Character in a small town

I feel like someone has hit the pause button on my life right now.  I am currently doing a rotation in Eutaw, AL.  To be honest, when I first heard of Eutaw (pronounced Utah), I though why on earth are we required to do a rotation in Utah?  Well, there is a reason that I had never heard of it.  This town is very small.  In fact, when I tell people where I’m from I typically respond to their puzzled “where is that?” look with it’s a “SMALL town about 30 minutes south of Huntsville”.  However, I feel that is not appropriate to say that to the Eutawians!  The population here is about 70% African American, and poverty is quite common here.  I feel as though while I’ve been here in Eutaw, everything else has just been at a standstill.  I feel out of touch with the rest of the world… I don’t really know why I feel that way either.  It’s strange!  This is like a whole different world here! 

This town has so much character though!  We have driven around to look at the beautiful plantation style houses after we got done with work.  Everyone here is so nice! 

My experience here has been good, but I have to admit I will be very thankful to be in my own bed back in Arab on Friday.  Sleeping on a twin bed with my feet hanging off the end of the bed does not provide the best nights sleep.  I would not have made it through this rotation without my dear friend, Sara Glenn.  We have watched many movies at night, and end up watching music videos on GAC while doing work!  

As far as a wedding planning update, we officially have the invitations!  I went ahead and ordered them thinking it would take awhile to come in, but they were finished within a week of ordering!  I am looking forward to seeing them when I get home!  Now its official – our wedding is at 5 o’clock in the afternoon on May 21, 2011!  Hope to see you there!  We can’t wait!  The closer it gets the harder it is to wait!

I'm dreaming...

This Christmas season has stolen the title of the best Christmas! 
The reasoning behind that deals mostly with this...

For some reason, my Daddy waking me up Christmas morning by saying "go look outside" made me feel about 15 years younger.  I had turned into a kid in a 23 year old's body.  Add in a little breakfast casserole and we all feel like little kids again!

Another reason that this has been one of the best Christmas' is because I got to spend it with this man ....

who in less than 5 months will be my husband!

One of my gifts from Daniel - You probably can't read the card, but it tells how a bunch of carrots is given to a bride-to-be to bring good luck in the kitchen.  Wonder why he gave me that?!?

Reason number three would be because Santa brought me a new camera - Nikon D3000!  I still know nothing about it but it sure is fun playing around with it. 

And last but not least, Sunday morning, despite all the snow, we went to church as were able to celebrate the true reason for my happiness during Christmas!  Happy Birthday Jesus!  I hope everyone had a very, very, Merry Christmas!

Time flies...

As long as I can remember, people have said “the older you get, the fast time flies.”  Well, no one ever said anything about time kicking it into warp speed after you get engaged!  We’ve been engaged for 3 months and a day!  It was a nice, warm, sunny day the day he proposed, and now it’s almost Thanksgiving and on Friday we’re going to have to break out the winter sweaters according to the weatherman.  I love the holiday season - there’s so much love in the air!  I know that it can be a stressful time for most people, but fortunately it’s not for me.  Part of it might be because I don’t have to cook anything, worry about getting my family anywhere, or deal with crazy family members.  I’m blessed in so many ways!  I have a wonderful family, a wonderful fiancé, and wonderful soon-to-be in-laws!  

This will be the first Thanksgiving without my Mawmaw and Pawpaw.  She passed away in June, and he’s in the nursing home and bed bound.  I know that she is much better off than she was the last few months of her time with us, but I still selfishly miss her! We use to get up early and go to Mawmaw and Pawpaw’s on Thanksgiving Day.  We would watch the parade while Mom and Mawmaw cooked. Then, my Aunt and Uncle and their family would come and we’d spend the whole day together – eating, laughing, playing games, sleeping, eating, and watching movies!  It was so fun and I will always cherish those memories at their house.  This year we will be having Thanksgiving at my Aunt’s without my Mawmaw, and since Pawpaw is bed bound, we’ll only be able to go visit him in the nursing home. 

 Lindsey, my little sister, and I were talking about how much we miss our grandparents who have passed away this past weekend.  It makes me sad that Daniel never had the opportunity to meet my Granddaddy.  Lindsey told me that she thought Granddaddy would have like Daniel, and that made me smile.  He had a great sense of humor like Daniel.  I think Granddaddy is proud of the man I have chosen to be my husband!  Daniel did get to spend my Mawmaw’s last Christmas with us, and I will be forever grateful for that.  However, our children will never know my Granddaddy, Mawmaw, or Daniel’s Granddad.  I guess it’s a good thing that you can’t miss something you never knew.  I guess that this is all just the downside of getting older… and to be honest I don’t like it!  I’m just thankful for all those memories that I have, and all the time that I was able to spend with them!  I hope everyone has a blessed Thanksgiving!! Please, make the most of every minute of it.  We'll never be able to go back and relive any minute, but we can always remember it!

Capturing Love on Camera

No one ever mentiones that once you get engaged that just the beginning of a lot of firsts in your lives.  Like it'll be the first time you wear a diamond ring on your left ring finger, the first time you'll get to call someone your fiance, the first time you refer to his parents as your future in-laws, and the first time you'll get to take engagement pictures!  Daniel and I experienced our first, and last, engagement picture session this past Saturday!  At first I was nervous about smiling, kissing, and being all lovey-dovey in front of two people we had only met once before.  That nervousness disappeared quickly with Meagan and Joe making us laugh!  They made it feel like it was the four of us just hanging out, and those two just happened to have a camera to capture some of those special moments!  So here is the link to some of those moments http://themrsphotography.com/ and click on the blog!  I hope you enjoy!  Now we're both anxious to see the rest of them! 

