Two in a Million

I stand Amazed

2010-10-30T11:44:00.000-04:00

I'm not sure where to begin with this post. I fear that those of you who read this will not really understand because you might not have been around for these events...but it's all good. What you WILL understand is that God is truly good. That His plan is perfect and that He continues to use things throughout our lives that will continually blow our minds.

So...when I was in college, I joined the Sigma Phi Lambda sorority in 2005, became the Missions chair in 2006 and the President by 2008. While I was the Missions chair the Lord really opened up my eyes to a world of hurting people and showed me how I could use my personality and my gifts to be a part of huge life change. The changes I saw changed my life forever. Sometimes they weren't immediate changes...but they were lives of women who were serving others wholeheartedly. They were women who learned to LOVE missions and love the lost. They were women who got out of their comfort zone for the first time in their life and saw what it means to be the hands and feet of Jesus.

While I did see some effects of my ministry in that sorority immediately...some effects are still being manifested today. I don't mean for this to sound like "its all about me" or that God couldn't have done it without me...its just that right now I can SEE that He used ME! Little ole me was a part of his huge plan and that is SO humbling and awesome.

One of the ladies in my sorority that came on the first mission trip I ever led in 2007 to the Bronx, NY, was named Rebecca. I can't say for sure that this was her first mission trip...but I think it was pretty close to that. Anyway...she is incredible to say the least. Later in 2009 she also attended a trip with Phi Lamb to Guatemala (not led by me...but I was on the trip as well) and just began to hear the call of the Lord on her life to missions. She fell in love with Guatemala. Earlier this month Rebecca left for an 11 month mission trip called the World Race, and wouldn't you know the first country they visited? Guatemala. While that may seem trivial...I was just blown away at how God brought these circumstances together. That years ago God laid it on my heart to start a missions department for our sorority and then years later God would use a trip planned by this department to send her into full time missions. Rebecca has dropped everything for a year to minister around the world and I am SO proud of her and SO blessed to see the way the God has worked in her life and mine. You can follow Rebecca's journey here: http://rebeccaweaver.theworldrace.org/

Then just another amazing story of God's provision and work...the story that prompted this blog post. By 2008 when I was the President of the sorority, a crazy series of events led us to the decision to host a rally to bring awareness about Human Trafficking to the campus of UF. We kinda randomly decided to work alongside STALL: Stop Trafficking and Liberate Lives--a division of Philip Cameron Ministries. They build safe houses for young women (and men) in Moldova (near Romania) to help keep youth out of the dangerous trafficking future that awaits them. Long story short, Philip's son Andrew and his girlfriend Natalie (one of the young ladies rescued by STALL) came and spoke to a group of over 100 people and I just had an amazing time with this whole experience.

Along with all this is the story of Emily, one of my sorority sisters, whose life was also hugely impacted by a mission trip to Barbados in 2006. Emily was a huge part of the Missions dept in Phi Lamb and attended many of the trips led from 07-09. After college she also joined the World Race (her race started back in July) and last month the Race took her to none other than Romania/Moldova. Andrew just happened to be in Moldova at the time so I mentioned this to both Emily and Andrew via facebook and they were actually able to meet up just a week or so ago!! I was so jealous :) but Emily was able to physically GO to Stella's house and meet the girls and I just couldn't believe the series of events that led up to that.

Not only was that really cool that they were able to meet up...but this morning I was reading a post Emily wrote on her blog about an incredible encounter she just had with a Moldovan girl. I was near tears in the car as I read it and wished that I could feel that passion again...that God would show me a sign like he has shown her over and over. I felt so close to the Lord in college as I was so involved in missions, but lately I've felt more distance since I've settled into "real life" and a day-to-day routine.

I followed this pity-party by checking facebook and saw that Andrew Cameron (from STALL) posted that he is in FORT MYERS today!!!! Hello?!?! How about a sign from the Lord?!

I was completely shocked and amazed that he and his father are here, of all places in the world, to speak tonight. (And YES I'm going by the way!!) Again...all this may sound SO trivial to all of you...but to me it's just the Lord speaking Loud and Clear that I don't have to be in college surrounded by 100 women all the time and constantly organizing mission trips to feel the presence of the Lord. I can be right here...in my "real life, day-to-day routine" and He is here with me too. God has used something so simple as an anti-trafficking organization to just rock my world today.

I guess the moral of the story is...if you aren't sure what you are doing with your life, if you don't feel like what you are doing is making an impact...you might not see it now...but HE is at work. And HE is truly good.

Me and Emily at the STALL rally in 2009

Let the GaToR GrOwL!

2010-10-15T19:01:00.002-04:00

Tonight in TitleTown (aka Gainesville), Florida tens of thousands of people are roaming the streets and heading to Gator Growl, the largest student-led pep rally in the world!

It's hard to believe...but 5 years ago on this night...I actually got to get the party started by singing the National Anthem! It was one of the craziest, most exciting, most nerve-wrecking moments of my life. Performing in front of 60,000+ people with no real soundcheck due to rain the night before...it was definitely an awesome experience.

Thanks to the ability to post videos (however SMALL)...you can now reminisce with me tonight. Enjoy. :)

There are 2 parts because I think the "rockets red glare" scared my roommate who was video taping. But this remains as the only proof of my little claim to fame. So thanks to Sara Tolliver for some awesome videos.

The Joy of Marriage...

2010-09-28T17:58:00.000-04:00

I just read this on a newsletter today from Richard Marks' newsletter: Marriage For Life. It paints such a beautiful picture of marriage...I have to share! I've never been the most eloquent author, so it can be very difficult to put love into words, but this guy does a great job.

I pray this words are always true in my life.

The Joy of Marriage by Rabbi Sidney Greenberg

"The joy of marriage is, to begin with, the joy of not being alone. It is the joy of companionship and intimacy and having a person and place to come to. It is the joy of structure and order, of comfort, security and stability. It is the joy of having someone to help with the burdens and drudgery of daily life. It is the joy of making a home and creating a family. It is the joy of being a parent and raising children.

It is the joy of defining your relationship with respect to others and society at large. It is the joy of loving someone so much that you want to celebrate that love and commitment publicly. It is the joy of taking a risk, making a leap of faith, going all the way. It is the joy of believing in someone and something above and beyond yourself. It is the joy of building something lasting and substantial.

It is the joy of having a best friend who is also your lover, and a lover who is also your best friend. It is the joy of sleeping with someone who warms your heart as well as your bed. It is the joy of making love without awkwardness, self-consciousness or shame. It is the joy of developing a private vocabulary and doing some of your best talking without words.

It is the joy of having someone real to hold when you wake up sweating during a dark night of the soul. It is the joy of having someone who truly cares, someone who will stand by you when you get sick, or falter, or fail. It is the joy of having someone you believe, and who believes in you, tell you at times that you are the best, and at other times, that you can be much better.

It is the joy of outgrowing your adolescent self-absorption and getting on with life. It is the joy of being faithful and honoring a vow. It is the joy of ennobling yourself through discipline and sacrifice. It is the joy of having a common history and mutual memories and the sense of having traveled far together. It is the joy of being a separate individual and yet also part of a whole. It is the joy of fighting and making up, of going apart and coming together again. It is the joy of learning to yield and to compromise, to care and to love. And finally, it is the joy of giving..."

What I got for $1.73!

2010-09-25T21:02:00.001-04:00

Despite the crazy amount of work that couponing can be...today was a good reminder of WHY I spend time clipping coupons.

Between trips to CVS and Target today...I spent a whopping total of $1.73! Wanna know what I got?

1 Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick ($6.99)

2 Right Guard Total Defense Antiperspirants ($2.99 each)

2 Edge Shaving Cream ($2.79 each)

2 Tums 3 pack ($4.18)

1 Reach Dental Floss ($1.49)

I should have spent $24.22+tax...but instead I spent $1.73 AND made $12.80 in Extra Care Bucks at CVS to use towards my next purchase!

So yes...it's worth a few extra minutes of research and coupon clipping! I'm building up a nice little stockpile of beauty and personal care supplies for next to nothing!

Bon Voyage!

2010-09-04T21:40:00.000-04:00

We are off on our cruise first thing tomorrow morning! This has been a long time coming and we can't wait to finally celebrate our anniversary in style!! The packing is done...I'm loading up my iPod with some new stuff and we're just super excited!

Here's a picture of our boat. We will think of you all as we are soaking up the Caribbean sun this week.

Bon Voyage (to us)!

Everyone loves Good News!

2010-09-03T18:22:00.000-04:00

I hate watching the news. Really hate it. It's wayyyy too depressing and they hardly ever share any of the Good things that are happening every day. For instance...Gabe and I are leaving for a cruise in 2 days, so we decided to watch the weather channel the other day. MISTAKE. There are like a million hurricanes floating around in the Atlantic. They actually showed a clip from St. Thomas (one of our destinations) with a newscaster blowing around in the wind and rain and talking about roofs flying off and power lines being down. Talk about a big bummer.

