3 years!

Can you believe it?  

B and I have been married for 3 years today!  3 years!  It feels like yesterday and also like we have been married forever.

Our very first meeting, when he was a Freshmen and I was not.

Yes, it is slightly embarrassing to admit that I was on the Quest Freshmen Orientation Team when B came into Lipscomb, but I'm trying to let that go.

From Quest Team meetings...together this time.

To finally dating,

To our wedding day,

and, I'm still having a blast!

I'm the luckiest girl in the world!

Happy 3 year anniversary B!

Redefining Love as a Pirate

These past few years as I have journeyed with my church family, I have learned to personally redefine how I choose to love.  Love to me was often classified as something directed to people close to me or people with whom I share common interests.  It is all forms of kindness, compassion, empathy, care, and passion shown to those I LIKE...and supposedly to those I don't.  Although in all honesty, this is not often the case.

 All in all I think my view of love was a bit limited in scope, quality and depth.

One of the ways I have learned to refine my love is by refocusing my love to include not only those like me that I like but with those who I may share few common interests, I may not always like, and I might not usually even notice in my self-centered daily activities.  My church has helped me in this journey by encouraging me and holding me accountable.  I fail miserably at love everyday but I have learned so much about myself and about my God through this love journey he has called me to.  This weekend my church hosted a Trunk-or-Treat!  It was my first ever...I grew up a traditional trick-or-treater...So I was excited to try out this church phenomenon.  It was held in East Park where I had a fabulous time loving on some of God's most beautiful creations...kids! 

Each house church chose a theme and dressed up and decorated their trunk.  My ladies chose...PIRATES, Arrgh!  Thanks to the amazing artistic gifts some of the girls have our trunks were sure to shiver the timbers of all the little treaters!

I love these girls! They are teaching me so much!  Notice our adorable parrot in the back row!

Who is that shark swimming around in our treasure chest?

Why is Lofty Bear, of course!  The cutest shark around!

Looks like we've added some new members to our ship's crew.

The kids loved the eye patches and earrings they found in the treasure box!  Aren't they cute pirates?!

Mom, Dad, Cara, Camille & Erin brought a cotton candy and popcorn machine.  Needless to say they were one of the most popular trunks!  Carebear and Mom are in vintage clown costumes, Erin is just beautiful, and Camille is a pumpkin!

Four of my favorites!  Sydney was a tourist led by her Travelocity Gnome (Micah)!  What a cute idea!

B was a toy football player.  

Face Painting was a hit!

We were overwhelmed by the response of the community!  I am already looking forward to next year and I'm already thinking about how I can dress up!

Happy almost 1st Birthday Lofton!  B and Court love you!

Our 2nd Anniversary Celebration continued...

After our loving morning together, we went shopping....my choice for the day.  We visited several antique shops on 8th Ave that I have been just dying to visit for over a year.  Brandon isn't much of an antique shopper but he was so sweet and I think he actually enjoyed the browsing.  Then we visited REI for Brandon.  The afternoon was completed with a cherry on top called a nap!  That night we went to Jimmy Kelly's for dinner!  Y-U-M!  Thanks Whitni & Chris for the gift card!  It was fabulous and my Bootlegger's Ribeye was superb!  We also loved the homemade Tennessee Blackberry cobbler...melt in your mouth goodness!  On a serious note...I must say it distressed me to notice that all the waiters were elderly minorities...It was a bit 1950's.  But I think they like their jobs and have worked there for many, many years.  Nonetheless, it was disturbing.  After dinner we ate all that deliciousness, we watched a movie...Sherlock Holmes to be exact.  Great movie.  Cara took some pictures of us when we stopped by to drop some things off...She loved it, Brandon wasn't as enthusiastic about our photo session but once again a trooper.

Cara: Stop reading here...

In conclusion, our anniversary was a very special day.  Its been a while since we got to spend the whole day relaxing together!  I am so thankful for the gift God has given me in Brandon and I look forward to years and years of blog post about our future anniversaries!

More Updates to come about our awesome vacation with the Cobbs!

I live the life!

OK... So a lot has happened in my two weeks hiatus from blogging!  I FINISHED MY 2ND YEAR OF PT SCHOOL!  What?  I know it sounds unbelievable!  You and I both thought I would never survive that black hole full of anxiety, tears, and stomach aches BUT I DID!  And I have Y-O-U to thank for it.  I know I have been pure misery to deal with this year and you were all so so amazingly kind to put up with me.  My husband should have some kind of colored heart pinned on his chest at the White House or receive a long flowing robe from the Vatican for the saint he is.  (...Just between you and me, he cleaned the house every week and did laundry and even made dinner a few times...Hands off ladies!  He's mine!)

Speaking of the Husband of the Year...

Isn't he the cutest?!  (He will hate that I put up this picture...He thinks he looks like a JCPenney's model but I love it!

Right now, I am laying in the bed sipping my coffee and playing on the computer.  I'm telling you in my world this is utter R-E-L-A-X-A-T-I-O-N!  My sweet husband is making me breakfast in bed (...Well I decided on the bed part...I like to do whatever I can from my bed).  Brandon is making me omelets loaded with all my favorites!  One of his specialities!  I know I know I'm such a princess.  Brandon does this every day!

OK, OK I lied.   This is our anniversary!

