This is Craig by the way- just thought I'd point that out lol. We now have less than 2 weeks left until the wedding. I just wanted to record this. I don't know or care too much that lots of people read it but I like the way it makes me feel to say I love her. I guess you could say that whenever my lips say it that my heart confirms it with its' own words. That is one of the biggest ways that I know that I am sincere with Cayla and with anyone. I can feel my heart in it :)
Cayla has been and is (along with the blessings of Jesus' atonement) my most cherished blessing. I don't know how often I say that lol. Just a couple days ago we were driving along and I told that I love her and she smiled. She said "that still amazes me." She is a humble woman :) Thank goodness that I do not have to be so humble about her lol. My only hope is that she feels cherished and that that does not end somewhere 2 years from now. Cayla deserves my very best in everything. IThat is what someone in love does I think. I may not have the best of material things but what perhaps is much more substantial than density and volume in objects is this- I am with her :) I know what I have seen, and felt, and I have made up my mind on it. I love her. I love her :)
Sometimes when I look on the blog I think 'Man! These people are living in a dream! Everything sounds like it is going so wonderful.' I've met my share of people and from all over. I know how a normal life goes. I'm well aware of it. We've presented our love and joy in a way that seems almost dreamlike to me. Cayla said it good near the beginning of our engagement. "It seems almost to good to be true." Well it is for us both :) You know on a side note I am going to quote Cayla often to reassure her that I do listen lol. Just kidding. Just kidding. Please, nobody read anything into that lol. Sometimes people say that life is a dream. All I can say is that it is the best dream I have ever had :)
In my case I am fortunate because I have been paired with the best woman that God ever created :) In a few short words more because I don't have much time this morning I am shocked... shocked at all that has been given to me. I like the words of Malachi from the Old Testament. God has this to say. "... [P]rove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it (Malachi 3:10)." I have often thought about what come forth from the windows of heaven. As I look with seeing eyes I cry with gratitude. God certainly keeps his promises :) I have all the evidence I need. One of my prized pieces is Cayla Janay Hansen. There is nothing I'd rather have in my entire life :)
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Craig and Cayla's Reception
Join Craig and Cayla
as we Celebrate our Wedding
at the Reception!
When:
November 27, 2010
6-8 pm
Where:
West Maricopa Stake Center
8702 W. Campbell
Phoenix, AZ
We look forward to seeing you there!!!!
(Photo by kissablephotos.com)
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Wedding Website
caylaandcraig.kissablephotos.com
Chris did an AMAZING JOB with the photos and everything. This is a website he created just especially for the wedding. It is wonderful!
Wedding is November 27 at the Mesa Temple, and the reception is at the LDS Stake center off of 87 and Cambell (inbetween Indian School and Camelback) from 6-8.
Chris did an AMAZING JOB with the photos and everything. This is a website he created just especially for the wedding. It is wonderful!
Monday, October 18, 2010
Well it has been brought to my attention that my version of the whole getting together story is not on this blog, so I guess I should tell you all the girly side of it =)
Well for starters you should know I was STRONGLY OPPOSED to writing to Craig on his mission because I figured he would think I was crazy. They tried all summer long to get me to write, I think I sent some little note in his birthday package but nothing really until he wrote an email to his mom and I totally knew what he was talking about, so I finally had my reason that I could say that I could write, and so I did- and threw it away, re wrote it- and threw it away, I did that quite a few times. Finally I think I left it on one of our tables and I think my mom was the one who actually mailed it off. He wrote back and well the letters just seemed to increase a little. Christmas night I was over at the Gassaway house when Craig called, they sent the phone around to everyone so that they could say hi, I said who I was and gave the phone right back, I later found out he actually would have said something back but I gave the phone away to fast, I didn't want to actually talk to him =) But later he bore his testimony to his family and I was able to hear it, what a wonderful person I KNEW he was. He spoke of simple truths, and of simple truths that I needed to hear for me at that time. He helped me even then.
