Silly quiz...

I found it on Meredith's blog, and couldn't resist. =P

1. What two qualities do you want most in your future husband (besides being a Christian)? Joy that will last through hardships and love of children.

2. Is there a fictional character you see as a model for your future husband? Mr. Knightley and Mr. Tilney (both from Jane Austen novels... =P)

3. Where do you want your wedding? In my own front yard... I have it all worked out.

4. What are your views on courtship? I've done many long rants/explanations about it, but in a nutshell, I believe courtship a mindset, and that being in that mindset while getting to know a special someone is the only way to end up with the right one.

5. Do you have a purity ring/locket? Kind of... on my charm bracelet, I have a gold heart inscribed with "He who holds the key can unlock my heart." I gave the key to my daddy, as a symbol that until the man God has for me comes into my life, my daddy is the man who protects me.

6. Do you have or want a hope chest? I do have a hope chest. It's slowly collecting things...

7. Will you wear a veil at your wedding? I'm not sure... I'll have to find one I like and that hasn't happened yet. The wedding would not be ruined in my opinion if I didn't have a veil.

8. What kind of wedding dress do you want? I want a modest, short sleeve or sleeveless (NOT strapless), full-skirt dress with no train. I'm not sure if I'll find it or make it, but I always look at the wedding dresses at Goodwill, and if I find what I'm looking for I'll buy it and save it! =P

9. What color bridesmaid dresses do you want? Well, I want a small wedding, so I might only have Sarah as my maid of honor... so I'll let her have whatever color she wants, excluding hot pink. If I have more, I might still let them wear whatever color... I'm not sure.

10. What flowers do you want in your bouquet? That would depend on what season I end up getting married, but I'd like to cut my own flowers and arrange them myself... so whatever is blooming.

11. What do you want to name one of your daughters? I like Celtic names... Moyna, Sianna, Flanna, Arela.

12. What do you want to name one of your sons? Alan, Devlin, Tiernan... Maybe one of my desired traits in a husband should be "tolerance of weird names." :\

13. How many kids do you want? My joke answer is 13... almost everyone who knows makes fun of me. Really, it's "AT LEAST" 13. Laugh, gasp or cajole all you want, that's my desire.

14. What music do you want to play at your wedding? Strings and flute... I would say piano, but I want it in my front yard, so a piano might be too much trouble.

15. Are you a hopeless romantic? I wouldn't say so. I can easily enjoy the romance in anything, but I don't look for that kind of romance for myself. My dream is just to have a simple life with the man God has for me. And then, even the normal things in life are romantic.

Fragile dreams

All my life so far, I've looked forward to when I would finally get married and have children. It has always been my goal. Ever since I was around 10, I have planned nearly every aspect of my the life I want to have once I'm married: the kind of house I want (a cute little farm house with space for a vegetable garden and extreme amounts of flowers), the way my days will go, how many children we'll have and how we'll train our children. So far I think the only thing I left entirely up to God was the man.

It was only recently that it hit me: perhaps I am naively imagining an impossible dream. I'm just a silly girl, gazing starry-eyed into a romantic fantasy that's unmarred by reality. Eventually, my shiny, happy future will shatter like a delicate glass into 10 million pieces. The disillusionment will cast a gray hue over all my broken plans and my former hopes will be a bright mockery of the cold, hard truth.

Or maybe not. Isn't there a chance that God has planned a Godly man of character to marry me? Is it impossible for me to be a firm, but gentle, loving and disciplining mother? Am I not capable of making a lovely home for my family? Is it too much to ask that my girls have a meek and quiet spirit, with gentle feminity? That my boys be strong leaders, kind and loving to their sisters and show honesty, diligence and intelligence in everything they do? Should I not hope to one day have a joyful, loving family with obedient and thankful children, led by a hard-working spiritual man?

Could there be a lovely, simple life in my future?

~Lizzie