My Funny Valentine

Today was such a fun day--I spent the whole day with a smile on my face!  This morning I woke up to roses and a hot latte, followed by a movie in bed and an incredible massage.  My hubby sure knows how to make a morning!  Then we headed up to a local park for a picnic and photo shoot which got a little out of control and had us rolling around in tears from laughing so hard (sorry, none of these laugh-inducing photos will ever be released to the public).  Then we came home for a bit before cooking our amazing surf-n-turf dinner, followed by a night of blogging and watching the Olympics.  We sure are spoiled sometimes!  (Can I also publicly express how much I love playing around in Lightroom 5?!)

Am I lucky or what?!  Not only is he handsome but he has the patience of a saint and lets me test out my tripod for hours on end....  (And then cooks dinner!)

Dear James,
I know you read this blog sometimes so in case you are reading today, I'm sorry I posted kissing pictures on the internet, and that I made you take so many pictures in general, but you have to admit we had a good time.  Thank you for always loving me despite my crazy whims, and for always supporting my dreams and passions.   You are the only person who understand me, you're my favorite shoulder to cry on, and the only person who can make me laugh any time I'm sad.  I don't think I say it enough, but I don't know what I did to deserve you and I will probably spend the rest of my life trying to pay it back.  I love you so much my funny valentine, you are my hero!
xoxo, me

The First Year

A year ago today was honestly the best day of my life.  I have had many great days since then, but there is no comparison to our wedding day when everything was perfect, I felt like an absolute princess, and I got to marry my best friend.  

I am so thankful for James and his optimism, and more importantly his love for God.  He is truly a great partner, someone who can always lift me up and encourage me even in my lowest lows, and can remind me of what's really important at the end of each day.  It's a remarkable thing to have a friend like that.  Marriage has been such a humbling experience, and one that has taught me more about myself than anything else I've ever experienced.  Im so glad I have a patient and understanding husband who is willing to put up with me through the learning process, someone who I can be totally weird and silly around and who loves me for all of it.  I don't know what I possibly could have done to deserve a guy like you. 

One down, many, many more to go--there's no one else I'd rather do this with, I love you James!

.

Jesse and Kelly and a Weekend Away

This past weekend we had the opportunity to watch two dear friends fulfill their dream of marrying each other in the Julian woods, and what a sweet occasion it was.  I loved everything about the day, but most notably I was just so happy to see friends so in love, sharing the best day of their lives.  I've been to a lot of weddings recently but this time I couldn't help but notice their love practically radiating out of their faces.  It was awesome.

I also enjoyed sneaking away for the weekend to have a quick father's day celebration at home in San Diego, and then visiting Julian, part of my old stomping grounds.  Growing up, Julian was the town nearest to my own where we could see the remnants of a light snowfall, or else just enjoy some amazing apple pie.  It's always nice to visit, and on the way home from the wedding, driving through the golden hills, James and I couldn't help but fantasize about living somewhere as rural and home-y as Julian.  

After this we enjoyed a lazy Sunday and some time spent with James' side of the family; a restful day was something much needed by this point!

Wedding emotions wear us out!

(PS- This is probably my favorite thing about being married right now.. Lazy mornings just talking and laughing until we're forced out of bed to face the day.)

Congrats, Kelly and Jesse!

January and the Happs... happenings, that is.

I think the last time I wrote was just shortly after graduation... and now school is underway again! But not for me ^_^

Many people have asked, and I don't mind sounding like a broken record here, but I honestly LOVE being out of school and having very little scheduled on my plate each week.  I'm not even job hunting.  I have been made to feel very guilty and ashamed for admitting that I don't want to be working full time any time soon, because I would rather catch up on the life I missed the last 6 months (especially my new marriage), but I am trying to let those voices fall by the wayside.  I will have my entire life to work full time, and while we can afford it I would really just like to soak up life right now, exactly the way it is.  Got it? Ok.

Christmas came and went and what a lovely time it was.  I actually had time off this year so I was able to go home for an extended period of time and enjoy my family and San Diego, as well as getting much needed quality time with James before he returned to work and was inundated with his usual holiday load.

 

Now that it's the new year I feel like things are already changing, already new, without my even trying.  More and more I get the sense that I am living the life I have always held in the back of my mind, and that is one of the happiest feelings.  I notice it in the little things, like changing the way I dress and wear makeup, or how the light streams in through the bedroom window in the mid-afternoon, or even the way I spend my mornings reading with multiple cups of tea.... It's difficult to put into words but I really just love the way our life is coming together right now.

