Marriage Prep and NFP

Scott and I have wasted no time in starting our marriage prep and NFP class. It is early in the engagement, but what with both of us starting school full time (and me continuing a full time job?) we will have little to no time to get started with the preparations that actually matter. Don't get me wrong, wedding planning is fun (once you book a reception hall), but the prep and NFP; now THIS is getting into the substance of it all.

Last night was our first NFP class, and it was really great! I am a little confused by what I am looking for exactly at this point, but I am so excited to learn how my body works and all the signs it gives me about my fertility. The human body, and particularly a woman's body, is so fascinating. I'm especially glad that Scott can share that awe with me as a med student and one who has a particular interest in the human body and the way it works. The method we are learning is called the Billings Ovulation Method and it seems to be the least invasive unlike other methods that require you to take a temperature read daily or check the cervix. I would like to find out if it is the most effective method or if the other methods might allow less time for having to abstain (that is if you are avoiding pregnancy that month)? Let me know if you have any insight about this!

We are looking forward to doing some registry shopping (another thing we want to get done before school starts!) this weekend, and celebrating my 23rd birthday! It's my golden birthday, so hopefully we'll make sure it's going to be a good one!

Maddy and Joel's Wedding!

Memorial Day weekend was absolutely spectacular, owing to the fact that I had a fabulous time with amazing friends in Washington, DC for Maddy and Joel's wedding! For anyone who knows Maddy, it was exactly as one might imagine it: classy and elegant with a laid back and comfortable feel, plenty of turquoise blue, and fun for all ages from the smallest babies to the oldest couple there.

I could go on in detail about the church on Capitol Hill, the reception at Rust Manor in Leesburg, the dress, the cake, the dinner, the band (all of which were perfect), but after reflection, the thing that stood out most to me during the weekend was the friendships.

One thing I noticed early on in the weekend is that one may know how much one loves one's friends--what one would do for them. But not generally known to people is exactly how much they are loved by those same friends. I found the weekend of Maddy and Joel's wedding to be a testament to the friendship that I have shared with them and all my friends there over the years.

Without necessarily a moment to cite as defining for any of my friendships, the unfolding of this idea over the weekend was a revelation to me. I am truly blessed to be surrounded by people who love me, and by deep friendships that are rooted in mutual respect, experience, and a search for the Truth. I have found that the best friendships, despite loss of contact or mutual experience over the years, stand the test of time because of a genuine love of life, and an openness to Truth. Though I had not seen several of my friends there for an entire year, some I haven't even spoken to in that time, I was overjoyed to see them and spend time with them. In spending time together, I realized that these friendships reflect so deeply on the nature of humanity and it seemed to me by the end of the day Saturday that I had seen a certain glimpse of heaven in these moments. Perhaps my favorite moment was in saying farewell to Joel, who pulled Christina and I in for a hug and said sincerely, "thank you for loving Maddy so much."

The wedding weekend of Maddy and Joel was much like a retreat to me: a time to reflect on the friendships and relationships in my own life. Through sharing in the joy of Maddy and Joel, I was able to understand the importance of the people in my life, and to be at peace with where all my relationships stand--platonic and romantic--because I trust that the people who I have kept in my life and are closest to me share in the same search for the truth, and understand the same concept of love and friendship as I do. I trust that God is guiding my relationships and that through growing in deeper appreciation for each other, we venture towards the ultimate appreciation of our Creator.