Up to speed...

To catch up --

I got my bridal portraits back last week! They are wonderful...EXCEPT for my hair is messed up in every one of them! We might even have to reshoot them...ggghhhrrrr.. When I went to pick them up, it was the first thing I noticed...and this stray-ish hair is sooo very out of place in nearly every one of them - unless I'm looking the other way! I guess we'll see what comes of it.

Some of my sorority sisters (Staci - by proxy-, Ashley, Shannon, & Roselynn) had a shower for us this weekend, and it went great! It was really good to see everybody, and Jennifer Beard Miller brough her wedding pictures from when she got married on the beach this summer! Abana brought Sierra, who is growing, growing, growing. She is the most adorable little thing! Robin also brought Karli, her 2 month old - and I might add that Robin is looking wonderful - and as if she'd never even been pregnant!

I really appreciated everyone who got to come (even though it was a home game for the Razorbacks!) After the shower, my mom and I got to sit down and talk to Roselynn (my old roomie) and Jana (her mother-in-law). It's so crazy, how you live with someone for 3 years..see them every single day...and then you graduate, move to the same town, and see them maaaaybe once every year. It was really nice to catch-up with them, and my mom really enjoyed it too!

Our engagement announcement was published in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette on Sunday, October 23, 2004. It's just a little blurb, as they don't put pictures for engagements. We will probably have it in the Benton Courier this Sunday or next.

Our invitations are going out tomorrow! Well, it will be official! :) The countdown continues...

Room to Room...things like mops and brooms

A Room-to-Room shower was held for me this weekend (October 16) at the home of Charlie and Carolyn Snider (Brandy Snider Cimino's parents). It was wonderful! Brandy, Amy Parker, and Mollie Teas hosted and they did a fabulous job! It means more to me than they will ever know that they went to all of this trouble for me - it is truly appreciated!!! At the 10:30 a.m. shower they served coffee, OJ,mimosas and tea - and had a gorgeous array of breakfasty-type foods! Several people that I hadn't seen in a while attended, which was wonderful!

Over the weekend, we assembled our invitations, which was a task! Stuffing, stamping, folding, blah blah blah. Cyndi Timm ( a coworker of mine) addressed our invitations for us; so they look great both inside and out. I made the direction cards on my computer, and I hope that everyone finds them useful! They also have directions to the hotel that we have blocked rooms with. We also included RSVP cards, which we are hoping that everyone utilizes!

Bridal Portraits

I had my bridal portraits done yesterday, October 10, 2004 at the Capitol. Of course, if it could go wrong...it about did. This appointment to have the pictures taken was last minute, and my florist was out of town..so I got a last minute bridal bouquet made from Kroger. Fortunately, it looked great - we'll see how it photographed! It has been raining here for about 2 days straight, and the rain certainly did not halt on my behalf. Rain and all, I had my hair and makeup done in Benton the morning of my pictures; running late, I raced home to get my mom and my dress. My friend, and wedding attendant, Brandy, met us there to help out since my mom is unable to walk long distances. By the time I got to the capitol, my veil had fallen off of my head and had to be fixed. (this, ahem, being my second veil...as the first one was completely constructed wrong - bridal catastrophe -). Larry, my photographer, said the pictures should be in by Wednesday or Thursday - so, we'll see how they look!

Less than 2 months to go!

Troy and I decided to make a wedding blog to update everyone on what was going on the last two months of our engagement! In addition, I figured this would be a good way to vent wedding frustrations...and be able to look back later and think -- I got upset about a " "??? ( insert napkin, font color, anything trivial or 'bride monumentous' here).

To get up to date - we had our engagement pictures done on September 27, 2004 at the Old Mill. We thought that they turned out great, and they are posted on our website, karlynandtroy.com.

September 29, 2004 - The ladies at the Center for Applied Research and Evaluation at Arkansas Children's Hospital threw us a Recipe and Kitchen Shower. We are all so blessed that my mom has such wonderful co-workers and words cannot express how appreciative we are for everything they do!

October 2, 2004 - A couples shower was hosted by Ashley Monahan and Alene Martin at the home of Scott and Alene Martin. We had a GREAT time and it was wonderful to see all of our bridal party and their guests. We really have some great friends!

My mother was in the hospital again during the week of October 4-8. She has been retaining a lot of fluid in her abdomen and had to go in to have it drawn off. They pulled approximately 2 gallons off. For anyone who doesn't know, she has been on catastrophic leave from work for the past 7 months or so as her heart condition was no longer allowing her to work full time. The leave ran out on September 24 and she returned to work Monday September 27. She worked one week and landed right back into the hospital during the entire next week. Her cardiologist has told her that she has definitely given it her best shot to stay in work, but if she didn't give it up - she would just keep up the work-hospital cycle - or worse. Her heart is so weak that it just doesn't take much for her to over-do it. She came home on October 8th - and seems to be feeling a little better. Please keep her in your prayers!