The time has come, my little friends... to talk of other things...

Like New Year's Resolutions!!!

I'm not usually one for making resolutions, because I already know that I'm not going to keep them... at least not after the first couple of months into the year. But this year is different. I don't have a wedding to plan anymore for one, and it feel like it might be time to make a few small changes... just little tiny eency weency ones at least.

1. I need to shed a few lbs. I have realized that weight is not your friend as you grow older. I don't ever recall having to fight so hard to keep those pesky little pounds off of my hips, and thighs, and stomach... and well... everywhere!!! Okay, okay, I will admit that I probably have allowed a few of them to creep up with all of my post-wedding dress, holiday eating habits.. but weight beware! I will get rid of you!!!

2. I want to really focus this year on the future. I feel like I have allowed myself to fall into this rut where I'm not sure what I want to be or what I want to do anymore. I feel like I'm just living life one day at a time with no plan or purpose. I want to change that. I want to make some goals for myself and work really hard at reaching them. I want to live my life with the confidence that I'm right in the center of God's will. :)

3. I want for Kyle and I to try to save some $$. You never know when you are going to need a few extra dollars, and I want to feel confident that it is there when we need it. You know, in case of emergencies... like when I see a pair of shoes that I HAVE TO OWN!!! (just kidding)

4. I'm going to focus a lot on my relationship with God. Don't get me wrong, I love Him with all that I am, but I feel like there are always areas of improvement in relationships and I want to make sure that I am the woman, wife, sister, daughter, and friend that He wants me to be. I want Him to be my priority.

5. I want to be more organized. Our house is still all-a-clutter with mess that we still haven't organized from the move. We seem to have randomly placed a few items that we never remembered to find a place for. Now I know that our house isn't going to look like something straight out of Better Homes, but you know...every little bit helps!

6. I want to loosen up a bit on life. I just want to love as many people as I can, smile all the time, and go to bed every night a happily married child of God.

Cheers to you and Happy New Year!

All I got for Christmas...

This was the first Christopher Christmas for us as husband and wife in our new house. I can't even begin to tell you how happy I was to start celebrating first thing that morning! I got up before Kyle, put the coffee on and had the sausage wheels in the oven before Kyle even woke up... then I proceeded to run and jump on the bed singing and dancing, doing what I could to get Mr. Christopher to wake up and come open presents with me. I sang him my personal favorites, including: "Christmas Time is Here," "Wake Up," and "Rise and Shine."
Needless to say, he wasn't quite as excited as me, but he got up anyway... (after about the fourth full song and my dances really started getting creative).

So, once he f-i-n-a-l-l-y got up and we opened our presents, we went to my parents' house to open, then to my dad's parents', and then home to take a cat nap, and lastly, to my mom's parents' house. It was a FULL day, and  I ate a whole TON...er...  I mean... I had an allergic reaction to something and my body has swollen up... :)

So here are a few of my favorite items that I got.

First, from Kyle/Santa:


and ipod docking station



and some money

and then from my parents/Santa:


navy Hunter boots (that I LOVE)



Moonlight Magic Bath and Body Works



The Eclipse Movie



Clothes

and a few other things...

We also got a few of these


and a little more of this:



All in all, it was a great Christmas, and I really enjoyed it! Now if I can just get rid of this pesky little sinus infection, I will be doing really great! :)

Christmas Time is Here.... Snow is in Your Hair....

I never really did learn the correct words to that song, but I still sing it as loud and obnoxiously as possible to Kyle beginning every November and ending somewhere mid-March. :) He doesn't like to admit that he loves it, but I know that it gets him every time.

We went on Saturday to get everyone's Christmas presents and I am proud to say, "Mission accomplished!" Now I just have to get a few little things for Kyle to open on Christmas morning and I'll be all finished.He asked me not to get him anything this year, but I can't help it if Santa told me to do it, right?

I'm really excited to spend our first Christmas together as husband and wife! We actually spent last Christmas together, (because Kyle proposed on Christmas Eve), but this year will be different. For starters, I won't be in shock the whole day and answering everyone's questions about wedding plans! Whew! That sounds quite lovely!

I'm thinking I'll probably take one night this week and do the usual baking tradition with Mom while we watch Rudolph, and Frosty, and then by the time Christmas actually gets here on Saturday, I'll be so fat that I have to wear spandex and maybe see if I can tell everyone that I had an allergic reaction to something, hence the swelling. ;)

I've been thinking that I would like to start a new tradition with Kyle for Christmas mornings. At my parents' house, my brother would always be the first one up at the butt crack of dawn and force everyone out of their beds to start opening gifts, but now that I live with Kyle, I want to start something new with him. Maybe I'll get up early and make breakfast? Maybe make some kind of delicious zillion calorie recipe and eat it first thing? I'll have to think of something..

Anyway, Merry Christmas to you and yours. Remember the reason for the season and give an extra squeeze to your loved ones!

Warning... I'm a bit emotional!

In the midst of all my morning rituals, business, etc... this particular morning, I happened across a very disturbing email that was sent to me. See, I had been planning this big Thanksgiving feast for my team at work an we were scheduled to do that today so I had a lot of loose ends that needed tying before 12:00 pm. I was trying to make sure that the ham was picked up on time and that everyone had brought their covered dish, and that we had enough plates, napkins, and silverware for everyone... so when I sat down and read this email, it completely stopped everything for me... right in it's track. 

One of the employees that I have had the pleasure of knowing in my time with Paetec, passed away Sunday night in a plane crash. He was heading to Nebraska for a hunting trip and the plane went down. I'm not exactly sure of what caused the crash but I know as I read that email, right there in that instant, I was completely devastated. I'm not going to say that I knew him well or even that we were "close" as some tend to say about people that have passed, but I did know him well enough to know that he had a family he loved that he would be leaving behind, and that no one should have to endure an end such as that. I really hope that he was a Christian.

