Blessing #5- Long Thanksgiving Breaks

I'm so thankful to have almost 2 full weeks of Thanksgiving break this year! And because of all the time I have off, I get to spend lots of time with Josh! I'm headed out early tomorrow, and I'll be spending Thanksgiving, all of the rest of the week and the beginning of next week with the Grimm's!!! I'm just a little excited ; )

Blessing #4- My Husband-To-Be

Joshua Andrew Grimm is the most amazing man I know. I am so very thankful for him and what God has done in our lives over the past year. And I am oh so happy to be able to look forward to calling him my husband!

When I was little, I prayed for my future husband. God has answered those prayers above and beyond what I asked for when He gave me Josh.
-I prayed that my future husband would be godly. Josh is one of the godliest men that I know. He encourages me daily in my walk in with the Lord, he leads me in devotions in the evenings over skype or the phone, and he prays for me often. He sets a godly example for me, and he seeks to serve and glorify the Lord in everything.
- I prayed that he would love children. I remember the first time we talked about children, a few weeks into our courtship. When I asked Josh how many children he could see himself being a father of, and he told me that he would love to have at least 7 or 8. My heart absolutely melted the first time I saw Joshua with a baby in his arms, and I love to see him interact with his youngest brother and with my younger siblings.
- I prayed that he would make me laugh. I can't get through any conversation with Josh, whether 5 minutes or 5 hours, without laughing. Really really hard.
-I prayed that he would be able to carry on deep, meaningful conversations with me. I maybe should have prayed a little less for that one, because God gave me a philosophy and Bible major as a future husband, and he can think circles around me. But he also brings things down to my level and we can share our hearts with one another and talk about anything and everything.
- I prayed that he would love me and care for me. Joshua not only tells me, but he also shows me every day that he loves me and how very much he does care. This past week, for example,  I've been having some flare ups with my asthma at night. During my stubborn refusals to use my inhaler because of the side effects, he's spent time praying for me and helping to get my mind off of it and relax. And despite the fact that my inhaler makes me anxious, hyper, and shaky, I have had to use it for the past few nights. Josh has spent many hours on the phone with me, talking with me when I couldn't fall asleep, reading Psalms and praying with me when I got anxious, and telling me just how much he loves me.

I couldn't have asked the Lord for a better man to be my husband, and I am so very thankful to Him!

Blessing #3- Chick flicks!

All you guys may be cringing, but us girls love a good night curled up with a blanket and popcorn watching a good chick flick. Tonight's was Pride and Prejudice, one of my absolute favorites! 

Blessings #2-Christmas Lights!

Yesterday was my first day of Thanksgiving break and Jacob and Dad were headed out of town for the day, so the rest of us took a trip to Pennsylvania to complete our annual shopping tradition for the holidays. Our first stop was the Christmas toy store that we go to every year, where they have a really fun Christmas light display that we all enjoy looking at.

I LOVE Christmas lights! What in the world would we do without them? Their warmth and twinkliness (twinkliness? Is that even a word?) whether they're decorating a tree or strung out on your front lawn, make the holiday season so much brighter!

Love At Third Sight | Our Story Part III

The first time I saw you
I knew love at first sight must be true, so true, oh so true
And now I just have to explain why I feel this way
I feel joy, I feel pain
You're in my heart and it's tearing me apart
'Cause I love you, I love you, I love you!

___________________________________

*Before you begin reading part III of our story, I'd like to mention here that Josh and I have a slight chronological difference when we recall the day of the wedding. He very clearly remembers having the following conversation with me after we danced, while I remember this conversation coming before we danced. For the sake of clarity on the part of our readers, however, I've rearranged my side of the story to fit with his timeline... 

      

Ashley:
         "Would you like to dance?" I turned to see Josh standing beside me.
          I paused before accepting, my heart skipping a beat as we headed out to the floor where I warned him that I wasn't all that great at dancing, and he issued the same caution about himself. He took my hands in his and I could feel them trembling a bit as we laughed at our meager attempts at dancing. I was smitten by this man.

