The Wedding

Pictures have been in for awhile now, and I have totally slacked on sharing them on here!  I wanted to post enough of them to sum up the day, so here goes!  

Photography:
Crystal DeAnda Photography
http://crystaldeanda.com/
Crystal is fabulously sweet and wonderful in every way!  She made us feel so beautiful, and we are thrilled with how well the pictures turned out!  I hope you enjoy them!

My wedding band.  Passed down to be from my Granddaddy.  It was his mother's wedding band.

Leaving the reception!

Special moments before the ceremony!

Praying with our sweet children and pastor.

So glad to be spending the rest of my life walking hand in hand with this amazing man of God.

Venue:
MD Resort
www.mdresort.com
MD Resort is the sweetest coziest little bed and breakfast.  We used them for the venue and catering.  They were so helpful and kind.  They were willing to go out of their way to make sure everything I wanted happened.  We enjoyed our stay there, and we look forward to going back on our first anniversary!  It was definitely the perfect venue for our rustic chic wedding!

Ceremony site - Pecan Orchard.
The reception was held in the Party Barn.

Decorations:
DIY
We did all of our decorating on our own!  Most of the crafty fabulous things that you see were done by my super talented Aunt Lisa.  A huge thanks to my mom, sister, and dad who also helped make everything we needed!  It was a little stressful going the DIY route, but it was oh so fun!

These are quilts that my Nanny has made for all of us.

Ceremony Music:

Jack Baldwin
Jack is a member of our church.  My desire was to have Canon in D played with only an acoustic guitar with the Bridal Chorus and Wedding March also with only the guitar.  He did a fantastic job making this dream come true!














Reception Music:
Melodies & Memories
http://melmemdj.com
Melody is super talented and is using her God given talents being a DJ!  She was the perfect fit for our crowd, as I imagine that she is for any group.  We loved every moment of having her with us.  I would recommend her for any wedding or event because she was just that fun and that great at what she does!  She truly completed the night!

Party Favors:
DIY
My Aunt Lisa & Nanny were oh so sweet to make little jars of jelly for all of my guests!  It was the perfect touch!




 
















Flowers:
Celebrations by Judy
www.celebrationsbyjudy.com
Us finding Judy was truly God's work.  She was so helpful and kind.  She was more than willing to work within our budget, never trying to sell us more than we needed.  She saw my vision and helped make it a reality.  

Cake:
Too Sweeties Bake Shoppe
www.toosweeties.com
My dear friend, Jennifer, runs Too Sweeties Bake Shoppe!  She makes the yummiest cakes and cupcakes.  She made me a beautiful lace wedding cake that tasted amazing!  Her cakes never disappoint!

Pies:
The Flour Shop Bakery
www.ilovetheflourshopbakery.com
This great little bakery is not far from us in Highland Village, TX.  This was our first time to get pies from there, and they were fantastic.  The price was great and the pies were even better!  

 

 And now we are living our happily ever after!

Wedding Planning

I always imagined I'd be the girl who would blog about every step of planning my wedding.  I'd share the intricate details about choosing the right florist and the struggles of finding a dress.  I would capture these moments so they would stay close in my heart forever.  Then on bad days, I could look back and remember all the joy that went into planning my wedding and the blissful feelings I had as I prepared to marry Mr. Joshua Marick.

Then we started planning.  And it was hard.  And it was messy.  And in the end it was a beautifully perfect testimony of God's presence in our lives... my life to be more specific.  So here is my account of planning the wedding of my dreams to the man of my dreams.

Josh proposed on New Year's Eve.  Since our anniversary (dating) was on New Year's Day, it was the perfect way to finish off our 4th year together.  We started our 5th year engaged!  How super exciting!

Immediately the planning began.  I knew right away that I wanted rustic chic feel to the wedding, and thanks to an episode of David Tutera, I wanted the reception to be in a barn.  So I googled party barns, and found one I loved.  Upon doing research about the place, I found out it was actually the venue used in the episode of David Tutera that had become my wedding inspiration!  And that was my sign (because I'm big on signs), that this was meant to be.  MD Resort in Aurora, TX would be my wedding venue.

