We're Hitched!

So, I have broken the rules of Blogging. I knew I would. It has been one month and twelve days since my last post and let me tell you. So much has happened in such a short time. We're married now and yesterday we celebrated on whole month of marriage. How time flies. Here is a photo essay to keep it short and sweet.

 Endowments

Mt. Timpanogos Temple August 9, 2011

 I took some Bridals.

Call me a traditionalist, but I didn't want Josh to see me in my dress before the wedding. It was hard to keep it from him, but I'm so glad I did. I loved seeing his face in the temple when he saw it for the first time. Granted, I don't think that anyone like pictures of themself alone. It's just weird, but Karl Hughes (Studio West) is an amazing photographer and the picutes are something we will treasure forever.

August 10, 2011

Salt Lake Temple

 We got MARRIED. A long time coming, and these are just a few of the 1000. Yes, literally 1000 photos we have. There was no way that I was putting those all up here. The day was perfect I couldn't have asked for a better wedding. To be able to share it with my best friend only made it better.

Honeymoon Oahu, Hawaii

We also got the wonderful experience of going to Hawaii for our honeymoon. We couldn't have asked for a better week. Fun filled with snorkling, food, parasailing, tanning, swimming and lounging by the waves. We had such a good time.

The real honeymoon is over, but we are still having a great time learning about each other and I'm not sure the feeling of the honeymoon will ever stop. One month later and many more to come.

Mr. and Mrs.

Josh and Kasi July 23, 2011

Calgary Open House

McKenzie Lake Boat House

After a ten day adventure I am finally back in the states. Actually I have been back for almost a week now, but my time spent there was too short in fact my flight got delayed so much I had to stay another night. Let's just say I was not complaining. I love spending time with my new family. I got to meet tons of new people and spend time time preparing for a lovely open house Josh's mom put together for us. It was great to meet people Josh had grown up with and finally introduce myself to relatives I had only heard stories about.

The Lunds: Josh, Kasi, Pam, Jonathan, Ryan Holly 

I really do have a great appreciation for families as strong as this one. They support and love each other with everything they have and even when times are stressful like planning a wedding they are always there when someone needs them. I am so thankful to be marrying into a family I know that I can count on to help whenever I need them. Pam put so much effort into this day and I couldn't thank her enough for doing this for us.

Grandma and Grandpa Lund

The morning of our open house Josh's grandma took us to get our temple clothes, a tradition she does with all her grandchildren. Aside from being very overwhelmed with all I needed to get I was greatful for her to be there with us and love to think that each and every time I enter the temple I will be reminded of our wedding day by wearing the dress I am getting married in. Grandma and Grandpa Lund really are the most generous people I have ever met. They even had a dinner Sunday night so I could get to know that side of the family better. The food was amazing and I'm sad to say I didn't win at Crib, but I'm working on it. One day I will beat Grandpa Lund.

Grandpa Cameron

I also had the opportunity to meet Grandpa Cameron for the first time. He really is an inspiration to relationships every where. He met his wife and it was love at first sight, they were engaged 5 days later and then married for 60 years. They really did have true love and I can only hope Josh and I have a marriage like theirs.

Calgary Stampede 2011

On top of all the things that we did during the open house we got to spend a lot of time together and get a real taste of what marriage is like. I loved being there everyday when he got off work and snuggling before bed. I had my first Calgary Stampede experience which consisted of mini donuts which are definitly not good for you but taste so delicious, walking around, Katy Perry look-a-likes,watching the chuck wagon races and a train ride. I wasn't feeling wonderful but I had a great time experiencing the culture if you can call it that.

Banff July 20, 2011

We also took a day trip up to Banff which is about and hour and a half away from where Josh lives. It was absolutely beautiful and we have decided that we are going to make it a tradition to go every year while we visit his family.

I can't believe in a few days Josh will be here. This is the shortest time he and I have spent apart in our entire relationship. Only 10 more days until we are Mr and Mrs Lund.

And the waiting game begins...

McKenzie Lake 2011



86400 seconds

Josh and I try our best to talk as much as possible while we are apart and sometimes that means until 2 a.m. on a weekday when he has to wake up for work four hours later. It gets hard sometimes and I'll admit we the distance really takes a tole on the both of us. We knew that being a country apart would be hard, but nothing like this. When you are in love with someone all you want is to be with that person and to not have the option to jump in your car and see them whenever you please. In a short 24 hours I will be in Canada and getting to spend 9 days with the love of my life.

If I have learned anything from being apart it is no matter how hard things get we will never go to bed angry. We may fight or become frustrated, but to fall asleep knowing that person is mad has never been an option for either of us. I highly recommend all couples to take my advice when I say this. You never know what might happen to that person and you never want your last converstation to be a bad one.

I fall in love with him each time we get over a new trial. Our journey has been a hard one, but with each new struggle something good comes from it, and we become stronger. At the end of the night we have the same goal, to help each other and keep pushing through to the next day. He never said that it would be easy, He just said it would be worth it. I know the future will be hard as we start on our new lives as a married couple, but I have no doubt that the things we come across are going to continue to make us stronger. I hope he knows no matter what crosses our path I will always love him.

See you in 86400 seconds.

