10 DAYS!!!!

Yes, that's right: 10 DAYS until I become Mrs. Glover!!!!!!!!

I can't believe it is so close! Yet, there is still much to do!!

I pray all of you are enjoying this wonderful time of year, and remember that Jesus is the Reason for the Season and the JOY in our lives!!

Perfectionism...

...it's one of my faults, yet at times it can be an attribute. I say it is one of my faults because I feel that lately, I want everything to be "perfect." I don't necessarily mean the Webster definition of perfect, but the definition that is in my brain. What is that meaning? I don't know exactly. I do know that recently I've felt that some of my wedding plans haven't been going well or rather, haven't been happening in the "perfect" timing that's in my head.

I've felt frustrated. It seems that even some small things have frustrated me and caused me to say, "seriously, this is frustrating me?!"

I've been told this is normal. I've been told, I have a lot on my plate and going on in my life.

I've also been told to just not worry or stress. How do I do this when in my mind all I'm doing is being concerned about timing of things?

I've felt like I'm not being the best fiancee possible to Matt. I've felt that he deserves so much better.

Why is all this happening? I'm letting Satan get to me. That's what I'm doing. I'm letting him steal the joy of preparing for the second best covenant I will make in my life. The first being my decision to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. What joy and happiness there is to know that I have found the one God wants me to spend the rest of my life with. We get to stand before friends and family in 67 days and make a covenant with God and between ourselves that we will love each other, support each other no matter what...through good and bad. Thinking about this makes me happy.

SO, I'm going to strive to not let the little things and the less than perfect things get to me. I know it will all get done and in the end, be perfect. What good does it do my body to worry and get stressed? None! It absolutely doesn't help at all, especially since the past 12 months have been a roller coaster for me health-wise. I need to take care of myself.

I'm so thankful God loves me no matter what and is seeing me through this time, just as He has through every other moment in my life. I'm very thankful for a fiance who loves me no matter what and cannot wait to spend the rest of his life with me. I'm thankful for my family and their support during this process. I'm thankful to my future family. In reality, no one has pushed their ideas on us for the wedding. Everyone has left it up to me and Matt. How lucky can one get?! So, I'm thankful, so very thankful.

Today = 67 days until I marry my best friend, my love!!!! :)
Today = a great day!
Today = a chance to not worry, to not be a perfectionist about everything
Today = a blessing from God!!

I'm Back...

...or at least I'm going to try to be! First, I know I need to discuss with Matt, my wonderful fiance, his feelings on the whole blog thing, but I'm going to try to be back and post more often.

What's been going on...well, up until recently, and I mean all year (2010) long I've been busy with work. Some weeks not quite as long or busy, but still busy. Other weeks, crazy busy. It's finally slow. I'm enjoying it, but some days it is not a comfortable slow. What I mean is that my work is based on billable hours, not that I just come and put in 8, 9, 12, 13 hours. Yes, it is okay to have non-chargeable (non-billable) or non-productive hours, but honestly, bonuses, raises, and potential promotions look mainly at billable/chargeable hours. I'm not worried. I just wish my job was a bit more consistent with busy times and slow times. I have no set busy time each year. It varies based on the work. It could last 6 months, 3 months, 2 weeks, an entire year. It could happen multiple times a year. I am very blessed, though, to have a very well-paying job, that, in all honestly, is very secure for me. However, at times...lets say a lot of times this year, I've felt unhappy, unfulfilled, with where I'm at. I know God has me here for a reason and I really hope I'm being a shining light to my coworkers. I know He has a plan. I know His plan has me here until at least sometime after the wedding and maybe longer. I know all this. But a big part of me wants to know where He has me going, career wise. I want to be more passionate about what I do. One day...I'm trusting that one day the door will open and God will lead.

