A quick re-cap of the most monumental 6 months of my life (thus far)

So, a lot has happened that I should've blogged about. Like 6 months ago.  But I guess there's no time like the present. Humor me, for a moment, while we travel back in time to blog posts that I should've published.

Date: June 17, 2011

Title: OOHHH EMMM GEEEE.

As of tonight, my dear friends, I am an ENGAGED WOMAN! Right now I am just totally happy and content and in love. All I have to do is plan a wedding and get married already. Two months should give me enough time to plan a wedding, right?



June-July-beginning of August, 2011

I must've been crazy thinking two months was plenty of time to plan this wedding. But, I will not admit this out loud to anyone. Instead I say, "Oh, I think two months is plenty of time! I think if I had more time than that, I would just drag it out forever and wish we were already married (which I happen to think is true)." I am busy working 9-5 everyday and trying to plan a fantastic wedding with whatever time I have left. Okay, so I also cheat at work a little and get ideas there too. I've decided it's stressful planning a wedding when you are somehow picky and fickle all at once.

You should also know that right now, registering at Bed, Bath & Beyond and Williams-Sonoma is the bane of my existence because I am completely spoiled and busy attending 6 bridal showers that have been carefully scheduled in between engagement pictures, two trips to Lake Powell, wedding planning, (and, of course, those 5 other bridal showers) and putting in my two weeks notice at work. (Those two weeks were more like two months. My boss and co-workers knew I was gone the minute I got engaged and started frantically planning a wedding, but they pretended like I wasn't slacking at work because they are such nice people. Such. Nice. People.)

Allie (cutie on the left!) was a lifesaver. Did my hair, threw my shower... The list goes on.

My mother-in-law's family threw me a tea party shower. It was unbelievably cute.

One of my favorite engagements.

A couple whities livin' it up in Powell.

August 12, 2011

Today I went to the temple to receive my endowment. I did think a few things were a bit, ah, peculiar, but I'm grateful God gave me glimpses of sheer happiness and a moment of sanity and complete peace and joy. When I walked into the endowment room, my sister Heather and her husband were already in the room, dressed in white, and it felt like they were waiting for me to arrive. I immediately felt this overwhelming feeling that God really loved me a lot, and that what was happening to me was so special and so sacred. It was great to see Stewart, members of my family, and members of his file in one by one and give me reassuring looks (while I cried, of course). And then, after that brief moment of clarity, I listened and watched with rapt attention, trying to digest and memorize and internalize and completely understand everything that took place in the next hour-and-a-half. And, surprisingly, I did.
Not. Haha.

Coming out of the temple a new woman. So happy!

August 18, 2011

I am getting married tomorrow! Whaaa?
Stewart was sick most of today and yesterday (everyone pray he shows up tomorrow) but tonight everything finally subsided.  I spent most of today getting last minute things ready but was able to spend the night with Stewart. I was so happy we got to steal a moment to ourselves on the bench swing outside my parents basement porch (that sounds like it doesn't make sense, but in my house, it does). We each took our patriarchal blessings out and read them to each other and contemplated what mortality and immortality might be like together. It was a pretty special moment--I can't lie--and I think it was a perfect way to go to bed on what could be the hardest night to sleep in your life, especially knowing the obsessively-thinking, anxiety-ridden and analyzing-prone, like myself.

August 19, 2011

 I woke up at 4:45 feeling bright-eyed and bushy-tailed about what I didn't realize would actually be the longest day of my existence. The sealing was definitely the high-point, but I loved when Stewart and I gave our "toasts" at the wedding luncheon.

Okay, so I snuck in a few bridals.

My sister Kate told me this one looks like I'm waiting for a train to pick me up in 1850.

I really like this one for some reason.

This is currently hanging on the wall of (marriage) fame in my parents house.

I loved the cake and these photos in the dark.

Maybe it's just me, but I love the shots of us dancing because they look so glamorous.

Cute little feet!

The wedding reception was gorgeous and so. long. Stewart and I keep saying that we wish we could've attended our own reception (what a novel idea!) because I would have loved the endless crepes and just sitting down at the cute wooden tables and enjoying the company a bit more. I loved seeing everyone I knew, but by the end of the night I was ready to cut the cake and move on with the show.

It was such a perfect day. I've never been so happy. I couldn't have asked for anything better. (Okay, I guess I could have asked for a slightly less-weird DJ who played what I asked him to. But, I couldn't hear the music anyway and therefore it's like it never happened. Plus Stewart and I got a goood laugh about the deejay pestering us through the reception and giving us commands and telling us the exact right speed at which to make our exit. "Really, who is this guy?") Jokes aside, it was such a great day. Perfect boy, perfect weather, perfect dress, perfect venue, perfect guests... Loved it.

If you made it through this entire post, you deserve a medal. I'll make you one myself.