Andrew's Song for Anna

Andrew surprised me and wrote a song that he sang during the ceremony. I have been waiting three years for Andrew to write me a song and he could not have picked a better day to do it. I absolutely loved it!! I am still singing parts of it and I love watching the video of it. I still tear up when I hear it. I love Andrew so much and can't believe he is my husband. Good job Drew!! Here are the words to the song.

Through the years, dreamers dream
Lessons learned, some still unseen
Yet in this moment so surreal
I’ve lost all words, His plan revealed

I can’t wait a minute more
Another sunrise or sunset
To be united as one
This is the time, reality defined

It’s you babe, it’s me
No longer apart, together, forever, we’ll be
My love for you, will stand true (it will stand true)
Never-ending, baby I love you

I’ve been waiting for – a moment like this
To gaze into your gorgeous eyes
To savor your sweet, sweet kiss
To finally call you mine

The Rehersal

Well, its been awhile since I last blogged. So much has happened but I will post things in the correct order, starting with the rehersal dinner.

We had our rehersal on the Thursday before the wedding at Wolf Lakes. Almost all of our wedding party was there. We started by running through the wedding ceremony with the wedding coordinator at Wolf Lakes. We decided that having the wedding inside would probably be our best bet even though it wasn't suppose to rain, it was still very cold out. Everything went smoothing and it made the event such a reality. After about a 45 mintue run though of the ceremony everyone headed to The Old Spaghetti Factory where Andrew's mom reserved a room for all of us. This is one of our most favorite resturants so it was only fitting to have the dinner here. It was perfect and the food was great! Everyone just visited and enjoyed each others company. Thank you to Andrew's parents for hosting the dinner and for making the evening very special to us. Here are a few photos from the dinner.

Dinner at The Old Spaghetti Factory.

They finally have a sister!!

Our last few nights as singles...the wedding is almost here!

Man Tool-Time Shower...I mean Party!

Its the boys turn! A tradition in my family is that the boys throw a tool-time party for the groom. It is apparently is much better than the girls showers...I don't know about that! Andrew was very excited to have this party because he had not a single tool. Although we are moving into an apartment, we still need tools. I had a few tools but not that many. I was informed by my brother-in-law that if the wife has more tools than the husband when they get married, its not a good way to start a marriage. So the boys hooked Andrew up with all kinds of good stuff. Thank you to all the guys who came and thank you for helping Andrew get his tool collection started! Here are a few pictures from the night.

TWO WEEK NOTICE!!!!

That's right...this is your two week notice that the marriage of Andrew and Anna is about to begin...ARE YOU READY?! I know we are!!
I cannot believe that it is only two weeks away. It seems just like yesterday that we got engaged. AHHHHHHHHH.........I'm getting married!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Sorry, I just had a moment!)

So a little update from my last post. Andrew came to Fresno two weekends in a row! He came to run sound for a concert at our church. His buddy Shawn came with him and it was so nice to finally put a face to the guy who Andrew plays Halo with! I felt as if I already knew Shawn just because Andrew spends a lot of time with him in Portland. I am very grateful for Shawn for taking care of Andrew and for keeping Andrew company till I get up there. So thanks Shawn! Andrew then came down the following weekend for his younger brother's water polo game. Dan, Andrew's brother, took part in the Valley Championship game and his team won! Good job Dan! It was really fun to have Andrew at the game. I know all the guys on the team and the fans were very excited to see Andrew. We also picked out wedding bands that weekend and also got our marriage license. That was really fun and made it feel very real! It was so nice to see Andrew so much in a span of just two weeks, I got spoiled! Only about a week and a half later Andrew's parents, two brothers, and I loaded up their mini-van and headed north to Salem, Oregon to spend thanksgiving with Linda's (Andrew's mom) side of the family. Here is a picture of Andrew and I with his grandparents.


