Hello my lovely readers! I'm back, married and simply giddy with happiness. :) If you'd like to know, the wedding went off without a hitch and was truly the perfect day! Our honeymoon in Gatlinburg was simply lovely and though we came home with lots to do, I've enjoyed the planning and organizing. :)
And now my friends, after almost four years of blogging here, 621 posts and many many experiences, it's time to say goodbye. I am a pastor's kid no longer so I can't blog the confessions of one. :) BUT! Don't fear! I don't plan on giving up blogging! I'm just moving my ramblings someplace else. If you still want to read about my new adventures, you can right here:
I can't wait to share my new experiences there and tell you my wedding story (if that's any temptation ;) )! But before I go, I would like to thank you, all my wonderful readers, for your encouragement and support through everything I've got through and shared with you! It has been invaluable to have others to read my thoughts and my ramblings! You are all wonderful!
And now my dears, I will say goodbye! Keep your smiles on and may God bless you richly!
Tomorrow! Oh tomorrow! I cannot wait until tomorrow!!! Today however will be full of decorating, decision making, packing, praying and giggling. And tonight, the rehearsal dinner which gets it all started! Today's post is about a vital part of the ceremony: the Groom! Carl Edward Watkins.
This picture of him is over two years old but its one of my favorites. :) Back before we began courting, I will admit that whenever I was on Facebook, I would pull up this picture and just stare at it for a while, hoping and praying that, by some miracle, we might become more than friends. And I'm marrying this amazing man tomorrow!!! God has been so very good to me! He gave me this God-fearing, computer fixing, soundtrack loving, cheesecake eating, hand holding, piano playing man who is so much better than I deserve! Oh, and in case you were wondering, he is still just as handsome today as he was then. :) If not more so!!!
Well I'm outta here! Enjoy your weekend! I obviously won't be posting anything for a while. ;) Keep those smiles on! Until next time! :)
“So it's not gonna be easy. It's going to be really hard; we're gonna have to work at this everyday, but I want to do that because I want you. I want all of you, forever, everyday. You and me... everyday.” ~ Nicholas Sparks
“Love is needing someone. Love is putting up with someone's bad qualities because they somehow complete you.” ~ Sarah Dessen
“Every heart sings a song, incomplete, until another heart whispers back. Those who wish to sing always find a song. At the touch of a lover, everyone becomes a poet.” ~ Plato
“When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You know that your name is safe in their mouth.” ~ Jess C. Scott
Oooooooooh more day!!!!!!! :D :D *happy dance* Oh how excited I am!!! If you couldn't tell. ;)
So, today, I wanted you to meet the Bridal Party! :) Although why they call it a Bridal Party when it includes the Groomsmen too I will never know. Anyway, here we go! Presenting.... *drum roll* the Bridesmaids!
Meet Rachel. Rachel is my maid of honor and long time friend (we're talking like seven or eight years). We met at BSF and since then, have made memories including Wicked, park walks, ice cream, letters, book ventures, late night chats and pillow fights. :) She's sweet, encouraging and most definitely sassy (hehe ;) ) while waiting for a miraculous healing from God so she can go on all her life's adventures.
Meet Karie. Karie is my cousin so I've known her... well my entire life. :) We played dress up together and pretended to have weddings in our Grandma's basement! Now, she's going to Ivy Tech Community College, majoring in nursing, following Jesus and just being so all around awesome. :)
Meet Rachael. This girl is one of Carl's older sister's and has become a good friend of mine over the past few years! Where she likes bright colors and stripes, I love pastels and dots, but together, we make a pretty awesome pair. :) She's a nanny (like me!) and lives at home, blessing her family and friends while waiting for God to bring her own Prince Charming. And this is where I bring out the Emma right? ;) Kidding!!!
