Mini Cooper's Bad Day

This is my Mini Cooper. She's only 5 months old. Last week, she was attacked for no good reason, I can't even imagine how scared she must of been ... oh wait - yes I can. I was there, scared right along with her.

.... before Shawn and I went to bed, he heard a loud noise and looked out the window - no, it wasn't a squirrel fight, or even the crash of a bird dying in mid air and hitting Shawn's sunroof - it was a man up to his waist INSIDE MY CAR, his feet were even off the ground! Was this really happening?! Before I knew what was going on, Shawn was out the front door - no shoes or shirt on - just pajama pants, running after the vandal. Thankfully, Shawn keeps himself impressively buff and he scared the man, who jumped in his idling truck and peeled out. With broken glass all over the parking spot, and my GPS missing from the window, it was not a fun scene. We called the police, had to file a report (even ride in the back of a squad car to identify two poor hand-cuffed men that drove a similar car, but were not the vandals.) and in the morning, after only 3 hours of sleep, CSI arrived to take fingerprints. Thankfully, we realized the GPS was still dangling from its cord, and nothing was actually stolen - aside from the suction cup that stuck it to my window - seriously? The suction cup? Good luck with that.

I'm sure this bad boy will rake in $3 on the street.

Cakalaki

I never thought growing up in a rural area of North Carolina, surrounded by fields of cotton and cows, that I would ever find virtue in such a simple way of life. Through high school and beyond I was so happy to get out of Fayetteville, and the lesser known region of Gray's Creek where I was raised. With one of the worst crime rates on the eastern seaboard and a 25 minute drive to the nearest shopping outlet, no one ever raised their eyebrows in jealousy over my hometown like they often did for those from Charleston, Savannah, Boston, even Raleigh or Asheville. Yet over the past few years when I return for holidays or to visit my mother, I've found myself smiling as the tall buildings fade and the open landscape spreads open its arm in welcome.

Although I'm certain after years of living closer to larger cities, I could never quite do without them, I've developed an appreciation for the quieter, slower way of life when it's needed. I'm not yet sure where my career as a preservationist will lead me, but I do know that some part of me will always see Carolina as my home. The tall pine trees and azaleas in the front yard of the house I grew up in remain as steady as ever. The bench that sits in their shade continues to endure the seasons and is often a resting place for snow, pine needles, fallen flowers and lazy cats ... and sometimes I nostalgic 20-something.

The dress has been hunted down, found, and captured!

After trying on something close to 80 dresses, I finally chose the one I will be wearing on my wedding day! (It only took me 10 months of searching - glad I had a long engagement!) I found my special dress when I happened to have my mom and aunt with me (who have only come on 2 of about 16 trips to dress stores). I had a dress that I liked and I wanted to show mom, to make it look beautiful and to show her that it was the best choice, so I brought her in and choose 4 other random (and completely different) dresses to make the one I was interested in stand out. While I was jabbering to the sales lady as she helped me get dressed, I looked in the mirror and one of the "randoms" I chose completely shocked me! It was nothing like I had been looking for (maybe why it took me so long) and the total opposite of what I had picked out, but it screamed plantation, and it screamed "Perry!" Although it took me a number of months to get the courage to buy it, I finally took the plunge! I feel so beautiful and I wish I had more than one day to wear it!

I'm so grateful that my last and final decision for the wedding has been made before classes start back for the Spring semester! Although I still have all the little loose ends to tie up in the next few months, I'm going to need as much as time as possible dedicated to my Comprehensive exams and thesis ... I don't know what I'm looking forward to more at this point - the wedding or finishing with grad school!

When I dream of my wedding day...

When I dream of my wedding day, I don't always picture me in a big white dress, meandering down an aisle while all eyes are on me, ooing over the dress (that I FINALLY picked out!). For me, I have a different vision....

I picture my future husband at the end. Smiling back at me with his red hair highlighted by the light from the sunset, a huge smile and sparkling green eyes. I picture the wedding and ceremony as terribly exciting and all too brief.

Finally, I picture waking up next to my best friend and hopping a plane to Ireland. Yes, two of the most exciting (and unexpectedly fun) decisions have been my groom's attire and the honeymoon.

When looking through men's attire, I fell in love with the cutaway jacket, or morning coat. While some people say their dress finds them, this suit found me. It screamed of turn-of-the-century English gentleman. Throw it on the man of my dreams, Mr. Shawn Adams and it's all too perfect. Completely and utterly looking forward to seeing him standing there at the end of the aisle in it with that beautiful teal tie. After the best evening of my life, I simply can't wait to spend a week traveling the Irish countryside as the new Mrs. Adams with my brand new hubby by my side!

... I really need to put down the romance novels. It can't be healthy to have read 4 since classes ended in December.

2010: The year of change!

I can't believe it, 2010 is finally here! This year is bringing some of the biggest life changes for me and while I'm eagerly anticipating them all ... at this point I'm just hoping things go smoothly.

March: Comps hit hard and fast at the end of March, while our professors tell us to not stress ourselves out about it, somehow an exam which determines if we qualify for our Masters degree seems to loom heavily over all of our thoughts.

May: Graduation. After 2 years of papers, internships and classes, it will all be ending - exciting enough - but with graduation I also lose my job as graduate assistant and I officially become unemployed.

In the months following I'll try to find a preservation job, and move to a new city. If prayers were answered I would find a position in Charleston, but with so many new graduates from the city flooding the market, it may be difficult.

On top of graduating, finding a job, moving to a new city and hopefully finding a house - I'll be getting married in September! While it can be stressful, I've used planning as a fun distraction from grad school. I can't even imagine the changes between now and 2011! Time will tell!