When you see a man playing guitar with excellence and pure delight, you'll know it's Alan Miller!
Alan is a United Methodist pastor, and he'll lead us as we sing together on April 4th.
Jennifer became close to the Miller family when she worked for Alan at St John United Methodist Church in Columbus. Alan taught me a lot about caring for people, working hard when no one is watching, and being faithful to family. I preached my first sermon at St John, and Alan has helped me with other tasks of ministry over the last several years. Alan gave me one of my favorite images of the work of ministry: the "servant towel." We each take a part of a towel, which represents the work of a servant. As we carry our piece, we remember that we must do our part of the task at hand, but we do not do our part alone. I learned with Alan about the value of community and togetherness. To this day, I am deeply committed to doing the part of ministry that is mine to do, and I am committed to working alongside others who are doing their part. Alan also modeled for me how to teach others to do ministry and how to be faithful to those with whom we serve.
Sandy is the beautiful alto voice that joins Alan many times. The harmony of their voices is as amazing as the harmony of their life together. Alan is one of the best husbands I know, and he couldn't ask for a better wife. They have two beautiful daughters, Christiana and Joelle.
Not only is Alan a remarkable pastor, teacher, friend, husband, and dad, but his musical talent is outstanding! He has played in several praise bands, and his delight is apparent on his face and in his voice.
There are many moments in the Miller home that have stayed with me, but one of those happened too often to be able to pin down a particular instance. Alan sat on the floor and quietly picked his guitar while everyone caught up on the day.
Alan's hands make his guitar play the music of his heart. Watch for Alan's musical expertise on April 4th!
8.30.2008
8.29.2008
Reception
Immediately following the wedding ceremony, we'll head down the street for an informal reception in the Zuver Center at Mount de Sales Academy. We'll wrap it up in time for everyone to head out to dinner but not before we get to say hello to our guests and let them sample some treats prepared by the MDS cafeteria staff. We'll have engagement brownies there, too, so you can try Keith's recipe (which is really from his mother, which is really from.... you get the idea!).
8.28.2008
Jennifer's dress drama
As we work to stay simple and fun (and comfortable, too!) while adding value to the day, Jennifer's dress hunting priorities have morphed in the last week.
At first, I wanted to rent a dress, but I'm learning that the option isn't as good as it sounds. In fact, I learned from a salesperson that the prices are close to the same as purchasing a dress, but the styles aren't very good. The positive side of renting is that I don't have to deal with the dress later when it will simply hang in the closet. Keeping a dress that I wear once isn't appealing to me.
Then, I thought about having a dress made. Keith wisely steered me away from that option because of the potential stress and conflict that could happen just days before our wedding. It sounds like a value-added detail, but the price of sanity for me and another person made me move on to another option.
My next idea was borrowing a dress that already belongs to someone who loves me. I'm sure I could love a dress for reasons that have little to do with appearance. I still welcome that option if there are any offers out there. It would be one of the simple but important elements of the day.
I'm also looking at new dresses to buy. One salesperson suggested that I check on bridesmaids' dresses that I can order in white. I loved that idea! The dresses are more simple, which is more like me. They are also a better use of cash, which I find more ethical for a one-time wearing.
I've tried on a few dresses, which were all pretty. Since I don't wear a lot of dresses (I often wear the one I bought when I prayed in Shaun and Anna's wedding in 2002!), I don't know if anything will jump out at me as "my wedding dress." Lynne encouraged me to hold out for that, and other people have agreed with her.
I'm going to check out dresses at another store today. I've done a lot of looking at their website online, so I have style numbers written down already. On my list are seven bridal gowns and three bridesmaids styles (most of the attendant dresses at this store come in everything but white and ivory!).
Wish me luck! Or patience! Or both!
At first, I wanted to rent a dress, but I'm learning that the option isn't as good as it sounds. In fact, I learned from a salesperson that the prices are close to the same as purchasing a dress, but the styles aren't very good. The positive side of renting is that I don't have to deal with the dress later when it will simply hang in the closet. Keeping a dress that I wear once isn't appealing to me.
Then, I thought about having a dress made. Keith wisely steered me away from that option because of the potential stress and conflict that could happen just days before our wedding. It sounds like a value-added detail, but the price of sanity for me and another person made me move on to another option.
My next idea was borrowing a dress that already belongs to someone who loves me. I'm sure I could love a dress for reasons that have little to do with appearance. I still welcome that option if there are any offers out there. It would be one of the simple but important elements of the day.
I'm also looking at new dresses to buy. One salesperson suggested that I check on bridesmaids' dresses that I can order in white. I loved that idea! The dresses are more simple, which is more like me. They are also a better use of cash, which I find more ethical for a one-time wearing.
I've tried on a few dresses, which were all pretty. Since I don't wear a lot of dresses (I often wear the one I bought when I prayed in Shaun and Anna's wedding in 2002!), I don't know if anything will jump out at me as "my wedding dress." Lynne encouraged me to hold out for that, and other people have agreed with her.
I'm going to check out dresses at another store today. I've done a lot of looking at their website online, so I have style numbers written down already. On my list are seven bridal gowns and three bridesmaids styles (most of the attendant dresses at this store come in everything but white and ivory!).
Wish me luck! Or patience! Or both!
Our officiants
We are delighted to have Rick and Nikki officiating our wedding! They are thoughtful, fun-loving people who have made it their business to know us as well as possible before our wedding. We look forward to the unique gifts they each bring to the ceremony.
Rick and Jennifer started out as teacher and student at Mercer. Rick gave Jennifer compelling reasons to read several books on theology, and he helped her navigate her early days as a Christianity major at the University. After she put a pie in his face during a fundraiser for a mission trip, Rick became Jennifer's academic advisor. During those days, Nikki and Jennifer sat next to each other in a class or two, and they established a new organization at Mercer together. Their friendship was rich even after Nikki graduated and left for seminary.
Following Jennifer's graduation from Mercer, her relationships with Rick and Nikki morphed in their own ways.
Rick and Lucy now hold the names "Paternal One" and "Maternal One," and Jennifer is affectionately called "Daughternal One." They go by PO, MO, and DO. Jennifer and Lucy walk on Mercer's campus a few times a week in the fall and spring and occasionally in the winter. They all go to baseball games in Atlanta and Columbus where Rick and Jennifer keep score (but, Lucy has to tell them whether the strikeouts are called or swinging many times!).
In his professional life, Rick is a teaching theologian. He writes articles for EthicsDaily.com, and he participates in the Ethics Commission for the Baptist World Alliance. He is committed to developing partnerships between Ricks Institute in Liberia, Africa and two American institutions: Mercer University and First Baptist Church of Christ in Macon. His professional work is second to none!
In his personal life, Rick is what Jennifer calls "a friend to orphans and widows." (See James 1 in the New Testament.) Rick, with Lucy, models true hospitality and care for the people around him. Rick and Lucy have welcomed Keith into their lives with sincerity, and they all enjoy exchanging stories about their adventures in South America. Jennifer has enjoyed watching their relationship grow in the last few months.
Rick brings to our wedding both experience and wisdom as well as a sense of humor coupled with a sense of important moments.
Nikki married Daniel, and they lived in Atlanta while Nikki was in seminary. One time, Jennifer came to visit after a particularly tough class lecture in Rick's class, and Nikki was happy to share the journey for the day. Nikki and Jennifer spent lots of hours talking on the phone, sometimes about theology that they were encountering in seminary and sometimes about "girl stuff." No matter what else is going on, Nikki always manages to have apple juice in the fridge when Jennifer is in town!
As usual, life after college got busy, and Nikki and Jennifer stayed in touch less frequently. Their love for each other never wavered, but their time together was minimal. When they were in each other's cities, there was always a friend waiting to stay up late talking and telling stories!
Now that Nikki and Daniel are back in Macon, Jennifer and Nikki have caught up and found a new depth of friendship. Natalie was born in July 2007, and Jennifer likes to babysit so that Nikki and Daniel can go have dinner, watch a movie, or paint pottery. Jennifer and Daniel enjoyed working together on youth retreats in college, and they have a friendship now that is full of laughs.
Nikki is now the Coordinator for Congregational Life for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Georgia. She does something different everyday, always with an eye toward local churches. Her experience as a pastoral intern has made her an asset to the Baptist congregations of Georgia.
Nikki and Daniel were the first of Jennifer's friends to meet Keith. Daniel and Keith speak Spanish to Natalie while Nikki and Jennifer understand little or nothing of what they are saying. The four of us are thinking about traveling together in the future.
To our wedding, Nikki brings compassion and her nuturing style. Nikki is not short on words of grace even when she is delivering a challenge to us.
What you will get with Rick and Nikki at our wedding will be a deep understanding of our goals and themes for the day, a model of commitment in their own marriages, and their assurance to support us always. While not all of that will be explicit on April 4, we are already confident of it.
