I said yes...

8 years ago I said yes to the love of my life! It was the best decision I could have ever made. I can't believe how young we were. We were babies! 20 and 21.
It's a joy to do life with this man by my side and have the privilege of parenting our sweet daughter together. So thankful he asked me to marry him 8 years ago. We've had some really amazing years along with some challenges, but Marc leads our family so well by putting the Lord first in our marriage. For that I'm so very grateful.

1 John 4:7-12 (niv)
⁷ Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. ⁸ Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. ⁹ This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. ¹⁰ This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. ¹¹ Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. ¹² No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

Enagagement Anniversary

7 years ago on this day was one of the most thrilling, surprising days of my life!
Marc popped the question to me! During our 1 1/2 years of dating, Marc liked for things to be on his time and for us not to spend too much time together. He liked lots of balance with us, friends and such, so I went with it, even though I would have rather spent every waking moment with him. Obviously that would not have been healthy.
A couple of weeks before he proposed he told me he loved me, which made me go mute for several minutes. I was in complete shock. I thought he wouldn't tell me that til we got married. Seriously, he was very hard to read and very mysterious. He always kept me guessing for some reason...! My mom was very afraid he was going to break my heart someday, which would have been tragic because I fell deeply in love with him from the moment I first laid eyes on him {side note: that was my freshmen year in the library while studying for a final, I'll never forget how "dreamy" he looked}. I know, I won't be mad if you roll your eyes, I'm just a hopeless romantic.
So all of that to say, I definitely did not expect a proposal for a very long time, and was very shocked when it did happen. It was one of the most memorable days of my life, along with my wedding and getting saved :).
It is still by far one of my favorite stories to tell. If you haven't heard it or would like to read about it, I
wrote it all out 2 years ago on this blog here: http://www.theyounthappenings.blogspot.com/2010/02/i-said-yes.html

 engagement present
2-25-05

engagement pictures

I think we look so young in those pics. Man, infertility sure ages you and makes you fat. Boo.
I seriously can't believe we are coming up on our 7 year wedding anniversary. Time has FLOWN by over these past few years.
I know I say this a lot, but I'm so thankful for Marc. He puts up with me and all my crap and loves me unconditionally. He is calming, a voice of reason, discerning, and such a servant. Over the past 2 years our love has grown more than I could have ever imagined. Our relationship is stronger, more grounded and connected. We always say we may not want to have to go through what all we've been through, but we are sure grateful for how close we have become through it all.

For those of you that are still waiting for a man, do not lose hope. I know I felt like there would never be a perfect guy for me out there, but I think that there is. Just wait on God's timing {I know exactly what that statement means and feels like, and I know it gets old} but faithfully pray for your mate that you may or may not know. Infertility has given me a sensitivity for anyone that is waiting on something and no matter how you look at it, it's just not easy being patient.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (NIV)

 ⁴ Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. ⁵ It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. ⁶ Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. ⁷ It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 

8 years ago

8 years ago today my sorority had a function called "Great Outdoors." It was my first time that I had to ask someone to a function. It was so hard for me to be doing the inviting and I was SOO nervous.
I had seen Marc several times and only had met him a couple times through mutual friends. I thought he was the hottest/dreamiest guy at school (still think he would be!) I had several people re-affirm me that I should ask him and that he was a great guy. Someone also thought it would be fun to go ahead and let him know that I was going to ask him.... I think it took me a full 2 weeks to get the nerve up to finally ask him and when I did, he totally knew what I was doing and set it up for me :)
He told me he never gets invited to functions anymore, (that was a LIE!) I didn't care I was just so thrilled he said yes and was coming! I was on cloud nine and super nervous about it.

I had the best time with him. We went with several people to a cabin and cooked out and watched fun Halloween movies. We didn't do a whole lot, but I could tell after a few conversations we had a lot in common with each other and I was already thinking about another function I could ask him too. I had fallen for him. I was ridiculous, and not ashamed.

When we got home I was talking to my mother about how great he was and that I probably would never hear from him again, and really didn't think I had a chance.... well he actually beeped in that same conversation and wanted me to see a deer he had just killed!!! Of course I said YES and what does he do, he brings the deer in the back parking lot of the Pi phi house and I oohed and awed over that deer like it was the greatest thing I had ever seen!

That sealed the deal for him and the rest is history! Well it took him a little longer than it did me, but I knew it would work out if he would ever come around and he obviously did!

this is not a pic from that function, but I still wear that t-shirt from that weekend!

Ignore the ugliness of my face, just showing how much I still love the shirt!

