I found the perfect wedding dress! It's so beautiful! I absolutely LOVE it!!!
...And that's all I'm going to say about that! ;)
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Monday, June 13, 2011
#85 Pick a Wedding Location
After many, many, months of trying to choose a location for our wedding, we finally came to a decision...
We are having ourselves a church wedding! We are beyond excited to have finally made a decision, and truly feel that it is the right decision for us. The church we chose is Oak Grove Baptist Church, the church Whitney grew up in.
Now, deciding on a traditional church wedding was not easy. There were tears of joy, tears of sadness, tears of joy, tears of sadness, and tears of joy again. (No joke, this is precisely what happened.)
I must tell you that I was totally set on having a wedding at a fancy mansion/ballroom, until I realized just how much it did not fit me. Now, it most certainly fit the "ritsy-me" -- it was a beautiful mansion, had a gazebo in the back yard, the food was delicious, and they took care of everything ... and I mean everything. Need flowers? They pick them. Need a cake? They bake them. Decorations? They set them up. I loved the fact that the only things I really needed to do was give them a picture of what I wanted, and show up on the day of the wedding (oh, and give them my money). Bliss.
Then, reality set in. Getting married is about more than just flowers, centerpieces, or whether to serve beef or chicken. No, it's much more than that.
Now, deciding on a traditional church wedding was not easy. There were tears of joy, tears of sadness, tears of joy, tears of sadness, and tears of joy again. (No joke, this is precisely what happened.)
I must tell you that I was totally set on having a wedding at a fancy mansion/ballroom, until I realized just how much it did not fit me. Now, it most certainly fit the "ritsy-me" -- it was a beautiful mansion, had a gazebo in the back yard, the food was delicious, and they took care of everything ... and I mean everything. Need flowers? They pick them. Need a cake? They bake them. Decorations? They set them up. I loved the fact that the only things I really needed to do was give them a picture of what I wanted, and show up on the day of the wedding (oh, and give them my money). Bliss.
Then, reality set in. Getting married is about more than just flowers, centerpieces, or whether to serve beef or chicken. No, it's much more than that.
Marriage models God's love for his people. In Ephesians, Paul tells us to "be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God" (5:1-2). As a response to Christ's love for us, we choose to live for Him -- to forgive, to serve, to love selflessly, and to sacrifice. We are to love our spouse in the same way that Christ loves us.
So first thing's first. We want to celebrate God's love for us and our love for each other by getting married in a place of worship. Now, please hear our hearts: Getting married in a church, as opposed to any other location, does not make you any more married or spiritual or what-have-you. It's a beautiful expression of love whether it's at the pulpit, the backyard, or the beach. A church is more fitting for a wedding location for us, and we couldn't be happier to have settled on this big decision. Now to start all of the other planning!
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Coming Soon to a Blog Near You
Ok, Whitney and I haven't posted in a month, but we wanted you to know that we have some planned to post soon! We've been super busy lately and blogging just hasn't been a top priority.
We'll be posting about our wedding location, a confession from Whitney, and I'm sure we'll post about our upcoming date night.
Till then, I'll just ramble a bit here...
This Saturday is supposedly the Rapture, but Harold Camping is likely wrong. Here is an interview with Camping from CNN. Of course Christ can return whenever God the Father tells Him to; however, the Bible tells us numerous times that we won't know when Christ will return (See Matthew 24 [specifically vv. 36-51], Mark 13 [specifically vv. 32-37], and Luke 12:35-40 [all of Luke 12 for greater context, but specifically v. 40] just to name a few), but only that He will return. We are instructed to be prepared, so whether Christ comes tonight, Saturday or fifty years from now we are to be prepared.
The purpose of this isn't to get into a theological discussion, but rather to state some corrections to Harold Camping's claim. In order for anyone to get into Heaven we must profess Christ as our Lord and Savior, we must place our trust -- our faith -- in Christ's work on the cross for us... not believe in a specific date of his return date.
Moving along...
Whitney and I have been looking around at churches for a while. We've been going to a church for a few years -- we met in a small group at this church! However, recently we started feeling restless. Whitney and I would have strong discussions after church, sometimes differing and sometimes in agreement, and we decided that we needed to look elsewhere for worship and teaching. We only visited a few churches, but recently we've visited NewBranch Community Church. A friend of mine and Whitney's is one of the pastors there.