These two people will say the majority of the words for our wedding; we are delighted to have them as part of our wedding party.
Rick and Jennifer started out as teacher and student at Mercer. Rick gave Jennifer compelling reasons to read several books on theology, and he helped her navigate her early days as a Christianity major at the University. After she put a pie in his face during a fundraiser for a mission trip, Rick became Jennifer's academic advisor. During those days, Nikki and Jennifer sat next to each other in a class or two, and they established a new organization at Mercer together. Their friendship was rich even after Nikki graduated and left for seminary.
Following Jennifer's graduation from Mercer, her relationships with Rick and Nikki morphed in their own ways.
Rick and Lucy now hold the names "Paternal One" and "Maternal One," and Jennifer is affectionately called "Daughternal One." They go by PO, MO, and DO. Jennifer and Lucy walk on Mercer's campus a few times a week in the fall and spring and occasionally in the winter. They all go to baseball games in Atlanta and Columbus where Rick and Jennifer keep score (but, Lucy has to tell them whether the strikeouts are called or swinging many times!).
In his professional life, Rick is a teaching theologian. He writes articles for EthicsDaily.com, and he participates in the Ethics Commission for the Baptist World Alliance. He is committed to developing partnerships between Ricks Institute in Liberia, Africa and two American institutions: Mercer University and First Baptist Church of Christ in Macon. His professional work is second to none!
In his personal life, Rick is what Jennifer calls "a friend to orphans and widows." (See James 1 in the New Testament.) Rick, with Lucy, models true hospitality and care for the people around him. Rick and Lucy have welcomed Keith into their lives with sincerity, and they all enjoy exchanging stories about their adventures in South America. Jennifer has enjoyed watching their relationship grow in the last few months.
Rick brings to our wedding both experience and wisdom as well as a sense of humor coupled with a sense of important moments.
Nikki married Daniel, and they lived in Atlanta while Nikki was in seminary. One time, Jennifer came to visit after a particularly tough class lecture in Rick's class, and Nikki was happy to share the journey for the day. Nikki and Jennifer spent lots of hours talking on the phone, sometimes about theology that they were encountering in seminary and sometimes about "girl stuff." No matter what else is going on, Nikki always manages to have apple juice in the fridge when Jennifer is in town!
As usual, life after college got busy, and Nikki and Jennifer stayed in touch less frequently. Their love for each other never wavered, but their time together was minimal. When they were in each other's cities, there was always a friend waiting to stay up late talking and telling stories!
Now that Nikki and Daniel are back in Macon, Jennifer and Nikki have caught up and found a new depth of friendship. Natalie was born in July 2007, and Jennifer likes to babysit so that Nikki and Daniel can go have dinner, watch a movie, or paint pottery. Jennifer and Daniel enjoyed working together on youth retreats in college, and they have a friendship now that is full of laughs.
Nikki is now the Coordinator for Congregational Life for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Georgia. She does something different everyday, always with an eye toward local churches. Her experience as a pastoral intern has made her an asset to the Baptist congregations of Georgia.
Nikki and Daniel were the first of Jennifer's friends to meet Keith. Daniel and Keith speak Spanish to Natalie while Nikki and Jennifer understand little or nothing of what they are saying. The four of us are thinking about traveling together in the future.
To our wedding, Nikki brings compassion and her nuturing style. Nikki is not short on words of grace even when she is delivering a challenge to us.
What you will get with Rick and Nikki at our wedding will be a deep understanding of our goals and themes for the day, a model of commitment in their own marriages, and their assurance to support us always. While not all of that will be explicit on April 4, we are already confident of it.
These two people will say the majority of the words for our wedding; we are delighted to have them as part of our wedding party.
8.26.2008
Meet Jennifer
I was born to a military family, and we lived in Texas when I came into this world. Our next stop was Germany, where Jay was born 17 months after me. After a brief time back in Texas, we landed in Columbus, Georgia. After my parents divorced, my father got out of the Army and moved to Florida.
School was always a good thing for me--I thrived, actually. Math was the first subject that I loved. I can remember sitting on the kitchen floor counting money to my mom while she made dinner. "Show me 87 cents," she would say, so I'd take out three quarters, a dime, and two pennies. "Show me a different way," and I'd take out eight dimes, a nickel, and two pennies. I also know that I didn't use the newsprint paper in first grade to draw a picture, but I wrote columns of numbers and added them together. My teacher checked my work with her calculator!
I lived with Jay and my mom in Columbus until I moved to Florida in seventh grade. I grew up in church in Columbus, but it was in Florida that I began to welcome God's presence in my life. Later, I developed a deep appreciation for belonging to a community of faith.
When I transferred back to Columbus in high school, the graduation requirements were different than those in Florida, so I made choices about what advanced classes I would pursue. Math was a no-brainer, but I also wanted to take more physics. By the end of high school, I'd studied physics for three years. My mom said about typing my college and scholarship applications, "I don't know what physics is, but I know how to spell it!"
I went to Mercer as a mechanical engineering major. After a year, I decided to co-op and work on an engineering team at a company in Columbus. While I was there, I figured that a 40-hour work week couldn't keep me busy, so I wanted to volunteer with a church youth group somewhere. I started working with Alan, and I discovered a knack for ministry after he taught me how to think like a minister instead of an engineer. My youth ministry days were rich, and I stayed at St John for a year while I worked in engineering. I came back to Mercer with a new major: mathematics. I just couldn't get up every day for 40 years and go to work as an engineer even though my year as a co-op student was fun. I had to declare a minor, so it was Christianity by default. I already had one of the classes because it's required at Mercer.
Rick was my teacher for Theological Research and Writing, and I knew on the first day that I was in over my head. But, he gave me compelling reasons to read every book in the course, so I stayed in the class telling myself that I had to know what was in those books even though I would be glad for a C in the course. I liked that class enough to take another one, and "the rest is history." I graduated from Mercer with degrees in Mathematics and Christianity including an honors thesis in ecclesiology.
Duke Divinity School was calling my name, and I started the program for a Masters of Theological Studies in August 2003. I had a deep sense that school, and more specifically teaching, is the way of my life, but I didn't see myself teaching theology as a career. It was my first love that came echoing down the corridors of my life: mathematics. Jeff Denny was the one who helped me see that teaching math could be significant (let's be honest: at the end of your life, no one will ask you if you can solve an equation or balance your checkbook). Jeff told me that he thinks he gives students in his math classes the tools to make better lives for themselves. That was the ticket for me.
About a month after the conversation with Jeff, he told me about a school in middle Georgia that was looking for an AP Calculus and College Algebra teacher. I applied for the job and was asked to join the faculty. I left seminary with my head spinning, but I have to say that I can look back and know it was a good decision for me.
So, school has never left me. The academic calendar will be the rhythm of my life.
Now, I am the Math Lab Director at Mount de Sales Academy, and I spend my days helping students understand the math that they are learning in their classes. I've taught for a few quarters at Central Georgia Technical College, and I hope to get back there again one day. For the past three summers, I've taught at the Georgia Governor's Honors Program in mathematics, and I can tell you that that is the most demanding and most rewarding work I've ever done. I also have done some private math tutoring in the last two years.
Last fall, I bought a 1300 square foot house in Macon, and I have learned a lot about plumbing in the process of owning this house. I've also learned some electrical things, too. I've rebuilt the workings of a sink and a toilet, and I've changed a heating element in my water heater. I like to watch the birds eat from the feeders in my backyard, but I really don't get along well with yardwork. (Cue the "Hallelujah Chorus" because I am marrying Keith Blackwell who knows all about yardwork!)
I am deeply committed to maintaining relationships with several close friends from the years. Some friends are more like family, and you'll be able to read some of those stories in future posts about our wedding party.
I am also deeply committed to the church. I believe in the community of faith as a place where people can once and for all belong and be welcomed.
Even though I don't formally do theology anymore, I do revisit ongoing conversations with people who became friends in theology classes at Mercer. Rick also keeps me on my toes with the broader theological conversation.
I don't read much, but I do have some favorite books. Maiden Voyage by Tania Aebi, Let Your Life Speak by Parker Palmer, and Wait Till Next Year by Doris Kearns Goodwin are books that I have read more than once. Let me tell you that it says a lot about a book and how much I like it if I've read it more than once.
What caught my attention when I first got to know Keith? I thought of a good friend from high school days (Joy) when I saw that he does horticulture. His interest in geography made me think of one of my favorite teachers (KayLynn). He is good at "handy man type work," which I relate to so well these days! He likes to read, listen to music, and watch movies. His family is very important to him. The first thing I laughed at was when he said that he spends a lot of time thinking about how every time he goes to fill up his gas tank, the price of crude oil reached a record high the day before. After that, I was impressed by his eagerness to talk to me and tell me stories. I am deeply attracted to Keith's intelligence, candor, sense of humor, and compassion. I was surprised to hear my head saying in early April, "if he asked me right now, I'd say 'yes.'" I had lots of conversations with myself about that confession, but it never changed. Keith did ask me to be his wife, and I gladly accepted his proposal! I look forward to loving Keith for the rest of our lives!
