Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Pre-Wedding Jitters

Today is a great day!! First, my manager came into my (semi) office today and told me I could leave. It wasn't even 2:00. I'm getting my own office tomorrow, so he said I could go find decor for it. I'll take it! So I went to Cash's office, duh, and took him a coke before I made my way home to look through my office supplies.

Plus, last night I got a package in the mail from my mom with our wedding pictures and video (plus, some great magazines and newspapers)! I decided that I'd break the wedding pictures up for 2 reasons: a) it won't be too much at once b) I can savor the moments a little longer.

Before the wedding my sister and I spent the morning getting ready. Cash went with the guys in his family and mine for a round of golf at Chamberlyne in Danville (claim to fame: John Daly plays there). From what I gather they had a blast. Different strokes for different folks (ha, pun intended).


My favorite restaurant is Taco Bell. I can sniff out a Meal Deal #4 from any corner of the globe. My sister ran to get us a bite to eat while LaDora finished up our hair. Nothing beats a burrito and doritos, even with a veil on your head.

My granny had let me borrow her grandmother's handkerchief, and inside it she attached the coin she wore when she and my Pa got married 54 years ago. I carried it around my bouquet; it was one of my favorite moments of the day.


My nephew can be a wild man, but he is also quite the charmer!! After the wedding he was bawling because I was moving. Inevitably that morning he had put on a show of hugs and kisses. I loved it!


I loved our flower arrangments!!!!! Scott's in Paris designed and created them; I was so pleased with how it all turned out. When I walked into the church, I was overwhelmed. He really outdid himself. He even used vines from my dad's muscadine vines in the arrangments and bouquets. I loved it!


Another favorite piece of decor was the guestbook table. We had our parents' and grandparents' wedding pictures along with their names and anniversaries lined along a vintage inspired table. All 6 couples either stayed married until one passed or are still married. Pretty awesome to have that legacy.


Of course Braeson and Addison had to be among the first to sign the guestbook. They look like the cutest little people I've ever seen. Adults in little bodies.



Then their photography session started. I know you all do not love them like I do, but I had to include this picture of them kissing on stage. I just fall to pieces over it.


Addison was almost as excited I was about the wedding. She couldn't wait to wear her dress and tiara, and boy did she look gorgeous. She beamed the whole day!


I love this candid shot of the two of us. She really soaked in the day, and I can't wait to watch her grow and be everything she dreams about.


Obviously my sister was my matron of honor. Since I wore flats and she wore 10 foot heels, she towered over me. She was stunning though, and I wouldn't have had anyone else in the world standing next to me.


Connor was one of our ring bearers, and he was loving on his Aunt Andrea. He's a goofball, and I couldn't quit laughing at him and Braeson. They are the same kid in a different body.


Another snapshot of me and Addi. This one might be my favorite; her face just says it all.


Of course Lena was a flower girl too, and both of the girls looked precious. I can't believe how big they have gotten since Cash and I first started dating. When I first met Cash's family, Lena was Toby's age now. Unbelievable.


Cash's mom got him ready to go, even though he was running LATE from his golf game. I knew about him being a little late, and I didn't even freak out...too bad.


No words. No words. My husband and my brother-in-law. Words just wouldn't do this justice.


Uncle Cashy and his sweet little nieces--they are lucky and so is he. I love this picture, because Lena looks plum thrilled to be sitting there.


My mom and Addi---ahh, 2 of the people I miss the most. Addi loves her Nana.


We picked younger people to be at the guest book and be ushers. Since I taught school and was close to a couple of kids and Cash had younger cousins, we thought that would suit us best. I loved having them in the wedding. While we have wonderful friends, it was awesome to see how excited the younger ones were to be a part of something they look forward to in their lives one day. They were great!


I wanted a picture with my mom and Granny, and I also wanted it to involve our wedding rings. I just love everything that is behind this picture--a lot of years of love.


That is one gorgeous little flower girl! Right before I walked down the aisle, I was trying to show Lena to walk with Addison. She just kept saying, "Abee, I got new shoes!" I just had to laugh. In her mind the big moment taking place was the fact she was getting to wear her new shoes. Precious!