Kevin went to Whitney's middle school and my high school, ironically enough. He's the worship/student pastor and he's an amazing preacher. Ken, the senior pastor, is also a wonderful preacher and a super nice guy. Their personalities aren't the reason why we've decided to keep going back, but this church is what we've been looking for and where we plan to stay.
Moving along, again...
Whitney and I cannot wait till May is over. It seems like every weekend has been packed with plans and events of some sort, so hopefully we'll be able to just relax for a while. Not too much resting, though, because...
Moving along one last time...
Wedding planning is in full swing now and we're excited! We have a ton of things that we hope to update everyone on, but right now that information is classified. Don't fret, though, those of you asking for updates will find out soon enough. Whitney's got some special wedding things coming up that I'm not privy to, but that's okay -- I'll find out shortly and I can't wait!
Coming to a stop...
I think that's it, but please come back soon. We'll be updating a lot more frequently in the coming days, weeks and months.
---Andrew
We'll be posting about our wedding location, a confession from Whitney, and I'm sure we'll post about our upcoming date night.
Till then, I'll just ramble a bit here...
This Saturday is supposedly the Rapture, but Harold Camping is likely wrong. Here is an interview with Camping from CNN. Of course Christ can return whenever God the Father tells Him to; however, the Bible tells us numerous times that we won't know when Christ will return (See Matthew 24 [specifically vv. 36-51], Mark 13 [specifically vv. 32-37], and Luke 12:35-40 [all of Luke 12 for greater context, but specifically v. 40] just to name a few), but only that He will return. We are instructed to be prepared, so whether Christ comes tonight, Saturday or fifty years from now we are to be prepared.
The purpose of this isn't to get into a theological discussion, but rather to state some corrections to Harold Camping's claim. In order for anyone to get into Heaven we must profess Christ as our Lord and Savior, we must place our trust -- our faith -- in Christ's work on the cross for us... not believe in a specific date of his return date.
Moving along...
Whitney and I have been looking around at churches for a while. We've been going to a church for a few years -- we met in a small group at this church! However, recently we started feeling restless. Whitney and I would have strong discussions after church, sometimes differing and sometimes in agreement, and we decided that we needed to look elsewhere for worship and teaching. We only visited a few churches, but recently we've visited NewBranch Community Church. A friend of mine and Whitney's is one of the pastors there.
Kevin went to Whitney's middle school and my high school, ironically enough. He's the worship/student pastor and he's an amazing preacher. Ken, the senior pastor, is also a wonderful preacher and a super nice guy. Their personalities aren't the reason why we've decided to keep going back, but this church is what we've been looking for and where we plan to stay.
Moving along, again...
Whitney and I cannot wait till May is over. It seems like every weekend has been packed with plans and events of some sort, so hopefully we'll be able to just relax for a while. Not too much resting, though, because...
Moving along one last time...
Wedding planning is in full swing now and we're excited! We have a ton of things that we hope to update everyone on, but right now that information is classified. Don't fret, though, those of you asking for updates will find out soon enough. Whitney's got some special wedding things coming up that I'm not privy to, but that's okay -- I'll find out shortly and I can't wait!
Coming to a stop...
I think that's it, but please come back soon. We'll be updating a lot more frequently in the coming days, weeks and months.
---Andrew
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
#68 Clean Out Aquarium
I finally cleaned out my aquarium, with the help of my brother and dad! Oh, how wonderful it is to finally have an aquarium I can actually see through! Haha. Yes, it was that bad.
Originally my plan was to clean it out and get rid of it. But, that didn't happen. I just couldn't part with my beloved fish, even though I rarely see him because he stays in his truck all day. (Just as I typed this he almost came out, but then decided not to.)
He is a funny fish. So, since I now have a sparkling-clean fish tank and a fish I hardly ever see, there's only one thing left to do. Or rather, two. Introducing:
Edgar and Catherine
Now, I must appologize because this is totally nerdy, but our fish were named after the characters in Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë. Our fish tank, referred to as Wuthering Depths, is home to two goldfish, Catherine and Edgar, and a cat fish, Heathcliff.