Needless to say, we turned it off and decided that ignorance is truly bliss. They haven't cancelled our cruise so we are going...rain or shine! :)

I digress...

So I actually have some GOOD news to share...because everyone loves good news!

Gabe's job had become increasingly worse over the last few months....due to his boss not being the kindest person on the earth, constant micromanaging and sales pressure and just a lot of stuff that did not make for a happy Gabe. :( He found an opportunity to move departments within the college back in May but it has been a waiting game ever since for a position to open up and then for Gabe's position to be filled and all that jazz. We were told that September 25th would finally be THE day he could move. We were bummed to have to wait another whole month....but God had other plans (hence...the Good news!).

Last Friday, Gabe got called in by his boss and was told that would be his last day in Admissions. They decided to go ahead and move him early! Yay!!!! He has now completed a full week in his new position and he LOVES it!! Such an answer to prayer. The atmosphere is so much better, more positive and more open to suggestion and change. Gabe's schedule is much more flexible and he can be creative and get the job done at his own pace. Perfect for him. He is now a Retention Coordinator--working with students in their first six weeks to help them stay motivated and keep them coming back to school! :)

So, my friends, we are slowly becoming a normal family on a normal schedule. He works 9-6 most days, and a little later on Fridays. But still...6 PM people! This is huge for us...considering when we got married he wasn't getting home until after 10 PM. So we are truly blessed and loving life!!

Now it's off to vacation...

Time Flies when you're having FUN!

2010-08-18T21:28:00.000-04:00

I can hardly believe that Gabe and I have been married for a YEAR already!! Craziness. We celebrated our first anniversary on Sunday, August 15th and I can truly say I love that man more than I ever have!

We didn't go too crazy on anniversary gifts because we have already booked and paid for a CRUISE to the Eastern Carribbean from September 5-12....which is in exactly 17 days, and 19 hours if you were wondering! We are SO excited!

Gabe did get me an amazing gift though...just in time for our crazy road trip weekend, he gave me an autographed copy of Bryan White's newest CD (Dustbowl Dreams...go buy it now!! its awesome!!). I had been hoping to get it for my bday/Christmas last year but no one got it for me and I guess the time has just flown by. So needless to say...I LOVED the gift! Not to mention...as sad as it was...Bryan White was actually performing in FL this weekend. In Lakeland and SEBRING of all places. Only 2 hours away!!! Sadly...I had to miss out to attend the crazy wedding weekend in Jacksonville and Sebring. Believe me...I tried everything to get out of it and go to the show instead! (haha love you Ben + Mo and Eric + Jamie!)

Anyway...I made a more sappy sentimental gift for Gabe and I on our "paper" anniversary. I'm really excited about it though! I started a new scrapbook (Entitled "Between Now and Forever" one of my fav BW songs and the one we danced to at our wedding) to document our anniversaries through the years. Basically...my plan is to keep it simple...just adding a new picture each year. We are also each going to write a letter of what we have learned during that year of marriage, major milestones, stuff like that.

I think it will be amazing for us (and someday our kids and grandkids) to look back to where it all started for Gabe and I...see how we've changed physically over the years, and also hear all that we have learned and experienced during our marriage. <3 Here's a pic of the very first page...where it all began (sorry I dont know why I cant rotate it!):

"I'd love to spend some more time together....so what are you doin between now and forever?"

Thursday is the new Friday!

2010-07-29T19:39:00.000-04:00

For me at least!

Gabe and I both took the day off tomorrow to spend time together! Life tends to get so busy (see my previous post) it can be hard to just spend time cherishing the ones you love without feeling rushed. So this weekend I'm being selfish with my husband and we're having US time! I can't wait!

Who knows where we'll end up...on the boat somewhere tomorrow of course. :) Other than that...we've got no plans but to take time enjoying the love God has blessed us so greatly with. So...see ya next week!

BUSY life!

2010-07-27T20:12:00.000-04:00

I really can't complain...Gabe and I are actually settled here in Ft Myers to where we actually have a life! Imagine that! :) Things have been super busy lately...but we are having a good time and taking it day by day!

Hence...my poor little blog has been neglected. I'll try to be good...but who knows when life will take off in a whirlwind again?!

So in an attempt to do a recap of the craziness...here goes!

July started out with a huuuuge party at the bank where I work. Every year for 9 years they have hosted a 4th of July cookout for the community and it was awesome! Here's a sneak peek of the crowd in line and the other amazing people I work with every day!

Next was Stephen and Kristen's wedding. A day none of us thought would ever happen lol... :) but they are perfect together and we are so so happy for them and lifetime they get to share together! Gabe was the best man and I was the wedding singer.

Check out that GoRgEoUs bride!!!

We also got to spend the weekend with all the Bedenbaughs! Daran, Becky and our nephews (and the babysitter!) stayed with us...it was so fun to spend time with them since we don't get to do that often. Of course the boys are already growing up way too fast. Ethan is almost 3 years old and Jack is 10 months!

This is Becky at the pool with Ethan (left) and Jack (right). Ethan just learned how to swim so he got quite a workout at the pool that day!

Here's all of us at the Courson wedding:

Gabe's parents also brought down their old boat for Gabe and I to keep for a few months. We are stoked because there is so much to see and do on the water around Ft Myers...so many places to explore! So the first chance we had...we took the boat for a spin!

The beautiful waters of the Gulf near Captiva Island.

El Capitano...

And then I just floated around in the pretty water :) A nice way to experience the ocean without feeling whats at your feet!!

Finally...this past weekend we took a day trip to Tampa. Gabe was going to Eric's bachelor party at Busch Gardens...so I spent the day with some sweet Phi Lamb sisters!! We had so much fun and it was so nice to be in the company of such sweet, godly women all day!

Me, Caitlin, and Nicole after a long day of shopping at the International Mall!

Me and my little sisters, Kristen and Nicole at dinner that night!

Love you girls SO much!

Anyway...life has been busy...but so so good. God has blessed us way beyond what we deserve. So in conclusion...its actually really nice to have a life! :)

I'm BaAaAck!

2010-06-08T17:50:00.000-04:00

So I took a 3 month break from blogging. I'm still kinda new at this anyway...but life has just taken off lately and the last thing I've had time for is blogging!

Lots of amazing stuff has been happening though and I am super excited to getting back to some posting.
In short--since my last blog in March--we have: seen my cousin Katie get married (and at least 3 other couples we know have gotten married), gotten more involved in our church (and LOVE it!!!!!!), made new friends (crazy I know! people actually sort of like us!!), become the coupon King & Queen, started working out again, and the list goes on and on.

So life has been GREAT. And while I'd love to start recapping now...I've got to work out and get some dinner cooking for my man when he gets home. Soooo...see ya soon! <3

HOME at last...

2010-03-24T18:20:00.000-04:00

On March 15, 2010, the world lost one of it's finest...but Heaven gained a precious jewel. My grandpa, Marvin Good, 91, went home to be with his heavenly Father around 3:40 PM.

God's timing couldn't have been more perfect. My family was given a week's notice, and my aunt and uncle were able to make it home from Cambodia with enough time to spend a couple final days with my Grandpa. On Saturday we shared a "Good Family Picnic" as a complete family for the last time. We set the table with white tablecloths and red plates and enjoyed our time together around the table and listened to my Grandpa pray, as he always did at family get-togethers.

Saturday night, his health began to decline quickly and we requested 24 hour care by a hospice nurse. On Sunday we shared a sweet worship service together...praying for this man who had prayed for us for so many years. On Monday afternoon, my aunt and uncle were sitting by grandpa's bedside and singing these words: "Oh Jesus, Thou hast promised to all who follow Thee, that where Thou art in glory, there shall thy servant be. And, Jesus, I have promised to serve Thee to the end; O give me grace to follow, my Master and my Friend." During that verse, he breathed his last breath and jumped into his Master's loving arms in Heaven.

It was a sad and difficult time, but we were so blessed to be able to be together as a family...to give Grandpa a complete send off to his new home. It is such a joy to KNOW that he is with Jesus forever now. I am so thankful for the hope that we have in Christ.

We had a memorial service on Sunday, March 21, in honor of my grandpa and more importantly, in honor of his Master. It was such a sweet time...seeing pictures, hearing testimonies from SO many of the lives on which he made an impact. He was a true servant to friends and strangers alike, he loved and cherished his wife and his family, and he followed Christ with all that he was. And now I must carry on the legacy that he has left behind...so I am so thankful for such an incredible example to follow.

Love you, Grandpa.

