It is difficult to pick up where you left off, or to write an emailed reply, when there has been a gap of time or life has moved and changes considerably. I'm been content not to be on here (and regrettably neglecting emails) and so much has happened.
Little special days - one month of marriage, one year since our courtship (november 12th), two years since our meeting (november 21st), two months of marriage. We bought a table, hung pictures, bought a Christmas tree (and put it up).
We had our first married Thanksgiving with my parents, and last night had our first Thanksgiving in our own home. Denis, Zhanara, Marat, Yelena, and baby Bogdan came over for their first Thanksgiving ever. I had a lovely time making everything! (Though two little chickens substituted the turkey, since one wouldn't fit in our tiny, pretty oven) We've had guests before but it was amazing to see our table almost full, and to feel our house homey and warm. And one told me, "I like your house, I feel comfortable here." That is what we want, and what its goal is. Warm, comfortable, inviting, something that says home (and is also very colorful). And lots of talking (which also happened).
I love grocery shopping. And cooking, baking, making ice cream, curtains, keeping the cat happy. We got fish (tentatively named Miss Scarlet and Mrs. Peacock) and they need protecting.
These pictures are from our first morning in our apartment, after coming home from Russia. Boxes for tables and boxes everywhere :) It was very happy. And then reading cards a few days later, after going to my family's house (with it not being my home) for the first time to open gifts.

Have a lovely day; I'm going to get to the Thanksgiving dishes. See you sooner again!
Love,
Cait

dear friends,

we have been happily married for over three weeks, and home from St. Petersburg for nearly two.

Russia (Joel told me in the taxi on the way to the airport) was beautiful, and we loved it.
We saw the Kirov do Swan Lake at their Marinsky theatre, and it was Joel's first ballet (perfectly fitting that it would be the best company and ballet in the world, and on our honeymoon :).
The food was delicious, the air cold; love blissful.

Our eight days there were marvelous, but it was thrilling to come back to our home, and life here has been peaceful and joyous. (We've declared the year our honeymoon, even though Joel is back at work)

The wedding was perfect, and we were amazed. All thanks to God who ordained it, and the myriads of loving, skillful people who ran it!

More soon; love,
Cait Kady :) :) :)

would you like to watch our wedding?

We've been talking about this for awhile (ever since this couple did it), and are very pleased to actually be able to live-stream the wedding for our family and dear friends across the world.

Our church administrator is going to do it on his iPhone, and you can view it from right here (on the right panel)!! On Saturday the 25th, you can come to my blog and watch the ceremony. The video is located in the sidebar to the right. The official invitation time is 3:45pm, and we certainly intend to start before 4 pm. Dubai local time is GMT+4. So plan to join us at 7:45 am EDT (Michigan!), 4:45 am PDT (Seattle!) or whatever your local time works out to be!

If this video does not work (realize it won't start until the wedding does), you can go to this link [http://www.ustream.tv/channel/kady-wedding-dubai] once the wedding has begun, and watch from there.

We hope this is a blessing to the family and friends far away :)

Much love,
Cait
P.S. Three days!

seven tiny days until wifehood

Only a week left, and all the planning and preparation and work will be over. It will be such a relief to just be married, to each other, and able to rest. We are so ready, and looking forward also to having a settled home and no more long drives to each other or talking about details.
I want to seize quiet this week, and time with my family that has trickled away unknowingly.

We are so happy, and thankful, but it is easy to get overwhelmed and I need consistent dependence on God, and joy (which is bubbling up inside but needs help coming out!).

Much love,
Cait

We are back in Enumclaw after a big-family weekend in Seabrook, and seeing an old friend in Sequim on the way home. More about the lovely Pacific Beach soon, but here are two more Michigan snippets - Aubrey's amazing cat, the fat and friendly Fezzik - and my kindred spirit Sara, with bubbly, cheery Raya. The two had never met before but after a sweet shower that Sara had for me, we got to spend some time with Raya, the first female (Christian!) piper to join Cabar Feidh after I did :) We hadn't seen each other since I moved four years ago, so it was good to catch up.
I could never say enough about the blessing that dear friends have been in these past few weeks, especially in their celebrating with Joel and I (even though they haven't met him yet). It's been overwhelming!

