The beautiful arrangement and tasty cupcakes
Here is Mandy and her beautiful family
Monday, January 30, 2012
"What If" Wisdom
This is a blog from a wonderful woman, mom, and mentor that I had the pleasure to sit under her wisdom for the three years while I was at Pine Cove. Her and Kara even made beautiful cupcakes for our wedding! Then, not but three months after I moved to Dallas, her husband got a job at Watermark Church and they moved to Dallas too! I hope to catch up with her soon. Until then here is her blog that moved me to think more about my "what ifs"
Friday, January 27, 2012
Update
Like most things I do, I start and have awesome ideas and intentions and then somehow seem to forget about them or not take the time to finish or continue! This is a major flaw and I am currently working on it! I really am, Blake said he would help. Yet, I am will still going to tell you excuses why I haven't blogged in, give life updates over the past four months!
1. I finished my job at the Bluffs as the Guest Relations after three whole awesome years! I worked with one Camp Director, two Conference directors, and three guest services and every minute was incredible!
2. I started to work part time at another Pine Cove ministry call IWS (Institution for Wilderness Studies). This is where the Lord guided me to fall in love with teaching science. [ Coming soon: How Amanda Completely Changed Careers ]
3. GOT MARRIED!! That's right, I am now a happily married woman to the most incredible man in the world. Blake Farrar!
4. I moved to Dallas, Texas (really we live in Irving, Las Colinas area) to move in with Blake and created a home in our humble apartment! Yes, I am officially a nester! We bought our living room, dining room, and bedroom furniture from different craigslist friends! Next on the list: washer and dryer.
5. Take care of our loving vizsla, Big Boy! We go running and have dog park dates with my friend Jessica Anthony who also owns a vizsla named Isley.
Sorry I don't have a picture I hardly blog without a picture, but honestly I haven't taken a picture in 10 months!! Add that to the list of "things to work on in 2012...2013...2014......."
6. Our holiday was filled with travel with a Christmas at the JF Ranch on Dec. 23 and then a flight up to Wyoming for the Christmas Holiday. My parents then held a Wyoming Wedding Reception for all the people that weren't able to make it south to the BIG event.
7. We went to Keystone, CO and defeated the slopes over the New Years Holiday with Blake's parents, sister, and her friends!
8. Now I am looking for a job! Anyone out there needing some help?! While I am also applying for a teachers certification to become a Biology Teacher!
9. We started attending an incredibly family friendly church that just over a block away from our house called Irving Bible Church. We have also JUST started a small group that we are excited to live life with.
I would say those are all the major life updates and until nextweek, month time I will hopefully be taking pictures to keep this blog spicy!
1. I finished my job at the Bluffs as the Guest Relations after three whole awesome years! I worked with one Camp Director, two Conference directors, and three guest services and every minute was incredible!
2. I started to work part time at another Pine Cove ministry call IWS (Institution for Wilderness Studies). This is where the Lord guided me to fall in love with teaching science. [ Coming soon: How Amanda Completely Changed Careers ]
3. GOT MARRIED!! That's right, I am now a happily married woman to the most incredible man in the world. Blake Farrar!
4. I moved to Dallas, Texas (really we live in Irving, Las Colinas area) to move in with Blake and created a home in our humble apartment! Yes, I am officially a nester! We bought our living room, dining room, and bedroom furniture from different craigslist friends! Next on the list: washer and dryer.
5. Take care of our loving vizsla, Big Boy! We go running and have dog park dates with my friend Jessica Anthony who also owns a vizsla named Isley.
Sorry I don't have a picture I hardly blog without a picture, but honestly I haven't taken a picture in 10 months!! Add that to the list of "things to work on in 2012...2013...2014......."
6. Our holiday was filled with travel with a Christmas at the JF Ranch on Dec. 23 and then a flight up to Wyoming for the Christmas Holiday. My parents then held a Wyoming Wedding Reception for all the people that weren't able to make it south to the BIG event.
7. We went to Keystone, CO and defeated the slopes over the New Years Holiday with Blake's parents, sister, and her friends!
8. Now I am looking for a job! Anyone out there needing some help?! While I am also applying for a teachers certification to become a Biology Teacher!
9. We started attending an incredibly family friendly church that just over a block away from our house called Irving Bible Church. We have also JUST started a small group that we are excited to live life with.
I would say those are all the major life updates and until next
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Once Upon a Time
We all know that every great story starts with Once Upon a Time and most of these types of stories are great love stories. And boy do I have an amazing love story. My "Once Upon a Time" is an incredible proposal story that Blake gave me. I mean I have had strangers and the most random people come up to me stating that they have seen the pictures on Facebook and have heard how I got engaged. Its humbling really and so sweet. If you don't know the story I have posted all the details in an older post and you can read it here.
