R&S

GOODBYE, BLOLGGER! HELLO WORDPRESS!!

2010-05-23T13:03:00.004-05:00

www.rssoriano.com

We moved our blog to a new platform. We will not be posting to this site anymore.

If you'd like to continue reading our blog, visit us at www.rssoriano.com.

www.rssoriano.com

Ghost Speech

2010-05-21T14:10:00.003-05:00

During our wedding, I had the pleasure to address some words to our friends and family. I know my words moved Sarah, sadly they didn’t get recorded and they were impromptu. So before time takes its toll on me, I decided to write down what I remember saying.

“I would like to start by thanking you for joining us on this special day. We know some of you have traveled long distances to join us, and we are very happy you could make it.

I would also like to thank Sarah’s parents for raising such a wonderful woman, and my mom for everything she has done for me.

This is the day I get to marry my best friend,
The one I’ll live with, love with, laugh with.
This is the one God has given me for life,
My partner, my love, my soulmate.

These are the words that Sarah wrote for our wedding invitations. When I first read them I liked them a lot, there was something about them, but I didn’t pay much attention. Later on I kept thinking about them, I even looked them up in Google to see where they came from but couldn’t find anything helpful.

I kept thinking and reflecting over these words, until it hit me. What was so meaningful to me is the part that says “This is the one God has given me for life, My partner, my love, my soulmate.” This is the one that God has given me for life.

I realized that Sarah doesn't belong to me, she is a gift to me from God. I started to think how would I like to return the gift to back to God when our time is up. I want to go to God and tell him “Thank you Father for a wonderful wife, for a great woman. I loved your gift, treated her with love, respect and helped her grow in faith.” I want to be successful at this.

Speaking about success, this is something I have been thinking about. I want us to have a successful life.

There is a man that I grew up with that is really successful and I never even knew it. This is a man has given up his title, his job and his personal desires for his family. This man is my brother. He recently moved his family to Canada and gave up his career as a doctor for the future of his kids. He doesn’t have money, he doesn’t have cars or a fancy job but he is successful. I can see it in the way his daughters love him and treat him with respect, the way his son looks up to him and the way he leads his family in faith.

Don’t get me wrong, I have ambitions, I want to keep growing at my job and do well financially. What I don’t want is to miss what is important to me. To remember that I am part of the world, but I don’t belong to it.

I have seen success at the house of Rodney and Lisa, the way they love and respect each other. The way they raised Sarah and their serving spirit. You guys have a marriage I hope to model ours after.

My friends, I want us to be successful! And I know that with the help of God, our church and family we will be successful.

Thank you ”

Dear neighbors...

2010-05-20T07:27:00.002-05:00

Good morning, dear duplex neighbors!

I just wanted to let you know how much we enjoyed the wake-up call this morning. The music itself wasn't quite enough to get me out of bed (although I know Gilda loves death metal at 5 am), but the pounding on the walls shook me up. The animal noises in the back yard were a nice touch. I hope the yelling helped you as you broke in through the window. Who needs keys?!

Oh, and I'm very sorry that your girlfriend broke up with you. I don't want to take sides, but I agree that she was defending Kevin too much and that it is likely they have fornicated. I don't blame you. You certainly have a wide variety of words to describe your displeasure at the situation! The yelling and screaming were tough, so I'm glad you had enough cigarettes to calm your nerves. Luckily, that smell comes right over into our "home" so we can enjoy it too.

I hope you get a lot of time to catch up on your sleep throughout the morning and afternoon. We will be at work, so it should be nice and quiet for you. If I'm lucky, we can do this all again tomorrow!

Love,
Your neighbors

We made an offer!

2010-05-18T22:30:00.002-05:00

We made an offer on the Sherwood house today! I am excited, nervous, excited, terrified and excited all at the same time. But I can't be too excited - we are in a multiple offer situation on the house, which is in short-sale. In my newly-augmented real estate knowledge, this means that the bank will take a practical look at the numbers and accept whichever offer results in the largest net for the bank. Now we just have to wait and see if the offer Rafa and I entered hits that magical mystery number.

We walked away from our meeting with our Relator (the absolutely fantastic Jennifer Murphy) knowing that we made the best offer we could. We didn't get emotional and go out of our price range. If our offer isn't accepted, it simply isn't the house for us.

But we really hope it is!

We have been praying through 1 Chronicles 4:10. The verse is better known as the prayer of Jabez, a man who was described in the previous verse as "more distinguished than any of his brothers." He prayed, "Oh, that You would bless me and extend my lands! Please be with me in all that I do, and keep me from all trouble and pain." The last part of the verse is, "And the Lord granted him his request."

My dear friend Kita reminded me of this verse on Sunday. It is pretty much the perfect verse for a first-time homebuyer! Let's break it down:
1) Extend my land (literally, the house is on 1/2 acre in Eagan)
2) Please be with me because this is a nerve-wracking process!
3) Keep me from trouble and pain, i.e. major damage not reflected in the inspection, etc.

We will find out on Friday if our offer is accepted or not. Please join us in praying!

A little love in your heart

2010-05-16T16:32:00.002-05:00

Rafa and I just got done volunteering with a bunch of other people from our church, The Rock, at the AIDS walk in Minneapolis. We cheered until our throats hurt and rang our cowbells until our knuckles bled (not even kidding!). We jumped up and down at the starting line to get people pumped up for the walk and gave about a million (almost kidding) high fives to participants as they reached the end of the 10K.

An AIDS walk is probably the last place most people would expect to see a bunch of evangelical Christians, but that's one of the reasons why we are there.

Jesus didn't just come to save the people with neatly packaged sins. People with public struggles need Jesus more, not less, than people who seem good on the outside and keep their sin hidden. Jesus didn't tell Christians to only be around other Christians. He didn't tell us to stay away from people we might not understand or even agree with. Jesus said "Go." He said to love our neighbors as ourselves and to be a light in a dark city.

AIDS is absolutely devastating. When I think about it, the first thing that comes to my mind is death. The hope of my life is the complete opposite of death. That's why it felt great to be there volunteering. We put smiles on the faces of hundreds of people.

House hunting

2010-05-11T21:58:00.002-05:00

We walked through five houses tonight. It really struck me how hard it must be to sell your house.
Forced to allow all your doors to be opened,
people poking in the nooks and crannies,
judging every color, carpet and crack,
questioning every spot and stain,
knowing that everyone is imagining how to get the memories of your family out.

As we drove home, I couldn't help but peer into houses of every shape and size. I wonder if the people inside love their house? Or if they are just comfortable and love the memories they have there? I wonder if they had it all to do over again, would they buy the house again?

I can't wait until we are inside our new house, making our own memories in the space that is just right for us.

More stuff about food and houses

2010-05-10T20:35:00.003-05:00

I made a new dish tonight that is now on Gilda's favorite foods list! It's called the Crunchy Couscous Salad:

Ingredients:
1/2 cup dry couscous
3/4 cup water
1/2 cucumbers, thinly sliced and quartered
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
4 oz black olives
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon vinegar
2 tablespoons feta cheese crumbles
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation:
1. In a medium saucepan, boil water and add couscous. Return to boiling, then remove pan from heat, cover, and let stand for five minutes. Fluff with a fork and let cool while preparing veggies.
2. Add cucumber, bell pepper, onion and olives to couscous.
3. Combine olive oil, vinegar, feta, basil, salt and pepper to make dressing. Mix with couscous salad.
4. Refrigerate and serve chilled. Add cooked chicken to make it a meal.

AND - We are enjoying the house hunt! We love the house in the previous post. Rafa would have been ready to write the offer letter then and there, but I want to be sure. So, we went to an open house on Sunday (hated it) and we have five more to look at this week. The Sherwood House (our name for it) is the new standard. If none of these five measure up, then we will put in an offer on the Sherwood House. It's going to be an exciting week!

Build your house

2010-05-06T18:29:00.004-05:00

I read a verse a couple of weeks ago that I just keep thinking about: Proverbs 14:1 "A wise woman builds her home, but a foolish woman tears it down with her own hands."

It really got me thinking about things I do to tear my house down. A bad attitude, a sense of entitlement, a lack of patience? All things that tear my house down. A cross word in itself isn't going to tear the house Rafa and I are building down immediately, but each time I do it, I take a brick away from our foundation.

So what can I do to build our house? 1 Thessalonians 5:11 says to build each other up we need to encourage each other. Or 1 Corinthians 14:26 "...each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up." My favorite is Colossians 3:15 "And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful"

I love the Colossians verse because it really boils down the ways to be unified (aka, build the house of Soriano). Know the peace that comes from Jesus and be thankful. Know the peace and be thankful. Peace and thanks. Building a house is a big task, but I know I can follow those instructions.

Speaking of houses...

We are looking at this house this weekend!!! Our mortgage is pre-approved and this house is on short sale - this could be the literal Casa de Soriano. Please pray that God would keep opening doors for us if this is the house for us! Pray that Rafa would continue to seek wisdom.

Good eats

2010-05-04T21:54:00.003-05:00

Rafa and I love to eat. We love to cook a big meal together, get our our best serving ware, sit down at the table and eat. But with big meals come big problems if one isn't careful. We are taking steps to make sure our love for food doesn't overcome our love of health.