Well after that our letters increased, it was pretty much I would receive a letter and write back and he would do the same. I started to have a crush on this guy I'd never met. I told the girl I drove to school this and she would just laugh, but as the year went on she realized how serious I was about this and she saw how nervous I was about meeting him when he came home at the end of July. Well many other events took place but the best things come to when he came home. I didn't know if I should go to the airport like his family said I should, so I asked him. He said he would like it if I came, so I did. Come on the girl who has a crush on him just got told he would like it if I came, Of COURSE I would be there. So I went and he gave all of his family a hug and then he gave me a HUG! I about died! I spent all day with his family and later I called my mom and said HE GAVE ME A HUG! I was ecstatic. We talked that night for over an hour, it was great. The next day I saw him at his missionary welcome home party and then I saw him the next day. Friday we went on a double date with his parents. Saturday I had a memorial that I was sad to have to go to and I was asked to sing there, Craig came with me and sat with me. He held my hand and I was ecstatic. I came home that night and said HE HELD MY HAND! My mom said what if it was just for moral support, I said I don't care if it was for moral support or if he liked me HE HELD MY HAND!!!! I know such a girly thing, but hey this is pretty much how everything went from then on out. The next day he said he thought I was the one and then that night he gave me a kiss on the cheek and held my hand if front of his mom and dad and at church. I told my mom HE HELD MY HAND AGAIN!! and HE GAVE ME A KISS ON THE CHEEK! Well Tuesday was the unofficial engagement, as we all call it now. He said "Would you say yes if I were to ask you to marry me?" well what do you think I said no?? Of course not I said YES! :) The next day I went out of town with him and his family and well we just talked about our future life together and about when we could get married. We got back Saturday night and he met my daddy. They talked and dad made him say that he wanted to marry me. The whole thing was quite funny. That Tuesday we went and looked at rings and then that Thursday Craig proposed at the Mesa Temple. I actually kind of chuckled when he asked Will you Marry me? Because he already knew the answer. But it was still cute. The whole time there is this female photographer there and she is just taking a bunch of pictures, I figured we just made this photographers day. I found out later that it was my big sister Jerrea sneaking around taking pictures. It was fun.
So that is the story. From there many of you know it, it involved telling all of you the news and now it is wedding plans. It's been a wonderful journey and one I am so glad is just beginning and will last for an eternity. I can't wait until November 27! When I will be sealed to Craig and be Cayla Janay Gassaway =)
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
As I think...
I might as well point out that this is Craig. I wanted just to point out the significance of the title "God's Tender Mercy to Me." Awhile back in 2005 General Conference Elder Bednar spoke and referred to the term tender mercies from the scriptures. My dad kind of took hold of that statement and used it to teach us about God. Since then I have often returned that those words and in some ways they have become something of a motto to me.
The scriptures use several times that phrase. It teaches us that God is not a God of penance but of happiness and mercy. He is not solely engaged in this universe-sized effort for our learning as much as for our love. He loves us and that is the hope to which I have consistently returned. That He has mercy and He has tenderness. Like any other principle our awareness of it grows over time and determined effort. I have grown to see His tender mercies the moreso as I live each day.
I do not mean this as some joke although it makes me laugh but I never once concieved, not even once have I imagined such a tender mercy as the one which God has given to me since my return home. Cayla Janay is God's Tender Mercy to Me- and I daresay His greatest.
I don't put this out as certain doctrine so much as my way of thinking about things but there are things, people, or mayhaps events in our lives which God gives us to renew and sustain us and to form a bulwark upon which we will become the more holy and whole possible. You could almost think of it as a glorified 'sword in the stone' from King Arthur or First Vision from Joseph Smith. Needless to say the the mercies change us in significant ways sometimes even to become wholely opposite. Alma the Younger saw an angel and heard his pronouncements. That changed him quite a bit =) There are other examples that are out there but what I have written suffices me.
Cayla- and I say this in a very simple way- is the greatest example, tool, person, event or otherwise that I could ever have hoped for from God. That does not mean that great and special things do not await. We aren't even married yet! I can't wait and I'm shouting it! What I mean is that I have looked over what God had given me, and what He has promised me in coming days and there is nothing that is more important to me, nor that will affect such a fount of goodness like Cayla Janay. I mean it! I love her... When I look at her everytime I see a priceless pearl, a gem that is pure light. Each time I hear God say to me, "Son, I've given you the greatest treasure that you can expect from me. I want you to treat her well. She is not around just to be admired." And I add that on other occasions I have been told that my greatest successes in life and indeed the successful completion in life itself will come from her.
She is not around just to help either. I am here to help her. My happiness in life will come from that priceless gem reaching becoming all that she is. I have had time and time again, vision after dream and what she is amazes me. I'd be a fool not to hop on the two seat band-wagon with her and I ain't gettin' off lol. My satisfaction will come from her realizing what she already is. Most of life's lessons are just realizations and their application.
