The Day Before

Sitting on the living room floor, with a small lamp on and 48 LED lights laid out in front of me to finish hot-gluing, I pondered on the amazing things God has pulled off, to make this wedding and marriage happen. First off, getting us to begin a relationship was a miracle in itself. After 4 years of "we know we're supposed to only be friends.... forever" and "she/he's definitely not the one for me".... God stepped into the picture and planted feelings and emotions that would forever change our lives. It was in His timing, His way, for His glory. I believe this with all my heart.

I also believe there is a very special, and specific calling by God on our marriage. What is it? I don't know.... yet. But I do know that we were created to love God whole-heartedly, run after Him every single day relentlessly, and spread His gospel passionately. God knew that Jeramy and I's individual efforts to grow the kingdom, when combined, would multiply! I'm SO excited, in my heart, mind, and spirit, to watch this happen. I'm excited to see God continue to do crazy, out-of-the-box things in our lives.

These were just a few of the rush of thoughts that filled my little head, as I stuck fishing line to those LED's with Stacey's awesome glue gun (ok, actually her MOMS... but yeah. ;-)

 It's amazing having so many family in town, and more on their way. Overwhelming would be the right word, actually. To see their love and support of Jeramy and I's life-changing day is so cool. It's just like God to make something crazy like this happen.... we've never had this many family visit Jacksonville, in 10 years!

I've always asked friends, and others, what it feels like the day before your wedding.... time and time again they'd tell me they just couldn't describe it, and I was always bummed out. I just wanted to know. Well, now it's my turn, and I know. Unfortunately... I just can't describe it in words :-) If I had to muster up a word it would be SURREAL. Literally. Surreal. Everything that has happened up to this day is a result of the powerful hand of God. And I know, TOMORROW, His hand will be on us and His presence will be so thick in that room, as we commit our lives, hearts, and love, to each other forever.

Here's to a day of decorating. Might I add, I just LOVE decorating :-)

Just one more day on this journey to the altar.... oh yeah!

Day 8: Tears, smiles, more tears, more smiles...

Here we are, almost one week from the wedding, and the beginning of the rest of our lives. People's first statement when they see me walking through work or church is, "Are you excited? How are you feeling?". Ha, what a question! AM I excited?! Are you kidding! More excited than I ever imagine. How AM I feeling? Well, that's a question I just don't have an answer for. :-) A rush of emotions would be the best I could say. There are bittersweet moments... moving out, picking songs for the father/daughter dance and Jer and I's first dance, planning the intimate parts of the ceremony, realizing this big step we're taking together.... tears of joy, nerves (but not nervous!)..... it's a beautiful mess to be honest. I cry a lot, and I know it's totally okay to. When I think of the joy I feel right now, it makes me cry too :-) Who knows why. Lol!

I'm so in love. But even more than being "in love", I know Jeramy is my best friend, cares about the deepest parts of me, is here to protect me, and is here to stay with me forever. What better blessing than to find a soulmate like him- who loves and adores Jesus, and me.

Yes, I have a lot more to do, and no time to do it. But, is that a big deal in the giant picture? NO way. Sure it might stress me out for 4 seconds on the day of the wedding, but I can't help but continue to think of this event as much deeper. It is spiritual, it is intimate, it is the joining of two hearts and many dreams. It is a moment, created by Jesus Christ, blessed by Him, and ultimately all planned out by HIM. How awesome!

I'm so excited and overwhelmed by the number of out-of-town family coming in town to support Jeramy and I's marriage. I know I'll get very little time with them, which makes me kind of sad, but just to know they'll be there as witnesses, ready to love and support us, is a blessing to my heart. They'll never know how special it makes me feel, and how much it overwhelms me.

To Jeramy:
Baby, our day is so close! We've waited a long time for this, and I know God has an incredible day planned out for next Friday :-) Thank you for loving me, cherishing me, and being by my side constantly in the past 2 years. I wish I could describe to you in words how honored I feel to become your wife. When I say those vows, I will mean them from the deepest part of my heart. I am filled to the rim with joy, excitement, and expectancy of what God is going to do with our future. I know as we continue to submit to Him, and stay in tune with Him, He will lead us on the mountains, and through the valleys, and will give us direction every single step of the way. I love you, more than I've ever love before, and I value who you are- your gifts, your desires, your dreams. I'm here to lift up your arms, and I'll be here until the day Jesus takes me home. Here's to an awesome last week of being engaged..... but man oh man am I so ready to be MARRIED to you. With all of my love and deepest thanks for being the man of my dreams. -Kath

Day 19: Final Countdown is on!

Can you believe it.... less than 3 weeks 'til our day! I'm excited, overwhelmed, and in awe that time flew so fast. Some of the things that are top priority on our "to do" list for this week and next week are:

• Finish painting the condo (just have the master bedroom to go!)
• Marriage License (top priority!)
• Wedding Bands
• Pack KB's stuff to move to condo
• Confirm booking of the rehearsal dinner catering (our FAVE restaurant for a backyard dinner!!)
• KB- get a couple cute dresses for the honeymoon :o) Going Caribbean!!!
• Mock hair appointment
• Mock make-up appointment
• Confirm and print ceremony programs
• Purchase bridesmaid/groomsmen gifts
• Schedule Bachelor/Bachelorette Parties

Next Sunday is my next shower- I'm super excited! My bridesmaid, Stacey, is hosting it at her home. It'll be a sweet time with my close friends and family. ;o) The last shower was amazing! So many friends came out to be part of the exciting celebration, and Jeramy & I were TOTALLY overwhelmed by awesome gifts. We're even more excited about making the condo "our home"... Moving all the gifts TO his house is another story! Hehe.... Lots to transfer to the condo!

Thanks for sharing in the journey. Our NEW journey begins in 19 days..... the journey of our life together!

Day 33- moving right along

Some of my favorite elements of wedding planning... a few of which I have already experienced, and a few of which I'm really looking forward to:  :o)

~ Dress shopping with my mom
it was more fun than I imagined!

~ Pre-Marital Counseling
it truly has already changed our lives! I'm so grateful we're going through it!

~ Mailing the invitations
make it seem like even more of a reality- people are actually coming!!!

~ Picking our first dance song 
ahh, gonna be such a sweet moment. A very special song to us.

~ Seeing my sister try on her M.O.H. Dress
can't describe how happy I felt sitting in that room!

~ Marriage License- we're getting it this week.... 
so stoked for our trip to the county clerk ;o)

~ Anticipating the wedding showers!!!

