Happy 2 Year Anniversary to the Love of My Life

Today marks two years of being this handsome grooms bride.

I must say, marriage is a lot harder than I ever thought it would be,

but also much more rewarding. 

These past two years Steven and I have grown a lot.

And goodness, do we still have a lot of growing to do!

But I'm so excited I get to ride out this journey with him by my side.

The truth is, shortly after meeting Steven, I knew I was going to marry him.

And I am so thankful that I did. He is the love of my life.

 I hope I never forget or take for granted just how lucky I am to be loved by him in return.

Happy 2 years, Steven! I look forward to celebrating many, many more.

Beverly's Charming Lakeside Wedding

Do you know what is mind blowing for me right now? The realization that all my close girlfriends are married. Every stinkin' one of them! Ya'll!!! I'm getting old. Next we'll be popping out babies and then it's just a few skips and a hop away from the geriatrics home...

The reason I went back to the east coast two weeks ago was for this beaut's wedding! Beverly was simply that most stunning bride I ever did see and I couldn't have been more happy to be a part of her special day!

The wedding took place beside a small, quaint lake and was simple and charming. I felt that the location and summery decor couldn't have fit her personality more perfectly!!

But hey, before we get into all that, let's give credit where credit is due. I want to state for the record that I did not cry for the entire ceremony *patting myself on the back* ....just most of it.

Me...keeping it together. 

Me...about to fall a part. 

I made it about 10 minutes in and then I bawled like a baby...

Anyways, the day ended up being perfect for a wedding, the rain held off, making it warm and breezy. The bridesmaids wore perfectly mismatched navy dresses with navy flats and we all carried rustic daisy and baby's breath bouquets wrapped in burlap and lace. 

But it was Beverly's gown that really blew me away! I'd seen photos of it, but in person it has a completely different feel. It was romantic and vintage all in one. She looked stunning from head to toe!

The reception was held in a charming tavern with every table having a beautiful centerpiece arrangement of vintage books and wild flowers! Other small touches, such as sunflowers like the ones in the bride's bouquet being draped along the fireplace mantels, a vintage typewriter, and a little wagon to hold the guest's cards, really pulled the look together. Needless to say, I was impressed with all the details involved! I don't think I've seen such a cute, DIY wedding since my own ;) *patting myself on the back. again.* 

The best part of the day though was getting to see some great friends who I haven't seen since my own wedding last July! It was so good to spend time with Beverly, her sister Cynthia, and my roommate from freshman year, Bridget. 

Cynthia! Beverly's younger sister and my roommate for 2 years!

Me, Beverly, and Bridget

And you may remember Bridget, my old roomie turned amazing photographer who captured my wedding last year?? Well, she was able to captured Beverly's wedding for her as well and, again, I am blown away by her talent!! Here are just two of my favorites she captured of Beverly on her big day.

But if you're interested in seeing more gorgeous shots of Beverly's wedding make sure to like Bridget's Facebook page! And, if you're a wedding blog stalker like me, make sure to check out her photography site to get your fill of beautiful inspiration for the day! (Please don't tell me I'm the only person who likes to stalk wedding blogs.)

My short stay definitely went by too quickly, but I am glad for the time I was able to get with each of these girls. And it was so nice to see Beverly so happy! She was literally radiating with joy! 

So cheers to the happy couple, Beverly and Kevin! I wish you both a lifetime of happiness together!

Our Best Friend

My favorite part of every evening is when I pull up to our gate and see this little guy's smiling face and wagging tail. It's hard to come home in a bad mood when he's there to greet you with such excitement he can hardly stand still. But while he's dancing from foot to foot out of pure joy that his best friend's home, I feel a pang of guilt.

The truth is, Huck has it waaaaaay better than most dogs, yet I still feel horrible leaving him alone for 8 hours 5 days a week (well, 4 days a week. He still attends daycare on wednesdays). He has a safe and secure one acre lot to run around in with full access to a 3 car garage that has nothing in it but his bed, his toys, and a carpet for him to chew on. He even has a heat lamp to keep him extra toasty in the colder, rainy months here in Seattle. He's a pretty spoiled pup. And I think he knows it.

Because I feel a lot of guilt for leaving him during the work day, I pretty much take him everywhere with Steven and I whenever I can. He attends all our friends BBQs, is our constant walking buddy and fishing companion, and even goes on Home Depot runs with us from time to time. I make up for my absents during the work day by having him glued to my side on evening and weekends.