The wedding plans....oh they are so exciting! I cannot tell you how wonderful God has been through everything. He has allowed so many wonderful vendors to come our way. The church had the day open we needed, which was good because since it is a Sunday, they only have one time they do weddings on Sundays. Why Sunday, you may ask? Well, my oh, so fabulous fiance is an amazing football and baseball coach at a high school, and well, you just don't schedule your wedding during football season! At least in Texas you don't! So, that's why it's on a Sunday, as we are doing it the first possible day that football season is officially over! The head wedding coordinator at our church, gave us a great recommendation for our reception. It totally worked out and they are not charging us more just because it is the holiday season! Thank you! Our florist, well, she is amazing and is giving us a wonderful deal on all of our flowers. Our photographer, she's great too! Our videographer, I don't know her well right now, but I can say she is giving us a great deal too and I cannot wait to work with her! If I had the money, I'd go all out with her becuase that's how much I love her work! :)

My dress...beautiful, no gorgeous...I LOVE it!! :) My shoes, fabulous too! My veil, a nice touch to finalize my look as a bride and does not detract from the dress, which is what I wanted.

My maid of honor...the BEST. I love her and best of all, she's my sister!

My bridesmaids...wonderful! They all in some way impact my life in ways others don't and I honestly feel like and know they will always be there for Matt and me.

Best Man...love him, he's my future brother!

Groomsmen...they are great too! Love them for being willing to stand up and be there for Matt. I mean one of them is my brother and Matt's best man. The other a fellow friend and coach!

My parents...oh so fabulous! They support my decisions and have let us decide what we want for the wedding. Honestly, it's been pretty easy because I've known what I want. I guess that's what happens when you get married in your upper 20's...well, okay, at 29! haha! However, I would not have it any other way because it is the way God wanted it to be! Plus, I've learned how to be independent. I've learned how to deal with lots of responsibilities. The crazy, totally God part is that I met the man of my dreams in Texas and we grew up 20 minutes from each other back in the Appalachian mountains (E.TN/VA area). Now how crazy is that! We meet way down here! Crazy, I tell ya, but honestly, it shows that no matter where someone is currently or has been, God will bring the two of you together!

Work is calling my name. It's Friday and I want to leave early or on time, so I will answer.

Have a great day! :)

I am...

.....ENGAGED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It is official. Matt asked me to marry him on bended knee last night! Details to come!

Have a wonderful and blessed day!!

PS - remember God's timing is always the BEST timing! :)

Can you believe it is already April 2010!!

Wow...this year has really flown by so far. It has been a busy one and one that hasn't been that great on the health front. No matter what difficulties have come up this year, I feel very blessed and thank God for all the many, wonderful blessings He has given me! I have a wonderful family! An amazing boyfriend! Great friends! A good job! What more could a girl ask for?!

More updates to come soon. I don't have pictures on this computer.

Have a blessed day!

Decade in Review

Wow! It is 2010!! Can you believe it?! In some ways, it is hard to believe but as I think over the past 10 years, a lot has gone on in my life.

1999: I have to start here. I graduated from Daniel Boone High School in East Tennessee in the Appalachian mountains. I was #4, right below our 2 salutatorians, and I couldn't believe all that I had accomplished academically and how many friends I had, even though there were many ups and downs my senior year. On graduation day, moving vans were in my driveway, though, and we moved to the Houston, Texas area. That fall I began my freshman year of college at Houston Baptist University as music major (piano and voice) with business being either a minor or becoming a 2nd major. I struggled a lot with being in Texas and started becoming depressed and had a suppressed anger as I was in a world where the only people I knew were my immediate family.

2000: I decided I was going to transfer to ETSU (East Tennessee State University) to continue my music education and got all the way to Birmingham with my mom and we turned around and came back to Texas as I was an emotional mess. So I went back to HBU and continued my music education. I still wasn't happy. All I knew was HBU wasn't for me. So, I applied to King College in Bristol, TN. I returned to the beautiful mountains and E.TN to major in business at King. I was so happy to be back; however, at some point during the semester I realized I wasn't where God wanted me to be but I wasn't sure where. I had an amazing roommate, Jay, who helped me in ways she probably doesn't even know. I had my amazing best friend, Rachel, a floor up and others. I wasn't at peace. After discussions and prayer I knew God was calling me to come back to Texas, attend community college and look at colleges.