Love, Cait

P.S. the counters are safely replaced, but here is more of the sharpie spree:
(I'm making it sound like a big deal but really it was just something silly to keep all the cousins excitedly occupied during one of our big barbeques at Grandma's)

P.P.S. I finally bought this song on iTunes :)
P.P.P.S. Five weeks gone and one more until I see Joel again!

these are some goings-on

Local lavender has been dried for shower-favor sachets. It smelled beautiful through the window.

My fantastic cousin Hannah. I wish you could all meet her, really.

Said amazing cousin suggested that we color our grandparents' counter with sharpies since they were getting it torn out (it's now a gorgeous granite). They agreed and the little cousins enthusiastically obliged!

Sister.

We just returned from a full, too-busy time in Michigan. It was lovely to see old friends again, and I was so blessed by them. It was simply a little too hectic. I will write more about the lovely parts soon :)

How is your August so far? It feels like it's flying by in some ways and dragging on in others!

love, Cait

a traditional stack

finally - this big stack of state-side invitations addressed, filled, stamped, sealed, and ready to mail. And I even have a couple blisters to show for the sealing :) It was a fun job and I was amazed at how fast everything went, especially writing all the addresses and return addresses out. I love the seal; we used it on top of the wrapped baker's twine for the invitations to be handed out, and on the back of the mailed envelopes. It was a natural black resin I found on ebay, and we used a beautiful tree seal that belonged to my great-grandmother. The resin didn't have a wick running through it, so I had to use a flame lighter to melt and drip it.

I would have more pictures of finishing them up but Kyleigh took them while I was singing along to an opera song, so they aren't too attractive ;)

love,
Cait

Rainier

Last week I went on the longest hike I've ever been on, with Joel's adorable sister, sweet mom, and younger brother and brother's girlfriend Heather. It was near Mount Rainier, and we encountered a lot of wet and slippery snow-covered paths! We saw plenteous birds, gophers (up close! I wanted to cuddle them), elk, deer, and even a mother bear with her cubs, from a distance!

It was fantastic, and I couldn't believe how close to the mountain we were, but made me miss Joel really bad.

IloveWashingtonbutnotwhenJoel'snothere,
Cait

twenty-four and forty-nine

It has been a very bittersweet trip, these last two weeks. It was bittersweet, already, because I was going to be away from Joel for over a week. But now that week is turning into six. Stand-by flights failed us and we are across the world from each other for over a month, longer than it will be from when I get back until our wedding day (that is the good part).
That was very, very hard to realize, having not bargained for that long away. It's helped me know how blessed we are to live in the same city, unlike some courting or betrothed couples. God has very wise purposes we don't know in this, and it is a unique reminder that Christ is my true bridegroom, and that seeking Him first is important even when Joel and I are together. Joel reminds me that if we knew all that God knew right now, we would choose the same things. Painful to think about but true!

Those numbers up there are how many days until I'm home again, and the number of days until September 25th :)

And after a weekend of attempts, all this was found out on my birthday. That was so sad! We still had a very sweet evening at dinner with Joel's family, who are so kind and lovely to me. But it was difficult to think that I was supposed to be meeting all his relatives with him, and then when all my family came on Wednesday, he was supposed to be getting to know them all for the first time. Also, I've never gotten to see him on my birthday! What is neat is that when all of this does happen someday, it will be as husband and wife, for real.

love,
Cait

things that have made me smile this week

- my sweet friend Arielle saying yes to this question:


- the two huge boxes of silk flowers awaiting me at my grandparents' house, and how beautiful and richly colored and perfect they were.

- my cousin Hannah and her shennanigans.

- teenagers walking into the Starbucks I'm sitting at and fanning themselves desperately, exclaiming "I'm hot!" in this 70-degree Enumclaw weather. Hot!? (though I have to admit, I'm not used to being outside in warm weather. But coming from 118 this is very, very nice.)

- the find of an exquisite thrifted 50's dress.

- that this the wedding day of a dear friend! (2 months and 2 days for us)

- surprises for Joel =)

- American coffee shops, atmosphere included.

- shopping for pretty things I've never had to go shopping for before.

- seeing Mount Rainier from my window :)


what does not make me smile today:

being halfway around the world from Joel and having to settle for Skype (but I am very thankful for Skype).

I'm going to go join my grandpa outside now. What has made you smile/laugh/cry this week?

much love;
Cait