Merry Christmas & Happy New Year! (The 2013 Year In Review)

I can not believe it is the last day of 2013 already! This year has just flown by! But I do remember at certain points it seemed to be dragging on and going very slow. Well no longer! This year has been filled with so many great blessings and changes, I don't even know where to begin.

I guess I will just talk about the overall theme of the year which comes down to one person: my fiance Mark. He came into my life late in 2012, asked me to marry him in early 2013, I said yes, we've been getting to know each other even better as we've been planning a wedding since mid 2013, & I will be marrying him in spring of 2014!

I'm so excited to be entering the next phase of my life with him by my side, as we walk through changes, challenges, and blessings together. I hope we can emmulate the love and salvation of Christ through us to others through our upcoming marriage. I hope and pray that we will become the people Christ desires us to be as husband and wife. I hope and pray that he teaches us how to be a good wife and a good husband & how to manage our lives together as one flesh, one unit, & one family.

I know God has great things in store for us despite the challenges that may lie ahead, but I know that through it all, God has a will & a plan. He has a plan to provide for us & to conform us into His righteousness lived out in these earthly bodies & in this fallen world. If we only make an impact on one person in our lifetimes, at least that is one person we can show Christ's love to & make an impact for God's holy kingdom, just like He's made an impact in our lives.

I look forward to marrying my best friend, the man of God, whom I love & I look forward to all the blessings that are to come in 2014! Have a Happy & Blessed New Year Everyone!

P.S. I had a wonderful birthday in November. And we had a wonderful Thanksgiving & Christmas season & got to visit with both of our families a lot & enjoyed all the food, gifts, & get togethers that the holidays bring.

November Already?!

I can't believe it's November already! This year has been flying by and it's been a whirlwind ride that is for sure. So much has happened it's hard for me to know where to start. I guess I will pick up where my story left off ha ha. Now my memory is a little fuzzy on the exact details and time period of everything that has happened since June, but I am going to do my best.

In July my fiance Mark & I celebrated July 4, 2013 with a cookout at his family's house and some of my family came too. Then Mark & I went to another cookout at some friends of his family. Then we went & watched fireworks with my family downtown. I also watched some other fireworks with my family on July 3, 2013. Overall, it was a fun holiday.

The first weekend in July, my fiance Mark & I took a day trip to McCormick's Creek State Park in southern Indiana near Ellettsville. We had a picnic in the park. Then we went for a hike down the hillside, to the waterfalls, through the creek, & underneath the waterfalls. It was beautiful, scenic, fun, & romantic. Afterwards, we ate dinner at delicious barbeque restaurant & then got ice cream. It was a very fun weekend day trip.

Then a few weekends later, my dad, my cousin Brian, my fiance Mark, and I all took a trip to Holiday World & Splashing Safari in Santa Claus, Indiana. We went to the water park there & had a blast. We rode all of the new water slides and I even converted my cousin into a water park lover like me! He went back several more times after our trip there because he just couldn't get enough fun! We had a blast & I enjoyed my mini-vacation for the day. :-)

In August, the wedding planning really began. My dad gave me a first payment towards the wedding costs and we booked our wedding photographer. We also started a wedding registry. And started planning out other wedding details. We also attended a wedding of some friends of ours & had a lot of fun and got more ideas to use at our wedding. We also went to the Indiana State fair & ate a lot fair food ha ha.

In September, we booked our wedding DJ and began picking out the music we want to be played at the reception. I also got some free wedding decorations & flowers from friends of mine who had recently gotten married. We also bought a washer to go with the free dryer someone had already given us so now have a washer & dryer for when we get married. Also, we had a free engagement photo session by my sister aka the photographer. God keeps providing for us & it's great to see. :-)

On October 5, 2015 we had our 1 year anniversary of when we had started dating. We visited some of my relatives who were visiting Indy from out of town. Then we went to see a matinee movie. And then we ended the evening by going out to a nice dinner at Cheesecake Factory. We even got dessert with our meals and it was delicious! We had a great anniversary.

On October 13, 2013 we went to the annual church hayride just like we did last year and had a blast. We ate food at the cookout, roasting marshmallows around a campfire, & went on a hayride around the farm. Mark also enjoyed playing football with a group of people there. It was a lot of fun and I'm looking forward to it next year as well.

The wedding was 6 months away at that point. So throughout October we booked a wedding videographer and did cake tasting at a local bakery. I also went to a bridal store with my bridesmaids, our grandmothers, my aunt, & future mother in law to try on & check out some bridesmaid dresses. I liked the dresses even though the prices seemed a little high & the service wasn't that great. I checked out some other places & even bought some clearance dresses from the mall which I thought would work but, soon discovered that they wouldn't. So after all that I decided to go back to the bridal store we had originally all gone to and go with the dresses I really wanted.

