So, Thursday after lunch I packed my car and off I headed for Benbrook, Texas!!! I had the time of my life traveling there, I have to admit! :) A blast! I can see how Sam enjoys the ride to see me when he comes up to OK! Now coming home is a TOTALLY different story that I will tell about at the end! That is not the most fun ever, that is for sure!

At 4:40 I was in my car sadly heading back to OK! I noticed I was headed right into a storm and sure enough about 5 min. from Jeremy's house I was in torrential downpour but it didn't last long! 25 min. away and I felt and heard a certain flat tire......blu blu blu blu.......doink doink doink doink........oh no! :) I pulled off and discovered a VERY flat, flat back passenger tire! I opened my trunk and pulled out my spare and called Mom. She said to call Sam right then so I did and of course Superman Sam was coming to rescue me as soon as he heard! :) I felt PRETTY special and very loved. I got back in my car, locked the doors, turned on my blinkers and proceeded to wait! Well, then.......to my amazement someone stopped! NO ONE EVER stops to help anyone anymore! He was a chatty older man, still in his suit and tie I am guessing from work, cup of coffee in hand; and he would NOT leave until he had changed my tire! I told him my fiance was almost there and thanked him for stopping but he was "worried" about me he said and wanted to get my tire changed and get me off the side street! Okay whatever. Right after he left and I pulled into a parting lot Sam was there! Go figure! He drove all that way and didn't even get to change the thing! Well, I was VERY glad he came just the same! I was driving on what looked like a four inch donut, a motorcycle tire, a little tube! I'm supposed to go four hours on this little thing! Sam assured me of it being fine (That is what the little sapre thing is for. Just to get you where you are going and then get changed again.) and even checked my other tires so I would have no fear of another flat on another tire and not having a spare that time!!!

So away I go again! It took me 5 hours to get home because of my delay but I kept thinking, you never know what the Lord was saving me from! :) After I crossed the Oklahoma border the trip seemed to drag on and on and on! There is literally NOTHING along I-35 for miles and miles! After I got to Norman though it was assuring to think.....only another hour and half or so! I do know one thing, my admiration and respect for Sam went up like a whole........50 notches! The fact he makes this trip every time he comes up and goes back down is incredible! I really enjoyed it though and Monday morning I was ready to go again! By Monday evening it felt like we hadn't seen each other in two weeks again! I don't quite understand that at all and I'm not sure I like it AT all either! It is rather torturous, indeed!

Thanks Sam for the wonderful weekend, for who you are, for all you do! I admire and respect the man you are with all my heart! You are the ONE who has my whole heart forever! :)

.....July is nearly over! No it doesn't seem possible! I saw that the last time I posted was the Forth of July and I almost laughed at how fast the time has gone! One week and we're in August!

God has been SO good this past week! So much has happened and I wasn't even expecting them too! In all the business and excitement of so many things going on I am still able to have fun with my own wedding planning now only 227 days away, or 28 weeks away, or 7 months away! Which ever one! :D I like the 28 weeks personally becasue....yikes.....that sounds really close! :) I have my wedding dress on order now and NO WAY can anyone see pictures unless you personally ask and Sam you can't get away with that by the way. Sorry you have to wait! :P It takes 3-4 months for it to even get here the lady said and on top of that it takes 6-8 weeks if I need alterations. That puts me in Jan. or Feb. of next year so I guess the Lord worked that out in perfect timing. :)

Last weekend Sam came home so I stayed at Mom Shepherd's house all weekend and and we hung out with her. Sam and I started on the Love & Respect Seminars. I already had the book but he got the seminars on DVD to watch. Emerson Eggerich is so hilarious! He keeps your attention and what he has to say sticks with you because of how he says it and illustrates what he says! I think everyone that is getting married should go through it! It is awesome! I'm learning so much and it is so wonderful to be able to apply some things and put in practice what you're learning before you get married and go, "What is going on! I never knew you were like this!" :) Yea, exactly! :D

We had a good weekend! Friday night Mom had a Creative memories crop and I got all our engagement pictures on the day he proposed to me into an album! That is what we are oooing and ahhhhing over in these pictures!! *grin*Saturday we even got a ballroom dance video from the library and learned to waltz! I have to admit Sam was a fast learner and he was pretty good! I have to brag on him! He would deny it with everything he's got just because I was teasing him about not being graceful! Guy's can't be graceful....not really supposed to be either. Not the way I was teasing him about anyway! lol :) We had fun showing off to Mom Shepherd before he left on Sunday evening for Texas again. We didn't have any music at the time so Mom had to improvise for us! :D

You know life isn't always so wonderful as I write here! :) There are tough days, there are days when it looks like we're in a pit....but God is faithful and as Emerson Eggerich says, "My response is my responsibility! Am I gonna smell like a skunk or a rose in the relationship?" :) I like that! Makes you think twice before you act on your day! There is always something EVERY day to learn! I KNOW I shall be learning until my dying day! :)