"girl i swear
you got me acting crazy
half the time
i don't know what my name is"
alan jackson - never loved before

Well, I'm awfully behind on weddings, so I'm going to blog an engagement session! That makes sense, right? Right.

This is Lauren. And she is quite engaged.

This spunky, colorful, excited little lady is marrying her "Russian MAN" next week. And they are thrilled.

Which is weird.

Why weird? Well, for many a year, Lauren was not into Alex at aaaaaalllll. "Like, no chance buddy. Sorry, no way. Uh uh, not happening." Poor Alex. He's liked her for about 9 years and she just was NOT havin' it.

Lauren was a goody-two-shoes-church-girl.
Alex was a "bad-kid" who went to public school.

Homeschooled kids and public school kids just don't mix.
Right?
(ps. In a great ironic twist, Lauren is a public school teacher now. LOVE it haha)

God had "great things on His mind" for those two little kids.

As we walked and talked through Annapolis, and I heard their story, I thought it was so cool how God really was at work the whole time. 9 years. That's a lot for Alex! But, if Lauren had liked him right away, who knows what would have happened? They echoed time after time how God has so changed both of their hearts. Lauren, to be a gracious, selfless woman. Alex to be an honorable, solid man. They both had a lot to learn.

And God was preparing them for each other.

Though Lauren knew she would NEVER like Alex, they were good friends. They liked music, snowboarding and other such things, so over the years their friendship grew. On a trip to NYC last year, Lauren realized she really liked Alex. "Uh oh." After she got home, she went back and forth "Maybe I do? I don't know... maybe not? Ah!" I know the turmoil ;)

But at the right time, in God's right way, they started dating and quickly they were engaged. And Lauren knew she liked - er, loved - this man. She loved him.

(A lesson to all the boys out there? Perhaps? ;)

Alex had patiently fought for her heart, and now he gets to marry the girl of his dreams. Alex became a man worthy of following and Miss Lauren wants to be by his side forever.