Finally-- Lilly Claire Shields (Brandon and Emily's newest addition) is being born on Wednesday!!!  We can't wait for her arrival...pictures to come!! Whoohoo!!

Memorial weekend was so nice and relaxing.  Sunday after church I grilled out with my parents, brother, and his family (Josiah had to work).  Me and my mom went shopping and bought Josiah some summer clothes (he seriously has like 3 shirts-- that's it!).  Then, after work, Josiah came over to my parents' house and they let him spend the night in the guest room.  We stayed up late watching our favorite show:  truTV forensic files!!  On Monday, we slept in and woke up to some yummy fresh brewed coffee. Then, me and my mom made a big breakfast for Josiah and my dad.  Later in the afternoon, we went to J.Alexander's for lunch, then Josiah went to work while me and my mom did some more shopping (no purchases this time- just browsing).  Oh, we also got the wedding invitations in over the weekend and worked on addressing them.  I think we got around 50 finished.  I realized after the fact that I misspelled like 3 or 4 people's names...ha...oh well.  This is definitely not a formal affair so we aren't going to stress over a few typos-- but we do apologize beforehand for any of you who may be offended by my printing mistakes!  One last thing about the picture above-- Josiah did my hair!  I taught him how to blow-dry my hair that morning b/c I told him it was a good skill to have (especially if we have little girls one day...lol).  He did a fantastic job and was a great sport about it.  Now, if only I can teach him how to use the flat iron!

The past few weeks, Josiah and I have been blessed with a semi-new friendship.  Brooke (Anderson) Malko and I were friends growing up, but she moved away and got married a few years back.  Now, her and her husband, Jon, have moved to Louisville and have invited us over a few times to cook out at their new place.  It's been so nice to have "couple" friends...especially ones whose company we truly enjoy-- we always end up staying super late chatting and laughing.  Tonight, we had a delicious dinner from the grill and then walked to Homemade Pie Kitchen for dessert (yes, I cheated on my diet...AGAIN!!).  Then, we came home and watched The Hills-- well, the girls did at least....haha.  The guys were in the kitchen doing their own thing :)

It's such a cool and odd feeling to make huge purchases with another person...to combine belongings, etc.  Josiah and I often reflect on this process-- and of course, we are enjoying every minute of it!  Here is the couch set we bought last night.  We LOVE the pieces we decided on and think it will fit perfectly in our cosy little apartment.  The shipment should arrive at the end of May of beginning of June.  Now, we just have to buy a bedroom suite, mattress, and dining room table/chairs.

Tonight my parents took us to a really fancy restaurant called Avalon in the Highlands for a belated engagement dinner.  It was SO yummy and I must confess I cheated on my diet...A LOT.  But, it was completely worth it and it actually motivated me to be a little more strict these next few weeks since I got a little brief satisfaction.  10 more weeks and then I can eat all the sugar and carbs I want on the all-inclusive honeymoon!  Whoohoo!  Another thing all that splurging challenged me to do is hit the gym...starting Monday, I am seriously going to renew my love for working out...it just hasn't been a priority lately but I'm determined to get back at it...at least until the wedding!  I know I'll be mad at myself in the long run for being lazy if I don't!

I realized today that I had the "comments section" restricted to only Google users.  Several people have said that they've tried to leave comments and were unable to so I went in and changed our settings.  Now anyone is free to leave comments, feedback, encouragement, etc.  You don't have to have a Google account or any type of URL, web blog, etc.  We hope this will help us communicate with those family and friends who do not have Facebook.    

Ok, so it's not really a home...but it will be our temporary home until we figure out what God has for us after I graduate in May, 2010.  After a few days of endless searching, we finally stumbled across a little apartment complex in a super convenient location.  The complex was built in 1986, but has since been renovated several times.  Although the cabinets and appliances are a little outdated (to say the least), we think we can make this little apartment "home" for the next year.  It's 1,000 square feet, has two bedrooms, two baths, huge closets, and new carpet.  Also, the complex has two pools so we are excited about that!  It's 8 minutes from California Pizza Kitchen, 12 minutes from Downtown, 18 minutes from my practicum in New Albany, 5 minutes from the gym, 15 minutes from church, and 15 minutes from my parents house in Fern Creek.  Honestly, it's more than we could have hoped for (for the price) as far as location....the only thing we are a little concerned about is safety.  In the grand scheme of things it's a nice area of town-- just 2 miles away is one of the most ritzy neighborhoods in Louisville-- but, it is right across the street from one of the most ghetto Walmarts in town, plus it is right next to a busy expressway...which bothers us a bit.  I called the local police unit and asked about crime in that area and the cop reassured me that it is a safe complex...but still, I read some sketchy reviews online about the general safety of the complex that really freaked me out. After much thought and prayer, I realized that I am probably worrying a little too much over something that really isn't in my control.  In reality, when are we ever truly safe from harm or danger? Crime happens everywhere, all the time.  Furthermore, no apartment is ever as safe as a home.  So, we just need to be careful and take precautions while we are renting. I realize I need to trust God to keep Josiah and I safe, no matter where we are.  After much discussion, I left the final decision up to Josiah and he truly believes that the area is safe enough for us to live temporarily.   So, East Chase Apartments will be our new temporary home.  Josiah moves in on Saturday.  Next on the list:  BUY FURNITURE!!