This story has even reached the public press!
Not the New York Times, or Time Magazine
But, the Wedded Bliss. There is a local free wedding magazine in East Texas called the Wedded Bliss that has all sorts of crazy information for Brides planning their wedding and other weddings that have happened throughout the area. I was searching their site and they ask for your engagement story. And since I am still amazed at my proposal I thought I would submit the story, so naturally I just copied and pasted my blog post about it. The sweetest lady named Sandra replied and I could hear her joy from the story through the email. She gave some wonderful marriage advice and encouraged me in Blake and I's journey together. She even said that she wanted to put our story in the September/October edition of Wedded Bliss.
I was thrilled!!! Really....my story?! Well Blake did do a really good job.
Most of the engagement stories in the Wedded Bliss are a paragraph long and the couple puts one picture of them beside the story, and they have about three stories on one page. For my story I thought that this poor lady Sandra was going to have to condense all my writing into a small paragraph, which would take a lot anyways with my writing. Yet, I was excited to see our story in this magazine!
So this past weekend Blake and I were at a Tux Shop getting all the details finalized when we saw that the Sept/Oct edition of the Wedded Bliss was being delivered. We immediately asked for one and anxiously flipped through the magazine looking for our story. Did it make it? Is it cool? Did we even submit a good picture?!
Then in complete amazement we found our story! Actually how could you miss our story.
It was two full pages with about 5 pictures and practically every detail that I had written in the blog post. It needed shortened and Sandra did an incredible job of keeping my personality in it and still preserving the whole story!
AMAZING!! I am so thankful for everything that Sandra did and so blessed by her. That my story would get this type of attention. Even all my friends made it! Autographs to be signed later!
Every time I tell this story I realize how blessed I am and reminded of how INCREDIBLE Blake is! Every time I tell this story I am humbled because I didn't even do a thing...not one thing!! Blake did the planning months in advance, he organized the details, and did the asking! I was just there and said "yes," the rest was all Blake!
Every time I tell this story I am reminded of the gospel.
I'm reminded I have been given a spiritual story, not because of what I have done, the sinner I am, but what Christ has done. I did nothing but say "yes" to Christ and accept him in my heart when he asked me to be his bride and join him in his kingdom.
When he did EVERYTHING for me. He did the planning before hand and came to earth and lived a holy life. He put together all the details and came to dwell among us and be a living example, and then he died for wretched people and their disgusting sins. Not only did he die a horrible death but he then was raised again, and put death to death!
Then he asked me to live with him forever.
And I said, "yes."
My heart is spoken for.
Every time I remember this I realize how blessed I am and how INCREDIBLE Christ is!!
This is not my story but God's love story.
"And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurableriches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been savedthrough faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works,which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2: 1-10
This story has even reached the public press!
Not the New York Times, or Time Magazine
But, the Wedded Bliss. There is a local free wedding magazine in East Texas called the Wedded Bliss that has all sorts of crazy information for Brides planning their wedding and other weddings that have happened throughout the area. I was searching their site and they ask for your engagement story. And since I am still amazed at my proposal I thought I would submit the story, so naturally I just copied and pasted my blog post about it. The sweetest lady named Sandra replied and I could hear her joy from the story through the email. She gave some wonderful marriage advice and encouraged me in Blake and I's journey together. She even said that she wanted to put our story in the September/October edition of Wedded Bliss.
I was thrilled!!! Really....my story?! Well Blake did do a really good job.
Most of the engagement stories in the Wedded Bliss are a paragraph long and the couple puts one picture of them beside the story, and they have about three stories on one page. For my story I thought that this poor lady Sandra was going to have to condense all my writing into a small paragraph, which would take a lot anyways with my writing. Yet, I was excited to see our story in this magazine!
So this past weekend Blake and I were at a Tux Shop getting all the details finalized when we saw that the Sept/Oct edition of the Wedded Bliss was being delivered. We immediately asked for one and anxiously flipped through the magazine looking for our story. Did it make it? Is it cool? Did we even submit a good picture?!
Then in complete amazement we found our story! Actually how could you miss our story.
It was two full pages with about 5 pictures and practically every detail that I had written in the blog post. It needed shortened and Sandra did an incredible job of keeping my personality in it and still preserving the whole story!
AMAZING!! I am so thankful for everything that Sandra did and so blessed by her. That my story would get this type of attention. Even all my friends made it! Autographs to be signed later!
Every time I tell this story I realize how blessed I am and reminded of how INCREDIBLE Blake is! Every time I tell this story I am humbled because I didn't even do a thing...not one thing!! Blake did the planning months in advance, he organized the details, and did the asking! I was just there and said "yes," the rest was all Blake!
Every time I tell this story I am reminded of the gospel.
