Wedding Bells and Fairytales

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-25T09:09:00.001-06:00

Happy Turkey Day!

This year I have been obsessed with turkeys. These two guys are so cute in my living room!

I am a little sad to put them away soon...

I hope everyone has a wonderful day filled with family, friends, food, and thanksgiving.

There is so much to be thankful for in my life-my wonderful husband, family, friends, church, job and the list could go on and on. I am a blessed young woman.

Have a happy thanksgiving everyone!!!!

Game Day Munchies

2010-11-15T17:46:00.000-06:00

To be perfectly honest I am not a cook and have never really cared anything about cooking. Most people are surprised to learn that I can barely boil water! This is even more tragic considering the wonderful role model I grew up with. My mom can make something out of nothing in the blink of an eye AND it will taste like the best thing you ever put in your mouth. Not me though. Sorry mommy! Last weekend, however, I had an unusual desire to "attempt" to make some game day dishes for me and the hubs to munch on during the Alabama game. Should I mention my hubs was shocked to say the least? He is such a good sport and very encouraging. Bless him!

Okay, ya'll don't laugh as I share my "creations." A girl has to start somewhere!

A blackbean salsa.
I apologize for the poor presentation. Jeremy had already eaten half of it before I could take a pic.

My next creation was a taco dip.
This was actually really good! It is a hot cheesy dip served with fritos scoops!

I also made warm ham and cheese sandwiches.
These were also yummy.

To finish up the evening we had double dutch hot chocolate! Yum!

And blonde brownies.
Don't get too excited. I did not make these!
Our wonderful neighbor bought them over!

Well those are my attempts to cook. It's nothing special but it's a start. I think I am inspired to continue my cooking efforts. I'll keep ya'll updated!
Hope everyone has had a happy Monday!

Rain Rain Go Away....

2010-10-27T12:27:00.000-05:00

you have ruined my pumpkin display. Sad day. The oh-so-cute arrangement that once seemed so welcoming at my front door has now suffered greatly due to the never-ending rain we have had for 3 days. Don't get me wrong. I am thankful for the liquid sunshine but my poor fall decor will never be the same. I arrived home from work last night (after an exhausting 13 hour shift and an alarm system debaucle, mind you) to find that the great cinderella pumpkin had tumbled from its resting place on the mound of hay to land right in the middle of my beautiful mum. Tragedy. The mum is broken and so is my heart. I worked hard to keep those plants alive for 2 weeks and now all the rain is killing them. The broken mum is propped up against the bale of hay. Maybe no one will notice its crushed backside and gaping hole on the top. Ha! The hay is so soggy it can no longer support the weight of the cinderella pumpkin so now it is unhappily residing on the ground. The cute scarecrow sign blew away in the wind. After an extensive search with only a fierce lightning storm to light up the yard, I finally found the little sign stuck in a bush. A small victory.

I didn't think I could share a picture, but the rain let up for a second so I just ran outside to snap a quick pic. We can all mourn together!

It's Fall Ya'll

2010-10-14T15:05:00.000-05:00

For years I have dreaded fall. I tend to associate the season with the beginning of a school year which has always meant the beginning of a stressful time for me. After all, I did go to school for 20 years and I took my education very seriously and that's putting it mildly!!! Fortunately, those days are all over now and I can finally enjoy the change of seasons. This year fall has been especially fun because now I have a husband. I enjoy decorating our home and making it cozy and inviting. I want to make our house something we can both be proud of. Decorating makes me feel so domestic. Haha!!

On Friday night, the hubs and I went to a pumpkin patch and bought all shapes, colors, and types of pumpkins and a bale of hay. I think he thought I was crazy when I kept picking out more and more pumpkins to add to the collection, but thankfully he kept quiet and trusted his wife. Good husband!! =) Saturday, my mommy and I attended a harvest festival and found beautiful yellow mums. So mom and I combined all the fall goodies and got to decorating. Here is the finished product.

Love these cinderella pumpkins!

The great white pumpkin!

I love the "handle" on this one.

The front entrance with fall wreaths.
I have to admit I am proud of my efforts!

A little taste of fall in my kitchen.

The foyer.

Closeup! My momma made the pumpkin in the center.

That is her in the picture in case you were wondering...

More foyer decor. My mother-in-law gave me the pumpkins and my mom made the Alabama football.

How fall is this? Too cute!!

Closeup of the football.

Yes she is talented. I am aware and grateful.

Well that's about all of the fall explosion in our home. I have more goodies to put out for Thanksgiving. Whoo hoo! Hope ya'll enjoyed! Thanks for visiting!

Memorial Day

2010-07-29T21:05:00.001-05:00

On Memorial Day, my mommy, daddy, and I took a trip to Atlanta to see the Atlanta Braves play the Philadelphia Phillies. It was a day game and oh my word it was hot!!

Turner Field

We had great seats! Right behind the Braves dugout!

When Amber was alive, she loved the Braves so we went to games several times a year. This was our first game without her sitting with us. She was definitely there in Spirit though! I think she protected us from getting hit by foul balls! Thanks Ber!

Me and mommy!

Look at her sunburned shoulder! Ouch!

Mommy and daddy!

They match! How cute!

The family minus Amber.

See that white shirt in mom's lap?

The guy that took this picture caught it and gave it to my mommy.

We like to think it was a blessing from Amber.

The Braves won the game!

Then the Beach Boys performed on the field.

We had a great Memorial Day!!

Bridal Portraits

2010-07-28T20:00:00.001-05:00

Oh no! As I was uploading my post yesterday, I discovered this post that I had written months ago but never actually posted!! Oops! Oh well, better late than never!!

On May 17th, I had my bridal portraits taken. Mom and I loaded up the dresses (yes, I have two!) and headed off to Fort McClellan in Anniston to meet my photographer for pictures. It was so much fun but so hot! I may roast in that dress on the wedding day!!

For pictures, my florist made a bouquet similar to the one I will carry at the wedding. It was just gorgeous and smelled wonderful! It was full of mini green hydrangeas, white hydrangeas, white freesia, white roses, and peonies!

Since I can't share pictures of the dresses, I can share pics of the bouquet! That's better than nothing!

Lingerie Shower

2010-07-27T20:23:00.000-05:00

So I haven't blogged in quite a while, but now I am going to try to catch up! This could be challenging!!

I really want to blog about my lingerie shower that was held in May. The shower was given by some of my bridesmaids and they did an outstanding job. I had so much fun!

The adorable invitation.

Purple and green to coordinate with the wedding colors.

We started the evening with dinner at one of my favorite local restaurants.

Me and some of the bridesmaids.

Lindsay, Caroline, Cameron, me, Audrey

Katie (another bridesmaid) and I.

Lauren and I.

Me and my mommy!

After dinner, we went to Caroline and Cameron's house for a dessert shower. All the girls brought the yummiest desserts! It was all sooo good! I am sure everything was fat free too! Haha!

