~turning ashes into beauty, sorrow into song~

More shoe possibilities

2010-01-27T22:03:00.003-05:00

AAAH Which ones should i choose?? all three are so cute!!

My Best Friend's Wedding....

2010-01-27T21:20:00.006-05:00

(well, one of my best friend's weddings....)

My dear friend Melissa is marrying wonderful guy named Greg at the end of May. I have been charged with not only being one the bridesmaids but also being the wedding planner, go to make-up artist, and many other time consuming things. But its really fun to help her and I love it so much I might actually go into business one of these days helping others plan their beautiful wedding day.

We went through a whole lot of back and forth about acceptable and low priced bridesmaids dresses the past few days. We have many different heights and body types in the wedding party so taking all that in to consideration we decided to for-go David's Bridal (way too over priced). Instead we chose a variety of jersey sundresses/summery dresses that were in cthe learance section at Macy's. I'm stoked because they're all cute and very much wearable for over occasions.

Here's the one I bought (this is the purple color we're all wearing):

And these are the shoes I might want to buy to go with it (so cute right??):

Hello 2010

2010-01-20T11:34:00.002-05:00

So yeah.. I've been a blogging slacker. Mostly I haven't written because I knew if I did I would just be whiney and I'd complain about work A LOT, so I spared you from many angry rants.

So its 2010, which is completely crazy to me and it blows my mind a bit. Has it really been 10 years since 2000? yikes! I feel old.

So this year i'm praying and hoping desperately for some great life changes.

-The hubby and I both need/want new jobs and I really feel like thats going to happen for us very soon. *fingers crossed and prayers please*

-We both need to get in better shape. We joined a gym (finally!) and so far we've made it two days in a row. It feels good to take the days stresses out on a bike or an elliptical for 30 minutes! It makes me feel wonderful and I want to keep it up permanently. We've also been trying really hard to eat healthy and nutritious foods rather then eat junk. So far we've been fairly successful. I hope we keep the good eating going. :)

-Get back into going to church regularly. I'll admit we've been HUGE slackers about church the past months and I really miss my church community.

-Keep our lives/house organized and tidy on a daily basis. When I'm stressed I either (1) obsessively organize weird things or (2) completely give up on cleaning and organizing until I regain my sanity. During the Holiday season I unfortunately fell into the second catagory because work was so SO awful. So I need to be a bit more diligent about organizing our lives.

Well that's it for now. Hopefully I'll post again soon (maybe even with some tasty recipes).

Much Love,

M

Vintage Love

2009-09-21T11:57:00.005-04:00

If you know me then you know I'm slightly obsessed/in love with the show Mad Men (2009 Emmy winner, baby!). Ever since High School I've had a crazy love for all things "vintage" and glamorous. Especially the decades of the 40's, 50's and 60's. So for Halloween this year I'm going to go as one of the sirens of the sizzling early 60's as imagined via the Mad Men world. Here are just a couple of the dresses I've found that I'm lovin'.

Fall is upon us...

2009-08-31T16:40:00.002-04:00

It is a fabulously chilly day here in NC. I am excited because tomorrow it's September, which means Autumn is just few short weeks away. Fall is by far my favorite season because its not hot but not yet freezing. And my favorite part of this season (besides boots, fabulous sweaters, and scarves) is Starbuck's Pumpkin Spice Latte!!! woohoo. its officially back and i can't wait to have one. :)

Happy Almost-Autumn.

Playing Catch Up

2009-07-10T09:29:00.004-04:00

Since we last chatted dear blogosphere, I've been to the beach with the girls, celebrated 2 years of marriage to my dear sweet hubby, + went to the mountains with my Mom's side of the family. All of these events were lots of fun but I feel like Summer is slipping by relatively quickly. Remember when Summer seemed to last forever? I miss those days.

Guess we just have to hold on and enjoy the ride that is life day by day.

Not much else to say. I'll post more pictures later!

love,

PS: thought to ponder... what's your favorite song/album that makes you think of Summer (not necessarily about Summer).