Death is a funny thing, you know. You don't really ever know when it is coming, and when it does, everything changes. I can't stop thinking about this poor man's family so close to the holidays.. and as I started my morning flustering around trying to get things done for our Thanksgiving meal, I never once stopped to think of how thankful I was to be with the people around me... at least not until I read that email. As a daughter, and now a wife, it absolutely kills me to think of what his loved ones are going through at the moment. Every time that it comes to mind, my eyes just well up and my heart aches... and if you know me, you should KNOW that I'm not a crier. 

With all of this in mind, I will say that the thing I am most thankful for this year is my family. I want to let them know how much I love them and appreciate them. I want to be thankful for the time that I have to spend with them and I want to make the most of it. This year I'm not going to let myself get caught up in the planning and labor of the holidays, but I'm going to stop and take time to appreciate the people that I'm with and time that I'm able to spend with them. 

I hope that you will do the same. 

Happy Thanksgiving! 

I want casserole friends!

I'm sure you might have just raised an eyebrow or two reading the headline of this post, but it is 100% truth. I'll do my best to explain...

If I am sick, or if there is a tragedy, or some kind of crisis going on in my life, I don't want my friends to stalk my facebook page to figure out what's going on, or discuss my life happenings with others. I want them to call me up, tell me they love me, and bring me a casserole! Few girls have that luxury.

However, I have really been blessed in that department. On my wedding day, I looked around the room at my bridesmaids and I thought to myself for a moment... there wasn't one girl in the room that I did not consider to be a true friend. I know that they all love me and I love them, and I have no doubts that if the time ever came, my house would be just full of casseroles! I would also be sending them just the same!

When I was a little girl my grandpa told me, "one day you'll see that you can count your true friends on one hand." I thought he was plum-crazy! I considered everybody my friend! I had two best friends that I knew for sure would be my best friends forever. However, my grandpa was right... for the most part. I rarely even speak to my two best friends anymore... and when I do, its more like running into an old acquaintance in the grocery store.

I always try to be a good friend. Now, I'm not claiming to be any kind of superhero friend, but I do the best that I can. I want to be there for the ones I love, as I know that they would be there for me. As I've gotten older, I've really learned who my casserole friends are... and unfortunately I've also run across a few fair weather ones as well. As I continue to grow, I want to make as much time as I can for my casserole friends.

It isn't always going to be sunny, so I want to know who will pull on their stylish rainboots and weather the storms of life with me.

I guess that's just what old married couples do...

Isn't it funny how when we were growing up, we would say "I will never," or "I will not," or "I don't want..."
You know what I mean... like, "I will never have a desk job!" or "I will not be a home body" or even "I don't want to have to pay bills!" I'm pretty sure I've said all of those things... but I guess that's just what grown ups do!

We can't all be rock stars... and when I get home from work during the week, the last thing I want to do is leave! ... and if I don't pay the bills, I won't have power... or water... or heat! This is not the dream that I was hoping for when I was younger, but I'm settling into it.

If you haven't noticed that your desires change as you get older, you might want to check your brain. When I was younger, all I wanted to wear were pink sparkly ballgowns and tiaras, while waving my magical wand around, granting every wish that came to mind. I guess that's just what kids do! Not a care in the world and using our imagination to dream up the most impossible things! Now... while I still think that would be super cool... I doubt that anyone would consider me sane if I were to go walking around like that now. Don't you agree?

Moving on.

When I was younger, I imagined marriage to be the most magical thing of all. I considered it to be wildly romantic, expecting my husband to cater to my every whim. I just knew that monetary things wouldn't matter because we would be rich anyway and we could go on vacations to anywhere, whenever we wanted. As long as we were together, nothing else would matter, right?

So now I'm married. I have to plan my vacations around my work schedule... and even then, we can't really afford to go anywhere spectacular! Our evenings usually consist of fast food meals and pre-recorded television shows. Our big night out has become Outback Steakhouse one night a week, and that is a stretch in the budget too!

Yet I still consider myself to be the luckiest girl I know. While my husband is far from being "wildly romantic," I know that he loves me more than anything. He takes care of me when I don't feel very good, and he's always looking out for my best interest. He tries to give me everything that my little heart desires, and he makes it a point to show me that he loves me at least once a day. He kisses me before he tells me goodnight, and he even takes Chloe out in the wee hours of the morning to go potty so that she doesn't wake me.
We look forward to our Wednesday date nights and our most favorite thing is to have a glass of wine and snuggle together on the couch. He helps with the dishes and he even takes out the trash!

Now I know this scenario is much different from the one that I imagined, but it seems to suit me just fine. I'm happier than I could have ever imagined.

So we might just so happen to be two people that have to work, pay bills, and thoroughly enjoy staying at home... but I guess that's just what old married couples do.

It Has Only Just Begun.

I'm a married lady now. It still feels a little funny. Not much about my relationship with Kyle has changed so when it comes up in conversation or something happens to remind me of our new union, I get butterflies and have to giggle to myself just a little. I kept staring at our rings while we were on our honeymoon and I even had to pinch myself a few times to remind myself that it wasn't just a dream.

That being said, I could not have imagined a more perfect wedding (with the exception of showing up to MY OWN wedding 30 minutes late)!!! It was such a beautiful day and I was so overwhelmed with the love and support of our family and friends! The honeymoon was absolutely fabulous and we had the BEST time together. It is so much fun traveling with your husband! We did a lot of eating while we were there though, so I'm paying for that now.... : /

It took a while for us to adjust to coming home. First there's the time change- Hawaii is 6 hours behind us! Then Rock Hill doesn't really have a good view of the mountains or the turquoise ocean water... that is a hard one. And the worst of all was returning to work on Tuesday. I felt physically ill going in. I was trying to think of any possible alternative so that we could go back Hawaii and live there. I don't mind being a beach bum. So what if I have to eat pineapples and coconuts for the rest of my life! I could be a wedding planner or something there. It could work, right?

