Happy 23!

Image from Veer.

Happy birthday, husband!

(Recap of our first birthday celebration together? Strep throat, Auburn and FSU losses, torrential downpours... At least we have each other!)

I'm feeling crafty.

Maybe it’s this whole "being a wife" thing, but all I ever want to do is stay at the apartment. Thanks to the close proximity of my new quarters to my place of employment, I get to go home for lunch, which I’ve discovered is both a blessing and a curse. I love spending some extra time with Jordan, but I also find myself becoming severely distracted and rather unmotivated for my afternoon on the job.

In my time at home, I find myself aching to get crafty again. Now that the wedding is behind us, I’ve got a few projects up my sleeve. Here’s a sampling:

Silhouettes of the two of us to grace our new abode. Maybe a fun Christmas project?

A great idea for displaying our countless wedding well-wishes. Perhaps on the back of our front door? From Black Eiffel.

A do-it-yourself chandelier from Lowe's? Perfect for our dining/living room table, I think. From Paint in My Hair.

An advent calendar sounds fun. Go here to download the numbers yourself.

married me.

Click photo for more bridal portraits. As soon as wedding photos are up, trust me, I'll be letting you know.

So, it’s official. I am now Annie Sue Butterworth Jones. (Actually, it’s not official. I haven’t had time to go through the ridiculous name-changing process. So, totally unofficial.)

Saturday was the most beautiful, most fun day ever. Confession: I love my birthday because, let’s face it, it’s kind of nice to have a day devoted to the celebration of YOU. And a wedding is pretty much just that: a celebration of the two of YOU. So, naturally, I loved every minute.

I loved my beautiful friends standing in 30-degree weather to get their pictures taken.

I loved the hilarious groomsmen in their unique struts down the aisle (note to self: “Eye of the Tiger” was totally appropriate for the day). I loved my brother choosing to box down the aisle instead of walk.

I loved seeing my friends’ faces as they saw their two friends say “I do.”

I loved standing on the porch and seeing faces of loved ones in the crowd.

I loved singing to my heavenly Father in the November sunshine. (Worshipping outside is amazing. We should do it more often.)

I loved washing my new husband’s feet and showing the world that service in marriage is what God intended.

I loved seeing the tears of my little cousin and knowing I still get to spend time being her friend and mentor; marriage won’t change that.

I loved the quilts, the setting, the hot chocolate, and the boiled peanuts.

I loved the flowers in honor of my two grandfathers, and I loved knowing that their spirits were with us on Saturday. They would have been so proud.

I loved jumping the broom.

I loved riding in a carriage with my dad. I loved praying with him before the ceremony. And I loved dancing to “our song.”

I loved that the minister told the story of me and Jordan, including funny stories and first kisses.

I love that now people know who we are (or at least part).

I loved my uncle’s prayer for us.

I loved my father’s blessing (and I didn’t mind sharing it with Jordan).

I loved that everyone had a good time, and that I heard so many people comment on the unique, special-ness of our day.

I loved knowing we’ve made a difference in our friends’ lives.

I loved that we didn’t rush off, that we took our time visiting and enjoying our friends and family.

I loved that we played golf the next day.

I love that we’re married, but we’re still each other.

I love that my name might change, but I’m still me… and he loves it that way.

Don’t worry, I’m not blogging while on my honeymoon. We’re waiting until law school finals are over and gone before heading to Newport, Rhode Island for a week of freezing temperatures (snow, please!) and Christmas lights.

My head would have been rolling.

Have you ever wondered if you were in the right place? If God really knew what He was doing when He told you to go somewhere?

Back in December, I had pretty big intentions of heading back up to Birmingham to work/live, to try my hand at magazine working and writing.

Then I got engaged. Life changed a little. And so I stayed in Tallahassee. Not a journalist’s dream, but what did I care? I was engaged and saving money. What would a few months away from magazines do? Kill me?

I got a job that fit my degree, and I figured I’d stick it out until God told me otherwise (or, quite honestly, until something better came along).

I'm still here, and I'll admit, there have been days when I wonder why.

Then days like today happen, when I read things like this and know I’m where God knew I needed to be. With a job that suits my resume and provides me with a steady income while Jordan finishes school.

