Married and Loving it!

Hey guys! I'm back! I can't believe I've been married now for OVER a month! Wow! Where did all the time go? I guess having a 2 week honeymoon is where most of it went..but still! Funny, cuz at the same time, I feel like we've been married longer than a month.

The gorgeous mini roses Alex got for our 1st Monthiversary! Such a sweetie!

So....I'm SO looking forward to back-posting for the last 4 months, but you'll have to bear with me.... Besides setting up our sweet little home, I don't have all the wedding photos back yet, and my computer needs a complete cleaning because I'm out of space (seriously right? 35,000+ photos, assorted music, and tons of ranch stuff can do it to you, I guess! ...and that's not even including our formal engagement or wedding photos!) 8-O

So. Here's my update for now. Our engagement was a dream (crazy, because it was only 61 days, but nevertheless a dream), and our wedding was magical. It was everything I ever wanted, was mostly stress-free, and went smoothly (for the most part--forget about the 4-tier cake melting, or my cathedral length veil catching on our concrete textured stairs! ;) Haha....but really, those just made fabulous memories, and the weather was even cooler than expected! (Mid 80's instead of early 90's!)

Prayer with my parents beforehand

Waiting to walk down the aisle! 

The leaning tower of awesome Lemon Poppyseed Cake!!) Thanks Lauren for being it's support!

My husband and I

Alex took me on a total surprise honeymoon. I didn't know where we were going for almost all of it. We ended up staying at the Resort for the first night (which was my dream), and then through a long string of events, involving a partial kidnapping, and romantic picnic lunch (more on that in a future post), I found myself at the airport, with a destination ticket to Hawaii!!!

Sunsets!!

One night it started raining cats and dogs, while we were waiting for the bus...so we took the opportunity to.... ;)

We spent a week in Kona, at a timeshare that my parents and aunt and uncle so thoughtfully got for us, and after catching up on sleep, and having adventures there, Alex packed us up, and shocked me by taking us to Southern California (where he was raised), for the last week of our honeymoon!! That was super exciting as except for the LA airport, the furthest I've been in CA is Sacramento!

It was SO good to relive his childhood with him in places like his Grandma's house (we spent 4 nights there!), San Clemente (where he grew up), and Legoland!!! We also decided to go to Disneyland and Knott's Berry Farm, because...well, I suppose you could say we're kids at heart and I LOVE roller coasters!! =D hehe

Disneyland!!

Legoland!!! :)

A picture with Mr. Surfer Dude =D

Last dinner with Grandma Barb & Aunt Liz

We came back in time to start temporarily settling into my parent's basement (as our rental fell through for unavoidable reasons), which has actually been a huge blessing in disguise!! Not only do we get to save more money, but all of our wedding stuff is in the garage, as are all the boxes we aren't unpacking until we really get settled! My parents and siblings are amazing, and it has turned out to be a perfect situation for now.

We are really trying to take to heart 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12:

"And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; that ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing."

Thus, I'll post when time and computer space allows! And that my dears, is all for now!!

Last Day As A....

Today is my last day of being a single woman. Yes, I know I haven't posted in months...I'm sorry. There is so much I want to back post too....life, the proposal, our whirlwind engagement lasting just 61 days, and ever so much.
But that will all have to wait. Until after tomorrow. The first day of the rest of my life.

Yes, on April 5th, 2015 - Easter Sunday, Alex asked me to marry him - overlooking the gorgeous Hayden Lake. Pictures were amazing, and so were the memories....

And the way he did it? By digging out a rock he'd had my brothers engrave, asking me to marry him. It was perfect. And tomorrow, I marry him!

Much more photos to come...after we marry. After we honeymoon (the place, I know not which, for it's a surprise!). After we settle. But, Lord-willing, it will come!

Take a peek, at www.weddingwire.com/henkoski

We're even hoping to have Live-Stream there, which will be posted on the page there. So you can tune in, if you are, and make sure to drop us a note if you do, so we can enjoy it with you!