Day 34- the JOY of the Lord

As today marks only 34 days until our wedding, I wanted to blog to share the feelings running through my mind at this stage in the engagement. :o) Feel free to read along... if it bores you, no pressure to keep reading. Haha.

I marry my best friend in 34 days. This time of engagement has had its up's and down's, amazing days, tough days, long days, eventful days, hilarious moments, deep moments, moments of reality, moments of bliss... It's been amazing to see God balance it all out- ultimately creating a season of growing and discovering more about each other over the past 7 1/2 months. There's so much more I have to learn about the deep things of Jeramy and his heart, and vise versu- 'tis one of the SO many reasons I'm excited to be with him for the rest of my life... learning about him, growing closer to him, supporting him...

My parents have been amazing in this process, too. My mom is constantly available to help in any way she possibly can, and is so generous! She's offered many great ideas, and is helping keep me at peace, focused, and stress-free!

Then there's Jenn. Oh my, I cannot even imagine having any other maid of honor other than my sister. Every time we talk about the wedding, I end up breaking out in hysterical laughter- simply because she knows how to spread joy! She cracks jokes at everything, and if I start going off on a random rant and she sees the stress building, she knows exactly what to say and do to bring me back to reality. I love having her involved, and as the wedding gets closer and closer, she seems to be a lot more involved. IT'S AWESOME! I love my sister so much. She is my best friend- always has been. I'm excited to have her right next to me for the biggest moment of my life!!!

The wedding planning is fun- the financial part is not. Haha. I'm excited to see all of the different decorations & elements come together on that day. I have a vision in my head of what things will look like and can't wait to see if it really looks that way... LOL! The bridesmaid dresses have all arrived, and alterations are in the works. So exciting! I'm on the hunt for their jewelry now :o) Boxes continue to arrive at our door, full of all kinds of fun stuff- paper lamps, gifts, centerpiece accessories, tulle, candles, etc.....

Here's to only 34 more days of wedding planning, an amazing 10-day honeymoon & 2 weeks off work, & an incredible life with the man of my dreams!

Down to 50, folks!

At 50 days until our wedding day, I sit here in bed thinking how crazy it is to say "my wedding is next month"... These past of couple weeks I've found myself looking forward to the wedding still, but looking even moreso forward to the marriage. Vacations together, traveling together, making big plans together, living together, dreaming together... Sure it'll have challenges, and I know even typing that that i have truly no idea how may challenges do come up in a marriage, but i do know that I'll finally have a best friend that will walk with me through every situation, awesome and tough, and will stick by my side till we head home (to heaven).

I've ordered lots of stuff lately, because i realize how little time we have left. I had a great meeting with our Ceremony Coordinator this week, and finished the wedding shower guest lists. I also started piecing together different teams of people I'm going to need for different things. (decor test, clean up team, food serving team, candle lighting team, etc...) As much as i hate asking people to do things, i realize every time someone says yes to helping that i get more and more excited because that's more of my friends involved in the celebration! So fun!!

Ive purchased my final shipment of paper lanterns (hopefully my final one... (I should probably do a final count & make sure I'm set) :o) I also purchased the plates, cups, engraved napkins (moms idea! Thanks mom!) more rose petals (yippee!) and paid off my cake!

Today i was able to spend a few minutes entering addresses in for people on our guest list..... Aye ya ya.... What a stinkin task! I've been putting it off, but its time to face it and knock it out. It will definitely take multiple sessions of sitting buried in the computer to complete. It will be so worth it though, to have all of our friends & family there!!!

This week I have to go in for a fitting for my dress. Not many alterations have to be done, which is awesome. And, the designer company that makes this dress does free hallow hem alterations, which means the length- that's the major alteration i need. Oh oh, and the bridesmaids dresses should be in any day now! How fun!!!!!

Ok ok, ill end this for now. Thanks for joining in the journey! We're kicking it into full gear in the countdown! :o) love and blessings!

2 months from this day.... only 2 months!

61 days.


So cool to think about..... weird, and so cool. I LOVE wedding planning, but I'm honestly just so ready for the MARRIAGE. My mind is on after the wedding... the adventures together, building a legacy, our travels, our trials, our friendship growing deeper every day as each other's support and life-long partner. I'm excited to be "wife" to the man who has stolen my heart.

I know these next 2 months are going to go by quickly.... every one keeps telling me that. But, still, I'm going to fight to treasure every single day. I continue to pray that as we come towards the final quarter of this "engagement season", God will prepare our individual hearts to become one. He already has been, and I know it's not finished yet. He'll have us ready for that day, and it'll be the start to a huge future!!

Jeramy continues to work hard as the manager of Chick-fil-A, and does an amazing job managing his great team! He stays pretty busy, but I'm thankful God has given him a job he enjoys. As for myself, I continue to adjust to another position at work, and am loving what God is doing in my heart & in my ministry. We're both looking forward to 2 weeks to refresh from work, stress, long days, and to-do lists... hehe :o) Looking forward to an awesome honeymoon in Ocho Rios, Jamaica! So amazed it all worked out and we'll be staying at a beautiful resort right on the ocean!!! Score!!!

We love you all! Stay tuned as the clock ticks down!!!!!!!!!!!

Day 73: It's Revived!

Only 73 days until our moment... until our day... until the beginning of the rest of our lives! So awesome and yet unbelieveable. We've gone from 257 to 73.............. HOLY COW!
Time has flown by, and I know these last 73 days will too.
As I've been thinking about what marriage will look like, and what it means, I realize more and more than things I'm NOT going to miss about being a single woman. Like, I'm not going to miss going to bed alone. And, I won't miss having to drive to see the one my heart loves (or him having to drive!) I won't miss coming home from work to a dark, quiet house. And I won't miss having to decide whose house to cook dinner at :o) We'll cook it at OUR house, in OUR kitchen, with OUR dishes, and eat at OUR table... How awesome!

I've been talking to Jeramy about this some lately, and I'm sure I just sound silly to him. But the thought of having our own dishes, and our own groceries, and our own towels... just everything, it's so cool, weird, exciting, and just blows my mind when I start thinking about it too much ;o) It'll be fun to make "OUR life". It'll be a HUGE adjustment, especially for me coming out of a house with my whole family AND our two dogs.... I'm not sure how long I'll be able to go without a puppy.... just sayin' ;o) LOL!

The wedding plans are coming along. It's not as stressful as women seem to talk it up as. Especially those shows that make it look like the most miserable thing a woman will EVER have to do! Hahahahahaha... I just laugh. I LOVE wedding planning! Aside from the financial burdens and how gosh darn expensive even the CHEAP stuff is, I still love it in so many ways. It's fun, especially when my mom and I start talking through ideas and brainstorming.
Here are some things I've accomplished since returning from China in late July:

> Aisle runner- ordered and arrived. It's beautiful! :o)

> Sparklers- 300 of them to be exact. Hehe, so fun. They're sitting in my foyer ;o)

> Tulle, Tulle, and more Tulle! Just got the new big box in this week.

