three

I am easily swayed. Feed me a line that sounds halfway decent and reasonable, and suddenly I 100% agree with you/back you up. Liberal arts college was a hard one for me because I started to believe Debater #1, but then really fell for whatever points Debater #2 brought to the table. By the end of class I was really confused about what we were even discussing, much less what my true feelings about said subject were. Can I just be on everyone's side? Some might call my easily persuaded-ness a character flaw, but I prefer to file it under character trait. Trait makes it sound more respectable in a cute way, and I want nothing in this world if not to be respectable in a cute way.

All of this just means that I'm not really sure what my true thoughts are on the ins and outs of marriage. They (when in life do we find out who the overruling they is/are?!) always say never speak badly about your spouse to others. They say never go to bed angry. They say put the other first. They say don't fight.

But then they also say do open up to others about the hardships of marriage so that you know you're not alone. They say sometimes going to bed angry and cooling off is a good thing. They say put God first, and the rest will fall into place. They say do fight, and be nice about it. 

Well what the bushel and a peck am I supposed to believe?! How can I be successful in our marriage if no one tells me what is the right way?!

Spoiler alert: there is no right way! !! !!! !!!!

I think if this past year of marriage taught me anything, it's that You Do You, Me Do Me. <---grammar for the win. I feel like every year of our three-year old marriage has tested us in different ways, and I know the obstacles and challenges and tests will just keep coming. This year felt like a big test to me. I had to choose to trust Freddie above all. I had to choose not to plan all the things. I had to choose to just chill the bleep out (Freddie, if you're reading this, I'm still practicing on all these things ;)) Because no matter where we live, how much money we do or don't have in our bank accounts, or how many trips we do or don't take, in the end we are together. We were together every past 365th day. We woke up, we did us, y'all did y'all, and somehow it's already August 24th again?! Magic. 

It's okay not to have answers. It's okay to read all the marital advice, but just roll your eyes. It's okay sometimes to confide in a friend about marriage, but also sometimes not to. It's okay. You're okay. We're okay.

And marriage? Marriage is better than okay. It's fantastic. 

As we get farther from our wedding day it makes me sad that when I close my eyes it takes me longer to try and capture the feelings from that day. The excitement. The nerves. The happiness. The love. It takes me a little longer to remember the tiny details that I swore I'd never forget. But any time I look and see Ricky's smirky smile or hear his infectious laugh, I remember all that I need to remember.

And what I remember is that I'm happy, healthy, and so in lurve with that Freddiefriend of mine. 

Happy Three Years, Rick! 

a very marry weekend

I should probably go ahead and warn you that with the amount of weddings going on and coming up in this stage of life that this blog will be dedicated to me attempting to try to properly word my emotions as I see some of my oldest and dearest friends get married. Actually scratch that, instead it will be me word vomming and you reading a bunch of nonsense while looking at an obscene amount of pictures that you probably don't even care to see. Get used it. Get ready for it. Let's do it.

This past weekend was the wedding of my friend Hannah Michael. Do you have a friend whose name reminds you of a character? For instance, no one in my family calls my dad Dad or Russ. We all call him Russ Moore because Russ Moore is a character. Russ is just another name, but Russ Moore is the actual character. Same goes for my friend Hannah Michael. Calling her Hannah doesn't accurately describe her nuisances and quirks, but as soon as you add on that Michael it all starts to make sense.

So my friend. Hannah Michael. She's a hoot. During her father's speech he made the comment that Hannah should have been/should be a politician because she can fit in with the nerds, the jocks, the preps, the hipsters, and any other group of people. She not only gets along with these crowds, but she literally has such a broad and unique personality that she attracts just about any and all personality types. She slips on her Jack Rogers while making the most explicit fart jokes, if you catch my drift. Literally catch my drift. Wink.

