Ivory Heaven: My Whimsical Wedding

On September 22, 2010September 22, 2010 By AngeliaIn Beautiful Life, In my heart forever & ever20 Comments

My newest ~~wordless~~ wordful Wednesday obsession – all things wedding. I’m attending to the details as it comes down to the wire.

Countdown – eighteen more days until my 10-10-10 wedding (phew). Sweet biscuits! It’s been a loooong ten month engagement, and finally it’s almost here. I am extremely excited!

Here are a few teasers for all you wedding/picture fanatics (like me).

Wedding ring

Veil and dress detail, to the left is the flower girl’s hair wreath

Cake top doves in the background of the flower girl basket

Toasting glasses and shoes in the background

The magnitude of this wedding is definitely a dream come true for me. I haven’t been too bridezilla(ish). I think? I will be working with my future mom, Sue, this week on the table and Church decorations. We did the shopping last weekend and it was fun, fun, fun. I don’t know if I mentioned how wonderful this family is. How helpful, loving, and kind. I am very, very blessed and couldn’t ask for more than I have recieved to be included and accepted so lovingly.

Truth is; the surprising divorce Jason went through with his ex was very hard on all of them, and it wasn’t easy opening their heart again to a new person. It wasn’t easy trusting that he wouldn’t get his heart broken again, but trust they did to welcome me, and Sydney with open arms. I am eternally grateful for that.

I hope you all don’t get sick of me and my scrabbled egg wedding brain. In mid-October, I will be back to normal (?), or at least more normal blog posts, like more writing and stuff. HA.

Country Girl goes Big

On May 20, 2010May 20, 2010 By AngeliaIn Life is what you make it., The good the bad and the beautiful43 Comments

Big city that is. Her days in the country being packed away into the back of a horse trailer hitched to a big Dooley truck. Off it would head, south from Oklahoma, straight into the heart of the big city – Dallas, Texas. Nothing could stop her. No one could tell her the risks, the realities, or the brisk way of life. Nope. She was eighteen. She knew what she wanted. She knew better than anyone.

Since age thirteen, she wanted to beat a path to the city. The bigger the better. Her one horse town, without even a stop light, just wasn’t cutting it. Where was the excitement? The interesting jobs? The interesting people? Where? In the city, that’s where. In this dusty place, she would find the same ol’ dreary life as everyone else. Her jaw set, her chin pointed up, and there was grit in her eye. She was MOVING. Moving to the city. She would survive it and no, she wasn’t coming back. Ever.

It didn’t take long to pack up her stuff. Her childhood bed. Her one dresser, nightstand, and desk. Even her classic lingerie chest. Yes, she had a lingerie chest – skinny and tall. The furniture was a gift from her Aunt Lizzie when she was a small child. Antiques is what her mom called them, whatever that means. It would do until she could buy more contemporary stuff. Stuff city folk would use in their rooms.

She had purchased a couch. Wisely, she chose one with a pull-out bed, since the apartment was one bedroom. Unfortunately, it was heavier than Pappa’s old gun safe. Also unfortunate? Being carried up a flight of stairs to her second floor newly rented apartment – in the city, mind you. Her dishes were a gift from her mother. Her TV a hand me down. Luckily the apartment had a fridge and a washer and dryer already.

After the long five-hour drive, and too many tanks of gas pulling a horse trailer, she arrived. The young girl from outside a plain Oklahoma town of twenty thousand, smack dab in the – everythings bigger -Texas, where she shared her air with several million others. What a rush.

Her first day wasn’t hard. She gathered all her furniture in place. No parents. No big sister. No big brothers. No authority. Just her and HER place. She twirled. She skipped. She bounced on the couch. Finally, she was on her own. Yahoooooo!

Finding her way around, without getting creamed proved the most difficult part. There were many highways with loops and exits. Following an exit ramp to what they called an access road just confused her. Was the yield sign to her, or to them? She always used caution and yielded, but still – confusing. Another tiny drawback, her job required that in case of emergency, she was back up delivery runner to the back up delivery runner. Yeah, seemed far-fetched, but guess what happened her first day.

