Post Wedding Day #95

I have no clue where time goes. The last 100 days before our wedding felt like eternity! And yet, the last 95 have flown by.


The last 10 days have been pretty exciting for me! Thanksgivng in Stringer was nice. My parents came down, Aunt Barbara & Uncle Doug, Julie & Scott, Aunt Jane (who is in a better mood), Ken & Diane and Jon! It was nasty rainy weather most of the weekend.

Saturday Stephen and I went to watch the Iron Bowl and to a Bowfire concert. It was so awesome!

Sunday we unpacked our Christmas wreath and Advent wreath, with anticipation for a small tree. We weren't sure we'd have room for a big one. I hung lights over the dining room table! Our little apartment isn't much to decorate but we're making the best of it!

Monday Lauren gave birth to a health 8lb 13oz baby boy! William Hunter Raborn! Our new Godson! We're so excited. I drove down and back on Monday night just to see him!


Last night we got a 3' artificial tree from Stephen's mom to put on the hearth it's kinda pitiful looking. I have about 10 ornaments and 2 strings of lights on it. I hope we'll get more ornaments this year, especially since it is our first Christmas together.

I'm looking forward to Christmas and the rest of the holidays! We both get two weeks off! And have plans to see friends and family!

Well that's the up date for now...sorry life has been too busy to take time and share!

Top 10 things I love about being married for 10 days!

Ok so we've been married for 10 whole day now! Yippee!




It's been such a blur....so here's my 10 favorite things about being married so far in the last 10 days.


10. The wedding is over. It was grand! but it's over!
9.Handing over all my mail and bills to Stephen!
8.The extra little silver band on my left hand.
7.Room service on the honeymoon. And well the honeymoon itself was awesome!
6.I have to admit the bedroom part is kinda fun!
5.Being called Mrs. DeAngelo by EVERONE...ok that's good you can stop now.
4.Seeing Stephen wear his ring!!
3.Changing my last name on my emails, door, nametag, signature card, etc.
2.Seeing and sharing all the wedding pictures!
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1.Waking up next to Stephen EVERY morning!

Life's not perfect and marriage doesn't make it that way either. I can recognize that. But this all sure beats being long distance for 4 years. I don't care what anyone says.

The wedding was everything I dreamed of! We're starting to post picture links on our website so check it out! www.evelynandstephen.com We'll add others especially pro pics later on as they come in.


Thanks again for all the love and support. I can't wait for the next 100 years with my best friend.

Today...and two days to go??

Well the stress is wearing off. I think I've reached numbness...I'm running on adreline and cranberry juice. No vodka I promise.

We've packed our honeymoon luggage and our weekend luggage. No I'm trying to move things upstairs in the event of a flood. But I'm convinced the more I move upstairs that the roof is going to blow off. Just my luck.

We're driving to NOLA tonight to pick up Jen at the airport. An odd but short minivacation for us. There and back.

Tommorow morning we pack up at the DeAngelo's house and head north. Evacuate to our wedding. Who would have ever thought?

My parents left tonight and are picking up Dawn my sister at the airport in Bham tonight as well.

I dunno if I've told you that my brother Timmy made me the most amazing prayer bench for us to use at the wedding and keep in our home afterwards. It's probably one of the most special gifts I could have ever recieved. I'll have it for years to come and it's handcrafted. Not off a registry but with his own blood sweat and tears. That makes me smile to think about my family what little true family I have left that way.

OK well I gotta run but that's my update for the day.

I hope to add one more before the wedding, but if not...

It's been grand. I've loved our dating, engagement and last 100 days and I'm ready for the next 5 years!

Thanks for all of YOUR love and support! I'll definately post some wedding pictures here.

Later,

The future Mrs. Stephen DeAngelo!

What were we thinking???

I cannot belive that we planned our wedding during hurricane season???? We were more worried about football season that hurricanes? Ok so since 2005 the Gulf Coast has been recovering from the Big K...and have yet to have to deal with another miserable hurricane season. Never fear though, because if there's a time for it to happen. It's definately going to be the weekend of our wedding.

Granted, my worries are not that our outdoor chapel will have rain blowing sideways thruogh it on Sunday afternoon. I'm pretty sure we're going to be good to go with the wedding. It's everything else that concerns me.....

Like the fact that we'll be in Birmingham/Cancun when the storm hits. Our house will be here alone, will all my newly moved boxes, unpacked and on the floor.