Only 1 day, and 7 hours. Praise God, I'm blessed!!

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of eivl, to give you an expected end."

~ Jeremiah 29:11 ~

Engagement Story

It's April. I can't believe it's been so long since I've posted. I have so much I've wanted to write, so MANY pictures!

Yes, probably most if not all of you know...Alex and I are engaged. If it weren't that we decided a 61-day long engagement sounded great, I probably would have posted earlier, but there are a LOT of decisions you have to make!! :)

Easter morning, April 5th, 2015, I didn't really think he was going to propose... Sure I wondered, but then, as Alex says, "Sarah's always wondering". haha And so, I suppose I am. There were a few things that were just enough different that I chose to write them in my journal the night before--just in case, but if you read it, you'd say: 'That's a bunch of nonsense that doesn't point to anything'...and you'd be right.

Still, I did paint my fingernails a sparkly transparent color before church, because I've read a lot of places that that was one thing all the newly-engaged girls wished they'd done since the did show their ring off all day!

Alex was smart, and waited for ME to bring up the idea of going to the Sunrise Service (he was already planning to propose then), but I did have to wonder when he said he was going to wear my 'favorite blue shirt' and that I should match him...but then asked me to dress up 'like a princess' the night before, because....after all, it is Easter!! :) There was nothing conclusive to it, and really, that wasn't a hint for me..but I did think it was funny.

We had talked about types of proposals before, and I knew he was going to do it when we were alone and figured that he'd do it somewhere else than our house--which because of our busy schedules pretty much only left Sundays. So, in my mind, I guess I figured that he'd propose after church on the way home, by way of a park or something. It really NEVER crossed my mind that he'd do it RIGHT AFTER the Sunrise Service on Honeysuckle Beach--after all, we had to go to the breakfast at the church, right??

Alas, Alex is way too good at surprises. My brothers were his cohorts, and David photographed and videoed everything. We took a walk around the dock where my dad and Alex pretended to 'baptize' James...and then instead of just going to the car to drive to church, Alex decided he wanted to take a walk. We informed my folks, and started on our merry way.

At that point, okay, I wondered, but it wasn't until we'd started down a little path winding between trees with the marsh on one side and Hayden Lake on the other, that I thought "I think he really is going to propose!" While we walked, enjoying the beauty and chatting a little bit, I felt like I was in a Jane Austen movie... "How are you supposed to feel when you're going to get engaged?" "Can this really be happening?"

Finally, after a good ways, he decided we should go 'all classy' and take off our coats. I humored him, and we laid them on the side of the road. NOTE: Yes, it was 27 degrees outside. ;) We continued walking and finally we paused looking out over the lake. He started praying, and then I prayed, and he asked God for wisdom for the future. I felt his heart beating fast, and knew he was going to propose (though outwardly, you would have never known). Still, I didn't really think it was going to be then.

 Just as soon as I opened my eyes, he was scuffing the ground with his foot, and then kneeled to dig something out of the dirt. Curious, I watched. My first thought was that it was a sewer cap. Haha. But when he picked it up and blew it off, I saw it was a rock, and then he handed it to me.

Him digging out the rock

Suddenly, reality hit me, and after reading the words, I looked back at Alex and he was holding out a ring box (that he had made!) with the most beautiful ring I'd ever seen. He asked me to marry him, and I said yes. And then, it took 10 minutes to process that I was now, {finally} engaged. To Alex. Unbelievable. This man, my man, my Alexander. I cried, we prayed, hugged, and talked.

Asking me to marry him

Presenting the ring

Early on in our walk, I noticed a bird house in the distance, and where we were now, I saw it was just on the other side of the path. It looked like something was in it, and upon looking closer, I realized it was a camera!! Alex had set up 3 video cameras---2 in home-made birdhouses, and 1 in a tree, and had disguised David in a gillie suit to take the rest of the photos!!