> I've decided on the centerpieces...finally.... now to order the special pearls ;o)

> Found out even more of my extended family members are coming in town- HOW AWESOME!!!

> Received the proposal and official agreement for the catering :o) Yummy!

> Picked a song for Communion/Unity Candle time.... will be sung by one of the sweetest voices! (I'll keep that a surprise... for those who go to CRC, you'll love love love it!!!)

> Found INCREDIBLE deals on tables and linens. Gotta call and book them. Great prices!

> Ordered engraved napkins (my mother's idea...!) LOL. They were quite cheap though.

> Discovered (thanks to JENN!) that Mac store does free makeovers for these type of events. Definitely headed to the Town Center on the morning of, for some makeovers! WAHOO!!!!

> Purchased my shoes.... shhh.... it's a secret! They're AMAZINGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

> My dress has arrived! AND, I tried it on! Now just for alterations..... oh oh oh, and it's STUNNING. I want to cry every single time I put it on. It's so me!

> All of the bridesmaids dresses are ordered & on their way :o) Yippee! Good job, ladies!

> More paper lanterns are headed this way! (one of my favorite parts of the whole reception)

> Found the flower girl dress.... it is so NOT typical, which is exactly what I wanted! It's beautiful, flowy, sparkly, and SO Logan Venn :o) Can't wait to see her in it!!! Trying it on her this week.

> Chose the Junior Bridesmaids dresses... and found them for $29!!! Yes, seriously, $29. :o)


Sigh.... so, as you see, I've been a busy bee in my spare time, and am excited as boxes continue to arrive at our door! The coolest part will be seeing it ALL come together on that day into one big, beautiful scene of love, laughter, and unity with each other, and with our dear friends and family.

THIS MONTH'S MAJOR TASK:
The GUEST LIST..... dun dun dun...... and invitations. Yuck! The one thing I'm NOT looking forward to working on! LOL! Gonna be a long, tough task. But fun afterwards :o)


I pray you've all had a wonderful, sweet summer- full of adventure and amazing moments with Jesus!

Love,
Kat

Day 109: 148.

Dang, I can't believe how long it's been since I last wrote. Makes me sad. I'm determined to change it, especially as the wedding gets closer...... speaking of closer..... wow! We've been engaged for 148 days!!! Amazing. I can't believe it's only 109 more days until I walk down that aisle in our church. Whew, talk about a tear-filled day. :-)

Tomorrow night (Tuesday) at 3:00am, Jeramy and I, alongside my parents and two other team members, will be on our merry way to China- to impact the nation! This trip didn't come easy.... lots of prayer, decision-making, fundraising, and prep. I'm actually amazed it's really happening. TOMORROW. This is Jeramy's first mission trip, and just a couple weeks ago he received his first passport in the mail- such a fun thing! I love that we're doing this together. It's going to be an incredible experience for him, and for me as well. Every single mission trip is different. No matter how many I've been on, I KNOW God has new things in store for me to experience, new things to reveal, new challenges to walk me through, and new souls to reach! I can't explain to you how much I've anticipated this moment- to go on a mission trip with the love of my life. God has such cool plans!

The day we return marks the THREE MONTH MARK til the wedding day! AHHH!!! We return on July 22nd. Once we return, I'll definitely be posting more updates.... so stay tuned ;-)

Last week, after much research and conversation, we finally booked our honeymoon (after changing the location at least 10 times.... thanks to my indecisive-ness) We're going to Ocho Rios, Jamaica! Ah, the pictures are so breath-taking. I'm ready and excited for 10 days in paradise with my babe ;-) We'll be pretty busy!!!!! hehehehehe. (that's to gross my sister out when she reads this.)

Although I'm not sure if I REALLY am, I feel like I'm making progress in the wedding-planning. I nailed down the DJ and paid the deposit this week, and now I need to nail down the table rentals. I've decided I really want ROUND tables for the reception, and our church only has 6 of those (I need like 30 or more). I have some different companies I'm looking at. Pricing really isn't too bad.

Ok ok, so I'll end this. I probably won't have time to write again until we're in China, but for the first week where we are staying does have internet, so if we get time, I'll updated you all :-)

Thanks for being part of the journey! We appreciate any prayers you can give while we're on this trip.

Love you all,
Kathleen

Day 134: Summer is here in full gear.

Well my friends, 134 days to go 'til our huge celebration!!! When I think how long it's been, I get super excited, because we have less than that to go! But, when I think how long til it's here, I'm like "SERIOUSLY?! Come on already!" ;-)

Today my grandmas, my aunt Karen, and my cool friend Danni came to Michael's to see me in my dress. Actually, it wasn't MY dress... mine hasn't arrived in yet. But, it was the sample and still stunned them.... hehe. There's nothing like when people see you in it for the first time. It's like, you wanna be embarrassed cuz they're looking at you and crying, but then you don't wanna be because you have no reason to be!! I just can't even imagine that moment when the doors open and I get to see my man, and he sees me, and we meet at the altar..... It'll be beautiful, emotional, spiritual, incredible, and so much more... I just can't imagine........

In the wedding planning process, I'm currently working on establishing a rental company to get my round tables from (actually, still trying to talk myself OUT of wanting round tables) and my dear friend Christine is going to try to help me get a good deal on linens. Oh, and still lookin' for those trees for the stage.... we have a couple options, just no time to pursue them. Ick!

I love this part of it though- deciding how to decorate and what "look" I'm going for. It's crazy to get to decide, and do whatever, WHATEVER, we want!!! I never realized how many options there are- centerpieces, photos, candles, linens, trees, pillars, flowers, sparklers, bubbles, place cards, so so so much to pick and choose.... it's AWESOME!!!! I LOVE IT!

Thanks for joining in the journey. Oh oh, one more thing... I know the blog posts may not be quite too interesting yet.... I was just thinking today of August and September, as it starts getting REALLY close.... I'm going to be blogging LOTS! Guaranteed! I wanna look back and have these fun things to read and remember :-)

I really should get back to working now...... this was just a breath of fresh air as I sit at my desk! Hehe :-D Love you all!!!

Day 144: double-digit numbers, where are you?!

