tired

After a slightly small breakdown this morning I am ready to face the world again for a while

The Bachelorette

Everything is over! well almost everything- my exams are done and i'm graduating (yes, getting a degree!) on thursday. Time is marching on, tonight is our annual GWC social where all the students dress up and have dinner together, my grandfather (the first of our wedding guests) arrived this afternoon and last night was my bachelorette! It was wonderful and magical. My maid of honor, bridesmaids and friends put so much effort into bringing food for the tea, games for the evening, notes written in a special book and just being there for a night that was essentially all about me. [Here are some photos, taken by vicky-the-amazing-photographer].

Frank, the most adorable dog in the world

Do I look excited? It's probably because in 11 days I get to marry Graham! (slightly nervous tone)

My underwear washing line

It really was spectacular, a night of sweet things, hot chocolate, mustaches, running around the pool in underwear, prank phone calls, toilet paper wedding gowns, laughter, lemons, flowers,candles, good food, love, fairy lights, flour, ballet dancing and beautiful music- Thank you to everyone who put their time and effort and happiness into the night.

x

How not to worry about the future

It's an amazing day outside and iv'e spent a fair amount of it inside- at gym, packing my stuff up in boxes, driving around and now trying to study for an exam which is pretty near impossible with Graham playing Diablo 3 next to me.

The  wedding day is creeping closer and it makes me wish that I could start at the beginning of the year again, at a time when I didn't have to worry about our finances, or where we are going to live, the terror of moving to a city that I know nothing about or whether or not I'll suck at running a household. 

And around about half way through my worry/pity Lynsay session I'll remember that I'm marrying graham because I love him and I've entrusted my life and my future to God, who very obviously wants Graham and I in Durban. This year has been the most wonderful year of seeing God at work in answering our prayers and guiding us to where He wants us to be next year. There were so many factors in us not wanting to move to Durban at the end of the year but He has fixed the biggest problems and given graham a job! and me place at university and done things that we couldn't have thought possible- all glory to him. And knowing this makes me feel much better about everything, that no matter how rubbish I am at running a household He will be there looking after us. 

Her: You made my day so special today- thank you 

Him: You make all my days special just by being in them, if you're not in a day then it isn't special.

This thing called love

Its been a crazy past week- a week of lasts, last lectures, last marriage counseling, first of the last exams. In-between we've had to try and fit in wedding things. Most happily this week: my wonderful bridesmaids made me a count down calendar to the wedding- we are now on 26 more sleeps!

Saturday we had a 50th birthday dinner for my dad at an art gallery [I got to introduce Graham to some of the people coming to the wedding]- we had 6 courses... It was pretty difficult to walk after that. Today after my exam I went to tea and talked weddings with Roxi- it is so incredibly awesome having someone close to you get married around the same time as you, it makes it much easier to share worries and fears and you don't feel too stupid when you realize that someone else is worrying about the same things.

[today Graham got me an exam present consisting of a cd, popcorn and chocolate, what a lovely man!] This Afternoon Graham and I went to add some stuff to our gift registry- which of course we have left to the last minute! and to try and find something for Graham to wear to the wedding. Things are moving pretty fast but its not as bad as I thought it would feel.

[the first week of November- Graham is fully into Mustache growing mode]

-lyrics for a song that I found this evening:

When you’re near, I hide my blushing face

And trip on my shoelaces

Grace just isn’t my forté

But it brings me to my knees when you say 

Hello, how are you, my darling today? 

I fall into a pile on the floor 

Puppy love is hard to ignore 

When every little thing you do, 

I do adore 

We’re as different as can be 

I’ve noticed you’re remarkably relaxed 

And I’m overly uptight 

We balance out each other nicely 

You wear sandals in the snow 

In mid-July I still feel cold 

We’re opposites in every way 

But I can’t resist it when you say

Hello, how are you, my darling today? 

a 21st birthday list

Yay it's that time of the year where I get to bore you with things that I want for my birthday. Considering that a week before the 25th November is my bachelorette and a week after my birthday is my kitchen tea I will not be in need of any dodgy underwear or kitchen utensils. 

1. vanilla candles [I'm serious, every year I ask for these and every year I get none] 

2. vanilla fudge from Woolies [Ditto] 

3. Lana del Rey's CD 

4. Stardust DVD 

5. The Knead Eat cookbook 

6. Nail polish [in dark/neutral/pastel colors] 

7. A 2013 Moleskine diary 

8. Leather sandals 

9. A potplant [preferably one that comes with flowers] 

10. A collection of E.E.Cummings' poetry 

11. Birdy's CD 

12. To have my Italian posters block-mounted 

13. Amazing smelling body lotion- if it doesn't smell amazing then I don't want it 

14. A simple, pretty wallet 

15. cashews or pistachios 

 16. yellow roses 

17. A love letter 

18. Words to hang on my walls 

19. A card writing set (yes- I do actually use these) 

20. A chalkboard 

21. kisses. or vanilla candles

Italian Day dreams

An overview of Italy as promised-Florence is the most beautiful place I have ever had the privilege to visit

[Tired feet on the Spanish steps]

Listening to: Landon Pigg 'The boy who never'