Big News!!

Big news might not even be big enough to describe this one....

GIGANTIC NEWS

There, that's better.

So....here's what's up. I found out on Monday that Chad would have to go to Florida for a week for a Hurricane Preparedness Workshop next week (Jan. 18th through the 22nd). I was bummed that he'd be gone for a week, but oh well. C'est la vie. Well, on Thursday morning I find out that Chad is getting deployed....to Haiti. He has to go down to help re-establish communication in a country that has had 60% of its buildings demolished by a 7.0 earthquake...that number has risen, as well as the number of those found dead. The country is a mess, and they needed Chad (and three other awesome guys from his work) to go down there and do what they could to repair some of the damages. At first, this trip was only going to be fore 2 weeks....then it all of the sudden rose to a month. A MONTH! That meant that he would get back on the 15th of February....which as most of you know...is 4 days before our wedding. He would be exhausted, smelly, and need to relax. I was REALLY bummed, because that meant that I would lose the man that I rely so heavily on for emotional and relational support for a month. There would be little to no communication once he got to Haiti. But God spoke to my heart and said, "Child. Be still. He is going to help. He won't be in danger. Trust me. Calm your fears. I am GOD."

So I resigned myself to this fact, and got ready for a long, hard month. The next morning, I got a call from Chad. Their flight was being postponed until the next morning. He wanted to know if I wanted to go get dinner that night, so that we'd be able to spend a little more time together before he left. (Of course I wanted to!!!) So I called Blair, the girl that I work with, and asked her to switch me shifts (as I was scheduled to work that night). She agreed (which I am so thankful for) and I went into work at 10. As I was working away, I realized we may want to try and get our marriage license while he is here, as I heard that getting it by proxy is a huge pain. So I called the County Clerk and Recorder and asked what the requirements were....turns out we didn't need his SS card after all. All we needed was our id's. BUT-she also told me that once you have the license in your hands, you only have 30 days to get married, get it signed, and then get it back down to the County Clerk and Recorder. CRAP! Our wedding is scheduled for the 19th of February....which is 4 days over a month. Now, yes we could have waited until Chad got back, as he was scheduled to be back 4 days early) BUT-there was also a chance that he wouldn't be back until the day before the wedding (as he told them he HAD to be back by that day). SO-to avoid risking him not being back in time, we went down to get it yesterday AND................................

WE GOT MARRIED.

Yes, you read it right. Let me explain. Like I said, we did this to avoid risking him not being back in time. It was the only (easy) option. It also felt right. I believe God knew what He was doing in nudging us in this direction. Sooo......we took my parents, Chad's mom, and his brother down to the Country Clerk and Recorder's. (Chad was literally driving up as we had to leave to get down there on time, so he was still in work clothes....jeans and a polo....and I put on a short white dress.) We walked in, to the wrong building. We walked in, to the right building, sat down, filled out the paperwork, swore an oath that we weren't lying, gave our information, and then she gave us back a preliminary copy of our Marriage License. To allow us some privacy, she recommended we go out into the lobby and fill out the information on there, sign it, have our witnesses sign it, and then bring it back in. (Colorado is a self-solemnizing state...that means we don't have to have an officiant there, we basically married ourselves in front of God and our family.) We brought it back in, she ran it through the system, put the official seals and signatures on it, and then we were ready to go! We then went out to the lobby again and then exchanged rings under the SUPER cheesy, 80's style-drive-in-chapel-in-Vegas style arch. We kissed, and it was a done deal!

Here are the important details:

We are still having the ceremony on February 19th. We already have family coming into town, I still want to wear my dress, we already have his tux reserved, and we just still really want the WEDDING feel in a ceremony. We didn't want our legal ceremony to be IT. We are also still having our reception/barbecue party in June sometime. So I suppose, if you tilt your head and squint your eyes...we are having 3 weddings. :) That's okay! Weddings are so fun, we not make 3x as much fun! :)

I now live at Chad's house (which is really our house now). I will be here for the month that he is gone, and if he comes back early (there is a slight possibility of this-be praying), I will still live here. We are by all means, MARRIED.

I will be changing my name. I am going to go into the social security office on Tuesday (as Monday is MLK day) and begin the process. That's right. I am now MRS. ALYSSA DUNCAN. Soooo cool. :)

Anyone who doesn't read this blog, will be very confused as to why we are all of the sudden married. Sorry! It is a REALLY long story and a blog seems to be the best way to fill mass amounts of people in about a really complicated (but wonderfully blessed) event in our lives. Even if asked about what is going on, I will most likely say, go read the blog....as I can only tell the story so many times before I lose my voice....;)

Anywhoooo....that is all for now! I will keep ya'll filled in about when I hear from Chad, if he comes back early, and how things are going with February-ceremony-planning. We love you all and are very glad to have you all as a part of our lives!!

I also ask that you don't text/email/call Chad with congratulations at this time. Whereas he will be very happy to hear all of those....when he gets back would be a better time. He is in Florida and will be VERY busy these next few days, weeks...however long he is there before he heads to Haiti. So to avoid overwhelming him with your well wishes right now...I just ask that you wait until he gets back. Thanks so much for being understanding!

God bless and have a wonderful day! (Please, also, keep Chad and the trip and flights and everything in your prayers. Prayers for my sanity would be much appreciated as well!)