And if we have a day that isn't full of exciting adventures for Huck, I make sure to bribe him into still loving me by giving him lots of yummy treats. Like I said...he's spoiled.

I got thinking about all of this while I was taking Huck to daycare today. It's kind of ridiculous that Steven and I pay for him to attend daycare every Wednesday at MaryEllen's. Lord knows it isn't exactly cheap and Huck is already so spoiled anyway... I thought maybe this is something we can cut from our budget to help us save a little dough, you know? It's not like he's crated all day while we're at work, he has plenty of opportunity to stretch his legs all week long....and, and, and...

And I can't do it, because I realized I take Huck to daycare more for my sake than his own. When Huck is happy, well socialized, tired, and content it directly affects me. I take him to daycare because it brings me joy to see him run and play (MaryEllen sends me photo updates all throughout the day while he's there), I spoil him by taking him on all our adventures because I just love when he's by my side. He's a part of our family.

Steven and I obtain endless pleasure from Huck. Sure, I'll admit it more readily than him, but this spoiled pup has kinda changed our lives. And we just love him dearly.

And all this makes me think, "Oh man, am I screwed when we have kids..." Ha! 

Check Yes or No

Day 10 of the challenge simply states to share our most embarrassing moment. Well I have something embarrassing to let you in on, and it is that I am easily embarrassed.

I am so easily embarrassed that I cannot stand to even watch comedies where the lead simply makes a fool of himself the entire time (think Meet the Faulkers). I feel so embarrassed for them that it’s just too uncomfortable to watch –even though it isn’t even real life!! (I’m also a Disney movie crier, so maybe I’m not proving my point very well.)

AND, the point is, that even the thought of public embarrassment embarrasses me and I would do anything to avoid that feeling, because let’s face it, being embarrassed is a terrible feeling!! So I don’t have some scandalous tale full of embarrassment for your laughing pleasure today. I just don’t. I’ve lived a careful life where every move was precisely calculated so that I could avoid embarrassment at all costs! And although it was extremely mentally tasking for me to come up with anything at all to give to you today, I decided that this wouldn’t be a very good challenge if it didn’t require me to think. So think I did. I dug deep into the far recesses of my brain to uncover a rare embarrassing moment that I had buried very, very deep…

Come back in time with me to the first grade. His name was Lane Lilly and he had the biggest brown eyes and cutest lopsided bowl cut I ever did see. We road the bus together, but we didn’t speak much. Actually, I’m pretty sure we never spoke –but I spoke of him often.

Obviously, my best friend knew all about my love for Lane, but she wasn’t cruel about it like many kids can be –there was no teasing or pestering from her when it came to my undying, unrequited, and unknown feelings for him. Maybe that’s why 18 years later she’s still my best friend. Yet, although there was no singing of, “Lane and Dani sitting in a tree. K.I.S.S.I.N.G,” from her lips, she did come up with one very. very. very. terrible idea right before recess one day.

Her idea was to profess my love for Lane during recess that day in the form of a handwritten note. Oh, but not just any handwritten note! No, this handwritten note would have the words preordained by George Strait himself. If you don’t know which song I’m taking about already, you can listen to it here. (NO JUDGING, PEOPLE. I was 6 and my musical taste was not yet fully developed.)

But I digress…

I torn off a piece of notebook paper, wrote down the chorus to that song, and folded that note into the crispest, most perfect square you’ve ever seen. And then, when the bell rang to dismiss us for recess, I hurried outside with my best friend right by my side and delivered that note to Lane.

I don’t think I said a word as I nervously handed over the note and waiting for him to read it through (I do remember it took him a very long time to read that stupid note.) And then while I was holding my breath he gave me his response, which was…(drumroll, please)…

 “But I don’t even have a pencil!”

I believe that was the moment I decided to ran towards the other end of the playground. And it was then too, that for the first time in my life I thought I was going to drop dead of embarrassment. I’ve been avoiding it ever since.

A Memory Jar

"I sometimes find, and I am sure you know the feeling, that I simply have too many thoughts and memories crammed into my mind...at these times...I use the Pensieve. One simply siphons the excess thoughts from one's mind, pours them into the basin, and examines them at one's leisure." 