Adorable bra and panty cookies!

The best chocolate things ever! I forgot what the are called... Anyway, take note of the attention to detail here. The icing is in green! So cute!

Delicious strawberry creamcheese cake with a purple J!!

More desserts!!

An oreo cookie ball, chocolate cranberry fudge, and chocolate covered strawberries!!

Margaritas to drink with precious "W" cups!!

More attention to detail to make me feel special!

Yet another thoughtful gesture! A "J" glass for me to drink from!

Love it!!!!

The girls ordered a "Future Mrs. Willis" sash for me to wear all night! How cute is that! And once again it was a perfect match to my wedding colors!!

Look at all the gifts!

The goodies inside the packages! Whoo hoo!

With the help of my bridesmaid Audrey, my hubby even sent a gift that night! In fact, he sent two packages. One was an empty box from Victoria's Secret!! =) The second was a Victoria's Secret gift card! How sweet and thoughtful!

The whole night was soo much fun. I am so blessed to have such amazing friends! I wish I had a picture of everyone that was there to celebrate.. Everyone went above and beyond to make my lingerie shower memorable! I love all of you girls and I simply cannot thank you enough!!

Wedding Invitation

2010-05-30T08:36:00.000-05:00

I love to use this blog for my wedding documentation so that I will remember all the details down the road. So today I thought I would blog about my invitation.

I absolutely love the wedding invitation I chose. At first, I was worried it would be too boring, but I just kept coming back to it. I am so glad I did. It is so pretty and elegant!

It is ivory with mocha print. The lining of the envelope is also mocha!

Love, Love, Love!

2 Weeks and Counting!

2010-05-29T08:31:00.002-05:00

Two weeks from today will be my wedding day!

We will actually get to wear these beautiful rings we purchased over a month ago!

Jeremy and I were so excited about our rings we had to try them on and take some pictures.

By the way, I promise I will have my nails done before the wedding!! HaHa! They look awful!

Wedding Napkins

2010-05-28T08:26:00.001-05:00

I recently ordered and received our napkins for the wedding reception. I wanted something classic and reusable in case there were any left over. After all, I ordered 400 so I hope I can keep some and use them for future parties and gatherings!

The napkin is ivory with white mongramming (J W J)!

Simple but elegant.

Sorry it doesn't show up very well in the picture!

Click on the pic to enlarge it and it is a little better!

Hometown Bridal Shower

2010-05-27T11:18:00.001-05:00

On Saturday May 8th, I had another fabulous bridal shower. This shower was so much fun because it was in my home town. I love going home and seeing all the people that have known, supported, and loved me for years! My mom and I have amazing relationships with some wonderful women. I am so glad they took the time to come and celebrate with me!!

My mommy hosted the shower at her home, the home where I grew up. She did a beautiful job decorating and the food was fantabulous!! Thank you mommy!

Front door decor! Can you see the butterfly topiary?

Cinderella's Carriage

The sign in table!

Food and the best cake ever!

Would you believe that the entire cake was eaten that day?! It was huge but oh so yummy!

Me and the mommies.

Me and my bridesmaids that were able to attend.

The shower was so much fun and I got so many great things including tons of my everyday china, towels, sheets, corningware, and soooo much more!!

Beautiful Arthur Court soup tureen and serving tray!

Butler's Pantry serving platter!

Butler's Pantry soup tureen from my mommy!

She filled it with green apples and used it as the centerpiece for the table.

Precious gift from my aunt in remembrance of my sister Amber!!

I will cherish this hand towel forever!!!

I am so blessed to have had such a wonderful shower!

My heart is happy and grateful!

The Countdown is On!!!

2010-05-12T18:18:00.003-05:00

I am getting married in exactly one month!! I can't wait to marry my best friend! Whoo hoo!

Getaway Car

2010-04-20T08:30:00.000-05:00

Every little girl dreams of driving away from her wedding reception in a fabulous car with her new husband by her side. Well, I am no different! I have always hoped to be whisked away in some fantastic classic car, but I really didn't think it would ever happen. However, my hubby-to-be is one awesome guy!! He has rented a 1939 Rolls Royce for us to leave in!!

These are pictures of the actual car we will ride in.

I can't wait to take pictures with the car. I love it even more because my daddy's name is Royce! I will most definitely need a picture with my daddy and the Rolls Royce.

What a special day June 12th is going to be!

Champagne Flutes

2010-04-19T08:30:00.000-05:00

For our first toast as husband and wife, I thought Jeremy and I needed something extra special to drink from. My mom and I found these beautiful Waterford champagne flutes from Belk.

I had to capture a picture of the box because I have never had a Waterford box before!!

These are my first Waterford Crystal purchases ever (and probably the last!).

Forgive my need to document all the details!!! =)

They are fabulous, classy, and elegant!

I love the sound real crystal makes when you tap the glasses together.

Unity Candle

2010-04-18T08:30:00.000-05:00

I love the idea of unity candles and definitely wanted to light one at my wedding. I just wanted something different than the traditional lacy white center candle with two skinny taper candles. A cute store in Gadsden called "Things of Desire" monograms candles. I thought they would be perfect for unity candles! Ya'll know I love some monograming!

Here they are! I think they turned out really cute!

They are chunky cream colored candles with brown monograming.

Love, love, love.

The J's are for Jennifer and Jeremy and the W is for our new, shared last name!

The best part about these candles is that we can continue to use them in our home after the wedding.

Shower Gifts

2010-04-17T08:30:00.000-05:00

I am simply blown away by how many gifts Jeremy and I received at our two showers this past weekend! We are so blessed to be surrounded by such amazing friends and family! I am grateful for all the people who took time from their busy schedules to come and celebrate with us. Both showers were incredible. The hostesses did amazing jobs and made me feel so special! The attention to detail was so thoughtful! My bridal showers were more than I could ever dream of!!! Thank you all so very much!

The china that we received.

The fine china is Lenox Opal Innocence.

The everyday china is Lenox Butler's Pantry and Butler's Pantry Gourmet.

Kitchen goodies galore!

Now I have to learn to cook! I have no more excuses!

There are aprons, bowls, serving pieces, utensils, cook books, pans, and more.

This is cookware (thank you mommy and daddy!), 2 ice cream makers, glasses,

bowls, a brownie pan, crystal, utensils, and more!

Towels!

And last but not least! Jeremy's favorite gifts!

An Alabama football throw and Arthur Court serving piece!

Again, thank you all!!

Jeremy and I are so thankful and can't wait to use all of our new pretties!

April Showers

2010-04-15T21:23:00.000-05:00

This weekend I had my first two bridal showers. We partied all weekend and had so much fun. On Saturday, my Aunt Kathy hosted a shower at her gorgeous home. She decorated everything so beautifully!

My dress matched the front doors!

