A weekend at the Speedway

I love spending time with my husband but even more I love it when we get to spend time together doing what we love. This past weekend was so important to Casey and his Dad. Ever since Casey was little he and his dad have been working together on classic cars. Casey’s dad, Mike taught Casey the insides and outs of cars and how to create something beautiful out of what an average person would call junk. The Goodguys show began on Friday and continued through Saturday and Sunday. Mike, Casey and I went down to Charlotte Motor Speedway on Saturday morning and spent the entire day walking around looking at cars, watching the Auto Cross and sifting through vendors. It was a big deal for Casey and his dad to be there together this year considering after all the years that they’ve worked together on their cars, this was the first year they both had their own car at the show. So Saturday night they got the opportunity to share another momentous occasion. Casey and Mike got to drive their cars around the speedway for a few laps. This was such a neat experience to share with them; watching my husband smile from ear to ear driving his prized possession around each turn while also getting to witness his dad do the same sharing such a wonderful father and son moment.

We returned to the speedway on Sunday for a few hours to walk around and look through pictures the photographers had taken the night before. I certainly don’t know very much about cars or how they work or how you build one and even though most of my attention was on what color the car was and how much fleck was in the paint, I had a great weekend spent with two amazing men and I can’t wait to share many more “car shows” with my husband and his family.

Working in a Children's Hospital

Ever since I started my new job back in August, people have asked me how I deal working with sick kids all the time. To tell you the truth, I never thought I’d be here. I never pictured myself in scrubs, driving to Charlotte at 5:30 in the morning to take care of sick kids from the ages of 1 day to 18 years. I never thought I could handle this either. Growing up I pictured myself as a teacher, or a coach of some sort. I began college declaring my major in Sports Management, thinking that I wanted to manage a professional football team. I had always dabbled in art, so one summer I even thought I wanted to study Interior Design and start my own company. This whole shenanigan with working in a hospital literally fell into my path and I never saw it coming.

The first time I even thought about “nursing” was when my grandmother was dying and I watched her day in and day out in the hospice house in Monroe, NC. I watched this powerful woman that I looked up to in so many ways go from living in a house by herself to not even being able to get out of bed. The highlight of her day was watching the birds eat at the rusted bird feeder out of her window. It was then, that I realized “nursing” is where I was supposed to be. I was sitting at my grandmother’s bedside, just her, me and the nurse. The nurse was helping my grandmother move in bed and get back and forth to the bathroom. I could tell that this woman was ready to head home but had taken a few minutes to help my grandmother with the tasks that she could no longer perform. She carried my grandmother with such passion and love and I could see it in her eyes that she genuinely cared about her and about the fact that her granddaughter was there visiting her dying grandmother. The fact that that nurse had cared for my grandmother, this lady she hardly knew in such a loving manner forced me to look into nursing.

Now, almost two years later I work at Levine Children’s Hospital on an amazing floor with amazing people for an amazing cause. Yes, it’s sad. It’s definitely not easy to walk into a room where parents are holding their little boy or girl just praying that the test comes back negative or that the procedure goes just as the doctor promised. It’s not easy seeing a baby lying by herself in her crib because her parents are forced to continue to work to pay the bills. But I do it for my grandmother and for that nurse that doesn’t even know the impact she made on me. I get up when it’s still dark out and I work hard until it’s dark again because even without knowing these kids, I care for them and even if it’s the smallest gesture, I want to make a difference. I want to make a parent feel safe and secure in the doctor’s orders; I want to make a child laugh when their away from home and their toys and I want to wear my badge proud because I love what I do and I couldn’t imagine doing anything else ever again.

The Knot

It's hard for me to believe that after studying theknot.com for years looking for ideas for my future wedding.... I can now find the pictures from OUR wedding. This was definitely my favorite place to go to find ideas for the wedding. You can search colors, locations or styles. They've made it super easy to find what you're looking for and have tools to help you along the way. The only down side is that you are guaranteed to find so many cute ideas that you'll want to fit them all into your special day! Here's our link:

http://www.theknot.com/contests/my-real-wedding/photo/156963/casey-and-meagans-sweet-country-wedding

Change

If I were still putting up numbers it'd be 48. But this number is no longer the amount of days we have left until our wedding but how many days we've been married. I can hardly believe that much time has gone by and how quickly it has. It seems like yesterday that we were standing in the woods and Casey was putting a ring on my hand. Now, we've not only planned and had the wedding but been on our honeymoon, moved in and changed careers. If I had to choose one word to explain the past 9 months of my life it'd be CHANGE.

I feel as if I woke up one morning and from that point forward each day was going to be different. There hasn't been a week that's gone by where something hasn't changed. First it was our engagement and all the events that come along. Then in late June we had our wedding and suddenly it wasn't Ms. Meagan but Mrs. Smith and we were off to Mexico. A week later we were moving boxes into this house and figuring out how to fit a girl's stuff into a bachelor pad. Then for the next three weeks I underwent interviews, orientation and numerous phone calls that changed not only my career but the city I worked in. I must say, I think I am about ready to settle down for awhile. It's been exciting and wonderful but I need a break.