I called and scheduled a meeting for us to go visit.  It was a long drive and in the country.  I questioned my decision for a split second.  But then we arrived and we walked around and talked numbers, and well... it was all fitting together.  Then we got to view the rooms at MD Resort.  It is a Bed & Breakfast so each room has it's own little theme.  We got to the suites and walked into the Western Vista.  It was a two story suite that smelled like the Lake House my family had when I was growing up.  Another sign.  It was meant to be.  At that moment, I knew all I had to do was convince Josh that this was what he wanted also.  I mean, he couldn't really be set on the church wedding he'd always dreamed of, could he?!?

Because Josh is who he is, he had an opinion on things.  And he needed to feel like his opinion was heard and mattered.  So I listened and my heart started to slowly break.  I didn't want to take away his dream wedding just so mine could happen.  After all, I could make anything work.  But then in true Josh fashion he goes, "Is this what you really want?"  My hopeful eyes screamed "Yes!  Yes!  Yes!" at him, while I sheepishly said, "Yes.  It really is."  And he kissed me and agreed that MD Resort was the perfect place for our wedding!  I was ecstatic!

MD Resort has a full kitchen and does their own catering.  We could bring in all our own vendors except for food.  And I had already told them all I wanted to do was rent the venue.  I did not want any of their wedding packages because I had my own visions... I was a DIY bride!  DIY could easily be replaced with crazy, but we won't go there right now.  So back to the food, they were able to provide my rustic meal of brisket, loaded mashed potatoes, green beans, and rolls.  We were set.  So I thought...

Enter first problem.  These people wanted money.  Crazy, I know!  Well, when you are planning a wedding and your family is on a huge budget (that's another story for another day) then you can't just write check after check without thinking and planning.  And these budget problems seemed to be the trend for the remainder of the wedding planning.

So wedding planning started to become more and more stressful.  There were wonderfully exciting moments, like finding my dress followed by more frustrating moments... the dress would have to wait.  This pattern continued throughout the entire wedding planning process.  Numerous nights I spent crying over the frustration I felt about it not coming easy, the way I always imagined.  Then I would cry out of the guilt I felt for being so materialistic and wanting so many things that truly didn't matter as long as I married Josh.  Then the road blocks began to feel more like signs.  Perhaps this was God telling me not to marry Josh.  Cue more tears.  More confusion.  And a lot more guilt.  

But every time I wanted to give up and run to the Justice of the Peace something would work out.  The pieces would start to fit together.  The signs I thought pointed in the direction of running away and leaving Josh far behind me began to point straight to God's goodness.  

Throughout this entire process my family and I saw firsthand the work of our good Lord.  Sometimes it came in the form of our daily devotionals.  Other times it was friends or family members.  And for me, it was the constant reassurance from Josh.  Never giving up.  Never failing to hold me when I needed it.  Never belittling my wedding dreams and the importance they held in my mind.  

Eventually I began to see God's work for what it was, and I began to quit doubting His plan.  Because as silly as it may seem, my wedding was important to God.  Because I am important to God.  I finally came to the realization one day that God was going to provide all we needed.  But I had to stop doubting Him.  I had to trust.  And amazingly enough, once I did, the wedding planning became the blissful feeling I had hoped it would be from the beginning.  

I know God's hand in my wedding was shown through the countless people who love Josh and I.  It was shown more often than not through my parents selfless giving and sacrificing.  It was shown through my sister, my aunt, my grandparents.  All 120 people in attendance (and the others who weren't) had a hand in making it happen... they helped make the dreams of my wedding day come true in ways I never knew possible.

Needless to say, Josh and I are so very blessed.  There aren't enough "thank you's" in the world that could possibly express the way we feel about everyone who made our dreams come true.  Every single detail was just the way I wanted it.  There was nothing in the world that could have made our day more perfect.  Not even warmer weather... because that just added to our memory bank of the most spectacular day of our lives!

I am now that wife who thinks she has the most perfectly imperfect husband.  I'm more in love with him than I ever knew possible.  When I look back on planning our wedding it is not what I thought it would be.  I don't see flower arrangements or interviews with vendors.  I see love.  An overwhelming, out of this world kind of love.  And I see lessons... lessons in trusting God.  Much needed lessons in patience.  Lessons in sacrifice (thanks Mom & Dad).  