Answering prayers

So several posts befor this one I was complaining about Canada being on a postal strike. I mean really guys there are some things that you just can't do. There should always be an emergency room doctor at the hospital, Delta Airlines should always have a pilot for your flight, and well mail carrier should always transport their mail. Hello Canada, people really love getting bills! Needless to say I was stressing, but what else is new? I had no idea how Josh was going to get all 140 invitations to 120 Canadians who were not getting mail. Guess what? God answered my prayers and the postal strike is over!

Just in time, I recieved all 200 invites on the 24th, Josh's mom picked them up in Montana on 1st and what do you know the mail strike ended on the 4th. Coinsidence I think not.

When you are planning a wedding you want everything to be perfect. As much as this is your day and about the two of you, your guests should enjoy it too and a few weeks ago with the strike I wasn't sure that we were going to have any guests because no one would have their invites. So I prayed that everything would work out and sometimes I thought that it just wasn't going to happen, but God doesn't work on my time (if you don't know me I like immediate satisfaction) He works on his time. They say that children teach you patience, well guess what, weddings prepare you for husbands which in turn prepare you for children.

I am so thankful each day that God has the ability to teach me something new each and every day. Behind every stressful moment there is a moment of enlightenment.

Love letters...

I knew when I started writing this that Josh wasn't going to write very often if ever, especially if he and I were far away from each other. But being long distance does have its perks, sounds crazy I know, but you learn a lot about a person when all you can do is talk on the phone and Skype. After two months aparth though we have both started to feel the how hard being apart really is. Here are a few little notes he has left over the last few days:

July 1, 2011
Hey babe I just wanted to tell you this morning how much I love you. Thanks for always being there and being so understanding. Some how you see what no one else can and nobody can ever make me feel the way that you do. I new from day 1 that you were special, and you will be the holder of my heart forever. I love you beatiful ♥

June 29, 2011
Hearing this song always makes me think of you. I was listening to it today and I really payed attention to the words for some reason, and i realized that its perfect at describing how feel about you and how truly special you are to me. You know my story better than anyone so it would make the most sense to you, but listen close to the lyrics. You mean the world to me babe and I can't wait until the day when I can call you mine forever. I love you beautiful ♥

Two and a half years ago we started writing letters while he was on his mission. We continued to communicate through writing after he came home. Josh leaves notes on my car all the time, I wrote him postcards while I was in Europe, and we exchanged emails while I was there. Fortunately we saved every one of them and one day we will be able to look back on our written words and remember those moments forever.

The reasons...

As a young couple I constantly get asked why are you getting married so young? It's not a hard question to answer really, but I have noticed that each time I get asked why my answer is always different. I know, this seems inconsistant and most people think that there is just one right answer, but there isn't.

I'm not the easiest person to talk to, at times I'm emotional, I get stressed, and I'm the first person to admit that I have faults and am far from perfect. The thing is, none of that matters to him. The past week has been very difficult for me, planning a wedding is hard and when you don't have time for yourself the world feels as if it is about to destruct. Crying apparently has been on my to do list everyday this week. By now I don't understand how he still wants to marry me. Between my nagging about calling someone or another, random fits of sadness, and other things of that nature I don't know how he stand me. I feel like I should apply for Bridezillas.

Today, I realized that this is why I'm getting married so young. In a world full of guys who just don't get it, he understands. He understands that when I'm sad it is not the time to joke because I won't take well to it. He knows that I hate my hands being wet so he does the dishes. He realizes that my make up runs when I cry and still calls me beautiful. Here it is courtesy of Skype:

Joshua Lund: i love you so much
Joshua Lund: even when you're sad
Joshua Lund: and upset
Joshua Lund: and especially like that
Joshua Lund: seriously
Joshua Lund: some of the times when you think you're "ugly" are when i find you the most beautiful

While I bawled my eyes out about how much I missed being with him telling him how miserable being apart was for me and makeup ran down my cheeks he wrote this. So people can question as much as they so please, but when you know, you know. It's simple really he understands who I am and appreciates it even when who I am is at its worst.

Marriage is about the vows and commitments you make from the beginning, and so often those things get shoved to the side to make room for more 'important' things to pass by. I have watched too many marriages fail because they lost sight of those small yet significant promises that they made to each other. We both know that the important things in life aren't necessarily the easiest, but in the end it will all be worth it.

The Little Things

They say that life is about the little things. Those small acts of kindness that mean the world to someone. This post is NOT about those types of little things. When it comes to a weddng the little things are what makes your day. It was easy picking our colors, Josh wanted to wear a gray suit instead of a chocolate brown one, so plum, sage, pewter, and cream it was. We needed a venue that was near to the temple, accommodated ring ceremonies, and was outdoors so we picked Millcreek Inn. After trying on 6 dresses I had found "the one" and rings were a piece of cake. So what is left? Everything!

The last few days have been all about the details. Registry cards, directions for guests, labels and putting it all together. With Canada on a mail strike this has become much more difficult than putting them in the mail and sending them of they now must be sent to Montana to be picked up, then hand delivered to family and friends up there.  Nothing with us is ever easy, but they are now finished.

That is not the extent of the details, finding an officiant, choosing types of flowers, fittings for dresses (that's right they don't come in the perfect size), on tope of so many other things. If you guys know me at all, I'm a perfectionist, I think that is one of the flaws that comes along with being an English Major. When it comes to a project, it is all or nothing, and this is supposed to be the most important day of your life right? The pressure is on.

I get really nervous thinking about the possibility of forgetting things. There is really so much that goes into a wedding that you don't even think about. I don't want to be a bride who gets lost in the idea of a wedding and forgets about the marriage.