However, it's more than health for my mother-in-law - healthy recipes are life. Since she started dialysis last fall, her doctors have been asking her to eat low-sodium, low-potassium, higher-protein and lower-carb. These restrictions, in addition to my desire to have things that are low-calorie, low-fat and high-fiber, means that I have to get creative in the kitchen.

We've had some great creations so far this week, if I do say so myself! Last night we had tacos. I used ground turkey instead of beef. I also made my own seasoning for the first time! I didn't want us to eat the high sodium and MSG that comes from the stuff in packets. I mixed:

6 teaspoons chili powder
5 teaspoons paprika
4 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
2 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

The whole thing is enough to season 2-3 pounds of meat. It was very tasty and easily customizable.

Today, I made "Maryland Eastern Shore Cream of Crab Soup." The name was complicated, but the recipe was not:

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a large pot over moderate heat.
Add 1 cup onion, chopped. Cook, stirring onion until it becomes soft and transparent.
Add 1/2 pound fresh lump crab meat (I used imitation). Cook 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low.
Combine 1 cup non-dairy creamer and 2 tablespoons cornstarch in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth.
Add to soup and increase heat slightly, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and comes to a boil.
Add 1/8 teaspoon dill weed, Old Bay seasoning and ground pepper. Serve!

The soup was really fast to make and tasted great. Rafa said that this soup is now on his favorite meals list, which is awesome because that is a tough list to get on! I am so happy to find recipes like this that fill our love of food but also contribute to my goals of keeping my family healthy.

I would love to hear your healthy recipes if you're willing to share!

Spring is in the air

2010-04-30T19:14:00.002-05:00

C'mon now, don't be mad.

I know I haven't written in awhile, but that doesn't mean I wasn't thinking about you. You're a great blog and I always have you on my mind. I think about the things I would write in you if I had time. I know you feel neglected when a week passes and I don't use you to share my musings with our small, but loyal, audience.

It's just that when spring hits, I can't force myself to sit in front of the computer long enough. It's torture when I have precious few hours between the end of work and the beginning of dusk. I have to make the time last. I have to pack it with activities that make me feel alive like the blooming flowers all around me.

What's that? You want out too? Well, the thing is, I haven't been just sitting around when I'm out there. I've been running to the river along a parkway with flowering trees. I've been taking a core muscle exercise class on a rooftop. I've been walking with my honey, hand-in-hand. I've been picking lilacs and wrestling with the dog.

I hope you can understand. It's not you, it's me. And spring. It's spring's fault.

Discipline

2010-04-23T11:27:00.003-05:00

God gave me some beautiful verses about discipline to meditate on this morning. I first read them thinking I would encourage a friend who is going through a work situation, but (as the Bible does) God used His word to encourage me about what He does in our lives.

Sometimes it's hard for me to believe that the God of the Universe cares enough to help me become a better Christian. That the great "I AM" would get my attention. That the maker of the stars would guide me! And that the Father loves me as His own and gently guides me to the path of righteousness for my good and for His glory.

Pruning is not usually pleasant, but the end result is so good. Looking back on times of my life that were difficult, I can see now what God was leading me to in the end. During those times though, I certainly didn't see the positive outcome. But God knew what would work for me - to stop me in my tracks and re-route my life for Him.

Some of my favorite verses are about discipline and how God uses it in our lives:

Hebrews 12:11 – “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.”

John 15:1 - "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.... every branch that does bear fruit He prunes so that it will be even more fruitful." John 15:1

Proverbs 3:11 – “My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.”

Financing Hobbies

2010-04-21T22:09:00.004-05:00

When we got married, we decided to get rid of some of the more expensive hobbies we had between the two of us. I sold my motorcycle last fall and Rafa unloaded his paintball gun and gear this spring. We kept the saltwater fish tank as a hobby we could share together in our home.

Yesterday, I sold my Icon motorcycle jacket on Craig's List. Then, we went to a house in Woodbury where a fellow reefer (saltwater fish tank affectionado) had an anemone for sale.

So - we used the jacket money towards the anemone money and ended up ahead on the day. Pretty sweet!
(Below - Not our actual anemone.)

Go Fly a Kite

2010-04-19T12:11:00.017-05:00

We just came back from a beautiful weekend in Iowa. We went with no agenda and no appointments. I was really craving some time with my family that wasn't rushed. I just wanted to be with my husband and my parents, watch baby Lily walk around, and generally hang out.

I loved running on the country roads in the early morning. Four miles on mostly gravel roads went really fast on Saturday morning. Saturday was so beautiful, we just had to go outside. We flew kits in the backyard, over Champ's pasture and the unplowed corn fields.

We got lots of Lily time. She entertained us by making her "puppy noise" and playing with her new toys. (I had to get her some Target stuff since her dad works at a place that shall remain nameless!)

On Sunday, I had time to run about two miles before we went to Harvest Church and saw the church family I grew up with. I love what they've done with the place. They removed the choir loft to make room for the worship team - four vocalists, bass and acoustic guitar, and a steel drum player with an electronic drum machine! I've never heard their style of "Awesome God."

We also had a nice surprise at a local repair shop. I like to get my car fixed in New Hampton whenever I can because 1) the mechanics know/trust/respect my dad, so I don't feel like they are lying to me and 2) the prices are so much, much better. So, after driving in an unplowed alley during a Minnesota winter, my muffler lost some support and was making quite the loud banging/knocking noises.

When went to pick it up and I grabbed my checkbook. He said, "Oh, it was just a broken weld. We tacked it (the muffler) back up. No charge." No charge?! That does not happen in Minneapolis.

I love going home.

Financial Wisdom

2010-04-15T12:32:00.002-05:00

We did a very adult thing. Rafa and I sat down with a financial advisor. It is weird to talk about "wealth management" because our bank account does not have very many zeros (not in the right places anyway).

So, the financial planners were very nice, explained their work, goals and compensation. They asked us about our budget, goals and expectations. It was all very nice, but I couldn't shake a nagging question - are they Christians?

I want to know what you think. Is it right to trust the advice of non-Christians? Is it wise? What do you do with your "wealth?"

Student of Me

2010-04-14T18:38:00.003-05:00

This morning, I did not feel very well when I woke up. Even so, I went about the morning routine as usual, right up to gently waking Rafa up when the clock hit 7 a.m.

But before he even fully opened his eyes, he asked, "What's wrong?" I said, "Nothing!" I didn't feel a need to let him know about my sore throat or achy joints as the first thing he would hear today.

He opened his eyes the rest of the way and said, "No really, what's wrong?" And again, I said, "Nothing! It's time to get up."

We went through the rest of our morning routine and I told him about my aches and pains. Our conversation then went something like this.
He said, "I knew something was wrong."
I asked, "How did you know?"
He said, "I knew because I know you."
I asked, "How can you know? I did everything the same this morning!"
He said, "I know you and there are ways I can tell."
I asked, "Tell me just one of the ways." (I only asked for one because I didn't know if I could handle more!)
He said, "The speed of your voice changes when you aren't feeling well. I knew something was wrong because you were talking slower this morning."

I feel so blessed to have a man who loves me so much that he studies me, knows me better than I know myself, cares about me more than I deserve.

Marriage isn't a test drive

2010-04-08T12:08:00.002-05:00

Every time I hear about another celebrity divorce, I get sad. I didn't know Sandra and Jesse or Tiger and Elin personally, but I still feel sad when I hear about their marital problems. I pray for them whenever I hear their names on the radio or while I'm flipping channels.

I know they choose to live their lives in the spotlight, etc. - I don't want to go there. I just know that divorce is a painful thing - for celebrities and for people I know.

I was just reading an article today on http://www.boundless.org/ – it was about dating but I paraphrased a bit because I really think it applies to all relationships:

“Too often, in dating/marriage relationships, we think and act like consumers rather than servants. And not very good consumers at that.

"After all, no one would ever go down to his local car dealership, take a car out for an extended test drive, park it in his garage, drive it back and forth for several weeks or years, having put lots of miles on it, and then take it back to the dealer and say, ‘This car just isn’t for me.’"

So are you a consumer in your relationship? Only concerned about your needs and constantly on the lookout for something better?

Or are you a servant, committed sacrificially in love?

Resurrection Sunday

2010-04-05T13:28:00.002-05:00

Jesus defeated death by resurrecting on the 3^rd day, and if that is not cool enough he died for our sins too. How great is our God. Back in El Salvador we don’t celebrate “Easter” we celebrate Resurrection Sunday, we don’t have dyed eggs, chocolate, candy nor bunnies. I think I like it that way, because keeps the purpose of the celebration focused on what matters.

This will be our first Easter together as husband and wife, it has been a fun task to figure out where we are going, when and so on. I believe we had done a great job balancing time with all the people we love.

Last Easter, my Mom and I went to spend the day with Sarah’s family in Iowa. It was great day! In addition to meeting all of Sarah’s additional relatives, I was on a mission. I wanted to talk to Rodney (Sarah’s dad) about me courting his daughter.