Off to the beach...

2009-06-16T10:13:00.004-04:00

Tomorrow I'm off to the beach with all the girl's on my husband's side of the family. I love my in laws + all my family on that side; as well as the beach--so I'm stoked! Hopefully the weather will be nice, everyone will get along (you never know with a house full of women!), and I'll be able to just relax. After the crazy week I had, it'll be nice to just chill.

Hopefully my hubby and sweet puppy will have fun for a few days without me ;) But for now I'm off to pack for Oak Island paradise!

See you next week!

In Between

2009-06-08T12:06:00.002-04:00

Lately I've noticed that my hubby and I are stuck in the middle of mid to late twenties life change. We've been married almost 2 years, & it seems within the last 6-9 months all of our married friends have either 1) decided to start trying to get pregnant, 2) become pregnant or 3) had their first kid. We love our friends and we love children but we are just not in that place right now. I think in a year or two we will be, but not right now.

So here we are with literally 3 maybe 4 "couples" left to hang out with. The rest have been swept away by a monsoon of BABIES. And seem to have no time effort left to talk about anything other then mommyhood. Of course there are a few exceptions and I'm making it sound more dramatic than it is, but you get the picture.

And then there are our single friends who for some reason have begun to not invite us places simply because we are married. One friend went so far to tell me that because I'm not single anymore, i am simply to relate-able to her. This just makes me sad.

So what's a girl to do?

I'm excited for the day that we too have little ones crawling around our house but, for now I'll gladly take a nice pint of beer, time spent my hubby and puppy, and a good conversation with friends over diapers & playdates.

Cheesy but lovely

2009-05-08T10:45:00.002-04:00

So the Scrubs series finale came on the other night and I found myself tearing up at the last few scenes. They played a beautiful Peter Gabriel song called "Book of Love" and showed scenes of love, marriage, and children. It was absolutely beautiful. Maybe it's the wife or future mom welling up in me but I felt like this song just captured the beauty of it all.

Here are the lyrics:

"The book of love is long and boring
No one can lift the damn thing
It's full of charts and facts and figures and instructions for dancing
But I
I love it when you read to me
And you
You can read me anything
The book of love has music in it
In fact that's where music comes from
Some of it is just transcendental
Some of it is just really dumb
But I
I love it when you sing to me
And you
You can sing me anything
The book of love is long and boring
And written very long ago
It's full of flowers and heart-shaped boxes
And things we're all too young to know
But I
I love it when you give me things
And you
You ought to give me wedding rings
And I
I love it when you give me things
And you
You ought to give me wedding rings
And I
I love it when you give me things
And you
You ought to give me wedding rings
You ought to give me wedding rings"

How Ever Did I Get Here??

2009-05-04T11:02:00.003-04:00

So I just remembered I had this blog. Time to dust off this little piece of the Internet and reconnect with my inner writer. Since the last time I wrote, I got a job and have now been at said job for over a year. Not the greatest job ever but it pays the bills (just barely). I'm still loving my husband of almost 2 years (aww!). We bought our first house last may and got a puppy in october. Both are incredible and incredibley challanging!

We have been praying long and hard for new friendships, especially couples in the same season of life that we are currently in. God heard us and we have been so blessed with wonderful friends through our church family. I look forward to stretching and growing with these amazing people through the years.

In other news, I am ready for a life change and a new challange. I'm considering going to realty school and trying my hand at real estate. its got to be better than my current job and I think I could be really good at it!

So I think thats about it for now.

until next time :)

Mel

Oh how the times change

2008-03-25T11:11:00.002-04:00

I've been thinking a lot lately about how I ended up where I am currently, and where I might have been if key events had not happened in my life. I do not regret any of the guys I dated nor the choices I made. Rather I love where I ended up, and the man that God so perfectly placed in my life to be my husband. But its been hard, looking back on what I wanted 5-6 years ago and seeing that I indeed have changed in scope. I guess you could call it maturity. I'm not as flighty and impulsive as I once was, but I still have a longing for adventure and beauty. Lately, I've been learning how to see these aspects in everyday life. The beauty in deep conversation with friends, the adventure and challenge of loving a person just the way they are....