I'm reminded I have been given a spiritual story, not because of what I have done, the sinner I am, but what Christ has done. I did nothing but say "yes" to Christ and accept him in my heart when he asked me to be his bride and join him in his kingdom.
When he did EVERYTHING for me. He did the planning before hand and came to earth and lived a holy life. He put together all the details and came to dwell among us and be a living example, and then he died for wretched people and their disgusting sins. Not only did he die a horrible death but he then was raised again, and put death to death!
Then he asked me to live with him forever.
And I said, "yes."
My heart is spoken for.
Every time I remember this I realize how blessed I am and how INCREDIBLE Christ is!!
This is not my story but God's love story.
"And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ— by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurableriches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been savedthrough faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works,which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2: 1-10
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Who Knew?!
I am in the process of making an Ebenezer from my trip to Israel last year. It is a Photobook from Shutterfly with all the pictures that I have from the trip. Yet, sadly my camera broke Day 1 of the trip, I mean we weren't even out of the US yet and it just crashed, so I had friends graciously take pictures of me.
So needless to say I had pictures of me specifically in a hundred different places. I copied a bunch of facebook and had friends email me a few too.
Until recently I had a friend, Patoya (love her!), email me a bunch that she had taken so I could finish by book. And by surprise this was one of the pictures:
In the fall of 2009 I decided to raise money and ask for support to go on a 12-day study tour through Israel. The Lord provided in crazy ways and I was able to go in March of 2010. There were 50 people going, half were from the forge, a quarter were Pine Cove staff like me and then the other quarter were people who knew about the trip and were connected with Pine Cove, one of those people being Blake.
All 50 of us spent 12-days straight together, learning, laughing, and hiking a lot and not once did Blake and I talk. Now talking about it today, neither one of us were on each others radar. Which for both of us at the time, was a good thing as weird as that sounds. I had an amazing trip with absolutely no distractions, (because Blake WOULD have been! haha), and it was GREAT!
It wasn't until we were back in the states that I began to notice Blake. I mean when you go on a trip with people for that long and that meaningful they are practically already your best friend!
It was on Thursday mornings at Einsteins that I would continuously see him, because I was meeting with my friend Adrianne there in there mornings. He would be there working and we would say our cordial hello's and I thought he was great, but that's about it. Then I started to see him at other places afterwards like Macalisters and Pine Cove events, and that's when it all started!
After one wonderful talk at Macalisters and sharing a chocolate chip cookie we exchanged numbers and it was history from there!
So now being engaged we look at these pictures when we are right beside each other in Israel where it all started having no clue.
Who knew that when we were right beside each other then, that we would be that way forever.
So needless to say I had pictures of me specifically in a hundred different places. I copied a bunch of facebook and had friends email me a few too.
Until recently I had a friend, Patoya (love her!), email me a bunch that she had taken so I could finish by book. And by surprise this was one of the pictures:
Blake and I in Israel, Gamla I think
You look at this picture and you think oh how cute, right?!! When Blake and I look at this picture we think...CRAZY! Who knew?! Only because this trip to Israel is where we met without even knowing it.
In the fall of 2009 I decided to raise money and ask for support to go on a 12-day study tour through Israel. The Lord provided in crazy ways and I was able to go in March of 2010. There were 50 people going, half were from the forge, a quarter were Pine Cove staff like me and then the other quarter were people who knew about the trip and were connected with Pine Cove, one of those people being Blake.
All 50 of us spent 12-days straight together, learning, laughing, and hiking a lot and not once did Blake and I talk. Now talking about it today, neither one of us were on each others radar. Which for both of us at the time, was a good thing as weird as that sounds. I had an amazing trip with absolutely no distractions, (because Blake WOULD have been! haha), and it was GREAT!
It wasn't until we were back in the states that I began to notice Blake. I mean when you go on a trip with people for that long and that meaningful they are practically already your best friend!
It was on Thursday mornings at Einsteins that I would continuously see him, because I was meeting with my friend Adrianne there in there mornings. He would be there working and we would say our cordial hello's and I thought he was great, but that's about it. Then I started to see him at other places afterwards like Macalisters and Pine Cove events, and that's when it all started!
After one wonderful talk at Macalisters and sharing a chocolate chip cookie we exchanged numbers and it was history from there!
So now being engaged we look at these pictures when we are right beside each other in Israel where it all started having no clue.
Who knew that when we were right beside each other then, that we would be that way forever.
Blake's birthday, a week after the engagement!
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Between Wondering and Wanting
Well Blake and I have been engaged one month to this day and you better believe I will be riding cloud 9 as long as I can.
So far we have conquered some huge wedding plans and I am pretty proud of us.
Date: October 16th, 2011
Ceremony and Reception: Stone Oak Ranch Murchinson, TX near Tyler. Click here to see pictures. It is a beautiful barn, my dream was to have my wedding in a barn! And the people who run it are so nice.
