Potato Soup : )

Made another meatloaf last night.  It was delicious!  I baked a couple of potatoes and steamed some broccoli to go along with it.  YUM!  Aaron and I were stuffed afterwards.  I've got some homemade potato soup cooking in the crock pot right now.  I think it will be YUM, too : )  Going to make some cornbread a little later.  I'm going to make it like my Mama makes it.  NOT in a cast-iron skillet. 

A friend of mine from work is going through a tough time right now.  I hate to say it, but most of it could have been avoided.  However, we all make mistakes.  However, again, we MUST be willing to pay for them and live up to the consequences.

The things she's going through have made me think a lot about America's judicial system and how imperfect it is.  Of course, nothing on this Earth is perfect.  Recently she got mixed up with her ex-husband and was charged with assault.  Finally after weeks of meeting iwth lawyers, counseling and other madness, they met in court for the hearing.  She was found guilty and now has domestic violence and assault in the 3rd degree on her record.  Not to mention that a few weeks before the assault incident, her ex-husband gave her notice that he was taking her to court for the custody of their daughter.  This friend of mine is one of the nicest, most sensitive people I know.  This mix-up with her ex was truly mixed up because really HE'S the one who should be up against the court system.  He just really isn't a good person... at all.  I don't think he even tries.

So now her ex has a one-up on her in the custody battle since she is now a "convicted felon".  All the times they have met with lawyers and have gone to court, his evil ways and bad history of practically been ignored.  It just seems to me, and everyone else that knows the situation, that the guilty party in this huge mess has yet to be punished and will probalby continue to dodge the truth, while the innocent one is paying for more than she bargained for.
   

I know things like this happen, even higher up in the courts.  Sometimes, unfortunately, innocent people are sent to jail while the guilty walk free.  Well this is mainly because men and women are the ones doing the judging.  As humans, we cannot know all the details and know the entire truth at all times.  This brings me to a better thought.

There is a greater Judge than any of us have ever known, the perfect, sinless Christ (John 5:22; Acts 17:31).  Unlike our Earthly judges, everyone of us will have to answer to Him (Rom 14:10,12; 2 Cor 5:10).  We can be rest assured that this Judge will know exactly who is guilty and who is innocent (1 John 3:20).  We can have confidence that if we are truly innocent or righteous that God will give us the appropriate reward (2 Tim 4:8; James 1:12; Rev 22:12).  This goes the same way, though.  The guilty or unrighteous will also receive an appropriate reward (1 Cor 6:9,10; Gal 5:20, 21; Rev 21:8).  We have all the days of our lives to decide if we will be found innocent or guilty.  At the second of our last breath, it is too late.

I just wanted to make the point, to anyone who might be reading this, that it is very VERY important to be found righteous in the sight of God (1 Peter 3:12).  How can we be found righteous? 1 John 3:7 says those who practice righteousness are righteous.  What should we NOT practice? Fornication, idolatry, adultery, homosexuality, drunkeness to name a few (1 Cor 6:9, 10; Gal 5:20, 21). 

What SHOULD we practice? We should practice love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness and faithfulness (Gal 5:22).  Who do we love?  We are commanded to love our neighbors and our enemies (Matt 5:44; Matt 22:39.  However, the great command is to love God, love Him with our all our heart, soul and mind (Matt 22:37, 38).  How do we show God that we love him?  We keep his commandments (John 14:15).  Not the ones we like or that fit our lifestyles.  We keep them ALL.

How can we be found guiltless before God on the day of judgment? ... by keeping his commandments.

A picture really is worth a thousand words and memories <3

I'm patiently waiting to hear from our wedding photgrapher.  I cannot wait to see our pictures!  Some friends and family have posted several on Facebook.  They are fantastic.  There were a few family members there that I don't particularly get to see very often... like years and years in between visits.  My dad and his brother Earl hadn't seen their brother Bob in about 10 years or more and they were all there together at the wedding.  I had a photographer take a picture of the three of them.  I think that is probably one of the most valuable pictures that was taken during the entire event. 

Pictures are important, to me at least.  They are important for the ones that have yet to be born.  They illustrate the stories that family-members might tell.  My great-great-grandchildren probably won't get to meet my parents, but at least they'll have a picture.  A picture will help make them real.  I love to see pictures of my great, great, greats.  Even though I never met them, I love them.  And even if its very minutely, they are a part of me. 

Families are peculiar things.  Like mine, we're pretty spread out across the US (including my mom's and my dad's side).  No matter how far away we might live from eachother we're all still connected.  We all have something in common.

Well I've gone on long enough.  Just what's on my mind at the moment. 

Andy Griffith

Our favorite thing to do is sit down after work and watch a couple episodes of the Andy Griffith Show.  Its so good : )  Everyone should watch it. 

This semester is half over.  I took the APTTP Saturday.  It was easy, as I suspected it would be.  Wednesday I finally get to take the ECE.  I've been putting that off since my 3rd semester of college... a long time.  So I'm officially a senior according to the hours I've earned.  That's kind of exciting.  Even though I still won't graduate for a year and a half or so.  Oh well.  Everything is great.  

