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