Ready for a GOOD weekend :)

2010-03-12T22:30:00.000-05:00

Post-marriage...there are no more "last name" jokes! How sad!! Seriously--if you can make Bedenbaugh into a funny one-liner...PLEASE let me know. I digress.

Anyway--prayers are much appreciated for my family. This past Monday, my sweet grandpa (dad's dad) was given about a week to live, according to his hospice nurse. he was diagnosed with congestive heart failure in January 2009 and has been a fighter ever since! It's hard to tell if it's really the end for him or not...but according to the nurse, it looks like the day is approaching. :(

My aunt and uncle (who live in Cambodia) came home, and praise the Lord, were able to make it in time to see him. They plan to stay home for a month. We are excited to see them...but sad for the circumstances that bring us together again.

Gabe and I made a trip to Sebring to visit on Wednesday and had a nice afternoon/evening with my grandma and grandpa. Grandpa is definitely having trouble breathing...but he's still very alert and cracking jokes like always. We were glad to see them and spend some quality time together...especially not knowing when our last chance like that will be. :/

So tomorrow morning we are heading to Sebring for a very GOOD weekend. The whole Good family will be there (all NINE of us!) and we're having a family picnic! :) I'm excited to be all together to support my grandpa and just remind him how much he is loved.

We are so sad to see his 91 years possibly coming to a close...but he has lived such an amazing life honoring the Lord. He is truly a picture of servanthood and is such a wonderful example of a godly man. Gabe and I have been so honored to follow in my grandparents footsteps and learn from them what a marriage should look like. And they should know--they've been married nearly 67 years. <3

So...I hope to post next week with good news. It could be that my grandpa is still hanging in there and making us all laugh...or it could be that he is dancing in Heaven with Jesus.

Prayers are appreciated for my family during this challenging time. Thanks in advance.

The first 6 months of Marriage...

2010-02-17T19:01:00.001-05:00

...have been AMAZING! Blessed beyond measure is all I can say to describe this experience.

It's hard to believe 6 months has already passed...but we celebrated in style on February 15th! I was off work (thank you for Bank Holidays!) so I had all day to prepare something special for my sweetheart while he was at work.

I cleaned the house, did some grocery shopping and designed a 4-course meal for dinner. It was a challenge because I tried to pick foods I could prepare ahead of time so I wouldnt be standing at the stove cooking while he was eating appetizers. So...here's the final product! It was a big hit and Gabe was so impressed with all the work I put into making the evening special! :)

First...I got all dolled up to make the evening extra special. I knew Gabe would be coming home from work in his shirt and tie so I figured I ought to fit the part as his date. :)

Next...the table settings! I used the roses Gabe bought me for Vday (and some candlelight of course...we just left the bright lights on for the pictures!). I also pulled out our goooorgeous toasting flutes from our wedding to use for our drinks. (and just to look at them again because I LOVE them!!) This is as fancy as it gets at the Bedenbaugh house, folks!

First Course--Appetizers: Shrimp Cocktails! The perfect way to start a meal!

Second course--Salads: Caesar Salad. Always a favorite at our house.

Third Course--Entrees: Mahi Mahi (Maui Style) with Asparagus (served with balsamic butter sauce) and Garlic Mashed Potatoes. My secret to saving time here: marinate the fish in the fridge early, then bake in the oven to avoid standing over the stove. I also used *shhhh* BOXED mashed potatoes. Thank you, Betty Crocker. I thought they were delicious!! And wow...so much easier than homemade potatoes. You've gotta try this at least once just to watch the instant transformation of powder, water and milk to *BAM!* steamy garlic mashed potatoes. Incredible.

Fourth Course--Dessert: Mini Cheesecakes! This was easily the best part of dinner. My sister bought me these cute red ramekins I've been dying to use but not sure how to use them. After some research and combining a few recipes...I ended up with these yummmmmy little cheesecakes. The crust is cinnamon graham crackers and the whole thing was just to die for. Definitely making these again!

That was the end of the [very filling] meal. Success!! There's nothing like a happy [and full] husband! The stomach is definitely the way to his heart, ladies! :)

Celebrating LOVE.

2010-02-14T19:07:00.000-05:00

Today at church, Pastor Matt spoke about LOVE. Following a comical karaoke version of "What's love got to do with it?" he shared a really great message about how Christ loved us...and we in turn should love others as we love ourselves. That's quite a commandment. Definitely challenged me to not only serve others and be kind...but to seek out what it means to really love others like I love myself. Because of the great love Christ showed us by dying in our place...that same love ought to flow out of our lives to everyone we meet. Not just the people we like, or the people that are "easy" to love...everyone.

He also shared an awesome story that brought a smile to my face. A pastor in Atlanta challenged his congregation to show love to everyone...even as a "random act of kindness" for a stranger. Later that week the pastor walked into a Starbucks and the barista stopped him and asked if he was the pastor of this particular church. She told him that earlier that morning, someone had come through the drive thru, paid for the person's coffee in the car behind them, and left this little card with the church information with the barista. When the person in the next car was told that their coffee had been paid for by the previous customer...that person paid for the coffee for the car behind them! The love started by one man continued through THIRTY cars of people who were selfless enough to do something kind for a stranger.

What an awesome reminder that there is still good in the world. There's still hope, and we can still make a difference. It starts with one. Will you be that one?

As for celebrating this "national day of Love"...my sweet husband blew my mind yet again. On Friday, Gabe got off work early and showed up at the bank where I was working in a tshirt that says "I love my wife" with a dozen roses, chocolates and a card in his hands. <3

I (naturally) turned to mush. I wish I could have taken a photo--but I didnt have a camera so I took one when I got home. Isn't he adorable??

I am just one blessed bride. Gabe loves me so selflessly...I am so undeserving.

He also surprised me later with a brand new ESV Bible with my new name printed on the cover! I have been wanting one since we got married and hadn't gotten around to it...so that was super special.

What did I do for him? Well...he's not a big cards and flowers kinda guy...so I've got something special planned for tomorrow (our 6th month of marriage!!). More to come! :)

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

January showers bring...February Flowers!

2010-02-09T18:01:00.000-05:00

I'm pretty sure I'm the most blessed woman in the world. Gabe is seriously the most thoughtful person I know...and I'm beyond thrilled to spend the rest of my days with him. On February 15th we will have already been married for 6 months! Time sure does fly when you're having fun.

In recent news...Gabe surprised me with flowers at work last Friday on his lunch break. :) One of the ladies in the branch added some ribbons and palm fronds and turned it into a masterpeice. I LoVe seeing my flowers at my station all day. Just reminds me how much I am loved. <3

I also found out today that Gabe was tied for 2nd in the NATION in student enrollments last week!! I'm SO proud of him. That's not half bad for a month into a new job! That's my husband.

Out with the OLD...

2010-01-27T18:09:00.000-05:00

I've found that being a bank teller is especially rough on the shoes...standing/walking around all day can really put some strain on your feet. I knew my feet were taking a beating...but check out what I did to my shoes.

Shoes BEFORE (please notice the heel is in its normal position, allowing one to stand normally)...

Shoes AFTER 4 months of being a teller and undergoing continuous wear....

Seriously. This is what I'm walking around in today.

Guess that means its time to buy new shoes. :)

My week in a nutshell...

2010-01-10T19:45:00.000-05:00

I picked Gabe up from the airport on Friday night! Finally we will be starting our new "normal" life together!! Since he's home I'm certainly not wasting more than 5 minutes sitting at my computer...so here's how I fared on my to do list:

*Thoroughly clean the condo...check!

*Pack up all Christmas decorations...check!

*~~Experiment and cook a new dish~~...no check here. I made soups and ate leftovers all week. It was nice to take a little break from all the cooking and cleaning required. :)

*Call Gabe....check check check!

*Finish the last 2 Twilight books...half check. I finished the 3rd book but had I started on the last one (800+ pages) there's no way I would have accomplished anything else this week. :)

*Catch up the blog with Christmas and New Years posts....check!

*Miss Gabe....BIG check!

*~~Complete at least one wedding scrapbook page~~....no check here either. I didn't feel like creating another mess to clean up lol.

*Write a letter to Sara in Madagascar...check! Just gotta put it in the mail.

*~~Phone dates with some girlfriends to catch up on life~~...sadly no check here. I called and texted...but no calls back. Do I smell funny?

*Get back to P90X and ~~BRING IT~~...quasi-check. I did a little....but I just wasn't feeling so motivated this week.

*Call Gabe and tell him I miss him....again...a BIG CHECK! I missed that man like CrAzY!

So...after the first day or two when I quit mourning over missing Gabe I actually got some stuff done and the week passed much more quickly. Now he's home and I'm going to spend the rest of the evening cuddled right up next to him! See you later!

Party like it's...2010!

