Life is still crazy with school work and tying up loose ends at my job. I will update after Easter and will share pictures of my family being here. The past three years I have not spent Easter with them as I have been on missions trips or spending the holiday with my hubby’s family. Have a great few days and see you next week:)

WE ARE MOVING TO SOUTHEASTERN BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY IN WAKE FOREST, NC!!!

To make such a long story short last fall Sweetheart approached me one night when I was about to drift off to zzz’s and said I really feel like we should apply to SE for seminary and just see what God does. I was like okay I think I can do that never dreaming we would actually be moving eight months later. As always God is faithful and has grown my faith these past six months as trial after trial has entered our life and we have had to wholeheartedly trust in His goodness.

Today I told my boss who I dearly love and respect that May would be my last month to work for him. Needless to say he was sad yet excited to see what God would do in our lives. I shared the journey of faith we have been on and thanked him for the opportunity to work under him. Now that the news is official I wanted to share with each of you what our plans are and where we are headed.

This summer, beginning of June, we will be leaving VA where Sweetheart and I met, dated, were engaged, lived in our first home, worked our first full-time jobs etc. We are leaving almost everything we know and love to pursue something we love more and want to know more! Sweetheart will be pursuing a Master of Divinity in International Church Planting. This program involves a 2-year commitment to serve as an international church planter somewhere around the world. We are so excited about this new development and would covet your prayers as we seek to learn more and prepare for international missions. We will most likely be in NC for 2 years and then head overseas after that.

God has been working in BIG ways in our lives as the idea for missions was first birthed in my hubby’s heart and then confirmed in mine. We know the road will not be easy, but we appreciate the support of our family and friends. As we seek to love God more and His people we want to know Him more intimately and pursue His calling on our lives most passionately. We will keep you all updated as we learn and grow more. Thanks for keeping up with us and we wil update soon…sorry for no pictures but I think the news will be enough for today!!!

By time we woke up Monday morning there was a foot of snow in our yard and school/work was canceled! Here are a few pictures of how we spent our first snow day together as a married couple.

The snow was so fluffy and we went out early in the morning so here is our version of a snowman. We affectionately named our snow blob Bob.

I love this picture of Sweetheart throwing up the snow and it falling right back down.

Here is my attempt at creating a snow angel.And the happy couple enjoying a day to spend together without the pressure of homework or work assignments to be completed. We are hoping for many  more fun snow memories to be made in the future years.

Then I kid you not on Saturday it was 75 degrees outside and we enjoyed a friendly game of Doodle-Dice outside on our picnic blanket. I might add that I won and here is a picture of Jason sad from defeat.

I love SPRING and cannot wait for the weather to get warm.

We arrived Friday evening and had a lovely evening relaxing in our room, enjoying the jacuzzi, and just loving being with our best friend! Here are a few pictures from the beautiful Burke Manor Inn. It is a quaint B&B that is reasonably priced, offers delicious breakfast, amazing rooms, and exceptional service. Okay enough of my sales pitch but even if we had to pay it would have been worth every penny.

Here we are Saturday morning standing outside the B&B with big smiles from our relaxing weekend.

Our super comfy bed that was gorgeous in the wood work and design.

OOOO-LALALA:) Hey a girl needs a good bubble bath every once in a while.

Their robes were amazing and my babe looks amazing as well!

Huge moment of stepping out in faith that will be documented  soon enough.

I could watch Sweetheart read his Bible all day long knowing I am blessed having a spiritual leader in my husband.

It was the best breakfast that we had eaten in a long time!!!

Of course we had to take a picture with the heart- it was Valentine’s Day!

I love my husband and am so grateful he planned a special weekend for us to escape school, work, church, and just focus on our marriage and spend time earnestly seeking the Lord for our future plans.

Christmas was spent with Sweetheart’s family in Augusta, Georgia. We drove to Fayetteville, NC to see a high school buddy of ours on the way before continuing past the numerous cop cars waiting to pull over speeders regardless of how much they were driving over the speed limit. For those of you who know me- I am the speed demon and Sweetheart is the Granny driver. The deal is I will drive in Virginia and NC and he has to drive in SC and GA so we don’t get pulled over.

There were not too many pictures taken, but Sweetheart’s cousin and his wife had a baby in July so most of the pictures have him in them. All in all it was a good time and even though I was missing my family on Christmas day I survived and even made new, fun traditions such as Christmas Eve bingo.

