Families are forever... I'm so happy to know that.
I love being a wife to this awesome guy.
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Life Moves On
It just seems like no matter how much I would love to stop and smell the roses, life passes on by leaving me in the dust left to wonder "what about yesterday?!" Life is wonderful and that's that. I couldn't imagine myself to be happier at this present moment. I never knew that a life like this existed. I am grateful for the changes that have recently taken place in life and embrace many more to come. In fact, I'm in need of another change quite soon.
One thing I have noticed in the past few months is how my view on time has significantly changed compared to my waiting days. I wanted those days to move incredibly fast and wanted to for each day to pass by before it really began. Now... I'm clutching on to slow days and wanting the hours to creep by ever so slowly. I have taken a liking to not rushing from one moment to the next... instead I like to watch the clouds pass by, look at my hibisucs plant sprout new growth, and craft breads that take hours to proof and bake. I'm dabbing into new hobbies, reading more about everything of my interests, fortifying my strengths and developing my weaknesses. I'm realizing what it is to become an adult. Becoming my own person. I have a new name and a new beginning. I'm realizing my worth as a woman, a cook, and a wife. I have been blessed with many gifts and talents, of which, I'm just now seeing the full potential. I'm bound to do great things... if I will only let myself and not subcumb to my fears. I'm living for me and that makes me the happiest.
Life is moving on... and I'm loving every minute of it.
One thing I have noticed in the past few months is how my view on time has significantly changed compared to my waiting days. I wanted those days to move incredibly fast and wanted to for each day to pass by before it really began. Now... I'm clutching on to slow days and wanting the hours to creep by ever so slowly. I have taken a liking to not rushing from one moment to the next... instead I like to watch the clouds pass by, look at my hibisucs plant sprout new growth, and craft breads that take hours to proof and bake. I'm dabbing into new hobbies, reading more about everything of my interests, fortifying my strengths and developing my weaknesses. I'm realizing what it is to become an adult. Becoming my own person. I have a new name and a new beginning. I'm realizing my worth as a woman, a cook, and a wife. I have been blessed with many gifts and talents, of which, I'm just now seeing the full potential. I'm bound to do great things... if I will only let myself and not subcumb to my fears. I'm living for me and that makes me the happiest.
Life is moving on... and I'm loving every minute of it.
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Saturday, February 11, 2012
After the Trial of Faith
It's been FOR-EV-er since I have been able to post for you darling blog stalkers of mine. Wedding planning is quite the second job to take up... I'm so glad to have one job once more. However, this whole process has been an amazing learning experience and truly has become a window into our souls. I have truly learned how much he loves me and how willing he is to do anything for me. How anxious he is to make me happy and how that joy fuels any and everything he has in his life. My fiance has truly been an amazing blessing in my life. Waiting for him was worth every tear shed, worry eever worried, and heart race experienced.
In the beginning of my engagement, I was soooo worried if I had made the right decision; if marriage was really what was right for me and for us. This is one choice that must not be taken lightly and I was worrying myself sick over it. Over time though, with Taylor's patience, love, and understanding, I began to finally see that this trial was a blessing in disguise. The past month and a half have really brought me closer to my Father in Heaven and to my Sweetheart. I've learned what path was right for me and to be confident in the choices I have made. Things have unnaturally fallen into place as far as wedding planning has gone; bargains have been reached, deals have been found, favors have been extended... it's been incredible.
Taylor has been a very active participant in wedding planning since I work full time; it has been amazing what that has done for me. We had begun to worry that he wasn't working for the past 2 1/2 months since he's been home and how are we going to afford to live together after the wedding if he doesn't work?! but we have come to learn that we needed to trust in the Lord that if getting married was what we needed to do, that all would work out. And today... Taylor is starting work! I can't even begin to get used to all of the blessings we've been given but it's been a testament to my faith and the placement of it.
I am truly the luckiest girl in the world to have the fiance that I do have. He has been an angel in my life and I don't know where I'd be without him. Less than a month until I become his wife for time and eternity... I don't know how I was deemed worthy of this but I'm liking this!
