With 2008 drawing to a close, I have been thinking alot lately about the happenings of my life in the last year... 2008 was a big year for me! College graduation, engagement, moving to a new city, cohabitating with CityBoy, starting my "Big Girl Job," being promoted super early in my career, and in general beginning my "Real Life."
This time last year, I was happily dating CityBoy and preparing for my final semester in college. If you had told me that 1 year later, I'd be living in Dallas with CityBoy, working for a great firm, wearing a big diamond on a certain finger, I'd have probably thought you were crazy! Yet, here I am!!
I am so grateful for the blessing I have been given in 2008.
I'm thankful for the education I received that allowed me to have my fantastic career and for my parents who supported me through several changes of my college major and all of the bumps I encountered in the road to my degree.
I'm thankful for CityBoy. Without him, I can honestly say I would not be the person I am today. My relationship with him gave me incentive to grow up--I'm no longer the irresponsible young woman I was when we met. He loves me unconditionally, even when I'm cranky and bitchy. I can't explain the way he looks at me, but it is one of the best things about him.
I'm thankful for my job. I felt at home instantly with my current firm. I interviewed and had office visits with them over a year ago, 6 months before my graduation. I didn't plan on interviewing with firms or accepting a job so early, but I "tag-teamed" the Fall Career Fair with S, one of my bridesmaids, who was graduating in December. I am so grateful I found a firm where I can truly be myself and enjoy working! I'm extra thankful for the recent promotion I received!!
I'm thankful for Dallas. The city can be trying, but we're enjoying it so far! CityBoy has had a few bad traffic days, but all in all, we love it here! After growing up in small town and going to college in a BIGGER small town (Lubbock, Texas...go there, you'll see), I'm loving the opportunities Dallas has and the myriad of restaurants, stores, and activities right in our backyard!!!
I'm thankful for my Family! My immediate family is incredibly close. I'd rather spend time with them than anyone else! CityBoy loves my family too, so that's an extra thing to be thankful for, since his family is hundreds of miles away! My mom and sister have proved to be excellent wedding planners and I'm grateful for their fantastic ideas!
I'm thankful for my friends. Now that I don't see most of them as often, I'm beginning to realize who my true friends are. The ones that are true are so precious to me and I can't imagine my life without them.
I can only hope for 2009 to be as great as 2008 has been.
12.30.2008
12.19.2008
Seating Charts, Servers, Real China, etc.
The title refers to things we WILL NOT have at our wedding...
To understand this choice, you have to understand the culture in my hometown. Texas truly is a "whole 'nother country," especially when you are in Rural Texas. My hometown is home to just over 5,000 people--most of whom know each other, and although it is within 2 hours of several of Texas' thriving metropoli (metropolises?) including Austin, Houston, and San Antonio, I can't imagine making my HUGE family travel even an hour to attend my wedding. I can already picture Uncle Jim Bob (no, I don't really have an Uncle Jim Bob) having himself a "good ole time" at the wedding and trying to drive home and ending up a pancake on highway 21!!!
(Note: CityBoy's family is from Detroit, MI and Daytona, FL, so either way they're going to be travelling to our wedding, but his family numbers pale in comparison to my Big German Family...yikes!)
My hometown leaves few options, but I have faith in our creativity! Our ceremony will be held at the church I have attended all my life. I know each and every one of the 300ish members personally and a good chunk of them are family and most of the rest might as well be ;-) My parents were also married at this church and although the church has had a few facelifts (several not to my liking), it is still a very gorgeous country church.
The reception locale is a tough one to describe--we will be having our reception at the Sons of Hermann Hall. This space is the traditional reception spot for most anyone who gets married in my hometown. Its a large building with slightly industrial features including some horribly large & obvious airconditioning units against one wall (don't worry, we already have a plan for covering these babies and still getting air flow!!), polished concrete floors (not the trendy type), and absolutely no aesthetic value to the outside or entry of the building!! We have some great ideas for decorating, to be shared in a later post!
