Well, today’s the day folks. Today’s the day I, LEIGH EDDY, get to drive a 14 foot
U-Haul truck to Bryson City, North Carolina. Today’s MOVING DAY! Dave and I are OFFICIALLY moving into our new apartment today. We got ALMOST everything into the u-haul last night, w/ only a slight gash to Dave’s finger (not his ring finger thankfully). We have gotten our furniture for a VERY good deal; an aunt who’s a great bargain hunter found them for us. We have almost everything we need! I’m SO EXCITED! Mostly about driving the u-haul, cause it’s friggin big and I can pretend I’m really in a Hummer (for all of you who don’t know an original Hummer is my dream…umm…vehicle, you can really classify it as a car, black would be preferable, but I’m not apposed to camouflage). Well, we’ll see you guys later! Only 8 MORE SLEEPS TILL THE WEDDING!!!!

first day of the rest of my life

Well, I'm sub-ing at Graystone Day Charter School for the last time. It's bittersweet really, but all I can think of is the sweet right now, lol. Next week Dave and I, w/ the help of my parents and a couple of heavy duty vans, will be moving into our first "house" together. I'm REALLY excited! The first class of the day I was just thinking about where we could put this or that, or saving for getting a TV to go w/ the DVD player we got for a gift (lol), or figuring out how the heck to turn on the light ovet the sink (cause for some reason it got wired wrong and NONE of the switches turn it on!). Then I think, 2 weeks from today I'll be getting married tomorrow...yeah, it sounds weird, but think about it for a minute, it'll click. Or 3 weeks from today my honeymoon will be mostly over! (sad, I don't like that one)...but the list goes on. 4 weeks from tomorrow I'll be learning how to raft guide (extremely scarry, I wouldn't recommend being in my boat for a few weeks). But THEN I think, 5 weeks from now, I'll have been married for a MONTH! Ok, so none of this is really relavant, other than to say: I'm really looking forward to what God is bringing me, and the life that lies ahead. Have a great Easter guys, go to a sunrise service and remember what Christ did for us, and how powerful our God is, HE ROSE FROM THE DEAD!

takin a shower....well not really

Yesterday was the wedding shower, it was REALLY great! There were tons of people here that I hadn't seen in YEARS! We got lots of good stuff for the house, and I had a great time chattin to my girl friends. My sister-n-law made this super cute thing for the center piece. It was a "cake" made out of towels! It had lil fake pearls and flowers draped over it, SO cute. My big sis couldn't come though, and that was really sad, cause I know she really wanted to be there, and I really wanted to share it with her too, especially since she was one of the ones that put it all together. Her whole family was sick, and she had to stay home and take care of them. And another cool thing happened yesterday...i found out that Bruce, Glenda, and Candice are all coming to the wedding!!!! I AM SO EXCITED! And Candice got a new job! She even asked off for the wedding during the negotiations for it, SO SWEET! Dave got to go work w/ my big brother yesterday too (so he wouldn't have to stay around and be surrounded by girlie talk), and they got to know each other a bit better. My brother works in heating and airconditioning and he was just doin some work for some of his relatives, so he asked Dave along to help out! Well anyways...that's all the big news from yesterday.

Oh, the results of my 2 week diet are in! I haven't lost that much weight, but I do need to excercise m0re, those are the results. So i'm going to start running and doing sit-ups, and so on...ugh...but hey, ya gotta do what ya gotta do...I'll only get to go to Hawaii once most likely.

screening the inside, my first "spicer long" blog

I'm sitting here substituting, watching the kids do their in class work, and I think what I wanted and wondered at their age. I remember I just wanted life to be simpler, to figure things out easier, to be liked, to control my temper, to find "the guy" who could love me forever, and for God to just TELL ME what I should do with the rest of my life. Now I look at that list and think, "wow, not much has changed since highschool." I still want life to be simpler, to figure things out easier, to be liked, to control my temper, and for God to tell me what to do w/ my life. The only thing I know is who God wants me to be with...who he wants to help me with the things I struggle with. And then I look back and think, "wow, I really screwed up the majority of the life I lived." I decided to be this person who was tough all the time, who LIKED when people were intimidated or scared of them. My Dad use to always use this illistration with me, because I was always pushing the limits of the rules in our house. He use to say, "Leigh, God has made me your umbrella, to protect you from the things in this world that would only hurt you, but if you choose to step out from under the umbrella, I can't help you any longer." I stepped out, and boy did it rain on me. I got hurt lots, and I would always tell people that I was "fine, that I just have to learn things the hard way." Have you heard that from someone? It's just a bunch of ignorance. They don't have the learn things the hard way, they just don't want to listen to the right way, cause then they would have to admit they were wrong. I've told people for years that I don't regret what I went through in highschool and university--that those bad experiences made me who I am today. Well, part of that is true...but I'm a very scarred person today. God has blessed me so much in this past year and a half. He has brought into my life the most wonderful people, and He guided me to a wonderful Godly man. During University he gave me Sheena, to look out for me, to warn me, and to pick up the pieces when I disregarded her advice, which was so often I cringe. Late last year He gave me back a friendship I thought I'd lost from highshool...Blaire I love you so dearly, and I value your friendship like gold. But now, I look at what is in the past, and I just want to shelter my younger sister from that. I cry for her sometimes, begging God to let her be the Godly women I wish I would have been through those hard highschool years. I also look forward, to what God can do in my life, and hope I will have the faith, and God's hope in me, to push forward, and use my scars and a living example to how God can change someone to drastically. Thank you Spicer, for being my godly friend. Thank you Molly, for noticing me this summer, I looked up to you SO much. Thank you Katy, for being such a good example. Thank you Candice, for keeping me sane and listening to my sorry pitty parties, for being my friend, for dancing on the table with me. Thank you Scott, for paying attention to me on the bike trips, I'll never forget our tumbles and fall together. Thank you Sheena, for always sticking w/ me. Thank you Dave, for loving me when I wasn't lovable. Thank you God, for saving this poor soul.