I absolutely love this stage of life with my friends getting married. Isn't it fascinating to look back on your friendships and then fast forward to see the kind of person your friends have ended up with? Fas. Ci. ating. Hannah's first memory of me is when I was 14, too cool for school, and talking about my tan line from reading Harry Potter while outside in the sun. My first memory of 12-year old Hannah is her wearing seamed tights to dance, and me thinking that was so lame. Like the lamest lame. Because who wore seamed rights to ballet?! Spoiler alert: I became a seamed tight convert later in my ballet life, but that's obviously a story for another time. Get excited for that post. There is nothing like seeing the person your best friends have chosen, laughing with the person they've chosen, crying from laughing so hard from getting to know the person they've chosen, and opening a fourth or sixth bottle of champagne with the person they've chosen. I. Love. It. 

I also love that by going to so many weddings in a span of several years that we get to party continually with friends we otherwise would only get to see once in a blue moon. This all means that I have a short list of things I need. A) I need my friends to divorce constantly and remarry the same person every few years so we can all get together again or B) just host really giant anniversary parties. Your choice. Just as long as I get to dance to Earth, Wind, and Fire's September while tearing it up on the dance floor with my friends two to three times a year. Every year. Until at least 2050 when my knees may or may not  give out. 

Hannah, thanks for not giving up on stalking that cute boy in the library in college. Even when the police got involved (KIDDING KIDDING). Chris, thanks for sticking it through with Hannah because I've always dreamed my friends would marry someone FUN. And you are the most fun. And this is so obviously all about me. Wink. Reader(s. Plural when you count my mom AND dad), thanks for following along even though you don't know these world class people of whom I just talked a lot about. 

Next wedding is in T-minus thirteen days, so go ahead and mark you calendars for another Top Notch Word Vom post in T-minus fourteen days. 

To read more into the deep feelings I experience with good friends getting married, go here and here. 

on mushiness

Do you get really mushy when returning home from trips? 

Mushy meaning emotional, not mushy like you feel fluffy from eating too much. Although that is also a way I feel after trips...

This mushiness, without a doubt, hits me like a ton of bricks on every plane ride back home from a trip. It starts small: a fun memory from my past trip will hit me and I'll smile. Just a faint hint of a smile, but from there it's a domino effect. A full-force domino effect. One memory turns into two which turns into my replaying all my favorite moments from said trip which turns into my replaying ALL moments from the trip. 

Take this past weekend trip, for instance. It was a trip for a bridal shower and bachelorette party for one of my dearest friends and college roommate, Ruth. There's something about being back with close friends that just resets your life and makes you feel complete and whole again. BUT there's REALLY something about being back with close friends all while getting to celebrate love, impending marriages, and big exciting life changes that will reset your outlook on life and love to an entire new level. 

And that's what this past weekend was. Insert lots of exclamation points here !!!! It was a reset and a reminder that life is puhretty flippin' fantastic, thanks for asking. It was also a rather not-so-gentle reminder that my friends and I are way too spread out across the country. That was a mean reminder. It was also a reminder that when one of your friends is marrying such a wonderful guy that there will most definitely be tears involved. Tear, laughs, laughs, laughs, tears, wine, wine, laughs, wine, tears. In that order-ish. That was a wonderful reminder. 

My domino effect plane ride on Sunday night went from one happy memory, to two, to my replaying the weekend, to thinking that the universe knew what it was doing when it put Ruth and George together in London, all the way to somehow suddenly wanting to cry because I was so happy that I married Freddie and was/am excited for what's to come. For us and for everyone. Heck, I was even happy to see what's to come in the future of the screaming baby next to me. Don't ask how I got from Point A of happy bridal shower memories to Point T of wondering what kind of luck it was Ruth and George met to Point LL of being happy I married Freddie to Point ZZ of being excited for the screaming baby's future, but it happened all within about ninety seconds. 

Did I mention I was also reading Me Before You during all of this? So, you know, the force of wanting to cry was strong with this one me. 

So yes. Mushiness. Life is so damn good mushiness. I solemnly swear I had no alcohol, no drugs, and no PMS involved with said domino effect. It simply had to do with the black magic of a return home plane ride. I'm sure of it. 

