MORE UPDATES AND NEWS IN THE POST BELOW
NEWS!! We just received a call saying we were approved for the ceremony/reception site we've been hoping for!!! Now we will be able to relax and enjoy this Valentines Day with that out of the way...
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Monday, February 4, 2008
T-minus 10 and counting....no...make that 6!
March 3rd UPDATES are in PINK
Feb 20th UPDATES are in BLUE!!
Feb 7th-UPDATES are in RED! Things are just falling into place!! We have felt the peace of God as we plan our wedding, and I'm thankful for all the help we're getting from everyone around us! I can't believe this is countdown WEEK #10
Here's what we've got so far.....
A date: April 12th
A time: 2:00pm Okay this might be earlier now- closer to 11:30 or so... Nope, we're stickin' to our original plan with 2:00pm, so start booking your flights/road trips now!!
A place: Well, we thought we did...keep this in our prayers, as our search continues. Praise God we were able to get ahold of 2 potential locations today!!! We've been calling everywhere for days. It appears that our day is AVAILABLE for our favorite choice! WOOHOO. They just had a wedding that was planned for that day move to the night before! It's kind of funny, but I had actually sent a request for application there a few months before we were even engaged yet (I guess when you know you just know right?! lol). Turns out, they never received it. So today, we should get a final answer back. Thank you Jesus! We are ALMOST COMPLETELY settled now, with our favorite location. There had been some setbacks, but we're feeling more and more comfortable that everything's working out. We paid the deposit today, and we're good to go :)
A minister We actually have 2!
A dress: YAYYYYYYY
A veil: YAYYYY again!
A cake: We're pretty sure, just gotta taste it :) We tasted- we picked- we are happy! and now we've got a grooms cake in the works too ;)
Flowers: Thank God for friends who buy wholesale
Music: I think we've just got one more song to pick...
Decorations: Yeehaw for a fiance' who loves to build things, and good friends in this business ;)
Our colors LOL.I thought I had the colors, but this bridesmaid dress thing has caused a lot of color confusion. When we find the dresses for the girls, our colors will be FINAL. :) We're going with teal green and Ocean blue! Or better yet, Steel Blue in Aqua if we're able to order them.
A ring bearer My favorite little pirate ;)
Some flower girls Two of them to be exact!
My Bridesmaids Nine of those
His Groomsmen Nine of those too
The invitations are picked, and almost printed... Just waiting on a final word on location. They are designed and on the printing presses today!
We have some fantastic photography options We're going with Clark Lara! He's so talented! Already, we are so pleased with our engagment session...can't wait to see what's in store with the Bridals.
We're praying for our videographer friends to be available! We're going with some good friends in the business.
And Billy's on the ball with our honeymoon plans! Yippiee....it will be a great surprise! It's paid for, but still a surprise for me!
...and plenty of other surprises to come!
So I think we're doing pretty good! This is fun! I am thankful for God's peace that gives us the faith to believe that He will work out the crazy details.
And now, when we get back from our honeymoon we've got a TOWNHOME to live in!!!! We were approved yesterday for a beautiful and roomy townhome and couldn't be more thrilled about our place! I can't believe WE have a PLACE?!!
The registries are pretty much done....thank goodness for the internet! We did SOME scanning in store, but with our crazy full time lives, and living in two states, it was much better to go look in store and then add items online.
Feb 20th UPDATES are in BLUE!!
Feb 7th-UPDATES are in RED! Things are just falling into place!! We have felt the peace of God as we plan our wedding, and I'm thankful for all the help we're getting from everyone around us! I can't believe this is countdown WEEK #10
Here's what we've got so far.....
A date: April 12th
A time: 2:00pm Okay this might be earlier now- closer to 11:30 or so... Nope, we're stickin' to our original plan with 2:00pm, so start booking your flights/road trips now!!
A place: Well, we thought we did...keep this in our prayers, as our search continues. Praise God we were able to get ahold of 2 potential locations today!!! We've been calling everywhere for days. It appears that our day is AVAILABLE for our favorite choice! WOOHOO. They just had a wedding that was planned for that day move to the night before! It's kind of funny, but I had actually sent a request for application there a few months before we were even engaged yet (I guess when you know you just know right?! lol). Turns out, they never received it. So today, we should get a final answer back. Thank you Jesus! We are ALMOST COMPLETELY settled now, with our favorite location. There had been some setbacks, but we're feeling more and more comfortable that everything's working out. We paid the deposit today, and we're good to go :)
A minister We actually have 2!
A dress: YAYYYYYYY
A veil: YAYYYY again!
A cake: We're pretty sure, just gotta taste it :) We tasted- we picked- we are happy! and now we've got a grooms cake in the works too ;)
Flowers: Thank God for friends who buy wholesale
Music: I think we've just got one more song to pick...
Decorations: Yeehaw for a fiance' who loves to build things, and good friends in this business ;)
Our colors LOL.I thought I had the colors, but this bridesmaid dress thing has caused a lot of color confusion. When we find the dresses for the girls, our colors will be FINAL. :) We're going with teal green and Ocean blue! Or better yet, Steel Blue in Aqua if we're able to order them.