After eating lots of delicious food, most of it from Sarah’s mom (who was super sweet about accommodating my dietary restrictions) Rodney and I went down to his office. We started talking about an idea he had about making a website for his business, then we talked about a classic show car he had owned, then about remote control planes, computers… furniture making… you name it. I knew I had to ask Rodney for his permission, but it can be scary so I kept avoiding the talk. I grabbed courage from the fact that I love Sarah so much, I wanted to do things right from the beginning. So as Rodney and I were walking out of his office I stopped him and we had one last conversation that went something like this:

Me: Rodney, one more thing

Rodney: Yeah?

Me: I wanted to tell you that I really like your daughter and I care a lot about her

Rodney: (silent)

Me: I have never felt like this before. Nothing makes me happier than seen her smile, I want to take care of her and make her smile. I want to date your daughter and I would like to know if that would be ok with you.

At this point things became a bit blurry as I have this man built like a wrestler silently looking at me from almost 6ft 6inches high.

Rodney: I know it can be lonely in the cities and you have been a good friend to Sarah.

Me: I want you to know that I want to make Sarah happy and I am counting on you to help me if I stray away from that path.

Rodney: You bet I will…

As we walked out of the room, I was extremely relieved I had told Rodney my intentions towards his daughter. I cant remember exactly the second part of the conversation, but I assumed Rodney was ok with me courting his daughter.

Also it took me about a year but I finally finished Rodney’s site reickswoodworking.com

Why was it so important fro me to talk to Rodney? Well I was raised that way… But it also made sense to me. I wanted not only get Rodney’s approval to date his daughter, but to let him know that I am open to his input and advise in the future of our relationship. I respect him, he is a wise and loving man. I love my in-laws, they are whom I want to model our marriage after, I enjoy the time we spend with them and the silent wisdom they spread.

Peter the Turkey

2010-04-05T13:25:00.010-05:00

Our house is so quiet right now.

Our six Easter visitors just left. It's really quiet without Rafa's brother, sister-in-law, three nieces and nephew who came down from Winnipeg to celebrate Resurrection Day with us. We had a fantastic weekend shopping, eating, talking, eating, going to church, eating, going to Iowa and eating!

My highlight was watching Rafa prepare this 21 pound beauty.

We named him Peter because we doubted three times that we would be able to cook him without ruining him, but in the end, we knew the Lord would come through for us.

Rafa made an awesome butter and herb paste that he massaged under the skin and into the turkey. He did awesome preparing it.

Almost six hours later, it was time to eat!

Yes, it tasted as good as it looked! I am so proud of our first turkey together. We added croissants, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes and gravy and strawberry shortcake to the meal.

I felt like such a grown-up. Hosting a Easter meal, preparing a turkey, and getting everything on the table to eat together felt good. I'm so happy we could celebrate Christ's resurrection with our family. I'm also happy they liked it!

Being a Worthy Wife

2010-03-29T09:23:00.003-05:00

I got some encouragement today from Proverbs 12:4 - "A worthy wife is a crown for her husband, but a disgraceful woman is like cancer in his bones."

I love the imagery. What woman wouldn't want to be a crown for her husband? Rafa gets a sparkle in his eye when he introduces me to a co-worker. He always smiles as he says, "And this is my wife, Sarah." Thinking of his face when he does that just makes me smile. I can feel that he is proud to have me as his wife. Being a crown is like being the icing on the cake. A wife can be the jewel reflecting her husband's character.

So what does it mean to be worthy? And, what does it mean to be disgraceful?

I love the description of worthiness that Paul gives us in Ephesians 4:1-3 when he urges us "to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."

So, living a life worthy of the Christian calling includes:

Humility
Gentleness
Patience
Bearing your husband in love
Maintaining the unity of the Spirit
Bearing the bond of peace

These are perfect character attributes to be a worthy wife too. I would argue that being a worthy wife is the natural progression for a Christian wife's walk with the Lord.

And what does it mean to be disgraceful? Well, I'm sure we can all think of the big ones. Although I dress modestly and make sure my interactions with men are above reproach, there are more subtle ways I can bring the cancer of disgrace to my husband's bones.

When the ladies at work are cutting their husbands down, am I building mine up? When my husband makes finances decisions for our family, do I grumble or support him cheerfully? Do I maintain our home in a way that makes my husband proud? Do I help my husband share the gospel with others by making Christ attractive to the people in our lives?

I think every woman has a different area that could become a disgrace if she doesn't give it to the Lord. What's yours?

Circle of Leadership

2010-03-26T10:31:00.005-05:00

I have been so inspired lately by the Daily Faithwalkers messages (http://www.gccweb.org/scripts/gccweb/journal/). Today, Rick Whitney, one of the GCM founders, talked about the legacy of leaders. He says that church leaders don't just appear - they are the product of the investments of previous generations of leaders.

Rick advises that anyone who wants to be a leader should work to understand what character traits are important to the leaders above them. One of the qualities that is important to the leaders of Rafa and me is commitment. I think that people who are lukewarm with commitment are really tough to lead. Lukewarm people come to church when it is convenient for them. They don't invest in building the church, spiritually or financially. They expect the church to cater to their needs (when they show up) instead of serving the body sacrificially.

Rafa and I have deliberately surrounded ourselves with other Christians who are committed. Our example for this is in Philippians 3:17: “Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you.”

We submit to our leaders as encouraged in Hebrews 13:7: “Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith.”

By following people who live with integrity before God, we are then able to lead others like 1 Peter 5:3 says to “lead (people assigned to your care) by your good example.”

It’s a circle, all part of God’s plan to use men according to His purpose. Are you in the circle? Are you aspiring to leadership, learning from your leaders and living as a good example for people to follow?

Better men

2010-03-25T09:39:00.000-05:00

I am so proud to be married to a man of God. This doesn't mean Rafa is perfect, but it does mean that he is committed to learning, serving and leading.

Our church and movement of churches, Great Commission Churches (http://www.gcmweb.org/), is a group lead by servants. We have wonderful examples all around us, and Rafa is like a sponge. He learns from the strengths of the Christians we surround ourselves by.

In the daily e-mail, one of the founders of our church movement gave this quote:

“Men are God’s method. The church is looking for better methods; God is looking for better men. What the church needs today is not more machinery or better, not new organizations or more and novel methods, but men whom the Holy Ghost has come upon. He does not come on machinery but on men, He does not anoint plans, but men—men of prayer” (E.M. Bounds).

Amen! So often, we get distracted by the next shiny thing, the latest technology, the newest insights - but it is so simple. Pray, pray, pray and serve, serve, serve.

Recently, Rafa was asked to be an apprentice in his small group. This means that he is officially learning how to lead a group. I think he was a little nervous at first until he realized that it is God who works in the lives of people. It's amazing what He can do with a weak vessel that's committed to Him.

Test drive

2010-03-22T10:14:00.006-05:00

I really enjoy watching kids. It's something that's been new to me in the past year or so. I think with my biological clock ticking, the maternal instincts start kicking in and I feel compelled to hold every baby I am near.

I watched 2-year-old Lily a couple of weeks ago and 1-year-old Reuben last Wednesday. This past weekend, a friend to both of us from work needed someone to watch 13-month-old Nico so her and her husband could enjoy a belated Valentine's date. Rafa and I said yes.

Nico was just a doll, playing with us and drooling on us. He kept us entertained for hours and wouldn't be still long enough for a picture.

And then came bedtime. He did not want to go into his crib. He cried and cried until he was held - only by Rafa. He wanted nothing to do with me! Rafa was the only one who could stop his tears. So, while Rafa went through bedtime with a crying toddler, I enjoyed some old episodes of Full House and spent quality time with my iPhone.

It's fun to test drive parenthood with other people's children. It's also fun to give them back, go home and have a full night of sleep.

Date Day

2010-03-13T21:10:00.005-06:00

We have a standing date night scheduled on Saturdays. It's a time we look forward to every week - a time for us to have fun, re-connect outside of our regular lives, and invest time in growing our love.

Today was our first Saturday - since we've been married! - that we didn't have anything scheduled on a Saturday. We had a date planned for tonight, but we ended up having a date day. We slept in this morning. We went to the art store and Target together. As I write this, Rafa is making a delicious-smelling dinner of sauteed scallops in white wine.

A big highlight of date day was going to the fish store, where we bought our first coral for the fish tank! It's a beautiful zoanthid. It is green, orange and purple, and really pretty! We also got more snails. Our tank is looking great.

Wedding finances in perspective

2010-03-11T08:41:00.002-06:00

I haven't totaled up the cost of our wedding quite yet. I still have a few receipts from the final week to add into the spreadsheet. I will update you on that soon.

Until then, one of my favorite Web sites www.boundless.org, had a great article about "The $18,000 Wedding Myth." The author quotes Little Women and I love it:

There's a scene where Meg, the oldest of four sisters, is about to get married. Her (very proper) Aunt March comes in the house to find Meg helping her intended, John, refasten a garland that had fallen down.
"Upon my word, here's a state of things!" cried the old lady, taking the seat of honor prepared for her, "You oughtn't to be seen till the last minute, child!"
"I'm not on show, Aunty, and no one is coming to stare at me, to criticize my dress, or count the cost of my luncheon. I'm too happy to care what anyone says or thinks, and I'm going to have my little wedding just as I like it. John dear, here's your hammer."
Mr. Brooke didn't even say, "Thank you," but as he stooped for the unromantic tool, he kissed his little bride behind the folding door, with a look that made Aunt March whisk out her pocket handkerchief, with a sudden dew in her sharp old eyes.
Later, Meg's very wealthy friend observes to her husband:
"That is the prettiest wedding I've been to for an age, Ned, and I don't see why, for there wasn't a bit of style about it."