Also, in October I got a new job & I love it! God really worked out all the details and the timing of it. I'm learning so much all the time and I look forward to becoming a certified pharmacy technician very soon. While it has been an adjustment from one job to another & a lot of changes, it has been good overall. I know I'm where I'm suppose to be. :-)

That brings me to November. This month I bought fake flowers for the wedding and made my bouquets and so far one boutonniere. I also tried on my wedding dress again with a new bustier I ordered & it fit much better with that. I have also ordered a better hoop skirt to go underneath the dress & a little jacket to match the dress. Those should arrive later this month.

Other things to look forward to this month are: my birthday on Nov. 22, Thanksgiving, & continuing working on wedding things. The wedding is now less than 5 months away and will be here before you know it! But I'm looking forward to it. It will be a lot of fun! And I can't wait to marry my best friend. :-) God has already worked so many things out in my life and I know that He will continue to.

Summer is Finally Here!

It's official! Summer is here! Yesterday was the first official day of summer and so far it has been a blast. So far I've gone swimming, done gardening, gone walking, had ice cream, and made s'mores in a bonfire. I love summer and this is gonna be a great one. I get to spend it with my fiance and make some fun memories together. We've already made some and plan to make more soon.

On Thursday June 20, 2013 we celebrated Mark's 28th birthday. We ate at Orange Leaf frozen yogurt shop, went swimming, visited his family, ate dinner at Famous Dave's BBQ Restaurant, then had ice cream at Mrs. Curl's with my aunt who met us there. Then we left, hung out, talked, and laughed about all the fun we had on his birthday. We have so much fun together and always crack each other up. It's great to have a best friend and a fiance all in one. :-)

Mark & I at Orange Leaf eating frozen yogurt on June 20, 2013.

Tomorrow we are going to celebrate his birthday again with the rest of his family and go swimming again. Then next weekend we are planning to go to holiday world if the weather is nice. I'm also looking forward to the 4th of July. I hope he can meet more of my relatives if they all get together to celebrate with a cookout and then go watch fireworks. Yep, this summer is going to be great.

Ready for Summer Fun!

It's still technically spring time, but I am in the mood for summer and all the fun that summer brings. Cookouts, ice cream, swimming, water parks, regular parks, watermelon, getting tan, gardening, walking, hiking, biking, bonfires, fishing, camping, etc. I plan to do a lot or most of those things this summer with my fiance Mark. This will be the first summer that we've spent together and we both hope it's going to be the best, most fun summer ever.

Here is a little preview to some of the fun we've already had to kickoff the summer season:

 

Last Sunday we went to Riley Park. The same park we went to on our very first date last September. We ate ice cream, laughed, talked, and took a walk together. We had a lot of fun. I have more pictures to upload but for some reason blogger is not letting me upload them right now lol. Maybe I will try again later. Mark and I plan to have a fun summer together. We are even are planning to go to the Splashing Safari Water Park at Holiday World next month. Yep, should be a great summer. :-)

Spring is Finally Here!

That's right folks spring is finally here! Grass is turning green, flowers are blooming, trees are blooming, ants are invading my house, it's warm and sunny out much of the time, and I'm loving every minute of it! Well except for the ants invading my house part lol haha. April has been a good month so far.

On April 5, 2013 Mark and I both took the day off work to celebrate our six month anniversary of when we first started dating. We had a blast that day. We went to lunch at Red Lobster which was delicious. Then went to the canal downtown to walk around on a beautiful sunny day and we took some pictures while there. It was the best six month anniversary I've ever had and it was my first. This is the longest relationship I've ever had and I look forward to spending the rest of my life with Mark. He truly is a wonderul, Godly man, and such a blessing to me in my life.

Here are some pictures of us at the canal on our 6 month anniversary on April 5, 2013. (Which will also be our wedding day this time next year.)

 

This last one is my favorite. :-)

 

I've started some of my wedding planning and I'm in the beginning stages with all of that. But so far it's going well. I also am working on studying to get my pharmacy technician's certification (license) and I just paid the very last of my school loans off! So I set goals and so far with God's help I am meeting them. It's been a great start to spring and I know that only good things are to come over this next year. I can't wait to see what all God will do. :-)



Blessings Pouring Down

So many good things are happening that I feel as if my cup is running over with blessings right now. :-)

Over the weekend we had our last premarital class and it has been such a blessing. It's been a great learning experience and we met nine great couples who have been an encouragement to us throughout the class. We have exchanged information with them all and hope to keep in contact with them. Someone might even start to lead a couples bible study/small group with them to build upon those foundations of friendship we formed in the class.

Mark and I had a fun day together on Sunday. Before our last class we got donuts to celebrate completing the seven week course. Then after our last class and church, we went out to lunch to and then went shopping. We had a fun "us day" to unwind from all the busyness we've had going on lately.