Next time you're coming home from a trip, try to let the rising altitude make your brain cray and your heart happy. Trust me, just give in.

Ruthie-Poo, you. are. getting. married!!!!!!!!!!

from the deep, dark archives, round 2.

**Originally posted May 22, 2013. A.K.A. the day my wedding dress became a dog toy. 

How many of you have dogs? Oh, all of you? Thought so. I think I am the only person in this planet who doesn't want a pet dog right now, but that's for a whole other post. 

This post is a story, a really great story. A story that one day I might tell the grandkids--ya know, that kind of story. 

Meet Dagi and Boone, my mother's dogs. Wait, not her dogs, her baby boys. Her precious angels. Her perfect pups. You get the idea, my mom lurves her some Dagi and Boone. 

Meet me, Emily, my mother's middle child. Wait, not her middle child, her baby girl. Her darling daughter. Her marvelous mini-me. My moms lurves some Emily.

Which is why when I found a beautiful, gorgeous, custom made wedding dress (for the cheapo) on Etsy, my mother told me to go ahead and order it. Do it, she said, and that's one less thing you'll have to worry about. Plus it screamed my name. Like Hello, Emily, I am your dress. I was made for you. Put me on! Do it! Do it! Oh alright, perfect dress and MC, I'll cave. And I did, I bought a wedding dress on Etsy.

Sketchy?

Super sketchy. 

This was my guilty dialogue that went on and on in my head after that purchase:

This is sketch.

Oh my God. What did I do?

There is no way this is coming.

Wahhhh, but it's so perfect.

Why why why.

Why did I do that?

What is my plan B?

Oh my God, I am never getting this dress. 

But I love it.

Get the picture? I am crazy, the end. I did a crazy thing and I knew it was crazy and I did it anyways. Crazy crazy. 

GUESS WHAT?

Well, don't guess yet. Just listen. 

Last Friday my sister gurl was home alone (just like Kevin Mc-ster). She wanted to shower and let the dogs outside because hey, rather them chew on grass then important stuff inside.

At some point during that day, my wedding dress was delivered...in an envelope. To the front door. An envelope. A big 'ole dress in an envelope. Sounds like a big mistake to me. 

Ann pops downstairs later, all clean, and notices a torn up package and something white in the yard.

Oh hey, MY WEDDING DRESS, so nice to meet you finally...and the mud and holes that encompass you. 

Oh hey, THE DOG'S NEW CHEW TOY, so nice to meet you finally. I mean, wait, no no no no no. 

NO!

Long long long story short, the dress was/is salvageable. No one told me this story until 4 days later when the tailor had confirmed she could magically fix my dress. And when they told me, they laughed because it's not too soon to laugh about the dogs using my dress as a chew toy, right?

Well, right. Because it is so beautiful that I almost didn't even notice the mud. And that's a complete lie, I totally noticed but I cared way less because I was staring at it with my mouth open.

Wow, crazy Etsy Emily, you win. 

I win. 

Time to go wait on the front doorstep for our invitations...

why adulthood sucks and friendship rocks

Five Reasons One Of Your Best Friends Getting Married Is Actually The Best Thing In The World

The entire reason for our big ol' East Coast vacay was for one of my best friend's weddings. I don't think I've ever gotten so little sleep all while having so much fun. Or maybe I was delirious? Regardless, too much fun was had. Friends, keep getting married. Please! Because some people I kind of know are becoming experts in wedding wine drinking and reception dancing.  

one // You finally get to be around your best and oldest friends.

Eight and a half years works wonders on our complexions. 

I need like fifty stars and highlights and giant arrows around this point. There are so many reasons adulthood is the worst: Bills. Work. Responsibility. Slow Metabolism. But one thing that honestly never crossed my mind was growing up and not living near all of my friends. Now why this thought never occurred to me is ridiculous and proves how dumb innocent I was (am), but adulthood sucks! It blows! The worst! We are all spread out all over the country, and I hate it. I got to spend Thursday-Sunday with the best looking knees on the best looking bees of friends, and it just made me realize how hashtag effing blessed I am to have had these people in my life for ages and ages and ages and will continue to have in my life for ages and ages and ages. There are like so totes mcgotes my forever hashtag women crush wednesdays.

two // You get to learn how to use and apply makeup. Ten years late. 