Friday, December 23, 2011
How He Did It!
FINALLY I'm able to sit down and tell you fabulous readers how it happened. How Taylor finally asked me to marry him. I'm going to juggle typing out the story, eating my breakfast, and getting ready for church. So here we go!
The date was 12/22/11, a beautiful Thursday day date that he had spent an entire week planning and was so excited for, I was too! I had a tiny inkling in my mind that this was going to be the day and I had no idea what to expect. I was late gettting off of work (about an hour) and I rushed changing and heading over to his house. We drove off to a trail we had hiked before about 2 1/2 years ago during the summer; we hiked maybe a 1/6 of the way up the trail when he had us sit down on a rock and watch this amazing sunset! He pulled out two To-Go Nutella snacks and it was like having a dinner and a show. He took some amazing pictures of the sunset and us and we headed back as soon as we couldn't see the sun behind the mountains. Our next stop was to Carl's Jr. to have a delicious burger seeing as how I hadn't eaten since early that morning. Once that delicious burger was in my face, we went off to our next activity: bowling! The first bowling alley we went to was booked until 9:45 but he needed a lane sooner than that; we drove about 15 mintues to the next bowling alley and only bowled one game... in which he beat me barely. All of these things we were doing brought back so many memories of when we first started dating and I loved being able to relive them and just be with him that night.
Our last and final destination remained a secret to me... it was driving me crazy! We sang in the car along to songs from a playlist on his iPod that contained all of "our songs" We parked and started walking briskly to a destination that I was soon about to find out. Finally I saw signs for the Phoenix Zoon Lights. I was so excited since I had never been to see them and I LOVE seeing Christmas lights. It was a cold night and we walked close to each other all bundled up in jackets and hats. We walked around the zoo and saw these beautiful lights. By this time I was thinking when is he going to ask me?! what the heck?! but I enjoyed every minute of being with him and pushed my impatient thoughts to the side. Finally he convinced me to sit down so that we could watch a group of trees "dance" with lights to music; we sat by the lake and watched the lights. He asked me if my feet were hurting at all and I said a little... so he took off one of my socks and shoes and began to rub my feet right there. After a minute he looked at me and asked if I was having a good night and I said I was. He then asked "what are you doing every night for the rest of your life?" Then he got down on one knee and awkwardly {but very cutely} took the ring box out of his pocket and asked "Marlee Michelle, will you marry me?"
OF COURSE I said yes.... hello! I was beaming after he had asked and we hugged the whole rest of the night. I'm finally an engaged woman. I'm finally marrying my best friend and am so excited to spend the rest of eternity with him. I couldn't be happier!
Marriage date:
March 10th, 2012
Sunday, December 18, 2011
THE Reunion
Hey my wonderful readers! Over a week has past since the big even happened and I feel it's now time {rather, I actually have time} to blog about it. Aaaaand I have a surprise for you all!! My wonderful man that I waited for is going to help me tell the story!!! {hi TJ!} My narrative shall be in regular type and his shall be in italics. Say hi Honey...HI!
He will talk lots more I promise! On to the story of the blessed day of December 8th, 2011.
First of all, let me say how honored I am to be able to participate in the writing of this, the story of stories {for us, anyway}. Aside from all the days and weeks and months preceeding Dec. 8th, in which I HIGHLY anticipated meeting this girl at the temple for the first time in two years, I think a definite beginning came the night before, as I realized, "Holy Moses, I'm going to see her TOMORROW. ONE MORE DAY." I was still on the missionary clock so I had to lay that thought aside for a bit. Needless to say, the thought wouldn't give up and came to me many a time between then and the next night.
I slept less-than-restfully (but was more than happy to lose sleep over the occasion). Woke up, piled into the van with the other soon-to-be RM's to go to the airport, checked in, etc...flew to Atlanta, and had to say goodbye to two best friends before they left to wait at their gate. I felt a bit of sorrow saying goodbye because I knew I was saying goodbye, little by little, to the most important thing I'd ever done...but then had a bit of alone time to imagine her to whom I'd soon say hello. I waited less-than-patiently on the 4-hr flight to Phoenix, got to see Mom&Family, and (of course) secretly missed someone I wished I could be seeing. "Just a few hours away," I told myself. "She waited for me...We've made it...just a few hours longer."