The author goes on to say that the $18,000 wedding "average" really isn't an average at all, but rather a number perpetuated by the wedding industry to increase consumption. The $18,000 figure comes from TheKnot.com who polled 21,000 couples who opted in to the site, which is full of people who are planning big weddings anyway.

I know from experience. When I signed up for TheKnot.com right after got engaged and entered in our wedding date that was five months away, the site immediately sent me a long list of overdue to-dos -- that they could help me complete through the links to services on their site.

I unsubscribed after I got that list.

The Boundless article also points out that in 2007, 40,000 people were married by the New York City clerk's office -- where a ceremony costs just $35.

If women are told repeatedly that weddings cost $18,000, $25,000, $40,000 or more, they will begin to think that's just how it is. They call this "idealized consumption," where we look at what the people around us spend money on and then follow suit.

It's tragic. People go into so much debt for one day and forget to focus on the important thing - the lifetime they will spend together as a married couple. When a couple enters the marriage as these idealized consumers, that will certainly follow them into their financial decisions as a married couple. It will mean they make financial decisions based on what the world is doing and not what is Godly.

I hope our wedding was beautiful for those who attended. I pray they heard the word of God and that it stirred their heart. Our photographer wrote us after the wedding, "Thank you again for having me document your day for you! It was amazing you and Sarah are a true testament to how a covenant of marriage should be held and formed."

And, as Brett Arends writes recently in a Wall Street Journal article on wedding costs, "People who spend more aren't more married at the end of it."

Long overdue - six week update

2010-03-10T22:01:00.002-06:00

This Sunday will mark six weeks! It has really gone by quickly. I'm sorry for the lack of updates. Rafa has been so busy finishing up school stuff. His last day is next week. I am so proud of him and I can't wait to see him cross the stage in his cap and gown in June :)
As he's been wrapping up his journey of higher education, we have been embarking on a journey into joint finances. It has been much more pleasant than his homework, trust me. All of my name stuff has come in. I am officially Sarah Soriano. We took my new social security card to the bank to combine our accounts and begin our financial adventure.
There was never a question about if we would combine our finances or not. The "yours, mine and ours" option was never on the table for us. When we got married, we did so under the promise of God in Mark 10:6-9:
"But at the beginning of creation God made them male and female.For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate."

We firmly believe that we are not two people anymore, but that we have become one flesh. And since we are one flesh, why would we need separate accounts? Some additional benefits are that we can practice unity in our decisions. We can hold each other accountable to our financial goals. We can pray together about our stewardship. And we can keep the possibility of secrecy in our marriage out of the question.
It is a small sacrifice to die to myself in this area. Yes, I do make money, but I trust my husband to manage it with integrity, just as I trust him to be the head of our home. This does not mean that I can mentally check out and leave all the business to him. I can be an active help in our financial process and make sure that I am doing everything I can to help us meet our goals of clearing our debts and becoming homeowners.
So far, we've been having weekly date night and separate Finance Time!, which is always said with the exclamation for emphasis on the fun that comes with it. It is a learning process right now, but it will result in a stronger marriage.

No snoozing

2010-02-15T22:15:00.003-06:00

We celebrated two weeks of being married along with Valentine's Day yesterday! These last two weeks have been wonderful. We have been enjoying each other. We have also been learning a lot about what it's like to live with each other.

For example, last Tuesday I was really tired. The previous night was the first night Oreo (Rafa's cat) and Hawk (my dog) tried to regain their spots in bed with their respective masters. A 20 pound cat and a 14 pound dog, two newlyweds, and noisy neighbors meant restless sleep for me. So, when the alarm went off of Tuesday morning, I hit the snooze to catch a few more minutes of sleep. Then I hit it again.

And again.

And one more time, just to be sure.

Unsurprisingly, this lead to both of us getting out of bed quite a bit later than we needed to. We managed to get to work on time, but not without a lot of rushing (including sprinting to the bus stop).

I learned a lot that morning. First lesson - When I hit the snooze button, it does not affect just me. Second lesson - Rafa does not like to be rushed in the morning. He feels better during the whole day when his morning starts right. I can appreciate that.

We're learning, growing and waking together!

Our vows

2010-02-08T21:10:00.003-06:00

These are the vows Rafa and I shared with each other at the wedding. He had them memorized and spoke them to me, firmly and softly, while looking into my eyes.

I had them memorized, but after hearing Rafa say his and getting distracted by the emotions of my future mother-in-law, my mind went blank after the first line. Thankfully, Pastor Karl had them ready to give me a help.

After the ceremony, I just cried. I felt so bad that I didn't give Rafa my vows in the same beautiful way he gave me his. About 2 minutes after the ceremony, Rafa forgave me for the first time. I love him so much! Our photographer captured the moment we spent talking after the ceremony:

Rafa’s vows

I, Rafa, take you, Sarah, as my wife, for better or for worse, in prosperity and in need, in sickness and in health, from today forward.

With God’s help, and by His grace, I promise to love you, to cherish you, and to treat you with patience and gentleness.

I vow to raise our family up in the Lord. I will honor you and protect you. I promise to be faithful to you, to forgive you, and committed to growing as a man of God in order to lead you.

My promises to you, Sarah, are these, and I am responsible before God if anything but death separates us.

Sarah’s vows

I, Sarah, take you, Rafa, as my husband, for better or for worse, in prosperity and in need, in sickness and in health, from today forward.

With God’s help, and by His grace, I promise to love you , to encourage you, and to respect you.

I vow to follow your leadership. I will affirm you and admire you. I promise to be faithful to you, to forgive you, and remain encouraged in my relationship with God in order to be a helper to you.

My promises to you, Rafa, are these, and I am responsible before God if anything but death separates us.

The next 50...

2010-02-06T21:38:00.006-06:00

We're back! We wrote 50 posts separately about the preparations for our wedding. Well, we are back from our honeymoon now and ready to write 50 more about our entrance into our married life. We're hoping we (our our kids/grandkids) can look back on these writings 50 years from now and get a good picture of what is important. Faith, hope and love!

Here are a few awesome pictures of the big day, taken by the dearest AJ and Auntie B. We'll share the awesome ones from chelsey paul photography when we get them!

Going to the Chapel!

2010-01-30T14:55:00.002-06:00

Here we are - no longer counting down days, but hours. I am excited, calm and content. I am about to make the second-greatest decision (after committing my life to Christ) of my life. Thank you to everyone who read our ramblings and we prepared for our wedding day. Your love and support means so much to us. Please pray for us as we begin our new life together!

*January 31, 2010*

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

A few holes

2010-01-27T20:30:00.002-06:00

Tonight I made the seating chart for the reception. I was sadly reminded of those who won't be there celebrating with us.

My dear cousins won't be there. Unfortunately, I just have too many! Inviting 20-odd cousins, their spouses and their kids would have doubled the guest list. Plus, asking them to travel from Iowa and parts even farther in the middle of Minnesota winter wouldn't be very kind. I will miss having them there to celebrate with me.

I will miss my church family members I wasn't able to invite. With a limited budget comes a limited guest list. I know they understand, but I hope they also understand that I would invite every member of The Rock if I could.

Cecy, Rafa's sister-in-law, isn't going to be able to come. She has been so welcoming to me and invited me into the family. I was really looking forward to seeing her (and eating her pupusas, of course!). Unfortunately, she is ill and will need to stay in Winnipeg, near her doctor.

I will miss those who aren't with us anymore. I will also miss my grandpa Mel. He was always such a source of joy for our family. Celebrations just don't seem all the way complete without him there adding his hearty laugh and giving us his bear hugs.

Finally, I will miss Rafa's dad, who I only know through the stories Rafa tells me about him. I am proud to wear a piece of what he left behind on my left hand ring finger. I know he would be very proud of the amazing man his son has become. I know he would be celebrating right along with us.

All the single ladies

2010-01-24T01:16:00.004-06:00

Tonight, I enjoyed a girl night: me, Hawkie, exfoliating and to-do lists. I figured a little solo time was in order, since this is my last weekend as a single woman.

It's so strange. There was a time not that long ago that I never thought I would be married again. I thought that I has ruined my chance at happiness. I didn't see any of this in God's plan for me - but it was! And as happy as I am, I was looking forward to one last night alone. I ate chips and salsa in bed. I watched and sang with Lawrence Welk. I drank Reisling while I folded laundry. I spent too much time with a mirror, beautifying. That's a pretty rockin' weekend in my book.

And as much as I enjoyed my music, wine and lotions, I am so looking forward to having Rafa here with me. Things are just better when he is around and I know that will continue when we get to start staying together during every weekend. I can't wait!

Dress update: I found a tailor right by work that will have the first round of alterations done by Tuesday morning! There will be time for a second fitting and I will have the finished, fitted dress by Friday :) Yay!

