What were we THINKING!?

I guess we thought a 14-month long engagement wouldn't be that long, but it seems like the most common theme throughout our engagement can be summed up in one word: IMPATIENCE.

We just want to be married already!

So far, we're 10 months in, and it seems like every other day, at least one of us mutters the words "Is it September yet?" Any excitement found in those words is most definitely laced with a large dose of disappointment, because, well...the answer is no; it is not September, and it won't be, ever!!!

(Or, at least, that's how it feels.)

Many people have told us that the wedding will sneak up on us and be here before we know it. But it seems like the time has been crawling by and September (and marriage) will NEVER get here.

Perhaps our impatience is due to the fact that we are holding off on a lot of things we'd like to do, and waiting until after marriage to do them. Some of those things include:

• Moving in together.
• Having sex.
• Combining income/finances.

Just because we've decided to wait until marriage to do these things doesn't mean it's easy! While the choice to wait was easy, the waiting itself has been hard. And waiting until after marriage to do those things has made waiting for the wedding day that much harder...

Grrr. Is it September yet? Anyone got a time machine we can borrow? 

Exactly 4 Months To Go!

Today, May 14th, is our 4-month mark!

Realizing this last night brought conflicting feelings: excitement & joy mixed with, well...doom. There are a miiiiiiiillion things on the to-do list that haven't been checked off yet. I don't know why weddings have to be so stressful, but I do know this: 

Galen, we'd better make this marriage work because I am NOT doing this again!

:)

Anyway, during the previous 10 months of our engagement, I've been immensely blessed with inspiration from a plethora of sources; from websites and wedding mags to bridal books and other brides. Here are some of my favorites:

• Ambra's Wedding Bio: Ambra is a newlywed whose wedding absolutely brought me to tears! The way she put God in the center of her wedding was so touching and inspirational, and I can only hope my ceremony is half as meaningful as hers was.
• Wedding Bee Blogs: These are bridal/newlywed blogs that are updated daily.
• MCrosby's Blog: Meghan is a fellow bride whose August wedding is still in the planning stage, but I can already tell it'll be fly beyond belief! She keeps a blog that I love to reference because it's a great source for ideas and interesting finds (i.e. where to get your centerpieces at a great price...).

Resources like these, and weddings like Ambra's, definitely make the planning part of getting married a little bit easier...and a lot more inspirational.

See you in 4 months!

Great song, but...those outfits...

Since we became friends in September, danced together for the first time in September, became a couple in September, and are getting married in September, it's only fitting that the Earth, Wind, & Fire song named after that month be featured in our wedding (so if you're gonna be there, be prepared to break out your best Electric Slide for it!).

So I thought it would be fun to find a video clip of the song. What I found was hilarious--the costumes, the hair, the sweaty faces...I love it!

Thought I'd share:

While I'm at it, might as well include a short clip of another song that'll be featured at the wedding, too:

Emily King's "U & I"

Love 'em both!

...and just like that, I'm obsessed!

Aren't I supposed to be planning a wedding right now?

So why, then, have I spent the last like...2 weeks (!!!) scouring over apartment/decorating/furnishing -related books, magazines and websites? I haven't so much as thought about wedding cakes or ceremony readings.

I know, I know--BAD BRIDE, JELISA, BAD BRIDE! *smack on the hand.*

But I still can't convince myself to put down the Home & Garden Magazines, and I can't pull myself away from Craigslist (that's a really great resource for vintage  furniture--who knew?) or Apartment Therapy.

So...I'll share some of my favorite finds instead. :) Hey, at least it's sort of productive...

• My New Favorite Thing To Check Out
• Steps to a Well-Put-Together Room
• I *Hate* Clutter, So This Is Great
• Since We're Just Starting Out...
• A Cool Space
• Keeping Your Bedroom A Refuge
• Bamboo Bathroom...hmm
• Two of My Favorite Colors
• Would Love to Do This for Our Loft Stairs
• Love How Bright Her Place Is

Of course, these are only a few of my favorite things...but do you see why I'm addicted? And why I'm sad I don't have like, a million dollars to fix up our place with?

--JeLisa

We have an apartment!!!

What can we say? God is amaaaaaazing!

Four full months before the wedding, He's supplied us with a gorgeous loft apartment! 

We're teaming up with another engaged couple (good friends of ours who are getting married around the same time we are) to lease two apartments in a building a block away from the church we all are members of. There were two units available for June--a flat on the ground floor (which Parris & Robert are taking), and a loft upstairs (which we're taking). But as both couples are waiting until after their wedding to move in together, the girls will live in the loft together and the guys will live together downstairs in the other apartment until September, after the wedding, when we'll switch!

It probably sounds kind of confusing, but it really does work out.

Why it's so awesome:

• We get to spend the summer setting our place up.
• We have an address for wedding RSVPs to be sent to.
• We'll live in the same building (it'll be nice living so close to your fiance!).
• We're close to everything: our church, public transportation (no more spending a fortune on gas each week), stores/shops/dining, JeLisa's job...
• We found an affordable San Francisco apartment without having to leave the city or live in a studio or in-law.
• We like the neighborhood and it'll be easier to get to the other SF areas we love.
• For our first apartment, it's actually...nice! Hardwood floors, secure building, nice view, lots of sunlight...

Now, off to look for furniture and check out home decorating tips...

We really do love this city...

Galen and I really love our Sundays--and those rare Saturdays we both have off from work.

On this particular weekend, we were blessed with both. :)

We spent a couple hours gazing upon glorious San Francisco--from above--climbing the rocks, hills, and stairs that make up Corona Heights.