My Sundays are going to be more free now since I decided through prayer and God's leading to leave the singing group. It was becoming very stressful to keep up with it amidst my busy work schedule and still find time to have a day of rest while off work. Even though it was hard to give it up, I know it was the right thing to do as my life is constantly changing and evolving right now. Now I can use my Sundays off to honor God by going to church, resting, and spending time with Mark, our families, and friends which will be nice.

So my other great blessing to share with you all is that yesterday at work, I got the job offer for the pharmacy tech-in-training position! And I accepted it! And will be getting a raise later this month! This is such a blessing and huge answer to prayer! It feels so great to finally feel like you are reaching a goal with God's help. When He promises to provide, He really does hold tight to those promises.

Valentine's Day was also a blessing which I haven't gotten to share about on here just yet. I spent the whole day with my fiance and it was a blast. First, we went to Lincoln Square Pancake House and had a V-day brunch which was delicious. Then, we went to my sister's house to wish my youngest niece a happy first birthday. Then, we went back to my house and got all dressed up to go out to dinner. My brother took some nice engagement pictures of us in the backyard before we left.

 Our 1st Valentine's Day together Feb. 14, 2013.

 Mark & I all dressed up.

 The gorgeous ring.

This one is my favorite. 

We enjoy laughing together so much.

Next, we went out to dinner at a really fancy seafood restaurant downtown. He surprised with the dinner and with a rose already there waiting for me. After dinner, he surprised me with taking me out for ice cream for dessert at Coldstone Creamery. Then, we went back to his house and watched a movie. All in all it was the best Valentine's Day we both have ever had.

Mark & I at dinner with the lovely rose he gave me.

We have been enjoying getting to know each other and our families better and I look forward to all the blessings that are to come in the future. God is good all the time, and all the time God is good. :-) May your upcoming St. Patrick's Day this Sunday and first day of spring next week be happy and full of hope for the good things to come throughout this year. God bless and keep on dancing with joy for all of God's blessings to come. :-)

The Best Valentine's Day Ever!!!

This is going to be the best Valentine's Day ever! And my early Valentine's Day surprise was wonderful. My boyfriend Mark kept dropping hints about wanting to propose (whether he meant or not lol). I figured out pretty early on that he wanted to "pop the question" on Valentine's Day. It kind of become common knowledge to me & those I talked to about it, "Well when he proposes on Valentine's Day...I think he's going to propose on Valentine's Day...on Valentine's Day I will probably be getting engaged." It kind of took some of the fun & excitement out of it to be honest.

So when Mark then asked last Saturday night if I would be disappointed if he didn't propose on Valentine's Day I said no but maybe a little. Then I started thinking, if I know him well & I think I do, he's either try to psych me out so he can still propose on V-day or propose on another day. And knowing him I knew he was too excited to wait until after V-day. So I had it narrowed down to either the next day, Sunday, or today, Valentine's Day. Then I thought wow I could be getting engaged tomorrow (Sunday).

And to my surprise and delight my boyfriend Mark proposed to me on Sunday, February 10, 2013 at around 7:15am. I was still surprised even though I had a feeling it was coming, but I was so excited. He had mentioned to me that he had a surprise for me (not related to V-day). When I came inside he gave me a box of Thin Mints Girl scout cookies & said that is your first surprise. That's when I knew what the second surprise was going to be. :-)

He asked me to sit down on the couch. Then he went & grabbed something & put it behind his back. Then he said these words, "Four months ago, I said a phrase (to you) that changed our lives forever, 'I love you'. And it was the second happiest moment of my life. I want this to be the first." Then he got down on one knee & asked, "Will you marry me?" And I said, "Yes."

He then pulled out a stuffed puppy dog from behind his back that was holding a little, red, heart-shaped box that said,"I love you," on it. He opened the box & a beautiful, sparkly ring was inside. He must have put it on my finger at some point because I was so excited it was kind of a blur to me ha ha. I just remember looking down at my hand & thinking how beautiful the ring looked on it. Then we hugged each other & said we loved each other. It was one of my happiest moments & definitely one I will never forget. I'm glad he decided to surprise me instead of asking on V-day as originally planned ha ha. :-)

God has truly blessed me with a wonderful fiance' & a wonderful future ahead. Our couple's verse that we picked for ourselves as a part of the premarital class we are taking at my church is Jeremiah 29:11. It reads, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord,"plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." I am holding fast to this promise in God's word. I'm fully expecting it to come to pass, over the course of the next year as we prepare and plan for our future together.

I know that with His strength, all things are possible. As it says in Philippians 4:13, "I can do all this through him who gives me strength." As long as He is at the center of our relationship & our future, it will be full of strength and joy.