- Albus Dumbledore

I too have a Pensieve. A memory jar, if you will. It is filled with moments, big and small, that tell a story. Items that would be insignificant to anyone else, but that hold great meaning to me. From movie tickets to concert wrist bands, from brochures from our honeymoon to ticket stubs from the plane ride I took from D.C. to Washington that signify the start of my new life....I kept them all and look through them often.

It's important to keep tokens and stash them away. Our minds are amazing and wonderful tools, yet they tend to forget. As time goes on, the details fade. We need those visual cues to help us recreate the moment, to relive the excitement and laughter, to see again the color, life, and joy. 

With Steven, I've experienced some of the best moments of my life and I desperately want to hold on to each and everyone of them, so I store them away in my Pensieve (ahh, Harry Potter references always feel so good) to help me remember. I can't even tell you how many times I've reached my hand in there when I'm feeling sad or discouraged and pulled out happy memories that never cease to make me smile and restore my good humor. I'm so glad those moments I've spent with him will always be safe.

Tell me, do you have a Pensieve where your favorite memories are stored?

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Speaking of special moments with people you love, today I want to introduce you to one of my lovely sponsors, Tiff, who has a very special moment in the making! She's the blogger behind My Smile Saga,    where you can find posts chronicling her intense jaw surgery and recovery process as well as her upcoming wedding! (Which is fast approaching in May!) On her blog you'll also find helpful meal plans for the week along with yummy, healthy recipes. So head on over there to meet this cute, bubbly girl next door and hopefully make a new friend! :)

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What I Wore || Hearts

 | heart shirt: TJ Maxx | shoes: Nordstrom | jeans: Banana Republic |

What's more fun on Valentine's Day than an awkward outfit post? This little photo session showed me that Washington has made an albino out of me and I have awkward arms. And more importantly, that my husband must love me very much to snap 1,000 photos just to have me delete most of them exclaiming that I look atrocious. 

(Sometimes I think this blogging business is a little more taxing on our men than we'd like to admit.) 

But I digress...

It's Valentine's Day! A few weeks ago Steven asked what my ideal Valentine's Day would be like. I told him yummy food, good conversation, and cuddling. His response was no diamonds? no flowers? I just laughed and told him we can't afford diamonds and flowers die! But the truth is, even if we had all the money in the world and flowers never wilted, I would have given him the same answer in regards to my ideal Valentine's Day spent with him. 

So we made reservations a this quaint, little Italian restaurant at 7, and I have a feeling the most relaxing, intimate evening is in store for us. 

..................................................................................................................................................................

Turns out, I'm not the only one who prefers a low key Valentine's Day. Have you met Tiff? She's the blogger behind My Smile Saga. Like me, she's a crazy girl who moved for love, but she ended up in my home state of West Virginia! Not going to lie, I'm a little jealous! 

Here ideal Valentine's Day?...

"You know when you are wearing sweats, sitting on the ancient (hopefully slipcovered) couch in your college house, eating Chinese food out of the container, drinking abox bottle of wine and laughing hysterically at a “straight to video” movie with your best friend? It’s one of those memories that sticks with you forever. Luckily, that is my ideal Valentine’s Day and I’ve spent 9 Valentine’s Days doing just that with my best friend tuned fiancé. In 2005, we were broke college kids sitting on that couch, eating “$3.50 Chinese” and drinking Franzia out of the box. Our paychecks, furniture and taste in wine have improved since then, but there is something comforting about looking over at the guy eating sesame chicken remembering where you started out and imagining what the future holds!"

 Stop by Tiff's blog to get to know her a bit better! And while you're at it, check out her adorable engagement photos! 

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Valentine's Day Bug

Whether you'd like to admit it or not, Valentine's Day is right around the corner. Growing up, I was one of those Valentine haters who staunchly disapproved of the oversized teddy bears and pastel colored candies that screamed MARRY ME, HUG ME, and PUPPY LOVE. 

Well, that was stupid.

Valentine's Day is awesome! Seriously, it is a great idea. You have an excuse to be silly, buy fresh flowers and candies, and excessively cuddle the one you love! All you same side booth sitters, you have a free pass on Valentine's Day. I promise I will not judge you one iota! Who knows, I may even find it cute...

Okay, I lied in that last sentence.

If the Valentine's Day bug hasn't hit you yet, maybe these great DIY projects I've found around the interwebs will help you catch the fever.