I can't complain for one second.  

Going to make lasagna tonight.  It is one of Aaron's favorites so I hope its good : )

Cooked!!

Okay so I attempted a "Blackened-Beef Stir-fry".  Aaron liked it! ha ha... it needs work though.  I need to learn how to boil rice.  2 parts water 1 part rice, got it.  All of the water had boiled out and the rice was sticking to the bottom of the pot and it WAS NOT done.  What did I do wrong? 
TODAY I made biscuits from scratch along with some bacon and eggs (sunny-side up) for breakfast.  Delicious!  Who knows what I'll attempt next.  Probably some Taco Soup in the Crock-pot.  A lady from the church gave me a good and easy recipe. 

Thursdays are my day off, so I have been a busy bee today.  I picked up Aaron and I's marriage license :), applied for a new social security card with my NEW name on it, made an appointment for CableOne to come hook-up our internet, and cleaned the apartment.  I also had class today, woo hoo.  I AM SO SUPER PUMPED ABOUT BEING A TEACHER! That reminds me, next Thursday I need to go see my adviser.

I AM SO HAPPY AND I LOVE AARON! <3

Cooking.

So Aaron and I have been married for eight days.  On Monday we will have been living in the apartment for a whole week.  In this week I have cooked one meal.  Not because I didn't want to cook anymore, we just haven't been home.  I won't even say what it is I "cooked" (warmed up, basically).  ANYway.  I've got to get this cooking thing down. 

We watched the Auburn/Tennessee game tonight at my parents' house.  It was fun.  Poor dad had to watch Auburn win. 

Goodnight <3

We're MARRIED :)

Starting on Friday, September 25th, at about 6pm, I became Mrs. Dodson!  The ceremony was amazing if I do say so myself.  The music was beautiful and I am beyond pleased with the vows Aaron and I chose.  I look through the pictures friends and family have posted and want to go back and do it again!  I can't wait to see my photographer's pictures.

I got to see friends and family that I had not seen in literally years!  I'm so thankful that they took the trip down to Alabama to see me and Aaron get married.  I only wish I could have visited with them longer.
The honeymoon was fun, too!  We went to Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountatin, GA for a few days.  It was nice and low key.  We did get to go fishing, although we didn't catch anything.

Aaron and I came home Monday afternoon to an apartment filled with wedding gifts to unwrap.  We have been blessed GENEROUSLY with everything we need, and even things we wanted, for our apartment. We've got MANY, many thank you notes to write yet.


Tuesday was my first and last, for a while, day as a stay-at-home wife.  It was wonderful.  I got to put the apartment together and cleaned up while Aaron was at work.  I LOVE our apartment.  Its so cute!

So now I am settling in to my new role as a wife.  I think I'm going to like it!  But, I DO have the most amazing husband, so its going to be easy.

I've got errands to run today...

22 days... time is flying

Okay everybody! We're down to 22 days until the big day! :)
Everything is falling in to place. Only a few more small details to take care of!

80 80 80 80 80 !!

WOW! Eighty days until Aaron and I get MARRIED!

Aaron moved in to "our" apartment yesterday! :) Its going to be so cute once we get everything in there. We moved most of his stuff to Jacksonville this past weekend, 4th of July! We also helped his parents move out of their house which they finally sold! (They had most of everything done by the time we got there) NOW Aaron says he doesn't want to move again for AT LEAST 5 years. ... we'll see :)

Aaron's sister is getting married THIS Friday! It's so exciting!! It also means another LONG weekend off for me. I'll leave work early Thursday to head down to Columbiana for the rehearsal and won't come back until Saturday night, probably. BUT THEN I still don't have to go back to work until Tuesday!

After Kayla and Jason get married my new little baby nephew, Gareth, should be here ANY day :) I won't get to meet him until Aaron and I get married :( He'll be walking and talking by then...
Well, probably not, but I wish I could go up to VA with my mom and dad. TOO much to do in Jville though.

So now time is just ticking away. All that is left to do is the small stuff... which will probably take the most time!! ... oh and the cake. BUT I just need to find someone to make it... I know exactly what I want.

OH and My aunt is making me a t-shirt quilt out of all my old t-shirts that I just can't bare to part with. ANNNND she's making me the lace bolero I wanted to wear with my wedding gown all along! :) I just sort of settled for one that I like okay, but she was able to find the PERFECT lace to make one for me. It will be beautiful, I know it!

Okay, signing off....


Love,
Lindsey Fay

155... still too many!

Okay... so we have everything done... well almost. If it isn't "done" then I know exactly what it is going to be :) I have some very exciting things developing about the reception. They probably aren't that exciting to most people, but I am VERY excited. You'll have to wait and SEE! :) :) :) So only two finals away from the end of the semester. Aaron graduates on the 9th of May!!! YAY!! THEN... he is moving to Jacksonville!! This is the best part yet! :)

so we have 155 days left until the 25th of September. Six months is way too much time to plan a wedding!

under 200

We are now under 200 days!!! I am SO excited!