Today I feel mushy, gushy... Actually, most days I find myself so. Just to know I've been found and won over by the man God planned for me before I was even born. Ha, wow. I love this love. It's so deep, so much fun, so real. It's beautiful!
<3

I'm so ready, anxious, and looking forward to the double-digit numbers. That's when the countdown will be kicked into high gear! Only 44 days 'til we're out of the hundreds. Ahhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Come on, October!

Jeramy and I are doing great! Many people ask, so I decided to share with the world the answer. Our relationships grows more every single day- no joke. Blows my mind how much we learn about each other every time we get together. And the laughing... oh the laughing... it's constant!!! Lately, we've been talking about the future a lot more often. Don't get me wrong, it has never been an uncommon topic of conversation for us, but it's been very exciting to think and dream together of what things will look like in 5 years.... 10 years.... and such! It's gonna be awesome... I hope you can stick around for the journey ahead, too!

That's the update. Short and sweet. Soon, my handsome fiance will walk in my door to join my parents and I for a cookout. I'm so ready for an evening together! <3

Love,
Kathleen

Day 153: f.i.v.e.m.o.n.t.h.s!

I woke up this morning to find an awesome reminder on my facebook wall from my mom.
"5 months from today!!!!!!!!!!"

This is a great morning. What a great reality.
5 months until....
... we don't have to choose whose house to hang out at tonight....
... we don't have to buy two separate tubes of toothpaste...
... we don't have to have a curfew...
... we don't have to call the other in the morning to say good morning...
... we don't have to buy separate groceries at publix...
... we don't have to say goodbye after a romantic dinner date...
... and oh so many more!

All the wedding hoopla and planning is fun and great! I LOVE it! But, I am sooooo looking forward to the marriage a million times more than the wedding itself. To think I'll be bonded in heart and spirit (and law!) with my best friend, my partner-in-crime, my stable support, my personal comedian, my pool buddy, my workout partner, my dinner date, my everything. Ah, such an incredible thing.... 5 months!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now, at this memorable 5-month mark, I should give you a brief rundown of what big things have been nailed down and accomplished in the wedding planning process. After all, it's important to know if I'm making progress or not.... and in MY opinion, I sure as heck am! A LOT of it!

COMPLETED:

- Venue- ceremony and reception

- officiant

- bridal party

- ceremony outline 

- colors

- the dress!

- tuxedos

- bridesmaids dresses

- DJ for reception

- rehearsal dinner

- photographer

- florist

- music selections for the ceremony and dances

- decor

- invitations

- hotel rooms reserved for guests

- wedding night reservation- The Lodge & Club!

- honeymoon destination

- bridal showers on the schedule

- guest list (just a few more to add!)

- caterer for reception

Again, this isn't it all. Just a small list of what we've gotten done so far. Still lots to do, but most of the "major tasks" are completed, or at least decided. Whew!

Here's to 5 more months of planning and preparation for the greatest day of our lives... the beginning of an incredible journey TOGETHER!!!

Day 158: A day of odds and ends

Before mom and I hit the wet Jacksonville roads with a mission to knock out more wedding to-do's, I decided to let you all know what the day will hold.... since, after all, you ARE part of the journey! :-)

Today, we'll be scouting out places to rent TREES from.... yep, that's right, trees! I came up with an idea for decorating while I was on the plane flying back from my cousin's wedding in Kansas two weeks ago. In order to accomplish it, I need about 15 palms to rent. ;-) It's gonna be AWESOME! I'm not going to spoil it too much though....... just wait and see!

We'll also be reserving a handful of rooms for the many out-of-town relatives that will be joining us for the big day! I'm so excited and floored that so many of my relatives are coming in town.... I definitely wouldn't want to get married without them here though, so it works out perfect. I'm very blessed to know they'll be here!

I need to nail down the flowers too. Maybe that'll be today..... maybe not. I'm not looking forward to that- though I AM looking forward to nailing it down and being done with that big decision.

This morning I worked on the invitation wording... every time I look at it, or the vows, I get all mushy inside and even more excited, but ridiculously emotional to be totally honest! Hehe. I'm such a girl! It didn't help that as I straightened my hair this morning I put the song that I'll be walking down the aisle to on repeat...
Oh, yeah, that's right, I haven't told you all yet... I will not be walking down to the traditional wedding march. Props to everyone who did, but it's definitely not my taste ;-) To anyone this might offend that will be there, this should give you plenty of time to prepare yourself!!!! haha.

Well, that's all I've got for now. Here's to an afternoon of spending money, accomplishing tasks, and driving..... yippee!! ;-)

Day 170: An hour of progress.

Yesterday (Monday) before our church's "Women Alive" meeting, I had an extra hour, so I decided I should knock out some wedding stuff. Also, on the plane ride back from Kansas on Sunday, I spent an hour drawing out the sketches for the sanctuary stage, entrance, and the Epicenter (reception hall). I feel like I've finally accomplished something!!!!! WAHOO!!!


Yesterday, here's what I accomplished:

I began by ordering one bag of some bulk, super inexpensive rose petals that I found. I will need many more bags (probably 15) to pull off what I want to achieve with these. But, I started with one bag, just to make sure they are good quality and the right color.

Next, I found a great price on pillar candles, which I want for my tables..... LOTS of candles. Candles are my favorite, for every reason. I'm excited to see how many I can decorate with!

I've had this idea (in my mind) of what I see when I walk into my reception. Because of budget, I didn't think I could pull it off..... BUT, LOW AND BEHOLD! I found a way to :-) I'll be using these paper lanterns, and placing inside of each one a little light (found for WAY cheap). I ordered a couple lanterns, and two of the lights, to test and make sure they last, and work well! These will be hung all over the Epicenter (reception hall)!!!

I also FINALLY decided on my bridesmaids dresses, and set the deadlines for the ladies. They are all going to look SO beautiful!! They are very flattering dresses, and will be black. By the way, my colors are black, red, and ivory. Red is the main accent color. (roses!)














Well, that's what I've got for now...... Hoping to finish more SOON! 
Thanks for joining for the journey- 170 days 'til I marry my best friend, and give him my heart forever! I am so full of joy knowing it's coming soon!!!!


Love,
Kathleen

Day 198: Yep, that's right! Goodbye 200's!!!

This my friends, is the countdown that I look at every day when I get on my computer. :-) Today, the first digit is no longer a "2".... HALLELUJAH! This evening after dinner when Jeramy and I realized we were at 198 days, we both got super excited! It's so fun being engaged, and going to be a hundred times more fun being married. 


I wish I had a successful, peppy update on the wedding planning for you. Sadly, I do not. I have no update. The past couple weeks have been packed full of "other things" for me. I miss wedding planning :-( I hope to resume it next week.... I look forward to a Monday FULL of it!!!!!!!!!! 


