Stress? What stress?

Well, this week I realized that maybe I'm not handling the stress of this transition as well as I had thought. Monday morning I awoke to painful welts on the right side of my shoulder and back. By the end of the day they had little blisters inside the rash and overnight I was in pain and achy and sick. Between my self-diagnosis and mom's obsession with Google, we realized I am dealing with shingles. Ahh - the ultimate sign of stress in ones life.

But just what do I have to be stressed about? I don't feel overwhelmingly stressed, at least not all the time. There are SO MANY good things going on in my life. The stress is not over bad things - just stress over the amount of good things going on.

Titus and I have been blessed by his new job in Bridgeport, NE. It is a great opportunity for us to get right-side up financially and a fresh start for our new marriage. We fell in love with the town the first time we saw it and know that God will use us and bless us there.

In the course of 8 weeks here's what all is going to happen:
1.) move my apartment to NE at the end of July so Titus has a home to live in during August.
2.) move the rest of my stuff to my parent's for me while I live with them during August.
3.) potentially sell Titus' KS house and pack up everything there.
4.) find a new house in Norton, KS and move our KS belongings to that house.
5.) plan our wedding
6.) Titus starts his new job August 1st.
7.) I will transition out of my job at Colorado Ridge
8.) I am looking for a new job in Bridgeport.
9.) all the details of the parenting plan will be worked out for Titus and the kids' mom

I think that's the bulk of it. So yeah - I guess it's a little bit hectic...but like I said - it's all good stuff. There is just so much good stuff going on!

My life has almost always been busy. In fact, I prefer it that way. But even someone who thrives on the busy reaches their max, and I think I'm pretty close to that limit.

7 weeks to go. I think I can handle that.

Oh, the changes, they are a coming!

I sit here on this Saturday morning, digesting the many long conversations I've been having in the past couple of days. My entire world as I know it is about to change in the next two months. And I never thought I'd get excited at the prospect of moving to Nebraska, leaving the job I love at the church, or moving three hours away from my home town. But I am more than excited, I'm ready!

Starting this weekend and into this upcoming week, I will be packing up my apartment. My goal is to have everything boxed and stacked by the time we get ready to load the trailer on the 31st of July. Yes, the cattle trailer will once again be used to move my stuff to a new location. I will spend the first weekend of August getting our little house in Bridgeport set up with all my goods from my apartment here so that Titus is set up for the month he will live there alone before our wedding...I will be spending that month before our wedding in my parents basement.

As for the wedding, things are coming along well. I have decided to have my amazing friend, Amanda, sew the dresses for the girls. The pattern is selected and we go Monday to find the material. My goal is to have them made and mailed by the end of the month so that the WI girls can try them all on to make sure they fit and give us time to make adjustments if necessary. But my to-do list is getting smaller and I feel much more confident after pricing food and putting together a budget.

But the job...that's the one area of change I'm the least sure about. I am leaving a job that I have loved for seven years. I have been through some of the best and worst experiences of my life at this church. And the thought of leaving my job - not to mention the church - is something I haven't let myself think about too much. There is too much to do to transition out that I can't think about how much I'm going to miss the people and the work. Right now, I have no idea what and when I will start working in Bridgeport. I am confident God will provide something for me...I am praying for that now.

All these changes that are coming can be a bit overwhelming at times. But I continue on day-by-day doing what I need to do and preparing for all the changes that are coming in the next eight weeks.

Catching Up

I have been severely slacking on posting blogs and pics in the past couple of months. I'm blaming it on my boyfriend...and the fact that we've been busy traveling to find him a new job, getting engaged, family reunions, and all my family around. We are now gearing up for the craziness that will come over the next couple of months.

Yesterday we went to Bridgeport, NE to find a house. While we are not going to buy a house right away, we decided to rent. In Bridgeport - there is literally only one house to rent. So, we are going for it. I will post pictures as soon as I can...but it is a small two-bedroom house about 750 square feet. Tiny to be sure...but our first home together. And the best news is that we can go month-to-month until we get our feet under ourselves and figure out what we want to buy.

The plans for the wedding are coming along...and my dress is here! I will try it on tonight and see if it fits! I'm so excited. It is starting to become real.

I will share much more over the next week or so...but it is all going to happen fast in the next two months. Praise GOD that He has provided for us every step of the way.

My Engagement Story

So many people have been wondering just when I would get engaged. This past week, Titus asked me to marry him. With tears in my eyes I said, "Of Course!" Here's how it happened...

Every year my sister and her husband and three girls come out for a week in CO. This year, it fell right after the big family reunion and Titus had his two kids out here as well. His two kids and my three nieces all hit it off great and were fast friends. On Monday Titus took my niece Aimee, and his daughter Madi (both age 10) to the mall to pick up my ring. That's when the planning started.

On Thursday we had our traditional day in the mountains. We went to the Alluvial Fan in RMNP like usual. Titus asked my mom if she could watch the kids while we went for a walk. We climbed up some rocks until we reached a large rock right next to the water fall. I looked down and saw my dad with the video camera. Titus tried to distract me by kissing me. It worked! When I looked back down this i what I saw:

Each of the five kids holding up a sign reading: Sarah Will You Marry Me?

I started crying. Titus got on one knee, took the ring box out of his pocket and asked me to marry him. My response was "Of Course!"

It was the most perfect proposal I could have imagined. Private and yet involving his kids and my family. I only wish my brother could have been there to celebrate with us!

We will be celebrating our the beginning of our marriage surrounded by our immediately family in a private wedding in September.

Thanks to all of you for your love and support!!!