This is my mother-in-law C with Sweetheart and the apple of everyone’s eye- Baby P!

Does Sweetheart look like he will be a great daddy or what???

One of my family traditions was to make gingerbread houses each year and then eat them throughout the New Year. This year Sweetheart and I made them with my family when they came to VA to celebrate early with us.

I love Christmas and am grateful that Jesus Christ was born of a virgin and came to earth to save us. Merry Christmas all even in March:)!!!

This day would not have been possible without the tremendous sacrificial giving of both sets of our parents. We love you Mom and Dad!

Each member of our bridal party were such special members of our family and closest friends. We were honored that they chose to celebrate our special day with us!

Everything about our ceremony was perfect from the worship time, lighting of the unity candle, reciting our vows that we had written, partaking in our first communion, and the exchange of rings. Our goal was to honor God and make great memories.

Our reception was a blast even though it was a blur and we were excited to begin our new lives as Mr. and Mrs. Jason Purdy!

This was at the prayer garden at Liberty…Sweetheart is the biggest answer to my prayers!

At a park downtown on a stonewall…Sweetheart is my stonewall protecting me from the evils of this world:)

Save the Date card…Is he not precious or what?

A little black and white shot as Sweetheart holds me close.

The beautiful Engagement ring sparkling in the sun!

My lover and me hanging out.

We love having fun with each other:)

Artistic rendition of one of our first dates as a new couple

I love my best friend and now husband!!!

One last B&W to end the post

We are blessed to have these photos to remember our time of engagement…but are glad that season is over and now we are loving married life!!!

Sweetheart surprised me and we went to Build a Bear workshop on the day we got engaged

Smiling big with my cuddly engagement bear

Here we are with our Engagement Day bears!

Eating at Johnny Rockets…one of our new favorite restaurants

A letter I wrote to Sweetheart thanking him for a special engagement day that he could read when he woke up

The Purdy family (Sweetheart’s family) at the Ripley’s Believe it or not aquarium

What a special week spent in South Carolina that will not be forgotten!

But here are some long awaited pictures starting with the morning when Sweetheart asked me to marry him. I always tell people my life will never be boring since I said the famous word- YES!!!

Sweetheart anxiously awaiting my arrival at Myrtle Beach, SC. The bucket was for the ocean water he used to wash my feet as a picture of the servant leader he desired to be…how blessed am I? Godly and romantic husband!

Beautiful rose and my gorgeous engagement ring!

Part of the proposal story includes Sweetheart reading I Corinithians 13 and Genesis 2 and explaining how he not only wanted to love me but wanted to have God as the foundation of our new marriage.

The happy newly engaged couple!

Here I am with the roses and a letter he wrote me journaling the promises he made to my parents before they gave their blessing. After he read it to me, we sealed, and on our 10 year anniversary we will open it up and remember our perfect proposal!

Check back soon for some wedding pictures, honeymoon photos, and even a few snapshots of our first home!

Let’s see what has happened since August…I have been working as an Administrative Assistant for Liberty along with completing my degree; while Sweetheart has been providing tours to prospective students and their families as well as taking classes.

Working hard as the office manager for the School of Engineering and Computational Sciences.

Jason loving being a tour guide at the world’s most exciting university!

We are still attending and serving as youth workers at a small country church about 40 min north of where we live. This current situation has been challenging at times but we are grateful for the lessons learned. Jason teaching the kiddos at a fall hayride and bonfire.

We are in the process of seeking the Lord’s will regarding seminary and where He would have us go. Any prayers as we step out in faith would be appreciated.

I will close this afternoon with a few fun New Year’s resolutions that Sweetheart and I will strive to fulfill in 2009. First- we were blessed with a Wii for Christmas and were able to purchase the Wii Fit with Christmas money. We are hoping to both exercise on a consistent basis and work out 5 x a week. So far so good…so we shall see. Also we have set a goal to read a variety of books on theology, marriage, counseling, Christian living, and fiction. We will actually read seperate books and then switch and discuss what were the hi lights and applications that we will take from the reading.  Lastly, we are seeking to decrease the amount of times we eat out as a couple. Even though we do not have expensive tastes even fast food can add up plus the healthy factor is not quite present in most places. Well, now that I have rambled I will lead you with a thought that we are choosing to adopt for our lives in 2009. We will seek to be passionate in our pursuit of Christ and missional in the way we live our lives on a daily basis. We love you all and hope to have more friends join us in bloggy world:)