Christian's Birth Story - Chapter 4 ... Then Comes Marriage...

In November 2011, the young man invited the young girl to fly home with him to New York to spend Thanksgiving with his family. The young girl was very nervous! What if the young man's family didn't like her? Would he still want to marry her? The young man reassured her that his family would love her and he would still want to marry her no matter what! 

The young man and the young girl flew in to New York and spent some time with the young man's family and then they took a special trip to New York City for a night! The young girl was so excited! They were planning to not only explore the city, but they were also going to get to go ice skating at Rockefeller Center! The young girl had dreamed of doing this ever since she was a junior in high school. 

The couple had an early morning flight so they would have a full day in the city. After taking the subway, doing some walking, and finally hailing a taxi, the couple made it to their hotel where they freshened up and headed out to do some exploring and grab lunch before heading to the ice rink. 

All day the young man kept having to make trips to the bathroom and the young girl was starting to worry that he wasn't feeling well but was just too embarrassed to tell her. Then, when they sat down to eat lunch, the young man only took a few bites of his hamburger before saying he wasn't hungry after all. Now the young girl was concerned and even told the young man that they didn't have to go ice skating if he wasn't feeling well. The young man reassured her that he was okay and they could definitely still go ice skating and they headed to the rink. 

When the couple arrived to the rink, there was a really long line, but the young man had told the young girl that their hotel had given them special passes. Luckily, the passes allowed them to bypass the line. "How cool is that!?!" the young girl thought, thinking nothing of it.

The 2 then got their skates and made their way to the ice. They skated and rested off and on. The young man even pointed out to the young girl that they were filming the skating and the young girl jokingly mentioned that they must remember her from when she was on the Today Show while in New York in high school and came to film her again! Little did the girl know, but they were there to film HER! And the young man had actually been making so many trips to the bathroom to adjust his microphone for the filming!

After awhile, it was time for the skating session to end and there was an announcement made to clear the ice. The young man suggested they grab a quick photo as they had wanted to get a picture for their Christmas cards. The girl agreed, but then the young man suggested one of the rink workers take their picture while they were skating around. The rink was getting pretty empty by this point and the young girl was starting to get embarrassed. Then, the couple's song started to play! "What a coincidence!" the girl thought and decided maybe it would be okay if they skated a little bit longer since no one was yelling at them yet and it was their song after all. 

Eventually the young man skated the young girl to the center of the rink and took the young girl by both hands. The young girl was thinking that this was not going to make a very cute pose for their Christmas card and was about to tell the young man this when he firmly said her name... "Chandelle." 

It all of a sudden hit the young girl! The young man was proposing NOW! Not at Christmas! Next thing she knew, the young man was pouring out his heart to her, telling her that he couldn't wait to hear their first baby cry (and many other sweet things) and then got down on one knee and asked her to marry him! She of course said "Yes!"

Oh...and I forgot to mention...the young boy had contacted match.com to see if anyone might be able to help tape the proposal since the couple wouldn't be near their family. Match.com suggested the young man contact The Ultimate Proposal instead, so he did. And they not only came and filmed the entire proposal which then aired in an online show on yahoo, but they also flew out the couple's parents and the young girl's best friend! They even tried to get Hunter Haye's to come sing 'Wanted' for the proposal, but he was already booked. 

And the story continues.... 

Video of Our Proposal 

Christian's Birth Story - Chapter 3 ... First Comes Love...

Now that the young girl lived so much closer to the young boy, they started to see each other nearly every day! In October, the young man went to the young girl's hometown for the weekend to make a special fall trip to Copper Falls with the young girl's cousin. 

This wasn't the young man's first time meeting the young girl's parents, but it was his first time in her hometown. The young girl new she was falling in love with this young man, but seeing him with her family and in her hometown and realizing how perfectly he fit into her life, she started to see that she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him! Not only that, but seeing the young man with the young girl's cousin's baby boy, really sealed the deal! But it had only been 4 months since they met! Little did the young girl know, but the young boy was thinking the same thing! 

By the time the 2 were half way home from their visit to Wisconsin, the young man knew what he had to do! He was planning to take the next week to really think and pray through things but he was almost certain that he needed to ask this girl to marry him! 

The night after the 2 returned to Minnesota, the young girl found herself in tears at the young man's house telling him that she was scared because she could see herself marrying him! To her relief, the young man shared that he felt the same way! He then asked if it would be too soon for her if he were to propose within the next few months and the young girl said she was ready! Who cared what people would think. When you know, you know! 

The proposal plans were then underway and the young man did not do things half way! The young girl was certain that they would be engaged on Christmas :) The anticipation was great! 

