Wednesday, May 20, 2009

3

3 DAYSSSS!

my co-workers and department also surprised me with a party... root beer floats and gifts! I was totally surprised :)

Last day of work today... off tomorrow and Friday.

Don't know how much blogging will be going on... If you don't see any more posts, I'll "see" you all when I get back in a week or so :)

Happy Wedding!!!

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

4

4 DAYSSSSS!!!

Monday, May 18, 2009

5 days!!!

I can't believe it's 5 days away!!! I am getting married before this week is over! AHH :)

AND we'll be in lovely Mexico laying on a beach next week :) YAY!

We accomplished a lot this past weekend. We made a schedule of the day of and days ahead... we also made a list of items that need to be at certain places... like, what items, where and when...

Here are some examples:

I bolded the MAJOR items... like this definitely needs to start then!! or at least close to schedule... now I know this schedule is not going to be followed to a 'T'... we know we are going to be off... but it's a good way to kind of keep track of things... especially what needs to be done days prior...
This item list, I think, will be a lifesaver... there's so many little things you don't think about that you need to bring... it helped to write it all down :)


Hope this helps any ladies planning a wedding... I think it'll help us a LOT!

Thursday, May 14, 2009

WE GOT OUR MARRIAGE LICENSE!!!

That's right... it's becoming more and more official... :) yay! 9 DAYS! - SINGLE DIGITS!

I had told D that I wanted to take pics to document our day... he was a little embarrassed that I wanted to take pics, but I said "when are we ever going to see these people again... who cares?!" :)

The clerk who helped us, filled our necessary paperwork out, and had us double check everything... she had put my address wrong, so she corrected it once. Then, she gave us our marriage license to double-check... and I noticed that I was not Brittney [my last name] ~ but instead Brittey [my last name]... that's right, no "n", correction #2 was made!!!

Oh well... we had some laughs...

this was us before... while we were waiting...

and us after (with my correct name) in the parking lot :)

YAY!

Nice.

This was too fun not to share :)


I love pictures... and photogmath :)
found here

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Premarital Counsel #3: Shepherds & Chisels

In Just 10 *short* days...

I will have my hair done, my dress on and will be spending these last few minutes waiting to see D waiting for me as my dad and I walk down the aisle!

We had our last premarital counsel session today (our next one will be planning out the ceremony) And it was just great! It was mostly geared towards D.

Our pastor talked about how the man is the leader and the misconceptions that our culture puts on that role... Most people think of this scripture (Ephesians 5:21-25) in a different way:
21 And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

22 For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23 For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. 24 As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything.

25 For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her.

Bro. Steve said that the same charge/instruction is given to the wives 2 times. First in verse 21: "And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ." submit in this verse is translated as commit or swapping deeds... D now owns my life and I own his... we do not own ourselves anymore. We will not be the same people anymore. And the second charge in verse 22: "22 For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord." again, we submit. But, not like our culture thinks... submit does not mean, obey in this context. We are not to be demanded by our husband... but we are to FOLLOW him...

The husbands, however, are charged (in verse 25) with... "...husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her" Husbands are to love their wives as Christ loved the church. Basically, Christ lived FOR the church... he did everything for us... he even died for us... Bro. Steve said that this way of thinking makes men think they are weak, but actually they are strong in doing this.

Our pastor gave us an example of himself and his wife. He said, "I don't let my wife fill up her own car with gas... I take care of chores... I will do things for her and make her sit down... unless she just wants too to do them... I treat her like a princess, like a queen!" He said, that this just further proves the relationship Paul is describing in this passage. When husbands treat their wives as princesses/queens... their wives hearts melt, and they further trust in them and want to FOLLOW them. Husbands lead, wives follow.

He said there are 2 types of leadership. The "cowboy" way and the "shepherd" way. They are drastically different.

The "Cowboy" way of leading is this: you are going to do what I say... there is no option - like cowboys herding cattle. The cattle have no option, they are whipped into formation and herded with everyone else. He said the military is much this way. They say go, they go. This way of leading is firm, and is "the only way" the cattle don't get to choose :)

The "Shepherd" way of leading is this: caring... the sheep follow their Master not because they have to, but because the WANT to... they trust in their Shepherd to keep them from harm... they are not MADE to go, but they CHOOSE to go.

Christian husbands are supposed to lead like a Shepherd. Our pastor said that many men now-a-days in our culture view the "Shepherd" way of leading as weak... In the older days, women didn't get much of a choice. But, if husbands led as Shepherds, we are more likely to trust in their leadership and WANT to follow.

He said Husbands are to be one step ahead of wives.
"Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers." 1 Peter 3:7
It states that wives are weaker... not many women like to hear that... but that is the reason we follow... the Husband leads and we follow. That is why he has to be one step ahead... if he weren't, the relationship would not work.

I found our next topic very profound! He was saying that from the day we accepted Christ and were saved, we are being sanctified. Think about a sculptor (Christ) and a big piece of granite (us). The sculptor sees what it is going to be... He starts to chisel... with a big chisel and mallet. Those first few hits are hard... they hurt... BIG chunks begin to fall. We are being shaped into the image of Jesus. Once the big chunks fall... He starts using smaller chisels... defining us more into the image of Christ... once He starts to see the shape... all He needs to use is a polishing cloth.

Bro. Steve said many of the older people in our congregation are being polished right now :)

Those big chunks are our trials or hardships. We humans think of things like comfort, happiness, peace to be good... and they are... but read this.
"2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.." James 1:2-4
James tells us RIGHT HERE that our trials are good! hard things good!?? yea, I know! But, the more we "hurt" or go through trials (chunks falling) the more we are becoming like Christ - "not lacking anything".

