A Week in NC

         I spent my first Thanksgiving away from my family this year. It was strange because in a lot of senses it didn't feel like Thanksgiving, but it was a blessing to get to spend the holiday with my fiance and his family. I was very thankful to get to spend 6 consecutive days with Josh, something I haven't gotten to do since June.

        I took very few pictures while I was there, but I did manage to pull out the camera on Saturday while Joshua and I were at North Myrtle Beach!!!

Our beach lunch- subs, orange soda, and potato chips! 

I caught him with his mouth full, but he's still so handsome!

He's such a goof...I love him!

It was such a relaxing day...

Jellyfish!

This sweet old guy on the beach asked us if we wanted him to take our picture...but I'm pretty sure he didn't know how to use the viewfinder on my camera :P

Scrabble!

*bliss*

I got to see the most beautiful sunset ever with my honey :D

 WHOA.

 Isn't God's handiwork amazing?!

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         We spent our six days just enjoying being together. I don't think I've ever had so much fun in my life! From sitting on the same side of the booth together at Ruby Tuesdays to dancing in the Walmart parking lot to shopping for Josh's wedding ring, every day was a blast. Almost every evening we would sit on his parents front porch, looking at the stars and dreaming about the future- our future! One evening after having dinner out, we went registering together for the first time (I've missed not having him around to do those things- he's much more decisive than I am!), then got milkshakes from Chickfila, and went to see a movie. On the way home, we went through the McDonald's drive through for peppermint hot chocolate, and Josh ordered in 3 different accents. Despite the fact that I was dying in the passenger's seat, he couldn't succeed in getting the employee at the window to laugh.

        I was very blessed on Sunday to get to hear my husband to be preach for the first time (as in, my first time hearing him preach, not his first time preaching)! I have to admit that I was very nervous. I was not so much nervous that he would mess up as I was that I wouldn't like his preaching- after all, I have to hear it for the rest of my life! But he preached a really good sermon on the unity of the church from John 17, and I am so glad I was there to hear it!

     After six days together, it was really hard to leave. Every day, even the days where Josh had to work, we'd shared breakfast, lunch, and dinner and had been with each other until exhaustion set in and we had to go to bed. But God has been gracious to bring us through 8 months of our long distance relationship and we are trusting Him to get us through the next 6 months of being apart! The tears and aching that we go through each time we leave one another and each time we're 614 miles away from each other won't last forever, and soon we'll be husband and wife!

Wedding Website!

Wedding plans are coming along wonderfully!!! I was excited to finally get our website up and running a few weeks ago....

Check it out- joshandashley2012.brides.com  :D

Let me know what you think!

Sorry...

I apologize for my failed attempt at this year's "14 Days of Thanksgiving." When I planned on doing it, I didn't factor in the fact that my fiance's parents don't have wireless internet in their new house yet...

But stay tuned! I'm home now and have some pictures from my wonderful trip to NC!!!!

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!