Quote de Jour de Ta

"J--you're going to be Mr. La La in four days!"

Third Breakdown of the Day

Cel-le-bra-tion

Come on everyone--break out a reprise of Kool and the Gang and Celebrate!

"Celebrate good times, come on! (Let's celebrate)"

It’s time to celebrate! Why? Because I got a new job! I’m so excited that after much anticipation, yesterday I was given the official, affirmative offer that the job was mine. I had been in limbo since Monday when I received the unofficial offer pending references. I was certain that all of my references would work out, but I didn’t want to get overly excited until the offer was final.

I’ll be an Account Executive for a subsidy of the E.W. Scripps Networks. This position will be challenging and require some dedication and hard work, but I’m prepared to move forward with my career. I’m super excited about the new position as well as the great benefits. I think I’ll really love the environment at my new job and hopefully will love my job as well.

It’s not far from P.Co, so my commute shouldn’t be much longer. It’s also a large, reputable company which will be beneficial for my resume and experience. There is a corporate gym and nice break rooms which I also enjoy at P.Co. I am sad to leave some of the lovely women I work with though. They are so sweet and very much fun to be around. I’ll also miss the monthly ladies luncheons that the company treats us to as well as the soda fountains and cappuccino machines available. On the bright side—perhaps I will no longer have an IV of diet coke running through my veins. It would be good for me to break the habit.

Wow! A new house, a new job, and a soon to have new husband! I feel like I’m going thru a metamorphosis and will be a new person on the other side. I

Bring on the Rain

Bring on the rain! Go ahead God, get it all out before April 29th! I've made it to the point of being able to view the 10-day forecast for my wedding and Hallelujah!, it looks great! Which makes me very happy as there is no back up plan. My only plan was that God was not going to have it rain on my wedding day.



Wow--only eight days to go. I'm in the single digit countdown.

Showers, Showers Everywhere, and Not a Drop of Rain

I love getting married. J and I should do this more often. We have been so blessed with so many wonderful people in our life.

We have had three showers thus far and two to go. I really thought we'd only have one shower and then probably bachelor/bachelorette parties. But it turns out that we'll have racked up 5 by the time we're married.

We had one with his family and church, my surprise lingerie shower which was followed by the bachelor/bachelorette parties (which I'm sure is as much for J as it was me!), and a shower with my department at work, (which was much more generous than what you'd expect from co-workers). His department is having us a shower (a very manly shower!), and then Mrs. R and Mrs. O are hosting a brunch for my girlfriends. I can't wait!

Plus, we get checks in the mail! There is nothing like going to the mailbox to find a stack of checks! We have been so blessed by the generous outpouring of those we love.

I can't help but think that this blissful time of engagement in my life is nearly over. It goes by so quick that I wonder if I've fully enjoyed it. As I've said before, six months seemed like an eternity, and now that six months is only sixteen days away.

And speaking of showers, let's pray that those are far, far away on April 29th.

SEC-Quote de Jour

SEC is summing me up quite nicely! If I didn't love her (and she weren't so far away) I may kick her in the head for this. However, I can't run from the truth, so I choose to embrace my Bridezilla-ness. YA YA!

"LaLa is 2 weeks away from her wedding - a type A bridezilla - fair warning, she can cry or yell at any moment - its Bridal Turrets - but she's harmless, just splash cold water on her face or kick her in the head and she snaps out of it back to her normal happy bubbly fun SIMPLE self that I love dearly."

Getting my MRS.

I'm getting my MRS.--in just twenty-four days! This picture is of J and I at Isle of Palms on November 5, at the spot where he asked me to marry him the night before. In November, six months seemed like such a long time to be engaged and plan a wedding. But with just over three weeks left, I can't believe it's nearly over. I can't wait to be married and to put wedding madness behind me, but at the same time being engaged and planning a wedding is such a special and priceless time in girl's life, I hate to rush it.

If you would have asked me if I'd be getting married now five years ago, or even last year, I may have laughed at you. This time last year it wasn't that I didn't want to marry J, or didn't think we would (although truthfully, I don't know what I was thinking then), but marriage just seems like one of those far off things that you can't imagine the point where you reach it. You know when you're in middle school and you feel like you'll never reach the age where you can drive? Or as a high school freshman you feel like you'll never see graduation day and go to college? That's how I felt about marriage--it was one of those things I really wanted, and I knew would happen eventually, but it seemed eons away.

But I'm so happy that it isn't and that in just TWENTY FOUR days--I'm going to be a MRS.! I'm so happy that God brought this time in my life sooner rather than later. I love every minute with J and am so happy to be spending the rest of my life with him--I wish we'd have done this years ago. But I know that now, this moment, is what, when, and how, God intended it in his perfect plan, and that gives me chills!

So even now that I know I'm getting married in just a matter of weeks, it still hasn't hit me. I think it will all be over before I fully grasp that I am a wife, I have a husband, and it makes me sound old. As my brother said to me shortly after my engagement, "so you're going to be like, old married people!" To which I quickly responded, "Young! Young married people!".

Even though I may not grasp it in the whirlwind of planning, executing, and roller coaster emotions, I'm ecstatic and can't wait to be married and starting our life together.

SURPRISE!

Imagine this--a fabulous soiree taking place that I had no part in planning or knowledge of--and it was all at my house!

My maids and matron of honor, as well as my fabulous natzi wedding planner, together with my very best friends, had me a SURPRISE! lingerie shower and bachlorette party.

I woke up Saturday knowing that I had plans with Sjb and T-Ho for the afternoon. They arrived early and kidnapped me for pedicures and lunch, followed by a few necessary shops to get items for the projects we had planned (or I had planned) for the afternoon. When I arrived home--my fiance was gone (to his bachelor party in another city) and fifteen of my closest friends were greeting me in the front yard! I thought there seemed to be a great deal of cars on my street parked in front of my house.

There were signs hung on the doors and windows and I can only imagine what my neighbors were thinking. (But in the great words of SEC, "I don't care.") I was so surprised! I found SEC in the crowd and thought "She's not from this side of the state." Then I saw my oldest and bestest friend (and matron-of-honor) Bex and realized "WOW!--She's not from this state--or even the south!" What a surprise within the surprise! With a 10 month old baby I never expected her to make the five hour pilgrimage south for one night.

When I walked in the front door, my house had been rearranged, decorated, and there was quite a buffet of food laid out. YUM! I couldn't believe how much my friends had planned and executed without my knowledge. We ate and moved onto gifts and games.

You really find out what your friends think of you when confronted with lingerie and bachlorette gifts from them. I received lingerie to last nearly a month as well other, um, novelties shall we say. I even received a get out of jail coupon! (You had to be there to understand that one!) I even had gifts from Addy who is in Europe. I was the honored recipient of gorgeous designer items from Betsy Johnson to Jones New York, sweet to not-so-sweet and downright scandalous. During gift openings I did model a few pieces (totally PG over my clothes--I say PG because you should see some of the attire!) Once I was finished we all modeled some of my new duds for a group picture.

Beyond that was games and a night of bachlorette fun that you just had to be present to enjoy. My friends are fabulous and the party couldn't have been better. I love being a bride-to-be and can't wait to be a bride in just 26 days.