on having an important job

I had a whole post written (and by written I mean I had it planned in my head) for today about all my favorite Charleston things and places. This means mostly a post talking about all the food I love to eat here. Fatty status. A Charleston heavy (get it?) post would be rather fitting for today since it is my last Friday in Charleston.

Cue the freaking out face emoji(s).

But then this week happened and Dear Lawd, this week has been so humbling. Wonderful? Bittersweet? With a pinch of sadness? And a spoonful of happiness? I can't even put into words what this week has been like which means I should definitely not try to write a blog about the week since blogs need words.

#oops

You see, I teach (roughly) around 150 kids a week. That's a lot of kids in not a lot of days <<<<my math skills are off the charts amazing. The youngest kids I teach are still wearing diapers or just being potty trained and they go all the way up to the high schooler who are just figuring out how to drive and what it's like to juggle obscene amounts of homework with obscene amounts of rehearsals with obscene amounts of social calendar appointments. 

This week I have had to say goodbye to these 150 kiddos. There's been a lot of See you later! And Of course, come visit me in Texas! And Yes, you can definitely ride in my moving truck and come with me! And even some Thanks for your mom's cell phone #, can't wait to FaceTime you! (side note: since when do four year olds know all about FaceTime?! Feeling so hashtag old these days).

I've been given flowers and the best handmade cards and gifts and other goodies, and it's all been so sweet and completely overwhelming, but the best thing I've been given? 

All the cheek kisses. All the second and third and fourth "last" hugs. The high fives. The We have to take a selfie so I never forget you! The fifth and sixth and seventh "last" hugs. The reassurance that what I've been doing for the past 3.5 years has been something.

Teaching dance is in no way seen as a job of importance and some days (a lot of days recently) it has felt like that. Unimportant. But knowing that I've made a difference, no matter how minuscule, in even one little student's life makes me want to saute and jump for joy. Plies are important, people, okay?

I come home at night and just collapse on the couch. From the couch I can look to my right and see all the pretty flowers perched on the empty table. I can see the stack of cards on the kitchen counter--the cards that I really need to go ahead and pack, but I just want to leave them out a little longer so I can read through them one (or three) more times.

I am so, so excited to begin this new chapter of our lives, but Texas you betta' not mess with ME. I'm leaving behind some precious people. 

Now please, you may go ahead back to your regularly scheduled, non-sappy, and mostly happy Friday activities. 

driving away at the end of the day

Saturday was a good day. It involved sleeping in, brunching, HomeGoods-ing, and even some Michael Buble singing while packing (me singing, Freddie eye rolling). 

But then around four o'clock Freddie drove off headed on his journey to Houston. 

Just like that, he was gone. I knew for two weeks this day was coming and I especially knew it was coming all Saturday morning and afternoon. It was the sense of urgency as I ate (read: devoured) my Eggs Benedict. It was the anxiety as I walked around a crowded HomeGoods (crowded meaning the entire population of Mt. Pleasant). It was the fluttering butterflies in my stomach the whole time I was singing The summer wind, came blowin' in from across the sea... all while trying to get Ricky to dance with me. Knots in your stomach+dancing+singing+packing+eating a chocolate chip cookie = total multitasking.

I held it together and was such a lady, let me tell you. No tears. No sad eyes. No pouts. Just lady-like smiles and hugs and hand holdings. We ladies wouldn't want to ruin our hair and make-up just by showing emotions, am I right?

But then after a long drawn out goodbye, and another 10 extra hugs and kisses, and one more Byeeeeee! yelled out from Freddie as he drove away I lost it. 

Lost it like a freaking baby. I realize three and a half weeks is nothing when it comes to the grand scheme of time, but in that moment, the moment when this humongous, ginormous, grandiose life change officially began, I didn't care that it will only be three and half weeks until I'm there in Houston with Freddie. In that moment all that mattered was the boo hoo-ing. He's gone. This is the place where we came after the honeymoon. This is the place where we started our married life. This is the place where we walked on the cobblestone streets, sat on the beach, and brought friends to our favorite bars. This is place where we ordered lasagna pizza and bought cheap Trader Joe's wine for the best date nights ever. This is home. 

After a good 90 seconds I pulled myself together and heated up some roasted sweet potatoes to eat. You see, that's the thing about Freddie. He knows how much I am obsessed with these roasted sweet potatoes so he made extra and put them in tupperware in the fridge. It's like he knew I would turn into a basket case for 90 seconds and would need some sweet pots. It's like he wants me to turn into a giant orange colored blob. It's like he takes care of me. Weird. 

As I ate my sweet, sweet, roasty toasty potatoes I realized that I was crying happy tears, too. Happy that this is all working out. Happy that we get to be happy together. Happy that we are living life and experiencing new things and places. Happy that I can say YOLO about this big cross-country move. Happy that I can make Don't Mess With Texas jokes and act like I'm a Texan. 

So I guess my point is that Saturday was really a good day after all. Because guys, you can totally be sad and happy at the same time. You can! It's called life, so let's live it. 

