Little Mrs. Married

Weekend & Family

2013-06-16T21:43:00.001-05:00

What a great weekend it has been!

Saturday morning, we met our friends Derek & Jenn at LSU's city park, so i could do a photo session with them and their 18 month old daughter. Pics of that coming soon! Afterwards we went to breakfast at Another Broken Egg...one of my very favorite places! Yum! Derek was a groomsman in our wedding and we have been meaning to catch up with them for awhile now!! We had a great time with them.

Today, my sister & brother-in-law came in town for lunch & dessert with the fam. Brad's family joined us, as we like to celebrate father's day (for my dad & my father-in-law), my husband's birthday, and my sister's birthday all at once (Michelle & Brad are born 1 day apart - their birthdays are next weekend but we normally celebrate them altogether on Father's Day, since she lives out of town!). We had a great time!! They ordered Sonny's BBQ and mom made two delicious cakes from scratch. YUM!

Michelle & Brad ALWAYS take a photo like this at their birthday shindig... or something else equally ridiculous. Ha! It's become a tradition! I also love mom's face in the background!

Michael never resists an opportunity for a silly face either. The shot i took right before this one would have been SO GOOD... no silly faces... just a nice normal pic... but it was completely out of focus. BOO! (Oh-well.)

Since they came in last night, they also came to church with us this morning. Yay! :) It has become a tradition at Covenant Church - for the last several years apparently - to have ice cream cones after church on Father's Day. Pastor Jeff asked if i could bring my camera & of course i said YES! So you get to see some pics of my church family now, too. :)

Our pastor, Jeff, & his wife, Mary Ann. (love them)

Ashley & Victoria

Our youth directors, Andy & Ashley :)

Zach (pastor's kid #1) & Jonathan

Alex (pastor's kid #2), John, & David (our drummer... and a darn good one too!)

Chuck! He's a pretty awesome guy.

And i LOVE these two of my dad! :)

(I love my dad!)

Happy Father's Day!!

Camdyn, age 1 {photography}

2013-06-15T19:16:00.000-05:00

Last weekend, I took photos of my friend's son Camdyn. He was just days shy of his first birthday, so it was a good time for pics! I have to tell you... I am so glad she asked me to do this again. Camdyn was also my subject for one of my very first photo shoots, and those photos are pretty terrible. She said she loved them, of course, but I knew they weren't great! Haha. I'm glad I got another shot! I have improved a lot since then, and I am sure she's much happier with these!

He was so sweet, so cute, so easy to take photos of, too. We took them at the LSU Hilltop Arboretum, a place I had never been but wanted to check out. It was really nice!

Happy birthday, Camdyn! :)

I might be heartless, but this one CRACKS ME UP. It's just so pitiful, it's cute! Haha! (Cayla laughs too...don't worry. She says it's his fake cry. Notice there are no tears!)

At one point, mama realized daddy had put him in his camo diapers... um... yes. Picture needed! :)

What a sweetheart! :)

Brooklyne & Cheyenne {photography}

2013-06-14T21:56:00.003-05:00

So. There was this one time that I saw some beautiful kids on Facebook, and I messaged their mother & asked if i could do a photo shoot.

Yeah. But don't worry! I actually know their mom. And she actually knew already that I am into photography. So it wasn't really creepy or stalkery or anything.

But, I mean, seriously. Can you blame me?!?!

O. M. G.

BEAUTIFUL!

Golden blonde curly hair.
Bright blue eyes.
Naturally tanned skin.

GORGEOUS!

Meet Brooklyne, age 4.

And Cheyenne, age 3.

We had fun. And they were so sweet & silly! It was also fun catching up with their mom. She was my neighborhood buddy until I turned 9 & we moved to a different area of town. But we used to ride bikes together or jump on the trampoline (at my house or hers!). It was fun to see her again!

{Lighting like this is not my fave, but i cannot resist a pic of two sisters holding hands.}

Haha... I told them to kiss their mom for a picture, and this is what we got! They pretty much attacked her. :)

Beth's headshots {photography}

2013-06-12T07:00:00.000-05:00

Last week I was lucky enough to get to do headshots for one very special lady. Her name is Beth.

Beth is one of my most favorite people. I realize that i say a lot of people are my favorite people... but that i no way takes away from the truth of the matter... she is so funny & smart & sweet. She has a great personality... always willing to give you a hug or make you laugh or lend a hand.

She is a music teacher...has been for many years at a local catholic school. She also often music directs the children's musicals at the theater i am involved with. She teaches private voice lessons, too. And she has acted on stage & worked backstage as my Assistant Stage Manager a few times.

Anyway, she wanted some headshots, and i really hoped I would be able to show off her personality - where someone who didn't know her would be able to see what a fun-loving person she is, just by the pictures. I feel like i accomplished that. I hope so, at least!

Here are my favorites.

These pictures were all taken in downtown Baton Rouge. It was my first downtown shoot & I can't wait to do another one! :)

Shots like this always end up being my favorite. It brings out the eyes!

Lots of colorful walls downtown, which are great for photographers! :)

Water fountains downtown that I didn't know existed. Those were fun!

Haha...she wanted a pic by her favorite building in Baton Rouge, so i obliged. :)

This is the old state capitol.

Beth is just beautiful, inside & out. Had so much fun taking her headshots!

Life lately.

2013-06-11T19:16:00.000-05:00

Oh, hi. How are you???

I feel like I haven't really shared anything lately. About work or theater or church or, well, anything! Haha. So... here are some updates for you!

Things are going well. I am loving my job. At first it was overwhelming & stressful, because it is hard to learn new procedures, new policies, different computer programs & databases, different insurance cards & codes, and the difference between mammograms & biopsies & ultrasounds! I know the difference, but i am talking about how we register each patient, depending on which procedure they are having, you see. And the paperwork, y'all. LOADS of paperwork. The most confusing for me has been medicare (& all that it entails). Oh, geez. It's a lot. But i know that this company actually works hard to make sure you are trained correctly and thoroughly, which is FAR MORE than i can say than my past jobs. (Sorry, it's true.)

Although it is a lot, it is coming together. I have known since Day One that it would be one of those things that once i get it all down pat, i would be able to do it on autopilot! And that is true. I am just not there yet. Soooo not there yet. :) But today i smiled almost all day. And i left with a huge smile on my face, that "accomplished" feeling. It is getting easier & easier, and that makes me happy!

And i LOVE working at a hospital. And i love the people there. It is a great place to work.