Wedding Dress Drama

2010-01-21T21:33:00.002-06:00

My dress finally came in today. I'm happy to have it, but I'm less than impressed with the place I shopped at. First of all, NEVER set foot in The Bridal Center, Plymouth, or The Bridal Center Outlet, West St. Paul. I ordered my dress from the outlet location in West Saint Paul. They promised me I would have the dress within 12 weeks (only three weeks to spare before the wedding). 12 weeks came and went and my dress wasn't in. I kept calling, but they ignored my calls. They kept telling me they would call me back, but they didn't. When they said they needed to research something (like where my dress was) they would tell me they would call me back in an hour, or on Monday, etc. Finally the manager told me my dress was in NY (already a week late) and he made a big deal about paying for rush shipping. I told him I didn't understand - why wouldn't my dress be on rush anyway since it was already late??

So I finally got the call today that my dress was in. I met the manager and told her what had happened. She couldn't care less. I asked for my "rush" shipping charge to be refunded and she told me I was lucky to get my dress when I did - two weeks after the "guaranteed" date. She said she would talk with the people at the other store and then she hid in the back of the store and I never saw her again. We tried warning some other customers on our way out. My dear friend (who made this all bearable!) said, "Be careful, we just got horrible customer service here." The lady said, "I know, that's what we're dealing with now."

So, I have the dress with me now. I am going to get emergency tailoring tomorrow. I am really hoping this goes well!

His First Honey Do List - Check

2010-01-17T23:01:00.002-06:00

While I was off at a retreat in Wisconsin with my fabulous small group girls, Rafa was working hard in Minneapolis! I left him with a list about as long as his arm to complete while I was away. He served me by doing it all and more. (More!)

Rafa took care of our wedding announcements and finished up his wardrobe. He got photo frames ready and ran errands. The bonus is that he got my car started after two weeks of sitting as a worthless hunk of metal in the pseudo-driveway.

I like to sing the Salt n Pepa song to him - Whatta Man. He is such a good guy and a good person. I don't know what I did to deserve this kind of treatment - nothing, I suppose. I don't think there's anything I could have done right enough to be served like this, but I like it. Having is relationship where the other person is so invested in my happiness is still unfamiliar sometimes. He's committed in the little things and it helps me trust that he will be committed in the big promises he will be making to me soon.

New in Christ

2010-01-11T00:01:00.009-06:00

Our church, The Rock (http://www.rockthechurch.com/) is part of a movement of churches called Great Commission Ministries. Every December, GCM holds a conference for all the churches called Faithwalkers. Rafa and I went to Faithwalkers, held in Omaha, for the first time this year.

Rafa made the decision to follow the example of Jesus and be baptized. I am so blessed to be following a man whose goal is following Christ.

Here are a few pics:

Update from Rafa:

I was baptized a few months after I was born, no questions asked. For those how have been around in my life the last couple of years, know that they have been full of trials. One after another the life changing issues kept coming, but Lord helped me go thought them. And some times He just took care of things. Every challenge that I have had has helped me to grow and trust that God is working in my life.

My baptism is a symbol of me saying to God that I want to do his will with a cheerful spirit, that I surrender my life and trust to Him with all my heart. I know I’m not perfect and that I will make mistakes, but I can pray to make right choices. I don’t have a choice about being in this world but I do about not belonging to it.

I heard this old hymm:

One day as I was thinking

On unseen things above

The Savior spoke unto me

And filled my heart with love

I'm gonna die on the battlefield

I'm gonna die in this war

I'm gonna die on the battlefield

With glory in my soul

I used to have some people

Who walked and talked with me

But since I've been converted

They've turned their backs on me

Some say give me silver

And some give me gold

But I say give me Jesus

Who saved my dying soul

This world is a battlefield, when I got baptized I chose what side of the field I want to be. Its not the easy to fight in this world, but man I am happy to try to be like Jesus. I will die in this battlefield, I am going to die in this war with glory in my soul, knowing that I surrendered my life to the Lord.

Tears of Gratitude V.2

2010-01-08T10:14:00.001-06:00

After we had loaded the car with all of her kindness, I couldn't do anything else but lower my head and lead us in prayer. After thanking the Lord for his and her kindness and praying for the health of her husband, I asked Sarah "Do you think she is a Christian?" and she replied "I don't know, but she sure does love like one." Her kindness is just beyond words.

We have been so focused on planing and working on our future marriage that we have neglected the wedding ceremony a little. I am actually pleased to say that, but we do want our friends and family to enjoy the day. We were so focused on other things that we completely forgot about the decoration, them God placed this woman in our path. I couldn't help but remember this verse:

Mathew 6:26
Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

It is just heart filling to see how God provides for us through loving people, even when we don't think about it.

On a side note. She had a dog who was the living image of the Labrador from the movie Up. I think his name was Frank, and when we... SQUIRREL!!!

Tears of gratitude

2010-01-07T23:08:00.002-06:00

The closer the wedding gets, the less I've been writing! I'm sorry.

This has been a super-productive week as a whole, but today was by far the best day. When we went to a wedding last fall for a friend/co-worker, a different friend/co-worker was there and she was helping the wedding planner (also a fellow Target team member). Got all that? So, we mentioned how much we liked the decor. The friend/co-worker mentioned that to the wedding planner, who said she had stuff we could borrow. Super nice, right?

So tonight, we went over to her house. I thought we were going to walk out with a couple of floating candles and jars. I ended up in tears. She was so wonderful. She sat us down and asked us all kinds of questions about what our wedding would be like. Then she took us downstairs to her inventory of wedding supplies. She is letting us use everything, in all its beautiful, classing, shimmering glory. I was so overwhelmed with gratitude that I started to cry. She told us to keep what we needed and return the rest so she could let the next person borrow it.

I don't know what her spiritual beliefs are; what I do know is that this woman blessed us beyond anything I could have hoped for.

Love and one month to go!

2009-12-31T19:35:00.004-06:00

We are back from Christmas and Faithwalkers (more about that later!) and I can't believe where we're at for a countdown. In just 30 days, I will be Mrs. Soriano! I think I've got a few things to check off the list in the upcoming days, but I'm not worried about it.

Rafa told me to write a post that says he loves his future bride a little more each day. I think that the important story behind that is to give credit to how we know how to love each other. We are able to love because we know the love of Christ. The Bible says in John 13:34 to love one another, as Christ loved us. That kind of love is so different than human love. A person loves another person for how they make them feel or what they can do for them, but the love that we know through Christ isn't attached to our feelings. We love because we can't help but share the love the savior of the world has for us.

It's this kind of love that gives me confidence in the love Rafa expresses to me. 1 Peter 4:8 says "love deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins." Here's a news flash - I am not perfect. (Ha.) I'm not even close to being perfect or the kind of person who deserves to be loved all the time. But I am. I know I don't deserve it, but I believe it and trust it. Does this mean I have a free license to act in ways that test that love? Of course not - I want to model that love of Christ that I know too. It just means that I have assurance that Rafa's love doesn't just rest in how I can make him feel, but in the love that he knows from the Lord.

The last year of my twenties

2009-12-24T10:10:00.005-06:00

Happy birthday to me (yesterday)! I celebrated my 29th birthday for the first time... I'll probably celebrate a few more times over the next several years :)

Rafa and I had a lovely evening at home, watching the snow fall. And fall. And fall. He made me a delicious dinner:

He called this amazingness "cacahuete gai pan." Cacahuete is peanut in Spanish and gai pan in chicken in Chinese. He served this delicious fusion dish on starfruit with a side of mixed veggies and orange-raisin rice. Check out the beautiful plating! He served his creation with a nice pino grigio that complimented the sweet undertones of the dish. All I can say is... wow. It was delish!

Who needs to go out when you've got this at home? (Rhetorical question.) I loved it. This year, more than any other time in my adult life, I just feel so content. It's hard to describe. God has just blessed me with the peace that comes from knowing that I am in the center of His will for my life. I feel full, happy. I feel complete.

With a gift like that, who could ask for anything else? (Again, rhetorical question.) But wait - there's more! Rafa got me an iPhone too :)

Mary

2009-12-20T23:35:00.002-06:00

I feel extra-understanding of Mary this year. I think being engaged helped me know how she was feeling a little more. Poor Mary, engaged to be married and saving herself for that night. When she became pregnant with our savior, she received the biggest blessing any woman has ever received. She also begain on a path that would cause her tremendous heartache.
When Mary found out she was pregnant, she had to tell her fiance that the child in her womb wasn't his. (She also had to hope he wouldn't have her stoned!) I can't imagine having to go to Rafa and tell him something like that. Thankfully, Joseph believed the angel that confirmed what Mary said. The Lord had some crazy things in store for them, but they trusted and obeyed.
Mary rejoiced in God's plan, even though it meant it would cost her dearly. They obeyed what God asked them to do. It's a good thing for Rafa and I to remember as we follow the Lord during our time of engagement.
Emmanuel!

Adios and Vaya Con Dios

2009-12-17T21:40:00.004-06:00

We booked our honeymoon tonight and we booked basically the complete opposite trip than what we were talking about a week ago. Rather than snuggle up in a cabin up north, we are going to hop on a plane and spend a week Maya Rivera, Mexico.

