I have so much buzzing around in this blonde head of mine, so please be patient while I sort it out. I’m a list maker, so maybe if I organize all these thoughts in that matter, this post will make sense.

Where to begin…

Wedding things: Saturday was my first bridal shower. Simply put, it was incredible. Every detail was precious, the planning done primarily by Matt’s aunts and two cousins (one of which is 7 months pregnant and on bed rest, so thank you to Erin for hosting with poise and grace all the while the women of the family were pleading for her to just please get off her feet). The menu was my favorite part, a delicious display of diabetic friendly delicacies, including sugar-free carrot cake cupcakes with whipped icing. I might have brought the half-dozen that remained home with me. I might have also had them for breakfast two days this week. I know it can’t be good for my pre-wedding diet, yet still, I feel no remorse. I digress…

As I looked around, I watched the women socialize, discussing their latest recipes, summer plans, and playing with the mustache-on-a-stick that everyone received for a bridal shower rendition of “He Said, She Said.” I couldn’t help but think of how many times I had been on the other side of the party. The planning and preparation side. The precise attention to detail side. The “I care so much about this woman and want her bridal shower to be perfect for her” side. And here I was, on the bride side. I felt so much gratitude for these women who worked so hard to plan and come together to celebrate me. I have a great group of ladies in my corner. Let me tell you a little something about this corner of mine. We support each other in my corner. It is a place of refuge, of warm and welcoming embraces, of long talks on front porch swings. When I feel lost, I turn to these women, and I know they will guide me with their wisdom and a new perspective, if I need it.

On Saturday, my corner was stocked to the brim with lovely ladies who brought us awesome gifts in the form of home goods. They brought the cooking kind. The fluffy towel kind. And sentimental kind that can only be offered by the wisdom of a woman married for many a year.

I breathed a sigh of gratitude.

Thankfulness is the best accessory for a bride to carry.

****

Last Tuesday, I was disappointed when the threat of scattered storms encouraged me to cancel my bridal portraits. I was so excited to put on my dress, get all dolled up, and have an opportunity to be the one in front of the camera for once, and I didn’t want to wait another entire week for my opportunity. However, I’m glad I did. I absolutely believe the Lord had a much better day planned for us.

Tonight, I lived a moment I’ve been waiting for since the moment Matt asked me to be his Misses. Tonight, for the first time, I really felt like a bride. I put on my dress, glossed my lips, had each piece of hair pinned into the perfect place, and I rocked it out in front of that 50 mm lens. With the perfect glow of evening light, we obtained a 4Gb card full of beautiful, and might I add extremely fun and candid, images. In a later post after the wedding, I will gladly share them.

I’m very blessed to have a dear friend from church, Shannon Wright, who was willing to take my bridal portraits. I felt so honored to be her very first bridal session in her photography career. Girlfriend has major talent! Her creative eye and attention to detail are impeccable. Feel free to check out her website:

http://shannonwrightphotography.com/blog/

I had another one of those moments tonight at Jasmine. I looked around the plantation at 6:30 this evening, thinking “This is it.” This place would be the sacred ground where we will exchange our vows. Lifelong promises of love, devotion and commitment. We have almost exactly two months left. I. Am. So. Ready.

There are many things in life I fancy right now, too many to post tonight. I’m soaking up every minute of this time in my life. Changes are on the horizon, great changes.

All the time, God is good.