one of my very favorite emotions

i love to laugh.  it takes a lot to make me sincerely laugh hard.  i'm not one of those belly laughers like julia roberts that can laugh at a peace of grass bending funny.  i laugh every day.  and i like that.  but i absolutely love to laugh so hard that i can't breathe or i'm crying.

i think that what makes me laugh the hardest is thinking about how someone would react in an awkward/bad/terrifying/funny situation.  i can do this pretty often by myself.  i've noticed i do this a lot at work, by myself, at my desk, out loud laughing.

i get this from my dad i think.  my dad really likes to think about how people would react in a situation.  like when the brakes stopped working in toyotas.  how sad, really.  but since everyone was physically okay (emotionally, not so much) its really quite funny to think about afterwards.  he cried too - out of laughter.

or thinking about the top of a plane ripping off, given that the people were safe, that's pretty funny to think about how people reacted.  is that sick minded?

seeing people get "boo-ed" from behind a closet.  that's funny.

i love the kind of situations that make me laugh so hysterically that im crying.  and i love those because i rethink the situation and relive it to the point that im crying again days/weeks later - and then its just awkward when people see me laughing for no reason.

i had one of these days at work the other day.  two of my coworkers and i started laughing.  and then we started laughing harder.  and then i started crying.  and then my boss/friend started yelling that she couldn't breathe.  and it was one of those situations that i told jonathan about at supper later and couldnt get it out because i was laughing.

so maybe a pointless post.  but i love laughing.  i love thinking about what would be awkward for people and how they'd react.  luckily i am leading orientation for a bunch of camp counselors (who are awesome) this upcoming week.  there is a lot of opportunity for awkward situations - ones that i'm not in, but get to watch.  i'm excited.  what makes you laugh?

introducing....tilley

jonathan and i have always thought itd be a great idea to get a puppy after we got married.  jonathan is a farmer and therefore works long nights all spring/summer/fall/winter - yes, all seasons.  and im not one to stay at home by myself.  and besides, what's cuter than a pup.

so after we got married i wanted to start looking.  i knew i wanted a boxer.  ive got several friends with boxers that ive been around that are so loving, nonshedding, and good with kids.  so thats what i wanted.  and jonathan wants what i want..well most times :)

so i contacted 400 breeders in nc who had pups right now and narrowed it down to one in mt olive.  sweet girl selling them and there were only two left.  i talked to my vet friends and asked what we should be looking for.

then wednesday we headed off to mount olive.  there was one little boy and one little girl.  we were interested in the girl before we went because we were told she'd be smaller and slightly less active.  i also knew i wanted an all brown with a black face.

when we got there the two runts were running around.  well actually the boy was running and tackling the girl and the little girl just hopped right to us.  after seeing the two run around and seeing the sweet girl come and sit on our feet for rests, we decided she was the one for us.  we signed the papers, put her in a box, and headed home.  she slept the whole way.  

so we have a new pup. she has been a delight so far.  she eats, poops, pees, and sleeps times 100.  she is precious. she cries when we leave.  shes really a great pup so far.

and her name.  all i have to say is when we have children we better decide before the doctor.  because if not we'll weigh 300 names and get really excited about one and then back off.  but we've decided on one for our pup, and we're stoked about it.  and we're sticking with it.

her name is tilley.  she looks like a tilley.  she acts like a tilley.  so tilley it is.  ill post pictures later - for now check out my facebook:)

love letters

jonathan does a lot of great things for me.  hes always been the old southern gentleman type.  he walks to the opposite side of the car to unlock my door first.  he wont let me carry too heavy of groceries.  he rubs my feet.  he cooks me good meals so i don't grow weak and skinny (ha).  he drives us, unless i want to drive.  he buys me surprises.  he puts up with me. period.

but i think my favorite thing he does is writes letters.  its something old fashioned about that that i love.  my love language is "words of affirmation."  while this is a hundred percent me, it's only me in certain ways.  i'm not one to be called babe or honey or be told you look stunning or i'm dying to be next to you.  blah.  yuck that makes me cringe.  but i love love letters.  i love notes.

