Fort Bebe

Hello dear friends,

I have been meaning to write about our lovely retreat "Fort Bebe" for some time. On our anniversary we discovered we did not have the time or money to travel and do something fun and crazy (and by discovered, I mean we knew it from the get go). However, Toby and I are not big spenders, honestly it just doesn't appeal to us, so we already had a plan cooking...Fort Bebe! Basically what we do is we pull out the couch bed in the living room and camp out in there. I know, it really doesn't sound super exciting, but let me tell you, we were extremely excited at the thought of it because for us it's like a little vacation. It makes us feel like we're kids that get to stay up all night on new years or something.

While we were fixing up Fort Bebe we were giggling and running around putting up twinkle lights and getting our dinner to eat in bed (like big kids!) and having the best time. If you are married/seriously involved with someone, my experience has taught me that as long as you have each other and an open heart ANYTHING (even  a date to McDonald's) can be amazing. That's just what it was for us. In fact, we loved it so much, we have made it a weekend thing and not just an anniversary thing. It's something we really look forward to every weekend and it gives us really sweet time together. Here are some pics of the fort!

The fort!

Twinkle lights!

Starting the day out right!

mmm...mimosas.

So cool that "Autumn" from Vivaldi came on Pandora on our perfect Autumn day!

Sunggles.

Our Autumny movie-fest.

The birds.

Toby and I both read (and loved) Dracula. One of the meals in that book that
Jonathan Harker eats is called Paprika Hendl (a Hungarian dish) in honor of
October and our love of literature, Toby made it and it was DELISH.

Hot apple cider.

Off to the fort right now!

~B~

P.S. a look at last year's first anniversary here!

"my daughter gonna marry I-AN MILLER."

Haha. Forgive the my big fat Greek wedding quote, but this entry is about the intent to marry...and Toby is Greek...and I watched this on my wedding day.

Anyways...

Today, well technically yesterday because it's midnight, 3 years ago Toby popped the question to me. It was a beautiful Shabbat day after Toby and I had led worship together for the first time. Before we left for lunch he got all awkward and quiet...not to mention the odd little box I saw sitting out in PLAIN VIEW (silly Toby).

He took me out in the beautiful deck at his mom's and with tears in his eyes asked for my hand in marriage. According to him, I thrusted my hand in his face in order to get that ring on. Knowing me, I believe him.

Love you my amazing man. Thanks for asking :)

Brooke

Marriage nugget #1

Hello friends,

I in no way profess to have all of this great knowledge about marriage (as I've only been married a year and a half) but I am learning as I go, and I think we can all learn and grow at any stage of life and learn from people at any stage of life too. Toby and I really love being married and we have a great time together, even when times are tough. I thought I'd share some of the things we have discovered along the way for any other married friends or potential members of that club, haha.

Marriage Nugget #1:

"Remember to forget"

Too many times when people argue (not just couples) we bring up all the things that made us mad before or that "prove our case" in the current fight. Trust me, if you want to avoid ugly fights and angsty pent up feelings, then you need to LET GO of past offenses, whether they are between you both or not. Toby and I learned pretty quick that that will go nowhere quick. Friends fight, family fights, so inevitably husband and wife will fight. You are two different people raised two different ways and when you come together you are learning how to live. Remember to forget the little grievances along the way and don't hold them against your spouse, because you love him more than you could be mad at him. When I look back at our first year of marriage I don't remember ANY of our fights...because they are not important. When they are done they should be DONE. And if you have to work to forget it, please do, because it's worth all the effort you've got. Marriage is not easy, but nothing good and worth it is. The best things you have to fight for...and man, is marriage worth every minute of it.

"Love is patient and kind, not jealous, not boastful, not proud, rude or selfish, not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not gloat over other people's sins but takes its delight in the truth. Love always bears up, always trusts, always hopes, always endures. Love never ends"
-1 Corinthians 13:4-8a

 ~B~

Anniversary Day!

If a picture is worth a thousand words,
then I have millions of words for ya!
Toby and I celebrated our very first anniversary last weekend. We have looked forward to it for a long time and it was really nice celebrating the big and small wonderful things about each other.
Toby,
I love you more than words can say. You are my partner in all things, my best friend, and the love of my life. Thank G-D He sent you to me!

And now, for your photo journey of our:

"DAY IN DAHLONEGA"

Our little picnic!

Husband taking Fall pics

Smile, bebe :)

Ready to go a-wine tasting!

mmm...here we come!

A glimpse of our experience!

Walking (and joking) through the vineyard!

Perfect day! We love cloudy skies.

GIGANTIC pumpkin in downtown Dahlonega

Best day to walk around with the husband :)

     Important details that these pictures DO NOT include are: the random and quite dead boar strapped to a car on the way to Dahlonega, the creepy dirt road that led to a sketchy park we decided NOT to picnic at, to avoid being potentially murdered, the funny man at the winery we overheard bragging about how he had been to EVERY winery in the area, and many more things that would take too long to explain.
We have a good time, me and the husband. I like him a lot. Glad I married him :)

- B