So here I am a College grad without a job. I am nowhere near where I thought I'd be 10 years ago but instead I am waiting on God (notice I didn't say patiently) to reveal it all piece by piece. It's a slow and painful period that is slowly driving me bonkers but, underneath it all I can't complain. I am blessed. I am a beloved child of God who is deeply surrounded by an amazing community of believers. I am loved so incredibly by my husband, a man who sees things in me no one else sees. How could I complain?

The lyrics below are to one of my new favorite songs. Enjoy. :)

The Love of Christ Is Rich and Free
by Sandra McCracken
The love of Christ is rich and free;
Fixed on His own eternally;
Nor earth, nor hell, can it remove;
Long as He lives, His own He’ll love.
His loving heart engaged to be
Their everlasting Surety;
’Twas love that took their cause in hand,
And love maintains it to the end.
Chorus: Love cannot from its post withdraw;
Nor death, nor hell, nor sin, nor law,
Can turn the Surety’s heart away;
He’ll love His own to endless day.
Love has redeemed His sheep with blood;
And love will bring them safe to God;
Love calls them all from death to life;
And love will finish all their strife.
He loves through every changing scene,
Nor aught from Him can Zion wean;
Not all the wanderings of her heart
Can make His love for her depart.

2007: What I Read

2008-01-07T13:36:00.000-05:00

Here is what I spent my time reading in quasi chronological order:

(F=fiction, NF=non fiction)

Red Moon Rising by Peter Greig NF
It's a Slippery Slope by Spalding Gray NF
Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfield F
Theatre Shoes by Noel Streatfield F
The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan F
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott F (re-read)
The Gunslinger by Stephen King F
The Drawing of the Three by Stephen King F
The Wastelands by Stephen King F
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by JK Rowling F
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows by JK Rowling F
The Wonder Spot by Melissa Bank F
A Girl's Guide to Hunting and Fishing by Melissa Bank F
The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen F
White Teeth by Zadie Smith F
Clear Springs by Bobbie Ann Mason NF
I Am Charlotte Simmons by Tom Wolf F
Mudhouse Sabbath by Lauren Winner NF
Good in Bed by Jennifer Weiner F
Two Part Invention: The Story of a Marriage by Madeline L'Engle NF
The Irrational Season by Madeline L'Engle NF
A Circle of Quiet by Madeline L'Engle NF
The Grace Awakening by Charles Swindoll NF
What is the What by Dave Eggers NF
The Nanny Diaries by Emma McLauglin F
Gilead by Marilynne Robinson F
Messanger by Lois Lowery F
Dreams From My Father by Barack Obama NF
Prep by Curtis Sittenfield F
Insider Dating by Jennifer O'Connell F
The Fourth Hand by John Irving F
Fashionably Late by Beth Kendrick F
Everyone Worth Knowing by Lauren Weisberger F
Forever in Blue: The Fourth Summer of the Sisterhood by An Brashares F
Betsy & Tacy by Maud Lovelace F
Betsy-Tacy Go Downtown by Maud Lovelace F
The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline B. Cooney
(instead of listing all of them I'll just say I read 7 of the Gossip Girl books by Cecily Von Ziegsar ) F
(also, I read all of the Griffin & Sabine books by Nick Bantock) F
The Undomestic Goddess by Sophie Kinsella F
Grace (Eventually) by Anne Lamott NF
Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali NF
Knitting in Plain English by Maggie Righetti NF
Julie and Julie by Julie Powell NF
Cracking the GRE NF
The Call by OS Guiness NF
Boundaries by Dr. Cloud NF
Into the Wild by John Krakuer NF
A Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster NF
Turning Tables by Heather & Rose MacDowell F
Someday My Prince Will Come by Jerramy Fine NF
Finding Father Christmas by Robin Jones Gunn F
Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert NF

Total Books Read: 64