Change are Coming

At the beginning of this year I talked about how it was going to be a year of changes. This summer definitely has held it's fair share of changes (some expected and some unexpected) and August will be no different.

The first August change is that 2 weeks from today I will be moving into a new apartment here:

(I actually face the pool, so this could likely be very similar to the view from my 3rd floor balcony!). As much as I hate the actual moving process, I enjoy getting a "fresh start" to get things set up and start somewhere new. I will be a little further from work, but closer to church and most of my activities outside of work. For the last 2 years I have really "lived" in 3 different places because my apartment was not in the same area as work or church. I am really looking forward to coming home in the evening and not having to get out too far (although I feel like far and distance are relative in "dallas.") after work.

So packing has officially begun:

It's always so sad when I start packing because I start with the non-essentials--decorations, etc. So I have empty bookcases and walls right now...
... and still lots of boxes to pack...

No wonder I would rather focus on projects instead of packing (more details on those to come).

Introducing Lily

This is Lily. She is pretty much the sweetest dog ever (doesn't she even look sweet?). She is very happy and loves to snuggle. I adopted her last Saturday from the Collin County Humane Society. I had been searching on their website for a new puppy and when I found her I was in love. She is a beagle, hound, shepherd mix (to their best guess). They said she is 2 originally, but think more like 1 - 1.5 years old (in fact the vet said today he thought 1 1/2 was the oldest she could be).

She is pretty chill. I brought her back to my apartment on Saturday and we settled in to watch a movie with Nicki and we all took a nap. She bonded to me pretty quickly and likes to be right by my side--which I have to sometimes remind myself is what I want. I know that as she continues to settle in she will be more comfortable letting me out of her sight, but not right now!

She loves to cuddle and sleep on the couch or the floor. Over the last week as she has gotten more comfortable she has definitely shown more of her puppy side. When she is up she has a lot of energy. My sister-in-law always compares their dog Sadie to Tigger because she is so bouncy and I think the lilster (that is her official nickname from my friend Susie) has that trait as well. She bounces. A lot. She also loves to play fetch and is very good about bringing the object back to you, dropping it, and then sitting to wait for you to throw it again.

While there have been moments over the last week where I have missed the Allie Monster, I am most definitely in love with Lily and so excited that she is all mine! Looking forward to many years of love and fun to come

Wedding Weekend

So we are now on the other side of all of the wedding preparations and craziness. Erin made it down the aisle Friday night and now is officially Mrs. McCullough!

Thursday night was the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. It was nice catching up with some of the people there. Here is Erin with her little brother Michael.

Me and my 2 "dates" for the weekend, Nicki and Lindsey--along with the ice sculpture Erin got for her dad.

Friday morning we went to go pick up Erin and as soon as I put my car in park, the front door flew open--our bride was definitely ready to get her wedding day started!!

We headed to Erin's boss' house for the bridal luncheon and then enjoyed getting ready all together. Sweet Becca did my hair and I love how it turned out. Then we headed to the venue to get ready for the ceremony. Everything went really well with the ceremony (no one tripped or anything!) and then it was time for the reception and visiting with everyone.

Here is me with my sweet friend Katie

And a self-portrait of Nicki and I.

And here is one of the pictures of me giving my toast. I was super nervous about that part, but was glad to have the opportunity to talk about how wonderful Erin is and how well she and Mike go together in so many ways!

Saturday was also rather busy. We got up that morning and Nicki and I had breakfast and then I went to go pick up my new "puppy" that I adopted Lily (more to come on her soon!). Saturday evening we had a 2nd reception for Erin & Mike at the church.

It has been a busy few days and I am absolutely exhausted right now. But Mike and Erin are married and now enjoying a week in Cancun for their honeymoon. Tomorrow is back to reality and work for me--but it was a wonderful week off with some of my favorite people helping my best friend get married!

Tomorrow is finally coming

I cannot believe that it is already July. It feels like just yesterday we were here (california weekend) laying by the pool and I was learning all about this new guy that my sweet friend was dating and smiling as she talked about their new relationship....

...and then suddenly (but definitely not a moment too soon) we were here with a text and a phone call telling me that she was engaged. I remember listening as we laughed and she joyfully told me all about that sweet night...
... then came a few months of wedding planning. Dress Shopping (which I will not be sharing pictures of), venue planning, details details details. And I feel like I was just here making invitations...
... we've had a busy couple of months of finalizing details... planning showers...
... making decor for the ceremony, organizing things for wedding week, enjoying a sweet bachelorette party and girls night with some of my favorite people.

... and today we will be finishing up floral arrangements before heading to the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. And tomorrow I will be helping my best friend into her stunning wedding dress, standing next to her as she marries the man she loves and partying the night away with them.

I cannot believe tomorrow will be here so soon... and I could not be more excited for all that it holds!

Wedding Season

Well Wedding Season is officially here! I have one more week of work before Nicki gets in to town and we start the final countdown to Erin's wedding! I am so excited to stand with Erin as she gets married. It has been a busy few months planning and the last few weeks of finishing up stuff for the ceremony and reception, but it is coming together and it is going to be wonderful!

I have been invited to several other weddings this summer. I had friends tell me a few summers ago that you hit a 2nd wave of wedding (the 1st one being right after graduation) 3-4 years after graduating college. That's exactly where I am right now.

I really do love going to weddings. I love seeing all of the details and how things come together. I love watching the couple interact and share in all the fun traditions. And I love catching up with other people I sometimes haven't seen in a while.

Weddings also tend to accentuate things that come up at other times too... one of them being the fact that every single person needs to get married right now. I know people mean well--they really do. But something about weddings seems to bring out the matchmaker in people and often in some not-so-subtle ways. I was thinking that on my drive home from tonight's wedding. Then I sat down to catch up on Parks and Recreation (I am housesitting this weekend and they have half of the most recent season on DVR so I am watching them and I love it) and the opening scene for "Jerry's Painting" was SO fitting.

I tried to find the clip to post here because it's just so awkward and funny--but no such luck. But here is some of the dialogue:

Chris: Ben, great news. Do you remember the woman I told you about from the county commissioners office?

Ben: Um vaguely

Chris: Sure you do. Cindy Miller. Anyway, she’s agreed to go out on a date with you

Ben: Oh, you asked her out for me

Chris: You're gonna love her. She's interesting, smart and beautiful--inside and out. voiceover: I love setting people up.

While this may seem over the top it's sad how close it can come to some experiences. Like I said, I know people only mean well so I try to just smile at it and laugh to myself later.