Vacationing...inspiring...

 

I find this to be so true.

Wedding Wednesday - The Perfect Day

May 11, 2013 was the perfect day. The best day!


I don't have many pictures yet, but I do have so many memories. It was beyond anything I could ever have dreamed.

Here are the few pictures I do have.

At some point, once I have the pictures, I will do a big post.

Standing- God Sister then Godmother

Sitting - Me, Mom and my mother in law

 

This was taken at my Bridal brunch that my GodMother and GodSister hosted. It was beyond gorgeous!

 

My mom and I at the Bridal Brunch

 

 

Ring Bearer and Flower Girl

 

Mom, Brother and Grandfather

 

My cake. IT WAS SO GOOD!!! White almond cake.

 

 

Groom's Cake.   All edible and the beer is real. The cake was Burnt Orange Velvet Cake (dyed burnt orange instead of Red)

Us. Husband and Wife. I cannot believe it. I will post more pictures when I get them!

Married!

 

We are married!

Wedding day!

I love that I can schedule posts!

So as of this very moment, I will be enjoying my reception.

Here are a few of the bridal portraits I took last month:

 

I cannot believe the day has come!

 

I'm a WIFE.

 

Not just any wife.

 

I am B's WIFE! :)

Getting married today

I am getting married today.



30 years, 4 months and 19 days old. 

I could never say that I dreamed of getting married when I was younger. I wasn't one that dreamed about those things. I dreamed about traveling, meeting people and doing things.

I also can say that all of my dreams have come true. I cannot believe the life I have. I am so incredibly blessed.

As I turn from a "single" girl to a "married" one, I do have a lot of things going through my head.


To my immediate family:
This is the last moment we are a family of 4. What an incredible family we are. I have loved growing up in our home. I have loved the moments of laughter. I know these will not end. I know life changes. Please know that I am who I am because of the 3 of you. I love you all.

To my brother:
This is the last day we have the same last name. You will still be my only brother. You will still be our only sibling. I am grateful for our friendship. I love who you have grown up to be. I wish we lived closer, but what I have learned through the years is that it doesn't matter how far in distance we are, we always connect and we always know about each others lives. I hope this does not change. Thank you for being the best sibling. You are always my little brother.

To my mom:
Thank you for being such a strong individual person. You taught me to be an intelligent woman who knows what she wants and goes for it. You taught me to live. TO REALLY LIVE. When people say that they are turning into their moms, I know it isn't supposed to be a "good" thing, but for me, whenever I hear myself say something you would say or do something you would do, I smile. I smile because you are the best person I have ever known and if I am anything like you, that makes me happy. The best lesson I have learned as we have become friends throughout my life is, I will always be your little girl. Thank you for the loving home you raised me in and thank you for such an incredible life. I am so lucky to have you as my mom.

To my dad:
As a daddy's girl, I know when we start the walk that will start the next chapter in my life, my eyes will be filled with tears. Tears because I am so happy. You were and still are the greatest example of love to our family. You loved us so much that you traveled instead of moving us from our home. Growing up I often wondered who would be my husband and if they would be as wonderful as you are to us. You set the bar so incredibly high. But this, this is why my brother is such an amazing young man and this is why it took me to the age of 30 to find someone who could meet the bar that you set so high. Thank you for loving me and being such a great example of what a father's love for his children is. I look forward to our walk down the aisle. I will always be your pumpkin.


To B:
Can you believe it? The day is here. Who knew that sitting in the Far West Starbucks all those years ago, just talking and becoming friends would lead to this? To our wonderful life together. I truly am in awe that this day has come and I am ready. I'm ready to be your wife, your partner in life and I am ready to be our own "family" together. Life has so many twists and turns and I am ready to be on the rollercoaster of life with you.  I cannot wait to see you at the end of the aisle. I love you.

To myself:
RELAX. Enjoy the day. Be in every moment.

Wedding Activities start TODAY

Guests start to arrive today.

In fact B is on his way to the airport to pick up our friends coming all the way from Brazil for our wedding.

We are so blessed that so many people are coming from all over to watch our love become one.


I cannot believe the time has come for Wedding Activities to start NOW!

Love

B comes home today!

So B travels ALL the time.


Ok not all the time - but usually 1 week a month sometimes 2.


It is this travel that will allow for us to be in Thailand for 2 weeks so I have NO complaints.


Except he has been gone for the last 9 days. Now it is 8 days to the wedding and he is on his way home.

Thank goodness. Someone needs to hear about these random wedding thoughts going through my mind!




I am ready for Cinco de Mayo.

I need a margarita.

10 days

The real countdown has begun.

There is so much still left to do, yet really nothing at all!



Life is hectic - hectic at work and running to every vendor appointment known to man after work everyday this week.

But all that matters is that in 10 days....


I will be married to this man.

Day by Day

 

I cannot believe that in 12 days - B and I will be married. It is true how day by day life has looked the same but looking at the last 3.5 years...everything has changed.

2 weeks and 1 day

The real countdown has begun.


2 weeks and 1 day.


There is sooooo much to do!

Life

Sometimes it takes big things and sometimes it takes small things for us to slow down, take a look around and tell the ones you love that you love them.

Life for me lately has been 100% wedding. Full of flowers, happiness frivolous thoughts.

Then April 15th happened.



While I am still in the midst of my "happy time" - I am also fully aware of those who are not.


I am always one who tells people I love them, to hug them and let them know how I feel.


