Happy 16 month Anniversary!

It was 16 months ago today that Mr. Coffer and I had our very first date at the Purple Cafe in Kirkland. Wow. It's a little overwhelming and extremely exciting when I take a moment and think about how much has changed in my life in 16 short months.

John and I are in love. He is my best friend. We are engaged to be married next October. Wow. We now share a warm and almost-moved-in home together, which is simply awesome. I now have 2 very funny, sweet, strong minded and smart kids in my life that I love and have responsibilities for. I go to flag football and soccer games on Saturdays, and cut up oranges for snack day. I have a great, new family that lives in Covington and Ocean Shores who have welcomed me with open hearts and a ton of great memories already.

All the changes are blessings, every single one of them. It's just so crazy to imagine my life before John. And, let me tell you....I had a GREAT life. INCREDIBLE and supportive friends. A wonderful and loving family. A fantastic job, a wonderful home. Seriously...it was amazing! But, if its even possible, and by some kind of miracle, being together makes everything even better. The sun is truly warmer. The sky is really bluer. The rough days melt away much quicker after spending a few moments with him. I always knew love would be incredible, but being with John has exceeded any of my expectations, any of my dreams, and life...life is just good.

Here's to the next 16 months and beyond!

365 Days from Today!

GLORIOUS!! It's 10 am right now and 81 degrees in Lahaina...sunshine, blue skies and just lovely (this is a picture from a live webcam)! So....let's hope that in 365 days...we are as blessed!

Finally, the 1-year countdown begins. We've made great progress on the planning, and you should be receiving a "save the date" in the mail soon (probably the first week of November).

Here's to all of us lifting a delicious Lava Flow together next year at this time!

We're booked at Valley Isle!!

This morning we happily confirmed our stay at the Valley Isle resort in Kahana (just north of Kaanapali). We'll be arriving on Saturday, October 3, 2009 and will have Spencer & Skyler with us though October 10, 2009. We'll head home to Seattle on October 17 or 18 and spend the last week honeymooning in Maui. Ahh....2 glorious weeks. What a way to celebrate getting hitched. Here are just a few more pics of Valley Isle...

If you're interested, you can find great deals at the Valley Isle resort through http://www.vrbo.com/ or http://www.valleyisleresort.com/. There are studios, 1 & 2 bedroom units available, almost all with ocean views. These are all private rentals, so the furnishings & prices will vary depending on who you book through. I've found the rates are roughly $125/night for a studio, $165/night for the 1 bedrooms & $230/night for 2 bedrooms.

3 years ago today..."Heidi meet John"

It was 3 years ago today that John and I met for the first time. Wow. Three years. We met at Mark & Mechelle's rehearsal dinner...and cleverly (I think), we were seated next to one another. I hadn't laughed that much in a long time, and I was instantly drawn to him...in fact, I left that night with a little flutter, something I had never felt quite like that before. I fell asleep thinking of him, and couldn't wait to see him the next day (and we ended up spending most of the wedding together). Maybe it's true...perhaps there is love at first sight....I'd believe it. Three years...wow. Happy Anniversary Mark & Mechelle, and thank you.

10.08.09....it's official!

You wouldn't think it would be difficult to pick a wedding date when you have over a year to plan...but, well...it is. You have to consider family schedules, timeshare availability, blah, blah, blah....it's complicated, but, we've done it!

So, mark your calendars for Thursday, October 8, 2009. And yep...still getting married in Maui. We're thinking we'll stay on the north end of the island in Kaanapali, although we haven't booked our condo yet (the condo is actually in Kahana). Our timeshare is at the Valley Isle Resort, just outside of Lahaina. http://www.valleyisleresort.com/ We won't be able to confirm that we'll be staying there until roughly September 3 or 4th (the earliest we can book our timeshare), but that is currently the plan. We are planning on arriving either Saturday, October 3 or Sunday, October 4 with the kids. Still some details to work through...but that's what we're thinking.

3 Months....

So, John is convinced that I'm going to have the entire wedding planned (locked and loaded) within three months, and then hit total burnout. I'm fairly certain he's wrong about the burnout, but he may be right about the planning.

It's so fun. Every time I think about marrying him, I just feel a perfect blend of excitement, joy and emotion. It's distracting. How in the world am I going to make it until next October? I mean, seriously? Anyone else want to just head to Hawaii this October?

And is there anything quite as incredible as being in love? Whether it's being in love with a precious newborn angel, or the love of your life, or the family of friends you choose to create memories with...Love is just simply...Magic.

MAUI 2009!

Ok, ok...I'll admit it can be perceived as a little cliche to get married in Maui....so much so that there's a line in the movie, Forgetting Sarah Marshall that says, "Oh, a wedding in Hawaii...real original"....but, we can't help ourselves.

It's just so beautiful in Hawaii. It's as if God set out to make the most romantic, lovely place in the world-- it's in a word...GLORIOUS. The islands have so many special memories for us, both as individuals and as a couple. Last October we celebrated our 4-month anniversary in Maui for Dave & Aubrey's wedding. It was spectacular and amazing and wonderful. The memories are as fresh and special as if we had been there last week.

So, where else could we exchange our vows? How could we choose anyplace else? Just thinking about standing on a beach, feet dug in the warm sand, holding John's hands and making our promises to each other, surrounded by our family & close friends, with the incredible sound of the waves in the background makes me feel warm inside. Warm and sappy and happy...all good things when you're planning a wedding.

It's a done deal...we're in! Maui, here we come...

We're close to picking a date...think Fall 2009, and stay tuned for more details soon.