2010-01-08T20:17:00.000-05:00

As hard as it may be to believe another year has passed, and as hard as it is to get used to writing 2010 on everything...here we are.

I'm SO excited about this year...for all the great things in store for us. Gabe's new job (which = totally *new* life for both of us!!), exploring Fort Myers, my cousin Katie's wedding, our first wedding anniversary...and so much more we can't even dream of yet!

During the last week of the year, Al and Teri (Gabe's parents) came down to Fort Myers to stay with us. Gabe was off work, so they all took their boat out during the week and went fishing while I went to work. Somebody's gotta bring home the bacon, right?

So here's a few pictures of their fishing adventures. [I didn't bother to take pictures while I was at work...it wasn't nearly this exciting haha]

Thankfully he didn't go through with this action.

We spent the evenings playing cards and eating dinners. I cooked a couple nights....pictured below is rocky top chicken, asparagus with a balsamic butter sauce and a fresh salad! :)

and the last evening, we went out to one of my FaVoRiTe new restaurants, the Elephant Bar. Of course we had to take a picture with the cool background...

We brought in the New Year at home, deciding to avoid the cold outside and the traffic. We had a nice view of some fireworks from our condo balcony.

And finally--this is our first picture together of the year! Bring it on 2010!!

Our first Christmas as Mr. and Mrs.

2010-01-08T18:18:00.000-05:00

Gabe's coming home tonight...so I've gotta do this blog post to check it off my To Do list before he arrives!! :)

Christmas 2009 was a wonderful, relaxing holiday, despite all the traveling we did. I was able to get off work on Christmas Eve, which helped us get up to Jax a little earlier than we would have otherwise. It was the first time we'd been in Orange Park since September...so it was nice to be home. Well...we thought it was nice...until we hit traffic getting onto Blanding Blvd. Then we didn't miss it so much haha.

Anyway...we went to the Christmas Eve service with the family, then headed back to our house for the Good/Williams/Burns/Bedenbaugh Christmas celebration! We had (wayyy too much) yummy food and then exchanged gifts. The boys did their usual "buy-each-other-the-same-gift-on-purpose-and-act-surprised" deal. Katie got me a sweet lunch bag for work and a really neat photo frame to match our living room! :)

Here's a few pictures of the evening...

Mr. and Mrs. Bedenbaugh <3

The Goods and Bedenbaughs (please note Buffy's super stylish hoodie)

Cousin lovin...

Then it was PAJAMA TIME! I've been waiting for Gabe to experience the matching PJs for a long time and the day finally arrived. This year's style were "Pajama Grams" in their cute lil packages.

The boys were "fatigued" and very...manly...in their green PJs.

And here's everybody...gotta love it!

After Christmas morning at the Good house...we headed out to Lake City for the Tuggle/Bedenbaugh Christmas! We spent some time out in the field (where Gabe and I got engaged) shooting skeet and just hanging out. Here's me and my new sister...she's kinda crazy. lol. But so am I...so its great! :)

Uncle Gabe playing with Ethan! :)

And of course our newest nephew...Jack Lucas.

We spent the rest of the weekend at the Bedenbaugh house...just hanging out, watching movies, (and reading Twilight...shhh). Then it was back to Fort Myers on Sunday after a nice service at Abundant Grace.

So...we had a very wonderful Christmas. Got some great gifts (we both got diploma frames...pics to come...and I got a new computer! yay!) and lots of great fellowship with our friends and family. We are SO blessed to have doubled our families this year, we couldn't ask for more!

Celine says it best...

2010-01-06T18:51:00.000-05:00

"All byyyy myyyysellllllf. Don't wanna be all by myyyyyself anymore..."

As you know...Gabe is in Denver this week...and I am in Fort Myers. And it is killing me. I thought it would be okay because I've been used to him not getting home until 10 PM every night, but I think that these days, when it hits 10 PM and I know he's not going to be walking through the door any time soon...it just breaks my heart. I really never dreamed it would be so difficult. I mean...we did long distance for the last 3 summers and various other vacations and mission trips without even talking to each other. But this is down right hard.

I guess it's because of the "oneness" that comes with marriage...it's different. Now when he's away...I truly am missing part of myself. It's so interesting to see how our relationship has changed over the years!

I'm doing alright though. Thank goodness I'm a pretty independant woman or I'd be a real basketcase. I've had work and dentist appointments and other chores and stuff to fill my time, but I can not WAIT for my man to be back home on Friday!!

So that's my pity party for the day.

Man...I can't end a post feeling sorry for myself.

On that note--I have been so so blessed and have so much to be thankful for. The sweetest man in the world is MINE and he IS coming back on Friday. After that...we are going to have every evening and weekend and holiday to be together. It's seriously like a dream come true...I can't even imagine what that kind of married life is like! But I'm excited!

I have so many sweet friends and precious family who have been praying for me and chatting with me on the phone to help me avoid loneliness.

I have a roof over my head and *heater* to keep me warm during this coldest week ever in Fort Myers.

And of course I have a loving Father in Heaven pursuing me with his unconditional, unending love. It doesn't get any better than that folks.

You are now entering...the Twilight Zone

2010-01-05T22:47:00.000-05:00

Ok...so I admit. I'm hooked on the Twilight books. I just finished a 600+ page book (Eclipse) in 2 days. Thank you Stephanie Meyer.

So much for my fancy to do list...that's all I've been accomplishing lately since I've been in the Twilight Zone. I put this off for a long time because I couldn't fathom actually being interested in fiction books about vampires and werewolves...but I must say I'm glad this one sucked me in. Meyer is an excellent author and really knows how to keep the reader's interest. It's nearly impossible to put these books down.

On that note...I've decided not to start reading the final book in the series until later this week. I need a life back for at least a day so I can tackle some other things on my ever growing LiSt.

It's been nice to escape the fact that my hubby is not coming home every night this week by delving into a good book--but alas--productivity awaits.

In other news...(before I started reading Eclipse) I finished up one of the best books I've ever read-- "Redeeming Love" by Francine Rivers. It is a retelling of the book of Hosea...the story of a man who rescues and marries a prostitute and loves her with a truly unconditional love despite her resistance. It was so incredible to read about the lifestyle of such a woman, and to understand better the torments that so many must experience. The woman in the book never had a man show her love that wasn't purely selfish and empty, never knew what it was like to truly be served by another person, never knew how to give real love in return without fear of the consequences. It was truly heartbreaking.

But of course...the beauty comes with the way this man fights for her, brings her back when she runs away, the way he loves her and shows her Jesus...until she finally begins to understand. Of course it is not until she encounters the Lord that she can fully know the depths of love--but what a beautiful image it is when she meets the real Lover of her Soul.

It definitely gave me something to meditate on this week. How often do we forget how wide, how deep is the love of Jesus? WE are the wretched sinners: constantly pushing Him away, fighting for the only sinful way we know to live, refusing to listen and giving in to our own weaknesses. Yet, he LOVES us. He PURSUES us. We just need to stop and take it all in sometimes. What great mercy we have received.

Until next time...

Home Alone: Fort Myers

2010-01-03T18:09:00.000-05:00

No boobie traps or schemes to kill stupid burglars here...just me alone in Fort Myers for a whole WEEK! I took Gabe to the airport today and sent him off to Denver, Colorado for a week of training for his new job. It's awesome because it signifies our new beginning and gives me hope for all the evenings and weekends we will get to spend together...but unfortunately it means I have sleep alone for a week. Bummer. And its the coldest it's ever been in Fort Myers this week too.

At least I have my new Gator Snuggie to keep me warm.

Gabe's gonna be freezing in Colorado too...the low is 9 degrees on Wednesday. He'll probably be experiencing snow for the first time this week and I'm bummed I can't be there with him. We did get him outfitted for the cold weather. Jacket, scarf, gloves...

That is how you wear a scarf right? Okay...take two.

And you can't forget the long johns!

I suggested he leave them hanging out like that. I think his new employer would be very impressed to say the least.

Anyway. So...he's on a plane and I'm here holding down the home front. So I don't lose my mind...here's my "to do" list for the week. I'll write again when Gabe get's back and we'll see how I did. :)

In no particular order:

*Thoroughly clean the condo

*Pack up all Christmas decorations

*Experiment and cook a new dish

*Call Gabe

*Finish the last 2 Twilight books (I'm hooked so this one should be easy to do!)

*Catch up the blog with Christmas and New Years posts

*Miss Gabe

*Complete at least one wedding scrapbook page (I've only done my bridal showers and honeymoon...eek. lots to do there)

*Write a letter to Sara in Madagascar.

*Phone dates with some girlfriends to catch up on life!

*Get back to P90X and BRING IT! Only 5 weeks left!

*Call Gabe and tell him I miss him.

I think that's all for now. I don't want to get too ambitious here. So...here I go...