So.. the next few months of our lives will be calm at home and crazy at work. Casey, owning a landscaping company will begin the fall season and work 6 days a week from sun up to sun down. I will begin my new career at a children's hospital in Charlotte working full time and an hour away. We are so blessed to have this life and one another. We are grateful everyday and try to live our life accordingly.

30*

30*

What can I say? June is practically here and I feel as if I should still be standing in front of the tree where Casey proposed. Everyone told me that time would fly but I never thought it’d be like this. Here we are; celebrating three and a half years this Saturday with a wedding less than a month away.

There are so many ups and downs in life. It’s amazing to sit still for a moment and think about all the emotions and experiences one person goes through over six months. If there were one thought that has never altered over our engagement it’d have to be that we’re ready. After three and a half years I truly believe Casey and I are the healthiest and happiest we’ve ever been and are more than prepared to take on our first year of marriage. We certainly haven’t had the easiest three years nor have we always handled things properly but through all of our hard times we have come and learned together how to make it better as a couple. I’m sure I will continue to learn a lot over the next year and I look forward to it. What better than to take the man that holds my heart and walk through life together from this moment on hand in hand. Many think we’re too young or that we’re too simple but I think we’re a perfect match. We hold what is dear close to our hearts and we stand for what we believe.

I never thought I would find a love so genuine. I am thankful everyday for the man that I get to take as my husband and I smile every time I think about the moments we will share in the future. God has really shown me over the past six months all the treasures in my life and I am so blessed. To all the friends, family, co-workers and mentors that have surrounded Casey and I with love and support over the past six months and three years: I thank you and love you with my whole heart. I promise to make you proud and work every day to create the marriage you have prepared us for.

Thank you and we love you!

GOD * 47

This morning at Ridge Church during the sermon Andy Stanley spoke about circumstantial faith. He talked about the way many of us put God in a spot where if we need him we’ll go to him but when we don’t we’ll pretend that he isn’t there. As if we were to shrink God small enough where we could control when and how he comes into our daily lives. This lesson really hit home with me because recently I have felt so far from God. I know that it is natural for our walks with him to go through different phases. Sometimes we spend time reading scripture, praying, giving and listening to him while other times we will find any excuse not to do those things.

After hearing Andy talk about this issue I tried to think of a simple way I could remind myself daily that God is in control of everything going on in my life and I cannot control him in anyway. So tonight I took a pen and wrote GOD on my hand. Ever since we got engaged I look down at my left hand several times a day. I thought this would be a great place to write GOD so that every time I look at the promise my fiance’ gave me I will be reminded that God is in control. He is why I am here today, He has given me every blessing I have and He will always be here with me through the times I need Him and the times that I forget.

I thought I would keep re-writing GOD on my hand for the next week and see what kind of impact it has on my daily life and my spiritual one.

54*

Welcome to the Smith's House

This past weekend Casey and I began and finished our Guest room. It was a day's work but we are extremely happy with the finished product. Reservations can be made by telephone!

Now on to our room*

55*

I can’t believe I just typed that number. It seems like last week we were newly engaged and now we’re less than two months away from the big day. Our two month mark was this past Sunday and I must admit it hit me pretty hard. I hadn’t had any nervous feelings or worries about our time left until that moment. When I realized we were approaching the deadline for checks to be mailed and invitations to be sent I became a little overwhelmed. It finally hit me that not only was I getting married in two months but moving into a new home and starting my morning with a man from that day forward. I “knew” this was coming but it didn’t register until now.

Another test was this past Saturday when Casey and I decorated our guest room. We’d been looking forward to this day for a little while because it’d be the first “change” in “our” home. After a few squabbles about paint color and how to organize the furniture it hit me again that this was “our” guest room. I’ve been use to my house, his house and their house. Now it was going to become our home and our decisions were going to be compromises. After the room was finished and we both sat admiring our work it became more sweet than scary. I was proud of our accomplishment and now had a beautiful room to showcase how well we could work together.

I’m sure there will be several moments like these over the coming weeks. Thing is I feel that God has prepared Casey and I better than we could have ever planned. We’ve been blessed in so many ways but certainly have had our rough spots. We’ve been through thick and thin with one another and stand stronger today than ever before. It’s amazing to me that some of the hardest times you’ll ever experience will not only make you stronger as an individual but sturdier as a couple. I feel that our foundation for marriage has been laid, paved and cemented into place by our past experiences, mentors, friends and family to where no matter what comes our way we will be able to handle it. I’ve seen so much growth in Casey, in myself and in our relationship over the past year that I don’t see how I could ever have “cold feet”. I may experience some jitters about moving into a new home and new town or about finalizing an outdoor wedding at the end of June but concerning Casey and I’s marriage and our ability to last; I have no concerns.

I consider myself blessed to have the opportunity to marry a man that I love being around not just on fancy date nights but in the Wendy’s drive through, not just because he’s a wonderful and caring man but because he allows me to be 100% me, and not just because he listens to every ramble but because there is not another man that could ever make me feel the way he does every day.

107*

Something borrowed . . . .

