Boy and Girl take engagement pictures (part 2)

Boy proposes to Girl.
Girl says Yes.
Boy gets orders.
Girl wants pictures.

As I was writing yesterday's post, I went back to get a link to our engagement photos and realized that I never posted the second half here on the blog! If you didn't see the first half, you can check it out here. I spent a lot of time and energy while J was first gone planning this engagement session with the help of our amazing photographer, Jordana of Hazelnut Photography, and our wedding planners Ashlyn and Heather of Carter and Cook Event Co. I knew that I wanted our photos to be personal and special to us. So together, we pulled off a pretty cool little shoot. The reason I couldn't share it on here earlier is because it was picked up and featured on Green Wedding Shoes. There was so much thought and detail put into this shoot and I am thrilled to share it all with you now :)

Our theme was love letters and stars. The thinking behind it was a combination of several things... The stars symbolize the star in the Cuban flag (J is cuban) as well as the star that represents the Army. To me it also represents that old childhood tradition of wishing on a star. The love letters represent the long distance relationship between J and I. Obviously we have spent a lot of time apart and the letters have so much symbolism to the two of us. In addition to that, we added a little bit of a 1940s "Notebook" look. "The Notebook" is my favorite movie. I adore it. I love the love story that is so passionate between the two characters. I have told J over and over again that he is my Noah. And I feel blessed to have a relationship that is that passionate and genuine. I think it is truly rare.

Tying in with our vintage-y theme... this coke bottle holder has been my mom's for years! The coke bottles I got at Costco :) That compact mirror I bought at an antique show last summer.


I loved these books and HAD to have them when I saw them at the antique show last summer. Being a photographer, I loved the 1940s book written about how to make good pictures. The book below is a book of poem's that is actually refered to in the book, "The Notebook".





Ohhhh the letters! Some of these are real, and some of them are stuffed and made to look real :) You may also notice my cameras. I collect old cameras and they were a perfect addition to the shoot! The little white thing is my mom's. She's had it since I was a kid. The pocket watch just seemed too perfect. I got it at the antique show as well. Funny thing is that it's broken... but I love it!


J's vest. This is a hilarious story. My mom blogged about it. She is better with words than I am. But in a nutshell, we went looking for something for J to wear to the photoshoot and ended up almost getting security called on us in Forever 21. But we eventually made it out alive... and with this vest :)





Right before we left, I asked J's nephew if I could borrow a few of his Army men. I promised to make them famous... I ended up LOVING this shot!











Jordana brought this chair along and it was perfect! I was so glad that she did!


One of my absolute favorites.


Lauren of Lo Boheme made this amazing hair piece for me. I love her and her stuff. This was perfect! There will definitely be a few of these at my wedding *hint hint*


These stars were a labor of love. It took quite a while to put them all together, but I love how they came out!








These cake lollipops are our favorite. We eat them every chance possible! They are from Sweet and Saucy Shop. They will also be making an appearance at our wedding :)


J's Army boots




It makes a big difference when you have an awesome team assembled. I couldn't have pulled off this shoot if it wasn't for the incredible people that pulled together to make it possible!

Boy uses webcam

Boy meets Girl.
Boy and Girl become friends.
Boy falls in love with Girl.
Girl falls in love with Boy.
Boy proposes to Girl.
Girl says yes.
Boy goes to war.
Girl misses Boy.
Boy misses Girl.

I knew it would be hard.
I knew I would miss him.

But the thing is... J is not just my fiance. He is my very best friend.
For quite a while, we've been inseparable. We've spent every spare minute together, and even worked together. We've been together from the time we got up in the morning, until going home at night. Going from that, to not seeing each other for several months, and having limited contact... needless to say it is incredibly difficult.

I know that communication in the Army is limited when they are overseas. I get that. But I have been blessed with an amazing guy, who truly loves me. I have heard from many of the girls whose husbands, boyfriends and fiance's are overseas as well (or who have been in the past). I hear over and over how little they hear from their significant others. So when J got to the middle east, I was pleasantly suprised when I got a phone call right away. And then another. And another. And another.

I have continued to get phone calls, and emails throughout the time that J has been gone. Sometimes that means that he has to get dressed in his full fatigues, walk for quite a ways, wait in line, and call me from a phone there on the base. Sometimes it means balancing a laptop on a chair in the middle of their tent. But whatever it takes, he contacts me. He calls me, he emails me, and on a very special occasion, he will Skype with me!



I am so thankful for my hardworking fiance. I am so thankful for a man that loves me so much that he will walk across the desert in the middle of the night just to talk to me for a few short minutes. Over and over again.

