Well this blog is WAY overdue!  There has been so much happen in my life I really do not know where to even begin.  So we'll start with the fact that I'm getting married in 20 days!  YIKES!  Many have asked how we met, etc so I guess I'll start with that!  Here goes: 

In November I decided to join an online dating site (POF.com).  I had tried these things in the past but never had any luck.  I randomly decided to give it one more shot just for the heck of it.  Long story short, after talking to two guys that ended up not being who they said they were, I was done.  Enter Randy at the end of December.  He had messaged me and I honestly wasn't really that interested.  We messaged a few times but I  just wasn't feeling it.  At the end of December, I felt God telling me I needed to go on a month long Facebook fast in order to draw closer to Him and seek His will for my life.  If he wanted me single, so be it.  I had finally accepted that fact.  On December 30th, I went to cancel my POF account.  As I was about to hit the confirm cancel button something in my spirit prompted me to stop and message Randy. I really didnt want to but I did.  I told him I wasn't really wanting to date but I felt I needed to keep talking to him so I gave him my email address.  I said I may  not even respond (how nice of me!?!?).  So I sent him the message then cancelled my account.  Within a few hours, he emailed.  

We emailed for a couple of weeks, the entire time I'm fasting and experiencing major spiritual breakthroughs in my life.  God was doing so much in  me.  We began texting and talking and he wanted to meet me.  The day before we met, some things happened and I almost backed out, but every time I tried, God wouldn't let me.  The day of the meeting was overcast and rainy and cold.  I drove to Joplin where I met Randy at the mall.  He had worked a 3 am-11 am shift so that he could meet me that day.  We had a nice walk around the mall and lunch but cut it short because of the weather.  I drove home thinking that was the last time I would see this man.  He was very nice but I just wasn't feeling it.  After the meeting, we decided to just be friends and nothing more (that was my idea!).  

We talked for two more weeks but it began tapering off.  I had planned on just telling him I didnt even really want to talk any more.  The Saturday I had planned on doing so, I laid down to take a nap after a workout.  God very clearly spoke to my heart and said "You need to see Randy and you need to see him tonight."  I fought it.  I tried to sleep (and I LOVE my sleep!) but couldn't.  It weighed so heavy on my heart.  Finally I text him, knowing he was at work, and asked if he wanted to meet that night.  He couldn't because he had a date.  I was like "See God!"  LOL.  Well a bit later he text and his date had cancelled.  He said he would rather meet me anyway.  So I drove to Joplin that night expecting to simply end it all.  

What happened blew my mind!  I had an amazing time and found myself really wanting to know him more!  So two more weeks pass and we are talking and texting continually.  We had great conversation and a definite spark there.  After those two weeks, we agreed that we wanted to see where this would go.  We talked another week or so exclusively and finally on February 16th he came down to go out and meet my friends for my roommates birthday.  He brought me flowers, a card and homemade chocolate covered strawberries.  One of the things that really did me in was that he had wanted to make them sugar free so he used unsweetened chocolate thinking it would still be sweet.  LOL.  He realized his mistake and added sweet n low to make them sweeter.  They were surprisingly good but the fact that he thought about it that much meant a lot to me.  After a great day together, we both realized we really wanted to make this work.  

He knew much faster than I that he loved me but it took me a little longer.  Even though I didnt necessarily love him, I knew he was the one after a party he had at work in Joplin that I attended with him.  Lets rewind two years real quick to my missions trip to Ireland.  

In Ireland, we had a prayer meeting one night.  While praying, a lady that did not know my life came to me and said that I was a rosebud but would soon be a rose in bloom to the man that God had created just for me.  After that, someone spoke Psalm 46:10 to me not knowing it was my favorite verse. 

Now, back to Joplin in 2013.  Randy and I were talking one night and just having a nice time.  He looked at me and said he was falling in love with me.  I said that I cared for him but I wasn't there yet and didn't want to lie to him.  He understood but then he said "You are my rose in bloom."  

I literally stopped and went "WHAT DID YOU SAY?"  I had chill bumps and even though I didnt necessarily share his love just then, I knew he was the one.  It didnt take much longer for me to share those feelings though. 

So we knew we wanted to get married.  We decided that sometime in March or early April.  We had talked about waiting a longer time but finally decided that there was no reason to wait.  We both know and we know God is in it so why wait.  He officially proposed on a Saturday morning Memorial Day weekend at my parent's house.  My ring is a beautiful simple solitaire and the diamond came from my dad's ring which came from my great grandmother's wedding ring.  It means so much to me to have it and to have Randy be the one to give it to me. 

Randy is an incredibly honest and hard working man.  He loves the Lord so much and is always striving to be more and more like God.  He  is a bold witness and shares Jesus with everyone he meets.  He is generous and giving and wants to help everyone he can. He loves kids AND cats!  Unfortunately, he loves coffee too, but the love of cats overrides that!  He supports my passions and dreams.  He has become a source of strength in my life.  It has been so awesome to watch God move in his life and continually change him (he was saved not too long before we met).  There is so much I respect and admire about him.  

So on August 3rd, I will say "I DO" to this man!  I know that life won't be perfect.  We each come in bringing in our baggage and junk, but e also know that as long as we communicate with each other and work together, we will make it with God's help!  

So that's been my life the last 7 months!