The Wedding In Review

We did it! We are married and I am a very happy newlywed. :) Here's a recap of the big event:

First of all, let me just say that if we had a million dollars, I wouldn't have changed a thing or done anything differently. It was the dream wedding and everything was perfect! No glitches, no hiccups, just a beautiful day. My flowers were unreal...absolutely beautiful. The roses in my bouquet matched my dress exactly, and everything was beyond my expectations. When it was time for us to line up to process in, every one of my bridesmaids was so beautiful. The men were so handsome in their tuxes! And when it was time and they opened the doors, my father walked me down the aisle and it was perfect. The ceremony was so special, and we both did a good job of holding it together through the ceremony. :) (I didn't know if we would!) After lots of pictures, we headed over to the City Club in Ft Worth for the party of a lifetime! The room was gorgeous, the food was incredible, and the DJ was incredible! (Big shout out to Melodies and Memories!!) We seriously got our groove on, and my legs are so sore today from all the dancing! We had a blast! Our cakes were delicious, our guests were wonderful, and even my grandfather had prepared a toast! When it was time for us to leave, we made our escape in a horse-drawn carriage that took us around Ft. Worth and dropped us off at the Worthington Hotel. We changed clothes and met a handful of friends down at the patio at 8.0's and hung out for a short time. Then we had to call it a night because we were exhausted. But it was the best night of my life, and I wouldn't change a thing at all. As soon as we have pictures I will post a few, but we never remembered our digital camera was with us, so we didn't take any photos of our own! (Silly us!)

What a great night! Thank you to everyone who participated, was a guest, or simply wished us well...it means so much to David and I!! Now we are off to Jamaica tomorrow for a week of bliss!! I'll blog when I return, so everyone be well and know we love you!

It's My Wedding Day!

Wow...it's really here! We had a great rehearsal last night, and the dinner was lots of fun. And now, after a really good night's sleep, my day is here. I stayed with mom and dad last night and they took me to breakfast this morning. I feel so calm! Alex called to tease me, and it was a fun first call of the day! I can't wait to see everyone tonight, and I know I will wish I had more time to talk to all my friends. I have old friends from elementary school, friends I have known since birth, and new friends coming to share the day. I got a very special text message from David last night, and it's one more reminder that I am marrying the perfect man for me.

So that's it! The next time I blog I will be Mrs. Jennifer Willis. :)

Things Are Getting Surreal

Yes, it hardly seems like things are happening as quickly as they are! Time is flying, and I am so afraid that I will blink and miss it all. We've been so busy, and I swear that no two people can spend money as fast as we do. Ugh! Yesterday was a big day...all the favors are done and everything needed for the reception is at the site, so today we only have a couple of errands to run and then we're set. I am getting a facial and then picking up my dress!! After that, we have to pick up just a few things and then clean house like crazy! (It's a mess!!!)

Tomorrow is the rehearsal and dinner, and I am excited about that. Mother and I are going in the morning to take white roses to my Gran's grave site. Her birthday was last Saturday, and the second anniversary of her passing was last Sunday. It hardly seems possible for two years to have passed by. It feels like yesterday. I am missing her more and more as the wedding approaches, but being a believer in guardian angels, I know she will be there with me. There will be a white rose on the church organ just for her.

Two days...there is a lot happening in the next two days, and it's like I am floating through the days. I am really looking forward to Saturday, but I will be sorry that it's all over. But come Monday, we are off to Jamaica, and this girl is ready!!!

My next post will hopefully be Friday night. I am staying with Mom and Dad and am hoping to post before I go to bed that night.

Everyone have a good Thursday!

Celebrating Friends

Today was very special for me. Mom and I hostessed the Bridesmaid Brunch, and it was wonderful! We went to the Grand Lux Cafe and had mimosas and omelets, and a wonderful time was had by all! It's wonderful to sit at a table with your best friends and have a chance to tell them how much they mean to you. I am a very lucky girl to have as many close friends as I do.

David's parents gave us their wedding gift to us last night. They gave us all the Fitz and Floyd tableware we registered for, which was incredibly generous! We've had fun looking at all our new tableware!

So now the countdown is on! Tomorrow night we are picking up all the tables and chairs for the rehearsal dinner and getting them to Tom and Angela's tomorrow night. (We're having our dinner catered at their beautiful home!) We have a few things left to do, and I am about to begin working on the wedding favors after I finish my blog. I am making bourbon pecans, and I love these things! :) I have two days left at work before I am off for the wedding/honeymoon, and I have a ton of stuff to do there before I go, too. Whew! It's going to be busy!

