Now I know what all the fuss is about, fellas!
I have much more respect for what a man must go through in choosing a ring for his future bride. Well, unless it was chosen for him that is, which is a whole 'nother blog entry. But in the first circumstance- how nervewracking! My friends, above all other wedding decisions to be made, this one is the most permanent. How do you know someone is married? Their wedding rings. You know what it's supposed to symbolize? Eternity. You know what eternity means? Infinite time.
Infinite time = infinite PRESSURE.
And the final nail in the coffin is the fact that men don't commonly wear jewelry, so how the heck are we supposed to know what their style is or what they would want to wear for eternity? Kenny has donned one adornment since I have known him and that was a woodchip nametag "necklace"at RGC.
Doesn't help.
There's white gold, gold, platinum (ha), tungsten carbide, stainless steel (like a line of pots and pans), titanium...patterns, textures, ridges, milgrain, the kitchen sink...
Now, I won't be able to print my final decision for the world to read (or let's be honest- the couple people who actually read this) because it is ultimately a surprise for Kenny, per his request. However, any insights would be helpful and I shall let you know the final decision if you wanna know in person.
Okay, okay- setting the anxiety aside, I am actually quite excited that it's even time to seriously think about it and eventually order it. I think he's excited, too. Then I won't be the only one carrying the relationship on my finger. :)
March 25, 2010
March 24, 2010
Under Construction
Does the site look a little different than the last time you visited?
Well, I am still trying to change some things to make it look how I want it to, but am having some difficulty.
Go figure.
Blogger.com is not as user-friendly as I had hoped. Most importantly, why can't the first picture be centered? or why can't I change the layout of the text in the heading?
If there's one thing that annoys me, it's being governed and limited by technology. I just want it to look like what I want it to look like! Is that so much to ask?
Well, at least it's a bit more open. The other layout made me feel cramped when I was looking at it for some reason. We needed to let a little bit more air and light into the room/blog.
On another note- we have now had two dinners with couples from whom we gained some "marriage wisdom." If you didn't know, our assignment from Ryan Church (our officiant and marriage counselor) was to share a meal with couples from three walks of life. First, married for less than five years and without children. Second, married for more than five years and with children. And third, married for many more years (I forget how many exactly) and the children are out of the house. The idea is to observe and talk with couples who are in different walks of life/their marriage and learn from them as we enter into ours. So far, we've chatted with James & Elise, who are going on two years of marriage and Jennifer & Carlos, who are going on four (I think- is that right, Jennifer?). Both offered great insight into marriage and candidly shared about struggles and successes in their relationship, which we greatly appreciated. The honest truth is that, no matter how long Kenny and I have been together, marriage will introduce a whole new life to us that we have not experienced and our close friends have. How wonderful to have a stocked resevoir of friends whose words we trust and insights we value! That was the coolest part for me, anyway. So THANK YOU to the people in our lives who we can ask the hard questions of and who are living out relationships the way God designed them- serving one another, laughing together, and striving after a Christ-centered home together. We salute you and hope to model you.
Kenny and I have been through a lot together...and I mean A LOT...did I mention it's been a lot? ;) I feel that we've arrived at this place in our lives and relationship in the most perfect way possible- definitely taking the long way on the map of relationships, but experiencing things we wouldn't have if we had made different choices and thus not sharing in certain things or bringing our own individual experiences into our relationship and home. And now here we graduate, moving toward this next phase with vigor and zeal (I just wanted to use those words somewhere in a post, yes, but they are still true), looking at the other person with certainty that this chosen partner will strengthen, charish, and walk with me until we can walk no more, and beyond. :)
Alright, alright. I can practically hear the eye rolling from here. I guess I am feeling a bit gushy as wedding craziness has kinda settled (I stress the "kinda") and we're headed into just a few more months of being excited for August. It's hard to believe we're already through the first half of the engagement that was supposed to take "so long." HA! Flies by, friends. I swear.
Thanks for tuning in for the latest bridal musings, for better or for worse. :)
Well, I am still trying to change some things to make it look how I want it to, but am having some difficulty.
Go figure.
Blogger.com is not as user-friendly as I had hoped. Most importantly, why can't the first picture be centered? or why can't I change the layout of the text in the heading?
