Wedding update, Work update, & a Shout Out

Well, well.. 

Wedding Update:

There is no update. I haven't even told my bridesmaids that I want them to be my bridesmaids, or maid of honor, or matrons of honor, or whatever it is I'll be having. We have no date. We have no venue. We have a lot of nothing. But it'll be okay! I have a groom-to-be and I have the address to the courthouse {worst case scenario} so... I'm really trying to not worry about it. 

Work Update: 

I started my new position this week at Bessemer City Middle School! All the staff are being super nice and welcoming to me, which is great, because that was a fear of mine {that they wouldn't be} and I finally have my office looking better & better every day. {Pictures to come} I realized yesterday, while I sat in the school cafeteria during lunch time, looking around that I have not been inside a middle school since I was in middle school! I know I was a small middle schooler {and by small I mean short}but there are some TINY middle schoolers! It breaks my heart that they are being introduced to all things middle school. They should have their own school for super tiny, really cute kids. Because that's what they are. There's no way they are middle schoolers. :) And then there's some freakishly huge middle schoolers. Seriously, something's in the water, or the cows, or the chickens- I don't know. But  guys, if she looks like she's 18, you better get an I.D. because she may or may not be in the 8th grade. {For reals}

Also, for those of you who have asked me.. I'll just clarify. My new "job" is actually a new position for the same company I've been working for since I graduated. Instead of seeing clients for outpatient therapy {"counseling"}as needed in the office, I'll be at the school, doing therapy, and all my clients will come from that school and I'll see them at school during school time. Pretty neat! I feel like I'm so blessed to get to experience "the best of both worlds" because I'm technically in the mental health field, still working towards my {full} licensure hours, and am in a school everyday, and will have next summer off! Seriously, provisionally-licensed clinicians rarely get this opportunity. I have been very lucky thus far in my "career." {I still feel weird saying that word.}

Shout Out:

Can I give my boo a shout out? Because that boy deserves it! He has gone over and beyond lately to make me the happiest girl ever and I am thanking the Lord every day for making me the future wife of this man! We spent Thursday AND Friday nights after work working on making over this super old & ugly table that was left in my office. 

Before...

During...

{And I don't have an "after picture" yet.

It'll come with the pics of the office, because that's where it returned!}

And Saturday morning he rode with me to the school to work on my office. He helped me paint one of the walls, and hang paper lanterns, and clean up old delinquents' messes. {My room is the old "ISS" room so envision the words "F" YOU, and THIS PLACE SUCKS written in whatever writing utensil they had at the time.} Alex assisted with minimal complaining and for that alone, I'm thankful! ;) That evening we had mini engagement session with Jess-Rudisill Photography. That deserves a post all on its own! To make a long story short though, Alex cracked me up for an hour, and it was such a good time! And by "cracked me up for an hour" I mean that we may or may not have any good pictures because I really couldn't stop laughing. {I know, I know, sometimes it's cute to see a couple all smiling and laughing in their pictures... but this got out of control.} He did complain {about the oddest things I would say} a bit but I am hoping to get some good new favorite pics of us out of the session! I should get those pics soon & I'll be sharing those for sure! ;) Then Sunday while I joined my long lost friend Tori & her husband for lunch in Hickory and had a Mary Kay date with an old RA from Ike, Hannah, Alex spent the afternoon helping my lovely father move. {Hate I missed that, really.}

Adding some fun, color, and happiness to a very scary room :) 

So you see why he deserves a shout out?

He's just being so darn nice. And cooperative. And that's how I like him. :)

{Love you Al!} 

& here's the {now} mRs. Tori Madsen Benoit :) ... ♥ her 

& here's our "sneak peak" of the engagement session. :)

Yes, I'm wearing the same top{s}... Please don't judge me.

That's all I know. I'm just darn proud I remembered to blog about these things! I have been soooo ADHD lately. Really needing some psychiatric medication at this point, but it's always the mental health therapists that don't take their own advice! ;) 

Until later {and not too much later I hope!}...

♥,

Nicole

"What's up? Nothing much..."

This isn't going to be a long post, but I feel like I should update!

Guess how many things we've figured out & got set in stone! Still z-e-r-o. I know who I want to be my photographer, but we haven't set a date, or anything else for that matter, so I'm not 100% sure she'll be free that day. Fingers crossed!

Also, can I just say that guest list dra-ma is not what I want to be doing on a Saturday afternoon? :) It was funny from time to time because Alex and our friends Derek & Danae are always good for some laughs, but in all honesty, I want all who I hold dear, as well as those who I enjoy their presence at my our wedding! So does Alex! But, the sickening truth is, unless we're going to charge a cover charge at the door, we have a problem. Every bride has to go through this. I mean, every bride I've talked to, because no one I know has it like that where they're able to invite 500+ people {except one but that's a rare exception}. Bluh! Just fill my time being engaged with growing closer spiritually and emotionally to my fiance, spending time with friends, laughs, good times, memories, good pictures, good food, and a couple nice presents if you really really want to and I will be set! None of this awkward, sad thinking and having to cut people from a guest list. No thank you!