In this year of 1990, the best way to navigate was to consult a map. Specifically map books, called Mapscos, for the Dallas, and surrounding areas. Looking up an address required finding it in the index, then it gave a page number, and a graph matrix code. Following the code and page number to your destination, which was only on one page. To access the entire route required investigating the pages it directed, as the before or after page, depending on which direction you coming from, or heading to. Huh? It was not easy.

As a country girl she knew landmarks; not street signs, not numbered routes, tollways, looped turnarounds, one-way lanes and certainly not all printed out on pages. Which way was North anyhow? But her first delivery. The pressure.

She hopped in the delivery car. Sure of her direction, sure of her map skills. Ignorantly confident. Important urgent document in hand to deliver as soon as possible. It was only twenty minutes away. No way could she get lost, at least that’s what the boss said.

She got lost. Hopelessly lost. Nothing matched the road maps. Nothing went the way it seemed. Each turn she thought was right – wrong. She was entirely off the map. The only thing she could find was the airport. AN HOUR went by. She cried, but refused to give up. TWO went by. Stubborn, and torn she called in. Shame burned. Country girl ruined. Beaten by the city. This was the life she chose?

Finally, the directions from the company she was delivering to led her there, she delivered and actually made it back without a problem. Facing her boss, however, would be. She was scared to death.

Rent. Furniture. Bills. A life started, and dreams potentially shattered, what would happen? Two and half hours it took her to take one item. Who in their right mind would keep, a bumbling bumpkin, like her on staff? She tucked her humiliation away, swallowed hard, and went to face the music. She entered into her bosses office head held high. But he just laughed at her and promised better directions next time.

Country girl vowed to never get lost on a delivery again. The city life was hers for the taking, and thus it began. A new beginning from open land to paved roadways. From empty spaces to shopping malls. From hometown girl to city slicker.

Success is never final, failure is never fatal. It’s courage that counts” -John Wooden

Photos by-Angelia Sims

*previously posted on Real Bloggers United*

Engaged!!!

On October 1, 2009October 2, 2009 By AngeliaIn FAMILY, Wee Wee Wee all the way home!10 Comments

Exciting news!!!

Ok, it’s actually not me (was that a mean trick?). My sister got engaged. Apparently, she texted me a picture of her ring but I haven’t updated my iPhone for text pictures. I never answered her, and finally my mom spilled the beans. Good thing my sister called me, because I was all perturbed and stuff. *WHAT??? SHE DIDN’T TELL ME???? HMMMPHHFF*

Well, but, she kinda did? Don’t you think technology is cursing us? I was reading an article about how news is spread via Facebook to family members, quite often, before they can tell the news themselves. They read the news on someone’s wall or see the relationship status change in their news feed, then call other family members and friends to gossip tell them what’s going on. The family is surprised; why wasn’t I told? It can cause a lot of hard feelings when it wasn’t meant to. Wedding pictures being uploaded before the bride and groom can even share them. Babies born at the hospital. The list goes on and on. You get the idea. This relates to my sister, telling me she is engaged by text, basically because she is not on Facebook. HA.

So, I didn’t get it and sent her a text.

TEXT: Mom spilled the beans (you know better to tell her a secret). Is this for real? Is it pretty? I wanna know everything!

All mom told me was that she had a ROCK. *oooookkkkaaayyyy seriously…. date, details, nope just a ROCK*

My sister calls me with “the news” just after I had talked to Jason, Monday Sep. 28. To say I was a bit distracted?? That would be an understatement. Here is how the conversation went, with Jason, not my sister. Not yet anyway. (follow me here!)

6:09pm

J: Hey, babe, what are you doing?

A: Hey, I am sitting in traffic. Cowboys game tonight and it’s NUTS! People everywhere already! Holy smokes! They are parking all the way up Collins by the Sushi Zone. I just saw a bicycle pulling a BUGGY. I had to take a picture, too funny.

J: Yeah, about that, I got an email from a friend, whose company has extra tickets to the game tonight.

A: Really?? Wow! *This is only the most talked about game since…forever….the first Monday night Cowboys game at the new stadium*

J: Well, we have dance class tonight and it’s so last minute. We probably shouldn’t……..

A: Huh? *WHAT??* Are you serious? Listen, why don’t you call them and see if they still have them. Seriously, we may never get to a Cowboys game on our own. Too expensive! My gosh, we have time to take that dance class again. CALL THEM.

J: Ok, I’ll call you back.

