Marriage counseling

Since Shane and I became engaged last year, our pastor asked us to schedule a few visits to get to know him better prior to the wedding (he had never met Shane before) and to discuss our plans for our marriage. I was a little nervous about this, because, let's face it, it's marriage counseling.

But, to my surprise, it was very pain free, and actually extremely helpful. We talked a lot about what we expected for life after marriage and "our plans" versus "God's plans" and how we will handle the unexpecteds in life.

Our pastor also asked us to talk about the things about each other that bothered us. Shallowly thinking, I said, oh, Shane smacks his gum, or doesn't fold laundry like I like it, but then Shane pointed out that I worry too much and he hates to see me get so stressed about things I can't control. This caught me a little off guard, but it's so true. I worry about everything (blame it on being the child of a high anxiety mother and a worry wart dad)

Our pastor elaborated a lot on this as well as discussing how there are going to be a lot of things out of our control. He gave me a few bible verses to read and reminded me of the serenity prayer.  

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can,  And wisdom to know the difference.


Hearing his advice and seeing how badly Shane wants me to be happy and carefree, I knew this was something I need to work on.

I have had some pretty stressful things happening this week with my family, moving to a new house, and trying to finish up preparing for wedding planning. This week has been an emotional roller coaster and i've really gotten worked up about a lot of things that are beyond my control. At the end of the day, i've got to realize that I can write schedules, to do lists, and plan my life until my head is sore, but something, (and sometimes it will seem like everything) is going to go wrong. Easier said than done, but hey, I'm learning.

In the midst of all this, i've realized one thing, I prayed a long time ago for God to give me patience, and he did. Just not in the way I thought he would. He gave me Shane, who has enough patience for both of us.

Oh heyyyy August!

YAY.... it's our wedding month!

August is usually quite possibly the worst month of the year for me. Not because anything bad happens, it's just NOTHING that exciting happens....it's just a lot of waiting around. I'm usually busy getting ready to go back to school, anticipating a busy fall, my birthday, Carolina football, and kind of dreading the fact that my summer is coming to an end.

NOT THIS YEAR.

My whole life is changing. I'm moving in to my very own place with my soon to be hubby!

OH, and did I mention i'm getting married?!?!?!?!?! probably a feww times right?



ALSO....

My sis in law is in the hospital. She went in to pre-term labor, but she's only about 26 weeks along so we're really hoping the doctors can stop her from giving birth for a few weeks. I went down to visit her Saturday, and we had a mini-shower in the hospital. She will be there until the babies come, but we're just hoping she can relax and those girls will have some time to grow. I'm praying hard for her and my little nieces....I am so excited to meet them!!!

Check out her AWESOME diaper cake that her friend made. (to-do list...master making one of these before my friends start having babies....)

Nicole's diaper cake! How freaking cute?!?!

 

Oh...and this little bad boy came in this weekend. For anyone worried out there, I did, in fact, graduate! woo hoo! :)

must find frame, stat!

So bring it on August! You are going to be an exciting month!!!

Pics from my bachelorette weekend!

I finally got access to a few pics from my MOH's camera!

getting ready for our first night out!

all my fun gifts and toys!!!

group shot (minus bridesmaid, Bekah)

Love my girls

our cab driver for the evening

another group shot!

having a litttlleeeee fun :)

precious towel my bridesmaids got me!

Needless to say, I have some pretty awesome friends! They gave me a weekend i'll never forget!

Furniture shopping, packing, and a party!

This past weekend was a busy one, but I definitely ended it right last night. Around 7pm, S and I settled in to watch a movie and relax, and Zzzz.... yeah, I slept 13 hours straight. And I feel AMAZING today!!!

Friday night, S and I started off our weekend by heading to FINALLY see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. Yes, the girl who has never missed a premiere of a movie or book, waited a week to go see the final movie. Blame it on wedding stuff, but either way, the movie was so good. We'll leave out the part where I shed a tear at the end as I saw my childhood memories finally coming to an end. Did I just say that?

