Hi all. So, bad news on the home front.
As most of you know, my brother, Ken, is in the Navy and lives down in Virginia. Due to a series of logistical things and manuevers and other things a civilian like me just doesn't understand, Ken will be serving in Afghanistan, beginning in early 2010, for about a year. Which means...no only brother at my wedding :( Boo! Super boo!
So, this stinks. A lot. Ken is coming home next week for Thanksgiving, and that will probably be the last we will see him for a very, very long time. He's been deployed for a long time before, but never been on the "front lines," so to speak. It's a little stressful to even think about, so I can't begin to imagine how he feels.
Justin and I have some wedding stuff going on this weekend, and I will write another blog then. Be well, everyone!
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Thank you!!
Just wanted to let everyone know Briellah is home, and being described as "self-vaccinated." :) Thanks for your love and prayers for Shannon and her family! More on the wedding front soon....things are pretty slow right now!
Here is a picture of this beautiful baby in the cute little hat I sent her:
Here is a picture of this beautiful baby in the cute little hat I sent her:
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Please Say a Prayer for Briellah
I've stuck to wedding stuff so far, but this is important to me and I'd like to ask for your prayers. One of my roommates from Buffalo, Shannon, had a beautiful baby girl in September named Briellah. Unfortunately, Shannon's boyfriend and Briellah's dad, Robert, came down with the flu, and Briellah is now hospitalized because she has contracted the H1N1 virus. At under three months old, Briellah is obviously too young to have the flu! Please keep Shannon, Robert, and especially Briellah in your prayers. I will keep you posted! Thank you!!!
Sunday, November 8, 2009
November! It's only November?!?
Sorry for the lack of updates - my computer has been, shall we say, uncooperative. Justin worked his magic and it turns on again, so I will take this opportunity to update my small group of dedicated readers.
This weekend, Justin and his parents traveled to meet my Dad and Pat in Binghamton. I think all parties would agree that it went well. There were even hugs, to my delight :) We ate way too much and talked wedding, and it was a good and delicious time!
We're currently on the hunt for a florist, and I would love to hear from my recent bride friends about what types of arrangements they sprung for and what they found unnecessary. I think we're going to go as basic as possible, but I definitely need all the help I can get!
Justin asked for a mission, and I gave him finalizing the cupcakes. I think it was a pretty sweet deal...get it? Sweet deal? ;)
And in closing, I'd like to plug the website Zappos, since I bought my shoes there and they arrived within 48 hours - free shipping upgrade. And, if I find something else, they have a 365-day return policy for unworn items. So check it out :) and be well!
This weekend, Justin and his parents traveled to meet my Dad and Pat in Binghamton. I think all parties would agree that it went well. There were even hugs, to my delight :) We ate way too much and talked wedding, and it was a good and delicious time!
We're currently on the hunt for a florist, and I would love to hear from my recent bride friends about what types of arrangements they sprung for and what they found unnecessary. I think we're going to go as basic as possible, but I definitely need all the help I can get!
Justin asked for a mission, and I gave him finalizing the cupcakes. I think it was a pretty sweet deal...get it? Sweet deal? ;)
And in closing, I'd like to plug the website Zappos, since I bought my shoes there and they arrived within 48 hours - free shipping upgrade. And, if I find something else, they have a 365-day return policy for unworn items. So check it out :) and be well!
Sunday, October 25, 2009
THE Dress!
Greetings, friends and family! We did it! Margaret, Rachelle, Nicole and I went to David's Bridal yesterday and left three hours later with wedding dress in hand! (Well, hands. And bags. Lots of bags!) I will do my best to describe the process while revealing no details of what the dress - or dresses leading up to the dress - looks like because Justin is adorably superstitious. And just adorable.
When we got to David's, I had a list of fourteen dresses I wanted to try on; 11 that I picked, and three that Donna suggested after I sent her and my mom a list of my favorites. I also had shoes, and so the David's staff liked me and my organization and preparedness right away. There was one other bride trying on dresses; dress after dress that looked exactly the same (Rachelle called them cupcake dresses), with very little constructive feedback from her "posse." My posse, on the other hand, was amazing, and I can tell you right now (and you will see why) I wouldn't have a dress right now without them! Margaret's prep work of watching "Say Yes to Dress" paid off. :)
The first dress I tried on was one of my two favorites from the website. I had a really hard time looking at myself in the mirror; I was a little shocked at being in a dress. My secretary, Nicole, wrote, "fits very nicely; flatters figure; likes the (component removed for Justin's sake); shocked." ;)
Dress #2 was the one I thought I would get. I teared up a little, loved the back, but it didn't fit that well in the bust area. We switched out the sash for a green one, but I wasn't into the colored bow. Nicole's notes: "like this even more, back really flattering; liked green belt but white more."