The week before last was REALLY overwhelming. There were tears. Then last week went pretty smoothly!! Friday & Monday, i was sent to our other hospital (we have two locations) to train with some people & that went really well, too. So today i was back in our facility, just praying that i wouldn't mess up or anything major, that if i was left alone, i would be able to do everything necessary! And i did. And everything was great. And we were BUSY. So, i am thankful!

Still, i will be EVEN HAPPIER when i don't have to think so much... when it's autopilot. Haha. But i am getting there. And this is only my 4th week!

Thursday i have CPR training. It's been YEARS. Like, since i worked in a daycare. And that was... oh...14ish years ago. So i am ready for that! I mean, what happens if a patient passed out in the lobby & I didn't know what to do?!?! (I am sure there would be a doctor or nurse around...there always is... but you know. It's always a good thing to know!)

Okay. Enough rambling about work. Um... photography has been AMAZING. I have always WANTED to be able to do photo shoots, and actually get nice shots, but i never could. I am so thankful for Laura & all the tips & pointers she has given me, from teaching me to shoot in manual way back when i went to visit her, to giving me advice using my current pictures as examples, to calling me & walking me through some basic photoshop, which has made a world of difference in my photos. Now i am doing shoots OFTEN & i am really & truly having a BLAST with it. Yay!

I did want to say "THANK YOU" to my readers. One, i recently wrote a post about infertility & how much it sucks, and i got SO MANY sweet comments. Thank you for praying for me & for caring. You are wonderful!! And i am blessed to have nice readers who actually care & pray for you!

I also want to say "THANK YOU" to those who have seen all my photography posts & have complimented me on my work. Just leaving a nice comment "great shot!" is encouraging. So, thanks to you, as well.

Alrighty... off to edit more photos. :)

XOXO

Hannah + Madelyn = besties {photography}

2013-06-08T12:39:00.000-05:00

Oh, photography. How i do love you!

Y'all... it's so much fun. I love it more & more every shoot! After THIS particular shoot, I was high! You know... feeling such joy & excitement, fueled by a fun shoot with two beautiful teenagers. I got these models because my friend, Tara, wanted to team up with me to maybe assist each other & see how it went. She uses a reflector & off-camera flash, and i wanted to see how she worked with those things, too. So i assisted her with a maternity shoot & then she assisted me with my shoot. I just put out a plea on facebook for a teen or adult model (i love the kids but i wanted some older ones for this), and my friend Stacey volunteered her friend's daughter, Hannah. Hannah brought her friend Madelyn & they were a joy to photograph! Just because they were sweet, adorable, & fun!

I hope they like their pictures, and I hope you do, too!

Hannah

Madelyn

BESTIES!

I just think they're adorable!

So there you go! A few of my favorites from this shoot. :) I love how these turned out, although i feel like with the pics of the two of them together, I often had Hannah a bit out of focus or something. I am not sure why that is. Thoughts? Other than that, i think this is my favorite session so far! Loved these girls! I hope to do another shoot like this soon!

(Be sure to check out the rest of the album at Melissa V. Photography on Facebook!)

Beaux Arts Ball {part two}: party pics!

2013-06-05T07:00:00.000-05:00

More shots from the Beaux Arts Ball! These are the party shots after the ceremony. We had so much fun! I think this may have been my most favorite ball so far (it was my 8th one!).

This is the Martin family! I love this pic! Sadly it's the ONLY pic i took in manual (besides the ones of people on stage!). After that it was really too dark & so i just switched it to auto! (I hate doing that, but ya gotta do what ya gotta do!)

Mother & daughter, you say? How did you know?! :)

This one cracks me up! This was gonna be just me & Beth. Paula & Lee, the photo bombers!

Liz & Ronald, who played Mr & Mrs Markham in the last show i stage managed, Move Over Mrs Markham! Crazy I met both of them during my first show Beauty & the Beast!

Liz & her real-life husband, Blake!

Carole won for Best Supporting Actress! Woohoo! :)

Kristy: One of my favorite people!

Emily: Another favorite. She is the Technical Director, Lighting Designer, etc etc at our theater & she is AMAZING! I really just LOVE her!

Bess & Jeff! They are moving to Georgia! We are saddy!

Me & Alaina! She is just as sweet as she is gorgeous.

Me & Phil. He CRACKS ME UP, y'all!

Me & Kelly. She is so funny & fun & sassy & loved by all!

Me, Megan & Mary!

Me & Michele. (I am doing headshots for her soon! Can't wait!)

The fantastic foursome. :) Tim & Marion & us! They get married November 30th! Can't wait!

This is Albert. He can SING! OMG. Seriously needs to be on Broadway! AMAZING!

Another mother/daughter duo!! If you can't tell!

Chris & Emily who are now ENGAGED! :)

LOVE Charlynn! One of my dearest friends!!

me & emily! (go read her blog, y'all!)

And one last one...me & my hot date!

Love him! What a great evening!!

8th Annual Beaux Arts Ball {Part One!}

2013-06-04T08:30:00.000-05:00

Most of you know I am involved in our local theater. May of 2006 I auditioned for their summer musical, Beauty & the Beast. I had missed theater since high school (which I graduated from in 1996! So it had been 10 years since I'd done any theater!), and decided to get back into it. I also wanted to get into film acting, and everything i read said to start off at your local theater, to see if acting is really what you want to do.

So i did, but i never left. I just love performing live. And then i got dragged into Stage Managing & I fell in love with that role, too! I am SO THANKFUL for being cast in that first show. Because this has become a second home, a second family. I kid you not! These people love & support & encourage me in everything. They pretty much ROCK!

So every year they do a ball to celebrate & thank the volunteers from the last season. They do awards (best actress in a musical, best actor in a play, etc), have drinks & cocktails, etc! Last night was the ball & we had a wonderful time!!

Afterwards, me & my love went to dinner... we have been doing this the last 2-3 years, so it's become a tradition of ours! I love it. We're all dressed up... why not?! :)

They do a parody every year to start off the ceremony part. It's always led by Ernest, who is so talented & hilarious! He had us cracking up! The parody is basically off of all the shows of the past season. And this time they also made fun of our name change (because our theater went from Baton Rouge Little Theater this year to Theatre Baton Rouge). It was cute!

Ernest & Alaina, who played Patsy in Always, Patsy Cline

Ernest & Mike, who has played Scrooge for us the last 2 years. I LOVE Mike. He is an amazing actor & such a nice guy! He is also a Latin Professor at LSU, which i think is pretty cool!

Ernest with Liz, who was Joanna in Move Over Mrs Markham.

Jason, Lance & Terry

After the parody, we do awards! The nominees are posted in the paper the week before the ball, and the winners are announced at the ball. It's like the Academy Awards...but for a little community theater. ;) (We do have some VERY VERY talented actors, though! Promise!) In between some awards, they will have some performances (songs from musicals from our previous season).

