do a little dance.

I just found out that I have been selected to interview at Georgia State for there Physical Therapy Program.
:) I am so very honored and excited. PRAYERS that God's will will continue to lead me in the direction I am headed. Continue to guide me through the different doors he has placed in my path, opportunities to succeed and/or further my education. Prayers that he will continue to strength and solidify my relationship with Jason and our future together as one. Prayers that I will handle peacefully, prayerfully, and graciously EVERYTHING he has blessed me with.
Prayers of thanks to YOU for your support.
:) Happy dance all around, which most definitely calls for a celebratory coffee break. (pretty much anything calls for a celebratory coffee break in my case)

:)

I purchased my wedding dress today. I made an appointment at the Crystal Crane (now across from the Mall of Georgia) and my mom, sister, and I were all there to share in the experience! My mom and I got there a little before 10:30, I had already gone through all of the designers collections they carry and picked out the dresses I liked the most. This gave them an idea of what I liked and the lady who was helping us (Laura) steered me towards a few that fit my taste. The place is actually pretty small so we ended up going through all of the dresses and picking out the ones that I like or thought would at least be fun to try on. Both my mom and Laura really wanted me to try on this one dress but I was not too crazy about the beads on it. After trying on several and really liking a pretty expensive one they finally convinced me to try on the one they both liked. When I put it on they both loved it :). At first I really loved the flow of the skirt but was not crazy about the beads still. However, the owner of the store came over and began to tell me how we could order it without the beads and even have it made in a different type of fabric. Around this time my sister showed up and I showed her the two I liked the most. She, like me, liked the more expensive one better. The two dresses were both completely different and thus spoke of two completely different feels, the more expensive one had a more mature, elegance to it whereas the other had a more youthful, Cinderella-type feel. The longer I was in the later though, and the more I was able to imagine the little changes they would make to it...the happier and more excited I became. I think what did me in was when I tried on the veil I was absolutely in love with. The veil and dress and my mom and the owner and my sister in a trial bridesmaid dress pretty much did it in for me! (Not to mention that it was over a thousand dollars less than the other one!) I LOVED that they were able to accommodate my wishes so easily AND that I can still make alterations to it once it is actually here. :) :) :) SO there you have it! OH and while I was trying on this dress, THE DRESS, I looked out the window and happened to see Chad (Jason's brother-in-law) walking right by!! He looked in the window and did a triple take!! 8) Hopefully that's a good sign! Oh and he was on his way to Jason's!!! CLOSE ONE!!! I don't even know how I'm going to keep all of this from Jason. It makes it feel so much more real, just knowing exactly what I'm going to be wearing I can really picture it now! I know that most brides say that they try on THE dress and they just know. However, for me it was so much better because I was able to piece together the whole picture and then it REALLY was just the the one for me. :) I loved how I gradually became more and more excited with each added element. (and it really helped having several women tell me how gorgeous it was) Now the really cool thing about it all is that Crystal Crane is the same place Maggie got her dress :) It used to be located in downtown Lawerenceville AND in that very same building downtown (before it was Crystal Crane) is where Annie got HER dress! All three of us will've used the same seamstress, and that just means the world to me!
All in all, it was a fantastic, memorable, Joyfully blessed day!
(We DID take pictures however I am most definitely NOT going to post them ;))

joy, revisited :]

"When inspiration comes you somehow have disengaged your consciousness just a touch. The flow of images comes and it comes so quickly and so freshly that you know its just a transparency really. You've managed to remove the barrier and you're just reaching straight into the good stuff."

david gray

given my understood obsession with music I decided to provide a compilation of my 50 favorite songs in 2008. several people have done variations of this themselves and i just thought it might be nice to recollect and share with you guys the songs that meant the most to me. the firsts are by far my most favorite and have been of particular importance to me for one reason or the other. several miscellaneous others are "favorites" because of a moment or a person that has made them so! :) So please look through and feel free to request a CD if you decide you like, don't like, or don't know what I've chosen. Feel free to ask why too!! Oh yes and Happy New Year.
:)

