Engagement Pictures

We took our engagement photos this weekend with the very talent Ms. Porter Watkins. We are really excited to get a couple of great shots. To be honest, Im pretty nervous about the results because I haven't lost the all the weight I was hoping for yet. I know there are going to be some that I hate. We got a preview already. Not the best Im sure so I will wait to share with everyone until we get more. Hopefully by the end of the week we should have a handful. Our contract says we'll get them all in 20 days.

The rest of the wedding stuff is going pretty well. I need to leave the registry alone. I keep going in and deleting and adding. I just think about some of the stuff we added and think, "Will we use that often?" but I guess the point is to get the things that you will use and need. Its hard to keep that in mind.

I need to send the decisions to the planner then we will be a lot further along. Jonah needs to call our friends the videographers as well.

Oh and great news! Jonah got a promotion! I could not be prouder of him! He is taking his new role very seriously and I think its going to be a very positive thing for him and for us. Im really excited for him.

Ah, and one last thing on my mind, the wedding party. I am so stoked we have such a great group. Its been on my mind those who cant be a part of it for whatever reason. It saddens me, really. I have Beth, Kelly, and Hayley and then a bunch of Jonahs little cousins (he really wanted to make it a family event- sweet boy). But there isnt a time that goes by when I dont think of those who cant join us. I hate it but I also know it is what it is. Moving on...

Thanks for joining us, You!!!
XoXo!
M

We're not in New York anymore...

While in New York I knew what the hottest book was at the time, I read the paper daily, we went to the movies almost every weekend. I knew what everyone around me was doing. Hadn't a clue about myself.

I was more worldly, more cultured in New York. But I wasn't healthy. I'm healthier now, mind, body, and spirit. I'm connected again, to God, myself, Jonah, my family. Life is good.

How does that happen. How do you take off to fulfill your goals and dreams but completely forget to include yourself in the experience? I was a shell of who I really am as a person. I was aiming for all the wrong things because I thought they mattered. Even now I can distinguish when I disagree with what I am being asked to do at work. Big difference for me.

I was blessed enough to share the experience with my best friend, Jonah, and continued to grow and love him but it is pale in comparison to now. After we moved here we rediscovered each other. We were more like roommates in New York compared to now where I am desperately in love with this man.

I've found myself again, Im getting healthy again. Losing weight, trying to make the gym a habit again. We cook, we clean, we sleep. Its a beautiful life.

Currently we are sitting on our deck and it is storming. It's so green and the air is so refreshing. There are no sirens just rain and birds. I have missed this. I feel like I was away from this for years, like this is something so new. As if we were living in a bomb shelter and maybe to me it was a bit of a bomb shelter. We love the city. We will ALWAYS love the city. But living there, full time, is not my thing. Not unless I can have a much nicer place closer to work and the means to live there comfortably.

Ok wedding deets:

So we are exactly 5 months away. 5 months! In the blink of an eye, my eyes, it will be here. I will be putting on that Ivory gown and following my bridesmaids, who will be dressed in the color "wine" from Alfred Angelo (its a deep autumn friendly PINK). Wine, fitting right? Their shoes? No idea. Mine will be HOT PINK!! Moms gunna hate that.

Ive picked out my jewelry which my Dad is going to buy me so that I have something special to wear from him that day. Im getting most of it from www.Etsy.com. I think its going to turn out perfectly. The place that we are having both the wedding and reception is Coopers Landing in Clarksville, VA. It is perfect for our little garden wedding. Blocks from the lake, in the town we fell in love. Perfect.

I can see why brides get so nervous after they buy their dress. I havent seen it in months! Since February 12th. I wont see it again until 6 weeks before the wedding. Thats when Kleinfleds receives it and I start the fittings. I sometimes have to revisit the photos because it has been so long that I cant remember how perfect it is for me. Plus the sample size wasnt my size so it wasnt perfectly fit to me. So who knows. I love it and I hope it looks good.

My Bridesmaids are just a few of my friends and then the rest are Jonahs little cousins. He feels like they are sisters to him and its important to him to have them involved. Three are my friends then four are his cousins. We have asked one of my friends to do the Bible reading for us. The groomsmen are Jonahs best friends, my brother Eddie, and his little cousins. My Ushers will probably we my older brothers- I need to ask them, and then 2 more people. Who knows who will be the guest book stuff.

My goal today was flowers and cake. I didn't get very far sadly... I tried. Got some ideas. But I basically just need to send them to the planner. She takes care of everything. Best investment ever. My job doesn't allow me the time for the added stress.

Engagement pics at the end of the month... Roosevelt Park in DC. Hope its pretty. Haven't a clue about it.

Ah, I think we will eat dinner and watch Thor now. Maybe plan a much needed break from work. Enough rambling.

I'll post a sneak peek ... in pictures.

Thanks for reading along.

66 is HOV in the morning... ???

I was thinking about this blog when I was sitting in the impound lot. How would I start it. Don't we think in blog from time to time?

So as I'm getting on the highway Im thinking, "Today is bound to be a better day because yesterday (Thursday) was a nightmare". I go ahead and click on the cruise control and start my journey to work knowing that I will be early because I left nice and early.

I get to Falls Church and this Trooper gets behind me with his lights on. I keep going thinking it cant be me. Im going the exact speed limit. Im wearing my seat belt. I keep watching him as he follows me from lane to lane. Then finally waves me over with his arm.

I pull over and ask immediately, Why did you pull me over? He said that he would discuss it after he saw my license and registration. Then proceeded to tell me that 66 is all HOV from 6-9am every morning and again in the evening. Wow. Didn't know that at all.

Then he ran my license and said that I had an unpaid ticket from 2006 and that they would need to tow my car unless someone could come get it. Of course both my phones are dead. So off we go to the impound lot. How in the world do I dispute a ticket from 2006? I have no idea.

So what a day we had on Friday!