This week feels a little more normal, but we are still dealing with the post-wedding blues. We are thinking of planning another vacation ASAP so we can have something to look forward to.

I'm trying to get used to being a good little wifey. I'll have to post on my failures and feats. Tonight I'm making White Chicken Chili for dinner. I'll let you know how it goes. :)

In 2 Days!

Well... it's almost official! In two more days I'll be Mrs. Kyle Christopher. Do you know that there are eleven letters in Christopher? Did you also know that when I write Christopher out on paper, it usually looks like one big 'C' and a bunch of scribble behind it? Kennedi Christopher. I think it has a nice little ring to it.... don't you think?

The last couple of weeks have been a complete whirlwind of stress, surprise, celebration, and absolute bliss. I am so excited about so many things! The most obvious, I'm marrying the man that my heart desires, then I'll be going to Hawaii. Those should be good enough for anyone, but I can't tell you how utterly ecstatic I am to be seeing every person that I know and love gathered together for such a time as this. I now understand why a wedding day can be so overwhelming! I'm completely overwhelmed with love and excitement.

My bachelorette weekend was absolutely amazing! I couldn't have asked for a better time! My girls all came together for the perfect send off weekend and of course Holly and Laura made it so that it was just my style! Have I mentioned that they should be an event planners? I have truly been blessed with some amazing friends and I consider myself the luckiest girl in the world to have them!

To run through the highlights: we had a lot of fun!!!! I learned how to pole dance, we had a lot of fun, and .... we had A LOT OF FUN!!!!!! Really, I think it was the best bachelorette party weekend that I have ever even heard of!

I'm sure that I most likely sound like a sap with all of the emotions running through my heart, but I just have to say that God has been very good to me. I know that I'm not worth it, but He decided to love me anyway.

In two days I think I'll be the most blessed woman that I know!

Back to Charleston...

I feel like I was just there... and yet I'll be on my way again tomorrow for my B.A.C.H.E.L.O.R.E.T.T.E weekend! I can't even begin to explain my excitement! It is a very rare thing that adults get to have sleepovers anyway, but I get to spend the whole weekend with my girls and I am S-T-O-K-E-D! I mentioned to Kyle last night that I didn't want to hurt his feelings, but I doubt I'll miss him much this weekend... good news is- its mutual. I'll be in Charleston, and he will be in Savannah with the guys! How exciting is that!?!?!? I feel like a little girl! eeeek!!!!

The best part (scary part) is that I don't really know anything that is going to happen this weekend! Now, I have been warned, but I'm still not even 25% sure that I know what to expect... My LOH lives and breathes to plan events and I just so happen to be the perfect guinea pig for her. I'm sure there will be plenty of body parts, lacy things, beverages, and other embarrassing paraphernalia involved in this "Celebration Surprise" weekend!  Ah, I cannot wait!!!!

I still have lots of things to do before I head out tomorrow, but I honestly can't stop thinking about how much fun we are going to have!!! Wahoo!!!!

Bridal Portraits: Take Two .... and three

Earlier this year I did a bridal portrait session with my good friend Jennie. She was visiting from LA so we decided to get some pictures while she was here. She did an amazing job and I was throughly impressed. Jennie is a great friend of mine who has agreed to come here to shoot our wedding, along with our other photographer, Sarah Whitesides. So I planned to do one session with Jennie, and one with Sarah.

When trying to plan my bridal session with Sarah, I had a really good idea! I decided to have my second bridal portrait session in Charleston SC. The reason why this is such a good idea is two-fold. On the one side, who could think of a better setting for bridal portraits? The whole town is a photo op! Then on the other hand I knew I would be spending the whole weekend in one of my favorite places on the planet!  Best idea ever, right?

Mom and I got to Charleston around 9:00 Friday night and decided to take it easy and get some rest before the big day on Saturday. Our photographer (who traveled with us) stopped by our room for a bit to check out my dress and chat and then we were in bed before we knew it. We woke up the next morning to a B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L sunny day with not one cloud in sight. We had a great brunch with some friends, got our nails done, and did a little shopping before we had to start getting ready for the shoot.

I headed into the salon around 3:00 and was all ready by 5 ish. I have to say, seeing everything all put together just about took my breath away. I haven't had everything on all at once yet with my dress, hair, veil, shoes, jewelry, etc... let me just say that I had a moment.

We headed outside about 5:30 to start our shoot and of course... it started raining. OUT OF NOWHERE!!!!  Perfect. Sarah and I spent the next hour and a half ducking into buildings, hiding under awnings, dodging mud puddles, and huddling under an umbrella. It was quite the opposite of what one would consider to be a lovely occasion. Of course this is just par for the course with someone like myself.

You can imagine my surprise to find that Sarah had actually gotten some really cool shots from the day... but we both agreed to give it another go on Sunday to see if we would have better luck. After all, we were still in Charleston and we both knew we weren't making another trip out. So, we made the best of an otherwise awful  not so fun situation, had dinner, hung out downtown (after it conveniently stopped raining), and got some rest before doing it all over again.

We got up on Sunday to another seemingly beautiful morning, had breakfast and headed out for the salon... again. It took a little longer to get ready this time because I didn't have a scheduled appointment for Sunday. My awesome hairdresser was so kind to squeeze me in! I got all ready to venture out... again... and this time the weather was PERFECT! Not too hot, bright, and beautiful! We got some really great shots and I cannot wait to see them!!!!

Pumpkins, latte's, and pies, oh my!