School was always a good thing for me--I thrived, actually. Math was the first subject that I loved. I can remember sitting on the kitchen floor counting money to my mom while she made dinner. "Show me 87 cents," she would say, so I'd take out three quarters, a dime, and two pennies. "Show me a different way," and I'd take out eight dimes, a nickel, and two pennies. I also know that I didn't use the newsprint paper in first grade to draw a picture, but I wrote columns of numbers and added them together. My teacher checked my work with her calculator!
I lived with Jay and my mom in Columbus until I moved to Florida in seventh grade. I grew up in church in Columbus, but it was in Florida that I began to welcome God's presence in my life. Later, I developed a deep appreciation for belonging to a community of faith.
When I transferred back to Columbus in high school, the graduation requirements were different than those in Florida, so I made choices about what advanced classes I would pursue. Math was a no-brainer, but I also wanted to take more physics. By the end of high school, I'd studied physics for three years. My mom said about typing my college and scholarship applications, "I don't know what physics is, but I know how to spell it!"
I went to Mercer as a mechanical engineering major. After a year, I decided to co-op and work on an engineering team at a company in Columbus. While I was there, I figured that a 40-hour work week couldn't keep me busy, so I wanted to volunteer with a church youth group somewhere. I started working with Alan, and I discovered a knack for ministry after he taught me how to think like a minister instead of an engineer. My youth ministry days were rich, and I stayed at St John for a year while I worked in engineering. I came back to Mercer with a new major: mathematics. I just couldn't get up every day for 40 years and go to work as an engineer even though my year as a co-op student was fun. I had to declare a minor, so it was Christianity by default. I already had one of the classes because it's required at Mercer.
Rick was my teacher for Theological Research and Writing, and I knew on the first day that I was in over my head. But, he gave me compelling reasons to read every book in the course, so I stayed in the class telling myself that I had to know what was in those books even though I would be glad for a C in the course. I liked that class enough to take another one, and "the rest is history." I graduated from Mercer with degrees in Mathematics and Christianity including an honors thesis in ecclesiology.
Duke Divinity School was calling my name, and I started the program for a Masters of Theological Studies in August 2003. I had a deep sense that school, and more specifically teaching, is the way of my life, but I didn't see myself teaching theology as a career. It was my first love that came echoing down the corridors of my life: mathematics. Jeff Denny was the one who helped me see that teaching math could be significant (let's be honest: at the end of your life, no one will ask you if you can solve an equation or balance your checkbook). Jeff told me that he thinks he gives students in his math classes the tools to make better lives for themselves. That was the ticket for me.
About a month after the conversation with Jeff, he told me about a school in middle Georgia that was looking for an AP Calculus and College Algebra teacher. I applied for the job and was asked to join the faculty. I left seminary with my head spinning, but I have to say that I can look back and know it was a good decision for me.
So, school has never left me. The academic calendar will be the rhythm of my life.
Now, I am the Math Lab Director at Mount de Sales Academy, and I spend my days helping students understand the math that they are learning in their classes. I've taught for a few quarters at Central Georgia Technical College, and I hope to get back there again one day. For the past three summers, I've taught at the Georgia Governor's Honors Program in mathematics, and I can tell you that that is the most demanding and most rewarding work I've ever done. I also have done some private math tutoring in the last two years.
Last fall, I bought a 1300 square foot house in Macon, and I have learned a lot about plumbing in the process of owning this house. I've also learned some electrical things, too. I've rebuilt the workings of a sink and a toilet, and I've changed a heating element in my water heater. I like to watch the birds eat from the feeders in my backyard, but I really don't get along well with yardwork. (Cue the "Hallelujah Chorus" because I am marrying Keith Blackwell who knows all about yardwork!)
I am deeply committed to maintaining relationships with several close friends from the years. Some friends are more like family, and you'll be able to read some of those stories in future posts about our wedding party.
I am also deeply committed to the church. I believe in the community of faith as a place where people can once and for all belong and be welcomed.
Even though I don't formally do theology anymore, I do revisit ongoing conversations with people who became friends in theology classes at Mercer. Rick also keeps me on my toes with the broader theological conversation.
I don't read much, but I do have some favorite books. Maiden Voyage by Tania Aebi, Let Your Life Speak by Parker Palmer, and Wait Till Next Year by Doris Kearns Goodwin are books that I have read more than once. Let me tell you that it says a lot about a book and how much I like it if I've read it more than once.
What caught my attention when I first got to know Keith? I thought of a good friend from high school days (Joy) when I saw that he does horticulture. His interest in geography made me think of one of my favorite teachers (KayLynn). He is good at "handy man type work," which I relate to so well these days! He likes to read, listen to music, and watch movies. His family is very important to him. The first thing I laughed at was when he said that he spends a lot of time thinking about how every time he goes to fill up his gas tank, the price of crude oil reached a record high the day before. After that, I was impressed by his eagerness to talk to me and tell me stories. I am deeply attracted to Keith's intelligence, candor, sense of humor, and compassion. I was surprised to hear my head saying in early April, "if he asked me right now, I'd say 'yes.'" I had lots of conversations with myself about that confession, but it never changed. Keith did ask me to be his wife, and I gladly accepted his proposal! I look forward to loving Keith for the rest of our lives!
8.24.2008
Meet Keith
I was born and grew up in Hueytown, Alabama, which is a suburb southwest of Birmingham. I have a brother 7 years older than me named David and an identical twin named Paul, who is a whole 2 minutes older than me.
I had a very happy childhood. I played a lot outside including all kinds of sports and games with the other kids in the neighborhood. As a family we went on a lot of camping trips, and about every other summer we would take off on a cross country road trip to some exotic location like Colorado or Wyoming having loads of fun camping out along the way and making memories that I will treasure for the rest of my life.
As I got in my teenage years we began to spend a lot of time at a very rustic cabin we owned on the banks of a river. We would spend parts of weekends working on the cabin and the rest of the time hanging out on the water. Those were wonderful times spending lazy summer days with my family and my beloved pet chihuahua Chico.
After high school I completed a B.A. in History with a minor in English at the University of Montevallo, a small liberal arts college in central Alabama. Books are a major part of my life to this day, and I really can thank my parents for that. My Dad was always reading and my Mom really began to expose me to literature like Faulkner and Dreiser as I got older because she was reading these authors. Once I picked up those books I never looked back. I went on to become a very enthusiastic English minor. I remember in a class on Dickens we were assigned Bleak House a 900+ page novel, and I sailed through it in a week. I literally could not put it down I was so entranced with the language, time and place that Dickens took me to. I graduated from Montevallo a very well-rounded person even if I did not exactly have a job waiting for me the day after graduation.
A few months after I graduated, I moved to Miami, Florida with my brother Paul where he found a job in accounting and I worked some odd jobs but mainly passed the days in the local library reading huge Russian novels. I had been there for about six months when my Mom called to tell us the news that my 95 year old grandmother, who I was very close to, fell ill and was in the hospital. I left the next day and spent the next three weeks at the hospital with her until she passed away.
It was after her death and talking with my parents that I decided to take a firm direction in my life instead of floating around. I went to Auburn a couple of weeks later to look into graduate programs when a pamphlet for the horticulture department caught my eye. It said their graduates have a 100% job placement. Well, I always liked being outside and I always liked gardening. Even when I was at Montevallo, I read books on plants so it made sense to me. Just like that, I enrolled at Auburn as a horticulture major. I really enjoyed my classes and professors and excelled academically never making less than an 'A' in my two years there. I really love horticulture for artistic reasons because a place looks more beautiful after we have been there, which I find so rewarding.
After Auburn, I accepted a job in May of 2003 with Brickman in Macon. I spent most of my time with Brickman taking care of the grounds at Mercer, so if any of you all were on campus during that time chances are you walked right past me. After two and a half years with Brickman I really grew tired of the cold calculating and corporate manner that was their culture, so I left. I also felt like I had been spinning my wheels without really going anywhere for two and half years so I decided to make a change with my life.
A month later, I stepped off a plane by myself in Buenos Aires, Argentina, a city of 13 million, without knowing a single person. I enrolled into a spanish language immersion school and moved in with an Argentine family in a barrio of Buenos Aires for a month. I really began to settle in and open up to people who had been strangers but who were fast becoming friends, which was a rewarding experience for me. I left Buenos Aires for a five month odyssey that included second class buses, ferries, trains, taxis, lots of walking, youth hostels, very very low budget hotels, guest houses, and the countries of Uruguay, Brazil, Chile, Peru and Bolivia. I really came back a different person and appreciative that in the United States, even if you are poor you can dream and achieve a better life, which many people of the world do not have the opportunity to do.
