PUUUUPPPPIIIIIIEEEEEEESSS!!

Visiting my parents just got a whole lot more chaotic...and FUN! They've been invaded by PUPPIES of the very small variety! They make up for it in energy and heart, though.

...and mischief.  Definitely mischief...

Now puppies, shoes are not for you! 

Too cute for words, right? And the pup's pretty adorable, too. 

Noah needs a puppy! 

Ava's a champion puppy sitter! 

Crazy boy! 

Bringing a puppy for sister. Such a sweet boy! 

I couldn't resist! 

Off to Mt. Isaac while the puppies have a rest: 

All tuckered out! 

I keep telling them these dogs are RV-sized! Juuuuust right! 

Ava holding little boy so Noah can play some golf "for the piston cup". 

Quick lesson: 

He looks ready for the pros! Whaddya think, Daddy? 

Uh oh! Uh...interference on the field...

Just practicing: 

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Beginning the merger

Planning a life together is a bit like planning a merger, except it's romantic. Mergers are not. But I like the word merge; it's a good word and useful at a time like this.  We're preparing to meld two lives into one, stronger, better, more joyful, more God-honoring, powerful for the kingdom life! It's exciting! 

We got our first glimpse of life together when Isaac built a bookshelf for us.  I know that probably doesn't sound romantic to most of you, especially if you aren't bibliophiles, but let me tell you: it was, in fact, so romantic it brought tears to my eyes!  This was the first tangible expression of our future lives together: our books (not mine, not Isaac's, but our) sat there together, intermingled on crisp white shelves in our study.  

This may not seem groundbreaking to some of you, but if you, like we, have lived on your own for several years, have always loved books, have grown possessive and attached to said books, and only selectively loan them out, you can probably relate.  It's difficult to see now, at a glance, which books were mine and which were his.  We both gained by combining instead of hoarding, and we both recognize we must put to death the "my" mentality in our lives.  

Pretty profound considering it all comes down to painted pine and printed pages.  

TWO MONTHS!

There's two months left to plan, left to pray, left to anticipate the big day!

I cannot wait to marry the man of my dreams, my sweet prince, my love!

One day so soon we'll be husband and wife!!! Aaaah!

Now on with the planning or the waiting's going to kill me!

Typical us! This is why I love him! 

Jennifer Allen becomes a McFall!

Jen's big day was beautiful!  She was a stunning bride and the joy that radiated from her was truly contagious!  The Holy Spirit truly showed up to bless this day.  Their union is a picture of the union Christ has to the church, and a foreshadowing of that great wedding day and feast when we the Bride finally meet our perfect groom!  

Her gorgeous dress: 

Crazy ladies getting the jitters out as they got ready: 

Proud mama of the bride! 

Bridesmaids helping each other get ready.

Almost there!

She was radiant! 

Sneaking a peak at the groom! 

Oh no! He's looking this way!!! 

This is my most favorite picture from the morning! 

A girl's gotta eat! 

One final touch up and it's go time! 

The bridesmaids waiting to come down the aisle! 

All the girls!  So excited! 

Daddy ready to walk his girl down the aisle

The McFalls! 

Wedding planning

These are now the "important" decisions that fill my brain:

Off-white or navy for Ava's flower girl dress?  Or should I do a combination? Should she match me or the bridesmaids? Will she look too babyish in a poofy dress or too grown up in a bridesmaid style, knee length dress?

In fact, I've devoted an entire board on pinterest to this decision and I'm no closer to making a decision than when I started.  It may come down to a vote...or letting the fiancee choose.  Heaven knows I can't make up my mind!  For being so decisive about so many things, this is making me extra crazy and using up rather important brain space.

Aaand so I keep on pinning and searching, searching and pinning, hoping to stumble across the dress that speaks "Ava" and "flower girl" or "must have", "this is it!" to me.... Dear dress, where ARE you?!

http://pinterest.com/katers623/flower-girl/

Playing bridesmaid to a beautiful bride!

I had the honor and privilege of being a bridesmaid in Jennifer Allen-McFall's wedding.  She became a dear friend of mine during my last year in Athens.  We shared in that season called singleness.

Just last summer there were 6 of us that went out one night for a true single girls out on the town kind of night.  We spent a good bit of time talking about being single, cute boys, our futures, etc. as well as clothes, drinks, and so many other things!  Since then, Jen met and got engaged to David, Stephanie started dating and is engaged to Robbie, and I met and fell in love with and am engaged to Isaac!!!  Little did we know!

I came in by red eye on Thursday morning.  Such a flight as makes me want to never endure another red eye flight.  It was delayed, delayed some more, and then I didn't sleep for over half of it.  I got into Atlanta at 8am and Jen and Susan (her mom) were sweet enough to drive the hour and a half to come get me and bring me back to Athens to sleep off the jet lag.

I finally woke up that afternoon and headed over to meet Jen's fiance.  I was a little late on the approval train, but lucky for him, he's just the guy for Jen!!  She told me that this is the first time she's ever felt that she is 100%, for certain, no doubts, exactly where God wants her to be, doing exactly what God wants her to do.  That brings tears to my eyes that well from such joy in my spirit at hearing that! What a testament to God's faithfulness!!!  He had this planned from before Jen was born!  Praise Him!

David is outgoing to Jen's reserve, he's a self-proclaimed nerd, but still well-rounded, and likes (and is good at) sports.  He loves the Lord, which is the most important thing to all of us. He and Jen also love to swing dance and they're GREAT at it!  It was such fun to watch them on the dance floor after the rehearsal dinner and again at her wedding.  All in all, he's a great catch for Jen!

We had a lovely bridesmaids' luncheon at Chops n Hops

All in honor of the beautiful (inside and out!) Jennifer

Bridesmaid Krista, Matron of Honor Laura, Bridesmaid Katie

Sweet bridesmaid Hannah

(and future sister of the bride!)

Opening our gifts

beautiful pearl pendants with our initials and earrings to match 

(thank you, Jen! We love them!)

The bride and her attendants! 

Laura in her most amazing heels ever! How she could walk I do not know, but she rocked them! 

(We're normally exactly the same height!)

Sweet flower girls! 

The ever lovely Ms. Jane and Ms. Leslie hosted the luncheon!