It's almost that time...my absolute favorite time of year. Fall is right around the corner. Mmm... I'm feeling warm and fuzzy just thinking about it. It makes me so happy to see the leaves changing, to feel the cool breeze on my  face, and to smell the crisp autumn aroma in the air... there isn't anything quite like it.

No wonder why I picked October for our wedding month, right? It's the best month! There's just something about it that makes me feel right at home. However, I have to be careful too because that is also the time for soups, and pies, and all kinds of delicious goodies that like to stick right around my hips for the winter! ;) (and we thought only animals store food for the cold months.)

Either way, I couldn't be any more excited. I just get to add one more thing to look forward to every year, and it just so happens to be one of the most important events of my entire life! How awesome is that?

Let's discuss the list of things that are coming up right around the corner:
Charleston Bridal Shoot
Bachelorette weekend
WEDDING
HONEYMOON
Halloween
Thanksgiving
Christmas

Are you catching my drift?

Carolina snuggie, fuzzy socks, and snowflake pajamas... here I come!

So blessed and undeserving.

This past weekend was absolutely beautiful!

I had my first wedding shower on Saturday. I tell you, there is something so overwhelming about being in the room with so many people that you love, all coming together to celebrate you. It was such a neat experience looking around the room and seeing all of the familiar faces that I've come to know, love, and respect throughout my lifetime.

Lindsey planned this shower and I have to tell you, my expectations were blown out of the water as soon as I walked in. Don't get me wrong, I knew she would do an amazing job (she's just good like that)! However, I did not expect that she would make it so personal with all of the thoughtful little intricate details that only Lindsey would know to include. I was completely blown away and I enjoyed every second of it.

As I was opening all of my (many, many) gifts, all I could think about is how blessed I am... and how I don't deserve a bit of it! For whatever reason, God has been so good to me. There is no way that I would be the young woman that I am today without the influence, encouragement, and love of these amazing women around me. Even more, there is no way that I would be the young woman that I am today if there wasn't a God who loved me in spite of myself and chose to make me His anyway.

I don't ever want to take for granted the love of my family or friends. I especially don't ever want to take for granted the love of my father. He loves me so good.

Two months left and I almost forgot my... BIRTHDAY!?!?!?!?

Kyle and I went to Charleston this past weekend with some of our friends. It was a really fun time (despite the not so fun rainy weather) and we were really glad to have a weekend away from all things WEDDING! I really am quite curious to know what I'll be doing with my time once all of this hoodoo is behind us. Maybe I'll catch up on some of the sleep I've been missing for the past... oh, I don't know... 8 months!!!

I was talking with some friends from work today and we were discussing last minute end-of-summer vacations that we are all trying to s-q-u-e-e-z-e in so we feel like we got some sort of break before we head into fall. One of the girls mentioned that she and her family are heading to Tybee Island next weekend from the 26th through the 30th. It wasn't until she said that when I realized, "Hey! My birthday is NEXT WEEK!!!" I never thought I would see the day when I forgot about my own birthday Month! 

I usually start celebrating August 1st and then I don't finish until the 31st... and you better believe that once my birthday week starts, I'm reminding everyone each day leading up to it (as if anyone could forget with my constant and clearly obvious reminders). However, for some reason I keep forgetting about it this year! There have been so many other things on my mind that I honestly haven't had the time to stop and think about it. I suppose I should work on that, huh? 

Okay, how's this?

'HEAR YE, HEAR YE, ONE AND ALL- AUGUST 28TH IS THE BIRTHDAY OF KENNEDI McCALL. PLEASE DO NOT LET YOURSELF FORGET IT, FOR IF YOU DO- BE SURE YOU'LL REGRET IT!'

hey, I'm a poet and I didn't know it! -Maybe I really am getting older- I'm starting to use my dad's jokes! 

On another note, I'm really looking forward to this weekend! It is my first bridal shower hosted by one of my lovely bridesmaids. I am super excited, although it does feel a little weird. I have been in 8 weddings and to countless showers. I don't know what I'll do when the presents are actually for me! ... and it will be right before my birthday! I'll definitely post some details about it afterwards. 

How lucky am I to have my birthday, wedding, Thanksgiving, and Christmas all back to back? 

Coincidence? I think not. 

So much time and so little to do! Wait a minute. Strike that. Reverse it.

This weekend was moving weekend! But I didn't think it was really for real moving weekend. I thought for sure that we were only going to be moving some of the bigger things like the appliances, tables, couches, etc... It didn't really hit me until I saw my bed broken apart and coming down the stairs to be loaded into the moving trailer. I'm not exactly sure why my mind thought this but when it hit me, it hit hard! I'm really moving! I'm really getting married! I'm really going to be living with a boy! - for the rest of my life!!! 

Woah! That was a lot of change in such a little bit of time! 

I have come across that feeling several times throughout this little engagement period that we've had, but not like the way it felt on Saturday. I guess I have just gotten so wrapped up in all of the planning that I forget that we are actually really doing this! For real! No take backs! No turn arounds or sike moments! This is really happening! 

As I watched all of my belongings being moved around me, I had a moment of nostalgia. There were a lot of special things that happened in that home. That was Chloe's first home. We had our first Christmas tree there. Chloe flooded the whole master bathroom and kitchen there. Kyle proposed to me there. I didn't even get to have a moment to reminisce or think about these things before it was all being taken apart and moved out. Call me crazy, but for a short period, this was my home... and I wasn't sure if I was ready to give it up just yet.

Don't get me wrong, the new home is beautiful and I'm so excited to share in the new memories that Kyle, Chloterd, and I will make as a family there. It is such a neat feeling when I'm organizing things and decorating for both of us. Yes, I did reserve half   a little less than half of the master closet for him and he did get half  some space in the bathroom storage area. But I'd like to direct your attention to the fact that we decided on things together and we are both so excited to see it all coming together. 

