it's the little things that count...

and it's the little things that will drive you crazy...

during these last few days of our engagement, all of the wedding planning is at its height. there's only so much you can do during your engagement, which is why long engagements just don't make sense to me. 6 months and 2 weeks was more than enough time for us. you have to book the locations for the ceremony and reception, the photographer, the caterer, and some other big ticket things, but other than that most of the work happens the week before...

my mom and i have been running around Tallahassee paying the vendors, double checking the bouquet orders and the food for the reception, etc. and it's pretty crazy...no it's REALLY crazy. fun though, but still...crazy.

it's such a joy to be able to plan such an amazing event, and to be able to make it how i want it to be...there's been a lot, a WHOLE lot of thought put into this 6 hour event...

but Satan sure does try to magnify the small things that don't go as expected...my shoes got a little dirty, my dress needs another steam, my nail broke (even though i'm getting a manicure tomorrow, i got really aggravated about it today!)...and plenty of other little things!

but right at that moment of frustration i have to keep catching myself and reminding myself about the bigger picture that a) at the end of the day, the only thing that matters is that Dave and I are Mr. and Mrs. Hess and b) that God was glorified. THAT'S IT! the candles being all lit, the stage looking beautiful, the food tasting great, the guests following proper etiquette; none of that matters in the end.

praise God that i have an amazing mother who has been SUPER WOMAN with this whole wedding planning. and an unbelievably forgiving and understanding fiance, who means everything to me, the most perfect man in the world for me, and the one who holds all of my affection. I do Dave Hess! I do!

ONE WEEK!

oh. my. cow.

dave and i have been dave and i for 9 months today. we're going to be a week overdue!

and it's his birthday today...but you'll have to ask him what his age is :-) i'm still waiting to see the birth certificate!

sorry if i don't blog until after i'm mrs. hess :-) if you can, please pray for us throughout the week...this week is going to be incredibly crazy. lots of fun events, friends and family coming in to town, and plenty of details to iron out. thanks friends!

7 days until i'm Katie Hess! whee!

Coincidence? I think not!

10 days...10 daaaaaaaaays! Amazing. We've been engaged for over 6 months... I know that doesn't seem too long, call it the "Every Nation Style Engagement" if you will, but it seems like it has taken so long to finally get to the final stretch. I've grown alot, we've grown alot, and our marriage is going to be so strong thanks to this fruitful engagement season. What an amazing time.

Our biggest desire for our wedding day is that God would be glorified and magnified above anything else. The picture that we will show on our wedding day, reflecting God's love and adoration for His Bride, the Church, will be so tangible and so evident, we pray that many lives will be touched through us. Dave and I have been striving so hard to glorify God in everything that we do, and by staying pure during our engagement season (it's hard keeping those boundaries when you have the man of your dreams right in front of you!), and by saving ourselves for each other and that first kiss! Praise God, we're going to make it. It's only by His grace. Praise God.

And that's just what Satan hates. He hates it when people love Jesus, they make a commitment to him, and they stick with it! I'm not saying we're perfect, but Satan hates every effort towards glorifying the name of Jesus.

And it's easy to tell. There has been alot of spiritual attack on us lately. There's been alot of spiritual attack during our engagment, but especially these last few weeks. I know that Satan wants to release an arsenal of stress and discouragement (he already has let a few arrows fly), but I WILL NOT HAVE IT! Praise God for all the faith building that he's been working on me with through the years, it is paying off!

Even yesterday as Dave's car broke down, for the second or third time in the last month or so (coincidence? I think not!) -- God was in control and he COMPLETELY provided and turned the situation around within 24 hours. It's amazing! I can't go into much detail yet, but God is so good!

He can do anything. I'm serious. My God is so HUGE! I just had to praise him.
Satan hates me, but I hate him more, and I have a big God to back me up.

What has God done for you lately that you are praising Him for?

"Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried...your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you." -- Jesus of Nazareth