The Day I Became a Mrs.

Sorry I've been holding out, here is what you're all waiting for...

So three weeks ago today we got MARRIED! For anyone who is blind or doesn't have a Facebook, it was a beautiful, beautiful (but hot) day and it was truly the happiest day of my life.  Everyone told me it would fly by, everyone told me to let the little things slide (which I never thought I'd be able to do), and everyone told me to take time to soak up the moments passing by--they were all right!  Man does the day fly!  I mean, we're three weeks out now and I'm like, where did the time go?  I seriously can't believe it.

I'm happy to report that I got a full 8 hours of sleep on the night before my wedding, and I was greeted that next morning with a phone call from my future-hubby (to calm the nerves we thought we were going to be battling).  Getting ready was extremely..peaceful?  I don't know what to say about it; I wasn't freaking out or stressed, it was just so surreal all I wanted to do was leave that little room and go give James a hug.  I don't know if my stylists could believe how un-nervous I was.  I couldn't believe we'd be married in just a few hours.

And the next thing I know I'm getting finished with makeup and they want me to get in my dress, and then we're taking pictures, and then I see guests start showing up, and then I'm stuffed back in the little room....

And then it happened.  After a pre-processional pep-talk from my dad, "Here Comes the Bride" began to blair and it was time to walk.  There are no words to describe that moment, you just have to live it to know.  It was amazing and happy and scary and fun and nerve-wracking and exciting and so much more.  And then I saw James and how happy he was, and I tried to keep my eyes on him like everyone told me to but it was just so overwhelming, it's hard to stick to the rules.

Neither of us remember a word that Jeff (our pastor) said, but what I do remember is how hot I was and how much my cheeks were hurting from smiling--I couldn't stop!  I shakily said my vows, I forgot my bouquet, and I walked way to fast back down the aisle, but that's all small potatoes if you ask me.  Our cake reception was hellish, in the temperature sense, but the fun that ensued afterwards will not be soon forgotten.

I can't remember having a better time than I did at my own wedding reception, and I can't remember a time that I got so much positive feedback.  I think everyone liked it, right?  I mean, everyone danced the whole time and we had to shut it down! We paid for 5 hours of a DJ thinking no one would be there at the end, but people wanted to stay longer!  Sadly (truly sadly) we ran out of there and off to our wedding night; I can't lie, we reminisce about the day all the time and how much we wish we could go back and do it multiple more times, no matter how impossible that actually is.

Married life isn't exactly what I thought it would be.  Besides the fact that our bed is way too small and a source of contention every night, and besides the fact that we have not had a single night where we have both been home and with no plans, and besides the fact that my whole apartment is more disheveled [by gifts and unpacking] than I can bear, and besides the fact that life has a secret stash of lemons that it keeps giving us, we are ecstatic.  I could not be happier to be living every day with James.  It really is like having a sleepover with my best friend every night.  We stay up talking and laughing until one of us falls asleep (which is pretty much the only way to fall asleep in our unfortunate bed situation) and it is a pretty awesome feeling to wake up together every day.  I don't have to go to work as early as he does so I get to stay cuddled in bed while he brushes his teeth and gets ready, chatting and talking about our previous night's dreams.  Not gonna lie, I also love the fact that my bed permanently smells like him.  Is that weird?  The growing pains are being felt, but we take them as a challenge and an opportunity to grow into this new life together stronger than before.

Our toasting champagne flutes were inscribed "Today I Marry My Best Friend" and it couldn't have been more true.  We are so excited to start this journey together and to see what God has in store for our new life.

Can't Be a Queen Bee Without a Bee Throne

I can honestly say I hardly ever crack open my actual computer anymore; more often than not I just do all of my internet stuffs via my beloved iPhone (which excludes blogging, since Blogger doesn't have an app!).  But tonight I get a night off(?) from most busyness and I thought I'd write a little....

It's been exactly one month since I moved into my new apartment and my fondness of it has only grown.  Sure, it's a long drive to work, but aside from that it is wonnnderful.  I just got a fridge yesterday, so 4 hours and 8 magic erasers later my new-to-me fridge is looking brand new, and I am finally able to buy real food again!  Don't get me wrong, I love pasta, but pasta every other night (along with pop-tarts, bread, and top ramen) is getting old.  Yesterday was an unbearably hot day to be moving a fridge from Long Beach to Anaheim, so we most definitely got to try out our pool for the first time.  Tonight while I was vacuuming James stopped me to say, "Amanda, I love our little place."  And we surveyed it together, from our fridge and new tea station, to the living room that's still coming along and constantly changing arrangements, to our little Ikea table and chairs... It's really an awesome little first home and we can't wait to finally live in it together.

Last weekend was my bridal shower and it was perfect.  I felt like time flew by, but I suppose that's good compared to other showers I've been to that drag on.  My maids of honor, Deb and Kayla, did an amazing job with not only the decorations but also with the events and the whole atmosphere of the afternoon.  I was impressed with how many people were actually able to come, and with how many wonderful gifts we got!  I finally have silverware! And cups! Ahhh!! I wish I had some more pictures for you from the shower, but unfortunately I didn't get to snag any as I was pretty busy.

On a side note, can I just add that I have the best moms?  Both my own mom and my future mother-in-law have been such a huge help to us this past month I don't know what I would do without them.  I guess our wedding countdown is truly winding down (40 days!), but with all of the last minute surprises and stress that's cropped up this month, they've been there for me and helped me through.  I got my wedding dress fitted and sent it in for alterations and seeing the dress on me got me very excited for our day.... that, and all these people getting married and engaged! August just needs to be here already!

[our new coffee/station... PTL for Starbucks benefits]

I've got two big interviews this week but before I jinx it and talk all about them, I'll just say God is good and more than surpasses what I ever feel I "need."

"So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly father knows you need them.  But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

-Matthew 6:31-33

Wedding Blues

It's been exactly two weeks since we've gotten engaged and let me tell you, it's been a busy two weeks.  We have been planning up the yin-yang and though it's something enjoyable to do together (practice for marriage, or so I'm told) it's really exhausting, and sometimes awfully defeating.

Since I'm pretty sure hardly anyone reads this blog, I'm okay posting specifics on here, because I don't think it will give too much away.  The wedding is going to be in August, so I'm going for warm, end-of-summer colors, and attire that will be suitable for the weather.  Just yesterday it was 91 degrees in San Diego, and this gave us a grim reminder of how hot it could be on our special day...

My color scheme.

Groomsmen attire, as opposed to heavy, black tuxedoes.

We have settled on our ideal date, picked our bridal party and colors, hired our wedding coordinator, planned an engagement party, created a wedding website, settled on our perfect honeymoon, and I am going dress shopping in two weeks!  We are also currently drudging through the process of finding the ideal location for our reception--why does everything have to be so expensive?!  Sometimes it's hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel... we are going to be married at the end of all of this, right?

I guess I just have a case of pre-wedding blues, or maybe engagement blues is the better term.  Luckily for me, I have the best partner in the world, fully ready and willing to help me with any and all of the planning, from making phone calls and excel spreadsheets, to giving me a massage when I'm overwhelmed.  There really is a lot of joy and excitement in the process, it just tends to get clouded some days...