Happy New Year! A month late....

Yep, life has been busy. Or at least that's the best excuse for not finding the time to write on here. *adjusts halo* So where to start? Hm... Christmas with our new family was absolutely wonderful. We were able to spend all of Christmas Eve with our Ryken/Fennema side of the family. It was such a lovely time opening presents, eating Chinese food, and celebrating together. I will say it was very nice to get "couple" gifts with Justin this year. I see it as us becoming a family even more when we get a gift that is for the both of us. We also were blessed to get some stuff just for each of us though too. Which is good because Settlers of Catan wasn't on my Christmas list. ;)
Christmas morning we woke up bright and early just so Justin and I could do a few smaller gifts with each other. It was really a wonderful time. *smiles* Then we headed to church to worship the Lord as it was His day. After the fabulous service we headed over to our Sanford side of the family to spend Christmas day with them. Again, we had a lovely time exchanging gifts and celebrating together. Not to mention all the good food that Mom and the girls prepared for everyone. It was a relaxed PJ's type day which is always the best. :) Once the days festivities were over we headed home to open a few more gifts that were just for each other. It was the best Christmas Season I have ever had and I am very much looking forward to this years. :)

Here we are on Christmas day.

Since December we have had a pretty busy schedule with our first New Years party together, going to a wedding, going out on dates, ice skating, me going up to Chicago with my Mom and sisters (Ryken side) for a ladies retreat sorta thing, (which was absolutely a wonderful time and deserves a blog post of it's own) and going places as just the two of us. Now that it is February life has slowed down a little bit. But we still have almost every weekend full with something to do even though it's only the 2nd! I couldn't be happier though. :)

The weather has been crazy this year! It's been in the upper 50's almost all week and it's February! Now don't get me wrong, I am LOVING this weather. It's just sort of odd. But none the less, I have been taking every possibility to go outside and enjoy the warm weather. It has truly been delightful! The only thing I'm missing when I take long walks around the neighborhood, is my husband. But I see it as time to just talk with the Lord about whatever pops into my head. And that is what makes it wonderful. :)

This was taken yesterday. Ahhhh sunshine. *happiness*

Another picture of the beautiful sunshine. This was taken yesterday as well from our front yard.

And that's about it as far as our life goes. 2011 has been the best year for Justin and I so we cannot wait to see what this new year of 2012 has in store for us. All I know is that whatever it is, I feel like I can take on anything with Justin holding my hand. *love*

Here's us wishing you a fabulous New Year! May God bless you and keep you!

Until next time,
Adios!

A Married Woman... wait, what?!? :D

You know how as a little girl you always dream of the day you will get married? The day when you will finally have that special person in your life who loves you and wants to spend the rest of his life with you? The day you will change your last name to his and then start living the story God has written for the two of you together? Well, that beautiful day has come for me and I couldn't be happier! God blessed me with a man who is the most tender, loving, committed, goofball, and yet the sweetest guy out there. Each day I cannot believe how much my life has changed now that I am his! I have a boatload of new responsibility but it is all worth it to have a loving husband counting on me. Sometimes I just sit here in my new adorable little home and wonder how on earth all these wonderful things happened to me...? I mean, I've always dreamed they would but now that they actually have, it's just too good to be true. I keep thanking God over and over again for all the little things that put a grin on my face and a song in my heart. :) 

I know I've only been married two weeks now, (has it really only been two weeks?) but it hasn't been anything I expected... It's been 10x better! I am so blessed it just doesn't feel real yet. Almost like one of these mornings I will wake up to find this all a wonderful dream.  Thank goodness that will never happen. ;)   

To close this rambling post, I'd like to thank my Heavenly Father for all He has done in my life and the life of my husband. Also I'd love to share a picture of me with my love on our wedding day and my most favorite verse with y'all...

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  ~Jeremiah 29:11

Until next time!

God bless!

~Mrs. Ryken

(*grins* I love that^^ name!!)