Dress #3 was a lot plainer; definitely not a contender, but still very pretty. Nicole's notes: "looks like a 'real bride gown' (said Monica); pretty."
Dress #4 was the one my mom picked as her favorite from my list, and was also in the running. It was a fabulous dress! This was about the point everyone realized that I liked every single dress I put on. Nicole asked me to specifically state why I liked it so much for her notes: "Mom's fave; likes this a lot; sparkly; feels skinny; bride: not crying."
While I was putting on Dress #5, a David's employee strolled by with a rack of dresses to be put away. Rachelle stopped her, and asked if they had one of them in my size. She went to get it. I came out in Dress #5, which again was very nice but not a contender. Nicole's only note was "not the one." I played with a veil, and that got some tears, but they were definitely for the veil, not the dress. The employee came back with Dress #6, which the girls told me they had picked out and hoped I didn't mind. I didn't, one bit! :)
So, we went to put the dress on. My dress changing assistant/employee Lea explained to me that it was a discontinued dress, so I couldn't order it in any other size. If it fit and I wanted it, I'd be buying this dress. For those of you who haven't been in a bridal dressing room before, there aren't any mirrors. I looked down at the dress while Leah was helping me close it up, and started to have a good feeling about it. I noted to Lea that it had everything I liked about the other dresses, all rolled in to one, and that the ladies had picked it for me. "Maybe it's fate!" she said.
Oh, and it was. :)
I came out of the dressing room, and Rachelle, Margaret and Nicole all lit up and then started to cry. I took one look at myself, fluffed the dress out, and said, "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!" That was it. I was done! I knew it was my dress! I can't explain it, but it definitely is. It has everything I could have ever wanted for a wedding dress, and since it's discontinued, I didn't see it online and couldn't have known it existed. Nicole's notes? "THE ONE! TEARS, SMILES! :)"
I bought the dress for a phenomenal price (really - it was outrageous in the best way possible!), and then started looking at bridesmaids' dresses with the girls. Giving very little guidance ("You can wear whatever you want! No, really! As long as it's the color I like. Seriously!"), and mostly helping find sizes, they played dress up. Hilariously (to me anyway), the three very different women with me kept picking and liking the same dresses. So, Erica, we'll just have to get you in some dresses, and then we will know if the bridesmaids will all be wearing different dresses or not!
And then, we were done. Parched, tired, and in desperate need of a ladies' room. Done. Lea packed up my dress to protect it from the elements, put it in the backseat of my car, and that was that. I have my wedding gown! It lives in my closet, where I will fiercely protect it from cats, and can't wait to have it fitted and bustled so I can wear it when I marry the love of my life!
The end :)
When we got to David's, I had a list of fourteen dresses I wanted to try on; 11 that I picked, and three that Donna suggested after I sent her and my mom a list of my favorites. I also had shoes, and so the David's staff liked me and my organization and preparedness right away. There was one other bride trying on dresses; dress after dress that looked exactly the same (Rachelle called them cupcake dresses), with very little constructive feedback from her "posse." My posse, on the other hand, was amazing, and I can tell you right now (and you will see why) I wouldn't have a dress right now without them! Margaret's prep work of watching "Say Yes to Dress" paid off. :)
The first dress I tried on was one of my two favorites from the website. I had a really hard time looking at myself in the mirror; I was a little shocked at being in a dress. My secretary, Nicole, wrote, "fits very nicely; flatters figure; likes the (component removed for Justin's sake); shocked." ;)
Dress #2 was the one I thought I would get. I teared up a little, loved the back, but it didn't fit that well in the bust area. We switched out the sash for a green one, but I wasn't into the colored bow. Nicole's notes: "like this even more, back really flattering; liked green belt but white more."
Dress #3 was a lot plainer; definitely not a contender, but still very pretty. Nicole's notes: "looks like a 'real bride gown' (said Monica); pretty."
Dress #4 was the one my mom picked as her favorite from my list, and was also in the running. It was a fabulous dress! This was about the point everyone realized that I liked every single dress I put on. Nicole asked me to specifically state why I liked it so much for her notes: "Mom's fave; likes this a lot; sparkly; feels skinny; bride: not crying."
