happy thanksgiving back.

Thanks to everyone for the calls and texts I received following yesterday’s post. Your prayers and thoughts are so appreciated! My grandmother is back home now, doing well. I’m anxiously awaited the arrival of today’s mail, in hopes that Faulkner did come through after all. They did not. Ah, well. Some things in this life are out of my control.

Really, though, today I’m focusing on what’s important. I’m printing Christmas cards, baking cookies, and counting my blessings.

Today, I am grateful.

For my husband and partner, who loves me unconditionally (even when the laundry and dirty dishes are piled miles high). For my delightful, close-knit family, who I’m learning are a true and rare gift. For faithful friends and kindred spirits, long-distance and nearby. For my cozy little home. For the hope of the unknown. For the past year. For a new job I enjoy. For cold sheets I can snuggle under. For pages and pages of good books. For locally-owned restaurants. For money to pay the bills. For one last semester of law school. For the possibility of a graduate education. For writing. For calm, soothing music. For travel. 

Mostly, for salvation and the Savior.

For a life blessed beyond what I could have ever asked or imagined.



I am grateful.

overwhelmed.

Do you ever have those roller-coaster moments of your life, where one moment you're up, and the next, you've come crashing down? 

After our one-year celebration, I was feeling pretty good. A short work week, followed by time spent with family and friends? Sounds just about perfect. 

Then I realized Faulkner screwed-up my transcripts. The applications that were going to arrive at prospective grad schools well-ahead of schedule will now be arriving dangerously close to the deadline (that is, if Faulkner ever corrects their mistake at all). 

My 91 year old grandmother arrived home from the hospital last week healthy and happy, only to be taken back in an ambulance today.

I am exhausted. Overwhelmed. 

This time of year is always such a joy, such a gift. And my blessings are innumerable. 

But I'm still in the valley of that roller coaster. 

And I'm really ready to arrive at a peak. 

mtm.

Today, as I was crossing the street to get to my office, I felt like Mary Richards.

(aka Mary Tyler Moore.)

I love feelings like that. 

year one.

Happy anniversary to my best friend. This is for you:

i didn't forget.

Dear Chet,

This picture pretty much sums it all up. You always make me laugh. Always have. You are the best little brother ever. I hope you have (had) the happiest birthday yet.

Love,

Annie

wedding wednesday: details.

No worries: this is the last wedding post leading up to our anniversary this Sunday. It's been fun to go back through pictures and see what made our day so special. I wanted to share just a few last details with all of you, beginning with...

Instead of lighting a unity candle, Jordan and I decided to do something a little different. We decided to wash each other's feet. It's an event that holds deep significance for both of us, and as a song played softly in the background, Jordan and I showed each other (and our friends and family) what marriage really means: serving each other.

My mom and I chose to use mismatched plates from thrift stores-- I think the look turned out great!

A closer look at the plates and napkin holders (made by my 90-year-old grandmother).

Didn't the tables turn out beautifully? We used brown tablecloths and fall flowers in the center. 

The head table had quilts instead of the typical tablecloth. It was just the look I was going for! It was so fun to sit and share a meal with our closest friends and family.

I designed the programs myself, which saved A LOT of money. So, if you've got a wedding coming up and need some help... Let me know!

While guests mingled before lunch began, we had hot chocolate (or Jones soda) and boiled peanuts for our guests. Love it!

Great guestbook idea: we bought a beautiful picture book of Newport, RI, where we chose to take our honeymoon. Guests signed throughout the book. Now we have a unique coffee table piece reminding us of all the people who chose to be with us on our wedding day.

Centerpieces again.

Our wedding favors might have been my favorite thing. In homage to my maiden name (Butterworth), we sent guests home with little bottles of syrup (you know, like Mrs. Butterworth). Some said "A Sweet Occasion" and others, like the one above said "Mrs. Jones' Syrup." So cute!

It took us forever to find our caketoppers. They're pricey, and I had yet to discover Etsy. These, though, were pretty cute.

