How Sweet It Is

Exactly two weeks ago I was in pre-wedding prep. Sitting with my mom and my bridesmaids, sipping coffee and listening to the girly playlist (courtesy of Tylie---thank you so much!!), getting our hair and make up done. It is all a blur now. It is all over.


Except its not.


Planning a wedding was exciting and fun, stressful and overwhelming. Every detail was covered(thanks to my amazing mother), there was nothing left to chance. 
Then Brian got sick. Three days before the wedding my poor fiance came down with the stomach flu...in a bad way. We were unsure if he would even make it to the wedding and my heart just broke. I didn't care about the floral arrangements or the wine pour. I couldn't bring myself to care about the last minute details, and the more people that arrived in town, the more worried I became about my fiance, his health, and his ability to be there on July 2.
It was a perspective-check. What was truly important, and what was just fluff? I realized that all that really mattered were the people, the relationships. Brian, my parents and his, our families and friends. Those were, and are, what matters. The wedding, the beautiful details, were secondary to the people that were there.


Thankfully, he recovered in time to not only make it to the wedding, but to enjoy it!


And things got back on track. The preparations continued, the families all arrived and it was time to celebrate!


I remember gripping my Dad's arm as I walked down the aisle, seeing Brian (my incredibly handsome groom) for the very first time. Vowing my life and my love to my best friend. Hearing myself declared as his wife for the very first time. Our first dance to "Everything" by Michael Buble. The dance with my Dad that I have waited my whole life to have. I remember taking in all the details we had spent months planning--the hanging candles, the beautiful cake, the music selections, and the red roses everywhere.


It was a beautiful evening.
It was a perfect day.
It is over.


One of the moments that I will never forget is the moment my sweet cousin, Lisa, pulled me aside. She got married last summer (tomorrow is her one year anniversary!!), and she told me something I will never forget. She said that the wedding day is great, and so much fun, but it will not be the best day of my life. The best day of my life will be the day I get home from the honeymoon and realize that I have forever with my best friend. 


That day came for me.


And it was the best day. I was not wearing a beautiful white wedding dress. I was not surrounded by fragrant bouquets, photographers, family, friends and champagne.


But I was with my best friend. Holding his hand. Resting my head on his shoulder. Feeling safe, secure, content, and in love.


That was the best day. And it is only getting better.


How sweet it is to be loved by him. To have a future with him, to have forever and always. 


My wedding day was everything I could have ever imagined...but it was just the beginning.

10 Things I love About You

I love the way you laugh at me.

I love the way you smile.

I love the way you drive so fast,

It is just so wild.

I love the way you hold me,

And hug me oh so close.

And even on my worst of days,

You never let me go.

I love the way you challenge me,

And push me to be my best.

And even when I want to give up,

You never settle for less.

I love the way you can fix anything,

And get excited about your tools.

And I love the way you dream so big,

And always break the rules.

I love your Michigan State tattoo,

And that you are such a big fan.

But most of all, what I love about you,

Is that you are my best friend.

A Summer Toast

Summertime is finally here...though Texas kicked off the season a bit early as triple digits have been hovering for weeks!

My favorite time of year. I love the sunny, hot days and I love the balmy nights with the cricket-symphonies. I love the afternoons spent at the pool and the weekends spent at the lake. I love the Fourth of July celebration and I love cookouts with friends and family. Beach days and fun vacations. Sunscreen and sunglasses. Flip flops and cover ups.

Yes, Summer is here. Bring on the heat. Bring on the hot dogs and hamburgers, the swim suits and tan lines. And please, oh please, bring on the lemonade!!

Hope Floats

There is a societal obsession, I have noticed, that is hard to ignore. Turn on the TV and it’s there; movies, books, and sports all feed this mania. 

We, as a culture, are obsessed with danger, catastrophe and the like. All of the action-adventure movies or sci-fi thrillers that are released play upon this theme of danger; the leave-you-on-the-edge-of-your-seat terror that is so addictive to our society. Sports, both conventional and extreme in nature, have their fans intensely watching, half-hoping some big disaster comes of the risks the participants are taking. Authors rely on this preoccupation with calamity to keep their readers turning pages in their mystery novels, and even reality TV stars tap in to this fixation. They live their lives on the edge, constantly trying to entertain their droves of fans with the latest downward spiral their lives have taken.