Keith is the managing artistic director. He is telling us all how amazing we volunteers are, how they couldn't do it without us, etc. Haha! I pretty much love him!

This is Carole - she won Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play for Move Over, Mrs. Markham! WOOHOO! We were all sitting together - the cast & crew of Markham - so we were cheering like CRAZY! In this pic she's like, "Um.... thank you?" It was cute. She was so surprised. We were NOT. (For those familiar with the show, she played Linda Lodge.)

Zac won Outstanding Actor in a Play for his role of Alistair, also in Move Over, Mrs. Markham! Ha! We were screaming! It was silly. But fun! Zac also should have won "best acceptance speech" because he was adorable & funny. Love this kid!

Alaina singing one of the songs from Patsy Cline... beautiful!

My good friend Charlynn won Best Supporting Actress in a Musical for her role of Louise in Always, Patsy Cline. She was GOOD, y'all! So deserving of this award!

Jason won for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical for his role in South Pacific.

And Alaina won for Best Actress in a Musical for her role as Patsy in Always, Patsy Cline. My mom actually saw that with me & said Alaina was EXACTLY Patsy Cline. EXACTLY. Haha. She was phenominal.

Don't worry - they're just "almost" kissing! They are being silly. And you can hear her fiance in the audience yell, "hey now!" Haha! It was cute. Marion won best actress in a musical last season, so she announced the winner for the best actor in a musical for THIS season. And when it was him, well. They played opposite each other for City of Angels, which is what he is winning for. So she was all excited.

And yes, i know... this is community theatre...we take it all so seriously! Haha!

Liz was my lead actress in Move Over, Mrs. Markham & she won! She is pregnant, so she immediately burst into tears. Haha! She was so adorable giving her speech. Blabbing and then apologizing for blabbing, but just: adorable. She said at one point, 'I'm SORRY, I'm EMOTIONAL, I'm PREGNANT." Just the way she said it was too funny. :) Love her!

They ended the ceremony with these two guys singing "Who Am I?" from Les Miserables! That will be our summer musical this year. They cast two guys as val Jean, and these two guys got it. I actually was in on auditions & didn't know how in the world they would be able to choose between the two - well, turns out, they didn't! Both will share the role, alternating performances. (We have two Javerts as well.)

Shameless plug: If you live in BR or close enough, you can buy tickets for Les Miserables here!

So...this was the ceremony part of Beaux Arts. I am sure nobody cares but me! Haha! So if you made it this far, i thank you! ;) More to come of the actual party shots!

Natural Light {photography practice}

2013-06-03T20:25:00.000-05:00

I have been participating in the I Heart Faces June challenge. Basically there is a picture a day in June, and you instagram it. Or facebook it or tweet it or blog it. Or whatever. :)

I see these things EVERY month on instagram, but I never actually do it! This time I decided to give it a try. So far I have done little cell phone pics.

June 1st {Day One}

"Me" (Introduce Yourself)

June 2nd {Day Two}

"First Thing"

But today's was "Natural Light". I couldn't help but want to get my camera out for this, and NOT use my phone! As soon as i pulled into our driveway, I saw a bush of white flowers and the sun was shining down on them so brightly - a beautiful sight! Of course, by the time I got inside, put my stuff up, and got my camera, most of the sun had hidden behind a cloud. But I took some shots anyway! Then I came in & uploaded them and... I am not sure about them. I sometimes think my cropping is all wrong (more so when it comes to nature photography & I still sometimes have focus issues.

So, what do you think? Which is your favorite? Least Favorite? And why?

And what kind of flowers are these anyway?!?

This Weekend, I...

2013-06-03T07:00:00.000-05:00

Today I am linking up with Syndal & Sar for This Weekend, I!

This weekend, I had two photo shoots planned for Friday. The first one canceled due to them having to work, so i scheduled another one & then we rescheduled hers because of rain! Wasn't meant to be, I guess. But y'all - after 4 shoots last week, I am ITCHING for another photo shoot!

This weekend, I went to a nearby arboretum to practice some photography. I was not impressed with the place. The flowers are all dying! I guess because it's so incredibly HOT!

This weekend, I went to Aveda, where I used to work, to get my hair did for a ball! Fancy Schmancy! The girl did such a great job on my hair! I loved it! I meant to take a pic of the back! Oops! :(

This weekend, I ran into STAGE after my hair appointment to grab my husband a shirt to go with the tie he wanted to wear for the ball. I mean, if he's got to wear a tie, it might as well be the one he wants to wear, right?! I remembered STAGE has good deals, and boy was i right! Picked up a nice dress shirt with a tag that said $50, saw a sign up saying $29.99 for the shirts that came with ties, so i figured this one had to be on sale, too. Got to the checkout expecting $20-something, but it was $11! Including tax! HECK YES! :)

Haha! I love him. And yes, of course it is a musician's tie! ;)

This weekend, I got all dolled up for my 8th annual (& Brad's 6th!) Beaux Arts Ball! This is the ball our theater does every year to celebrate & thank the volunteers from the past season. It's so much fun! (This pic is actually from AFTER the ball - i took my hair down! I actually love it like this! Someone tell me how to fix it curly/wavy daily?!?! Oh, but i never give myself enough time in the mornings!)

Ain't no shame! 13 pounds down & ... a lot to go! Haha! But i love my dress! :) (No comments from the peanut gallery about my white legs! God made me white! This girl does not do tanning beds, thankyouverymuch!)

This weekend, I had SO MUCH FUN at the Beaux Arts Ball! (Full post to come!)

This weekend, I was so excited my good friend Charlynn won Outstanding Actress in a Musical for her role as Louise in Always, Patsy Cline! She was FANTASTIC, y'all! Well deserved!

This weekend, I had a hot date with my hub AFTER the ball... it's become a tradition of ours to go to dinner just the two of us after it! I mean, we're all dressed up... why not?! :)

This weekend, I skipped church on Sunday (sad-face) & stayed home all day! Did some cleaning, but mostly edited photos & posted photos from the ball, blogged, and... I guess that's it! Sad, huh!? It was a nice relaxing day with my love, though!

This weekend, I probably had too much coffee. But that's allowed on my diet! So there! (I love coffee.)

Hope y'all had a good weekend, too! Back to the daily grind, though... have a great week! :)

Natalie Joy is ONE! {photography practice}

2013-06-02T18:29:00.002-05:00

Last Sunday evening, I did a photo shoot for our good friends, Adam & Katie. They wanted some pictures for their daughter's 1 year birthday, and of course I wanted to include them in some pics as well. They are such a cute little family!

