[Insert clever post title here]

Well, today is Thursday, but my brain has been operating all week like every day is a Monday. So when I titled this post [insert clever post title here] that is seriously as far as my general creativity has gotten this week. This is not all necessarily bad, mostly my repeat Monday feeling has come from the fact that I got to fly up to Wisconsin to visit Adam this past weekend [WOOHOO!]. 

Basically, the whole weekend can be summoned up with 2 words: Blessed & Excited. Blessed & excited to have a fiancé who is doing awesome work serving the church he is at. Blessed & excited to spend time together. Blessed & excited that it is getting closer to our wedding. [you get the idea]

In case any of you are truly curious as to what all a weekend in Wayside consisted of, you're in luck because of course I would love to share :) Took advantage of time together and did a little wedding planning. Adam is incredibly supportive and encouraging with wedding stuff, in the most manly way possibly of course! (Blessed & excited).

Command central for wedding planning. Wayside edition. 

Friday and Saturday night we spent time with another couple - Adam's friends Tim and Marissa. Love them! We had a lot of fun together and it was nice to get to put faces to names I have been hearing about :)

Saturday during the day we went out to a town called Two Rivers which is right on Lake Michigan - very beautiful! We borrowed bikes from congregation members and Adam's church and enjoyed the awesome weather.

Wasn't kidding, super pretty!

Biking professional. Clearly.

This was more challenging than it needed to be :)

While I was there we also had time to go running together, cook a few meals, worship together, skype some of our family and friends, and I even got to tag along to youth group with him on Sunday night! I had safe travel to and from Wisconsin (blessed). Returned home Monday night - shout out to the Thomson's for picking me up from the airport! - and Tuesday was then the start of my recurring Mondays. Seriously, this week has not been bad or anything, my brain just keeps restarting to Monday. Awesome. 

Normal intern life here is still going along smoothly. Prayers are of course always appreciated. (As is mail). Its about 5 weeks until my first 1/2 marathon - so that is kinda crazy to wrap my brain around as well!!! Other wedding update: Mom is coming to visit the end of this month so we can go shopping for my wedding dress - WOOHOO!

 >> Kyla

Normal =  Pancake breakfasts, letters and wedding invites from friends!

This is real life! Part #2: Placement Weekend

Officially 1 week ago today I got engaged!! That's still fun to say!!! Today I am headed to my first bridal show - which is mainly exciting because brides get into the show for free, and I fall into the bride category now :)


The other HUGE part of this past weekend was finding out where Adam & I would be placed for our upcoming internships.


(We are both in the Director of Christian Education program here at school. It's 5 years long, 4 years of classes, 1 year of internship in a church, then graduation. For our internships we get placed by our program director and have no clue where we will be going or what we will be doing at our churches until the placement service)


Anticipation leading up to the service this past Sunday was incredibly high, both for Adam & I, our fellow classmates, and our families! Overall the weekend was absolutely fantastic and it was a blessing to be able to celebrate both our engagement and our new ministries with our families!

Friday

My roomies decorated my door! Fun after work surprise :)

I worked most of the day on Friday, which was more exciting than usual because lots of people wanted to hear about how Adam proposed :) My family came in town during the afternoon on Friday, and I got to have a sleepover with my little brothers.

We spent most of the night playing games, including a Star Wars one of course!

Saturday

Saturday morning stared awfully early, due to the little guys thinking waking up at 4:15, 5, 6...etc was a great plan. We had pancakes in our pajamas before Mom & Dad came by. Mom, Dad, and two of the little guys headed down to Navy Pier to enjoy the city for the afternoon, while myself, Adam, and two of my other brothers - ran some errands and awaited the arrival of Adam's family.

Adam's family (grandparents included!), made it in town during the later part of the afternoon, shortly afterwards my family arrived back from downtown and we enjoyed an engagement toast together! Later that night Adam & I, our families, Kevin & Jordan, and 2 of the boy's other roommates who also got placed this weekend (Ryan & Andy) - and all of their families spent time out together at a local Irish pub  celebrating.

Engagement wine from Kevin & Jordan!

Sunday

FINALLY - Sunday arrived! Our families went to church and enjoyed brunch out at a cute Italian restaurant for the morning. After brunch was over it was basically time to head to our Chapel on campus for the placement service to begin. My godparents and one of my girlfriends - Hannah - also made it in town by this point. There was a lot of excitement and nervous-ness as we all headed over to worship and learn where we would be serving the next year. I was so humbled and amazed at how many people were able to join us for the placement service - it was such a powerful thing to hear everyone sing and praise God together. It was an added blessing that the service was streamed live online so that Allison & John could still be us all the way from Japan, and my grandparents in Pennsylvania, and many others were able to see everything. 

Adam will be spending the next year serving at Zion Lutheran in Wayside, WI and I will be spending the next year serving at Concordia Kirkwood in Kirkwood, MO!

It was such an amazing feeling of joy to finally know where we would be going! We are both incredibly excited about where God has called us to ministry and again so thankful for everyone's support. 

It's hard to believe that just one week ago, I had no clue that any of this would be happening or what life would look like, but I am SO excited

:)


Anyone in the St. Louis area, what are your favorite things to do there??