If there's one thing that annoys me, it's being governed and limited by technology. I just want it to look like what I want it to look like! Is that so much to ask?
Well, at least it's a bit more open. The other layout made me feel cramped when I was looking at it for some reason. We needed to let a little bit more air and light into the room/blog.
On another note- we have now had two dinners with couples from whom we gained some "marriage wisdom." If you didn't know, our assignment from Ryan Church (our officiant and marriage counselor) was to share a meal with couples from three walks of life. First, married for less than five years and without children. Second, married for more than five years and with children. And third, married for many more years (I forget how many exactly) and the children are out of the house. The idea is to observe and talk with couples who are in different walks of life/their marriage and learn from them as we enter into ours. So far, we've chatted with James & Elise, who are going on two years of marriage and Jennifer & Carlos, who are going on four (I think- is that right, Jennifer?). Both offered great insight into marriage and candidly shared about struggles and successes in their relationship, which we greatly appreciated. The honest truth is that, no matter how long Kenny and I have been together, marriage will introduce a whole new life to us that we have not experienced and our close friends have. How wonderful to have a stocked resevoir of friends whose words we trust and insights we value! That was the coolest part for me, anyway. So THANK YOU to the people in our lives who we can ask the hard questions of and who are living out relationships the way God designed them- serving one another, laughing together, and striving after a Christ-centered home together. We salute you and hope to model you.
Kenny and I have been through a lot together...and I mean A LOT...did I mention it's been a lot? ;) I feel that we've arrived at this place in our lives and relationship in the most perfect way possible- definitely taking the long way on the map of relationships, but experiencing things we wouldn't have if we had made different choices and thus not sharing in certain things or bringing our own individual experiences into our relationship and home. And now here we graduate, moving toward this next phase with vigor and zeal (I just wanted to use those words somewhere in a post, yes, but they are still true), looking at the other person with certainty that this chosen partner will strengthen, charish, and walk with me until we can walk no more, and beyond. :)
Alright, alright. I can practically hear the eye rolling from here. I guess I am feeling a bit gushy as wedding craziness has kinda settled (I stress the "kinda") and we're headed into just a few more months of being excited for August. It's hard to believe we're already through the first half of the engagement that was supposed to take "so long." HA! Flies by, friends. I swear.
Thanks for tuning in for the latest bridal musings, for better or for worse. :)
March 22, 2010
"5 months to go!"- The Knot
That's what The Knot lets me know when I wake up to my email, which they they have designed to stress me out. Instead, I came to post without stress. Why? Because with all of this wedding talk, I have failed to mention the most important part of the whole process (thus becoming a hypocrite, as I berated other brides for the very same oversight, but forgiveness is love)- the husband.
HUSBAND. Crazy, huh? I'm not old enough for that word. Of course, you wouldn't think I was old enough for the word "cellulite" either, but that has definitely made a home in my personal word basket.
HUSBAND. A word that manages to capture so much in two syllables. Not only that, but looking at Kenny and applying the title makes me feel like I could fly. And he won't just be a husband, he'll be my husband. A husband who I completely trust my heart with, more and more each day if that's possible.
Yay. :)
*if you think that's mushy, just wait for the vows.*
Thinking about that just makes every stress (wedding related , that is) disappear.
It's like cookies. There can be a lot that goes into making cookies, including patience while they bake 'cause you can't wait to enjoy the finished product, but after doing your part to prepare them, you get to sit back and relish in the cookies (i.e. marriage). Okay, maybe that's a loose analogy that needs a little help, but you get the idea. We're going to have great cookies.
In FIVE MONTHS. That's right- just five months from now. And those will go fast. I surely understand all the better when people told us to "enjoy being engaged." The idea is that marriage lasts a lifetime- I'll be waking up to his face for the rest of my life. But the time to enjoy that so-close-we-can-taste-it-and-are-excited-for-it-yes-but-only-have-a-few-more-months-of-unobserved-single-behavior is coming to a close. I worry about my laundry alone, take up as much of the bed as I want, and make my own schedule (for the most part- let's be honest here,we've been dating a long time and do orbit around each other a bit). SO I am taking the advice of others and enjoying this time. It only happens once (thank goodness, as I couldn't plan another wedding to save my life).
