I can finally announce that I am engaged.

I am getting married in November!

There is so much going on in my life right now (and in my head) that I'm not sure if I can even get this all in one blog.

I'm getting married to the long-term love of my life who I have written about before, Josh. We have been together for almost 8 years. We have an awesome little boy together, Cainan.

This past year has been very hard for us. We were separated, but it that time, we both found the Lord and really started living new lives. Our lives have finally matched up.

We started playing with the idea that we should finally get married. We were ready to elope. One of our biggest fears was that because of our track record, our families and friends would not be overjoyed at the idea of us joining in holy matrimony.

Josh found a beautiful place for us to get married. It was supposed to be a surprise. I wasn't supposed to know where it was until the day of the wedding. This was perhaps the sweetest notion I've ever heard of, but it made also made the planner/organizer in me panic. I looked at it this way; in life there are surprises and then there are SURPRISES!?! I felt this fit into the latter. I've heard of surprise parties, but who has ever heard of a surprise wedding? I must have pestered Josh enough because he finally took me to see the place. I loved it and I was on board.

And it started.

I'm sure that was happened to me in this instance is a normal epidemic among to-be brides. Suddenly, the idea of an elopement just didn't seem like enough. I wanted my parents and siblings to be there. My dad recently served a year in Iraq and there is a possibility that he may go back. I wanted him to walk me down the aisle.

Upgrade from an elopement to an intimate, yet still small, ceremony.

I could feel the princess welling up inside me.

In the midst of all this, we started planning our expenses. I expected a wedding ring, but not an engagement ring, which Josh slipped on my finger under the table in the midst of a weekend lunch at a local restaurant. It was obvious now. The jig was up.

I was happy with the idea of a small wedding. So we started to tell our immediate family. Most everyone is happy and supportive of our decision. There are a few naysayers, but we respect their opinion. We are getting married anyway. We know how we have changed and we are happy.

We soon realized that with our parents (of which I have two sets) and siblings (of which I have two sets) and our siblings' children, which are numerous, that the location we wanted, although was beautiful, was going to be expensive.

I suggested what any girl would. Let's just get married in our church, by our pastor and invite whomever we want.

This resulted in a few tiffs, one major fight and finally defeat on Josh's part. He was really disappointed because he wanted the wedding to be really beautiful and he was so proud that this finally mattered to him enough to him to plan and surprise me. I was honored. But I explained that it could still be special and less expensive.

So we booked our church and coordinated with our pastor. This provided more room, which means I could invite more people. And more people could be invited to help.

This has been a blessing and an all around humorous situation. Mostly I'm laughing at myself.

Josh and I were engaged when I was in college and I am confidant enough in who I am now to say that then I was a complete control freak. It was my wedding and it was going to be my way. I made everyone miserable, including Josh.

Now I am just so excited about getting married that I just don't care about the minor details. The women in our families have come running with ideas, suggestions and offerings of help. Let me tell you it has been such a liberating and fun experience to let go of things and let other people just run with it. My dad and stepmom have offered to get the cakes. Ok. My mom and sister want to do reception stuff. Great. My future mother-in-law wants to help with my son, Cainan's clothes and Josh's tux. Awesome. And Josh's aunt decorates for weddings and wants to do the flowers. Knock yourself out. It means so much more to me to have everyone want to contribute. Besides -- I have what I need -- an awesome guy, a beautiful little boy and my princess dress (which I'll save for another blog). I'm getting married!