My next big task is the guest list... * dun dun dun*.... Not looking forward to this one. 
Anyways, I just wanted to announce to the world that we are getting married in 198 DAYS! 
Stay tuned for fun on the journey!!!!


Love,
Kathleen

Day 207: Did I hit "Pause"?

207 days my friends..... it's been 50 days since Jeramy proposed. WOW. I can say I sit here this evening so ready to be married to my best friend! If the wedding were tomorrow, that'd be just fine with me (and easier!)

It's been a crazy week for me, and I feel like I hit "Pause" in the wedding planning. I came down last Monday feeling horrible, went to the Doc on Tuesday, was so much worse by Thursday that they put me on 2 antibiotics and I had to leave work due to fever... was down with fever Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, literally turned off to the world. Today (Sunday) has been awesome- finally feeling alive again and ready to get back in the hang of things! :-)

I must just say my dear handsome man totally spoiled me in taking care of me. He constantly sought out my needs and was so quick to meet them- soup, a hug, back scratch, medicine, you name it, he found it! Thank you, baby, for doing a much better job caring for me while I was sick than I did for you a couple weeks ago when YOU were sick....... sigh.

Tomorrow is yet another *insert drumroll here* Wedding Monday! On most Mondays, I focus on wedding planning. This gives me a set day each week when I know I'll have time to work on it, and can save everything throughout the week to get to on that day. Tomorrow I'm going to head back up to Michael's (we're all best friends by now!) and look in tuxedos and bridesmaids dresses.... I'll also visit a flower store, and possibly tour the Ponte Vedra Lodge and Club to see a room I found online for the wedding night. OMG. GORGEOUS! I was SET on staying at One Ocean Resort that night, but man oh man when I saw this beautiful huge room, two balconies, fire place, massive bathroom with jacuzzi tub, king size 4-post bed, vaulted ceilings..... I have yet to find any other room that even begins to compare! (especially for the price!!) I'm definitely leaning more towards this one. It's literally like from a dream!

I get to spend some time with my incredible friend Maggie tomorrow too (flower girl's mommy). I look forward all week to our times together. I can say every single time I'm around her I feel like I'm growing spiritually, literally. Her wisdom and passion are contagious. Awesome! Can't wait for our time. :-)

Oh, lastly, thanks for joining us for the journey. I love blogging about it, and hope you like reading it. :-) We love our friends and family so much.... you have NO idea just how much!!!!

Have a wonderful Monday! If something exciting happens, I'll write again tomorrow. Be blessed, and remember above everything else, Jesus loves you and wants to be best friends with YOU!

Day 212: Just For Us

One of the coolest things about wedding planning for your own special day...... when packages start to arrive with special things just for you..... they even have your name on them! As I stood in the kitchen yesterday with my mom, staring at the beautiful engraved toasting glasses and personalized unity candle, I was speechless. 


The toasting glasses are simply flawless. In cursive it says 


Jeramy and Kathleen
October 22, 2010


The unity candle has our "relationship scripture" (the passage of scripture of which we've made every effort to build our relationship on from the very beginning). It is ivory, and in silver engraving it says




Love is patient, love is kind. 
It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
1 Corinthians 13: 1-7


*** picture of cross with two rings around it ***


Jeramy and Kathleen
October 22, 2010


I absolutely LOVE IT! Such an awesome find. I get more excited about marriage every day. Even when we have disagreements, they're totally different now. We know what the future of our relationship looks like. God has spoken, and has made his will very clear to both of us. It has given us a new momentum to invest in each other and build each other up! So awesome!


Just a short blurb about the cool things that arrived yesterday :-) Oh, and I have a new decorating idea I'm pretty sold on for the church Epicenter/reception..... I'm not gonna spill the beans yet though ;-) I need to decide for sure. But, I will tell you, it's unbelievably incredible!!!


Love you all,
Kathleen


QUESTION OF THE POST:
What flavor was your wedding cake???

Day 218: Random Acts of Wedding Planning

FRIENDS!
It's been too long since I've updated... at least in my opinion :-) I really enjoy journaling on here, and I hope you're all enjoying it too. For those of you who read on here, but can't comment (due to dumb technical issues), I just wanted to let you know that if you set up a blogger.com account or a gmail account (www.gmail.com), it's totally free, and you don't even have to use it- then you can comment as much as you'd like. :-) Just a tip that may help some of you who have been asking. 
SOOOO..... the wedding planning journey. WELL, Monday we knocked out a lot. (We=Me and Mom, for this entry) I booked my cake with Metro Custom Cakes... MmmMmmMmm.... that place smells SO good. I could never work there!
I also found a ringbearer (or ring boy as we're calling it) pillow online, that matches the flower girl basket I bought last week at the party shop. So, of course I bought it as soon as I found it oline! I just love them. I also got the unity candle, which has the scripture we have based our relationship on from the very beginning, and have constantly quoted to one another, 1 Corinthians 13. Here it is, in case you want to hear it to make your day awesome!!

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. 1 Cor. 13:4-8

So yeah, Our candle has the whole scripture on it, and our names and wedding date underneath it. It's beautiful- and totally us!

I also found these cool "clings" to put on glass vases that have your names and wedding date on them. I bought them in our colors, to add to our centerpieces. I'm excited about those. Thanks to Maggie, who's helping me envision and create a very unique, beautiful, elegant center piece that screams who we are!!! I want some things in my wedding to be totally different. I don't want the WHOLE thing to be, because that's a little extreme to me, but I definitely want unique touches that people have never seen at a wedding before. So far, we're doing good in that department.

Jeramy and I officially started our pre-marital counseling with Sean and Barb Yost yesterday evening. I'm doing this post in burnt orange, in honor of the Longhorns (his favorite sports team), because he made it through the first session! :-) It was fun, challenging already, and cool- all at the same time. I've seen couples walk in and out of Sean's office for YEARS and years, receiving their Pre-M Counseling..... now that it's ME, it's almost an overwhelming thought! Crazy! We love Sean and Barb and they are dear friends of mine already, so to go through this with them and know we'll grow even closer together as friends, and potential-double-date-couples, is awesome!!! I loved sitting on their couch with my best friend next to me ;-)

I think that's about it for now. I have a busy Thursday ahead. UGH! Thursdays are always the longest day of the week for me. Good thing I love my job! (and I'm not just saying that... I really do!) 

QUESTION OF THE POST:
What song played for your FIRST DANCE with your spouse?????

