June Books

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Mary Anne by Daphne du Maurier
The Girl I Loved by James Whitcomb Riley
Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
Kirkland Revels by Victoria Holt
Tick Tock by James Patterson
The Weird Sisters by Eleanor Brown
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt
Savannah by Eugenia Price
What's Your Poo Telling You?  by Josh Richman and Anish Sheth
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson

*(Summary is inspired by Debbie!) Half of the books I read this time were older (Mary Anne, The Girl I Loved, Kirkland Revels, Savannah, Treasure Island), and well, relatively slow styles to read. I still liked them all. Mary Anne is not as good as Rebecca or Jamaica Inn, and I liked Victoria Holt growing up. The Girl I Loved and What's Your Poo Telling You ( :) present from my sister) were very short. Sarah's Key was mostly good, slow at parts, and kinda depressing. Probably most depressing in it was that every relationship mentioned had divorce somewhere. Tick Tock was exciting, but I wouldn't reread it. The Weird Sisters was good, had a feel-good ending but it lacked a little something. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil was inspired by our trip to Savannah (as was Savannah, well and Treasure Island). It was very interesting as a nonfiction book, and I liked all mainly because of our trip :). No absolute favorites this month, but all good company. 

Is it seriously not Friday?

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I realize this only the second day I've been at work so far this week, but it really feels like Friday already. I think I'm just ready for more weekend! Watching some Harry Potter tonight :)

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Reflection - Hard

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This last Sunday, at Crosspointe, I really enjoyed the basic points of the message. Basically, (paraphrasing) for our culture, hard is new impossible. When things get tough, we quit or decide there is no way this is the way that we should go, that God wouldn't let it be this hard. We mistake our mountains for walls.

Conversations and devotions these last few weeks have also touched on this subject. So I'm thinking  I need to keep my eyes open. Everyone has times in their lives that things are hard and stressful. They'll be different for everyone. I might have a few more stressors in life right now that I did, but I want to keep praying, keep looking for positive role models, and try to encourage others, regardless of whether I know if they're feeling like things are hard. More of thee, less of me!

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Catch up

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What a great little vacation. My fiance drove down to IKEA on Friday and surprised me with some things for the house. We spent some time eating some meals together and putting things together this weekend. It was fun to get excited about where we will live. 

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His golden birthday was Monday, and as his main gift, I took off Monday so we could have a movie day. Of course, since it was a surprise (until Saturday, because I can't keep secrets from him for long), he had already made some appointments, and had to get his car taken in for new tires and battery, so it wasn't as relaxing of a day as envisioned, but still good. After dinner at home, I took him over to my parents for a surprise dessert get-together, and I think he was really touched seeing family and friends there. I know I really appreciate everyone giving him some love! Even with all the errands, this was still a great golden birthday :).

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I can't believe just the other weekend, I was exploring Savannah. Here's a picture some of the moss hanging on the oak trees. It had such great ambiance. 

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And now back to work. My (old) manager is officially out for maternity leave. She'll have her son most likely tomorrow, and I'm so happy for her. She left some pictures for all of us so that we won't miss her too much :)

Last June weekend

And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer.

— F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

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Let go of the things that don't matter. Spend time on the things that are important to you. Embrace the speed of life that your current phase brings. This weekend brings cake tasting and baby celebrations, and invitation printing and maybe some painting. Hopefully a run and some outside time and some baking as well :) God is in control!

23rd of June

First off, ugh. Wish I was home.

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On a happier note, today marks 17 months together!

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86 days to go :)

Starbuck's proposal story that reminds me of our first date :)

Yay Wednesday

Every moment is a fresh beginning. T. S. Eliot 

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Controlling the Crank

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Seriously. Go away (hormones). I think I really do somehow forget that I'll feel like this at some point during the month and it somehow surprises me. Fortunately, listening to our wedding soundtrack (because I'm into that stuff) helps. Particularly these two songs today:

 Ben Rector - White Dress

 Dashboard Confessional - Stolen

We have some more anniversaries in my family - my parents' and my dad's with his workplace. Looking forward to seeing my family tonight... I mean, I might be seeing them? (Dad, I hope you don't read my blog?)

 

Happy Summer!

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Today is a great day! It marks the first day of summer, my maid of honor's 25th birthday, and our best man/wedding coordinator's third anniversary. Certainly a day to make some time for celebration :)

Today

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This weekend we went to Ikea for the first time. What an adventure! My brother and his girl came in town for a wedding and we got to visit with them. We had a small dinner to celebrate Father's Day. And we started painting our first walls! It was both a busy but relaxing weekend - thankful for many conversations I got to have with people I love. 