This is my favorite...

Wait maybe this one is my favorite...........

...Or maybe this one...

Haha! I can't decide!  I like them all!!!!

The leaves are falling and grass is growing!

When I initially created this blog I had planned on updating this blog with every single wedding planning detail.  I have quickly realized that is not going to work out as planned!  That is what I'm realizing about a lot of things lately.  Saturday we are having our engagement pictures made!  I have looked and looked for the perfect outfit to wear, but have had no luck yet.  My best friend, Kasi, has taken on the task of continuing the dress hunt with me on Friday!  Saturday is also the Auburn verses LSU football game.  This means that there could potentially be a crowd of tailgaters lurking about while we are taking our engagement pictures! 

I was telling Daniel's mother that "I'm a bit of a perfectionist, and I'm quickly discovering that is not compatible with wedding planning," and she just laughed and told me that I would probably have to put being a perfectionist aside for the next 7 months!  She's right - so I'm going to put forth my best effort to just go with the flow and realize that everything will be perfect as long as Daniel and I are married!  Now that I have had time to take a step back and realize everything doesn't have to be perfect I think that it will be much easier to find something to wear, and come to enjoy the audience as we take our pictures!

After this weekend we will have our engagement pictures checked off our list!  Next on the list is a florist, wedding director, chair and candelabra rentals!

Bring on the rain!

I have the BEST mother and future mother-in-law!  This morning we went left out for Huntsville about 8 am! First, we went to the rental shop, and I should've known we were in for a big day when we left there 3 hours later!  That poor woman had no clue what she was getting into when she said “Hey! What can I help you with today?”  We picked her brain for 3 hours trying to figure out the best way to make a backyard reception work.  On a side note, Mom and Dad sowed grass in the backyard last week and we now have the first signs of grass!  We’re praying for rain in the Elrod household!

After a short lunch break, we began the hunt for dresses!  I was dead set on the idea that we were just going to look at them and get ideas, because I did not want to try on any without Lindsey, my sister, to be there!  So we went to two different bridal boutiques, but nothing really jumped out at me!  We did spot a bridesmaids dress that I fell in love with. Once you see the dress, if you know me, you will not be surprised at what I picked out!  The dress is very “me,” and yes I realize that I am not the one wearing it, but the day is all about me right?!?  No! I’m just kidding!  I pictured every one of the girls in the dress and they all looked AMAZING!  We took a break from the wedding dress looking to go taste some cake, and it was very tasty!  Then on to bridal shop #3 and we left disappointed, but my soon to be mother-in-law suggested we go one more place -Madison Town and Country!  For the first time during that day I said “I love it!”  But we went ahead and looked at a few other dresses around the store, but I kept looking at the first one.  They insisted that I try it on, but I kept refusing.  Then Mom said she was going to try it on for me if I didn’t, so I gave in and tried it on.  I secretly really wanted to see how it looked on me! Of course, the first wedding dress I ever put on my body I fell in love with!  After a few tears we decided that was the dress!  I never even tried on another dress!  The lady that owned the store kept peeking in to say how great the dress looked, and as it turned out she was the same lady that sold Daniel’s mom her dress!  Did I mention that the dress I tried fit perfectly besides having to take some off the length. It was meant to be! So we got the dress! YAY!   I feel like an official bride now!  I can’t wait for May 21, 2011 to see his reaction when those doors open!

planner meets carefree

When Daniel and I began dating, we quickly discovered that while we share many of the same beliefs and character traits, how we plan our daily lives is completly different. He always jokes and says that I can’t survive without my planner. That's a little extreme, but I will admit that for my personal sanity I need to have a daily plan. I have a type A personality, I need to know precise details. Daniel, on the other hand, is quite the opposite. He is very laid back and completly unconcerned about the details of his day. So with that said, wedding planning for me has been a bit more stressful than it is for him!

As of right now I think the search for a photographer is finally over, and I have Daniel to thank for that! We had 3 photographers that we were looking at and all of them were booked, but then Daniel found the Mrs. Photography! Turns out the photographer lived in Auburn and went to the church that Daniel goes to, then lived in Birmingham and attended the church that I went to, and now lives in Huntsville! Her about me on the website shows that Christ is the main focus of her life! Daniel and I both felt like all this was a sign from God telling us that this is exactly who we needed to capture our love! What a relief to have a photographer!

We have officially decided to attempt to have the reception in my parents’ backyard. Yes, I realize that I will be required to put my type A personality behind me and come to terms with the fact that God himself will control the weather on that day. There are a lot of risks by having a backyard reception, but I can’t think of a better way to celebrate than have our friends and family in the place that I love and call home. We want our reception to be casual and laid back with a touch of class! So we’ll see if we’re able to pull that off!

I have looked through so many wedding magazines to get ideas for flowers, colors, etc. When I ask Daniel what he thinks of this or that, he’ll say “I don’t care, whatever you like,” but then will say “Wait! I know that’s not what you want to hear!” Then he’ll proceed to tell me what he does or does not like about whatever we’re looking at! I realize he really doesn’t care about most of this, but I appreciate any input that he’ll give me! We are still open for ideas and suggestions if anyone has any!

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention that we have set a date! May 21, 2011 will be the day that I, Alicia Nicole Elrod, will become Mrs. Daniel Roe!