A week ago I cut off a chunk of my hair and donated it to locks of love; something that was never on my bucket list but which materialized in a moments notice leaving no time for regrets.  My long hair was so disgusting, for lack of a better word; it was damaged, uneven, fried, and lifeless.  I couldn't even get it to hold a curl anymore!  So I traded it in for a versatile short 'do which I am also quite happy about.

The flu AND sinus infection rolled through our little house starting on New Years Day and have claimed us both as victims.  I had never honestly called in sick to work, but this infection had me out for 12 days.  I think I secretly didn't mind, because it gave me an excuse to truly rest for days on end, which, if you know me (/us), that is practically unheard of.  I was so miserably ill that I could hardly take care of myself, let alone house upkeep, and I had to surrender and retreat to my bed with snacks and movies.

January brought more wedding planning for Heather and me, but I was also very delighted to attend the wedding of our dear friends Andy and Lauren Turner.  Their day was so beautiful, I just watched their wedding video yesterday and nearly cried.  It was my first wedding since my own and it was so cool to me to see how they did theirs differently, but to also have the relief of knowing mine is done and never has to be planned ever again!

Recently James also got a promotion at work, making him into one very happy camper.  It never ceases to amaze me how good his company is to their employees, and I have really seen that in the past few months as the holidays came and went.  Most days I'm jealous--I wish my boss would buy me a snuggie and bring me ice cream sandwiches on my birthday!  Either way, I'm very grateful and excited for this new turn in James' career, and I am always so proud of him for how hard he works to give us the life we have.

February means our 6-monthaversary... can you believe we've been married 6 months already?! I can't.  It feels like yesterday, but it also feels like 5 years ago.  It also dawned on me that now being graduated and married, along with a few other personal achievements, I have completed most all of the "second decade" goals that I made for myself post-high school, and have little that I long for.  Perhaps that's what's been morphing my time?

I still swoon every time I gaze at these guys too long.  Love my rings.

Right now a few of my favorite things are:

Daiso is my new favorite store--it is conveniently out by us in Anaheim and it is the cutest little Japanese $1.50 store, but it carries everything and it's NOT junk.  I know our dollar stores tend to carry cheap or generally crappy looking items, but this store sells everything from men's neckties, to women's slipper socks, to a fully stocked electronics section, and the BEST assortment of school/office supplies for those who like to keep it colorful, and it's actually good quality--I tell everyone about it!  I have to force myself to stay away most days, and I think from now on I'm going to start going in carrying only a specific amount of cash.  If you haven't been, or if you are in need of anything, you should definitely try Daiso.  Just off the 5 at Euclid!

 

Vine is a new app that just surfaced, very similar to Instagram but instead of photos it's a feed for 6-second video clips.  There are so many times that I have wished for an app like this, and now that it's here I'm elated.  I know they still have a lot of kinks to iron out but its so fun to make little video clips and also to be saving these snippets of our life.  I smell a complication in the near future...

Foster the People. Everyone knows them for their overplayed, hipster-esque "Pumped Up Kicks" and for this song I had crossed them off my list, labeling them as annoying.  But lately I heard a few more of their songs and I actually have been enjoying them very much.  Great music for cleaning the house ;D

So that's our January, into February we go! Next weekend I am going to my friend Melissa's wedding (not my bridesmaid Melissa, a different one!).  I am secretly really excited because it's my first ever African-American wedding.... did I just say that?! Anyways, I can't wait to witness another beautiful day for some precious friends, and also experience a great dance party! :P  Posts to come!

The Holidays are Upon Us

Confession: Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and while I am extremely thankful for my many blessings, this may or may not be my least favorite holiday.  I think it started with the fact that I don't really like turkey (or stuffing, or cranberries, or giblets, or pie) and compiling that with being made to watch football all day, it's just not my ideal.  Of course I still eat and of course I enjoy my numerous tryptophan-induced naps, but my favorite thing about Thanksgiving is the fact that it signals the start of the CHRISTMAS holiday season!  I don't know why I get so excited about that one, probably something having to do with classical conditioning at a young age, associating this time of year with presents (which for a young child is just the top of the tops), but I am ALL ready for tree-decorating with my husband tomorrow night... :P

Speaking of husband, I can't believe it has been almost an entire month since his birthday! His birthday is usually the day that signals the start to "our" holidays, and this year was followed closely by the election, halloween, veteran's day, and numerous other family birthdays.  I tried to convince him to go to the Stinking Rose, which is a lovely restaurant in LA that specializes in....garlic (we LOVE garlic and using way-too-much garlic in our dishes), but he only desired an afternoon in and to cook dinner for some of our close friends.  So that was that...