So we can check off caterer, photographer, invitations, and DRESS!! Mom and I went to David's Bridal last night. I tried on about 6 dresses and ended up being torn between two. They were pretty similar... but VERY different. I am so HAPPY about the one I ended up choosing. You may be thinking, "You only went to one place?" Yes. I only went to one place. There are probably a thousand dresses out there that I could love... but I love the one we got at the first place we went to. No need in prolonging the process. Takes 12 weeks to come in as it is!! ha ha


So what is left is... flowers, cake, tuxes and bridesmaid dresses. Which I have my bridesmaid dresses picked out... I just have to get 'em there try them on :)


Me and Aaron are so excited! We have decided we will stay in Jacksonville. So right now we are praying and praying and praying for Aaron to get a job in town. We can't wait to be together EVERY day! <3>

Happy Spring Break everyone!

centerpieces and dresses

Mom and I went to the grand ol' Hobby Lobby the other night. We purchased some things for mine and Aaron's centerpieces for the reception!! I am VERY excited about them. They won't be very huge or ornate but I think they will make a statement. My number one goal is to turn the fellowship building at church in to something different, something its never been before! A good number of our guests will be people from the Jacksonville congregation, many of whom have seen SEVERAL weddings there. I want them to say, "Wow," when they see the BRIGHTBILL-DODSON wedding!!!!



So I made an appointment to look at dresses at non-other than David's bridal. I have found several dresses online that I would like to look at. MOST of them I'd have to order from France to get them, ha. Well anyway... I was looking on some wedding resource website today at dresses. It had one on there from David's that I had not seen before. I absolutely love it and the price is RIGHT. Its got all of the qualifications I am looking for: sweetheart neckline, trumpet silhouette, and chapel length train. SO Mama and I are heading to Birmingham Monday night March the 2nd. I'll try on several dresses... if there are any there that I like. My main goal, however, is to try on this ONE dress. ALSO, they have exactly what I was looking for in bridesmaid dresses. They are going to be CUTE!




Reminder: PICK A DAY TO GET TOGETHER WITH BRIDESMAIDS! :D :D :D among other things

check, check, annnnd check

So we are checking things off the list pretty steadily! Personally, I'd like to have everything ready to go by... May... at the latest!!

I think it can be done! I'm optimisitic anyway

All we have left to plan for is (in no particular order) tables, tents, and chairs, flowers, invitations, THE dress and bridesmaid dresses and tuxedos... I think that's all anyway. I'll think of something else later.

OH YEAH.... cake :)

Aaron is coming to Jacksonville tomorrow!!

We get to take care of some more stuff like ceremony and reception location. Meaning, where around my grandpa's lake?!? THEN we're going to go fishing! Yes! My favorite thing to do with Aaron. Well second... first favorite, study the B-I-B-L-E together <3>

I take pictures the entire time I'm there

So I think our parents hit it off! Mom and Dad had been at the Dodson's house for an hour by the time Aaron and I got there. They were just gabbing
away!

Sunday morning we all went to church together.

After morning services and after lunch, me and Aaron and my parents loaded up in the Explorer and headed south to Prattville. We met with our photographer at the Books-A-Million there. Her name is Claire Drummond. She is absolutely fantastic and seems like she is going to be great to have around on the day of the wedding!!

Check out her website at http://clairedrummond.smugmug.com
If you happen to book her for YOUR wedding or special event, make sure you tell her that I referred you :)


Anyway, things are coming along GREAT!

What's the date again?

Aaron and I changed the date! The new and FINAL date is September 25th :)


So our parents are meeting this weekend for the first time... a little nerve racking!
Then Sunday in between church services we are meeting with our photographer!

I can't wait!!

Prayers

This is the luckiest guy in the world speaking! :D
We want all of our friends and family to pray for us that we may be successful in our plans for October!
WE EXCITED!
<3

sometimes... I get a little crazy

SO things are coming together, some how. In an organized chaotic way! Nine months is not a very long time!! Between school and work I've been jotting notes down about things to do. So far, we know we are getting married at Drake's Lake!! :) That's my grandfather's house.
Aaron and I, along with my parents, are meeting with the photographer next weekend. That will be a huge item to check off "the list".

Speaking of "the list", theknot.com is a great resource for planning a wedding. However, I just don't think I want to support their cause anymore. I've been seeing advertisement banners on their site implying that The Knot supports same sex "marriages". Good grief.

Anyway... me and Aaron are SUPER pumped about being married to each other and spending everyday for the rest of our lives together. We have a ton to look forward to!

its officially official now :)

Well, it's official! Me and Aaron are getting MARRIED!

I created this blog to keep friends and family updated about things to come for me and my future husband.

So far we know we'll be married on October 24th of THIS YEAR!!
No, I have not checked the football schedule... or the NASCAR schedule. :P