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Tuesday, June 27, 2006

Dress, Food, Flower girls, Deacon... check!



It never ends fellas. The idea behind the two month engagement period was less stress. Wedding planning looked like a lot of work and I didn't want to do that for a year! (Other reasons include a great love of my boyfriend, hall availabilty, and the fact that I am living at home...) Anyway, tonight is the first day that I am not doing anything wedding related and it gave me a lot of time to reflect upon the fact that I am going to be MARRIED TO KEVIN JONES! I am really excited about that. Also we are going to be having a wonderful wedding and party.
While Kevin worked on a LAZBOY commercial in Detroit, my mom, grandmother, aunt Kathie, cousin Jenae, sister Cassie, and I went gown shopping in Lansing. This is a crazy experience. If you have not gone wedding gown shopping with this many female members of your family you haven't lived! I spent an entire hour blushing they were so complimentary. I am really pleased with my dress, but I can't talk about it here of course.
Then the taste testing. Good price and amazing food. Ahmad is going to serve you guests a delicious wedding meal. He is the owner of Kevin and I's favorite middle eastern restruant in Okemos.
My cousins, Amanda and Jenae Brown, will be our flower girls! They have their dresses and they are looking gorgeous.

A special thanks to the Brown's, Cassie, Mom, and Grandma Gloria for all the wonderful support and company this weekend.

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

THE DATE


The Date has been Set!


September 2nd, 2006!


Please stay tuned for more info, and keep your addresses coming if you haven't email me one yet! Thanks!

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Possible Reception Hall





Visited a possible reception hall Monday morning. Had plenty of windows and a wonderful long front porch! We're pretty geeked about this (the price fits perfectly), stay tuned!

The Upper Peninsula

This past weekend Gloria and I traveled to Michigan's better half to celebrate our engagement and focus on planning on the wedding. I hadn't been to the UP in quite sometime, probably since I was about 3 actually. It was a nice trip, though short.


For those whom haven't experienced the UP (mainly those of you not from Michigan), it's a vast wonderland of forests and animals running wild. Full of lakes, beautiful coastline, and few gas stations, it's a great place to get lost in. On top of that it's not nearly as depressing as the Sufjan Stevens song makes it out to be.




Gloria spent our first morning there drawing designs for our deserts and invitations





While she did that, I took a walk along Lake Superior.

Just Kidding. Of course I helped with the planning!





Gloria then found some flowers within some rocks that the lake hadn't quite been able to submerge.





This sight made me a little regretful for having so joyfully walked and played in the Lake. My Know Your Ships books from my childhood did little to prepare me for that fact.
(the factory in the background was a drop off point for large freighters carrying Iron Ore and other things to make steel with)





And it was only at the end of the day that we had realized we had forgotten sunscreen.


Special thanks go out to Gloria's Aunt Brenda and Uncle Greg for letting us stay at their beautiful house in Marquette!

Monday, June 19, 2006

Planning Begins!


Over the past few days Gloria and I have begun the preliminary planning for the big day. Guest lists, designing invitations, food, deserts, etc...Things have been going pretty good so far, and it doesn't look like it'll take to long.

The guest list have been complete and we have a good idea for locations and food. Stay tuned!

Thursday, June 15, 2006

What Brought Us Here

Kevin's Version of the Facts

Freshman year of college, I met Gloria in the dorms. We shared a hall on the 4th floor, her room was just a few doors down from mine. While we didn't actually speak the first few weeks of school, we quickly met, and started having casual, awkward conversations in the halls, passing each other on campus, and while I was playing Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 2 for my Dreamcast. The week of Halloween that all changed.

While I was helping decorate our hall for the the aptly named "Halloween Hall Decorating Contest", Gloria was working furiously on a paper about PCB's (you know, Polychlorinated Biphenyls). She noticed me outside her friend's door and asked if I'd sit down and talk with her about her research. She ran a few things by me, more than a few actually and I was immediately taken with her intelligence and sense of humor.

The next few weeks went by and we grew closer and closer, so close that I had told her I'd like to date her. I was met, unfortunately, with a "no". Drats.

Undaunted, I stuck with her as a friend, and we grew closer and closer over the next few years. Finally during senior year of college I got the "yes", I was looking for.

And on June 14, 2006, I got the
big "yes", which I had wanted since December of freshmen year. Having planned a romantic proposal in a park near her house, we quickly learned that mosquitos enjoy swarming anything that contains blood. After being chased out of the park by black clouds that sucked blood, we went to get bubble tea in East Lansing. Feeling anxious and excited I broke down and asked her in the parking lot behind our favorite place to get bubble tea.


Gloria's Version of the Facts

The first day of college Kevin came into our floor meeting. Despite the dark clothing and facial hair, one could tell he was shy and genuine. I of course, am not shy and was determined to become his friend. A couple weeks later I walked right into his dorm room...
"You playing Tony Hawk?"
"Yeah"
"I have Tony Hawk at home and I am pretty good. I couldn't bring my playstation to college though. "
Silence.
"Well, my name is Gloria and I live down the hall. If you ever want someone to play with you can just ask me."
"Cool"

And that was that. Awkward and short. He never asked and I thought I may have embarrassed him.

Halloween night, I had a chance to engage him again.
Somehow I managed to interest him with my paper on the global impact of PCB's. Not only was he staying with me on all this, but he was able to joke about it as well. Funny, enjoyable, and a great listener.

Kevin is so genuine and real. I felt instantly comfortable and safe around him. I think most people feel this way when they get to know him. That is why everyone... Teresa, Jenny, Liz, Claire, Bethany, Jessica, Brenna, Joji, etc... said throughout all four years of college "Kevin is so great! Would you two just date already!? He is perfect for you".
As friend he was perfect. He gave me rides to school sometimes, he showed up to everything (thesis defence, award ceremonies, choir concerts, rugby matches), he destressed me the nights before exams, he supported me always, and when the day had finished we would go out and get burritos or middle eastern. It was a great life!

The end of our senior year was approaching quickly. Neither of us knew exactly where we were going, but it wasn't in the same direction. He expressed his feelings for me another time. I knew how much I loved him as a friend. It was time to see how that love would work in a relationship.

Needless to say, it worked splendidly. I think my story is maybe too long, but I just want to reiterate... sometimes what you are looking for is right under your nose. Kevin's sense of humor, his patiance, his understanding nature, his ability to try new things, and his awesome cooking skills will undoutedly make him the best husband ever! I really made out good on this deal.