I am pretty sure this was my favorite shoot so far. Probably a combination of the cutest-sweetest family, the cutest-sweetest baby, the perfect lighting outside, & the fact that my husband tagged along?! I don't know. But we had fun. And they treated us to dinner afterwards. Great evening!

Stacey, Joe & Olivia {photography practice}

2013-06-01T08:32:00.000-05:00

Last weekend, I did 3 photo shoots. It was awesome. I am really really enjoying this. I never thought I would be doing photo shoots for people! But I love it. LOVE IT! And I am learning so much and getting better with each shoot.

Last Saturday, I did Mallory's headshots, and immediately after it I did a family shoot for my friend Stacey & her two kids, Joe & Olivia.

I love the colors they chose to wear! My favorite colors! :)

And this is Lauren. She came to assist. She is a good friend of Stacey's (they are both paramedics & that is how they met). I know Stacey from going to church with her several years ago, and I know Lauren from going to a different church with her a LONG time ago! I actually haven't seen her since she was probably 15... she is all grown up now!

(I am sure she will love that THIS is the pic i chose to post of her! Ha!)

We had a great time, laughing & talking. And the kids were great. Really good sports! There were lots of stinging caterpillars around (in fact, that's what ended our shoot! One got on Olivia's foot & scared the living daylights out of her! Didn't sting her though! Thankfully, I had gotten more than enough pictures by that point!). Here are some of my favorites from that session.

These next three are obviously too bright in my background... I still struggle at times with the sun! I am getting better though! We were actually under a whole lot of trees here, so I thought I was good with the shade thing! Not really. But i still like these shots!

Pretty blue eyes!

Love this kid! He was funny & cute as he could be!

Sweetness.

And some silliness!

I love this... Stacey said she'll have to frame this one - they're never like this! ;)

Aww. :)

And another random shot of Lauren!

One more...

So there ya go! Next up is my shoot with some very dear friends of ours & their one year old daughter. :) Sweet!

Truth.

2013-05-31T22:38:00.003-05:00

It comes in waves. Seasons. Good days & bad days. There are times when you are okay, and times when you are just NOT. For me, well, it's been difficult for the better part of 2 years. Then i caught a hold of peace or something. And I was okay. It was my longest stretch of being in a good place about this whole thing. But now, the fear, the anger, the bitterness... the jealousy... I can feel it returning. And the sadness. The heartache. Mostly that.

I am talking, of course, about the pain of infertility.

It took forever to find my husband. FOREVER, y'all. I thought he would never come into my life. And then he did... when I was one month shy of 30. So, yes, I watched all my friends get married at a "normal" age, and here i was single. So very single! It was not easy! But finally Brad came into my life, and he was & is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I am just as happy with him now as I was on the day I married him. God is good & He is faithful. I finally got my person, and being married to him is everything I hoped it would be, and MORE.

I assumed we would have kids by now, though. But it seems that God would rather me go through a long waiting period for this, too. And just so you know, I am not mad at Him! When all is said and done, i trust Him, fully. But I am human, too. And my human mind just does NOT GET IT. At all.

I do not get why the women who are not trying, get pregnant so incredibly easily, while those of us who ARE trying cannot get pregnant no matter what. I do not get why teenagers get pregnant when they have sex with somebody on a whim on some random day of the month, and yet someone who is married & mature & in a loving stable relationship can have sex every other day for two weeks around ovulation, and still not get pregnant. It is infuriating to me. INFURIATING.

I do not understand how I can tell 3 girls that we are going to start trying, and then for them to get married, get pregnant, have a baby, see that baby turn 1, and get pregnant with Baby #2 - all while I am STILL TRYING to conceive the Baby #1! I mean... REALLY, God?!

(This is not to say that I am not happy for people getting pregnant. I am. I have learned that it is okay to be genuinely happy for them, even if i am sad for me at the same time.)

So here it is, nearly 5 years after marrying Brad. I am a woman. A daughter. A wife. A friend. A sister. And these are all beautiful things. But not that one thing I want to be more than anything: A mom. Brad wanted to wait to start trying until we'd been married for 2 years. I agreed, but then was ready a year & a half into our marriage. We finally started trying... in April of 2011. The baby fever was intense back then, I wanted a baby SO BAD. But it's different now. That was a baby fever filled with anticipation and excitement about what was in store for us, for our little family. It has since dulled into an ache. The desire is just as intense, but fear and worry and hurt have replaced the feelings of excitement and joy.

We have gotten some answers. And it's not a life sentence. Honestly, i don't want to go into too much detail, but I will say that it has to do with things like my health, my weight, my insulin resistance & how that affects my cycles. (You already know all this if you read my weightloss blog.) So i am on a strict diet. And I am doing my best to follow it. And yet, sometimes my best isn't good enough.

Still, the weight is coming off consistently. But i am so very afraid that i ... well, so many things I am afraid of. But there is no sense in hashing and rehashing all of that!

When I started the diet, i stopped worrying about babies. I just did, naturally. My mind began to focus on this diet (which in the end would, hopefully, bring about a healthy pregnancy), and i that brought me a sense of peace, because I knew that eventually all would be well. But now, it's painful again. Probably because i am really struggling with the diet.

My heart is heavy and aching and empty, all at the same time. It hurts.

I am now 35. And as all women know, since we are told many times, once you hit 35, your fertility chances decrease. As one woman said to me last Thanksgiving (oh, the things people have said to me!), "Well, you better hurry it up!".

"Well, THANK YOU! As if i didn't know that, lady! We're WORKING ON IT!" (I actually did say exactly that... minus the sentence in the middle, ha!)

(I also should add that - as a 35 year old woman experiencing infertility - not only do i have friends who have babies and toddlers and children... but i actually have friends with TEENAGERS. And this is also awkward for me!)

Yeah, see, I used to hem and haw when people would ask when we were having kids. Now, I'm just out with it. I don't volunteer the info but if i get the question ... I answer. Sometimes vaguely sometimes detailed, but always honest! Because I just don't have it in me to act like everything is okay and as it should be, when it's not. If i am asked "so when are y'all having kids?" I will likely say, "I don't know. Ask God." Because it's the truth. I HAVE NO IDEA, people. Maybe never.

Honestly, dealing with what people say is really the toughest thing. Newlywed couples... I am talking people who have been married less than a year... it is okay with me if people pester them constantly about when they're having kids. It's almost a rite of passage, because it's SO RIDICULOUS how many people ask these nosy questions when a couple has been married all of 5 minutes! But once a couple has been married a year, just stop. It's NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS. I am not saying that to be mean, but there is nothing that makes this journey more difficult than TRYING to get pregnant and having people asking you WHEN. (I am not talking about dear close girlfriends who put your age & length of marriage together & realize something is amiss & ask you about it. I am talking about acquaintances and other nosy people. People that do not know you well enough to have the right to ask you about your sex life... because that is basically what they're doing!)

