We are breaking from the blog world this week. Stephen and Michael came to visit us this past weekend, so we have some pictures to post, but it will have to wait until next week! Have a great week.

Last night I came home to this gift bag on the counter. Aaron had bought me some new perfume (Gucci Rush 2)! What a thoughtful guy.

Last night we were able to go out to eat with a fun couple. Jana is an International Student Advisor in the office where I work, and she's been dating Shamus since last winter. We enjoyed good Mexican food, great conversation, and a chance to be encouraged by these friends who are obviously pursuing godliness in their relationship.

We had a pretty laid-back weekend...Friday night and Saturday morning we finished up Season 2 of 24. Saturday afternoon was about cleaning (I was in charge of the apartment, he did the cars). We went on a nice date Saturday night- Thai food has hooked us. After dinner we went to the movies and snuggled together as we laughed at Robin Williams' jokes.
Sunday was busy: we worshiped together, ate lunch together, went to the park together (where Aaron finished his longest run this season-18 miles, and I rode a bike beside him), visited Emory for an International Student Reception along with our friend Suk Hyun, and finally, fellowshipped at David and Laurel's.Aaron and Suk Hyun on Emory's campus.Connect group eating dinner together.

I have found a wonderful thing! A concept from India has solved my eyebrow waxing/plucking problems. With plucking I couldn't get the right shape, and waxing always damaged my skin. Threading has saved the day! It was recommended to me by a coworker. The place I went is right down the road from home, and from the time I walked in the door until the time I left, it was literally just 6 minutes. It is an amazing new phenomenon for me.
What a shallow blog post! Thanks for reading it, anyway.

Sunday morning, Aaron ran 16 miles while I slept, and then we went to church together with his family. The wedding was in the afternoon on Sunday.

It was a perfect wedding. The ceremony was very Christ-centered, the bride was gorgeous, the guests were entertained, the food was delicious, the music was great, and there was this one groomsman that swept me off my feet with his dashing good looks. Jonathan, the minister (Brian Frost, pastor at Providence), and his dad, the best man.We were patiently waiting for the bride to walk down the aisle! Peggy, Mike, and Brooke offered great hospitality while we were there. Can you pick out the groomsman I was talking about? :) Here they are! Man and wife. I wish I had gotten a better picture of the dress...it was very elegant. It was just as yummy as it was beautiful!

Saturday night we helped celebrate with Jonathan and Joy at the rehearsal dinner. They are very loved! It was fun to hear people speak about Joy, to get a better sense of where she came from and what a wonderful friend she is. There were several stories told about Jonathan, too, that were entertaining.

We had a fun table. I was able to meet some guys that Aaron refers to all the time in his stories. Great picture of David and Susan! I was glad that she was there...one of the few ladies in the room that I knew! Aaron spoke and I was really proud of him. He worked pretty hard to make sure his message was captivating. Ask him for a copy of it!

Brooke is third from the left.
On Saturday afternoon we went to downtown Spring Hope for the long-awaited pumpkin festival. Brooke was participating in the parade, and we couldn't miss it!
She was a part of the Nashville Praise and Worship Center dance float. I was able to get a good idea of the community surrounding Aaron during his growing up years.

The rehearsal was held on Saturday morning. It was a little chilly and drizzly, but everyone was in high spirits! Jonathan had been hunting that morning, hence the camouflage.

Aaron and I left Atlanta on Friday morning but went through some traffic, so we didn't get to Raleigh until around 7. Aaron dropped me off in Cameron Village so that I could have dinner with Emily. It had been almost a year since I had seen her...it was a huge treat! We ate at my favorite restaurant in Raleigh...Piccola Italia. If you get a chance to go there, get the meat-filled tortellini.

Emily and her husband Travis are doing very well. Thanks for spending your Friday night with me, Emily!Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture of Emily and me on our dinner date. This is their engagement picture from 2 years ago!

I will post pictures and narrative of the big wedding soon, but in the meantime we thought you would enjoy this phenomenon:
http://choosemyname.blogspot.com/

We recommend a book of prayers called The Valley of Vision. You can buy it here. Here is an example:

O God the author of all good, I come to Thee for the grace another day will require for its duties and events. I step out into a wicked world; I carry about with me an evil heart. I know that without Thee I can do nothing, that everything with which I shall be concerned, however harmless in itself, may prove an occasion of sin or folly, unless I am kept by Thy power. Hold Thou me up and I shall be safe.
Preserve my understanding from subtilty of error, my affections from love of idols, my character from stain of vice, my profession from every form of evil. May I engage in nothing in which I cannot implore Thy blessing, and in which I cannot invite Thy inspection. Prosper me in all lawful undertakings, or prepare me for disappointments. Give me neither poverty nor riches. Feed me with food convenient for me, lest I be full and deny Thee and say, Who is the Lord? or be poor, and steal, and take Thy name in vain.
May every creature be made good to me by prayer and Thy will. Teach me how to use the world and not abuse it, to improve my talents, to redeem my time, to walk in wisdom toward those without, and in kindness to those within, to do good to all men, and especially to my fellow Christians. And to Thee be the glory.

A dear friend has become engaged! Molly (a bridesmaid in our wedding) is getting married to Nate on December 16, 2006. He proposed last weekend. Congratulations, Molly! Enjoy the planning and the prayerful engagement. I am really happy for you.

Before we went to cheer on the Braves, we had to get something to eat! No one contested the decision to eat at Maggiano's in Buckhead. It was the best meal I've had in a long time!
The Braves lost to the Astros, 5-4, but they made a good run out of it in the end, and we were entertained the entire time. It was a blast.

The birthday weekend was perfect! Thanks, Mike, Peggy, and Brooke for making the trip down to visit us.

It turned out to be a beautiful day on Saturday, so we spent most of it outside! We went shopping for Aaron's new shoes (to go along with the iPod bday gift- here he is in Niketown trying them out on the treadmill). We also went to Atlantic Station to appease the women's shopping itch, with a Marble Slab ice cream break of course.

Aaron was very surprised to see his parents and Brooke at the door on Friday night! After getting over the shock, we had a great birthday dinner at the apartment. The birthday cake was a pumpkin spice cake, although it tasted just like carrot cake! Brooke played the Happy Birthday song for him on her clarinet, and he opened presents. He has been wanting an iPod to use when running, so he got that and the Nike+ censor to go along with it. This means that his iPod will tell him his mileage, pace, time, etc. while he's running. I think he liked the gift! It was a fun party.

It's getting cooler in the mornings here in Atlanta, and we are glad that fall has arrived. I appreciate this season more this year than I ever have...not sure why, but I love the feeling of it! I have enjoyed placing a few decorations around the apartment. This is our humble table centerpiece.