Whimsical Country: the music

I have decided that I want to have the best wedding playlist of all time. Full of pretty, catchy, fun folk tunes. I want to squeeze in everything from M&S to The Beatles. Music has been a big part of our relationship so far. We can ride down the down and sing as loud as possible and not be embarrassed. Last August we traveled to see Mumford and Sons and that was probably my favorite memory with him! Miles from the hotel we got super restless and excited and ended up singing every track on "Sigh No More" & "I Will Wait" for the thousandth time.

We have discussed wanting to see them again before we start having children. There's just something so adventurous about taking a road trip with someone you adore to a place you've never been. I remember us walking in downtown Bristol the night before the concert and feeling on top of the world. The environment was so much fun. Everywhere you looked were Mumford fans and Apache Relay fans. Everyone just wanted to have a good weekend and we were all there for our love of fun tunes that we couldn't wait to scream at the top of our lungs.

Sigh. This wedding post ended up more of a reminiscing post. That was just an incredible trip. We came back with $0 in our bank accounts and only ate Burger King the whole time, but we still count that as the best time of our relationship.

In just a few short months, we will start a life together. It is unreal to think that I will get to spend everyday with my best friend who understands my silliness and joins in. We always say we are going to have the funnest life. We already do, but building a life - a home, a family - it is going to be a dream for the both of us.

This was definitely a ramble, wasn't it?

Until my next one,
Lindsey

To sum it all up...

To sum it all up...

Those words, to me, mean: "I've said all I've said before now to say this:"

It's kind of a last ditch effort to get some kind of point in. So, when someone is ready to sum it all up, I listen. To sum it all up means, if you didn't hear anything before now, hear this. I feel like there should be a big, blinking arrow pointing to the final point. Especially in this case: 

1 Peter 3:8

To sum up, let all be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit;

I learned about love when I got saved 8 years ago and was welcomed into a church family. My family had been given a fresh start so our ability to love came a little easier. Our hard shells fell off and we begun to figure out how to be more of a family that loved. The four of us had been so hurt and angry, we needed compassion, and we needed people to just look past what the four of us had to offer. We were strange, bitter, awkward, and we were traveling through life with no direction or Roadmap. 

And then we found Jesus. And it was like we were awakened to a whole new life. I feel like we had literally been walking through life in a fog. But the moment we found the peace of a loving God and the warmth of a family, we sprung alive and we had a place to belong. We had a place where it was safe to figure things out. A place to figure ourselves out. 

That was eight years ago. Now, one of us is a Pastor, a mighty musician, a heart as compassionate as Jesus', and then me. I'm just not a scared little person anymore. I'm a woman who I feel, understands the love of God. Who understands the grace of God. In these past months, I have wanted to take on the mission to spread the good news. To share that there is light after darkness and life doesn't always have to be a confusing puzzle. There is a thing called mercy and there is a thing called grace that follows us all the days of our lives. We don't have to be timid humans with no sight, we don't have to be judgmental Christians with a pile of stones, we can can just be people who love. Because at one point in this life, we have all needed that love. The love of Jesus that eases all hurt and cleanses our past. 

I guess the point of this ramble is to remind us all to be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit. Remember the time before you encountered God and his grace for the first time. Think about who you were and now rejoice that you aren't that person anymore. Rejoice in the fact that you're a new creation. 

And now share, share, share. Don't hold back with God's love, grace, compassion, or mercy. It's new every day, and we have the chance to grab hold of it and walk with a humble heart and an uplifting word, not a heavy stone or hurtful judgement.

SAG Awards

I am a sucker for award show season! I love getting settled in on the couch and goggle over all the pretty dresses. Last night, the SAG Awards came on. Matt helped me move into my new place and after cooking an amazing dinner for my roommate & I, we watched the actors pay tribute to each other.

My absolute favorite look of the night was Anne Hathaway. Well, her hair anyways!

I am in love with her new hairdo, and I've been a fan ever since first chopped it. It's so cute on her!


It was also nice seeing the Downton cast all dressed up and their complete joy when they won the award for ensemble in a drama series. "Shut the French windows!"

In other news, I found my wedding dress this past Saturday. I wish I could describe how perfect it is. It was the fourth dress I tried on and I ugly cried when I finally felt like I was in a wedding dress. The other three were not at all what I had pictured for myself and I was beginning to get frazzled with the whole process of wedding dress shopping. But when I slipped on lucky #4, I was so happy! I looked at myself in a little mirror before going out and I fell in absolute love. There are some alterations that need to be done, but Scott, my Fairy Godmother, has promised that between the two of us- me in the gym and him doing all the work on the dress by hand, come November 2nd, it will be ready for me walk down the aisle in.

Life is so busy right now! Between moving out of my mom's house, planning a wedding, and a puppy, I will have to force myself to get into the gym, but it will be totally worth it. But thankfully, I have my roommate and my wedding dress to motivate me!

Until my next ramble,
Lindsey

Otis

I got a puppy yesterday! I brought him to work with me today and he's sleeping so cute on his little blanet. I made a collage of pictures of him that I have taken so far. The bottom left is my absolute favorite. I took it this morning when he woke up and as I went to snap it, he "winked". 

How cute is he?

He met my mom this morning and she loved him! (Which is good because I kinda sorta snuck him in the house last night...) My future roommate met him last night and she just adores him. She has a dog named Junior and I hope Otis doesn't get too intimidated by him. However, I kinda feel like they'll be fast friends. I can't wait for Matthew to meet him this weekend. He's playing hard to get, but I know he will swoon over this little guy. Matthew is so good with animals (except Max, his Grandma's weiner dog) so I know Otis will steal his heart.

Sidenote: Otis' name was Shadow, but he just didn't look like a "Shadow" to my friends and I so we changed it...

Until my next ramble,
Lindsey

Whimsical Country: wedding party

Matthew and I have set a date for the wedding! (I will post all about the proposal soon.) We will be getting married on November 2nd of this year. I started planning not even a week after Matt proposed. I, like any girl, already had millions of ideas that I have dreamed of all my life.

I have already asked my favorite girls to stand beside me on that day, and Matt knows his guys that he wants. Before a dinner date this past Saturday, Matt and I went to forever21. I picked out a pair of earrings for each girl that reminded me of their style. Most of them I had already asked informally, but I still wanted to do something nice for them. I wrote them each a card on my new stationary and tucked the earrings in envelopes that were lined in floral. Each of them have meant so much to me over the years:

Amanda "Brudda": my Matron of Honor and absolute best friend. I was in her wedding and I can't wait for her to be in mine.

Melanie: my Bridesmaid and future roommate. She has listened to me dream about my wedding since we were 15.

Ashley: my Bridesmaid and a sweet blogger. She has always been such a steady encourager.

Mandy: my Bridesmaid and second mother. We share the same heart for ministry.

Leila: my Junior Bridesmaid and Matthew's little sister. She has Matthew's heart in her hands and she's quickly stealing mine, too.

They all happily agreed to be in my wedding and I am so thrilled! Saturday, we are going to pile up and drive to Statesboro to look at wedding dresses and visit a venue. It's the first of the wedding appointments and I can barely sleep at night because I am so excited.

Thank you all in advance for what you will be to me these next 9 months and on November 2nd, 2013.

Next post: Whimsical Country: a picnic proposal

Until my next ramble,
Lindsey