Here are some recent pictures from a really fun wedding Dan and I were able to be a part of! Our good friends, Brad and Kari, committed to one another in front of friends and family and celebrated at a gorgeous venue overlooking the Chesapeake. It was picture perfect and incredibly special. 

I love weddings....like I REALLY love weddings. More then just celebrating with champagne, good food, and dancing, the day is so much more than that. Every time I am able to join in a wedding celebration, tons of the most precious memories from my own wedding day flood back to me and I just get filled with such a joy for the couple. This will most likely be one of the best days of their lives...how could you not be thrilled to be a part of such a special day??

Weddings are an incredible testament to God's love for us. He chose to commit His own life to us, and commit to us He did. Through every period of disappointment, pain, hurt, isolation, ignoring, and confusion, God never leaves us. He doesn't desire to separate Himself from us. When the going gets tough and the love is quite one-sided, He continues to pour out on us unending love.

Gosh, it is ever so easy to view marriage as a relationship that is here to make us happy. We view it as something to make us feel valued, full, and content every single moment of every single day. I can almost guarantee that there will be moments, days, or even periods where that happiness may not always be felt. You'll disappoint one another. You'll say something hurtful. If you base your marriage on feelings...it can easily become a slippery slope. Feelings are fleeting. Choosing to love someone, even when the going gets tough, is the true challenge and beauty of marriage.

Ahh, but marrying your best friend is the most amazing thing in the world! Some days may be tough, but the reward is undeniably incredible. The love you share with your spouse is unlike any other on this planet. For me, my husband is truly the only human being who knows me best...there is such a captivating and special beauty in that. It's this beautiful, committed relationship that inspires me to really celebrate marriages and what they mean to individuals and to God.

All that to say...I'm getting off of my soapbox for the day. Yay Kari and Brad!

A little girls getaway!

This weekend I am venturing to Clarence, New York! A girlfriend of mine is tying the knot this summer(!) and this weekend is her bridal shower. I am anxious to see her and catch up with other friends. Despite the excitement, I am sort of embarrassed to admit that this will be the first time I will have driven 5.5 hours before (without the Mr.). My typical escapades are either to Baltimore or Philly, so this is uncharted territory for me!

There is something about a weekend away with girls that leaves me feeling so happy. A few days to be extra loud, goofy, girly, and emotional....all while talking for hours, staying up too late, and eating too much.

It's lovely.

While I am away dressing up and playing fun/sometimes awkward bridal shower games, my hubby is taking a shot at a newly discovered interest: building stuff! He has a ton of tools that rarely get used and has decided to try and build me two flower boxes for our deck and a bookcase! God bless him... I am working hard to let go of control and let him "have at it", but of course, this can be harder said then done. Just this morning I was asking, "how much will it cost?", "what color stain/paint will you use?", "don't you think you should look up directions?"....

As you can see, this is harder for me than I thought! I am really working on letting him just have fun with this, but I just cannot comprehend not using directions or investigating online tips on how to build, stain, sand, etc. His confidence and creativity amazes me sometimes :)

I'll give an update next week. Perhaps with a picture or two!

**above is a picture from an extra fun girls night form a few years ago...my bachelorette party!

Love love,
Amber

Yesterday  I joined my husband and father-in-law for a delightful afternoon in Annapolis, Maryland. I will start off by saying this: as a kid, I had absolutely no knowledge of or interest in the sport of lacrosse. In fact, my high school did not even have a lacrosse team (such a shocker to my husband's family). My only memory of this sport prior to meeting my husband was about a 3 day visit with it in 7th grade gym class. I have a vivid memory of me standing in the goal praying to God that I wouldn't get hit in the face with the ball. 

All that to say, I am still working hard to learn the ins and outs of this precious sport. 

We spent about about three hours roasting in the hottest sun of the season and cheering on "our" team, Johns Hopkins. They were up against a huge rival and neighbor, University of Maryland. I enjoy watching sports, I really do. But, I have never ever been one to hoot and holler at the people on the field. That just does not come natural to me... at all. I mean, come on, they have absolutely no idea that I just yelled, "come on d!"

I actually was able to cheer and clap like the rest of them...and it felt good! There was just something about sitting there supporting the Blue Jays that was really fun. As I stopped over-thinking the silliness of the screams and boos, I found myself really starting to enjoy the game. Now, I must tell you, I'm taking baby steps. I will humbly admit that I chose to wait in line for 20 minutes (missing the entire 3rd quarter) for a yummy veggie burger. I came back to my seat worried that my husband would say something smart how much time I had wasted in line for a patty of "chopped up veggies being held together by some soy products"...but, instead he happily smiled. I could tell that my efforts to learn the sport and become a fan of his team brought a little smile to his heart. 

Which, of course, made my sunburned, dehydrated self  feeling even more loved. He is always willing to "take it slow" for me--restating the rules multiple times and answering my embarrassingly silly questions. 

It was a good day. 

I am amateur enough in the sport to say that....considering I did enjoy myself, even though they lost miserably. 

Love Always, 

Amber  

Starting a Blogging Journey

So! Here begins my journey in the blogging world. I've been in deep (and when I say deep, I mean DEEP!) thought lately about why it is that I have the most horrible memory sometimes. No really....it actually kind of worries me. I am constantly creating simple, wonderful memories with my husband, family, and friends and feel as though if I don't document it, it could potentially become a bit of a blur later on life.....and that thought frustrates me and honestly, has me feeling sad. So! This little blog will hopefully just be a compilation of my latest adventures, crazy thoughts, current feelings, dreams, fears, etc. I honestly never thought I'd be one to openly share things with the unknown peoples of the World Wide Web, but I've been surprising myself lately. This blog idea is one of those surprises....

I'm already excited to look back on these little entries five years from now and remember just what I was doing in May 2012. No matter How simple, boring, or seemingly mundane some days may seem for other people....to me they are DAYS. Days we have been graciously given for a purpose. Days where we must stop and fully see their beauty, and days that must never be taken for granted.

Always love,

amber leigh