R.I.P. Cottage Living. May Coastal Living not follow in your footsteps.

Take two.

Dear grumpy Tuesday-morning self:

You seemed a little out of sorts this morning. I know you’re tired and a little run-down, but chin-up! Friends and family are heading into town this weekend for the most fabulous event: your wedding! In just a few short days, all of your planning and your hard work will be worth it. You’ll be a newly-married lady with a best friend for a husband.

Plus, there’s plenty that should make you happy today, despite your sleepy head!

All thank you notes have officially been caught up (except for your work: do you thank all 40 coworkers in one note, or write separate ones? Oddly, I’m not sure of the etiquette here).

The bridesmaids’ gifts are wrapped and beautiful. You really outdid yourself (if I do say so myself).

Speaking of bridesmaids, you pretty much have the greatest friends in the world. After all, one of the groomsman may have backed out Friday night, but your original bridesmaids still remain (sort of). Just take a look around. Your friends really are pretty amazing. And you get to see them very soon!

The Chinese medicine and acupuncture treatments you were slightly cynical about have worked wonders. You’re a healthier you, which is nice, since you’ll be a married grown-up soon.

Your last dance lesson is tonight, and even if your guests think you look silly, you and Jordan have had a blast. Remember, that’s what’s important.

You found a Blackberry for your future husband today for just $50. If his parents don’t get it for him for his birthday, you have a potential Christmas present for him on your hands. (Let's pretend, for now, that you can afford it.)

Tomorrow night you get to teach a bunch of hilarious kids the joys of mission work. They might drive you nuts, but they are pretty funny, after all.

Thursday you’ll get a half-day (or whole day, if you get up the guts to ask) to get ready for a fun-filled Friday. And, let’s face it: family + friends + delicious breakfast + Scripture-sharing + black&white dressing + movie about you & Jordan = FUN.

The program and menu are done, and you did them! It's okay to feel accomplished.

You’ve finished two out of the three lessons for Jewels well in advance, just like you wanted to. And in the process of planning, you were reminded of a pretty important lesson for yourself: God is in love with you even more than Jordan is. Pretty awesome.

So, see, self? There’s really no reason to be grumpy or tired today. The Creator of the universe is in love with you, and because He’s in love with you, Friday and Saturday are going to go excellently. You have nothing to worry about. God loves you and is going to keep taking care of you... Saturday won't change that.

"Perfect love drives out fear." I John 4:18

Ramblings.

I’m not quite sure where to begin, except to say: this time next week, I’ll be married.

Weird. (In a good way, of course.)

Confessions of this bride-to-be:

I could really use a nap and might fall asleep at my desk soon.

I have yet to move any of my personal belongings (aside from a couple of boxes of DVDs) over to the apartment, and wonder if I’ll even have clothes there to wear the Monday after.

I’m glad we’re not taking our honeymoon until later.

With every sneeze and cough I hear around me, I become more paranoid. I do not want to be sick on Saturday.

I hope the weather won’t be too chilly, or my poor bridesmaids will want to kill me.

I’m thrilled we get to share this place with our wonderful friends.

Our dating relationship hasn’t been conventional, so neither will our wedding nor, I suspect, our marriage.

I’m really looking forward to decorating the apartment for Christmas. (And I’m hoping our Thanksgiving plans change just a little so we can actually get ready for the holidays… and for life.)

I’m feeling a tad overwhelmed.

I want life to be normal again.

And, oh... did I mention I’m excited? Because I am. I’d hate for that to get lost in the shuffle.

Four days remain (or something like that).

.:dancing queen:.

Jordan and I went to our first dance lesson Monday. We’re what you might call “rhythmically-challenged” people, so we had little hope that any dance lesson could prepare us for our wedding day dance in front of a crowd of 150. We both were terrible at Jamboree, and while I love watching Fred and Ginger on screen, I’ve never had any dancing aspirations of my own.

Until now.

Of course, we’re not experts by any stretch. And I have a feeling we both probably look a little goofy. But you know what? It’s fun! We were both out of breath after our 30 minutes were up, which means either a) we’re ridiculously out of shape, or b) dancing is great exercise (or some combination of the two).