The townhome felt so much like my space and this new house is completely ours. My heart is so happy and so full of love as we embark on this new journey together. I was a little sad to see one chapter of my life coming to a near close, but I'm so elated to see the next unfold. 

The New (Future) Christopher Residence!!!

This is where Mr. and Mrs.(Soon to be) Christopher will be living as of October 15th, 2010

The Little Things...

We live in an ever-growing, ever-changing, ever-evolving society. We want things bigger, better, faster, stronger... yet we fail to take the time to stop and appreciate the beauty in the things that are. Yes, I am guilty of this. I'm always looking on to what's next. Where I'm going to live, what I'm going to do, how I'm going to get to where I want to go, etc... But every once in a while, God gives me a little pinch (believe me, I need it more often than I'd like to admit) and reminds me of how truly blessed I am. I have great family, great friends, a wonderful fiancé, the cutest Chihuahua God ever did create, and everyone is happy and healthy. Honestly, I couldn't ask for anything more. I'm already blessed far beyond what I could ever deserve.




So today I want to list some of the little things I am thankful for:

~ I woke up to the aroma of a fresh pot of coffee brewing from downstairs

~ I had the sweetest little Chihuahua sleeping on my pillow beside me this morning and it made me smile

~ When I got to work, a co-worker surprised me with a whole set of bath products from the Hershey's Factory- that's real chocolate bubble bath, ya'll!

~ I got a cold and delicious Starbucks for lunch complete with a Treat Receipt for later ;)

~ I found a hot pink pair of Nike running shorts to don at the gym later this week- when I feel like working out again

~ I am exactly 1 hour away from being off work and spending the rest of the afternoon with my sweet fiancé and Chloe

~ The sun is out and the weather is beautiful



Life is good- really good!

I have the BEST...

of everything!

I am so blessed beyond measure and God reminds me of this often. A girl could not want for more. I am incredibly humbled and thankful for all of the blessings that God has bestowed on my life.

That's all.

A Recurring Dream...

Okay, so I might be the only person on God's green earth that this happens to... but every once in a while I have a recurring dream. Yes, I might be crazy! It all started with one dream. One idea. One place. One person. Now typically, I don't even remember my dreams. I usually just wake up, wipe the sleep from my eyes and the drool from my mouth and think to myself, "Why can't I be independently wealthy and never have to wake up early again?!?!"

Anyway, back the dream. It all started when I was a freshman in college. I started having this dream. It's one of those that you don't want to wake up from because it is so magnificently wonderful. But it is also one of those that when you do wake up, you wonder why in the world you dreamt it in the first place!!! Try as I may to get rid of this dream, it always comes back. It makes me blissfully happy for about 5 or 6 hours ( depending on what time I finally went to sleep and what time I have to pry myself away from my pillow), and then when I do wake up, I'm left heartbroken and my mind forces me back to reality.

I used to love this dream. I used to wish for it and want for it with all my might. Then I realized that it only hurt me. It played with my heart and then ripped it open. I would begin to wonder if it was a sign of things to come, and then only to be left with the cold reality that it was not to be. It in fact, was just a dream.

As the years have gone by, I haven't had this dream as much. It hasn't come as often, and I am thankful. I had almost even forgotten this little thing that taunts me so...

.. until I dreamt this dream again last night. It was the same as I had always remembered. The place was different, but the idea the same. It was just as wonderful as I had always remembered. Just the same as I had always remembered. ... but when my alarm clock came blaring in and ruining my tiny little moment of bliss, I was left with that same sickening feeling, and my heart ached once again.

I don't know why that dream still haunts me or what lesson might be hiding in there somewhere, but I wish it would go away. I'm afraid it was never meant for me anyway.

Jet Skis, Boat Rides, Suntans, and Cookouts... I LOVE Summer!!!!

Now please, let's not get ahead of ourselves here. Fall is and will always be my favorite season. There's something about the leaves changing color, the crisp air when you go outside, and all of the harvest smells that just makes me tingle all over. I feel right at home. - This is why we are getting married in October.

That being said, I haven't always been a big fan of summer. **GASP** Don't freak out. I know I'm weird for it. It always just seemed entirely too hot, I never have a good hair day, and the thought of putting myself in a bathing suit each year gives me a nauseous feeling, and then I become a bit depressed that I wasn't blessed with the metabolism of Heidi Klum or Adriana Lima.

However, over the last couple of years, I have to admit that my summers have been pretty fabulous! I guess I started to realize all of the great things that have to do with Summer. Here, I'll name a few:
~ I can wear white linen pants any day I want to
~ I don't have to scrape ice off of my windshield on my way out the door in the mornings
~ We get to go out on the lake just about every/ every other weekend
~ We get to have cookouts
~ Frappuccinos - need I say more on this one?
~ Big eyed sunglasses
~ It takes us right on into Fall
~ Turquoise jewelry
~ I get a fabulous suntan that makes me not look so sickly pale
~ We do things outside. We're not cooped up inside all the time
~ Flip flops, sandals, shorts, tank tops, etc..
~ ** This one is my favorite*** SUN DRESSES - don't know why, but there is something so wonderful about a sun dress. I feel like I'm wearing a night gown out of the house!

All of these things make me smile every time I think about them. Summer is still no Fall in my book, but it is definitely a close second.

Ahhhhh.... now that's the stuff!

IT'S HERE!!!!!!!!!

Okay, I've been in eight weddings, worn eight bridesmaid dresses, and I've worn dozens and dozens of bridal gowns for bridal expos. Each dress, special in its own way, could not ever compare to the feeling I got when I put on MY dress! It was amazing. A moment I will never forget. It has felt like years since I've ordered it, (Keep in mind I only ordered it in January), but it is here! It is really and truly... FINALLY Here!!!

