So I'm really not that great at updating I've realized.  Obviously a ton of things have gone on since the last update.  We are now 10 days away from being married!!  It's hard to believe it's that close, and due to my procrastinating nature, I still have quite a bit to get done.  I tell myself though, the only thing that matters is that Billy, me, my dad (who is marrying us), and our marriage license are there because they are really the only things we need.  I have a running list in my head of what needs done, & I guess if I forget anything, it really isn't all that important. 

The past month has definitely been a busy one, between working every third weekend, two showers, going to my cousin's wedding, and my bachelorette party (this weekend) this month has flown by.  I am definitely ready for all this to be over with and to go back to normal life.  I do have to say, I have definitely realized how generous my family is, not just for my wedding, but in general.  When we went to Indianapolis for my cousin's wedding, it was basically a free weekend, except for paying for gas to get there.  My uncle took care of the rest.  Then my aunt threw me a beautiful shower & if I the pictures yet I would post them.  And the gifts we have received from both showers have been very generous & above & beyond what I was expecting. 

To top it all off, Billy and I had been expecting to take a honeymoon at a much later date due to financial concerns.  However, when my mom was at my Grandma's house a little over a month or so ago & my Aunt Carol was there she had asked where we were planning on going for a honeymoon.  My mom told her the situation and that we were planning on waiting and she offered to let us use one of their condos in Florida for a week for free!!  So now all we have to worry about it paying for the cost to get down there.  This was such a huge blessing!  Now we are just trying to coordiante a week to go down there with open weeks that they have between now and October (hurrican season).  I'm hoping we get to go before we find out a baby is on the way. 

I guess that's enough updating for tonight.  Maybe after the wedding I will be a little better.....and have pictures.  But for now, I need to get some things done....wedding and non-wedding related.

Well Christmas is over, the new year has begun and yet I still have yet to take down my Christmas tree.  I'm ready to have it down, I just haven't taken the time, and it fills up the corner of my dining room so well.  Maybe if I actually decide on a paint color for my dining room it will be all the more motivation to get it taken down this weekend.

As of yesterday I have exactly five months to plan a wedding.  Yes we have chosen a date and it is.....June 7, 2008 and our colors which are black, cream, and a springy green.  We will be getting married in Caro, MI where I grew up at my parents church.  I've chosen the invites and am planning on making them myself.  I ordered the paper samples and they should be here soon.  Next step is to get our engagement pictures taken.....and soon.  And I'm trying to determine if I just want all the b-maids to pick our their own black, tea length dresses or if they will all be the same.  I'm kind of leaning towards picking their own that way I wouldn't have to worry about ordering and all that goes with that.  I have yet to go look and try on dresses for myself.  Sooner or later it will all get done.  And on top of it, I am debating about changing jobs and doing traveling, at least for a little while to help get us out of debt.  Decisions, decisions.....and I have to make a lot of them in the next few months.  Anyway....I need to go put the leftovers from supper in the fridge.

Wow!  It was a huge, life-changing weekend, because of what happened Friday, December 14th.  That afternoon/evening, Billy Hardy asked me to marry him!  And of course my answer was "YES!"  He had gotten off work early that day, around 12:30, and because his car has a flat tire he took mine to go and pay some bills.  Well around 3:30 or 4 I texted him asking what was taking him so long since we had plans for later.  He said he was on his way soon, so I decided to go ahead and get cleaned up since I had just gotten up not long before ( I had worked the night before).  Well as I was in the bathroom doing my hair, still in my pajamas, he came in, still in his work clothes, and peeked his head around the corner.  He said to me, "I'm sorry I'm later than I was planning.  Do you still love me?"  I said, "Of course, why did you ask that question?"  Well that's when he stepped into the doorway and looked at me and pulled a box with a ring in it from around his back.  I looked from him, to the ring, back to him, and did it a few times.  All the while it's not clicking in my head, instead I'm thinking why's he showing me this?  Does he want my opinion?  What's going on?  Then I looked into his eyes, which looked as though they had a few tears in them, and that's when he asked, "Will you marry me?"  I looked at him and back to the ring and back to him and said, "Of course I will!"  That's when he put it on my finger, and I had tears in my eyes and my heart was overflowing with happiness (still is).  He said, "I had a whole speech thought up, but when it came time, I just wanted to ask you."  He also told me he had originally thought about taking me out to dinner and then to see the Toledo Zoo lights, but figured I would know something was up then.  And he didn't want to do it on Christmas or New Year's eve/day, because it was too predictable.  He wanted to get me completely off my guard, which he definitely did.  But I love our story and I love him so much.  It's us.  We are simple people.  I had wanted to call my parent's right away, but he said he wanted to speak to my dad first and get his blessing.  So he called them on Saturday, but had to leave a message originally.  I was so nervous, for him and me, while we waited for my parents to call him back.  But in the end it all worked out and we have my parent's blessing, which is important to me.  So that's the story, and now it's time to start planning a wedding, and I have no idea where to start.  We do want to get married sometime during the first half of 2008.  Now we have to narrow it down to a month and then a day.  This all still seems like a dream and like I'm going to wake up any minute.  I'm so excited, not necessarily for the wedding, but for the marriage.  I would honestly just like a small wedding with close friends and family, but he would like a bigger wedding.  Since he is an only child and this is the first and only time his parents will be going through this, I'm giving in and giving him what he wants.  So now to close, pictures of my beautiful ring.

A little blurry, but you get this general idea.

And a view from the side.

That's all for now.  I will definitely concentrate more on the upcoming wedding after Christmas.  Until then I'm going to prepare for Christmas and anticipate spending it with my family. 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!