something new.

Well, a lot has happened since I've last written:

• I finished my first year of Grad school.
• I went to Zambia with CLASP, an organization bringing Speech Therapy to the children of Zambia.
• Got a new roommate to add to our apartment of fun.
• Moved apartments on maybe the hottest most humid day of the summer.
• Speaking of heat, survived the Dallas heat run of who knows how many days in the triple digits.
• I met a new friend.
• I started dating aforementioned new friend.
• I fell in love with my new friend.
• November 4, 2011, my friend asked me to marry him. I'm ENGAGED!

His name is Jake Finch, and he's the biggest blessing in the world. Everything I imagined in a man and more! And especially all of those things I didn't imagine and never knew I needed. We know that the Lord has blessings for us in store, but it's hard to really know until you've seen those blessings.

I find myself in amazement all the time that God has seen me, has chosen to bless me, and has given me someone to share life with the way He has intended life to be shared - fully, passionately and abundantly.

It is the end of a chapter, and the beginning of an adventure - wedding planning, house hunting, rejoicing, stressing, honeymooning, etc. I couldn't have asked for a better sidekick (or maybe I'm the sidekick and he's the hero...). I couldn't have asked for a better hero to lead the way. I also couldn't have asked for a better family to join forces with, and likewise, my family has opened their arms to him. It's so good!

With the end of a chapter, I'll be getting something(s) new. A new name for one. A new life as two become one and I die to self and become a part of someone else's life and we create a new life together. With that newness comes the end of just me, and the end of this blog. And I can't say that I'm disappointed. 

Looking back, my posts have chronicled joys and sorrows, struggles and victories, and just thoughts that I've had about faith, life, learning and love. These have been journeys of me and the Lord, working out my faith and the workings of my heart. I cannot tell you how wonderful it will be to pick up where I leave off and have someone's hand to hold along the way, someone's brain to pick at every hour of the day/night, someone's shoulder to cry on when I don't understand, and someone to rejoice with me and the Lord in the joys of life. Someone to walk with me toward Christ while we live here on earth, and someone who I know will be with me in Heaven forever worshipping our King.

Wow.

I'm floored. I'm thankful that the Lord did not require me to wait too long, but I'm also thankful that He gave me the patience and contentment while I was waiting. Not that it wasn't hard, but I slowly learned that He would be faithful to me and bring good things to my life, making my life a picture of His love and faithfulness.

And that is what I proclaim with Jake as we take this next step - I proclaim with such joy and gladness that the Lord is faithful! Our God is faithful, and He loves us much.

*I'm still a Buckner for now and will continue current updates here, but stay tuned for a new blog coming soon!!!