Meet Rebekah. She is Carl's younger sister and also has become a good friend! We've made cookies and cakes together, put together a Jane Austen Trivia board game, talked about church differences, concocted several evil schemes and just had fun in general. :) She's a senior in high school this year and is taking math and science classes for FUN! I know, I don't get it either... but in spite of that, she's just wonderful. :) Meet Maisy. This lovely young lady is my little sister!!! She's eleven years old and starting Middle School this year which is hard for me to believe! We've got so many memories of dancing around the kitchen, family vacations, making yummy desserts and car ride talks and it has been a pleasure to watch her grow up! She loves the Lord, horses, writing and cowgirl boots. :) And now let's welcome..... *drum roll* the Groomsmen! Meet Colin. Colin is the best man and Carl's brother so I've known him almost as long as I've known Carl! He is an awesome young man who loves God, football and cookies. Oh, and his nieces and nephew (he's pictured here with his niece Bella). :) He works in landscaping and is a pretty darn good landscaper at that! Meet Aaron. As far as I know, Aaron is Carl's best friend. He also works in landscaping with Colin and whenever I hear about some kind of mischief, he's always involved. He loves Mountain Dew, Batman (and Transformers equally), video games, being the jokester and following his Savior. :)
Meet Stephen. I know Stephen from Carl's family's church. He's a great guy with a desire to follow Christ's example. He likes movies, talking about movies and being involved with making movies. :) Meet Chad. Chad is one of Carl's younger brothers who I've also had the pleasure to know as long as I've known Carl. Chad loves Root Beer and Oreos, football and violin (and just music in general!). He currently works at an Army Navy store and is practicing his violin while waiting on the Lord's leading for college and the future. Meet Andrew. Andrew is Stephen's older brother and good friend of Carl. I met him at the Watkins' church as well. The picture you see almost doesn't encompass him because you can't see his cowboy boots which he ALWAYS wears. He owns his own landscaping company which keeps him very very busy. He enjoys video games, game nights at his apartment and following Jesus in every day. And of course the party wouldn't be complete without these two darlings!!
Bella is Carl's niece and Lucy is my sister! Both with their curly hair, their bright smiles and their frilly pink and white dresses, they are going to steal the show. :) I'm so lucky to have all of these wonderful Godly men and women standing up there with Dearest Carl and I on the big day!!!! We know such wonderful people. :) Okay, enough ooozing and gushyness. Here's your song!
Keep those smiles on whatever you do! Until next time! :)
“You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.” ~ Dr. Seuss
“Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own.” ~ Robert Heinlein
“You don't love someone because they're perfect, you love them in spite of the fact that they're not.” ~ Jodi Picoult
2 days!!! Only 2!!! (Sounding redundant yet?) Today holds a lunch date with my big little brother, Garrett, shopping for the honeymoon, taking more things to the apartment and a church prayer meeting this evening. Oh, and Dearest Carl is getting our rings and his tux tonight!!! It's really going to happen!!! :D *happy dance*
Okay, today's post is about the music for the wedding. Dearest Carl and I were very particular about the music because we wanted everything, from the ceremony music to the reception music (yes... I mean everything) to be movie soundtracks! It's kinda funny though because I've had so many people ask about the music and then scrunch up their faces to my answer and ask "Why?!" I know I know. Having such musical families as we do, it may seem strange that we aren't having anyone play or sing or anything. But we wanted our families to just enjoy the day and not have to worry about playing or singing in front of everyone. This being the case, it's going to be quite a short ceremony. But that's the way (uh huh uh huh) we like it (uh huh uh huh)! That's the way (uh huh uh huh) we liiiiike it (uh huh uh huh)!! Dance with me!
Enjoy your day and keep those smiles on! Until next time!
"Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same." ~ Emily Brontë "Gravitation is not responsible for people falling in love." ~ Albert Einstein "I have always considered marriage as the most interesting event of one's life, the foundation of happiness or misery." ~ George Washington "Let men tremble to win the hand of woman, unless they win along with it the utmost passion of her heart." ~ Nathaniel Hawthorne
3 days! Only 3!! And now, the presents are wrapped, the cream soda is purchased, the last minute reception things stored away and tonight, I'm having a pajama party with my little sisters! :D We're gonna have fun. :) Today's post however is about the thing that most people look forward to when they come to weddings. CAKE!!! Dearest Carl and I are going to have the most awesome wedding cake ever! Check it out!
That's right! Strawberry Shortcake! Tiered and everything!!! :D This gorgeous cake is being made by my personal friend, Miss Hannah!