         The music ended, and we separated for a bit before Joshua caught my attention yet again. "So, what made you decide to become a nurse?
          I told him how a lot of my aunts and cousins were nurses and how helpful they were not only to the patients that they worked with, but also to their families. I talked about how I thought it would be a benefit to my future family for me to have the skills set of a nurse.
          He questioned me again. "Is that what you've always wanted to do?"
          To this day, it's still a mystery to me why I answered him the way that I did. Seldom that summer did I tell people how I really felt about college. Seldom did I explain that I had mixed feelings about my nursing major; that despite the fact that being a nurse would be useful and interesting, I really just wanted to be a wife and a mother, and at times felt that pursuing a major would get in the way of my true calling. Unless I had a large portion of time to explain myself, I didn't really branch out on the subject with people. But for some reason that day, I told the whole thing to a complete stranger.
           An interested look crossed his face as I told him these things, though at the time I didn't know if that look was because he thought I was crazy, or if it was because he liked what I was saying.
          Eager to hear more about Josh, I asked him why he felt called into the ministry. I listened intently as he told me how he had been encouraged by his mom to read from an early age and during middle school began to read theology books. He explained that around that same time he began to see more clearly not only his own need for a Savior, but also the need for others to know the love of Christ. At that point, he told me, he began to feel a call towards ministry, something which had grown stronger ever since. As I listened to him speak, I was drawn to this man in a way I'd never been drawn to anyone before. I was instantly attracted, and - dare I say - in love with his love for the Lord and his desire to serve Him.
         The reception flew by, and before we knew it, it was time for the send off and the bridal party pictures. Pictures were a lot of fun, but over too soon. I watched as the groomsmen got ready to leave and tried to get close enough to Josh to say goodbye before he left, but unfortunately I wasn't able to fight through the crowd of attendants to catch him before he headed off with some of the other guys.

          I cried as I drove home that night. There was an overwhelming amount of emotions swirling around in my head...Ashlee was married and would be moving away...the much anticipated and planned for wedding was over...and then there was that thought that I kept trying to suppress; Why did I miss Joshua Grimm so  much?
     
       "Is it at all possible that he could be THE one?" The thought startled and confused me, and I felt a sense of devastation as I left him behind. He lived 10 hours away; how could anything possibly happen between the two of us, in the unlikely event that he had any of the same thoughts about me?

__________________________________

Joshua:

           “Would you like to dance?” I asked. 

            She smiled, looked down for a second, then cheerfully said, “Sure!” 

            My heart began racing again as I took her hands in mine. Asking a girl to dance was very out of character for me at the time, but in that moment with her, I felt free to just have fun. Whatever dance we tried doing wasn’t very good, and we were both laughing at ourselves the majority of the time. Part way through the song, I slowed down, and Ashley took that as a sign that I wanted to stop dancing. She turned away from me, but I caught her hand and said “Don’t give up on me!” We finished out the dance, and I was again drawn in by Ashley’s joy. 

          After dancing we ended up talking with other people, but at some point Ashley's and my path crossed again. I was sitting by the dance floor where she had been taking pictures. I was certainly enamored with her, but I can’t explain why I wanted to know this girl so much. Her answers about school hadn’t satisfied me earlier - there was something more to her than just wanting to be a nurse.

          “So, what made you want to be a nurse?” She talked about the practical benefits of using it for her own future family, mentioned that she had nurses in her extended family, and wanting to serve others through it.
          “But is there something you’ve always wanted to do?” I pressed. 
           “Well, I’ve always wanted to be a wife and mother.” 
           With those words, she melted my heart. Somehow in that moment, I really could see her being a wonderful (and beautiful!) wife and mother. “This could be…the girl!” I thought to myself. 

          Ashley asked me why I felt called to ministry. As I told her about different ways God worked in my life, I saw this beaming, glowing smile come across her face as her head was slightly tilted as she listened to me. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen, and I thought again… “This could be the girl!” In those few moments, I struggled to keep my inner composure, all the while feeling love for her that I had never felt for anyone ever before.

          Later, the bridal party left the reception to take pictures. We groomsmen were tired and ready to get our long trip back to NC over with, but I’ll never forget Ashley’s big smile as she reminded us, “Its time to take pictures!” As we took our pictures, I tried to get close to Ashley again, and was more successful this time in making conversation and jokes about things happening around us. 