My wonderful mommy and I.

Notice the beautiful corsage on my wrist! My aunt thought of every detail!

My fabulous aunt and her beautiful daughters who are in the wedding.

The yummy cake. It was strawberry cream cheese.

Wish I had a piece now...

All the other delicious food.

The yummy punch.

The hostess gift was just what I needed! I am not a cook so I don't have spices that you would find in a normal person's kitchen. Now, I am ready to go. My aunt and her family gave me a wonderful wooden crate of spices. I wish you cold smell the inside of the box! It is incredible!

On Sunday, my future mother-in-law and sister-in-laws hosted another shower in my fiancee's home town.

The shower was also beautifully decorated and we had so much fun! My fiancee attended this shower which made the day even more special!

Me with the hostesses in front of the gorgeous food table.

The incredibly adorable cake that was decorated with the colors of the wedding reception!!

Green punch to match!

Fruit!

Hydrangeas on the tables.

Jeremy and I opening one of many, many, many gifts.

Jeremy and I posing with all the gifts! We are obviously very loved and very blessed!

The hostess gift for this shower was an Oreck vacuum cleaner! Jeremy and I are both so excited about it! We desperately needed a new one as our current vacuums are both old and worn out!

I will post pictures of all the gifts we received soon!

I know you are for me....

2010-04-07T22:29:00.001-05:00

Tonight at church, Kari Jobe led an entire service of worship. It was simply amazing and I could feel the presence of God. As she sang the song "You are for me," I began reflecting on those lyrics and what they really mean. I believe with all my heart that God is for me. God is always on our side and knows what is best for each of us. But today was a hard day emotionally and I am left wondering why life has to be so challenging, so heartbreaking, so difficult, so painful.

Today, my daddy had a procedure performed at a nearby hospital. As I drove to the hospital and found a park, I was overwhelmed by all the memories that came to my mind and flooded my heart. Just seeing this one hospital almost makes it hard for me to breathe because I have ten years worth of memories, emotions, tears, laughter, frustration, and love invested into that place.

It is the hospital where I was diagnosed with Crohn's disease ten years ago. I remember entering the main doors of the hospital hardly able to walk. Clinging to my parents' hands praying that someone could tell me what was wrong with my body.

It is the hospital where my mommy nearly died nine years ago. Where my daddy, sister, and I visited her every day and sat in the waiting room for hours and days and weeks on end just to go hold her hand in the intensive care unit. Just the three of us holding vigil and praying that the woman we all loved would pull through. It was just the three of us staying strong for one another and my mother until she was strong again.

It is the hospital where we took my sister last July when she suddenly fell ill. She was admitted to the same intensive care unit that my mom occupied eight years earlier. It was the same waiting room that my daddy, sister, and I sat waiting for my mommy. But this time the tables were turned and it was my daddy, mommy, and I praying for my sister. It is the hospital where she passed away and went to Heaven. It is the last place I saw her beautiful blue eyes look back at me and the last place I heard her precious voice. It is the last place I saw her alive. It is the hospital where we had to leave her body the night she passed away. The hospital that the three of us had to drive away from leaving our hearts behind with Amber. Our lives forever changed.

Today was difficult to say the least. A deep reflection and reminder of years past. My family has been through so much together. Only the three of us understand the pain, the loss, the heartbreak, and the tears. I find comfort and love in my parents and my faith.

Lord, I know that you are for me................even when it doesn't seem like it.

Fretting, Frazzled, and Fatigued

2010-03-09T10:49:00.007-06:00

These days my thoughts are consumed by all the wedding things I have left to accomplish and the small amount of time I have left before the wedding to get it all done. Planning a wedding, working a full time job and picking up extra shifts, fighting a horrible sinus infection with an already weak immune system, and making time for my friends, family, and the soon to be husband is just a tad bit stressful. There just isn't enough of me to go around. I feel frazzled, fatigued, and I am fretting over it all!!

My brain is a constant chain reaction of things I need to do. Welcome to the brain of an overwhelmed bride!!

Wedding dress must be altered immediately-when is my reception dress going to come in and when will I have it altered?-who is going to do these alterations?- how much is it going to cost-why does everything cost so much?-why didn't I listen to my dad and just go to the courthouse?!- anyway, when can I schedule bridal portraits?-oh wait, this depends on when the dresses are altered so they actually fit-before I can have pictures made I need a hairstyle-figure out appointment times to decide on a wedding day hairstyle- then I need jewelry to go with my dress-where do you even begin to look for jewelry?!-I really need a tan, but I have no time to go to a tanning bed-what about my nails and makeup-we really need to register for the bridal showers I have in less than a month-what to register for?-what color towels do we really need for the bathroom-makes me think of a shower so back to the showers, I need dresses for those events-actually I need dresses for everything (rehearsal dinner and honeymoon)-I need bikinis for the honeymoon-wait I still need a tan to look good in those bikinis-I need thank you cards to write thank you letters-I need to order napkins for the reception-I need to finish the wedding favors and bridesmaids gifts-we need champagne flutes to drink from-ceremony music!!-I have no idea!-I need a pianist!-I have to design the programs but can't do that until I have music-I need to order the unity candle and a memorial candle for my sister-terrible, painful reminder that my sissy will not be present on my wedding day-horrible reality that makes me want to scream and makes me even more frazzled!!-this makes me think of the florist because he also did the flowers for her funeral-I haven't met with the florist yet!-I need flowers for the cakes- I need to let the cake lady know I changed my mind about the grooms cake-need to take her the picture of the one I now want-we need more seating at the reception-I need to know how many chairs so I can order the chair ties-we need to choose songs for the reception! The list in my head goes on and on!

I know a wedding is all about marrying the one you love and not about getting caught up in these crazy details, but right now these details are driving me nuts!! Soon this will all be a distant memory and I will only have this post to serve as a reminder of the craziness of it all.

Engagement Pictures

2010-02-21T13:00:00.001-06:00

I thought I would share some of our engagement pictures that we had made in November. The pictures were taken by Jerrod Brown at Camp Sumatanga and downtown Attalla.

Wedding Book

2010-02-19T13:02:00.001-06:00

My wedding book arrived this week! I ordered it at the bridal show in January from Alan's Invitations. It immediately caught my attention because it's not the standard white leather guest book that you commonly see at weddings. I love choosing wedding items that are personalized and creative.

The front of the guestbook.

It has our monogram in brown on an ivory background with a matching brown ribbon.

Note, these are not the colors of the wedding. They are, however, the colors of my house so that we can continue to display our wedding book after the wedding is over.

- my mommy's idea and a good one I must admit!

The book is filled with pages to document all the details of the wedding

and the guests who attend.

And you all know how I love to coordinate! So I had to get the matching monogrammed pen!