We also have a pretty purple Betta fish, Poppy, who is pictured below.
These are our pets. That is... until I can have a kitty. ;)
Originally my plan was to clean it out and get rid of it. But, that didn't happen. I just couldn't part with my beloved fish, even though I rarely see him because he stays in his truck all day. (Just as I typed this he almost came out, but then decided not to.)
He is a funny fish. So, since I now have a sparkling-clean fish tank and a fish I hardly ever see, there's only one thing left to do. Or rather, two. Introducing:
Edgar and Catherine
Now, I must appologize because this is totally nerdy, but our fish were named after the characters in Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë. Our fish tank, referred to as Wuthering Depths, is home to two goldfish, Catherine and Edgar, and a cat fish, Heathcliff.
We also have a pretty purple Betta fish, Poppy, who is pictured below.
These are our pets. That is... until I can have a kitty. ;)
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
#22 Crochet a Stuffed Animal
I made this giraffe for my "soon-to-be" nieces. This project was a little daunting at first, but turned out to be really easy! Very cute!
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
#21 Crochet a Baby Hat
I made this baby hat for our marriage mentor's daughter, and it's simply precious. I love the oversized rose.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Being Creative Isn't Easy
Being creative isn't the easiest thing in the world. The unfortunate side of being creative is following through on your ideas and seeing them come to fruition. I can come up with a million ideas about a million different situations, whether it's a creative solution to a problem, fixing something or being artistic. It is this last concept that I primarily deal with.
I love to write. I have a passion for combining words and syntax in a manner that not only conveys my idea, but generates a response. Creating a connection through the written word is not as easy as it seems. It seems that being a good writer isn't a prerequisite for getting published. I've read a number of books, both fiction and nonfiction, that has a good storyline, but the construction of sentences and word choices make for a bumpy and terrible ride. It's not always the author, sometimes it is the publisher. Either way, I cannot stand short, choppy sentences. They don't flow. They are useful at times. They seem uncreative. They force the reader. Sometimes, however, using style to create a desired response is a sign of a good writer. Most novelists seem to only know the short, choppy variety.
I'm not a huge fan of blockbuster novels. Pretty much anything from Dan Brown, James Patterson and the like will have a good story but terrible writing. I end up thinking, "That was a good story" and that's it. I want to write literature. I want stories that create discussion and buzz, though not necessarily controversy. I want a storyline that virtually any reader can see their self in. I want to create something that lasts – a legacy.
And that takes a pasture of creativity. With things in plain view and yet hidden trails that take a lot of exploring to find. Streams that take you to a different setting and yet remains connected. I don't want the freeway story, I want a pasture.
Being creative isn't easy. It takes practice and patience to overcome the frustration of short-lived ideas. Being creative isn't easy, but it's worth the struggle. We must write, paint, strum, crochet, think, work, do, try, push, contemplate, rewrite, redo, rethink, retry ... until we make that connection. Then it's truly worth it.
– Andrew
I love to write. I have a passion for combining words and syntax in a manner that not only conveys my idea, but generates a response. Creating a connection through the written word is not as easy as it seems. It seems that being a good writer isn't a prerequisite for getting published. I've read a number of books, both fiction and nonfiction, that has a good storyline, but the construction of sentences and word choices make for a bumpy and terrible ride. It's not always the author, sometimes it is the publisher. Either way, I cannot stand short, choppy sentences. They don't flow. They are useful at times. They seem uncreative. They force the reader. Sometimes, however, using style to create a desired response is a sign of a good writer. Most novelists seem to only know the short, choppy variety.
I'm not a huge fan of blockbuster novels. Pretty much anything from Dan Brown, James Patterson and the like will have a good story but terrible writing. I end up thinking, "That was a good story" and that's it. I want to write literature. I want stories that create discussion and buzz, though not necessarily controversy. I want a storyline that virtually any reader can see their self in. I want to create something that lasts – a legacy.
And that takes a pasture of creativity. With things in plain view and yet hidden trails that take a lot of exploring to find. Streams that take you to a different setting and yet remains connected. I don't want the freeway story, I want a pasture.