and here we go...
1. You Are My Joy - David Crowder Band - A Collision

2. Shine - Anna Nalick - Shine - EP











3. Strawberry Swing - Coldplay - Viva La Vida











4. Milk - Kings of Leon - Aha Shake Heartbreak











5. Street Lights - Kanye West - 808's and Heartbreak











6. Fire - Augustana - Can't Love, Can't Hurt











7. Rain King - Counting Crows - New Amsterdam: Live at Heineken Music Hall











8. Song to the Siren (live) - David Gray - A Thousand Miles Behind










9. Psalm 23 - Jason Upton - Jacob's Dream - EP











10. Is There a Ghost - Band of Horses - Cease to Begin











11. Josh Likes Me - Mom - Little Brite
12. Closer - Kings of Leon - Only By The Night
13. Use Somebody - Kings of Leon - Only By The Night
14. My Only Swerving - El Ten Eleven - El Ten Eleven
15. Violet Hill - Coldplay - Viva La Vida
16. Come and Listen - David Crowder Band - Double Take: David Crowder Band
17. Washed By The Water - Needtobreathe - The Heat
18. The Greatest Sum (Acoustic) - The Avett Brothers - The Second Gleam
19. Saeglópur - Sigur Rós - Saeglópur - Single
20. Lavinia - The Veils - The Runaway Found
21. Where I Stood - Missy Higgins - On A Clear Night
22. Darling - Wyeuca/Joel Mooneyhan
23. Skinny Love - Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
24. True Colors - Eva Cassidy - American Tune
25. Hannah - Ray LaMontagne - Trouble
26. Go Down Easy (live) - David Gray - A Thousand Miles Behind
27. Section 14 (Two Thousand Places) - The Polyphonic Spree - Together We're Heavy
28. I'm Yours (From the Casa Nova Sessions) - Jason Mraz - We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things
29. I Am - Eddie James - Free To Worship - Ultimate Call
30. He Is The Love - David Crowder Band - All I Can Say
31. Essex (Live in Atlanta) - The Album Leaf - Seal Beach
32. Questions - Tommy Emmanuel - Only
33. Mother -Antoine Dufour - Existence
34. Together We Will Live Forever - Clint Mansell - The Fountain (Score)
35. Ain't Gonna Lose You - Brett Dennen - Ain't Gonna Lose You - Single
36. Fiasco - Nancy Wilson - Elizabethtown (Score)
37. Bixby Canyon Bridge - Death Cab For Cutie - Narrow Stairs
38. Healer - Hillsong - This Is Our God
39. Melt My Heart To Stone - Adele - 19
40. Christmas Song - Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds - Live At Luther College
41. Take A Bow - Rihanna - Take A Bow - Single
42. Figure It Out - Maroon 5 - It Won't Be Soon Before Long
43. Lay And Love - Bonnie "Prince" Billy - The Letting Go
44. I'm Amazed - My Morning Jacket - Evil Urges
45. Faith - Jason Upton - Faith
46. Do You Know? (The Ping Pong Song) - Enrique Iglesias - Insomniac
47. Busy Being Fabulous - The Eagles - Long Road Out of Eden
48. Bleeding Love - Leona Lewis - Spirit
49. Nothing Can Compare With God (Psalm 113) - Natalie LaRue - The Message: Psalms
50. Dear Claudia - SouthFM - Drama Kids

Neverending holiday season!

I love it here :) In Rome that is. I love it to be surrounded by my families and have a routine and the ability to breath! Don't get me wrong, I enjoy my classes, classmates, and clinicals at school (lameness I know) but I have completed by "college years" chapter of my life, or atleast my Milledgeville chapter that is and would very much like to be finished. Well, actually, let me rephrase that, I will thoroughly enjoy my final semester there to its fullest but am very much looking forward to what is to come afterwards. I am stilll waiting to hear from GA State as to whether or not I will be interviewed for their physical therapy program or not AND will have to start looking for job opportunities at the start of this year just in case. This summer and my living situation for the space between Jason and I's wedding is still up in the air but that will all be figured out in good time and God's will. Breath deep. :)
Okay so, I came here to share with you photos from my Christmas celebrations with both of my families :) I received a definite upgrade of camerage from my parents and for that I am eternally grateful and these are the results.

