How Can I Keep From Singing...

Easy, stick me in a room full of people I hardly know. That would shut me up real quick!

But in all serious - and I know, this is going to see nerdy and mushy for lots of you, so pardon, but I was just in our kitchen washing the dishes that aren't supposed to go in the dishwasher (wouldn't you know we use them almost every night?!) listening to the contemporary Christian station on TV and Chris Tomlin's song, "How Can I Keep From Singing" came on.

He was singing about God's amazing love for him and how it just makes him want to sing. I had to just stop and sit down because I was overwhelmed by God's love for me (and He has the same love for YOU!) and His goodness towards me.

How many times as a girl, as a young woman, and as a bachlorette had I loaded dishes into the dishwasher and hoped for the day to come when I'd be loading the dishwasher in preparation for my husband to come home?

I am so blessed!

Hebrews 13:12 says, "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but desire fulfilled is a tree of life." Once again, God has done more than I could have ever hoped or imagined (Ephesians 3:20)!

Not only am I doing dishes in the home of mine and my HUSBANDS, my husband is AWESOME!!!!!
He works hard at work and yet he puts me first, always
He brings me medicine and water in the middle of the night
He lets me stick my freezing toes under his legs to get warm
He thanks me EVERY night for cooking
He listens to music he doesn't like and smiles because I like it
He prays for me
He delights in me
He seeks wisdom and desires to honor God
He is honest
He lets me order dessert
He kisses me at the gym
He dances with me
He lets me sleep on the side of the bed with the nightstand
He keeps Simon out of the bed
He has cool spikey hair
He provides for us
He always empties the trash
He wipes down the bathroom mirror in the morning so I don't see the spots
He writes me notes
He brings me flowers
He is my best friend
He is my confidant
He makes every night seem like a slumber party!
He laughs with me
He reads with me
He serves me
He is handsome
He takes care of his body
He takes walks with me
He snuggles with me
He is kind to my friends
He gives me good advice
He helps me put my coat on
He got me new tires!

I could go on and on, but I won't. I am just amazed, amazed, amazed at God's goodness to me in so many ways.

I think a long time ago I used to think I deserved a great husband. Then out of God's wonderful kindness, He revealed to me that really I don't "deserve" anything and it's really never about me. Everything good that I get is merely a gift from Him, that I can never repay or merit.

This gift He has given me has again reminded me of HIS goodness and love.

I'm with Chris - my soul can't help but sing.

For all of the lyrics to Chris's song, click here

The Morning of...

Okay, so no one is as interested in this as I am, but I got some pictures of the morning of my wedding from my dear, dear, dear friend Bethany...

I love her!

So, here is a run down of the morning of my wedding - this will be a day that I remember as one of the most happy in my life forever, I'm sure...

At a little before 7 a.m. my cell phone rang. It was a lady from the mail distribution center in Morgantown letting me know that my Passport had finally come in. WE WERE GOING ON OUR HONEYMOON!!!!! WHEW HOO!

My darling father and wonderful brother (two of the most helpful people alive) went to pick it up so I could enjoy my morning.

I had an AWESOME time with my Father that morning and was just so overwhelmed at His kindness towards me in SO many ways. He is so faithful! I was so thankful to have my passport, so thankful to have such AWESOME family and friends, and SOOOOOOOO thankful to be getting married - and not just getting married, but to someone so perfectly wired for me! I LOVE HIM!

Ok, so anyways, Bethany and I got ready and headed to breakfast downstairs in the hotel restaurant with my lovely friends Andrea and Nichole. I was wearing the fabulous white sweat-suit my mom had generously bought me - she actually bought three and two different pairs of sandals bc she wasn't sure which ones would fit or I would like! How cute!



The food and service was great, but the time with my friends was even better! THEY ARE SO PRECIOUS! My bridesmaids had put together this cute bag for me to take on my honeymoon and filled it with sweet letters to encourage and love on me and little things I could use on the trip (all suited to their personalities I must say). That was one of my favorite moments of my day. I kept thinking how blessed I was to have such dears friends who know me so intimately and STILL love me. Wow.