Photographer: Brandi Burkett, who is simply wonderful and has the same taste as I do. Click here to see her blog.
Officiant: Chris Sherrod and he and Chris Legg are going to do our Marriage Counseling
Wedding Coordinator: Adrianne Miller, a SWEET friend and amazing women who will do so well!
Cupcakes: Mandy Sisco and her sweet friend, this is a huge feat and she was so sweet in wanting to help and even have a tasting!
Registered: a tiny bit at Bed, Bath, and Beyond...Blake and I had a lot of fun. He allows me to dream!
Misc: I have already gotten HUGE help from people around Pine Cove and great connections from my future in laws!
I don't have a dress yet, but I went shopping with my mom over Easter and my best friend Megan is coming May 6th. So Lord willing that will come quick and easy!
And if you are wondering, yes I am still working on the colors
Phew...we have come a long way in one month! I am trying to get all the big stuff done before May 14th, because that's technically when summer camp starts and I will be MIA with all this free time!
Blake and I have done a lot and made a lot of decisions. Yet, our biggest question is how on earth do you be engaged exactly. What does engagement look like?
There are books up the wazoo about dating and how to date and specific books on types of dating and tons of advice from friends. Then there are even more books about marriage and how to be married, work on communication and even more great advice from people. Yet, how do we do engagement well.
So I feel like we are in between wondering and wanting. The first stage of dating is wondering if we are going to get married, wondering if we are a good fit. Then realizing we could totally marry this person and wondering when it will happen. Then the other stage is then wanting to be married, we now know we will be getting married and the wondering stage is done. Yet, now we want to get married (sometimes next week), and we know it is coming but what does engagement look like? How do we serve each other in this season of life.
I realize the basic things, like this is a time to prepare for marriage with christian counseling, reading books, talking through stuff and planning a wedding. If this is what engagement is all about then great, its been a fun ride. Yet, this new season has brought our relationship to another level and its important to continue to cultivate this time together and my question is what does it look like?
So Blake and I decided that instead of trying to fit our engagement into our lives we would create a foundation and filter the actions of engagement through scripture. So the goal and desire of our engagement is to:
1. Glorify God
2. Be an example to those around us with his power
So in this season we thought that we would pray Romans 12:9-13 over our relationship.
"Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection.Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality."
Being engage is so AMAZING and we are slowly looking at what this means in our lives as we are learning to understand one another in preparation for marriage.
Yes, we're engaged, but...WE ARE GETTING MARRIED...and that's what its all about!
So far we have conquered some huge wedding plans and I am pretty proud of us.
Date: October 16th, 2011
Ceremony and Reception: Stone Oak Ranch Murchinson, TX near Tyler. Click here to see pictures. It is a beautiful barn, my dream was to have my wedding in a barn! And the people who run it are so nice.
Photographer: Brandi Burkett, who is simply wonderful and has the same taste as I do. Click here to see her blog.
Officiant: Chris Sherrod and he and Chris Legg are going to do our Marriage Counseling
Wedding Coordinator: Adrianne Miller, a SWEET friend and amazing women who will do so well!
Cupcakes: Mandy Sisco and her sweet friend, this is a huge feat and she was so sweet in wanting to help and even have a tasting!
Registered: a tiny bit at Bed, Bath, and Beyond...Blake and I had a lot of fun. He allows me to dream!
Misc: I have already gotten HUGE help from people around Pine Cove and great connections from my future in laws!
I don't have a dress yet, but I went shopping with my mom over Easter and my best friend Megan is coming May 6th. So Lord willing that will come quick and easy!
And if you are wondering, yes I am still working on the colors
Phew...we have come a long way in one month! I am trying to get all the big stuff done before May 14th, because that's technically when summer camp starts and I will be MIA with all this free time!
Blake and I have done a lot and made a lot of decisions. Yet, our biggest question is how on earth do you be engaged exactly. What does engagement look like?
There are books up the wazoo about dating and how to date and specific books on types of dating and tons of advice from friends. Then there are even more books about marriage and how to be married, work on communication and even more great advice from people. Yet, how do we do engagement well.
So I feel like we are in between wondering and wanting. The first stage of dating is wondering if we are going to get married, wondering if we are a good fit. Then realizing we could totally marry this person and wondering when it will happen. Then the other stage is then wanting to be married, we now know we will be getting married and the wondering stage is done. Yet, now we want to get married (sometimes next week), and we know it is coming but what does engagement look like? How do we serve each other in this season of life.
I realize the basic things, like this is a time to prepare for marriage with christian counseling, reading books, talking through stuff and planning a wedding. If this is what engagement is all about then great, its been a fun ride. Yet, this new season has brought our relationship to another level and its important to continue to cultivate this time together and my question is what does it look like?