Being creative isn't easy. It takes practice and patience to overcome the frustration of short-lived ideas. Being creative isn't easy, but it's worth the struggle. We must write, paint, strum, crochet, think, work, do, try, push, contemplate, rewrite, redo, rethink, retry ... until we make that connection. Then it's truly worth it.
– Andrew
#16 Make a Scarf Using a Pattern
I am fairly new at crocheting, and this is the first scarf I made using a pattern. I love it! It's a little long, but that just gives you a few more ways to wear it! Thank you, Alyssa, for walking through the pattern with me and helping me understand what to do!
#31 Make a Diaper Cake
Here is my first attempt at making a diaper cake! It wasn't hard at all! The part that took the longest was rolling up the diapers and securing them with a rubberband. Everything else was easy peasy.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
101 Things To Do In 1001 Days
I got this from my friend Alyssa's blog, thought it was interesting, and Andrew and I wanted to try it ourselves! It's a great way to track your goals and to see how well your goals are being accomplished! If you would like to give it a whirl, you can calculate the date for 1001 days here.
Start Date: March 1, 2011
End Date: November 26, 2013
Church
1. Finish reading/journaling 1 Corinthians
2. Read Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas
3. Read through the Old and New Testaments together
4. Purchase new matching Bibles
5. Get Bibles engraved
6. Find a new journal for our Bible studies
Cooking
7. Don't eat out for a month
8. Try a new recipe once a week for a month
9. Organize recipes in a binder
10. Make recipe cards of old family recipes and new favorites
11. Make a 3-tiered cake
12. Successfully make my mom's biscuits
13. Make Bakerella's cake pops
14. Try a recipe from Hungry Girl
15. Make fruit smoothies
Crafts
16. Make a scarf using a pattern
17. Make a scarf for Andrew
18. Crochet a blanket to match bedding
19. Crochet a granny square
20. Crochet a purse
21. Crochet a baby hat
22. Crochet a stuffed animal
23. Crochet a necklace
24. Learn how to sew
25. Buy a new sewing machine
26. Make my own piece of clothing/dress using a pattern
27. Sew an apron
28. Make a quilt
29. Finish London scrapbook
30. Make a menu board
31. Make a diaper cake
32. Make a necklace
33. Learn calligraphy
34. Make a fabric rosette and pin it to something fancy
35. Make a wallet/purse like this
36. Create/organize a work station for crafting
37. Make a photo collage
38. Paint something on a canvas
39. Make a paper bird painting like this
40. Finish my latch hook teddy bear
41. Make a mail/key holder
Exercise
42. Walk part of the Greenway each Sunday for a month
43. Walk the entire Greenway (14 miles)
Family
44. Enroll in Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University
45. Create a budget
46. Save up for and buy our first home
47. Have a date night in Atlanta
48. Creatively surprise each other for a holiday/birthday
Home
49. Move into our house
50. Decorate house
51. Organize rooms
52. Organize important files
Job
53. Andrew: Get a job in writing/editing
54. Finish writing a novel
55. Get published (in any manner)
56. Whitney: Get a full time job
57. Create an Etsy shoppe
58. Create an item for Etsy shoppe
59. Sell one item in Etsy shoppe
Reading
60. Read Gone with the Wind
61. Read through the entire Harry Potter series
62. Finish the Twilight series
63. Read a novel by Jane Austen
64. Read a novel in a genre I haven't read before
65. Read 5 Presidential Biographies
Other
66. Get a puppy/kitty
67. Train puppy/kitty
68. Clean outand get rid of aquarium
69. Learn how to clip coupons and save money using them
70. Get a week's worth of groceries for under $50
71. Go to at least one game each of professional baseball, basketball, and football
72. Go to a Georgia Game
73. Finish our Thomas Kinkade puzzle
74. Carve a pumpkin
75. Invest in a professional camera
76. Invest in photo editing software
77. Have a classic movie date night
78. Take guitar lessons
79. Learn how to play a song on the guitar
80. Get photos taken for Christmas cards
Travel
81. Take a trip to Mississippi to visit Jordan and Alyssa