Meanwhile.... I was increasingly becoming more and more a nervous wreck because MY MAN WAS COMING HOME!!!! I thankfully was able to sleep the night before by staying up late watching CSI:NY with my dad. I woke up a bit early in the morning and headed to the temple to do baptisms one last time before Taylor came home. Much to my dismay... the temple was closed! Whaaaaa?! Yeah... I was not happy in the least bit. I ended up walking around the temple nearly freezing and drove myself back to the house and changed into street clothes. After I had changed, I had to get my Rachel {my lovely car... why have I not posted about her yet?!} cleaned so that she wouldn't be a righteous mess when she and Taylor were introduced. Once she was washed, I headed to the mall to try to do some shopping... key word is try here... I ended up just walking around the mall for close to 2 hours, while being constantly texted by loving and supportive friends {especially Kendahl}. It was so odd to think that I was no longer counting down the days but the hours until I would be seeing him again! As each minute passed, the realization of my dreams for the past 2 years was setting in and I became more and more anxious to see him already.
1:18pm HE LANDED!!!!!!!!!!! or so I thought... nevertheless I got a mass amount of texts informing me of what time it was and what that time meant... How could I not know?! I had become a master time counter over the past year, I knew what time it was! But I appreciated everyones excitement! Once I felt that sufficient time had been wasted walking around the mall... I decided to make my way back to the house while stopping off at a few stores to pick up a few things {this time I for real shopped}. Once I was home... I began to freak out a bit. A lot actually... and decided to do my hair. Which only took me like 45 minutes to do... and I still had 5 more hours to go before he was released. What. the. heck! Thankfully, Kendahl never ceased to text me that entire day. I read my scriptures a bit and took a slight nap... but that was to no avail since people kept texting me congrats... ugh!
Around 5pm, a dear mutual friend of Taylor and I said that she was on her way with another friend to help me get ready. My butterflies were coming up out of my stomach and I could not keep still. I just wanted to see him already!!!! You'd think after 2 years, I would have the patience of a saint... HA! My two friends came over and started putting my face on. I was all nerves and was afraid my friend was going to poke my eye out with eyeliner from me trying to keep still. Out of nowhere, one of my friends ran over to me with my phone in my hand and it was vibrating... someone was calling. I saw his glorious face on the caller id and said ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh!!!!!!!!!!! Yeah.... legit freaking out was finally happening! I answered and his mom's voice was on the other line saying she was calling in behalf of Taylor. I just about lost it. I didn't care really why she was calling because I knew why, I was just so happy to know she was calling for him. She wanted to make sure that I was still good to meet at the temple. I had to control myself from exuberantly exclaiming OF COURSE!!!! so what came out was "yeah I was still planning on going over there after he's released." She said that he would call me after he was released to give me the go. After we hung up, I had to pause the face-putting-on since tears were starting to make their way... and lets be honest, I had waterproof eyeliner AND mascara but I was taking no chances! It was really happening! Holy freaking cow!
Finishing touches were done on the face and hair and I then changed into the outfit I had planned for about a year in advance {us MG's do that type of thing... we're kinda excited for this day}. Everything looked great and I felt totally spoiled and a bag of nerves at the same time... at least I was a great looking bag of nerves. The girls decided to head to Arbys to kill time before the call... I hate Arbys. 'Nough about that. The fries I hungrily scarfed down were only because I had not eaten a single thing that day. I was grossed out... but whtvr. My right state of mind had been checked out a long time ago that day. After they were finished eating, we made our way to the temple thinking we could just hang out at the Visitors Center and wait for the call. We were 30 seconds from a parking space when.... THE BLESSED CALL CAME!!!!!!!! Hallelujah! His beautiful voice filled my ears and I almost dropped my phone. "Hey Honey. This is Eld... I mean Brother Brady." I kept saying ohmygosh over and over again on the phone... I was talking to him in real time! I didn't have to wait months for a reply on a tape cassette... I was talking to him on the phone. He told me that he had just been released and was on his way to the temple.
