Last year, a month before the wedding, we went on an amazing and serene trip to the Danube Delta. Although I live about 200 km away from the delta I have never been there. We sailed down the Danube on a restaurant type small ship with Chris’s family for 2 days with a night’s stop in a small village at The Big Fish Vila.

I am a water lover, but I generally prefer rapid rivers in the mountains. But the Delta just impressed me immensely; the quietness and the beauty of the channels of water and the flora and fauna  are unique, just as the Danube Delta is unique in the world. I couldn’t put the camera down for the most of the trip. But I did take some time to take a swim !

An army of pelicans!

Our boat.

“For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, 
   Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6

Such a packed year 2011. Probably the most eventful and crazy, in a very positive way. We have been so blessed by so many people, we’ve crossed valleys but also reached mountain tops, and every second we felt God’s hand at work. Oh, He is so faithful! Wedding preps, moving house, finishing Uni, going through the wedding, travelling abroad 3 times this year, graduation and starting a new life as a couple, in all of these we had many answered prayers.

Since the beginning of December Chris and I began to create our own family traditions, little things that will be only ours to pass down. And I think it’s working, and we’re having lots of fun whilst at it. Three months have gone since our wedding but it really seems longer, like we’ve been together since forever and we cannot perceive everyday life without each other (it might sound cheesy but that’s how we feel, and many times life IS cheesy! ). We said it to many people and we say it again, we strongly recommend marriage ! Can’t wait to enjoy our first Christmas together!

After the fairytale wedding ended we headed for Greece by car (around 12 hours to get there) – destination: Thassos Island!!! Beautiful, quiet and so enchanting, and of course, really good weather. We chose to go there because it is so different from the other Greek islands, in that it is not as arid because of the pine covered mountains. We had it all in one package: mountains guarding our back and the beach just outside our hotel! We loved every second of it! We strongly recommend it (both the place and the honeymoon phenomenon – which comes attached to marriage!! )!

very very old olive trees

An improvised grill! We kinda’ charcoaled the fish at the end

 © All rights reserved – Nicoleta Mezei

We know, unbelievable!! We got married! Finally!!!

We’re a bit late with the post since the wedding was a month ago , on the 10th of September, but…better late than never!

Impressions: the most incredible, fast moving, emotional, cry-your-eyes-out, overwhelming experience we have ever had!

There was a lot of work put into this wedding, a lot of ‘managing’, and it was worth every second. Although we wanted to do it ‘our way’, and stray a bit from the rules, we did put it into the hands of Jesus first and foremost, and prayed that He will be glorified through every second of the event.  And I think it did…at least that what the guests told us!

Now more than ever we realized the impact that our relationship has on people. We also saw how many friends we have, people who are there to support us, people who are ready to sacrifice for us. It was truly an amazing day, far beyond our expectations. And we thank everyone who was there, or wasn’t there but maybe thinking or praying for us!

We are so eager to live life together, at its fullest, and we praise God for every day we open our eyes and we are side by side.

Wedding Photography by Ciprian Dragan – all rights reserved

And…this is our first dance!! On Ingrid Michaelson’s  The way I am.

Lastly, a short movie about us, created by Chris and I for our wedding guests.

For Romanian version go here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dohUVQpEYhk

All the other videos can be watched here: http://www.youtube.com/user/nicoletanoel13?feature=mhee#g/c/0EE086B89BED7C61

See last year’s and two years ago pictures: http://straight2heaven.wordpress.com/2010/05/01/half-a-decade/

http://straight2heaven.wordpress.com/2009/04/26/happy-anniversary-to-us/ We changed so much…

…a rope. I was talking to Chris the other day and we came to build up on a picture of marriage  that was really eye-opening to us. Over the last months we learned more about each other, both good and bad things. We realised that being both sinners it is really easy to let down the other person.

This led us to holdfast more unto Jesus who is perfect and will never fail us.

This picture of marriage (not that we know anything about it since we’re not in it yet ) looks like this : the woman and the man are both standing in front of a canyon when they decide to walk together through life. Putting your trust in someone with everything you’ve got is not an easy task, and that is what marriage implies.

As the two come to the lip of the canyon it is inevitable that one of them will push the other. This might sound crazy but it is true. We disappoint, we fail, and we do mistakes that will harm the other. This is our sinful nature and we can’t avoid it. Now, once pushed the fall will be terrible, will break all that was built before it and confidence will be lost, the relationship will be under attack and it could even end.

At this point the rope comes in. The rope is Jesus! If you marry someone who has the rope, or who will accept being tied to it, falling will be another story. Yes, we will still push the other one into the pit, and yes it will hurt but the rope will keep you hanging on the cliff!! That is Jesus, it is trusting in Him, acknowledging that the person next to us is not perfect and we should not put him/her before our Lord. God will not push you off the cliff; He will always have His hands wrapped around you tightly, lovingly.

As you hang over the cliff, the person at the top will eventually realise, through the power of the Holy Spirit, that he/she harmed you. Seeing the rope tied to the waist he will start pulling you up, little by little and the harm can be undone. The rope saved the day and there is a way of putting things right again. The ascent of the one hanging will be a difficult one and also the one pulling the rope will have a hard time, because trust is hard to achieve and easy to lose. But in all this Jesus is holding you both and He will make it right again.

This is really a very important lesson (at least for me and Chris) to learn. So we work  on building our ropes ( our relationship with our Saviour, letting Him reign in our lives)  so that when we will come together in front of that cliff we will be ready. In Jesus!

So please, please if you are reading this post think twice, three times, 100 times before you even consider going into a relationship with someone who will not have a rope. God intended relationship between a man and a woman to be a blessed one, a loving one but apart from Him all is in vain.

The holidays are gone. But I enjoyed them fully as I went back home for Christmas for about a month. It has been a time full of first time experiences. This includes seeing my one and only niece for the first time, spending New Year’s Eve with Chris away from home, buying my wedding dress and making lots of new friends. I am living  intensely right now as a lot of important things are going to take place during this new year. A lot of work has to be done but I am happy that I have all of these in my life and God is gracious enough to sustain and to keep me in doing my job on this Earth.

Meeting my niece F. was a real delight and joy. I praise God for her being such a beautiful, smart and healthy baby and for her great smile. I can’t believe that my baby sister has a baby !!! This post is a gift to F. who will be 1 on the 19th of January!!

3 generations: me, mother and F.

F. with her mummy

at the airport

Here we are! All in England!! They came, they saw, they loved it!! They’ll be back !

Chris and his parents were here last month to breathe in the air I breathe. We had a great time together and it was very nice to see them go through the same first reactions that I had when I first set foot on English land . We had soooooo many friends helping us from accommodation,  home cooked english meals to rides up and down Kent. Thank you Suzzete, Michael, Tony, Jen, Dave and Cyra, Esther and Ken, Trish and Les and everyone at church who made them feel like home!

This visit also was so good for me because it broke down in half the 6 months being away from home. Now Christmas, when I go back to Romania, seems very close.

My mission for the visit: to get them to taste England and think of  it as a possible future home. I think I kind of succeeded in doing that .

P.S. Mezei is their surname.

A few pictures from the thousand that we took:

It was great to spend some time with Chris and show him around. It all makes sense for him when I tell him about my day, now that he has seen all these places.

Christ Church Uni

Leeds Castle  – yep, I take everyone there!

Canterbury Cathedral

Whitstable

London!

Canterbury – fish and chips! They loved it!