After some more time together, my parents came and gave me flowers, hugged and prayed with us, and then left us to have some more time. After more talking, photo taking, and packing up all the gear, we walked to the car, and headed to church to eat breakfast.

Right after the proposal, Alex showed me this other ring he had gotten for kicks--a HUGE faux diamond solitaire, which we then proceeded to have LOTS of fun all the day long--getting hilarious responses out of our viewers when they'd ask to see my ring.

We had a really sweet Easter dinner at my house with Alex's parents, grandparents, and my grandparents too, and then that evening, my parents put on an impromptu engagement party. It was so precious, priceless, memorable, special, and amazing.

This is a GIF showing my reaction to him telling me about David in the Gillie suit.

What's your love story?? I want to know!!!

Thoughts on Real Love

I read this the other day, and couldn't agree more... The world has a twisted idea on what love really is: the type of love that Christ had for us: agape love.

They say love is blind. I disagree. Infatuation is blind. 

Love is all-seeing and accepting. Love is seeing the flaws and blemishes and accepting them. Love is accepting the bad habits and mannerisms, and working around them. Love is recognizing all the fears and insecurities, and knowing your role is to comfort. Love is working through all the challenges and painful times.

Infatuation is fragile and will shatter when life is not perfect. Love is strong and it strengthens because it is real.

January | Rest of Month

January was another full month for everyone and a lot of fun too.. :) 

First off though, I found a couple photos on my phone from a couple outings with Alex in November: one where we had to get some organics (I straightened my hair that day) & the other when we all went to the Dollar Store and Alex decided to make James a Dr. Seuss character.

Going back a bit, on January 7th, Hank & Tasha (Alex's sister and hubby), Daniel & Rachel, and a couple other friends went on a quadruple date to Tito Macaroni's, before going to the Cotton Candy machine (thus our cotton-candy colored outfits). Alas, we had so much fun at the table, though we were just next door, we arrived and they were *gasp* closed!! Horrors!! T'was a great disappointment, but we all solemnly decided we must go again and change our fate.

Plans having changed, we went on to have dessert at Gooeys and embraced a chilly walk around the short side of the boardwalk before clambering back into our cars and driving home.

On the 13th, Alex dropped by for lunch and brought by these beautiful mini Orchids to grace my desk at work..aren't they adorable?! :) He's such a sweetheart.

We all went skiing again, 3rd week of January, and since homeschool days get such good rates, you always see friends on the slope... :) (Let me tell you--homeschoolers don't lack for friends!!) 

A relaxing, quiet afternoon journaling, working, and drinking a healthy version of  an Orange Julius and popcorn. :)

January 24th was a full day, starting with the Homeschool Spelling Bee. It's long been a tradition to compete and enjoy these annual competitions, and at the end, I'm proud to say that Esther and Josiah (our 2 competitors) won their divisions (6th and 8th grades, respectively) and are going to Regionals in March!! It'll sure be fun to see if either of them go to Nationals this year!

Afterwards, we all went to celebrate at Ihop, and Alex and one of the judges came and ate with us.

In our opinions, you never get too old for coloring! :)

Afterwards, we went to the Symphony (another annual tradition), and this time Alex came with us too! That's been awhile... Isn't he handsome? ;)

 That evening, a bunch of my co-workers (ie. friends and family, haha) and I had a game night...talk about fun! This game is called Ticket to Ride, and if you haven't played, you should! It's awesome, and a mix between relaxing and strategic. I was yellow and did pretty good! :)

Alex and I had a little mudding adventure on the 26th, and enjoyed washing the car clean afterwards. :)

Aren't these adorable?! I found them for a GREAT price at GoodWill for Rebekah.

January 31st, to finish out the month, Esther and I made pizza together for dinner....talk about delicious! :)

 Mmmm..are you hungry now?? Haha...well, you should be!!

And that was our January! Yes, there were other things--selling alpacas (we're down to 20 now!), lots of work and school, etc. But these were our highlights.

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: according as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love..."

~ Ephesians 1:3-4 ~