On April 15th - I wanted nothing more than to be home with B and Roxy. I wanted my family. I just wanted everyone to know how I felt about them.

So I embarked on a letter writing campaign.  I used to be better at writing letters to my family and friends.  To brighten up their day. So I have started again. The goal is 52 letters this year. One a week (and yes I have to make up the difference since it is May already).

Dogs

Who you are

 

 

BHB's Link up

Go HERE to join!


1. The Basics

Who are you: A. A Texas Gal, TexasGal05 - Currently ANG - soon to be ANS
Where do you blog: Right here at "Figuring out this Long Road called Life"
How did you pick your blog’s name: Well Texas Gal came from - I went to UT, and graduated in 2005 and I am a Texas Gal. The Title of my blog - well I am trying to figure out this long road called life.

2. Location, location, location

Where did you grow up: Texas - North of Houston
Where do you live now: Texas - IN Houston
Where would you live anywhere in the world: Italy, France, Texas, Greece

3. Let’s talk beauty - what is your favorite or signature:

Lipstick: Mac's Capricious
Mascara: Chanel's Inimitable
Perfume: Love, Chloe

4. Yummies - what is your favorite:

Cocktail: Cape Cod
Dessert: Key Lime Pie
Pizza Topping(s): Pepperoni

5. I always have these three things in my refrigerator:

Un: Milk
Deux: Butter
Trois: Dr Pepper (for B)

6. Get artsy - what is your favorite:

Movie: When Harry Met Sally
Book: TOO many to say...
TV Show: All of the Real Housewives, New Girl and Parks and Rec

7. Kid stuffs - three questions about your youth:

What did you want to Be when you grew up? a Neurosurgeon
Who was your favorite teacher and why? My 3rd grade teacher- Mrs. Boren - she was just amazing in general.
What was your worst sickness/surgery/hospital visit as a kid? When I was 5 I swallowed my little ruby ring on Christmas Eve - so I spent the night in the hospital hooked up to make sure my body didn't swell up due to the foreign object. It passed through my system and I still have that little ring! (It doesn't fit, but I will give it to my daughter if I have one!)

8. The Pretty Things - what is your:

Favorite color: yellow and pink
Favorite flower: peony
Favorite artist (painter, photographer, etc.): Monet

9. Shop ‘Til You Drop

What’s one thing you buy the most often: makeup
Do you prefer to shop online or in-store? online
Imagine you open your own store - what would you sell? makeup

10. Be a Hater: what are three things you would like to go away?

Ein: media attention to people who don't deserve it (I know I need to stop watching REAL HOUSEWIVES)
Zwei: The oversexualization of children
Drei: crappy over produced music

11. The Final Three (x Three)

I hand you a genie - what are your three wishes? world peace (cliche), I wish that B would have met my grandmother, lots of $ to donate as I please.
List 3 things you can see out of your window right now. The freeway, a billboard for "The Pink Palace" and another Oil and Gas company.
Who are three people, living or dead, you would invite over for dinner? Pope John Paul II, My grandmother and my brother.

I love being a Longhorn

Please look at this link and see why!

Whatever Wednesday

OK from the Corporette forum/comments from a few weeks ago to this post HERE to Blair's Head Band post here....LEAN IN is certainly a topic of discussion among women.


WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?

A quick overview for me is this- do what is best for you. LEAN IN if you know that is what you need - LEAN OUT if that is what you need.

I read the book - I have a lot of thoughts on it. I will discuss at a later time - but for now - with so much discussion on twitter, the blogs, op eds - what are your thoughts?



NEXT.....


I need more book recommendations. I read a lot and fast. I try to read at least one book to 1.5 books a week (depending on size and time constraints) - I also listen to them on CD in the car and if I feel antisocial for lunch I will close my office door and read. Like I said, I read a lot. I love reading and learning. Sometimes it is for escape and other times it is to learn. All of it is for enjoyment.

In the Months of March and April I read:
Lean In
Bringing Home the Birkin
Proof of Heaven
The Language of Flowers
Across Many Mountains
Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption

All were good in various ways.


NEXT....

31 days until we get married.

31 DAYS.

I may be going a little bit insane, but I am ready. I have no worries about B and I and our relationship. I am only worried about things going smoothly - and even that I don't care. As long as we say our I DOs - I am happy.


NEXT....

This weekend we go to Dallas for our Couples Shower thrown by B's Aunt.  I cannot wait.


NEXT...

I want spaghetti for dinner.  BADLY.


That is all.

Not the me I knew I could be.

 

 

This is how I feel about B. I was always whole, always complete. He makes me a better person.

I've been engaged for a year! A little over a month until the Wedding!

Happy Birthday B!

Today is B's 31st birthday.


Happy Birthday to the Man that makes my entire world a better place to be in.

I love you,
A

1 Year Engaged

As of today, I have been engaged for a year.

This year.... has been one of the best years of my life.


In a little over a month I will be marrying the man of my dreams. Sure I didn't know he was the man of my dreams when we first met (oh that would be too easy).


So here are 10 of the reasons why he is the man of my dreams:

He lets me talk. I talk a lot.
He makes me laugh.
He is kind always.
He takes care of me on good days and bad.
He saw me through one of the hardest years in my life and did it effortlessly.
He holds my hand.
He pushes me to be a better person.
He listens (see above to me talking).
He makes me smile.
He says I love you every time we are getting off the phone.


Obviously, there are so many more reasons. But those are 10. I know throughout my lifetime there will be countless more "why I love him" lists and I can't wait to see everything I get to put on that list.