challenge for today

Dear Anyone that takes the time to read this blog,

Here's a challenge for you today. Take a picture like the one below. Pull it up on your computer screen, and look at it for 10 seconds without picking something out that needs to be changed. Can you do it? I 'xed' mine out in about 8 seconds. Here's to liking ourselves a little bit more. :)

Disclaimer: I'd like a boob job.

On another note, I plan to do absolutely nothing this weekend. I read "Dear John" a few weekends ago, and the movie is in the mail from Netflix as we speak. I will stay in my PJ's all day tomorrow. I am headed to the lake on Sunday to spend some time with my friends. I got a new swimsuit which I'm pretty excited about. I will never post a picture of myself in a swimsuit for me or anyone else to analyze. Happy Memorial Day!! Sweet Summertime.

Wedding Bells

Kristen & Jon Carroll - 5.22.10

This past Saturday, my sweet, sweet friend Kristen married her lovely fiance', Jon. I was lucky enough to be a part of this wonderful celebration. Kristen's family is military, so much of her family is scattered about around the country. It was so amazing to see so many people travel so far to join in on the festivities. I love families that love each other. Kristen and Jon are such a great couple. I wish them all the happiness in the world.

My "aha moment" of the day was at the end of the ceremony. The preacher said, "I don't cry a lot. But, if Kristen and Jon come to me in 25 years and tell me that they love each other as much as they did the day they got married, I will cry. They will not be tears of joy but tears of sorrow. Love is supposed to grow and mature, and so I hope they love each other SO much more than they do today. If they do, that is the greatest love story of all." It was weird to me how such a simple statement could resignate with me so much. Being an old married woman of almost three years, I believe in and completely understand what the priest said.
This is probably my favorite picture of the day. After all the running around and craziness that usually takes place on the wedding day, Kristen finally had time to think about the committment she was about to make. The guests were seated, the photographer was already in the church, and the ceremony was about five minutes from beginning. So, there we stood, Kristen and her bridesmaids, waiting to walk down the aisle. At that moment, Kristen said, "I can't breathe. Can I do this?" I told her that people always say it's never too late to back out, but that I wasn't willing to let that happen because I wasn't about to go into the church and tell everyone the bride was MIA. Right before we left to go into the church, Anna (fellow bridesmaid and friend) took this picture with her Iphone. To me, it shows exactly how Kristen felt at that moment: the anxiety, the excitement, the wonder of just how much her life was about to change. And, through all of that, she completely understood and was ready for the committment she was about to make.

I just really love this picture.

growing up a little

My baby brother is graduating high school on Thursday. For some reason, it just hit me that he will actually be leaving Prattville and moving to Troy in a few short months. It seems like just yesterday that my sister and I were in our t-shirts and panties teaching him how to do the "funky chicken" in the living room. (Yes, we have video.) A phase of his life will soon be over. There will be new people, new surroundings, and new challenges he will face every day.


As I sat there on Sunday during his baccalaureate service at church, I remembered how I felt when I graduated high school. I felt like life was going to get SO much easier because I was going to have so much freedom. I've always been an independent soul and always wanted to be on my own. My how time changes your mind. I wish my brother the best. I hope he falls into the right group of people and makes smart choices. I hope he makes good grades and finds something to major in that makes him really happy. Most of all, I hope he discovers who he is, stands firm in his beliefs and holds true to what makes him the amazing brother and friend that he is. After all, that is what growing up is all about, I think.
Note: I know what college is all about. I also hope you have A LOT of fun, Chaddy. I know you will. Be good.

Go Boston - A New Tradition

On Friday, September 3rd, Josh, my parents, and I will be off to Boston, Massachusetts. I'm not really sure how this trip came about. Josh and I decided we both wanted to go somewhere neither of us had ever been before. The choices were unlimited since neither of us have ever been world travelers. So far we've planned a trip to the Red Sox game, a Salem witch tour, and possibly a ferry boat ride to Martha's Vineyard. This will be the most random trip we have every been on. Please say a little prayer on that September morning. I will be beating my husband to get him on his first airplane ride. He may be left at the Atlanta airport, so if anyone is willing to come pick him up, please let me know.

If I do in fact get him on a plane, Josh says, we will eat and drink like rich people for four days. You can bet on that much. :)