Marriage doesn't have to be an end to an enjoyable life, as many today view marriage to be. Marriage can be a wonderful beginning to a life full of joy, blessings, and enrichment if we are committed to God first, and our spouse second. Please don't let your view of marriage become skewed by the negative view the rest of the world has about it. God created marriage and has great plans for it, if you will have faith, hope, & trust in His ways.

May your Valentine's Day be one filled with God's awesome love, for you and for us all. Happy Valentine's Day! And Happy 1st Birthday to my youngest niece! Auntie Crystal loves you! And Happy Anniversary to my job, where I've been for 4 years today (yes romantic I know lol ha ha)! And Happy Valentine's Day to my fiance' Mark, the love of my life. :-) May it be a day that we never forget. :-)

Great Things Happening, Great Things to Come

So many great things have been happening since my last post and I know more great things are to come in the future. In the last two weeks God has done just what I said He would if I believed and had faith in Him. He worked out the new job possibility & now it is about to become a reality! I got the job offer to become a pharmacy associate and I'm so excited! I also applied for the pharmacy tech-in-training permit with the state, per the pharmacist's advice last week. Then just today I got the congratulations email that said my permit was issued! Woohoo! I start this Sat. in the pharmacy and I'm so pumped!

Another great thing that is happening is that the Christian singing group I'm in called Special Moments has been accepted to sing at a local Christian Coffeehouse & Ice Cream Shop called His Place. It features local Christian bands & singers on weekends. We will be singing there on Sat. Feb. 16, 2013 from 7-9pm & I'm so excited! It will be a great outreach to the community & it might even become a regular thing for our music group.

Mark & I are doing very well. We have been enjoying getting to know each other & each others families better. I hope he can meet more of my friends in the future whenever time & schedules allow haha. He is very special to me & I want everyone else to meet him & get to know why I think he's so great. I guess you could say he's another "great thing" I have going on in my life right now lol haha. And I hope it never ends. :-)

God has been doing so much & teaching me so much. The more I seek Him, the more He reveals about Himself & about me. I am learning more about His perfect will for my life & how He wants to refine me to become who He wants me to be. He wants me to live out His will for my life & not my will for my life. The more I surrender to His will, the more joyful, blessed, amazed, & thankful I become for all the ways He's using me more than I could ever think or imagine.

As it says in Ephesians 3:20-21,

"²⁰ Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."

This is my prayer for all of you who may be reading this blog. :-)

To Him be the glory forever & ever! Amen.

Happy New Year!

Goodbye 2012. Hello 2013! I'm still getting used to writing & saying 2013. I keep wanting to say & write 2012 instead since that's what I'm used to haha. So the week of Christmas turned out to be great. On Sun. Dec. 23, 2012 I got to meet & celebrate Christmas early with Mark's mom's side of the family. It was a lot of fun & I felt so thankful to become a part of their Christmas celebration. His relatives were all hilarious & made me feel like I fit right in.

On Fri. Dec. 21, 2012 (The Not So End of the World Day haha) I visited with my aunt & grandma. Then I went to my nephew's 3rd birthday party & had a great time celebrating with family. Later that day my cousin invited me to go swing dancing with her & her boyfriend that night. So I drug my brother along & my aunt & uncle came too & another cousin. We all had a great time & it was good to finally go out dancing again. I hadn't gone swing dancing in at least over a year! lol.

On Mon. Dec. 24, 2012 (Christmas Eve) Mark came to my aunt's house & got to meet my mom's side of the family. He also got to meet my cousin who I'm very close with & her new boyfriend. Yes, we both brought our new boyfriends to Christmas Eve! A big step I know lol. They both seemed to fit right in though, which was great. We even went to a midnight mass (well 11pm technically) together which was very neat.

On Tues. Dec. 25, 2012 (Christmas Day) Mark had to work. So my dad, brother, & I took all of our Christmas gifts for my nieces & nephews & went to my sisters house. We visited & the kids opened up all of their gifts. Then we all went to my aunt & uncle's house on my dad's side of the family to celebrate Christmas day with my dad's relatives. We had a good time.

Before I new it Christmas was over & work returned to normal for the most part which was nice. Then it was time for New Year's Eve on Mon. Dec. 31, 2012. I rang it in with Mark by my side, some sparkling grape juice, cheese ball & crackers, and a kiss at midnight. Which was a first for me since I have never had a boyfriend around New Year's. It was probably the best Christmas & New Year's I have ever had. :-)

So now it's 2013 & it's already off to a great start! The job opportunity I had talked about previously which didn't work out at the time, might be happening soon! I am praying that it all works out & if it does that means I can move to a different area that I can't wait to be a part of. God is really doing some mighty, powerful things in my life right now & I'm so thankful for it. If you just have faith & believe that God can do great things in your life, He will. My only resolutions are to trust, believe, surrender, obey, and have great faith in God's promises all throughout this upcoming year.

So Happy New Year to All! May God bless you & teach you His promises to you in this new year.