We had such a good time and I really realized how much I have to be thankful for. It was fun for me to go up to Oregon thinking that in just a month or so I would be moving there. I love Oregon! Although it is really cold, it is so beautiful. I am very excited to be moving up there soon. I really enjoyed Thanksgiving and getting to know that side of the family. We also celebrated his grandparents 50th Wedding Anniversary. I cannot imagine 50 years! I told Andrew that when we celebrate our 50th, I will be 75!! His grandpa told us something very sweet. He said, "I hope you two beat us." Meaning that we will be married more than 50 years, Lord willing!

Now I am back in California, Andrew is still in Oregon and its only two weeks until the wedding. I was a little stressed about some of the details but things have been coming together and now I feel like I can really enjoy the wedding more. AHHHHHHH.......I'm getting married!!
A little update on job status for me up in Oregon. I have applied to two jobs. One would be the perfect job. Its full time, high school at a school really close to Portland and the job does not start until February, which would give me a little time to adjust to Oregon life. The other job is part time, junior high at a school not that close to Portland. This job starts the 5th of January. Obviously this is not ideal but it may be better than nothing. So please be praying that God's will is done. Andrew and I have full confidence that He is going to provide. Andrew is currently apartment shopping. Pray for that. We know that this is the Lord's will for us to get married at this time and for us to be in Oregon. With that being said, we know that the Lord is faithful.

I love showers!!

My last and final shower was for my side of the family and my close friends. It was put on by my wonderful (and beautiful!) sisters!! They all did such a great job and I feel so blessed to have such amazing women in my life. (Aren't my nieces quite?!)


To start out the day we went around the circle and did introductions. It was quite a unique crowd. You had my aunts and cousins, then my family friends, my friends from high school, friends from college, people I work with, just people from different areas of my life. But I wouldn't have wanted it any other way. All the women that were there have impacted my life in some way and as they went around saying their names and how they know me, I was reminded of how blessed I have been and still am to this day.


We had an amazing lunch of soups and salads (oh, they were so good!). I was still eating the soup for lunch days after the shower...it was that good! People just sat around and talked and enjoyed each others company.


After lunch we played a little game of "True or False" about Anna and Andrew. I think my Grandma Horn won! It was really fun to share some facts about Andrew and I that many people did not know. Like for example, Andrew and I are both math majors (nerds...I know). And believe it or not, on our first date...we played basketball!! I knew from that first date that me and this guy were really going to get along! It was really fun to see how the women would choose their answer. Most of them just followed Andrew's mom since she knows a lot about Andrew! But poor Linda (Andrew's mom) was eliminated on the question about our first date. It was a really fun game...thanks Rebecca and Colleen! After the game, it was time for gifts and once again I was overwhelmed by goodness!! So many wonderful gifts and we got some of my favorite things that I registered for, I was so excited! Andrew was most excited to see the sandwich maker but I was more into our plates and cups and bedding!! I loved everything that I got and can't wait to use them all!

Thank you to all of you for coming and being a blessing in my life! Andrew and I really appreciate all that was given to us, so thank you...thank you...thank you!!! And thank you to my wonderful sisters and mother for all their hard work with putting this shower on for me! It still feels strange that all of this is for my wedding...craziness!!!

Well, the countdown is now in the 30's. Only five weeks till the bid day! It is coming up soon! Oh what a wonderful day that will...I can't wait!!!

Bridesmaid Dresses

So a few weekends ago, a few of my bridesmaids, my mother, and myself headed down south to find the most perfect bridesmaid dress! They are generally cheaper there (which is always a good thing) and its just fun to make the trip. So my sister packed us sack breakfasts and after a quick stop at Starbucks, we were on our way.