single...what's that? lol

Well, since it's been going around like a plague, I decided to put MY views on the "to be single or not to be single" issue. I agree w/ all of Dee's reason for having a boyfriend, they are ALL right, especially number 6...boy is that EVER a good reason, especially if you're going to a REALLY STRICT Christian university...it's like a curse if you're not engaged by the end of your freshmen year (clearly I was an outcast, lol). However there are the extra things, the ones THAT MATTER, that are also good reason to have a special someone.

1. They let your cry on their shoulder when they have no clue why you're crying (and sometimes they don't even try to fix it! that's a good thing, for the clueless boys that are reading this, unless you WANT them to fix it, then it's a VERY bad thing, but it's your job to figure that one out...sucka!)
2. They learn to love your family, regardless of the quirks or weird, stressful habits they may have (which is a lot in my family, especially the busy, stress stuff, CONSTANT, you're so awesome Dave).
3. They do stuff they may not like to do, alot! (say like, shopping, or in Dave's case, being lazy and sitting on the couch and doing nothing, it's hard for antsi people like Dave).
4. They will pretend to LIKE chic flix (and maybe they do, just a lil, inside, and you'll even see them get misty eyed from time to time).
5. They love you no matter what you look like...when you wake up and have weird, frizzy, HUGE hair (referring to myself), and they LIKE you, even PREFER you w/ no make-up on, and they love that old t-shirt that you won't wear out in public cause it's got a hole in it, and those baggy jeans that make you look prepubescent (sp?)...because no matter what, they're gonna stand by your side, and try to protect you, and fight your battles, and be your biggest fan....even on "the days" a month a wake up yelling for no reason and wanting to hate the world....on those days they think you're cute.

That is why I love my significant other. Because he's SO significant. He was my best friend when I thought my world was crashing from my last failed relationship, when I was battling sickness in the "November" issue of LDP, when I needed someone to tell about the kid in my group at Medeba that wouldn't listen to a thing I said and kept running away, or eating snow all day but never doing anything else....and then...he became more. But it never would have been that way had he not been my friend, the one I wanted to tell EVERYTHING to,..and I still do.

I GOT THE JOB!!!...is that good?

I officially have a job at Nantahala Outdoor Center now. I start the 17th of April, or sooner if we find a house REALLY quick, lol. I'm still a bit shocked, I talked myself into doubting I'd get the job, so now I don't know what to do! But, since most of the wedding plans are done, there's really not so much to plan or worry about, well, other than finding a house and continuing to work on Dave's visa (which is coming along well, thanks for asking!). Dave has just gotten his physical for the visa (shots and all) and we're moving forward a bit more now since I do have a job in line. So, thank you for all the prayers that have been dedicated to our visa struggles, they are SOOOO much appreciated, and please continue praying with us.
As for the wedding plans, we have the wedding bands, Dave's getting fitted for his wedding attire, I'm losing weight for mine :), and we're deciding on music for the wedding and reception. We're also still involved in pre-marital counseling, which is going REALLY well. We had a session today, and it was really great just to sit down w/ a young married couple and talk about things they have already been through, and things we will go through.
I just got side tracked talking to my mom and now I don't know what I was gonna blog about that was so exciting, oh well, maybe i'll remember later. I do have a new reader though! That's exciting! HI ADAM! (It's Dave's cousin, his soon to be best man too!) I guess this is a good place to get some spying done on future family, lol. Hope you don't see anything TOO upsetting.
Jeez...i've had Usher in my head all day...hold on i'm getting kissed by my gorgeous fiance...anyway, i've been dancing around the kitchen all day to his music...even in the car...you have to admit he is one beautiful man.
On that note...sweet dreams everyone!!!