Kyle asked me how many times I think I'll try it on between now and the wedding. I casually replied, "probably only a zillion." Of course that was probably an understatement because I plan on putting it on every time he isn't around! Heck, I might even wear it on the plane the day after the wedding for the entire trip to Hawaii. I may even wear it on the beach when we get there! I love my dress! It is so perfect in every single little way! Kyle might just have to pry it off of me in order just go get me out of it! Of course I'll be kicking and screaming and cursing him the whole way! :o)

I'm going to pick it up tomorrow night. Naturally I'm going to the gym tonight to see what I can do about miraculously getting in shape one day before trying on MY dress! Hey, stranger things have happened!

Also, we booked our flight. Kyle's parents are amazing! They are flying us to Hawaii FIRST CLASS!!! Can you picture it? Me looking like Ellie May from the Beverly Hillbillies sitting in First Class in my wedding gown ordering free cocktails all the way to Hawaii? Yes, I think that sounds fantastic!

In 3 Years...

Three years ago I started dating my best friend. Today is our anniversary and I've been thinking...
Three years ago, I was a college student. I had been living in a college dorm and getting ready to begin my 4th and final year of school. I was just starting my summer vacation. I was newly single and fiercely independent. I was determined not to date ANYONE for a long time. I was stubborn and I was addicted to Starbucks. I stayed up late and woke up late. I was spontaneous. I got a weekly allowance that I would usually blow on concerts and clothes. I didn't have any worries and stress was a foreign concept to me. I was almost 21 and I had never had one alcoholic beverage. I was in between churches. The biggest concern in my life was what I was going to do with my two months of bliss away from school.

Three years ago, I was completely blindsided. Someone came into my life and knocked me right off my feet. He knew how stubborn I was and he was determined to change my mind and make me his. He was sure that he was going to make himself a permanent fixture in my life. He was relentless and I was determined not to let him have his way. Well, he got me.

Three years later, I have graduated from college. I live on my own. I can only dream of summer vacations anymore. I have fallen helplessly in love for the first time. I have gotten engaged and we are now planning our wedding. I do have to admit that I am still quite stubborn and sadly, my addiction to Starbucks has only worsened. I have had my first alcoholic beverage or two. I have acquired the cutest little Chihuahua in the world. We have found an incredible church home. I have officially retired from the bridesmaid business. I have met some really amazing people and at least one of my best friends. I have grown up a good bit. The invisible bubble in which I liked to live my life has vanished. I pay bills now. I have to actually try to save money these days. I read more. I relax more. I like to stay at home more. 10:00 is my new bed time and my wakeup call occurs somewhere around 6:30-ish each morning depending on how long I decide to "snooze."
Time can change a lot of things in your life. Looking back over just the last three years, my whole world has changed significantly. Who knew that in three years I would be where I am now. I'm incredibly happy. I'm healthy. I still have the most amazing family and friends a girl could ask for. Starbucks is still warming my heart every morning… and afternoon... and sometimes in the evenings or various other times throughout the day. My wonderful life has only become exponentially more wonderful! ... makes me curious as to what it will be like three years from now....

What an Amazing Weekend...... Now What?

God has a funny way of showing up right when you need him... even if you don't know that you need him right then. This weekend was so wonderful and exactly what I needed! I was so overwhelmed with the love of God and for the first time in a long time I felt refreshed. I feel renewed and revived and I am even more in love with my Jesus!

However, this weekend also lead me to think... a lot... and this is what is on my heart...

Every day lately seems to bring a new realization to me that I'm not getting any younger. Don't get me wrong... I'm only 23, but I'm not 22 anymore. I'm not 19 anymore, and I'm not a timid 18 year old trying to figure out what the future holds for her anymore. Now I'm almost a 24 year old who is getting ready to be married and start a family of her own. You might even think that I am a nut for just realizing this....

When I was younger, I had big dreams for myself! I knew that one day I wanted to be in full-time ministry, traveling the world, singing and leading worship everywhere I went. I was 200% sure this is what God had planned for my life! Today the biggest decision I made is whether or not to attend my spinning class tonight at 6:00. When did I go from a teenager with big ambitions to a young adult who just lives day to day life? Is this part of getting older?

A couple of weeks ago, our pastor made a statement that struck through me like a lightning bolt. He said "We can live our entire lives as Christians and STILL miss out on the plan that God has for us." Wow! What a miserable life that would be! I know God has bigger plans for me than the ones that I have for myself. I've always known that. But what are they? How do I get from where I am to where He wants me to be? What is my purpose? Will I ever be that traveling worship leader that my heart longs to be?

I am incredibly happy to be marrying the man of my dreams and I'm counting down the days until I am his and he is mine. But what next? Where do we go from here?

Well it's Thursday and this concludes the end of my work week....

I'm leaving the office today at 4:00 to attend a retreat for the weekend. I can't really say a whole lot about what I'm going to be doing there because frankly, I have no idea! What kind of person signs up for a weekend that they don't know what they are going to be doing? Heck, I could be hanging around a bunch of hillbilly jagaloons for all I know and I won't have the slightest clue until I get there! The thing is, no one will tell you about this kind of retreat. It's called "Discipleship Walk" and it is supposed to be a weekend that you commit to spending with God. I'm told that the reason you don't know much going into it is because if you knew, it would ruin it. Typically my cynical self would be completely opposed to something like this, but on this occasion both of my parents have done this before and highly recommend me to do it as well. I suppose I should be able to trust my parents.... but if I go missing after Monday, call anybody you can think of! ;)

I'll try to give an update next week to say how it went...

We did get our engagement pictures back on Monday and I was pretty impressed. I mean, I don't love them all but there are a few that I thought were pretty cute. I think our photographer should win an award for having to put up with my 27 year old child, and still getting some good shots of him during the process. I suppose I can post a few here:

We Get Our Engagement Pictures Back Today!!!

