Carissa's Bridal Shower

I was back in Cincinnati last weekend getting pumped for our big move throwing my best friend a bridal shower.  After months of planning and prep, I am so thrilled with how things turned out on Saturday.

All of the food was great, the fruit bowls with dip in the bottom and veggie cups with ranch in the bottom were huge hits.

There were 60 invited guests so name tags were a must IMO, if not for them, for me!

I had these fabulous glasses made for the bridal party.  I want to drink everything out of mine!

This girl and I have been through some crazy stuff in our lives and I couldn't be more proud to call her my BFF!

 Um, does she not have the most adorable niece/flower girl?!

Ha, this is a terrible photo but we played a game where the bride and groom had to match answers to questions and for every one she got incorrect, she had to add a piece of bubble gum to her mouth.  She could barely speak by the end.

I had my lovely friend Rebecca come out and set up her photo booth.  It took everyone a while to realize what it was and what was going on but once they got the hang of it, everyone had a blast playing with all the fun props I made.

Of course there were gifts.  I think this is a pretty common sight at bridal showers these days.  It seems that every bride's number 1 wish on their registry is the stand mixer and the reaction when they open it is always so awesome!

Seriously, this woman is going to make the most gorgeous bride!  I cannot wait to see her walking down the aisle, I'm probably going to cry!

I love these women!  I cannot wait to spend more time with them when we move back to Cincinnati.

My BFF and I with our momma's.  I could not ask for a better foundation to my support system.  These women are truly amazing.  Seriously, I could not have pulled this shower off without the help of my mom.  She made all of my great ideas become a reality.

Less than 3 weeks till she becomes a Mrs..  It's going to be another great, whirlwind weekend and I cannot wait!

30 Days of Thankfulness {Day 25}

Each day this month I'm joining up with Katie to share with you the many things I am thankful for. I'd love to hear what you're thankful for.

Day 25: I'm thankful for my BFF(s), all of them.

I know the concept of "BFF" is one person, your BEST friend, but I have lots.  I tend to collect a new one at each stage of my life.  So far I've been lucky enough that I haven't lost any along the way (maybe one but that's another story for another day).

Elementary school: Holly

I have very few memories since the age of 7 that don't involve Holly.  We attended K-12 together but didn't really meet until 4th grade.  From that point on though, we pretty much did everything together.  School, church/youth group, sports, Girl Scouts, everything.  After college we even worked and lived together.  She was my rock during my parents divorce and she stood by my side at my wedding.  She's the friend that we can go weeks, months, even years not speaking and then meet up and it's like we were never apart.  I love her.

Girl Scout camp at age 10

 

17 years later at my wedding

High School: Carissa
Sissa and I met the summer before 9th grade at volleyball try outs.  We clicked instantly and although we have had our ups and downs, we're stronger than ever now.  We navigated the awkward stages of high school together (including our black lipstick infused punk rock days), survived deployments, divorce and distance and our friendship came out on the other end thriving.

 

Freshman dance

10 years later we both had deployed husbands during the holidays so we spent them together.

College: Sarah
Sarah and I met the summer before our freshman year of college.  We both showed up at EMU a month before the rest of the freshman to start our jobs as equipment managers for the football team.  We were the only 2 females among 150 males so we instantly latched on to each other.  I am so grateful for our brief time together.  Sarah has been dealt a very crappy hand in life.  She spent most of our freshman year in the hospital or sick in some way.  She only attended school for a year before her health became too poor and she was forced to move back home.  In spite of it all, she has an great spirit and is an amazing person.  Last year she had to have brain surgery and was so devastated about having to shave part of her hair that I shaved mine too to show my support.  That's how much I love this girl!

I think this was after a game, it was always our time to relax and unwind after a crazy busy week.



 

I'm so honored she was by my side on my wedding day!

Army: Kristi
Kristi and I met at FLW and I've never met anyone as selfless and kind as her.  We only lived near each other for a short time but her love and support never ended despite the distance that separated us.  I know that I can count on this girl for anything as long as I live.

 

Some how I have no photos of just the two of us.

 

We had such good friends at FLW and were always hanging out in large groups.  I love all of these ladies!

Japan: Kristin
(yes, this is still technically the Army stage of my life but our time in Japan deserves it's own stage)

I'm quite certain that I would not have survived 3 years in Japan at Camp Zama without her (and Melissa).  Our daily therapy sessions on her couch/in her kitchen were life savers for both of us.  It is nice to have a confidant, someone you can share your secrets with and spill your guts to and know you won't be judged.  She is such an inspirational friend.  I want to be like her when I grow up ;-)  Her relationship with the Lord and her children make me want to be a better Christian and an even better mom (whenever that time comes).