We finally parked in the parking lot across from the temple grounds and I immediately jumped out of the car. I had to wait for my friends to get situated and finally I asked one if I could go already and she said yes. I was off! In my boots, I still outwalked two girls taller than me. I was a woman on a mission to see her man! Nothing was going to hold me back. It was sinking in more now than ever that I was actually going to be seeing him. This figment of my imagination was becoming a reality once again.
I was relieved when I found out I'd be released at 7:15...plenty of time to go see my Marlee before the end of the night. Everything went perfectly...A few hours with the family, a bit of unpacking, return and report with the stake president, and then...I grabbed the keys (real smooth driving my mom's car) and made the call. I couldn't help but sigh as I heard her try to control herself on the phone, knowing how happy she was. Best day of my life, so far :) Then I was off. I suddenly had a bone to pick with whoever established the city speed limits, but got there at last. After a short walk, I finally saw her...extatic, beautiful...I felt on the inside the way she looked on the outside. She ran to me, I threw my arms around her & pickerd her up, and just like that, we were done waiting.
He will talk lots more I promise! On to the story of the blessed day of December 8th, 2011.
First of all, let me say how honored I am to be able to participate in the writing of this, the story of stories {for us, anyway}. Aside from all the days and weeks and months preceeding Dec. 8th, in which I HIGHLY anticipated meeting this girl at the temple for the first time in two years, I think a definite beginning came the night before, as I realized, "Holy Moses, I'm going to see her TOMORROW. ONE MORE DAY." I was still on the missionary clock so I had to lay that thought aside for a bit. Needless to say, the thought wouldn't give up and came to me many a time between then and the next night.
I slept less-than-restfully (but was more than happy to lose sleep over the occasion). Woke up, piled into the van with the other soon-to-be RM's to go to the airport, checked in, etc...flew to Atlanta, and had to say goodbye to two best friends before they left to wait at their gate. I felt a bit of sorrow saying goodbye because I knew I was saying goodbye, little by little, to the most important thing I'd ever done...but then had a bit of alone time to imagine her to whom I'd soon say hello. I waited less-than-patiently on the 4-hr flight to Phoenix, got to see Mom&Family, and (of course) secretly missed someone I wished I could be seeing. "Just a few hours away," I told myself. "She waited for me...We've made it...just a few hours longer."
Meanwhile.... I was increasingly becoming more and more a nervous wreck because MY MAN WAS COMING HOME!!!! I thankfully was able to sleep the night before by staying up late watching CSI:NY with my dad. I woke up a bit early in the morning and headed to the temple to do baptisms one last time before Taylor came home. Much to my dismay... the temple was closed! Whaaaaa?! Yeah... I was not happy in the least bit. I ended up walking around the temple nearly freezing and drove myself back to the house and changed into street clothes. After I had changed, I had to get my Rachel {my lovely car... why have I not posted about her yet?!} cleaned so that she wouldn't be a righteous mess when she and Taylor were introduced. Once she was washed, I headed to the mall to try to do some shopping... key word is try here... I ended up just walking around the mall for close to 2 hours, while being constantly texted by loving and supportive friends {especially Kendahl}. It was so odd to think that I was no longer counting down the days but the hours until I would be seeing him again! As each minute passed, the realization of my dreams for the past 2 years was setting in and I became more and more anxious to see him already.
1:18pm HE LANDED!!!!!!!!!!! or so I thought... nevertheless I got a mass amount of texts informing me of what time it was and what that time meant... How could I not know?! I had become a master time counter over the past year, I knew what time it was! But I appreciated everyones excitement! Once I felt that sufficient time had been wasted walking around the mall... I decided to make my way back to the house while stopping off at a few stores to pick up a few things {this time I for real shopped}. Once I was home... I began to freak out a bit. A lot actually... and decided to do my hair. Which only took me like 45 minutes to do... and I still had 5 more hours to go before he was released. What. the. heck! Thankfully, Kendahl never ceased to text me that entire day. I read my scriptures a bit and took a slight nap... but that was to no avail since people kept texting me congrats... ugh!