Our attendants (big and small) were all wonderful, and it was great to be able to spend the day with them. I know my family had a great time golfing with Cash and his family that day; in fact, my cousin Brent still texts Cash inside jokes about their trip. It was just amazing to see our families come together and for me to realize that they are one now. I feel like our wedding day summed up the lives we lead before we found each other and epitomized how wonderfully God crafted those lives to come together.

Everything leading up to the ceremony was pure blessing from God, especially the flood of rain we got during the middle of a drought. Unbelievable. His loves pours out.

So glad y'all spent the day reminiscing with me--can't wait to show you pictures of the moment! Until then...

Avery

Thursday, August 16, 2012

It's Okay

It's okay that...

  • the "it's okay" blog link-up is something I'm really not interested in doing, so this is my stand alone post.
  • I'm about to convince my husband to buy me a Merrill Lynch cycling jersey.
  • I get irritated looking at pinterest, because all it makes me want to do is eat a sprinkle covered chocolate donut.
  • I just finished our thank-you letters.
  • I'm just ready to go to work and kick this test in the behind.
  • I fell on my bike a few nights ago. In front of a group of kids and a truck that couldn't turn until I peeled myself off the pavement.
  • I e-mail my husband throughout the day, call him every morning at work, eat lunch with him, call him every afternoon, sometimes make a pitstop at his office, and spend the evening with him. Every day. We're newlyweds.
  • all I think about are chocolate chip cookies and Lucky Charms.
  • I went through a box of Lucky Charms in a week's time.
  • last night we went to the hospital to see Beth and Trevor's new baby!!! She said I could use the foam on the wall to wash my hands. I kept pulling and pulling on the dispenser. Come to find out you are to pull OUT not DOWN. Then it was the joke that I was "no longer on the farm milking cows." Ridiculous.
  • I'm excited about some opportunities for organizations around here...but more excited that one is having a clay shoot.
  • I'm still thinking about Lucky Charms. Off to HEB.
Avery

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Here's Your Sign...

The CEO my husband works for is known to be vocal about his politics, and he's quite the interesting man. I hadn't been down to Cash's office since early this week, so it was a pretty funny moment sitting in the Albertson's parking lot seeing this e-mail my mother-in-law sent with a picture of the sign Clayton had put up on both entrances of ClayDesta.


And that, ladies and gents, is a summation of where my husband spends 8 hours a day. Keeping things interesting down here in Midland where we love our oil and our Bush family and our Chick-fil-a. Oh, and our hometown boy Matthew McConaughey. We really love him...or is that just me?

*Avery*

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

I'm Not Even Homesick!

It's been 3 weeks since I've seen my family, quite possibly the longest I have ever gone without them. Definitely the longest I've gone without being super homesick.

People ask me all the time, "Are you homesick yet? Do you miss everyone?" I don't know how to say this---uhm, not really. I miss my mom, my dad, my immediate family. But I know what it's like to miss the other half of my heart. This feeling of missing someone I have now is minimal in comparison.

I'm sure it's going to hit me at some point and be harder than it is now. Now I still feel like I'm on vacation. Once work starts and bills pile up and life gets "normal" here maybe I'll get homesick. As for right now I get the biggest smile on my face when Cash shows up for lunch and then back again for the evening. I missed HIM for a year and a half, y'all!! No way can I be homesick.

Last night a sweet group of women invited me to dinner. Since I had already fixed dinner, I decided to just go and socialize for a little bit. Once I got home I shrieked to Cash, "I missed you so much tonight!!" He said, "Avery, you were gone for 2 hours."

But still.

That being said I conned my sister and brother-in-law into driving to West Texas this weekend. Maybe I do miss them a little bit! ;)

Monday, August 6, 2012

Making Memories in Santa Fe

I still don't have wedding pictures. Bummer. And I refuse to do a wedding post without wedding pictures. Well, our wedding post anyway. Hollllaaaa, Santa Fe!!!