Considering all this, our reception will be Free Seating, Buffet Style (Beer & BBQ as my sister affectionately refers), and as CityBoy described after his first wedding there, a great party!! It may not be 100% classy, but this is the type of wedding I grew up attending and one that I know I will enjoy!
To understand this choice, you have to understand the culture in my hometown. Texas truly is a "whole 'nother country," especially when you are in Rural Texas. My hometown is home to just over 5,000 people--most of whom know each other, and although it is within 2 hours of several of Texas' thriving metropoli (metropolises?) including Austin, Houston, and San Antonio, I can't imagine making my HUGE family travel even an hour to attend my wedding. I can already picture Uncle Jim Bob (no, I don't really have an Uncle Jim Bob) having himself a "good ole time" at the wedding and trying to drive home and ending up a pancake on highway 21!!!
(Note: CityBoy's family is from Detroit, MI and Daytona, FL, so either way they're going to be travelling to our wedding, but his family numbers pale in comparison to my Big German Family...yikes!)
My hometown leaves few options, but I have faith in our creativity! Our ceremony will be held at the church I have attended all my life. I know each and every one of the 300ish members personally and a good chunk of them are family and most of the rest might as well be ;-) My parents were also married at this church and although the church has had a few facelifts (several not to my liking), it is still a very gorgeous country church.
The reception locale is a tough one to describe--we will be having our reception at the Sons of Hermann Hall. This space is the traditional reception spot for most anyone who gets married in my hometown. Its a large building with slightly industrial features including some horribly large & obvious airconditioning units against one wall (don't worry, we already have a plan for covering these babies and still getting air flow!!), polished concrete floors (not the trendy type), and absolutely no aesthetic value to the outside or entry of the building!! We have some great ideas for decorating, to be shared in a later post!
Considering all this, our reception will be Free Seating, Buffet Style (Beer & BBQ as my sister affectionately refers), and as CityBoy described after his first wedding there, a great party!! It may not be 100% classy, but this is the type of wedding I grew up attending and one that I know I will enjoy!
12.11.2008
Red Shoes...
My bridesmaids are wearing "strawberry" colored dresses, so we discussed silver, gold, and champagne for shoes, but I was really not digging any of them. True to my Red loving self, I held up my lovely red patent purse up to the dress and TA-DA, perfection!! So, my 'Maids have free reign to choose whatever red patent beauties they want!!
Here are some of my favorites!!! (the first 2 are from Macys and the last 5 are from Dillards)
Here are some of my favorites!!! (the first 2 are from Macys and the last 5 are from Dillards)
12.09.2008
ePhoto shoes & outfits!!
It basically just hit me today that my sister, semi-pro photographer-extraordinaire, will be taking our Engagement photos in less than a month! I have a basic idea of the "vision" for our photo session, but I'm at a loss for how to achieve it.
I want the photos to be edgy and represent CityBoy & I's unique personalities. I'm not worried about CityBoy's wardrobe--he has a style all his own. Skinny Jeans, cowboy boots, and a Joy Division T-shirt and he's set. So, how do I put Plain Jane blue jeans, flipflops & solid tee ME next to his funkiness? I don't really dress to my style much, so I gravitate towards basics. But--I want to jazz up my basics for our photos and really do something fantastic with my hair. I used to have a long sweep side bang and I've let it grow out recently, but I think I'm going to bring that back if I can manage a haircut sometime this week or next.
Our ideas for photo spots are pretty diverse.
My brother and I found a Typically-Texan ranch driveway with my soon-to-be last name above the road in my hometown that I can't wait to take some Anthropologie-esque photos under! I'm already picture CityBoy in dark jeans & his So-CityBoy Black Cherry Luccheses (Boots on a Yank...its great) with this great black funky pearl snap he managed to find at Sheplers that looks nothing but western. For me? I'm drawing a blank! The closest thing to my vague vision is dark jeans--possibly trouser style--with one of my great basic tees and a cute jacket with CUTE heels & some cute jewelry... One problem. I don't own half of that stuff!!!!!! YIKES!!!
