Your wedding day; something you put so much time and effort into only to watch it whiz by before your eyes in merely a few hours. Is it worth it? All the hard work.. I really don't know, for everyone its different, but as long as you end the day with the love of your life by our side, nothing else matters.
We got married May 9th this year, and it was the best day of my life. All of our closest friends and family came together to support us as we came before God and committed to each other for the rest of our lives. Getting married is such a beautiful thing, it's so bittersweet. In fact, the whole ceremony I was filled with so much emotion that I emberassingly stood there crying through the whole thing. Tears of joy, tears of sadness, (because I was leaving my family and moving away from my favorite people in the world, except Andrey of course) but most of all I cried because I felt so blessed... God gave me the perfect husband, the perfect family, my whole life He blessed me, there were so many people who care by my side. I felt much support and love from God and everyone else that I just couldn't handle it.
Our ceremony was short and sweet, and our reception was personal and heartwarming. I really didn't care how everything looked, my main focus wasn't how I looked, all I cared about was that the people closest to me were by my side, sharing memories, and having good time. All I wanted was for our wedding to be personal and memorable.
Not everything went perfectly, but I don't remember those imperfections, not everyone might have been pleased, but, you can't make everyone happy, I was happy.
See, these days it feels like weddings are competitions, my best friend got married like month after and I was so blessed and happy to be a part of it, but there were people comparing our weddings, which Is so sad, we are both different,sad and have different lifestyles. And it really showed me that when it comes to weddings people focus on the wrong things. People focus on the decorations, on the food, on how the bride looks, on how everything was planned out, and completely ignore the main reason of he wedding day; to support and bless the couple. Wedding days became all about who did it better, who had more of a pinterest wedding... which ruins the whole thing.
So I didn't care, how everything looked or what people said about it after, I'm sure they weren't all good things, but that isn't what matters, I'm happily married and my wedding day is just a day in the past, something that I'll never forget, because to me, everything went perfectly.
I hope that every bride only remembers the positives of the day, and to anyone who will get married in the future, I hope you focus on what's right and put aside the opinion of others. I hope you soak up every moment, because the day FLIES by before your eyes. Take the time to enjoy being with your new husband, and to show appreciation to your family and guests. Remember to appreciate everyone who put time and work into making the day special. And remember to just enjoy, no matter what happens, stay positive. It is your day and you decide how it will turn out, the outcome will all be in the mindset. Sure, everyone gets stressed out and nervous, that's just part of the process, enjoy those moments as well. No matter what, this will be the happiest day of your life, because like I said earlier, all that matters is that you finally get to marry your best friend.
11/19/2015
The little details
I won't be posting all the pictures but I just wanted to share a few moments from the day. :)
Before the ceremony,
we were so nervous
but excited.
We couldn't decide
on wedding colors
so we went with our
favorite colors
mine: blue and his: red
It was tough to work with
but we found a way.
My gorgeous friends
and bridesmaids,
I was so blessed
to have all of them by my side.
The handsome
grooms men
who are so awesome
they deserve awesome wifes
The hottest man
in the world, well my world.
We hung the map
on our living room wall,
and the paper cranes..
well it took me months
to make them
but they were a nice
photo backdrop for guests.
Aisle decor, simply elegant
My favorite flower girls
and ring boys
I got the privelage
to ride in on a carriage
and be walked down the aisle
by my dad.
Ceremony
Our incredible parents
whom we love so much
and are so thankful for
Wifey&Hubby
Selfies w/ everyone
All of our decorations were hand made by me, my mom, and my grandma. When it all came together I was happy that I could play such a big role in preparation. Also DIY is not perfect but it saves so much money in the long run.. (more money for the honeymoon)
The beautiful bouquet
When the sun joins the party
We had a super awesome
band that made the wedding day
more festive
The best wedding hosts
(we love and miss you guys!)
We have the
greatest friends in the world
I made a pinata
and filled it with confetti
for some extra fun.