We went to a place in the heart of L.A. called the garment district. They sell mostly wholesale there and that's why its so cheap! We have been down here for a few of my sister's weddings so we knew what we were in for. But I have to say that this was the busiest I had ever seen it. It was pretty crazy!! My mom and sister had worked with one guy before so we headed for his shop first. I think it was called "Trendy Too", something like that. I did not really have specific dress in mind but I knew that I wanted the coco brown color. We were looking for semi-long but not all the way to the ground. And I did not want to get a dress that looked like a bridesmaid dress (if you know what I mean). We all went looking through all the dresses and grab a few for the girls to try on. There were some definite no's and a few maybes. Then we say this one, that the girls really liked and felt comfortable in and it was cute! So Amy and Sarah tried on the dress in both the brown and the blue, just to make sure we liked the brown better. They even found a green dress that was similar to the color of the flowers to see if it would look good.

We really liked this dress (its the one my sister is wearing on the left) but we decided to keep looking just in case. So after a few hours of looking and trying on a few. We decided to grab some lunch and make a final decision. Low and behold, we went back to the first place at "Trendy Too" and ordered the brown dresses!! The final cost was very reasonable and the bridesmaids were happy about that!


We were told the dresses were going to take about a week to arrive at my parent's house but they came only three days later! I am so relieved to find the dresses and I think my girls are going to look fabulous! With the that done, the last major item for the wedding was to order the tuxes for the gentlemen and we got that accomplished on Sunday!
So now we just wait (46 days) to become Mr. and Mrs. Wilson!! How exciting!!

On a side note, if you could please be praying for Andrew and I as we are now looking to life after the wedding and we're not sure what's exactly in store for us. Yes, we are planning on living in Oregon but as of now I don't have a job up there and that poses a few problems. We are trusting God to provide for us and we know He is in complete control. Just pray that a job of some sort will come up for one of us so that we will have health insurance. And also, we are starting to look for a place to live. We really appreciate your prayers!

Are you excited??

I have been asked this question many times in the past couple of weeks. I know that this is the normal question that people ask right before the wedding. I think it is sort of funny to ask this question because what is the person going to say? "No, not really that excited." I am sure all brides (and grooms) are excited about the wedding. If they are not then something is seriously wrong and they need to re-evaluate. So here is my answer to this question...
Yes, I am excited about the wedding BUT I am more excited about being married to Andrew. I have not been dreaming of my wedding since I was seven so I have no expectation for what it should look like or how it should go. If you know me, I am a pretty easy going girl. According to my sister (also my wedding coordinator and florist) I am the dream bride because I am letting her do her thing. The wedding will be really exciting and fun, I am not worried about that. Honestly, Andrew and I really just God to be glorified in our wedding and then in our marriage. We want people to see that He is the center of our relationship. He is the sole reason for us being united as husband and wife. It is only by the grace of God that we are getting married. So it is to Him that we will give the glory for us being together. I truly cannot wait to be married to Andrew and be his wife. I am excited to share life with him. To share joys and struggles together as a couple.
A couple of verses that have been in my heart lately regarding this event in my life are Genesis 2:24, "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh." I got a card about this verse at my shower last week. God's math, 1 + 1 = 1. Funny how it works!! Also, Matthew 19:6, "So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore, what God has joined together, let man not separate."
To summarize, we are both excited about the wedding but to us, its not about the "wedding", its about life after the wedding. That is what we are excited about!!!

I had a shower yesterday...

Ok, so not that type of shower, but a bridal shower!! My first one. It was put on by my mother-in-law to be, Linda, Kirsten and Lisa. This shower was for Andrew's side of the family and also ladies from the church. I was so excited for this special event.



We had a couple of games and then cake and ice cream while I opened gifts. The first game we played was to see how well Andrew and I know each others. Every time I got a question wrong I had to chew a piece of gum. I had to answer two types of questions, first questions about Andrew and then second, questions about me but how I thought Andrew answered. There were lots of questions and let me just say that they weren't your general questions but they were very specific questions. It was fun to do this game but by the end I had a huge wad of gum in my mouth. Here's the deal though, for many of the questions I was thinking of an answer in my head but thought that I had to be more specific with my answer so I didn't say it. For example, one question that I had to say what I thought Andrew would answer was "What is your favorite movie as a couple to watch?" I was thinking in my head, "We don't really watch movies." But of course I thought I had to come up with a specific movie. So I said something and got it wrong. This is what Andrew said, "We don't really watch movies, we watch basketball." If I had just said what I was thinking!! I couldn't believe how much gum had I had to chew. I think my soon-to-be mother-in-law did that game and asked those hard questions just to torture me!! It was fun and even though it seemed like I don't really know Andrew, I can say with confidence that I truly do know the man I am marrying, at least the important stuff!