I'm not exactly sure when or even how, but somehow I feel like at some point my life started to revolve around wedding plans! What in the world am I going to do when all of this is over? Um... I think I'll need to find a hobby... QUICK!!!

We are finally finished meeting with all of our vendors... **sigh** and we don't really have too much going on for the next month or so with the exception of our save-the-date cards. I'm still not sure what I want to do there, but hopefully we'll find some really cute engagement pictures to use. After that we shouldn't have too much to do other than pick out some decorations and order our invitations.

We started our pre-marital counseling sessions about two weeks ago. We were both pretty skeptical going into it (although I didn't voice my opinions to the counselors like my counterpart), but we were both pleasantly surprised. We really like our counselors and they seem to suit our style pretty well. I can't say that we've learned a whole lot yet, but I do enjoy talking with them and Kyle. So far I'm still on board to get married, but we've only had two sessions so I'll have to keep you posted! ;)

In other news my parents just celebrated their 26th wedding anniversary! 26 YEARS!!! I think it is wonderful. I can only hope that our marriage will be as great as theirs has been. I made them a little mini cake to celebrate too. I'll post pictures later if I can remember to do it.

Today is Monday, and like all Mondays I am sad that I even got out of the bed to come to work. Why do I have to work again? Why can't I be one of those hot little wives that just goes to the gym and get massages all the time. Oh to be a Real Housewife of Orange County!!! ** Sigh** I'm so jealous!

Kyle and I have a pretty big anniversary coming up! On May 5th (Cinco De Mayo) we will have been together for 3 FULL YEARS!!! No breaking up. No breaks. No itches. Nothing. I can't even believe it myself. Boy have we defied the odds!

Somehow just recently it has finally hit me that I am a Bride. No  I have to start doing Bride things like diet and try to get tiny so I can look hot in my wedding dress and on my honeymoon in a bathing suit. Now I'm a pretty healthy eater and all anyway and I work out at least once or twice a week, but I've been taking it pretty easy on myself until oh, say, about a week ago! Then it hit me like a ton of bricks!!! I. AM. A. BRIDE!!!!!!!

Needless to say I have kicked it into overdrive and am fully determined to become that hot little bride with 0 arm fat hanging over the sides of her dress and a toned little body in that "just married" bikini! :)

I think I can... I think I can... I think I can... I think I can...

I should get better at updating this doohickee!

It's getting closer!!! Almost 6 months now and less than 200 days. Can you believe it?!?!?!? Well, I'm getting excited. All of the fun parts will start up soon, and I'm looking forward to it. Now, if I could just get my little tail in shape, I will be doing just fine!

In other news, ladies and gentlemen I am pleased to announce the new and improved town of Rock Hill. It seems that nature has decided to paint it yellow! No kidding- EVERYTHING is YELLOW!!! I decided to spray off my car the other day when I got home because it was getting hard to see out of my windows. The next morning when I walked out to what I thought would be my shiny semi-clean car, I found Lester (my car) looking twice as yellow as he did the day before! I have officially given up until after all this mess has washed away... Isn't April supposed to be the "showers" month? Hmm.. we should probably check on that!

I made my first fondant cake a couple of weeks ago for my brother's birthday. It was super cute, and I'm right proud of myself for my first try. Everything was homemade (even the fondant and buttercream icing) and it tasted delicious too. It did take 6 l-o-n-g hours to make though!!! I'm making another one tomorrow for my cousin's birthday party on Friday. I bought hot pink and black food coloring and I'm going to get some cute little decorations for it too. Of couse I would want to make a girly cake! Anyway, my brother's cake is below. Check it out!

3 Months Down, 7 More to Go!!!

Wow, they say time flies when you are having fun... but when you are planning a wedding, it just seems to disappear altogether! We have gotten so many things accomplished in the last couple of months! But just when I thought I could finally sit back and enjoy being engaged for a while, a whole new wave of anxiety has come crashing down, ruining my brief moment of bliss. 

Oh well, I guess I'll have 7 days of honeymoon time to make up for it. -That, I am looking forward to!!! Speaking of, Kyle and I are starting to look at honeymoon spots. We found a couple that we love, but they all seem to be conveniently located in Mexico, and with all this talk about Mexico not being a safe place to go right now, we just aren't sure what we are going to do about that. I have to say though, I have thoroughly enjoyed checking out all of the links that our agent has been sending. I could just about say yes to every one of them! I want to start singing that "Toes in the water..." song every time! I can't wait!!!

There isn't a whole lot of other news going on in our lives right now. Some would say that we have become quite the bore, but I'm just really enjoying planning our wedding and getting ready to be husband and wife! I do think it is kind of funny though when my weekend plans consist of cake tastings and shopping for engagement picture outfits. I guess I should get used to that though- at least through October! I don't know what I am going to do with myself when all this is over and behind us... But let me assure you- there are no immediate plans for children, so don't bother suggesting that one!

So it turns out... we're NOT nerds after all!

What a weekend! It was so nice just to get away with friends, relax, and not have a plan. The downside? I think I ate more over the weekend than I did in the whole month of January!!! Oh well, I guess that is what spin class is for! :-) All in all, I would say that Kyle had a pretty good birthday. We did get to taste our wines... and there was not even one gay sweater in sight! Lindsey made the cutest birthday cake that looked like a poker table with cards and chips on the top. Might I add that it was delicious? -- Yes, I actually ate some!

For his birthday, I continued the season of How I Met Your Mother, and I even bought him a poster that was created from the show. It is one of those inspirational posters that you would typically hang in your office and it says: "AWESOMENESS- When I get sad, I stop being sad... and I start being AWESOME!" We both love it.. and he actually asked me for it for his birthday (which he forgot about until I told him I got it for him). Funny how I benefit from his birthday presents... Selfish? Probably so.

Onward and upward!