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-23T17:51:00.000-05:00

We are celebrating our *first* Christmas together and are so excited! We're leaving tomorrow to head to Jacksonville and Lake City to spend Christmas with our families! Gabe is going to get his first pair of matching PJs, so I definitely can't wait for that. John was our guinea pig last year and now it's Gabe's turn!

More news and pictures to come when we get back. We love you all and hope you have a wonderful Christmas and a happy new year!! :)

Here's a sneak peek of our tree! yay!

And of course our Christmas card, self timer photo:

Normal life...here we come!!!

2009-12-18T18:54:00.000-05:00

Sorry I disappeared for a while...but so much has been happening I wouldn't even know how to catch up! We've been getting ready for Christmas here in sunny Southwest Florida...but we have BIG news to share!

Gabe got a new job!!! YAY!! Starting in January, he will be the Admissions Coordinator for the Heritage Institute, a local college in Fort Myers. He'll be helping and recruiting students for their specialized programs and we think it will be a great fit for him! There are also lots of other campuses around the country (including Jacksonville if we move back up to North Florida)!

The even BeTtEr news is that he doesn't have to work weekends anymore and most days he'll be home before 7. If you haven't ever worked retail hours...you may not realize just how excited we are about this. Gabe has been working 9 AM to 10 PM since we got married and we have hardly seen each other it seems. Now that's all about to change. We get to be "normal" newlyweds!! We get to eat dinner BEFORE 10 PM, spend time together in the evenings, sleep in on Saturdays, visit things in Ft Myers, visit small groups with churches and hopefully pick a church home...the list goes on and on!

So...needless to say...this is a HUGE blessing and we are so so thankful for all the prayers that have gotten us here. God has been so good in providing for us during these first 4 months of our marriage and this is just another example of His awesome provision.

Gabe is finishing his last week at Mattress Firm until Dec. 23rd...then he gets a 2 week break before a training trip to Denver in January! We're so excited for all this lies ahead in 2010!

The final wedding post...Details!

2009-11-19T19:26:00.000-05:00

Just in case you're interested in some of the details incorporated into our special day...here are a few of my favorites!

My wedding shoes and tiara. Although I desperately wanted to have those cute wedding pictures with the hot pink high heels...my dress was too short for that and it was a blessing in disguise. I'm SO glad I got away with flip flops, it did wonders for my feet! :) And the tiara was my "something borrowed" from my sweet friend and bridesmaid, Jenna! She wore it in her wedding last May!

The memory candle. We had a candle lit in honor of 4 of our family members who have passed. White roses were places on their seats in their memory. And the dogtag you see in the picture belongs to Gabe's great grandfather who was killed in battle, but Gabe wears the dogtag every single day. He took it off for the ceremony and placed it on the candle in honor of his great grandfather.

The flowers. Done by Park Avenue Bridal...I was very pleased with everything they did! The ladies were SO helpful every step of the way. I also got to see everything the day before the wedding and make changes to the arrangements. Here's some pictures of my bouquet and the church decorations!

The invitations and programs. I designed and made all these myself! We had a little help with assembly on the invitations from a printing company (another nightmare)...but the programs were all put together by family and friends.

(We also sent out matching Directions, Reception and RSVP cards!)

Rings. I love wearing these every day! ;)

Reception Decoration. We put all the centerpieces together and I loved how it all turned out. We alternated centerpieces, using some shorter ones with all vases and gorgeous candlelight, and mixing in some taller 20" vases with gladiola to add some height.

The specialty tables. Just love the way all the little details came together to make our cake table and sweetheart tables so awesome!

Card cage. This one is a little random...but it was a cute detail that I really liked!

Guest book. We had a DIY guestbook and I love that we were able to showcase our engagement pictures and add a little fun and personality to this detail of our wedding. We also have a really unique momento we have to keep forever! I used My Publisher to create the book. It was really user friendly and I got to arrange everything how I wanted it. It was very affordable and turned out great!

And last but not least...The Favors. Gabe and I really wanted to give something extra special to our guests. Everyone knows we love music...and that's what brought us together in the first place. So...we recorded a CD with 6 songs...some of each of us singing individually and some that we sang together. It was a lot of work...but we had so much fun doing it! I'm so glad we were able to share this with all our friends and family and also to have for the rest of our lives! Someday our kids are gonna love this!

The first day of the rest of our lives: The Reception!

2009-11-18T21:18:00.000-05:00

Party time! We had our reception at the Jacksonville Public Library, in the Multipurpose Room. The Library was recently renovated and was a perfect fit for our *very large* crowd.

We had a "cocktail" hour (without the cocktails), complete with live saxophone and piano, appetizers and punch. I'm a little sad I didn't get to see or hear any of this since I had to hide away in the back...but I hope everyone enjoyed it.

Next there was a big intro of the family and wedding party timed to the Top Gun theme song (props to Gabe for his song choice). The picture below is of our cute lil nephew ringbearer Ethan and our precious flower girl during their big intro!

We opened the night with our first dance as husband and wife to Mark Schultz "1,000 miles." While Gabe and I LOVE music...we have never been able to pick a song to call "our song" since we have so many favorites. So this one was perfect for us. :) We also had dances with our parents. This brought on Gabe's first and only tears of the day...dancing with his mom. :) It was super sweet to watch.

Our parents watching our first dance. Love this one. :)

Then it was time to EAT. We sadly had some serious issues with the catering service...but I didn't have the slightest clue that night (which is a good thing because if I had known it would have been a not-so-perfect day for me). Most people ate, we showed a slideshow of pictures of us growing up through our engagement (thanks Eric!!), then Gabe and I visited as many guests as possible. We had allowed about 3 hours for the whole reception, but I didn't feel like it was nearly enough time. With approximately 250 guests, we definitely didn't get to greet everyone that was there. That was a big bummer...but I hope it was understandable to the guests.

The rest of the evening was filled with cake (yes...we both ended up with it on our faces)...

dancing...

fellowship...

the bouquet and garter tosses...

...and a sparkler exit.

I couldn't have asked for more. We really had such a wonderful day and are SO thankful for everyone that helped make it so special for us! Love you all!

The first day of the rest of our lives: The Ceremony

2009-11-18T18:07:00.001-05:00

Location: First Baptist Church of downtown Jacksonville, Hobson Chapel

Flowers: Park Avenue Florist

Strings: The String Group

Videography: David Gilland

Photography: Kara & Jeremy Pennington

Officiant: Phil Courson, Pastor at Abundant Grace Community Church

The ceremony. I don't even know where to start. Honestly...I think everything was perfect! My parents actually got married in this same chapel, so that made the event extra special! :)

Everything looked great (besides those red movie theatre seats FBC refuses to replace lol)...simple yet elegant. The Thursday before we (mom, Kim, Gabe, Aunt Tina and me) spent a few hours stringing the tulle and lights down the aisles. It was a perfect touch to make the place "glow." The florist did an awesome job with their decorations too!

I'm trying to remember what I thought and what I felt during this part of the day...but that 30 minute ceremony seriously felt like about 5 minutes. I couldn't believe how it flew by.

I was totally nervous/excited right before walking out, but once I did it just felt like a dream. I had to keep reminding myself that this was MY wedding. That it was ME in the gorgeous white dress, that all these people were gathered here to support US, and that I was headed straight towards MY (soon-to-be) husband. It was completely surreal. I tried to take it all in, but it was just so much all at once! My gorgeous wedding party lined up across the stage (yes, somehow all 18 of us fit across there!), all the decorations, the people, everything at once.

Phil did an incredible job with the ceremony. He spoke about how throughout our relationship, we have truly sought to bring glory to God and how that should continue even more now in our marriage. It was so sweet and just beautiful. I am so amazed at what a incredible picture we were at that moment--symbolizing the love and commitment between the church and our true love, Jesus Christ. There is SO much more to a wedding than the flowers and the candles and the pretty dress. Its ALL about our Savior and it was so amazing to be a part of explaining that to the world.

We did the traditional stuff--vows, rings, unity candle, all that jazz. It was just such a special time. Wow. I couldn't believe it was over so quickly...but when we were announced as Mr. and Mrs. Gabriel Bedenbaugh...there couldn't have been a happier person in the world.

I was a little excited...

Portraits portraits...

2009-11-11T12:24:00.001-05:00

Back to the wedding details now! :)

I know I've mentioned this already, but we had the most fantastic photographers for our wedding! My sorority little sister Nicole was in a wedding shot by Kara + Jeremy Pennington back in 2007 and she showed me the pictures on their blog. I fell in love that day!! I faithfully stalked their blog for over a year until I got engaged in November 2008. It was the first wedding decision I made and definitely the easiest. I thought it was a bit pricey at first, but I knew it would be worth it! If you know me...you know I love pictures...so I knew I wanted to invest in great wedding photos. I figured I could get married in an alley somewhere and Kara + Jeremy could make it look like a dream. So...they were booked by December. :)

They were so kind, friendly, and just all around easy to work with. We had a blast at our engagement shoot...and then of course all day at the wedding. Everyone loved them and had tons of compliments on what a great job they did and their high level of professionalism. On top of everything, they are Christians, so that was really a blessing as well! So...if you need great photographers--we highly recommend them without hesitation!

