1 whole month!!

Monday, Matt and I celebrated one whole month of marriage!!! Ok, so it may not sound like a big deal to all you old married hats out there, but we can’t believe how time has flown. We are adjusting to living with each other, and being that we are both only children and very stubborn in our own rights, that’s saying a lot!!

My biggest fear going into this was dinner. I was so worried about us cooking dinner for a pesco-vegetarian and a full-on carnivore!! We’ve done really well so far. We manage to eat REAL food most of the time (and not resort to hot pockets and cereal but about once a week), and we’ve managed to cook things together for both of us to eat.

Combined banking and finances are truly a blessing, but it’s just going to take some time to get used to. End of story.

Our house is still a wreck. We got tons of lovely gifts from our friends and family, and we are so appreciative. But we have nowhere to put half of it. Our kitchen suffers from a severe lack of cabinet space. We literally have 2 double wall cabinets, 1 double floor cabinet on one side of the sink, and 1 single floor cabinet on the other side of the sink (under-sink storage can only be used to store cleaning products b/c it’s just gross). THAT’S IT!! That’s the only cabinet space in our whole kitchen!! We’ve got to figure out something quick, because all of these gifts sitting in the corner of our dining room is driving me nuts (short trip I know). Don’t worry, a kitchen remodel is on the list – we just can’t swing it until next summer at best.

As promised, I am posting pictures from our fabulous honeymoon in Negril, Jamaica. We had an amazing time and can’t wait to go back!! And we will go back; anyone wanna come with?

We Are Back!!!!

Hello everyone!! Matt and I are back from the honeymoon in NEGRIL, JAMAICA and back at work, ugh. We had an AMAZING time during our wedding weekend and a FABULOUS honeymoon. We are basically looking for a reason to go back ASAP.

First, for all of you brides out there: if you want to get all of the bad jou jou out of the way before your big day, just back into your fiance's car 3 days before the wedding. It works like a charm!! I wrecked both of our cars in a matter of seconds, but all the wedding weekend events went off without a hitch, until the end (but we'll get to that).

Second, make sure that you have some amazing friends taking pictures for you all weekend. Pick a couple of folks, and let them know that you want pictures of everything. I had a couple of bridesmaids with great eyes and great cameras. I am so grateful b/c neither Mom nor I had to take ANY pictures all weekend.

Third, hire Melody Hood to shoot your wedding. There is no explanation needed after you see the pictures of the wedding and my bridals.

Below are some of my favorite pictures from many different cameras for the whole weekend!! I promise I will get Jamaica pics up soon. Enjoy!

8 days left... I'm putting Martha aside

We have 8 days until our wedding day, 8 DAYS! It's so hard to believe that a little over 9 months ago was the night we got engaged. It seems like 2 months ago. Time has gone by so fast.

Our wedding day is upon us. Everything is planned. Everyone who is helping, or standing with us, or vending has their schedules, driving directions, and checklists. I realize that I've returned to my OCD tendancies the past few months, but I've enjoyed it. I will go back to reformed, laid-back Jill (who showed up in my mid-20's after much reflection and work) after the honeymoon. It's how I deal with stress; leave me alone, I'm in my OCD comfort zone! Hehehehe.

As things are winding down, I'm putting Martha aside, and trying to be Mary (Luke 10:38-42). It's so funny that during all of the wedding planning madness, my small group studied the wonderful book, "Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World." Fitting. I've definitely been Martha lately, and Martha extreme in recent weeks, "worried about many things."

I took time last night to begin writing notes to my friends for the wedding. I got sentimental, shed a few tears, and thanked God for blessing me with so many AMAZING women in my life. The women in my life have shaped who I have become, starting with my mother, and I am so grateful for them. One woman, my Meme, won't physically be with me on my wedding day, but she will be there in many ways. My Something Old, my Something Borrowed, and even the flowers I will carry, help her be there. Women come strong, and strong-willed, in our family. I wouldn't have it any other way; Matt might, but I wouldn't!