So Blake and I decided that instead of trying to fit our engagement into our lives we would create a foundation and filter the actions of engagement through scripture. So the goal and desire of our engagement is to:
1. Glorify God
2. Be an example to those around us with his power
So in this season we thought that we would pray Romans 12:9-13 over our relationship.
"Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection.Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality."
Being engage is so AMAZING and we are slowly looking at what this means in our lives as we are learning to understand one another in preparation for marriage.
Yes, we're engaged, but...WE ARE GETTING MARRIED...and that's what its all about!
Two Words: Pure Joy
Monday, April 18, 2011
Farrar, the last "r" is silent like Farrah
Sunday April 3rd
I did the normal Sunday morning activities and getting ready for church. Except for this weekend I was dog sitting Bo, Matt and Kristen Hanvey's beautiful Golden Retriever. I just love dog sitting for them. So I got up early to feed and play with him before church, but as always I was still late to church
Surprised that I was late?
After church, all of us went to Jimmy John's for lunch, Jenny's favorite, which was great and a lot of friends from out of town went to eat with us too so we definitely had a party (little did I know the out of towners people were really here for the engagement!)
Afterward Blake and I went to my house and had a lazy Sunday afternoon. Blake had to leave at 3pm that afternoon to "go to back to Dallas for a Community Group event there," so we wanted to soak up every last minute from that weekend. (See my last post) He brought his hammock and hung it up in the front yard and spent the last few hours just talking.
Blake left and meanwhile I get a text from my roommate Jenn that said she was having a hard day and wanted all of us roommates to make a run to sonic around 4:45-5pm and of course I would go, but I needed to be back by 5:30pm because I had my 10th graders for community group at 6pm. Yet, Hannah also had all her Base Camp stuff and needed to drop off the trailer at a "trailer repair place," before we could go to Sonic. So I had little time, but it was worth it for the roommates.
So around 5:00pm all us roommates pile into a Base Camp vehicle and start trying to find this "trailer place" before sonic, because "this guy only works on trailers." I mean this isn't weird, because we've been on some random Base Camp equipment retrieval excursions before.
So this place is off the beaten path, but pull onto this beautiful piece of property and drive towards the house. I am on a time limit because I need to be back for Community Groups and yet I don't notice anyone around to greet us as we pulled up. As we pull closer I do see someone on a swing but its behind a tree so you can't really make out who it was so I said, "look he (thinking the trailer guy) is creepily waiting for us on that swing." No one says anything and we pull forward and I take a closer look and it was Blake!
First thought: Yeah, it's Blake I get to see him again.
Second thought: OH MY, ITS BLAKE is this it? Am I getting engaged?!?
I jump out of the Excursion and and run to Blake so excited and he hugs me and gives me a cup of sweet tea.
Sweat Tea speaks right to my heart.
Then my roommates drive away, smiling of course, because they knew all along! Jenn wasn't having a hard day and Hannah's Base Camp trailer was fine. Man they were good, they didn't even crack, not even once. They were even helping me plan my Community Group time, pulling me waaaay of course.
Blake takes my hand and we walk down a path and he says that community groups is taken care of. We completely have small talk and walk through a gate and into a BEAUTIFUL OPEN FIELD!
Then there in the middle of this field is a giant oak tree and a cute porch swing hanging from it and a blanket on the back of it. (My mind is racing!) We walk towards it and sit down. Blake then states that he has so much to say, but he would read it instead.
I love when Blake reads to me.
He read different excerpts from his prayer journal to me starting in June when we first started dating, and man it was amazing to hear! His last journal entry was thanking the Lord for giving him the chance to talk to my parents and to share in their excitement.
Then he gets off the swing and bends down on one knee and asks me to marry him!
I SAID YES (I may have had my mouth covered in awe, but I said it)
He puts the most beautiful ring on my finger and we stand up and I kiss him.
My fiance!
I LOVE BLAKE FARRAR
Then he looks at the porch swing and moves the blanket that was on the back of the swing and engraved it says, "The Farrar's"
That was OUR swing! With OUR name on it! It blew me away. I just love porch swings and we talk about them all the time and this one was ours!
So we sat back down on our new swing being newly engaged and laughed and smiled, I mean we were souring on cloud 9. Then speaking of souring I hear a helicopter off into the distance and thought nothing of it, until it circled around us. I looked at Blake and asked in complete amazement, "is that for us?!" and he said "I dont know." Sure enough this helicopter lands 100 yards from us. So we get up and walk towards this helicopter. Inside is Blake's best friend Joey with a video camera smiling so big! I couldn't believe it. So we hop into a helicopter.
Yep, a helicopter...can you believe it! I was so excited I don't think my voice has ever reached that high of a register with shrills of joy!
