2 years!

Today is our 2 year anniversary! Time goes by so fast.

Two years ago at this time I was running around getting ready and finishing up my wedding cake (something I don't actually suggest you do yourself) and about to start the adventure of a life time with my best friend.

I am so thankful for the past two years and so excited to see where life takes us.

I have learned a lot... about myself, about my sweet husband, about what love really is.

Desmond, you are the best husband a girl could ask for!

The way you get me coffee in the morning, the way you are so patient with me, the way you make me laugh!

(and so many other things)

I love you so much!

Carlyrae

spoiled

yes.. spoiled.

my friends are amazing.

last night they showed up at my house and threw me a surprise party. :) i'm still smiling.

on Thursday Ellen called to ask if she could come by yesterday. I was totally excited!

I picked her up at the train station and after getting des from work we came back here.

Des sweetly offered to order take out for dinner so we could just catch up.

and then this happened..

(kelly, ashtin, jen giving me a hug and corien)

they had thought of everything, even brought dinner with them :)

(kel and corien making dinner)



and then we just had a great evening catching up!

 

 

I don't know how to thank you guys, it was so awesome to see you all. The perfect present!!

(jen, rach, kelly, anne, ashtin, me, corien and ellen)

xoxo Carlyrae

Just checking in..

Hey Guys! 

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. We were really busy here, its such an exciting time! Friday night my sister in law had a BABY shower :) She is due in about 4 weeks and we are so excited for them! They had a bunch of cute games like pregnant twister (haha, don't ask...), lots of friends and of course beautiful presents!

Saturday started out with Des and I making apple turnovers (loving fall!) for breakfast before we went out on the streets and had some great conversations with people, did some shopping and just kind of had a relaxing day. That night we went to the coffeehouse in DenHaag and it was awesome. Melvin (my brother in law) and his band performed and it was so great!

Sunday was another exciting day with people coming out for the services. The only worrying thing was I got a call from Elvira, a sweet girl that has been coming to our church and she was in the hospital! She has a lot of health problems so we jumped in the car and went to see her. She is doing fine but will be staying for a couple days of observation. We appreciate all the prayers for her!

One other exciting bit of new I wanted to share...

...drum roll please....

is I got a temperary visa! It is just until they process the year long one but it is valid for 6 months! Its so great to know that things are moving forward! And I dealt with such nice people at the IND here! The real official visa should be done in about a month (but could take up to 6) but now I can already travel and even start looking for work!

How was your weekend?

xoxo

Carly rae

Things I love...

... having people in both Sunday services for the past two weeks, so exciting!...

... my bestie calling to let me know she can come and hang out. For a WHOLE day. this week. YES...

... getting calls when you least expect it, and can most use it...

... hugs from my adorable husband...

... having a whole tray of leftovers so I didn't have to cook the next day (Score!)...

... revival services in Delft (last Friday)...

... getting to hang out with Tirsa and her girls.. Indy is almost two weeks and such a good snuggler. love...
... that today I went to immigration (and even though we need one more paper) we can hand everything in on wednesday AND we had a really nice lady help us AND I have the appointment wed. with her...
... my grandma. she skyped me. she's that cool...
... God. because He's so faithful...


have a lovely monday!
xoxo Carlyrae

A summer in photos

coffee. check

french toast. check.

time to finally post on this little bloggy. check.

I can't believe that its already September! The past couple months have really flown by... And I have not been good about posting pictures at all. so here we go. one big picture overload to get us up to date... starting wayyy back in June with the little thing we call moving across the country (ok Holland isn't that huge.. but still :)

(here are the guys on moving day! robin d, mike and des in front of the moving truck)

(p.s. no you won't see pics of me from that day because i had no time to fix my face!)

(all this stuff, and more, got moved into...)

(here!)

and... more photos of what that all turned into will come later!

Of course a lot of our summer was dedicated to getting the church started, with teams almost every Saturday from Zwolle, and getting to know the new city, but we took some time out to do some other fun things too. One thing I really love about living over here is all the cities that are so close by. We had fun going into Delft, Rotterdam, Utrecht and Den Haag!

(cutttte cafe in delft.. and it was only like my 4th cup of coffee that day!)

 (R'dam at the market.. its so huge and you can litterally find almost anything there!)

 (I got this jacket <3)

(me and the hubs)

PLUS we slipped away to Belgium for a couple nights. it was seriously a perfect vacation! We had two day passes to Bobbejaanland (an amusement park), a gorgeous hotel with a pool and hot tub and we had the most delish dinner at this little restraunt. I have had dreams about that pasta.. ok not really. but it was so wonderful!

(i couldn't finish it...but i did my best!)

 

 (the hotel, not such great pics but it was really stunning with the huge door and stained glass windows!)

I think the highlight of our whole summer though was the conference in Zwolle. I don't have many pictures from conference but it was such a great time. the preaching was amazing. seeing friends was awesome. being their as a 'pastor's wife' was kind of weird. hehe.. But it was great. I left really inspired. and excited. to see what God is going to do :)

and now we are pretty much all caught up (except the weekend in Arnhem but we took so many pics there it kind of needs its own post...) to now. I am really enjoying the fall, its my favorite time of year.. except that it comes before winter. but with a birthday and anniversery coming up there is lots to look forward too. Thanks for taking the time to stop by!

xoxo Carlyrae

The past week(s)

As some of you may know, the past couple weeks have been a little rough on my family. My Uncle Kevin passed away back in the states. While my parents were able to make it for the funeral I was here. I appreciate all the prayer and support in this time... It took me a while to even come to grips with the fact that he was gone. But with God's help we are all moving forward!

This morning I am especially excited because I am going to... ZWOLLE! not only will I see my charming little brother Brian and go to a wedding BUT I will also spend the day with one of my very bestest friends, Miss P and her precious baby!! Who IS my niece.. well not really, but I pretend.

Anyhoo.. I have been one very lousy blog updater the past couple weeks but I am going to get better. I may or may not go photo posting crazy to update you on the summer :)

One last thing before I run out the door to catch the train- please be praying for my visa. Hopefully within a month this long (Loooooong) process will be coming to an end and everything will be fine. We are going into the offices on Monday!

Alrighty! Have a wonderful weekend!

Xoxo, Carlyrae