I arrived back in six months and found a job within a week in Birmingham. After I worked there for about nine months, I got a call from a small company in Byron that wanted me come join the team. The owners knew me from Brickman and really liked and respected my work, and I felt the same way about them so I returned to central Georgia in March of 2007 and it really has been a perfect fit. I get to do a lot of landscape design which satisfies my artistic cravings, and it really feels like working with family.
I have always felt like I have had a wonderful life, but deep down I always felt like there was something missing to make it complete. That missing piece more than likely had crossed my path without me realizing until we finally intersected, stopped and found each other. The missing piece, Jennifer, has truly made my life fulfilling, and I really feel like I hit the jackpot with her in my life. I look forward to completing the future chapters of my life with Jennifer by my side.
Ice Cream Cake!!!
Yep, that's what we're having! No tiered cake for us with a topper.
We'll have some cake that is all ice cream, some that is half ice cream and half cake, and some that is all cake for those guests who don't eat ice cream.
We LOVE ice cream (Marble Slab has become our favorite very quickly!), and it's one of the things that will be unique to weddings but absolutely perfect for us!
When we think of the theme of delight for our wedding, ice cream cake makes us smile!
We'll have some cake that is all ice cream, some that is half ice cream and half cake, and some that is all cake for those guests who don't eat ice cream.
We LOVE ice cream (Marble Slab has become our favorite very quickly!), and it's one of the things that will be unique to weddings but absolutely perfect for us!
When we think of the theme of delight for our wedding, ice cream cake makes us smile!
8.23.2008
The story of the engagement ring
After I agreed to help Keith choose an engagement ring, I did a lot of reading about it. I suspected that I would like the emerald cut diamond, but the pictures on the internet weren't enough to convince me. I also read a story about a woman who has a ring consisting of heart-shaped diamonds in the birthstones of herself and her husband. I kinda liked that idea, especially when I learned that Keith's birthstone is a sapphire.
On a whim one afternoon, I called Keith and asked if it was okay with him if I went to look at rings by myself before we looked together. Not wanting to go all over town, I checked out three stores in the same mall. Did you know that jewelers in the mall do not carry very many emerald cut diamonds because they aren't very popular?! I saw a few in each store, but they were all more elaborate than I could live with.
I tried on a few rings in each store, and it got easier as the time passed. It was amazing at first to think that I would have a ring on my left hand! My suspicions were confirmed that I liked emerald cut stones and that the sapphire sidestones were excellent for me.
The next weekend, Keith and I went back to one of the stores and saw a few rings. We agreed on the shade of the sapphires and on the maximum size of the stones based on what looked right on my hand. We left the store, and he had the information that he needed.
Later, Keith asked me what color band I wanted. I could go either way, but I knew that I wanted us to have matching color wedding bands, so I asked him to decide what color band he would wear.
Keith took it from there. He worked with two jewelers to design my ring because no one makes one like it for the shelf. One day, he called me very excited, "I want to tell you something, but I don't know if I should tell you or not!" He said he saw a ring put together that was beautiful. We talked about that ring again later, and he decided that I knew too much. That was the end of conversations about the ring.
The next I heard about the ring was the day we were leaving Birmingham after visiting our families. He brought my ring with him to show his mom. I drove around the country for five days in the same car as my ring, but I never peeked! I could imagine what my ring looked like (I had found a picture online of a similar ring, but the sapphires were lighter), but I had never seen the ring I am now wearing. Keith and his mom both agreed that it was beautiful!
There were moments that we joked about him proposing like baseball games or the night he made dinner for me. But, the phone calls had to be made first. I was completely sure that it would be a few days after those phone calls that anything else happened, so I was quite surprised when only hours separated the phone calls from Keith's proposal!
Now, nine days later, my engagement ring has not come off of my finger for more than a couple of minutes at a time. I enjoy watching it sparkle in the sun, and I'm learning how to get my hand in my pocket again! It's been a process to get used to wearing this ring, but I absolutely love it! (That'll be a metaphor for being married: it'll be a process to get used to being married, but I will absolutely love Keith and our life together!)
Keith teases me about flicking my wrist to show people my ring, and we both laugh about wearing blue to match it. Yesterday, I was wearing a black shirt, and Keith had on a blue shirt. He claimed that he was "supporting our engagement because somebody had to!" I really had no idea how much blue is in my closet, but wearing it is a lot of fun these days. (When laundry isn't done, I have to resort to other colors.)
I've wondered if I'll ever get tired of wearing blue on my finger. Then, when I remember that the sapphires are blue because they represent the love of my life, I know that I'll always wear blue with delight!
On a whim one afternoon, I called Keith and asked if it was okay with him if I went to look at rings by myself before we looked together. Not wanting to go all over town, I checked out three stores in the same mall. Did you know that jewelers in the mall do not carry very many emerald cut diamonds because they aren't very popular?! I saw a few in each store, but they were all more elaborate than I could live with.
I tried on a few rings in each store, and it got easier as the time passed. It was amazing at first to think that I would have a ring on my left hand! My suspicions were confirmed that I liked emerald cut stones and that the sapphire sidestones were excellent for me.
The next weekend, Keith and I went back to one of the stores and saw a few rings. We agreed on the shade of the sapphires and on the maximum size of the stones based on what looked right on my hand. We left the store, and he had the information that he needed.
Later, Keith asked me what color band I wanted. I could go either way, but I knew that I wanted us to have matching color wedding bands, so I asked him to decide what color band he would wear.
Keith took it from there. He worked with two jewelers to design my ring because no one makes one like it for the shelf. One day, he called me very excited, "I want to tell you something, but I don't know if I should tell you or not!" He said he saw a ring put together that was beautiful. We talked about that ring again later, and he decided that I knew too much. That was the end of conversations about the ring.
The next I heard about the ring was the day we were leaving Birmingham after visiting our families. He brought my ring with him to show his mom. I drove around the country for five days in the same car as my ring, but I never peeked! I could imagine what my ring looked like (I had found a picture online of a similar ring, but the sapphires were lighter), but I had never seen the ring I am now wearing. Keith and his mom both agreed that it was beautiful!
There were moments that we joked about him proposing like baseball games or the night he made dinner for me. But, the phone calls had to be made first. I was completely sure that it would be a few days after those phone calls that anything else happened, so I was quite surprised when only hours separated the phone calls from Keith's proposal!
Now, nine days later, my engagement ring has not come off of my finger for more than a couple of minutes at a time. I enjoy watching it sparkle in the sun, and I'm learning how to get my hand in my pocket again! It's been a process to get used to wearing this ring, but I absolutely love it! (That'll be a metaphor for being married: it'll be a process to get used to being married, but I will absolutely love Keith and our life together!)
Keith teases me about flicking my wrist to show people my ring, and we both laugh about wearing blue to match it. Yesterday, I was wearing a black shirt, and Keith had on a blue shirt. He claimed that he was "supporting our engagement because somebody had to!" I really had no idea how much blue is in my closet, but wearing it is a lot of fun these days. (When laundry isn't done, I have to resort to other colors.)
I've wondered if I'll ever get tired of wearing blue on my finger. Then, when I remember that the sapphires are blue because they represent the love of my life, I know that I'll always wear blue with delight!
8.21.2008
5427 hours
As I write this, the number of hours left until our wedding is falling. (It's 226 days, if you're interested.)
When we talk to other people, I know they think, "Oh, that's 7 1/2 months away. I don't really need to think about it yet."
What I hear in my head is, "That's 7 1/2 months away?!?! I don't have time to think about that! I need to get moving on the planning!"
There's a new countdown on the sidebar, so you can watch the time fly by with us. I put 1pm as the start time because that's the earliest it'll be. A later time means I got an extra hour or so that I didn't expect!
It's a good thing that we're planning for something we are excited about! :)
When we talk to other people, I know they think, "Oh, that's 7 1/2 months away. I don't really need to think about it yet."
What I hear in my head is, "That's 7 1/2 months away?!?! I don't have time to think about that! I need to get moving on the planning!"
There's a new countdown on the sidebar, so you can watch the time fly by with us. I put 1pm as the start time because that's the earliest it'll be. A later time means I got an extra hour or so that I didn't expect!
It's a good thing that we're planning for something we are excited about! :)
8.20.2008
Visitors and presents
Pat came to see Jennifer's ring yesterday. She also brought chicken that she cooked on the rotisserie. We ate it for dinner along with broccoli and pasta and those breadsticks from Captain D's that Lynne introduced to us.
While the chicken was cooking, Nikki and Natalie came to visit. Natalie will be the flower girl for the wedding, and she's discovered a basket at Jennifer's house that lets her practice tossing her flowers. She did it all on her own, and it's the cutest thing in the world! Nikki and Jennifer screamed/squealed when Natalie did it, and Pat had to calm them down so they wouldn't scare the poor girl!