          Eventually, it came time to leave. Ashley was sitting on the floor looking spaced out but deep in thought.
          “I should tell her goodbye,” I thought. But maybe I was crazy. She was 5 years younger than me and just about to start college! And what should I say - given what I had felt, how could I say goodbye without coming across as too forward? In the end, I thought too much about it and didn’t know what to say. I reasoned that if was meant to be, I'd have a chance to talk with her again some other time. With that I left with the other groomsmen to go back home.

       
          On the long drive back, I still thought about Ashley. "What should I make of the feelings I experienced? Will I ever really talk to her again? She is so sweet and so beautiful…"

        

14 Days of Thanksgiving- Blessing # 1

It's that time of year again! Yup, we're a week away from Thanksgiving, thus I'm beginning by 14 days of Thanksgiving yet again, and I'm really excited!

Soooo, without further ado...Blessing #1: Warm, cozy fires!

There are few things I like better on a cold, snowy November night like tonight than to curl up next to a crackling fire and read a book!

In 199 Days...

I get to marry this guy!!!!!!! I am SOOOO excited! 

I love you, Josh, and I cannot wait to be your bride!

A South Carolina Sunset

When my family and I were in South Carolina last week, I enjoyed an evening walk down a quiet country road with a few of my cousins. The result was 1/2 dozen sets of lungs filled with crisp, fall air, lots of fun, and quite a few pictures! 

Isn't my little sister so beautiful!?!

My super duper fun, never without a smile, adorable Eenie-Meenie! 

I LOVE this picture! Straight out of the camera! 

Nice face there, Jonathan :P

Hudson wouldn't voluntarily skip with Jessie...so she forced him :P 

Second Chances | Our Story, Part II

"When I looked into your eyes,

And you dared to stare right back,

You should have said 

'Nice to meet you 

I'm your other half'"

__________________________

 Ashley:

        June 5th, 2010. 10 o'clock came awfully fast. Everyone was ready, and nerves built as we gathered just outside the doorway, waiting to walk down the aisle. After everyone had taken their places at the top of the aisle, I glanced across at the groomsmen's side of the room...and that's when he came into my mind again. He was the tallest of the groomsmen, standing just behind the best man. He looked so handsome, dressed in a navy suit, white shirt, and light blue tie. His light brown, neatly cut hair made him look all the more dashing.

         For some reason, it seemed, that very same young man couldn't seem to keep his eyes off of me during the ceremony. And I must admit, I couldn't stop stealing glances and meeting his gaze ever so often. But despite the slight distraction on the other side of the room, I was mostly able to pay attention and enjoyed witnessing Ashlee and Daniel's wedding. It was a beautiful, God-honoring union that we were able to see that day, and I was so thankful to be a part of it.
          Before we knew it, the ceremony was over, the bridal party was announced into the reception, the cake was cut, and everyone was seated for brunch. Somehow I ended up sitting next to Josh, despite the fact that he was not my groomsman. We all loaded our plates with delicious fruits, omelets, and Belgian waffles. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water :P
          Now comes the part that makes me laugh every time I think about it. And I have no idea why. But for some reason the conversation strikes me as funny. It probably won't even make any of your smiling muscles twitch, but that's ok :P
          Part way through the meal, Josh turned to me. "So, Ashley, where are you at in school?"
          "Um..." Awkward silence while I chewed and swallowed my food. "I just graduated last month." My heart pounded and I silently prayed that the news that I was not even in college yet would not make him stop talking to me. I was curious about him.
           "What are your plans for this coming school year?" he questioned.
           "I'm going to be a nursing major at Kent State University. I'll be graduating in 2012." I replied, hoping that if I'd scared him off with the fact that I just finished senior year, maybe the fact that I only had two more years of school would help a bit. "What about you?"
           "I graduated from college last year. I plan on attending seminary in the next year or so."
           I mentally calculated. If he graduated at 18 then added 4 years of college, plus a year out...he was probably about 22 or 23.
          We finished up our meals with some added small talk and everyone dispersed to talk to family and friends. The toasting began, followed by the bride and groom's first dance and then the father daughter dance. I stood by the dance floor, snapping a few pictures before stepping back next to the table to watch.
           I stood there watching Ashlee dance with her groom, dreaming of the day that it would be my turn. I was interrupted out of my  daze by Jackson 5's ABC beginning on the dance floor.
         "Would you like to dance?" I turned to see Josh standing beside me...