Now go eat some sweet potatoes and thank me.
side note: I also bought some cereal and milk to survive off of, so you know. I'm rocking this single life thing. 

scenes from packing

You know when you hear people talk about moving and all they do is gripe and complain? Or roll their eyes and heavily sigh about all that packing they have to do? I know, so annoying (I'm giving myself the side eyes right now). Well today I'm here to do my best not to gripe and complain or roll my eyes or sigh, but instead to show you how uber fun packing can be! Yay, packing! I wish I could do it everyday!

One of those exclaimed sentences is a lie. I'll let you figure out which one it is. 

On Thursdays I don't have any morning classes. This is great for many reasons (I'm eyeing you, Gilmore Girls), but this week it was great because it meant I could pack all Thursday morning. I had grand plans, I tell ya. Great, big, grand plans to tackle all sorts of packing things.

But then I got out a box that was labeled "office." "Office," in this instance, means All Of Emily's Crap From Different Stages Of Her Life With Which She Doesn't Know What To Do. 

You can see why labeling said box "office" is much easier. 

Suddenly 8 am was 11 am. Then I had to teach. Once I returned from teaching 2 pm quickly turned into 4:30 pm and I was still stuck on my "office" box. Now I'm sure at this point you are all thinking that my office box surely has got to be like a Mary Poppins bag full of endless surprises; however, alas my "office" box is merely a big ol' packing box with just a bunch of ::bleep:: in it. 

First I had to go through the thousands of greeting cards I have saved up. Birthday, graduation, thank you, bridal showers, engagement, wedding, teacher, and random cards accumulated through 26 years of life equals more cards than a Hallmark store (or five). All in my office box! How lucky. The thing is I had to read through these cards, obviously, so you know that took all of a few minutes (read: hours). 

Then I came across my favorite card ever where my sister wrote this:

I always, always make fun of her handwriting. Partly because she is my younger sister and isn't that a thing? Making fun of everything younger sisters do? However, mostly I make fun of it because...look at it. The End. 

2435 cards later and I was ready to tackle the rest of my "office" stuff. 

Then I found the paper where Freddie wrote his wedding vows. Cuuuh-rap. Tie me up and call me a female because I had to stop and reminisce and get sappy and sentimental. Had. To. This is somewhere around when 8am turned into 11ish am. 

I finally got a hold of myself and pulled out an envelope of pictures. 

Awww, baby Emily with baby Emily's friends. Polaroids! Instagram prints! Photo booths! Big pictures, little pictures! Seriously, by this point the "office" box had straight up turned into a Pringles can--once you pop, the fun don't stop. 

I did what any sane person would do upon finding old pictures and I took pictures of the pictures on my phone and sent them to everyone. Are you starting to see how fun my Thursday was?!

Around 4:05 pm when I needed to leave for an evening of teaching and performing I managed to get everything repacked in a new box that will soon be labeled "office." 

I took a pile of "office" randoms into the guest room to separate it into other boxes. Sad thing is, I couldn't find the guest bedroom because of this: 

but let's not talk (read: complain) about that craziness.

And that, my good friends, is the story of how I unpacked and repacked one box in the span of 7 hours. 

shipped from china

Now that the news is out we can talk about the important stuff.

Packing.

APRIL 14th FOOLS.

We will not be talking about packing because while packing is important right now, it is not exciting important. 

Let's talk about the opposite of packing...buying stuff. More specifically, buying stuff from China. More more specifically, the best/worst idea ever, just ask my dog-chewed wedding dress. 

You think after my wedding dress incident I would have learned. I would have been scarred. I would have been wiser. And honestly, I was, but then I found this pin.

via

One full day of internet searching later I found the freaking shirt. This shirt was a hashtag necessary shirt so I just had to get it. Necessary! It was under ten dollars on Amazon which means hello, jackpot! All signs were pointing me to this shirt and this shirt to me.

Except it was shipped from China on February 15 with zero tracking information and a expected delivery date from March 12-30. 

Oh. Okay. As soon as I saw all of these things I completely wrote off ever receiving this shirt. All signs were pointing to me never getting this shirt and this shirt never getting to me. When March 30 came and left it took my hopes and dreams for recreating this amazing outfit.

My life was not blessed. Hashtag freaking not blessed. 

BUT THEN GUESS WHAT. GUESS WHAT.

Yes! It was delivered yesterday. No, my mother's dogs did not chew it. Yes, it fits. No, it was not a scam. Yes, I place the sketchiest internet orders. No, I regret nothing. 

And that, my friends, is the important story of how I had another random, sketchy, successful internet order from China. Can't wait to do a hair flip in my rockin' new outfit. 

The End. 

bigger news for a bigger state

Something crazy happened last week. Something really, really crazy.

We found out we are moving to Texas!

WHAT.

Let's back up. Way, way up. Because this kind of crazy is huge crazy.

I wanted to come up with a clever way to announce to the world that we are moving in approximately three weeks. I feel like people expect that from me, ya know? Cleverness. Or maybe no one at all expects that from me other than me? Who freakin' knows.

I'm talking 'bout something clever like...

Trading in our bathing suits for cowboy boots!