Now when people ask, it puts me in an awkward position. Some are people I don't want to know the details. And it's NEVER people that are sympathetic. It's usually people who follow up with something stupid like, "Well, just relax. It'll happen!" (Y'all. That statement is for people who have been trying for all of 3 months. When you've been trying for 2 YEARS, it goes a little bit deeper than "just relax"!

I once had a couple tell me they felt sorry for my parents because I hadn't made them grandparents yet. They, of course, had NO IDEA what i was going through (if only they had looked in my grocery cart, they would have seen an ovulation kit! I mean, come on!). But that didn't help. I went home SOBBING. I couldn't breathe. It is a grief that you cannot understand until you go through it yourself.

So, that's it for today. And sorry for such a downer post! I mostly need prayers that i will get back 100% on this diet and stay focused on it - it seems to take my mind off of trying to conceive for awhile! And then... maybe while my mind is off of it... I actually WILL conceive. One can dream, right?

I feel so awkward now. And i will probably hit publish & then quickly scurry to UNpublish it. I don't want to write this post. I don't want to talk about it. I don't want the comments telling me that it's not a diet, it's a lifestyle change (but even a lifestyle change is changing your diet. DUH.). I don't want the comments telling me to just believe, because it will happen. I don't want the comments saying to relax, or trust God, or have faith, or any of those stupid pat answers that are said when there is nothing else to say.

But I do want to put this out there because i have met so many bloggers who blog openly about their infertility journey. And i appreciate it, because their posts help me. And help others. And i believe that in sharing my story I can somehow help others too. So here it is. (And yes, I have shared some of this in snippets before. Just not this long or this detailed - at least not in a long time!)

I'll be okay. Thanks for listening. Have a good weekend.
xoxo

Weekend Fun!

2013-05-30T19:02:00.000-05:00

My last several posts have been about photography, and for that I apologize. Well, not really, unless you hate photography posts... and nobody really actually hates photography posts, right?! I thought not. :)

Kidding. But... i love it! And since I'm doing shoots... I'm going to be blogging them! But i know that i should be updating you on life & other things in between shoots.

Here it is, almost Friday, and i am giving you LAST weekend's details. Oops.

{LAST FRIDAY}
Remember that time I got laid off? Well, on that day my husband and i had a date planned that evening to go eat at Coyote Blues & then browse Best Buy (for fun stuff like iPads and kindles). Since I ended up getting LAID OFF, which was a huge shock, we still went to eat but I ended up crying halfway through my meal & we went home after that. Brad has been saying that when i got a new job, we would have a re-do on that date! Haha. So we did that Friday night. (Except we went to Cheesecake Bistro instead of Coyote Blues, since Best Buy is right by my work, and Coyote Blues is NOT, and it would be silly to backtrack!) It was a nice little dinner date & then we went to Best Buy, as planned. (P.S. I want an iPAD Mini so bad!)

{LAST SATURDAY}

Saturday I had 2 photo shoots planned! The first was with my friend Mallory from the theater. I did her headshots, and i think i did a great job considering it was my first ever headshot session!

My second shoot was with my friend Stacey & her two kids, Joe & Olivia. That one was fun too.

That evening, I met up with my friends Shana & Sarah for some girl time! :) We went and had dinner at a hole-in-the-wall authentic mexican place. It was delish! We ran to Starbucks after for dessert, and well... hilarity ensued. I'll leave it at that! And THEN we went back to Shana's for some girl talk. So much fun. We were delirious by the end of it! It was like old times!

Sarah, Shana & moi. We go way back!

This next picture... I laugh EVERY.SINGLE.TIME.

Me: Okay, nice! Now, SMILE this time! (...and that's what i got!)

I also met Shana's adorable foster kitties!!

{LAST SUNDAY}
Church. Home. Relaxation. And then another photo shoot! I am editing this session now! We got to do a shoot for our good friend's Adam & Katie, and their now 1 year old daughter, Natalie! Brad tagged along, and we had SUCH a great time! Then they treated us to dinner! So sweet!

It was a great weekend, and I am excited tomorrow is another Friday! :) This weekend, hmm... a shoot tomorrow after work (headshots), my 8th annual Beaux Arts Ball (annual theater celebration!) on Saturday, and church & baby shower on Sunday.

:)

Mallory's headshots {photography practice}

2013-05-27T16:02:00.000-05:00

Wow! What a weekend! I did three photo sessions. Two on Saturday morning & one yesterday evening. So much fun, y'all! I am loving this!

I met Mallory at the community theater that I've been a part of for the last 7 years. Her sister, Melissa, was in my first show (Beauty and the Beast). Mallory was working backstage for that show. Both girls are very talented. In fact, they both were cast in our summer musical, Les Miserables. That's a huge honor when you're auditioning with almost 300 other hopefuls & only 10 or so females are being cast!

This was my first time trying headshots, which means Mallory was my guinea pig! I am glad I had her for my first model! She said she's not really photogenic. Really? I beg to differ! ;) We only had about 30 minutes, but it went very well. She was fun, and y'all. I am obsessed with her eye color. Sometimes they're blue, sometimes they're green, and when I zoomed in on them, I discovered they're blue AND green. Really beautiful!

Here are my favorites from Mallory's session.

Something about this one is very bad-ass to me. Like, if she's auditioning for Law & Order, this is the headshot she would use! Haha!

A little attitude in this one! I love it!

Something about her expression reminds me of Jessica Biel. You see it?

Mikey, 15 months {photography practice}

2013-05-24T21:20:00.000-05:00

I am having so much fun with photography lately! It's like the passion & the desire to get better keeps growing & growing! Yay!

One thing I had been CLUELESS on is editing. I have been using Picasa to edit. Picasa is fine if you are staying in auto mode or if you are just taking snapshots of family events or something! But if you're doing shoots for other people, and if you're shooting in manual with the desire to have more professional photos, you should really try some professional editing software, like photoshop or lightroom. I have Photoshop Elements, and it was so confusing to me that i gave up and went back to my comfort zone (that is, Picasa).

Well, my friend Laura really encouraged me to give Photoshop Elements another shot! She called me and walked me through some basics, and wow! I am hooked. :) Yay! Just a few simple steps, nothing major, and i see a world of difference in my photos! I am not saying these are AMAZING! It's still only my 5th shoot, ever! But if you compared it to my last shoot, you'll see I have come a long way! Thank you, Laura!!!