2001: I started off the year at Houston Community College getting more basics that I hadn't taken yet and was looking into schools. Mom and I went to visit Texas A&M. I did NOT want to go visit. However, God placed the right people in my path on that visit and made it obvious to me that I was to attend Texas A&M. They had a football team, which was something I missed! They had traditions, something I wanted! It was a HUGE school, something I was NOT sure about! I started at A&M during the fall and 2 weeks later sat in awe in from of the television as the events of 9/11 unfolded in front of my eyes on TV. I was in shock. I didn't have classes that day, so I studied and let what was happening on our soil sink in. I also joined a great Christian sorority and met some great girls who helped me get through a very rough semester as I was still struggling a lot with even being in TX.

2002: I was still at A&M and decided to apply to the PPA Program (Professional Program in the Department of Accounting), was accepted (totally God!), worked the summer again, and went back to A&M that fall. Dealt with some issues still with being in TX and family stuff but God saw me through it all.

2003: Began the recruiting semester and interviewed for internships with the Big 4 for the following spring. I enjoyed being wined and dined by all Big 4 accounting firms. I ended up making the decision to intern with KPMG and was very excited for what the next year would bring.

2004: I spent the first 10 weeks of the year after New Years interning at KPMG - Houston. I worked, worked, worked, and worked some more. I had intern happy hours and events. I met some great people from other schools and states. I learned that KPMG was where I wanted to start my career. I was taking not only the last of my undergraduate classes but graduate classes too! That fall I started full-time in graduate school, well actually more than full-time as I was taking 15 hours of graduate classes! That is a ton let me tell you! I had amazing girls' nights with Shelley, Lauren, and Kristin. Lauren, Kristin, and I just so happened to all intern together at KPMG! Shelley went with E&Y.

2005: Due to family finances not being so great I got a job and took out a bit more on the loan front and supported myself though my last semester of college. I graduated in May!! Whoop!! I had 2 degrees, my Aggie ring, and a job already! What more could a girls want. I still didn't know why God had me in Texas but here I was! In September I started my career in the real world with an apartment in Midtown Houston (very near downtown). I worked and worked!

2006: I worked, worked, studied, studied, worked, worked. That was my life. I worked and studied for the CPA exam. That's it! I tried to get involved in church but it was hard with how much I was working. In October I was offered anther job as a forensic accountant and it was too good to pass up. KPMG could not offer me what MD&D was offering me. So, on December 1st I began as a senior accountant at MD&D.

2007: I was still living in midtown, looking to buy a house, and studying. I sat for the remaining sections of the CPA exam. In December not only did I buy my first house, a townhouse, but I also found out I pass the 4th and final section of the CPA exam!! I think I woke up the entire hotel when I found out! I also had started attending Second Baptist Church in their singles ministry out West.

2008: I started realizing I was definitely in TX for reasons I may not know and knew God was in control. I was meeting wonderful people at church and enjoying my job. Late in the year work wasn't so fun due to a staff who is no longer with us and I did not handle it well. However, I learned from it and other events in my life and God saw me through. OH and I went to NEW YORK CITY with 3 of my girlfriends and will forever be thankful to Steph for making the trip possible! It was a dream come true!

2009: I started the year out knowing God had big plans for me and it would be a good year no matter what! I was still at MD&D and was promoted to Supervisor! Yay! I attended training again as we go every other year. I travelled to Waco to visit my fabulous and very close friend Courtney while she was finishing up grad school at Baylor. She and Steven got engaged and I screamed in the middle of the rodeo food place! She asked me to be a bridesmaid which will happen in almost 2 months! I continued to hang out with amazing friends. My sis got her Aggie ring! I started dating again my amazing boyfriend, Matt, and we are excited to see what else God has in store for us!

Sooo....that's the decade in review! I'm excited to see what is to happen in this next decade with God leading me all the way!

2003: