Things Are Coming Together

It's amazing how fast time goes by. I remember still being on my mission thinking that the end would never come. I don't say that in a bad way, but since it was such a long period of time in my life, it seemed something so permanent. However, that time did pass. And I quickly approach the one-year point of when I returned from Spain.

After getting home and being with Carrie again, the new 'countdown' in my mind became our marriage. I cannot believe that at first our wait was six months! That six months has swiftly dwindled down to one. I made a simple little countdown app for Carrie on her phone; it contains a little message along with the days, hours, minutes, and seconds left before we reach noon on May 14th. It was just a fun little project I could work on to develop my java skills. :) According to the app, we have 26 days and 13 hours exactly remaining. :) Carrie and I have come so far, and we're so ready.

I love Carrie. She is an incredible woman with outstanding desires and aspirations. Ever since we met she wanted the best for me. She has always motivated me, encouraged me, strengthened me. She is totally awesome.

As we get closer, we are trying to get more things done. We're coming along nicely with preparing our house for when we are able to move in. We've painted and have moved in quite a bit of stuff. We still have plenty more to do! It's a lot of fun, though.

I personally am basically all set up to attend UAH starting in the summer. I am very, very excited to continue my education and get it done! It's crazy how badly I want to have a professional computer-related job. I just love that stuff so much. In the meantime I'll just continue learning and working on little projects on my own.

Well, there's not much else to tell. Many things are on the dl. :) This new kind of adventure sure is great. I can't wait for the next step to officially begin!

Lee

Registry info!

Just for those who want to know, Lee and I are registered at Bed, Bath and Beyond, and Target. :) That is all. haha

2 months.. !!

Only 2 months..It's truly insane how quickly time goes. Some memories seem like forever ago and some seem like only yesterday. With Lee, I've been able to make memories that will forever be close to my heart. I look forward to the time we will spend together throughout our marriage, but I don't want to miss out on the time we have with each other now.
Dad and I were discussing the phrase, "happily ever after," and jokingly he said there was no such thing. I quickly asked if he was happy. Of course, he said he is, and then I responded with, "Well, there's your happily ever after, I guess." Depending on what it was "after". After birth. After graduation. After marriage. What's so incredible about life is, if we wanted, we could have a million "happily ever after(s)". Depending on what they are after. ;) Lee and I will have points in our marriage the we'll need work on, but that doesn't mean we won't still be able to achieve happiness. "Love is proactive. Love is service...We love because we have given." Working together, as two separate beings, building our love, and remembering that love is not just an emotion, will help us live our "happily ever after".

With that being said, the recent events around the world are heart-wrenching. Find a way to help. Whether it is by donating a simple dollar, or taking in a whole family in need. Every bit helps. Use what you have to make a difference.

Three months? Wasn't it three days?

the drive was worth it

because I had her hand again

but we held on tightly 

because we knew the hours end

we learn from this

and we make the best of who we are

now she's wearing a symbol

because from all the time we've spent

we've decided on one thing:

the hours on a ring never end

I think we're both pretty excited to start our lives together. :)  

Every moment I spend with Carrie I learn more about her.  I couldn't even begin to describe all the things I learn from being with her AND the boys.  It's insane how much I learn from those two.  It really makes me want to be the best person and adult I can be.  I really love her and respect her for being so strong, mature, and willing to strive to do what's right in everything.  

Three months seems like too long right now haha. :)  But it's plenty of time to learn, grow, and prepare.  I will get to finish my first semester of college, which is awesome.  Things just seem to be working out in a very smooth way.  Carrie and I have already talked about a lot of things in preparing for 'the future.'  We've talked about apartments, where we might live, money stuff, school stuff, who's going to do most of the cleaning (me ;)), who's going to learn how to cook more things (her)(okay, I'll be joining in that as well!), how we're going to class sometimes in grocery shopping decisions.  It's great. :)  There really is so much to talk about!  She's doing a crazy good job of getting wedding things together.. it's insane how many clever ideas she has for all of that stuff.  I love that she tries to include me in stylistic and decorative decisions and that in the end we realize she should just take complete charge. :P

I just really can't wait until I don't have to drive three hours anymore to see them.  Everyday. :)

Lee

I just love this..

Ahh, so only 3 months until Lee and I officially start our life together. It's such an incredibly exciting thing. :)

So, I have the invitations taken care of, for the most part, now I just wait until they're done. :) I'm super excited, cause they're stinking adorable! :DD

That is all for now...oohh and if you haven't seen them yet, here's one of our AMAZING pictures!

love organic drawstring bags...soo cute!

Can I just say that I LOVE these and definitely will be purchasing them for the wedding. Eep! :)

EEEPP!! :DD

So, here is a sneak peek at our incredible engagement shoot! :D

So, I just have to say... Jennie Smithson is INCREDIBLE! These pictures are amazing! To see more, check out Jennie Rae Photography on facebook and "like" the page!

Check it!

Engagement Pictures

Last week Carrie and I had the fun opportunity to have engagement pictures taken of us by my lovely sister, Jennie Rae. :)  It was awesome!  Carrie and I dressed up all fancy just like we had done for her Christmas work dinner party.  We felt we both looked good enough to pull off more pictures wearing those same outfits. ;)  She, of course, looked beautiful.. she was smiling a lot that day; I could tell she was excited and anxious to do the pictures.  We looked at them later and picked out a bunch that we wanted Jennie to focus on.

That day was also rather special for another reason.. I'm sure some know that even though Carrie and I became engaged, we didn't do so with an actual ring.  As I put it, "We were engaged in a talking sort of way."  Haha.  And deep down inside I knew that it wouldn't feel completely official without a ring.  Anyway, like I said, that day became more than just taking pictures as I knelt down during some shots in a pretty park and asked Carrie to 'officially' marry me (WITH a ring..). :D  It's funny, because even though I knew we were already engaged and what not, I was still pretty nervous.  I felt better.  I feel now that we can more seriously approach our relationship as a couple and soon-to-be family.  I really, really enjoy doing whatever I can to make her happy..!  Oh, and she said yes.

So the new year has begun.  Things are going to change quite a bit.  I'm starting school full time and hope to start working soon as well.  I know it all means I won't be able to see Carrie and the boys very often during the next several months, but I know it'll be better in the end.  That's one difficult thing about living 3 hours away from the person you want to see most. :P  I guess it will be like before my mission, where normally we would only see each other once every one or two weeks.  I'm sure you all can imagine the excitement and anxious feelings that are present when those days arrive. ;)

Alright!  You all know by now that I enjoy writing a little too much haha.

Cya!


Lee