Like Lauren, I met Hannah at bootcamp. We often had to have groups of 3 - so they were my group! Hanny & I are birthday twins (March 2, y'all!). She is so sweet & so pretty!

This was my first time to meet her son, Mikey. He is a total sweetheart.

You can see the rest of the pics on my new FB photography page. :)

This Weekend, I...

2013-05-20T20:02:00.001-05:00

This weekend, I practiced some photography at a friend's murder mystery party! So much fun!

Why so serious? ...They're trying to solve a mystery, people! :)

This weekend, I spent most of a day going through & editing pics from said murder mystery party!

This weekend, I went to my friend Susan's bachelorette brunch at Lava Cantina, a new mexican restaurant in town! Can't wait to see her tie the knot in August!

This weekend, I created a photography page on Facebook!! Even though I am no pro, I just wanted to separate practice photography from my regular pics! In the meantime, I scheduled FOUR shoots for this week! SO fun! :)

This weekend, I stage managed the LAST performance of the show I have been working on, Move Over Mrs. Markham. We had strike, which is some sweaty work. Took down the entire set. Finished in 2 hours flat & then i went home!

This weekend, I went to bed early Sunday night to be rested for my first day at my new job! It was today & went perfectly! Yay for an excellent new job! So happy about it! :)

How was YOUR weekend?!

A Murder Mystery Party {photography practice}

2013-05-20T17:50:00.000-05:00

Friday night, I got some more photography practice in by taking pictures for a friend at her murder mystery party. Robyn is a homeschooling mom who also teaches English classes for other high school homeschoolers in the area. She was having an end-of-the-year party for her class... a murder mystery party!

I was so excited to get to be a part of this! I was also nervous! I have been getting much better at taking OUTDOOR pics, especially at certain times of the day! But indoor pics in the evening? Not so easy! She did have a lot of light on, though, so i managed to get some good shots. It was great practice!

Her set-up & attention to detail was outstanding!

These are my weakness, y'all.

Look how cute! Milk shooters to go with the cookies. :)

Some of the kids... they're all dressed in the character they were assigned. Also, if you see any mean faces in pics - they were in character, I promise!

I told them i was going to recruit this girl for the theater! She maintained an excellent british accent the ENTIRE night, and she was soooo funny!

This is Robyn's oldest son, Quintin, who is now a teenager & as tall as my husband. Makes me feel OLD!! Haha!

3 of the parents participated in the murder mystery game. This was "officer nelson" & she was HYSTERICAL!

During this part, they're all mingling, talking, trying to gain clues to discover who the murderer is. They were so funny. And cute.

That would be my friend, Robyn, in the middle. I adore her!

(Pssst! This girl is our murderer!!!)

This was my fave pic of the night; I got it on accident!! But we're saying it's somewhat a foreshadowing because she ended up being the victim.

And there you have it! Sorry for the picture overload! ;)

Adalynn, 12 months {photography practice}

2013-05-18T23:51:00.000-05:00

Oooh, I am having some serious photography fever! I just want to keep practicing! Of course, I would decide I want to practice more a week before my new job starts! I wish I'd been doing this during my entire break!

Yesterday, I had a shoot with my friend Lauren's daughter, Adalynn. I met Lauren in my first bootcamp class back in 2011. I didn't know anybody, and plopped myself down on a mat next to her & we just hit it off. We became "bootcamp buddies" ...always on the same team, helping each other out. She moved away right after having Adalynn, but recently moved back. So, this was my first time to actually meet the little cutie pie!

I absolutely loved her. She was simply ADORABLE, giving me the sweetest smile or pucker or laugh. And those eyes! Love.

Enjoy!

P.S. I now have a photography page on Facebook. Feel free to like it here! :)

Malaya, 14 months {photography practice}

2013-05-15T23:24:00.000-05:00

Recently I was just itching to practice some photography! I hadn't done it in awhile, and I was ready to get my camera out again! I put a call out on facebook for models, and within minutes had several people willing to let me use them - or their child - for practice!

Yesterday was the first of those sessions. I practiced on a beautiful little girl named Malaya. I met Malaya's mom, Megan, when I first started working at Aveda. She graduated soon after, though. Malaya, who they affectionately call Mae-Mae, is now 14 months old, and just adorable. I love her complexion, her lips, and her chocolate brown eyes. Gorgeous!

Some challenges: I had told Megan that 11 am or 5 pm would be best, lighting-wise. Well, I should have said 9 or 10 am for the morning time! The sun was just too bright! So I had a lot of pics with bright sun & shadow on the same face! Oops! Secondly, she is just learning to walk well, so she was all over the place! Haha! But she still gave me the chance to get some good pics! :)

Here are my favorites!

One with mommy & daddy!

The best week EVER.

2013-05-13T21:39:00.001-05:00

If I was one to use the word "epic", I would be using it right now.

As in, "Last week was EPIC, y'all!". But that just doesn't sound like me. I don't use the word epic. I don't like it. Nobody used to say epic. Now everybody says epic. I don't like trend words.

Wait. That's not right! I don't hate the word, "epic". It's the phrase, "epic fail" that I don't love. But for no good reason, just ignore me. I'm weird, sometimes. Just read what is below...that's the point of all this!

Last week was the best week EVER! (That sounds more like me!)

{MONDAY}

On Monday, I hung out with mom all day. And then I went to my friend Mandy's Origami Owl party where my mom insisted on buying me a necklace with the charms i wanted. I already told y'all about this but since it was part of the week, I will tell you again! :)

Also, on Monday, I fit into some jeans that just a month ago would not go up over my hips or zip/button at all! Now they fit with ease. Well... a LITTLE tight but they fit fine after i was in them for a minute! Ha! Excuse the no makeup & blurry pic! You get the idea!

{TUESDAY}

On Tuesday, I went to my Ideal Protein weigh-in. I was PRAYING that I had lost 1 or 2 pounds. I didn't dare to hope for 3. But in one week, I lost 4.5 pounds! HOLY COW! I was SO amazed & excited & happy & thankful! It was CRAZY! 4.5 in a week! I have struggled in the past just to lose that in a MONTH - usually without success! Ahhhh!

Also on Tuesday, I went to have lunch with some ladies from church for my pastor's wife's birthday. I absolutely love this woman, she is so sweet! We had a great time visiting.

ALSO, on Tuesday, I had my second interview with Baton Rouge General. My first interview was the Tuesday before, I interviewed with HR & Radiology. I really wanted that Radiology job, but still hadn't heard anything, and figured i would give the purchasing one a shot. The interview went very well, i hit it off with the lady who would be my boss, and the ladies i would be working with. I felt like I had a good chance at this job.