and well that's jonathan's specialty.  he would leave me notes during the honeymoon.  he learned quickly (well he already knew this) that i am not a morning person and i'm not a nice girl in the morning.  so when he wakes up he'd leave the room and be by himself for a while while i beauty rested for 3 more hours :).  he's always written me love letters.  i love them.  he writes what he means.  he uses analogies that no one else would - because hes not like others.  he tells me how he feels without crowding me with fairytale language.  i want the real stuff.  and that's what he gives.

tonight jonathans stayin in south carolina to plant cotton for work.  so what did he tell me before i went to sleep?  check your email.  i love this!  surprise love letters that i dont have to prompt are like a new pair of tennis shoes - yes tennis shoes are a BIG deal to me.

so thats me.  thats my love language.  thats my husband.  he's so much more awesome than i deserve.

okay next post i wont brag on husband.  ill write something to help you or inform you or interest you.  but for now get over it - im a newlywed.  and we're going to make pretty babies someday.  sorry it just came out.

honeymoon - yea i'm a little behind

the honeymoon.  it was great.  it was the first time jonathan and i went on a vacation just the two of us.  it was the first time in about 9 months that we didn't have to think about what had to get done.  it was relaxing and peaceful.  fun and new.  an adjustment for sure, but good.

we went to the blue ridge mountains right after the wedding (aka when tornadoes were sweeping through raleigh).  the resort is called primland - look it up - i dont feel like hyperlinking because im tired and lazy right now.

it was absolutely stunning.  jonathan and i really were like two little kids at disney world.  when we pulled up to the lodge (7 miles into the mountains) we both just kind of went silent and then that followed with a lot of "oh my word" "dude this is insane" "holy cow" "i can't believe we could afford something like this" "youve gotta be kidding me."  the lodge alone was gorgeous.  stunning really.  straight in the mountains.

oh wait i have a picture.  i will stop being lazy and show you.

that's from the car and not the best picture - but that's it.  the lodge.

 

this was right at the entrance of primland. everything was rustic.  there was hardly no one there.  we LOVED the setting.  very us. 

this was my fish that jonathan got off the hook.  because i don't like to touch fish.  this was our favorite part of primland by far.  we spent a whole day fishin.  just us at the lake.  it was a blast.

then we headed down to the keys.  one of my best friends growing up trains dolphins at the resort we went to.  so it was awesome just hangin out with her.  it was a totally different feel than the mountains.  it was hot weather lots of people and lots of things to do.

this was the live music around the fire pit at the resort.  this was my very second favorite part of the trip (second to the dolphins with jess!).  they were all reggae, jack johnson-y, with a touch of janis joplin.  my favorite music.  we listened to them a couple nights by the fire.  i loved it.

then we flew home.  then we unpacked 4000 boxes.  then we got ready to farm, go back to work, and live in the real world.  life is good - real world or honeymoon world - being married is great.

marriage makes your life change

i'm so happy i'm married.  it's a change - don't get me wrong.  but it's good.  i'm thrilled the wedding planning and stressing is over.  needless to say i will not be one of those girls who fifteen years down the road wants to renew our vows - really?  planning a second wedding is not my idea of romance or fun.  

anyways, ive learned a lot already.  it's weird to know someone for about 8 years, date them for about 7 of those years, and still learn about them.  i'm learning.

i'm learning that i'm glad jonathan doesn't do all of the things i do to him - okay i'm not that bad.  but exhibit a.  last night i couldn't fall asleep (not abnormal for me).  then jonathan starts snoring.  i tried to be non of the flesh for a while, but it didn't work and then i woke him up and explained to him that he was snoring.  he understood he should stop that.  quickly.

then the snoring stopped.  i continued laying there then realized my right arm was quite cold.  why just my right arm?  because he took all the covers.  so i gently/violently pulled them back over to my side.

again.  what i've learned is i'm glad that he doesn't do these things to me.  hes the better of the two of us :)  sorry im just not a nice girl when im tired.

speaking of which it's time for my bath.  jonathan is making me chai tea to drink while i sit in bubbles.  who got blessed in this relationship?  all signs point to meeeeee.

yay for marriage and a better spouse than i am.

Advice

This is a quick post for those who are engaged or nearly engaged.  I have a top ten list of advices (?) to make the process more joyful and less stressful.

