It's official... I am now Mrs. Jesse Potter!

Wow! It has been a long time since my last blog, and a lot has happened since then. I am now officially Mrs. Jesse Potter and could not be any happier. God has truly blessed with me with an amazing husband whom I get to spend the rest of my life with. What more could I ask for?

The wedding was absolutely WONDERFUL. It turned out to be everything that I had ever dreamed of and so much more. During the difficult times and the emotional break downs I was not sure how it was all going to turn out, but now that it is all said and done there isn't one thing that I would change. The day that I have always dreamed about was PERFECT!

For our honeymoon, we went to Hawaii. It was a big trip for the both of us, but we knew that if we didn't stretch ourselves for this "big" trip then we would probably never go. It seems like once life "happens" people seldom allow for special trips for just the two of them. This trip will always be something that I hold dear to my heart and cherish. I couldn't have asked for anything better.

This was the view from our balcony.

Waiting on the luau to start.

Helicopter tour to Hana.

It is drawing near...

Time is flying by quickly. It seems like just yesterday that Seth asked me to marry him and now it is only four months until the big day. I am getting extremely excited and it has been a time in my life that I have looked forward to forever.

I am extremely thankful for my step-mother who has gone above and beyond to make this time in my life unforgettable. I would not be able to do it without her!

The date is set for Saturday, June 5, 2010. We have already conquered a lot of the big tasks, but we still have a few minor details to get taken care of before the big day. It's getting exciting!

Here are some of our engagement pictures that we recently got taken. :)

Engaged!

It is official - after 4 years and 2 1/2 months Seth and I are engaged. It has been an extremely exciting time in my life.

I have always wanted to write a blog about being engaged or getting married, but now it seems that words are rare. One thing I do know is that I am madly in love with this amazing man.

So here is the story of our engagement...

Saturday, November 21, 2009, 7:00 p.m.: The day was a regular Saturday. I spend the majority of my weekends stuck at a desk doing homework, which is exactly what I was doing on this Saturday. Seth kept going outside at different times, which I later learned that he was talking on the phone. I am extremely nosey and snoopy so it makes it difficult to do things without me knowing. He begin to get more secretive as the day progressed. We had planned several days ahead that we were going to go out to dinner and go see a movie. He never cares where we go eat and is perfectly fine with going to a movie. However, this time when I told him where I wanted to go eat he said that we were going to go to a different place and that he suggested that we go see a movie on Sunday. At this point, I began to expect that I would be getting my beautiful ring that evening. It got later in the evening and we had ready to go eat, so when we were leaving his house he ran down the stairs, acted like he fell, and when I came down to check on him he was on one knee and had the ring and asked me to marry him. Of course... I said... YES!

Wow! I felt like this day was never going to get here. He is exactly who I want to spend the rest of my life with and I am truly thankful that God put him in my life.

(This was our very first picture together on one of our first dates.)

We are planning on getting married the beginning of the summer, but the date is not officially set... check back for more updates!

Thankfulness

It seems so much easier to complain and be ungrateful for various things throughout life, but when you really take time to stop and consider your life there are so many things to be grateful for.

As the thanksgiving season approaches, I have been overwhelmed and in awe of all the blessings God has bestowed upon me. I am truly blessed and know that I have so many things to be thankful for. My life is wonderful and there is no reason for complaints.

Just to share a few of the things that I am truly grateful for...

• Amazing family! They are my everything and if it were not for them I would not be who I am or where I am today. My dad is someone that treats me just like a princess. There is no feeling in the world like being "daddy's little girl." My step-mom loves me and treats me like her own. She is not only a parent, but also a friend.
• Amazing opportunities! God has placed before me so many great opportunities and the best thing is that these opportunities are ones that involve my career and future of helping other individuals. It is great and something that I am so excited about!
• Amazing health! There are so many times we just wake up in the morning and expect things to be a certain way - we expect to wake up and feel good, but do we really take the time to thank God for waking us up and allowing us to feel good?
• Education enlightened by Faith! I knew when I first stepped foot on the Hardin-Simmons campus that it was where God was leading me. It has been an incredible experience. I am truly thankful for the education I have received thus far and the many professors who have inspired me along the way.
• Amazing boyfriend! God has placed a special someone in my life that I have no idea what I would do without. He inspires me and loves me unconditionally. It is an amazing feeling to have someone and be someone that loves another individual so much. Plus, what would I do when there are dead bugs on the floor or I got scared of the dark?

These are just a few of the reasons I am truly grateful for my life. :)

Time flies by...

Wow! I cannot believe that in less than two months I am going to be graduating from college. I remember thinking that this day would never come, especially when my family was dropping me off at college on the first day and I was bawling. I still get a little teary eyed thinking about that day. There have definitely been ups and downs and a lot of growing up that has taken place, but overall it has been the best experience of my life.

I will be graduating with a Bachelors Degree in Behavioral Sciences, major in Psychology and minor in Criminal Justice. I must give credit where credit is due... which is my wonderful family. I am the first in my family to attend and graduate from a University. What an accomplishment! They have been right behind me supporting me from the very beginning and I am truly thankful for ALL that they have done for me. I am blessed! However, I also must add that they have been my life line in so many instances... from being completely stressed out from homework and tests to crying and confused about my career aspirations. Oh, I also must add... roommate drama! Despite the difficulties, I am truly grateful for the opportunity that has been given to me and am looking forward to furthering my education.

I am starting graduate school in January at Hardin-Simmons University. I will be receiving a Masters of Education Degree for Counseling and Human Development. My passion is to become a Licensed Professional Counselor and also receive a License in Chemical Dependency Counseling. I definitely feel like God has laid this on my heart and it is exactly what I am suppose to do with my life. I am extremely excited for what God has in store for me.

God is great. Life is great. I am thankful and blessed!