Listen up here. I'm not trying to brag, but I kind of am totally trying to brag. My friend Hannah and I put on our granny big girl panties, found a Here's How To Make Your Makeup Amazing In Pictures pin, and we followed those instructions to a giant, caps lock T. The makeup looked so hair flip emoji girl good. ---->insert that emoji right here. 

See? Told you we looked hawt. 

three // Your husbands/fiancés get to be around each other and try to be half as bee's knees-y as y'all are. 

It's been so weird for me that Freddie doesn't know some of my best friends well since we all live five hundred thousand too many miles away from each other. Getting everyone together and getting to see  everyone laugh and giggle and take five hundred thousand selfie stick pictures makes my heart so happy. 

four // You get to dance together! For the first time since you were 18! And you don't have to wear pointe shoes! And wine is involved this time!

Don't really think any further explanation is needed. No pointe shoes + three glasses of wine = better dancing. Little John there looking smooth on the floor ripped his pants doing a split so...to sum up: we all had a horrible time on the dance floor, obviously. 

five // You get to go from being fourteen years old and talking about getting married and being in love to being in your twenties and seeing your friends get married and be in love. 

All the congratulations and all my love to the newlyweds! Brittany and Joey, let's party again on your anniversary next November. Deal.

Linking up with Karli and Amanda!

may22wedo

My best friend (BFFWWQAMADORTWM--best friend forever who wore Queen Amidala make-up and did other ridiculous things with me), Caroline, is getting married today. Today! Not tomorrow, not yesterday, but today!

In honor of such an exciting event I thought I would take everyone on a trip in my trusty ol' time machine.

translation: we are about to see some seriously old biffle wiffle pics of Miz Bride. 

You're probably wondering why I'm not about to post pictures of her and her soon-to-be husband. Valid. But see, Caroline and I have been together going on fifteen plus years now so...I get these five pictures on Friday. Especially since we had matching not-wedding bands since we were ten. He can have the rest of her life as long as I get these five pictures. Deal.

one.

Ladies and gentlemen, we are taking it back. Back before Limited Too was a thing. Back when GapKids was where it was at. Our matching GapKids outfits are proof of this. This is the first documented picture of our lifelong, love you forever, hate you for never friendship. 

two.

We went through this phase where we would do Queen Amidala make-up (don't play, you know what I'm talking about) and then take about fifty polaroids of our made up selves. So vain cool at such young ages! These beautiful Polaroids have yet to be found, so I'll give you this instead: Hairstyles by   Hoes, How To Look Good At Age Eleven.

three.

Pulling off those butterfly clips. That's my Caroline, always with the trends. 

Why did I limit myself to five pictures again? I'm thinking Fifty on Friday has a much better ring to it than Five on Friday, right?

four.

Because the majority of our friendship has been confined to dance studios, here's a flashback to Beauty and the Beast. We're both the beauties, obviously. 

five.

We just fast forwarded about five years between pictures four and five and you can already see that aging has been good to us. Dresses were also good to us, much better than butterfly clips and Beauty and the Beast costumes were to us. Matchsies rings for days. 

CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOU WALK DOWN THE AISLE TONIGHT!

(towards me...and maybe a little bit towards Dan...)

Also, pysch. I'm making it Six on Friday because I'm saptastic today. Saptastic Six on Friday. 

 Let's switch places and get chu married tonight. Over and wedding time out. 

treat yo self 2015

Do you know what the hardest part about growing up is? 

All of your friends are off doing amazing things, but these amazing things cause your amazing friends to live in and around every corner of the country (or world). 

Do you the know what the best part about growing up is?

