Back to where it all began...Naples!

Our favorite wedding shot from our big day! We have this one on canvas in our living room.


As soon as we moved outside to do those shots, it started pouring, in typical Naples style...you can see the sheets of rain behind us!


I love, love, love this guy...I remember standing there, looking at him and wondering, is this really happening???? Am I this lucky? I'm happy to say, yes!


So I'm feeling incredibly nostalgic this year, because as of August 1, 2008, we will have been married for 5 years already! I can hardly believe that's true...in some ways it feels like yesterday that we met and started dating in Naples, Flordia. Now here we are, 5 years later and 2 major moves later, and we're living in Minnesota...where I always hoped I'd end up. Funny how things turn out. Anyway, I'm so sentimental right now because in just 30 days from today, we will be on a plane, headed for Naples!!

We decided about a month ago, that we desperately needed an escape from this endless winter that we're having. Last year we didn't do that and we quickly realized, that was a big mistake. So this year, we mulled it over in our minds for a few days and then the Lord totally blessed us with some unexpected money and we took that as a sign that we were supposed to go! So, fast forward 2 weeks, and we're thrilled to have the tickets but we haven't figured out where to stay yet. When we go, we always stay with our friends, Forrest and Karen Head, because Travis used to live with them and they are dear, dear friends and mentors of ours. They make it very clear that we'll always have a room at their house whenever we we want it, and we've taken them up on that over the years. However, the particular time that we chose to go, "our room" was going to be occupied by Karen's sister, so we were going to have to call some of our other friends or my Grandparents and look for another option. No big deal, as we still had plenty of people we could call...we just hadn't done it yet.

Well on a Sunday morning at Church, just a few weeks ago, a friend of mine found me after the service and wanted to ask me something. She and I co-led a Bible study over the summer last year in women's ministry and her oldest son is one of our 8th graders. We didn't know each other at all before last summer, but we really hit it off over the course of our study and we kept in touch all year as our paths crossed at Church. So, she tells me that her family was talking about Spring Break and the condo they have in Marco Island, and her 8th grader (whom we'll now love forever!)said, "I really think we should ask Pastor Travis and Stephanie if they want to stay there sometime...", so my friend and her husband agreed (Praise the Lord!!) and she told me they had been thinking of us and really wanted to offer their place anytime we went down to Naples. Well, I was able to tell her that we just booked a trip there and that we were struggling to find a place to stay, so we would LOVE and totally APPRECIATE a stay in their condo!

So, to make a long story short, we are headed to Naples, from April 1st until April 8th, to see our sweet Florida friends and to stay in an ocean-front condo in Marco Island!!! YEAH for us!!! We are also taking this opportunity to celebrate our 5 year anniversary, since we will be in the very place we met, fell in love, and got married. To say we're excited is the understatement of the year. We are thrilled! And we're also counting down the days as the long, cold, and gray winter in Minnesota rolls on...I'm not sure we'd survive without an escape 2 years in a row!!
We are very grateful for the way this trip has fallen into place. The Lord has been so good to us and we know it, and we're doing some serious praising in return! Here are some pictures from the best day of our lives...I've fallen in love all over again just looking at my groom and remembering what an incredible gift our wedding day was. I love Travis more today than that day, but I loved him that day a whole lot too!!


The brand new, totally overwhelmed, and blissfully happy, Mr. and Mrs. Travis Armstrong!


Our friends, Forrest and Karen Head, and their boys Daniel, Ben and Jonathan. Travis lived with them for about 2 years...they did our marriage counseling and Forrest married us...we love their family dearly.


My Dad and I taking that big walk down the aisle...my poor Dad had been dreading this day since I was born I think! But, I know he was very thankful to have Travis standing at the end of that aisle.


My girlfriends, my sisters, and our niece, Chloe...I love this picture because I did all of the flowers at my wedding and I think this shot shows them off nicely.


Travis and his guy friends, with his cousin, our nephew and little Jonathan Head.


One of my favorite wedding shots...we look like royalty because of the club we were in! The Interior Design firm I worked for in Naples, did this club, so I spent the entire month of November, 2002, here, putting it all together. This was in the private dining room...that club was beautiful and we got it for next to nothing for our reception, because I worked there. It turned out wonderfully, but I have lots of funny memories from all the drama that went down there while it was being built and completed. Quite an introduction into the design and construction industry!


Travis and I with Daniel and Ben Head...I see food on our plates, but I can't recall eating a single bite!


Kissing after we cut the cake...again, I don't remember eating it, but apparently I did get one bite in order to have this picture!