While on our honeymoon, if Cancun is spared and giving that we're even able to fly there. We'll be thinking about our home, our friends and our families. Instead of enjoying bliss. And if it's bad....dear God please don't let it....we'll be staring at the TVs thinking about it 24/7.

So either way..there's something on my mind.

In other news, I just can't belive that there is only 4 days left! 4 jelly beans!!! and a million things to do!

We've had changes in the wedding party, music and have yet to make things like the programs....it's all going to happen I'm convinced. In what form or fashion, I really don't know.

I guess for now I'll just say how lucky I am to know that we're going to have the wedding with or with out the hurricane. It's just after the wedding part we have to figure out.

Any advice for preparing for the hurricane/wedding/honeymoon/mental breakdown?

Eight Crazy Nights!

No we're not celebrating Haunnaka but we have been preparing for Hurricane Faye. Like I mentioned yesterday, I'm not so much stressed about the wedding right now as I have been about moving and other things.

This storm upped all of that about 100%. Not only am I hurrying to move things before it starts raining, but I'm moving a good portion of them in the downstairs part of the townhouse, in a location that is prone to flooding. Great, just great.

Good news is that we were very productive on Friday. Not only with the moving but Stephen and I both got our hair cut. We also made time to go to downtown Mobile and get our marriage license!!! It was so sweet when we arrived a Marine and his lady dressed in cute white summer dress had just gotten married.

So we filled out all the paperwork, signed our names, raised our right hands (yeah I dind't know that was part of it?!?!?) and got our marriage license. The lady specifically handed the license to me and gave me the instructions. Then she handed Stephen a work book with his name on a big label and told him to READ IT! It was a marriage prep book that is distributed by Extension of all things! It was fun. Then since it was such a beautiful day we went and wandered around Spanish Park.








Ha! Any one notice how similar this is to our Olympic Park engagement pictures? Guess we have a thing for water fountains!

Ok so the rain starts tommorow....got your floaties on?

10...

Dear friends and Fam...

It's the big ONE OH.....ONLY 9 JELLY BEANS LEFT IN THE BOX!

Ten days to go! I don't even know what to say today. I can't think about the wedding, my mind is bogged down with the stress of figuring out how to move out of my apartment, finishing my grad school assignments, and all the end-of-year reports for work and new club meetings!

Now Faye is making our lives wet, dark and semi-miserable until mid-next week.

Any stress advice? I know the wedding is going to happen. Is it weird that I'm almost not worried about it?


pulling out my hair,

E

12 Days of Stress

On the 1st Day of stress my fiance' gave to me one lost car key,

on the 2nd day of stress my fiance' gave to me two advils,

on the 3rd day of stress my fiance' gave to me three late RSVPs,

on the 4th day of stress my fiance' gave to me four new bills,

on the 5th day of stress my fiance' gave to me FIVE to do lists!!!!

on the 6th day of stress my fiance' gave to me six more Advil

on the 7th day of stress my fiance gave to me seven moving boxes,

on the 8th day of stress my professor gave to me 80 pages of reading

on the 9th day of stress my mother gave me 9 kinds of guilt

on the 10th day of stress my boss gave me 10 DAYS OFF!!!

on the 11th day of stress I gave myself an 11 hour drive,

on the 12th day of stress God gave to me the patience to survive all of this stress!

and.....then we'll be married! forever. for good.

Trip down memory lane

Ok so today is the one year anniversary of our engagement, thus in my life probably my happiest day yet! I wish that I could feel the same today as I did a year ago, but I wouldn't be honest if I said that I did.

Don't worry there's no real troube in paradise, I love Stephen more than ever but today I am a bottle of unexplainable emotions. Let me catch you up....

First off I'm at the MS 4-H Agents Summer Conference in Tupelo, we spent the day in seminars and toured Elivs' birthplace. It's rained since I woke up yesterday. Aunt Flo has come to visit and this weekend I survived my bachelorette party with only one true problem. I lost the key to my car. Not all my keys...just the one that starts my car. Yes I know...only me huh?

I also had a shower on Sunday at Stephen's Aunt Rita's house! It was a very nice shower and we got lots of very nice things. I think I've finally figured out how to survive a shower with out crying or shaking. It's still not a very easy thing to have everyone watch you and wisper over cake and punch.