Anyways, then Bethany and I went to Portfolio's to get our hair and make-up done! How fun was that! I was a little nervous about my hair, I confess, but as soon as Ted finished my make-up, I was excited again.

During that time my beloved sister-in-law was transporting one of my sweet bridesmaids, Becky to my grandma's to pick up her dress which was being altered and Daryl was just awaking and pondering going to the gym :) (Josy and Cody - your e-card was PERFECTO!)

Anyways, after getting all ready we hit the road for the church. No time to eat - we had to go. And I was OH so excited! (Did I mention that Bethany had the coolest hair do ever?)

It's funny all the thoughts that race through your head on your way to get married - what if we wreck? Is someone going to see me that shouldn't? I'M SO EXCITED!"

When we arrived, I was so excited to get inside I just wanted to jump and run! Fortunately, the insanely long veil I was carrying and my pinned up hair saved my lady-like reputation (wink wink) and kept me moving slow and poised - hee hee.

When we entered the church almost all the bridesmaids were there all bustling around, looking as awesome as ever!!!! Alison was steaming my dress - what a life savor you were!, and everything was going awesome. Kadie had even brought cute little tubs of snacks and drinks!!!! She saved us all from passing out which is definitely worth commending.

I WAS SO ESTATIC - I didn't even look in the mirror until after Scott took preliminary pictures.

But then, we just had to sit and wait. Which I confess was fun at times, but I could hardly stand it... I just wanted to get married. So here's how we passed the time...



Not to mention, many awesome friends stopped in to say hello, Sarah Chartschlaa came all the way from Lynchburg to tell me stories :), Nichole was kind enough to do a hygiene check for me, and we almost got Lauren Byrer to sing a song from the Passion.

Thanks for the memories...It really was one of the most fun times of my entire life.

Tonight Daryl had accountability group at OUR house (that's still fun) and so I vacated the premises so the guys could be alone for "man time." :)

I headed to Target in search for this cool pub mirror with hooks to hang in the entry way of our house and somehow ended up returning home with a coupon book, a thing of paper clips, a lamp shade, and some thank you cards. Suffering from buyer's remorse and going through shopping justification in my head didn't seem as big of a deal when I was single, but now not only do I, BB&T, and God know that I overspent, so does Daryl :) Uh oh.

What's a girl to do?



Anyways, as I was pondering my purchases (all of which I will put to good use I should add) and why I got more than I intended, I decided its really not so much because I'm HUGELY materialistic (let's just be honest - I'm more materialistic than I would like to be), or because I'm frivolous or part-take in consumer debt, it's mainly because I had a lot of time on my hands and wasn't very focused.

When I go grocery shopping, I'm focused. I have a precise list with just the ingredients and snack items needed for the meals on our schedule for the week and that's what I get. Not so with my Target trip. I thought, "I have to pick up the mirror and then I'll just 'meander' around." No real plan involved.

I wonder how often in life God would like to grab my face and say "FOCUS! Stick to the plan! I want one thing from you" - okay so two, 1) to love Him, and 2) to love others, and I try to do 80 things; most of which don't even align with each other.

I thought about how bad it would if Daryl kept losing focus on me and being distracted by billions of other things. I would HATE it and cry and whine and want to eat a lot of chocolate but be too sick on my stomach to do that, and yet I lose focus on my Father and what He wants from me all the time.

Anyways, all that from a pub mirror with hooks...

Married Life Live...

That title is stolen, but I like it, and it's now true...



I'm married!!! No more dreams of what marriage is like, now I get to live it and see it first hand, which is WAY better than dreaming!

When I get some pics in I'll post some - but the whole getting ready for and actually going through with the wedding was AWESOME! We really hope people had a good time and that above all they saw Jesus.

The honeymoon rocked out too! My luggage didn't arrive until halfway through, but thankfully on honeymoons, that's okay :)

Thanks to everyone who made the beginning of our life together SO awesome!