The reason Nikki came was to bring some wonderful used clothes to Jennifer. Later, after dinner, Keith got to weigh in on some of the items. It feels like having a brand new closet! The boxes with the rest of the clothes will go on to a donation site.
Thanks, Pat, for the chicken and for your long trip to visit. Lynne, thanks for telling us about breadsticks. Nikki and Natalie, thanks for your fun visit and for the great new clothes!
While the chicken was cooking, Nikki and Natalie came to visit. Natalie will be the flower girl for the wedding, and she's discovered a basket at Jennifer's house that lets her practice tossing her flowers. She did it all on her own, and it's the cutest thing in the world! Nikki and Jennifer screamed/squealed when Natalie did it, and Pat had to calm them down so they wouldn't scare the poor girl!
The reason Nikki came was to bring some wonderful used clothes to Jennifer. Later, after dinner, Keith got to weigh in on some of the items. It feels like having a brand new closet! The boxes with the rest of the clothes will go on to a donation site.
Thanks, Pat, for the chicken and for your long trip to visit. Lynne, thanks for telling us about breadsticks. Nikki and Natalie, thanks for your fun visit and for the great new clothes!
8.19.2008
the subtle clues (the proposal, through Jennifer's eyes)
I remember the day well. Keith and I talked at lunch, and he said he wanted to call my parents that night. He said he wouldn't chicken out, but I told him that he could if he needed to. Pardon me for not believing him, but I told a few people that I was not about to turn blue holding my breath. (I really did know that the phone calls were hard, so I was okay with him deciding to wait at the last minute.)
We were up late the night before, so I was tired when I got home. I took a nap, and woke up to some guy banging on my door selling steak. No thanks! When I couldn't get back to sleep, I called Virginia to catch up with her. Meanwhile, Keith left a message on my voicemail.
Clue #1:
In his voicemail, Keith said he got off work late because it rained the day before, so the crews had a lot of work to do. He went on to explain more, and I remember that his explanation seemed a little more upbeat than usual about his late work schedule.
Keith came to my house, and he announced that he needed to get home in time to catch up on sleep from the previous day. We agreed that he would leave at 10:15. I offered to buy ice cream after the phone calls, and we left to do that at 9:30.
Clue #2 (or #3, depending on whether you count the request for leaving early or not):
Keith asked that we take my car for ice cream. It's not that I never drive when we go somewhere, but I don't think he's ever asked me to do that. I usually offer.
We got home at 10:30, and Keith left by 10:40.
Clue #3:
Keith confirmed that we'd talk on the phone as he drove home. Sometimes I call and talk to him while he drives, but sometimes I don't.
I agreed to call. We have never called while the other person is in the driveway, so I decided to talk to Lynne for a few minutes to catch up on her stories about Harvey. About 25 minutes later, Lynne and I were done talking, and I called Keith. He asked if I was already in bed, and I said I was sitting on my love seat. I told him the Harvey story, and he seemed interested.
Clue #4:
I heard a door slam in the phone and outside my house about a quarter of a second apart.
Keith said, "Well, you should go outside because I left something for you."
I argued, "You're here!" And, that's when I knew.
I must say that I am clueLESS sometimes, and it's pretty easy to surprise me if you think a little bit.
Keith had to explain things to me later. I noticed clue #1, but the real work that took so long was making the brownies. He did get off work later than usual, but not that late. I was pleased to know that Keith could let me believe something without having to actually lie to me to get me to think I knew what was happening. I just dismissed his eagerness to describe his late evening.
Clue #2 was a result of the brownies in Keith's car. He thought I'd smell them and ask about it. So, he opted to play it safe.
Clue #3 was hard for me to pick up on since we talk most of the days that we drive. But, he probably was a little eager about it that night. He had to make sure that he would know when he should come back. And, since I'd had a strange guy come to the door already that day, he thought it'd scare me really bad if a knock came to the door at 11pm. He was right.
I did finally know something was up with Clue #4! It turns out that Keith knows I hear those things outside my house, but he didn't think about closing the door quietly. It was okay, though, because the rest of the proposal happened fast.
I said, "uh huh!" three times in response to Keith's comments.
"I brought you brownies."
"Uh huh...!"
"There's a white box on the plate, too."
"Uh huh...!"
"Will you be my wife and spend the rest of your life with me?"
"Uh huh...!"
We were up late the night before, so I was tired when I got home. I took a nap, and woke up to some guy banging on my door selling steak. No thanks! When I couldn't get back to sleep, I called Virginia to catch up with her. Meanwhile, Keith left a message on my voicemail.
Clue #1:
In his voicemail, Keith said he got off work late because it rained the day before, so the crews had a lot of work to do. He went on to explain more, and I remember that his explanation seemed a little more upbeat than usual about his late work schedule.
Keith came to my house, and he announced that he needed to get home in time to catch up on sleep from the previous day. We agreed that he would leave at 10:15. I offered to buy ice cream after the phone calls, and we left to do that at 9:30.
Clue #2 (or #3, depending on whether you count the request for leaving early or not):
Keith asked that we take my car for ice cream. It's not that I never drive when we go somewhere, but I don't think he's ever asked me to do that. I usually offer.
We got home at 10:30, and Keith left by 10:40.
Clue #3:
Keith confirmed that we'd talk on the phone as he drove home. Sometimes I call and talk to him while he drives, but sometimes I don't.
I agreed to call. We have never called while the other person is in the driveway, so I decided to talk to Lynne for a few minutes to catch up on her stories about Harvey. About 25 minutes later, Lynne and I were done talking, and I called Keith. He asked if I was already in bed, and I said I was sitting on my love seat. I told him the Harvey story, and he seemed interested.
Clue #4:
I heard a door slam in the phone and outside my house about a quarter of a second apart.
Keith said, "Well, you should go outside because I left something for you."
I argued, "You're here!" And, that's when I knew.
I must say that I am clueLESS sometimes, and it's pretty easy to surprise me if you think a little bit.
Keith had to explain things to me later. I noticed clue #1, but the real work that took so long was making the brownies. He did get off work later than usual, but not that late. I was pleased to know that Keith could let me believe something without having to actually lie to me to get me to think I knew what was happening. I just dismissed his eagerness to describe his late evening.
Clue #2 was a result of the brownies in Keith's car. He thought I'd smell them and ask about it. So, he opted to play it safe.
Clue #3 was hard for me to pick up on since we talk most of the days that we drive. But, he probably was a little eager about it that night. He had to make sure that he would know when he should come back. And, since I'd had a strange guy come to the door already that day, he thought it'd scare me really bad if a knock came to the door at 11pm. He was right.
I did finally know something was up with Clue #4! It turns out that Keith knows I hear those things outside my house, but he didn't think about closing the door quietly. It was okay, though, because the rest of the proposal happened fast.
I said, "uh huh!" three times in response to Keith's comments.
"I brought you brownies."
"Uh huh...!"
"There's a white box on the plate, too."
"Uh huh...!"
"Will you be my wife and spend the rest of your life with me?"
"Uh huh...!"
Props to Jay!
Jennifer and Keith are glad to hear good news about Jay's first day back at school!
Jay called Jennifer last night with reports about the day as well as a math question. Jennifer is absolutely convinced of two things: Jay is WAY smarter than she is, and Jay can do great in school for Physical Therapy Assisting! She is proud, for sure!
Feel free to leave your own props for Jay in the comments here. We'll make sure he gets them.
Jay called Jennifer last night with reports about the day as well as a math question. Jennifer is absolutely convinced of two things: Jay is WAY smarter than she is, and Jay can do great in school for Physical Therapy Assisting! She is proud, for sure!
Feel free to leave your own props for Jay in the comments here. We'll make sure he gets them.
8.18.2008
Food
tacos
omelets
waffles
pizza
spaghetti
ham, broccoli, and pasta casserole
chicken pot pie
shrimp fettucine alfredo
lemon pepper chicken
steak
salmon
quiche
eggplant parmesan
hamburgers
spanish chicken
country fried ham
chili
loaded baked potatoes
hot dogs
pot roast
seven layer tortilla
What is this list?! It's our renewed sense of hope that we will make it in our marriage!
Many of you know that neither Keith nor Jennifer is well-known for cooking. (Yeah, yeah, some of you will even cough an *understatement* to that!) All of the dishes above are things we listed that we either can make already or we are pretty confident we can learn from our parents. We will live, see?!
omelets
waffles
pizza
spaghetti
ham, broccoli, and pasta casserole
chicken pot pie
shrimp fettucine alfredo
lemon pepper chicken
steak
salmon
quiche
eggplant parmesan
hamburgers
spanish chicken
country fried ham
chili
loaded baked potatoes
hot dogs
pot roast
seven layer tortilla
What is this list?! It's our renewed sense of hope that we will make it in our marriage!
Many of you know that neither Keith nor Jennifer is well-known for cooking. (Yeah, yeah, some of you will even cough an *understatement* to that!) All of the dishes above are things we listed that we either can make already or we are pretty confident we can learn from our parents. We will live, see?!
