Wedding Dress

I just went in for one of the final fittings. And let me just say this...

I love it! I just LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE my dress.

*happy, dreamy sigh*

I know I am jumping ahead of the story, but I just wanted to let everyone know.

And no, I am sorry but I can't post pictures of the dress just yet because James reads this blog. It is considered "bad luck" after all. :)

My joy is finding dresses that fit marvelously and has the perfect spin when I twirl.

Snowy Day

It is a glorious snowy day.

My twin and I share a deep love for the grand splendor that winter displays. Throughout the day, I have been remembering Erin and how much she would enjoy this day. I miss you, my snow buddy.

The first thing I saw when I walked out the door... a winter's wonderland.

I tried to capture how much snow had fallen through the night.

Perhaps this is a better example. Don't you just love it?

This was 3 in the afternoon- the snow clouds darken the day considerably.

Mom and I went to town and we just love the snowy pines.

When we left for town at 10 in the morn, half of the road still wasn't plowed.

Matthew got out the sleds! I am SO excited.
He is too.

I am so thankful that I got to experince a great day of snow before I went to a tropical place for winter. I am going to miss being in the winter's wonderland.

My joy is my brother. He makes my heart smile.

Letters

Even though my eyes were open to James, we were still just friends. After all, James had signed away his life for the next four years to the Marine Corps and I still had a year and half left of school. When we said goodbye, we really had no idea if we would see each other again, if we would keep in touch or if the feelings would eventually fade due to infatuation.

James is actually the first solider (or warrior as James likes to be called) that I personally know. I decided that I would be a supporter of his or more like a "fan" of his. In the Marine boot camp, the warriors-in-training have very limited access to the outside world. The only communication they were allowed to have were hand-written letters. Throughout the four months of boot camp, I wrote and he faithfully replied. I remember the first letter/card I sent- I was just so full of doubt and uncertainty, yet full of hope.

My poor brother-in-law, Anthony, was stuck in the middle of all this. James and I would use Anthony to decipher the whole "read between the lines" messages. Finally fed up with the whole 'matchmaker' business, Anthony told us to just buck up and confess the truth to each other. Mustering up my courage, I wrote a letter that basically described my feelings for James. At the end, I wrote, "If you want to pursue me, I promise, you will not be rejected."

Now, the bad thing about snail mail is that you have to wait several days/weeks/months for a reply. Finally, after about two weeks of nail biting, "I shouldn't haves", best friend wailings, reverent prayers, I get a letter from James. In the letter, I swear, word for word, he replied, "I think I sorta kinda like you."

Wow...

"I think I sorta kinda like you." Wow. How romantic? Huh? What does he really mean? Does he like me? Or is it more of a friendship kind of like? So, back to Anthony I went.

With a sigh and a grin like the cheshire cat, Anthony said, "James really, truly likes you in a romantic type of way." Giggles bubbled up to the surface as I thought, "It is true. It is a fact. James likes me!"

Needless to say, from that point on, our letters took on a different tone. He was pursuing me through his letters, telling me stories, sharing thoughts and memories. I adore the love letters from that period. I have them in a bundled, all tied up with a string. Now and then, I will leaf through the letters to be reminded of where we are and where we've been.

My joy is my warm flannel sheets on a cold snowy night.

It's Tradition

Every year we always get our christmas tree with the Heinzmans. We don't always go to the same place to get the tree, but we always go together.

Why? I don't know.

Perhaps we enjoy each other's company. Perhaps we love the idea of hunting for the perfect tree. Perhaps we don't have anyone else to go with. Perhaps we all have the same taste for adventures. Perhaps it is all just for the sake of tradition...

Morg found the perfect tree for his family.

Pepper

The boy didn't have decent winter clothes on so he just did it indian style with a blanket.

The family picture with our tree right behind us.

Cutting the tree

Watching Dad cut the tree

Triming the bottom

Family...

Adam and Lisa

Since the family will be heading out to HI on Christmas day, we decided to go with a small and simple tree. We actually entertained the thought of getting a fake one. Thankfully, we all banished that idea.

Mom Hauling the trees home

Sisters

more family...

These two LOVE to take pictures of themselves and posing as well. This is such a classic picture of them.

I love this one of Petra.

Matthew was practicing for his senior pictures.

My joy is watching the snowflakes falling gracefully.