I will forever be grateful to my parents for all that they did and all the sacrifices they made.  The heartache they shared, the tears they wiped, and the absolute joys I was able to share with them.  I will always hold close to me the moments of trying on my dress with the people I love right there beside me, praying with my dad on a particularly rough day, endless dress shopping with my mom (for my mom), and cramming crafts and wraps into the most crazy wonderful wedding week a girl could imagine!  

This was my story of planning my wedding.  My story of love.  My story of dreams come true.  

I can't wait to share the wedding day details with you!

Here Comes the Bride

I can't believe it!  I'm getting married in 90 days!  It may seem a little obsessive to count the days, but we have been together for over 5 1/2 years.  And we've been discussing getting married for the majority of that time.  Now that the timing is right to finally take a moment for ourselves, I couldn't be more excited!

You would think that anticipating this day for (literally) years would mean we have everything in order and know just what we want.  Well, here we are... 90 days to go... and still so many decisions to be made!  It seems overwhelming at times and blissfully fun at other times.  I only hope that I can hang on to each and every moment as the process unfolds so that some day down the road as Josh and I sit in our front porch, watching our grandchildren play, we can look back and reminisce on the adventure that started it all!

Flower Girl Dress

We have started our premarital counseling.  (For lack of better words.)  We have a wonderful mentor couple, and I feel we are well on our journey to a marriage that includes God, Josh, and myself.  I am currently praying that I will be able to fulfill my role as an obedient and submissive wife, letting Josh lead our family.  These will be true tests for me and will require daily prayer and guidance from God.

We know where the wedding is going to be and what theme we are going with!  We have chosen my dress, invitations, flower girl dresses, and food!  We have spent countless hours debating cakes, pies, decorations, attire, photographers, etc.  Tonight we will tackle the final cake design (after baseball is over, of course).  Follow me on Pinterest to see my rather chaotic obsession with pinning wedding ideas.  You will also get an idea of the feel that we are taking with things!  (Or you can visit our wedding website!)


It's never ceases to amaze me that I can spend hours thinking about wedding details and ideas.  However, when I lay down at night all I can think about is how completely and utterly incredible it will be to finally be Mrs. Joshua Marick.  The thought of waking up everyday, sharing every moment, and loving each other into eternity brings peace to my soul.  And in those moments, I'm able to realize that it doesn't matter what shoes I wear or how I fix my hair... at the end of the day, I will be married to my best friend!

Father's Day

Father's Day is today.  A day to celebrate the men, the fathers, in my life (and my children's lives) who make such a difference.


My dad.  Byron Gilbert Dunn.  A man with integrity and dignity.  A man with pride, but the ability to put it aside when necessary.  A man with a gracious and loving heart.  A man who forgives.  A man who loves unconditionally.  A man who accepts everyone for who they are.  A man who makes you laugh until you cry.  A man who is always there to dry your tears.  A man, who undoubtedly, has faith in God and is patient with His plans.  A man to admire.  A man to honor.  The only man I'll ever need in my earthly life.


Josh.  My love.  My heart and soul.  My best friend.  For 3 years Father's Day was always bittersweet.  It was a reminder of all the men in my daughter's life who loved her and supported her, but still lingering were thoughts of the man who was supposed to love her and be there for her that wasn't.  And there is no pain quite like knowing your child is not loved in the way she should be by her father.  Then came Josh.  He loved my daughter.  He treated her as his own.  Her became her Daddy.  And with that comes feelings that words cannot express.  Just thinking about what Josh has done for her makes my throat tight and my heart full.  Because of him, my sweet girl, has a Daddy.  Her very own Daddy.  A Daddy that will never leave her.  A Daddy that will always love her.  A Daddy that is teaching her what type of man she should allow to steal her heart one day.  I can without a doubt say that the greatest gift God has given my daughter was bringing Josh into our lives.  I have found immeasurable pleasure in seeing the father Josh has become to our three children over the last 5 1/2 years.  He continues to grow in this journey of parenting, and there are three beautiful children who have reaped the rewards of his selfless efforts.  I could not be more grateful for the front row seat God has given me to witness the relationship between my children and their Daddy.


