Meagen & Nathan

I was just looking through my pictures today and stumbled across this one. It is one of my favorites, and I wanted to share it. Meagen has warmed up to Nate since we started dating, and I love catching them in moments just like this one. Nate is going to make a great Dad someday.

Marriage Preparation Weekend

This past weekend Nate and I had marriage preparation classes with a church here in Davenport. The classes were all day Saturday and from 9 till 3 Sunday. What a long weekend! Nate and I were surprised to see how many couples were at the retreat. There were 160 some people there! It was packed!

I think for Nate and I the most useful information the whole weekend was about finances and budgeting along with career. We have already talked all of our options over, but there is always more discussions to be had. It was useful to see how many saving now while we are young will really benefit our family in the future.

It was funny because all the stuff they wanted us to talk over Nate and I have already covered on our own. There were even some couples that would be out in the hallway fighting during discussion time. We couldn't believe this as We have talked in depth about all of these subjects before, so it was really just a little refresher. I guess I kind of feel like we can plan all we want, but really who knows what will happen until we are faced with these situations. All we can do is trust in our love and put our faith in God when faced with hardships.

All in all it was a good weekend, and we are both happy to be one step closer to marriage. It is almost only 4 months away, and I am getting more anxious everyday. I really cannot wait for our wedding day to be here.

Love n Stuff

In the effort to try and keep up on blogs I must say I am failing. I do honeslty have to say I feel like it is only because Nate and I really have nothing too interesting going on right now. He has school and I go to work, but when I really do stop and think about it the last week has been pretty eventful.

Nate finally has enough hours to have his B.S.! I am so proud/happy for him, I know that he has been waiting to say that for awhile. Also, Nate is finally getting patients at Palmer's clinic. For a couple months now he has spent time in there just waiting and waiting....... but finally it has picked up pace. Which is also great because most students do a clinic abroad to get their numbers to graduate. We could not afford for Nate to do that, so we are just really counting on him logging in a lot of hours at the clinic, as well as all of our friends up here to help pull us through! I do have to say I feel pretty guilty about the clinic abroad trip, with him not being able to go. Sometimes I feel like if he didn't have me (and the wedding) he might have been able to afford it, or that if I worked harder or more he could have gone. He reassures me that it doesn't matter to him, but still I worry.

Since this weekend was Valentine's Day, we did go out to eat at our favorite Japenses Steak house in Davenport. We talked about where we think we will be next Valentine's Day, and we still have no idea. I am starting to get a little worried, and would like to get it all figured out and planned, but then again right now it is also alot of fun to dream about where we will be. After that we rented movies and just lounged around. It was perfect--and the next day I even got Coldstone!!! I almost had forgotten how much I LOVE Coldstone.

We didn't really get each other much this year as well. And it's funny because the stuff we do get for gifts lately is just things we need. He did bring me beautiful flowers, and I got him cholcolates with a card. Then I also cut up a bunch of hearts, wrote different reasons why I love him, and hid them throughout our room. It was funny watching him run around the room trying to find them all at once. I had thought that he would just find them one at a time, and read them as he got them. Sure enough though, as soon as he saw one he was busy running around telling me where he thought all the good places to hide them would be. It was neat to see that we both thought of the same hiding spots as being the best. I did keep one hidden until yesterday though, so I think I did a pretty good job.

With Ash Wednesday being tommorow, I have began to think about what I could give up this Lent. I don't drink pop or eat much candy, and I have given those things up before. I have decided that this year instead I am going to write down something I am thankful everyday. I think this will be fun, and will get kind of challenging. In the end I hope I will just be overwhelmed with everything I have to be thankful for.

Well, that is about all I have for now. Nate and I have our couples retreat this weekend Saturday and Sunday, so I am sure I will have lots to share after that!

I'm Back!

Firstly, I am really sorry it has taken me this long to blog. Not trying to make an excuse, Nate and I have just been so BUSY!

We just recently moved, and only found out one week before we had to be out. We were looking for someone to take over our lease so we could save up some money the last few months before the wedding and we move, but never actually thought we would find someone so quick! We are so grateful to have great friends that helped us with the move. I don't know what I would have done without them. My boss even made us soups so we wouldn't have worry about cooking while we were working on packing. I am truly grateful.

We moved into a house with our friends here Justin and Casey. They had their upstairs available, and it has worked out really nicely. We even have our own bath, and we were able to fit ALL of our stuff upstairs. We are so grateful to them as well, it is helping us so much with saving.

When we moved in they were also going through a kitchen remodel. It made us a little out of our norm as well, trying to figure what to do for supper every night. The boys worked really hard though, and the kitchen looks great.

Last night, I met up with my brother Steven and his two children Meagen and Zander. I had so much fun! I absolutely love spending time with them. I even got to help Meagen make her valentines for her class today. I just wanted to share a couple pictures of them. Zander is a complete ham right now, when I told him I was going to take a picture he tilted his head and smile. I had to take advantage of this now, I know he won't be living me taking pictures forever. :)

Aren't they just too cute?! Anyways, I promised to write sooner this time, and I hope you all are having a wonderful day!