Five Days Til "We Do!"

It's hard to believe it, but there are only five days left until the wedding. The day we’ve been waiting for is drawing near, and the excitement level here can hardly be contained! (Which makes having to go in to work this week extremely, excruciatingly difficult.) Are we ready? YES! Nervous? Not one bit!  We wrote our wedding announcment last night, and will be on its way to The Daily Advertiser this afternoon. Be on the lookout for it in the Sunday paper a few weeks after the wedding! 

This past weekend was probably the most productive one either of us has had in quite a while.  Perhaps one of the bigger milestones (or “oh-snap! -We’re-really- getting-married!” moments) from this weekend was The Making of the Keys. As we departed for Lowe’s on Saturday morning to have a set of house keys made for Michael, it suddenly dawned on me that This is actually happening. We’re getting married in ONE WEEK. It was happy realization and a wonderful start to our busy day.

Most of Saturday was spent running errands all over town (which was quite an adventure--if you’ve ever been in Lafayette traffic on a Saturday, you know what a nightmare it can be). Every vendor that needed to be paid has been paid, gifts and gift cards were purchased and wrapped, and emergency snack bags were assembled. On Sunday, it was Wedding Crafts Central at my house once again, and yet again I'm amazed at my future husband's skills with tissue paper, pipe cleaners, and yarn. Glue guns, paint, scrapbooking paper, and scalloped paper punches don't faze him one bit. He's a keeper for sure!

Last week I finally got started on the most dreaded pre-wedding task of all: clearing out my closet to make space for Michael’s things. When my family moved into the house 10 years ago, the room I am currently in (the master bedroom) was left vacant and the master closet became a storehouse for unwanted items that had no other home. I moved to Baton Rouge for a brief time, and when I returned home I claimed the master bedroom, junky closet and all. Instead of moving all that old junk out of the closet, I merely pushed it aside and filled the remaining spaces with my clothes…and more junk. Over the past five years the closet has been embarrassingly cluttered and untidy, so much so that Michael was not allowed to even glimpse inside it (except for the time he had to chase a gecko that made a hasty retreat into my closet).

The experience of cleaning out my closet has been liberating. I’d been holding on to clothes from years past—clothes that no longer fit me, but I was holding on to them in hopes that “one day…” As I started yanking items off their hangers, I came to the realization that I NEEDED to do this, and not just because I needed to make room for my soon to be husband.  It was time to let go of things from my college days and look towards my future roles as wife, partner, and mother. Clearing out my closet became not only a practical step in my life, but a symbolic one as well. It’s nice to see those empty hangers in my closet, knowing that in a few short days they’ll be full again…with my husband's clothes.

♥, Dorothy

Merry Christmas

Twenty-five days left, folks!  Can you believe it?  We're only one Advent calendar away from the wedding day!  But first things first:  Christmas.  Homemade candy?  Check.  Cookies?  Check.  Presents, cards, tree-trimming?  Check, check, and...check!  We've been busy preparing not only for the big day but for the really Big Day:  the celebration of the birth our Savior.  Amidst all the hustle and bustle of the season, we haven't forgotten the "reason for the season."  Our hearts and our homes are ready, and as we prepare for the Feast of Christmas we can't help but be filled with the joy, excitment, and anticipation for the days to come.  We look forward to celebrating with each and every one of our friends and family members, both at Christmas and on our wedding day! 

♥, Michael & Dorothy

Waiting Game...

Even when I say it aloud it's sometimes hard to believe. "We're getting married in ONE MONTH." One month!!! Thirty-one days from now we will be joined as husband and wife in the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony. The wait will be almost unbearable. That being said, today is also the deadline we placed on RSVP cards. We've been waiting anxiously by my mailbox every day since the invites went out, hoping for a flood of replies. At 31 days out, we've received replies from about HALF our guest list. Disappointed? Yes. But we'll be patient and count on those last minute sender-inners.

Much has been accomplished since you last heard from us:
- Flower details have been finalized, and the deposit paid
- The schedule and playlists have been discussed and finalized with our DJ
- We met with our cake baker to finalize plans for the cakes
- The final piece of the bridesmaids' attire has been acquired
- Engagement and bridal portraits have been ordered
- Rehearsal dinner invites went out
- Menu for the reception is almost finalized
- Favors have been ordered
- Continued progress on the numerous DIY "special touches" projects

There's still lots more to do and get sorted out in the next 31 days, but we'll get there eventually. We've got so much to look forward to between now and then with Christmas drawing ever nearer. My favorite moments over the past few weeks involved shopping for and wrapping presents with Michael--under the soft glow of Christmas lights and the sweet sounds of Christmas music, of course! 

If you're reading this and have yet to send back your RSVP card, please call us and let us know whether or not you plan on attending.  We need a head count ASAP!  :)

♥, Dorothy

Thankful

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend, and even though it's been difficult readjusting to our daily work routine after so many days off, we are grateful for the time we received.  Michael and I had a wonderful time cooking the Thanksgiving meal we shared with his immediate family (minus his oldest brother and his clan), and we eagerly look forward to preparing many more holiday meals together.

