Ashton Gardens    We're sooo thankful we were able to celebrate our wedding day here. My Man of Honor and My Matron of Honor Our toesies (and reflections!) The dip Mr. and Mrs. The parents The boys The girls (and boy!) LOVE!    First dance    Dancing with my daddy :) (the one on the right is my most favorite picture of him) "I carry your heart with me (I carry it in  my heart) I am never without it (anywhere  I go you go, my dear: and whatever is done  by only me is your doing, my darling) I fear no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) I want no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true) and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant and whatever a sun will always sing is you Here is the deepest secret nobody knows (here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud and the sky ...

Can I tell you something?  Ok, but you have to promise not to tell anyone.  It's a secret.  I've kept it hidden deep, deep down for quite a while now.   I'm not perfect. I'm.   Not. Perfect. I wake up each morning with the intent to try hard, do my best, and be ready to take on the day ahead of me.  And each day, it seems, at least lately, I blow it.  I can't do it on my own.  I try.  I try really hard.   And yet. I don't try hard enough.   Does that make sense?  I mean, I put forth effort.  I do what I'm supposed to do.  I listen and follow directions.  And yet.   I feel like some mornings I have to drag myself kicking and screaming (in my head, at least) out of bed.  Is that how it's supposed to be?  It can't be.  I don't believe that it is.  And yet. That's how it is.   Sometimes. Other days, it's lovely.  The sun is shining dow n (and crea t...

Hello there, dear ones. It's me again. I know.  I know.  You probably thought I wouldn't write again until after the wedding.  You know, the wedding that's taking place in nine days.   9 days , readers! Haha, actually, I wasn't planning on it, but I love the layout of my blog so much that I just felt compelled to blog again. :D So.....what to blog about?? I guess I could tell you what I will be teaching in the fall and how all of that came about. Ok, here goes. Now, keep in mind, my dream and my goal for me and for this blog is to  daily  be completely authentic  and real. It's been so liberating to be completely honest on here with how I feel and how I struggle. Life, lately, has thrown some curve balls that I didn't or maybe just refused to see coming.  Occasionally, I like to live in a fairy land where all my dreams come true, Nutella is totally healthy in huge portions, summer-time lasts far longer than three months, and wed...

We're fifteen days out. In fifteen days time, I'll be waking up to begin preparations for the wedding that will be taking place that evening. I'm sure the fiance will still be asleep that morning. I don't think it will take him quite as long to get ready for our big day. ;) Getting ready for a wedding (and to be perfectly honest, I haven't had to do a whole lot--thanks so much, Mom and Fiance's Mom!) has been challenging. I've been stressed out and frustrated a lot of the time. I've been a worrier and a nagger and an altogether unpleasant person at times. The fiance and I have had arguments that seemed completely reasonable (to at least one of us), which turned out completely ridiculous. We've fought, and hoped, and dreamed, and planned, and counted down the days to when we won't just be planning a wedding anymore. We'll be taking part in one. But much of that anxiety has left me as of late. Can I just say how at ease...

Well, I've been gone from the blogging sphere for quite a while now. I feel like I've lost touch with this realm and, ultimately, with what I was so striving for--to use this format as a means of expressing what I've searched for and learned through reading, thinking, researching, talking, and then writing it all down...all to the glory of God. This is also my place to put into words all of those little, and not so little, thoughts that go running through my mind. Today was the last day of school. I cried. Twice. I've LOVED this group of kids, and I get very emotional when I'm reminded that I won't get to see their sweet faces every day. Our class was the perfect size and the perfect mixture of personalities and birth-orders. I'm SO thankful for that group. I'll get to see them at the skating party tomorrow, and I'm extra thankful for that opportunity. It's 57 days until our wedding. Time has gone by so quickly, but I knew that it would...

I awoke 30 minutes before my alarm was due to go off. Normally, that would irritate me. I would, normally, do my best to relax and try to grab tightly those last few moments of much-needed sleep. Normally, I would feel cheated. This morning was different. Because I'm different. I chose to take those moments, those minutes of quiet before the alarms started going off and my morning of rushing began, to think and ponder and pray. What changed me? Why was this morning different? Because I knew God woke me up so I could spend time with Him. Alone. Un-rushed. I haven't been doing much of that lately. Life, problems, frustrations have all gotten in the way. All of those things that should have shoved nudged me toward my Maker, instead had me worrying and trying to deal with them on my own. I held everything in. I tried to take control. I haven't been a very nice person lately, especially to the fiance. I have been rude and self-seeking and proud. I thought I...

*I began writing this a week ago in the midst of being ill but finished it today.* It's been a year. It's been a year since I casually started chatting ( online) with and getting to know the man I'm going to marry in 214 days . Those hours spent chatting online were some of the best, and some of the funniest, conversations I've ever had. It's been a year since I nervously sang at rehearsal while he watched from the balcony. Then... he talked to me. In person . *Did you hear that giddy, school-girl squeal?* It's been a year since I sat next to him on the couch at our fellowship group's Christmas party and watched Die Hard . Oh yes. Old-school. Bruce Willis with guns. And with hair. Very romantic. :) It's been a year, but it seems like I've known him my whole life. These last few (or 10 or 11...I've lost count) days I've been sick. Coughing, aching, sneezing, throat-burning, voice-losing sick. I hate being sick. It makes me feel wea...