Monark Life

Monark campmeeting has been a different story this year. 

First off, Tyrel wasn't going to come until the middle of the week, then he came and arrived early. :D We took Engagement pictures with our photographers on Monday morning, then got a call that he was being shipped back to West Virginia that afternoon to do some farming while the weather was fine.

So I spent some time at home working on wedding stuff and dresses and taking care of my darling little plants.

I'm spending one last night out with my friends before Tyrel arrives at Monark again in the morning.  Sooo ready for him to be back and to not be "wandering around alone" :P

Friends in the new Tabernacle on the first night:)



Hurts Donuts with Mecia the first night :) (thankgoodness for 24 hour places)



A full tabernacle... how it made my heart happy :)

And even happier when to have this crazy man here to goof off with 😘

My lil hunk-a-chunk of a nephew ❤️



I love seeing all the golf carts carting people to the new tabernacle.



People milling around after lunch under the tent where the old tabernacle stood.



They get the award for the cutest mode of transportation to church. 😉.



Beautiful sky!!

My good girls who came to my rescue after Tyrel left.

Zinnias in the garden at home 😍

Brent kept telling the doggy "hiii" 👋🏼😚

Finally... Christy arrived! ☺️

-MarLeahJoy

Fourth

I got back to Missouri in time to spend the Fourth of July at my Aunt and Uncle's house. Everyone kept reminding me that this was my last holiday celebration here, so I pulled out my camera. ;)

Drew was our griller for the evening :) 

I love how these pictures turned out looking like they were taken on a 60's film camera.

-MarLeahJoy

Drive-By

As I was filling up with gas before heading out on 1,000 miles home, I looked behind me and saw the bright sun shining through the bottom of the fog. I tried finding my phone to snap a picture, only to realize I had left it at our house. So I grabbed my camera, but too late to get the really amazing orange glow. 

Since I had my camera with me, I decided to take pictures (out the window and through the windshield 😜) as I was driving out of the area. I only realized later that I had the shutter speed way too low, but it kinda helps with the "driving by" feel... ;)

I also just made a VIDEO (((yay!!! - Yes, I've already watched it 5 times))) of my whole time in West Virginia and the last two scenes were from the morning I was leaving...

The very last scene is a clip from where I took this picture below. :) Mmmm... so beautiful I could just eat it!!!! 🙊😋😍

Ahhhhh goodness!!! I love this part of the country!

And last, but not least, the field we had been hauling hay out of throughout the week. :)

-MarLeahJoy

16 Days Worth...

I honestly never thought I'd get the opportunity to spend this much time in West Virginia with Tyrel before we got married. I was always so hard pressed with my vacation days. But I decided to quit my job early... 3 months before our wedding to give me more time to work on our yard, gardens... and well, to spend a little more time with Tyrel. :)

I went out to West Virginia for their church camp meeting and got to stay a while longer and be with Tyrel's Uncle and family when they came in for the Fourth of July. :D

I always love the new variety of jobs I'm introduced to when I'm in WV... I was there for most of the experience of this concrete pour. :)

I enjoyed this evening so much!! I had kind of been feeling a little crummy, but nothing like a little sunshine and hay-making to make you feel better! :)

It's always an absolutely beautiful experience in WV... and now it's reallllly sinking in how this is going to be my new home in 2 months!

I'm trying to think about it realistically and realize that things aren't always going to be just peachy. But seriously, I'm so stinking ready to just try it out for myself and create our own life. :)

-MarLeahJoy

Save the Date

The day for our wedding seems to be coming soooo quickly when I think of all the things that still need to get done around here. But thinking of that same time frame in regards to how long we still have to wait to get married?! Then I'm kinda like "😒🙄😫😫" Hehe 😬

This morning, I was struggling with the waiting part a little extra much... sitting on the floor partly doing laundry, kinda laying over and dozing at times, but also praying and listening some to some piano hymns. 😝 All of a sudden a song came on where there was actual singing, and it was talking about how God already sees the rainbow in any situation we are in. I don't think of "having to wait" like this so much as a spiritual trial or battle, so I kinda dismissed the encouragement I should have gathered from the song.

I'm thankful the Lord didn't give up... He sent me another song that not only has helped me accept waiting, but now I want to embrace the challenge of waiting with a smile on my face. ☺️ 

I love listening to old musical throw-backs too, and this song totally has that weird dreamy vibe... lol

I think my mom has been trying to tell me this already... :P

I'm sorry, momma, that it sometimes takes me a while to "get" what you're trying to tell me.

In the meantime, I've made a video of the last 10 wonderful months with Tyrel.

 Click here for the video.
And I almost cried as I was making it... So many memories just flooded over me!

We started out dating at Monark National Chrurch Camp in July.
Followed by a week of doing hay in September. 😅

Then we were together for several weddings between September and December.

Tyrel came and visited for my birthday/his birthday/Christmas in December.
We were together for a short while in WV and got engaged on February 1st.
A few days before Tyrel came to visit in March, he sent me a link to a house that was for sale... 😍
I went out to WV to meet my new nephew, Zane, and while I was out there we closed on the house April 26th. 😱😍
And most recently, we saw each other last weekend in Kentucky for his cousin's graduation... 👍🏼

Now, we are anticipating the meeting in West Virginia and MONARK!!! 😅

I'm so so so excited I won't be working during Monark this year. Now we can enjoy alllll the  services together! ☺️

After Monark until our wedding is going to be the longest month and a half ever, but hey... I've gotta remember that this is my chance to be a "little flower" that doesn't worry when the rain comes. Let it rain, let it rain, let it pour!  😁😉

This awesome bridesmaid took the pictures for us... (thank you so much, Summer!!!)

So afterwards we scrunched together for a picture. 😍

Have a bubbly weekend, everyone!!

-MarLeahJoy