A New Year!

1 Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven,

whose sin is covered.

2Blessed is the man against whom the Lord counts no iniquity,

and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

3For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away

through my groaning all day long.

4For day and night your hand was heavy upon me;

my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer.Selah

5I acknowledged my sin to you,

and I did not cover my iniquity;

I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,”

and you forgave the iniquity of my sin.Selah

6Therefore let everyone who is godly

offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found;

surely in the rush of great waters,

they shall not reach him.

7You are a hiding place for me;

you preserve me from trouble;

you surround me with shouts of deliverance.

Psalm 32:1-7

This year I am most thankful for forgiveness. Often I don't get it right and yet, Christ still pursues me, forgives me, and comforts me. I am so undeserving of His extravagant gifts. This has been a year of joy, grief, excitement, and change. Through every season of this year Christ has been faithful and present. So, I would consider a year filled with His grace a wonderful one. I wish I could see His plans for my sweet little family in 2014, but I know one thing for sure right now...there will be grace and we will be blessed. 

Happy New Year! 

365 Days of Love

It's been one whole year since I said "I do" to this handsome fella...

We have learned a lot together this past year. We shared some of what we have learned specifically about one another while on our anniversary getaway. These are some of the things we came up with...

What Laurin learned about George:
1. When it comes to covers, pillows, and sleeping space George has to be in control. Seriously, this man is a pillow/cover Nazi! He always has the majority of our pillows and gets super fussy when I "mess up the covers!"

2. He's pretty terrible at shutting cabinet doors.

3. He likes to pretend I don't have him wrapped around my finger, but lets just face it...he will basically give me anything I ask for! However, I try not to take advantage of my sugar sweet hubby who LOVES to spoil me! :)

4. He absolutely can't wait to be a Dad, and that totally and completely warms every single part of my heart.

5. He is gifted beyond belief in preaching. I am amazed each and every time he stands up in front of our church (and others) and allows God to speak through him. The Lord has been so faithful to affirm George's calling this year.

6. He is truly a servant. Since I have started working full time AND doing photography on the side he has almost completely taken over the house work. He also works a full time job...which is all the more reason to sing his praises. He cooks, cleans, and encourages me to no end.

7. He really thinks he is the lucky one. This shows me just how crazy and humble he is because anyone can clearly see I am the one who hit the mega million jackpot! :)

These are only a FEW of the things I learned this past year about my incredible husband!

What George learned about Laurin:
1. She's the encourager I never knew I needed. 

2. She doesn't handle disappointment very well but in devastating situations she's the one you want by your side. 

3. She gets upset when she makes an important statement and I don't respond right away. So, I have learned to reassure her i'm not ignoring her...just calculating my answer. :)

4. She has a sad face that is absolutely impossible to say no to...it's probably the big brown eyes.

5. She is the most gifted photographer I know. She does way more the capture pictures. She uses her camera to tell the story of each person she photographs.

6. She will share almost any food with me. However, All fries are not created equal. She has a fry system that is delicate and can't be tampered with...what ever you do, DO NOT EAT THE FRY SHE HAS HER EYE ON.

7. I love her more then I ever thought I could and I know our love will only grow stronger and deeper through the years. 

We discussed most if not all of these lessons over coffee and cookies at the Biltmore Estate. I will never forget the cool air, the sensational coffee, or the grateful tears streaming down both of our cheeks. Seriously people, we are so very much in love.

I never new how much 365 days of marriage could change me. I see myself differently and I honestly see Christ differently. My husband has shown me Christ every single day of our lives together. No, not every day has been easy...there have been fights, forgiveness, and many doses of humility. I am thankful for each of those instances because I know so much more about grace and devotion now.

My Godly husband has been the most patient and gentle teacher this year. Many times my actions have been far from Christ-like, but he has shown me unconditional love all the same. I can't wait to see how much more he teaches me in our next 365 days. I am so excited about our future because I know it's bright and filled with incomprehensible joy.

Here's to the first 365 days, 8,760 hours, 525,600 min, and 31,536,000 seconds of married bliss.

I love you George Thomas Clackum. You are my best friend, my biggest fan, and the greatest man I have ever known. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you.

Here are a few photos from our 1st anniversary photo shoot!

(A big thanks to Amber at ASB Photography for capturing these wonderful memories for us!)