The Author of our Story

As you can see, we received our photos from our engagement session... the session was less than a week ago! Talk about FAST work! I just haven't said THANK YOU enough to Adam Szarmack for capturing so much of who we are in these pictures. I am overwhelmed every time I look at them..... and trust me, that's A LOT!! I hope you can enjoy them almost as much as I do. :-)

Seeing the pictures and reading everyone's sweet comments (especially on facebook) makes this journey even more real than it already was. For some of you that may not know my background, there's a couple things you should know that might help explain why there will be many emotional moments along the way, as I get closer to marrying my best friend.

All through middle school and high school, I was a total Disney junkie. I believed so strongly in the message of amazing love that was offered by movies such as Beauty and the Beast (my fave!), The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and Cinderella. I believed in it, but I never experienced it. As my mom can attest, throughout high school I spent many afternoons with my head buried in my pillow, sobbing, because everyone around me and every girl I knew had a guy to sweep them off their feet.... every girl except me. To get really honest, it created a very negative complex in my life. I never had a prom date, never had a movie-partner, and didn't go to most dances and school functions because I didn't want to have to play off another solo appearance. In fact, for prom my Senior Year, my DAD bought me a corsage to wear. (which was totally bittersweet... I was so surprised and it made me love my dad even more!) Looking back, it seems totally ridiculous that I would ever carry so much doubt on my shoulders, but reality is I did, and most days I'd leave school hating myself because there wasn't even a guy that wanted to sit by me- let alone invest long-term in me. I share all this not for pity, but to provide better understanding for you of who I am and what this union means to me.

I spent many conversations throughout those years arguing with people that the Disney movies really could happen in a girl's life. I re-call a specific friend that I would argue with time and time again. My argument was that it WAS in fact possible to find the PERFECT guy. Of course, the main reason I argued it is to try to convince myself that all I was saying was true... 

After being freed from the torment of walking halls everyday filled with dramatic romances (high school graduation!), I finally discovered what mattered more than anything Disney could ever portray. I discovered the complete joy of being obsessed with Jesus Christ. I knew Him, but never like this! I discovered what it means in His Word when it says to TASTE that the Lord is good.... I was actually tasting it!!! The few years right out of high school were intimate, and full of new discoveries in my spiritual walk. 

THEN, it HAPPENED. My tears, my arguments, my doubt, and my fear of having no future were all washed away... For the first time ever, on September 28, 2008, a guy told me I was beautiful! But, he didn't just say it, and he wasn't just talking about my looks. He was looking deep inside and saying it about my life. No boyfriend, no prom date, no "experience", and he still wanted ME. My first dating relationship was my last! As I share this with you, I sit here in the puddle of a melted heart. I remember when I was 16 years old, on another tough day of feeling worthless and ugly, I prayed a prayer that I never truly believed would be answered. It went something like this,

"Jesus, I know this is really unusual, but I have a special request. If there's any way for me to only date one guy, and that be my husband, please make it so. I only want to give my heart away once, to someone who can keep it."

Well my friends, this prayer was answered. The latter part of the verse I mentioned above says to SEE that the Lord is good. "Oh taste, and see, that the Lord is good!" Here is the evidence, if for some reason I needed to see it again. He wrote an incredible love story for me, and all those days when I thought He'd forgotten about me, He hadn't. He was just still writing.

Day 226: Little Details

226 days to go 'til we're hitched.... just amazing! We're learning a lot each day as we journey through this season of engagement, and enjoying each lesson. We've definitely fallen more in love- it's so awesome!

Some of the smaller details have been nailed down, which is very exciting for me. A few that I've checked off the list are:

- Marriage Counseling: IT'S ON THE CALENDAR! Yay! We'll be spending 13 weeks in pre-marital counseling with Sean and Barbara Yost. We start next Wednesday. It'll be challenging, fun, and so much more.... Excited to grow and learn during this time.

- Flower Girl Basket: I found a flower girl basket at a local party shop.... it was out of my price range for such a small detail, but oh goodness it was MADE FOR MY WEDDING! Absolutely perfect. I've never seen another like it, which draws me to it even more. Well, now it's mine (and LoLo's!!!) Yippee!

- "First Dance" Song: Since the beginning of our dating relationship there's been a song that Jeramy has always called "our song"... it's an upbeat, totally adorable song that melts me heart every time I hear it. BUT, since it was upbeat I didn't want to use it for our first dance. Just last week, I was scanning this artist on iTunes, and he JUST came out with a SLOW version of OUR SONG, as he plays the piano. It is so beautiful. The other day I listened to it and just cried, picturing that "us" time on the dance floor, in each others arms, married!....... "First Dance" Song, Check!

- Cake Appointment: This Friday afternoon Jeramy and I were able to get an appointment scheduled with a local baker we've heard so much about- Metro Custom Cakes. We'll meet with them to taste their cakes, hear their prices, and see if they are the ones meant to make our wedding cake. :-)

- Engagement Photos: Our engagement photo session on Sunday went UH-MAZING! Thanks to Adam Szarmack (www.szarmackphotography.com) !!! He captured some precious moments, and funny times.... as I'm sure you can imagine if you know anything about Jeramy and his humor! I can't wait to see all of the pics. Jesus gave us a flawless purple, orange, red, and blue sunset that created a mind-boggling backdrop for the evening shots in the field. Just wait........... ;-)

- Bridesmaid Dress: After seeing the dress on 3 of the bridesmaids, I decided on it! We found a GORGEOUS, flowy, elegant bridesmaid gown that will add a touch of class to the evening. I'm so excited to see all of the girls in it- they will look so beautiful! 


I'm thankful to the Lord for some extended time to plan and knock things off the list this past week... I didn't know if extra time would ever come. But, He made a way and I'm so grateful! It's all so surreal- my best friend is going to be mine forever. What an incredible reality!!!

Love you all,
Kat

Day 229: Loop, Laughter, and Love!

From the moment church let out today, the wedding fun began! The afternoon started with lunch at The Loop with our incredible wedding party (we're not calling it Bridal party, because the guys think that excludes them! lol).... Anyways, how fun. The only negative side is that I don't like events like that because you can have long, quality conversations with everyone who comes. It's just impossible. I know the reception will be like that too, but a hundred times worse.... I'm preparing myself ;-) It was an awesome lunch..... so cool to spend time with all those who will be involved in the big day!!!!

Then, Jer and I got our engagement pictures takes by Adam Szarmack. Check out his amazing work at www.SzarmackPhotography.com We spent 3 1/2 hours using lots of props, a million different faces, a wardrobe change, and an absolutely beautiful sunset created by Jesus.... it made for one perfect photo shoot. :-) It was SO much fun too!!! I'm stoked to see the many shots he captured, to help tell the story of our love.