The extremely large moma spider that Jason found in the pool filter (with all of her babies too....yuck) that's as close as I could get without getting severely creeped out.
I had a photo shoot with Maggie's Apple Pie (these were the FIRST PICTURES with my new camera :))
My Love & I
My Close Up
My Future Mom-in-law's adorable close up!
Just a few of my favorites from Daniel's first Christmas in America. What a blessing. :)

My mom, sister, & I - no explanation necessary I hope.
Maggie's New CAMERA!!!!!!
Charlie letting my try out the different features on my camera (this one is for taking pictures of babies so I had him make his best baby/happy face)
My Ring :) :) :)
Sister and Mother-in-law seasoning the fantastic turkey!
Jason & Isabella in a tickle fit.

happy, happy, happy.
the super comfy blankets jason & i gave Annie for her couches :)
a TRIPOD! (just in case a tree branch is not available ;))
my favorite - he is very surprised that I got him the awesome mouse he wanted :)
the monogrammed cologne from me also
haha Maggie is clearly enjoying Charlie's explanation of how he drives and plays a driving game on his iPod touch at the same time!!!
happy warm hands!!
Maggie's AMAZING present for our home next year :)
Jason's dad after he ruined my wedding clock countdown present before I opened it...hehe
It counts down every last second!!!
The Wolfe's playing play-do together :)
Isabella and Uncle Charlie enjoying his new speakers
The sisters reviewing photos :)Jason & I making late night truffles.

I know these pictures do not do all the fun we had complete justice but I am so thankful we have them and will always remember our last Christmas before we are married!!!

our wedding website

I've been working on this off and on all day long!
This break is fantastic. It has given me time to sleep, relax, work out...oh and did I mention sleep?
I've also been able to look at a place to have the reception. I don't really want to write too much about it until I know for sure if that is where we are going to have it or not. I loved it though, plenty of room and lots of freedom to decorate it however I would like! :)
Very exciting.
Anyways!!
Please check out the website if you get the chance.
http://www.mywedding.com/jasonlauren/

quiet my soul. remember.

1. Put Your Itunes on Shuffle
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. You must write that song name down no matter how silly it makes you look

IF SOMEONE SAYS "IS THIS OKAY" you say
"Woah dear Saviour, gonna take my cares away."
Black River - Amos Lee

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF?
"I sang alleluia in the choir,"
Forgiven - Alanis Morissette

WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
"For the rest of my life I will find the answers that were already here."
The End is Here - Alter Bridge

HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
"So reveal to these eyes the true heart of my Father,"
Teach Me How to Pray - Jason Upton

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S PURPOSE?
Lift your voice to heaven, lift up your head and sing, to the One who gave his love Here our lives we bring."
Open Skies - David Crowder Band

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
"Takes you and me to open up once more...Peace like a river, Joy like a fountain."
Trust Once More - Jason Upton

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
"and when the love spills over & music fills the night, and when you can't contain your Joy inside; Dance for Jesus, dance for Jesus, dance for Jesus & live."
Untitled Hymn (Come to Jesus) - Chris Rice

WHAT DO YOU OFTEN THINK ABOUT?
"Now in this world of purchase, i'm gonna buy back memories"
Run - Collective Soul

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
It Must be the Light - Michael Nyman (Gattaca Soundtract)

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
"To the rescue, here I am."
Sun is Shining - Bob Marley

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
"Without when within you, my sweet Lavinia."
Lavinia - The Veils

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
A Special Place - Michael C.

WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
"On this day I see clearly everything has come to life."
Metalingus - Alter Bridge
haha doubtful, but this WILL be my war cry for the day. :)

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
"So baby, oh if Heaven calls, i'm coming too."
Drugs Don't Work - Ben Harper

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST FEAR?
"and it's everpresent everywhere."
Warm Love - Van Morrison

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
"All I wanna do is sit here on my balcony."
On My Balcony - Flunk

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
"The more I live, the more I know. What's simple is true. I love you."
What's Simple is True - Jewel

WHAT WILL YOU NAME THIS?
Lead Me to the Cross - Hillsong

Sometimes

as most of us do i'm sure, I wish that things could just be easy. That everyone would always agree with me & even be excited for what I have (or have not) yet planned. Now thankfully this is not the case because the differing of opinions keeps me thinking, keeps me humble, keeps me on my toes to figure out WHY exactly I might feel the way I do. But still, there are those times when you just wish that those whose opinion mattered the most to you in the world, that they would just see you for who you are without having to explain it.
Explanation is a tiring thing, and hard to do when your staring those who mean the most to you in the face, but that's where Faith comes in. That Something More intervening when you no longer know what to say, do, or be anymore. Just the knowing that He is, makes it all worth....it. :)

Mountains this weekend, cannot wait for the time away with my future family!!!