I've known this lovely lady for three or four years now and totally did a happy dance when she offered to make my wedding cake as my wedding gift! She makes delicious cakes!!! She made us a sample last month and oooooh my goodness.... I can't wait to say the least!!! :)
Keep those smiles on! Until next time! "Love does not consist of gazing at each other, but in looking together in the same direction." ~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery "After all there is something about a wedding-gown prettier than in any other gown in the world." ~ Douglas William Jerrold "A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person." ~ Mignon McLaughlin
Happy Monday all my lovely readers! It's Wedding Week here at The Confessions of a Pastor's Kid!!! This upcoming Saturday is the big day and.... there actually isn't a lot to do! I know I know, you're thinking "Oh right. Everyone has a boatload to do when planning weddings!" Well, thanks to my wonderful mother, father and grandmother, we're been busy bees and now we're down to the nitpicky details! So this week, I'm off work and preparing more for the honeymoon than the wedding. I love my family. :) So, today's post is about the reception decorations! The reception has actually taken up most of the planning in the whole wedding planning process. There's been revelations over table organization, confusion about numbers, collecting and mismatching... and in all, I think it will be lovely! Here are a few of my favorite features:
We actually have a hatbox instead of a suitcase but same idea. :)
Milk Glass Vases
Old Books
Paper Lanterns
Family Wedding Pictures
Pretty huh? :) I'm sooooo excited for Friday when we can put it all together!!!! My aunt has been the mastermind of the decorations for the receptions and let me tell you, it's going to be a fairy land. :)
Keep those smiles on! Until next time!
"We have the greatest pre-nuptial agreement in the world. It's called love." ~ Gene Perret
"There is no more lovely, friendly and charming relationship, communion or company than a good marriage." ~ Martin Luther
"Are we not like two volumes of one book?" ~ Marceline Desbordes-Valmore
Good morning! It's Thursday! My last day of work before my wedding vacation! :D I'm taking two weeks off, one to prepare for the wedding and the other for the honeymoon. And I'm soooooo excited!
Today's wish list item is every girl's dream, Prince Charming. Oh yes, you now what I'm talking about. That perfect knight in shining armor. That adoring Mr. Darcy. He doesn't like sports. He doesn't play video games. He puts his dirty clothes in the basket. He doesn't complain about the food. In fact, he's not even a big lover of bacon, steak or ribs! He doesn't have his phone glued to his hand. He sends sweet little emails. He has opinions on how the curtains should be arranged. He loves to snuggle. He listens to rants, however long and pointless. He's gentle and kind. He loves children. He wants his Princess to be happy. Ah yes, that's what every girl dreams of. :) Well, I found him! And I'm marrying him in 8 days! :D He really is just wonderful. :)
Gee I love him!!!
Okay okay, I'll go take my sappiness someplace else. Enjoy your day and keep those smiles on! Until next time! :)
"Love is a game that two can play and both win." ~ Eva Gabor
"True love comes quietly, without banners or flashing lights. If you hear bells, get your ears checked." ~ Erich Segal
"I learned the real meaning of love. Love is absolute loyalty. People fade, looks fade, but loyalty never fades. You can depend so much on certain people, you can set your watch by them. And that's love, even if it doesn't seem very exciting." ~ Sylvester Stallone
Happy Monday! Today is quite sunny and happy here at work! Its been another Pooh Bear morning and I have to say, I am thankful for the peace and continuity in all the hectic-ness of moving and wedding-ness. Hannah just goes about her morning same as always. Wake up, get dressed, eat breakfast, morning devotions which consist of a Bible Story, singing He's Got The Whole World and a short prayer and then we watch some Pooh Bear. She's oblivious of the outside world, her biggest problem being what I make her eat for lunch. ;) It keeps me simple and enjoying the little things like butterflies, strawberries, warm sunshine, giggles and snuggles. Ah, I love my job!! Today's favorite is.... my very own kitchen!
This adorable cookie jar was from my little sisters. :)
Isn't it lovely? It's yellow and pretty and sunny and happy and my favorite space in our apartment. :) And that's not to say I don't love the rest of our apartment! As we've brought in furniture, organized everything, added curtains, pillows and the other fluff touches, it's starting to feel like home. :) 11 more days!!
Enjoy your day dear reader and keep those smiles on!
“Is it possible for home to be a person and not a place?” ~ Stephanie Perkins
“Home is the nicest word there is.” ~ Laura Ingalls Wilder
“....and I'll know that this is what you live for - to hear someone say. "Let's go home," to hear someone you love call your name.” ~ Leah Stewart
Happy Tuesday! Boy what a productive weekend! Boxing things up, sorting through stuff, painting the apartment, moving furniture, eating orange chocolate, awesome fun. :) Tonight Carl and I are taking a break from the wedding and moving scene and going to the fair! I'm quite excited. :) So, here is your post for today! Enjoy!