Nonetheless Sunday brought forth a very real part of our lives right now. I guess you can say that reality hit...Stephen and I had a huge discussion (it wasn't a fight I promise) about how difficult it has been for him to adjust to all of these changes at once. I get that...I understand...I guess..?


A year ago we celebrated our engagement, we made a committment to each other to share the rest of our lives together, what a wonderful memory.

Today, instead we're trying to figure out how to juggle all the changes that have happend in our lives since today last year. It started with me moving to Mississippi and taking this new job.

I think when I made this move I truly expected Stephen to be around and move to Pascagoula much sooner. When that didn't happen I upped myself on our "patience" mantra and sucked it up. He finally moved here in July and we've given ourselves less than 60 days to adjust to us...us seeing each other everyday, us spending less than three hours on the phone a night, us moving our things in together and learning how to just deal with being around each other all the time.

If that's all we had to deal with, I think we would be ok. Instead he's having to deal with figuring out a new job...helping me move, helping to finish up with a ton of wedding tasks and just adjusting to a totally new life.

This is one time will I'll be really honest, stick my life out there and bust that view of perfect life bubble. Guys, I really wish this would have happened differently. Once MAJOR life change at a time.

None of this means that I'm not more excited than ever to look him in the face in three weeks and take that committment one more step up. It's all growing pains I know that.

And yet knowing that doesn't make me feel any better about spending our one engagement anniversary on the outs.

a BIG day!

Today is exciting for several reaons, one is because today is Stephen's birthday! YAY! Upon his request I've been asked to acknowledge it as his 25th...even though it's really his 26th. I didn't even ask for that! And of all people he's the one who put all 26 candles on my birthday cake! Now I think that women are usually more prone to holding back on those extra years, so other than realizing that Stephen can't remember how old he is anymore I don't really know why he wants to stay 25 until we're 30.


And today also marks one month until the wedding. OH Geez! Lots and lots to do!

On a side note I do want to mention that our hearts and prayers have been with Brandon and his family this week. His dad unexpectedly passed away on Monday night. Stephen was much closer to his Dad that I was of course, but I will say each time I met him, he'd cooked an exceptional meal including the largest hamburgers I've ever seen in my life!

So that the guys can be around to support Brandon, they've called off the Bachelor Party trip. With all respect friends and family come first yet, I also really hate that Stephen didn't get the weekend he was looking forward to. I really think that because he's been such a big help with the wedding that he truly deserved a weekend way with his guys. I guess the one difference for us is, a bachelor trip is really no more than him spending time with his favorite guys...and as far as I'm concerned that could happen any weekend he'd like...married or not.

So ladies, this whole point brought up a great discussion that includes "any weekend I want I can catch up with my girlfriends, hang out by the pool and sip a smoothie, if I want to" because we're not a jealous couple. And time with friends...and family is important to us. I appreciate that Stephen and I have that kind of mutual respect for each other.

I realize I haven't shared all the detials on my "sweet" shower last weekend. I'm waiting so I can post some pictures. Maybe again this afternoon.

Meanwhile...I've really got work to do...blah!

OH NO.......if you didn't realize......... tommorow is AUGUST 1!!!!

The Evelyn

If you know me, you probably know that my name is pretty rare and in any instance that something is named "the evelyn" I take full credit. Well this time it IS my design!!!!

Our wedding Save the Dates, Invites and RSVPs are featured on Limoncellostyle.com. Miriam was a big help in actually producing the invites that were inspired by us! Check out "The Evelyn"

http://limoncellostyle.com/a-bigger-sip/limoncelloinvites/

I really appreciated all of the help and support she gave to Stephen and I through out the whole process! I also hope that everyone enjoyed our invites, because we really love them!

37..........

Sorry guys. I can't keep up with my counting and journaling because work and this week VBS, had keep me running!

New wedding relevations:

...all bridesmaids and attendants have dresses and shoes!
...48 ppl have sent in RSVPs!
... a new shower has been slated for Sunday August 10 hosted by the DeAngelo's!
... all of the guys have suits, ties, and shoes! ...still waiting on a couple shirts!
...i've survived the shock of actually seeing my bridal pictues!

.........TOMMOROW IS MY BIG SHOWER BACK HOME WITH FAMILY AND CHURCH FRIENDS! My one and only shower by "my people".

Let me expound on that. Stephen's family and church has been amazingly supportive. Thus they have offered three seperate showers now. The one that was at Julie's, the new one at Aunt Rita's and the big one at their church. Something feels a bit different about being excited that MY shower with MY people is actually going to happen.