And the story continues... 

At our first football game (a local high school game)

Passing my first "test" on a date to the race track. I passed! :) 

Double date to the pumpkin patch

My strong man!

Playing in the corn pit

Hay ride!

Homecoming football game at my Alma Mater - UW-River Falls

Walk around Lake Calhoun after our 4 month anniversary dinner

Visiting Copper Falls...where we realized we were the "the one" for each other!

Watching this man with cute little Blakers melted my heart! I couldn't wait to see him with our own baby someday!

Our first "family" photo with puppy Baxter on our way home to Minnesota

Christian's Birth Story - Chapter 2 ... Mommy and Daddy Meet!

The young girl attended seminary for one full year. Through that entire year, the young girl was praying and asking God to make another plan. She offered up several other "options" but knew that seminary was where God had wanted her to be, but she wasn't sure why because she deeply felt called to someday get married and be a stay at home mom...not to be a Marriage and Family Therapist.

While in seminary, the young girl was living in a new area and looking to build a friend group closer to her new home and church. She decided the best way to do this might be to connect with a small group at her church and began attending a women's group through Substance Church. The group was made up of all single ladies in their 20s. After a few weeks of attending the group, the young girl was starting to feel unsure about her ability to relate and connect with these girls. Every week they would take pictures for their "online dating profiles" and talk about their dating lives. Maybe this should have been a sign that this wasn't a group where the young girl would grow spiritually, but God had her there for a reason! She just didn't know it yet! So, the young girl decided why not join an online dating site too!

In the middle of May 2011, the young girl signed up for match.com. After about a week or 2, the young girl received a "wink" from the young man and then young girl decided to "wink" back. However, she later decided she maybe wasn't interested in the young man and sent him a "not interested" reply. For some reason, though, the young man never got this message! Instead he ended up sending the young girl a "VIP message". On match.com, "VIP" stands for "Very Interested Person" and each member only gets one of these messages to send to a match each week. The young man had chosen the young girl to send his ONE message to for the week!

Since the young man had chosen the young girl for this special message, she decided she would respond and just see where things would go. It turned out that they had a lot in common and this young man who looked like a true "player" in all his pictures was actually seeming to be genuine and sweet!

After almost a month of messaging back and forth, becoming friends on facebook and exchanging numbers to text, the young man invited the young girl to dinner. The young girl felt that was too formal and shot him down. Instead she suggested they do something more informal...like go to the horse races at Canterbury Park!

The young girl almsot didn't show up that day, but luckily a friend talked her into it. She was a bit late, though (20-40 minutes depending on who you ask...). Both the young man and the young girl really enjoyed themselves on the date and planned to go out again. However, it ended up being almost a full month later before date #2!

The young girl was starting to think that the young man wasn't really interested in her and the young man thought the young girl was maybe out of his league and not interested in him! On their second date, the young girl DRILLED the young man with many questions and wasn't completely satisfied with some of his answers. After the date was over, the young girl continued to pray asking God what He had for the 2 of them and she continued to hear "trust me".

By the end of the summer, the young girl had finally found an open door to leave seminary! Within 2 weeks she accepted a full time job as an Employment Counselor and moved within 30 miles of the young man who had also moved by this point and bought his own townhome! They were no longer an hour apart!

Things really started to take off in their relationship and by August the young man had told his grandma that he was going to marry the young girl some day. The young girl is a little slow, though, and it wasn't until September that she even knew that she and the young man were officially a couple!

The young girl was so happy and often found herself in tears over how blessed and happy she was at this point in her life. Could things get any better!??!

And the story continues....

 On our 3rd date to Country Jam in Wisconsin

At the Minnesota State Fair September 2011...the day we DTR'd and I finally realized we had been "dating"

Monday Madness

{The Weather}::: Hot and steamy the past few days! But looks like it should be cooling off a bit. I was dripping in sweat just standing outside talking to our neighbor tonight! 

P.S. I'm done being in denial that it's summer :) 

{What's Cooking?}:::

• Monday - Cheesy Broccoli Quinoa and Chicken (we honestly weren't really fans of the cheesy broccoli quinoa and I won't be making it again... 
• Tuesday - Kraft Fresh Take Chicken Mix and Salads (we love these! Super easy and yummy! Find them in the dairy aisle)
• Wednesday - Hubby is finally getting his BBQ ribs again with corn on the cob! Coupons.com has had a coupon for $2 off Lloyd's BBQ Ribs and they are DELICIOUS! 
• Thursday - Pigs in a Blanket and Green Beans (something easy and quick before small group!)
• Friday - Grilled Cheeseburger Wraps (we LOVE these! Yummy! I use ground turkey, though)
• Saturday - Chicken Parmesan Wraps 
• Sunday - Turkey Burgers and Corn on the Cob