Pictures we're exhausting
But we had an awesome
Photographer
(I also was barefoot
the whole wedding
except during the ceremony,
who does that?)
I fell. In my wedding dress.
I was running and I fell.
So Andrey decided to
lay down next to me
so I wouldn't be alone
My favorite part of the day
So my wedding dress
Got covered in spilled coke
But that didn't bring me down
I was too tired to care; )
We ended the party
with a confetti tunnel..
Lots of tears...
Beautiful evening lights..
And engraved our names
into the wall before we
drove off.
11/11/2015
Long distance
There were many people that didn't think we would make It this far, not because we weren't compatible, but because we lived 17 hours away from each other. But looking back now I am so thankful that we got to experience a long distance relationship. It wasn't easy, in fact it took a lot of work, but it came with many benefits.
We might have not had the typical dating experience that most couples had, but for me it was perfect and extra special. Even though we didn't go on many dates and to many places, we got to spend lots of time together through Skype (thank goodness for technology) which sounds lame, but it was something I looked forward to everyday. We would drink tea together, watch movies together, stay up late every night talking, laughing, or just doing our own thing. All that mattered was that we spent time with each other, and it didn't matter how. Through skype we would read the bible and pray together, we had many discussions, and shared lots of stories about ourselves. Through this, our communication skills became extra strong. We got to know each other on a different, more personal level, because when you can't really do activities together and all you have is communication, you get the chance to share so much more of yourself through words.
There were nights where we would stay up so late that we both ended up falling asleep, only to find each other still sleeping with Skype on the next day. During the day we kept up with each other using snapchat or phone calls on our way to work. We sent each other little gifts, sometimes letters or poems, he even bought me pizza once in a while and had it delivered to my work.
In the beginning of the relationship we saw each other at least once a month, sometimes twice, which we felt really lucky about. Andrey worked at the airport and got great benefits. That made flying cheaper and much more efficient. I still remember waiting for the day when we would finally see each other once again. There would be so many emotions at once; excitement, nervousness, sometimes stress, but most of all a relief that we would finally be spending time with each other once
more. Each visit we grew closer and closer to each other and wanted to be with each other so much more.
Good byes were the worst, so painful. There were tears, and the few days after were gloomy and depressing. All we could do was get busy with our lives in order to not think about it. But we would soon plan our next trip and have something to look forward to for the next month.
The whole relationship we felt Gods hand guiding us and leading us. He blessed us so so much. There were times where visits were at the verge of not working out, but He always found a way to make things happen. We got the privilege to spend every holiday and almost every birthday together. He helped us grow together, He helped us resolve rough patches, and He taught us and prepared us for our future together, without God this wouldn't have been possible.
After a year of dating adventures Andrey proposed and we started planning for the wedding. Our engagement was a year long which made the planning process a piece of cake. But it felt like forever; we were so eager to be with other and were running out of patience. We got to see each other way less, sometimes once every three months, which wasn't easy, but it made our wedding day so much
more exciting. We took marriage courses with my pastor using three way skype, and through that we were preparing for our marriage. I really recommend courses to all engaged couples because they really do make an influence in the future.
Our relationship was no where near perfect, we had downfalls. Long distance took a lot of trust and patience. But what was important was that we always kept fighting and moving forward. With every downfall we got stronger and wiser and more in love. I just want to encourage anyone in a serious relationship to always get back up. If you start to doubt, focus on everything that's great about you guys, and always pray for reassurance. Make sure that God is at the center of it, find time to pray together. Our relationship wouldn't be possible without God. Remember that God is the source of love so when you turn to Him you will find so many more ways to love each other. In the end, it's all worth it, all the waiting, it's an experience I wouldn't trade for anything.
Most of all, cherish every moment, marriage is nothing like dating, they are both amazing and both special. I love remembering all the adventures we shared, all the feelings we felt, the anticipation. A
healthy dating process leads to a healthy marriage.