8.17.2008
The Proposal
Well first off for the proposal story to make much sense I have to tell you all that before I proposed, Jennifer wanted me to call her parents to let them know I was going to propose to her. This was not a problem at all except for the fact that the idea of calling Jennifer's parents caused me a lot of anxiety (ok, basically I was really really SCARED!) so to make a long story short I stalled for a couple of weeks before I finally made the calls (yes, I know stalling for a couple of weeks seems ridiculous to me as write this also!). So, I knew that it would be difficult to surprise Jennifer in the days after I made the calls because she would be watching my every move, so I decided to propose to her before she began to anticipate.
On Thursday the 14th I planned to make the calls from her house, so when I got off from work I came home and made brownies as fast as I could because I did not want her to think something was up if I showed up really late to her house. Luckily, I had all the ingredients so the brownies took a total of about 30 minutes. I chose to bake brownies for Jennifer on the day I proposed to her because I had surprised her with brownies months before and they really had seemed to make a big impression on her. The original brownies were a symbol of stepping up the relationship just like these brownies are REALLY a symbol of stepping up the relationship! So I put the brownies in a circle on a plate and placed the engagement ring in the middle of the plate. I arrived at her house and made the calls and then we went out for ice cream (hey what can I say?! We like our sweets!). We got back to her house at about 10:30 and I made an excuse about needing to go home because I needed to be ready for work the next day, and I was out of there. I had asked her before I left to call me on my way home and meanwhile I waited down the road in the grocery store parking lot until she called.
She waited about 25 minutes before she called and when she did I drove back to her house and when I got there I told her to go outside because I had left something for her on the porch. She heard my car door shut and she finally knew something was up. When she opened the door she made me smile because her eyes were huge and darting all around to see what I was going to do. I told her I had brought brownies and a white box. I went inside and got down on one knee with the white box opened and asked her to spend the rest of her life with me. For the record, she never said yes but she did nod affirmatively with her mouth wide open and watery eyes. I did manage to surprise her and it was a very special moment for Jennifer and me that we will remember for the rest of our lives. And for the record can I say that I am soooooooooooo excited to be marrying Jennifer!!!!
On Thursday the 14th I planned to make the calls from her house, so when I got off from work I came home and made brownies as fast as I could because I did not want her to think something was up if I showed up really late to her house. Luckily, I had all the ingredients so the brownies took a total of about 30 minutes. I chose to bake brownies for Jennifer on the day I proposed to her because I had surprised her with brownies months before and they really had seemed to make a big impression on her. The original brownies were a symbol of stepping up the relationship just like these brownies are REALLY a symbol of stepping up the relationship! So I put the brownies in a circle on a plate and placed the engagement ring in the middle of the plate. I arrived at her house and made the calls and then we went out for ice cream (hey what can I say?! We like our sweets!). We got back to her house at about 10:30 and I made an excuse about needing to go home because I needed to be ready for work the next day, and I was out of there. I had asked her before I left to call me on my way home and meanwhile I waited down the road in the grocery store parking lot until she called.
She waited about 25 minutes before she called and when she did I drove back to her house and when I got there I told her to go outside because I had left something for her on the porch. She heard my car door shut and she finally knew something was up. When she opened the door she made me smile because her eyes were huge and darting all around to see what I was going to do. I told her I had brought brownies and a white box. I went inside and got down on one knee with the white box opened and asked her to spend the rest of her life with me. For the record, she never said yes but she did nod affirmatively with her mouth wide open and watery eyes. I did manage to surprise her and it was a very special moment for Jennifer and me that we will remember for the rest of our lives. And for the record can I say that I am soooooooooooo excited to be marrying Jennifer!!!!
8.16.2008
The Ring!!!
Coming Soon: Keith tells the engagement story
In the meantime, we hope you like these pictures. (If you click on them, you can see better.)
8.15.2008
Posts in the works
We've had a lot happening this week, but we're working on a couple of posts.
Watch for "Meet Keith" and "Meet Jennifer" as well as a story or two coming up.
Watch for "Meet Keith" and "Meet Jennifer" as well as a story or two coming up.
8.12.2008
Old School
We played Super Mario Brothers tonight, you know, the one from the original NES! We were amazed at what we remembered about some worlds--where to find mushrooms, flower power, vines, 1ups, coins, and even other worlds. There were things our fingers just remembered how to do!
After SMB, we played Anticipation. Does anyone else remember playing that game, or are Jennifer and Jay the only ones who owned it?! There were some drawings that Keith and Jennifer still couldn't identify in the end. Go figure!
Great fun tonight!
After SMB, we played Anticipation. Does anyone else remember playing that game, or are Jennifer and Jay the only ones who owned it?! There were some drawings that Keith and Jennifer still couldn't identify in the end. Go figure!
Great fun tonight!
8.10.2008
Our photographers
If you're coming to our wedding, and you like to take pictures, then we invite you to bring your camera.
In our goals for a wedding that we choose, we want pictures, but we don't think it's ethical to spend so much on a professional photographer: a person we pay to attend our wedding. We are not against wedding photographers, but we like the idea of having our most valued photographs taken by people who love and know us. You all will know what the important shots are, whether candid or posed.
If you're not a picture-taker, we completely respect that. We don't need everyone there with a camera. We think of graduations, and we remember those in the audience who took pictures of their loved ones on the important day. That's what we'd like. So, don't feel obligated to take pictures if you aren't naturally inclined that way.
If you plan to bring your camera, please do not hear us asking for free photography. We don't want our guests to "work" at our wedding; we simply want those of you who are naturally picture-takers to do your thing at our wedding.
A photograph that is taken by a person who loves us will be more special to us than one taken by a person who is paid to take it. This is one way we will reduce the cost of the day while adding value to the experience.
Please let us know by email or a comment here if you plan to bring your camera. We're looking for a few folks who will shoot photos as we set up, during the ceremony, after the ceremony in posed groups, and at the reception. If you'll drop your photos onto a CD, we'll be able to use them as screensavers on our computers and print them for a wedding album or framed pictures around our home.
In our goals for a wedding that we choose, we want pictures, but we don't think it's ethical to spend so much on a professional photographer: a person we pay to attend our wedding. We are not against wedding photographers, but we like the idea of having our most valued photographs taken by people who love and know us. You all will know what the important shots are, whether candid or posed.
If you're not a picture-taker, we completely respect that. We don't need everyone there with a camera. We think of graduations, and we remember those in the audience who took pictures of their loved ones on the important day. That's what we'd like. So, don't feel obligated to take pictures if you aren't naturally inclined that way.
If you plan to bring your camera, please do not hear us asking for free photography. We don't want our guests to "work" at our wedding; we simply want those of you who are naturally picture-takers to do your thing at our wedding.
A photograph that is taken by a person who loves us will be more special to us than one taken by a person who is paid to take it. This is one way we will reduce the cost of the day while adding value to the experience.
Please let us know by email or a comment here if you plan to bring your camera. We're looking for a few folks who will shoot photos as we set up, during the ceremony, after the ceremony in posed groups, and at the reception. If you'll drop your photos onto a CD, we'll be able to use them as screensavers on our computers and print them for a wedding album or framed pictures around our home.
8.09.2008
"Simple" means...
We don't have a plan B for the location of our wedding ceremony. We will be in Washington Park in rain or shine. Please watch the weather, or just plan to bring an umbrella. We will start a few minutes late if it's pouring, but the historical data for rain on April 4 in Macon tells us that we'll probably be fine. Sprinkles will simply make the day one to remember!
An outside wedding was the first thing we wanted to do, but we didn't like the idea of taking a risk with the weather. After we considered a few indoor locations, we weren't happy with any of them. We realized that we could decide ahead of time that we will be okay with rain. So, outside it is, and we managed to secure our first choice of locations at Washington Park. It's absolutely beautiful now, and Keith says it'll be even better in April! If you're a local and want to go visit the park, we're going to stand on the bridge on one end of the pool of water at the bottom of the park.
So, bring an umbrella to stay dry "just in case." Those of you who are quite responsible would be kind to bring an extra umbrella for the guests who forget or don't have time to check the weather before they leave home. After all, it's what people like you all do.
An outside wedding was the first thing we wanted to do, but we didn't like the idea of taking a risk with the weather. After we considered a few indoor locations, we weren't happy with any of them. We realized that we could decide ahead of time that we will be okay with rain. So, outside it is, and we managed to secure our first choice of locations at Washington Park. It's absolutely beautiful now, and Keith says it'll be even better in April! If you're a local and want to go visit the park, we're going to stand on the bridge on one end of the pool of water at the bottom of the park.
So, bring an umbrella to stay dry "just in case." Those of you who are quite responsible would be kind to bring an extra umbrella for the guests who forget or don't have time to check the weather before they leave home. After all, it's what people like you all do.