And this is the deer that sealed the deal for him! Yep, its hanging in our house.

And that is why I love November 1st!

The End

love languages

I'm sure some of you have heard about "The 5 Love Languages" book by Gary Chapman. He wrote the book several years ago. I remember reading it either before or right after we got married. If you haven't ever found out what your love language is, you really should. It doesn't matter if you are married, single, a daughter or son, it applies to everyone.They had us take the short assessment at work to see what we would be. A few years ago when I took it, I was mostly quality time. The most interesting thing is that when I recently re-took it, it's now Gifts. It doesn't surprise me that much, because I feel like over the past 5 years my whole personality has changed.
Knowing your love language can help you and a spouse, friend or parent better communicate. Imagine if all the people you were close to knew exactly what you needed and vice versa.
On the website you can take a new assessment of yourself. There is also a fun new one about Apology.

Here were my reults:

APOLOGY Scores

9	Expressing Regret
11	Accepting Responsibility
0	Making Restitution
0	Genuinely Repenting
0	Requesting Apology

Accepting Responsibility

You have chosen Accepting Responsibility as your primary Apology Language. What you are looking for in an apology is maturity. You most want to hear the offending party say, I was wrong and I take responsibility for my actions.

Love Language Scores: 3 Words of Affirmation 5 Quality Time 9 Receiving Gifts 8 Acts of Service 5 Physical Touch and this is what it said...

Receiving Gifts Don't mistake this love language for materialism; the receiver of gifts thrives on the love, thoughtfulness, and effort behind the gift. If you speak this language, the perfect gift or gesture shows that you are known, you are cared for, and you are prized above whatever was sacrificed to bring the gift to you. A missed birthday, anniversary, or a hasty, thoughtless gift would be disastrous--so would the absence of everyday gestures.

Apparently I heart gifts! I mean I did always love surprises growing up. It is so interesting to me, because I really do put so much time and effort into giving a gift and even a card (most times...) I always want it to be the perfect thing for that specific person. If you are wanting to take the assessment and see if you have changed or take it for the first time, go HERE. It really is fun and a great tool for understanding yourself and someone else. Enjoy.

I said yes!

Five years ago today my hubby decided to ask me to marry him. I had no idea it was coming. It was a complete surprise.
We started dating in November 2003. First kiss was December 2003. I was pretty darn obsessed with him. I felt and still feel like the luckiest girl in the world to have found my prince charming. I knew the first date that I would/could mary him if he would ever have me and feel the same way (No Lie). It definitely took him longer to figure that out, but I don't hold it against him. I was pretty forward.
It was interesting how we met. We had a lot of mutual friends and had a class right next to each other, which was always convenient to "accidentally" bump into him. Seriously, my heart would flutter on those days I saw him. I was sometimes even stalkerish...
Unfortunately, the whole pi phi house knew of this crush and I would get asked everyday if I talked to him or if I had asked him to this specific, upcoming function. Well a certain someone leaked this info to him and he totally knew I was going to ask him to a function so he set it up for me to ask him. How awesome embarrasing.
I guess it all worked out in the end. We did go to the function and we I had a blast!


The Night we got engaged! Feb, 25th. 2005
Marc asked me to stay in town and go on a date with him, so of course I said I would. Although, all of my friends had left town for the weekend (for reasons I didn't know why then, but now do) I stayed strong and didn't leave.
I waited for him to get off work. He was a bank teller at First Security. We went and ate at the MOST random place ever. Seriously, I have only eaten there that one time and haven't been back. Well we got there at 5, can we say early bird special. No lie, we and one other older couple was in there. Sort of awkward, but funny. The whole dinner he was getting on to me about talking about marriage with my roomate. You should know he told me he loved me 3 weeks before this night. I knew we would get married I just didn't know when. So I was talking about it a ton which he was not appreciating. Side note- We never looked at rings together, and never discussed wedding stuff. He was all about the element of surprise, which is great.


He then took me to this spot on the white river, gave a me a sweet journal that he read to me with many verses in it, and then he got down on his knee and PROPOSED! I was SPEECHLESS, shocked and excited! I could not believe it was happening. It was so memorable.


But thats not where the proposal story ends.
As I was still floating, we get in the car and start driving to who knows where. I didn't care, I was engaged to the love of my life and nothing else really mattered at that moment. I wasn't paying any attention, when all of the sudden we pull up to the springdale private airport. We get there, start walking to a plane and they open the door and my parents and sister are all in there with flowers and roses! Ahh another surprise! It was so fun. Then we flew to Little Rock and were there in 30 minutes. (Another side note. I had not talked to one of my friends, I was still too excited to think who to call, and plus you can't make calls in the plane).
we pull up to my parents house, go inside and most ALL of our friends were there waiting on us! They had made banners, brought gifts and made tons of food. It was another really fun Surprise.


