It’s the “we” that keeps me from crying too much at the goodbyes. It’s the “us” that makes our little pink house a castle. It’s he who puts the smile on my face when he sends me our house key with little red hearts all over it.
On Saturday, I will marry my best friend. “The one I will laugh with, live for, and love.” I look forward to growing old with him, because I know “the best is yet to be.”
You will still hear from me–Natalie will see to that. But while she posts the blogs I’ve written ahead, I’ll be busily occupied weeding the garden, weighing produce at farmer’s market, dusting in the antique store, and looking out the kitchen window of our little pink house to see if my man is coming home from changing the irrigation yet…
So long, farewell… May God be with you ’til we meet again…
Aww. What a cute house. I’ll be thinking of you on Saturday… and Natalie MUST post pictures ASAP!
I hope you have a lovely day. . .
HUGS sissy
I’ll be praying for you on Saturday as I am in my own dear friend’s wedding.
Gretchen, I have to say how much you have encouraged me. You didn’t settle for anything less than God’s best. Your sweet and Godly spirit has permeated YLCF, and I know that you will make the best farmer’s wife, and help-meet to Merritt. God bless you as you enter this new and wonderful season of your lives together!
Psalm 37:4
Have fun in this stage of your life! – enjoy every minute of it. . .cherish the moment!
I’m SO happy for you both!
HLH
God bless you and I will miss you, Gretchen! *hugs*
I cannot believe I have never even seen you and I am almost in tears over saying goodbye! But in a way we’re sisters (in Christ) and I know you (in writing). I love your writing, your inspiration, your heartfelt godliness. I will be thinking and praying for you on Saturday and beyond when I read your words via Natalie in the future. I will miss your posts but I know you will be having the time of your life the whole of your lifetime with Merritt. God bless. You will be missed but Natalie is the perfect person to carry on. Thank you for the encouragement these many months since I found YLCF. And goodbye! (But don’t forget us!)
Natalie, you MUST post pictures ASAP!
ditto on what the last anonymous writer said…
I wish you well. May God bless you and Merritt. May your days be full of sunshine and may the clouds be few and far between.
-Whitney B.
Gretchen, I just sent you an e-mail but since you’ll have such a long honeymoon…
I wanted to let you know that we won’t be able to make it afterall. The guys are trying to finish a garage and last night Jeremiah didn’t even get home until after 9:00 pm. I’ll be praying for you on Sat. Have an absoultely beautiful day and a wonderful honeymoon. Welcome to the wonderful, wonderful world of married life. 
Love you!
Kelly
Ditto on what the first Anonymous said. May the Lord bless you two!
~Brianna
God be with you, Gretchen. You have always been a sunny spot in my LJ experience, even if I have not known you personally. My prayers and best wishes are with you and Merritt as you begin your lives to gether.
May God bless you with many happy memories, and fill your lives with special blessings and little people to brighten every day!
*hugs*
Chantel
*sniff, sniff* Goodbye Gretchen! We’ll miss you’re presence around YLCF, your frequent words of wisdom, humorous outlook on life…the list goes on. Though, I guess it won’t be a permanent goodbye – Natalie will still post some of your stuff once in a while – but it still won’t be the same.
Okay, enough of with the pity part!
)
I hope your wedding goes splendidly on Saturday — I’ll be thinking and praying for you! On to the next stage in life!
Warmly,
Chelsea
*sniff, sniff* I cannot believe I have never even seen you and I am almost in tears over saying goodbye! I’ve been so encouraged by your writings, Gretchen! (Keep up the good work!)
I’ll be thinking of you (as much as I can) on Saturday as my family heads up to Nashville, TN for a week.
I’ll miss your almost daily posts, but I’ll look forward to the ones that Natalie will post for us!
~Allison
P.S. Natalie must post pictures ASAP!!!!:)
Thank you for finally posting a picture of your darling little house. Your love story is such an inspiration to me, not in terms of the details but in terms of the powerful love that the two of you so clearly share.
Even though I know it’s the end, exactly, I just wanted to thank you for the YLCF. You have done such amazing things with this fellowship (you too Natalie) and you are a shining example to fellow young about how one can live a happy and fulfilled single life, instead of sitting around and waiting. You have inspired so many of us.
