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!

the mystery of life

Do you ever have the days when you just feel like you can't catch up? No matter how much you actually get done there's always that full trash bag stinking up the kitchen. Or the dirty underwear really, really needing to be washed (thanks, life, for letting me wear leotards and not underwear every day). Or especially that note you meant to mail to your grandfather weeks ago... hashtag: all the oopsies. Or that house plant you killed because you forgot to water it...ever.

But I, Emily, have found a way (two ways, to be exact) to make my days feel super productive. I even feel like I could conquer the world despite the trash and laundry and not mailed mail. Emily the Conquerer! We'll work on a nickname. 

One

I read my daily devotional book.

Two

I floss my teeth.

No freaking joke. As long as I accomplish these two daily tasks, my day feels complete. My day feels good. My day feels conquered and bonus, my teeth feel nice and clean. 

I've been testing out this theory for about a week now. Every morning I wake up a little early to try to squeeze in some Pilates practice. This means that every morning I have a choice: will I also squeeze in my daily devotional reading or will I stand in the scalding hot shower for 5 extra minutes? Once a decision has been made I carry on with my teaching, leaving Freddie notes since I won't see him until late, and rehearsing. When I come home to go to bed I have to make another choice: to floss or not to floss?  

Days when I choose the extra shower time and the dirty gums are days when the overwhelmed emotions get the best of me and I go to bed feeling like I'm still on mile 5 of the marathon when everyone else is on mile 15. Being escorted by the end of race police is not fun! Not fun at all. 

But on nights after I have read the devotional and I have flossed my happy teeth, I go to sleep smiling. Promise, cross my heart, and all that. I don't care what mile I'm on because I'm blasting my happy run music and just doing my best. Screw you, end of the race police escort car. 

I know you're all probably in complete shock that I have just figured out life's big mystery: how not to feel overwhelmed, and trust me guys, I'm just as shocked as you are that I discovered this. 

Just try it. Read your devotional and floss your teeth. Or read a book and brush your hair. Or call a friend and write a letter. Or just actually take out the trash and wash the underwear. Just do the things that make you feel unstoppable. Unbreakable. And most importantly, on freakin' top of things. 

You've got this. My healthy gums and I say so. 

And because posting a picture of me flossing my teeth would be weird, here's a picture of me not flossing my teeth.