Ta-da!!

YEP! This is where July 23, 2011 is all going to happen!! We couldn't be more excited we found this little gem:)

The night we got engaged we started talking about what we had envisioned for the day. Well ok, maybe I started talking about what I had envisioned for the day. I wanted something more "us", simple yet exciting. Being from northern Minnesota there are only a handful of wedding venues. And within the past couple of summers I've been to all of them. More than once. Of course every wedding has the bride and groom's personal touch so they are never quite the same, but close enough. That is where the idea of a barn came in. I think I was inspired when I spent Easter out as Joe's grandparents who happen to have a barn. Ideas started swarming my head and when I brought up the idea of a barn, with yard games (something else we love to do) and burgers and brats, he fell in love with it too!

Isn't

it

pretty??

We tried finding something that would 1) fit a lot of people and 2) be close to home but we didn't have much luck. With both of us now living in the Twin Cities we decided to start looking for a place closer to us. I was on a mission for the next couple of weeks and came across our future wedding location. It's perfect. It's on an actual working farm - with pigs across the parking lot and sheep next to the volleybal net. The barn our recpetion will be in is for events like weddings Ha...so no moving the cows out the day before:)

They have a volleyball net, horseshoes, and a fire pit we can use! Perfect for a late night smore snack:) We'll also bring in a few yard game favorites of our own...polish golf, bocce ball, etc.

What I also love about this barn is the fact that it's on a lake where we will actually be having our ceremony! We'll be standing there with the lake in the background. The day we went there to meet with a gal to talk more about it, options and so forth, we fell in love with it. It was everything we were looking for and it just felt right!

Now the only thing we need to pray really hard for it nice weather! But that is out of our control and we'll deal with it if we have too.

Will You Marry Me?

Ah! I just loved hearing those words from Joe! It was one of the best days of my life. And I know that probably sounds so cliche but it's true:) So here's how it all played out.

Joe and his roommates were going to have a "boys weekend" so I spent the weekend at my apartment catching up on things and just taking some time out to relax. Joe and I talked a couple times throughout the weekend but it was never too long since he was with the guys. Sunday, March 14, turned out to be a beautiful day - the sun was shining and it was one of the first warmer days of the spring. I knew Joe was planning on working on his essays for grad school so I was surprised when he called. He asked if I wanted to grab a bite to eat and then walk around and take some pictures in St. Paul since it was so nice out. I immediately said yes - (hey! I missed him:) and began getting ready to head over.

We ended up having to park up near the St. Paul Cathedral because of a Wild hockey game going on but it was so nice out we didn't mind the short walk to Eagle Street Grille. There we sat out on the deck for dinner and caught up on each other's weekend. After we finished eating we went back up to the car to grab the camera and tripod. Joe and I always walk around places taking pictures so nothing felt out of the ordinary. The Cathedral was our first stop. Joe started taking a couple pictures and then we stopped and talked for awhile waiting for the sun to set a little more so we could get some great colors in the photos. I think Joe got a little impatient waiting for the sun since it wasn't really doing anything cool anyway so he said, "Let's get some shots of us together in front of the Cathedral." So while he set up the tripod I walked over so he could fit us in the picture.

When he got the camera all set up he put it on continuous mode so we didn't have to 'keep coming back to start the timer' (clue #1 ha - the camera was not very far away from us). Joe starts walking over and before I know it he's grabbing my hand and getting down on one knee. (obviously that was clue #2). I don't remember exactly what he said because I was crying and so excited, however, my first words were "Are you serious?" Romantic, I know. He told me he loved me and asked me to marry him. I, of course, said yes and probably said yes a few more times. We sat there just smiling and soaking it all in then started walking around St. Paul.