Here's a few of the portraits they took of the BrIdE + GrOoM, Wedding Party and families.

The girls...

The guys...GQ watch out!

And we LOVE this picture of our bridal party!! How awesome is this?!

And last but not least...our families.

Gabe's side...

My side...

And the whole Good/Bedenbaugh crew!! That's a LOT of family!

I'm a proud wifey!

2009-11-07T19:22:00.001-05:00

I'm a few days late in posting this...but I want the world to know that after only 2 months of working down here...my amazing husband got a Promotion!! :) He's been doing really great, and has been promoted as the Assistant Manager of the Mattress Firm location in Naples. That's easily the best store in the area...so its a great privilege that Gabe gets to work there! I'm SO proud of him!

I went to visit the store today and take Gabe some lunch...and WOW. It is crazy! It's easily 3-4x the size of a normal Mattress Firm. They have a Tempurpedic experience that is just like a bedroom and you can watch a video and the bed moves on a power base to go along with the video and show you how everything works. They even have a relaxing area where they serve Starbucks coffee and you can chill and think over everything you've seen to make a decision! It's definitely top of the line!

Unfortunately, with the location comes distance. He now has a 45 minute drive both directions, making his working hours basically 9 AM to 10 PM. I usually leave for work around 7:45 AM...so that doesn't leave many hours in the day for us to see each other. Not to mention we have to eat dinner super late at night. :(

So...that's not exactly a dream schedule...but we're gonna do what we gotta do and make it work. Either way...I'm super proud of Gabe and know he deserves this opportunity!

I'm BRINGING IT!

2009-11-05T19:35:00.000-05:00

So this is totally unrelatedto wedding recaps...but I have to update with my latest news!

Gabe and I started P90X this week. We have completed 4 days. Only 86 more to go.

What is P90X you ask? "P90X® is a revolutionary system of 12 sweat-inducing, muscle-pumping workouts, designed to transform your body from regular to ripped in just 90 days."

How's it going you ask? PAINFUL. But gooood. I think we can do this!

We started it because Gabe got hooked on the infomercial, and we had heard of lots of our friends who have tried this. The disheartening part is that most of our friends have started it...not finished. So--we're determined to finish! I'll keep you posted. Ask me how I'm feeling again in 90 days. :)

The first day of the rest of our lives: The First Look

2009-11-04T20:46:00.000-05:00

Yes. We saw each other before the wedding ceremony. Gabe wasn't thrilled with the idea...but I had to use my bride veto power to get the job done here. I had debated whether or not to do this for a while, because it's not "traditional" and some people believe it ruins the "moment"...but I am SO glad we did this!!

In my opinion...it goes like this.

Tradition...

You get "the moment" of seeing my groom for the first time in front of everyone like tradition says it should be done.

You are nervous as all get out because everything you've waited for is happening all at once. You can't take everything in at once because for a split second you see all the guests, the decorations, the groom, the wedding party, and somehow you're supposed to remember everything.

You cry like a baby and smear makeup all over your face just in time for the pictures you've waited for your whole life.

You see your groom, but you only get to touch his forearm. You can't hug, you can't kiss, and heaven knows you can't TALK to eachother unless your saying "I Do."

Afterwards you rush to take pictures of everybody on the stage (which always takes forever and leaves guests waiting at the reception) and you hardly get a chance to spend more time on special portraits of yourself and your bridal party.

Instead...

I wasn't nearly as nervous as I would have been, and I got to enjoy my walk down the aisle...glancing at all my friends and family, while beaming at my groom who was waiting for me.

I got to check out the church before the wedding, making sure everything was like we planned. I also got to see my whole wedding party together and really take everything in and treasure it.

I got *most* all of my tears out BEFORE the ceremony, allowing for plenty of time for makeup touch up before the pictures would be taken.

I got to actually talk to my groom before the ceremony. We had a few moments to ourselves to talk, to touch, to kiss, just to look at each other for goodness sake.

And....we had plenty of time for PICTURES! Photography was the one thing I was most excited about, and I wanted to make sure our photographers had enough time to do their job and do it well! And they definitely did that!

So...what do you think? Stick with tradition? Make it your own? I know what my preference is for sure!

Here's a few pictures of our "first look!"

I was a total basketcase!!

Sneaking up on my groom!

After the photographers took some pictures and video from inside the church...they all stepped out to give us a few minutes alone. However--i love this spy cam picture from the back of the church!

Princess for a Day: Bridal Portraits

2009-10-28T19:16:00.001-04:00

Well...I guess I actually got to be a princess for TWO days...but the first one was the day of my bridal portraits! My sister was the photographer, and the lovely Katie Ecord was my make up artist, train carrier, veil tosser, drink provider, basically the IT girl! Thanks to both of you (and mom!) for all your help in making these portraits successful.

We started out at the Jacksonville Public Library, where our reception would be held. The day of our wedding there was another wedding scheduled to take place, so we wouldn't be allowed to take pictures anywhere else in the building. So...we found a way to do it anyway! Here are a few of my favorites.

Just in case of rain on the big day...we wanted to make sure we got some good pictures outside at FBC since the chapel is so gorgeous. Thankfully, we were blessed on our wedding day to avoid the rain...but Kim still got some great shots!

And last but not least...we went up to the University Club. I was truly "on top of the world" as a bride!

And of course we got the photographer in action! Thanks Kim! :)

The DRESS!

2009-10-28T18:49:00.000-04:00

I just wanted to take a quick break from the recaps to write about THE DRESS!

I got my dress from Park Avenue Bridal (Thanks Natalie!)

My dress was made by Maggie Sottero...the fabulous Monalisa Royale!

It wasn't the first dress I tried on...I didn't know it was "the one" right away...but it was definitely something special. I had narrowed the search down to 2, but every time I thought about it, I just knew this was the one! I had tried on LOTS of dresses, but this one really made me feel like a princess.

Here's me at the store when I finally got to try it on in MY size!

And here are the pictures our photographers took on the wedding day...

Although it really "took my breath away" with that corset back...it fit me like a glove and I have never felt more beautiful! :)

The first day of the rest of our lives: Getting Ready--the guys

2009-10-26T23:04:00.001-04:00

This post will be much shorter. The guys didn't have to arrive until 11 AM (the girls got started at 830 AM!) and they dont primp quite as much as we do. :) I do have lots of pictures of my handsome groom though.

First things first. The FOOD.

Then it was Gabe's turn to get ready for our "first look" and professional portraits.

My handsome groom getting ready...

Of course we can't forget the groomsmen.

Here's the story. As you probably know....I'm a very...organized person to say the least. So before the wedding, I sent all members of the wedding party and ceremony rather detailed lists of what to bring, what to do, when to be where, etc. Unfortunately, I left out one *small* detail on the groomsmen's list: PANTS. They all took note of this and decided not to wear pants when I saw them for the first time before our wedding party photos. Needless to say...I've learned my lesson and I definitely won't make that mistake again. :)

The first day of the rest of our lives: Getting Ready--the Girls!

2009-10-26T22:34:00.001-04:00

The morning of August 15th seemed like any other day. As I got up and got ready (and dragged my sister out of bed--as she lovingly noted in her toast later on) it was hard to believe it was my wedding day. Definitely surreal.

It was a super busy morning as we got everything together, loaded 2 cars full of dresses and clothes and STUFF and headed downtown. We stopped by the reception site to see how everything was looking. While it wasn't quite together yet...we did what we could and headed to the church to GET READY for the big day!

Some of my beautiful bridesmaids lost in a sea of hairspray, powder, mascara and

everything in between...

My turn for hair and makeup! It was SO much fun getting to be a PRINCESS for a day! :)

Thanks to Linda Justavino with Expressions Salon for an incredible job on my hair! Not that I expected anything less.

Makeup by the one and only Katie Ecord. :)

I've heard brides say "I was so busy I forgot to eat on my wedding day!" Well...lets just say that was NOT the case with me! When I was tied up I even had a little assistance with my food intake. See below: Sara feeding me grapes. We couldn't find any palm fronds for her to fan me with though. ;)

And I love this one of me and my sister. Must be a crazy feeling to watch your "little sister" get married...but she was so supportive and an amazing MOH!

Then there was the dress. I took my final "normal" breath and sucked in for the next 8 hours. Thank you corset. My mom and sister took revenge on me for any way I've ever wronged them. Just kidding :P

It was definitely not lacking in the tightness department...but I have officially suffered for fashion!