Can you believe it?  2 WHOLE YEARS!  I certainly can't believe its been that long ...However, on the other day I don't remember what it was like to not be married to him.  Last night, Brandon preached at Ethos and I was just watching him thinking ... I'm actually married to this guy.  I'm such a lucky girl.  (No, I don't always day dream like that when he's preaching...Stop your criticism ...I couldn't help it...He's mesmerizing!)

You know I believe a blog is nothing without pictures so here goes...

Our very first photo together.  I don't remember taking this at all.  Probably because if you had asked me if I would date any of the freshmen I would have said a big H-E-double hockey sticks NO!  I was on the quest team and no way was I stooping to that level... AND WORDS EATEN!  I totally did end up dating one of them but not until he was a sophomore which at least doesn't feel like I should be locked up for committing a crime against minors.  If you can't tell, it took me a while to get over the fact that Brandon is younger...even if it is only 9 months.

Brandon was always a good sport about my Delta Sigma functions!

I like to think we bring out the best in each other, but I think its is equally that he puts up with the worst in me.  

What a fabulous 2 years it has been!  I am so lucky!  It is just the start of our fun day together so I will update you later on how we spent our day!  Hope you are all enjoying the start to your week!  I know I am going to enjoy my first week of freedom!

My sanity is in the little things.

So Brandon and I both are at the edge of our sanity with our crazy schedules right now.  However, we have taken a couple of moments to breathe and try some new things!  My oh-so-romantic husband is fabulous at planning dates.  So last week, Brandon planned a special date for us!  I love surprises so I didn't know what we were doing.
Drum roll please............. We went and painted pottery at Brushfire! Then went to Urban Flats, one of my new favorite restaurants!
At Brushfire, I picked out an icecream bowl to paint and B picked out a coffee mug which he naturally painted with a UK emblem...a pretty good one I think.

You can't really see the colors yet, but after it gets fired the colors will really come out.  Brandon's mug is going to be bright blue with white UK and black trim...very detailed!  It took his 3x as long as me with my boring stripes and dots.  Mine is going to be green and blue with white dots.  It was so fun to paint and I'm excited to do it again!

This past weekend, Brandon was out of town speaking at a youth retreat so I went with my family to hear Tim Tebow speak at Lipscomb!  He was amazing!  And it was fun to sit next to 3 girls from the Barbie Dream House who were positively drooling over him!  Matter of fact, when his mom, dad and brother walked right in front of us to go to their seats one of the girls who will remain nameless looked right at his mom and said very breathily "I Love Him!"  I could have cried laughing.  Here are some pictures of the fabulous speaker and of one of our friends who prayed an awesome prayer over him as he enters this crossroads in his life.

Then B and I worked on our yard!  We love gardening which is so 60-year-old retired couple but what can we say.  We have actually started a vegetable garden.  Yes we are in way over our heads but our pocket book will thank us when we save money on produce all summer!!!!  I will add photos later!

Love you guys!  I am going to attempt not to blog for the next 3 weeks in an effort to focus on studying. So if I don't post, don't hate.  If I do, I probably shouldn't be.

Meet The Steeles

My Love, Brandon Nix Steele

Wasn't he adorable!  Look at that hair!

Yes he hated that I made him take this picture on our honeymoon.

No I did not darken this picture...He is actually this tan.  You think oh that must a real damper on her self-esteem...Well sometimes.  But, I choose to think "I'm not as white as I appear.  Its only looks that way when we stand next to each other".

His smile can brighten any room!

Brandon favorite things:  the color Blue, the Kentucky Wildcats, the Sun, his morning quiet time, Sports, Skiing, Running, Chocolate, the Beach, his nephews-Caden and Copelan...

Caden, age 4

Copelan, age 1

Me:  Courtney Autumn Steele 

(Yes not Cross Steele...the lady at the DMV took it upon herself to change my name to whatever she wanted then go to lunch without fixing it to what I request...oh well)

This is my dad's favorite picture.  I think it showcases my especially large forehead.

I am one of four girls...this should explain a lot about my personality.

My favorite things:  Coffee, Playing games, Baja Burrito, Blog stalking, Walking fast, Babies, Resting, Any kind of dip, Cooking, Pictures...

Brandon and I met at Lipscomb University in 2004 when I was on the freshmen orientation team when he started his freshmen year (yes I'm older...and yes I hate that...but its only 9 months).  We didn't however start dating until we were both on the orientation team the next year after I told our friend Garner that I wouldn't date anyone on the Quest team...statements like that always come back to get you.  We have been married for almost two years now.  It has gone by so quickly.  Brandon is the campus minister at Lipscomb University and absolutely loves his job.  I am a second year doctoral student at Belmont University's School of Physical Therapy.  Our life feels crazy right now with our busy schedules and my constant deadlines, but we are trying to enjoy this place in our lives.  We know one day we will look back and think about how simple our life was during this time (although right now I could pull my hair out from the stress most days).  We keep our sanity with amazing friends, family, and church.  We are so lucky to have loving, supportive families;  Brandon's in Murray, Kentucky and mine in Lebanon, Tennessee.  We love Ethos Church where we are apart of the leadership.  Everyday we are encouraged to live missionally for God and it has truly enriched our lives over the past two years.  

Well here is our first post.  Caity has been encouraging me to get a blog so I hope you enjoyed this.  I tried to add a lot of pictures...those are always my favorite blog post to read.