Saturday, my dear old Dad arrived in Columbia bright and early for a full day of furniture shopping. In the midst of shopping for living room furniture, my mom called me with exciting news that they had come across an amazing deal on a bedroom suit for our master bedroom. Within an hour of looking at couches with my Dad, I had seen pics of some awesome bedroom furniture and made a deal for that.
Living room furniture shopping took a little longer. Thankfully I had my dad who has worked in the furniture industry for over 30 years. When it comes to the makes and models of couches, Dad knows how to score a deal and get great quality.

yes, that would be dad turning over furniture in the store to check out the upholstering. classic.

After a long day of furniture shopping, (and an arm load of paperwork on different deals to analyze before making my final decision), I took my dad to see our future home. Here are a few pics I snapped. I am so excited to be moving in a week!

Future home of the future Hyatts :)

Yes, this would be a view of our backyard!

Sunday was a pretty fun day! S and I drove to Charleston for a surprise engagement party for my BFF/bridesmaid, Lyndsey and her fiance Yale. They are such a precious couple, and we had a blast. Yale's family was visiting from Michigan for the week and her family was down as well. We had a great time and I can't wait to help her celebrate and plan her special time. Weddings are just SO much fun!

Lyndsey & Yale!

Us with the newly engaged couple!

All in all, i'd say it was a great weekend! :) Happy Monday!

I'm like, suchhh an adult.

So besides this whole getting married thing in 5 weeks, S and I are moving in to our new place in 2 weeks! We are SO excited, but we have A LOT to do these next couple of weeks.

Word to the wise: don't come to our apartment right now. It's beyond craziness. I've been trying to do a little packing each night, but in my A.D.D ways, I keep jumping projects and it's one.big.mess.

But... on to the exciting news. We got a pretty saweeeet wedding present this week. My precious grandma called and told us she wanted to buy us living room furniture! I'm beyond excited and that is what I will be doing this weekend. My dad is driving down and we will be out and about working some deals for our new living room!

It's so crazy that i'm making my first big purchase as an adult. AND with my soon to be hubby. Me likey. Another thing I'm looking forward to? Releasing my inner Martha Stewart at our new place! Don't worry, I'll be blogging about my future projects.

Also, in the midst of packing up a few things last night, I found this in my closet.

We made these at the arena the first summer I was there during our internal marketing meetings. It was supposed to be an "inspiration board" that we made out of things we found in a magazine to remind us of our goals and dreams.

I loved finding this poster. A lot has happened and changed in my life since i've made that poster but regardless of the expected and unexpected, I should never lose sight of my dreams. I've crossed a few off of this list, and hope to keep doing so. Maybe it's time for a new poster as I start this next chapter in my life?

Anyways, too much adult talk for one day. Despite all the things I have to do this weekend, I'm also looking forward to Harry Potter tonight. :)

I would do this.

Not that i'm bitter or anything. but it would just so happen that I'm getting married when gas prices are at an all time high.

And silly me, I have NOTHING locally. Literally, not only are all my vendors in Florence, but my photographer is in another part of the state, and my dress, well, it's in North Carolina.

So long gone are the evenings of sitting in front of the tv in my pajamas relaxing w/ the future hubby and a glass of wine. Nope, it just so happens that I also started a new job and have no vacation time, so I keep having to make little trips in the weeee hours of the night.

Tonight, my friends, is no exception. I'll be treckin' on up to NC to go for my 2nd dress fitting.

I probably should have thought this through, what with gas being over $3 a gallon.

Anyways, not that i'm complaining, just letting you know that if I am eating ramen and my car breaks down, it's just cause I'm wedding planning, no biggie. :)

But I am super excited to put my dress on again tonight. Gahhhhhh, it's love. <3

Yep, we're doing this.

This is how our conversation went after S dropped off our invitations at the post office this morning.

hahahaha