year one (part 2)

And now we celebrate!  Bradley surprised me with the most incredible anniversary trip.  We love to have little adventures together, so we decided instead of giving each other presents for Christmas and anniversaries, we will go on a memorable trip instead.  But this year our anniversary coincided with our Louisiana vacation, so I didn't think we would be doing anything special...

All that changed Sunday morning (!!!!) Because I have the best husband EVER and he wanted to make sure we did something special for our first anniversary. 

After a beautiful Pentecost mass at our parish we packed our bags for a quick night stay at the West Baden Springs Hotel in French Lick.  We were greeted with a bottle of wine (which I didn't drink) with a cheese/fruit tray in our room. I was allllll about that (minus the me not being able to drink the wine part... definitely not about that). Here's the view of the inside of the resort from our balcony.  The building itself was built in 1902 and had the most incredible architecture.

The grounds of the hotel were glorious.  So many beautiful flowers (including PEONIES!!!). 

PEONIES!!!

And here's a little 35-week bumpdate for your viewing pleasure ^

How cute is my hubby?!

As beautiful as the gardens were, our favorite part about the hotel were probably those green chairs...

#twinning

The next surprise included a hiking trip to North Carolina!!! I kid, I kid. We were actually in Hoosier National Forest hiking fun things.  But you could have fooled me by the looks of these photos! Seriously, did you know Indiana could be this pretty? Me neither.  Also, it's really entertaining watching an 8 1/2 month pregnant woman hike cliff things in case you were wondering.

We had such a nice time! It was the perfect way to start off our road trip down to Louisiana.  See you in a few, LA!!!!

one year anniversary + love letters

Today is our one-year anniversary. 

ONE YEAR. I can hardly believe it! It feels like we have so much more to learn and yet we’ve hit such a milestone at the same time.  I know we are still babies in our sacrament, but I still feel like this is a big accomplishment.  As blissful those years of dating Brad were, being married has taken it to a whole other level.  This year has honestly been the best, most peace-filled year of my life.  And it’s extra special because we are expecting our little one in a few weeks time! 

In honor of today, I want to share with you my favorite moment of our wedding day.  About a month before the ceremony our friend Fr. Josh called me up to ask me about a crazy idea he had...  He wanted Bradley and I to write love letters to each other so that he could include them in the homily.   Of course, I was all for it because I’m a sentimental sap and just LIVE for stuff like this.

Here's my letter:

Dear Bradley,

As we enter into this holy sacrament, there is a sense of overwhelming joy and peace when I reflect about our relationship.  Looking back, I realize that our love story must have come straight from the heart of God Himself. I know with an utmost certainty that you are my path to heaven, and I recognize that both our earthly and eternal happiness depends on how we uphold the sacred vocation we enter into today.

Bradley, you are the most tangible evidence of God’s grace in my life, and I am humbled every day by your love for me. Your smile alone gives me the strength I need to overcome any struggle, and you genuinely show me the Lord’s pure love for me every day. With you by my side, I know we can stand against any darkness that distracts us from our path. I am confident the Lord will guide our decisions so that we may reflect his love, light, and joy to all we encounter in our marriage. You have taught me what it means to live for greater things than myself, and I thank you for allowing me to love you amidst my own brokenness.

As I say these vows today, I am promising to give you all of me so that we may no longer be “two but one flesh”.  I promise to fight everyday to become worthy of your love. I promise to never forget how I felt on our first date. I promise to pray for you always… for your relationship with Christ, for the grace to be the best husband and father, and for your role as the spiritual leader of our family.  I promise that our children will know every day how much I love their father.  I promise to wake up each morning and say, “yes” to you and our marriage. I promise to love you for who God has in mind for you to become and to spend my life challenging you to get there.

I can’t promise I will be perfect at this, but I can promise that I will try.  Your selflessness, patience, and merciful heart challenge me to be Christ for you. I want to serve you everyday and show you what a good person is.  You remind me that just as Christ laid down His life for us, we must too die to our own desires for the sake of the other.   I love you, Bradley, and I can’t wait to be your wife!

