Down to the Finish Line!

In just a few days I'll be marrying my best friend ~ The man I've waited for all my life!

~ February 2010 ~

I am amazed at what the Lord has done... how He brought us together in His perfect time and directed our steps as we built our relationship around Him. Our relationship can only be explained by the Lord's working in both of our lives, for if it were not for His leading and guiding both us and our parents, neither of us would be where we are today. We serve a great God, do we not?!

My relationship with Ryan has taught me much about the Lord. Learning to trust Him (the Lord) when I didn't understand knowing that He was in control of all things, seeking His will in a way that I've never done before, and diving into Scripture to see what He says about things are some that come to mind. I am so thankful for the past year and a half of our relationship... the Lord knew I needed to learn more about Him and be challenged in good edifying ways. What a wonderful time it has been!

~ April 2010 ~

With the Lord's hand so obviously at work, I can't help but be excited about the future! In three days Ryan and I embark on a new adventure, only this time it will be together and not separated by hundreds and hundreds of miles! I can't really imagine what that will be like... but I know it will be wonderful!
With that in mind, this will be my last post. My focus will be changing and I will be taking on new responsibilities, which I've looked forward to assuming for a long time! I am excited about the next few days as well as the future! With our Lord guiding the way, we have much to look forward to!

A Little Bit of This and Little Bit of That...

*Warning: This Post Contains LOTS of Photos!*

I have to admit that, at times, the weeks since my last post seem dim and vague... a bit like those cows, pictured above, as I stood at the bottom of the hill looking up at them before using the digital zoom to capture the photo. So much has taken place... So many thoughts have run, raced, and pelted through my mind (and still do!!:o), so many new and exciting things have taken place, and all the while normal everyday life takes place!!! It makes for quite the interesting time as we try to accomplish everything, but I wouldn't trade it! Oh yes! I do remember the past weeks, but they seem so long ago... almost like a dream.

So here I go... a conglomeration of the highlights and everyday life at the Castlebury's!

"I See You, Sawah!!"
Several weeks ago we were able to go visit the Pelc's, and goodness, what a time we had! We always have a wonderful time together, but I do believe this one is better than the rest! Dad and Sayre helped Ryan and his Dad out at the house where they were able to get the roof on, a good amount of dry hung, and several other 'more than one person jobs' done. Sarah did several posts on our time together (#1, #2, #3) which document it really well.
Sawyer seemed to be Sarah's constant companion during the trip, and the above photo gives one a taste of how much he enjoys playing with her!

Ryan and I...
It was so good to be talking with Ryan in person again!! All other mediums are great, but they can't beat face to face in person time. We were able to get quite a bit of wedding and house related things nailed down and talked through during the time together, which was exciting for both of us!

Talkin' and Enjoyin' Each Other's Company...
I find it humorous that this is the only photo that contains more than 3 people I have from the entire trip!! Us ladies had such a great time together! From visiting antique stores, talking, or whatever we were doing at the moment, we had a wonderful and encouraging time together! The times our families are together is always refreshing, challenging, and encouraging. What a blessing the Pelc's have been to us!

Measure Twice, Cut Once!
Upon returning home from Missouri, Momma and I began to contemplate starting in on my wedding dress. The mock up had been completed right before we left, so all we had to do was to set aside everything (that would be gardening) and begin the dress. Two Monday mornings ago my Momma pulled out the cutting board and began laying out the fabric, while I was out running errands. Once I returned home, we started in on the cutting... and cutting... and cutting... and cutting. After three hours of cutting, measuring, snipping, and pinning, we closed up shop and called it a day.

Pressing in the Seams...
We spent the afternoons of the next week and a half in the sewing room together. What wonderful times those were! I was able to learn new things or have sewing 'techniques' reinforced with each seam that we put in or pressed flat. My Mother is a sewing genius and I have so much to learn from her, which make these times where we're working together so terrific!