So, there you have it. Our wedding in a few Wednesday (and now Thursday) blog posts. I hope you enjoyed a glimpse into our wedding day! I've loved sharing it with all of you!

Our anniversary is in three days and counting! Ahh!

dinner party.

I do believe that my first dinner party was a true success. Lots of work, but lots of fun. Everything went just beautifully. Now the party-planning bug has hit. What do I do next?

wedding wednesday: the friends.

Welcome to another Wedding Wednesday. The truth is, this time last year, I didn't even want to here the "w" word. I was so ready for the actual event! Now, it's kind of nice to look back at what made our day so special. 

And probably nothing could have made our day more special than our dear friends. 

After we got engaged, almost our entire wedding party met up in Montgomery to enjoy a couple of days getting to know each other. We wanted everyone to be completely comfortable come November 22. I'm so glad we did that, and I highly recommend it if you've got friends from all walks of life sharing in your day. Jordan and I absolutely loved that weekend and treasure the memories we made. 

Months later, on the night of our rehearsal, I practiced walking down the aisle with my dad. I will never forget that moment. It finally hit me, looking into the faces of the people I love, that I was actually getting married. I caught the eye of my best friends and lost it. I blame it entirely on my 15-year-old cousin, who absolutely bawled like a baby. The next day, I kept my composure during the ceremony, but my bridesmaids? I don't think there was a dry eye.

They are the best friends I could have ever dreamed of, and I thank God for blessing me with so many kindred spirits. 

Jordan's groomsmen were no different. I love those guys. I love that Jordan and I have mutual friends; I knew his groomsmen, and he knew my bridesmaids. It made our wedding feel even more close-knit and reunion-esque (my ultimate goal). These guys were fabulous; we couldn't have asked for more fun, good-natured guys. 

So, a word of wedding advice? Surround yourself with your nearest and dearest on your wedding day. Now's not the time to repay debts or make new friends. Stick with the ones who know and love you best. I promise, it won't backfire. 

dear life... a break

Dear life,
 
Please. I could use a break.

Between my sweet grandma being in the hospital and the impossibility of scheduling appropriate holiday plans for two sets of families (not for the faint of heart!), I am running on empty. 
 
Our laundry is literally overflowing. I’m not sure how I still have clean underwear. I think it may be a five loaves and two fishes kind of situation. I promise I’ll do a load before Jordan’s clean boxers run out. Promise. 
 
I’m hosting an outdoor dinner party tomorrow night—the one day this week with a 30% chance of rain. I also haven’t prepared a single dish, and three people have cancelled in a span of 24 hours. Should be awesome.
 
The hubs and I strategically planned our holidays to visit every person we care about, to make everyone in our extended families happy. Soon-to-be-married-couples, take note: this plan will always, always, always blow up in your face. Back to square one.
 
I bought my brother’s birthday present—before finding out he’d already bought it for himself.
 
Faulkner still hasn’t sent me my official transcripts. Do they realize graduate schools have deadlines?
 
We found out that Jordan’s sister and her boyfriend are coming into town this weekend for the FSU v. Maryland game. Which we do not have tickets for. 
 
In addition, Sunday is our first anniversary (whoo hoo!). We’ll be entertaining aforementioned guests and completing a service project with our church group. Just what I pictured it would be like.
 
In case you can’t tell, I’m a little tired and slightly irritable. I’m trying to focus on the positive. Like: 
 
Listening to my grandma’s stories of how she and my grandpa met
Buying blankets for people in need
Winning a football game for the first time in weeks
Hanging out with good friends
Playing volleyball in the fall air
Finishing another grad school application
Watching “When Harry Met Sally”
Snuggling deep under the covers for a thing called sleep
 
So maybe I didn’t bake cupcakes for my dinner party or get our whites washed. Maybe I still need to get tables from the church and finish Jordan’s anniversary gift. 
 
Maybe I’m learning to take this life thing one day at a time. 
 
Maybe I’m learning what and who is important. 
 
Even so…
 
Life, could I please catch a break?

re: grad school and self-esteem.

