Wedding Registries

Getting ready for a wedding is really stressful. So, as part of my list of "fun things" to do in order to get me a little more excited, Chris and I took a trip to KC to register. We had already been to Home Depot (where I followed Chris around writing down everything for the registry for about two hours). I figured that going there first would make him excited to help me. So, we started at Williams Sonoma. The woman sat us down on the display couch to fill out some paperwork. Once we completed it, Chris and I waited patiently for her to come help us continue with the process. I started asking his opinion on various pieces around us.

Issue #1:
Me: I really like this coffee table.

Chris: But it wouldn't be comfortable for me to put my feet on.
Me: Well, that's not relevant because that's not what coffee tables are for.

Issue #2:
Me: Which of these pillows do you like best? I like that green one.

Chris: Well, it doesn't look like something I'd want to lay my head on.
Me: It's for decoration. You don't lay your head on it.

Issue #3:
Chris (making a dejected observation): So, I guess you wouldn't light those candles, either?


Boys really are funny :)

Living With Boys

So, Chris and I are getting married. He'd probably prefer it if we move in together soon after. Problem is, I have a few reservations about the whole process. Here are the many cons that I've dreaded for the last 6 or so years:

Living With a Boy involves..

socks on the floor
3 meat-centered meals per day
beard trimmings in the sink
toilet seats left up
gender neutral bedding
drinking orange juice out of the carton
empty toilet paper rolls
double the laundry -- and it's smellier!
sports-centered television

As Chris and I are making plans for our marriage, I'm starting to reconsider a few of my fears. After all, living with a boy can't be that bad, can it? Here are a few of the positive aspects that I've come up with.

Living with a Boy's perks...

somebody to fix the toilet
somebody to reach things on the top shelf
somebody to kill the bugs
somebody to change light bulbs
somebody to snuggle with at night :)

Let me know if you can think of any more!

Prayer

This post unfortunately doubles as Chris's and my official announcement that we are getting married, and a plea for prayer.

First of all -- YAY! -- We're getting married! Here's our wedding website for more information on how he proposed, and future info on our plans for our nuptials :

www.theknot.com/ourwedding/chrisyoung&alexandranelson

Second of all, Chris and I are trying very hard with what little wisdom we have to plan this wedding and start our marriage off on a good foot. Though our intention was never to hurt anybody, or leave anybody out, that seems to be what is happening. It is an unfortunate consequence of our attempts to glorify the Lord. I want so desperately for every person I love to be at my wedding. I just am not sure if that will be possible. Chris and I are still working out the logistics. We're not sure how to include everybody and still plan based on our conviction from the Spirit, and the biblical Truths we have about weddings and marriage. We can't afford to pay for a wedding, and that seems to be what is going to happen as well. Chris and I hardly have time to see each other, with him working and in school all day, and me working two jobs and overnight. This is a time of very much stress, and emotions are taking the toll. But the last thing we want to happen is for our relationship with the Lord, our families, and our spiritual families to take the brunt of it.

So in turn, I plead for you to pray. Chris and I need wisdom desperately. It is so important to me to base my decisions on the Lord first, and go out from there. It seems backwards to do it any other way. Chris and I want to be able to reap the blessings the Lord has in store for us. We want to glorify him, and to share a clear testimony of him at our wedding, then also continuously through our marriage. So please pray for clarity of mind. Both for Chris and I, and for our families and friends that are hurting. Please pray for the Spirit to move in those who haven't come to know the fullness of God's grace. I desire with my whole heart to see the Lord work in this situation, and to use it to fully glorify Him. I have no doubt in my mind that He will use it for good. We just need peace until we reach the day of understanding.

Thank you so much for being there for me through this time, and for lifting this situation to Him in prayer.

Brand New Bookcase :)

He did it! It's finally finished! And I LOVE IT. Here is how it looks in my hallway:





Apparently the books being arranged by color doesn't matter to some people.. but I think it looks really cool! Anyway, you decide. Let me know! I'm very very pleased with how it came out. Now for a TV stand...

My little sister got married!

My sister Sam, that just graduated high school a few months ago, got married in May. She and her husband live in Fort Campbell, Kentucky. He works in the army, and she works as a nanny for a few families on base. They just moved in to a house on base, and we are celebrating their wedding reception tonight. They are in town just for the weekend, and then my parents and brother will follow them down to their home to finish moving.

Because their wedding was so spur of the moment, they didn't have any pictures to document the event. So, Chris and I decided to take them out to Lake Shawnee to take some, and here's some of what we (I mean Chris) got:




I pray for these two every time I remember. I would love to have a sister that shared my same faith in Christ. Perhaps this is one of the stepping stones that the Lord has provided for that to happen :)

Sewing Adventures

I inherited some furniture from my very gracious parents in order to properly furnish my apartment 2 years ago. 2 years ago when I moved, the furniture was 15 years old. Now it was in style at some point I'm sure, but navy blue, forest green and burgundy plaid overstuffed couches are just not my style. Don't exactly fit with my decor. Therefore, 2 years ago I bought some really cool brown slipcovers in an effort to modernize them. However, despite my many efforts and constant tucking and tugging, these slipcovers... well, they slip alright. Covering is another issue entirely. One that these particular covers struggle with.

So now it's up to me to improvise! My roommate and I went fabric shopping with my mom, and found some really funky fabrics that we can use to cover the couch cushions and ottoman. I got ambitious the other day and made the ottoman cover.


The couches will stay "covered" (as best they can) with the brown slipcovers. However, the seat cushions will have slipcovers made of a coordinating striped fabric.



This picture has better picture quality for a more realistic color sampling. Both fabrics have the same shades of red, green, orange and brown. There are various shades of tan, blue and turquoise as well. I'll be excited to see it all put together!

My Sweet Boyfriend is in Ireland...

...but all of his gifts made it here just fine!

Chris and Scott are there serving the Lord at the local assemblies. They are attending the conferences and regular meetings, and Scott has the privilege of speaking some of the messages.

It was hard to drop him off at the airport. Mostly because we've spent time together every day since we started dating! I was prepared for 2 weeks of no talking and minimal contact at best. He promised to "call me every night" and "send me a postcard every day". I was more realistic (he would say pessimistic) and hoped for the best, but expected the worst.

Well, he surpassed those expectations -- as usual! Here are the ways that he did so:

Yellow roses are my favorite! So is baby's breath. And pink's my favorite color -- hence the vase, pink lilies and pink roses. I've never gotten flowers for no reason before! They were quite unexpected and very beautiful. I was definitely surprised when I picked them up at my complex's office! (And the leasing managers were jealous :) )
If you think of it next time you see me, ask me what I found out when curiosity got to me,
and I looked up the meanings of all the flowers included in the arrangement!

These postcards started coming two days after he left, and they haven't stopped yet!
(I adjusted them so you couldn't read about our deepest darkest secrets!)

It has been a long (part of) two weeks, but he'll get home this Thursday evening. Can't wait to go pick him up! Mostly because on a separate note, we made a bet that I couldn't last 2 weeks on only one tank of gas*. I have a little under a half a tank to last me 3 more days, including the trek to KC's airport! We'll see who wins.

*For all of you that don't know, I totaled my car. RIP '99 Acura 3.2 TL.


No worries though! It wasn't my fault, so the City of Topeka (who caused the accident by pulling out in front of me) will be reimbursing me for the damage, a new carseat (Ezra was in the car), and hopefully to fix my computer which needs repairing after it hit the dashboard during the accident. Therefore one perk to my boyfriend being in Ireland is that I can use his car while he's gone. I've come to find that may be the only perk, however.