Life as a Newlywed!

Matt and I are Newlyweds and we love it! The last month and a half have flown by! We have been very busy with work, friends, family and the holidays! We get to hang out with our friends more and spend a little extra money on things we couldn't before the wedding! Life is good! I'm starting school again in January to finish my Associates Degree and work always keeps Matt busy. All in all we are truly blessed by what life has brought us so far!

We got our first real Christmas tree as a couple and Whiskey has managed to stay away from it! The house is decorated and we are ready for Christmas with our families! Saira will be home and all will be right in the world as far as I'm concerned! (No pressure Saira!)

Of course like everyone, we do have our struggles. We knew going into our marriage that adding to our family was not going to be an easy road. I was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome last year and up until now it sounded worse than it was. Due to birth control and other medications it really did not have a huge impact on our lives until we decided we wanted to start trying for children. With PCOS I do not ovulate regulary, sometimes going for months. With no ovulation came no period, so there is not start to a new cycle to start trying. I have been seeing a Reproductive Endocrinologist since May and with another appointment around the corner we will be making some decisions on what road we will take to start our family. With PCOS comes lots of frustration, stress, anxiety, depression and uncertainty as to what to do and how long this road may be. Although it won't be easy, already this chapter in our lives has shown me how wonderful Matt is. As a husband and eventually as a Father, Matt is understanding and compassionate and the only person I would want standing next to me through this process! For the next year, we will be more than thankful for our health and the great things that are waiting for us!

Forgiveness

"...And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us........."

These words, from The Lord's Prayer, resonated in my head last night as I was trying to get to sleep. Matt taught me a few years ago, if something was bothering me, that praying would help. So if I can’t sleep, I say The Lord's Prayer in my head over and over, until I fall asleep.

These words hit home last night, and I started feeling a bit of peace. Peace with different situations I have faced in my life that I cannot control. They were never in my control, or so I thought, until now. Without getting too deep into a sob story that no one wants to hear, again, I have come to the realization that life is too short, and holding grudges will just poison you, and keep you from seeing the good in any situation. I have held on to resentment and animosity for too long, and I feel like I can finally let it go. I have said my piece, and God willing, it will not fall on deaf ears.

 I do have to say one thing though that will hopefully bring other people that may be reading this  back into reality and show a little perspective on life. Not that I’m well versed in many of life’s lessons, but I think I have this one down. Your family is all you have. Friends are great and wonderful and they are there for parties , and holiday celebrations and all of that. They may even be there for some of the bad, but your family will always be there. You started out with just you and your family. No children, no husband or wife. Just you and your family. That should never change. As we all get older and branch off our lives in different directions, no matter what comes our way, or how much someone makes you mad, we should Forgive and let it go. Not just say we have let it go and bring it back up in a year, let it go! Say you’re sorry, you love your family and let it go. I just did this and I have to tell you, I feel better. And maybe, if this hits home for you, you can do the same. Because life is too short. One day you are here, and the next you could be gone.

I will end this ranting with something my dad told me before my Grampy passed away. You should not ever have any regrets in life. If you have something to say to someone say it. This may be your last chance. Forgive one another and continue on with your life. Love each other and find peace every night when you lay down to sleep.

Officially Mrs. Stoddard!!!!!!

Well it happened! I am officially Mrs. Stoddard! All of the drama and craziness is over and it was all well worth it! Matt and I are so happy and we wouldn’t have changed anything about our planning experience! The ceremony was short and sweet and the reception was the best party in the history of weddings!!!!!!!!!! ( I’m a little biased…..)

The week leading up to the wedding was tons of fun! I’m so happy my family, and Matt’s were there to share in our big day. We had a few hiccups along the way, but again, we wouldn’t change it for the world.

My sister Saira was able to come home, along with family on Matt’s side and mine came from out of town!!!! We are truly blessed to have such an awesome family!!!!

Matt did an amazing job planning the honeymoon! We had our own personal cottage in St. Augustine and a nice hotel in Savannah! Perfection all around!!!!!

Honeymoon pictures will come soon, but here are some from the wedding!!!!!!!!!!

2 months and 1 week..............

So I am officially a Blog Slacker and have let my blog sit idle again. I'm working on it.

To catch you up on recent events. I have officially 2 months and 1 week until I am married! I am so excited! I have done a few DIY projects, and I am still working on a few as well. I got my shoes and my veil. My list is slowly but surely getting smaller. Excited! Excited! Excited!

So here is some wedding stuff I have worked on since the two month gap:

These are done, or bought and ready for the big day! Some are not for the wedding itself, more for me and the fun of it!

My Shoes!!!!!!!!!!

 My Bride Cup!!! $ 0.99 at Goodwill!

My DIY Robe to get ready in!!!!!!!!!!!!

So this is what I am still working on:  

The beginning of my Card Box! Its still in the works.....

The tags for the escort cards, going on the board i made shown a few posts prior!