8.07.2008
Our biological families
We can't begin to tell you about our wedding party without first telling you about our families. So, here goes!
Keith belongs to Mike and Jane Blackwell. They are from Alabama, and they still live in the house where Keith grew up. Keith has a twin brother, Paul, and an older brother, David. Paul's wife is Jenny, and they live in Florida. David and his wife, Maurine, live in Alabama with their two kids, Caroline and Daniel. Look for all of these great folks at the wedding!
Jennifer's mom is Pat Cole. She lives in Georgia, and she still lives in the house where Jennifer spent most of her childhood. Jennifer's first friend was her brother, Jay, who is in school in Alabama. To say that Jennifer is proud of Jay is simply an understatement! Watch for Pat and Jay on April 4, too!
We come to our wedding day knowing that our families were the first to influence our lives, and we are grateful for their gifts of love and commitment to us. We're both independent people for sure, but the support of our families will always be treasures to us. Thanks, y'all, for welcoming us into each other's family. We love you very much!
Keith belongs to Mike and Jane Blackwell. They are from Alabama, and they still live in the house where Keith grew up. Keith has a twin brother, Paul, and an older brother, David. Paul's wife is Jenny, and they live in Florida. David and his wife, Maurine, live in Alabama with their two kids, Caroline and Daniel. Look for all of these great folks at the wedding!
Jennifer's mom is Pat Cole. She lives in Georgia, and she still lives in the house where Jennifer spent most of her childhood. Jennifer's first friend was her brother, Jay, who is in school in Alabama. To say that Jennifer is proud of Jay is simply an understatement! Watch for Pat and Jay on April 4, too!
We come to our wedding day knowing that our families were the first to influence our lives, and we are grateful for their gifts of love and commitment to us. We're both independent people for sure, but the support of our families will always be treasures to us. Thanks, y'all, for welcoming us into each other's family. We love you very much!
Today
Hey, y'all, it's Jennifer.
Yesterday was my last day of no work for the summer, but Keith has been working all along except for our road trip. He called me this morning, like he does most mornings, after he'd already been working for a few hours. Today, the call included the announcement that he was stung by a wasp first thing in the morning. He was talking to me in a Benadryl-induced fog. Mostly, the day was fine except for the wasp sting.
Fast forward to this evening when I called after he was home from work. I hadn't seen him in two days, and that's a long time apart after spending five days together. I wondered what his status was, would we see each other tonight, how was his wasp sting and the rest of his day, and whatever else might come up. He was tired and still in the Benadryl fog. I asked if I could come see him, and he said it was fine but that he might not be much fun. We agreed that I'd pick up pizza on my way to his apartment and we'd watch one of his movies from NetFlix, and off I went.
Can I just tell you how glad I was to be headed his way?! I knew I didn't need him to be "much fun"--I just wanted to be with him. I was pleasantly surprised to find myself loving him more right then than I have before. I didn't know it was possible.
We ate pizza, talked about the day, watched the movie (Paul called and asked about the trip), and said good night. Keith speaks Spanish at work, so before he met me he spoke more Spanish in a day than English. Since I understand some Spanish, we speak it to each other on occasion. Tonight, Keith started going in Spanish, and I kept up with most of it; I even answered him some. Then, he continued on and on. He had that look on his face that tells me he's saying something really sweet, even though he lost me at some point. After several sentences, he asked if I understood, and we both laughed when I confessed that I didn't have a clue what he just said. He'd said so much that he couldn't remember it enough to translate it all, but I got the idea. I was right: it was sweet.
The words that kept running through my head were from James 1:17, "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like the shifting shadows." Keith is a good gift in my life! Alan, you're so right! No one will ask at our wedding who gives us to be married to each other, but I am confident of this: God is the giver! The same way that I am convinced that faith is a gift from God, I'm also convinced that the ability to love is a gift as well. Today, I was overwhelmed with two gifts: Keith and a deep love for him.
Yesterday was my last day of no work for the summer, but Keith has been working all along except for our road trip. He called me this morning, like he does most mornings, after he'd already been working for a few hours. Today, the call included the announcement that he was stung by a wasp first thing in the morning. He was talking to me in a Benadryl-induced fog. Mostly, the day was fine except for the wasp sting.
Fast forward to this evening when I called after he was home from work. I hadn't seen him in two days, and that's a long time apart after spending five days together. I wondered what his status was, would we see each other tonight, how was his wasp sting and the rest of his day, and whatever else might come up. He was tired and still in the Benadryl fog. I asked if I could come see him, and he said it was fine but that he might not be much fun. We agreed that I'd pick up pizza on my way to his apartment and we'd watch one of his movies from NetFlix, and off I went.
Can I just tell you how glad I was to be headed his way?! I knew I didn't need him to be "much fun"--I just wanted to be with him. I was pleasantly surprised to find myself loving him more right then than I have before. I didn't know it was possible.
We ate pizza, talked about the day, watched the movie (Paul called and asked about the trip), and said good night. Keith speaks Spanish at work, so before he met me he spoke more Spanish in a day than English. Since I understand some Spanish, we speak it to each other on occasion. Tonight, Keith started going in Spanish, and I kept up with most of it; I even answered him some. Then, he continued on and on. He had that look on his face that tells me he's saying something really sweet, even though he lost me at some point. After several sentences, he asked if I understood, and we both laughed when I confessed that I didn't have a clue what he just said. He'd said so much that he couldn't remember it enough to translate it all, but I got the idea. I was right: it was sweet.
The words that kept running through my head were from James 1:17, "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like the shifting shadows." Keith is a good gift in my life! Alan, you're so right! No one will ask at our wedding who gives us to be married to each other, but I am confident of this: God is the giver! The same way that I am convinced that faith is a gift from God, I'm also convinced that the ability to love is a gift as well. Today, I was overwhelmed with two gifts: Keith and a deep love for him.
8.06.2008
8.05.2008
Goals we've set
Before we're married, we want to read at least one or two books on marriage. You can leave your suggestions in the comments section (we call them "hoorays"). We're already working on The Five Love Languages, and we've looked into other books like Just Engaged and Getting Ready for Marriage Workbook. We like the workbook format, but the Getting Ready for Marriage Workbook has some downsides for us, based on what we've seen in the bookstore already.
Our time is not all tied up with books and business. We love to have "geek dates" at Barnes & Noble where we go in and pick a section that one of us knows a lot about. The clueless one quizzes the expert, and the clueless one is always duly impressed with the knowledge on the other side of the fence! Panera Bread is one of our favorite places to eat in Macon (we LOVE Fazoli's when we can get it, though!), but Keith will probably tell you more about Panera Bread in a later post. We also like to do puzzles--we found out that we get so involved in the puzzle that we barely talk to each other while we're working! We enjoy the time together and the accomplishment we see, and we get to learn how the other tackles long term tasks. We're on our second puzzle now with plans for more later.
Besides dating and engagement, we're also committed to having a successful marriage, so we're talking about goals for those days already. We want to do some things together that keep us in shape, so we're planning to buy bikes to ride, and we'll probably try a series of sessions in martial arts to see how we like it. We really like both of those ideas because they are totally new to both of us. Another activity we hope to do when we're married is cook a new dish together once a week. If it goes bad, we'll be ready to go out! :)
Jennifer has worked a LOT of hours in the last few years, and she'll be cutting back to "just full-time" this year. So, she's not taking new tutoring clients, which will free her up for wedding planning and later for being home in the evenings. Also, being newlyweds makes teaching GHP unlikely, but Jennifer would consider going back for a few weeks or in special circumstances.
For more tangible goals in our marriage, we know that we have a house that turned out to be a fixer-upper. We're planning to redo the yard (Jennifer celebrates marrying Keith once again!), fix some problems that resulted from "deferred maintenance" by previous owners, and upgrade appropriately so that it's comfortable for us.
It turns out that we're two intentional people, but we're not "the ultimate planners." We have talked about our dreams as individuals (think career, money, and family), but nothing is concrete enough to post as a "goal" here. We are committed to helping each other achieve those dreams when the time is right.
Our time is not all tied up with books and business. We love to have "geek dates" at Barnes & Noble where we go in and pick a section that one of us knows a lot about. The clueless one quizzes the expert, and the clueless one is always duly impressed with the knowledge on the other side of the fence! Panera Bread is one of our favorite places to eat in Macon (we LOVE Fazoli's when we can get it, though!), but Keith will probably tell you more about Panera Bread in a later post. We also like to do puzzles--we found out that we get so involved in the puzzle that we barely talk to each other while we're working! We enjoy the time together and the accomplishment we see, and we get to learn how the other tackles long term tasks. We're on our second puzzle now with plans for more later.