Well this future wife must scamper off to do laudry- MINE only!
HUSBAND. Crazy, huh? I'm not old enough for that word. Of course, you wouldn't think I was old enough for the word "cellulite" either, but that has definitely made a home in my personal word basket.
HUSBAND. A word that manages to capture so much in two syllables. Not only that, but looking at Kenny and applying the title makes me feel like I could fly. And he won't just be a husband, he'll be my husband. A husband who I completely trust my heart with, more and more each day if that's possible.
Yay. :)
*if you think that's mushy, just wait for the vows.*
Thinking about that just makes every stress (wedding related , that is) disappear.
It's like cookies. There can be a lot that goes into making cookies, including patience while they bake 'cause you can't wait to enjoy the finished product, but after doing your part to prepare them, you get to sit back and relish in the cookies (i.e. marriage). Okay, maybe that's a loose analogy that needs a little help, but you get the idea. We're going to have great cookies.
In FIVE MONTHS. That's right- just five months from now. And those will go fast. I surely understand all the better when people told us to "enjoy being engaged." The idea is that marriage lasts a lifetime- I'll be waking up to his face for the rest of my life. But the time to enjoy that so-close-we-can-taste-it-and-are-excited-for-it-yes-but-only-have-a-few-more-months-of-unobserved-single-behavior is coming to a close. I worry about my laundry alone, take up as much of the bed as I want, and make my own schedule (for the most part- let's be honest here,we've been dating a long time and do orbit around each other a bit). SO I am taking the advice of others and enjoying this time. It only happens once (thank goodness, as I couldn't plan another wedding to save my life).
Well this future wife must scamper off to do laudry- MINE only!
March 11, 2010
you call this "normal?"
Well, I had another one.
Two nights ago, I was once again plagued by a bad dream. Not just any ol' bad dream, mind you, but a "I failed at planning the wedding" nightmare.
I've had a couple before- one involved having to do my own hair, only to fall down, down, down, in broken elevator with my mom (terrifying...I mean, I did my OWN HAIR). The other dream was a bit longer and more excrutiating- everyone present was pretty ho-hum about the ceremony and as it was going on I realized I didn't have a photographer, the officiant didn't even pronounce us husband and wife, we didn't kiss, and I didn't remember my dad walking me down the aisle. I felt like the biggest failure as I was walking out in the parking lot, alone, to the reception (wherever that was...probably a gym somewhere). I never saw Kenny in either of the dreams, so that was disheartening also.
BUT, all that to say these dreams happened months ago, right as planning was beginning and it was entirely possible to mess it up. I was told these dreams were "normal" by a few trusted sources and left it at that. I have been dreaming peacefully ever since.
Until the other night. This was worse. The details have somewhat faded over the last day or so, but I remember that it felt like it lasted the entire night, I somehow messed up which shoes I was wearing, and there were tears as I didn't plan on the cake. Now, I have come to terms with these dreams, but if any brides out there ever read this and can feel secure in the fact that they are not crazy, then I will have done my part. :)
On to florists!
Two nights ago, I was once again plagued by a bad dream. Not just any ol' bad dream, mind you, but a "I failed at planning the wedding" nightmare.
I've had a couple before- one involved having to do my own hair, only to fall down, down, down, in broken elevator with my mom (terrifying...I mean, I did my OWN HAIR). The other dream was a bit longer and more excrutiating- everyone present was pretty ho-hum about the ceremony and as it was going on I realized I didn't have a photographer, the officiant didn't even pronounce us husband and wife, we didn't kiss, and I didn't remember my dad walking me down the aisle. I felt like the biggest failure as I was walking out in the parking lot, alone, to the reception (wherever that was...probably a gym somewhere). I never saw Kenny in either of the dreams, so that was disheartening also.
BUT, all that to say these dreams happened months ago, right as planning was beginning and it was entirely possible to mess it up. I was told these dreams were "normal" by a few trusted sources and left it at that. I have been dreaming peacefully ever since.
Until the other night. This was worse. The details have somewhat faded over the last day or so, but I remember that it felt like it lasted the entire night, I somehow messed up which shoes I was wearing, and there were tears as I didn't plan on the cake. Now, I have come to terms with these dreams, but if any brides out there ever read this and can feel secure in the fact that they are not crazy, then I will have done my part. :)
On to florists!