This past weekend Cash's co-worker and the closest friend I have in Midland got hitched. Yeah they did! I love these people...



my first week ever in Midland..haha
I knew when I first met Ross and Barbara that I would love hanging out with them. When our wedding got closer and it was set that I was moving to Midland, I didn't know really anyone else to call a friend. I felt so comfortable to be able to call or text Barb and ask her to come over and lay out or do lunch. In fact she was going to come over one day to hang out by the pool so I hopped in the shower to shave my legs. Then I heard the doorbell ring an hour early, and I knew it was her. I threw a towel on and with shaving cream running down my legs, I answered the door. She just busted our laughing and sat in the other side of the bathroom while I finished my bath. haha...not too many friends are that awesome!

Being the new girl in a close-knit town marrying a hometown boy is a dauting task. I remember being the judge of all the girls my guy friends dated and married. Being on the flip side of things and living in a new state for the first time in my life I have been pretty anxious. Will I meet friends? Will the girls like me? What if I don't make any girlfriends?? Every girl has those nerves, and moving to a place like Midland where oil has struck it rich ..and me coming from small town Arkansas... magnified that. But Barbara was so fun and enjoyable to be around that I knew I would at least have one friend besides Cash.
my now husband and dear friend at the Ranch Party 2011
Ross and Barb Ranch Party 2011
Oh, we've had some great times. Ranch party, anyone? Crawfish boil when we were both so spotted burnt we looked like we had leprosy. Well, kind of. And enduring all the rock shops we get taken to.

Ross and Cash
These 2 guys go way back. Back it on up to high school. Now they are the two most handsome geologists at Clayton Williams.

So when Ross popped the question to sweet Barbara (in Hawaii!!! single guys take note), it was a yes ma'am on the rsvp. They decided to say their vows (and oh my how sweet they were---every female in the room, as well as Ross's brother, were tearing up with Barb through her vows) in gorgeous Santa Fe and the Four Seasons Encantado. Take your breath away!

But with all the excitement of going to our first wedding as a married couple, seeing our friends tie the knot, having a weekend out of town...with all of that I was still nervous. I would have Cash, but who else would I talk to? What will it be like? I didn't know many other people in this circle.

Luckily, after the wedding we were all standing outside and got to talking to people around us. I already knew Heather (the single sweetest person in the world) and Kellye (Ross's sister), so I just stuck in that group. Then I got to meet Savannah, and oh my stars. We had the best best best time!!!

Savannah, Kellye, me, and Heather (thanks, Heather, for tweeting this pic. ha)
Don't mind me looking like the alcoholic. Right before the picture was snapped, everyone else set their glass down and there I was the sole holder of a glass of wine. The wedding was gorgeous. The company was even better. We danced and talked and ate and danced some more.



my amazing husband
Cash even danced and not just the one slow dance he had promised me. He boogied. He shook what his momma gave him. He dropped it like it was hott.

On top of all that something changed for me this weekend. I got to know more people and felt so comfortable. I watched my husband interact with so many old friends. And although I still felt like a newbie, I knew I'd be okay. Before the night was over, Heather looked at me and said, "Barbara and I were talking how you were moving to Midland and we said, 'She is so going to be in our group!!!'" How can that not make you feel like you already have a place to belong?

While I've always had a great time with my friends and know how to feel at home back "home", it was fun yet different this weekend. People were no longer talking about the time in basketball in high school or about the hard time with a student this past year or about the latest with so-and-so. And I missed that. At one point I put my head on Cash's shoulder with big tears in my eyes and said seeing all these people so close makes me miss my friends.

But while it was different, it was still really good. People were now talking about college degrees and the careers they led. Doing Aggie chants not calling the Hogs. It was oil talk and vacations. I've known life would be different in Midland because opportunities are different. However, on top of being different in the realm of friends and networking it was different that I was now Avery Pullin, a Mrs. It stings a little to miss my friends and family, the ones who watched me grow up and the ones who knew me single and saw me endure 26 years by myself. The ones who watched me grow as a person and a friend. But I get the opportunity of a lifetime and that's in starting out a new chapter with new surroundings, a new last name, and a new chance. No one may know all the baggage or all the childhood memories or all the proud moments. But they have what is me now: a married woman starting a new job and new adventure. That's my blank slate...one I'm proud to start writing on.

--Be blessed--
Avery