James would much rather have a waffle and bacon birthday cake over anything else... Hence :]  

Happy 24th, my love!

I can't believe we have been married almost four months now...time really does fly. I can't put into words the type of change that takes place but I see it when I look back and I see it when I hang out with old friends.  We've been so busy over here--I graduate in 1 month!!--but amidst the busyness we are still having so much fun.  This year I am so thankful for James, for our tiny home together, for our close friends who have stuck with us and encouraged us every step of the way, and ultimately for our heavenly father who has done more in our life together than we could have ever done on our own.

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.

I'm Getting Married in the Morning!

Well, tomorrow is the big day -- the one we've been waiting for (for what seems like forever) and I just can't wrap my mind around the fact that this is happening!  Tonight is the rehearsal dinner and I suppose after that we're home free :]

Since I'm 99.99% Sure I'm not going to be online tonight or tomorrow, see you later bloggers!  I hope to have many photo-blogs from the honeymoon upon my return :]

xoxo

If Only We Can Make it 11 More Days...

The only excuse I have for not blogging in weeks is that I'm getting married in 11 days... (11 days!!!!!!!!!!!) and real life has swallowed me up. Thankfully, I am blessed to be one of those super-organized types, and to be honest, the wedding stuff is moving right along, and most of my work is finished.  My Bachelorette party is this weekend and after that, I'm home free....

We can't wait to be married.  It's literally k i l l i n g us.  We have been so good and patient, trying not to fixate on the fun day [and lifetime!] that awaits us, but now every time we hang out, 99% of each conversation is some variation of "I can't wait to be married/Only 11 more days!/I wish we just lived together already!/I am so excited/Are you excited?/OH MY GOSH We're getting MARRIED!"... you get the idea.. Impatience is setting in, along with frustration!

Well in the meantime, we have been extremely busy, or should I say I have been extremely busy?  (Don't get me wrong..James is one of the hardest working people I know, working 40 hours a week but also choosing to do Bible study with me three nights a week, and relentlessly hack away at our wedding todo list.... but he doesn't have to put up with the daily stuff I do!  Can you say, David's Bridal? sakfj$%*&^%*as^&*^%kfjasdfh!)

Three weeks ago my parents renewed their wedding vows in our backyard, while celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary.  It was a wonderful time to be home and it was also a very wonderful thing to watch.

Dad reciting a vow-poem he wrote for my mom.

I guess this year my family chose to be all-about weddings?

(love being HOME)

We also snuck in a Padre's game while we were home.... I couldn't resist! I love my baseball, and not having cable has been SO sad this season! (Not to mention, they aren't on cable at home anyways! Grrr!)

Thennn it was my Birthday!  James and I started the morning off at the old OC courthouse, getting our marriage license all taken care of (halfway there!!!).  We had a delicious lunch at the Cheesecake Factory (what is a wedding diet?) and then broke in the pool at my new apartment, followed by a good movie and spending the evening playing games with friends and eating cake.

Oh, I love him,

Did I mention I got a new job?  Well, I got a new job.  Now I work as a waitress at Stacked, which--if you haven't been--is this awesome new restaurant in Cerritos started by the previous owners of BJ's.  They use iPads and the whole concept is very new and hip.  If you ever want to come in and visit, come when I'm working and ask to be seated in my section! I get paid to talk to you people all day :]

We've been blessed so much recently... I can't really even put it into words.  God continues to show and reveal more and more to us each day, and pursuing Him alongside my best friend has been something very cool to watch as it unfolds.  We've also had the opportunity to build so many new friendships with some of the people in our Bible study and it has been nothing short of a-ma-zing to see the way God is working today.  We live in such a precious time! I can't even explain it!! I hope we are knitted and held together by truth all the days of our lives.  

So... I guess we're in the home stretch now!  I have boxes overflowing in my living room, full of things necessary for the day-of, and/or the honeymoon, which reminds me I might want to start thinking about packing.. We got [some of] our engagement shoot photos from our photographer and all I can say is that I am so excited to see photos from the wedding day, because these shots made me grin from ear to ear!  Man, so much literal blood, sweat, and tears have gone into the planning and preparation for this day... I'll be darned if it's not one of the best days of my life....