March 5, 2010
anticlimactic
I didn't reach her. I left a voicemail.
I feel like I am in limbo- kinda relieved to have made the decision, but it's not a complete decision because the other party who must receive said decision has not. Not officially anyway. Hmmm...this reminds me of freshman year of high school. You know, gearing yourself all up for calling that "special someone" who makes your foot tap in French class and when you FINALLY get yourself pumped to do it (usually after much incomplete dialing and with a final "screw it- he would be lucky to date me" or something similarly sassy, dripping with faux confidence)....and then they don't answer.
Darn.
Well, as far as I'm concerned, we made a decision and that's worth a lot.
Let's just pray she hasn't booked the date in the last week and half and that she is equally thrilled to photograph our wedding. And why wouldn't she be? It's gonna be the bomb.
Screw it- she'd be lucky to photograph us.
I feel like I am in limbo- kinda relieved to have made the decision, but it's not a complete decision because the other party who must receive said decision has not. Not officially anyway. Hmmm...this reminds me of freshman year of high school. You know, gearing yourself all up for calling that "special someone" who makes your foot tap in French class and when you FINALLY get yourself pumped to do it (usually after much incomplete dialing and with a final "screw it- he would be lucky to date me" or something similarly sassy, dripping with faux confidence)....and then they don't answer.
Darn.
Well, as far as I'm concerned, we made a decision and that's worth a lot.
Let's just pray she hasn't booked the date in the last week and half and that she is equally thrilled to photograph our wedding. And why wouldn't she be? It's gonna be the bomb.
Screw it- she'd be lucky to photograph us.
Numb feet
...ooooooh my word. Just booked the DJ. PHEW!! I'll drink to that!
Now I just have to book the photographer, a decision so surprisingly agonizing, it's as if I was solely responsible for deciding on a Middle East peace plan.
Here I go!
Now I just have to book the photographer, a decision so surprisingly agonizing, it's as if I was solely responsible for deciding on a Middle East peace plan.
Here I go!
March 3, 2010
Getting closer...
...I think. We did, in fact, head to Hood Canal to recharge our batteries on Monday and it was GLORIOUS. We napped, ate, and read to our hearts content, enjoying the ducks playing on the calm water and not mentioning ANY wedding planning (until the ride home). Of course, Kenny made sure to bring some wine so we could toast to being "just inside the 6 month mark," which was a sweet thing to do. The best part was the familiar smell of campfire, which is one of our comfort smells, like brownies and fresh laundry.
The seized-with-anxiety feeling didn't waste any time returning, snuggling up nice and close in my chest once more as soon as we hit I-5 South. Our Save-The-Dates have proved challenging, as has acquiring addresses and (still) deciding on a photographer/DJ. I have turned to snacks for solace- right now I am eating Sarbursts and am nowhere near stopping- which I hope does not come back to bite me when I try to put on a certain dress. They are such a comfort and also a distractio,n i.e."I can't make that decision right now because I have to eat these chips first." Snacks put distance between me and decisions, which I claim helps me with perspective when, really, it only helps broaden my waistline. Awesome.
I do feel as though we are on the brink of firming up some major decisions (we are sending our Save-The-Dates OUT!!) and then we will tackle the little guys. And I will have less to write about (yeah right).
The seized-with-anxiety feeling didn't waste any time returning, snuggling up nice and close in my chest once more as soon as we hit I-5 South. Our Save-The-Dates have proved challenging, as has acquiring addresses and (still) deciding on a photographer/DJ. I have turned to snacks for solace- right now I am eating Sarbursts and am nowhere near stopping- which I hope does not come back to bite me when I try to put on a certain dress. They are such a comfort and also a distractio,n i.e."I can't make that decision right now because I have to eat these chips first." Snacks put distance between me and decisions, which I claim helps me with perspective when, really, it only helps broaden my waistline. Awesome.
I do feel as though we are on the brink of firming up some major decisions (we are sending our Save-The-Dates OUT!!) and then we will tackle the little guys. And I will have less to write about (yeah right).
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