Next, my grandfather's winery. The winery is housed in the house my grandfather grew up in and the house itself has gorgeous arches on the porch and they've been a family photo favorite! I actually took some of my graduation shots there, including a close-up in a strapless dress where I look stark naked b/c you can't see any clothing! For the winery & the next location, I want very casual clothing. I'm picturing CityBoy in Jeans & Tennis Shoes with a plain Black V-neck and myself in Jeans & maybe a black top too, but with colorful flats??
So, the next location (also featuring casual wear) will be my parent's backyard!! I cannot wait to take pictures with CityBoy on the swings in the backyard where I grew up!! I was thinking a sundress would be great for the swings too, but its December!!!
Finally, we'll be taking some pictures in SmallTownGirl & CityBoy's new hometown, DALLAS!!!! I'm most excited about taking these because I absolutely love Downtown/Alley/Street pictures!! I also want to take a few shots at Nasher Sculpture Center!! I've spent the last 3 weeks auditing their Financials and everyday when I take a potty break, I dream about the great photos I could have...I just have to ask if I can take them there?
These are my thoughts...for now... My blogging is losing steam as I'm looking at photogs and trying to watch TV while procrastinating a shower before bed!!
I want the photos to be edgy and represent CityBoy & I's unique personalities. I'm not worried about CityBoy's wardrobe--he has a style all his own. Skinny Jeans, cowboy boots, and a Joy Division T-shirt and he's set. So, how do I put Plain Jane blue jeans, flipflops & solid tee ME next to his funkiness? I don't really dress to my style much, so I gravitate towards basics. But--I want to jazz up my basics for our photos and really do something fantastic with my hair. I used to have a long sweep side bang and I've let it grow out recently, but I think I'm going to bring that back if I can manage a haircut sometime this week or next.
Our ideas for photo spots are pretty diverse.
My brother and I found a Typically-Texan ranch driveway with my soon-to-be last name above the road in my hometown that I can't wait to take some Anthropologie-esque photos under! I'm already picture CityBoy in dark jeans & his So-CityBoy Black Cherry Luccheses (Boots on a Yank...its great) with this great black funky pearl snap he managed to find at Sheplers that looks nothing but western. For me? I'm drawing a blank! The closest thing to my vague vision is dark jeans--possibly trouser style--with one of my great basic tees and a cute jacket with CUTE heels & some cute jewelry... One problem. I don't own half of that stuff!!!!!! YIKES!!!
Next, my grandfather's winery. The winery is housed in the house my grandfather grew up in and the house itself has gorgeous arches on the porch and they've been a family photo favorite! I actually took some of my graduation shots there, including a close-up in a strapless dress where I look stark naked b/c you can't see any clothing! For the winery & the next location, I want very casual clothing. I'm picturing CityBoy in Jeans & Tennis Shoes with a plain Black V-neck and myself in Jeans & maybe a black top too, but with colorful flats??
So, the next location (also featuring casual wear) will be my parent's backyard!! I cannot wait to take pictures with CityBoy on the swings in the backyard where I grew up!! I was thinking a sundress would be great for the swings too, but its December!!!
Finally, we'll be taking some pictures in SmallTownGirl & CityBoy's new hometown, DALLAS!!!! I'm most excited about taking these because I absolutely love Downtown/Alley/Street pictures!! I also want to take a few shots at Nasher Sculpture Center!! I've spent the last 3 weeks auditing their Financials and everyday when I take a potty break, I dream about the great photos I could have...I just have to ask if I can take them there?
These are my thoughts...for now... My blogging is losing steam as I'm looking at photogs and trying to watch TV while procrastinating a shower before bed!!
12.08.2008
Bubbles!
A few weeks ago, during one of our nightly marathon phone conversations, my mom clued me in on the PERFECT necklace to go with my dress!! I haven't put up pictures of my dress in case CityBoy goes snooping, but I will show pictures of the necklace (its on our fridge anyway)!!!!