Okay, so I'm not sure if this is a sudden or gradual change that takes place in the mind/heart of every engaged lady, but I feel more and more married every day. I guess maybe it is the realization of actually getting married and not thinking of you as only one person any longer, but I consider Kyle before making ANY decisions these days. It is CRAZY! If I go to the grocery store, I'm buying 1% milk because I'm afraid that if he gets hungry while at my house, he won't put skim milk in his cereal. Then that prompts me to buy a few extra snacks for him just in case. I've already started shedding layers of my closet to make room for him when he moves in. We're not getting married for another 8 1/2 months!!! Am I nuts? I guess when you are just dating someone you think of them as your boyfriend. You're not really responsible for them, nor them you. You don't share expenses, food, or your house with each other, I suppose you are still pretty independent. But... when you get engaged (or in my case anyway), everything kind of starts to blend together without even realizing it. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE it! It feels like everything is falling right into place. I guess I just didn't realize that it could get any better; that we could get any closer. I'm starting to actually feel like I'm half of one whole if that makes sense. It's great! :)

Oh well... I suppose we'll just have to wait and see!

One Month Down, 9 More to Go!!! ... well 8 1/2 really...

So it is now February and one whole month's worth of planning is out the window. Let's recap: So far I have gotten the reception place booked, decided on the church, hair/makeup stylist, florist, caterer and photographer. I've ordered my dress, veil, and shoes. I've picked out my main colors, menu, and the majority of my decoration ideas. I would say that the biggest decisions/choices are out of the way, but it's not exactly smooth sailing from here on out. There is still so much to do!!!
I'd like to take a minute to rant about one of my least favorite things-tanning in the winter!!! Am I the only one who thinks this is the absolute worst thing EVER??? I was just explaining my theories on this to my friend Lindsey yesterday. I think it is absolutely A-Sgusting to put slimy stinky lotion all over you to get into what feels like an ice coffin in the middle of winter! I'm not sure why it feels so different as opposed to the summer... because I don't mind it in the summer! Especially after the gym (my gym and tanning bed are right beside each other). I like going to the gym, working out, and then walking next door and taking a quick nap before I go home in the summer... but in the winter, I dread it almost as much as a doctor's visit!!! Gross!!!
If boys only knew what it took!

This weekend we are going to be celebrating Kyle's birthday and the Super Bowl. We're going to one of our friend's cabin, and we are going to stay through Sunday. Kyle and Jim (our friend who owns the cabin) had a genius idea of having a wine tasting weekend where everyone brings a wine that they like, or want to try, and we will all go around and try them. Don't get me wrong, I love a good glass of Riesling or something else that tastes more like juice than wine, but the more I think about this, the more it makes me feel funny. Almost like one of those rich snobby people who like to swirl their wine around in their glass like its going to actually do something magical and then talk about the fragrance and the taste of wine like it is a flower or fruit. You know the ones; they wear gay sweaters and tell jokes that no one gets, but everyone laughs anyway because they don't want to appear dumb. Then they take weird cheese (like Gouda) that is most likely rotten because it is so old and talk about how the flavor explodes when the wine and the cheese are combined together! (okay, maybe I'm exaggerating a bit..) Good thing our friends are not like this!!! I'm sure we will have a great time, but I better pack one of those sweaters just in case! ;)
I'm hoping that it snows again this weekend. We were fortunate enough last weekend to be snowed in for almost 2 full days, and I'd love it if father Winter would grace us with his presence one more time before it starts to warm up. Maybe I'm the only one who loves snow days, but it gives you a great excuse to be lazy, drink hot chocolate, and catch up on all of your pre-recorded episodes of the shows you missed out on during the week!

Okay, so I'm running out of random thoughts for the day... later gator!

It happened... I'm ENGAGED!!!!!

Well, let me step back a moment and fill you in...

   Kyle and I started dating on May 5th, 2007. We have been together now for a little over 2 1/2 years. Keep in mind that during this time, I have been in 5 (making a total of 8) weddings! I would think that would be PLENTY of time for him to decide if he wanted to marry me, but I refused to put any pressure on him about it, and I had to trust that when the right time came about, he would know!

So.... Christmas Eve, 2009....
    This was the first Christmas Eve that I did not spend at my parents' home. Kyle had asked both of my parents prior to this day if they would be okay if I didn't stay with them that night. Oddly enough, they agreed. I was a little taken aback by this.. but I didn't ask questions... I just agreed! =)
    That night after we had been to church, visiting his parents, my parents, and then finally home, Kyle asked me if we could watch a little TV before ending the night. I was super tired, but I agreed again and changed into my jammies. Please note that I was wearing a new pair of taditional Christmas Eve pajama bottoms with snowflakes all over (my mom gets me a new pair every year), a gray tank top, hot pink fuzzy socks, and a Carolina Gamecock Snuggie. Ladies, I assure you, I was not prepared!
  So anyway, about half way through one episode of "How I Met Your Mother," I was dozing off on the couch, thinking that I would really like to go to bed now. Kyle got up and walked into the kitchen. I could see that he put something black in his pocket, but I was so tired, I didn't even entertain the idea that it could be anything special! I thought it might have been  his phone or some other random object.
   He came back into the living room and told me that he wanted to talk to me about something. I was a little more alert at this point, but I still had no clue about what he was getting ready to do. He walked right in front of me and got down on his knee. He said some of the sweetest things that I have ever heard, pulled out that little black box, and then he asked me to be his wife. Ladies, I would love to tell you that I remember everything that happened and everything that he said.... but I was so surprised and so excited that it all seems a little hazy now.

However, there are a few key things that I can tell you about that night:

• that I in no way ever expected that Kyle would propose that day
• that I was completely ill prepared (see above: snowflake pajamas, hot pink fuzzy socks, and Gamecock Snuggie)
• and that it was indeed, the happiest night of my life!