You may be wondering why I chose a J instead of W for the pen. The book includes pages for bridal shower guests to sign their names so I will take the pen along with the book to those events. It didn't seem appropriate to use the initial of his last name before we are married. We both share first names that begin with J so this pen can be used at showers and will still be appropriate for the wedding. That seemed more reasonable! Yes, only I would think about these things!!!!

Save the Date

2010-02-18T12:59:00.000-06:00

Addressing, stuffing, sealing, stamping..... Whew we have been busy sending out our save the dates!!

For those of you who are not familiar with the save the date concept, here you go. Save the dates are notifications of a summer wedding so that guests who plan on attending the wedding can schedule their summer vacations accordingly while saving the date for our big day. A formal invitation follows a couple of months later.

The idea behind the save the date is simple, but the process of creating a save the date is not so much! Most of the choices available are cards with standard colors. Of course, I didn't like any of those options. Fortunately, my fabulous wedding photographer brought in a graphic designer to create a save the date just for us!! The graphic designer used the wedding color (purple), my favorite engagement picture, and lots of pretty scroll work to design a magnet.

This is our save the date magnet!!!

I hope all of our guests like it as much we do!

Valentine's Day

2010-02-15T22:23:00.001-06:00

Before I met my prince charming, Valentine's day was never a holiday I enjoyed. That's probably because I was a single gal for so long! For years, I referred to Valentine's day as Single Awareness Day (SAD) because the holiday draws attention to all the single girls wishing for a soul mate. What a day to build a girl's self-esteem!! Fortunately, God is good and delivers your soul mate to your doorstep when His timing is right.

I am so grateful to have finally met my soul mate. We had a wonderful Valentine's day together. I received my first surprise when I arrived at work on Friday. A package had already been delivered for me! I opened the package to find this box.

When I opened the box I found 9 little chocolate frogs!! So cute!!

The one in the middle must be the prince because he is the only one wearing a crown...

On Valentine's day, we started our day by attending church followed by a yummy lunch at Tavern. We arrived home just in time for a dozen red roses and a teddy bear to be delivered at my door!

Beautiful!!!

So sweet! Prince charming and I spent the remainder of the day resting, relaxing, watching the Olympics, and enjoying one another's company. Absolutely perfect!! I simply couldn't ask for more.

Creating Heirlooms

2010-02-04T12:54:00.002-06:00

As I have mentioned before, there are gazillions of details to think about when planning a wedding. My latest concern has been finding a knife to use when we cut the bride's cake. Of course I could go buy a brand new knife, but wouldn't it be more meaningful to use something that belonged to my parents?

After suggesting this idea to my mommy, she immediately went to find the cake knife. It still has the ribbon and flowers from their wedding day nearly 33 years ago!! Now the plan is to have my parents' monogram and date engraved into the knife. After our wedding, my fiance and I will have our monogram and date engraved too. We will start a new tradition and pass the cake knife down for years to come creating a family heirloom.

Wedding Details

2010-02-03T12:52:00.000-06:00

Wedding planning is so much fun but overwhelming! There are a gazillion details to think about. Fortunately, I love attention to detail. It's the small things that make me happy. Anyway, I thought I would share a few of my plans for the big day.

These are the colors of the wedding - apple green and purple.

The chair ties at the reception will be in purple.

I love green apples so they will be a part of my centerpieces for the tables at the reception.

They will also be on the groom's chocolate 3-layered cake!

Samples of the yummy wedding cake we tasted last Friday.

I can't wait to see my cake - it will be 4 layers of white on white.

Simple, elegant, and classic!

A sampling of the flowers I want to use for the wedding and reception.

I love bright and vibrant colors.

Hope you enjoyed a small peek into the wedding planning festivites!

More to come soon!

Bridal Show Bliss

2010-01-26T22:08:00.002-06:00

Last week my mom, future mother-in-law, matron of honor, and I attended the the Southeast Bridal Show. The show was a little chaotic and overwhelming, but fortunately I already have the majority of my wedding planned so I was there to mostly eat the cake!! =) You would think a bunch of brides that have to fit in wedding dresses in a few short months would run away screaming from wedding cake for the fear of gaining a few pounds, but nope! Especially not me! I LOVE wedding cake! Yummy.

I also found it necessary to register for every giveaway despite the fact that I don't have great luck. I was positive that I would NOT win a thing, but I was wrong! I won a fabulous Bobbi Brown gift basket from Mr. Burch Formal Wear!! So exciting! Look at those adorable butterflies!!

Look at all the goodies in the basket!! There is more makeup in this basket than I know what to do with. Good thing they included the Bobbie Brown book and a gallon of makeup remover!!!

It just makes my heart happy to finally be a bride! I wore my "Bride" sticker proudly all day! (Just ask my mommy!) After all, I have waited 28 years to wear one of those.

Thanks for visiting and I promise I will post more wedding details this week!!

Baby Just Say Yes!

2010-01-16T14:07:00.000-06:00

It is 2010. This is the year I get married!!!! I am so excited and having so much fun planning my wedding. This is a day I have dreamed about since I was a little girl. Now I am working hard to make my fairytale wedding all that I have ever dreamed it would be!

Christmas Flowers

2009-12-24T00:30:00.000-06:00

After being out of town this past weekend, Prince Charming appeared at my door Monday night with this beautiful arrangement of flowers. What a surprise! The glass gingerbread mixing bowl, cinnamon sticks, pinecones, and wooden spoons are adorable. The roses are just beautiful! I am so lucky to have found a true gentleman that treats me like a princess. What a blessing!!

A closeup of the cute bowl.

The flowers from above.

So sweet! It's the little things that make the best Christmas memories!

Christmas Traditions

2009-12-22T23:10:00.000-06:00

Christmas has always been one of my favorite holidays because it is full of family traditions. I have such happy memories from years past. When my sister and I were little my mommy used to help us make a gingerbread house every year. Year after year we constructed our little house and embellished it with brightly colored candies and royal icing galore. Candy placement and color decisions were oh so important. Amber and I worked so hard on our gingerbread house and we always made a huge sticky mess to prove it! I will treasure those memories for forever and always!

This year my mommy and I decided we would continue our tradition. Making a gingerbread house without Amber just wasn't the same this year, but mommy and I know she was sitting right there with us.

The makings of a gingerbread house.

Candy!!! The colored twizzlers are fantabulous!!

Me hard at work. This is serious business!

The finished product.

Sissy, I hope we made you proud!!

We miss you SO much!

Merry Christmas in Heaven!!

Love, Squirt

Home for the Holidays

2009-12-10T21:52:00.002-06:00

Christmas is my favorite holiday! I love the way the twinkling lights of a Christmas tree can make a home feel all warm and cozy. It warms my heart! I thought I would share some pictures of my home during the holidays. Enjoy!

The mailbox.

You can definitely tell a girl lives here with all the pink!!

The wreaths on the front doors.

So fun and whimsical!

The foyer.

The snowman is there to greet everyone!