So we lift off and then I see two of Blake's other friends in full camouflage and gilly suits come out from behind a tree and a brush pile with cameras...they were there the whole time. And I want to give a shout out to Michael Wilson and Jesse Bellington because they did an AMAZING job!
In this helicopter we flew all around Tyler and went downtown and really all over the city, it was so neat to see! Then we flew over Pine Cove and I could see the Bluffs and all the camps from above and it was a really neat perspective, then we start descending and I had no idea where we were going and come over the tops of the trees and there is the Wood's field with TONS of friends that were there waiting for us. Cheering and hands waving with signs! I mean I felt like a celebrity, now my voice was even higher then before! I couldn't stop smiling!
We land and my friends, Jenn, Jenny, Hannah, and Adrianne run towards this helicopter with its moving blades and all and help me out of the helicopter.
I practically fell out because I had spaghetti legs, I mean I was literally paralyzed. Then we all walk over to the big crowd of people waiting and Blake and I hug them all, I mean this is an incredible proof of love and I couldn't believe it was me they were waiting for! Kyndell drove up from Austin and Laura drove over from Dallas, I mean it was AMAZING!
Then we walk over to the picnic tables at the Woods Pavilion and Katelyn and the Forge girls decorated everything so pretty and put pictures of Blake and I together.
Then Blake proceeds to tell me that he ordered my favorite sandwich from Stanley's BBQ for everyone! AMAZING, I literally assumed the position with my face in my hands in pure disbelief. The sandwich is called the brother-in-law, you'll know what I mean when you try it.
So Blake and I spent the rest of the time talking with people and I shared this wonderful story Blake gave me with everyone.
Blake gave me a party and about 70 of our closets friends were there! He gave me a party!!
The only time I cried was when I called my Mom and Greg and told them I was engaged and these were tears of pure Joy and when I found out that my best friend Megan was supposed to come but she got her tickets booked on the wrong day! She has terrible plane trouble.
So she sent me a video and called! Yet, instead she is coming in May to help me plan for a wedding! Man I am blessed!
So my new last name starting Oct. 16th, 2011 will now be Farrar and Blake has already instructed me on how to tell everyone how to say it. The last "r" is silent and sounds like Farrah, like the 70's actress Farrah Facet. Minus the Facet part.
Thanks everyone, and Blake, the Lord used you to make my Dreams Come True!
I did the normal Sunday morning activities and getting ready for church. Except for this weekend I was dog sitting Bo, Matt and Kristen Hanvey's beautiful Golden Retriever. I just love dog sitting for them. So I got up early to feed and play with him before church, but as always I was still late to church
Surprised that I was late?
After church, all of us went to Jimmy John's for lunch, Jenny's favorite, which was great and a lot of friends from out of town went to eat with us too so we definitely had a party (little did I know the out of towners people were really here for the engagement!)
Afterward Blake and I went to my house and had a lazy Sunday afternoon. Blake had to leave at 3pm that afternoon to "go to back to Dallas for a Community Group event there," so we wanted to soak up every last minute from that weekend. (See my last post) He brought his hammock and hung it up in the front yard and spent the last few hours just talking.
Blake left and meanwhile I get a text from my roommate Jenn that said she was having a hard day and wanted all of us roommates to make a run to sonic around 4:45-5pm and of course I would go, but I needed to be back by 5:30pm because I had my 10th graders for community group at 6pm. Yet, Hannah also had all her Base Camp stuff and needed to drop off the trailer at a "trailer repair place," before we could go to Sonic. So I had little time, but it was worth it for the roommates.
So around 5:00pm all us roommates pile into a Base Camp vehicle and start trying to find this "trailer place" before sonic, because "this guy only works on trailers." I mean this isn't weird, because we've been on some random Base Camp equipment retrieval excursions before.
So this place is off the beaten path, but pull onto this beautiful piece of property and drive towards the house. I am on a time limit because I need to be back for Community Groups and yet I don't notice anyone around to greet us as we pulled up. As we pull closer I do see someone on a swing but its behind a tree so you can't really make out who it was so I said, "look he (thinking the trailer guy) is creepily waiting for us on that swing." No one says anything and we pull forward and I take a closer look and it was Blake!
First thought: Yeah, it's Blake I get to see him again.
Second thought: OH MY, ITS BLAKE is this it? Am I getting engaged?!?
I jump out of the Excursion and and run to Blake so excited and he hugs me and gives me a cup of sweet tea.
Sweat Tea speaks right to my heart.
Then my roommates drive away, smiling of course, because they knew all along! Jenn wasn't having a hard day and Hannah's Base Camp trailer was fine. Man they were good, they didn't even crack, not even once. They were even helping me plan my Community Group time, pulling me waaaay of course.