Scene: Daughter and potential graduate school contender questions her father on the likelihood she could get accepted into an Ivy League program.

Daughter: You know what I'd really like to know? 

Dad: What?

Daughter: I'd like to know what role my attendance at a small Christian college would play into the grad school application process. Like, how much does it matter that I went to Faulkner and not to, I don't know, FSU? 

Dad: That's a good question. 

Daughter: Well, what do you think?

Dad: Pause. I guess I think about that girl in that movie. You know... What was that movie? Pause. Legally Blonde! You know, she got into law school at Harvard, no problem.

Daughter: bursts into fits of laughter. Oh, Dad!

Dad: What? Were you expecting something more philosophical?

--

Actually, yes, but I'm kind of glad I got the response I did. Thanks for the vote of confidence, Dad. Maybe I'll apply after all. I mean, if Reese Witherspoon could do it...

becoming a student.

This is how I know that I am meant for graduate school. 

Even if I don't get accepted this go around. 

Even if it's years before I actually earn a master's. 

I know that ultimately, I will go. 

Because my heart beats wildly scrolling through course requirements. 

Because I am filled with an intense sense of accomplishment just after successfully completing an application. 

Because I secretly love all of my file folders with their checklists and requirements. 

Because the daunting administrative tasks that make up the admissions process feel a lot like school to me. 

And I am good at school. 

That's right. 

Some of us were meant to be designers. Teachers. Nurses. Lawyers. Writers. Artists. Photographers. Doctors. 

And I think I am meant to be some of those things. But there is a part of me that is just... 

Student. 

One application down. Five more to go.*

*If this seems excessive (and expensive!), that's because it is. But here is what I know: the future is uncertain, both for me and for Jordan. And so I will apply until I can apply no more. To every journalism or English program this side of the Mason-Dixon line. I will not watch my dreams go down the drain due to lack of proper preparation. 

all i want for christmas.

Dear Santa,

In case you're just dying to know what's on my list this year, here's a glimpse: 

Louisa May Alcott: The Woman Behind Little Women

By Harriet Reisen

The Elements of Style (Illustrated) 

By William Strunk, Jr. 

This dress (or any other) from ModCloth

Linus boots, available at Piperlime

Season 5 of The Office on DVD

Snow & Graham 2010 calendar (found on Delight.com)

Or this poster-size version, which would bring some color to my new office.

As would this coat rack...

This vintage locket 

(or any of the beautiful jewelry from Jess LC)

Glee: The Music, Volume 1 

(anyone else love this music as much as I do?)

Nearer: A Collection of Hymns

(Listen to it here... You will love it!)

The Corduroy Road: The Love Is a War

(Again, you will love. Listen here.)

Nikon D40 

(Hey, a girl can dream!)

This instant camera looks fun too...

Don't worry, though, Santa... 

I'm really not picky. I will love whatever you give me. Really.

Sincerely,

Annie

wedding wednesday: the venue.

I wasn't one of those girls who planned her wedding when she was five, but in the back of my mind, I knew what I wanted. 

I wanted a front porch. 

Specifically, the front porch of either my own home or the plantation home right across the street. 

Due to logistics (did you know how expensive a port-a-potty is? My guess is no) and snobby people who don't rent out their beautiful plantation home, I found myself at square one. 

Thank you, Google, for being awesome. 

Online research led me to Tall Timbers Nature Conservancy, a beautiful research station just a few miles outside of Tallahassee. My mom and I drove out there with our fingers crossed. 

We needn't have worried. 

It was perfect. 

There was moss in the trees, a lake in the distance, and a massive porch. I almost couldn't believe how much it resembled the picture in my head.

Why only four other couples have ever been married there is beyond me. 

I guess the lesson is, when it comes to your wedding venue, think outside the box. You might be surprised at what you find. 

in a week.

Any guesses as to what I'll be up to next Tuesday evening? 

{Sources: 1. Unknown. 2. Unknown. 3. Dear Life, From Noelle. 4. Outstanding in the Field. 5. simplesong.}