Tomorrow I'm going to buy my wedding gown. WOOO!!!! I'm so excited. It's an absolutely dreamy dress that makes me even MORE excited to get to the big day..... if that's even possible. I'm so excited as is.

Finally, special thanks to Jeramy, the love of my life and my partner in this journey... he's put up with a lot from me- from picking matching outfits, to wearing the right shoes, and doing the right pose. If I learned anything the past few days, it was how flexible he is and how annoyingly bossy I can be sometimes. (please, no testimonies. Thanks.) I hope he realizes how grateful I am that he endured such a long photo shoot, for some amazing pictures, and continues to put up with me in the times I'm stressed out. I love you baby so much! I owe you more than I could ever repay, but I'll definitely attempt to!

Love you all. Keep your eyes on Jesus. He is what life is all about.

Day 232: "Princess OF THE UNIVERSE dress"

The title goes to Danielle..... as I said my dress it such a princess dress, she said "You should restate that as Princess OF THE UNIVERSE dress!!" LOL. Love you Dannis!

OH OH OH...... That's right. YES, I FOUND MY DRESS!!!!!! Ah, It just absolutely brings me to tears when I realize this is all really happening. And the next 232 days are going to speed by so fast. :-) But, that part is totally okay with me, because I am MORE THAN READY to belong to my best friend forever and ever!

On Monday, when we planned on going cake-tasting, we ended up finding my dress..... long story. Needless to say, a tip I've learned is that 99% of cake, dress, and wedding shops in general have Tuesday through Saturday hours. They are closed Mondays. Which of course is like sitting on a cactus for me because Mondays are my only day off. (At least I have lots of padding on the back end!! LOL)

Anyways, so I found my gown (that's the fancy word, and it really is more of a gown than a dress). I ended up deciding on the one I loved at Michael's Formalwear. It's a Casablanca gown, which that designer and Maggie Sottero were my favorites to begin with! I'm just floating on the clouds as I write this ;-)

Now, I need to find a cake, flowers, and music for the ceremony. Those are my next 3 tasks to dominate. I'm doing well, in my opinion. Have both venues, rehearsal dinner, DJ, dress, caterer, wedding coordinator, decor team, colors, bridal party, pastors, and a few other little details all nailed down!!

Enjoying the Journey!

Day 235: I think this will be one of my favorite parts of the journey!!!

  

       

Today is the day...

for Cake Tasting!!!!!

In case your wondering which ones of the above I like (I don't like all of them, just wanted to throw a bunch of pictures up for the enjoyment of your eyes! :-) 

My FAVORITE is the middle one, with the bunches of roses in between every layer... Ah, I just love roses. And, the more the merrier. I would love a cake like that, but with the pearls on it from cake #6. I think those make any cake more elegant!

 I definitely like the designs on the cake above the one (picture #4). It's modern, yet formal and would be beautiful for an evening cake. Not sure I want so much black on it though.... kinda funeral-ish. And this DEFINITELY ain't a sad occassion!!!!!!!!!

I'm getting more excited every day. :-)

Here's to a trip a Metro Custom Cakes with my partner-in-crime, the mother!

Day 2....3....7.....: This one's to my boy!

Jeramy's favorite number, which he sees ALL the time (it's kind of crazy how often he sees it!) is 237. Therefore, I want to take a moment to write to him. I know he's going to read this, because of the number. Lol!

To the love of my life, and my best friend:

In 237 days, our "best friend" status goes to a whole new level! No more goodbyes at night... which means no more slammed fingers in the car door, missing flip flops, hidden wallets, chewed up hats, half-asleep-mean-comments (from me), lame goodbye kisses, dark hallways, midnight alarms from your phone, disturbed dogs barking at you, or sleepy drives down Kernan Blvd. 


In 237 days, you'll have a ring on your finger. "If you like it then you better put a ring on it.." Baby, I am! You'll have a ring, just like me (minus the huge rock!!), which will represent the love that flows between us, and never stops. It will represent the rest of our lives being centered around our Savior. Every decision, every step, every trial, every success... it all comes back to Him. 


In 237 days (have I said 237 enough yet? ;-) you won't have to grocery shop alone anymore. You won't have to eat cereal for dinner because you don't want to cook. You won't have to worry about leaving your shoes in the back of your truck and wearing them wet as a consequence to work. You won't have to stress about having no clean clothes to wear. And, you won't have to be cold... ever again! I'll be there to cook yummy dinners for us, put your shoes on the shoe rack when you come home from work, keep your laundry clean and folded, and keep you close to me and warm all day and all night! And doing all of this will be my joy. Ah, what a thought!


In 237 days, our world will be rocked, and it will be SO awesome!!! The power we have apart is going to multiply when we come together as one. We'll begin the journey of a lifetime- together. The happiness that fills my heart when I think of that day is beyond anything I've ever felt in my entire life. And to know it's within sight.... less than 8 months away... just floors me!!!!


Babes, I love you with every part of my heart. I look forward to supporting you and loving you more every single day until we go home to meet King Jesus face to face. My desire is that on that glorious day, He looks back on our marriage, our unity, and says "Well Done!"

I love you. 
Here's to an incredible future with the man of my dreams.

Day 240: Is it weird?

QUESTION ON MY MIND:
(as I continue to scour the internet and think...)


Since the following items are only used once, and most people buy them (maybe there's a reason why... that's why I'm asking this), is it WEIRD to borrow things like....

Cake knife & server
Toasting Glasses
Ringbearer Pillow
Flower Girl Basket (although I know most people give this to the flower girl to keep :-) )
Decor (I'm looking for a tons of glass containers/vases)
Unity Candle Stand
Decorations


If I ended up buying this stuff, just want all of you who are not already married to know that you are MORE THAN WELCOME to borrow it when your special day comes :-) Sharing is caring!! Lol.

 Pondering,
Kathleen

Day 241: Details, Love, Sickness, and a whole lot more...

I'm making PROGRESS! The planning is coming along and I still love it (which I hear is progress in itself). Still haven't found "the dress"... but am working on it any time I get a couple hours to go try some on. Time is limited, but I'll find it. I've narrowed it down to a couple options. :-)

This love that I have for Jeramy is CRAZY! Literally. I can't explain to you how it continues to grow everyday. The good thing is, most of you are married, have been engaged, and know what this season feels like. Every facial expression, every cute comment, every touch, every moment we get together it's like the love grows a little more... then a little more.... then a little bit more...each time. It's so beautiful! This love could have only been created by the ultimate Lover of our souls, the most creative Creator- Abba! It's such a cool process to be a part of. I just love it!