Sometimes I feel a little like I'm 16 years old, and that cute boy in my English class looked my direction and smiled.
And then asked me out.
I get butterflies when I hear his name.
I find myself daydreaming about the next time I will see him.
When my phone rings and his ringer plays, I am a bit giddy.
And I've even scribbled my name and his last name across a paper or two.
Yep, I'm basically a glorified 16 year old girl.

But I am absolutely in love with this man.
And I am so blessed that he loves me just as much.
Maybe more :)

Boy gets leave

Boy proposes to Girl.
Girl says yes.
Boy leaves for war.
Girl plans a wedding.
Boy sits in Indiana.
Girl misses Boy.
Boy gets leave.
Girl goes to visit.

My mom likes to say that the Army needs a wedding planner.
If you've ever known anyone in the Army... you have probably heard the saying "hurry up and wait." Seems to be the Army's unofficial motto.

So when the date finally came on J's orders to head out... I had no idea what would happen next. But I shouldn't have been surprised when he ended up sitting. And waiting.

In Indiana.

Right before shipping out, they gave the guys a few days off. But with the rule that they couldn't go more than 200 miles away from the base in Indiana. Well, California is a little farther than that. So... I hopped on a plane and headed out to Indiana. We had a great time and even headed over to Chicago while I was there!

Dinner at the Hard Rock Cafe.


We walked all over Chicago trying to find this fountain. It's the one from the opening credits of "Married with Children". Which I've never even watched by the way.


Dinner at the Crackerbarrel.


When I found out there was a Tiffany and Co, I got VERY excited. I have always wanted to go inside of one. I started telling J how much I've wanted to go in and about the girl growing up with the Tiffany's bracelet that I used to stare at and love. I told him about the little blue boxes and how cool they are and all the wonderful things Tiffany's is made out to be. So we went to check out the store and it ended up being closed. I was disappointed but figured we'd move on. But J was determined to get me in there, so we came all the way back the next day.


We headed into the store and looked around and I saw THE BRACELET. J insisted that I try it on, even though I knew it wouldn't be coming home with me. We finally got a lady to help us out and as soon as I got it on my wrist and started smiling, he said to the lady "We'll take it!". I tried to keep my mouth from falling open in disbelief. As she was ringing it up, she asked if I'd like to wear it out or box it up. J smiles and says, "She wants the little blue box."


So out of the store we went, with a little blue box, a beautiful bracelet and a sweet memory of how wonderful J is to me.

It was such a fun day and such a nice gesture. He did something he knew I would love just because. There didn't have to be a reason, or anything expected in return. He did it just because he knew it was something I wanted. I love how thoughtful he is of me and how many things he picks up on without having to even ask him. He really pays attention. And he is genuinely romantic. It isn't forced or pre-planned. He doesn't have to think hard about it... he just is.

We had a great time, and I can't wait to see him again soon!

Girl makes a video

Boy gets orders.
Boy and Girl make memories.
Girl video tapes.
Boy leaves for training.
Girl misses Boy.
Girl makes a video.



Song: "Today was a Fairytale" by Taylor Swift

Boy leaves for war

Boy proposes to Girl.
Boy goes away to training.
Girl misses Boy.
Boy misses Girl.
Boy comes home for leave.
Girl is happy.
Boy leaves for war.
Girl is sad.

2 weeks. That's all we had.
And it's over.
Just like that.

Even with all the memories we made in 2 weeks... it's just never enough.

Boy comes home for leave

Boy proposes to girl.
Girl says yes.
Boy leaves for training.
Girl misses Boy.
Boy misses Girl.
Boy comes home for leave.

2 weeks. That's all we get. After days... weeks... months... of training and another 400 days of separation quickly approaching... 2 weeks together.

We're learning to make the most of the times we have together. To laugh and have fun and make memories. We're learning not to be sad... not to argue... not to cry (well I'M learning not to cry).

2 weeks.

We have 2 weeks to make a year's worth of memories.

Boy goes to training

Boy joins the Army Reserves.
Girl is supportive.
Boy trains once a month.
Girl is glad when he's home.
Boy is getting deployed.
Girl is sad.
Boy goes off to training.

It was only a matter of time.
That's what happens in the Army... you train.
And fight.
Right now, J is half way across the country doing training. I suppose it's good that the Army teaches them all the stuff they need to know before sending them across the world... but I hate when he's gone. I guess that's just the life of an Army man.

The ONLY good part of J being gone is all of the picture text messages I get :)