Besides dating and engagement, we're also committed to having a successful marriage, so we're talking about goals for those days already. We want to do some things together that keep us in shape, so we're planning to buy bikes to ride, and we'll probably try a series of sessions in martial arts to see how we like it. We really like both of those ideas because they are totally new to both of us. Another activity we hope to do when we're married is cook a new dish together once a week. If it goes bad, we'll be ready to go out! :)
Jennifer has worked a LOT of hours in the last few years, and she'll be cutting back to "just full-time" this year. So, she's not taking new tutoring clients, which will free her up for wedding planning and later for being home in the evenings. Also, being newlyweds makes teaching GHP unlikely, but Jennifer would consider going back for a few weeks or in special circumstances.
For more tangible goals in our marriage, we know that we have a house that turned out to be a fixer-upper. We're planning to redo the yard (Jennifer celebrates marrying Keith once again!), fix some problems that resulted from "deferred maintenance" by previous owners, and upgrade appropriately so that it's comfortable for us.
It turns out that we're two intentional people, but we're not "the ultimate planners." We have talked about our dreams as individuals (think career, money, and family), but nothing is concrete enough to post as a "goal" here. We are committed to helping each other achieve those dreams when the time is right.
The Wedding Party
For now, it's a secret! Watch for details about those folks who have formal tasks during the ceremony. Don't forget, everyone present is "standing up with us."
Our first road trip
Well, we came home smiling after five days on the road together. We stopped by Birmingham for the night on Thursday to see our families. Keith showed his parents the ring that will be Jennifer's (she made it the entire trip without peeking!).
Our longest driving day was Friday, and we were headed to St Louis when we saw a sign for Fazoli's, which we love! So, we drove four miles off of the interstate to get twelve breadsticks and two lemon italian ices with strawberries. We went to St Louis to watch the Cardinals play the Phillies. St Louis truly is "Cardinal country." The sea of red shirts and hats was overwhelming for us!
On Saturday morning, we visited the Gateway Arch before we left town. We talked about several great angles at which we could take pictures with the sun shining behind the arch. It really was a sight to behold! We were shocked to see so many people there! In the gift shop, we decided that we will mark our tourist visits around the country or world with magnets for our refrigerator. So, we bought a magnet (and a puzzle since we've been into those lately) and headed out of town.
On Saturday evening, we arrived in Evansville, IN. We weren't "in Kansas anymore!" There was lots of corn as we came into town. When we went to Bosse Field to see the game, there were TONS of people around. We were, again, shocked by the crowds, and Jennifer called PO to ask what else there was to do in Evansville if the game was sold out. Just before we could buy our tickets, a woman offered us two free tickets sponsored by the electric company of the area. We accepted the offer, and we joined over 6000 fans to make the third largest crowd in Bosse Field history! This town turned out to be our favorite of all the things we did on our trip. It was experiences like the game "Pluck a Polyp" on the minor league ball field that we will remember! No, we didn't play, but we watched two other fans master their skills!
Sunday morning, we had tickets for the Grand Avenue tour of Mammoth Cave in Kentucky. So, we headed that way, and made it comfortably. We walked more than four miles of the 367 surveyed miles of the cave. It's the largest in the world, they say. After our tour, we hit the gift shop and found a magnet, then we headed for the car.
When we got to the car, Jennifer took out a pillow and noticed water drops on it. That was the beginning of the discovery of wet suitcases and other bags. We headed south since it was still early in the day and we could make Monday's drive shorter, and we stopped in Nashville. The dryer was $1.75 for a load, but it was well worth the cost that kept us from standing for hours with a hair dryer that made our clothes go from drenched to damp.
On Monday, we stayed in Nashville long enough for the traffic to clear out, and we headed home.
We have accumulated lots of stories (maybe some that "you had to be there" for!), and we were both pleased to learn how easily we travel together. We couldn't have asked for a better trip!
Our longest driving day was Friday, and we were headed to St Louis when we saw a sign for Fazoli's, which we love! So, we drove four miles off of the interstate to get twelve breadsticks and two lemon italian ices with strawberries. We went to St Louis to watch the Cardinals play the Phillies. St Louis truly is "Cardinal country." The sea of red shirts and hats was overwhelming for us!
On Saturday morning, we visited the Gateway Arch before we left town. We talked about several great angles at which we could take pictures with the sun shining behind the arch. It really was a sight to behold! We were shocked to see so many people there! In the gift shop, we decided that we will mark our tourist visits around the country or world with magnets for our refrigerator. So, we bought a magnet (and a puzzle since we've been into those lately) and headed out of town.
On Saturday evening, we arrived in Evansville, IN. We weren't "in Kansas anymore!" There was lots of corn as we came into town. When we went to Bosse Field to see the game, there were TONS of people around. We were, again, shocked by the crowds, and Jennifer called PO to ask what else there was to do in Evansville if the game was sold out. Just before we could buy our tickets, a woman offered us two free tickets sponsored by the electric company of the area. We accepted the offer, and we joined over 6000 fans to make the third largest crowd in Bosse Field history! This town turned out to be our favorite of all the things we did on our trip. It was experiences like the game "Pluck a Polyp" on the minor league ball field that we will remember! No, we didn't play, but we watched two other fans master their skills!
Sunday morning, we had tickets for the Grand Avenue tour of Mammoth Cave in Kentucky. So, we headed that way, and made it comfortably. We walked more than four miles of the 367 surveyed miles of the cave. It's the largest in the world, they say. After our tour, we hit the gift shop and found a magnet, then we headed for the car.
When we got to the car, Jennifer took out a pillow and noticed water drops on it. That was the beginning of the discovery of wet suitcases and other bags. We headed south since it was still early in the day and we could make Monday's drive shorter, and we stopped in Nashville. The dryer was $1.75 for a load, but it was well worth the cost that kept us from standing for hours with a hair dryer that made our clothes go from drenched to damp.
On Monday, we stayed in Nashville long enough for the traffic to clear out, and we headed home.
We have accumulated lots of stories (maybe some that "you had to be there" for!), and we were both pleased to learn how easily we travel together. We couldn't have asked for a better trip!
What to Expect, an introduction
We are excited to tell you about some decisions we've made as we plan our wedding!
Our goal is to let three themes guide us as we plan for the big day: delight, simple, and important. We plan to explain some details about those as time goes on, but we'll make opening comments here.
"Delight" is our way of talking about the fun and playful tone that we want to set. We are thrilled to make our way to April 4, 2009, and we are excited to make that the first of our days together. We want our guests to relax and enjoy celebrating with us!
"Simple" refers to the details of the event. We will strive to keep the planning simple with a "less-is-more" attitude and a commitment to spend money in a way that we will be happy about later.
The event marks an "important" day in our lives, where two paths merge. But, there are other "important" components to our wedding day: the words we hear and speak, the people who join us on the first day of our journey, and the work we do to prepare ourselves for the months and years after our wedding.
You'll find that some of our decisions are less than "traditional," but we are committed to putting our fingerprints on the plans of the day. We hope to reduce expenses in ways that add value to the experience for us and for you--it's not that we can't afford to spend money for the day, but we choose not to do it because it's not necessary. We want the elements of our wedding to be powerful symbols for us and for you as you learn our story, so watch and listen for the meaning behind the symbols. This will not be a cookie-cutter wedding; we hope you walk away thinking and celebrating!
Finally, a word about those who are present at the ceremony: we are hoping to invite people who will be participants, not merely spectators. We want to begin our marriage in a community of folks who love us and will challenge us to love each other. We are products of our separate communities, which are merging more and more each day, and we cannot continue on without the support we've always received from those people.
There will be more details about what to expect in future posts.
Our goal is to let three themes guide us as we plan for the big day: delight, simple, and important. We plan to explain some details about those as time goes on, but we'll make opening comments here.
"Delight" is our way of talking about the fun and playful tone that we want to set. We are thrilled to make our way to April 4, 2009, and we are excited to make that the first of our days together. We want our guests to relax and enjoy celebrating with us!
"Simple" refers to the details of the event. We will strive to keep the planning simple with a "less-is-more" attitude and a commitment to spend money in a way that we will be happy about later.
The event marks an "important" day in our lives, where two paths merge. But, there are other "important" components to our wedding day: the words we hear and speak, the people who join us on the first day of our journey, and the work we do to prepare ourselves for the months and years after our wedding.
You'll find that some of our decisions are less than "traditional," but we are committed to putting our fingerprints on the plans of the day. We hope to reduce expenses in ways that add value to the experience for us and for you--it's not that we can't afford to spend money for the day, but we choose not to do it because it's not necessary. We want the elements of our wedding to be powerful symbols for us and for you as you learn our story, so watch and listen for the meaning behind the symbols. This will not be a cookie-cutter wedding; we hope you walk away thinking and celebrating!
Finally, a word about those who are present at the ceremony: we are hoping to invite people who will be participants, not merely spectators. We want to begin our marriage in a community of folks who love us and will challenge us to love each other. We are products of our separate communities, which are merging more and more each day, and we cannot continue on without the support we've always received from those people.
There will be more details about what to expect in future posts.
8.02.2008
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