She is not around just to teach or be helped either. God does not give us companions just to teach us patience =) In my fortunate case Cayla is my friend, my deep friend. She is a person that I want to be around, and one to whom (strangely enough) I have felt a bond from day one. The very first time I heard her name (and I remember the moment clearly) it came with a unique feeling, one which I have come to share with kinship, former and present, and the inklings of the Spirit telling me that something is coming. She is actually the best friend I have ever had, the one to whom I have related most in my entire life, and I haven't seen a fault in her yet. I don't expect I will =)
In essence, she created this blog and gave it the name which I had told her about on several occasions as being words of special significance to me. I want to add my piece for now (and more certainly later) but just to explain the name. Yeah, it obviously is cute and has some specialness but I want to add my bit- Those words are the faith that I live by. They mean everything to me. I've called Cayla those words because she is. Beyond God and my brother Jesus I have no other tender mercy that is so great, so true, so faithful, and so precious to me (speaking very personally) like Cayla.
I mean the words I said. They are the truth. I love her. I love her. I love her.
The scriptures use several times that phrase. It teaches us that God is not a God of penance but of happiness and mercy. He is not solely engaged in this universe-sized effort for our learning as much as for our love. He loves us and that is the hope to which I have consistently returned. That He has mercy and He has tenderness. Like any other principle our awareness of it grows over time and determined effort. I have grown to see His tender mercies the moreso as I live each day.
I do not mean this as some joke although it makes me laugh but I never once concieved, not even once have I imagined such a tender mercy as the one which God has given to me since my return home. Cayla Janay is God's Tender Mercy to Me- and I daresay His greatest.
I don't put this out as certain doctrine so much as my way of thinking about things but there are things, people, or mayhaps events in our lives which God gives us to renew and sustain us and to form a bulwark upon which we will become the more holy and whole possible. You could almost think of it as a glorified 'sword in the stone' from King Arthur or First Vision from Joseph Smith. Needless to say the the mercies change us in significant ways sometimes even to become wholely opposite. Alma the Younger saw an angel and heard his pronouncements. That changed him quite a bit =) There are other examples that are out there but what I have written suffices me.
Cayla- and I say this in a very simple way- is the greatest example, tool, person, event or otherwise that I could ever have hoped for from God. That does not mean that great and special things do not await. We aren't even married yet! I can't wait and I'm shouting it! What I mean is that I have looked over what God had given me, and what He has promised me in coming days and there is nothing that is more important to me, nor that will affect such a fount of goodness like Cayla Janay. I mean it! I love her... When I look at her everytime I see a priceless pearl, a gem that is pure light. Each time I hear God say to me, "Son, I've given you the greatest treasure that you can expect from me. I want you to treat her well. She is not around just to be admired." And I add that on other occasions I have been told that my greatest successes in life and indeed the successful completion in life itself will come from her.
She is not around just to help either. I am here to help her. My happiness in life will come from that priceless gem reaching becoming all that she is. I have had time and time again, vision after dream and what she is amazes me. I'd be a fool not to hop on the two seat band-wagon with her and I ain't gettin' off lol. My satisfaction will come from her realizing what she already is. Most of life's lessons are just realizations and their application.
She is not around just to teach or be helped either. God does not give us companions just to teach us patience =) In my fortunate case Cayla is my friend, my deep friend. She is a person that I want to be around, and one to whom (strangely enough) I have felt a bond from day one. The very first time I heard her name (and I remember the moment clearly) it came with a unique feeling, one which I have come to share with kinship, former and present, and the inklings of the Spirit telling me that something is coming. She is actually the best friend I have ever had, the one to whom I have related most in my entire life, and I haven't seen a fault in her yet. I don't expect I will =)
In essence, she created this blog and gave it the name which I had told her about on several occasions as being words of special significance to me. I want to add my piece for now (and more certainly later) but just to explain the name. Yeah, it obviously is cute and has some specialness but I want to add my bit- Those words are the faith that I live by. They mean everything to me. I've called Cayla those words because she is. Beyond God and my brother Jesus I have no other tender mercy that is so great, so true, so faithful, and so precious to me (speaking very personally) like Cayla.
I mean the words I said. They are the truth. I love her. I love her. I love her.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
The Story...