Valentine's Day Care Package via the House that Lars Built

Printable Heart Attack via Whipperberry

Stenciled Valentine Gift Bags via Martha Stewart 

Or if sweets are more your thing...

Valentine's Day Donuts via Love From the Oven

And if you were planning on confessing your undying love for me on Valentine's Day, I recommend sending a box of those homemade donuts. The feelings may just be reciprocated :)

Happy Tuesday, friends!

That Post Where I Expound On My Marital Wisdom

Not only is tomorrow my birthday (!!!!!!), but it's also mine and Steven's one month anniversary. Ahh, to be married a month! What a huge accomplishment (heavy sarcasm applied).  Or maybe, in today's culture, it is a huge accomplishment. 

So far, in my very short stint of marriage, I've learned a few important things. Firstly, husbands are good for killing spiders, reaching those dishes in the top cupboard you have to climb on the counter to get, and eating leftovers. All things I am immensely grateful for. Secondly, I've learned that marriage is an evolution. A never ending process of two beings becoming one. 

But wait, Danielle. (This is you speaking, FYI.) Don't the two become "one" on the wedding day? 

To answer that question simply, I'd say "yes." It says in Genesis 2:24,  "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh." But your wedding day is just the beginning. To say that all your selfish, sinful human desire ends here and that you are living every moment unconditionally loving your spouse is simply untrue. We are too selfish for that. We are too human. 

I believe for two souls to become completely one they have to unite on three different levels: physically, emotionally, and spiritually. What does that EVEN MEAN!?! In many ways, I'm still learning.  But can this phenomenon take place? Certainly. Can it take place with only the husband and wife's efforts? Absolutely not. I doubt there is one successful marriage in which a third party isn't involved. Christ is oftentimes the missing link. Only he can create the durability that weaves these two souls together so tightly no amount of time, circumstance, or suffering can ever break them apart. 

Danielle, you've been married one month! How could you possibly know this??

I've seen it. I have seen marriages deteriorate because of selfishness and sin. I have seen a woman suffer due to her husband's obstinate refusal to turn his heart to God. I have seen men carry a burden too great for even the shoulders of an ox to bear because their wives have sought their own pleasures and denied Christ. I see it in the news everyday. In the books I read. I see it plastered on the internet and behind the smiling facade of a stranger's face. 

I've seen it and so have you.

Some of you live it...

If marriage were supposed to be easy, God wouldn't have needed to leave us with instructions. "Wives submit to your husbands....Husbands love your wives..." (Read Ephesians 5: 21-33 for the versus in their entirety.) 

In the last month, Steven and I have already had a few ups and downs. I've felt unloved, he's felt disrespected. When I use to tongue to break him apart instead of to life him up, I hear it. I hear that third party whisper to my heart. Danielle, respect your husband. And when I feel unloved (usually due to something stupid like a raised toilet lid or dirty socks on the floor), the soft whisper returns. Danielle, I love you. [I] The Lord your God is in your midst, [the] mighty one who will save; [I] will rejoice over you with gladness; [I] will quiet you by [my] love... (Zephaniah 3:17). 

I have so much to learn regarding marriage. I know I am not the perfect wife and never will be, but by golly I'm going to start trying!!! Why not strive for perfection? Of course, I can never attain it in this life, but how awesome would that be if I tried? Tried to love Steven with every ounce of my being? Tried to honor him and submit to him daily? Wow! What an amazing marriage we'd be blessed with. 

And I suppose that's the third thing I've learned in my short stint of marriage. 

It is a blessing. 

Friday Letters.

Dear Husband - There are few things in this world I love more than being your wife. Actually, at this moment, I cannot think of one. To hear you call me your wife makes my heart swoon. It truly is a remarkable feeling. The best I've yet to experience. Thinking back to when I was a little girl and the things I hoped for in a husband --someone tall, blonde haired and blue eyed-- makes me smile. I definitely was blessed with a man who possesses all those superficial qualities I thought would make me happy, but I feel outrageously grateful that the Lord gave me a man with so many more strong qualities I did not think to ask for when I prayed for my storybook knight. You are by far the most generous man I've ever met --nay, the most generous human being! I love your big heart and continually outstretched hand toward others. You are a giver. A leader. A hard worker. You are passionate. You are my encouragement. My biggest fan. My never wavering support. My comfort. My love. Thank you for all the character you possess. My prayer now is that I will continue to help you build on that character for which you already have such a strong foundation. I pray that I will lift you up and never cause you to stumble. I pray that our love for one another will continue to grow. You are my knight in shining armor. My storybook romance. My Mr. Darcy, if you will. 

