The Light at the end of the tunnel...

When people go through tough times, generally a friend reminds them that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Thomas and I chose to embark on a long engagement; instead of sprinting to the marriage altar, we signed ourselves up for a mini ultra-marathon - an 18 month, 1 week engagement.

...we just ran a 5K in Grand Haven. It was their "Kick Off to Summer Fun Run," 5/29/10.

Yup...long races can be tiring (I admit a 5K is WAY shorter than a marathon, but still, I'm a sprinter; ~40 yards is my ideal race.), but they are totally worth it.

This was the first race Thomas and I ran together, the "South Haven Blueberry Festival" 5K, 8/8/09.
At the end of this engagement race, Thomas and I are glad we embraced the journey and are ready to be united.

Our light at the end of the tunnel is the Light. It is a light that shines brighter and truer because it is the light of Jesus Christ. God has been our focus since the very beginning of our relationship, and even though there have been times where we have been sidetracked, like Peter, when we keep our eyes set on Jesus, we are able to stay afloat and walk faithfully to the marriage altar.

Officially, we are one month out from the wedding, meaning that the wedding is becoming more and more real and the end of the tunnel is practically here. HOORAY!

The 50s

I'm certain some of you remember the 1950s, but I myself was certainly not around to enjoy them. One of the remnants of this time period is a fascinating show, "I love Lucy." It is beyond a doubt, my favorite show.
Shifting gears slightly, today marks the half-century mark in days remaining until Thomas and I tie the knot. Not only is the prospect of getting married becoming more and more exciting, but also, the idea of being done with wedding details and planning and enjoying a wedding-planning-less honeymoon is becoming more and more attractive. It's not that wedding planning is inherently bad; rather, after being at this task for some time, I am ready for it to be completed so that I can enjoy the Big Day (and I think Thomas shares this sentiment).

All the while, quite a few tasks have been achieved by myself and others.

Dress

My dress and I underwent our final fitting, after-which, it will be sent via airmail to MI. Lets just say that I hope my dress and hair don't turn out like this for Thomas and my Bid Day. This fitting should yield a dress a step up (or two) from Lucy's dress.

Flowers

The bouquets are finalized (and all of the extra frilly stuff). I know some people are rather particular about fake vs. real flowers, especially considering wax flowers melt in the sun.

Invitations

All of the invitations have been mailed for Thomas and my wedding ceremony and reception (party). Hmm...I wonder if there will be any surprise appearances from Superman or other flying superheros...

Music

The music selections for the ceremony have been made, and my musicians are in the process of sorting out the scores and learning their respective part. Hopefully they manage to determine who is playing what without resorting to shaving cream.

The reception details (food, music, etc) will be finalized in the near future.