This is what I go to for everyone else. I absolutely cannot belive that this is going to be time for MINE. geez. I already can't breathe! All those eyes on me. Everyone critiquing what each other brought, all the decor, all the food, some of my bridesmaids who my family and other friends have never met.....all rolled into two hours of pure excitement.

..........meanwhile, Stephen gets to play golf. I really don't think that is quite fair by any means.

Looking forward, I have decided not to go to Virginia with my horse kids. Instead I will have a jam packed weekend of DIY! (again while Stephen goes to Memphis with the boys and plays golf) Then he can finish up my DIY when I'm off in Biloxi sitting by the pool in our girls only weekend cabana!

Ok so I'm headed off, but if you're reading this and haven't RSVPed....go do it NOW!!

www.evelynandstephen.com

45 DAZE to go

a DAZE is exactly what I'm in. Work is quite busy, these 5 day horse show trips have knocked me out of the water. Not that I've never spent my summers like this..because I have...but that it feel like it takes me longer to recover.

We're excited to announce that 6 of our members have qualified for the Southern Regional Horse show in Lexington, VA. Sigh.....another trip. Yet I am very very excited for them, and I hope they do great at regionals.

This has put a kink in my wedding planning process lately. There are still many many things that need to be done...and yet I'm kinda frozen. My brain is in slow motion and my body is in even slower motion. Great....

Stephen and I have survived our first week of life not in a long-distance relationship. Instead he is just seven blocks from me. And yet....we've managed to only decided that laying on the floor in our new townwhouse, watching tv and eating sandwiches and chips for dinner, is merely comfortable....not to mention we still only talk during commericals. Perhaps that is a long term side effect of spending countless hours nightly on the phone. Wow....ATT stock might drop because we're seriously decreasing our minutes and usage now.

In other news the RSVPs are rolling in! Yay, some say they're coming and others say they aren't. Either way is is very exciting to check my PO or email and find these responses!!! Ok now that ppl are actually coming, I better get out of this daze and get moving!

26 Candles doesn't have the same ring...

10 years ago I was 16. For some of you, that makes me sound even younger than you think, for others, you realize too that your teen years have just recently past.
Things were different at 16...

I got my first car ( an '88 Pontiac LeMans, gas was $.99 a gallon!
I didn't have a boyfriend, (although I had kissed a boy ;-)
I wore bangles everyday
I thought that 10th grade was the worst thing that ever happened to me
I couldn't decide who my true friends were
I drank a Sprite and ate a Twix or Chee-Weez everyday for lunch
I thought I wanted to be a special ed teacher

But somethings haven't changed, I still...

Spend most waking moments thinking about 4-H, and spend every birthday doing something 4-H related away from home,
Love LSU more than ever,
Hate shopping for jeans,
Think I need new clothes for summer camp and every vacation,
Love to sing out loud in my car and hang silly things from my rear view mirror

I don't think I'm going to be one of those people who dread getting older. This is going to be an exciting year for me. I'm getting married! We plan on buying our first house, I'll be in my 2nd year in Jackson County...and well I've got things to look forward to. I didn't really get to celebrate my day..so I think I'm just going to celebrate each day I get this year!

Thanks for all the birthday wishes!

What do you miss about being 16?

Because life isn't perfect...

I heard this song today, and it made me stop and think so I thought I'd share it with y'all.

It ain't pretty,but it's beautiful. Our love ain't perfect,but it's wonderful. We're still learning to be lovable. It ain't pretty,but it's beautiful. We're all learning to be lovable.It's ain't always pretty,but it's beautiful.

-Clay Walker

How sweet...

At the horse show this week. Mom and Dad came to visit. Dad got his suit and I dropped off my dress to get pressed and cleaned again.

Invitations go out today!!! Yay! Thanks to Stephen and his mom for helping with all the assembly!

I hope everyone likes them.

Go RSVP!

More Pictures....of a Klutz

So, as I mentioned, in the process of trying to take my bridal portraits I flung myself down the stairs in the rain. Due to that, and the fact that the pain is'nt going away I went to visit a doctor yesterday.


After the common hurdle of finding someone to accept my insurance I then found Dr. Westbrook. Great guy...he mentioned that he usually treats geriatric patients for these kind of injuries.