{WEDNESDAY}

On Wednesday, I had another interview (with the state police) which also went well, but the best was that afterwards, I went to lunch with one of my besties, Shana. She treated me which she didn't have to do! So sweet! SO good to catch up with her! We laughed & laughed! While eating, I ran into two old friends & was so happy to see them, too! We went to Starbucks after lunch where i REALLY wanted a frappuccino, but i got my regular coffee. (The only thing i can have without guilt at Starbucks!)

And, another blurry pic for you! Sorry!

{THURSDAY}

On Thursday, I GOT THE JOB!!!!!! OH MY GOSH!!!!!!! I was offered BOTH jobs at Baton Rouge General, when i expected to maybe get offered one of them but not the other one! I was able to choose the one i wanted. How amazing is that?! I was on CLOUD 9 the rest of the day! Ahhh! Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Also, on Thursday, I had lunch at my friend, Ashley's house. She invited me over for lunch & grilled me a DELICIOUS meal of chicken, asparagus, broccoli & zucchini! All diet-friendly for me! :) It was so good & I loved getting some one-on-one Ashley time! She has been a huge support for me in my weightloss journey & I just love her!

{FRIDAY}

On Friday, I met my dear friend Becca for lunch! We rarely get together and we definitely need to more often! LOVE this girl! She has been a good friend for many years. Love her! After our lunch (which she treated!), I went to my friend Robyn's to chat. We chatted a few hours before I had to go to the theater. She is the mom of the boys I used to babysit a lot. Now her oldest two are TALLER than me (like, much taller) & her youngest will be in a year or so! Haha. Geez. SO TALL. But i LOVED catching up with Robyn!

Me & Becca

So basically: weightloss, fitting in jeans that were too small before, ladies with women i love on 4 different days of the same week, & a job offer! IN ONE WEEK! Haha!

My weekend? Well, it didn't come close to the wonderful week I had, but it wasn't bad. I did a lot of theater...stage managed 4 shows in 3 days which was exhausting. We had some mishaps, which is always fun in live theater! Mother's Day was Sunday, and that can be a difficult day for me. However, I truly believe God answered my prayers that morning when I asked him for his grace and peace throughout the day. It was not a bad day, not at all. I am thankful for that!

This week is my last one before I go back to work full-time! I am going to enjoy it to the fullest!

So thankful, so excited!

2013-05-09T21:54:00.000-05:00

Thank you SO much for all the prayers regarding my job search. Many of you have already seen the news via Facebook or Twitter, but I should make an official announcement on my blog, right?I thought so! So, here it is...

{I GOT THE JOB!!!!!}

Yes! I am the new Patient Access Coordinator in Radiology at Baton Rouge General Hospital! Woohoo!

my new "office" (not really... this is the cardiology unit. I'm in radiology at the same hospital. But, you get the idea. :) (source)

Basically, I will be scheduling appointments, checking insurance, sending results to doctors, walking ladies back to the back for their mammograms, and a bunch of other things I don't know about yet.

So... I think I may have told you that i interviewed last week at a hospital. I interviewed this week at the same hospital for a different position.

I really really REALLY wanted Position A. Like, really. Position B wasn't one I applied for, and it didn't seem like something I would be interested in, but I was open to it. I mean, I have wanted to work in the medical community for a long time now, and this is the first time they've actually called me.

The first interview was last Tuesday, and it went well, but i hadn't heard anything back for awhile so i thought it was not the job. They wanted someone with experience in the medical field, and even though I knew they liked me, I guess i put those two things together & thought it wasn't happening.

The second interview...the one i initially thought i did NOT want... well, it went really well. I hit it off with the lady who would be my boss immediately. After the interview part, she gave me a tour and also introduced me to the 3 ladies I would be working with. They were all so sweet, I hit it off with them, too, and i could easily see myself working there. There were only two cons to this one: the pay would be a few dollars less an hour than what I was making previously. And the job itself wasn't something I could get too excited about. (Purchasing.)

I had another interview somewhere else on Wednesday and felt pretty sure that was not the one, too! I was positive the first one in radiology wasn't happening either. So i was PRAYING i would at least get the Purchasing one. I figured i would like it more than purchasing I've done in the past (since there's a whole department and not just, "Hey, Melissa's not doing anything - let's throw this on her!"). Also there is room to grow (& get pay raises) & i could even transfer in 6 months if i hated it. It would be a foot in the door and would be something I might end up liking after all. So i decided i would take it. I hoped i would get it! But I really didn't think the radiology one was going to be an option for me.

Well, she called today. The lady in HR (who interviewed me for both positions before they saw me individually). The conversation went something like this:

"Melissa? This is Jennifer from Baton Rouge General."
"Hi, how are you?"
"Great... So, are you still looking for a job?"
"Yes..."
(Laughs) "Well, i have two departments who would like to hire you!"
Pause. "Are you serious?!?!"

Haha! It was great. I was like, GUSHING, into the phone. I don't think she minded. I chose the one in Radiology, without hesitating, because that is the one that i am excited about the WORK itself. And i liked the people there, too. The pay is the same as what i was making before, so that's good. (Whew!)

It is kind of sad to NOT get to work with the people in Purchasing, after having met them and thinking they are so sweet!!! But i am sure i will meet wonderful people in Radiology also. I am really excited. If you couldn't tell.

God is SO good! I was so upset and hurt and angry about losing that photography job. But this one is SO MUCH BETTER! I remember just KNOWING that taking the photography job was a God-thing. And i do not doubt that still, even after what happened. Maybe it was just to get me away from my job before that (which was TERRIBLE). Maybe it was that, and also a stepping stone to get me to the next best thing. But i didn't imagine it would be this! I know it's less artsy & more sciency than what i would normally like. ;) But it's still something I think i will be good at, and a hospital - an environment I've always wanted to work in! Plus, they have stability there, great benefits, and much more! YAY!

So, yes. I am thrilled. I start May 20th. So i get one more week off. Ha! :)

What amazes me? By the time i go to work, I will have been out of work exactly one month. Lost my job April 20th, start new job May 20th. 3 interviews, 2 job offers. THAT is amazing! It took forever to find a job when i was laid off in 2011. Or 2010. Whenever that was. Financially, we are going to be just fine. :) Praise God!

Thanks again for praying for me!!! You are the BEST!

"For the Lord is good and His love endures forever. His faithfulness continues through all generations." Psalm 100:5

Today was Good!

2013-05-07T22:22:00.000-05:00

Today was good,

Today was fun!
Tomorrow is

Another one!

