4-1-07; 11:09pm I just received an e-mail from Michele regarding the wedding date:
From: marstinmason@aim.com
To: _________________________
Subject: God Works Wonders
Date: Sunday, April 01, 2007
Hello Everyone:
I know most of you know that Matt and I have been hoping that we could get married in October or sometime this year. It was looking like we were going to have to postpone the date because we hadn't been able to find a place to live and with my family I didn't want to put a burden on them. Most of you know that my dad is unemployed and had to have a full knee replacement done on March 5 a three day hospital stay turned into a ten day stay due to infection setting in. He has improved a lot and is still improving each day. Matt and I have been praying that if it's in God's will for us to get married this October for him to please provide the light. After we found out we didn't win the wedding contest, and someone had created a website for us www.cleardesigning.com/mm (whom was my cousin and his wife that created it), I realized how much my family, friends, and the community was willing to help. All we really had to do was find a place to live. We have been praying on this place that is just above my parents and today god provided us with that house. All I can say is he works wonders in those who put their life in his control. We have to finalize the papers and everything, but I wanted to share the good news with you all. My mom and dad asked about the wedding date and Matt and I have decided that we are going to try to keep it for a October wedding as planned. We feel that since we have prayed about a October wedding and that God has provided then we will not move it any closer. We will be talking with the pastor to find out when it suits for him. Just wanted to share with you the wonderful news! Thank you all for your prayers.
Love, Michele
3-2-07;
I am Michele's first cousin Chris. My
wife and I won our wedding in 2000 from a radio station and we know firsthand
how much easier our first years of marriage were because of the lack of many
typical wedding financial burdens.
First years of marriage are never
easy, but our first years together were not as hard as many people experience.
Besides easing those years by not having "wedding debt"
Danielle and I enjoyed things that we would not have otherwise experienced when
we won our wedding. When Michele
& Matt were finalists in the WSET Heart of Virginia Wedding Giveaway, my
wife and I were soooo very excited for them and we were greatly saddened upon
hearing that they did not win. Immediately
I began thinking about how many people voted for them and how many resources we
have in this band of family and friends. With
this myriad of supporters; we have access to many of the typical items needed
for a wedding; photography, invitations, food, floral, cake, etc.
I have received an outpouring of heartwarming support from many people
since sending the original e-mail, all excited to take part.
Lets keep the excitement building! Please
check out the HOW CAN I HELP
page and e-mail me with any thoughts, questions, or additions to that list.
The following is a thought I typed
down at lunch on January 29th: It
matters not of what faith or even if you are spiritual or not, the act of giving
is something that makes anyone feel positive.
This website has brought out a myriad of positive feelings in my own
self, and similarly in many others. I
hope that everyone involved feels the same excitement and energy that I feel at
this moment.
2-5-07; 8:30pm I recently e-mailed Michele asking if they would contribute to the website by telling us more about themselves; below find part of her response. Please check out GET TO KNOW MATT & MICHELE for the remainder of the e-mail!
From: marstinmason@aim.com
To: _________________________
Subject: Re: From Anonymous
Date: Sunday, February 04, 2007
First of all I want to say, Thank you so much for doing this for Matt and I. In my prayers I asked that God's will be done in the wedding contest, when the results were in and I was waiting for the phone call to let the couple know who won, I knew in my heart we were not the winners. I knew in my heart it's not in our time it's in the Lords. I know when he knows when that special day is but we have to patiently wait and pray that his will be done in our life. (With my faith I knew that God would prepare the road for us, I had a feeling that the community would come together and help out). I never knew that Matt and I would have our own website, but that night when mom told me I thought it was a joke or hoax, but after seeing the website for myself all the pieces fell together and I felt so warm inside to know that God works in amazing ways. We would be honored to have a section on the website "Get to know Matt & Michele." Attached is a recent photo of Matt and I taken before we went to my cousins 16th birthday party.
We appreciate what everyone is doing. God works in amazing ways!
Michele Marstin
Click here to check out the GET TO KNOW MATT & MICHELE page.
1-29-07; 8:00pm I received a great e-mail from Matt's Mom this afternoon.