Nonetheless, it was followed by a series of x-rays, becuase he thinks that if the ribs aren't just seperated they could be cracked? Great......


I leave tommorow for the state horse show in Jackson, not exactly how my pain-filled body wants to spend the rest of the week but thus is life.

The good, the bad....and the ugly

Well guys, as I mentioned before my beach filled 4th of july weekend was to be interrupted by my brial photo session with Melissa.

The GOOD:

Clint and Melissa. Melissa is probably the most patient person I know. I know I'm not always an easy person to deal with and she was amazing through out the whole process. Clint was also the most amazing sport. Holding my fowers, holding the light just right, and mostly helping me smile through the rain and the pain.

The BAD:

This award goes to the lovely Southern afternoon rain storms. They completely threw our sesion off key. HUMID, WET, MUD....all things to avoid when you have a salon up do and a white dress.

The UGLY:

The massive purple dinner plate size bruises on my back caused by slipping and falling down front poarch stairs prior to starting my picture session.


Another good thing....thank God I wasn't in my dress.


The day was interesting to say the least. Again, I appreciate Melissa's professional touch and her friendship. I don't think anyone else would put up with me. You probably won't see any of the pictures anytime soon....she's going to have a lot of photoshopping to do.

Other than that...if you haven't taken 6 hours to lay on the beach with some of the best friends in the world, enjoy a fresh fruit smoothie, and chill with the radio on, I highly suggest that you slow down what ever part of life that keeps you from this and do it. There is absolutely nothing like the sun and sand to help you remember the important things in life, and to help you forget about work.

If I'm not around it's because I have 250 invitations to address and a State Horse show to attend.

And so help me...if anyone mentions the elusive number that is hoovering this week I'm going to cry.

Any one else counting?

Ok...so we're down to 62. WOW.

Just an update, things are flying by!!! Stephen bought a new Jeep Patriot...finally! He's been shopping for a year!

We also signed a lease on our new townhouse, downtown Pascagoula!

I have my dress, a veil and a hair piece and.....SHOES for me!

My mom also has her dress.....!

We're up for a weekend at the beach this 4th of July with Stephen's family and a few of our friends. On Saturday I'm going to skip out and take my bridal pictures! I'm very nervous about this. I have to find someone to do my hair on Saturday morning for one thing....

Otherwise, everything else is right on time. We've got our invites completed, they should go out around the 8th.

It's getting exciting!

Am I forgetting anything?

Matchy-Matchy

We've searched high and low for a wedding band to match my engagement ring. We've pretty much decided on a simple 2mm platinum band. No stones, no details. In light of that, we found a band that actually matched my ring yesterday! Only downfall was that it had a row of round stones across it. They really offset my three-stones on the engagement ring. bummer.


Otherwise, the only good news I have right now is that all the guys have their suits purchased in a wonderful Father's Day sale at S&K!!!

My dress fitting went well. The good part is that I will be going sans the tummy sucker up body suit. I dunno if I'm just ultra confident with my overladen body or if this is just the miracle dress I needed. It fits my "natural" curves better than the way the shaper makes my curves. Go figure? If I never mentioned it before, I LOVE MIMI at Mimi's Bridal in Laurel. She has been absolutely amazing through out this process!

We still don't have a veil, my shoes, bridesmaid shoes and a variety of other things that Stephen is supposed to rent. But we are going to take a quick visit to B'ham this weekend and see what we can iron out.

Mean while my week is pack with Art Camp and Horse Judging Clinic.....

It's all about the Paper

Yesterday was pretty exciting in my world of wedding planning. We finalized our design for the invites and are getting ready get them printed!!!! I was surprised at how many times we rearranged the words and fonts..before we ended up with something pretty traditional.

Otherwise I was very excited to get my new US Passport in the mail! This means I can officially evacuate when the wedding is over!

In addition I also got two boxes of checks..I know that's random, but life without checks for the last month has been a bit frustrating.


Last night we had a great dinner out with Derrick and his new girl Sheila. I love this girl! Finally a new girl to our group! I love my boys don't get me wrong...but the last year has been kinda rough w/o having a girl around to add a bit to our conversation. We kinda celebrated Stephen's new job offer, it didn't feel too energetic..but I guess thats what it was. I expected to be jumping up and down, crying or some other extreme emotion now that I"m finally seeing him come to the coast...yet it still feels surreal.


We're headed to the Sims family reunion today..and then I have my bridal gown fitting later this afternoon! This is it.....no worries about fitting into my dress...now it just fits me!

