Moody here we come

We just got official orders today for Moody Air Force base! I'm so glad to finally have something on paper--and just 3 weeks off from the wedding!
We'll be reporting June 7th, so that gives us an extra week after we're married to pack and get down there.

Moody is in south Georgia, near Valdosta. I'm excited to be going somewhere warm and not terribly far from home.

The military is all new to me, so anyone out there with advice for newcomers, military wives, etc. it is always welcome!

A lot of change is happening at once, but I'm ready for the adventure to begin and am going to take on these challenges with God's strength! (Philippians 4:13)

~

Quality Time

I realize that I am a terrible blogger. Or, perhaps it is because I am getting married in a month, and have been keeping so busy with wedding plans on top of work and spending time with my future husband!

One thing Karsten and I learned in one of our marriage counseling sessions with our Pastor is that our primary love language (same for both of us!) is Quality Time. Which means, whenever we are given the chance to spend time together--we need to take it. It also means that we have to fight for this quality time when it is in short supply. Sometimes all that we are able to do is have a nightly phone call. Most of the time we spend about 30 minutes talking to each other on the phone, but we have to fight to make sure that is actually quality time, and not just talking about wedding plans or logistics--it is easy to spend 30 minutes talking logistics and not getting into deep, intimate, relationship-strengthening conversation.

So, with this new found knowledge of how one of the main ways we express love to each other, Karsten and I have since made it a point to have dates. Our first "date" was a couple weekends ago. We went down to Maymont Park in Richmond and played Frisbee, walked around the gardens, and sat on the edge of a pond and people watched. After that we went to Carytown and shared some Sushi. It was awesome taking this time to do something special with Karsten, and get away from the business of life. I love that we can be happy together doing most anything--whether it is a high-energy activity, sitting in a park watching people, or enjoying a meal together. Karsten is undoubtedly my best friend, and the best friend I've ever had.

This past weekend went out and hiked together on the Appalachian trail. We hiked over 26 miles. It was awesome. I love that we love doing the same types of things! It was probably the most fun I've had with him in a long time. I can't wait for the next adventure we will have together, and a life full of fun trips and memories. I realize that it will take an extra effort on our part, because we will be away from each other so much with his job in the Air Force (especially in the first 2 years) but, I think it will make all the time we do have together all the more special.

So, I may have the chance to ride a horse tomorrow.
The photographer I work for (my neighbor) is taking pictures of Karsten and I tomorrow morning, and when he heard I'd never ridden a horse before, his response was, "we'll have to change that" so, we'll see :)

May be pictures to come...

Blog Parade

I'm joining in on this "blog parade" along with some other big-time bloggers. I don't know all the ins and outs of things like this, but it sounded like fun so.... here we go. :)
1. What's your favorite time of the day, and why?I love late afternoon. I like the color of this sky on a clear sunny day at this time. I like the warmth of the light. I love to watch the sun set. Some of my favorite places to watch the sun set: the roof, a mountain top, the beach (which isn't often cus I live on the east coast). 

2. If health wasn't an issue, what food could you live off of?Bacon. It is already basically a staple in my life. 
3. If you could have one wish granted (besides wishing for more wishes), what would it be?Well, I would love to solve all the world's problems, but that would probably take more than just one wish. So, I'll go the selfish route and I'd wish for gills so that I could breathe underwater. And then maybe I could find a cool way to use gills to solve the world's problems. 

4. What's one thing that you get teased about a lot?My younger sister likes to call me "Jerry" because I have curly hair. (think michael jackson in the 80s) 

5. If you could choose one movie, book, or TV show to spend your life in, which would you pick? What type of character would you be?This takes a little too much imagination for me...I prefer reality. And besides, I read/watch mostly non-fiction. I'm pretty happy with my life, i have plenty of adventure! 
6. If you could have one talent that you don't already have, what would it be?I would be more creative...and this would carry into lots of things, like coming with up creative solutions to problems, cooking, and inventing things. 
7.If money were no object, where would you go on vacation?I would take a world tour and hit up New Zealand, Tahiti, Japan, Hawaii, Italy, Morroco, Peru, and Mexico. 
8. If you were an awesome singer, which genre would you sing?Humm maybe some acoustic blues. That would mean I'd have to play an acoustic instrument too I guess. 
9. If you could have a $10,000 shopping spree to one store, what would it be?REI or another outdoor store. 
10. If you could live in any point in time, when would it be?Right now is just fine. 
11. If every outfit in your wardrobe had to be one color, what would it be?Blue, I guess. That would really stink.
12. If you were one of the seven dwarves, which one would you be?(Doc, Grumpy, Sneezy, Sleepy, Bashful, Happy, or Dopey)Doc? 
13. What's the last album you listened to?Album? How about pandora. Phil Wickham radio. 
14. What's something we'd be surprised to know about you?I've never ridden a horse. I would love to race motocross. 