And if you're not in a relationship yet, it will come, just trust. The Lord always has our best interest, He always knows what's right for us. Your fairy tale will come. You don't even have to look too hard because you might be looking in the wrong places. Andrey showed up in my life when I least needed a boyfriend, and everything turned out blessedly. I always tell people that when your relationship with God is strong and pure, when nothing can take Gods place in your life, that's when He knows you're ready for someone to share that love with.
I'm not an expert, and I know every relationship is different, but I'm always happy to share the life changing experiences I've had with others, my hope is that someday it will help someone. This post is just my dating experience in a nut shell, it consisted of so many more details, so many more lessons learned, and I'd be happy to share them with anyone who cares. If you ever have any questions or just want to talk, don't be shy to hit me up, I'm always happy to listen and share.
Thanks for reading.
We might have not had the typical dating experience that most couples had, but for me it was perfect and extra special. Even though we didn't go on many dates and to many places, we got to spend lots of time together through Skype (thank goodness for technology) which sounds lame, but it was something I looked forward to everyday. We would drink tea together, watch movies together, stay up late every night talking, laughing, or just doing our own thing. All that mattered was that we spent time with each other, and it didn't matter how. Through skype we would read the bible and pray together, we had many discussions, and shared lots of stories about ourselves. Through this, our communication skills became extra strong. We got to know each other on a different, more personal level, because when you can't really do activities together and all you have is communication, you get the chance to share so much more of yourself through words.
There were nights where we would stay up so late that we both ended up falling asleep, only to find each other still sleeping with Skype on the next day. During the day we kept up with each other using snapchat or phone calls on our way to work. We sent each other little gifts, sometimes letters or poems, he even bought me pizza once in a while and had it delivered to my work.
In the beginning of the relationship we saw each other at least once a month, sometimes twice, which we felt really lucky about. Andrey worked at the airport and got great benefits. That made flying cheaper and much more efficient. I still remember waiting for the day when we would finally see each other once again. There would be so many emotions at once; excitement, nervousness, sometimes stress, but most of all a relief that we would finally be spending time with each other once
more. Each visit we grew closer and closer to each other and wanted to be with each other so much more.
Good byes were the worst, so painful. There were tears, and the few days after were gloomy and depressing. All we could do was get busy with our lives in order to not think about it. But we would soon plan our next trip and have something to look forward to for the next month.
The whole relationship we felt Gods hand guiding us and leading us. He blessed us so so much. There were times where visits were at the verge of not working out, but He always found a way to make things happen. We got the privilege to spend every holiday and almost every birthday together. He helped us grow together, He helped us resolve rough patches, and He taught us and prepared us for our future together, without God this wouldn't have been possible.
After a year of dating adventures Andrey proposed and we started planning for the wedding. Our engagement was a year long which made the planning process a piece of cake. But it felt like forever; we were so eager to be with other and were running out of patience. We got to see each other way less, sometimes once every three months, which wasn't easy, but it made our wedding day so much
more exciting. We took marriage courses with my pastor using three way skype, and through that we were preparing for our marriage. I really recommend courses to all engaged couples because they really do make an influence in the future.
Our relationship was no where near perfect, we had downfalls. Long distance took a lot of trust and patience. But what was important was that we always kept fighting and moving forward. With every downfall we got stronger and wiser and more in love. I just want to encourage anyone in a serious relationship to always get back up. If you start to doubt, focus on everything that's great about you guys, and always pray for reassurance. Make sure that God is at the center of it, find time to pray together. Our relationship wouldn't be possible without God. Remember that God is the source of love so when you turn to Him you will find so many more ways to love each other. In the end, it's all worth it, all the waiting, it's an experience I wouldn't trade for anything.
Most of all, cherish every moment, marriage is nothing like dating, they are both amazing and both special. I love remembering all the adventures we shared, all the feelings we felt, the anticipation. A
healthy dating process leads to a healthy marriage.
And if you're not in a relationship yet, it will come, just trust. The Lord always has our best interest, He always knows what's right for us. Your fairy tale will come. You don't even have to look too hard because you might be looking in the wrong places. Andrey showed up in my life when I least needed a boyfriend, and everything turned out blessedly. I always tell people that when your relationship with God is strong and pure, when nothing can take Gods place in your life, that's when He knows you're ready for someone to share that love with.