That night I will never forget. It was truly amazing. Marc definitely outdid himself with all of the surprises. I couldn't sleep and was overjoyed that I was going to be able to spend the rest of my life with my dream man. I couldn't grasp that he chose me to begin a new life with.


So there is my lengthy enagagement story.


Here are some pics from my actual album. unfortunately I don't have the digital pics on my computer, so they are really bad quality.

Love at First Sight

Today is my 4 year anniversary! WOW! Time has absolutely flown by. Yes, we got married very young, but I would never ever change that. I have not regretted one second, seriously! I'm so thankful and tremendously blessed to have the husband that I have. He is a leader, provider, helper and my best friend. I cannot believe it has been 4 years. It seems like yesterday that we met in the B.A. and the UofA.
I will now tell you how Marc and I came to be! {some of you have already heard this lengthy story, but I thought it should be documented here, since I'm documenting our lives}

It was my sophomore year in college, I had just returned to school from working at Kanakuk Kamps all summer. I had the mindset that there would be NO need to date anyone for the entire year. For real, that is what I thought. Until accidentally Marc and I had class right next door to each other. I had western civ in the B.A. which was a great mistake that should have never happened. Marc had some business class right next door. We ended up walking in BA around the same time, and coincidentally had many of the same friends but did not know each other. I soon started asking our "mutual" friends who this hottie was! They would always go on and on about how great this guy is, yada, yada, yada. I was not completely sold, but definitely thought he was HOT! I then began trying, and when I say trying, I mean stalking the poor guy almost everyday. I really wanted to "accidentally" bump into him. It then turned into me asking him to the pi phi house for chicken finger Friday, EVERY Friday. Then I was encouraged to ask him on a function, which was way out of my comfort zone. Something did not feel right when it seemed like I was doing all the pursuing. It turned out someone leaked the top secret info to him that I was going to ask him, therefore he totally knew and set it up for me to ask him, so I did! It took a lot, but I'm sure glad I did! Little did I know, he already had two other functions that SAME weekend, with 2 different girls. I thought "are you kidding me?" I have NO shot with this hot guy. Of course everyone else likes him. I felt like a loser. Turns out one of the other girls he went with he had already taken them out on a date. So I felt it was a true long shot for this thing to ever workout.

So back to the function, I had an absolute blast with him. We had tons in common, great conversation, and made each other laugh. I kept thinking, "man I wish I could date this guy, but too bad that won't happen."

The next day I was talking to my mother on the phone about this "mystery" guy. I was going on and on (kind of like I am in this post!) about this amazing guy. Except I thought he was a little shady for going on 3 dates in 1 weekend. For those that know Marc, this is hilarious and way out of character for him. While I was rambling, he beeped in on the phone and my heart literally started pounding out of my chest I was so excited. I could not believe he was calling! I mean OMG, right? Well he did not really call to just chat, he called to tell me about this ginormous deer he had just killed, Well of course I was super excited and most definitely wanted to see it. Therefore he brought it in the back of his truck and pulled up in the back lot of the pi phi house. And yes I acted the most excited I have ever been before over this massive deer he had just killed with his BOW! I held its horns, and said how awesome it was. Seriously I just thought he looked mighty nice in his camo. I mean the deer was huge, but you know my mind was elsewhere.

The deer is now proudly displayed in our home in the office!

The rest is history. Ok not really, but kind of.
He took me out on a double date to a basketball game a couple weekends after that and forgot about the other "girls!" from then on out!
That basketball game was November of 2003.
We got engaged February of 25, 2005! We were married on August 12, 2005!

I knew when I met him that if he would ever have me and like/love me the same way I loved him, we would for sure get married. So I guess you could say, I do believe in love at first sight.

I love the story of how we met. (even though its long!)
Not a day goes by that I'm not thankful for Marc. I feel so blessed to have him as my husband. I think about how we are starting this 5th year of marriage, and I really think it just might, possibly be the BEST! We seriously have so much fun together and love where we are at right now in our lives. And it could possibly be the last year we have without kiddos! ;) eek! Don't get your hopes up moms!

Thanks for reading! Hope your retinas are not bleeding yet.

I decided to make a slide for our wedding because I never did and though it might be time. Unforgettable was the song we 1st danced to, hence why it plays in the background. Enjoy!