77 sleeps to go...

There's lots to do between now and December 17th...

- invites to go out
- invites to be made
- doily bunting to be sewed (and lots of it!)
- Band to be organised!
- decorations to be made (and bought!)
- bridesmaids to dress
- jewellery
- this list could go on.... But I'm gonna stop!!!!

The countdown is on, and I am enjoying the journey with Anthony Paul Pendlebury Brown, he's a good egg, and I am absolutely stoked to be marrying him. He's the kindest person I know.... I'm gonna forget about the list for now... it'll get done... if it doesn't, who cares (I know there's some people out there freaking as I say that! Ha!)
Anthony will be there December 17th and THAT is all that matters!

Much love

AJ Xx

Ps for all wedding updates follow @tones1986 and I (@ajtyson) on twitter

I Love This Man...

.anthony.

He's a good man...
I could not have gotten through the last year without him...
He's such a blessing...
Thank you Jesus for @tones1986

.love.

First Wedding Anniversary Without Her...

He's an amazing man...

It's One year Today....

Since my sister and I were happily watching Grand Designs, when we got the call off my mum to tell us she had in operable cancer...

It was about lunch time... Mum made us put her on speaker phone so she could talk to us both... as mum spoke Kirsty and I sat there silently in tears...

We got off the phone...

We sat around all afternoon in shock....

We loved our mum so much and we miss her muchly...

Please be praying for my family at this time...

Much love AJ Xx

Birthday

It's 45 minutes until I turn 28... never again will I hear my birth story off my mum...

Last year I got these boots off her for my 27th birthday... I had fallen in love with them and put them on layby, mum paid the rest of the layby... Birthdays were mum's specialty... I miss her. Tomorrow will be my first birthday without her.

.hot.boots.

I'm Engaged!

Yep! I'm engaged to the most loveliest man on the planet... Mr Anthony Paul Pendlebury Brown. Our big day will be the 17th December 2011. He did everything perfectly right from the beginning...he woo'd, he asked my dad if he could date me, he ran on time every date, bought me flowers, chocolates, took me out for dinner many times, protects my heart, loves me, treats me with such respect, honour and dignity. He loves me. Before he asked me to marry him he spoke to his pastor and my dad... he is the man and always has my best interests at heart, I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with him... I have known Anthony for 3 years, not well, but I have seen (and heard) about him! In mid November I attended a 'Rise Youth' combined youth night at his church, got a flat tyre on the way saw him singing on the night, left with a sore throat without even talking to him, added him on Facebook, he accepted my friend request that night, wrote on my wall the next morning, I spent the next 3 days in bed with bacterial tonsilitus and I've heard from him everyday since. I love him, and could not imagine my life without him...the thought of it devastates me. There has been mixed responses about our 'quick' engagment, generally from people who don't know us as a couple. I don't worry about those people. They're annoying, but my focus is on my future God has set before me and to run my race well, not comparing myself with anyone else or their relational course that God has set before them. I'm concerned on running my race well. I feel like I've known him forever. Í feel like he is a very generous gift from God and my mum. My dad loves him, my family love him. I love him. I am a very blessed woman. He has been worth the wait. More to come! Xx

So, about his loveliness...

The 2nd of March was mum's birthday. I had planned to go to work, just like every other work day, but dad was away and housemate was up the coast. I was alone in the house. Most days I can pull myselt together, but that day I couldn't. The tears wouldn't stop flowing. I called for a casual to come in and do my classes... I wasn't going to push myself.

Word got around to mum's Hill Street friend aka her bestie that I wasn't doing too well, she called that morning, came down from the Gold Coast - with chocolate in hand and took me out for an oyster lunch... we celebrated mum's birthday in style!

That afternoon, I wanted to go and see mum and wish her a happy birthday... Anthony and I had spoken several times about him and mum meeting - but had never before worked out a good time. So that afternoon, with a freshly shaven face and new shirt on, Anthony met my mum.

That evening, Anthony cooked me dinner and I got home just in time for Farmer wants A Wife. I iced the hot pink cake I had made, ate a piece and went to bed. I was exhausted...

On days like these, I miss my mum muchly.