{Weight Loss}::: 

Amount lost this week: +.8 Yep...that's a GAIN :( But not bad for a holiday week so I'll take it! Back on track this week with Weight Watchers for Nursing moms

Total lost so far: 29.2 pounds

Amount to goal: 16.8 pounds

This week's goal: Lose 2 pounds and go to the gym at least 2 times and walk at least 2 times

• Back to following Weight Watchers for Nursing Moms. I could have technically stayed on plan last week even with my bad eating. Weight Watchers for Nursing Moms allows for flex points each week in addition to the ability to earn extra points for working out. However, between managing a baby and our extra crazy holiday schedule last week, I didn't really take the time to stay on plan :( Ooops! Back on track this week, though! 
• Still enjoying the gym and starting to feel like I'm finding my abs again! Love the ab machines at the gym! Still taking it slow, though, so I don't get injured...AND so I keep enjoying myself and therefore keep wanting to work out :) 

{Things I Hope to Accomplish}:::

1. Make final finishing touches on baby book. One month info is all filled in and just need to add some pictures! 
2. Continue working on Christian's birth story...Chapters 2 plus! Or maybe just continue with getting the new blog running!
3. Clean 
4. Laundry 
5. Grocery Shopping 

{Weekly Appointments}::: 

• Monday - Coupon Day
• Tuesday - Grocery Shopping Day
• Wednesday - Lunch with Daddy and then our LAST New Mama Class
• Thursday - Cleaning Day and Small Group
• Friday -  6 week follow up Doctor appointment for mommy! Laundry Day and Movie in the Park family night 
• Saturday - Daddy and Christian are headed to a New Dad's Class so...I get to sleep in!?! Then Jim works at church at night
• Sunday - Jim works at church then relaxing family time in the afternoon

Hope your week is off to a great start!

HAPPY MONDAY! 

Happy Fourth of July!

Somebody had a lot of fun for his first 4th of July! 

Poor little guy barely napped all day because we kept him so busy! 

We started the day off with a 4th of July Parade in Apple Valley. We didn't quite make it through the entire thing (LONGEST. Parade. Ever.) Christian was getting pretty hot even stripped down to his diaper. And let's just say, cuddling with a baby as he is nursing under a nursing cover is VERY toasty! Bring on the air conditioning!! 

After the parade, we headed to a 4th of July Festival in Eagan. It was basically a fair, but very small and not too exciting. But we did enjoy some not so healthy fair food :) 

Finally, we ended the night right by heading to Fireworks! 

1. We asked an audiologist (who just happens to be a member of our church small group) if the noise would be safe for his very sensitive ears...it was :) 

2. We thought he might sleep through them...he didn't.

3. We thought if he didn't sleep through them he might be startled by the sound and cry...making us leave the fireworks. He didn't :) (we also sat pretty far from all the action, which may have helped)

He actually seemed to be watching them! So we had a very enjoyable first 4th of July as a little family! 

Christian's Birth Story - Chapter 1 ... The Beginning

Once upon a time, long, long ago (about 6 years...), in a land far, far away (Wisconsin), lived a young girl. The young girl dreamed of one day becoming a teacher, but deep down she really dreamed of becoming a wife and mommy! 

The young girl was a student in her second year of college at UW-River Falls. She was going to school to become a Kindergarten teacher, but everyone teased her that she was really trying to earn her "MRS Degree". The young girl would often pray that she would meet a young boy and fall madly in love, get married and start a family right away...or at least by the time she graduated. 

By her second year of college, the young girl was becoming quite discouraged. She had met plenty of nice boys while in school, but none of them seemed to be "the one" and time was running out! She only had 2 years left to meet Mr. Right, fall madly in love and live happily ever after! 

The young girl then realized that she wasn't in control of this situation...God was and she trusted that He had a perfect plan for her life, whether that included marriage and babies or not. The young girl decided to make the most of this season of her life and thought maybe she should start writing to her future potential husband (if God would have her marry) and also to start praying for him. 

The young girl would often think about who her husband might be and what he might be doing at that exact moment in time. Was he thinking of her? Did she already know him? If not, when and how would they meet? She would write letters to him about all that she was doing and tell him that she was thinking of him. She would also pray that God would be guiding his life and leading them together, preparing their hearts for each other. 

Little did the young girl know, but while she was praying for her future husband, a young man was being led by God to become that man someday. 