I love the 80's!

*Editor's update....this was a great post written off the cuff..that apparently didn't get posted due to the blinking power and failing internet..bummer..I'll recap.



This post was mostly related to the fact that there are several things that I've adored about the 80's decade! I love the music mostly...the fashion, well I'm glad it's over. But more importantly the 80's days on our countdown have been very exciting!

89- Stephen gets to come down on a TUESDAY night!

88- Stephen has a job interview!!!! He totally rocked it! Then we spent part of the day running errands together! Church youth group together...where they all think I'm marrying his brother... then to his mom's for the night.

87- Stephen is a lifesaver, and gets up at 3:30AM to help me drive a 4-H member to Jackson for the day. We did get to secretly play 9 holes of golf while waiting. It was a great day!

86- TGIF! I cooked an awesome dinner for Stephen, I actually wanted steak! Then we crashed early...no movie date..

85- Spent the whole day in Mobile helping to set up Jon's new law office, and buying suits! Yay, they guys finally have something to wear! We also found ties and.....drumroll....Stephen's ring!!! Then a great night out to dinner with Brandon and Tracie!

84-Church, covered dish and......MARRIAGE COUNSELING. It went pretty well, we're apparently very "aware of ourselves". Meaning we know what our strengths and weaknesses are. Good for us. Then Stephen finally had to go home. Man it was nice while it lasted.

83- Waiting to hear back from the job......meanwhile I'm house hunting! I found the perfect little townhouse!

82- He got a job offer! Yipppppppppeeeeee! He may finally move to the coast after all!

81- I apply for the townhouse, and Stephen counters on the salary offer. Either way, he'll probably accept the job! Thank heavens....

80-It will be Thursday and I get to see Stephen again tommorow! See... I LOVE the 80's.

What's your favorite thing about the 80's???

I'm not sure who's counting more...

So, I'm actually very excited that I've begun to journal a bit. Yet, I'm still disappointed that life is so utterly busy right now, that I can't find 5 minutes a day to catch everyone up.

Everyday though, I spend at least 5, 10 or 20 minutes answering..."So are you excited?" "How's all the plans going?" "Still working on the wedding?"

Well since you know that a drop of sarcasm lives inside this sugar dumpling, I have to admit my immediate responses are not the first thoughts that go through my head. I kindly reply yet I'm wanting to be sarcastic as heck.

"No I'm not excited actually it's kinda sad, me getting married and all."

"What plans? I already took my vacation this year? OH...are you talking about the wedding?"

" Nah, I pretty much gave up on planning stuff, we'll just see how it goes from here."

Forgive me for the harshness, I think it's just exhaustion talking. I'd be ever so sugar plum happy, if all I had to do everyday, for the next 80+ days...is nothing but deal with wedding plans.

For the record, I am EXCITED, very excited. I'm so excited that I just want to fast forward so I'll happen already!

Other good news, Stephen had a job interview here on Wednesday, he thinks it went very well. I'll keep praying. Meanwhile we've begun converstations about how to handle the living sitation when he moves down. We need a bigger place, but I do love my little aptartment. It's finally just feeling like home, and I dread MOVING. Especailly before the wedding. I don't know if I have that in me.

Oh more on the shower. It was so fun hot pinks, greens and yellows! Julie gave me the cutest little gerber daisy corsage! That one one of my favorite parts! All of the delicious food! OH yummy! Cute cute little bites and great punch! OH and white cake petit fors with little pink daisys on them. Everyone was soo generous and it was great just getting to visit with family and chat. My mom seemed to enjoy getting to meet more of Stpehen's family.

OK we'll I'm going to get back to work so I can start my weekend....I hope you have a great one!

Wacky Wednesday

Wow...that's the only word for today. Stephen finally had a job interview with Northrop Grumman! I'm seriously praying that he gets this job! We got to go have lunch togehter and run errands! What a treat?

Ok so because I have to go to bed early so I can drive to Jackson tommorow morning at 5AM I'm just going to post some of the promised pictures.

My Favorite picture from our canoe trip:

It describes how nice and lazy the whole trip was!

OK so these are some of the pictures from my shower at Julie's:

Wasted Days and Wasted Nights

Oh...I love that song. My mom would call it a "belly rubbin'" song.

Ok so days like to day stress me out just becuase I haven't done anything productive today. Yet this means that it all moves forward and my future days become much much more crowded.