And you can't forget the garter! ;)

The first of many...Wedding Recaps! <3

2009-10-25T17:33:00.000-04:00

August 15, 2009 was one of the best days of my life. It's the day I married my best friend. The OnE God chose for me from before time to spend the rest of my life with.

We've been married for about 2 1/2 months now, so I want to go back in time and tell everyone all about the most AmAzInG day ever! I have over 1,800 pictures (thanks to Kara & Jeremy Pennington!) so I'll have to limit those of course. It's SO hard to pick just a few of our favorites. Kara & Jeremy did an incredible job and we are so thankful to have had them document our special day! :)

There were lots of showers and parties that led up to our wedding day, but I'll just start with the Rehearsal and Rehearsal dinner to save a little time! So here goes!

August 14, 2009--Rehearsal at FBC Jax

The monsoon came. We were afraid of this kind of weather and man did we get it on the 14th! Thankfully it stayed away for the actual wedding day though! We got a little delayed because of everyone trying to find their way in the pouring rain...but everything went very smoothly after that. Mrs. Makepeace organized the ceremony wonderfully as usual. She means business! :) I had my bow-quet in hand and my humongo practice train and the night was complete. We were mostly excited about DINNER!

Here's a pic of the bride and groom to be...

Me and *most* of my bridesmaids. Mal was caught in the storm and Katie E. was busy at the hospital becoming an AUNT to little Chandler that night!

The rehearsal...

After we faced the storm again...we arrived at the Rehearsal Dinner. Hosted by Gabe's parents, Al & Teri, we had an amazing barbeque dinner at the Winterbourne Inn. We wanted the style to be completely different from the actual wedding reception, so the menu was more casual and the location was just gorgeous! We were all blown away at how amazing the food was.

Tomi Brown helped Teri out with the southern-style decorations, centerpieces and awesome homemade place cards. Everything was candlelit and just gorgeous!

And of course we can't leave out these 2 cuties! Our nephew, Ethan, was the ring bearer... and his little girlfriend, Madolyn, was the flower girl. We bought them these cute little shirts and they were just adorable!

Besides the amazing food and decorations, we had such a wonderful time of fellowship with all our closest friends and family. At the end of the night the floor was opened for people to share their thoughts or wishes for us and I just LoVeD that! It was so sweet to hear stories of so many people that have watched us grow up, watched us fall in love, and are still supporting us on to our wedding day and the rest of our lives. It was such a blessing to see how we have made an impact on the lives of our loved ones too. We are SO loved and do not want to ever take that for granted.

I just remember telling everyone that it was so hard to believe that all this was actually for US! We've been to so many weddings it seemed like just another day...but this time was different and it was so hard to comprehend. All those people were actually there to celebrate OUR marriage! It was just a crazy feeling...but overall it was the perfect ending to my last night as a single woman!

Roses in the Drive Thru...

2009-10-23T19:04:00.000-04:00

This is just to prove that I have the most amazing, sweet, thoughtful, WONDERFUL husband ever!

On Wednesday this week, I headed off to work around 8:15. I was busy doing my teller duties at the counter (facing AWAY from the drive thru window) and about 9:30 Gabe pulls up to the 2nd lane drive thru. I was completely oblivious to everything until I heard my coworker talking and Gabe's voice saying something about the "lovely teller in the back." I turned around and saw my sweet hubby there in his truck. I was completely surprised that he was there and just talked to him over the microphone for a minute or so. Then he told me to look in the deposit tube. He had put a single red rose into the plastic tube and sent it inside the bank!! It was SO adorable!! I was totally shocked and amazed by everything...and all the girls in the office were jealous to say the least!

One of the personal bankers is a real crafty lady...so she took the rose and added some palm leaves and a ribbon and turned it into a masterpiece!

I got to display it at my teller window and tell all my customers how sweet my husband is.

I am so blessed!! <3

P.S. Soon I'm going to start doing wedding recap posts so stay tuned!! :)

Mattresses Schmattresses!

2009-10-22T19:37:00.000-04:00

Gabe and I both feel SO blessed to have good paying, full time jobs...but I just want to let Mattress Firm know that their retail hours are killing me! Gabe works 10-9 most days which = lots of alone time for Staci. It's a good thing I'm pretty independant, so I'm really not feeling too lonely...but I sure would love it if Gabe and I could spend more time together and NOT be working all the time!

So, Mattress Firm, how's about you let my hubby off work a little earlier for a change? We are tired of eating dinner at 9:30 PM and only seeing eachother for 3 hours a day.

Just thought you should know how I feel.

Thanks,

The Newlyweds

Tribute to my favorite Sara Tolliver

2009-10-21T20:36:00.000-04:00

One of my dearest friends, Sara Tolliver, left the country today to move to Niger with the Peace Corps for the next two years.

In honor of her...I write this post.

Sara was assigned to me as a "random roommate" during my first semester of college at UF in May 2005. We immediately became close friends and have remained so for the last 4+ years.

We lived together again during our sophomore year of college and have shared so many amazing, FUN memories together over the years.

Sara is one of the most incredible people I know. She truly has the heart of a servant, and has accomplished so many awesome things since I have known her. Namely...last summer she spent 3 months riding a BICYCLE across the US (from Jacksonville to San Fransisco) with an organzation called Bike and Build. The team raises money to go...rides their bikes literally across the nation and stops every few days along the way to help build houses with Habitat for Humanity. I don't know how she survived that...but she's seriously such a trooper. She thrives on challenges and is a true winner in my book.

Now she's moving to Africa to work with the people of Niger in the animal husbandry field. I know she is going to accomplish great things....although I already miss her TONS!

Before she left...she came to Ft Myers to visit! Here's a few pics of our day together! :)

We LOVE you Sara and are so so so proud of you! Can't wait to see you again.

<3 barbarbar

I'm OFFICIAL!

2009-10-09T19:16:00.002-04:00

Today was my first day without a trainer! I guess that means...I'm legit!

I am loving my job! I start "floating" next week to a new branch...so I'm excited to meet some more new people and learn even more.

I've been reading "The Fred Factor" by Mark Sanborn and am doing my best to be a "Fred." Basically...someone that goes above and beyond the call of duty, that shows genuine concern about everyone and strives for excellence in every aspect of their personal and work life. Whats even more exciting is that I have a reason to do those things beyond just "being a good person" and "making a difference"...I can point people to the author of love and kindess and goodness. I can make a difference for the kingdom of God.

So I'm just praying I'll be a pure vessel that HE can use...so that He can make a difference in someone's life.

Jobless no more!

2009-10-03T22:14:00.002-04:00

Praise the Lord...I got a job!! :)

While the first month of marriage has been wonderful and I appreciated the free time to get the house set up and get used to the area...I was definitely ready to start working, making money and meeting new people.

I got the job offer last Thursday and started on Monday, September 28 as a "Client Services Specialist" with Florida Gulf Bank. Thats the fancy name for a teller. But no ordinary teller at that. I'm actually a "floating" teller, which means I will rotate around to all of the branches whenever I am needed. I am based out of the main office (where all the execs are!) but will be working in the other 7 branches as well. It will be really neat because I'll be able to network with everyone who works for the bank, not just be limited to one branch.

I just finished my first full week of training and am LOVING it. Its new, its challenging, and the people are fantastic. God has really blessed me with this one. I thought work couldn't get better than my last job at The Energy Authority, but I think this one might top it. Being a local bank, everyone (including the clients) at FGB are like family...so that makes work a lot of fun.

On top of that...I only work Monday - Friday (no Saturdays!) and get bank holidays too! yay!

Anyway...that's my update. Now we just gotta find a job for Gabe that will get him off work before 9 PM. This is killin me!

Visit from Mom & Dad

2009-10-03T21:44:00.005-04:00

My parents were in Fort Myers this week! Dad had business at the Sanibel Harbor Resort & Spa...so I got to visit with both of them a lot. It was nice to see them and spend some time with them both.

Tuesday night I invited them over for dinner and made some chicken tetrazzini for them. At least they got one good home-cooked meal this week! :)

On Wednesday, Mom & I did some shopping and found an *awesome* restaurant at the Edison Mall called the Elephant Bar. Very unique and VERY good food!

Thursday night we were invited to a dinner cruise with FLIR...had yummy food and enjoyed the sunset from the boat. They also had lots of their thermal imaging cameras on board so everyone could see their capabilities. They even had a guy go swim in the water to prove that the cameras are sweeeet. We also had lots of fun looking at ourselves through the cameras. I wish I could have taken a picture, but lets just say that it was obvious i had NO body heat to make me show up on the camera. Only in a few places like my elbows and armpits were lit up. lol. good times.