I'm not an expert, and I know every relationship is different, but I'm always happy to share the life changing experiences I've had with others, my hope is that someday it will help someone. This post is just my dating experience in a nut shell, it consisted of so many more details, so many more lessons learned, and I'd be happy to share them with anyone who cares. If you ever have any questions or just want to talk, don't be shy to hit me up, I'm always happy to listen and share.
Thanks for reading.
Its never too early for winter.
So much memories filled my mind with the new snow fall, so many feelings. I haven't been this excited for the winter time in a while, I usually don't even like winter, but this year I'm extra excited and I don't know why. I guess this year was filled with many changes, and the winter time recconects me with my past, I start remembering childhood memories, family traditions, and I want to experience all that once more in my new place in life, with my new little family of two. Being a nanny also makes this season that much more exciting because Im excited to share the winter season and Christmas spirit with the kiddos. I plan to relive my childhood this season, going all out. I plan to find the perfect Christmas tree, decorate my home, make cookies, drink hot chocolate. I'm excited to rewatch The Polar Express for the millionth time, and all the other winter movies like Elf, The Grinch, Charlie brown, Home Alone. I'm excited to make Ginger bread houses, and listen to Christmas music, I'm excited for church on Christmas Eve and the spirit of giving. I'm excited for winter coats and boots and hats, making snowmen and snow angels, and maybe even snowboarding. I'm excited for gatherings and fireplaces and staying indoors. Im excited for presents, and parties, and yummy food. I'm excited to see all the lights and decorations, and so much more, the list could go on and on. This season just makes me so happy. But its also makes me miss my family and all the memories we shared. And even though I won't get to fully relive those days, I'm excited for new memories and new experiences that we will make this year with my family of two and pass on for many years to come as our family grows. I think you're never to old to be excited for all that the season brings, I think its never too early for the Christmas spirit. May it never end, may we always give our all to this amazing season.
11/09/2015
How we met.
My parents got invited to a wedding in Denver, its was a chance for my mom to see some of the family she hadnt seen in years but there were factors that were preventing us from going. So for two days we were deciding whether to go or not, and we were leaning towards not going, but then last minute my dad got us into the car and we started driving. And boy am i glad we went because we were a decision a way from me not meeting my soul mate.
It was a fun road trip, just me, my mom, and my dad. Throughout the trip my mom kept teasing me that I could find a boy for myself at the wedding, which made me mad. I was in a good place, I didnt need boys in my life, I was dating myself.
Not focusing on boys made the trip exactly what I wanted; I got to spend time with my parents, I got to meet some of my family that I didn't even know existed, I got to enjoy the wedding, and I had a fun time exploring Denver. Little did I know, moms words have magic or something, but throughout my whole trip Andrey ended up being somewhere in the picture.
All the girls thought he was super cute and amazing, but I didn't care, I let them think that. (He looks so much better now BTW, back then he was super scrawny, like a toothpick.) He was the one that got to drive us around the town, me and him had some small talk, but nothing that indicated that someday we would get married. I was focused on family, and he was busy entertaining guests since it was his sisters wedding.
The wedding was a success and so was the trip, we had a long drive home because of traffic, but I got busy adding all the new people I met on Facebook and instagram. To my surprise I received a message from Andrey right away, he was apologizing for being a bad host and not saying good bye to me when I left. That made me laugh because I didn't really care for his goodbye, it's not like we had a connection or anything. So after some small talk we said our goodbyes and I wasn't really planning on having any more conversations with him after that.
About a week or so later I noticed that Andrey was on my Facebook, because he was liking my pictures, more than one. So of course like all girls, over thinking the situation, I figured he was trying to get my attention. (Which I then learned he had no intention of) But my over thinking got us talking, I wrote him and from there we ended up talking all day, and a day turned into week, and then he asked for my number, and then I added him on snapchat. We took things slow, he had to ask for my number more than once and I didn't send him my face on snapchat for weeks. But then things got to the point where it was pretty clear we were into each other and he told me he wanted to see where our relationship could go.