So I wanted to somehow make sure everything is told in like blogging language and post it on. People kept asking me for the whole story and so I figured it would be a good place to put it on and to have it as a little bit of a surprise…
As best told from Mike Gassaway (Craig's Dad)
Cayla's family is from West Phoenix. She is from a really wonderful family that has been in the area a long time. Her grandfather is currently a stake president here in the West Maricopa Stake. Her father is one of our high councilors in Buckeye, and so forth. You get the picture, they are just really good people! Cayla's folks found a good deal on a new home here in Buckeye about 3 years ago and moved in, though they admit that they didn't really know why they were coming here. We arrived in January of 2009, and almost immediately became friends with their family and especially Cayla. By last summer Ayesha and I decided that we loved Cayla so much that we were going to give her one of our sons to be her husband! She became really good friends with both Sean and Tom. Then last summer, Ayesha was making up a birthday package for Craig, and she got the big idea to have some of the girls from our ward write letters to him which they did. Cayla was one of the girls that wrote to him…And well… They never stopped writing to each other. They quickly became good friends via the letters they wrote, even though they had never met before. Cayla says it felt a little funny at first to write to someone she had never met, but really enjoyed the letters, so they kept up. At Christmas time, Craig called home and we spent an hour or so talking to him with everyone on the speaker phone. Toward the end he bore a powerful testimony of the work that he was involved in and then he said good bye after telling Tom that when he came home Tom would have to go on the top bunk! What he didn't know is that Cayla was in the room visiting with us and got to hear the testimony that Craig bore and was very touched by the experience as she was at that time sharing the gospel with some friends from school. It was the first time she had heard his voice. Unbenownst to us, their letter writing increased significantly after that. Many other wonderful experiences occurred in the ensuing months, which have endeared Cayla to us all the more. She is without question the finest, the sweetest, and the most wonderful young woman that we have ever known! In all of our travels across the country, we have never met anyone even close to her (she is like our own daughters)! We hoped, we prayed, and she was doing the same thing at the same time. I'm not sure anyone really understood what was happening, but the bond between her and our family had grown very deep, and the bond between her and Craig was also growing very deep as they continued to correspond. Shortly before Craig returned home from his mission, we invited Cayla to come with us to the airport to welcome Craig home. She said she would like to but without mentioning it to us, she wrote to Craig and asked him what his feelings were about her coming. He told her that he thought about it and decided that he would really like it if she would come.
As best told from Mike Gassaway (Craig's Dad)
Cayla's family is from West Phoenix. She is from a really wonderful family that has been in the area a long time. Her grandfather is currently a stake president here in the West Maricopa Stake. Her father is one of our high councilors in Buckeye, and so forth. You get the picture, they are just really good people! Cayla's folks found a good deal on a new home here in Buckeye about 3 years ago and moved in, though they admit that they didn't really know why they were coming here. We arrived in January of 2009, and almost immediately became friends with their family and especially Cayla. By last summer Ayesha and I decided that we loved Cayla so much that we were going to give her one of our sons to be her husband! She became really good friends with both Sean and Tom. Then last summer, Ayesha was making up a birthday package for Craig, and she got the big idea to have some of the girls from our ward write letters to him which they did. Cayla was one of the girls that wrote to him…And well… They never stopped writing to each other. They quickly became good friends via the letters they wrote, even though they had never met before. Cayla says it felt a little funny at first to write to someone she had never met, but really enjoyed the letters, so they kept up. At Christmas time, Craig called home and we spent an hour or so talking to him with everyone on the speaker phone. Toward the end he bore a powerful testimony of the work that he was involved in and then he said good bye after telling Tom that when he came home Tom would have to go on the top bunk! What he didn't know is that Cayla was in the room visiting with us and got to hear the testimony that Craig bore and was very touched by the experience as she was at that time sharing the gospel with some friends from school. It was the first time she had heard his voice. Unbenownst to us, their letter writing increased significantly after that. Many other wonderful experiences occurred in the ensuing months, which have endeared Cayla to us all the more. She is without question the finest, the sweetest, and the most wonderful young woman that we have ever known! In all of our travels across the country, we have never met anyone even close to her (she is like our own daughters)! We hoped, we prayed, and she was doing the same thing at the same time. I'm not sure anyone really understood what was happening, but the bond between her and our family had grown very deep, and the bond between her and Craig was also growing very deep as they continued to correspond. Shortly before Craig returned home from his mission, we invited Cayla to come with us to the airport to welcome Craig home. She said she would like to but without mentioning it to us, she wrote to Craig and asked him what his feelings were about her coming. He told her that he thought about it and decided that he would really like it if she would come.
(Picking Craig up from the Airport)
She did, and things didn't take any time at all after that. He asked her to marry him 8 days after they met for the first time, and officially proposed to her at the Mesa Temple 16 days after they met. And she said yes happily on both occasions! We were thrilled!!!
The Proposal at the Mesa, Arizona Temple
The Ring
Craig Gassaway and Cayla Hansen
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