Sewing the Horsehair to the Hem...
This past Wednesday we finished all the machine work on the dress; and yesterday, we officially finished all the hand sewing and pressed the dress!!! Now, all that's left is to put on the covered buttons, which we need to purchase, and the dress will be officially done!! I can't tell you how exciting it is to see (and have!) the dress (almost) completed!! Wow!!! Words fail me... It's a great feeling!

Momma and I
I have so enjoyed working on my dress with Momma. The time we spent together was special and full of memories... I was able to learn from her as we worked... We were able to talk about all sorts of things and build our relationship even stronger. I treasure these times with her...

Next on our to do together list - go strawberry picking for jam and freezing... that will take place next week! I sure hope the strawberry farm still has berries to pick! :o)

Web-Footed Creatures
One highlight of this spring has been the addition of new animals to our place. Sayre wanted to raise some ducks, so in mid March we had Five Rouen, Five Mallards, and Five Pekin ducklings who looked so soft, downy and just plain 'ol cute, arrive. Now, they're practically full grown and make enough noise to drown out the chickens when we're present there.

Duck Herding
These guys are a hoot to watch as they go everywhere en masse together, quacking the whole time. Sayre had them out the other day, and it was hilarious watching him attempt to herd them over to the shop!! One would get pointed back in the direction of the pen, and all the rest would follow! Sayre set up a kiddy pool full of water for the ducks to swim in, and it's a real treat to watch them floating in it.
But now that they are so big, we need to get them out of the chicken pen because...
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We have chicks!!!!!
One of our broody hens hatched six chicklets while we were visiting the Pelc's!!

Collecting the Eggs...
I have just recently let Mother Fluff-Ruffle and her brood out of their pen and the chicks seem to enjoy roaming about the coop scratching for all sorts of things.
I so enjoy watching the chickens. It's so peaceful to sit in the grass or under a tree, watch them gather around you, and slowly go off in search of bugs or other tasty treats. They have really become more and more free range this spring. That's been so neat to see!

New Beginnings...
Sayre brought home three African Pygmy goats last Saturday... The 'girls' are Roxanne and Roseanne while the billy is named 'Buster Houdini'. Roxanne (pictured on the left) likes to stand at the gate and bleat at us, during the late afternoons. If you bleat back, she'll answer and you can carry on quite the conversation!

Cattle Wranglin'
Seeing how I've featured all the critters, but the dogs so far, I suppose I ought to include a bit about the cows. Well... there are now sixteen cows and calves out at Bull Run! All the cows have calved and I think the final tally is five heifers and three bull calves.
In the above photo Dad, Tristan, and Sayre were putting each cow or calf into a head gate so they could tag them or take tags out, deal with the bull calves, and look each animal over closer.

Patiently Waiting...
So this is just a taste of what has gone on around here. As we look ahead to the weeks before the wedding, we anticipate wonderful times! It's going to be busy, but it will be wonderful at the same time! Home... Family and Friends... Animals... Gardening... Wedding... The recipe for the next nine weeks!




Thank You to all those who left comments on the last post. Ryan and I really enjoyed and appreciated your congratulations and excitement for us! Thank You so much for your comments!

From Ryan and Ashley...

Allot has transpired for us over this past year ~ first this, then this, and now...
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This! :o)

On Wednesday a new step was taken in our relationship... one that we had looked towards and hoped for since our courtship began.

These past fourteen months have been wonderful ones, with the Lords' hand being evident every step of the way. From the bringing of two families together even though there were hundreds of miles between them, to the friendship that so quickly sprang up between us ("us" being Ryan and Ashley), to the amazing like-mindedness that we have not only in our likes and dislikes, but most importantly in our strong desire to align ourselves with what the Lord has laid out in His Word. Every step of the way, we have found each other to be walking the same course in the living out of our faith; which has time and again shown us that we were following the path that the Lord has laid before us.

Now we are excited to announce that, as of this past Wednesday, we are an engaged couple!!! We have made this commitment one to another after seeing the Lords' hand throughout our relationship, and commit to marry knowing that we are in the center of His will.

These days, we are delighting in spending our days discussing and planning for a summer wedding. As we walk this course together, we are highly anticipating the coming days and years that we'll have together!