Time flies when you're having fun...

Carol, Jamie, and Danielle at Deception Pass

So I really don't know what happened to all of my time off... I got some things accomplished and had some fun as well. But the time just flew by. I start my new job tomorrow with a few days full of orientation... It will be a nice easy start before the kids start coming. A few days to kinda learn the ropes, right? :) My favorite part of my time off was probably taking a trip up to Deception Pass with Doug's sister Maralee, her husband Ben, and their three fun kids. Well they were camping there for a week and I joined them for a couple days. We had a great time hiking around, swimming in the lake, climbing on rocks in the ocean, playing games, and learning to skip rocks. Danielle (she's 12) was the best rock skipper around! She taught me to stand in the water a little bit to make it easier. Of course my high number of skips was about 4 or 5, with most only skipping twice, if at all. But that was great for me!!! I also liked Cole's version of rock skipping - throwing two rocks at the same time so as they hit in succession and look like multiple skips of one rock to the squinted eye in your peripheral vision. :) Fun times!

As for wedding planning - it's coming along... we're still looking for a church where we can have the wedding. But we have a couple possibilities for reception sites. Everything else is coming along too... I just know that I'm going to be pretty busy here in the next few months. My new job will be a good change - I'm looking forward to it. But I also know that the first several weeks after the kids start coming will be quite challenging and I'll likely be working late those weeks... But God has orchestrated all of this plan, and I know that having several things on my plate is completely doable when I seek God first and allow Him to help me through rather than trying to do it all on my own. I do find myself much more likely to become overly stressed when I don't take time to pray or read the word of God. But when I do, minor stresses just roll off my back... and for the more intense stresses, I do great with all the additional support of my wonderful friends. I'm just feeling very grateful tonight. God is very good. Every good and perfect gift comes from Him, and He is pouring out blessings on my life right now. I think back to one year ago at this time... tired of my job, having fun with my friends, but longing for something more... trusting God to provide in his timing... I had no idea what was just around the corner...but He is so faithful. :)
Well if you've made it this far you know I'm kind of rambling here... So perhaps I'll end this post here. Have a blessed day! Oh, and here's a fun thought - 4 months from now I'll be on my honeymoon!!! :) Yippie!!!

Running around like crazy...

So i'll have to apologize to my avid readers who have been checking for updates frequently... I've been rather busy these last several weeks. My parents were in town a couple weeks ago, and we had a wonderful time with them. Hopefully I'll get to put up some pictures and tell some stories soon... but we did keep plenty busy! Then this past weekend we were able to go camping and enjoy some relaxation time... And now I feel like a chicken with my head cut off... with everything going on, but that will end soon. Well maybe not, but at least i'll have one major stressor out of the way after tomorrow. My last day at my current job is tomorrow, and I have a billion things left to do before that... but it will be here soon. I'm excited to start a new adventure, but sad to leave my wonderful coworkers and some wonderful kids... So it's a hard couple of days. Not to mention that I'm fighting off being sick - it's like a never ending cycle - stress weakens your body and makes you sick and being sick makes me more stressed! But it's not too bad - i'll certainly make it. I just keep thinking of Wednesday... when I can at least take a few hours to sleep in and relax. Then the major planning will begin...

So for the exciting news... Doug and I have picked a date for our wedding... We will get married on December 17th, 2005. I know that's a busy time of year, but we just can't wait until next summer!!! :) And a Christmas wedding will be beautiful!!! It's coming so quickly!Planning wise, I think i'll feel much more secure when we have found a place for the wedding and the reception. I do have my dress already though, so it's quite nice to know that's taken care of! :) Hopefully everything will run as smoothly as getting the dress! This whole wedding planning thing is very exciting but a bit stressful for me as well. I'm just not much of an event planner, so it takes all these skills that I don't really ever use. I do know that I have lots of people around who have said they are willing to help... it's just the whole 'um, i need help knowing what i need help with' part that i'll have to get through first! It's a very fun and exiting time though! And Doug has been amazing at supporting me and reminding me that this IS fun. How often will we spend so much time and money on a big party to celebrate us??? It will be fun. So that's my very quick update. Thank you to all of you for your well wishes and sharing in our excitement.