Blake takes my hand and we walk down a path and he says that community groups is taken care of. We completely have small talk and walk through a gate and into a BEAUTIFUL OPEN FIELD!
Then there in the middle of this field is a giant oak tree and a cute porch swing hanging from it and a blanket on the back of it. (My mind is racing!) We walk towards it and sit down. Blake then states that he has so much to say, but he would read it instead.
I love when Blake reads to me.
He read different excerpts from his prayer journal to me starting in June when we first started dating, and man it was amazing to hear! His last journal entry was thanking the Lord for giving him the chance to talk to my parents and to share in their excitement.
Then he gets off the swing and bends down on one knee and asks me to marry him!
I SAID YES (I may have had my mouth covered in awe, but I said it)
He puts the most beautiful ring on my finger and we stand up and I kiss him.
My fiance!
I LOVE BLAKE FARRAR
Then he looks at the porch swing and moves the blanket that was on the back of the swing and engraved it says, "The Farrar's"
That was OUR swing! With OUR name on it! It blew me away. I just love porch swings and we talk about them all the time and this one was ours!
So we sat back down on our new swing being newly engaged and laughed and smiled, I mean we were souring on cloud 9. Then speaking of souring I hear a helicopter off into the distance and thought nothing of it, until it circled around us. I looked at Blake and asked in complete amazement, "is that for us?!" and he said "I dont know." Sure enough this helicopter lands 100 yards from us. So we get up and walk towards this helicopter. Inside is Blake's best friend Joey with a video camera smiling so big! I couldn't believe it. So we hop into a helicopter.
Yep, a helicopter...can you believe it! I was so excited I don't think my voice has ever reached that high of a register with shrills of joy!
So we lift off and then I see two of Blake's other friends in full camouflage and gilly suits come out from behind a tree and a brush pile with cameras...they were there the whole time. And I want to give a shout out to Michael Wilson and Jesse Bellington because they did an AMAZING job!
In this helicopter we flew all around Tyler and went downtown and really all over the city, it was so neat to see! Then we flew over Pine Cove and I could see the Bluffs and all the camps from above and it was a really neat perspective, then we start descending and I had no idea where we were going and come over the tops of the trees and there is the Wood's field with TONS of friends that were there waiting for us. Cheering and hands waving with signs! I mean I felt like a celebrity, now my voice was even higher then before! I couldn't stop smiling!
We land and my friends, Jenn, Jenny, Hannah, and Adrianne run towards this helicopter with its moving blades and all and help me out of the helicopter.
I practically fell out because I had spaghetti legs, I mean I was literally paralyzed. Then we all walk over to the big crowd of people waiting and Blake and I hug them all, I mean this is an incredible proof of love and I couldn't believe it was me they were waiting for! Kyndell drove up from Austin and Laura drove over from Dallas, I mean it was AMAZING!
Then we walk over to the picnic tables at the Woods Pavilion and Katelyn and the Forge girls decorated everything so pretty and put pictures of Blake and I together.
Then Blake proceeds to tell me that he ordered my favorite sandwich from Stanley's BBQ for everyone! AMAZING, I literally assumed the position with my face in my hands in pure disbelief. The sandwich is called the brother-in-law, you'll know what I mean when you try it.
So Blake and I spent the rest of the time talking with people and I shared this wonderful story Blake gave me with everyone.
Blake gave me a party and about 70 of our closets friends were there! He gave me a party!!
The only time I cried was when I called my Mom and Greg and told them I was engaged and these were tears of pure Joy and when I found out that my best friend Megan was supposed to come but she got her tickets booked on the wrong day! She has terrible plane trouble.
So she sent me a video and called! Yet, instead she is coming in May to help me plan for a wedding! Man I am blessed!
So my new last name starting Oct. 16th, 2011 will now be Farrar and Blake has already instructed me on how to tell everyone how to say it. The last "r" is silent and sounds like Farrah, like the 70's actress Farrah Facet. Minus the Facet part.
Thanks everyone, and Blake, the Lord used you to make my Dreams Come True!
Friday, April 15, 2011
A Weekend of Fun
I had the best Weekend before the best day of my Life (getting engaged...that story in a post to come)
Friday April 1st
It was an awesome day to work, my coworkers, TJ, Andrew, and I, decided to prank all the people coming into the Dining Hall because the Bluffs were hosting this weeks Staff Chapel. We put signs up on the front doors saying use the side doors and signs up on the side doors saying use the front doors! Classic and I loved watching our friends laugh.
Then that evening Blake and I picked up a few bikes and met five other friends to bike around the Azalea District in Tyler Texas to look at all the pretty flowers. We had great fun and spent the evening with the people we love.
Saturday April 2nd
Blake came over and he made breakfast consisting of pancakes with peanut butter and blackberries, one of my favorite and he tried to make a heart pancake. He's a great cook, but we will leave the artistry to the professionals on the Food Network. He said he had the whole day planned and yes he did!