82. Go to the beach
83. Go camping one weekend
84. Take a trip to Savannah
Wedding
85. Pick a wedding location
86. Set a wedding date
87. Get engagement photos taken
88. Set up a wedding website for guests
89. Choose wedding party
90. Find the perfect wedding dress
91. Choose wedding colors and flowers
92. Get supplies to make centerpieces
93. Create a wedding registry
94. Take dance lessons
95. Send out invitations
96. Get marriage license
97. Shop for rings
98. Decide on a honeymoon location
99. Get married!
100. Send out "Thank You" notes
101. Make a wedding scrapbook
Start Date: March 1, 2011
End Date: November 26, 2013
Church
1. Finish reading/journaling 1 Corinthians
2. Read Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas
3. Read through the Old and New Testaments together
4. Purchase new matching Bibles
5. Get Bibles engraved
6. Find a new journal for our Bible studies
Cooking
7. Don't eat out for a month
8. Try a new recipe once a week for a month
9. Organize recipes in a binder
10. Make recipe cards of old family recipes and new favorites
11. Make a 3-tiered cake
12. Successfully make my mom's biscuits
13. Make Bakerella's cake pops
14. Try a recipe from Hungry Girl
15. Make fruit smoothies
Crafts
16. Make a scarf using a pattern
17. Make a scarf for Andrew
18. Crochet a blanket to match bedding
19. Crochet a granny square
20. Crochet a purse
21. Crochet a baby hat
22. Crochet a stuffed animal
23. Crochet a necklace
24. Learn how to sew
25. Buy a new sewing machine
26. Make my own piece of clothing/dress using a pattern
27. Sew an apron
28. Make a quilt
29. Finish London scrapbook
30. Make a menu board
31. Make a diaper cake
32. Make a necklace
33. Learn calligraphy
34. Make a fabric rosette and pin it to something fancy
35. Make a wallet/purse like this
36. Create/organize a work station for crafting
37. Make a photo collage
38. Paint something on a canvas
39. Make a paper bird painting like this
40. Finish my latch hook teddy bear
41. Make a mail/key holder
Exercise
42. Walk part of the Greenway each Sunday for a month
43. Walk the entire Greenway (14 miles)
Family
44. Enroll in Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University
45. Create a budget
46. Save up for and buy our first home
47. Have a date night in Atlanta
48. Creatively surprise each other for a holiday/birthday
Home
49. Move into our house
50. Decorate house
51. Organize rooms
52. Organize important files
Job
53. Andrew: Get a job in writing/editing
54. Finish writing a novel
55. Get published (in any manner)
56. Whitney: Get a full time job
57. Create an Etsy shoppe
58. Create an item for Etsy shoppe
59. Sell one item in Etsy shoppe
Reading
60. Read Gone with the Wind
61. Read through the entire Harry Potter series
62. Finish the Twilight series
63. Read a novel by Jane Austen
64. Read a novel in a genre I haven't read before
65. Read 5 Presidential Biographies
Other
66. Get a puppy/kitty
67. Train puppy/kitty
68. Clean out
69. Learn how to clip coupons and save money using them
70. Get a week's worth of groceries for under $50
71. Go to at least one game each of professional baseball, basketball, and football
72. Go to a Georgia Game
73. Finish our Thomas Kinkade puzzle
74. Carve a pumpkin
75. Invest in a professional camera
76. Invest in photo editing software
77. Have a classic movie date night
78. Take guitar lessons
79. Learn how to play a song on the guitar
80. Get photos taken for Christmas cards
Travel
81. Take a trip to Mississippi to visit Jordan and Alyssa
82. Go to the beach
83. Go camping one weekend
84. Take a trip to Savannah
Wedding
85. Pick a wedding location
86. Set a wedding date
87. Get engagement photos taken
88. Set up a wedding website for guests
89. Choose wedding party
90. Find the perfect wedding dress
91. Choose wedding colors and flowers
92. Get supplies to make centerpieces
93. Create a wedding registry
94. Take dance lessons
95. Send out invitations
96. Get marriage license
97. Shop for rings
98. Decide on a honeymoon location
99. Get married!
100. Send out "Thank You" notes
101. Make a wedding scrapbook
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
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