I think about things, when driving or at work. When resting in that nice quiet place for the 35 seconds a day that I get to relieve myself.... Even though things go through my head they don't actually happen.

So here's some of the things I'm adding to my to-do list:

-call Annie & Mary, discuss decorating and help!

- buy a veil

-find bridesmaids shoes, or just encourage them to find their own

-convince my mom AND Stephen's mom to buy dresses!

-Finalize the invitation wording

oh. the list goes on but these are the ones that are popping up in my head today.

I know I've promised pictures but they are stuck in my new camera! I can't find the card reader to get them out! Tommorow hopefully!

A Great Story

Everyone that knows me, knows that I not only love to talk but that I love a great story. I spent the week at MSU for 4-H State Congress. It was great opportunity to meet lots of new people. The moment someone asks me why I'm in MS or how I met my fiance I get so excited to share with them the story of "us". I literally told it 10 or more times at congress. I think meeting through 4-H has something to do with that. I dunno if I'm really like one of those new parents who think that 'their child' is THE cutest in the whole wide world but..I do like our story and I love telling it.

Do you know ppl with unique real life love stories? Do you have one of your own? I'd love to hear a about them.

I'm starting to get more nervous about the shower tommorow. I bought cute little hostess gifts, have a nice dress and new toe poslish. I guess that makes me ready?

Aunt Jane made me a cute cute little box covered in lace to pin my china cards to at the shower. How cool is that? I've never seen that, but it's the cutest idea! Stephen went ahead and picked up a few china cards at Alexanders this week. I'm sooo very excited that we're actually going to get some pieces. At the same time, I'm so humbled that all of this is about us and about how generous everyone is.

Stephen drove down last night, simply to come see me and to drive me back to Stringer. Knowing that I was on the road all week, he was sweet enough to escort me up today. I'll ride home after the shower tommorow with his mom.

I'm glad I only have one shower a month June, July, August....it's going to be fun to have them all spread out. The excitement is starting!

Oh, I hear that Stephen ate jelly beans all week! Today was bubble gum...yum yum

Short and Sweet

Well, I'm about to enter a big black hole and loose 4 precious wedding planning days. We're headed off to State Congress at MSU today. I can't imagine that with 5 kids and all kinds of workshop responsiblities I'll have any time to think about the wedding.

Although after a 4 day weekend with Stephen, I'm incredibly motivated to find something to distract myself from missing him like crazy this week! So maybe he'll eat a few more jelly beans and find time to do some of this:

This is Stephen's continual Wedding TO DO List:

GET A JOB on the Coast!
Move here...!
Find golf carts
Find dance floor
Help your guys order suits!
Find ties!
Order Fans
Call Kevin! Check on Speaker system!


This is an abbreviated version, but if he does any of this I'll be excited! Ok, off to State I go....

I hear Banjos....Paddle faster

We're headed to Soggy Bottom Canoe rentals on Black Creek here in Mississippi. I've been looking forward to this trip for awhile. When we first started planning I think I expected it to be more couples. But it's just Denis and Dave and us. That's cool. The rate things have been going with my nerves and all stressed out I probably need as little girl drama as possible.

I keep thinking back to that movie Without a Paddle, for years after Stephen and I saw it I always called it "Up a Creek". Hey I was halfway there. Well since this isn't much on the marriage or wedding planning front today. I guess my only thought is.... I really really hope it's all downstream from here in the planning process.

I'm ready to put my paddle in and crank it up much faster to get to the end point on this trip. I know time flies by and everyone says that I'll miss this point in my life. Yet, I still can't wait to push off on the next journey.

Last night was Jen and Nick's wedding. It was full mass and a nice reception. What the hell is up with these ppl (Kamie you're included) in waiting until 10:30PM to cut the cake! Dude I know it's pretty, but even better they taste fantastic!

So here's a tip for my wedding. No one will ever have to ask "when are they going to cut the cake?"

The one thing I can get used to

Sorry if I sounded harsh on Stephen yesterday. It wasn't so much against him as it was my own frustration and unexpected feelings.

As you might have expected he clearly redeemed himself today. He cleaned my house from top to bottom! Ladies, I watched as a grown man under his own initative got on his hands and knees to clean baseboards.

He scrubbed a toliet....dishes and even some laundry.