While I was putting on Dress #5, a David's employee strolled by with a rack of dresses to be put away. Rachelle stopped her, and asked if they had one of them in my size. She went to get it. I came out in Dress #5, which again was very nice but not a contender. Nicole's only note was "not the one." I played with a veil, and that got some tears, but they were definitely for the veil, not the dress. The employee came back with Dress #6, which the girls told me they had picked out and hoped I didn't mind. I didn't, one bit! :)
So, we went to put the dress on. My dress changing assistant/employee Lea explained to me that it was a discontinued dress, so I couldn't order it in any other size. If it fit and I wanted it, I'd be buying this dress. For those of you who haven't been in a bridal dressing room before, there aren't any mirrors. I looked down at the dress while Leah was helping me close it up, and started to have a good feeling about it. I noted to Lea that it had everything I liked about the other dresses, all rolled in to one, and that the ladies had picked it for me. "Maybe it's fate!" she said.
Oh, and it was. :)
I came out of the dressing room, and Rachelle, Margaret and Nicole all lit up and then started to cry. I took one look at myself, fluffed the dress out, and said, "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!" That was it. I was done! I knew it was my dress! I can't explain it, but it definitely is. It has everything I could have ever wanted for a wedding dress, and since it's discontinued, I didn't see it online and couldn't have known it existed. Nicole's notes? "THE ONE! TEARS, SMILES! :)"
I bought the dress for a phenomenal price (really - it was outrageous in the best way possible!), and then started looking at bridesmaids' dresses with the girls. Giving very little guidance ("You can wear whatever you want! No, really! As long as it's the color I like. Seriously!"), and mostly helping find sizes, they played dress up. Hilariously (to me anyway), the three very different women with me kept picking and liking the same dresses. So, Erica, we'll just have to get you in some dresses, and then we will know if the bridesmaids will all be wearing different dresses or not!
And then, we were done. Parched, tired, and in desperate need of a ladies' room. Done. Lea packed up my dress to protect it from the elements, put it in the backseat of my car, and that was that. I have my wedding gown! It lives in my closet, where I will fiercely protect it from cats, and can't wait to have it fitted and bustled so I can wear it when I marry the love of my life!
The end :)
Friday, October 23, 2009
Bye bye, blues! Bring on the dresses!
I'm feeling better - I've gotten support from some of the ones I love (A LOT!!), and I feel like I accomplished a lot at school this week. I pulled off student council elections and counted lots and lots and lots of ballots, and I'm ready for this weekend's festivities!
So, tomorrow is one of the bigger days of preparing for the big day: dress shopping! I have a list of dresses, a photographer (Margaret), two other cheerleaders (Nicole and Rachelle), and an appointment at David's Bridal. I also have a necklace, earrings, shoes, and a goal of finding a dress that will make Justin's jaw drop :) Who picks her accessories before she picks her dress? Oh, that'd be me!
I won't be able to post pictures, as Justin doesn't want even a clue as to what the dress might look like, but I promise to describe the experience as well as I can - and you can always call or email me for details.
Wish me luck! :)
So, tomorrow is one of the bigger days of preparing for the big day: dress shopping! I have a list of dresses, a photographer (Margaret), two other cheerleaders (Nicole and Rachelle), and an appointment at David's Bridal. I also have a necklace, earrings, shoes, and a goal of finding a dress that will make Justin's jaw drop :) Who picks her accessories before she picks her dress? Oh, that'd be me!
I won't be able to post pictures, as Justin doesn't want even a clue as to what the dress might look like, but I promise to describe the experience as well as I can - and you can always call or email me for details.
Wish me luck! :)
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
feeling a little blue...and not the something old, something new, something borrowed kind
So, this has been a little bit of a tough week for no apparent reason. I've been sad about moving and leaving my friends and job and family behind, and sending my little kitty kitties to live with my mom (not that she won't take super good care of them!). I'm torn between wanting to desperately marry Justin (which I would do in a garage wearing a paper bag dress) and loathing change of any kind. I'm a little happier now that I talked to Rachelle, and my posse and I are going to look at dresses this weekend, but still...
If you are reading this, and don't comment, I have no idea. And I just feel like a big, blog-keeping bride/super dork. I feel a little bit like I'm drowning in wedding-ness...there are magazines everywhere! and emails! and dreams! So if you could find it in your (inevitably very large and kind and wonderful) heart to support me (and Justin too!) in this one of a kind time of my/our life/lives, I would really be nothing but grateful. It's awesome and overwhelming all at the same time, and I live far away from nearly everyone I love (note that I said nearly!).
And now, I am done begging. Goodnight!
If you are reading this, and don't comment, I have no idea. And I just feel like a big, blog-keeping bride/super dork. I feel a little bit like I'm drowning in wedding-ness...there are magazines everywhere! and emails! and dreams! So if you could find it in your (inevitably very large and kind and wonderful) heart to support me (and Justin too!) in this one of a kind time of my/our life/lives, I would really be nothing but grateful. It's awesome and overwhelming all at the same time, and I live far away from nearly everyone I love (note that I said nearly!).
And now, I am done begging. Goodnight!
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