THE MARRIAGE DIARIES VOL. 7

It's fun to look back on what we were doing this time last year. I was knee deep in wedding planning and Matthew was starting to get in his groove at work. He had started back in January so he spent a good part of "busy season" learning and growing at his firm. I was coming home every weekend from Cookeville to wedding plan, see him, and my family. I think I spent almost every weekend last spring (and summer before the wedding) wedding planning/crafting. It was an exciting time and I am so thankful I was able to experience the rush and excitement that wedding planning brings, but my goodness, I am thankful it is over! And I mean that in the most positive way possible. I don't know how some of you ladies handle being engaged a year or longer. It was fun, but being married is 1000 times better.

It's crazy looking back at last year, planning for our wedding and lives to start together, and looking at where we are now, newlyweds and just purchased our first home together. I get so excited thinking about what, Lord Willing, all will be going on next year at this time.

Spring is one of my FAVORITE times of the year. Partly because everything is warming up and looking alive again and partly because spring time is when Matthew and I started talking and hanging out. It all started at his birthday in March of 2010 and we've been together every since. I love seeing posts on Timehop of my statuses or pictures I posted on Facebook (Instagram wasn't around back then!) From March of 2010 to May when we "officially" started dating all the love song lyrics were directed towards my sweet man. Cheesy as it was, that was "the thing" to do. ;) I get so tickled because 2010 me had no idea the guy I was crushing on and posting cheesy Facebook statuses about would my HUSBAND by 2015. God has just proven to me, over and over, that everything that happens in our lives is apart of His plan. Things might not happen exactly when we want it or how we want it to, but whatever does happen has been and is apart of His plan all along. Whenever I think of all this one of my favorite verses comes to mind.

I may or may not have gotten really emotional the other night driving through our neighborhood to our house. I still can't believe this is real life- we're married and we own our very first home together! The Lord has been SO good to us and we are so thankful. I hope and pray we always have this mindset. 7+ months of marriage has been so sweet, and my husband is the sweetest. I love being your wife, Matthew!

The Marriage Diaries Vol. 6

The Marriage Diaries Vol. 5 & 4

The Marriage Vol. 3

The Marriage Diaries Vol. 2

The Marriage Diaries Vol. 1

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THE MARRIAGE DIARIES VOL. 7

THE MARRIAGE DIARIES VOL. 6

Six months (+23 days...ooops!) has passed since I woke up beside my three best friends and danced around as we got ready to head to the church so I could marry my dream guy. Six whole months has passed since I nervously walked through the double doors and down the aisle to my groom. Six months have passed since I entered into a covenant relationship with the man I'm blessed to call "husband". I had no idea what all was in store for our first six months of marriage, but I am so thankful for every single moment that The Lord used to teach  and grow us. I have been continually blown away by how God has molded Matthew into the most precious husband for me. Six months ago we started this journey called marriage and my cup overflows daily. What a blessing the Lord poured out. He is good, so so good. No matter what, He is continually good. Nothing can or ever will change that. And what a joy it is to know that!

I've always heard the saying, "marry your best friend" and each day I am seeing just how true that statement is. Marriage is the biggest blessing and greatest gift, I've ever know so far and I could not imagine not marrying someone who wasn't my best friend. Matthew and I tell each other everything and we do a lot of things together once we are off of work. From just watching TV together to running errands and just the day-to-day activities. Since the last time I wrote one of these, we bought our house and moved in. We still can't believe that we own a house and are old enough to have a mortgage, but here we are, and we are overwhelmed with so much thankfulness. Each step of life is exciting and I could not imagine doing any of it without my very best friend. 

Life lately is most days we just look at each other and can't help but laugh, saying "you're my WIFE!" and "you're my HUSBAND!" because real life still doesn't feel like real life. Each day is filled with so much goodness because this one is by my side. 

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THE MARRIAGE DIARIES VOL. 6

ENGAGEAVERSARY

Today is our engagement anniversary. I still can't believe that the boy I love went from being my boyfriend to my fiance to my HUSBAND all in these past 365 days! What a joy it has been watching Matthew take on these new titles and transitioning into them so well. So much has happened in these past 365 days, it's kind of hard to wrap my head around all of it. You can read all about how Matthew proposed to me HERE!

We were engaged a little under 7 months (208 days to be exact) and those months were probably some of the longest months of my life. They probably felt that way because Matthew and I were living about an hour apart and really only got to see each other on the weekends. I remember multiple times we were frustrated with ourselves on making such a "long" engagement. We had honestly thought about moving our wedding date up a bit, but in the end it worked out perfectly. Those 208 days were all in God's timing. We were able to plan and prepare for our wedding/marriage, and looking back now, I wouldn't have changed those 208 days of our engagement (I also wouldn't add any days to our engagement lol 208 days was definitely plenty long for us!) I thought I knew happiness 365 days ago, but come to find out, I had a lot of happiness left to discover (and still do!) 

I know that anniversaries will only get better from here. Days like today are the little ones, but it's still fun to celebrate even the small events. And I'm overwhelmed when I think about the fact that we haven't even really begun to scratch the surface of this whole marriage thing. 

Matthew, it is an honor to have your last name, and to be your wife. Having you introduce me to people as your wife will never, ever get old. What an adventure these past 365 days have been!