This thought process was playing through my mind last night as I sat in standstill traffic on the highway headed home after a long day at work. I thought for sure it must be an accident, and sure enough it was. I crept up, slowly but surely, and as I finally was close enough to assess the situation, I saw that it was a fender bender that was nearly cleaned up. It was only blocking one lane (out of five) and yet every driver felt the need to come to a near complete stop to look over and see the accident.  They wanted to see the damage, if there was anyone hurt, what the cars looked like, etc.

Now, I understand morbid fascination with such things to an extent, but last night I was just plain annoyed. All I wanted to do was to get home, and these curious drivers were inhibiting me, just for the pure satisfaction of seeing the destruction incurred on another’s vehicle. 

It was an enlightening moment for me. I thought about my daily routine. I watch the news every morning, and the horrific details of Casey Anthony’s trial for killing her daughter are splashed across the screen. I read the paper, and more often than not, the articles are of catastrophe in the Middle East, or the unemployment rates in this city or that.  Everywhere, it seems, the focus is disaster. Warfare. Tragedy. Heartbreak. Hopelessness.

It is hard to find hope in a world that seems to crush it with each new headline. A society that is consumed by danger, cataclysm, and misfortune. It is hard for me to put faith in tomorrow, when today seems to be a dire set of circumstances, and passers by relish in the thought of getting a "front row view".

But my hope is found in something greater than me, greater than my circumstances and greater than my society. Greater than my relationships, my job, or even my future. My hope is found in my Faith, and it is there that my hope floats.

I Thank God

For my life.

For my Fiancé.

For my Family.

My friends.

For the health of myself, and those I love.

For my future, and the infinite opportunities to be had.


But most of all, during this holiday season, I thank God for my Freedom. For the sacrifices the men and women of the armed forces have made so that I may live my life to the fullest. They have given of themselves, and sacrificed their health and well-being, so that mine may remain intact. I thank God for their courage, their selflessness, and their heroism.


May God Bless America.
And May God Bless our Troops.

Soundtrack to My Life

I love music. I love dancing to it, singing to it, allowing it to express me better than I can express myself.

I just love it.

But what I think I love most of all is when it takes me back. I was driving to work this morning, iPod on shuffle, and a song came on. Not just any song, but the song. The song that reminds me of when I first met Brian. I began to smile, and to reminisce. I thought of the exhilaration of awaiting his arrival to pick me up for a date, or our first kiss. I thought of all the times we laughed and talked for hours on end, getting to know one another, sharing our adventures and our secrets.

All in the span of three minutes and thirty-four seconds, I was that girl again. That girl with butterflies in her stomach, getting to know her soon-to-be husband, not knowing what the future would hold.

It was an unalloyed moment. Then the next song came on.

And just like that, I was transported from the moment of falling in love, to a whimsical childhood memory with my sister; my best friend.

And this is my life. I am constantly equating every situation with music; constantly singing, moving to the beat. Nearly every song I hear, or have on my iPod, carries with it a time and a place removed from the moment I am in. Some memories are pure bliss and perfect in their essence, while others are harsh and unforgiving.

But there is always a song attached. And, to me, it’s my soundtrack. The beat, tempo, tune, and lyrics all culminate in to the emotion I am feeling at any given moment. Whether I am dancing the night away with my girls, or sleepily sipping my morning coffee, everyone from Bach to the Beatles to Britney Spears has had part in my soundtrack. My taste in music is as eclectic as the memories they evoke, and the one (almost) constant seems to be the smile that these songs entreat, as I go back to another day, another time, another memory.

My Prince Charming

My Prince Charming does not ride a white horse, but he sure does love riding motorcycles.


My Prince Charming does not sing and dance in typical Disney fashion, but he sure can bust a move to "Michael Jackson- The Experience". 


He may not slay a dragon, or ward off the "bad guys", but he is acquiring a gun collection that will keep him prepared in the event that they show.


My Prince Charming may not be in uniform befitting royalty, but man, does he look good in a tux!


He loves Michigan State, a dog named Frog, and working on cars. He can cook a mean chili, fix just about anything around the house, and is always up for a new challenge. He loves to travel, and if you ever get him behind a boat, he will wakeboard like a pro.


He is generous with everyone, rarely says no to anyone, and is fast friends with whomever he meets. 


My Prince Charming swept me off my feet when I least expected it, and continues to do so everyday. He is passionate about life, and never have I met someone more full of excitement and adventure. I am a better person for having him in my life, and love him even more as each day passes.


Brian, I am so thankful that you are my Prince Charming!! Happy Birthday, Baby, can't wait to marry you in ONE month!


xoxo,


Stinks