But Freddie said he's not getting rid of his bathing suits so...

Then it was...
 Trading in gnats for cowboy hats!

But Freds said since gnats are bad that makes cowboy hats sound bad.

Yes, sir. Moving on.

Then it was a lot of other options. 

Finally Freds settled on...
 All my exes don't live in Texas and neither does Emily. Guess which one of these things is about to change?

Lovely. 

Anyways,

we

are

moving.

My brain has not processed any of this yet, in case you were wondering. But let's get to the story. Story time! Come sit on the story mat! 

Once Upon A Time we went to Houston so that Freddie could have his in-person interview. Fast forward to Tuesday of last week when Freddie's car broke down after work so I flew up to his work to pick him up so he could drop me off for my final dress rehearsal. Phew. There we were, speeding through downtown Charleston so I wasn't late for my call when Ricky got a call.

A call offering him this dreamy job. This job that he has been pining after for 3+ months. This job that we were almost so certain would not happen. And there it was, the offer. Freddie put his phone on mute and said something about how he would hate himself if he didn't accept it so wham bam, thank ya m'am. He accepted. About 60 seconds later I had to jump out of the car and run in the theater. So we sat in the car and did a real, quick OMG WE ARE MOVING WHAT IS HAPPENING SQUEAL. And that was that. That was how we processed/celebrated this news. My show opened and took over every free second, Freddie got sick and then my parents came into town and now we are at the end of another week. Which means a week closer to moving.

a midnight omg/what/in-shock toast

We

are

moving.

Freddie

got

the

job!

We have no idea where we are living, or how we are getting to Texas by the end of the month, or what day we need to be out of our apartment here. Or anything really. We know nothing. Except that we are about to embark on one big ol' adventure and I am so, so excited to do it with my Rick Rick. My smarty pants, fancy pants, get the job kind of dude.

Life is funny and I can't wait to laugh it up with Freddie deep in the heart of Texas.

This is what our living room currently looks like.
See ya soon, Texas. 

the 'rents

This past week and weekend were so dreamy. Or, as my 81-year old grandfather would say, so dy-na-mite! The dude knows the cool kids lingo, what can I say. 

My parents came into town mostly to see my show, but also because who turns down a vacation to Charleston? No one in their right mind. When I say my parents came into town mostly to see my show what I really mean is kind of to see my show, but mostly to be in Charleston. Freddie, Charleston, and I tried to give my parents the best of the best time. Walking down, around, in, all over downtown, eating delicious food, walking on the beach, eating more food, drinking some champagne cocktails, eating some food, and walking downtown again. And maybe another beach trip in there.

I can't remember all the tiny details, excuse me. All I can remember is how much fun I have when family is around. I was never the child who went through the Ugh, Moooooooooom, go away or Seriously, Dad? You are so embarrassing (<----although that one is true all the time. Sorry, Dad ;)), but now that I am older I appreciate the crap outta my parents. 

Mostly I appreciate all the money they spent to send me to nice schools so I could learn fancy language like "the crap outta..." Thanks, parents! 

And now may I present, the hashtag necessary blog weekend collage. 

currently: the interesting edition

I feel like anytime something interesting is happening in my life that I should blog about it, but instead I always end up being busy with said interesting thing and then I don't blog...and then I get fired from blogging. Oh wait... that doesn't happen. But seriously, just know that I'm in a show right now (Catch Me If You Can) and the real Frank Abagnale Jr. lives here in Chucktown. He did what any once con-man extraordinaire would do and came to talk to our cast. It was amazing and one day I am going to write all about how interesting my life is at this moment.

One day.

For now we'll talk about the necessities. Like what I'm currently doing other than having an interesting life with Frank Abagnale Jr. 

wearing

Clothes. But also a brand new tattoo. It's spring break for the kiddos which means it's spring break for me which means one thing led to another and my friend and I ended up at the tattoo parlor Monday afternoon. The End. 

sipping

All the celebratory drinks with Ricky. <---another interesting thing/story in my life about which I will blog soon. Just know that Mr. Ricky Weiss is doing big things and that obviously means I'm doing big things too since, according to a certain ceremony 1.5 years ago, we are now one. 

wishlisting

For some reason the start of every new season makes me want to buy all of the new clothes. I also think about going through my current clothes and/or disposing of unworn items, but that takes a lot of effort so usually I just want to buy all the new clothes. WARNING: this idea does not work out very well--always dispose of the unworn clothes before bringing in new clothes or you take over your husband's closet space and he doesn't think that's very funny. 

writing

Does anyone else stress out about addressing envelopes in cute, creative ways? I blame Pinterest. I kind of blame myself for caring, but mostly I blame Pinterest for making me care. Seems fair. I recently addressed bridal shower invites for my best friend and it took me way too long to decide on how to address them. Priorities, people---I have them. 

exploring

The beautiful, amazing city of Charleston. I will never get old of discovering new cobble stone streets and painted doorways. Charleston, you're pretty boss (my 5th grade students taught me that saying something is boss means you're cool. Thank goodness I'm finally cool).

Linking up, as always, with Jenna and Anne!