Roadtrip Teaser: The Arch

St. Louis, MO

Roadtrip Teaser: Groom, TX

http://www.crossministries.net/

Roadtrip Teaser: Lil J

Mom... this is my space... no room for your feet!

Less than a month...

What a busy two weeks I've had... I guess that's what happens when everyone finally realizes you aren't kidding about moving. ;-p

In my last two post I failed to mention that Zoee was born on Sept. 14th!This picture was taken on Sept 20th (6 days old!).

The list of the past two weeks activities:

• Meeting with our photographer
• Dress fitting
• Rock climbing
• Toby Keith's with Lisa & Kaley (ran into Sid & Tay)
• Pre-marital counseling
• Dinner dates with Taylor & Marilyn
• Yogurtland dates with Keila and Morgan
• Shopping with Keila
• Mailing all my books to MD
• Chi Alpha
• Revival Weekend at Church
• Dinner with Kim & Andy
• Packing up my life!

I leave Monday morning with my dad & guinea pig for our cross-country trip. Please pray for safe travels and nice weather!

The world is(n't) SO big!

I love my family. I love my friends.
I love when you know who your friends truly are.
Erik left us in March of 2008... over a year and a half now...
He's now a pilot for KLM - flying all over the world, newly married to his beautiful wife Jannet, and yet we still manage to keep in touch.

Lima, Peru was his location.
Only a 2hr time difference from where I am at the moment.
1 hour and 45min Skype convo.
Gotta love it! =)

I really hope I get to visit him in the Netherlands some day.

PS: I still owe you a box of AZ goodies! And... don't forget my box of Netherlands goodies...

candy corn & city lights

So I'm sitting here consuming a disgusting amount of candy corn (gahh, someone take the bag away!) and thinking about all of the drastic changes I'm going through in my life...

Last night on my way home, I ended up taking a detour and driving up Eagle Mountain... my favorite place to sit and watch the twinkle of the city lights and just think.


I cannot believe in 39 days (holy cow, really...that soon?!) I change my last name, go from Miss to Mrs., move all the way across the country- away from everything/everyone I know esp. my family, and start a new life... of my own with Quinn.

It's exhilerating, terrifying, an adventure, and mainly... unknown.

Marriage is not going to be some skip in the park... more like adding a torrential downpour with some highly important documents you must keep dry. I guess that may be over-dramatic, but every day it will be a choice, not all days will be good, not all days will be bad. Obstacles will come, and we will have to work through them together. I know right now the hardest part for me will be when he deploys. Far from home... alone.

I'm going to be very blunt with this. Do not under any circumstances tell me "well you knew what you were getting into." Yes and no. Yes I know that his profession requires him to go to war, defend and protect our country, our freedom. Yes I know he will be gone 7mo-1yr. Yes I know that. What I don't know is... what it will feel like worrying everyday that he is safe, going for days-weeks-months? not being able to hear his voice, praying for him to come home the same way he left, not knowing exactly where he is, what he is doing, what kind of danger he faces at that moment. NO, I don't know what THAT will be like. Talk to me in a year or so...

I feel like right now I'm in the eye of the storm, everything is moving around me... items falling into place for the wedding and new house, and here I am sitting (and still eating candy corn, ugh) just contemplating it all. I often wonder what my life would look like to an outsider, someone with only the details. Not being here, not seeing what's changing, not feeling the 100 different emotions I constantly go through.

Please pray for us.

Lovely Ladies =)

Yesterday Ashley, her mom, and grandma hosted my bridal shower, they did an amazing job! Thank you so much =)

Check out the decorations:

The people...I didn't break any ribbons/bows- no babies! (for now)

All smiles...

All goofs!

Thank you everyone! It was a great time.

"In The Stairwell"

To: You
From: God

You say you will never forget where you were when
you heard the news On September 11, 2001.
Neither will I.

I was on the 110th floor in a smoke filled room
with a man who called his wife to say 'Good-Bye.' I
held his fingers steady as he dialed. I gave him the
peace to say, 'Honey, I am not going to make it, but it
is OK...I am ready to go.'

I was with his wife when he called as she fed
breakfast to their children. I held her up as she
tried to understand his words and as she realized
he wasn't coming home that night.

I was in the stairwell of the 23rd floor when a
woman cried out to Me for help. 'I have been
knocking on the door of your heart for 50 years!' I said.
'Of course I will show you the way home - only
believe in Me now.'

I was at the base of the building with the Priest
ministering to the injured and devastated souls.
I took him home to tend to his Flock in Heaven. He
heard my voice and answered.

I was on all four of those planes, in every seat,
with every prayer. I was with the crew as they
were overtaken. I was in the very hearts of the
believers there, comforting and assuring them that their
faith has saved them.

I was in Texas , Virginia , California , Michigan , Afghanistan .
I was standing next to you when you heard the terrible news.
Did you sense Me?

I want you to know that I saw every face. I knew
every name - though not all know Me. Some met Me
for the first time on the 86th floor.

Some sought Me with their last breath.
Some couldn't hear Me calling to them through the
smoke and flames; 'Come to Me... this way... take
my hand.' Some chose, for the final time, to ignore Me.
But, I was there.

I did not place you in the Tower that day. You
may not know why, but I do.. However, if you were
there in that explosive moment in time, would you have
reached for Me?

Sept. 11, 2001, was not the end of the journey
for you . But someday your journey will end. And I
will be there for you as well. Seek Me now while I may
be found. Then, at any moment, you know you are
'ready to go.'

I will be in the stairwell of your final moments.

Take a moment to pray for those who lost family and friends 8yrs ago... also please remember to support the troops (even if you don't support the war) they are people with family and friends just like you with a job they must do.

Back home... for a little while.

Here's the wrap-up of my latest Maryland Visit:

1) Quinn finally got his new SUV!!
2) We found a sectional we liked and purchased it, then decided on a mattress and a bed frame. So now we will officially have: townhouse, bed, couch, and futon. The bedroom and living room furniture we want will eventually come from IKEA, whenever we have time/money to get it.
3) We decided on the music for the wedding, it should be a nice ceremony and a fun reception.
4) We finally got a day to ourselves that wasn't devoted to wedding plans or finding a house and furniture... so we headed off to Gettysburg, PA.

[check out all the photos here, middle of page 4-7]

The next couple of weeks should prove to be very interesting seeing as they are my last two in AZ with a vehicle. Not to mention the 9 days I'll be in AZ before the wedding I'm pretty sure will be very hectic! So this is it people... lets hang out =)

Maryland Update

Hey everyone...
It's been a busy six days here in Columbia. I am sad to say Quinn still hasn't gotten his new Ford Escape (the dealership is making me angry, we only have the rental until tomorrow- then what?) they said it should be in this week...

I now have a Navy Federal Bank Account, goodbye Chase it's been a great 5yrs (I wish you were in MD). After much searching we decided on this townhouse:

Lake Village Townhomes, 2 bedroom/1 bathroom.

Erin & Nate bought a baby guinea pig! Meet Mr. T, hopefully Lil J's new buddy: We are hoping to go furniture shopping seeing as it is Labor Day Weekend aka: biggest furniture sales of the year, however without a vehicle, this could get interesting. I'll let you know more as things change!

-Tay