Xx

I'd like you to meet....

Anthony Paul Pendlebury Brown - he's my boyfriend!!!

.anthony.

Much love,

AJ Xx

More details of him & his loveliness next post...

6 Months Today

It's 6 months today since I lost my mum at 7:55pm on Thursday 29th July 2010.

I remember waking up 4:30am the morning of her funeral and being stumped as to what to say about her. I felt no words could ever encapsulate the amazing person that she was, or could ever describe how much i was going to miss her... this is what I came up with...

"My Mummy...

I remember going to church when I was little with my mum, me vomiting in church - mum cleaning it up, mum playing with my ear while my head rested on her knee during the sermon, waking up at night as a 4 yr old and her being in my room praying over me.

I don't have any really amazing funny stories for you today, even though she was really, really funny and fun to be around - all I remember is mum ALWAYS just being there.

I had the amazing privilege of living with mum for 25.5 years - what you saw outside our home - at church, work, out shopping or in a cafe, was the same Mary we saw at home. A beautiful, strong, loving, caring, kind, thoughtful, consistent, generous person. One that I am so very going to miss having around.

Mum was always keen for an afternoon coffee, Saturday coffee or a spontaneous skim cappuccino in a mug - I loved being the gooseberry the last few years when mum and dad went out for cuppas - even if they didn't. Mum never made me feel like the gooseberry.

14 days ago while us kids were packing up their house in Charters Towers I had the greatest privilege of listening to my parents pray - I'm not sure if they realised I was there - but I stayed anyway. Mum and dad used to tell us kids they prayed for us, their partners and grand babies every morning - that morning I heard mum pray to God through her pain, discomfort and nausea and sickness - my mum was a faithful woman. I used to love coming home from my morning walks and seeing mum with her bible out, journal and pen in hand and praying in the lounge room with Molly (the dog) nearby somewhere - usually at her feet. My mum loved God so much.

Last week mum said she wanted to see each of us kids in heaven with dad - the place that we know she is because of her love for Jesus here on earth. I know she would extend that invitation to each and every one of you in this room, mum loved people, so I know she'd wanna sit with you at a cafe in heaven on the streets of gold and have a cuppa with you when you arrive.

I'm really gonna miss you mum, your smile, your laugh, your beautiful soft hands, your random calls, seeing you in church, doing your hair, at Christmas time, on mothers day (because u were the best mum ever) I'm gonna miss not having you there on my wedding day, I'm gonna miss talking to you about anything, anytime, I'm just going to miss you.

To mummy, you are the most beautiful person I know. Thank you for being a beautiful example of love. You taught me so much, I want to be exactly like you. I love u so much and thank you for being an amazing role model.
I will miss you.
Love AJ .
P.S you are really, really, really hot."

.my.beautiful.mum.

Thanks for stopping by,

Much love

AJ Xx

P.S Next blog I'll be introducing you to someone pretty amazing! You won't want to miss this introduction!!

Aunty Lucy

Yesterday, at around 7:45pm dad got a voice mail off his brother, Bob, it was about my aunty Lucy. Bob had rung to tell us that after a long battle with cancer, his wife, Lucy had passed away at lunch time.

.our.last.visit.to.their.home.

Over the last few months dad and I have traveled up to the Sunshine Coast to see Lucy a couple of times. I am blessed to have reestablished a connection with my cousin, Bob & Lucy's daughter, Kylie. Kylie and I 'get' each other. Just a few months ago on my first visit in a long time, Kylie & I chatted about my mum, her mum and the sadness & grief we were both feeling. Sickness & death of a family member (in this scenario - our mum's) is very hard on a family. I won't say I know & understand exactly how Kylie feels, but I think I may have a little insight, perhaps...

Since Kylie & I first chatted, I have had such compassion for her... I've texted and on occasions called her whenever I thought of her. The last few months she has been a very busy daughter, sister, friend, co-worker and mum herself - looking after her teenage children. When I heard yesterday about her mum, my heart sank for Kylie, I remember the day after my mum had passed away, there is no words to describe how I felt....

If you are a pray-er please pray for my family at this time...

Much love,

AJ Xx