A Year of New Beginnings...

So here I am, at the middle of the teeter-totter of 2010 and 2011... able to look both behind and forward in a balance of reflection and vision. Funny how it always takes a while to get used to the fact that it's now a new year, and the last year is gone already... and what a year it was!



When 2010 began, I had only 1 thing on my heart and mind: pursuing my future with my girlfriend at the time, Rebecca, whom I had no doubt was the one God had brought me to to spend the rest of my life with. We were so ready for marriage in our hearts, and God had opened doors for us to be able to live in Fredericksburg the past Autumn, so being able to see one another every day only strengthened that deep knowing in our spirits (the first 16 months of our relationship was long distance with her living at home in North Carolina, and I in Virginia.). But, we were not quite yet in a place where we felt released by the Lord to go for it.
I had a strong conviction to seek Rebecca's dad's approval for proposal, and had been earnestly seeking that from him. It was a challenging time for me, but God used it to teach me a lot of spiritual strength and truth, and in committing to submission to both Jesus and Becca's dad, I can testify to God's goodness and blessing; My relationship with my new Dad has grown consistently more healthy, happy, and full of love...right along with the rest of my wonderful new family!
So it was, that on February 20th, 2010, I unleashed my master plan to woo and win my bride! With the fortunate help of my Mom coming to visit, I set my sweet Becca up. Yes, I confess, I got her to walk right into it, totally blind. Literally! I met her outside the home of the family she was living with, as soon as she arrived back from a day at work, and blindfolded her. She was very sweet and compliant, and committed her whole trust to me as I helped her walk through a maze that lead to treasures that would make a charm bracelet signifying all the things about her that I have come to love. The adventure ended with the blindfold removed to reveal a candle-lit balcony covered in rose petals, with a fire, a bottle of wine, strawberries, and blankets for two. I had her now! I explained the bracelet to her as we sat by the fire, and before she could fully process her delight at this gift, I dropped to one knee and presented the ring! Needless to say, that answer was yes!

So the preparations began for the wedding! I had, of course, been given the blessing of Becca's father, and both of our family's were overjoyed! We spent the spring preparing for what we'd both been waiting for all our lives. This came with plenty of challenges as well, but we stuck together and persevered, and pulled off the most beautiful wedding we could dream of on June 19, 2010. To have all our family and friends together was so wonderful, and to finally fulfill the dreams and desires of our hearts with one another was beyond any words. We had a wonderful time of celebrating and giving honor and glory to Jesus for His goodness and love, and then enjoyed a gorgeous honeymoon together in Cancun, Mexico.

Not two months after this beautiful, magical experience... we had another! Becca surprised me after work one day in August the she was pregnant! I was so overjoyed and delighted to have a baby with my beloved, there are no words. Every day I fall more in love with my beautiful wife and our sweet baby girl, Alizah Katherine, and we've only got about 4 1/2 months to go! 

Since August, we have moved out of our 1 bedroom apartment and into a more afforable place, and have been on a whirlwind of holidays, adventures, and a healthy portion of unexpected events. It's been a new kind of crazy, but we can both testify to God's strength of love; it's bigger and better than anything that might come your way.
  We know that God has some big plans for us this next year, and we are excited to see what He brings as we move forward. Some things we are waiting for with great anticipation and joy, like our baby girl, and other things... well, they'll be a surprise I'm sure. But all in all, God is good, and it only ever gets better from here, come what may.