-Dr. Seuss :)

Had a great day today. First of all, today was weigh-in day. Eek! I was SO NERVOUS. I did away with my scale at home, Standing on it daily can play tricks on you!! Don't see a loss when you should, you get discouraged & eat things you shouldn't... See a loss you think you should, you think it's okay to cheat a little since you're losing! Ha! Lose-lose situation for me! :)

Since I am not weighing daily, and didn't feel that much smaller, I was so nervous. BUT! I went to my appointment anyway, hoping to see a loss. 2 pounds. That's what i wanted. I wouldn't have dared to hope for a 3 pound loss. But y'all. 4.5!!! 4.5 pounds down on that scale! EEK!

I am SO THANKFUL, y'all!

That, of course, set the tone for the day. :)

At noon, I went to the home of one of the ladies at church. They were having a lunch for our pastor's wife, Mary Ann's birthday! I couldn't wait to go because i LOVE Mary Ann, and because I NEVER get to go to these kinds of things since i normally have an outside-the-home full-time job! You better believe i was taking advantage of my time off!

Me & Mary Ann! She is so sweet!

There were 8 or 9 ladies there, and we had a great time. It was short but sweet. We had lunch and then went outside to visit. BEAUTIFUL BEAUTIFUL DAY!!

After that, I ran home, changed clothes & headed to my second interview at a local hospital. I went on an interview with them last Tuesday. The Human Resources lady said she had 2 possible positions for me. I immediately interviewed with one of them, but she couldn't get in touch with the other one. So they called me later and i met with them today.

I feel great about the interview. It went well. Really well. I loved the lady i met with (who i think would be my boss!) & she introduced me to the 3 ladies I would be working with. They were SO sweet & fun. I could definitely see myself working with them. The actual WORK is not really something I thought I would be interested in. The pay is not as much as I was making before. Those are the downers. BUT I think i would learn a lot and like working with these ladies, which would make it more enjoyable. Plus, you get annual raises and there is opportunity to grow! SO... we'll see!

Initially, I really wanted the OTHER job (with the same hospital), and that one still seems more my cup of tea as far as what I would be doing! But this one seems more likely for them hiring me. Because i have more experience in this area. So...we shall see. She said she HOPES to have it wrapped up by the end of the week... I should hear by Friday or maybe Monday?!

Tomorrow I have another interview with the state. My husband works for the state and they have excellent benefits. So...that's a possibility too! Say a prayer for me tomorrow at 10:30 am (central time), okay?! Please?? (I get so nervous for interviews!!)

Oh, and last night (we're going backwards now...if you are confused!), I went to my friend Mandy's for an Origami Owl party. Have you heard of these?! I wasn't going to buy one even though i have really wanted one, seeing as how i do not have a J-O-B! But my mama bought me one! How sweet is she?! I love it. It's a necklace that you put little charms in to represent your life. Here is a picture of mine! Can you see it?

So here are the charms i chose to represent me! A flower, a camera, a coffee cup, drama faces (theater!), a dog bone (to represent Fievel), a treble clef (to represent my musician husband), a cross (to represent my love for Jesus!), and my birthstone (aquamarine for March). The back says "inspire". They also had "faith" & "dream" & i would have loved one of those! But i am also impatient and she didn't have one of those in stock, so... INSPIRE it is! But it fits. i am a creative person. I look for inspiration in everything. Photography, theater, music??? Inspire is a good word for me! :)

So that was a lot of fun!!

Just catching you up on my week so far! Hope all of you are having a good one! :)

This weekend, I...

2013-05-06T05:00:00.000-05:00

This weekend, I saw the movie MUD with my parents. (There are pluses to being without a job! Like...getting to join the parents for lunch & a movie in the middle of the day!) Did I like the movie? Um...yes. I think so!

This weekend, I was treated to lunch at VooDoo BBQ,. First time eating there. And yes...they actually had veggies... I could eat there without cheating on my diet! Whew!

This weekend, I watched my beautiful friend Natalie get married!

This weekend, I spilled my water & my wine at the wedding reception. At the same time. No, I was not drunk (I spilled the wine after having maybe two sips!). Yes, i was talking with my hands. :)

This weekend, I caught up with some dear friends at Natalie & Bradford's wedding!

This weekend, I stage managed another performance of Move Over, Mrs. Markham at TBR.

Zac & Jeff (actors) and Keith (director) - don't they look guilty of something?!?

2 of my favorite people...Beth & Kelly

My friend Ronald, whose hair is like that for the show. ;)

This weekend, I went to church. It was wonderful. And the day was just beautiful!

This weekend, I went for a walk with my love! Just because i wanted to exercise. I am thinking if you actually WANT to exercise... you better hurry up and do it before you change your mind! :)

What did you do this weekend? Link up with Syndal or Sar for This Weekend, I...!

Natalie & Bradford's wedding!

2013-05-05T00:34:00.000-05:00

Friday night, we went to the wedding of my beautiful friend, Natalie. I met her in 2006 during our first show at Baton Rouge Little Theater, Beauty and the Beast, and we have remained good friends through the years. I seriously made some lifelong friends in that cast!

Natalie was proposed to via flash mob (which i just watched again, and cried again!) and I knew their wedding would be just as special. There were touches of LSU everywhere, from the gold bridesmaids dresses to purple bouquets, to an LSU football stadium groom's cake! The LSU theme is very fitting, as they're both recent LSU law school graduates, plus she was an LSU golden girl as an undergrad. She also had a cute little llama at each table at the reception (this has nothing to do with LSU, Natalie is just obsessed with llamas!).

The ceremony was held at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Plaquemine, Louisiana. What a beautiful church! Everything was so elegant.

This picture is a little blurry, but i LOVE it. They're so happy!

The reception was held a few minutes away at Nottoway Plantation. GORGEOUS plantation home in White Castle, Louisiana.

The wedding party made their entrance to the LSU Fight Song. They all wore purple or gold sunglasses. Honestly - it was adorable!

Brad & I had a great time visiting with friends we haven't seen in awhile. Actually, several of these we only see at weddings these days! Haha!

Lauren & Dan

Susan & Chris (She is glowing! Susan is gonna be a bride herself in 3 months!)

Evan & Sara

Charlynn & her new boyfriend, Andy!

The groom's cake was AMAZING. This pic does not do it justice!

Adorable

Finally got to meet my friend Noel's fiance! :)

Me, Charlynn & Evan!

Me & my sweet love (i need a haircut so bad!)

I love her so much!

Us with the bride! (I have no idea why Brad is laughing!)

Love her! What a beautiful bride!