After that wonderful game...it was cake and ice cream time. I was relieved to have something to eat to take away the gum flavor in my mouth. The cake was wonderful (thank you Lisa)!! As everyone ate their desserts, I opened gifts.


I got so many nice things. I couldn't remember what exactly I registered for so it was fun to see everything. We got the essential stuff like a waffle maker, blender (for Andrew's orange juice!), kitchen towels, and just things of that sort. We also go some decorating things that I registered for. I am so excited to have a little home to decorate. Oh wait, we don't technically have a place to live yet, but some day we will!! And to top it all off, the gifts ended with the ever so famous, "fun box"! Thank you Linda, Kirsten and Lisa, I am sure Andrew and I will both enjoy the "fun box"!!

I had such a great time and just to add to the fun, Andrew's grandma Wilson, Aunt Colleen, cousin Amy, and second cousin Hannah made the trip over from Santa Cruz just to share in the special event. I couldn't believe they would come all that way just for the shower, I really appreciated it! And it was great fun chatting with all of them.


So thank you Linda, Lisa and Kirsten for all your hard work and for such a fun day! I feel truly blessed to be surrounded by such wonderful women of God.

Registering!!

Since Andrew is in Oregon, I have been left to do all the registering myself. My mom helped me register at Target and let me just say that after about an hour and a half, I was done!! It is very overwhelming...to say the least!! It was fun to think that in about two months I would be sharing all this new stuff with my husband. I had no idea there was so much stuff you needed to start a home. We decided to get all the kitchen utensils and plates and things like that at Target and register for all the linen stuff at Bed, Bath and Beyond. So yesterday I headed to BBB to register. First of all, when you walk into that place and look to your left you see three whole section, floor to ceiling of bath towels of every color you could imagine. (Talk about intimidating!) When I went up to put our names in the computer the guy working there gave me some advice about how much stuff to register for. He told me that generally you register for two times the number of guest you are having. We are aiming for 200-250 as the number of guest. Not that I am good at numbers or anything but if I followed his rule then I would have to register for over 400 items!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?! (again the feeling of overwhelming-ness). So I set off and just started scanning the important things. I think I registered for 75-80 items at Target and when I was finished at BBB I think I had about 70 items...so let me crunch some numbers...yup...I still need to register for 250 items!! Who even needs that much stuff? After talking with Andrew, I have looked over the "suggestion list" from BBB and have found a few more items to register for. So if you got to BBB and see some funky items, now you'll know why. The hard part for me is that if I don't think I am going to use it, why buy it? The other thing too, I have no idea where we are going to live up there. Aghh...so now I guess I am just going to go back in there and go for it! So as you can see, registering has been quite the adventure for me!

You can go online and check out both of the registeries.







www.target.com




www.bedbathandbeyond.com

The Countdown...

Ok, so as most of you know, I teach math and so obviously I am really into numbers. So I have officially started a "wedding day countdown". It may not be so much as a countdown to the wedding as it is a countdown to Andrew and I finally being together. Even though he just left for Oregon in August, we really did not get to see each other much over the summer due to our busy schedules. So really we haven't spent much time together since June! Anyways, the countdown is now 86 days...

