first look.

first look.

At first, I could NOT decide if I wanted to do the "first look" or not.  I know that it saves a lot of time to see your groom  and take pictures before the ceremony, but I'm a traditional gal and I didn't want to take away from the first moment that Joe saw me walk down the aisle.

Well, we did it.  And I am so, so happy that we did!

Turns out, seeing your groom before the wedding doesn't take away any special feeling that you get when you first walk down the aisle.  Instead of feeling like I made "the moment" less special, we  experienced TWO moments. One moment in front of everyone where it's really happening (YOU'RE REALLY GETTING MARRIED RIGHT NOW!) and one moment where it's just the two of you...seeing each other for the first time and having a chance to breathe and take everything in TOGETHER before you begin the first day of the rest of your lives. 

As it turns out, the first look pictures are some of my favorites of the day.  :)

I love this so much.  This is the moment where we realize, WE'RE REALLY GETTING MARRIED TODAY!!!

I cannot figure out why this is blurry for you.  Sorry friends!

P.S. These look wayyy better in their original size and you can see our facial expressions much more clearly, but what's a girl to do if Blogger won't allow it?

Oh friends, do I have many more to share! Happy Friday! :)

 Photographer: Sara Blossom (our cousin!): sarablossomphotography.com

happy list.

happy list.

 

Hi friends :) So, I got this "Happy List" idea from this really great blog and she has encouraged me to create my own happy list.  Thanks for the cute idea! :)

Below is what is making me happy, right now, today.

1. Wedding pictures.  

We just got our discs today, and I'm so ecstatic. I'll share soon!

2. A bouquet of baby blue hydrangeas.

Just can't get enough, as evidenced by the photos.  So gorgey, right?

3. Homemade snickerdoodles.

4. A fresh haircut.

5. Pineapple greek yogurt.

Just bein' real. It's a love of mine. Tastes like dessert but loaded with protein (this is important in a vegetarian's world).

6. Drinking coffee from a REAL mug.

So simple, but so cherished.  Since I'm normally guzzling my daily coffee from a travel mug while teaching Math to a bunch of ten year-olds, I really love, love when I can drink it from a real mug. 

7. Baby pumpkins.

You could probs play I-Spy with the miniature pumpkins in our apartment.

8. Framed photographs.

9. A bag of white rice.

Yes, you read that correctly.  I dropped my phone in water while doing the dishes.  CLUMSIEST GIRL ALIVE. A bag of  rice saved the day. New hero.

10. Time for reading.

What is making you happy today?

overwhelming hope.

overwhelming hope.

There's a peace I've come to know
Though my heart and flesh may fail
There's an anchor for my soul
I can say "It is well"

Jesus has overcome
And the grave is overwhelmed
The victory is won
He is risen from the dead


And I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles' wings
Before my God fall on my knees
And rise
I will rise

 We sang this in church this morning and it made my heart overflow with thankfulness for Christ's abounding and deep, deep love for me. 

I can know with utmost certainty that my soul is anchored with Christ.  And this gives me hope, no matter what may come.

fill in the blank friday.

fill in the blank friday.

Two posts in one day? WHAT? I know what you're thinking...this girl is TOTES on break.  Heck yes, I am.  And when I'm on break, I do what I want, like eat Thai food and complete slighty dorky yet fun fill-in-the-blanks that I find on other blogs.  This was found here.  Thanks! :)

Here goes!

1.   The best thing I did all week was   swim in the ocean on the coast of Charleston, South Carolina with some of my bestest friends.  Look here for pictures.

2.    Fresh bouquets of flowers      make me super happy.

3.  Pets are  DESIRABLE. How I deeply want a sweet puppy to snuggle!

4.    My enduring faith in Christ   is the best thing about my life.

5.  With the cooler weather I am looking forward to   wearing scarves, drinking (more!) lattes, pumpkin ANYTHING, and falling leaves.

6.  Something that's on my "wish list" right now is    a NEW, AWESOME, SNAZZY camera.  Clearly, I like to dream big and use lots of technical terms when stating wishes.

7.  This weekend I am going to   eat Thai, go to a Black Keys and Coldplay concert in Piedmont Park (ahhh!!!), hang with the hub and plan for fab 5th graders.

The end. That was fun, Friday fun. (The alliterations live on, I know you love it...)

from frank friday.

from frank friday.

Oh hai, it's Friday and I have a favorite to share with you.  

Partially because I love alliterations, partially because I like celebrating Fridays. CHEERS!

First things, first.  MY COUSIN HAS HER OWN CARD LINE.  No, it's not my card line, but because she's my cousin and I only have four first cousins (I come from a smallllllll family), I'm about as excited for her as if it were my own.  I mean, how many people want to start a card line and ACTUALLY do it? She's cool.  The card line is inspired from her super-expressive dog, Frank, and her awesome sense of humor.  Check 'em out.

(Click on the cards to read the inside on her site!)

Want more? Go to her site.  You'll laugh, guaranteed.

Frank, you are truly a handsome lil' dude.  I wish I had a shop to display your cards.

cutesy charleston, part two.

cutesy charleston, part two.

As promised, more of my epic roommate reunion in SC. :)

First, a trip to the famous Angel Oak, aka: craziest tree everrrr.

Anderson sisters love this stuff. :)

Only the best Italian meal of our lives.

So charming, right?

 Next up, a trip to the Boone Hall Plantation.  Besides being chock-full of history, The Notebook was filmed here, so it's obviously ridiculously dreamy.

Allie's Mom's house in the movie orrrr more importantly the Boone Mansion.

Low country chillin'?

Remember when Ryan Gosling drove down this lane? Breath-taking, right?

Mmmmm, love.

Never a dull moment with these two, even on a plantation tour.

Original Slave Cabins, still standing.

THIS is why I love them. :)

That's all I have of Charming Charleston.  Really, any city would be entertaining with this bunch.
Have you kept in touch with your college roommates? Where would you like to explore with friends?

Perhaps we need ideas for future extravanganzas... :)

  P.S. Did you notice the changes I made to my pages? Check it out: about, love, love and purpose. Enjoy!

1,955 miles in 6 days.

1,955 miles in 6 days.

Atlanta to Michigan.

Michigan to Ohio.

Ohio to Michigan.

Michigan to Atlanta.

Atlanta to Charleston.

And Charleston back to sweet home ATL.

First, my mom, lil' sis and I went to my best friend from childhood's wedding in our lil' Ohio hometown.  It was such a sweet wedding and she was a beautiful bride. :)

Rachael and I: We used to pretend we were twins.

Kaitlyn (lil' sis) and I

Landis ladies :)

 

 

 In Charleston, my roommates and I from college (4 of the 6) met up to beach, tour, relax and eat. 

They are some of my most favorite people in the world.  Here's why....

We obviously do not take life too seriously.

Impromptu dance sessions almost always occur.

We laugh until we cry.

We ALWAYS have the best time.

Sometimes we're divas... ;)

Or sometimes we wear Jason Mraz hats...

But mostly, we're just really great friends. :)

Some of us are sisters...

The rest of us just act like sisters. :)

Other times we're reallllll stinkin' clumsy and then we laugh AGAIN.

And we even beach it up when it's cloudy and rainy.

Five close friends in a cutesy, picturesque beach town.  Does it get any better?

No, it does not.  Even though it was cloudy and I accidentally kicked a crab (there's blood to prove it), we frolicked up and down the beach like it was the best day ever. 
Because, according to us, it was.

Stay tuned, there's much more of gorgey Charleston to come. :)