         ______________________________

Joshua:

            The morning of Daniel and Ashlee’s wedding was a busy one. The groomsmen all hung out together in the clubhouse area of the venue that had ping pong and pool tables. I was really excited for Daniel, and kept hoping my knees wouldn’t lock from standing up front for so long. 

          Daniel and Ashlee’s wedding ceremony was a joyous, worshipful time. As I stood up there taking in the ceremony and singing, I kept noticing a bridesmaid across the way from me. Yes, I noticed Ashley again, and she looked so beautiful with her curly, long blonde hair, her big smile, and her blue bridesmaid dress. As I stole some glances at her, I remember thinking, “Did she really just look back at me?” I really hoped she did!

          

          After the ceremony, the bridal party hung out for a few minutes as we waited to enter the reception. As we stood outside the doors to the reception hall, I remember seeing Ashley with her camera and hearing her laugh and talk about wanting to take pictures. Her laugh and enthusiasm drew me in. 

         All my plans to be careful and not get involved with any of the girls in the wedding went right out the door. "I may have not made much conversation yesterday," I thought, "but I have to talk to this girl today!"

         Daniel’s dad announced the bridal party and had us stand in a semi-circle during the cutting of the cake. Somehow I managed to make sure I stood next to Ashley. I tried making some side comments to make her laugh, and I think one of them actually worked! My next task was to sit beside her for brunch. I saw which table Ashley was heading for, and made sure I reserved the seat next to her. So far so good this time!

         In between bites of food, I struck up my first real conversation with this lovely girl. My heart was racing as I asked, “So Ashley, what are you doing for school?” 

         As she told me about graduating high school and starting nursing school in the fall, I was taken in by the sound of her voice and the way she smiled. I told her about my job and plans to go back to school for seminary, and as she ate I saw a smile cross her face. But I couldn’t tell if it was a “I’m happy you’re talking to me” smile or more of a “You’re 5 years older than me, you’re a creeper!” smirk. 

         Ashley eventually moved to another part of the reception hall to take pictures, and though I found other people to talk with, I found my eyes tracking her across the room. She seemed so happy and joyful. I got to sit next to her again for the best man and matron of honor's toasts, and remember offering her a sip of my champagne (which she declined). After the first dance, it was time to party, and the Jackson 5 song ABC kicked in on the speakers. Daniel had wanted the groomsmen to get involved with the dancing, so I had a good excuse to ask Ashley to dance with me, despite the fact that at that point in my life, that kind of step was a big one for me!

        “Would you like to dance?” I asked. 

        She smiled at me and looked down...

        

Blessings.

Our first wedding gifts!!!! 

Josh and I are extremely thankful for the support that we've received from both of our families...and for the wonderful gifts that my family gave us while we were visiting in Greenville! Hooray for a kitchenaid mixer and a recipe book already full of favorites from my aunts/grandma/great grandma!!!  

Love Letters.

First Impressions | Our Story, Part I

"I remember what you wore on that first day

You came into my life and I thought 

   Hey, you know this could be something"      

_____________________________________

Ashley: 

          The name Joshua Grimm was new to me. The most I knew about this young man was that he was a good friend of Daniel Wells, and that he was going to be in Ashlee and Daniel's wedding. I remember the first time Ashlee told me about him- how Daniel had tried to match him up with a few different girls at various times and had failed miserably, how he was single, and how she thought he'd be a good match for one of my dear, deep-thinking friends. But never did I dream he'd be the perfect match for me.


        I woke up on the morning of June 4th- the day I first laid eyes on that wonderful young man- excited because it was the day of Ashlee and Daniel's wedding rehearsal, and the next day one of my dearest friends would be getting married!  If I'd known how significant this day would be for me I would have been ecstatic. But never would I have guessed that this day was a day that would change my life forever.
        The day was beautiful, just as a day like that one should have been. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping, and it was just so perfect! Ruby, Chloe, and Rachel came over, and we drove to the Willeke's house together. Upon arrival we promptly joined Ashlee, Angela, and the other bridesmaids in constructing bouquets, boutonnieres, and other floral assemblies for the wedding. We talked and laughed and talked and laughed some more, enjoying our girl time.