I pray that in the next 8 days, I will have a Mary spirit, reflecting on the journey and the people who have brought me to this place. And that I will continuously look to God for guidance, and maintain a peaceful spirit, not worrying about anything. I am truly blessed most of all by the wonderful husband that waits for me at the end of that isle. I pray we will both keep Christ in the center of our marriage, and speak the truth in love to one another always.

AHHH, Election Season

I can’t take it anymore; I’ve got to say something. Most of you who know me well know that I am a political wonk, strongly driven by conviction and values. I am a Matthew 25 believing, social justice loving, bleeding heart liberal, blue dog Democrat. AMEN? I love politics. And I really love how engaged so many previously apathetic voters are in this year’s election process, largely due to Barack Obama’s candidacy.

But I must be honest, I feel out of the loop and out of touch. Getting engaged and planning a wedding to take place 6 weeks before Election Day in November has seriously limited my political involvement this season. Now don’t get me wrong, I could not be happier that our wedding day is 16 DAYS AWAY!! But all spring and summer I have felt just a little sad that I haven’t been working at the headquarters or knocking on doors like I’ve done in the past. I mean, Matt and I met during campaign season in 2006 while I was working for John Bailes in the local County Commission race, sigh :(. We held hands for the first time at a Harold Ford Jr. rally, again :(. I so artfully outed Matt as a Democrat to his Republican friends the 2nd day I knew him. Because the 1st day I met him, I asked my 2nd most important screening question, “Who did you vote for in the last Presidential election?” (My most important question is, “Are you a Christian?” which technically I didn’t have to ask because he and I went to the same church) When I met Matt I had officially and decidedly sworn off dating Republicans; it just never worked well for me.

Anyway, I’ve been excited about this election since February (and looking forward to it since, oh November 3, 2004!). I’ve watched as the nation really participated in the primary process and anxiously waited to see which history-making candidate would immerge. I’ve been in Obama’s camp since the day Edwards dropped out (don’t get me started on THAT disappointment). I respect Hillary, but she can’t pull anybody in the South that is sitting the fence. Folks just really can’t stand her, but I digress.

Even though I’ve been a little out of touch, I have been watching the conventions (DVR’d) for the most part. I didn’t see last night’s RNC and Sarah Palin’s speech, but from what I have heard about it, I’m glad I was working on wedding stuff. Through conversations with friends and news articles, I’ve been able to glean that it was harsh to say the least and pushing the lines of total disrespect. I actually heard a Republican pundit on the radio yesterday say, “This election isn’t about policy; it’s about the person. Elections shouldn’t be about policy. They should be about electing the right person to lead.”

Well, YES elections are about electing the right person to lead. I agree with that. But I’m certainly not going to IGNORE WHICH DIRECTION that person is going to lead this country!!!! Are you kidding me?? That’s how we ended up with the last cowboy President. People voted for him because he’s somebody they could kick back and have a beer with; he has a sense of humor, BIG FREAKIN’ DEAL. Look what he’s done!! Whew. Anyway, I find it insulting that they blast Obama for being a “celebrity” and then ask voters to treat this election like a popularity/ beauty contest without considering the policies that will shape this nation for years to come!! Do they think we are stupid? UM YES, they actually count on it. They count on voters being swayed by the politics of fear, false claims to value families (when most families are drowning right now), and bandaids that won’t hold for problems that need REAL SOLUTIONS – POLICY SOLUTIONS. Problems like ending the war in Iraq, energy independence, health care, the price of food and gas, global warming, Social Security, economic outsourcing, failing schools, gender pay inequity, stem cell research that could help us cure the worst diseases of our generation, these are all things that we MUST address instead of sticking our heads in the sand!!! The answer can no longer be ‘pull yourself up by your bootstraps’ and ‘drill baby drill’.

Come on people. Join us. Take Washington back from the oil companies and the top 5% of wealthiest Americans. It’s time our government worked for us again. It’s time that we had someone trying to give us a boost when we need it. It’s time that Washington is focused on the problems that ACTUALLY affect our families, like whether there are enough good paying jobs with health benefits out there for people who can and want to work. A strong and healthy middle class is the key to a strong and healthy America. Let’s stop the middle class disappearance and fight for POLICIES that can turn this country around.