Pre-marital thoughts

So we're nearly there... less than 1 week till the big day. It's crazy when you get a moment to think about where you are now and how much that will permanently change after a single event. I believe I'm ready... as ready as one can be... but I also know there's no way one can be "prepared" for something like marriage--in the sense that I know I can't know exactly what to expect and how to respond to every event and situation that will come, etc. But I know God has been preparing me and supporting me through everyone around me in my life and particularly these last few months and years. I've already been challenged to the core a few dozen times in the last few weeks as Courtney and I have dealt with the stress of wedding planning and being in such close proximity to each so constantly even though we're not yet married or living together. Still, I'm excited to see how God changes me and her as we begin this new phase of our lives and see the things that God has already accomplished in us come to the fore in our life together.

Enought Said (for the moment)

I'm getting married in two-and-a-half weeks.

Things begin to settle... for now

I've finally found my routine, or at least the first inklings. It was lost for several weeks but I've almost found it again. I started working at Union Bank again last week. After enduring the monotony of refresher training and random scheduling through much the week, I will begin the 7:00AM-3:30PM shift tomorrow. I'm excited about the shift, but I think it will take a few weeks to adjust to 5:30AM alarm clocks again. I've also begun a few volunteer research projects for a young, professor Kohen at UNL in the political science department--for which I'm really excited. The opportunity to do research has made accepting the bank job bearable in many respects.

34 days and counting till Courtney and I are married... wow! There's so much to do, but things are coming along nicely. Apparently our reception hall that's currently being built, was behind schedule but they called to let us know they've caught up a bit last week. So... hopefully there'll be heating/air conditioning, haha. Marriage counseling and the 'Marriage Builder' class at Grace Chapel are in full swing and we're both enjoying those immensely. (BTW I apologize for the short window of opportuntiy to RSVP for the wedding... long story. We had intended to leave more time).

It was fun to attend Heather and Nate's wedding last night both for the joy in sharing in that experience with them and the anticipation of our own 'party' that'll be here before we know it. We're both genuinely excited to have all or most our good friends back together for a crazy-but-jovial couple of days.

Well, hopefully this new-found consistency in my life will mean a return to consistency in blogging... and to a better quality at that. Good to be back.

A Plea

Oh attentive Blogosphere, forgive me for my negligence. Condemn me not for my busyness, nor for my inconstant behaviour. Patiently preserve your interest and forget me not in my absence. I will return.

The Long Transition

It seems so much is still up in the air. No word on jobs as of yet. I'm now in plan B mode... find a job in Lincoln. Yes, it seems with the way things are going, Courtney and I will be in Lincoln for at least the next year. In some ways I'm a bit disappointed that the opportunities I have been pursuing out East have not yet moved anywhere, but on the other hand, I can see so many reasons why God would have us be here in Lincoln instead--our great church, closeness to family, friends, etc. All of these things could be helpful in our transition to being a married couple as well I think. Still, what that means for jobs is a bit uncertain. In all likelihood, it may mean working at the bank again and doing volunteer research stuff at the University. Best case scenario, I find something paid or a teaching position at Southeast Community College (I can teach now that I have an M.A., go figure). I would like to avoid working at the bank again if at all possible. But, it's an option all the same. So my day-to-day struggle remains trust in God's sovereignty over my job and the career I feel like I'm heading (or trying to head) into, given marriage, and our financial situation. Praise God that He is sovereign.

The Long and Short of It

So I realize it's been a while... I apologize. The irregularity of my present life is making the regularity of blog posting an even greater accomplishment--of which I am having little success. So here's the long and short of it...

For the 4th, Court and I traveled to Minneapolis to visit our good friends Tate and Brenna with our other good friends, Jeff and Nicole. It was an amazing weekend, full of canoing and lots of eating. Good times were had by all.

Since then Courtney has been working like a dog and I have been trying to keep up. She was in Rushville, Nebraska for most of the last week teaching at a theatre camp. I've been working here and there, doing construction and landscaping stuff for my uncle who's building a new house in Norfolk. More recently, I have been refinishing decks and doing fix-it projects for a family friend at his cabin in Yankton. It's been great to get some work in the midst of the job hunt (still no leads, ugh) and in anticipation of the wedding.

This weekend has been great. After finishing one project at said cabin in Yankton, I traveled a mere six miles west of there to Courtney's family cabin to help them paint and do some fix-it projects there as well. It was a good opportunity to connect a bit with the future in-laws and earn a few points there, haha. It was nice to work with other people for a change as well. We had our fun too, boating on the lake yesterday and today. (I almost did a barrel roll on the tube... on purpose!) I only just returned from Yankton tonight and I'll be heading to Lincoln on Wednesday to recommence the wedding planning and job-hunt efforts... and to see my fiance for the first time in over a week!!!

Essentially my life as jumping from one place to the next only long enough to get somewhat settled before moving again. For those of you who know me well, this is not my ideal routine. But, God is good.

Even Better News!

The phone calls have been made, family and friends contacted in various ways as best as possible, and now perhaps it is safe to notify the blogosphere... I'm engaged! I asked Courtney to marry me on June 14th, a Saturday, the day after my graduation. I prepared a picnic for us at a local park late that morning. It was her 22nd birthday the Tuesday before, so I gave her a few gifts to throw her off a bit, should she be expecting anything. We then enjoyed conversation and a light lunch for the better part of an hour-and-a-half as people occasionally passed. I wanted to enjoy the moment and not rush anything... also, I didn't really want an audience If I could avoid it. So I waited. When a moment seemed to present itself, no people passing by, I told her that before we go I wanted to give her a journal since I hadn't given her a card for her birthday. In it, I had written something from before we had even started dating. It was somewhat poetical and about who I wanted to be and the kind of girl I wanted to be with. She read it, I told her that she was the girl I wrote about in the journal, and I asked her to stand. Then it began to feel surreal. I got nervous. I stood with her and told her I loved her for the first time before grabbing the ring from my bag by my side and kneeling to ask her to marry me. She said yes! We kissed and laughed at the thought of what had just happened.

Arriving back at my aunt and uncle's home where I had been living, my family greeted us with Champagne and dessert. That afternoon we went off to enjoy wine tasting at a nearby winery and a play in Chicago that evening before some friends from the University met us at Jimmy's Bar near campus for a few drinks. It was an amazing and exhausting but completely wonderful day!

The next morning we packed up everything and moved me back to Nebraska. I'm home now, between Norfolk and Lincoln, wedding planning, job hunting, and enjoying family and my engagement. Life is very exciting (and sometimes scary, haha) right now. Praise God for moments in life like these!