THEN– My sister calls.

Am I ever distracted, I am a phone call away from a Cowboys game. She is telling me about the very sweet, very dear, and very Godly engagement. It is beautiful. I am happy for her. It is a surprise, somewhat, I mean when she insisted her guy meet mom and the family soon, like before they ended up meeting him at the wedding. Yeah, well, we kinda knew. But still….wasn’t sure she’d jump back into marriage so soon after her marriage ended of over TWENTY years. Nevertheless, in my pending anxiousness, I am enjoying the sweet story, when Jason calls back.

“Uhhhh, HOLD ON!”, I switch to Jason.

J: Hey, he is at the Sheraton and they are getting ready to walk to the game. He has two tickets. How close are you? *I have not moved in over five minutes-Yes!

A: I can be there in five.

I basically make a U, and rocket to the Sheraton. At this point, I actually have to hang up with my sister and call her back because, the Sheraton is charging to park for the Cowboys game. I don’t need to park, I only need to pull up and snag me some tickets. *FREE TICKETS. Ahhhh!*

No prob, they let me pass through. Now, I don’t know this guy from Adam. I am waiting at the front doors in my car. I see a guy walking towards me. He is smiling. He opens my door, drops two game tickets and two parking passes in my seat and says, “Enjoy! See you at the game.” *My hero!*

I swear my buggy eyes must have bugged out even more. I thank him profusely. He shuts the door and I glance down at laminated tickets. Ring of Honor suite. $125.00 a piece. Ohhh. Mmm. Geee. *yeah, I have 15yr old*

I had to call my sister back, I was navigating the car, as quick as I could to Jason’s the back routes. Giddy. FREAKING OUT. I couldn’t believe this! Wow!

She answers, “Oh, uhhh, hi sis, where were we?????”. What’s really going through my head? *I am going to the COWBOYS GAME tonight* We talk a little longer. I have no idea what else she said. I remember the important part, SHE’S ENGAGED! Hopefully, she remembers how excited I was, for UM her. Yeah. *I’m going to the GAME!!!!!*

Tickets/GOLD/Keepsakes/Memories/Freebies. Whatever you want to call them. Mine, oh sweetness, mine.

Walking to the GAME! This place is ginormous! We missed the kick off but not by much. The parking pass was off Randol Mill Road, to the west of Collins. Any of you game goers, let me give you a tip. PARK HERE. It is, by far, the best place. Parking here you can go West on Randol Mill and hit any number of freeways when the game is over. Any other direction you are in standstill traffic. News flash, the lots closest to the stadium are the worst. The street is backed up for miles and you can’t even get OUT.

Jason’s FIRST ever Cowboys game. Uhhhh , hun? It’s usually not this awesome. Just so you know!

The WORLD’s LARGEST TV. To a child that was raised on TV, I gotta admit-I was awestruck. I wanted to sit right in front of it. (ha)

Ring of Honor,suite #?? can’t remember, doesn’t even matter. Club level, take the stairs by the chandelier UP. FREE drinks. FREE food. FREE programs. FREE hats. Boiled shrimp the size of my HAND. Chicken pizza, wings, and taquitos. Private bathroom. Not to mention, two Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders came by and took photos with everyone.

Just after the Cowboys FIRST WIN in the new stadium. Just to the left in the picture, the ESPN guys were set up doing their show live on the field.

What an amazing night. How that fell into our lap is still unbelievable. The inside of that stadium IS exactly what everyone is talking about. This place is larger than life. Cooler than an Eskimo’s nose. It should be a world wonder! I was in wonder the whole time.

I couldn’t help but look at Jason, brow furrowed, “Babe, you were going to go to DANCE class?”

He says to me, “Yes, because that’s what I thought YOU wanted to do.”

That’s why I love him, so selfless. He LOVES the Cowboys. Always watches the games and he would have gave that up for me? To dance a dance we have no plans of dancing for a long time. He would have missed this opportunity for my happiness? Really? Incredible! *Is he CRAZY?*

I said, “That’s why I love you, but I wouldn’t have let you do that.” *no way, no how*

He looks back at me, smiling, “And that’s, why I love YOU.”

Don’t you love a happy ending? Great game. Precious memories. Even more precious? Knowing the heart of a person is for you, and you for them.