In Christ’s love,
Emily

Bradley's Letter:

My dearest bride Emily,

The most astounding, beautiful thing has happened today -- bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh -- I give myself to you this first day only to bring you to Joy on the last day.  I feel I've been preparing my whole life to begin this moment with you.  I can vividly remember sitting in class in fifth grade thinking of where my future wife was at that instant, and now the Lord has finally blessed me with the answer.

I have found my other half, my best friend, the seal upon my heart.  It is inconceivable how essential you have become to me, but today that mystery deepens as you become the most inseparable part of my path to heaven.  I've been rereading Evangeline over the last few days, and I came across this passage which could speak directly to that journey we set out on today:

"As a traveler follows a streamlet's course through the valley;
Far from its margin at times, and seeing the gleam of its water
here and there, in some open space, and at intervals only
Then drawing nearer its banks, through sylvan glooms that conceal it,
though he behold it not, he can hear its continuous murmur;
Happy, at length, if he find the spot where it reaches an outlet"

As we set out along the stream to find the one Outlet, may we be blessed to see the gleam of the True Water in our times of consolation.  But even more, I pray we might always hear the good Lord's beautiful continuous Murmur when the stream is concealed and difficult to follow.  Emily, this is a most unworldly paradox - we are to take sufferings and turn them into gladness.  To perfect this talent, I commit this day, only by the example of Christ, to lead you as the head and priest of our family, but I will always fall short without you as the heart of our family, pouring out love into every corner.  May we intimately know our God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and may our love perfectly image that Trinity.

What a joy it is to know the most beautiful girl in the world will be the first person I see every morning, the highlight of my every day, the mother of my children, the sharer of my name, and the saint under my own roof.  I love you.  I love you.  I love you.  I hold your hand as we, like Peter, step out of the boat onto the rough sea.  Now we embrace, and our eyes turn to Him.

With unshakable love, your husband,
Bradley

The first thing we did this morning is read our letters while sipping our coffee.  I still mean every word of that letter and the vows we said.  Having Bradley by my side reminds me every day of my Father’s love for me.  I am in awe at how effortlessly he leads me to Christ – always patient, always joyful, always kind.  He is truly my St. Joseph.

Now off to our anniversary adventure… Brad promised a day full of fun and surprises!

all photos by Katherine Holly Photography

psalm // song of the month

This past month, I’ve adopted a new challenge in my morning prayer life.  Let’s face it, mornings are hard, and it’s not always easy to consistently pray when you’re running late for work.  Am I right?

So, with some guidance of a priest, I decided to assign a different psalm every month for me to pray every day.  Some days I have more time for prayer than others, but this is something small and tangible that I can do each morning (especially on the days when I don’t have the time to devote as much time to prayer as I would like).   It takes 5 minutes of your day and I’ve already noticed a difference.  It’s amazing to me how I can read the same scripture each day and get something new from it pretty much each time.

The Psalm for the month of May is Psalm 51.  I’d love for you to pray along with me!

“Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.

Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.

Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict
and justified when you judge.

Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
you taught me wisdom in that secret place.
Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.
Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Then I will teach transgressors your ways,
so that sinners will turn back to you.
Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
you who are God my Savior,
and my tongue will sing of your righteousness.

Open my lips, Lord,
and my mouth will declare your praise.
You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it;
you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart
you, God, will not despise.

May it please you to prosper Zion,
to build up the walls of Jerusalem.
Then you will delight in the sacrifices of the righteous, in burnt offerings offered whole;
then bulls will be offered on your altar.”

— Psalm 51

Also, just to be really fun, I’d like to include a SONG of the month in addition to a PSALM of the month.  I know, so cute. In honor of the Josh Garrels album dropping last month, here’s my favorite Josh Garrels song. If you haven't heard of Josh Garrels, the dude's got some serious soul. Check it:

You see!!! It’s perfect for rolling the windows down and singing at the top of your lungs. And it gives me serious goose bumps.  Optional challenge: have a competition with your significant other to see who can get the most words correct each time you sing it in the car (I’m totally winning).

we are an easter people

Happy Easter, friends! We rejoice today that our Savoir conquered death so that we may experience the true joy of the heavenly Kingdom.  Here are a few photos from our Easter weekend.  May the Lord bless you and your families on this holy day!