The stairs in the kitchen.

The little reindeer that guards the Christmas tree.

The centerpiece for the coffee table.

My stocking that hangs by the chimney with care.

(By the way, my mom made the stockings with love!)

The mantle and my Angel.

The living room.

In case you can't tell, the Christmas tree is huge standing at 10 feet tall. I like to call it "10 feet of madness"! It is an explosion of color and happiness which makes me smile! All my decor is the result of a fabulous collaboration of creativity on behalf of my mommy and me!

You should check out my mommy's Christmas decor at:

http://donna-sugarspicesouthernlife.blogspot.com/

Thanks SO much for visiting! For a closer look click on the pictures!
More pictures to come!

Jennifer

The Ultimate Christmas Gift

2009-12-09T14:02:00.000-06:00

I truly believe the reason for the season is the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Christmas is a celebration of his birth! Because Jesus was born and then died on the cross for our sins, we will spend eternity in Heaven. Now that is the ultimate Christmas gift! Who could possibly ask for more?

As a Christian, I believe it is my responsibility to share the love of Jesus. Christmas is a perfect time to do so! This year my fiancee, my best friend, and I each participated in the Angel Tree Program through our church. Our job was to provide two children (a brother and sister) with a fabulous Christmas. While Christmas isn't about extravagant gifts, it is about the extravagant love of God! Providing these children with some items from their wish lists demonstrates love and generosity! I hope these children wake up on Christmas morning filled with excitement knowing that someone truly cares for them, loves them, and is praying for their salvation.

The fabulous spread of gifts!!

All packaged up and ready to head to church for drop off!

Merry Christmas! Remember it's not too late to be a child's angel!

The First Thanksgiving

2009-11-30T20:48:00.000-06:00

My first Thanksgiving without her.

My first Thanksgiving with him.

My heart deeply grieves for the loss of my sister.

My heart is truly grateful for the presence of my fiancee.

I rejoice for the years that I had with her.

I rejoice for the years that I will spend with him.

I savor the sweet precious memories of her.

I am excited to make lasting memories with him.

There is a place in my heart that belongs only to her.

There is a place in my heart that only he completes.

I thank God that He chose me to be her sister.

I thank God that He chose me to be his wife.

Two vastly different emotions raging inside of

one person's heart at

one time because of

two amazing people who have forever changed my life.

Dresses for the Maids

2009-11-25T11:41:00.002-06:00

This past Saturday my mommy, some of my bridesmaids, and I went to Bridesmaids, Inc in Homewood to try on bridesmaids dresses. What a task!! There are so many choices! It's overwhelming.

I am not a demanding bride when it comes to dresses, hair, makeup, shoes, etc. I really just want all my beautiful girls to feel comfortable and look even more gorgeous than they already are. I originally suggested a conservative gown since the wedding is in a small town Baptist church. By conservative, I was hoping for a dress with shoulder straps that doesn't cling to the body too snuggly. Seriously, who wants to tug on a dress all day to keep it up and worry about curves, panty lines, etc. I don't think I realized what a challenge that would be. Who would have guessed that all the gowns with shoulder straps would be so low cut? For the love. Unlike myself, the majority of my maids are blessed with great boobs which they should be proud of! =) However, cleavage isn't really part of my definition of conservative! I want people to be in awe over flowers, dresses, the church, and ME (lol, I am the bride!), not boobs and cleavage! I am sure this will disappoint some of the groomsmen though! Ha, ha!

Needless to say, I changed my vision of a conservative dress and started looking at strapless gowns. These were much better. The gowns draped beautifully over the body and concealed all the cleavage. Just what I wanted!! I am so grateful for my girls. They were certainly troopers trying on gown after gown.

I believe we finally found the perfect one!!

This is my beautiful cousin, Lauren modeling the dress!

(This is not the color by the way! It will be Iris.)

I love this picture!! Caroline is in the background looking excited!! =)

Allison is focused on pulling the dress snug because Lauren is so tiny!

Lauren looks as sassy and cute as can be!

Thank you to all my maids who came to play!!!

Lauren, me, Allison, Caroline, Katie

Sacred Ground

2009-11-18T22:34:00.002-06:00

When most girls want to talk with their sister, they have the convenience of calling her on the phone, meeting for lunch or dinner, or visiting one another at home. Unfortunately, I no longer have this luxury. When I need quality time with my sister, I have to go to one place.

What a harsh, cold, cruel reality. This is my reality.

On Monday, I decided I needed some quality time with Amber. I took my blanket, sat next to her grave, and shared my joys, fears, happiness, sadness, and tears. I am sure people thought I was crazy as they drove past the cemetery and saw some poor girl sitting next to a grave crying for nearly an hour. But, this is my reality.

I know without a doubt that Amber is in Heaven resting in the arms of our gracious Heavenly Father.

I know without a doubt that I will see her again someday.

I know without a doubt that God's timing is always perfect.

I know without a doubt that God always knows what's best for each of us.

I know without a doubt God heals the brokenhearted.

I know without a doubt that the pain of losing Amber is almost unbearable.

I know without a doubt that I miss her more everyday.

I know without a doubt that there is peace and comfort at Amber's grave.

I know without a doubt that her grave is a little piece of Heaven, precious sacred ground.

Sissy, I love you and miss you more than words could say!!
I can't wait to see you again someday!

Busy as a Bee!

2009-11-17T22:31:00.001-06:00

Where does the time go? Life has been so busy these past two weeks. Don't get me wrong. I love to be busy because that means you are needed and people love you and want to be with you. What a blessing! But sometimes a girl needs some downtime so she can update her blog!! I finally have some time tonight, so here we go! I will try not to bore you with all the details but here is a lovely recap of my past two weeks.

I went to Christmas Village with my mommy and daddy. Yes, my dad is a really good man!! Christmas Village is always a lot of fun and gets me in the Christmas spirit. This was my purchase for the event. I love it and I think it is very encouraging!!

Later that night, I went to Disney on Ice with my Matron of Honor, her son (my future nephew), and prince charming's little sister. We had so much fun! I love Disney on Ice and I love spending time with my new family. Of course, I couldn't leave without a souvenir. Doesn't every 28 year old need an icee in a Mickey Mouse cup?

I went shopping for new jeans. What a challenging task! I really don't understand why all jeans these days look like someone has already worn them for 10 years, rolled around in the dirt while wearing them, ripped them, and then ran over them with a four-wheeler. Seriously. I had to search forever, but finally found normal cute jeans that fit! Yes, the have a little flair on the rear but they are so cute on that I couldn't resist. I found them at Buckle in case you are wondering.

If you know me, you know that I can't buy jeans without buying a new pair of shoes. Look how cute!!! I love, love, love them!!!