When my mom was in her early twenties she bought a pair of brown cowboy boots. Thirty years later I pull those same boots out of my closet twice a week or so. I'm not sure why we retrieved them from the attic a while back but they mean so much to me today. It might be that they were my mom's and they remind me of the bond we share. Or it might be that they are that "perfect accessory" to my outfit. But, every time I wear them I feel a little bit more grounded. I feel like I can handle whatever comes my way and as if I am representing my heritage. ( I know.. I know; "They're just boots")

What in your life portrays the love you share with someone or the memories you have with past family members? I think it's important to keep "sacred" little treasures close. That way whenever this crazy life becomes a little too much to handle we can hold, wear or look upon our "things" and know that it'll all pass. Life moves on and we have our sweet blessings to cherish.

When I started planning our wedding I wanted some things to make it "our day". I didn't want all the traditional arrangements or the fancy decor. I wanted real, meaningful pieces that would portray our old and new life together. A representation of our lives before we met and the one we have grown over the past three years. This pair of boots is one of them. They represent the most important person in my life and the woman that I cherish with all my heart. She is not only a powerful and loving mother but a beautiful and caring wife. I could not think of any better way to honor her than to wear her boots on my wedding day.

Take time this week to look around, rummage through storage containers or overflowing drawers. Resurrect pieces of jewelry your grandmother wore, cuff links from your grandfather or even a pair of dusty boots. Don't forget your past because it's what has gotten you to your present.

109

My brother and I made a trip up to UNCC this past Sunday afternoon in order to gather a few things that he needed for his trip to the beach this week. We decided to take the stairs considering the two elevators in his dorm hall are never working nor trustworthy. My brother's room is on the seventh floor. When I began up the stairs I figured it'd be no big deal. By the fourth floor I was literally pulling myself up the stairs. (I know PATHETIC) What was this? I use to be an all-star cheerleader. I could run a mile without getting winded. This is when I decided that it might be time to get into shape. I mean I am in a wedding in 3 months. . aka. . the BRIDE!

So the workouts began today. I'm watching what I eat and began walking an hour a day. I'm going to start off with that and then add cardio and running. We'll see how quick things begin to pick up and I am no longer sucking in air after walking to the mailbox.(That was an exaggeration...kind of!)

If you have any advice or tips please let me know. I'm not use to "working out" considering cheerleading was my "workout".

130.

We're down to 130 days. I'm sure I will wish I had more time in the future but I am so ready for June to be here. I have loved running around with family and friends working on buying "the dress" and ordering bridesmaid dresses, tasting wedding cakes and interviewing photographers; but all in all I am still most excited about marrying the man of my dreams. The wedding will be wonderful and I will love every minute of it. I'm sure in the future I will wish that I could go back and re-live my wedding day. Yet, sitting here tonight I am craving moving my stuff into our home, buying appliances, setting a table, fixing the guest room and spending every dinner together. We've missed out on a lot of these things because of our distance and eventhough we are engaged and marrying in four months; we still only see eachother about two to three times a week. I cannot wait for the nights when I drive home from work and walk through the door of our home; wake up in the morning to fix breakfast together and talk about chores of the day. Everything is very fairytale right now and (yes) I do love it, though part of me wants the real love. The moments spent watching television and cleaning the garage, the times when we aren't dressed to impress but do our life together and that's what matters.

As far as the wedding goes, this week my mom and I spent time visiting cake bakeries and finalizing photography packages. We've decided on our cake, photographer, bridesmaid's dress, caterer, music and are now working hard on the guest list, registeries, engagement photos and save the dates. Next will be our tux rentals, tables/chairs, invitations, and decor for the day. I am personally stoked about the registeries because I L.O.V.E. to shop!

Prettiest I have ever felt . . .

153.

!!!THE DRESS IS ORDERED!!!

I can't believe it. I have actually ordered my wedding dress. I'm done. No more looking. . . well. . not to buy anyways. After two weeks of looking through racks and racks of beautiful wedding dresses I was getting pretty frustrated. Every bride I talked to was telling me, "you'll know.. you'll just put it on and you'll know." Thing was.. I had tried on over 60 gowns and not one left me teary eyed. I tried on ball gowns, mermaids, a-lines, belted, strapless, laced, buttoned, and even a pink gown.(Suggested by the retailer..not me*) Yet, there I was with no dress and no idea of what I wanted. That was until I threw all of my pre-conceived ideas of the dress I "knew" I would walk down the aisle in out the window and returned to the first bridal salon we visited to look again. This time we picked all sorts of dresses from the rack and were going in with an open mind and hopeful heart. As I was about to enter the dressing area one of the assistants asked if I would be interested in trying on a brand new bridal gown they had just received that afternoon. She literally lifted the gown out of the brown cardboard box and draped it infront of me. My mom and I looked at one another and knew this one was different. It was completely different than the others in the store and would leave anyone breathless. It was the first dress I tried on that night and was the last one I took off. I didn't know instantly that I loved this dress but after a few minutes of standing infront of the mirror and a few comments from my mom I knew this was it. This was the dress that i'd marry my future husband in and the dress that would forever mark the "prettiest day" of my life. We ordered it January 14th and it will be here middle of May!