I mess up quite a bit (confession: I think Jordan might actually have more rhythm than I… at least he can hear the beat. After 11 years of piano lessons, I, sadly, cannot.), but I don’t even care. One week ago, I was absolutely dreading getting out on that wooden floor with a handful of other couples, but now… it’s okay. We’re having a good time, and in the grand scheme, isn’t that the goal anyway? We’re even going after work today for an hour-long session (which hopefully will get us ready for next weekend). After that, though, who knows? Maybe we’ll start dancing for fun.

It makes me wonder: how many things do I miss out on things out of fear? Fear of what I’ll look like, if I’ll mess up, if I’ll get hurt… I’ve often been described as an overachiever, for better or worse. I think one of the downsides to this description is that I’m sometimes afraid to attempt anything I might not be just great at. Well you know what? Where’s the fun in that?

I’m no Ginger, but these dance lessons have taught me something: you don’t have to be the best at everything. Sometimes it’s even more fun to fall.

.thursdays.

Thoughts from my Thursday morning?

- People should have to take a PowerPoint training class before putting a presentation together. One slide was never intended to hold multiple paragraphs in size 20 font.

- Could I do this? Tempting, though with Jordan in law school it’s impossible. Plus… I wonder if I would get bored. Somehow, though, I doubt it. I’ve never really been much for boredom.

- Not sure how I feel about Sarah Palin. I just can’t decide. Inspiring Christian woman and political figure or irresponsible mom and inexperienced governor? I wonder where she'll be in 2012... Also intrigued by this guy.

- I want to take a photography class. Maybe a happy-new-year-to-me in January.

- Is graduate school worth the cost? I miss school, and I really would like my master's... Is it worth it?

- The upcoming wedding has nearly made me forget about one of my favorite days: Thanksgiving. I quickly fixed my mistake by checking out recipes for these. My mouth began to water just looking at the photos:

Find recipes here.

10 days.

We’ve officially started the mental countdown. In just ten short days, Jordan and I will officially be a newly married couple. To overcome the “Oh-my-goodness-I’m-really-doing-this-soon” jitters, I’ve compiled a list of the ten reasons I’m ready to get married to my b.f.f.

10. Cold feet. There will always be someone on the other side of the bed to keep me warm, which may eliminate the current need for wearing socks to bed.

9. Heavy burdens. No more trying to make it by on my own; I’ll soon have someone to share my ups and downs with (and someone who can pick up my slack when my to-do list is overflowing!).

8. Practice makes perfect. I’ll admit, I’ve been not-so-thrilled about the whole name-change thing. But at least this will give me a chance to perfect a fun new signature, right?

7. Travelin’ through. We both love to travel, and now we finally get to travel together. Same hotel room and everything! Newport, Rhode Island, here we come!

6. Budget living. I’ve come to the conclusion that budgeting when you’re single is a difficult task. There’s just not much motivation. But when you know that you’re the breadwinner for a family of two… well, let’s just say the purse you found online no longer has much appeal.

5. Date nights, forts, and TV movies. Now we can build forts, cook meals, and watch movies in our very own apartment. A bonus? When the movie ends, neither one of us has to leave. Bonus two? Holidays together… We’re going to have our own tree this year!

4. Adventures in exercise. Exercise is another one of those things that has gone by the way side since graduation. It’s just that exercising alone isn’t much fun. Being married means I get a jogging/biking buddy and a personal trainer, all wrapped into one.

3. Grown up. I’m not 100% ready to grow up yet, but it’s nice to know I can continue the growing-up process with someone who understands the frustrations and pains that come with being a twenty-something.

2. Closer to God… Our friendship has always challenged me in my own relationship with the Father, and I have a feeling that marriage can only bring us closer to Him. I can’t wait to begin this new adventure!

1. Closer to each other. Am I a little nervous that in just over a week, I’ll be Mrs. Jordan Jones? A little, yes. But mostly, I'm filled with joy and the thought that soon, Jordan and I get to start living out what God has had in store for us. So, bring it on. I'm as ready as I'll ever be.

Real world thoughts #892

I miss journalism.

I’ve entered the non-profit world, and most days, I’m happy here. It’s different (partly because it’s the real world, and partly because it’s just a new type of communication for me), and even though I do feel like I’m using my degree… Sometimes there’s just something missing.

I miss writing.

I miss interviewing.