One year ago...

Today Karsten and I have known each other 1 year.

We met last March 1st on a very cold snow day and headed up to Massanutten with some friends for some skiing/snowboarding.
Neither of us could ever have imagined that this is where we would be just one year later...

About to be married!


Karsten has gone from being an acquaintance, to a cycling buddy, a good friend, boyfriend, and now the man I love and will spend my life with! God has been at work all this time in incredible ways. The adventure has already begun, and I can't wait to see more of how it will unfold in the years to come!

Engaged!

Saturday morning started off dark and early. Karsten woke me up at 5:45 to try and catch the sunrise. We drove up to the Blue Ridge parkway only to that it was closed due to the lingering mounds of snow. It was also a very cold morning and the sky was overcast, no sunrise to be seen. We walked from the car over to a stone bridge and sat on a blanket to try and catch a good view. We took some pictures to document our time, and then hurried on to the next stop on our winter morning adventure.

Next Karsten took me to the South River in search of some waterfalls. We passed the waterfalls the first time around, but found a nice bench beside the river and sat there while the sun tried to burn through the clouds. Snow covered the ground and the mountains all around. The water was an icy teal blue. It was all so beautiful. I was enjoying spending time in the outdoors with my best friend, not sure whether to expect something more or just be content with how the morning was going...

After finding the waterfall and stopping on the side of the road to take some pictures, we continued on in search of Lake Merriweather. But instead of finding this lake, we came across some caves! This was a big surprise for both of us, but a lot of fun (We're definitely going to have to go back with flashlights and explore them more extensively) 

By this time it was bright and sunny, and it was getting close to lunch time, or at least it felt that way. We were both hungry and tired, and ready to go home to eat and take a nap. But Karsten had one more stop in mind. On the way back to Lexington, he drove through Goshen and stopped by the river. This spot had special significance for both of us because we'd gone on many rides together through Goshen this past spring, and it is one of Karsten's "favorite spots in the world". It was there on the snowy banks of the river that Karsten told me he wanted to spend the rest of his life having adventures with me, and then asked me to marry him. 

I said yes! 

The ring is absolutely amazing. It was worth every bit of time I waited. It is so special. And even more amazing is the fact that Karsten will soon be my husband! He is such a gift from God, I am continually so amazed at God's provision and blessing on our relationship! I couldn't be happier or more excited! 

On Love

Valentines day is coming soon, and naturally we begin to think about love...

What is love? 

This question is not easily answered, because there are so many layers to love. Love is a noun. Love is a verb. Love is an adjective. Love can be a simple emotion. A complex feeling. But it is so much more...

The word "love" is used in the Bible hundreds of time. We as Christians know that Love is central to the very nature of God, and because we are created in His image, it is also very central to our own nature. 

But what does it mean, what does it look like in daily life?

Here are some of my thoughts and reflections on love:

Love is: 

commitment

faithfulness

a deep caring

affection

selflessness

tenderness

Love is characterized by: 

unconditional forgiveness

honoring one another above yourself

giving

serving

honoring

cherishing 

sacrificing

C.S. Lewis wrote an excellent book on the nature of love called The Four Loves.

It is one of my all-time favorites. I read it for the first time my freshman year in college, and since then have had a better understanding of the "types" of love from an intellectual standpoint. 

I think in order to truly understand what love is, we have to look at it from more than just an emotional angle. It requires the mind to understand--yet it will remain an wonderful mystery. It requires the heart to know--although the human heart will not ever fully grasp it. And most of all it requires a spiritual awareness, because apart from God there is no love, and without knowing God we cannot know what love truly is. 

One of the most exciting promises that God has for us is this, "If we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us" (1 John 4:12) I think it is simply amazing how these two loves, love for God and love for each other, are very distinct but yet so interconnected. Just think about that for a minute, 

isn't it wonderful?