And I'm officially going to stop updating people with the thoughts running through my head. Why? Because I annoy myself so I know I'm annoying others! ;) First its outside in October, then its April, then its May, then its November, then its May again. But it can't be May or Alex will melt, so it's got to be inside now. You catch my drift? Annoying. And the last thing I want to be is an annoying bride, so, stop me if you catch me being annoying! ;) Please!

And can I give a shout-out to my amazing girlfriends?! They've been there since day one, giving me ideas, offering to help in any way, watching me bounce off the walls, reassuring me it's all going to be okay, and just being super fabulous friends to me. {You know who you are!} And can I give a shout-out to my man? He's totally putting a smile on his face and letting me drag him through this journey with me. He's not complaining {too much} and most of the time when he is it's in a joking manner. And we're doing daily devotionals, really working on growing our relationship spiritually so we're {more} prepared for this thing called "married life" and working on getting better at praying with and for each other! I love that that's a priority for him & that he wants to make God the center of our relationship/future marriage.

That's really all I wanted to say. But yeah, just kidding about the "this isn't going to be a long post" thing. :)

When I know something, I'll let ya know! Until then, I start my new job this week so.. wish me luck!!!

Bridal Showcase Success

So, for the longest time, I've been telling Alex I wanted to go to a bridal show. I know they only come around twice a year, or, this one specific one does, and I've been talking about it for a looong time. I've been fussing about it for a long time too because I just KNEW that Alex was going to propose after the August show & by the time the January show came around, I'd either be married or already planned everything. And I have always sworn that I wasn't going to a bridal show {for myself} without a ring on my finger. And for good reason! They're going to ask you a million times when your date is, and look for your ring, and all that, so, yeah, I just wasn't doing it.

Well, today I got my chance!! Alex had perfect timing all along, ;) haha.. and I was able to go to The Bridal Showcase in Charlotte, NC today with my mom and Alex's mom! We had such a good time walking around, talking to people, eating desserts, and getting ideas & getting INFORMED...

Man oh man oh man... I wish I would have counted up all the info I got today. Actually, scratch that. No I don't. That would be an annoying pointless task BUT this picture basically sums it up! I got all this info today, the rose {haha} and a t-shirt! I also set up 2 appointments to go try on bridal gowns in September! Woohoo!! I feel productive!! No more bad bride-to-be for me! :) Today was definitely worth the gas up there & the $12 ticket!

And, the best thing is is that I got "my experience" I was wanting!! I just wanted to do what all the other brides were doing have done! :) So, thank you Alex, for proposing two weeks ago, or else I would have been SO mad when I found out the bridal show was this weekend & I had to miss it again!! Haha

Ohh the joys of being a bride-to-be! :)

PS- Shout out to my friends Jessie & Hayden on their ENGAGEMENT! Love is in the air! ;) I'm so glad I can wedding plan with a{nother} friend of mine! So fun!

Can y'all tell I'm getting more excited about this?? Now I just have to nail down a venue & a date! But I worked on that tonight as well so... stay tuned!! ;)

A bad bride-to-be!

So, I used to feel like a horrible blogger because I was slackin' on the blogging. Now I feel like a bad bride-to-be because it's been 2 weeks since Alex & I got engaged & ask me how many things I've figured out. ONE. Who I'm going to marry. That. Is. It. ...Seriously!

First it was October.. then Alex decided to wait until the end of July to propose ;) .. so now we're I'm thinking April.. but then I find perfect places that would be beautiful in Autumn & I start thinking November.. so I can't even nail down a MONTH.

And don't get me started on venues. Wedding venues are outrageous! If you're going to charge me quadruple-digits, offer something other than a roof over my head & a parking lot. Please.

Small budgets are the worst when planning weddings but the good thing is, it keeps you grounded. I'm not able to say "I'll take one of this, and one of that." I'm being super "picky" because I have to make every dollar count. I think that's a good thing! Simple + pretty is what my wedding will be. And there ain't nothin' wrong with that! ;)

I have been super blessed so far with the fact that I have great friends who are offering to help me brainstorm, come up with ideas, and giving me their 2 cents.. all of which have been welcome thus far! ;) I've never gotten married before, so I don't know what all there is to know. I welcome any and all suggestions, ideas, and advice you've got!

I'm excited about figuring things out.
I'm excited about The Bridal Showcase tomorrow in Charlotte.
And I'm excited that every day that passes is one day I'm closer to marrying my best friend!

I think it'll all come together in time. I may or may not know a wedding month before Christmas. But it'll all come together.

I do know this...
I don't need to freak out.
I don't need to stress out.
I don't need to rush through things.
I don't need to overwhelm myself.
I need to take my time, make good decisions, and take it all in because I'll never be a bride-to-be again!
I'm excited about sharing this season with my fiance, friends, & family and am looking forward to our big day!!

PS: I spent quite a bit of time repinning all my wedding-related pins into different boards so I didn't have 350+ pins about 10 different things all in one board to make me cross my eyeballs. Check out my new boards & Follow me on Pinterest! :)