I'll blog as I can this week. Have a good rest of the evening!

Nine Days???

Yup. Nine days. It feels like everything is almost a dream...am I really getting married? Wow. I really am! (Do not mistake this for cold feet! Just adjusting to the fact that I will be a married woman very soon!) I have had a very good single life, so in a way it's hard to think I won't just be "Jennifer S." anymore. My thirties have been good to me and I have had many good (and tough) times. But through all my experiences I have learned who I am, and who my true friends are. I have learned that I am a strong woman who powers through tough times. I learned to love myself, which taught me to allow others to love me, too. I've learned I can do things when I really work at it. And most of all, I have really learned to respect myself. And when I quit asking God to send me a man and to teach me to love myself for who I am, along came David. So my life is good, and not just because I am getting married. It's good because my life is full of people and memories that I treasure. And this is only the beginning!! I'm on the cusp of the next phase of my life, and I wonder what it will bring. I always ask myself whenever I move to a new apartment, "what will happen to me in my life while I live here?" It's fun to find out!

My bridesmaid brunch is this weekend and I am glad to have the chance to dine with the girls and show them some love. They have treated me like a queen and been so good to me...it's such a small token of thanks, but I hope they enjoy their goodies and fill their bellies with tasty food. And mostly, I hope they walk away knowing how much I love them. They are part of a core group of people who rock my world and help keep me sane.

And to Joseph, who is far too manly to be a bridesmaid...I am grateful to you for all the times you, too, have had to help me figure out my life. I am one lucky girl!

So as I prepare for the biggest event of my life so far, it's good to reflect on all those who I treasure. And my Gran...I will miss your physical presence, but I do hope that somehow you're with me that day!

:)

The Big Night Out

I am totally spent. It was a really great weekend, but I guess I am no longer built for dancing until 3am anymore! We started out by checking in to the Melrose Hotel and cracking open a bottle of wine. Mia provided arm/shoulder massages, and we got dressed and ready to go out, but not before was presented with the required bachelorette veil, complete with light up, blinking penises. We headed over to Frida’s restaurant where the food is absolutely fantastic! After an incredibly tasty dinner, we walked over to the Condoms to Go store, where the group bought me a very sparkly tiara that says “Bachelorette”, a candy necklace with penis-shaped candies on it, and a large plastic drinking vessel, also shaped like the aforementioned male anatomy. Oh, and did I mention it was Pride weekend on Oak Lawn? I was the belle of the ball down there!

Joseph, me, and Christy

We got to S4 early, so we sat out on the patio and had drinks. We wandered up to the Rose Room for the 11pm drag show, which was a riot! After that we went downstairs and danced our tails off and had a great time! We wandered to Café Brazil about 2:30am and had a bite to eat and then headed back to the hotel to call it a night.

A HUGE thank you to Christy, Mia, Kim, Joseph, Dima, and Jonquil for making it a great night! (And Jonquil, I followed your advice and made it home with both shoes and both earrings!)

Me and Christy

Joseph, Mia, Dima, Kim, and Christy

Mia and Christy

Kim, Mia, and Christy

Joseph and Dima

What a great farewell to my single-hood! Thanks to everyone! :)

Slow Recovery

I am still exhausted after the bachelorette party Saturday night!! It was beyond fun...it was crazy! I'll elaborate more when I am recovered. I even have a couple of pictures suitable for public viewing, and I will post here.

Thanks to everyone who came: Christy, Joseph, Dima, Mia, Kim, and Jonquil! It was a blast!

Bachelorette Party Eve

Tomorrow is my bachelorette party! I have been so tired running around doing other things that I haven't really gotten pumped up about it until tonight. I bought a really cute new shirt for tomorrow night, and I am in the process of designing the make-up look, and I think it is all coming together! I had dinner and drinks with Christy tonight, and I sure needed it. We talked and she assured me that she was feeling just like I am when she was two weeks away from her wedding. It's good to feel normal! David and I were going to try and go salsa dancing tonight, but we are both worn out. He is at his parent's house for dinner tonight, so I am relaxing. As soon as I finish this post, I am going to take a bubble bath and eat a popsicle. :)

Tomorrow morning we meet one last time with the florist, and then have brunch with Grampa. It's a fairly busy day, but a good one. David's bachelor party is tomorrow night and I just told him I don't need to know everything. ;) Next weekend we are having our last date as an unmarried couple, and I am looking forward to it. We're going to the museum, and then drinks and dinner. Very romantic, and we need some quiet Dave and Jen time before that last week!