Most of the wedding plans are complete. I hope we have everything in line. I need to confirm with my wedding coordinators (my mom and my sisters!) to make sure everything is ready to go. I don't feel like I have done much except make the final decision on everything. (I kind of like it that way!) Since the wedding seems to be mostly taken care of, for now, the next big task for us is to find a place to live up north and for me to get a job! So if anyone knows anyone who works at a high school in the Portland or Vancouver area, please let me know!! I know many of you have asked how you can help with the wedding, really, we could just use your prayers. We (Andrew and I) both know that this is where God wants us and that this is the right time. With that said, we are very confident that He will work out all the details and that He will provide for us exactly what we need. How peaceful to know that we have a God that loves us that much and we can completely trust Him. What a relief!!!

The Proposal

I am sure all of you are curious about how he popped the question. So here is it...

We were over in Santa Cruz visiting grandma Wilson and decided to take a day trip to Monterey. He had told me before we left to wear something cute because he wanted to take some picture before he left. I sort of had an idea that he was going to do it but he was so calm and cool and wasn't nervous at all so I didn't think he was going to do it. Plus, he had said other things to make it sound like he was going to do it at a later date. So it never crossed my mind as we were on our way to Monterey. We started by going to the warft and walking around there (again, he was calm and cool this whole time). I told Andrew that I wanted to go to this one small beach near Pacific Grove, but he had already planned to go there. We headed that way and arrived at the small beach. It has these rocks that when the tide is out you can walk all the way out and sit on them. But the tide looked like it was coming in so we decided not to chance it. (Little did I know that Andrew's original plan was now thrown out the window, he wanted to propose on the rocks). We walked around on the rocks for a while, took a few pictures. Finally, we sat down on a couple of rock and he told me that he wanted to read me something before he left. He had written down ten things that he loved about me. It was very sweet. I started to cry and was getting nervous because I thought this was it. But after he finished saying the ten things he just sat there and said, "I just wanted you to know that." I was thinking..."ok...now what??" (He had me going.) Then Andew thought it would be fun to have a hermit crab race. It was something he had done with his dad when he was younger and thought it would be fun. Of course, my competitive side came out and I just HAD to get the best hermit crab out there. I thought there was some special features of a really fast crab. I looked hi and low for the best and all I could find was hundreds of crabs just sitting there. Finally, Andrew said he found a good one over by him and that I should just use that one. So I decided I would just use the one he found and hope it was a good one. We got our crabs and knelt down by a flat rock. Anderw told me to put my crab down then he would put his down. I placed my hermit crab on the rock and when Andrew put his crab down he placed the ring on my hermit crab. I was shocked!!! I could not believe it! I think Andrew had to ask me two or three times before I finally replied. Not that I had to think about it, I was just in complete shock. It was very original and so cute! I loved it!! So that's how the story goes...

Engagement Pictures

Here are a few engagement pictures that my amazing sister-in-law took before Andrew left for school. Thanks Amy!!

Wedding Plans

So as I have said, I am not that great at writing, but I am going to give this a shot. I was given the suggestion to start a blog to keep people updated on the wedding and then on our lives up North once we move. I have no idea how many people will even look at this but whatever!!

So the date is set, the place is chosen, the dress is purchased...things are coming along great! Thanks to the help of my many wedding coordinators, I have had the easy job of just making the final decision on everything. I really appreciate all the hard work that my mom, my sister, and my sister-in-law have done on the event. I am so blessed to have them in my life and so talented! As you can see things are going well. Only 95 days left....

Now that wedding plans are almost complete, the next task is to start thinking about our life after the wedding. I will be moving up North to be with my new husband (that's kind of weird to say!). He will be attending seminary at Multnomah Bible College and Lord willing I will get a job teaching. So my next thing on the "To Do" list is get my teaching license for either Oregon or Washington and look for a job. We have also sort of started looking at apartments online. We both know that this is what God wants for us and where God wants us, so we are not worried and know that He will work out all the details.

I am very excited about all that it is going on but I think I am most excited about joining my best friend to share life together. I feel very blessed to be marrying such an amazing man of God.

- Anna