Additionally, I have spent much needed quality time with my husband-to-be (church, dinner dates, movies), shopped for Christmas decor that I really don't need =), had engagement pictures made, nursed my fierce cold back to health, and had multiple dinner dates with a few of my bridesmaids! Whew, told you I have been busy!!

Now that you're probably thinking I shop a lot, I will promise you that I work a lot more!!! I have been working hard saving lives at the pharmacy!! Having a job is terribly time consuming. Don't ya think?! Too bad I need a paycheck or I wouldn't have time to fit a job into my social schedule!! HA!!

Well, now you all must be bored to tears, but at least you know where I have been these past two weeks. Thanks for letting me document my days and thanks even more for reading!!

Yankee Candle Meltdown

2009-11-02T15:01:00.000-06:00

The little maintenance light in my Honda has been blinking at me for several days reminding me that my oil needed to be changed. So this morning I headed off to Tameron Honda. It was there that I learned the light was blinking because my car needed a 75,000 mile maintenance checkup in addition to the oil change. Lovely. Needless to say, I ended up spending an extra chunk of money on my vehicle that I hadn't expected.

Despite the large amound of money I had just invested in my car, I was so close to the galleria that I couldn't resist driving over just to "look"!! I really did need some new mascara. For exercise (wink, wink!), I walked the long way around the mall just to "look" in the store windows.

Then it happened.

I saw Yankee Candle Company. In two seconds flat, the tears woudn't stop coming. You see, my sister Amber absolutely loved Yankee candles. She had a gazillion and always had them burning in her room. My family and I used to make special outings just so we could go by Yankee Candle to get more candles. I couldn't believe it, but just seeing the store immediately made me have a meltdown. I pulled it together so I could go inside and get my mom and I each a candle to burn in her remembrance this holiday season. The sales lady at the store asked me who I was shopping for. Bless her heart, the simple, kind question triggered a major meltdown. I could hardly speak through my stream of tears. I told her about my sister and the sweet lady just held me in her arms and let me cry. She began crying too and told me her dad had passed away in May. She let me get all my tears out. We talked about our shared faith in our Heavenly Father and how it feels to grieve the loss of a loved one. I left the store, knowing that God places angels in our lives everyday to help us through tough times. Today, the Yankee Candle lady was my angel for the day.

The candle I purchased. Spiced Pumpkin!

Yummy for Thanksgiving!

I also bought these cute little silver charms with the letter "A" for Amber!

Something to Think About......

2009-10-31T23:05:00.000-05:00

At 9:55 pm on October 28, 1992, I made the best decision of my life. I gave my life to Christ! That day I began living for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I simply couldn't imagine where I would be now if I hadn't asked Jesus to forgive me of my sins so many years ago. I am so thankful that God sent His one and only son to die on the cross for my sins. I am so unworthy, but so grateful. What a gift! Because of this incredibly generous gift I am absolutely, positively certain that I will be reunited with my sister one day in Heaven. What a glorious day that will be!!

I got saved that night at a Judgment House in Gadsden, Alabama. For those of you who don't know what a Judgment House is, it is a skit that is acted out that portrays how every decision we make today effects our future. In the skit, a tragedy usually occurs involving two people. One person is a Christian and the other is not. Both face judgment before God. The Christian is granted eternity in Heaven and the non-believer is thrown into the gates of hell. During the skit you actually walk into a room that is designed as hell and a room that is Heaven. What a powerful experience! It is impossible not to recognize that Heaven, not Hell, is the place to live all of eternity! All we have to do to get to Heaven is ask Jesus into our lives, ask Him to forgive us of our sins, and continue to build a relationship with our Lord. It almost seems too good to be true, but it's not. God is so good to us and loves us so much, he made it that easy!

This past Thursday night, prince charming and I attended a Judgment House at Union Grove Baptist Church in Jemison, Alabama. He and I watched as 16 people in our group made the same decision I did 17 years ago and gave their lives to Christ!! Incredible! Judgment Houses are a wonderful, realistic portrayal of how quickly life can be taken away from us. In the blink of an eye, our earthly life could be over and we will each face judgment before God. Will he send you to Heaven to live in peace and happiness for all of eternity or will he send you to hell because you never asked his son to forgive you? I pray that we all meet in Heaven, but if you are a non-believer your eternity is definitely something to think about before it's too late.

Praying for you all!!

Home Sweet Home

2009-10-29T13:27:00.002-05:00

One of the best things about being a single gal is that you get to furnish and decorate your house any way your heart desires. Now that I am getting married in June I am beginning to wonder how Prince Charming and I will merge our stuff together. Of course we are total opposites when it comes to interior decorating. I prefer light colored furniture, he likes dark furniture. I prefer televisions to be concealed, he likes his television hanging over the fireplace. I like pretty Pottery Barn chairs, he likes recliners. Needless to say, joining our stuff together in June should be exciting. Until that day comes I will enjoy all my pretties just the way they are!

Welcome to my home!

I love my front doors. My mommy made the fall wreaths!

My foyer is also one of my favorite parts of the house. I absolutely LOVE the archway!

This picture just doesn't do it justice.

This is another view of the foyer. I LOVE the light fixtures!!

The living room.

Living room from another view.

My dining room.

The kitchen.

Another kitchen view.

And finally, words to live by.

I hope you enjoyed the tour of my home! I'll post pictures
of the other rooms at a later date. Thanks for visiting!

Ya'll come back now!

P.S. If you click on the pictures, you can see more details!

Girls Night

2009-10-28T15:50:00.000-05:00

This past Saturday I got to meet up with my high school friends for girls night. Girls night is a once monthly outing that we started in January of 2008. We all choose a location to meet for dinner and something fun (ie. bowling, a movie, a play). We have so much fun when we are all together! It is so good to reunite with old friends. Most of us have known each other for over 20 years!! I am so blessed to have these girls in my life!

I would love to introduce you to my friends! I hope they don't mind! =)

On the left is Brandy. She was my best friend in the first grade and we were on the danceline together in high school. She is truly Elle Woods from Legally Blonde! So cute and fashionable, yet very smart. The girl is in law school. Impressive!
Next is Mandy. We were also on the high school danceline together. She is building a new house and is engaged to be married in April. So exciting!
I am in the middle. You all know more than enough about me already!
Next is Kristi. We were best friends in the seventh grade. Now she is pregnant with her first child, a baby girl named Lillian!
And then another Brandy. We also danced together in high school. She has two adorable little girls and she makes incredible cakes. So talented!

We all went to dinner at Panera Bread in Birmingham and then saw the movie Paranormal Activity. What a crazy movie! I refused to sit on the end at the movie because I was scared. So thank you to the two Brandys for keeping me safe! Love ya'll.

Again, I am so blessed that we continue to share our lives together. It is so much fun watching everyone "grow up"! I am so very proud of all my girls and grateful to call you all my friends!! I can't wait until next month!

Not always a fairytale...