So that's the news for today. It's been a busy day, and I am looking forward to going to bed. :)

Nowhere Near The Storm

Although the weather here has become slightly cooler, I am the in Dallas/Ft. Worth area and not getting any rain from the hurricane down south. So anyone wondering if I am washing away, I'm barely seeing clouds today. So thanks for your concern!

I have no news today. I am home taking a day for myself and getting some things done. I hope everyone has a wonderful day!

17 Days, But Whose Counting?

Tick-tock, right? Actually, I am doing pretty good. The stress is minimal, and things are on track. What's the scary thing now? Trying to make time to practice dancing for our reception. I have been trying to contact a dance teacher here in the area, but won't return my calls or emails, so I will take the hint and keep looking. If anyone is interested in hiring Gene Willman for dance instructions, I would say keep looking! He won't contact you back!

The weather has been unreal! It is gorgeous outside! David and I celebrated the weather with dinner on the patio at OTB, followed by enjoying our own patio last night. I am loving this weather and I hope it stays like this for a while!

And a big shout out to my friend Holly who got a new job within the company at one of our regional offices! Go girl! I know you are much happier! :)

So that's it for today. No real news, just mindless chatter. I wish I had something more substantial to share, but no such luck. So just enjoy the weather! David and I are having dinner with Grampa tonight. :)

Have a good Wednesday!

Slug-Like Behavior

I got home last night and just ran out of energy! We ran some errands and grabbed a quick dinner at Chili's and after that I was useless! (I was in bed before 9!!) But it was nice to get some good sleep.

I failed to mention yesterday...HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ANGELA!!! I know she prefers to hibernate for her birthday, but I love you, girl! Hope it was good! :)

It's been really busy up here at work, but the word is spreading that I got a promotion and I am having people email me lots of nice congratulatory things. September is quite a month with the promotion and wedding! As much as I am looking forward to the wedding, I am really looking forward to the honeymoon, and a week of more sloth-like behavior as I lay around on the beach and have a cabana boy bring me cocktails. Yes, it's going to be a good vacation! :)

Saturday night is my bachelorette party, and I don't know what to wear! We're going to dinner and then going dancing, and I am really looking forward to it! Sunday is Kevin's fiance's wedding shower, and I am helping to host. So it's a busy weekend! Oh, we also have our final floral appointment on Saturday morning. I am looking forward to that, too. :) Friday night I am going shopping for my super-fab outfit for Saturday night. (I am also picking up a few responsible looking outfits for my new job, too!)

I am no longer having wedding nightmares about things going horribly wrong. I am at peace with all of our arrangements and there is very little left to do. I need to get the wedding favors together (homemade bourbon pecans!), and print out a handful of programs...just to make sure we have enough. But I think most everything is ready, and I will be glad to have it all done.

One more important note for today...God bless all those who were affected by 9/11/01. It's been 6 years ago, and so many families are probably still dealing with grief.

An Open Letter To Britney Spears

Britney,

The whole world seemed to wait for you to have an awesome performance last night on the VMAs...people are cheering for you to succeed and show everyone that you're a born performer and not as crazy as the tabloids say you are.

Oh girl, your train totally derailed last night.

What the heck happened? First of all, you were lipsynching...you couldn't even get that right! Were you stoned or drunk? Your eyes were vacant, and you literally stumbled through your performance. And hair extensions...you make enough money to go get some good extensions. You looked awful! I hear you like to do your own makeup...did you do the extensions yourself, too? You looked like you had checked out way before you even got onstage.

The song itself isn't so bad. It has a good enough groove to dance to at a club, so I'm not blaming you for bad music. (I kinda like the song!) But seriously, I think what the world wants for you is first and foremost that you get sober. It's VERY evident that you have some sort of substance abuse issue. (c'mon...even Lindsey attempts rehab!) You have two kids that need parents. K-Fed is looking like a very responsible parent compared to you, girl. Quit acting a fool and get yourself together. If we never see another performance from you again, let it be because you decided that being a good mother is what your #1 priority should be. (You know, you can still be a great mom and pop star! It's possible!) Next, you need to wear clothes that work for your body. Let's face it...the sparkly bra and boy shorts don't go with the beer belly. (And I'm not judging about weight...I'm just suggesting more body-appropriate clothes!) There are plenty of looks that would have been much better for you. And if you can't stand up on your own, don't wear your best hooker-heels to dance in.

