By A Moment

The simple pleasures of this week:

- enchilada casserole
- multiple recorded episodes of Barefoot Contessa
- clean, fluffy sheets
- finding my wedding veil/headpiece and framing it in its beautiful shadow box
- writing thank you notes (it's actually nice to remember)
- using coupons at the grocery store for the first time

Simply splendid, right?

Coming Together

Ladies and Gentlemen, our first piece of furniture as newlyweds:





Hooray for the table!

Romantic Dumpsters

Boxes. Boxes. Boxes. Everywhere I look. Boxes. Trash. Boxes.

Lately I've felt like my entire world is one big box. A box to unwrap, unpack, peel a tiny sticker off, rinse and put away. But then, there leaves the empty box. And that box becomes another box and another and another until that pile consumes my entire kitchen. And I have a moment where I might just explode. But then we take a trip to the dumpster. And it is all released, thrown away and new again.

I can't help but laugh about how much my newlywed life has revolved around a dumpster. The countless trips to the illegal dumpster where we go at night so we don't attract the poor restaurant owner who has to wonder why every morning there are more Bed Bath and Beyond boxes in his dumpster, than his own leftover food.

But I was thinking this morning about our romantic dumpster trips. Because every box we throw away is a small piece of our old lives going away, leaving small spaces for our new life. The cieling-high piles are dwindling, leaving room for shiny new toys; and photos of the wedding are being moved into the spaces that once held stacks of wedding planning books.

I'll be glad when all of the boxes are gone. But can't wait to see all that remains in our new life together.

Till I'm New Again

What is this sun that conquers mountains
Singing over what has been asleep?
What is it that softens all my doubting?
It's You

Morning brings a hunger for new eyes
That have been covered by the hurt of yesterday
Who could create in me the vision of a little child?
It's You

You take an ordinary day
And turn it into flowers like the month of May
Yes, You do

You see all my pain
And cry over it for hours till I'm new again
Yes, You do

When I have been a victim of familiarity
When my heart has fallen into sleep
Healing is the voice that awakens me
And it is You

You, you make me new
You make me new
Oh, You make me new

-- "New" Bethany Dillon

Nothing I Wouldn't Do

I am still reeling. Reeling from the wedding. From the move. From everything.

I'm still remembering tidbits of things that made that day so special and memorable.

And I hope to capture those as they pop up in my brain.

But most of all, I hope to capture the feelings and emotions of now. Of this new life. Of married life. It's strong. It's potent. And powerful. But at the same time it's everyday, normal and safe.

It's a pretty incredible feeling. Freedom and connection in one place. Safety and adventure. Exciting and simple. All at the same time. It's pretty amazing.

From the Other Side

LOVE.

Hop On Board

I had a moment last night. A moment where someone says something that stuns you enough leaving you speechless.

"You're not enjoying, you're processing."

How true. This was said to me by none other than my lovely hubby to be, who in his heart of hearts cares so deeply that he was concerned I was missing out on the best moments because my brain was already thinking about the next. We had just moved furniture into our new house, and I was quietly processing everything that needs to get done before next Saturday, instead of enjoying that moment.

He was right. Well, part right. :)

I've tried my best through all of this to soak it all in. To truly breathe in the grandness and grandiose-ness of the engagement, wedding planning, love-dovey stuff. And I think I've done a really good job. But, in these last few weeks, when the details start to pile up, he has a point that this is when I should most be happy and let these moments wash over me, instead of trying to keep them at bay to accomplish my to-do list.

I don't want to process the wedding. I don't want to process the honeymoon. And I certainly don't want to process being married. I want to live it. To enjoy it. To experience it.

And that's exactly what I plan to do from this moment on. Seize the day!