Basically, it was this:

Or this:

Rafa was the one who changed his mind first. He said he had just been thinking about it and wanted to do something a little more out of the ordinary for our honeymoon. We have the vacation time and the money, neither of which we will probably have a lot of once children come. I'm excited to spend our first week as a married couple south of the border. iOle!

Excellence

2009-12-13T21:41:00.003-06:00

Something that I really admire about Rafa is his pursuit of excellence. He does so much, but he's not just a passive participant - he works hard to do things well. I really missed having him around this weekend, but I understand. The life of a full-time employee and full-time student gets a little rough around finals time.

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might (Ecclesiastes 9:10).

His maturity to stick with school and work when things get rough inspires me to know that he will stick to being a full-time husband and full-time father, even when things get rough. It doesn't matter what obstacles are in front of him. When Rafa has a goal, he does not waiver from his commitment to reaching that goal.

But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us—see that you also excel in this grace of giving (2 Cor. 8:7).

Rafa continues to give even while excelling at his commitments. I'm just so proud of the way he is able to be present with members of our church family even when I know he's got so much in his mind. He takes care of me first, asking about my trip and stuff, before he will even talk about how crazy his schedule is.

No, I'm not.

2009-12-06T23:33:00.002-06:00

Someone finally asked me.
I was waiting for it, really. The whispers around our short engagement, coupled with the fact I may have added a few lbs, meant that it was only a matter of time before someone asked.
Innocent curiosity.
Her: "So, do you think you'll have kids right away?"
Me, non-committal, not willing to share too much information: "Yeah, soon-ish, we talk about it..."
Her: "Are you now?!"
No. Ha. She was totally sweet about it. It turned out to be a great opportunity to share with her that we weren't doing the thing that everyone seems to be doing.
The thing that is pretty much expected for an engaged couple in their late twenties to be doing.
If I am pregnant, it's with the second coming of baby Jesus. (But I know I didn't read anything in Revelation about the Lord returning for those who are born again through a born-again virgin.)
So, in case anyone else is curious, the answer is no.
Thank you.

J. Lil's Birthday!

2009-12-01T22:38:00.005-06:00

Happy Birthday, Jennifer!

We had fun celebrating Jennifer's birthday tonight. I made some tasty pot roast for Jennifer and her friend, Stephanie. Rafa joined us a little later and we all had cake. It was very fun! Poor Jennifer was so tired because she stayed up until the wee hours of the morning working on her paper. We watched her open her gifts and now she's off to bed - 10:30 on her 21st :)

What a man

2009-11-30T22:49:00.011-06:00

Rafa has always been so good to me. So good. But lately, he's been extra good. Or I've been extra needy. I'm not sure which. Either way, I have just been reminded over and over how lucky I am that he loves me.

He cooked me some delicious squash. He found an amazing recipe and really outdid himself with this one.

He drove me home to Iowa for Thanksgiving, even though it meant spending four hours in the car one day and seven hours the next. Rafa even let me sleep a little, even though he was tired too. He also asked his mom to watch Hawkie during our travels. Hawkie was a good boy on the way over to Plymouth.

On Saturday, we went to Mauston, Wis., to go and get my car. He was willing to spend six hours on the road, no questions asked. It was good to be with him, but not an awesome road trip. But I do have my car back now, so that's a good outcome.

Rafa's been taking care of things for our wedding. He's nearly finished with the invitations and they look awesome. He's been coordinating things for our photo guest book and for the table decorations. I know I'm not feeling wedding stress. I really hope he isn't.

He's been doing things around our house too. He fixed the fence (unfortunately someone broke it again, but that is a different story) and has been fixing the things I break, like the dryer starter thingie. He also put together my itso set that is turning a hole in our hallway into another closet for when he moves in.

If it sounds like I'm bragging, I am. What kind of guy cooks for you, rescues you when you're stranded, endures hours on the road with you, busts out his tool belt for you... all within a week, wearing an amazing smile the whole time? My guy, that's who :)

Happy Black Friday!

2009-11-27T11:05:00.000-06:00

Today is Black Friday and everyone is out shopping and looking for the best deals possible. A couple of my coworkers and I walked to Target, it was fun to go into the midst of the chaos. There were lots of people moving fast, asking questions and digging to get stuff. Target had tons of cool electronics for sale at awesome prices.

I like Black Friday, but even more I love not being part of it. What I like to do is to recap the “stuff” I already have and not need to purchase. To name a few:

The love of God
The gift of an amazing soon to be my wife
My mother’s health
My family, Sarah’s family and my church family
My two cat’s needs
A dog's happiness
The joy of getting the sweetest parking spot this morning
A job I enjoy doing
Felling the cold air in my face getting warmed by the sun
Holding Sarah’s hand in the morning

I could keep going but these is just a fraction of the "stuff" that has been given to me. I forgot my wallet today and had to borrow money for lunch, but what I haven’t forgotten is that I am a very, very wealthy man.

On Wisconsin and A Dead Alternator

2009-11-22T15:48:00.007-06:00

Presently, I am in the center of Wisconsin. I just met a very nice tow truck driver named Sal who loaded my dead-as-a-doornail car from the shoulder of the Interstate, onto his truck and into his shop. Sal was quickly able to determine that my car's problem is a dead alternator. Unfortunately on this lovely Sunday afternoon, Sal is unable to procure the part due to parts shops being closed today.

In a rather sudden way, God is reminding me that I control nothing. I had my schedule today planned out perfectly. I visited my friend in Illinois until the last minute, had my rest stop planned, and would arrive for house church with 15 minutes to spare. As my car began to shut down and came rolling to a halt, my first reaction was frustration. I thought to myself, "This is screwing up my schedule!"

How silly. How silly of me to think my plans are mine. My schedule, my life, is the Lord's. Sometimes he permits me to fit a bunch of things in and go see a lot of people and places. But sometimes, he asks me to sit quietly at Mauston Park Oasis Family Restaurant (while waiting for my wonderful fiance to come pick me up) and reflect on my total inability to control my life. It is the Lord's purpose that prevails (Prov. 19:21).

So, although I do not understand, I am thanking the Lord for my broken alternator today. I'll miss my house church tonight and I look forward to the time God brings me to them again.

Here's one of the things that came to my rescue today. This is the sticker on the side of Sal's tow truck. Notice where it was made - yup, right in New Hampton, Iowa! I love that New Hampton, my favorite hometown, had a part in getting me off the side of the Interstate.

My other rescuer is my knight in shining armor, my man. I called Rafa first and he immediately calmed me down and started looking up where I was and where the nearest shops were. He then got in the car and started coming toward me. He'll be here in a couple of hours to bring me back to Minneapolis. I love him so much. This incident is another in a string of incidents where I feel pretty high-drama, but he is taking it in stride. He is cool, calm, collected, and always reminding me to be content in the Lord and to honor him in every situation. I love him!

Getting there

2009-11-15T16:53:00.003-06:00

What a day! we got a lot of things accomplished for our wedding. We have been working really hard, but at times it feels as if we weren’t getting much done. We had been working on things separately, we covered some ground but not much. Today we combined forces and scratched a few things off the list. It feels great when we get to work together, I can definitely see how we complement each other. As an example when we have been working on our wedding invitations, Sarah gives a lot of creative input but ultimately makes sure the writing is good. I know little about writing, so I mostly help on the creative aspect of the task.
We also settle in a wedding band for me, and its on its way here. We went for a Tungsten band, since it’s the most resistant metal. It was a tough pick, but I can’t wait to sport it. I can’t thank God enough for my future wife, she is smart, loving, compassionate and above all a woman that is focused on the treasures that matter the most.

Done and done.

2009-11-15T16:49:00.004-06:00

Today has been a day of checking things off the list! We selected Rafa's ring (tungsten carbide, if you were wondering) and placed the order. Then, we finished invitation, envelope and RSVP card design and prepped them for printing.

THEN, we went shopping and checked a big one off the list - we got his suit! We found a great design that will look wonderful for the wedding day and beyond. We picked out Ricardo's outfit too. Rafa will take it to him next weekend so he can try it on and we can see if it is all sized correctly. We even found ties! We picked out one for Rafa, Ricardo and my dad (try to forget by Christmas, dad).

With a big chunk of wedding stuff out of the way, we went to Petco. Since everyone in the fish tank has been doing so well since the move, Rafa decided it was time to bring home a few new friends.

New snails and crabs

Hoops, yo

2009-11-13T12:05:00.001-06:00

We are in the middle of intense debate - titanium or...something else? Rafa got his ring finger sized the other day. We started looking online for rings and we found some interesting ones. By we, I mean he - he had some fun sneeking in some really strange ones (a Nike swoosh wedding ring??) to see if I was paying attention.

We think we have a winner, but I can't bring myself to order it without a bit more advice and perhaps a trip to the jewelry store to hold some titanium in my hand. I posted a question on Facebook and got several pro-titanium comments. People who have them are generally pleased with how light the are and have not had a problem with scratching. We might have a winner...