2013 Army Ball at CZ.

The day she left Japan.  Thankfully it was only 9 days before we did.

Our families reunited in America just days after leaving Japan.



Post Army: Only time will tell...

Speechless at my brother's wedding

For the first time ever in my life I was left speechless last week.  Literally.  Unable to speak a word.  IT. WAS. TORTURE.

So I woke up last Tuesday (the day our HHG were delivered) to a sore throat that I just knew was going to turn into something more.  I had no idea exactly how much more it was about to become.  I struggled through the delivery of all our stuff

before I passed out for a 4 hour nap while my AMAZING husband began the agonizing process of unpacking.

I woke up long enough to cook dinner and go right back to sleep.  The next morning, I left to fly back to Cincinnati for my brother's wedding.  Traveling while sick might be one of the worst things EVER but there was no way I was going to miss this flight.

OJ, water, and pretzels helped me survive the flights.

I immediately went back to sleep the moment I arrived at my girlfriend's house, not the reunion either of us had hoped for but a necessity for sure.

The next morning was go time!  Wedding prep was underway with or without me, so I joined in as best I could.  A relaxing mani/pedi with my mom, sister, and sister-to-be definitely lifted my spirits, if only temporarily.

 Then my husband's flight arrived and he sure did his part to make sure I had a smile on my face even though I felt like I was dying.  We found this bunny suit and he insisted on wearing the head around.

 Then we rehearsed...

and had fun doing it.  (that water bottle in my hand did not leave my side for an entire week except for the 20 minutes during the actually ceremony)

 After business was taken care of we went back to their house for dinner and they gave gifts to the wedding party.  All the groomsmen got jerseys, I was wicked jealous! (except my husband chose the dirty wings!  BOO that!)

We didn't make it long after dinner, that's when I really, really started to feel bad and I knew I had a long day ahead of me on Friday so we punked out early.  I'm going to skip the wedding, that will get it's own post tomorrow but that's the day I lost my voice.  Not being able to talk the day I saw most of my family for the first time in over a year was torture.  Good thing my sister is awesome at reading my lips/mind and understanding my gestures/sign language.

First thing Saturday morning I was at urgent care being diagnosed with sinus bronchitis, I let my sinus infection (I was almost certain that's what was wrong with me) go untreated so long it turned into bronchitis.  Not cool folks, not cool.  Don't let a sinus infection go untreated!  I definitely learned my lesson.  With an antibiotic Rx in my pocket I decided not to cancel my scheduled dinner plans with my best girl friends and I'm so glad I didn't.  It might have been difficult communicating with no voice but it was just nice to be in the company of women who love and support me.

I tried my damnedest to enjoy my weekend with friends and family despite feeling like crap.  I wish I could have been a bit more myself (ie. talkative) but it was nice to just be in the company of these people.  For a brief minute I felt a little sad that we didn't choose to move back to Cincinnati.  I miss the people so much it hurts!

Come back tomorrow for a recap of the wedding.  There were some amazing surprises you're going to want to see!

It's So Hard....

...To Say Goodbye. Any Boys II Men fans? I've noticed I do this a lot with my posts, use song lyrics as titles...if you've ever met my husband, you'll understand where it comes from. If he hears anything that is some part of a song or similar to a song lyric he knows, he's going to sing it.  Doesn't matter the setting, he's singing.  Sometimes it's cute and other times it annoys the crap out of me, either way it's rubbed off on me!  I digress.

I've said a lot of goodbyes over the past few weeks.

Kumiko, my friend and student.

 Kyoko, my volunteer buddy.

Marissa, my favorite spin instructor.

Preston, my great friend and physics lab partner from college.

Our great friends, "the Robs" (Rob & Robert).

Misae, one of my lovely students.

Today was by far the hardest though.  Our best friends left the island today, 9 days before us.  I'm so grateful we are leaving soon because looking out our back window and seeing their empty house makes me incredibly sad.  One of our neighbors planned a surprise going away BBQ for them earlier this week and it was the perfect night.  Our closest friends all made it our for one last night together.

The guys.

The ladies + adorable baby Sawyer!

These children all adore my husband (the feeling is mutual) and we've had a great time getting to know them and watch them grow over the past few years.  (Only 2 of them belong to our friends who left today)

Kristin has been my rock, my confidant, my therapist, my role model and my best friend for the past 3 years.  I thank God everyday that he placed our families together here at the same time, in houses just across the lawn.  I know that we'll be life long friends.  Both of our families (and our husband's) are from the same general area so I know we'll see each other again over the years when we're in town visiting our families and I'm certain we'll plan trips to visit them at their new home and vice versa.

Kristin, I know you'll read this so I just want to say thank you for being my best friend.  I'll miss you every day until I see you (and your boys) again!

PS.  "Oh boy!"