Happy Father's Day

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"Any man can be a father,
It takes someone special to be a dad"

Epic

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I know there are cases in which a couple will think that they are more in love than any other couple has been or will be. That their romance is epic. There are so many warm fuzzies that it's hard to see. And I'm tempted to believe them. I fully believe that different people work in different relationships, and that that relationship can be just want they need. I know the one I'm in, is exactly what I need. Yay, so blessed. I'm so thrilled to be getting married, and I love knowing that our love can grow, and that it'll take a lot of giving, but that this is the dude that I will learn with. I will learn about him, about life and love, about how to treat others and how to submit more to God. I know that it's all coming, and I'm trying to enjoy the process of getting there, and of knowing all that learning process is already started. Basically, only 3 months left! Yay!

Those 3 little words

How to say “I love you”…

1. French: Je t’aime.
   Pronounced: Zhuh tem.
2. Spanish: Te amo.
   Pronounced: Tay ahm-oh.
3. Italian : Ti amo.
   Pronounced: Tee-ah-mo.
4. German : Ich liebe Dich.
   Pronounced: Ish leeba dish or Ick leeba dick.
5. Swedish: Jag älskar dig.
   Pronounced: Ya ellscar dey.
6. Russian : Ya lyublyu tebya.
   Pronounced: Ya loobloo tebya.
7. Chinese (Mandarin) - Wǒ ài nǐ.
   Pronunciation: Wuh eye nee.
8. Irish Gaelic: Tá grá agam ort.
   Pronounced: Taw graw o-gum urt.
9. Greek : S’ ayapo
   Pronounced: sag-app-oh.
10. Elvish: Melin le.
    Pronounced: MEL-in leh. 
 

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Grateful

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I'm happy, but man do I feel busy! I needed a reminder :)

Blessed

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Yesterday, my work place held a bridal shower for my upcoming marriage. There was cake, and chocolate, lots of fruit and a pretty pink punch. We played two fun games and I opened gifts (which I felt a little awkward doing). I felt really blessed to have supportive people that I work with every day. Having just had a good trip, and then a celebration yesterday is sure keeping me smiling. So excited to get married :)

 

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Back from the South

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What a great trip we had! We ate as some great restaurants - Soho, Firefly Cafe, Churchill's Pub, Zunzi's, The Pirate House, B&D Burgers, Leopold's Ice Cream, Girabaldi's, Sixpence Pub... and got to go on a Trolley tour, a few museums/old houses, Forsyth Park, a Ferry, and we shopped at some fun places too. We (not really me) took a lot of pictures - particularly of the fancy iron work they have. I would love to go back to Savannah some day :) Most of all I loved visiting with my family and my aunts. It was great to see them and I feel really honored that everyone traveled to help me celebrate! 

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Packing up

Choosing to have fun in life

is often more fruitful than chasing perfection.

Garance Doré on “Parisian spirit and lifestyle"

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Tonight I'm packing - I'm going to explore Savannah, GA with my mom, sister, and my mom's two sisters. Last year we had a bridal shower weekend for my sister's wedding in Denver, and this year we're celebrating for mine in Savannah :) I feel blessed to have such wonderful women in my life! Any advice for Savannah? We've got some good reservations and plan to do a ghost tour :)

Moving on

Things change, people change, but that doesn’t mean you should forget the past. Gail Carson Levine

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I had a hard moment with my new manager yesterday, and I'm having a hard time adjusting. I get a stomach when I think of my old manager leaving for maternity leave. I'm struggling with what Christ would do. How would He act afterwards? How would He treat my manager? It can be hard to be humble, to be forgiving, not try to get the last work, and try to be kind afterwards. Trying :) 

Dear Bridesmaids

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I'm sorry the dresses aren't available yet, but you're going to look beautiful. 

All women are princesses, it is our right. A Little Princess

Wedding Preparation

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Occasionally I get overwhelmed at the idea of the wedding. Not in my fiance and future, I'm confident in our relationship and all the things that brought us together, but I wonder sometimes at the magnitude of the planning and spending. What helps me get my head around it is typically remembering that I'm inviting God to my wedding. That I want to honor Him, on the day that we're uniting two people. When I think about that, I do want to make it look nice, and have a lot of joy on that day. I want to have things that help people feel connected to us and to each other, food that will satisfy, activities and decorations that will bring happiness and smiles. I want these venues to be filled with love. Not just the love between my fiance and me, or couples or people in general, but God's love. Even people who don't know Him, I want them to feel loved. That's what I'm preparing for.

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Ready for a weekend

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Ready to relax, get in some girl time, and probably plan some more.