as promised...

well, i got a really great early christmas present.  the wedding pics are up and ready!  jessica pierce of jessica lauren photography is a wonderful photographer.  each moment of the day was captured in such a special way.  i adore the pictures and find myself re-looking at them over...and over...and over again. check out her work here. obviously i am partial to our venue and participants, however, she has some very creative shooting sites and beautiful models.  go see!  BUT before you do, keep scrolling.

here are a few of my favourites.  please take a few minutes to soak them up.  they are so very precious, and i hope that you see the intimate details that came together.  i would not change a thing.

enjoy!

Dad and me on our walk

I adore my parents.  This makes me smile every time I see it.

Love him.

The men.

The women.

 The stud.

oohh it's me.

Mom, Sarah, and me

 Our guests signed rocks as a guestbook.  What a treat to read all of our notes!  Our friends are creative.

 Beyond blown away by the beautiful flowers!

Details, details, details....not one dull space.  I wanted to see all of the things that my mom came up with, so I got a sneak peek the morning of...

Gran's hands.  I love her.

Marriage is simply the best.

Hope you enjoyed these.  Come share coffee with me and I'll show you all 400+ of them. :)

Holy Moly - the month has flown by!

A month ago we were celebrating with a few details...

table arrangements, florals, and pumpkin cheesecakes (photo courtesy: DeAnna Masella)

it's been a little over a month since my last post, but a month ago TODAY we said "I DO" at 10:06 am. what a wonderful day it was!!

for my friends who know me well,  they could tell you that the last month has been an amazing time for chase and me.  honeymooning in mexico, moving into our first home, remodeling our first home, decorating our first home, watching TTU beat TCU :( but celebrating TCU beating WVU, celebrating 2 other weddings and getting to see so many family and friends in 4 weeks has been so exciting!  for those of you who peek in every once in awhile (or hey, wait around for a post), here's the update- we are doing great!

the wedding details:
we woke up to the coldest day of the season (the high was 51 degrees)
the wedding started on time
our guests stayed warm
the rain refrained from coming down
dennis married us and it was beautiful
we listened to our amazing friends sing, and my heart swelled with joy
the food was delish
we had cake, handmade by my friend, Kate
the guests ate pumpkin cheesecake
claudia caught my bouquet
cody caught my garter
we rode off in austin's F-150 and we had ribbon wands cheering us on

my groom (photo courtesy: DeAnna Masella)

the back of my dress (photo courtesy: Ana Contreras)

yahoo! (photo courtesy: Ana Contreras)

the garter throw, caught by Cody Ray (photo courtesy: Ana Contreras)

look at my beautiful momma (photo courtesy: Ana Contreras)

trying to climb my way into austin's truck (photo courtesy: Ana Contreras)

it was so much fun, y'all! (photo courtesy: DeAnna Masella)

More photos to come, promise.

things the guests didn't know:
we rented tents two days before to make sure that all was covered during the ceremony and reception
my parents and closest family and friends spent probably over 50-60 hours the week of the wedding preparing, hauling, setting stuff up for the big shin-dig
mom forgot her shoes
dixie saved the day!
our friend forgot to leave the keys in our getaway car, so austin and james took us to sonic happy hour before we headed back to the venue to truly say goodbye!

things i've learned along the way (yep, i am already wising up):
1. boys really are messier than girls.
2. i'm trying to not spoil my new hubby too too much with homemade meals every night, but gosh, it's easy to please a non-picky-always-compliments-the-chef eater.
3. sleep after a wedding is needed.  sleep after a wedding and during a remodel is essential.
4. our friends and family are amazing movers and completely irreplaceable when it comes to finishing out challenging projects.
5. friends are needed to encourage you to get to the gym (insert: thank you Abbi and Stacy) - when you are tired, tired, tired (see 3 above)

i have many more to come...i will wait :)  Happy Month to us, and Happy Voting Day to the rest of the world.  :)  It's a good day.

Life is simple

Life is simple. I learned something on valentine's day from my Chase. It went something like this 'life is simple...' he had a wonderfully eloquent unplanned saying that I can't think of at the moment but it meant so much to me.
Why do we clutter our minds with the unnecessary things?
So basically he stopped me in my tracks by specifically calling me out in my perfectionism without even knowing it. (insert i like it when we can be brutally honest with each other and leave the conversation sharpened)

Life is simple.

I know there are hard times.
I live in them, too.
I work with them.
However, I rely on them to make that simple life... well honorable and pleasing to Him.

I lost one of my favourite people tonight. Sudden. Difficult. Incomprehensible.
She was amazing. Aunt Jenn, you are loved more than you ever realized on this earth. But now you are in heaven...no pain, tears or struggle....(so sad i won't get to read your personally sent blog replies to my inbox)
Life is so hard, yet leaning on the words that Jesus once said, 'I am the way and the truth and the Life.'

He is Life. I've made my life so much more complicated. earning a living, the wining and dining of life, trying to fit in to whatever circle you're trying to be a part of, proving something to someone ... These things are far from Life.

I learned something on Valentine's Day.
It's challenging to live the simple life when the pattern and natural tendency is to complicate it. Relax may be to some of you a dirty word; to others a word of freedom. To me, the simplicity to life begins with freedom. I was promised it long ago. You were too. Accept Him as Life.

the hero with his pearl.

mondays can be challenging.  especially ones right after a long weekend...holiday weekend at that.  however, i had one of the sweetest conversations at work yesterday. one that made me think and praise God for-  it was with a 95 yo man and his wife.  of course, i cannot mention their names, so we'll call them the hero and his pearl.  the conversation took place at his bedside, and began with my usual greeting and introduction.  i paused for a moment after introducing myself, to ask the hero who this beautiful woman was that was sitting with him.  he paused and looked over at her.  i wasn't sure if he was going to reply.  waiting.  maybe he forgot her name.  waiting longer.  maybe he didn't hear me.  so i waited a little longer.  then, i repeated my question.  he says," i heard your question, ma'am.  she's my wife.  her name is pearl."  i peared back at her to see her grinning from cheek to cheek.  then, he continued, "you see, we're newlyweds.  we've only been married ten months."  i wasn't sure at this moment, if he meant 10 years, had a bout of confusion, or really was telling me the truth.  so i paused, then looking at him, he repeated himself, and said "she is the best thing that ever happened to me. and trust me, i've been through a lot.  i was an air force pilot and not until my last mission was i ever shot down.  i've seen a lot."  ...he went on, "we met through her son in law.  after meeting her once, i knew i loved her.  she loves to dance.  i love to take her dancing.  we enjoy each other."  i looked again at pearl.  "they call us love birds," she said.  smiling like a 20-something newlywed, it made my heart flutter just to see how happy they are together.  pearl, then said, "i just am so thankful you all are making him better so that he can come home." pointing at him, she continued with a tear in her eye, "i miss that guy." 
i walked out of the room encouraged about my own life and love and one day husband.  we always hear of divorce, splits, affairs, and things that are not the least bit God-honoring....and then you get a hero and a pearl.  

~movie makers and song writers can try and create all kinds of love stories. some are good. really good.  i have my residents.  for now, i am content with their real life love and war stories.