Now, his downfall in the process was throwing away a perfectly good pair of shoes! (yes the heels needed fixing..but I had a relationship with those shoes!)

I love this man, and I love his cleaning abilities!!!!

We're headed to Jen and Nicky's wedding on the West Bank of New Orleans today. I'm so excited for these two. I watched their relationship start off and they're so good for each other. I fully expect lots of good food and old friends! I'm sure there will be some sort of LSU theme somewhere. I'm going to try to take some pictures, I'll post them when I can.

Kamie called me from the airport before leaving for her honeymoon. I have to admit I'm jealous. I'd love to be leaving on mine today! I'll settle for sleeping on the airmattress at Denis' mom's apartment...but if you think I'm not counting days...think again 98 to go!!!

Jelly Bean update: today was bannana...yuck!

The one thing I can get used to

Ok so I realize that yesterday's post might have sounded a bit harsh towards Stephen. Please understand in no way did I really mean it that way. Life seems to come with some natural ups and downs. True I have been a bit more frustrated lately but I can also recognize the perks he brings to my life.

Cleaning house has to be the best one! I saw a grown man,take his own iniatiative to get on his hands and knees and clean baseboards. OH yes ladies you read it right... the toliet, tub, and even some laundry too! I've never boasted as being the perfect housekeeper. I tend to be a bit messy. I don't think it ever gets gross as it is usually just unorganized. But hey, I know where it all is!

Stephen and I took our marriage quiz for the Pastor yesterday. A large portiion of it was about household responsiblities. I think we're going to get along just fine.

We're headed to another wedding tonight. Jen and Nicky are such a great couple! They too have been patient and are going to enjoy years of happiness together. I think the wedding will be fun. I expect it will have some LSU theme because they're both huge LSU football and baseball fans.

I'll try to post some pictures soon if I can.

Jelly Beans

Last night Stephen drove down. He amazingly took a day off work, to go car hunting. This has been a year long search for the "right Jeep, at the RIGHT price". I don't think it exisits.

Anyways, this morning, I gave him a jar full of 100 jelly beans. All sorts of flavors included. I attached a little note that mentioned "100 smiles inside, to help you count down the days". So he opened it up and choose the toasted marshmallow one. (For those of you who know about his stent in attempting to make s'mores with marshmallow creme....I think we might have a replacement)

None the less, I'm realizing that we really will have a big change in moving in together. This morning, he kept rushing me out the door. I gently reminded him that I get up and go to work everyday on my own.

Then he called to tell me that he checked my mail (like I asked him to), but then started asking questions about a doctor's bill. Now he's reading MY mail? Oh were does the privacy go?

Ha, are you surprised that just today, I gave him my apartment key to go make a copy. I've lived there six months. oh lordy.

This is going to be an interesting process of learning to merge much more than our hearts....I'm such an independant person. For so long it's been my house, my schedule, my bills and my bank account. Don't get me wrong, I'm not objecting to this process I just know it's not going to be an easy transition. It is all part of life, I'm just finding that our long distance relationship is 99 days away from moving in together.

fun times.

P.S.- Let's see if he eats the licorice one I left in the jar? Not all the days are going to be grape jelly belly sweet.

And the countdown begins...

I can't get the wedding off my mind today! Stephen and I spent the weekend at Kamie and Colby's wedding. It was amazing! They had a beautiful venue and lots of amazing people helping to make the day so perfect. Kamie is so creative and I truly believe (at least I hope) that everything turned out just as she imagined it.

As for our wedding, I don't really have the "vision" that Kamie and other girls have for their weddings. To be honest I've had to learn Wedding 101 and get lots of inpsiration and ideas from other helpful brides and brides-to-be. Luckily I have Stephen to help me when I get a little too inspired, he really helps me bring things back down to the basics.

I think that we have most of the major things taken care of, right now it's just the litle fun details and the waiting that is killing me. I think that the showers will help me start feeling like this ship is moving. Julie Grissom (Stephen's maternal cousin) is hosting my first shower! She's so sweet to offer this! The shower will mostly be for the Grissom & Sims side of Stephen's family and some local Jackson friends. My mom and some of my close family is going to try to come.

I'm mostly excitied that I didn't have to plan a thing. I really just get to show up. How awesome is that going to be? I'll make sure I post some pictures and updates of the shower and other events along the way for those of you who can't make it or are just reading from afar.

I'm going to sign off for now, this is going to be an exciting Summer, keep reading!