You had a lot of people cheering for you. You let everyone down. Girl, you should have cancelled your performance and stayed home with the kids. I just don't see a "comeback" happening for you. You need to get right with your family and get yourself together. You only get one shot at life...try to do it right.

Less Than Three Weeks!

We are officially under the three week mark until the wedding, and I can't believe it! I keep feeling that there are things I need to be doing, but everything is really under control. I just have a handful of things to do, but they are small details. So I guess I am almost ready! I have a meeting with the florist once more this week, and then she'll be ordering the flowers. :) This is also my last full week in my current position. I am beginning my transition to my new position beginning next week, and I am very excited about that! I am ready for a new challenge.

We had dinner with my cousin and his wife last night to celebrate his birthday. it was nice to just get to hang out with them last night. We haven't done that in a really long time, and it was fun. We made dinner, hung out, and played Guitar Hero on the PlayStation...and had a blast!

Today is the day David has been waiting for...the "real" start of the football season! He is on the couch right now flipping between two games. I like football, but I am too restless to invest myself in a game right now. I do plan to watch the Cowboys tonight, though.

I think I am going to finish the wedding programs today and get that done. I need to figure out what to wear for my bachelorette party next weekend. That's going to be a good time, and I can't wait! We're going to do dinner and dancing. (No, we're not going to a strip bar...it's not my bag, baby!) I need to start planning the outfit now!

Everyone have a relaxing Sunday!

I Do! Oh, not yet?

Yeah, I am a dork. We went to get our marriage license yesterday, and when the JP asked us to raise our right hand a swear that the information we provided was correct, as David said "yes", I'm over there being Goober-Bride saying "I do!" Needless to say, both David and the JP laughed at me. :) Hey, I was practicing!

It's been busy here at work. My manager and his boss are both a little panicky that I am moving to a new position on another team. Sorry, but I guess they should have managed their teams better! I am so excited about my new position! I feel so grown up now! (And I got a good raise, too! Yay!)

So all is good right now. I am much less stressed now that the reception is paid for, and there isn't much left to do. :) I am a happy bride these days, although I feel like we are passing each other coming and going. We've been so busy! Every time we turn around we have something we need to do. I am glad that we get to slow down this weekend. We are having Craig and Jen over to celebrate Craig's birthday Saturday night. David is doing a brisket, and it should be pretty amazing! I'm going to make cupcakes, too. :)

I think that's about it for now. Have a good Thursday!

The Marriage License

Holy cow...we're going to get our marriage license today! This definitely feels surreal to me. After that, we're going to Grampa's for dinner tonight. I haven't gotten to see him in a few weeks, so I am looking forward to it!

Tomorrow David heads out again, but will be home on Friday, so it's not a long trip. Saturday night we are planing to have my cousins over for dinner to celebrate Craig's birthday....we didn't have time last weekend, so we will this weekend! :)

It's been crazy busy here at work. I am ready to call it a day. But I have my mid-year review this afternoon. After that, I am out of here!

28 Days and Counting

Well, my dress is altered and finished and at the bridal shop to be stored and steamed! Very exciting! I have done the trial run on my hair and makeup, and I had a facial this morning. There are just the little details left now, and I am getting very excited!! Less than a month...holy cow! Tuesday we got get our marriage license, and I think that will feel very surreal.

In other news, I got a promotion and a raise yesterday! It's been long-overdue and I couldn't be any happier! I am going to dinner tonight with the family to celebrate. :) David managed to get an earlier flight home, so he gets to go celebrate, too! :)

I don't have much other news...I'll be on my honeymoon one month from today! Woo-hoo! :)

Everyone have a wonderful holiday weekend!

Have A Seat? No Thanks!

So my wedding dress is done except for adding the straps and one very special little detail. But I tried it on and loved it! It's not built for comfort, that's a fact. And sitting down? I don't know if that's going to happen. We all know I am not a supermodel-sized girl, so there are some mechanics going on under the dress to smooth things out and make me look nice. That, and the dress has a fair amount of boning in it to make the bodice lay just right. It's beautiful! But not good for sitting! Thankfully I have very comfy shoes (thanks to Born footwear!) and will also have some flip flops in case I need to change...but I doubt I will. So while I may look lovely, I will probably be wishing that I could sit gracefully. :)

I met with our reception coordinator. She replaced the one we had that I loved so much, and I had a lot of reservations about a new person this far into the game. Turns out that I ADORE her!! And sadly, the other girl that I loved wasn't on top of things like our new girl, whose name is Heather. Heather and I have the very same organizational style, so I feel like she gets me. And she has been in this business for a long time and knows what's what. So I am feeling so much better about things!! I wrote the check for the reception, and we talked for two hours about all the reception details. I am really excited about everything! :) So now I can focus on other details because I know things are on track. :)

Today I am having a bridal shower here at the office, and I am excited about it. Although it does start to feel funny when you think about people pretty much just gathering to watch you open stuff. It's a little awkward, but very flattering! :)

So that's it for now. I hope everyone has a great Thursday!