Catching Up

2009-11-09T20:54:00.001-06:00

I don’t know if this blog would be any good without Sarah’s effort. With work, school and everything else, I rarely get a change to update it. The blog is quite important to me because I know my family as well as my new family loves to read the updates of our new adventure. Sarah, thank you for putting your time and effort on keeping our peeps updated.

Moving

2009-11-09T20:51:00.011-06:00

A week ago I moved my first possession to house Sarah and I will share after we get married. It is a 75 gallon aquarium, with 90 pounds of Caribbean live rock and 60 pounds of Fiji sand. I was really not looking forward moving it, its quite a task and most of the time lots of the critters die.

To be honest the move was a bit stressful for me. I am very attached to my fish since I feel they are my responsibility. Sarah, her sister Jennifer and her boyfriend Mike came to help. I took us almost four hours to move the tank and at least four more before we could put the fish back in. It was an amazing having Sarah by my side, she is indeed my right hand and an extension of my self.

When I was getting frustrated she would notice and do or say something to cheer me up. It was a good test, but once again team Soriano wins!

Already outdated

2009-11-08T23:17:00.003-06:00

Another weekend bites the dust and Rafa and I close the book on another great Friday through Sunday stretch of time together. During each of the three days of the weekend, we spent time at three different churches! All different subjects, but all very good.
Rafa really touched my heart this weekend when we had prayer time Sunday morning. I was making some breakfast (muffins) at my parents house and he had me pause. One of the things he prayed for was a prayer of thanks for being part of the Reicks family. That really meant a lot to me because that is the same thing I think a lot. He thanked our Lord for my family and for the fact he was part of it now. I don't want to take away from his family at all. They are wonderful and I am very lucky to be a part of it. It was just so sweet to hear him pray that this morning.
We got the photos all taken and I'm excited to see the results. I know the Reicks family will grow and change and receive additions over the next couple of years. The picture we took today will be outdated before we know it. But it's still nice to have this snapshot of this moment our our family. I can't wait to compare it to the one we take a few years from now.

And the Countdown Continues

2009-11-03T22:17:00.002-06:00

I just looked at the wedding day countdown...we're under 90 days! It's hard to believe we will be married in less than three months. I want it to hurry up and get here, but I'm sure I can fill my time getting some wedding stuff ready :)

We haven't spent much time on wedding stuff lately. We've been busy with marriage stuff. We've been working on our FTBT homework and meeting with our mentor couple. Last night, we had dinner at their house...before any of us knew it, it was almost 10:30 and time to get home. We are so fortunate to have mentors that are such dear friends.

I've also been trying to make sure I'm feeling at my best for the wedding, so I've been getting back into the workout routines. My friend Adrienne is always there for encouragment or guilt, depending. I've got to make sure my triceps are ready for that dress!

Engagement Pictures!

2009-11-01T08:59:00.006-06:00

Love, love, LOVE the photos Chelsey (http://www.chelseypaul.com/) took yesterday!

Check out the album on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=167874&id=127764315165&ref=mf

Engagement snaps

2009-10-31T16:39:00.001-05:00

We had out engagement pictures taken today! It was really fun. Chelsey did a great job making us comfortable and she was really encouraging. Rafa said he was not used to being on this side of the camera and I was nervous, but the shoot went great and I think the pictures will turn out fantastic. I'll post a link when we get it!

My heart is full

2009-10-30T23:33:00.002-05:00

I am so full of love tonight.

I am so full of love because Rafa and I were part of the privileged audience at church tonight where two wonderful men were officially recognized as pastors of our church. Our church has been around for 10+ years. The goal that whole time has been to teach people how to live for Christ, a.k.a. to make disciples. The men who became pastors tonight have been serving the church basically since the beginning of The Rock. They serve with their whole lives and are wonderful leaders of our church.

I am so full of love over the way God leads our church. We don't require certain training for a pastor; we won't ever need to hire a search committee. We follow the straight-from-the-Bible example of church leadership. The qualifications for an overseer/pastor/elder are spelled out in Titus 1:5-9 and we know our new pastors have these qualities because we have been serving alongside them for years. :

1:5  The reason I left you in Crete was that you might straighten out
what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed
you.
6  An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, a man whose
children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and
disobedient.
7  Since an overseer is entrusted with God's work, he must be blameless--
not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent,
not pursuing dishonest gain.
8  Rather he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-
controlled, upright, holy and disciplined.
9  He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so
that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose
it.

I was just filled with love over what God has done in our lives thorough this church. When I moved to Minneapolis and didn't know anyone, people at The Rock welcomed me with open arms. The Lord called me to serve, they discipled me. When Rafa came to church, they welcomed him too. And now, when we are moving toward our marriage, they are supporting us every step of the way.

My heart is just so full tonight and I am very, very happy. Good night!

The Ninjas are Coming

2009-10-29T16:29:00.003-05:00

It's 93 days until the wedding, but we have another countdown going - only 28 days until the opening of Ninja Assassin!

Oink for me

2009-10-28T22:48:00.002-05:00

One of the things we discussed tonight in Fit to be Tied was what love is. First, what it isn't: a feeling, sex, emotions... all those things that it's commonly mistaken as. Love is a commitment.

When Rafa and I talk about commitment, we talk about pigs. Rafa oinks for me; I oink for him. Let me explain - back when we were both in Distribution, we enjoyed colorful quotes from leadership. One of them was, "Are you a chicken or are you a pig? Oink for me!"

It's all about commitment. When a chicken feeds you, it doesn't necessarily have to give up its life - just an egg. But when you eat pig, it's because it has paid the ultimate price - its life. So when you commit to something, you can be a chicken, and give something that didn't cost you very much, or you can be a pig and give everything you have.

We oink!

Hola Canada

2009-10-25T21:56:00.002-05:00

We just got back from a fabulous trip to visit Rafa's family in Canada. It was so fun! Their home is so cozy and filled with love. It is also filled with delicious food...I got spoiled by the huevos y frijoles negros for breakfast on Saturday. Today, we had a late breakfast of pupusas y flan de queso!

Other than eating, we had so much fun just hanging out. We also got to meet up with Angel who Rafa knows from way way back. They had a lot of fun catching up. Angel is getting married in just two weeks! I'm excited for him and his wife to come visit us in Minneapolis.

Rafa's favorite thing about the trip was just being refreshed. I have to agree. When you leave the country, even for a short time, it apparently forces you to leave your problems behind. It also didn't hurt that my phone doesn't accept international charges :)

I love spending time in the car with Rafa too. When we're "stuck" together like that, we just get to enjoy being with each other. We get to talk and talk, and sometimes we just sit and think. Neither of us are ready to part ways when we get home. Less than 100 days, and we don't have to!

When We Met

2009-10-23T11:44:00.003-05:00

It was a day like any other at Target Distribution Communications, I was seating in my gray and purple cubicle plugging away. Amy R. was going around introducing her new direct report. I could hear the commotion coming from a couple rows away. To be honest I didn’t really care about new team members, I was in a team of 99% diverse women. Sarah claims that we had met in our previous job, but that is a story you have to ask her about because I cant remember.

The next thing I knew Sarah and Amy were outside my cube, and she introduced us. I thought “Oh happy day, another friend my age!” The next day Stacey A. and I decided we wanted to get to know the new girl, we asked her if she wanted coffee and she said “No Thanks” The day after we asked if she wanted breakfast and she again said no again.

Regardless, I was going to be nice to the new girl and try to help her make Minnesota home. I know how badly it stinks to be new in a big city and not knowing anybody. I stetted up a meeting to take her around downtown and show her a where she could get food and coffee. We walked around for a while and I got us lost, what’s new right.

I wasn’t planning on falling in love with Sarah, it just happened. I remember one night, long time after we met telling my self “Rafa? Don’t you go and fall for Sarah” well, sadly I was talking to myself too late. I prayed a lot and asked God to tell me what to do about my feelings and to help me clarify them.

I decided to tell Sarah how I felt, and let God and her decide what would happen. After that I prayed almost every day about it. First I would ask that Sarah would feel the same way I felt for her, then for patience and lastly for strength to accept if the Lord didn’t mean her for me. I couldn’t have asked for my story to be written any differently.

With time Sarah became my friend, my friend became my best friend and my best friend is soon to become my wife.

Two years ago

2009-10-22T10:27:00.002-05:00

When I opened up my One Year Bible this morning, Oct. 22 had a big circle around it and a note about 2007. I received the Bible as a gift from my then-small group leader, Deb, and began reading through it on Oct. 22, 2007. I have read through the Bible twice now! It is crazy to think of it like that, because the Word always seems fresh to me. God helps me understand different verses in different ways at different times.

The reading for today was Jeremiah 39:1-41:18, 2 Timothy 1:1-18, Psalms 90:1-91:16, Proverbs 26:1-2 [Read Online].

I especially liked these verses in Psalm 91 to reflect on as Rafa and I continue to prepare for marriage. God gives us some amazing promises!
9 If you make the Lord your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter,
10 no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home.
11 For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go.
12 They will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.
13 You will trample upon lions and cobras; you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!
14 The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name.
15 When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them.
16 I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation.”

The rest of the story...