       
           Daniel drove into the driveway with some of the groomsmen. They spilled out of the car, making their way into the garage, and Daniel briefly told them our names, forgetting to do us the same courtesy before the guys headed into the house for lunch. But despite the fact that they moved through the garage quickly, I still saw HIM. He was wearing a dark blue, short-sleeved shirt and khaki cargo shorts with tennis shoes. I thought he was handsome. I also thought he was married. Yup, that's right, the very first time I saw Joshua Andrew Grimm, I didn't know that he was Joshua Andrew Grimm, but for some reason, instead I thought he was another of the groomsmen, one of the married ones.
        
         It wasn't until later, after the rehearsal, that I was officially introduced to him. A bunch of the bridesmaids were standing at the top of the aisle talking and HE was there with the best man, Joe. Joe finally made some introductions, and that's when I learned his name...and the fact that he wasn't married. That's also when I heard him laugh for the first time. That laugh drew me in right then and there.
          At the rehearsal dinner that night, I sat across from one of the pastors, who was sitting next to Josh. I kept noticing over the course of dinner that Josh was more interested in the conversations that I was having than with his own. He kept looking over as if he wanted to talk to me. If he claims in his side of the story that I teased him about the way he was eating his spaghetti, don't believe it ;) I'd never do that (haha!), and for the record, I have no memory of doing so.

          As interesting as I'd found him that day, I didn't really think about him as we left the rehearsal and headed back to the Willeke's that night. I didn't think about him as we gathered in front of the tv, watching chick-flicks, painting our nails, and practicing hair styles for the next day. He didn't really cross my mind as I got ready for bed or when I laid down on the floor next to Rachel and Ruby and fell asleep that night. Nor did I think about him as we applied makeup, tied sashes, or fixed our hair the next morning, June 5th, 2010. 
        No, it wasn't until later that day that I truly became interested in this young man...

_________________________________________

Joshua:
          "Joshy, some of Ashlee's bridesmaids are cute, young, homeschooled girls." Daniel was just having some fun at my expense, but I found his attempt at humor slightly annoying. I was working, thinking about going to seminary, and had no plans to pursue a girl. While finding a young lady from Ohio worked for him, I didn't think it would happen to me. I wasn't looking, and I felt pretty darn content about that! Still, I was happy to be one of Daniel's groomsmen and wanted to enjoy being part of the wedding party.
         "Just talk to everyone, have fun, and don't get attached to anyone." With that internal conversation, I resolved to be sociable with the bridesmaids but stay cool and detached. Some of the other groomsmen were married, and I could hang with them.

         Fast forward to June 4th, 2010, the day before Daniel's wedding. I remember the bridesmaids walking the aisle at the rehearsal, and seeing this one girl with blonde, curly hair pulled up and a big, bright smile. I thought she was cute but just filed it away in my mind. After the rehearsal I stood and talked with some old friends from Erskine College, but felt that I should be sociable with the wedding party. Daniel's best man, Joe, was talking with a group of three of the bridesmaids, and the girl with the big smile was one of them. He introduced me to the girls and we all made small talk before we had to move on. So far, so good!

         Then came the rehearsal dinner. The cute blonde girl sat across the table and one seat over from me. As we waited to eat, I heard her picking apart the popular movie Avatar in conversation with the officiating pastors (one of whom was my campus minister). I noticed the conviction in her voice and her commitment to a Christian worldview as she debunked Avatar's pantheistic worldview. She really is cute, I thought. I wanted to be involved in the conversation but couldn't figure out a way to enter it. This was an interesting girl...

         Whether out of tiredness or shyness or some mixture of both, I couldn't come up with an opening for making conversation with her at dinner. She was talking with one of her friends, and seemed to be having a lot of fun. I noticed her smile and her laugh. My attention was more focused on her than on what I was doing, causing me to have some issues eating my spaghetti. As several strands of spaghetti noodles fell down from my mouth, she tilted her head and sarcastically but nicely said to me, "Having problems there?" I explained my occasional issues with twirling noodles around my fork, and she responded that I was doing it wrong. After that, I didn't find an opening for conversation - I was annoyed with myself now! - and began listening to the conversation at the other end of the table. She had made an impression on me, but again I reinforced my guard and busied myself with cleaning up after the rehearsal dinner and hanging out with the groomsmen afterwards.

        But fortunately for me, this wasn't the last time I would see this beautiful young woman...