Time has flown! I'm going to be a married women very soon. Can hardly wait!!!
Things are falling into place - just some last minute meetings to finalize details, numbers etc. God has been amazing in helping us with the details - I spent way too much worrying about stuff instead of just letting go and trusting God, who has the best ideas of all, to share his ideas with us :o)
Clive was in the Berg this weekend with his mates - sounds like the fresh air and wide open spaces did them the world of good. My man came back with pink cheeks and a happy face - except that he's still fighting a head cold and producing bucket loads of snot ... gotta love him though. He is just amzaing and I'll take him in sickness and in health :o)
Next weekend the guys from Glenridge are off to the Men's Camp at Hilton College. Sounds like they are going to have a blast. Clive is rooming with Patrick Kenny so I don't know how much sleep they'll get - when Pat and Clive get talking about the deep things of life, there's no stopping them. I'm looking forward to a "quiet" weekend in Durban - will probably hang out with the girls and have some fun. I need fun - the past 3 months have just been about planning and admin and trawling Gateway Theatre of Shopping for wedding bands, gift registries, bridesmaid's dresses and loads of other things.
Clive and I headed watched the movie "Marley and Me" today. We thought it'd be a fun romcom but we both ended up bawling and quite unashamedly at that. It's still Hollywood but the movie was very real - and abit sad too. I highly recommend people to see it - it's not Slumdog Millionaire and it probably won't win any Oscars but it's a wonderful story.
Take your tissues though ... and plan to have a cuppa afterwards - to think abit, chat abit and appreciate the amazing memories in your life. Some happy, some sad, some painful, some exhilerating.
But they all make up the tapestry of who you are today.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Sunday, March 15, 2009
34 more sleeps - by Jo
Or 4 weeks and 6 days. And counting!
What a weekend. Both our parents came down this weekend and we had an amazing time catching up together ... AND doing some more wedding planning :o)
Yesterday Clive had his bachelor's party and I had my bridal shower. We knew the parties would happen yesterday but we had NO idea what would go down. I've yet to see the pics from Clive's day, but I believe there was a Zorro outfit, a braai, some rugby watching (the Sharks had their butts kicked) and a whole lot of precious, encouraging words shared. What a wonderful blessing that my man is so loved, honoured and appreciated by so many people - it just makes me love him more :o)
My bridal shower was a scream! I arrived and was promptly dressed up in butterfly wings, a tiara and a fairy wand! Jeannie asked me to share why white butterflies are so special to me which was wonderful. We ate lots and I received so many stunning gifts! Jeannie (my only local bridesmaid!) outdid herself. She asked Clive a whole of questions about himself and recorded him giving the answers - she then played the DVD at the bridal shower, asking me the same questions and I had to guess the answer. It was so much fun but I must admit I was soooo nervous! But all the gifts had me in stitches so that definately broke the ice! The ladies also got to play gift bingo - they each had cards with a variety of potential gifts on and they marked off their cards as I opened gifts. I think Emmy won her Easter egg and got to shout BINGO first! The moms also shared some amazing words and the ladies prayed for me - what a treat :o)
And so we get to the end of another busy but wonderful weekend! We don't have too mnay left until the wedding (like FOUR - and Clive will be away for 2 of them!) but thankfully most of our planning has been done and it has gone so smoothly. We're so excited now - can't wait for the big day but we're totally enjoying the journey.
I am very much in love with Clive Bredenkamp.
What a weekend. Both our parents came down this weekend and we had an amazing time catching up together ... AND doing some more wedding planning :o)
Yesterday Clive had his bachelor's party and I had my bridal shower. We knew the parties would happen yesterday but we had NO idea what would go down. I've yet to see the pics from Clive's day, but I believe there was a Zorro outfit, a braai, some rugby watching (the Sharks had their butts kicked) and a whole lot of precious, encouraging words shared. What a wonderful blessing that my man is so loved, honoured and appreciated by so many people - it just makes me love him more :o)
My bridal shower was a scream! I arrived and was promptly dressed up in butterfly wings, a tiara and a fairy wand! Jeannie asked me to share why white butterflies are so special to me which was wonderful. We ate lots and I received so many stunning gifts! Jeannie (my only local bridesmaid!) outdid herself. She asked Clive a whole of questions about himself and recorded him giving the answers - she then played the DVD at the bridal shower, asking me the same questions and I had to guess the answer. It was so much fun but I must admit I was soooo nervous! But all the gifts had me in stitches so that definately broke the ice! The ladies also got to play gift bingo - they each had cards with a variety of potential gifts on and they marked off their cards as I opened gifts. I think Emmy won her Easter egg and got to shout BINGO first! The moms also shared some amazing words and the ladies prayed for me - what a treat :o)
And so we get to the end of another busy but wonderful weekend! We don't have too mnay left until the wedding (like FOUR - and Clive will be away for 2 of them!) but thankfully most of our planning has been done and it has gone so smoothly. We're so excited now - can't wait for the big day but we're totally enjoying the journey.
I am very much in love with Clive Bredenkamp.
Sunday, March 8, 2009
41 more sleeps - by Jo
It's almost the end of another weekend - we only have 5 to go before The Big Day and they are filling up quickly!