So those were my projects. Im still obviously working on the card box, but its coming together. I have changed my mind about the Table numbers 3 times in the last week, so that is a major one I need to get done. Things are really coming together now!

Also, this past weekend was Matt's birthday, so my friend Amanda and I made him a Brookie. A Brownie/Cookie Cake!

 It was delicious!!!!!!!!!!

So thats what ive been doing wedding wise! We have our food tasting tomorrow! I cant wait!

Im also going to start adding the books im reading/ just read on here, and maybe, just maybe, it will kick my butt into gear to contiue reading them. Can you tell yet that I am a slacker!!!!

Just read:

It was amazing. Im going to see the movie tomorrow!

Right now I am reading the first book of the series of Rizzoli and Isles, watching the show only 1 night a week is not enough for me!

So far it is very good!



So many ideas..... so little time!

OK, so yesterday I had off work, and I really started to dig in to more wedding details and try and decipher what I want. The argument in my head at the moment is cost vs. style. Isn't that every one's dilemma these days? So, I am trying to pull of some of these looks, without breaking the bank, and using what I know I already have.

Matt and I are getting married at Eagle Creek Golf Club in Lake Nona.

So far the theme for the wedding is classic, elegant and romantic. Think..... Cinderella!

Of course I have champagne taste, and a beer budget, but hey, a girl can dream right. Here are some pictures I have seen online that I love. Now, we are not decided on any of these, so don't be upset if you don't see them on your table at the wedding.

I also love these flowers, although they are all still up in the air too. Story of my life. :)

So, this is what I'm dealing with. Tons of beautiful pictures, and not one decision made. But we have time. About 4 months, 3 weeks and 3 days.......



Let’s talk about………………The Wedding.

 Ok, so I know the wedding of Will and Kate was big, but obviously to me, mine is bigger. Not bigger in the sense of the number of people attending, or how much money we spend, but its bigger. It means more to me. More than waking up at 4:45 am to watch a wedding if people you feel like you know, but they are total strangers. Obviously. So. Can I just tell you that before Matt proposed, god help him, I was wedding crazy (and baby crazy) but I was wedding crazy. That is all I talked about. Ideas popping in my head minute by minute. I thought for sure the second he pulled that ring from his pocket I was going to have a list of vendors on speed dial and voila…. done. That is not what happened. 

This picture was taken after Matt proposed on Christmas Eve. I will never forget that moment. It was so perfect, and I was honestly surprised. “At Last” by Etta James, playing in my head…. seriously….

Anyway. Once we were engaged, and I had to start actually making decisions, I realized how much harder wedding planning truly is. Sure, when you are the planner, and your just putting the pieces together, that’s not that hard. Its making decisions. Picking a color, or color scheme, and then sticking with it for the next 10 months. Are you kidding???? I can’t change my mind??? I don’t even stick to a favorite food for longer than a week, let alone a single idea. I didn’t know which way was up at this point. But, then Matt came to my rescue, as he is known to do. We went over everything and made some decisions together to get the ball rolling, and my voila moment happened. We had started planning and everything is going well. Here are some ideas I had, and have actually sticked to:

My seating chart frame. I will have each guests name card with the table number hanging from this. Trust me… it’s amazing.

My colors: the brown family: Brown, Cream, Gold, Ivory. And… that’s all I’m sharing. The rest of you will have to wait until the big day!



Then came my Bridal Shower. Since Saira was leaving for Basic Training, we had it earlier than most do, so that she could be a part of it. I’m so glad she was.

My dad even built a deck to fit all the people at the shower!



I am so blessed to have such a wonderful family!!!



4 months.... 3 weeks......6 days

Until I am married to the love of my life!!

I cannot believe it! To give you a summation of life up until this point. Matt and I have been together 3 1/2 years now. I love him! I have truly found my soul mate. If you do not know me, I am, as my family likes to say, wound up tighter than a rubber ball. I stress. Constantly. Matthew however, keeps me sane. "What will be, will be." And that's just how it is. He keeps my feet on the ground and my voice to a dull roar when things get crazy. God Bless him.

So, as you can tell by the title of this new little blogging hobby of mine, we have a little over four months until we are married. Smack dab in the middle of planning. Don't get me wrong, I love every minute of it, but it can be stressful. Matt has been a huge help so far (he really has!) He comes to all the meetings and interviews of potential vendors, and has helped pick everything so far. :)

So other then the wedding planning, we just moved into our first house:

And we love it. 3 bedrooms, a yard for Whiskey, pictured below, and just enough room for us, and whoever else may come along in the future. :)

Our families are our whole world. They are both huge, but we love them. Matthew has 3 brothers, and I have two sister. Love, Love, Love our families.

Brag: My twin, Saira, is in the Army, finishing Basic Training in two weeks, and we couldn't be any more proud of her!!!!

Anyway, so that is us. We love life and cant wait to see what God has in store for us!