little things + big stuff

wedding photo preview

natalie — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 15:32:57 +0000

a post solely explaining my love of We Are Parsons is to come shortly, but in the meantime… our wedding photo preview video!

art + family added

natalie — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 15:17:15 +0000

Because of marriage, I have gained a wonderful set of parents, three super fun sisters, one awesome brother-in-law, the cutest niece, and the quirkiest grandpa. I really love them.

And it’s such a blessing that they share many similar interests and passions. One of my favorite common interests is art… Dan’s mom is an art teacher! And a wonderful painter. Check out this wedding gift we received from her, now hung above our bed!

truthfulness + committment

natalie — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 22:06:38 +0000

Expanding my marriage book library, and after I read this article, an excerpt from Tim Keller’s new book The Meaning of Marriage, I’m pretty sure I’ll need to add it, too.

Here’s a tiny bit:

Love without truth is sentimentality; it supports and affirms us but keeps us in denial about our flaws. Truth without love is harshness; it gives us information but in such a way that we cannot really hear it. God’s saving love in Christ, however, is marked by both radical truthfulness about who we are and yet also radical, unconditional commitment to us.

wedding

natalie — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 17:45:13 +0000

Our wedding went off without a hitch. Truly exceeded my expectations. We pray God was glorified, magnified, praised.

The honeymoon… well, that did not. Non-existant flights, lost bags, left behind cell phone, missed train, extra money spent on clothes and new train tickets, feeling sick. But it was wonderful. Dan makes the absolute best travel partner. So good at things I am not. The staff at our first hotel was amazing, and our second hotel upgraded us to their very best room.

And real life is lovelier.

More soon, of course. Until then, pictures from Leah!

honeymoon

natalie — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 14:54:43 +0000

The Seitzes are heading off to Spain today… Please pray for safe, smooth travels + good memories!

Probably won’t be updating much, but if I do, it will be on Twitter.

holy more than happy

natalie — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 22:59:41 +0000

‘What if God didn’t design marriage to be ‘easier’? What is God had an end in mind that went beyond our happiness, our comfort, and our desire to be infatuated and happy as if the world were a perfect place? What if God designed marriage to make us holy more than to make us happy?‘ — Sacred Marriage

I know it’s gonna be hard at times, and I am so ready for it.

want to pray?

natalie — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 02:10:20 +0000

Quick break from the craziness that is this week to say:

We love you all. We appreciate all the prayers and wisdom you’ve offered us before, during, and after our dating relationship. And during engagement. And all you’ll offer throughout our marriage.

I’ve been asked what prayer needs we have, so…

+ Please pray for Dan, as he’s started a rotation with really early, long, hard hours.

+ Please pray for me, as I complete final papers and take a final test.

+ Please pray for health, sleep, and plentiful quiet times this week.

+ Please pray for family and friends as they travel to be with us.

+ Please pray for our ceremony and reception — few hiccups and enjoyable for everyone.

+ Please pray for our honeymoon — safe travels, good weather, and LOTS of fun memories.

+ Please pray for post-honeymoon travels as we go to Dan’s hometown for a second reception and to Chicago to celebrate Christmas with my dad’s side of the family. Pray for plenty of sleep and very little jet lag!

+ And, please pray for us as we transition out of our honeymoon + newly married haze and into real life. We will both be heading back to work right away.

+ Please also pray as we help start up a new Gospel community at our church. The future Seitzes were asked to consider leaving ours to help start this new one, and we gladly accepted!

Thanks so much… More soon. I have a feeling blogging is about to replace all the time that was spent preparing for our wedding/marriage!

the last few months

natalie — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 23:42:19 +0000

These last couple months of engagement have flown by but not without their own issues.

In the past two months, both Dan and I have backed into/pulled into another car. Dan’s car was broken into. Stolen: A really nice suitcase full of a bunch of junk on its way to Goodwill. Dan’s car’s transmission went out. We’ve been sick. We’ve been really tired. We went through some apartment moving drama. Dan started a new hospital rotation that has a highly ambiguous schedule… Different every day, no set end time at all. We’ve travelled all around the Midwest, it seems. We spent a hard five days apart. (Yes, we’re wimps, I know.) We’ve had fights. And it seems like every emotion I’ve felt has manifested itself in tears…

And I love this man and my God more than last month. I’m excited to live a life glorifying to God with Dan. I’m excited to make mistakes with him. I’m excited to go through challenges with him. I’m excited to struggle to live out what I know it means to be a good wife. And I’m excited to submit all of it… Money, time, struggles, decisions to God with Dan.

foster care + attachment

natalie — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 14:27:14 +0000

“The most common response to the news that you foster parent is ‘I couldn’t do that, I’d get too attached.’ The answer to that is that in fact, that’s the job — kids need attachments, they need love and care, they need you to get attached to them, and help them attach to you. There’s a reason why this job cannot be done by institutions or robots – they need people who will fall in love with them, advocate for them and stand for them.”

— “The Story of M.” at Casaubon’s Book

my wedding on pinterest

natalie — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 21:07:27 +0000

Do y’all know about Pinterest? Because I love it to death. It’s an online inspiration board website. And if you want an invite, let me know! The coinciding of my discovering Pinterest and getting engaged has been wonderful.

I’m definitely like the idea of keeping some aspects of our wedding secret from the general public… But here’s an assortment of pictures that have inspired our planning in one way or another!