oh. happy. day.

i got engaged and let the hype of an engagement overwhelm me (in a good way) for a little over a week. now, i'm back. and a lot has happened since november 23. date: check. venue: check. guest list: almost check. honeymoon: check. dress: check. wedding party: check. it seems as though, if you put your mind to something, you can accomplish a lot in a short amount of time.
endless details of a wedding are now officially a reality, with the planning well under way. how's it going? you ask.... splendid, i'd have to say. not that that means it hasn't been difficult yet, cause it most definately has, but, i'm having a ball. and i'm learning a lot. and growing a lot through this whole process. getting married is a big stepping stone in the growing-up process. things change. yours becomes ours. miss becomes mrs. single becomes taken. and even though i'm not officially 'married' quite yet, we begin stepping into the roles that we're most definately going to be living out for the rest of our lives in subtle ways without even realizing it.
i believe one of the most challenging yet enjoyable things about wedding planning as of yet, has been having the constraint of working and planning amongst a tight budget. it opens up more doors to express my own creativity. yet probably the most crucial piece of information i can give you on working within a tight budget, is how much more of the lord's provision i am able to enjoy, in the midst of seeing Him work things out. to see Him provide in ways i cannot have even imagined, makes this wedding something even more special. He's affirming our 'i do's' even before we get to the homemade altar. i am overjoyed at the abundant provision already pouring out of the Lord's hands, onto this future marriage. it truly will be a happy day.
i am thankful my eyes and heart are in tune with seeing His abundant generousity in this hectic season of planning. it breaks my heart when i see brides getting all caught up in the showy aspect of a wedding, feeling the need to impress the masses, and neglecting to reflect on the biblical image of marriage. at the end of the day its not about impressing the bodies, it's about giving God all the glory. and, in my opinion, 'bridezilla' and 'giving God the glory' don't mesh in the same sentence very well. for those of you who read, please continue praying for my heart and spirit, in that i will continue to maintain a Christ-centered mindset about all of this during the next 5 months. 
with all that said, i'd love to share with you a little peek at a detail for the wedding that arrived in the mail today. nothing like this to brighten up a monday. i'm seriously in love with these vintage stamps, which will be gracing their presence on the wedding invites. i sort through these and imagine what was going on in the world during the time they were created. they're just beautiful and full of old yet wonderful memories. 
be. blessed.