When it Rains it Pours

I won't go into a lengthy list of everything that's gone wrong lately. Just the highlights:

~Brayden and I will be unable to be RDs next year, because they have to move in a month before we'll even be married.

That's what Brayden and I were banking on for housing. Now, we have to hope and pray for the government subsidised apartments here in town. (Make a note: they are VERY hard to get into)

~Many of my friends are single or have recently broken up.

Meaning, I am no longer a part of that group. Most of the things people have been talking about lately are boys, and how

 stupid they are. I can no longer participate in said conversations, and apparently have been bugging people with how happy I am. Yes, ironic, I know. One of the things going wrong is that I'm "too happy."

~A mutual friend of Brayden's and mine is making life ... complicated.

I won't go on about it. Suffice it to say that there are some people who don't want Brayden and I together. And that's just not cool.

~The economy SUCKS right now.

I know, that's very general and I can't particularly say it's happening directly to me at the moment. But because of it, Brayden is having a very hard time finding a job. And, because of some hostilities back home, I will be unable to go back to my job. So we're both out of work, both desperately looking for work. 

There are many many pages to this list, but I haven't the constitution to write about them all at the moment. And I'd like to end this entry on a high note. So - 

THINGS THAT ARE GOING RIGHT:

~We're still together

~We are temple worthy

~Our families have been supportive and helpful through all of this

~No matter what, we still love  and support each other through these trials

~The sun is shining

~General Conference is next weekend

~I picked my dress :)

Love and laughter,

Katydid

A Weekend in Retrospect

Friday -- DOUBLE FEATURE: Went to Brayden's house.  Went on a long walk with the dog.  Watched Sabrina (the new Harrison Ford version). Made dinner for his family.  Watched Ever After.  Jumped on the giant trampoline with Kinsey (Brayden's little sister).

Saturday -- WEDDING REGISTRY:  Had french toast for breakfast. Went to Roanoke. Registered for wedding gifts at Target and Bed Bath & Beyond.  (Available on line for your easy access.)  Registered for color-coordinated wonderfulness :)  Brayden enjoyed himself, and actually had valid opinions on things.  Even if he won't admit it.  We also both swore off fast food.

Sunday -- GROUP DATE LUNCHEON:  Went to Kory and Rachel's house for lunch.  Total of three couples (one married, one engaged, and one seriously dating with the intent of getting engaged).  Participated in general bonding activities.

TARGET REGISTRY : http://www.target.com/registry/wedding/130CCQ8RBJK8J

BED BATH & BEYOND REGISTRY : http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/regGiftRegistry.asp?order_num=-1&wrn=-549123244

Teaser

Registration = DONE!

More tomorrow. I'm exhausted.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

On this 17th of March, 2009, I will start working out.

Why? Because I want to actually be able to FIT into my dress by the end of the summer, and I know that if I don't start now, I'll never be able to start during the break.

How? Ok, that's the tricky part. I have NO idea where our gym is, or if we even have one.  I've heard rumors, but never found it.  And this is a small campus.  It's hard to hide things.

Plus, I don't really have TIME! I'm so busy and stressed out with school and the show (The Diviners, everyone come see:) that I hardly have a chance to BREATHE!

Wish me luck.

No Rain on THIS Parade!

Today was a virtually perfect day.

Mom and I went to Dillards looking for shoes. While we were there, we happened to pass by the "Juniors Formal" section. On a whim, we strolled through it JUST IN CASE there happened to be any decent bridesmaid's dresses.

~and there it was~

The PERFECT bridesmaid dress. It was knee-length, so it worked for a summer wedding. It was the right color, and it was just the kind of shape that flatters ANY figure. And it was less than half the price of the one we HAD been looking at earlier this week.

Not only did we get everyone's sizes, we also found a place for one of the bridesmaids to stay, so now she can actually be at the reception! Then, we found the perfect shoes, so OF COURSE we got them for all the girls. When we finally went to buy my dress (my perfect, lovely, sparkly dress... *sigh*...) we found that it didn't even need to be hemmed! Only one alteration to the ENTIRE thing was needed!

Life is happy, life is good, life is wonderful.

Happiness

I have perfectly ripe strawberries.

There is still snow on the ground that hasn't melted or turned to slush.

I've picked a color scheme.

Life is good.

The Difference Between Men and Women

(OR -- Why LDS weddings come and go so quickly)

I came across something interesting in my planning. If you look up "bride check list," most of the results begin your planning at "12-18 months ahead." This is when you are supposed to set a date, a venue, a color scheme, etc. Now, look up "LDS bride check list." This begins at "4 months ahead."

I think I have found the reason for this. Below you will find my personal theory:

LDS BRIDE'S CHECK LIST:

8-6 months ahead:

• Fall in love
• Pick a date
• Pick a temple
• Decide on a venue for reception (aka: see when the stake center is free)
• Begin compiling guest list
• Select bridesmaids

7-4 months ahead:

• Select wedding gown, veil, etc
• Get temple recommend
• Get measured for temple garments
• Arrange for a photographer OR
• Buy disposable cameras for the guests to use when a photographer is too expensive
• Finish guest list and send out invitations/announcements

3 months ahead:

• Register for gifts
• Make hair appointments, nail appointments, etc
• Make sure your bridesmaids' dresses fit
• Plan honeymoon

1 month ahead:

• Finish planning for reception
• Arrange for time off work
• Double-check all reservations

1 week ahead:

• Go to the spa
• Get manicure
• Pack for honeymoon

On your wedding day:

• Set five alarms
• Don't forget breakfast
• Remember, the Lord's time is not Mormon Standard Time
• Get married, and live happily ever after

LDS GROOM'S CHECKLIST:

8-6 months ahead:

• See beautiful girl across the room
• Fall in love
• Purchase ring
• Learn her name

7 months ahead:

• Work up the nerve to speak to her
• Succeed

6 months ahead:

• Work up the nerve to ask her out

5 months ahead:

• Work up the nerve to ask her out
• Succeed

4 months ahead:

• Work up the nerve to propose
• Work up the nerve to propose
• Tell yourself all the reasons she'll say no
• Work up the nerve to propose

3 months ahead:

• Finally have a plan for proposing
• Remember that you have to meet her family

2 months ahead:

• Meet her family
• Ask her father
• Have contingency elopement plan in case he says no

1 month ahead:

• PROPOSE!
• Stand back in amazement as she magically plans the whole thing so quickly

1 week ahead:

• Argue with your best man over the moral and ethical questions posed by having a stripper at your bachelor party
• Realize that the tux from your senior prom does not still fit

3 days ahead:

• Buy a new tux

On your wedding day:

• Have "the talk" with your father
• Try to think spiritual thoughts on the way to the temple, which is made difficult by the aforementioned "talk" that is still on your mind
• Get married
• Eat copious amounts of cake during the reception to keep your mind off "the talk"
• Try not to have an aneurysm when she wants to stay afterwords and help clean up
• Finally get to your hotel, and let instinct take over
• Live happily ever after

What's this?

"There's white things in the air."

SNOW DAY! ALL CLASSES BEFORE 10 AM CANCELLED!!!

... too bad my class today is at 11 ...

"This is the simple sum of me..."

KAITLIN IS:

• A freshman at Southern Virginia University
• An actress
• A writer
• Recently engaged
• Obsessed with all things aqua and dragonfly
• Easily distrac... ooh, shiny!
• In love
• "A memorizing beast"
• Perpetually hungry
• Incapable of basic mathematic equations