We recommend guests to stay at the Radisson. You can go to their website by clicking on the picture to the the lower right. The rooms are very nice and it is within walking distance to the Aquarium. We tried to book a block of rooms but it turned out to be cheaper for everyone if they just individually went online or called to book a room. They run around $85 a night if you book 2 nights.
We just mailed out invitations this past week so everyone should have one by now. If you did not receive one please let us know! We can be a little unorganized with things and we don't want to leave anyone out. We did not include RSVP's in the invitations, don't worry about responding! Also kids are of course welcome to the wedding AND reception. We love kids and we really want them to enjoy the aquarium.
We look forward to seeing everyone down in Corpus in a few weeks. If you have any questions for us please feel free to call!

A precious gift from God

In Genesis 1 and 2, God talks about all of his splendid creation. The earth and its light and darkness. The sky that shines so blue when the sun is out. The other stars, like the sun, that light up the night sky. And the inhabitants on the earth. All of the plants and the animals. From the smallest organisms known as prokaryotes to eukaryotes; some of which are nearly too great to behold.
God brought all of these amazing animals to Adam to give the creatures a name. Adam must have been a busy man naming all the animals and I'm sure it brought him much joy knowing that God loved him enough to give him such responsibility. However, at the conclusion of Adam's task, God realized that Adam was alone. Specifically, the Lord said that for Adam, "no suitable helper was found." So the Lord caused Adam to fall into a deep sleep and took one of Adam's ribs, part of his own being, to create a woman.
When Adam awoke, the scriptures say that he said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman , for she was taken out of man." This is what the Scripture accounts, but I'm pretty sure when Adam woke up he probably gasped in amazement as he had never seen something so beautiful before. After a five minute, jaw-dropping, stunned silence, Adam probably mumbled these words.
And so it is for the rest of mankind. When a man finds his other half, and I will argue his better half, he truly knows the way that Adam felt at the first site of a woman.
I believe that this is God's second greatest gift in life. His greatest gift is obviously His Son. The perfect Savior who became our sinless sacrifice to cover up all our sins of past, present, and future. But even after salvation, life can bring some unexpected circumstances that leave us bewildered, reeling, possibly even crushed. We know that the Lord will always see us through our circumstances, but it sure is wonderful for me to think that in exactly three months I will be able to have rest in the Lord and a helpmate that is tangible. Often times, we need to have someone there to hold, to listen to our problems; basically somebody to carry out the Lord's comfort in a real way in our lives. I look forward to having this helpmate in Erica.

Ryan

Ryan...
Ryan grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska and of course is a Huskers fan (Go Big Red). He graduated from Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri with a Bachelor's in chemistry and started working on his PhD in Chemistry at Texas A & M in the fall of 2005. He plans on finishing by May 2010. He swam in high school and for two years in college. Besides being with Erica, he enjoys fishing, watching football, reading his Bible, playing with kids and spending time with his (and Erica's) church family at Hope.

Erica...
Erica grew up in Corpus Christi, Texas. She graduated from Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas with a Bachelor's in Christian Ministry in May 2006. She moved to College Station after graduation to live with her sister, Jessica and get prerequisites for Pharmacy School. She is currently working at Kroger Pharmacy as a pharmacy technician and still working on her pre-reqs. Other than spending time with Ryan, she enjoys studying, reading, talking to her mom on the phone and spending time with her (and Ryan's) church family.

How They Met...
Ryan's roomate, Luke, and Erica's sister, Jessica were in the same department at A&M. Luke invited Jessica to a Friday night Bible study at their house. The next week Jessica brought Erica with her to the Bible study and Erica met Ryan at his house! The next Sunday Erica went with the boys to their church and met the whole church family at Hope. The preacher and his wife, Rudy and Lena, invited Erica, Ryan and a few others to their house for a meal and games. Ryan was stranded without a car and Erica gave him a ride home. That night, Cara and Mike, friends from church invited Erica to dinner with them at Rosa's with Ryan and the other college kids. Cara and Mike's daughter, Regan (the flower girl) sat on Ryan's lap the whole time talking and playing with Ryan as Erica watched in admiration. Erica and Ryan spent more time together with Luke, Pam, Kazuki and other friends from church for the next couple of weeks. For spring break, Ryan drove down to Corpus and met Erica and her family that Thursday and spent the weekend at their lakehouse with Pam and Luke . Erica and Ryan drove back up to College Station together and spent the whole time talking. The next Sunday Ryan and Erica watched a movie with Luke and Pam at the boy's house. After Erica finally got the nerve to grab Ryan's hand during the movie, Ryan got up to let the cat out the front door much to Erica's shock and horror. Luckily when he came back down to sit next to her he put his arm around her and the two knew they were more than friends. Ryan took Erica out on their first date to Erica's favorite restaurant, Pei Wei, that following Tuesday. He was so nervous on the date that he forgot to check his shirt from the pile of laundry and ended up pulling a wadded up sock from his sleeve as they were walking back to his truck after dinner.

The Proposal...
Ryan told Erica he wanted to take her out to celebrate her new job at the pharmacy. They waited until the weekend, on August 9th. He showed up in the same black collared shirt he had worn on their first date and Erica noticed something bunched up in his sleeve. She laughed as she unbuttoned it and pulled out a wadded up sock. Inside the sock was a special note saying he was very proud of her getting the new job and wanted to take her out. Another sock with a note was waiting for her in the truck saying how important she was to him. Half way through their dinner he handed her another note saying he loved her more than Pei Wei's Orange Chicken which says a lot! After dinner, another sock was in the truck asking her to go with him to her favorite park where they spent the fourth of July with the Bittner family-Washington on the Brazos State Park. They drove out to the beautiful park right before sunset and walked down a nature path they had gone on back in July. When they got to a pretty pond, Ryan pulled out a piece of paper with Genesis 2:18, 20-25 and Malachi 2:15. He then recited Ephesians 5:25-27 and got down on one knee. (Erica was crying at this point) He reached in his pocket and pulled out another sock. Inside was a box with a diamond ring. He opened it up and asked her to marry him! She, of course, said yes!

Meet the Wedding Party...
.....Maid of Honor.....
Jessica Cooper

twin sister of Bride
College Station, Texas.
.....Matron of Honor.....
Haley Warner

older sister of Bride
Kerrville, Texas.
.....Bridesmaid.....

Ashley Jefferson

college roomate of Bride
Abilene, Texas.
.....Bridesmaid.....
Taylor Drennan

childhood friend of Bride
College Station, Texas.
.....Flower Girl.....
Regan Horcica

friend from church
College Station, Texas.

.....Best Man.....
Jason Blase

brother of Groom
San Diego, California.
.....Best Man.....
David Rawson

highschool friend of Groom
Lincoln, Nebraska.
.....Groomsman.....
Nevada Amack

childhood friend of Groom
Lincoln, Nebraska.
.....Groomsman.....
Trent Fellers

highschool friend of Groom
Lincoln, Nebraska.
.....Ringbearer.....
Johnathon Blase

nephew of Groom
San Diego, California.
.....Ringbearer.....
William Warner

nephew of Bride
Kerrville, Texas.