God’s blessings for a beautiful wedding on Saturday.
Sorry…I meant to say “even though I know it’s not the end!”
Blowing kisses across the miles, Gretchen!
“I were but little happy if I could say how much!”
Love to you and Natalie both…
Lanier
I love your beautiful pink house. =) Won’t you be tempted to just paint it pink after the siding is up??? =)
Thank you again for YLCF.
I pray that God will bless you richly as you follow Him gladly into a new season of life.
Oh yes, and I wish you blissful weeding once the wedding is over. =)
Best Wishes and Prayers for you and your beloved tomorrow on your wedding day! (I see you’ve been practicing your new last name!)
Love, Betsy
::hugs::
You have been a dear, wonderful encourager here on YLCF…I am praying that God will give you the wisdom and strength you will need to be that (and more!) to Merritt.
So happy and excited for you!
What a wonderful, wonderful story to have to leave as a legacy!! God’s richest blessings on your marriage as you begin it in the next few days…
I pray that the LORD richly blesses the both of you as you start a new life together serving Him! I’m sure that the LORD has a big smile on His face!
-Jess
Goodbye! We will think of you weeding the garden, doing the farmers market etc when we read your posts that Natalie blogs. =)
You must be thrilled to the bottom of your toes! TOMORROW!!!!! is the big day!
I am so happy for you and Merritt!
May the Lord shower you with blessings!
P.S love your polka dot key! =)
we will miss you Gretchen!
we will miss you Gretchen!
I think your new name has a nice ring to it! I guess you just couldn’t wait until Sat. to change it, huh?
~love and prayers~
rachell
We will miss you so much, Gretchen! YLCF has blessed me immensely in the few months that I’ve known about it. Thank you from the bottom of my heart! May God continue to bless you and Merritt as your special day arrives!! I am so excited for you!
Gretchen,
Your house is lovely! I will miss reading your posts very much, but I know you must be so excited about this new chapter in your life with your man. I’m excited for you. I’ll be praying for good weather tomorrow:-)
p.s.- great key cover!
Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:4
God gave me this Scripture, when He answered my pray, as I asked Him to guide me.
Commit your ways unto the Lord and it shall come to pass.
Psalm 37:5
And it did….for you also sweet Gretchie Anne.
May yours and Merritts life be full of hearts desires, coming to pass. God bless you both on this very special day.
This post has moved me to tears, although I don’t even know you, but as we are Christian Sisters across the miles, I have come to know your heart and in you, found a kindred spirit.
Thank you for sharing it with the world.
Love Anne of Lavender House, Australia.
Gretchen,
I shall miss your posts immensely!! I have been so encouraged by your love story – (in the words of Naomi in a previous post) “not in terms of the details but in terms of the powerful love that the two of you so clearly share.” I’m so happy for you and Merritt! I hope and pray that the Lord will bless you both and your marriage! I feel as though I have grown to know you through your posts and am sad that we won’t be hearing from you as often, but I know you shall enjoy this new season of your life so much. That knowledge ‘makes the parting easier to bear’. Thank you for being such an encouragement and a blessing to me and to all of us young ladies who come to this site!
Love in Christ,
Heather D.
Ditto to what Heather D. said. I don’t remember how many years ago I stumbled across the YLCF site, but I’m so thankful that it became part of my life. Reading your posts and the love story of you and “your man” has truly blessed and encouraged me. I pray the Lord blesses you and Merritt as a new chapter unfolds and you journey on together.
Sarah Mc.
Warm congratulations and love from Jerusalem!
This website has been on my favorites list for years, and I love to check the newest courtship stories! I just finished reading the story of the wedding and it is so beautiful to see how the Lord led you all together! I know the Lord has beautiful plans in store for His children and I look forward to His plans for me!
In the meanwhile, I wanted to say a huge, HUGE “Thank You” for choosing to dress modestly for your wedding!! That is (sadly) so rare among Christians and I so appreciate the fact that you and your bridesmaids chose to honor the Lord in your dresses! Thanks too for the excerpts from your prayer journal that showed the tender heart you had toward the Lord even when you were longing to get married. It’s such a good reminder for me that the Lord can give joy even in the midst of difficulty, if we choose to rest in Him!
Many blessings upon you and your man!
Your sister in Christ,
Hannah