1.  If you plan your wedding outside, plan an equally enjoyable/beautiful option inside in case of bad weather.  Luckily we didn't have to go to plan b - but our plan b was not beautiful or "us" at all, and it made the possibility of having to move there stressful.

2.  Buy your favors or contribute to a charity instead.  We made preserves and while I'm sure the guests liked them it was an incredible amount of work.  Buying sometimes works out cheaper anyways.

3.  Do not use a travel assistance program to book flights (i.e. Expedia).  Book directly with the flights as they are much more willing to work with you if changes come about unexpectedly.  Expedia no habla ingles - es muy frustratingo.

4.  Unpack your gifts as you get them.  The idea of coming home to a sweet little house and unpacking your gifts together seems so downright joyful.  While we appreciate our gifts, it would be much more enjoyable to open them and put them away as we got them.  

5.  Splurge.  We splurged on our honeymoon and after our honeymoon on "nesting" things.  We ate where we wanted to, we spent money on things we would not normally, and we enjoyed it.  The honeymoon is not a time to stress about money - enjoy the vacation.

6.  Don't Worry.  I worried for a good 8 months/23 years about walking down the aisle.  Pray for peace, and trust that walking down the aisle will not be nearly as nerve racking as you had imagined.  Enjoy that part.

7.  If you're a girl, take two days off of work for when you get back from the honeymoon.  You will need it for name changing crap that is not cute.  The DMV and social security works have made a sport out of being mean - look forward to that.  Laugh at them - but don't let them see you.

8.  Never tell an engaged couple that "it's such a sweet time."  You're lying and you know it.  Engagement is not sweet.  There is a lot of crying, a lot of raised blood pressure, a lot of worrying, a lot of to do lists, a lot of nit picky details, a lot of lust (oww owww), and a lot of waiting for the big day - that to me is not sweet.  Marriage is sweet.

9.  Don't tell people where you're going on your honeymoon until you have planned it.  People will give their opinions on everything you come up with, and they'll tell you what's wrong with every place.  Book your honeymoon, then if they ask you can tell them.  It's like baby names.  Once the baby is born and has a name people can't say "eww i dont like that."

10.  Adjust.  Get ready to adjust.  You can know your spouse for 10 years, but married life is different.  Living together is different.  Be willing to compromise.  Be willing to be wrong and say you're wrong.  It is an adjustment.

And that is the rest of the story.  By a married woman.

the wedding day

i'm back!!  i have a lot to blog about so hopefully i'll find some time to update this more regularly - now that i'm married :)

the wedding day was something i'll never forget.  i think it was a day a lot of people will never forget.  the day started with everyone obviously looking at the skies and waiting to see what God would have for us.  the forecast - tornadoes.  tornadoes.  in raleigh.  and we had an outside wedding.  with no real viable back up option.

i got my hair done - felt the nerves a bit.  i sat in the chair envisioning the day ahead.  after hair i headed over to the wedding location - montague lake.

the girls met me there, we had breakfast - though i ate barely nothing.  my stomach was a little knotted.  we continued watching out the windows.  saw a few sprinkles, dark skies, waited.

but then God did something huge.  the wedding song for the mothers to walk into came on.  we rushed out to the entrance to get ready for the processional.  the weather?  nothing.  overcast skies, but nothing further.

i have never in my life felt God's presence more than on this day.

here's dad and i walking in.  i actually was completely calm.  if you don't know much about me - this is a miracle.  literally a miracle.  i was calm.  i was collected.  i was completely in the moment.  right after this picture i think i got hit by a pinecone on the shoulder.  that was calming as well.

once down the aisle jonathan and i did our thing.  we said our vows, we gave our rings, we smiled a lot.  then the pastor prayed.

during the prayer pastor craig said something related to the Son and suddenly i felt sun beaming all over my shoulders.  the guests felt it too.  God was there with us.  it was the most memorable time of the wedding, and we are so blessed by what God did.

thirty minutes after the reception the skies opened and sent 62 tornadoes through raleigh.  downed trees, ripped roofs, porches dismantled.  we were untouched.  God held off this weather for us.  i couldn't feel more loved by a Savior that He looked at little jonathan and i and did such big things for us.  praise the Lord.  

love,

stacey lee