Pack Up Your Life: In 4 weeks...Um Maybe 3

Well, I go dear friends to the seemingly ever growing stack of boxes in my parents garage. Things that were packed by someone else from my parents previous move. Finding little things that remind me of all the different seasons life has found me in make me smile, sigh and just get lost in a flood of memories. 

I suppose this is what so many girls go through as they pack up all the smiles to be carried away to a distant land-shared with their love. 

Haha-yes, I know that sounded rather dramatic. But, I am dramatic so I can get away with it! 

Truly though, I have so much to do in what seems like so little time. As the days seem to fly away I'm tempted to throw up my hands and say-"There's no way!" 4 more weeks and counting...Oh dear.

Good-bye procrastination. Hello "I got it done, and done good!"

Some Rather Lovely Things

I completely think that her flowers are utterly fabulous! 

One get the sense that one has entered a magical land by these pictures! The mood they created by all the natural elements is just wonderous and spellbinding! This has a similar strand of color that I'm going for with mine-just I want a little more texture.

Sweetgum Drive

You know, it's raining right now and as much as I was planning on starting off writing about my cute, cozy little cottage tucked away in the woods of South Carolina, I'm going to begin differently. 

It's raining. I love rain. I love to listen to rain, dance in the rain but mostly right now-sit with the one I love and watch, listen and enjoy the wonder of it all. 47 days seems non-ending. 

Sam said last night, "Why does it seem like the weeks get longer, the days stretching on and the distance greater?" I knew exactly what he was saying. The closer it gets to the time you have been waiting for the piece of your heart that has coped with the distance enabling you to  stay functionning slowly starts to switch off and you're ready baby! It's these last weeks that are the most precious, full of anticipation and longing. 

"Hang in there Jess." I keep telling myself. "Only 4 more weeks 'til you see your man." "4?" Sigh...I ask the question with fading steam and stamina. Time makes you realize your love in a way that the immediate can't.  Distance causes you to hold your love out in front of you and inspect it's intricate delicacy, causing you to see more beauty than if you were close and content.

Do I like or enjoy this season of separation? Um...no. Am I choosing to see the beauty and love in it? Absolutely. Some days better than others. 

So, let me put it this way, I'm desperately looking forward to my Sweetgum drive days in the near future. :) 

50 Days Ladies and Gentlemen

Every bride counts down the days til she dawns her wedding gown and pledges her life, heart and smile to the man of her dreams. It always seems so far away-week after week goes by and the endless wait seems never ending. 

Then, all of a sudden, she wakes up one morning and the day which seemed permanently placed at months down the road  is now only weeks away and counting. 

A flood of things to scribble down on her "To Do Today" list blow and swirl all around in her head. Is there enough time?  We'll see. 

Having 6 more weeks here at my home in Texas before I set out on the start of a new and exciting adventure that will forever change the color of my world is a new reality that is just now truly starting to hit me! 

My days lately are consumed with sorting through boxes of childhood doodles and nick-naks,  going through last winters box of clothes- do I really need to bring all my 80 fashion boho scarves...? Absolutely! Priorites ladies, it's all about priorities! 

Along with scrambling to get all my invitaions stuffed, sealed and mailed out my Beka (maid of honor) has been helping me organize decor for the wedding site, picking the kind of flowers I want. Wild flowers of course! Yeah baby! 

I'm finding that as many out door weddings as you can find on all the endless, magical wedding blogs there are only a few original, crazy "I never thought of that!" ideas out there! 

It's time to go waaaaaaaaay outside the box. For years we have been content as brides to just nicely color inside the lines of the coloring books we call the wedding ceremony. We've been using the box of 8 crayons when there's a world of colors and textures available. Lets get out the finger paint. There are so many new and creative ideas popping up in the wedding world! It's time to create our own! 

Those of us who have an earthy, bohemian, gypsy type style many times automatically think we  have to be strapped to a satin gown with glitz, sparkle and tradition. It's a new day-to everything you want to do and find no one else doing say "Why not!? and go with it!" Your wedding should reflect your smile. Let it shine.

Somethin' A Lil' Different-From Head To Skirt

I thought these pics provided a little bit of somethin' different! So love the boho-hippie veil! I think I'm going to play around with making something like that for the day after photo shoot we are going to do! Check out that multi colored tulle skirt in the first pic! Amazing! 

Today at Stardust-"Action!"

A Lil' Bit of Stardust!

Today is the day!

I get to go see my wedding dress that came in!!! yaaaaaaay!

Beka, my maid of honor drove down from Joplin, MO on Sunday to have some fun and help me with wedding stuff! We got almost all the invitations done and found some AWESOME deals at Hobby Lobby for decor stuff for the barn! yaaaaaay! 

We are going to film today up at Stardust Celebrations Bridal! Yay! Should be fun!

Here's A Snippet For You

Here's a link to a video clip of the show! 

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.amspictures.com/uploads/page_thumbnails/GMGthumbnail.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.amspictures.com/page.php%3Fpage%3D%253Ci%253Egirl-meets-gown%253Candi%253E&usg=__9GcvG7dyiFn38mWqgbx_3qAIx7A=&h=74&w=132&sz=8&hl=en&start=3&um=1&tbnid=66QhGTjOiQl6eM:&tbnh=52&tbnw=92&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dgirl%2Bmeets%2Bgown%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG%26um%3D1

A Girl and A Gown...

...Throw in a little Texan "Yeehaw!" and you have yourself the makings of a... crazy, hippie, Texas girl who got asked to be on a reality TV show about girls and their wedding gowns? 

*winning bell* *ding-ding-ding!* 

Yep, you guessed it! 

LOL! I know right, sounds crazy. But, it's true! I wrote a little post mentioning the show called "Girl Meets Gown" and how they were wanting to film my wedding gown experience on the show! 

My mom,  Gran and I went out to meet Kim, the producer of the show, so she could film a casting video of us to send out to the people in New York who give their 'yay' or 'nay' on who would and wouldn't be good for the show. 

It was fun! Kim was amazing and just the coolest! 

Heard back from her on the Forth of July and told me that it was a go! :D

I was talking Amy, one of my crazy awesome friends and bridesmaids-we were both like-"This is craaaaazy!" 

Everything the Lord has done has been so over the top. Like, He was doing all this for my heart to be a memorial of his faithfulness to me, constantly reminding me. So, in the future when I find myself in what seems to be an impossible situation-I can look at all the colors He painted for my dreams in this season! I can remember that it's going to be beautiful, no matter what is going on it will be beautiful.

So, I think they are going to get a crew together and do some filming next week! My dress came in, and I haven't seen it yet! Yep, I'm one mega excited chica! 

Beka and Brandon came and spent the 4th of "Yay, we are some mighty freeeeee people day" with us! (my maid of honor, which is also Samuel's sister and her husband) We laughed so hard my tummy hurt! 

I'm learning so much about resting in the middle of craziness and I have really discovered that no matter how crazy the day or week may seem or how frustrating a circumstance appears to be, rest is a choice. Joy is a choice. At first it's kinda hard especially when you've been in a rut of freaking out. Yes, perhaps a dignified freaking out, but freaking out just the same, stealing the awesomeness of the this time you will never have again. 

Once though, you put a little helium in that balloon, it will start to float. Same thing I think with joy, you relax and know, you worrying won't change anything-it will only make it worse. When you choose joy and rely on that smile of Jesus to help you out-it's way easier. 

If I always remember that He is intensely, interested with a genuine delight and expectancy for what is going on in "my world" I don't seem to have a problem. He loves to lavish my heart, lavish in every way. 

Jesus is so good.