Around 5pm, a dear mutual friend of Taylor and I said that she was on her way with another friend to help me get ready. My butterflies were coming up out of my stomach and I could not keep still. I just wanted to see him already!!!! You'd think after 2 years, I would have the patience of a saint... HA! My two friends came over and started putting my face on. I was all nerves and was afraid my friend was going to poke my eye out with eyeliner from me trying to keep still. Out of nowhere, one of my friends ran over to me with my phone in my hand and it was vibrating... someone was calling. I saw his glorious face on the caller id and said ohmygoshohmygoshohmygosh!!!!!!!!!!! Yeah.... legit freaking out was finally happening! I answered and his mom's voice was on the other line saying she was calling in behalf of Taylor. I just about lost it. I didn't care really why she was calling because I knew why, I was just so happy to know she was calling for him. She wanted to make sure that I was still good to meet at the temple. I had to control myself from exuberantly exclaiming OF COURSE!!!! so what came out was "yeah I was still planning on going over there after he's released." She said that he would call me after he was released to give me the go. After we hung up, I had to pause the face-putting-on since tears were starting to make their way... and lets be honest, I had waterproof eyeliner AND mascara but I was taking no chances! It was really happening! Holy freaking cow!
Finishing touches were done on the face and hair and I then changed into the outfit I had planned for about a year in advance {us MG's do that type of thing... we're kinda excited for this day}. Everything looked great and I felt totally spoiled and a bag of nerves at the same time... at least I was a great looking bag of nerves. The girls decided to head to Arbys to kill time before the call... I hate Arbys. 'Nough about that. The fries I hungrily scarfed down were only because I had not eaten a single thing that day. I was grossed out... but whtvr. My right state of mind had been checked out a long time ago that day. After they were finished eating, we made our way to the temple thinking we could just hang out at the Visitors Center and wait for the call. We were 30 seconds from a parking space when.... THE BLESSED CALL CAME!!!!!!!! Hallelujah! His beautiful voice filled my ears and I almost dropped my phone. "Hey Honey. This is Eld... I mean Brother Brady." I kept saying ohmygosh over and over again on the phone... I was talking to him in real time! I didn't have to wait months for a reply on a tape cassette... I was talking to him on the phone. He told me that he had just been released and was on his way to the temple.
We finally parked in the parking lot across from the temple grounds and I immediately jumped out of the car. I had to wait for my friends to get situated and finally I asked one if I could go already and she said yes. I was off! In my boots, I still outwalked two girls taller than me. I was a woman on a mission to see her man! Nothing was going to hold me back. It was sinking in more now than ever that I was actually going to be seeing him. This figment of my imagination was becoming a reality once again.
I was relieved when I found out I'd be released at 7:15...plenty of time to go see my Marlee before the end of the night. Everything went perfectly...A few hours with the family, a bit of unpacking, return and report with the stake president, and then...I grabbed the keys (real smooth driving my mom's car) and made the call. I couldn't help but sigh as I heard her try to control herself on the phone, knowing how happy she was. Best day of my life, so far :) Then I was off. I suddenly had a bone to pick with whoever established the city speed limits, but got there at last. After a short walk, I finally saw her...extatic, beautiful...I felt on the inside the way she looked on the outside. She ran to me, I threw my arms around her & pickerd her up, and just like that, we were done waiting.