Bro. Steve said that marriage is a blessing and it is very much integrated into our "sanctification" process. Once married, God has new tools to use. He will use us as "chisels" on each other! IMAGINE... no one else are we going to be more vulnerable with, no one else are we going to trust the most, no one else knows what buttons to push, no one else are we going to be the closest with - than each other. God will use us to shape each other...

I have learned so much and can't wait to marry this man of mine :)

Friday, May 8, 2009

Mine and Dad's song

I posted about D and I's song the other day... well now it's time for me and my dad :)

My mom and dad have been taking dance lessons for the wedding every Friday for about a month. I haven't been able to go since I work in the evenings. But, tonight, I took an extra long dinner and went to practice mine and my dad's dance. It's choreographed and all!!! :)

I love this song... but I hope he doesn't cry. Cause if he does, then I sure will :)



I'll probably have it video taped by my brother... after the wedding I hope I can put it up for you all to see! :)


Tuesday, May 5, 2009

... and we have a SONG :)

I love me some Frank Sinatra... I really do... My FAV song is "The Way You look Tonight"

Well, after last week's American Idol (I'm a fan :) ) I (WE) FELL IN LOVE with Kris Allen's version...

without further ado :)


this will now be our song for our first dance as MR. and MRS. :)

To Do is getting smaller :)

Today we:

Paid Photographer
Paid for Cakes
Met with DJ
Finalized Songs
Finalized Reception timings
Met with Florist
Finalized Flowers


Wheew!!! I'm tired!!


Monday, May 4, 2009

Poem for a Bride - Photography

Dearest Bride-to-Be

The 12-18 months of wedding planning will pass in a matter of hours or days. When it’s all said and done, the photos will be the primary artifact remaining.

My wish for you—when you look back at those photos—is for you to think:

Look at how relaxed I was. Fully present in the moment. Basking in it. Soaking it in. I was not saturated in stress.

My shoes and dress were comfortable enough for dancing. My beauty radiated out of me; it was not applied to me.

I got to spend quality time with my friends and family. I was myself, not a show. In fact, I was my fullest expression of self.

I do not remember whether the invitations were letterpress or whether the flowers at the ceremony were the same ones at the reception.

The wedding favors or the fanciness of the food did not make memories. The sincerity did. The connection did. The time together did.

It did not matter whether every last detail conformed to the signature colors. Instead of saying, “What a beautiful bouquet,” the guests said, “What a beautiful love.”

This is my wish to you, dear brides, as you pore over wedding magazines and read daily blogs. Some of it matters. Most of it does not. Casting your net in the wrong direction will most surely mean you miss the things you most dearly want to catch.

May your wedding be just one sincere, authentic, happiest day in a long line of many.

This is my wish to you.

I absolutely loved this and thought I would share... being this close to the wedding... I may need to read this every day :)

Blogging limited

Ok, so in just 19 days I will be a MRS!!!

Therefore, my blogging will be much more limited... I will also try and post blogs at the end of my work day (which I work until 10pm) so there's always that... but my life has become much crazier each day!

I feel like I have a lot of little things left. Programs - place cards for reserved seating... I am meeting with almost ALL the vendors THIS week! Actually starting 2 days ago :)
Saturday 5/2:
met with Reception venue to finalize plans
Tuesday 5/5 (cinco de mayo):
DJ @9pm to finalize plans
Cake Lady @ 11am for final payment
Florist @ 6:30pm to finalize details and times...

ALSO...

Wednesday 5/6:

My grandparents want to take us to lunch!
Friday 5/8:
My mom and dad are taking dance lessons... I might take an extra dinner break or switch shifts with my co-worker to go... I really want to. My dad's all excited and said he has a dance choreographed for our daddy/daughter dance!!!
I am also sending in a final payment for our photography tomorrow...

Funny story: So, I work at a news station and run prompter for one of the newscasts... backstory is, we have a lot LESS # of guests than we first thought... like 100-150 less... hey, I'm ok with that... but that means we had to change our cake order up a little (lot)... so, I'm on the phone with the cake lady, calling my dad, calling my mom, all back and forth... and I'm trying to finalize a time to meet with the cake lady tomorrow. I finally realize it's time to prompt (because in my head set someone said - "prompter, we need prompter") yea, that's my cue!!! So, I just quickly say "ok, see you tomorrow, but I'm sorry I have to go!" hahaha!

I called her immediately following the news and apologized... she totally understood. But, that's my life r... I am constantly tossing things around and multi-tasking left and right... oh gees!!!

Next few weekends look like this:
May 9/10: Mother's Day
May 15/16: Brother's Graduation Brunch
May 23/24: WEDDING and MEXICO!!! oh my!

after today... only 2 more Mondays!!!!

Friday, May 1, 2009

Happenings as of late... oh and - IT'S MAY!!!

I should have posted about this earlier this week. But, after our Premarital Counseling session this week D and I went to get some little things done.

You'll see below about our Wedding Bible... but was also got our unity candle and tapers... we also picked up a ring bearer pillow. Oh... but here's the best part... we might take it back.....

because..... WE WON ONE!!!

I was so excited to look at SWSMag blog this afternoon to read MY NAME:
The contest was to tell about how we chose our rings... you can view it on their blog - here :)

LOOK AT HOW LOVELY THESE ARE!!!!

I am 100% in LOVE with that green and white pillow!!!

I can't believe I won!

You can check out Maihar's esty site and blog :)