A ring bearer My favorite little pirate ;)
Some flower girls Two of them to be exact!
My Bridesmaids Nine of those
His Groomsmen Nine of those too
The invitations are picked, and almost printed... Just waiting on a final word on location. They are designed and on the printing presses today!
We have some fantastic photography options We're going with Clark Lara! He's so talented! Already, we are so pleased with our engagment session...can't wait to see what's in store with the Bridals.
We're praying for our videographer friends to be available! We're going with some good friends in the business.
And Billy's on the ball with our honeymoon plans! Yippiee....it will be a great surprise! It's paid for, but still a surprise for me!
...and plenty of other surprises to come!
So I think we're doing pretty good! This is fun! I am thankful for God's peace that gives us the faith to believe that He will work out the crazy details.
And now, when we get back from our honeymoon we've got a TOWNHOME to live in!!!! We were approved yesterday for a beautiful and roomy townhome and couldn't be more thrilled about our place! I can't believe WE have a PLACE?!!
The registries are pretty much done....thank goodness for the internet! We did SOME scanning in store, but with our crazy full time lives, and living in two states, it was much better to go look in store and then add items online.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Hello Fiance'!!!
Once upon a time....
There was a girl named Jamie and a boy named Billy.
There was a girl named Jamie and a boy named Billy.
Now Billy lived far far away, and didn't have a plane ticket to visit until Valentines Day. But on a Thursday evening, January 24th Jamie walked in to her room to find an array of brand new dresses hanging all over the doorways! She didn't know what they could be for, and asked Billy (on the phone) "What is this?? Did you do this??" (assuming they must be dresses sent from California for her to try on for Valentines Day) The answer came from a voice on her stairway, "You mean the dresses?". It was Billy!! He had made a completely surprise visit to see her!
The dresses were picked out by Billy along with the help of Jamie's mom and future sis in law Lin (who painstakingly tried each one on for her).
She was to pick one dress because Billy had made dinner reservations that night! He let her believe he just decided to come because of cheap flights....but there was much more in store for her that night!
As they walked out of the house together, Billy in his new brown leather sports coat and slacks, and Jamie in her new hand-picked dress, a Lincoln Navigator Limo out front to pick them up!
The limo arrived in the Landry's parking lot (and she knew Billy doesn't love seafood so they must not be eating there!) and they took a stroll along the waterway, much like they had done many times before during Billy visits It was cold, and a little rainy, and Billy knew he had to get them back inside the car. He looked her in the eyes and asked "Do you remember what we were doing the last time we came to this waterway?" "We were dancing", she replied. "Yes, and it's TOO COLD to dance tonight", he said, "but I have another surprise for you!" "I SOLD THE TRUCK!!!"
(Some may not realize how HUGE this news was... it was the truck that God had asked them to sell before they had the "green light" to move forward into marriage. It had been on the California market for an ENTIRE YEAR but sold on THE DAY Jamie's old house was sold....which meant they could be married, AND they now had a wedding fund!). There were tears and laughter and unbelief all at the same time (from Jamie especially). He went to his knees and as he held up a light blue faberge egg with a white gold and diamond ring he said "Jamie will you be my wife?!" "Yes , of course!!", she said. She bent down, wrapped her arms around his neck and cried. "Don't you want to put the ring on?" he asked...as she had completely overlooked it earlier in her shock.
(Some may not realize how HUGE this news was... it was the truck that God had asked them to sell before they had the "green light" to move forward into marriage. It had been on the California market for an ENTIRE YEAR but sold on THE DAY Jamie's old house was sold....which meant they could be married, AND they now had a wedding fund!). There were tears and laughter and unbelief all at the same time (from Jamie especially). He went to his knees and as he held up a light blue faberge egg with a white gold and diamond ring he said "Jamie will you be my wife?!" "Yes , of course!!", she said. She bent down, wrapped her arms around his neck and cried. "Don't you want to put the ring on?" he asked...as she had completely overlooked it earlier in her shock.
It looked incredible~ It was everything and more that she could imagine for a ring. He picked it all by himself, and it was beautiful!! The faberge egg looked like something royalty would have....AND it was her favorite color too!
(notice the red nose from the cold AND from crying)
Then......after they came in from the cold, the limo driver took them to Kirby's Steakhouse, where a private booth with curtains and a table covered with rose petals awaited them. It was PERFECT. The server snapped some photo's (many with Billy's eyes shut of course, lol) and other great moments of laughter and pure joy!
Then......after they came in from the cold, the limo driver took them to Kirby's Steakhouse, where a private booth with curtains and a table covered with rose petals awaited them. It was PERFECT. The server snapped some photo's (many with Billy's eyes shut of course, lol) and other great moments of laughter and pure joy!
Almost as soon as they were seated, a live jazz band began to play their "songs", and Jamie asked if this was part of the incredible night's plans?? "No, but that would have been AWESOME" Billy said.
The food was wonderful, and they brought out a triple chocolate cake in the couple's honor.... it tasted like chocolate covered cordial cherries!