I got to the place where we agreed we'd meet and had to wait... ever more patiently to see him. We had no idea which side he would come from and my phone was going off the hook! My friends were taking test shots to get the lighting and settings right on the camera and I just rocked back and forth. I kept saying ohmygoshohmyogoshohmygoshohmygosh and trying not to freak out too terribly. Those 10 minutes had been the longest 10 minutes I had ever waited during the entire 2 years. I needed to see him as soon as possible. Suddenly, I looked to my right past two pillars and saw his shillouette... I had not forgotten what his walk looked like after all this time. My soul filled with delight and inexpressible joy as I saw the man I had waited for come my way. He looked amazing! He looked no longer like the boy I had fallen for over 2 1/2 years ago but he now looked like the man I had grown together with 2,000 miles away. The man I had become even better best friends with and grown even more deeply in love with over the 2 years was coming home to me. I began to walk to him and thought "why are you not running?!!!" So I began to run and I jumped into those arms that had been my support and protection for so long; the arms I had longed to be in for 736 days. I said to him "you're real! Oh my gosh! You're real!" He whispered back "Yes I am! I am never letting your feet touch the ground ever again." I hung there close to his body soaking in the moment that he was home at last. He was really... really home. Once I was back on the ground, I buried my face into his chest and cried tears of complete joy. My best friend was back and he was all mine. My friend continued to take pictures and Taylor kept saying "I love you" and "you are even more beautiful! How did this happen?!" (I was freaking out when I saw how good she looked ;) But soon much more cconcerned with just being able to hold her.) We finally pulled from each others embrace and kissed. Our first kiss in 2 years! How I had missed those lips {2 minute club ladies ;)}. Taylor then said hi to our friends while still holding on to me... we were now fused at the hip, never to leave each others side. We decided to walk around the temple grounds and look at the lights but... I honestly was not looking at the lights. I still couldn't believe I was holding his hand and looking at his face. We would stop and look at each other and just look into the other's eyes and live in the moment. We made our way to the Visitor's Center and listened to the Christus presentation; I had both arms wrapped around his arm and sat as close to him as possible. He was finally home...
After the presentation, we went to Dairy Queen for hot chocolate and blizzards. We all walked back to the cars, Taylor and I hand in hand, stealing glances from one another and getting to know one another again. Taylor and I went back to his house to pick up my last ever letter and he drove me back home. Saying goodbye that night was the hardest... I had just gotten my Honey back... and now I had to say goodbye again?! You kidding me?! Oh well... I did... and I was too excited to see him again the next day and the day after.... and many days after!
Life with him back home has been an adjustment but a wonderful adjustment. I have a man who insists on taking care of me endlessly and loves me unconditionally. Taylor was quite mature when he left for the mission but he turned into a real man by the time he came home. Our relationship has even more depth to it and we have a truer and deeper lasting love for one another. Waiting for Taylor Jordan Brady was the best decision I have ever made! They really do come home and it really is as if he never left! As we were at the temple the following Sunday, it really hit me how it feels so natural to be with him again and how everything is how it was before... only better! I do not regret a single moment I spent waiting for him because of all that I had learned during that time. The Lord knew who he would become at the end of the mission and I'm so grateful for the divine support I had felt during my hard times while waiting. He was definitely worth the wait and I would do it all over again!
After the presentation, we went to Dairy Queen for hot chocolate and blizzards. We all walked back to the cars, Taylor and I hand in hand, stealing glances from one another and getting to know one another again. Taylor and I went back to his house to pick up my last ever letter and he drove me back home. Saying goodbye that night was the hardest... I had just gotten my Honey back... and now I had to say goodbye again?! You kidding me?! Oh well... I did... and I was too excited to see him again the next day and the day after.... and many days after!
Life with him back home has been an adjustment but a wonderful adjustment. I have a man who insists on taking care of me endlessly and loves me unconditionally. Taylor was quite mature when he left for the mission but he turned into a real man by the time he came home. Our relationship has even more depth to it and we have a truer and deeper lasting love for one another. Waiting for Taylor Jordan Brady was the best decision I have ever made! They really do come home and it really is as if he never left! As we were at the temple the following Sunday, it really hit me how it feels so natural to be with him again and how everything is how it was before... only better! I do not regret a single moment I spent waiting for him because of all that I had learned during that time. The Lord knew who he would become at the end of the mission and I'm so grateful for the divine support I had felt during my hard times while waiting. He was definitely worth the wait and I would do it all over again!
Thursday, December 8, 2011
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