So many people have been asking the following questions:

Why are you waiting until April to get married?

It is most important to Jody and myself that we plan for a “marriage” and not just a wedding. Therefore, we feel April gives us the best amount of time to prepare for this lifelong commitment together.

What do you need all that preparation time for you ask?

Here are a few of the many plans we have to be intentional with the next few months:

Counseling
This is such a vital part of the premarital journey. We are blessed to have been counseled through pre-engagement by a wonderful couple from our church. Further counseling includes meeting weekly with another incredible married couple who are dear friends of ours. Finally we will take the Premarital Class at Redeemer Church that will walk through the book Sacred Marriage.

The purpose of all this counseling is to prepare our hearts, minds, and spiritual lives to glorify God in marriage. We believe this is exactly what God wants us to do and we are really enjoying the learning process of what a marriage centered on Christ should look like.

House Plans
On April 10, 2010 we will officially move in together as husband and wife to Jody’s house. This is yet another reason why April is such good timing for us. Jody has lived in this house several years while he “waited patiently for God to bring him the woman He wanted him to marry” (his words). Therefore we are in full swing of making it “Our House”.

Plans include paint, installing wood floors, granite in the kitchen, and new cabinet color, new paint in the bedroom and best of all building our new life together!

We got the idea for using an old iron fence as our headboard for our new bed in Fredericksburg during a recent visit. Luckily Jody's mom, Linda, had the perfect one at her antique shop! We can’t wait to wake up together every morning as husband and wife!!!!

Continuing to Date
We see this time of engagement as a beautiful, one of a kind gift from God. We feel this time is best used getting to know the millions of details about each other and seeking to glorify the Lord by growing in knowledge and relationship with Him.

And Planning for This Little Thing on 04/10/10
Lastly, we are planning a wedding. There is much to do, but with the help of amazing friends, family, and a wedding/design specialist Sarah O’Neill we have it under control.

We are so blessed to have these next few months before we become husband and wife. We can’t wait to be married, but have committed to making the most of this time to plan for our wonderful life together!