As the band played "Home" (Michael Buble), and "Take Me Home Country Road" (John Denver)....they remembered all the moments of "homesick" feelings the past 9 months has brought in their times apart from each other. For now and forever, together is HOME.
And from now on, they will live
~~ Happily ~~ Ever ~~ After ~~
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Nana Tea
Each day around 4 o’clock I stop my blurry eyes in the monotonous world of industrial sales for a moment of “tea time”. Today was no different. Today, I sipped a smooth and sugary cup of what our Israeli friends would call “Nana (Mint) Tea” and took a stroll down memory lane...back to my Holy Land adventures with companions Melissa & Danyne (cousins).
My mind drifts back to the many weekends spent in the Old City of Jerusalem with our shopkeeper friends in the low-ceiling hole-in-the-wall shops containing large shallow trays of good smelling seasonings and flaky, gooey pastries...or artifacts and jewelry...or middle-eastern clothing and trinkets. Many of the shopkeepers knew us girls by name, and if not, they assumed we were “BYU” (must have been the modest clothing). Some of our visits included helping them make jewelry, put items neatly on the shelf, count money, you know the USUAL?? It was a time of reckless abandon, an almost unrealistic experience.
This brings me back to the best part: the Nana Tea. As we would come into the shops, they would have us take a seat, and enjoy a fine clear-glass brewing with hot water and fresh mint leaves and about an inch of pure white sugar in the bottom of the glass. This was their “Nana Tea”. It was refreshing and delicious, and the cousins and I would often be found singing out the old Jaci Velasquez song (our version of course)….”Na na na na na na na, Nana Nana tea! Oh ooo oh oooh oooh oh oh”. It took us showing them proof of the original song for them to finally be convinced we didn't completely make it up :)
For me, every cup of mint tea will take me back to the great times we Three Amigos had together. Though it's harder now as Danyne resides in Africa/Melissa in San Antonio, I think we still have many more memories to come!
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Mucho fun times
Celebrating our 1st Christmas Together 
Billy and I exchanged our array of Christmas gifts in a progressive fashion…
(the hellicopter’s BILLY’s Todd! Lol…) How fun and meaningful every single gift was! We loved every bit of it!
Larry and Suzanne gave us our first Nativity (going in our hope chest-wahoo) and we look forward to many additional pieces added in the future!..and some long johns and Amazing Grace, the movie. We had many thanks to both our families for all the special things they gave us….
Brian’s (his bro) wrapping was AMAZING! (the Aveda tea hit the spot) Brian (my bro), Aaron and Rachel were very thoughtful with their gifts…it touched Billy very much that they would send gifts with me for him. Todd got me the perfect house-boots! Love them!
Mom and Dad got him a special “Texas” gift (Chuy's University of Tex-Mex shirt)....that he wore asap and the Cabellas’s cards were nearly stolen at least 10 times (by his dad, hehe)
I think our favorite gift of all, however, was our
RIGHT HAND RINGS.
We had picked them out together in Sacramento (last trip), but waited to give them for Christmas. We wanted our Right-Hand ring to represent God’s promise to us, as our Left-Hand ring will represent our promise to each other.
We chose a pattern that also symbolized the crossing of our paths! 
We know it was by way of a miracle that God chose to take us off our individual paths, and join one another on OUR path…..
It was a wonderful New Years in California! We played in the snow, and Snow-shoed (hard stuff!) on an active volcano (Mt. Lassen)!
Celebrating our 1st New Years Together
We were pooped that night, but managed to get up and keep our tradition of banging pots and pans to ring in the new year!!
Billy said, "so it’s a new year…what do you want to change
for 2008?"I said, "MY NAME!"
THENNNNNNNNN since he bought me some
official SNOW CLOTHES....
Billy taught me how to ski for the very first time on Mt. Shasta!! It was soooo fun and his patience really paid off! I only fell one time- on a practice-lift- lol- but that’s it! I never fell on the slopes! I was totally surprised at myself, and honestly I think I shocked him too! We had tons of fun, and now, we can go back and ski longer next time!
Monday, December 31, 2007
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Making the most of it :)
So, this was the first Christmas I've ever spent over a webcam!
Christmas Day 2007
As soon as I took this picture, he said "I didn't blink!!!"...lol...
As soon as I took this picture, he said "I didn't blink!!!"...lol...
We set the laptop up in our living room, and I'll have to admit it tranformed a potentially sad day away from Billy, into a very funny moment we will never forget!
Our entire fam wore their festive hats, and yelled happy Christmas greetings over the speakerphone of my cell, while waving and laughing at the webcam. My brother Brian and Suzanne (Billy's mom) exchanged a virtual handshake and hug as they were introduced for the first time, and grandma kept talking to Billy's face on my screen, instead of the camera, accidentally stepping out of view many times.
Billy and his parents sat on the other side, laughing, showing us their presents, waving and greeting us back. I have a feeling this will be our new tradition with fam every year!
My crazy man kept me laughing with his goofy faces...
It was certainly a Christmas Day to remember! Oh, and for those who have asked, we haven't exchanged our presents yet...we'll do that when I go there Friday night!
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