We went to sonic and grabbed an ocean water slush and went to the Villages Dock to wait for his Uncle and Cousins to arrive with their really cool fan boat. His cousins were here for a bow fishing tournament and allowed us to take a ride while they scouted the area. The boat was as cool as his family.
After this we traveled to the main location of the Tyler Transit public transport system and waited for a bus to ride. I have always wanted to ride the Tyler Transit to meet new people and see the sites of Tyler that you normally don't go to. So we decided to wait for the bus Red North.
We waited.....and waited.
So instead we paid our 75 cents and jumped on blue east which sadly went to areas we have been before, but one of the stops was near a Bingo place we have never seen before! Lets go! When you pay for one bus ride you are given a free transfer to another bus so we thought why not and jumped onto Green West.
It was such a fun time to spend with Blake and see Tyler in a new light and we traveled many miles for only .75. Now that's what I call a deal! It was a great experience and I know a lot of people ride the public transport daily, but it was a new experience for me (growing up in small towns) and I came out of it with a lot to learn and reflect (later post about this...hopefully)
After our daily excursions Blake drove us to our Dinner location which was an hour away, but he wouldn't tell me what it was until we were pulling in. He took us to Tara Vineyards. It was a beautiful winery with fine dining. I mean this place was BEAUTIFUL! It has the most beautiful scenery and we chose to eat outside on the patio.
Blake and I both wanted the hamburger and asked the waitress to add cheese, but not shortly after ordering the chef came over to our table and in the kindest way possible said, "umm...we don't put cheese on the hamburger," and once we took our first bite we understood why.
It was THE BEST, most delicious hamburger I have ever eaten in my life! Honestly...the best! I can't explain it but you must try it! The chef came to our table again and we praise him for his cooking and Blake apologized for our ignorance.
We had such a wonderful evening and it was a perfect end to a perfect day. (little did I know I was getting engaged the next day!!)
Our Best picture Ever at Tara Vineyards.
Friday April 1st
It was an awesome day to work, my coworkers, TJ, Andrew, and I, decided to prank all the people coming into the Dining Hall because the Bluffs were hosting this weeks Staff Chapel. We put signs up on the front doors saying use the side doors and signs up on the side doors saying use the front doors! Classic and I loved watching our friends laugh.
Then that evening Blake and I picked up a few bikes and met five other friends to bike around the Azalea District in Tyler Texas to look at all the pretty flowers. We had great fun and spent the evening with the people we love.
Saturday April 2nd
Blake came over and he made breakfast consisting of pancakes with peanut butter and blackberries, one of my favorite and he tried to make a heart pancake. He's a great cook, but we will leave the artistry to the professionals on the Food Network. He said he had the whole day planned and yes he did!
We went to sonic and grabbed an ocean water slush and went to the Villages Dock to wait for his Uncle and Cousins to arrive with their really cool fan boat. His cousins were here for a bow fishing tournament and allowed us to take a ride while they scouted the area. The boat was as cool as his family.
After this we traveled to the main location of the Tyler Transit public transport system and waited for a bus to ride. I have always wanted to ride the Tyler Transit to meet new people and see the sites of Tyler that you normally don't go to. So we decided to wait for the bus Red North.
We waited.....and waited.
So instead we paid our 75 cents and jumped on blue east which sadly went to areas we have been before, but one of the stops was near a Bingo place we have never seen before! Lets go! When you pay for one bus ride you are given a free transfer to another bus so we thought why not and jumped onto Green West.
It was such a fun time to spend with Blake and see Tyler in a new light and we traveled many miles for only .75. Now that's what I call a deal! It was a great experience and I know a lot of people ride the public transport daily, but it was a new experience for me (growing up in small towns) and I came out of it with a lot to learn and reflect (later post about this...hopefully)
After our daily excursions Blake drove us to our Dinner location which was an hour away, but he wouldn't tell me what it was until we were pulling in. He took us to Tara Vineyards. It was a beautiful winery with fine dining. I mean this place was BEAUTIFUL! It has the most beautiful scenery and we chose to eat outside on the patio.
Blake and I both wanted the hamburger and asked the waitress to add cheese, but not shortly after ordering the chef came over to our table and in the kindest way possible said, "umm...we don't put cheese on the hamburger," and once we took our first bite we understood why.
It was THE BEST, most delicious hamburger I have ever eaten in my life! Honestly...the best! I can't explain it but you must try it! The chef came to our table again and we praise him for his cooking and Blake apologized for our ignorance.
We had such a wonderful evening and it was a perfect end to a perfect day. (little did I know I was getting engaged the next day!!)
Our Best picture Ever at Tara Vineyards.
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