“Very early when the sun had risen, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb, alleluia”

— MARK 16:2

“Do not abandon yourselves to despair.
We are the Easter people and hallelujah is our song.”

— ST. JOHN PAUL II

For our first Easter together, I surprised Bradley with a sunny picnic in our backyard after mass! Doesn't that quilt just scream spring?! It was super nice to just be outside (in weather above 50 degrees no less).  I made cheddar chive biscuits (thank you Pioneer Woman), fruit salad with vanilla orange glaze, and homemade strawberry shortcake cupcakes.  After brunch, we went on a hike at Eagle Creek park and spent the rest of the day enjoying the weather. 

My thoughtful dad treated us to dinner at a Fossier favorite, the Loft -- a farm to table organic restaurant in Zionsville.  The restaurant is part of Trader's Point Creamery, which has the most delicious dairy products you've ever tasted (I can't control myself around the ice cream).  Plus it's fun to say hi to the cows!!!!

Also, HELLOOOOO 3rd trimester! I'm 28 weeks this week and I think it's finally sinking in that we're going to have a little one running around here soon.  We're getting so excited to meet our baby boy!

"muddy water take me home..."

Louisiana, you were way too good to me.  Reuniting with all my family and friends (and favorite resturaunts) was oh so good for the soul.  This last week was filled with loads of laughter, 75 degree weather, and lots of good food.  Here are a few photos from my trip --

^^^ The day I flew in, my adorable mama treated me to getting our nails done.  Yes please!

^^^ The next day we got honey lattes at our favorite local coffee shop Magpie Cafe.  My mom and I have so much fun together....we seriously  turn into a puddle of silliness and giggles pretty much every time we're in each others company.  I'm so lucky to have her in my life as both mother and best friend.

^^^ I also got to visit with my precious little niece (and godchild!) Mary Kate.  We played with bubbles, and chalk, and smelt all the pretty flowers in Annie's garden.  She is such a bundle of love and it gives me so much joy to watch her grow. 

^^^ I had to make a stop at MJ's my favorite local cafe -- Mrs. Maureen hands down makes the BEST vegetarian food (this sandwich in particular). Been dreaming about this baby since June, so obviously it was a pretty special moment.

^^^ I spent Saturday at Saint Joseph Abbey and Seminary for Abbey Youth Fest.  Can I tell you how amazing it was to simply be OUTSIDE for the WHOLE DAY!?!! I've realized that I forgot what grass looks like and how great it is to wear sandals (it was as glorious as it sounds).  Even though I got an epic sunburn and stepped in ants (ha...yep that happened), it was still such a relaxing day filled with joyous reunions, powerful speakers, and much needed prayer time. A special thanks to the Dumb Ox booth and the seminarians for taking such good care of pregnant me. 

^^^ One of the highlights of my trip was my baby shower! The left photo is of me and my lovely grandmother, and the right photo is taken with my beautiful sister-in-law who is also expecting a little one!  I blogged all about it here, if you didn't catch it the first time.

^^^  and just for kicks, here's a delightfully awkward photo of me and Deacon Brad! Ha! I just had to document his front porch visit because the next time I see him he's gonna be a priest.  So proud of you my friend!

^^^ Ah, there's really nothing more beautiful my friends.  We had a mini cajun crawfish boil at my parents house because well...you can't be in Louisiana during crawfish season and not eat crawfish.  Plus, I think the crawfish tasted better in the company of my dear friends Alexis and Jacob and my sweet brother Jeremy.

^^^ I'm gonna end this little recap with a photo of my pretty bestie Mary Claire and a snowball! We got to spend an entire day together on the feast of the Annunciation... we got snowballs to celebrate (because, duh, snowballs rule).

'til next time, Baton Rouge!