Miranda Lambert and her "financy," as she lovingly refers to Blake Shelton, are preparing to face off in three categories at the CMA Awards ceremony in November. While the two of them are pitted against each other for Musical Event of the Year, Single of the Year and Music Video of the Year, the fact is, Miranda is so over the moon about Blake's three nods, she hasn't even been able to fully absorb the fact that she's the top nominee, with an unprecedented nine nominations!

"I think it's awesome," Miranda tells Nashville's Tennessean newspaper. "He's been going at it like he's a new artist, playing shows and working really hard, and he's been doing this for 10 years. I think he's one of the best singers in country music, and the fact that he'd never been nominated for Male Vocalist of the Year was getting on my nerves. It's not just been a huge year for me, it's been a huge year for both of us. And if you can't win, wouldn't you rather lose to someone you love?"

As both of their careers have skyrocketed this past year in a blazing cascade of record-breaking, multi-platinum success, Miranda and Blake have been quietly melting at a slow and measured pace into each other's arms as a couple in love. There was never any hurry, as far as they were concerned ... even after four years of dating, when everyone kept asking them, when is he going to pop the big question?

"People put us on the spot all the time about when we're getting engaged, but we're just now becoming a real couple," Miranda told The Boot in March 2010. "We've had so many ups and downs and so many things in our careers. And it just seems recently we've really got a real relationship going, and it's great. Whatever that leads to is awesome, but I don't think it has to have a title."

Blake was equally nonchalant yet confident back then about the relaxed pace of their relationship, since they'd begun dating in 2006. "We've had our high points and low points, but I do think that we're stronger together now than we've ever, ever been," he told The Boot. "For the first time, I can see that [engagement] happening, and she can too ... so who knows?"

Three months later, in May 2010, Blake asked Miranda to be his wife. Joy rang out among country music fans. And soon, the next scroll of questions was unfurled. When is the big day? Where is it going to be, what kind of food? What are you going to wear?

"Miranda told me she wants me to be comfortable," Blake recently told The Boot. "She said, "I want you to wear your blue jeans and boots, and we'll find you a cool jacket" ... which shocked the hell out of me!"

Blake also told The Boot what they're looking most looking forward to ... getting their party on with friends and family, once they've exchanged their vows. "[Our wedding will be] quick! Ten minutes ... 15 at the most," said the singer. "We'll be ready to go out and celebrate and have fun with our friends and family."

Although they haven't decided on a wedding date just yet, the couple have been saying they imagine it will be sometime next spring. "We're trying to figure out the final day. We can't nail anything down right now. We're looking at May," Miranda tells USA Today. "Next spring sometime. That'd be nice."

But with signature calm, the pair of lovebirds are not feeling pressured about circling a date on the calendar just yet. "We're taking it slow," Miranda continues. "I only get engaged one time. It's kind of the fun to enjoy it. We're not in a rush."

They're also not about to borrow any worry that their red-hot, double careers might consume their personal relationship down the road of married life. "We are fortunate that we have these amazing jobs ... but really, if we never sang another note, we'd be just as happy," Miranda says. "That's why we're both confident our marriage will last forever. We're going to be fine and normal when this is over."

Of course, there's still the burning question at bottom of that unfurled scroll ... what about starting a family? "I just can't imagine at this point," Miranda says. "We have a lot of dogs -- five dogs, three go on the road. They're my dogs but now they're ours. I'm sure later on we'll talk about having a family. I wouldn't want to bring a kid into this crazy world right now."

But no doubt they both wouldn't mind taking a CMA award or two (or more!) home with them on the night of November 10.

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