So we started dating but we didn't get a chance to meet in person until a few months later, so we had to compromise and date through Skype. This really helped us get to know each other because the only thing we could do was talk, and sometimes eat ice cream.
But a few weeks later he surprised me with a visit and we finally saw each other in person. It was pretty stressful and chaotic but it got us to where we are now, so you could probably say things went well from there. We would take turns visiting each other at least once a month and after a year of dating we got engaged. Our engagement was a year long and this May we celebrated the best day of our lives and committed to each other for the rest of our days.
I guess I have my mom to thank for us meeting, because like I said, moms words are magic, and during our Denver trip she noticed Andrey right away. As she pointed him out to me, maybe it was God speaking through her, but I believe at that moment she jinxed us into falling in love with each other even though we didn't know it yet.
Oh and I guess his sister Inna and my cousin Dima because we met at their wedding.
The end.
I hope you enjoyed our random silly story, just a broad description of how we ended up together. Next I will be writing about our experience with long distance, so stay tuned.
It was a fun road trip, just me, my mom, and my dad. Throughout the trip my mom kept teasing me that I could find a boy for myself at the wedding, which made me mad. I was in a good place, I didnt need boys in my life, I was dating myself.
Not focusing on boys made the trip exactly what I wanted; I got to spend time with my parents, I got to meet some of my family that I didn't even know existed, I got to enjoy the wedding, and I had a fun time exploring Denver. Little did I know, moms words have magic or something, but throughout my whole trip Andrey ended up being somewhere in the picture.
All the girls thought he was super cute and amazing, but I didn't care, I let them think that. (He looks so much better now BTW, back then he was super scrawny, like a toothpick.) He was the one that got to drive us around the town, me and him had some small talk, but nothing that indicated that someday we would get married. I was focused on family, and he was busy entertaining guests since it was his sisters wedding.
The wedding was a success and so was the trip, we had a long drive home because of traffic, but I got busy adding all the new people I met on Facebook and instagram. To my surprise I received a message from Andrey right away, he was apologizing for being a bad host and not saying good bye to me when I left. That made me laugh because I didn't really care for his goodbye, it's not like we had a connection or anything. So after some small talk we said our goodbyes and I wasn't really planning on having any more conversations with him after that.
About a week or so later I noticed that Andrey was on my Facebook, because he was liking my pictures, more than one. So of course like all girls, over thinking the situation, I figured he was trying to get my attention. (Which I then learned he had no intention of) But my over thinking got us talking, I wrote him and from there we ended up talking all day, and a day turned into week, and then he asked for my number, and then I added him on snapchat. We took things slow, he had to ask for my number more than once and I didn't send him my face on snapchat for weeks. But then things got to the point where it was pretty clear we were into each other and he told me he wanted to see where our relationship could go.
So we started dating but we didn't get a chance to meet in person until a few months later, so we had to compromise and date through Skype. This really helped us get to know each other because the only thing we could do was talk, and sometimes eat ice cream.
But a few weeks later he surprised me with a visit and we finally saw each other in person. It was pretty stressful and chaotic but it got us to where we are now, so you could probably say things went well from there. We would take turns visiting each other at least once a month and after a year of dating we got engaged. Our engagement was a year long and this May we celebrated the best day of our lives and committed to each other for the rest of our days.
I guess I have my mom to thank for us meeting, because like I said, moms words are magic, and during our Denver trip she noticed Andrey right away. As she pointed him out to me, maybe it was God speaking through her, but I believe at that moment she jinxed us into falling in love with each other even though we didn't know it yet.
Oh and I guess his sister Inna and my cousin Dima because we met at their wedding.
The end.
I hope you enjoyed our random silly story, just a broad description of how we ended up together. Next I will be writing about our experience with long distance, so stay tuned.
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