This morning before they left to head home, we went to eat at Dennys. Might I just say...I was all excited because this is no regular Denny's (or so i thought). It looks like a 50s diner, and since the first time I saw it I said "I never thought I'd say this...but I really want to eat at Denny's!!" Unfortunately, the experience was nothing special. Slow service, cold grits, the works. Oh well. At least the place looked cute.

We have a new nephew!

2009-09-25T16:54:00.006-04:00

Jack Lucas Bedenbaugh.

Born September 24, 2009 at 3:13 AM.

7 lbs 4 oz. 20 inches.

PERFECT.

So here's the story. Gabe and I were worried we weren't going to be able to meet little Jack, due to Gabe's abnormal work schedule. This week Gabe had Wednesday and Thursday off...random as usual. However...on Wednesday at noon we got a phone call saying Jack was on his way!!

God really worked out our schedule perfectly. We left immediately and got to Gainesville by about 5 PM. After a looong day/night...Jack was born at 3:13 AM! We met him around 5 AM and he is just perfect. Mom and baby are both very healthy and doing great. :)

We went back to Lake City to sleep (at 6:30 AM...whats wrong with this picture?). We got up after a nice 4 hour nap and headed back to the hospital. Jack got to meet his big brother Ethan and we visited for a bit before saying goodbye to head back to Ft Myers.

In even crazier news...our good friends Erin + Christian were also pregnant the same time as Becky...actually due a week ago. I texted her that morning when we were heading up to Gainesville to wait for Jack and told her she needed to hurry it along so we could meet her little one too. Turns out her water broke that afternoon and we got to see them at the hospital that evening too! They ended up in the room right next door to Becky + Daran. Sadly...we had to leave for Fort Myers before she gave birth to a precious boy. We heard it happened about 11 PM...so it was a good thing we didnt wait around I guess.

Anyway...the world has two sweet additions as of September 24.

So glad we could be a part of it!

Ficus Frenzy

2009-09-22T10:53:00.004-04:00

We bought a ficus tree.

It was really random...but since we've been trying to be thrifty in the process of decorating our condo (and we aren't allowed to paint walls)...we've been trying to think of different ways to decorate. Then it came to me: a fake tree!

There aren't too many choices in the way of fake trees...but we finally found one at Walmart. So...after the ordeal we went through to get it off the very top shelf...we had a few other things to purchase before we left. We obviously didn't think this through, because that left Gabe hauling a 6 foot ficus through the aisles of Walmart. I was just dying laughing because that's something you don't see everyday...a man with a ficus in the bread aisle at the grocery store. :)

Needless to say...it was quite an adventure. After we checked out, Gabe wanted to ask a quick question about his watch at the jewelry counter, so he left me by the door with the tree. I decided rather than stand there with a ficus that I'd take it to the car.

As soon as I stepped out into the parking lot with my oversized fake tree...I realized I had no idea where we parked. So I began wandering around the parking lot. Just me and my ficus. I wished Gabe was there to watch because I must have looked ridiculous. Too bad I couldnt take pictures of myself to document this craziness...but for now...here's our tree in the dining room.

$20 = Success! Still LOTS of work to do...

Note to self:

2009-09-19T11:22:00.003-04:00

If you aren't feeling well...don't try something new in the kitchen. Oh...and don't try to make homemade pizza and breadsticks without a rolling pin.

I'll store those memos away for next time.

It wasn't a complete disaster...but lets just say...I'll be sticking with $5 Hot-N-Ready pizzas from Little Ceasars around the corner. It's well worth the investment. :)

One month as Mr. and Mrs.

2009-09-15T17:38:00.003-04:00

Today is our first month-iversary as husband and wife! In some ways it seems like we've been married forever...in other ways the time has just flown by. God has been SO good to us during this first month though.

We are all settled in our home in Ft. Myers. Gabe has a job and I've had a couple interviews. We aren't struggling financially...just living within our means. All the meals I've cooked have been successful! :) We're still searching for a church and to develop relationships here, but meanwhile we are growing closer to each other and to our Lord. Quiet times together is one of my favorite things about being married. There's nothing like sharing that type of intimacy with the one you love.

So yeah...we don't have anything to complain about at all. We love being Mr. + Mrs. and are so thankful to everyone who has impacted our lives and helped form us into two imperfect people that are perfect for each other.

Our first visitor...

2009-09-09T14:55:00.007-04:00

Kimberly came down to visit for Labor Day weekend! :) Yay for having our first visitor. She tested out the guest room....and after approval...we have decided that it's all ready for another guest to come!! :)

It was so nice to have someone around for the weekend. Gabe had to work (as usual) so having Kim around definitely made the days a little more interesting for me. :) On Saturday we wandered around Ft Myers for a little while then ordered pizza and watched the GaToR game (Go GATORS!). I tried my hand at Grandma's chocolate chip cookies for the first time in my new place. They turned out pretty good, thanks to Kim's help with the flour sifting! I think Grandma would be proud!

The next day Gabe had to be at work early...so Kim and I headed out to Sanibel/Captiva Island for some sightseeing and beach fun! Back at home we cleaned up and made some yummy shrimp pasta and fruity salad for dinner. It wasn't the prettiest dish ever...but all 3 plates were cleaned...so I guess it wasn't too bad! ;)

On Monday we slept in and headed up to Sebring to visit with Grandma and Grandpa. I think we were a lucky charm...because shortly after we arrived, they discharged him from his stay at the hospital. He is doing better now, so thanks to those who were praying! Kim & I followed them back to their house and helped them get settled at home again. It's always nice to be at Grandma & Grandpa's house! :) After resting for a bit...it was time to part ways. Definitely a crazy experience- because for the first time, Kim & I were leaving their house in seperate cars and going different directions. I headed back home to Ft. Myers and Kim headed back to Orange Park.

I guess that means we're all grown up.

Anyway...it was a wonderful weekend...so nice to visit with family for the first time in a few weeks! Love you all and miss you!

Master Chef in Training

2009-09-01T14:55:00.005-04:00

Since I'm still on the job hunt...I've had lots of time at home to get everything together and to work on my cooking! I'm not a pro by any means...but I've gotta say...dinner last night was SO good! And I had a happy husband with an empty plate- so that's a good sign too!

Yum! We had Pecan-Maple Chicken (courtesy of Betty Crocker cookbook Bridal Edition-thanks Ashley!) with rice pilaf and seasoned broccoli. Mmm Mmm gooood!

Jamaica...Ya Mon!

2009-08-31T19:32:00.015-04:00

Our honeymoon in Jamaica was nothing short of a week in PaRaDiSe! It was so nice to relax after the craziness of the wedding weekend. We had no schedules, no cell phones, nothing to do but spend time together and chill on the beach!

Sandals gave us a complimentary upgrade to a villa...

so that's where we stayed for the week!

Throughout the week we took full advantage of everything that was "included" in our vacation! All the meals were amazing...you could order anything (and as much as you wanted!) and when you were done...you just get up and leave without paying. We were realllly liking that part. :)

We spent most of our days relaxing by the beach or one of the 12+ pools they have on the property. In the evenings they provided buffets and different events for everyone to come to...like a welcome "Street Jamboree" and "Jamaica Day." We also took lots and lots of pictures (see the link at the bottom).

We also enjoyed the watersports...snorkeling and hobie cat sailing were tons of fun! Here's a few pictures to sum up our week:

Gabe was a trooper and put up with all my picture taking. And we made lots of new friends as I asked strangers to take pictures of us all week too. But hey...it was all worth it!

We had SUCH a wonderful time...and although we were sad to leave paradise, we were definitely ready to get back to the states, see our families, and head down to our new home in Ft. Myers!

If you want to see more pictures...just go to: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2865693&id=2028317&l=b1f655a656 for the entire photo album! Enjoy!

Home Sweet Home!!

2009-08-26T13:25:00.005-04:00

We returned last Saturday from an amazing week in Jamaica--details and pictures to come! We've spent the last 3 days unpacking, washing, cleaning, shopping, etc. It's been busy...but our condo is coming together nicely! :)

Once we get a little more settled I'll write again with plenty of details about the wedding and the honeymoon and our move to Fort Myers. For now...here's a little sneak peek of all those things...

...The wedding of our dreams...

...A week in paradise...

...And lots of boxes to unpack!

As you can see we've got our work cut out for us. So I'll be back with updates soon! :)

Welcome to our Blog!

2009-08-10T18:43:00.001-04:00

We are getting married in just FIVE days...so we decided to start a blog in order to keep you all updated on what's going on in our lives.

As many of you may know, we will be moving to Fort Myers after the wedding. Although we'll be a few hours away from most of you...I hope this blog will help you feel like we are just next door! We love you all and are so thankful for your continued love, support and prayers!

*Staci & Gabe*