Wedding on the Brain

Seems like all I can think about. I've been waking up in the middle of the night trying to think of things that need to be done. Truth of it is, I can't think of anything and I'm 99.9% sure that everything is ready which is a good thing. Luckily, I haven't had any of the bad dreams (like the one where no one shows up to your wedding). A girl I work with got married at the WestLake Club a couple of years ago. She brought me her pictures to look at today. It gave me a little rush to see exactly how its going to look. They were having so much fun and I could just picture all my people's heads on her people's bodies dancing the night away. I realize that sounds weird and goes to show that I can't concentrate on my work at all today. I've also started making Neal's "to-do" list for Friday and Saturday. He's a smart man and asked for it to make sure everything gets done. It's hanging on the refrigerator and I keep adding little things to it.

It's Wedding Week!

So this it what it feels like to know we're getting married in a few days. Pure giddiness I tell you. There are still a few little things to do. Today I came home and Neal was cleaning his surfboard. I drove up and he had this huge smile on his face knowing that he'll be surfing next week. Or maybe he was smiling thinking about honeymooning. No, probably the surfing!

We both had our last single hurrahs this weekend. The boys bbq'ed and played poker here on Friday night then went to New Orleans on Saturday. The house didn't look too bad. I had cleaned it for them and now it needs to be cleaned again after having a bunch of boys here. I had the best bachelorette party in San Antonio this weekend. We arrived on Friday and checked into the Crockett Hotel which is a quaint hotel right behind the alamo. Saturday was so much fun. First, we laid around the hotel watching TV until about noon. Pure heaven! We finally decided to get dressed and head to the riverwalk. Cue the fun. We had some lunch. Went to a little wine tasting store that only served Texas wines. Llano Estacado Shiraz is still my favorite! Then we were killing time at another little bar that had Shiner on happy hour. Yes please! By that time, we walked back to the hotel to scoop up Mom, Steph, and Terry. I had a mini-lingerie shower. Pat O'Brien's was fun as usual. I think that is my favorite place on the river. Maybe its the hurricanes, but I'm pretty sure its the company I'm always with. We danced, laughed, sang, and ate cake. The weekend was perfect. I have said for years that I didn't want to prance around with a veil and bachelorette paraphanelia. Luckily, I didnt' have to wear any of that. Just not my thing. I don't have any pictures but hopefully some get sent to me. I was looking at them on Leslie's camera and they are Hi-lar-i-ous!

Here's to the rest of the week!

We're Licensed!

Neal took off the afternoon so we could finish up some wedding things. We're officially licensed in the great state of Texas to get married. The courthouse is an interesting place. Luckily, more people were in the "criminal business" line than the "marriage license" line. We got our license and the lady asked up to check the spelling of our names. I guess our eyes were playing tricks because we said "Yes, that's correct." Well, when we got back in the truck I was looking at the license (all giggly) and noticed that it said Fergurson instead of Ferguson. We went back in and she was able to fix it for us. We overheard several other couples talking in the office. When the clerk asked one couple when they were getting married, they said "as soon as possible." Then another Mexican lady was there and was trying to explain that her significant other wouldn't be able to attend the wedding but they still needed to get married. I think he might have been either in the country illegally or needed to get to the USA. I'm sure those people hear all kinds of stories!

I also picked up my wedding dress and its perfect. She ended up sewing "bones" into the top to hold it up so it doesn't droop.

After everything was completed this afternoon, I thought I might try to take a nap. Yea right. I am just so excited about all of this, there was no way I was falling asleep. The jeweler called and I'm going to pick my ring up today. I've hated being without it.

Spring has Sprung

So I've been admiring all the azaleas blooming around our neighborhood. In case you didn't know, I LOVE azaleas. Like really love them. Since all the houses in our neighborhood were built in the 50s and 60s, the azalea bushes are huge. I've been bugging Neal that we really need to plant a few this year so we can have pretty azaleas like everyone else. Low and behold, I noticed this in our front yard today. Turns out we do have an azalea bush! It's just now starting to bloom and I can't wait to see how it turns out. I think we still need to go get a few because our flower beds are pretty bare.