I learned that he did not have a "boys weekend" but instead drove home Saturday to talk with my parents. When he showed up at the house they were confused at first but quickly figured out what was going on when he started talking. Joe stayed there for a few hours and left with their blessing. It meant a lot to my parents that he drove all the way there to ask them for my hand in marriage. What a stud! He then went to his house and told his family and they were just as excited. When he got back home Sunday is when he called me to come over. He was planning on waiting a couple more weeks until he popped the question but since we were coming home next weekend for my grandparent's 50th anniversary and because my mom told him she didn't know how she would not give it away when she saw me, he decided he better do it sooner than later. We walked around St. Paul for an hour or so, enjoying the moment before everyone else knew, then went back to his house and called our parents.

It took a few days to sink in that we were actually engaged and getting married! I had a fiance! Sunday, March 14th will be a day to remember. A day that meant the start to forever with my best friend.

Our Story...

Joe and I have known each other since 11th grade when we were in a Church musical group called New Wine. We were from neighboring towns and had many mutual friends. At the time we both were dating other people and Joe was actually dating my, still to this day, good friend. To me, Joe was just the guy who was always laughing and having fun. We both went our separate ways to college and never once saw each other during those years.

In October of 2008, Joe and I met up again at our friends Anna & Melissa's birthday get together (one of the birthday girls was his old girlfriend/my good friend! - funny how that works out:) Anyway, I went over and chatted with him to catch up on life from the past four years since that was the first time I had seen him since high school. That was about the extent of our conversation that night and we really didn't speak one-on-one the rest of the evening. The next time I saw Joe, a group of us went out for Halloween. Joe came as a rocker and I was suppose to be a hippie...however I ended up looking like a hooker so I decided to call myself his groupie from that point on for the night. And that was the night, as Joe as told me, was the night he first thought I would "be a fun girl to hang out with". (I still think it was because of my costume:)

The next week Joe had invited my roommate Anna and myself over for dinner at his place in St. Paul. We ended up making a pound of spaghetti noodles and a pound of meat/sauce for three people. Obviously way too much and to top it off we tried baking a pre-made dessert with the oven off. Needless to say, it was a night of laughs and my stomach sure got it's work out that night. I remember thinking to myself how awesome Joe was and how cute he looked! You could say that was the first time I had ever thought of him as more of a friend. At that time in my life, however, I wasn't looking for a boyfriend. I was focusing in my relationship with God and exploring my faith and that was all I wanted. But at the same time I couldn't shake these "I like Joe" feelings I kept on having.

A couple weeks after Anna and I were over for dinner, Joe invited me over to add some vocals to a couple songs he was recording. I gladly accepted his offer since music is one of passions and I was excited to hear what he had been doing with his music. Joe is a musician of many kinds - drums, guitar, bass, and who knows what else! We worked on a song, chatted for a while and when it was time for me to go home Joe walked me down to my car. I drove him back to his apartment building doors when he asked me if he could 'make a move'. I figured he was going to say something along the lines of having a great time hanging out with me, we should do it more often, you know that kind of move. Well that's not the kind of move he was thinking of. Before I knew it he leaned over and gave me a kiss! I drove home with a big smile on my face.

And the rest is history. We started hanging out more and in December became "official". No, it wasn't a long dating period but there was something different about this guy. I just had a feeling it was going to be something great.

Meet Joe

This is Joe.

Joe is adventurous, loving, fun, exciting, geeky, cute, smart and simply the best. I am so lucky he chose me to share life together. I may be bias but it is so easy to love this guy because he is amazing:)

Joe is a chemical engineer and recently decided to go back to school for his Masters in Business (concentration in Fiance) which will only add to the craziness of this coming year. But I am so proud of him for taking this next step in his education and career. 

Joe is the type of person that researches and reviews ANYTHING before he buys it. And to be honest, that's one of the things I enjoy about him. I knew the day that we bought our vacuum that we were getting the best one out there :) He has also been getting into reading, as I call them, "nerdy" books. Books about the economic collapse and the stock market - he honestly gets really excited about them! It's a little amusing since that would be the last thing on my "must read list" but he loves that kind of stuff.

I can't put into words all I would like to say about Joe. He makes me laugh and makes me feel loved every day. I am truly blessed for our life together and all that it will bring!