The Best Things Happen While You're Dancing

Throughout the year and half that we were buddies, James was falling for me. I, on the other hand, wanted nothing to do with him and romance. I recall one night after James and I went for a jeep ride and stopped by the Drip (the local coffee shop in Black Mountain), I realized that James was interested in me. After hunting Anthony down, I told him that he had better warn James that I was not interested. Apparently, James humbly accepted the rejection but made a vow that he will someday go out with me. He quietly pursued me, just through conversations, quick chats in the hallways, and even occasional lunches in the college cafeteria. Clueless, I was just relieved that he wasn't asking me out.

Every year there is a winter ball. The college hires several dance instructors to teach college kids how to waltz, swing, salsa and fox trot. It is a great time since I love to dance.

Well, when the winter ball of 2006 rolled around, I was bound and determined to go with a guy, just so I would have a guy partner. After years of dancing with girls and arguing about who is going to take the guy position (girls- you know how hard it is to find a guy who is willing to dance), I was just ready for a change. I went on a hunt to find one of my guy friends and everything was falling through. Discouraged, I decided not to go and just to stay at home with my roommates and watch a movie.

The night of the ball came around, I went up to the campus to check my mail. I ran into James and we chatted for a bit. A light blub suddenly went off in my head, and I quickly asked , "What are you doing tonight?"

"Nothing" was his reply.

I grinned and boldly ask him to dance with me at the ball. After stammering that he didn't know how to dance, I challenged him, "All I am asking, is for you to learn with me."

James' face brightened and with a grin, he said, "Okay."

Mere hours later, we met up at the ball and enjoyed dancing the night away. Sure, there were times where he stepped on my toes and I messed up a few... okay... a lot of steps, but we laughed through it all and went on dancing.

(A friend snapped our picture that night.)

As I walked home later that night, I don't think my feet ever touched the ground. Over the next several days, I realized that God opened my eyes to James and spoke to my heart- "He is the one."

There is a song from "White Christmas" called The Best Things Happened While You're Dancing. I heard it a couple weeks after the ball and I realized that is exactly how I felt about the whole night.

"The best things happen while you're dancing

Things you would not do at home

Come naturally on the floor

For dancing soon becomes romancing

When you hold a girl in your arms

That you've never held before

Even guys with two left feet

Come out alright if the girl is sweet

If by chance their cheeks should meet while dancing

Proving that the best things happen while you dance."

My joy is dancing in my beloved's arms.

The Beginning

Several friends and family have inquired what our love story is... that is James and mine. I had no idea where to even start, but a friend reminded me, "Why not the beginning?"

James actually remembers the very first moment he laid eyes on me. I, like usual, faintly remember the moment.

I was scheduled to leave for Guinea Bissau, West Africa in the September of 2004. Before I left, my mom and I made a trip down to Montreat College in North Carolina at the end of August. When I arrived, I was able to visit with several of my friends along with Erin. We had decided to go to the guys' dorm to visit Anthony. As I was wandering the halls, I stopped and said hello to a friend, Zach. In his room next door, James apparently heard our voices and wanted to see what the commotion was. All I remember that there was this guy that suddenly appeared at the Zach's door, but I didn't think anything of it. I did not even remember his face. It wasn't till later that James said that it was him. He remember the encounter vividly, down to the dress I was wearing.

It wasn't till a year later, when I returned from Africa and went back to Montreat, that I came to know James. Because Anthony is one of James' best friends and he (Anthony) was dating my twin sister, Erin, I saw James frequently through out my sophmore year of college. We would occasionally hang out. I never viewed him as anything more than a "brotherly" friend. This friendship would continue for the next year and half.

James and I at Anthony's Graduation in 2006.

to be continued... :)

My joy is the aroma of my mom's apple crisp baking in the oven.

Thanksgiving

Spending time with the family for thanksgiving was simply bliss. We enjoyed stuffing ourselves with an ambrosial feast. After leaning back in our chairs and adjusting our pants, we swapped some stories, comments and opinions. Later, I decided to set up the living room for a photo op.


It started with just me...


Slowly, some family trickled in...

Then another...

A couple more...Lisa came along...My aunt grabbed the cammera and took a couple shots of all of us cousins that were there that night. We are missing a couple- Allen (CA), Erin (South Africa), Eric (The U.P.), and Brian (The U.P.).

Aw, what the heck, let's have a couple whole family pictures...

That was a fabulous Thankgiving night.

**In addition to my first post- When I was describing my blog name, "Laura's Joy", I forgot to mention that I am going to be a bit of a "Pollyanna". I enjoy finding joy in my everyday life, so for each blog, I plan on posting a simple or even grand joy that I found that day. So here is mine for this post.

My joy is my family.