Where I'm From.

I haven't posted in forever, and I know I've been lacking on this front... but school is kicking my butt!

It's true what they say - when it rains, it pours!

and there's never been a truer statement when you're an education major.

But enough of my complaining...

We are having to put together a poetry anthology of 12-15 poems that are either favorites or describe our lives.  One challenge she gave us (a challenge, mind you, not a requirement) was to write a "Where I'm From" poem.  At first I thought she was crazy.  I mean, who has time for that right now?

But then I decided to give it a go...

and I fell in love with what I was writing, so I just had to share!

So, here goes nothing...

Where I'm From.

I am from forts

deep in the woods,

climbing trees,

            and zip-lining across ditches.

I am from imagination,

            from “a part of your world,”

and a magical world of books

and pages.

I am from flowing rivers

of dark waters,

ice cold beverages,

and bathing in the sun,

from inner tubes and kneeboards,

sunrises and sunsets

sparkling on the water.

I am from cornbread and vegetable soup,

from cast-iron skillets

and tubs of butter.

I am from homemade ice cream,

            topped with mounds of hot fudge,

            and maraschino cherries.

I am from eating watermelon on the porch

at the beach house

with my cousins…

and my grandfather…

            until it drips down our chins.

I am from Thou fount of every blessing,

from His kingdom

            through His grace and His mercy.

I am from being saved by His blood

and bathing in His glory.

I am from forgiveness –

even when it feels undeserved.

I am from love,

            and laughter,

                        and tears.

I am from family

            and friends.

I am from Southern hospitality

and laughing until it hurts.

I am from loving people

            of all shapes and sizes

for exactly who they are

            and who they will always be.

Breathing? What's that again?

It's been a while, and I would love to say that I'm back to post something wonderful... and amazing... and life-changing...

...but I'm not.

My life has been the craziest, most hectic thing EVER for the last month and a half.

I've even thought I might lose it a couple of times.

I had class Monday through Thursday the month of June from 8-12, then work 3-6 days a week.
I've had wedding planning going on since the end of April when Mr. Wonderful popped the question.
I've had small details to get in order (and those are probably the hardest for me to deal with) for both the wedding and the move into the apartment.
I've had moving Josh into the apartment on my brain.

It might seem like a short list to you, but I promise you... it's NOT.

I've literally felt like I've been running around like a chicken with my head cut off.
Extreme, you may say...
...but you'd be wrong.

I'm busting my hump.
Day in, and day out.
Trying to find room in there to just... breathe.

...and it seems impossible.
It'll be there, though.
In just 24 short days, it will be there.
The breathing will resume, and it will be fresher and more peaceful breathing than I've ever done in my life thus far.

I will FINALLY be marrying the love of my life, and that, my friends, is worth ALL of this "not-breathing" time that I've been going through.

I might seem like a complainer, but it's not bad complaining (if it's even complaining).  I can promise you that.  It's the grandest "complaining" ever... because on that day, I will become Mrs. Wonderful.

I will marry my best friend and promise to love and cherish him for all the days of our lives.

I'll take 3 months of "not breathing" all over again if it means spending forever with him.

:)

Love speaks volumes.

We went last weekend and had our engagement pictures taken by my good friend at my most favorite place in the world...

...so I thought I would share the few pictures I have been able to see so far.

And I shan't provide any captions because... well...

it speaks VOLUMES when the photographers can see (and mention more than once) the love between you and your fiance.  :)

 

"I have found the one whom my soul loves."  Song of Solomon 3:4

The Future-Mrs. Wonderful

First off, let me start by saying:  I HATE THE NEW DASHBOARD.

Now that that is over... I need to blog about something super special:

I'M ENGAGED!  :)
to Mr. Wonderful

I want to make sure that I blog and keep this exciting time in our lives up to date because it's going to go by faster than I can imagine, and I don't want to forget anything!  So, my goal is going to be to document it all on here...


On April 21, 2012, Mr. Wonderful took me on what I thought was a run-of-the-mill trip to Botanical Gardens, just for a walk around in natural (cause we love to do things like that).

Instead, I was serenaded:

He sang me a super sweet song that his dad wrote and used to sing to he and his sister when they were little.  It was the first time he'd ever sang to me, and I was definitely getting teary-eyed... but it got even better when he asked me to remove my shoes.

"...remove my shoes??"

"Just do it, please," he said.

(and of course, I did)

Mr. Wonderful then did something I will never forget:
He washed my feet.
And told me that that was his action of submission to me.
(as with Jesus and his disciples)

And for his next act of wonderful-ness??
I wound up like this:

and then like this:

If you haven't gotten the picture, Mr. Wonderful was turning me into the future-Mrs. Wonderful...
I have no idea what sweet things he said to me.
All I remember is realizing what was going on and that he was telling me I had changed his life for the better... and thinking that I couldn't wait to be his wife.  :)

He had a good friend of mine there taking pictures, and they are the most precious, priceless, wonderful things.  I will cherish them everyday of my life... much like I will treasure him.

We're getting hitched on July 28, 2012.

Oh!!  I can't believe I almost forgot...

Here's my ring (and a few others from the surprise engagement party at the home of the friends responsible for introducing us):

This is my great-grandmother's ring.  :)



Have I mentioned....
I'm marrying my BEST FRIEND.  :)











...and I haven't stopped smiling since the day I met him.  :)

Hummingbirds.

Friday evening, before going to see "The Hunger Games" with Mr. Wonderful, I got this picture from a good friend of mine:



With that, she said:
"It reminded me of you...of how incredible it was that we were put where we were, when we were, so that we would be connected AND more importantly...simply...of you. :)"


Everyday, I am reminded of God's love for me in many ways.
Everyday, those ways include Mr. Wonderful.
But on the random days when He feels I might need just a little extra, He does things like this and has people that are so important to me to do wonderful things.

I found it kind of ironic that the quote in the picture is about hummingbirds, one of the two species used to create the mockingjay in Hunger Games, when I was headed to see that movie... the bird backfired on the Capital and became a sign of rebellion for the districts...

...kind of makes me wonder if maybe it's a sign of rebellion for myself - rebellion against anything that could make me and the important people in my life unhappy.

A strange thought, I know... but it does make me think.