Speaking of Jeramy, he's SICK. BOO!!! This doesn't happen often, especially sick enough to go to the doctor. :-( Makes me want to do anything in my power to change it. He has strep throat AND an ear infection. Can you say UGH?!?! Please keep him in your prayers. He has a lot on his plate this week and needs immediate healing!

Loving the journey... especially sharing it with you. :-)

Day 244: The Center Aisle

As most of you know, I (Kathleen) am the assistant worship leader at a church here in Jacksonville. Our worship team holds weekly rehearsals every Thursday night in the main sanctuary. During this time, we prepare for the Sunday morning worship set. Last night (Thursday), I was sitting in my chair on stage, as our music director Steve focused his attention on the band guys to teach them a new song. Before I know it, I caught myself staring off into the distance, looking at all the chairs and thinking about our big day that's to come....

Then, I looked at the center aisle, and it hit me. I think it all hit me at once, because I literally gasped for breath (which caused me to come back to reality :-)  It hit me that in 245 days, those wooden doors would be opened by two men in tuxedos, and there I would be standing, on my daddy's arm, ready to head down the aisle to the man of my dreams. Even as I write this, I have chills and slight tears, thinking of that moment. The center aisle now has a whole new meaning to me. All throughout the rest of the evening, I kept looking back at it, as if I just noticed it for the first time ever. WOW! How stinking cool!

________________

I'm getting things done, though I find it hard to find more than just a few minutes to focus on wedding stuff. I realized this week that my only full day off, which are Mondays, will now be totally packed full of wedding tasks. This past Monday, mom and I were driving around town for 8 hours, and I was BEAT by the time I went into work Tuesday morning. This coming Monday, we'll probably visit another dress shop, and a couple of bakeries to test try cakes. It's fun, don't mistake what I'm saying, it's just proving to be more hard to get to than I expected.

Today, after work, I met with a dear friend who will be providing the food for our reception. He is an INCREDIBLE CHEF! We nailed down the majority of the details, and I walked out with a huge weight lifted off of my shoulders! We also have the venue, and signed a photographer this week. God definitely took the time I did have this week, and multiplied the tasks I was able to complete. Thank you, Abba Father, for always working for our behalf! He cares about these little things too, ya know. :-)

Question of the Day:
What was the flavor of your wedding cake???

Day 248: Shaving $$$$ Off!

Ok, so I want to know EVERY SINGLE CREATIVE IDEA you have for going slim on cost for this wedding. I have a very large guest list, keep that in mind. Any ideas will be much appreciated, as I plan and make decisions to save money!


Share the ideas....


:-)


Love you all!

Day 250: Bed, Bath, and waaaaayyyy Beyond!

So I missed a couple days. Why you might ask? Well, the photographer search. It's really hard. I'll leave it at that. (Oh oh, but I finally found one I love and have a meeting with her Tuesday morning. Man, I never realized how picky I am!)

This Valentine's Day has more meaning that any V-day ever has before in my 21 years of breathing. It's sweet, special to my heart, exciting, exhilarating, nerve-wracking (to be honest!), and just pure AMAZING. I'm about to marry the love of my life. It couldn't get better than this!


I've made some progress in the past couple days:
- Found invitations (good ones..... for $.40 a piece... compared to the normal $4.00 a piece! Awesome!)

- Scheduled the meeting with a photographer (www.JMosley.com) She's a photojournalist!

-Scheduled meeting with the service coordinator (Julie) and dear friend who was a professional wedding planner (Maggie). She has great tips, for anyone needing suggestions!

- Registered.... yes... I did say REGISTERED! WOOOO!!! At Bed, Bath, and Beyond.... And, I've officially decided they need to change their company name to the title of this blog. That have so much STUFF! Things that I've never even heard of or new existed. It was so much fun. And forced it to decide the colors of our home. Hehehe :-) Yay! Oh, who wants to help paint?! (Just kidding) Got a couple more registries to go.... it's fun!

- Found bulk roses for low, low cost. (Thanks, Ashley!)

- Made final decisions on the bridal party. :-)

Maid of Honor: Jenn Baxter- my sister
Best Man: Ben Nelson- Jeramy's best friend

Bridesmaids:
Ally Ziegler- J's sister
Stacey Williams- friend
Danielle Browning- friend
Ashley Workman- friend

Groomsmen:
Daniel Baxter- Kath's brother
Chris Browning- friend
Barry Williams- friend
Mat Radacz- friend


....rollin' along here in the "non-sunshine state". It's freeeeeeezing!!!!

Love you all,
Kathleen

Day 253: Dude, He's POWERFUL!

Our blogs will be different by the day... some will be fun details, questions, issues, surprises... and others will be verses, lessons, deep thoughts of God in our hearts. This journey is FAR BEYOND the physical, the natural... the journey goes much deeper than the surface. These 257 days have already become and will continue to be a crazy time of spiritual growth. Closer to Jesus, deeper in Him, being drawn tighter to His heart.

I heard an awesome quote today (on a side note) that really shook me up:

"I am loved BY God, and I am lovely TO God, therefore I desire to be a lover OF God!"

Chew on that.

I read Psalm 19 this morning after listening to a message on the life of David by Mike Bickle, and wanted to post this Psalm. It totally got me shouting, LITERALLY, in my chair. I was filled with awe, joy, overwhelming adoration for the power of Jesus. Read this:

Psalm 19:4-9, 14

God has made a home in the heavens for the sun.

It BURSTS forth like a radiant bridegroom after his wedding.

It rejoices like a great athlete EAGER to run the race!

The sun rises at one end of the heavens, and

follows its course to the other end.

Nothing can hide from its heat!

The instructions of the Lord are PERFECT,

REVIVING the soul!

The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy,

making wise the simple.

The commandments of the Lord are RIGHT,

bringing JOY to the heart!!!

The commands of the Lord are clear,

giving insight for living.

Reverence for the Lord is pure, lasting forever.

The laws of the Lord are true, each one IS fair.

May the words of my mouth and the

meditations of my heart be pleasing to You,

O Lord, my Rock and Redeemer!

I don't know about you, but this chapter makes me want to dive, run, emerge myself into His teachings and His laws. He has our best interest in mind. He's not mean, angry, selfish... He's a Father, who disciplines His children. He's set laws to protect us, guide us, and BLESS US! He's jealous for our heart and screaming out for our attention. Yep, He sure is. :-)

QUESTION OF THE DAY:

What is ONE (1) scripture verse that has shaped who you are today? Why?

Love you all,

Kathleen