April 11, 2005

Five Months to Go!

Yesterday was the five month mark countdown to the wedding! There's so much going on... so much to do! And it's still really fun! Today, I bought a cake topper! We also have our flower girl basket and other fun stuff.

I've also started to pack up some of my stuff for my move. There's so much to do, there's just no sense in waiting! I like being prepared. I was a Girl Scout, you know.

Also, something exciting... Robin and I bought a lawn Gnome! His name is Norville. Norville the Gnome. He's terribly cute. And Robin is terribly sweet for letting me buy it for our yard!

So, the invitations went out... I have reports of them having been received. Let the fun continue!

Posted by karen at 06:49 PM | Comments (1)

April 05, 2005

Calm in the Midst of the Storm

Again... I am slacking in my blogging duties. I can't help it! I'm preparing for a lot of stuff, people! And yet I'm still holding it together.

I have to say I'm clinging to God through all of this for all I'm worth, and it's the best I've ever felt about anything. He has given me more that I could have ever hoped for all at once. A wonderful husband-to-be, a fantastic family who loves me, and supportive friends who care about me.

God is also giving me more peace and calm than I could have ever hoped for to do what I have to do this summer. Plan a wedding, staff two festivals, administrate one festival, find a new job, plan a move, see 'Great Big Sea' in concert, and maybe fit a few leisure weekend trips in there, and also travel to North Carolina a couple of times to futher plan our future. And yet, I really do feel unusually peaceful about everything. I hope I can come back to this entry in a few months and see that I still feel the same way.

I'm trusting God more than ever to see me through this. I don't ever want there be a day go by that I don't thank Him for all He's given me... ask for His guidance for what to do next... and tell Robin how much I love him. I think those are some goals that will make the next few months go really really well. And I plan on making sure that happens.

Posted by karen at 09:45 PM | Comments (1)

March 23, 2005

Let the fun begin...

Oh yes, wedding planning. This is going to be fun. Robin and I had our first discussion, last night, about what we envisioned for the wedding. Very funny... very different. But I know, after talking for only one hour, that we can come to an agreement that is uniquely 'us,' that is exactly what we both want. It's going to be great! Probably stressful in some moments, but educational and growth enhancing. I found myself looking at it like a concert or festival... hmmm... 'venue is very important.' 'We need to get to a location first...' All this stuff going through my head... and this is just the beginning! Woo Hoo!

Posted by karen at 11:37 AM | Comments (2)

March 20, 2005

The Big Announcement!

Ok, my friends are going to have to forgive me. I'm in North Carolina. I can't personally call everyone... it would be rude to my fiance. What?! What did you say? Yep... I said fiance!

Last night, on Oak Hollow Lake in beautiful High Point North Carolina, Robin Parrish asked me to marry him, and I said yes. I am a very, very happy woman. I can't stop smiling. Everytime I happen to look down at my hand and see the beautiful ring he so skillfully kept hidden from me all day, I can't help by smile. Not just smile, BEAM. I can't imagine that I'll ever stop smiling. I know all you married people out there are going... oh yes, you will, but I know you'll let me enjoy the moment for a good long time. Thanks!

We started out the day with me almost killing his plans by my asking to drive for the day. Everyone who knows me knows how I love to drive, and I really wanted to get to know how to negotiate High Point a little better, well he would have none of that. He said he wanted to drive. Ok, I said. No problem. Yeesh (I thought.) :) Little did I know.

We went to Krispy Kreme for breakfast. See, we were celebrating our Valentine's day yesterday, since we didn't get a chance to when I was here for that, since Robin was really sick. So, this was a special day. Then, we went shopping. Robin loves shopping. That's one of the many reasons I knew right off that this was a great guy. One of the many.

We had lunch at Chick-fil-A. Yum. We went to Costco where they had gas for $1.94! Can you believe that? I had to pay $2.05. Ok, I digress... I bought the Spongebob Squarepants movie for $14.99. Can the day get any better? Of course it can... We went to the movies and saw Robots! Krispy Kreme... Chick-fil-A... Spongebob... Ewan McGregor! And yet there was more!

We came out of the theater and it was a little chilly. Robin looks up and says, 'it's cloudy.' Hmm... yes. It was. Very observant today. I later learned he had wanted the proposal to be at the lake at sunset. No sunset when it's cloudy. He is so sweet. So, we're driving to dinner, and I asked him where we were eating, because he was just driving, and he said 'oh, I don't know...let's stop here first. I haven't been here in awhile.' The lake. To be honest, I kind of had an idea what was coming, but I didn't want to make it obvious, and I was very excited and nervous, too, so I just kept being me. We pulled into the lake, and I said 'Are we getting out? It's cold.' He, of course, wanted to get out, so we did and walked down to the dock, and I plopped myself down on the edge of the dock, which further complicated his plans... but I hadn't done that on purpose. I just wanted to sit on the dock.

So, finally, after about 10 minutes, it was pretty cold, he asked if I wanted to go, and I did, we got up to leave, and started walking back to the car and I'm thinking, 'ok, now or never... maybe I was wrong, maybe this isn't it...' and he stopped me. He had the most wonderful speech planned, and I can remember he said the most beautiful things that I totally agreed with and loved, but couldn't repeat them if I had to because my heart was pounding and my head was spinning, and I knew what he was getting to, and I was so excited!

So, he pulled the ring out of his pocket and got down on one knee and asked me to marry him! Of course I said yes, and the rest is history! I spent the next hour or so trying to get ahold of ANYONE on my cell phone to tell them. Thank heavens Stacey answered her phone so I could tell someone! BLESS YOU, STACE! And now, here we are... I will be Mrs. Karen Parrish. Wow. WOW! Just, WOW!

Posted by karen at 08:37 AM | Comments (12)