I miss being surrounded by creative people who challenge me and think like me.

Really, though, I wonder if I just miss school. If entering graduate school will relieve these feelings I’m having. I do think it will help, although by no means will FSU be anything like Faulkner. I have a feeling it’s going to be a wake-up call for me.

So I do think school will help. But I still wonder: will I ever get to write articles again? Conduct interviews? I just don’t know. I’m not quite sure what God has in store.

Yesterday I had a meeting with a marketing manager about an event we’re supposed to promote together. She’s just 24, so right ahead of where I’m coming from. It’s nice to spend time with people like that; they tend to know exactly what I mean, what I’m going through. She encouraged me to stick out my current job (for the résumé’s sake) and to go to grad school. I intend to do both of those things. Jordan’s in law school, so one of us has to work. My current employer gives me lots of freedom, and while I may not be writing articles or designing layouts, I do get to edit, and design flyers, work on the web… all things relative to my career of choice.

Do I miss magazine world? Yes. Do I still have little bouts of “what might have been”? Yes. But I’m discovering (and I’ve said this before, but bear with me… It comes up frequently in my little world) that God might not expect me to find fulfillment in my job. Instead, I’m expected to be fulfilled by Him, and by serving Him.

One day, maybe God will bless me with a job that inspires my passions and fills me with delight. But until then, I’ve got to “sanctify the ordinary.” I’ve got to focus on being a God-honoring fiancée (and in 15 days… wife!). I’ve got to use my gifts to serve others (like here). And I’ve got to do my best to serve God right where I am.

(And I can blog a little in the process. ‘Cause, you know, a girl’s gotta write.)

want change? here.

The Christian voter

I thought I’d join the masses and encourage my three readers to go out and rock the vote today. (And if you’re in Florida and need some tips, check out my brother’s blog for helpful hints for the Christian voter… but hurry! Time is running out!)

Although I’m not going to use today to go into details about my political views, I would like to share some observations I've had the past couple of days. These are some issues my heart and mind have been dwelling on; if you’ve got any feedback, please share it!

• While I believe voting is an important privilege that comes with being a citizen in this country, I also believe in a God who is supremely in control. As a result, despite the outcome of today’s election, I know that my Father has the whole world in His hands. On Christian radio this morning, the DJ mentioned that tomorrow, nearly half of our country will be disappointed in the election results (regardless of who comes out on top). As Christians, what will our response be? Will it be different from those who are in the world? Will we speak words of love and not hate? Will we choose to respect those making decisions for our nation? I hope so.
• I’ve also been thinking a lot about how God chooses to use different types of rulers to display His wondrous plans. The Old Testament gives us countless examples of “kings gone bad”—yet God still used them as part of His supreme plan. I certainly don’t want to diminish the power of the people, and I won’t go so far as to say that I believe God has pre-ordained whoever gets elected tonight. But I am certain that God will use either John McCain or Barack Obama in whatever ways He sees fit. And I am also certain that He expects me to respect whichever man is elected. I can’t help but think about Romans 13 and the instructions Paul gives his fellow Christians. And these commands were written during a severely overbearing Roman rule, when Christians were dying for their beliefs! As long as my government’s laws do not call me to disobey my God’s, I’m called to submit to those in authority, whether or not they are my political affiliation.
• Finally, I believe the church has a great responsibility in these times to help the weak and afflicted, the fatherless, the widow… Whether or not our next leader chooses to use government funding to do the same. It’s not up to the U.S. Government to protect the weak. It’s up to me, to you, and to all other Christians who live according to the Scripture.

That’s my soapbox for the day. Please be praying for our country today, and be praying that divisive words will fall into the background no matter who becomes our next President.

All I want for Christmas...

I know this seems a little premature, and probably a lot selfish, but give me a break.

As a soon-to-be married woman and breadwinner (until Jordan becomes a real, live lawyer), it seems inevitable that now would be the time I would come across all sorts of fabulous things that my little heart desires—and can’t afford. So, to purge myself of these selfish wants, I’m putting them out there for all the world to see. A little Christmas wish list, if you will. And in the spirit of giving, I’ve provided links where you can find these lovely products, should you wish to add them to your own Christmas list. Just click on the picture to find out more.

(A less selfish post will be provided tomorrow!)