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The other big news it that we're 10 days from our wedding. I'm not sure how that happened but its here! Luckily, I've been on spring break this week so I've had some time to mark things off the perpetual "to do" list. Here are a few things I've checked off already. Dropped my ring off at the jeweler so it can be nice and pretty for the wedding (I hate not wearing it and hope its ready today), caught up on thank you cards, bought a few gifts, found a rehearsal dinner dress, called the WestLake Club many times, talked to Pastor, paid the DJ. Today, we're getting the marriage license, paying the cake lady, picking up my dress. I'm also finishing cleaning the house for part 1 of Neal's bachelor party. The girls are heading to San Antonio this weekend for my last hurrah. A little different from the boys' New Orleans trip, but I can't wait!

Since we're getting closer to the wedding, I'm able to start checking the forecast for wedding day. I hope I won't be checking it all the time, but I know I will. Right now, the weather channel only goes till Friday the 25th and it looks good. I know these things can change though. As much as I'd really like to have the wedding outside, if we have to have it inside, that's fine too. I'm sticking with my mantra of not stressing about things I can't control. At the end of the day, we're still getting married!

In the Teens, People, in the teens!

Today marks 18 days until W-day. I'm feeling pretty good and not feeling stressed yet. Key word being "yet". My mantra has been to not stress about things or people I can't control. Yes, I'm sure something will go wrong but I just have to keep my eye on the prize which is marrying the love of my life. Today I brought my dress in to Ms. J to do some final alterations. She's going to take the top in a little bit more in hopes that it won't droop during the wedding. For a split second while I was looking at myself in the mirror, I thought what if my dress isn't right for the wedding or it gets screwed up. She also mentioned adding straps which I quickly vetoed. I left the shop a little uneasy but as I was walking out, the sun was breaking through the clouds. (It has been cloudy and rainy all day and this was the first time the sun peeked out.) I took it as a message from God telling me that everything was going to be just fine. Moments like that give me chills.

I had a semi-Murphy's Law kind of day at work today. Last night, I tried a new recipe (yes, I cooked). It was Chicken Tamale Pie from Cooking Light. It turned out pretty good. If Neal didn't really like it, he didn't say anything. He knows I try! Anyway, I put some in a glass container to take for lunch today. I put it in the refrigerator in the morning. When it was finally lunchtime, I grabbed the container and it shattered right there inside the refrigerator. The strangest thing and I'm still not sure how it broke because it didn't hit anything. Needless to say, I couldn't eat the food with shards of glass in it so I had to run out to get lunch. Then when I returned to school, I realized my ID badge was missing from my lanyard. I retraced my steps and didn't ever find it. Not a big deal except I need it anywhere I go in the district and I have to pay to replace it. Maybe it will turn up soon. On that note, I've pretty much checked out of work. I think its a combination of spring break coming next week and the wedding coming up. Today, I was having my kids teach each other how to do yoga poses using their good sentences of course. Talk about hippie speech!

This post has turned a bit random but here goes my next thought. I've become addicted to reading stranger's blogs. Go ahead, judge me. It starts out by me checking in on friends' blogs and then clicking on their friends to read their blogs and then so on. I've been reading blogs of people I have never met nor will I ever probably meet. But I somehow feel like I "know" them and their families. I find this a bit odd that I do this but I can't seem to stop. I realize this makes me a stalker. But in a harmless way, right?

Chance of Showers in Houston

Last Saturday, I had the most perfect shower. Vanessa, Leslie, Karen and Jen did an awesome job. It was so much fun getting to visit with people I haven't seen in a while. And no corny games! I'm blessed to have such good friends and family. And the carrot cake cupcakes were to die for!

The crazy wedding dreams have started again. Luckily, I wake up laughing about them instead of being stressed out by them. By the way, today is March 1 which means the wedding is THIS month! I'm so ready. A few last payments to make and it will be all ours! And Costa Rica's not sounding too bad right about now either. Here's the latest dream: We were getting married in the old St. John church on Avenue A. There were a ton of people there that I didn't know. The organist was playing all the wrong music. My dress was made out of linen which means it was see through. My Aunt Kathryn was wearing a red and white wedding dress to the wedding. And here's the kicker. My dad brought 2 hookers to the wedding so I made them sit up in the balcony. This dream was quite comical because none of it would ever happen.