I had to opportunity to meet more of the Cavells over the weekend during our visit with Michael's grandparents, but I know I've still got more to go before I can say I've met the extensive Cavell family!  With Christmas just around the corner, I'm sure there will plenty more chances to meet everyone before the wedding :)

With the wedding drawing ever nearer, it seems I can't escape the "Wedding Questions Drill" from everyone I meet.  The questions go something like this:

• "Gettin' close!" (or any variant of "Just around the corner!", "Almost time!", etc.)
• "How's the wedding planning coming along?"
• "Are you getting nervous?"

To which I pretty much always reply:

• "Yep.  Only ___ Days to go!"  (the countdown is ON!)
• "Pretty good.  The big things are taken care of.  Now it's just the little details."
• "Nope.  I'm ready."

Not that I'm complaining--I love being asked about the wedding!  It reminds me how much everyone cares about us, and it warms my heart to know that people genuinely care for and are rooting for us.  Besides, I relish any opportunity I get to verbally announce how many days are left until the wedding...I'm that excited!  Of course, those questions also bring to light how much stuff we have left to do before the Big Day.  Or rather, crafty stuff.  You're-crazy-for-DIY-ing-that-stuff-stuff.  Until now, the wedding planning phase has consisted of brainstorming, coupon collecting, and late evening Hobby Lobby/Michael's runs to gather supplies.  In other words, FUN TIMES.  We're plenty full in the ideas and supplies department, but now we're in the hard part:  execution of said ideas. 

Creating tangible (and beautiful, homemade but not "looks homemade") items hasn't always been easy, but we've managed to push through so far.  Working on wedding crafts has been a surprisingly good bonding experience for us as a couple.  I'll admit I was a little apprehensive at first, given my tendency be controlling and exacting when it comes to crafting, but I'm slowly learning to let go!  Michael has been such an amazing helper and partner during our crafty escapades, and I'm so thankful for him and his willingness to go along with all my crazy ideas! ♥

♥, Dorothy

Welcome!

By now, (almost) all invitations have been delivered (there are still a few hold outs that we are waiting to deliver in person).  Chances are, many of you have found our handy little web address cards in the invitation suite and are first time visitors to our site.  Welcome!

It's an exciting time of year; the holidays are fast approaching, and we look forward to sharing our first Thanksgiving meal together tonight.  Diana is Louisiana-bound this morning, and the Nguyen family will be celebrating tonight because of her work obligations on Black Friday.  Next week, we'll be cooking a Thanksgiving meal together at Michael's parents' home.  On the menu:

- Turkey
- Dressing
- Mashed potatoes and gravy
- Homemade cranberry sauce
- Sauteed green beans with caramelized onions and mushrooms
- Carrots
- Corn maque choux
- Sweet potato casserole
- Rolls
- Pie (not sure what kind)

Whew!  We'll be stuffing ourselves silly! 

Blessings to you all as we enter into this joyous time of year, and safe journeys to all who will be travelling to be with loved ones next week.  We'll be back with updates after Thanksgiving!

♥, Michael and Dorothy

The End is Near.

The end of our engagement, that is.  We're only 68 days out from The Big Day!  Can you believe it?!?!  We got a lot accomplished this weekend, despite Michael being knocked out by a nasty head cold.  He was a trooper for sure, enduring a nearly 2-hour long engagement photo session with three outfit changes!  We can't wait to get our proofs in and decide on which poses to purchase... hopefully we can get in a Christmas card order as well!  The weather was gorgeous: cool, sunny, and just a bit breezy, so I'm really looking forward to seeing how our outdoor pictures came out!  Next weekend, I'll bid farewell to Michael for the better part of Saturday as I head back to Roger Broussard Photography's "Studio on the Lake" for my bridal portraits!

Our major accomplishment this weekend was finishing up the wedding invitations.  While Michael was fighting a cold and getting some much-needed rest, I punched, stickered, weaved, and trimmed up the invites.  We stuffed all the envelopes last night, and they're almost ready to go!  I visited the Post Office today with a completed invitation packet to get it weighed.  Good news:  it's still within the single 44-cent stamp limit!  Yay!  :)

I also got a message last night from the talented folks who are making our wedding cake topper.  It's finally done (I ordered it in July, and the waiting list is THAT long!) and should ship out this week.  I can't wait to see it in person; it is BEYOND cute!  You'll have to wait until January to see it though, but for now here's a sneak peek:

Photo courtesy of The Lollipop Workshop.  (I've added some editing)

♥, Dorothy

Happy Halloween!

As promised, here are pictures of us dressed for Halloween:

That's right--we went as Dorothy Gale and the Cowardly Lion from The Wizard of Oz!  Michael's costume was pretty easy to put together.  A long-sleeved shirt and matching sweats made for a great lion's body, and a ball of brown bouclé yarn was the perfect material to construct the mane and tail.  Would you believe he made it by himself?!?!  :)   The "Courage" medal was printed on cardstock and attached to the shirt with a ribbon and safety pin.

I already had a fabulous pair of ruby slippers, a white peasant-style chemise, and blue gingham fabric, so the answer of what costume to make for Halloween was simple.  Costume construction was most definitely a learning experience with my sister's old sewing machine, but I'm pretty happy with the final outcome.  For added fullness under the skirt, I wore a square dancing petticoat I got from and online consignment shop.  It was a twirly, swirly good time!

Mmmm...tastes like chicken!

The runner-up for my favorite picture of the set.

My favorite picture!

 So...what are YOU dressing as for Halloween?

♥, Dorothy