Enjoy your day and keep those smiles on! Until next time!!
“One girl is worth more use than twenty boys!” ~ J.M. Barrie “Always try to be a little kinder than necessary.” ~ J.M. Barrie “The secret of happiness is not in doing what one likes, but in liking what one does.” ~ J.M. Barrie
Hello and happy Thursday! Today, its gray and drizzly outside (which is just fine with me!) and with the upcoming cooler weather, I'm really ready for Fall!
Ahh, I cannot wait!!! Okay, here's your song. :)
Enjoy your day and keep those smiles on whatever you do! Until next time! "Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower." ~ Albert Camus "Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns." ~ George Eliot
"October gave a party; The leaves by hundreds came - The Chestnuts, Oaks, and Maples, And leaves of every name. The Sunshine spread a carpet, And everything was grand, Miss Weather led the dancing, Professor Wind the band." ~ George Cooper
Hello my lovely readers! I hope your having a good week! Mine has had it's triumphs and challenges but I'm surviving it. :) Today's post is about bread because.... well because I love bread! Here are a few different bread recipes that I want to try eventually!
Irish Soda Bread (which I have made before and LOVE!) Oh for my own kitchen! 23 more days! :D
Now along with those smiles, get those aprons on! Until next time!
"How can a nation be great if its bread tastes like Kleenex?" ~ Julia Child "The smell of good bread baking, like the sound of lightly flowing water, is indescribable in its evocation of innocence and delight." ~ M.F.K. Fisher
"All sorrows are less with bread." ~ Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra "For less than the cost of a Big Mac, fries and a Coke, you can buy a loaf of fresh bread and some good cheese or roast beef, which you will enjoy much more." ~ Steve Albini
Hello my lovelies! I hope you had a great weekend! I sure did! Lots of wedding productivity and I had my first Bridal Shower on Sunday! It was just lovely! Much of my family and many friends from church came and Dearest Carl and I were blessed with so many gifts!!!! We now have almost all the necessities and more for our new house! I cannot WAIT to get my hands on that apartment! :D
Well I'm off! Keep those smiles on! Until next time!
"The family is a haven in a heartless world." ~ Christopher Lasch "The most I can do for my friend is simply be his friend." ~ Henry David Thoreau Love does not consist of gazing at each other, but in looking together in the same direction." ~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Happy Friday my lovely readers! I was wondering this morning... who started the trend of shaving your legs? I mean really, who found that necessary!? Upon some research, I found a few interesting historical facts about beauty. Take a look! :)
- Ancient Egyptians used copper and lead ore to create the world's first cosmetics. - The women of Rome used to use burnt matches to darken their eyes and berries to stain their lips. - Curvy and busty said ideal beauty during the Renaissance. - Upper class ladies in Norther Europe plucked their hairlines to make their foreheads seem higher. - Queen Elizabeth set a trend to use powder to whiten skin and red haired wigs. - 1920's, women started plucking their eyebrows. - WWII with fashions of shorter hemlines and sheer stockings brought shaving your legs into style. - 1940's brought tanned skin into fashion. - 1960's, skinny became the standard of beauty.
And we all know what today's fashions are. You know, sometimes I wish I lived long ago when my plumpness would be found simply lovely. But oh well. At least I don't have to pluck out my hairline! Ouch! Thank you Lord.
Here's a song for your weekend!
Keep those smiles on and enjoy your weekend! Until next time!
"For Attractive lips, speak words of kindness.
For lovely eyes, seek out the good in people.
For a slim figure, share your food with the hungry.
For beautiful hair, let a child run their fingers through it once a day.
For poise, walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.
People, more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed. Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, you will find one at the end of each of your arms.
As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself and the other for helping others." ~ Sam Levenson
"Beauty is only skin deep, but ugly goes clean to the bone." ~ Dorothy Parker
"Beauty and femininity are ageless and can't be contrived, and glamour, although the manufacturers won't like this, cannot be manufactured. Not real glamour; it's based on femininity." ~ Marilyn Monroe