33 Days - Holy Cow!

I can't believe it! 33 days! We had a very busy weekend, but we got some wedding stuff accomplished so I feel good. We got David measured for his tux, we had the final cake tasting (that was sheer torture...eating cake is a tough job, but someone has to do it!), celebrated the 2nd birthday of my very soon to be twin nephews...and that was all on Saturday! Sunday was much less busy with regards to running around like madpeople, but we still got lots done. We relaxed, did some housekeeping, and vegged for a bit. But during the evening, we watched about three hours of the Discovery channel's Blue Planet series. All three episodes were about sea life and let me tell you, there are some scary looking things living deep in the ocean! I thought some of those things were made up, but they're real! I am never going into water I can't see the bottom of...those creeped me out!

However, while watching all this, we finished up the confetti packets for the reception, as well as discussing other details. Tonight we are working on wedding day logistics and how to get everyone and everything where it needs to go on the big day. We're also going to work on the seating chart. (Don't worry...we're doing it so that we can match up people who might not know anyone else with other people who they might enjoy getting to know! It's not like a second grade classroom seating chart!) Mom has gotten the decor for the rehearsal dinner taken care of, and it's going to look great! We found someone who actually has enough chairs and tables for us to borrow, so we won't even need to rent them! (We're catering our dinner at Angela's beautiful house!) Everything is really falling into place and I am getting excited again. For a while I just wanted to hide from everything wedding related. It gets to be a lot of stress! (I had no idea!) I used to make fun of the Bridezilla shows. Although most of those women are over the top rude and tacky, I do understand how they get stressed and a little snippy with people. (That does NOT excuse just flat out bad behavior!) You just want everything to be beautiful and to look like you envision. I am learning to just trust that it will all be OK. I am also not good at delegating, so I need to remember that I am surrounded by wonderful people who are here to help. (I have people ask me all the time what they can do to help me!) All will be well...I need to relax and breathe.

So that's it for today. Plenty of rambling. It's only going to get worse in the next 33 days!

For Rachel in North London

A fellow blogger has lost her mother this week after a stroke followed by many complications. If you haven't stopped to read Rachel in North London, she is a survivor of many things, most notably for me of the London tube bombings. She's turned her experience into a fight for justice and for those who did not survive. (A link to her blog is listed on the right of this page) My most sincerest of prayers goes out to her family. I thought I would share the lyrics to one of the most beautiful songs I've ever known:

O Earth, lie heavily upon her eyes; Seal her sweet eyes weary of watching.
Earth, lie close around her; leave no room for mirth
With its harsh laughter, nor for sounds of sighs.

She hath no questions, she hath no replies,
Hushed in and curtained with a blessed dearth Of all that irked her from the hour of birth;
With stillness that is almost Paradise.
Darkness more clear than noonday holdeth her,
Silence more musical than any song;
Even her very heart has ceased to stir;

Until the morning of Eternity
Her rest shall not begin nor end, but be;
And when she wakes she will not think it long.

-Christina Rossetti

Just Stuff

Nothing of importance today...just random stuff. Mom and I went to look for goodie bags for the kids at the wedding reception. Found lots of fun stuff to put in there. We really want the kiddos to be entertained, so we're also hiring a clown for them so that their parents can enjoy the reception, too.

I think I am starting to feel ready to get stuff done again. I am meeting with the coordinator for the reception next Wednesday. Oh, and I am writing her a very large check. Ugh! But I am looking forward to meeting her. I'll feel much better about things when I do. David is getting his tux measured on Saturday morning, so we'll get that out of the way. Then we get to eat wedding cake! Yay! We're doing our final cake tasting on Saturday afternoon and I am looking forward to that. I have to remember to go next door to the paper shop to get more paper for the table cards at the reception. There is still much to do!

Tonight I am going to Toys R Us to buy birthday gifts for the nephews. They are twins and turn 2 this weekend. They are getting a very good art easel and a couple of Ugly Dolls. (If you haven't seen them, Google them - very funny and cute!)

Somewhere in all this I am trying to squeeze in a trial for my hair for wedding day. I have 37 days to get this mess together!! Ugh!