I think the Anthropologie version is still my favorite... Which do you like best??
My sister briefly moved home after college and started getting all sorts of fun, trendy catalogs...which, although my Sis moved to Wisconsin, are still being delivered! So... Mom is flipping through the Christmas Anthropologie catalog and happens across page 39 where she finds the Ephemera Necklace!!!
I must say...I'm in love!!!!!
So, Sunday I ventured out of the apartment and into Anthropologie--they didn't have it in the store, but referred me to North Park. Luckily for me, another Sales Woman overheard me asking about the necklace and interrupted to tell me that she knew the designer!! So, I may not have walked out with the necklace, but I happily surfed to De Jarnette's website to check out these beauts:
I think the Anthropologie version is still my favorite... Which do you like best??
12.05.2008
Thoughts on Love...
Over the weekend, while searching for the poem my grandmother loved and wanted read at her funeral, I got the opportunity to read some amazing things in her journal. She had bible verses that touched her, quotes that made her laugh, quotes that made her think... Reading her thoughts on Life, Faith, Maturity and Love helped me to remember the wonderful woman she was.
The pages titled "Thoughts on Love" really stuck with me. Some thoughts from Beema:
The pages titled "Thoughts on Love" really stuck with me. Some thoughts from Beema:
Beema's thoughts on love got me thinking about love, so I researched some quotes of my own..."A husband is like a fire--if left unattended, it will go out."
"Love does not consist in looking at one another, but in looking together in
the same direction.""Marriage, n. A community consisting of a master, a mistress, and two
slaves, making in all two."
"Infatuation is when you think he's as sexy as Robert Redford, as smart as
Henry Kissinger, as noble as Ralph Nader, as funny as Woody Allen, and as
athletic as Jimmy Conners. Love is when you realize that he's as sexy as
Woody Allen, as smart as Jimmy Connors, as funny as Ralph Nader, as athletic as
Henry Kissinger and nothing like Robert Redford - but you'll take him
anyway." ~Judith Viorst, Redbook, 1975"I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where, I love you simply,
without problems or pride:I love you in this way because I don’t know any other
way of loving but this, in which there is no I or you, so intimate that your
hand upon my chest is my hand, so intimate that when I fall asleep it is your
eyes that close." ~Pablo Neruda"You come to love not by finding the perfect person, but by seeing an
imperfect person perfectly." ~Sam Keen"You don't marry someone you can live with, you marry the person who you
cannot live without.""The beginning of love is to let those we love be perfectly themselves, and
not to twist them to fit our own image. Otherwise we love only the
reflection of ourselves we find in them.""I don't pretend to know what love is for everyone, but I can tell you what
it is for me; love is knowing all about someone, and still wanting to be with
them more than any other person, love is trusting them enough to tell them
everything about yourself, includingthe thinkgs you might be ashamed of, love is
feeling comfortable and safe with someone, but still getting weak knees
when they walk into a room and smile at you."
For me, love is being able to be myself, to enjoy sitting in the same room doing different things still feeling together...love is looking past the imperfections and being what the other person needs... Love is midnight coffee runs...gotta go!!
12.03.2008
A love like that...
This weekend was a sad one... my grandmother passed away. The world will be a little less bright without Beema in it. She was a beautiful, wonderful woman and someone I have always looked up to and admired. More than anything else, I will remember the love she had for my grandfather. She and Poppey had been married for 63 years and up until the end, the love they had for each other shone brightly.
I want a love like that...one that lasts and lasts, one that sees me & CityBoy through the greatest and worst times of our lives, through today's economic troubles and whatever tomorrow has to bring. I know that CityBoy is "my Poppey," he is my soulmate and I can't wait to see where our love takes us... I can only hope that in 63 years, CityBoy and I will still have the same sparkle in our eyes that my Beema & Poppey did for each other...
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