The young man also lived in a land far, far away (New York). How would these 2 ever possibly meet, you ask? Well, the young man from New York had started working as a seasonal employee at Best Buy several years earlier while he was still in High School. Guess where Best Buy Corporate is located? You got it! Minnesota! Still not following? Don't worry, you'll catch on. 

The young man was a very hard working and determined young man. He was attending online classes in Business and continuing to move his way up at Best Buy. He had now made his way from Part Time Seasonal Sales Associate to Full Time Sales Associate to Supervisor and finally Assistant Store Manager. At this point, the young man knew that he someday wanted to be married and was actively dating, but none of these girls ever seemed to be "the one". 

Then one day, the young man had the opportunity to visit Best Buy Corporate in Minnesota for a work project meeting. Shortly after one of his many visits, he was offered a job as Systems Capability Specialist at the Corporate Office! He was moving to Minnesota!

So what ever happened to the young girl? Was she still in Wisconsin? How would she meet this young man? 

Around this same time, the young girl was graduating from college. She was no longer going to be a teacher, however. She had changed her major to something more broad to allow for more opportunity and received a degree in Communication. As she graduated, the young girl found herself even more discouraged as she had not yet earned her "MRS Degree" and Mr. Right was still out there yet to be found...if she would ever find him at all. Little did she know, but he was about to make his grand arrival in Minnesota...as was she! 

Being from a small town in Wisconsin of about 1400 people, the young girl hoped to move on to bigger and better places that held more opportunity. Since jobs were more available in Minnesota, and she hoped to start seminary there in the fall, the young girl moved to Stillwater and took a job as a nanny knowing that she could only afford her first month's rent. She was heavily relying on the Lord's provision for another job. By January 2010, the young girl was living in Stillwater, Minnesota and within 2 weeks she had accepted another part time job as the Director of Children's Ministry at a church. She could now pay her rent! A few weeks later, she was accepted into the Marriage and Family Therapy Program at Bethel Seminary and would be starting classes that coming fall. This again meant another move....even farther into Minnesota. "Maybe it would be here at seminary that she would meet Mr. Right," the young girl thought. 

Now, the young girl and the young man were both living in Minnesota. The young man in Apple Valley, MN and the young girl in New Brighton, MN.

And the story continues...

Monday Madness

Christian isn't a fan of Mondays.... 

He says "Dad, are you sure you want to leave me with this lady all alone ALL day????" 

We have fun though! And he knows it :) 

For an update on Christian, check out his One Month Old post.  I'll be doing updates around the 29th of each month. But I'm sure you will be seeing lots of Christian in my other posts too! 

Here is our week ahead! 

{The Weather}::: Summer is officially here with sunny warm days! We need to get better at getting out to enjoy this beautiful weather, though! 

{What's Cooking?}::: I think I have been doing pretty well with actually cooking every night again! Hubby does have to help out some, though. Here is what's on the meal plan this week: 

• Monday - We are eating out tonight at Buffalo Wild Wings
• Tuesday - A not so healthy dinner of Hamburger Helper and Salads
• Wednesday - Turkey Burgers, Hot dogs, and salads 
• Thursday - BBQ Ribs and corn (hubby LOVED this last week and made a special request to have it right away again!) 
• Friday - Dinner out with Great Grandma 
• Saturday - BBQ 

Doesn't look like we will be eating super healthy this week...but its a holiday week, right? We will get back on track next week! 

{Weight Loss}:::

Amount lost this week : 2 pounds 

                       

Total lost so far: 30 pounds 

Amount to goal: 16 pounds...maybe will try to lose a bit more

This week's goal: Lose 2 more pounds and go to the gym at least twice

• Still following Weight Watchers for nursing moms and its great! 
• Last week I went to the gym twice for about an hour each time...felt great to finally get to work out and sweat again! Not sure how long that will last...ha ha Hoping to get to the gym at least twice again this week and go for some walks with the puppy and baby too! 

{Things I Hope to Accomplish}:::

1. Finish filling in baby book...specifically with Christian's 1 month info 
2. Christian's Birth Story on the blog...hopefully FINALLY...stay tuned! 
3. Clean 
4. Laundry 
5. Grocery Shopping...these last 3 are my givens every week...but I still like crossing them off :)

{Weekly Appointments}:::

• Monday - Grocery Shopping Day
• Tuesday - Lunch with our New Mama friends 
• Wednesday - Lunch with Daddy and then New Mama Class 
• Thursday - Happy 4th of July! Checking out some of the events going on around the cities!
• Friday - Laundry day...and Great Grandma comes to visit! 
• Saturday - Birthday cook out for Jeff's mom, Carol 
• Sunday - Taking it easy! Family time! 

HAVE A GREAT WEEK! 

Happy 4th of July!