed really) and could not contain my happiness. 


At this moment we are just waiting for paper work to be pushed through but are still trusting God and having Him put us where He wants us. If we had gotten the house the first time we put an offer in we would have already made at least one mortgage payment and Mike would still have months of student teaching left. Now Mike has three weeks left of student teaching and we are three months away from our wedding date. God's timing is the absolute best timing. We know that God has had His hand over us the entire time and could not be more thankful for His provision. Still praying that God will have us where He wants us though! Pictures will follow if this is where we will be.

Have a great day and praise God a little.

~BA

My own little love story

It's actually a funny story of how Mike and I met. I taught his sister Lauren in dance class and one day he came to pick her up and I had mentioned he was cute. She she told him what I said and then she told me what he said and three days later I got probably the most embarrassing text message that read, "Hey my little sister told me to text this number...whats up?" Needless to say I felt stupid at that point for trying to talk to a guy via his little sister. A few weeks later we went on our first date and hung through the summer. On July 4th we went to Ocean City with a few of his friends to watch the fireworks. We had split from them and went down on to the beach. Shortly after the fireworks had started he asked me lay back and he was short of breathe and his heart was racing. As I watched the fireworks explode in the sky behind him he asked me to be his girlfriend. Obviously I said yes but this was a big deal for Mike because he had never had a girlfriend before me so he was so excited, as was I because it was official, we were together for however long that would be. Nearly three years pass from that day. Years filled with laughs and love. The years were also filled with stress and major decisions, and tears and changes but through it all we were there together. On June 8th 2011 we had a regular day at the beach planned we enjoyed the sun and sand and then went to our houses to get ready for a nice dinner at my FAVORITE restaurant and then back to Ocean City for a walk on the boardwalk. After we enjoyed our great dinner we went to the boardwalk and mike brought a drawstring bag filled with something other than what he said was in there. We walked a little then he had to go to the bathroom and while I waited I just prayed for patience and no expectations because I noticed he was acting funny. Once he came he practically made me run onto the beach and pulled a blanket out of the bag he was holding at the spot we he asked me to be his girlfriend. He had me lay on the blanket and again his heart was racing as he asked me to be his wife one day. All I could say was, "Is this real life?! Is this really happening?!" I could not have been more excited. This is only the beginning of our story, God willing we will have many more chapters to come.


Happy Valentine's Day! May yours be filled with not only an earthly love but a heavenly love as well!


God Bless
BA

Wonder

Everything in this post I have thought of. I literally could not have said it better myself.


Hope you enjoy!

BA

Life Lately

So granted I have not used this to my full advantage or talked as much as I liked to, but I'm a busy girl!
So school has started and it isn't as scary as I thought it would be. After hearing Mike's horror stories of his foundations class and his 4000 level classes, I was not excited to get here. Mike understands things better than I do, he grasps the concept, I grasp the procedure. He will retain the knowledge I will know solid for the test and then it's gone. So I have always gotten better grades then he has but he understands more. So when I hear about how he doesn't understand his classes, I freak! But so far I am not freaking out. My two math classes are not that hard. So the work load has not made me cry so far (key words = so far). But I'm almost done the semester so it's looking good!


A huge blessing that has come our way was scholarships and aid that not only covered my full tuition for the semester but I got money back! A lot of money back, more than I could have ever asked for!!!! God really shows how much he can provide and I'm in awe. Also, Mike and I started looking for a house and came across this grant that will give first time home owners up to $15,000. There is no way this isn't God! 


Other than that it's just the everyday. The wedding plans are always on my mind and I feel as if I'm falling behind on the plans but then I realize that I still have 8 months and I need to breathe!!! 


in love
-Brooke

Wedding Planning

Wedding planning is coming along. It's a lot to thnk about and if I think about too much I make myself crazy: 

What if this

 What if that

What if I'll hate that in three years

What if I help my sister or other friends plan their wedding and I say I wish I would have done that! 

What if Mike doesn't cry when I walk down the aisle

What if I don't cry

What if I cry obnoxiously

What if

What if 

What if...

I can say a lot of what if's but I haven't asked what if you just enjoy the day. It's something I have to prepare myself for each time. I have to keep reminding myself that the wedding is only one day in our marriage that will last a lifetime. The wedding day is just the beginning. I'm constantly trying to prepare myself for the major life change after the wedding. 

I'm not gonna go home to my Mommy's house and sleep in my own bed. I'm going home to OUR house to share a bed (something I don't do well).

It's a crazy journey that is happening. I'm glad I'm doing it with this man by my side! =)

Love you Mike

~in love~

Brooke

It gets better

I was going through my google reader and came across this blog. Written by a beautiful girl, inside and out, I know personally. She's an inspiration! I really loved this song and it inspired me to post. In my education classes in college we talk a lot about bullying because of the new bill that has gone out. This bill was pushed of the increasing suicide rates in teens. Here's the video.

As girl who has gone through middle school and high school and has been there I just want to encourage anyone out there that life gets better! One day people grow up, not to the fullest extent that we'd like them to but eventually it gets better. It can be tough but you can make it through! 

"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain"

Life gets better!

~with love~