2009-10-21T22:21:00.004-05:00

I had to check with Rafa before I told the funny part of our mentor meeting publicly :)

Last night, our mentors asked us if we were waiting to have sex until we are married, and we said yes. Then Dan made a comment about our wedding night. Rafa said, "No, lunch," as in, we are having a lunch reception so we don't have to wait until our wedding night. It took a few minutes of laughing to explain that one with a red face!

God is good and has given us a wonderful gift to give to each other when that time comes. That's probably all I need to say about that right now!

Squash and Mentors

2009-10-20T23:17:00.004-05:00

We met with our awesome mentor couple, Dan and Kita, last night. They just celebrated their seventh wedding anniversary and have a lot of wisdom about growing closer as a couple and growing closer to the Lord. They are wonderful teachers and examples. They are also good friends and just really fun to be around :)

Kita made us a delicious dinner of catfish and acorn squash. It was Rafa's first squash experience and he liked it (I think) - I loved it! MMM. We spent the rest of the night talking about our history, separately and as a couple, and about all the topics we've been discussing in Fit to be Tied.

I am so thankful that Dan and Kita are taking time to mentor us. It is important to have a couple here that we can be accountable to and get advice from.

Shopped and dropped

2009-10-18T23:46:00.003-05:00

I found my dress! Mom came up to go shopping with Jennifer and I. We started the morning with two appointments. The first one went pretty well. When we started driving to the second one, we saw a place just down the street and decided to stop because we had enough time. They were super nice there and had a ton of great dresses - and I found several I loved in my price range! We had to run out to go to our next appointment, but I couldn't get those surprise dresses out of my mind. We walked out of that appointment after about 15 minutes.
The last appointment of the day was at David's Bridal. I was so happy to have Gilda, Adrienne, Beth and Cadie meet up with us in Richfield for that appointment. I was not very happy with the David's experience and style selections, but it didn't really matter since I was pretty sure I would be going back to the shop from the morning. I was so so so happy to have these ladies I love so much with me.
So now I know what dress I'm getting!! Jennifer and I are going back this week sometime to order it. We have to put a rush on the shipping to get it in 8-10 weeks, which will get it to me about a month before the wedding. I'm definitely not going to post any pictures, but I will say I will be wearing more white than silver. I was so sure I wanted a silver dress, but through the influences of people who love me and by seeing it on, I'm going traditional.

Happy Sweetest Day

2009-10-16T23:07:00.004-05:00

You are probably asking yourself, "what is Sweetest Day?" Let me know if you know, because I have no idea. All I know is that we have cards at Target that say "Sweetest Day, October 17." I'm pretty sure it's just a Hallmark ploy to get us to buy heart-shaped cards. I took it to mean that I should make something sweet for my punkin... Pumpkin pie! Rafa is, like, completely in love with pumpkin pies. I have never made one, but I thought today was a good day to try! I think I have a satisfied customer...

The Ring V.2

2009-10-15T23:55:00.000-05:00

My father died when I was two years old, he left my mom with two custom graduation rings. One for my brother and the other one for me. My mom was instructed to give us the rings when we graduated from high school (back home is a big deal, since not many people makes it) I got mine back in the year 2000, the ring survived almost 12 year of civil war, six years of poverty and 9 years in the U.S. under my custody. I wish I would know more about the background of the ring, but as far as I know it was about 20 years old before it became my father’s.

I didn’t know my dad enough in life, amazingly I met him in death. He was a great man, and I know him thru stories. When I was ready to ask Sarah to marry me, I thought about what to do about her ring (after all, I am a designer). When I told my mother about it, she offered me her wedding ring. I said no, because it wasn’t made for Sarah. I prayed and thought about it for a while, and I started missing my dad. Then it was all clear. My dad left his ring for my mom to give it to me after I graduated from High school. Then I realized that it wasn’t high school what my dad tried to honor, but a marker in my life… then I knew… what better marker in my life than me marrying the woman that I love with all my heart?.

Afterwards, I took the ring to a jeweler to see if it had any “value” the jeweler said it was a very good rock. From there we worked to design Sarah's ring around the diamond. As far as I know a “three string twine” is more than what Sarah wants in her finger, but I am a designer. My dad's gift is piece of him, a piece of his family always present in the hand of his son's wife. I love her with all my heart, that is why it was so easy for me to give her a piece of all that I ever had.

Bible Roulette, Commuting Version

2009-10-15T23:32:00.004-05:00

I get a little spoiled on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Rafa has to get up at 5 a.m. to take his mom to dialysis by 6-6:30. Then, since he is already in his car, he swings by my place to join me on the trek into work. We take the bus to the lightrail to downtown most days, but today, he wanted to drive since it was rainy and cold. The $9.45 for parking doesn't seem like too much when there are snowflakes in the air and Rafa's throat is scratchy with a cold coming on.
We played Bible roulette on the way in. I shuffled through the pages and started reading when I stopped on a random passage in 2 Timothy. These verses really applied to us as we went off to toil in the offices...
2 Timothy 2:3-7 Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs—he wants to please his commanding officer. Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor's crown unless he competes according to the rules. The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crops. Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.
So just as athletes, soldiers and farmers work hard towards their goals, we need to work with the same ethic in our spiritual pursuits. We have the opportunity to talk to take part in a compassion project on Saturday. Even though a lot of things are distracting us, he focused me back in on the importance of hearing what God was saying to us through His word. When Rafa leads me in things like this, it really reassures me that he will continue to be the spiritual leader of our family when we get married.

The Ring

2009-10-14T23:03:00.005-05:00

Rafa gave me a beautiful ring the night he proposed to me (four weeks ago, already!). It is bigger than I expected/ wanted, but there’s a story behind it. The stone is from a ring Rafa’s dad had in El Salvador. When his father died, his mother held on to the ring to give to Rafa later in life. Since Rafa isn't much of a diamond wearer, he took out the stone and then he designed the rest of the ring around it.
It's so pretty! When I showed it to Jennifer, she said, "It looks like it was made for you." It was :)
I would have been happy with any sort of circular band on my left finger... but it is really fun to get just a little distracted by the dazzler on my left hand.
When Rafa's mom congratulated us, she held my hand and said, "Now you have a piece of my husband, my family, with you."

We got plans, but He has better plans!

2009-10-13T12:12:00.007-05:00

I sent this verse to Sarah this morning, its very fitting at this point in our lives.
“For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”- Jeremiah 29:11

It is really comforting to know that our God has plans for us and for our future, and that he is with us in every step of our future walk.

We can retire!

2009-10-12T13:56:00.004-05:00

Target stock went over $50 per share for the first time in a long time. Good news for our retirement, since the majority of our worth is in the Target 401(k) plan.

We'll be talking about money and expectations in Fit To Be Tied (our pre-marital counseling class) this week. We already know that we are opposite when it comes to clothes/shoe shopping - Rafa spends money for quality, while I prefer to spend on quantity - but we'll have to dig a little deeper than that. I peeked at the lesson and it comes out and says that money can be a heart matter, as in "where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matt. 6:21). I would like to think that the only treasure we care about is riches in heaven... but I know that isn't always the case.

Why I'm Marrying Him

2009-10-11T23:43:00.002-05:00

There are about a million and one things to think of when you start to plan a wedding. Now that we've got the place, there are so many questions. We tried to tackle the invitations and reception decoration questions today. Adrienne came over to lend us her creative juices. We tried some fun ideas, but trip to Michael's (then to his sister, Joanne's) left us with more ideas of what wouldn't work than what would.
I started letting myself get stressed out about wedding stuff. Not bridzilla, mind you...more like discouraged. I napped with Oreo, but I couldn't quite turn off all the questions and ideas that swirled through my mind during house church.
Rafa and I talked on the phone while we were each going home. I told him about how I was just thinking a lot, how I really needed his opinion on things, how I was letting myself get weighed down by all the options...
He stopped me and I'm going to try to paraphrase what he said to me -

We're not getting married for anyone else. We aren't getting married to show off what great taste we have or to try to outdo every other wedding. We are the ones getting married. The reason why we're inviting other people is because they're our witnesses who will hold us accountable. It's just a wedding...we're getting married.

I. love. him. This is why I'm marrying him.

Sharing good wedding times

2009-10-10T13:58:00.000-05:00

Today is going to be a super crazy busy day. In the midst of all of our appointments, we got to sit around and had lunch together. We also got to watch a TLC show "say yes to the dress" Its all about picking the perfect dress. Its been great peaking a Sarah's computer and hear her thoughts a bout her dress. she rocks.

Wedding Invitation Verses

2009-10-09T23:22:00.002-05:00

Tonight, I've been working on verses for our wedding invitations. I think I have a winner...

This is the day I get to marry my best friend,
The one I’ll live with, love with, laugh with.
This is the one God has given me for life,
My partner, my love, my soulmate.
Sarah Jo Reicks and
Rafael Ernesto Soriano-Jovel
Together with our parents,
Invite you to share in our joy
As we exchange wedding vows before the Lord,
And you, our witnesses, supporters and dearest friends.
Sunday, January XX, 2010
At XX:XX in the morning.
Stillwater Historic Courthouse in Stillwater, Minnesota.
Reception luncheon following the ceremony.

The countdown begins!

2009-10-09T16:25:00.001-05:00

We're counting down the days to our wedding date - January 31, 2010! More information to come!