Thank you for pursuing my heart and capturing my soul.

Always,

Your Wife.

I'm Back!!!

...and married.

I don't even know where to begin! There are so many moments I want to remember and capture here on this blog but I feel slightly overwhelmed! Things will just have to come in stages. I still need to look through all my photos of the pre-wedding festivities and the honeymoon --folks, there are  a lot of photos. But after I sort through all the pictures hopefully I'll get my bearings and start giving you a coherent account of all that took place. 

But just to give you a taste of the MOST PERFECT WEDDING DAY IN THE HISTORY OF FOREVER, here are a few photos taken by my awesome photographer and old college roomie :)

 If you want to see more photos check out Bridget's Facebook page! :)

Fix It.

Via

If you were to ask me for one thing that I have taken away form premarital counseling I would say that MARRIAGE IS GOING TO BE TOUGH! 

obvi.

Communication

Respect

Love

Selflessness

Kindness

....

The list could go on and on.

It's not that this is new information to me. 

I have heard people say all my life that marriage is one of the hardest things they have ever done.

Marriage is tough.

A sacrifice.

A blessing.

A giving of ones' self.

Daily.

A continual outpouring of every good thing in you to give to another.

Marriage is exhausting.

Exhilarating.

Terrifying.

An ever-changing, developing, mind-blowing whirlwind.

And since you and I live in a fallen world,

Marriage is broken.

We must massage, mend, and mold it.

And then get up the next day and do it again.

But I've also learned, 

that if done right,

MARRIAGE IS WORTH IT.

A Torn Page From My Diary...

...because sometimes, happiness is found in reliving the pain.

A long time ago, I believe it was in 8^th grade; I dislocated my left thumb and never went to the doctor to get it properly replaced. It’s an old injury that I rarely think about, but then, when it’s bended just right, I feel the aching in that joint. It’s not a sharp pain; but rather dull and almost non-existent, but a pain nonetheless. It always startles me when I feel it. Just when I’ve almost forgotten all about it, I do something silly such as pick up a coffee mug awkwardly, grip too tight while opening a jar of jam, or any other simple movement that agitates that joint. Normal things really. But it’s in those ordinary moments that something happens to make me once again feel the pain. The injury was never a gaping, open wound. No surgery was necessary for it to properly function again. Yet, the pain is still present. I tried to take care of the injury myself, and because of that, it has never properly healed.

It reminds me of you; my thumb --an old injury, that most days, never crosses my mind. Then something happens that reminds me –a mother calling her child after the same name in the grocery store, the curve of a stranger’s forehead, a laugh –and the pain returns. Dull, almost nonexistent, but there nonetheless. Again, it startles me how unexpectedly everything returns. I can feel, smell, hear everything I once loved. Perhaps, those remembrances are the things I still do.

The pain used to bother me. I used to regret never seeing a doctor to get my thumb properly reset. But it was an injury no one else could see. It seemed so easy to fix myself and simply move on. At first, the pain was unbearable. Thankfully, I have always had a high tolerance for pain. It was easy to repress.

I’ve learned that it’s too late for me to fix. The pain will always be there. Like the phantom pain of an amputee it is an ache I’ll always feel. Yet, I’ve learned to live with it. I’ve even learned to enjoy it. Like the breeze on a hot day or a drop of water after a long drought, it reminds me that I’m alive. I feel –even the most subtle aches, I feel.

And for that, I am grateful.

Engagement Photo Session: Sneak Peek

This weekend Steven and I met with our cute, bubbly photographer, Kelsey Blome, for our engagement session photo shoot. We went to Point Defiance Park in Tacoma, WA and I was absolutely thrilled with the location --beautiful rose gardens, ducks ponds, numerous wooded settings, and just a few steps from the Puget Sound! Needless to say, our photos have a lot of variety and I couldn't be happier! The best part about the day was definitely Kelsey though. She was hilarious and kept Steven and I laughing the entire time! We spent about two hours taking photos but when we were heading back towards our car, I felt like it had only been 20 minutes and didn't want the day to end. Here are a few photos from the session. I can't wait to share more with you!

Make sure to check out Kelsey's blog and Facebook page!

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