A Walk Down Memory Lane.....

Attending Derrick and Shelia's wedding this weekend was good for my own marriage. Not just because the Priest constantly reminded couples that words hurt just as much if not more than actions and that sometimes we needed to "keep our mouths shut" so we can keep our marriages but also because everytime I go to a wedding and hear other people say "forever" I have hope that we're not the only ones crazy enough to think we can make it.

I'm open about how divorce scares me to death. It's happened to those who I care so much about and it befuddles me to know that some say forever and yet give up so soon. For others, I know that their lives are better now that their former partners are in the past.

And then I worry about couples in my life who live and love and laugh but don't make that committment. And even more my heart aches for the amazing wonderful single friends I have, and I crave that they find the companions they deserve. Truly, I want that for each of my friends.

I don't know why but I came home more appreciative of my husband and best friend than ever. I also gain a sense of responsibilitly and even the idea of how often I take the relationships I have in life for granted.

I often feel guilty for ever feeling lonely when I'm married. I have the nicest person ever come home to me each night and kiss me before he leaves each morning. I get to see all of my friends from out of town on occasions, I even schedule in some faimly time every now and then. Yet, when I least expect it my heart throbs and my soul feels alone in this battle of life.

Sometimes I think that the only reason that feeling hurts me is because it means that I have to spend time with myself. I dream of "finding myself", I think that just means to become the kind of person that I'd like to hang out with on the weekends. And as of right now, I'm not that person. I have plenty of ideas on how to get there.....I could loose weight, find a hobby that I enjoy, even do laundry or the dishes, wash my baseboards for no reason. But instead I pray for some sort of distraction so that I don't have to focus on the person I least like lately; me.

I don't know why but sometimes I expect Stephen to fix it all for me. To know when I'm feeling like this, even my friends or Mom to help me before I loose myself.

With all honesty, this is why I'm most scared of having kids right now. I'm scared that my life as I know it will completely vanish and I'll forever regreat not living or experiencing all of life that I wanted to. Then again, I think part of me is hoping to truly find myself before I have kids...maybe it's because I think I'll loose myself in their wonderfulness. Who knows?

All I know is today I'm rejuvinated by the laughter of the friends I saw this weekend and by the love in my husbands heart. Even when I feel like I'm at the worst, I'm glad to have moments to remind me how lucky in love and friendship I have been!

My new Fav blog!

So if you know me and that I'm weening myself off of Weddingbee....and you're looking for some new entertainment check out: http://dixielust.blogspot.com/

It makes me want to hop in the car and just drive! She reinforces all the love and joy that I get from living here in the South and all of our amazing adventures!

Let me know what you thinK?

Odds and Ends....because my brain is too full right now!

More than you ever wanted to know.....


Stephen and I went walking in our neighborhood yesterday!

I made blueberry pancakes for breakfast this morning!

Because I'm never with out a social project...I'm planning Noel and Tiffany's baby shower for Nov. 14th!

I hope that it's better than the bachelorette party that I bombed last week.

I love Shelia and Derrick but I wish they were getting married on another day....I'd rather be at:

Rock Eagle (because I miss my old colleagues desperately)

Zonta (becuase I'd really like to make new friends in this town, even if it means joining Civic League)

Bayfest w/ Train performing Live (It's Train, duh)

Watching the LSU vs. UGA game( b/c I'm scared LSU is going to play around)

well...I'm just thinking right now I'll take advantage of the open bar and just try to forget about these other things.

Meanwhile, I'm missing my family like crazy. And feel guilty for buying a house so far away. Not for living here but for buying a house here. go figure?

My holiday anxiety has started. Why did Target have Christmas out in September?

I don't currently own a car, for the first time in 8 years.

My Dr. says I have early signs of arthritus, so I get drugs for old people and am told that diet and exercise will help. who knew?

I would like to loose some serious weight soon, and am thinking I need some serious motivation and support!

Ok that's all for now.........

Any questions?

Some times you feel like a nut...sometimes you don't

I'm not exactly talking about Mounds and Almond Joys...but more about this blog. I had an intense desire to blog when I started this. I thought I would have words of humor or wisdom to share with the world about our first year of marriage.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not at all disappointed in our first year....I am however more disappointed with letting our story fall to the way side. Now I'm not promising new or constant updates but I will say that last night I knew that if I didn't blog about a certain incident I'd regret it.....


For kickers, we celebrated 1 year of marriage on Monday August 31st. The year has brought us so many ups and downs, but over all I couldn't have asked for a better way to start our marriage. Money has always been our great debate. Always.

For our Sunday night (Labor Day in this case) tradition we grabbed two movies from the Redbox....'I Love You, Man' and 'Confessions of a Shopaholic'. We watched the first Monday night but ran out of time before we got to the second.

So after a long Tuesday, including a night meeting for me, I returned home to find that Stephen had sweetly prepared spaghetti for dinner and offered to watch my chic flick. Go ahead and say it......awwwwwwwwww! But just wait.

If you haven't seen the movie, consider this a spoiler. If you have...you'll know what I'm talking about...this fashion loving, working girl racks herself up some credit card debt. I think the movie first mentions $9,000 and it ends up to be about $16,500. Poor Girl.

For the record I have NO credit cards. I had two in college maxed out my $2,000 limits and then paid them off with my first job. Forgive me for being blunt but my only current debts are my student loans, my car payment...and now a mortgage. I'm not bragging by any means. Some people have debt who need it....this girl just wanted clothes with labels and the latest accesories for her I felt no sympathy!

Ladies, before the handsome suave protagonist can arrive my husband has whipped out the laptop and is asking me questions about our budget. CAN YOU BELIVE IT???? I was merely watching a work of fiction and he dives into our banking statments, bills and develops a family budget before the movie is over.

My heart sank. I know I'm not perfect. I see stuff, I often buy it. I'm overly genreous sometimes sharing or gifting things. Our new house has perhaps turned me into a monster. But nothing I buy is designer, top of the line, straight out of Southern Living. I work so hard to find it on sale or discount. I live at Hudson's for heaven's sake. But that is exactly my problem. Because it's on sale....I think, it's ok!

For the first time I feel like peer pressure has moved upon me. When friends or family or the neighbors say stuff like:
"it'll look great when you get your shutters up"
or
"have you thought about what kind of curtains or rugs you want?"
or
"let me know if you want to paint more and I'll come help"

my brain says to me.....

"ooh you need to go ahead and buy those valances for the living room"
or
"maybe I do need to paint..."
or
"I need to buy the first rug I find on sale" YOU GET THE POINT!

In my quest to finish everything with the house lately, I've been doing it a little here and a little there. This is driving Stephen CRAZY! $10 here. $7 there (even if it's on SALE) Adds up.

I'm not building some crazy mound of debt. But I'm not adding to the savings account either! I was just beyond me that the mere mentioning of debt and shopaholics annonmyous sent him in to a budgeting tither!

So I held in there....reviewed his budget and went to bed. Calm. Cool. Collected. I can do this! I need to do it. Stephen isn't being some kind of big mean restrictive man, he's looking our for us our lives and stabilitly. Luckily I work too, or else I have a feeling I wouldn't be able to justify what I do spend.

So I recognize that if I spend everything I want now, I'll never get to saving for the European vacation that I want or be able to go hog wild when we start the nursery. I did it, I tightened up for the last year with the goal of our house. It was easy to save when you didn't have room in the apartment to bring anything home to. For now...I get it and I love him for it. Yet, I admit it won't be easy to stick to the plan. Because the last thing on my mind before I went to sleep was... "what am I going to buy with my $25 house decorating allowance?"

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!