2009-10-17T23:07:00.003-05:00

Time is flying by! I can't believe it has been so long since my last post. Unfortunately, I don't have anything exciting to report, but I'll share my thoughts anyway. Thrilling, I know!   It has just been one of those weeks. Blah! Sometimes I wish I could be that girl that has it all together all the time. Instead I am the girl that wakes up in the morning, looks in the mirror, and is startled over my not so beautiful reflection. Seriously, you should see me in the morning. Scary.  My hair is out of control and my face is extremely puffy. At this time, I am glad to live alone so no one else can experience this trauma. Anyway! In attempt to remedy the issue of looks, I got my hair highlighted and cut. This is improvement but I have the hair that does not like change. In fact, my hair rebels against change. So the first week of a new haircut is always quite the adventure. I basically have to force my hair to relearn what it has been doing for the past 5 years. Exhausting! Apparently my intelligence has not seeped from my brain into the roots of my hair. Maybe it has something to do with the blond color.....

Once the hair dilemma began improving, I decided my makeup could use an upgrade. Off to Sephora I went. The saleswoman was so nice, but she did point out that my eyes looked a little rough to say the least. I learned my eyes are dry, have dark circles beneath them, and are beginning to show signs of age. That's all a girl needs to build self-esteem! The saleswoman politely asked if I was feeling okay. I politely replied that my sister died in July. Well, that one stopped her in her tracks! Poor lady. Apparently, grieving over the loss of my sister hasn't done great things for my features, but at least I have a good reason to look rough.  Grief seems to make you age quicker, but oh well, I am just getting a little closer to Heaven I suppose! So I left Sephora with all new makeup, eye cream, and far less money than I had when I entered the store. Oh, the price of vanity!

The recent change of weather has also made me reevaluate my closet. As I have previously stated, I really don't like cold weather. Therefore, I don't like to buy clothing that is appropriate for cold weather. Unfortunately, getting dressed this past week has been more than a little stressful. I realized I have no trendy, cute fall clothing. Instead I have lovely sweaters and cardigans that you would find on your average grandmother over the age of 70! Did I mention that apparently I am aging? Since I have upgraded the hair, and makeup, I decided why not improve the clothes? Off to the mall I went. I am very fortunate to be rather thin and petite for my age, but this means I have to shop in the juniors clothing section. This is not so fortunate. I really don't need jeans with holes, low cut shirts, or slinky dresses. For the love, I am twenty-eight years old, serve my at my church, and work as a pharmacist. I prefer classy, not sleezy. Needless to say finding appropriate clothing is like going on a scavenger hunt or looking for a needle in a haystack. However, my mommy and I persevered and mangaged to find some cute clothes, but not without spending more of my hard earned finances.

Now that my hair is looking better, my eyes are looking a little less aged (I hope), and my wardrobe has improved, maybe my mood will too. This process of grieving the loss of a loved one really isn't easy. My heart goes out to anyone that has walked down this road before. Grief is so frustrating. It makes you feel crazy inside. There are days when I feel more normal and happy and then there are days when I just want to scream. I want someone else to feel my pain. I want people to remember what I am going through. I want people to be patient with me because I have never known grief like this before. I want everyone to realize that I am not the same person I was before July 24th. My life changed on that day. Losing your one and only sister can turn your world and heart upside down.  I can't be the same person I used to be. A piece of my heart is empty. I have a hole in my heart that will never be replaced. Hair, makeup, and clothes can't repair my heart. It's all superficial. Just because I smile everyday, laugh, and make jokes, it does NOT mean that I am really okay. I am not okay at all, I am just doing the best I can with a horrible situation. I pray daily for strength and peace, but I am definitely a work in progress. Life is not always a fairytale....

Say Yes to the Dress!!!

2009-10-06T22:55:00.001-05:00

I think every little girl dreams of the day she can try on wedding gowns in hopes of finding the perfect one. For some strange reason, I am not one of those girls! I have been more concerned with shoes than the dress. Finding the perfect dress just seems too stressful. Seriously, there are so many to choose from - there are an endless number of designers, styles, colors, necklines, etc. It all seems a bit overwhelming to me! But I do know that it takes months to have a dress ordered in the correct size and then more time to have it altered correctly, so I had to get started on the hunt for the dress.

I decided to start with a store that would be really low-key. A place where I could choose to try on dresses that I believed fit my style. So my mom, dad, and I drove all the way to Jasper to Diane's Formal Affair. Upon arriving and registering, my mom and I were given 8 tags to attach to dresses that I would like to try on. The store has over 600 dresses to look through! Did I mention overwhelming?! Anyway, my eyes landed immediately on one gown that I knew I had to try on. One tag down, seven to go! We found another that looked almost like the first, so we tagged it too. Two down. Then I saw another dress that looked cute and simple, so that received the third tag. By that point in time, mom and I had browsed through ALL 600 dresses. I couldn't believe that I had only chosen three. In attempt to avoid being rude, mom and I desperately found another dress we could "tag" just so we could use at least half of what we were given!

We finally progressed to the point where I actually got to try on the gowns. Exciting! I have NEVER even tried on a wedding gown, so this was a first for me. The bridal consultant brought the gown that I tagged first - the one that immediately caught my attention. I put the dress on, walked out of the dressing room, stood on the little box in the room full of mirrors, and oh my word, a bride was looking right back at me! I LOVED it! The next thing I know, the consultant is putting a veil in my hair, my mom is looking super excited, and I suddenly needed my daddy's approval! Again, did I mention overwhelming?!

Well, it seemed wrong to try on one dress and be done with the whole process. I tried on the other two, only to come back to the first. I knew the dress was the one. Then I began fretting over the fact that the NONE of my bridesmaids were with me. My heart sank. I really wanted my best friends to be a part of the search for the dress. I had no intention of finding the dress that quickly! After helpful reassurance from my bridal consultant, the rest of the staff, my mom, and my dad; I felt certain that I had found the perfect dress and that all my maids could participate in the process by coming to the store with me for a fitting at the time my dress arrives. Whew! Deep breath! Relief!

So, yesterday I said "yes to the dress"!

Like mother, like daughter, my mommy's wedding dress was the very first gown she picked out and tried on too!! We have great first instincts! It must be genetic!

It's All About the Shoes!

2009-10-02T11:52:00.001-05:00

Those of you that know me know that I absolutely LOVE shoes! I have quite a shoe collection of all colors and styles. I don't really care for flats, I prefer heels. I personally believe the higher the heel the better! Needless to say, finding a pair of wedding shoes was a top priority in my book! Who needs a dress? I need great shoes!!

I have never purchased anything online before, but after an intense google search for bridal shoes (classy, I know!), I came across the perfect pair. I am one of those girls that knows immediately when I find the perfect item. I don't have to think twice. So I ordered the shoes and LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them! They are so "Jennifer"!! I can't wait to wear them down the aisle! Thank goodness I will have my daddy's arm to hold on to (the heels are 3 inches, in case you can't tell)!