My Granddaddy.  Those who are lucky enough to know my grandfather know the great man that he is.  A man of God who has been father, grandfather, mentor, and friend to many.  As his favorite granddaughter, I have numerous memories and countless things to say about this great man.  But what I want the world to know, is that my Granddaddy is the type of man that you meet and you are forever changed.  After knowing him, you carry a piece of him in your heart that is with you always.  Two daughters by birth, one who grew in his heart, seven grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren... and I'm still his favorite.  That's enough for me to know he's a darn good man!  :)


The other men in my life and my children's lives.  There are many men who make a difference in the life of my family.  My Pa Bob.  He is my dad's step-father, but we've never seen him as a "step" anything.  He is our grandfather.  He has loved us and our children unconditionally.  Our childhood is filled of memories learning to play blackjack and laughing at our Pa Bob.  He is a blessing.

Our neighbor who is not only a wonderful father to his boys, but a father figure to any who may need it.  He's always ready to help when needed, celebrate our children's accomplishments, or throw a ball to an eager child.  He is a blessing.


My step-son's maternal grandfather.  While I have no direct connection with this man, I am forever grateful for his presence in my son's life.  He has given Jacob a father figure when he is not with us.  He has been involved in his life.  And he has always been so kind to our family.  There are two men that my son speaks about with true admiration, and this man is one of them.  He is a blessing.


Day in and day out we are blessed by wonderful father's.  Both in our home and in our community.  Some of them coach our kids teams, others teach Sunday School, and some a friends who are ready with smiles and high fives whenever we greet them.  Each of them is a blessing in our life.  

I read an article the other day that stated, "A father's love contributes as much -- and sometimes more -- to a child's development as does a mother's love."  Something we so often overlook.  So today, I am so thankful to celebrate all of these wonderful men who have made myself and my children the people we are today.  And my heart is filled with joy to celebrate the Father who gave us all of these blessings here are earth.  Because without a doubt, His love is more than a contribution to our development... it is an absolute necessity.

You're Eight Today

An excerpt from the journal I write to Lexie.  This was written shortly before her first birthday.
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In about 45 minutes you will be turning one!  I cannot believe your first birthday is already here.  It's hard to imagine that it has been a year since I first held you in my arms.  It seems like it was last week that I brought you home from the hospital, and now you are so big and you can walk and laugh and joke.  You are a little girl instead of a baby girl now!  Wow!  I'm so amazed.  It is such a bittersweet moment for me as you turn one tomorrow.  I am happy to see you grow and learn, but I miss the days of having a bitty baby.  

Lexie, I am so proud of you each and every day.  Not only do you bring a smile to my face, but you also bring smiles to the faces of many others.  You are so smart... just simply amazing!  Everything about you is above and beyond brilliant, and you are only a year old.  

I can tell already you have a bright future ahead of you.  (Your personality alone will see to that.)  I look forward to watching you learn more and more.  It never ceases to amaze me!

Lexie, I love you so much.  I am blessed every day over and over because of you.  Thank you for giving me the best year of my life.  I look forward to a lifetime of happiness because of you!

Happy Birthday My Love!

XOXO
Mommy

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I'm still so amazed by you!  Your personality draws people to you.  Your beautiful smile makes others smile.  Your compassionate heart puts people at ease.  You have proven in eight years that you have the ability to change lives... for you have forever changed mine!   I have witnessed you do such great things in your short time here on this earth, and I have no doubt you are just getting started.  I pray that you will continue to let the light of Jesus shine through you, and that you will trust in Him always.  Words are not enough to express my feelings for you.  My precious daughter... my Bitty Boo... the child I never knew I wanted, and the child I couldn't live without.  You have made me a better person, and I can only hope that I am also doing that for you.  My love for you is like no other.  The bond we share, so unique.  There is a part of my heart that beats just for you.  Lexie Loree... you are the most precious gift from God.


Happy 8th Birthday, Bitty!