We had an engagement picture as well as a wedding picture taken at the same spot where Matthew got down on one knee. All three occasions were very exciting, and that's now my favorite spot on Tech's campus. 

December 22, 2014 was a really, really good day, but every day after that one has only gotten better.

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ENGAGEAVERSARY

THE MARRIAGE DIARIES VOL. 3

This is a few days late, but I thought it would be fun to share Vol. 3 today...we've been married 100 days today. For the past 100 days I haven't woken up without him beside me. It's funny how we've fallen into routines and the new normal. I remember our first week back from our honeymoon and waking up each morning beside him before work. It was strange and so different, but I loved it (and still loving it!), and now I can't imagine waking up and Matthew not being there.

100 days of morning talks together while he gets ready for work, one of my favorite moments each day.

I've been describing each month in one or two words, I don't know if I'll do that every month, but I will continue that for this month. So if I had to describe our third month of marriage it would be: Thankful. There have been so many moments where I have just stopped and became so overwhelmed with thankfulness. Thankful for Matthew, thankful for his friendship, thankful for his forgiveness, thankful for his selflessness, thankful for our jobs, thankful for our apartment, thankful for two families becoming one through our marriage, and thankful for this sweet life we are building together.

We've shared meals together, lazy nights watching our favorite shows, driving around looking at houses for "someday" (one of our favorite things to do!), uncontrollable laughter, prayers, tag teaming the dishes, furniture projects, silly moments, and sweet moments. We've also shared disagreements, compromises and long talks. We've failed to communicate, and annoyed each other. We've loved so deeply and failed to love at some moments. Just like month two, we are still adjusting and learning to compromise, and I plan on doing that, Lord willing, for the rest of our lives together. 

I have a lump in my throat as I type this because my husband is falling asleep beside me. We've been married for over three months now and I still can't get over the fact that this is my reality. Thankful, so incredibly thankful. 

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THE MARRIAGE DIARIES VOL. 3

The Sweetest Day: Bridal Party

Our bridal party was so fun and made our weekend so much more memorable.

I always knew I wanted a larger bridal party and to be honest it was really hard to choose who we wanted to stand beside us. We are so lucky!

We ended up deciding on 6 bridesmaids and 6 groomsmen, 2 junior bridesmaids, 2 flower girls and 2 ring bearers.

We loved having a big wedding party! If we had it to do over we would have added more friends to stand beside us.

My two youngest sisters were our junior bridesmaids. One of our flower girls was my little cousin and the other flower girl was a little girl I had in my classroom at the daycare I worked at a long time ago (my first job!)

Our two ring bearers were our campus minister's twin sons!

And now for our bridesmaids!

My sister was my maid of honor and I could not think of anyone else I would have wanted standing right next to me than her.

Kathleen and I met in the third grade and have been best friends through thick and thin. She just got married this past weekend and is on her honeymoon! I was matron of honor and Matthew was the best man in her wedding!

Sarah and I met in the fourth grade and have been best friends through thick and thin. She really is the sweetest person!

Jenny and I met when she and my brother-in-law started dating a few years ago, and they are getting married in 9 DAYS!!!! I am so excited and happy to have another sister.

Carleigh and I met a few years ago on an SOC retreat. She was one of the first SOC girls to talk to me and we quickly became really good friends.

Miranda and I met a few years ago through the SOC as well. She is also a really sweet person and will do anything to help anyone out. She's getting married this December!!

And our groomsmen!

Matthew's best man was his dad. His dad, Thom, had his dad as his best man and Matthew wanted to carry on the tradition. Matthew really looks up to his dad and could not have imagined anyone else standing beside him on one of the most important days of our lives.

Andrew, Matthew's older brother, was one our our groomsmen. Our bridal party included a lot of family and we LOVED that!

Matthew's twin brother, Nathan, was also a groomsman. A lot of people don't believe they are actually twins until they show them their license to prove it lol.

Ethan, is one of our best friend's that we met through the SOC. He is basically the fourth brother in the Coats family!

Corbin was Matthew's college roommate. We actually go to church now with his older brother who just got married back in June!

We met Joey through the SOC as well. He was Matthew's older brother's roommate during college, and we've all been really good friends!

I absolutely LOVE this picture of Matthew.

WE LOVE OUR BRIDAL PARTY!

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The Sweetest Day: Bridal Party

The Sweetest Day: Matthew + Shelby

I'm in love with our pictures and I can't wait to get some printed out and some put on canvases!

We decided to wait and do all of our couples pictures until after the ceremony. We knew we needed to make family and bridal party pictures as soon as the ceremony was over and we didn't want to leave our guests waiting too long. We were also hoping it would cool off some as the afternoon went on...sadly it didn't. We got married on what was probably the hottest weekend this past summer, but that's okay! We made some pictures on Tennessee Tech's campus and our photographer found a cute little place off of the highway we stopped at and made some!

 A peak at my blue shoes!

We got engaged in the middle of the quad on Tennessee Tech's campus and when we had engagement pictures made on campus I knew I wanted to get one in the same spot, so we of course had to make one there on our wedding day as well! :) 

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The Sweetest Day: Matthew + Shelby