From: "Arlene Ballowe" agballowe@yahoo.com
To: _________________________
Subject: Matt's Mom
Date: Monday, January 29, 2007 3:40 PM
Dear Anonymous and other friends and relatives,
I also thank you for what you are doing for my son and his fiancee, Michele. I think it is a wonderful gift of love and friendship
you are expressing. They are both blessed to have friends like you. I, like Dianne, am very proud of the fine, young man my son has become. He
has been through many obstacles in his life, but he is a true survivor............However you plan to carry this out, I know that it will be special
and perfect. Thanks again for such a wonderful surprise for Matt and Michele.
Arlene Ballowe
Matt's Mom
1-29-07; 12:45pm It matters not of what faith or even if you are spiritual or not, the act of giving is something that makes anyone feel positive. This website has brought out a myriad of positive feelings in my own self, and similarly in many others. I hope that everyone involved feels the same excitement and energy that I feel at this moment.
1-29-07; 12:36pm I received an e-mail this morning notifying me of a wedding cost breakdown shown in today's Lynchburg News and Advance Business section. Page seven shows a wedding budget worksheet, possibly there are items shown which you or someone you know may be able to help with. Click here to see a scanned copy.
1-27-07; 7:05am Be sure to add _________________________ to your "trusted" or white list so that e-mails are not discarded as spam.
1-26-07; 8:59pm I just received a wonderful e-mail from Dianne (Michele's Mom)
From: "Dianne Marstin" dmarstin@hotmail.com
To: _________________________
Subject: Matt & Michele's Wedding
Date: Friday, January 26, 2007 8:16 PM
Hello anonymous,
This is Michele's Mom and I think what you are doing is wonderful.
Of course, I am prejudice when talking about my daughter - but she has truly been a gift from GOD. She does so much for her family and I would be lost
without her. She puts GOD first in her life, then family and of course Matt, and everything else comes after.
MIchele is a simple country girl. She deserves the very best - and I would
like to help give her the day of her dreams.
I have returned to work after being out for five weeks following my emergency surgery. Her Dad is still unemployed and still looking for a
job. Michele - thanks be to GOD - starts work this coming Monday.
Everyone I work with was sorry that Michele and Matt did not win the contest and said they would help in anyway they could.
One of my co-workers said she loves to arrange flowers and she does make beautiful bows.
There are plenty of friends, neighbors, co-workers and church family who love to cook and would like to help with the reception.
I am planning on sitting down with Michele and Matt and try to find out what their wishes are as it relates to the date (tentatively set for October 6,
2007 - but postponed since Michele was out of work and they have not found a place to live yet), the color scheme, and what they would like served at the
reception.
I know when Mike and I were married my family, neighbors and church family provided refreshments for the reception. Our wedding cake was given to us
as a wedding gift. Of course, our wedding was very simple with immediate family and few friends. I called it a "Come as you are wedding"
because I wore my sisters wedding gown, my sister was my only attendant and my future
father-in-law was best man. Mike, Earl and the ushers (who were my
brothers and future brother in laws) wore their Sunday suits and my sister wore a
long skirt and blouse. My grandfather performed the wedding service with the minister of Diamond Hill having a prayer. Had to do that since my
Grandfather was a Methodist minister and I was Presbyterian.
Well enough about me.
Please let me know what I can do to help and whoever you are "GOD bless you".
There is one last thing - I am afraid Michele is already aware of this email - since I spilt the beans tonight when she called to ask me if I had found
out about one of our cousins being charged for the murder of another one of our cousins death by overdose. She needed a pick me up because both of us
were crying while talking to each other.
I am so sorry if I have spoiled the surprise - please forgive me.
Sincerely,
Dianne - Michele and soon to be Matt's Mom
I am soo glad you e-mailed and am very excited!!! I do not think you have spoiled the surprise at all, I completely understand your reasons. Michele may know about this website, but she is unaware of who has been offering to do what!!!!
1-25-07; 5:15pm Multiple E-Mails of support are coming in! The excitement is building!
1-25-07; 12:10pm The INITIAL E-MAIL has been sent! Check back SOON for updates!
1-25-07; 7:30am E-Mail with your thoughts on how to "reveal" this surprise to Michele and Matt. When and how should our plans be revealed? Their original plan was for an early October wedding. Are there any significant dates this spring or summer? Michele's birthday is in December and I believe that they were engaged in December, so those dates are out of the question. When is Matt's birthday? Also, my initial e-mail recipient list is based on e-mails from Michele, could someone provide addresses for Matt's friends and family or forward this information to them?
1-25-07; 7:15am The INITIAL E-MAIL goes out today!
1-24-07; 11:30pm Website is complete.
