Planning a Wedding...

...has been easier than I thought! Doug and I got engaged 4 weeks ago, and basically the whole event (ceremony, reception, other details) has been planned. We have been SO lucky to have everything fall into place so quickly.

The most fun part, however, isn't planning the wedding DAY, but planning and dreaming about our LIFE! Never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd love someone this much, someone who knows me inside and out and loves me even more because of it. Someone who I love and want to care for with every ounce of my being as we pursue Christ together.

**Sidenote** If anyone needs recommendations on vendors, I've got great ones. We are blessed to be working with some very talented, Godly people for our wedding day. I like trusting others to do what they're best at!

Engagement Pics

Here are a few of my favorite recent engagement photos! We had a blast going around Deep Ellum and the Dallas Arboretum. Richie Auter took them (www.jumpingman.com)

I have thought about blogging so many times in the last 2 weeks, and keep putting it off! Please forgive my tardiness!

So many wonderful things have happened. I am engaged to the love of my life, Doug Midkiff. Our wedding is set for Saturday, May 2 in Dallas.

We had talked about getting married and I knew it was on his mind but didn't know when everything was going to go down. Let me tell you, knowing you'll be engaged but not knowing when is enough to drive a girl crazy!

Anyway, two weeks ago, I was woken up by my wonderful friend Stephanie Clark who told me to get ready because we needed to go somewhere that day. Through various clues and rhyming poems and word puzzles, Doug sent me on a scavenger hunt all over Dallas, escorted by Stephanie and also Julia Stark. He sent me to many places that are special in our relationship, and he told me why each of them were important to him.

The last clue ended at his condo, which was in full array of flowers and candles. He said some things I don't remember, but I will never forget him asking me to marry him. And I said yes!! We had a few sweet moments together then went to an engagement party. He had arranged for both our families and many friends to get together and celebrate. It was such a fun day.

Since the beginning of our dating relationship, our prayer has been that others will see Christ in us and that we can put Christ in the center. It is so awesome and it feels like such an answered prayer when our friends get excited about our marriage, or say that they have encouragement from our story.

It is such a whirlwind, we met in April and started dating in May, and will be married this coming May. But I cannot say this enough: we serve a God who is surprising, loving, merciful and faithful. HE is the one who wrote our love story, and HE is the one who knew from the beginning of time that we were created for one another.

When I could only see the rocky roads my feet were currently on, and could only look back to the distant sometimes painful memories of steps I'd taken before, Christ and Christ alone knew the future before me. He's the one who directs our steps, and He's the one who makes our paths straight.

And when the Lord does something, He does it fully, wholly, completely and sometimes swiftly. He makes events and occurrences come together so well that no human can take credit for its success. Case in point: Doug and I's relationship.

And let me tell you: Doug is a gift. He's funny,(and he thinks I'm funny!) smart, caring, patient with me, loving and protecting. He's everything I have prayed for in a man. Sometimes I try to pick fights just to prove to myself we're not perfect. But it's hard because Doug is so dang rational.

So, in summary, God is good. The two of us feel so blessed to start a new life together and celebrate with our friends and family. Watch for pictures - they are coming soon.

Love and faithfulness meet each other, righteousness and peace kiss each other. Faithfulness springs forth from the earth, and righteousness looks down from heaven. The Lord will indeed give what is good, and our land will yield it’s harvest. Righteousness goes before him and prepares the way for his steps.” Psalm 85: 10-13

Will Smith

I have ALWAYS liked Will Smith! Yesterday he was in Dallas doing a charity event for the Dallas Food Bank ... and decided to throw in some other surprise appearances. The Lake Highlands volleyball and football teams are in the playoffs, and Will came to their pep rally. He called the principal himself and said he wanted to come, and requested no media. He encouraged them and gave them a pep talk. Besides the principal and a few faculty, no one had a clue!

Obama 08

Regardless of who you voted for, you have to admire McCain's gracious exit.

We Won!

Buttsweat & Beers (here on out will be referred to as BS&B) won 1st in our division and placed 6th overall at the Ragnar Relay. We clocked in at 25 hours and change after running 181 miles through Texas hill country. My half of the team (Van 1) consisted of myself and Doug (dubbed Double Deuces - you can figure out why), and Bucky and Lorrie, Mario and Ryoto. .....All weekend, Mario tried being nice to people, and each time it ended up biting him in the butt. Fourtunately, he got to meet his real life Sarah Connor (from The Terminator) - the bad-A runner chick who passed Mario on the road with a vengeance. He chatted her up the next day, and she ended up being the sweetest thing since southern tea.
...Ryoto played like a champion and run on a severely bloody and injured toe, and acted as if it was nothing. (Lorrie, can you e-mail me the pic of his toe? Totally blog-worthy)...Lorrie and Bucky were all around awesome. Lorrie gets the team mom award for always checking on the runners and giving people water. Together the two of them stole a parking spot from an 84 year old woman in downtown Fredricksburg :) All in all, we had a great time. Besides running 3x in 24 hours we got the privilege to sleep all together in a minivan full of ... well ... buttsweat and a general haze of nastiness.... The next day, Doug had severely tight calf muscles, causing him to crawl up his condo's stairs that night.

Besides all of the above, we showered with baby wipes, got t-shirts, medals at the end, and all the gatorade and Kashi bars you could stand.

Good times.

I've got "The Crud"

People at work use this term all the time, "Oh, I've just got the crud." Or, "he doesnt' feel well, he's got the crud, bless his heart." Others nod knowingly, sympathizing with their unfortunate condition.

Hold on.

What does that even mean?

According to www.thefreedictionary.com, crud (krd)noun

1. Slang
a. A coating or an incrustation of filth or refuse.
b. Something loathsome, despicable, or worthless.
c. One who is contemptible or disgusting.
2. A disease or ailment, imaginary or real, especially one affecting the skin.
3. Sports Heavy, sticky snow that is unsuitable for skiing.

That is just disgusting.

But I think I've got it. I'm drinking Emergen-C mixed with grapefruit juice instead of water, (if that won't put hair on your knuckles, I don't know what will,) trying to get enough sleep, and taking decongestants. I am learning the beauty of calling the doctor's assistant instead of actually making an appointment and paying for a doctor's visit. So ... juice in hand ... bring on the crud.