Maids and Frogs

2009-10-01T20:05:00.000-05:00

I have always thought it would be super cute to ask my friends to be my bridesmaids in some creative way. It seemed so boring to just call the girls up and ask them to be in my wedding. I only intend to get married one time so I had to do something fun and different.

While in Birmingham enjoying a mother-daughter day, my mom and I went to my most favorite bakery ever - Edgar's Bakery! If you've never been, you have to go and try the strawberry cake. It is the best thing you will EVER eat!! I promise!! Yummy! In addition to fabulous cakes, they also have adorable cupcakes and cookies. My eyes landed on precious frog cookies and I immediately decided that the cookies had to be a part of my plan. After all, I did kiss the frog that turned into my prince!!!

I also wanted to give the girls something on paper asking them to be a part of my special day. My oh-so creative mommy decided we should use her scrapbooking supplies to make cutouts of cute bridesmaid dresses. Then we printed out my poem (yes, I came up with the rhyme!) on each dress and decorated them with ribbons and flowers. We used purple paper because purple is the color of the wedding. We had so much fun making each and every one. It was our very first "wedding activity!" So exciting!!

To tie everything together, mommy placed each frog in a cellophane bag and tied them with purple and green (the color of the reception!) ribbons. So cute!!! I hand delivered each frog and dress to all of my bridesmaids. Fortunately, they all said yes!!! I am so blessed to have such amazing friends in my life. God is so good!

I can't wait until June 12, when I marry my frog with all of my maids by my side!! In case you are wondering, I have ELEVEN bridesmaids and a junior bridesmaid. Told you I was blessed!!!!!

Maid of Honor - Amber (my heavenly sister)

Matron of Honor - Allison (prince charming's SIL)

Bridesmaid - Caroline (sorority sister)

Bridesmaid - Cameron (sorority sister)

Bridesmaid- Audrey (co-worker)

Bridesmaid - Ashley (college friend)

Bridesmaid - Katie (college friend)

Bridesmaid - Lindsay (co-worker)

Bridesmaid - Amy (co-worker)

Bridesmaid - Lauren (cousin)

Bridesmaid - Mary Ann (cousin)

Junior Bridesmaid - Madeline (prince charming's sister)

Going to the Chapel

2009-09-26T16:27:00.003-05:00

Who knew choosing a wedding date could be so complicated? I obviously was clueless. After getting engaged on August 16, I knew we needed to go ahead and choose a date. Being the cold-natured girl I am I insisted on choosing a warm month to get married. July seemed too far away, May has too many holidays (ie. Mother's day and Memorial Day), so that left June. I never wanted to be a June bride, but it seemed like the only option. Then, as any true Attalla bride would do, I checked with Benny Campbell of Attalla Florist to see if he was available. Benny is a fabulous florist and the only florist I would want for my wedding day. Benny was available on Saturday, June 12 so that had to be the date!! Whoo hoo! A date and florist!!!

The next order of business was to find a location to get married. I have lived in Birmingham for the past 10 years, so naturally I wanted to get married there. I have attended a fabulous church (Church of the Highlands) for the past 4 years. Unfortunately, my church does not have a chapel for weddings. What's a girl to do?! I began checking popular wedding venues all over the area and everything was already booked for June 12th. Crazy! I thought getting engaged in August and planning a June wedding was ample time to prepare!! I was obviously wrong! So once again, as any Attalla bride would do, I decided to bring the wedding back to the home roots! I have chosen to get married in the church that I was a member of while in high school. It is a very special place for me because my sister and I were baptized there together. I am certain I will feel her presence there during the wedding. So First Baptist Church of Attalla will be the fabulous setting for my fairytale wedding!! Whoo hoo!

The next drama was finding a place for the reception. Attalla isn't the largest town, so I knew this would be a tough one. But, as I always say, God provides! The Gadsden Country Club was available for my date so we quickly filled out the form and got my name on the calendar. You just can't hesitate when planning these events!! So thank goodness everything is finally settled! What a relief!

Here are the final details for the wedding:

June 12, 2010

6:00pm

First Baptist Church of Attalla

Reception following at the Gadsden Country Club

For I know the plans I have for you......

2009-09-25T13:32:00.003-05:00

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

Our God is an awesome God and He is so true to His word. Throughout my life I have continued to be amazed with God's plan for me and His timing . I truly believe that if you give your life to our precious Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, God will always comfort and provide even when you don't realize it. As I grow older and closer in my relationship with the Lord, I realize that He is working in my life every day. God sees the big picture when all we see is what's happening in the moment. However, God is guiding us daily so that He can reveal in His timing His fantastic plan for each of us! God never promised the journey would be easy, but He did promise to never leave our side!!!

For as long as I can remember, I have always been the single girl. You know, the one that went to college for eight years, has a great career, great church, great friends, and a new house all on her own, but the one that NEVER has a boyfriend. I used to get so frustrated with being single. I couldn't help but wonder when I would meet "the one" and walk down the aisle on my daddy's arm to wed prince charming. Weddings were happening for girls all around me, but not for me. I often prayed for God to lead me to my soulmate, but for years that prayer never seemed to be answered. Little, did I know that God was in the process of answering my prayer. He was preparing my soulmate and I for one another.

I met my fiance while at work last December. I clearly remember my friend telling me that he was perfect for me! I couldn't help but laugh because I have heard that statement so many times before and it never worked out. Nevertheless, I went on a date with this "frog" and he turned into my prince! I have always been told, you will meet the man of your dreams when you least expect it, and that proved to be true. I definitely was not looking for a man while at work and I was really frustrated with dating at that time. I was sure that dating someone was that last thing I needed. But, God had different plans and decided I needed to be with this guy! Later I would learn why...

On July 24th of this year, God took my sister, Amber, home to live in His kingdom. Words cannot describe what a devastating loss this has been for my parents and I. I lost my one and only sister. Amber was only 29 years old when she passed away. Her presence is sooooo greatly missed. However, God always knows what is best. He knew Amber's body was tired and weary and that she deserved to walk on the streets of gold in Heaven. He also knew that I would need support to get me through this tragedy. This is why I believe I met my prince charming earlier this year. God always provides. He answered my prayer for finding a spouse in His timing - when He knew I would need someone the most.

Now it is finally my turn to be that happy girl with a beautiful engagement ring on her finger planning a fairytale wedding!! God is so faithful!

My prayer is that anyone that reads the blog will realize that God is always with us and working in our favor even when we don't realize it! The Bible says He will never leave us or forsake us. God's timing is always perfect, yet we must be patient and continue to listen to Him and submit ourselves to His plan. Never stop praying!! Regardless of circumstances and how horrible life may seem at any given moment, we must always trust in the Lord and lean on Him. God is the ONLY answer! He is the truth, the light, and the way!!