When you and your live-far-away-amazing friends are finally reunited and it is the best. thing. ever. The best thing ever which is made even better when it's to celebrate an impending wedding.

Which is exactly what brought together all of my amazing friends this past weekend. Remember when I could not for the life of me decide on a theme for my best friend's bridal shower? Thanks for nothing, Pinterest, amiright? I knew it had to be the event of the year (well, of the week at least...) because hello, it's my BFFWWQAMADORTWM (best friend forever who wore Queen Amidala make-up and did other ridiculous things with me, obvi). 

If you've ever watched Parks and Rec (as you should) and if you've ever become obsessed with Parks and Rec like me and Caroline (as you should), then you'll understand why a Treat Yo Self themed shower party won. Hands down. No questions. Treat Yo Self 2015. 

Now, what in the world does a Treat Yo Self party entail? <<<<is what you're probably asking out loud or in your brains right now. Good question. My crafting hands decided it meant naming all foods after Tom Haverfoods, having sparkly decorations, having a special personalized cocktail (because...treat yo self...), and having lots and lots of cupcakes. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy. 

When I was a bride I always felt so awkward opening presents in front of everyone. Mostly because I was the worst best at checking our registry online and seeing what had been purchased. My BFFWWQAMADORTWM handled the awkward present opening so gracefully.

We had family, friends from childhood, friends from years and years and years of ballet, and friends from college. Cocktails lasted about a hour. Cupcakes lasted about two. Homegirls know how to party.

so many Agnes Scott brides!

So there you have it. Next time you want an easy party, make it a Treat Yo Self party and just throw some glitter in the air, serve cupcakes and cannolis, and cheers those wine glasses, baby.

I cannot wait to party it up again, Matron (gag me) of Honor style in just two weeks for my best fran bride's wedding! And remember kids...the best part about growing up is celebrating everything with the best of friends.

on theming bridal showers

So.

My best friend, Caroline, is getting married. 

I'm the MOH. 'Scuse me, that's short for MATRON of Honor. 

I sound so old. Matron. Me? A matron? 

Sure, I'll wear granny panties under my MOH dress---I was planning on it anyways. 

das muh girl, maid of honor-ing it up at our wedding.

But back to the point. Best friend getting married + me being MOH = me throwing her a bridal shower.

!!

But ugh. Pinterest, amiright? I'm so indecisive and Pinterest is so indecisive and together me and Pinterest are just a hot mess. 

E: Hmmm, I'll do a generic bridal shower search to get some ideas.

P: Mwhaha, here are 1, 679 (and a half) ideas for you!

E: Oooooh, I really like this mimosa bar.

P: Oh goody, I knew you would like it so I made sure it was linked up to a bad link.

E: Fine, whatever. Maybe I like this signature cocktail idea better.

P: That's better. But just remember that the article with this idea also has 24 other ideas with it.

A hawt mess. 

I finally settled on a Treat Yo Self theme because a) Parks and Rec is the best show ever and she loves it and b) it's a theme that can literally include everything. Junk food, good food, bad food, snacks, alcohol, more alcohol, coke (the drink, ya crazies), candy, doughnuts, candy, and stuff. 

via

Then, but then! Get this. Then she told me one of her work friends went to a Bridesmaids themed bridal shower. Like 6 lb. cookie cake and everything. 6 freaking pounds of delish! I seriously considered changing the theme. Seriously considered. Because we're talking about a 6 lb. cookie cake and 1 lb. cookies to-go here. 

I get back on my dear old friend, Pinstry, and search Bridesmaid related bridal shower themes. A.k.a.-nothing came up. Oh wait, I'm sorry, something did come up. A Harry Potter themed bridal shower. Because that makes perfect sense! Kristen Wiig wrote Bridesmaids and she used to be on SNL and one time in 2012 Daniel Radcliffe was the host of SNL and Daniel and Emma acted together a bunch so there's the connection. I see your tricks, Pinterest. 

The moral of the story is something along the lines of...I don't know how to theme the shower and it's all Emma Watson's fault. 

The End.