Last w/e Clive turned into Handyman Extraordinaire and the kithen is now looking amazing. It is quite a small space but it's amazing what some well positioned shelves can do to one's sanity. YAY! I am so SO proud of my husband-to-be.
Today we cleared out the spare room - and I thought I had loads of stuff ... oh my HAT! But it's looking good now - we've thrown out junk, made piles of clothes and things to give away and I reckon spring cleaning (even in mid summer in a very hot room) can be very therapeutic. I also got to see some very old photo albums (which also features David Drew ... he he) and Clive says he'll explain them all to me one day. I look forward to hearing more stories from my man's life - he has great ones to tell and I get to travel the world, just hearing his wonderful heart.
So I'm blogging, sending Facebook messages to friends and watching the 7de Traan (I mean Laan) omnibus, which is great given that I don't have a TV. There really is nothing that great on TV at the mo - where does SABC find all those old, dodgy movies with bad hair and very toit jeans???
Both sets of folks are coming down next w/e which will be great. I do hope we have a braai somewhere along the line :o) And I hope we get to just kuier abit without too much wedding planning!!!
So the bridesmaids are struggling to find gunmetal dresses - that's probably because we're going into winter here and the overseas gals are going into spring/summer. It's a tough colour but I'm happy that the girls won't be all matchy matchy - when has it ever helped to be a control freak??? (Ha ha, I am still a work in progress. Help Lord!!!)
So I have discovered that there is no such thing as The Perfect Wedding. It's about two people choosing to love each other til death and picking a day to celebrate this joyous union with beloved family and friends and even colleagues. So much emphasis is placed on ONE day but there's a whole marriage on the other side. So while the prep is totally worth it, doing a whole bunch of external things does not make a woman a great wife, mom, homemaker, friend, daughter, daughter-in-law, sister-in-law ... it's allowing God to have His way on the inside that leads to the abundant life we dream of. And that He dreams of.
Psalm 139 says that the Lord knew each one of our days before one of them came to be! So often we make plans and later ask God what He thinks. How glorious to ask Him first and to let His dreams become our dreams, and let the desires of His heart become ours?
1 Cor 2:9 says
"no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind can conceive
what God has prepared for those that love Him.
but He has revealed it by His Spirit"
He is the author of life and I am on the journey of realising that when I am painting the picture of my life, the picture stays very small. But when I allow Him to paint the picture, the possibilities are endless, and more wonderful than I could hope, dream or imagine.
As Casting Crowns sing,
"I want to sign Your Name at the end of the day,
and know my heart was true.
Let my lifesong sing to You."
Last w/e Clive turned into Handyman Extraordinaire and the kithen is now looking amazing. It is quite a small space but it's amazing what some well positioned shelves can do to one's sanity. YAY! I am so SO proud of my husband-to-be.
Today we cleared out the spare room - and I thought I had loads of stuff ... oh my HAT! But it's looking good now - we've thrown out junk, made piles of clothes and things to give away and I reckon spring cleaning (even in mid summer in a very hot room) can be very therapeutic. I also got to see some very old photo albums (which also features David Drew ... he he) and Clive says he'll explain them all to me one day. I look forward to hearing more stories from my man's life - he has great ones to tell and I get to travel the world, just hearing his wonderful heart.
So I'm blogging, sending Facebook messages to friends and watching the 7de Traan (I mean Laan) omnibus, which is great given that I don't have a TV. There really is nothing that great on TV at the mo - where does SABC find all those old, dodgy movies with bad hair and very toit jeans???
Both sets of folks are coming down next w/e which will be great. I do hope we have a braai somewhere along the line :o) And I hope we get to just kuier abit without too much wedding planning!!!
So the bridesmaids are struggling to find gunmetal dresses - that's probably because we're going into winter here and the overseas gals are going into spring/summer. It's a tough colour but I'm happy that the girls won't be all matchy matchy - when has it ever helped to be a control freak??? (Ha ha, I am still a work in progress. Help Lord!!!)
So I have discovered that there is no such thing as The Perfect Wedding. It's about two people choosing to love each other til death and picking a day to celebrate this joyous union with beloved family and friends and even colleagues. So much emphasis is placed on ONE day but there's a whole marriage on the other side. So while the prep is totally worth it, doing a whole bunch of external things does not make a woman a great wife, mom, homemaker, friend, daughter, daughter-in-law, sister-in-law ... it's allowing God to have His way on the inside that leads to the abundant life we dream of. And that He dreams of.
Psalm 139 says that the Lord knew each one of our days before one of them came to be! So often we make plans and later ask God what He thinks. How glorious to ask Him first and to let His dreams become our dreams, and let the desires of His heart become ours?
1 Cor 2:9 says
"no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind can conceive
what God has prepared for those that love Him.
but He has revealed it by His Spirit"
He is the author of life and I am on the journey of realising that when I am painting the picture of my life, the picture stays very small. But when I allow Him to paint the picture, the possibilities are endless, and more wonderful than I could hope, dream or imagine.
As Casting Crowns sing,
"I want to sign Your Name at the end of the day,
and know my heart was true.
Let my lifesong sing to You."
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