Grand Entrance

My sister emailed this to me today, and I think it's hilarious! Although our minister (and probably half of our guests) would have a heart attack if Adam and I planned something like this, I still think it would be really neat and funny.

Boston or Bust

Last weekend, Adam and I, along with two of our friends decided to take a road trip to Boston for the Fourth of July. We left early on Friday morning (3 AM) and came home on Monday. All-in-all it was a great trip, and, according to my boss, the last I would be granted any time off until the wedding.

When we got there on Friday, we wandered around the Harvard campus, and then drove into the city to check into the hotel. That night, we split up and saw two different movies (the girls saw My Sister's Keeper and we both cried through the entire thing) then we headed down to Little Italy. Here was the view from the walk (not the best picture, but it was really cool):



Saturday, we decided to walk the entire Freedom Trail, and we did it! Luckily, we had beautiful weather.

On Saturday night, the Charles River was lined with thousands of people to see the fireworks, and Boston did not disappoint. The fireworks ranked right up there with the ones my parents and I happened to catch on Bastille Day in Paris, they were AMAZING!

On Sunday, we went on a Super Duck Tour, a definite highlight of the trip:



Monday we drove home after a fun, but exhausting trip and to be honest, I was pretty happy to be back in Baltimore.

On a completely unrelated note, Pottery Barn discontinued the bedding that was on the registry, so Adam and I went over to the store last week and bought the last duvet cover (I considered it a reward for getting an A in my four-week summer class from hell!)

Here's a picture of it (Tobey isn't supposed to be up on the bed, but he's kind of spoiled):


Hope you all had a wonderful holiday weekend! We're moving this weekend, so hopefully there next week there will be a new edition of CRIBS: RACHEL AND ADAM'S NEW PLACE.

I cleaned the bathroom

Usually when I ask Adam to do something, he'll do it. He's a pretty laid-back and congenial guy, and unlike some guys, he's not THAT messy. You will see the occasional dirty glass or dish lying around, and there are usually crumbs on the sofa and the coffee table, but all-in-all, he doesn't make a whole lot of messes.

Every other week or so, I'll ask him to clean the bathroom, and most of the time it will be done the next day when I get home from work. On Monday, I asked him to clean the bathroom and yesterday I came home to a spotless counter and smudge free sink.

Then, I got into the shower and noticed the nasty old toilet-cleaning brush hanging off of the towel rack inside of the shower. When I got out, I asked him why the gross toilet brush was in the shower, and he told me that he uses the toilet brush to clean the shower floor (after saying this he assured me that he rinses "the crap" out of the brush before using it to clean.)

EEEEWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

I'm glad I found out this little fun fact now, because after he told me, all I could think of was our poor little children someday sitting in the bathtub in poop residue.

Needless to say, there is now a brand spanking new sponge in the shower to use for cleaning.

When in Rome...

We did it! We finally decided on the accommodations for our honeymoon in Rome, and to say we are incredibly thrilled would be a complete understatement. After much consideration, and mulling over several books and websites, we decided on the hotel pictured above: Hotel Barocco. The hotel received good reviews on every website we visited, and we were even able to get an upgraded room with a view and a queen sized bed (a plus for a honeymoon). It seems to be within walking distance to many of the popular attractions and it’s close to the metro line (we all know how much I love public transportation).

While in Italy, we plan on taking two day trips by train: one to Florence and one to Naples. We also plan on enjoying the start of the holiday season in a different country! Although I’m really looking forward to going back to Italy and seeing Rome, I am even more excited to be with Adam when he takes his first trip outside of the U.S. (because seeing Niagara Falls in Canada didn’t really count.) I know that he is going to love the trip, and he has already downloaded the entire Italian language on his computer (he walks around with huge headphones on repeating, “scusi" followed by a variety of different questions.)

Now we have both a wonderful wedding and an amazing honeymoon to look forward to for the next 5 months.

"We Soldiers Really Like Cookies"

About 4 months ago, I attended a training session at work so that I could go do some outreach at military bases and installations across Maryland. I have been to a few so far, mostly speaking to service members about benefits that the VA has to offer once they retire.

Last week, I was assigned to go to Fort Detrick in Frederick, and my day was scheduled so people could come individually to ask me questions about their benefits. My last person of the day never showed up, so I called to see why she had missed her appointment.

The phone rang, and then an older woman, about 85, picked up.

"Hi," I said, "I'm calling from the Department of Veterans Affairs. You had an appointment today that you missed, is there anything I can help you with?"

"Oh yes," she said, "for 1 year, I wrote to a young man in the Army who was stationed in Iraq. He wrote me the nicest letters and I began to think of him as a son. My husband is deceased and I have no children, so I really looked forward to my letters from this young man. Altogether, I got about 50 letters from him while he was abroad and also while he was being treated for injuries at a military hospital in Texas. I sent him care packages, including homemade cookies, and he would always write thank you notes that said, "we soldiers love cookies." About a month ago, I sent him a letter, and the letter was returned with a stamp on it that just said "DECEASED"."

I could hear her starting to cry over the phone as she explained how harsh that big red stamped word seemed on the front of the hand-written envelope. I felt awful, and my heart broke for this woman.

She wanted to find his family's address so that she could mail them all of the letters he had written over the past year. Unfortunately, with only the man's name, there wasn't much I could do to help her, which made me feel even worse.

On days when I am tired and really don't want to be at work, I remind myself that each and every folder I pick up is someone who fought for this country and was injured in the process. So many people are so wrapped up in their own lives, that they forget about the thousands of men and women in foreign countries serving in the military, whose families and friends sit at home and worry about them. Then, an old woman comes along, who thinks of a man that she has never met like he is her own biological son, loves him when he is alive and mourns him when he is gone and it makes you remember all of those soldiers.

Just a story I thought I would share, since the experience really made me think about the people I work for everyday.

6 Months to Go!

Less than six months until the big day and I can't believe the past year that we've have been engaged has gone so quickly! I actually feel really good about everything, and know that for the time being, most of the planning is under control.

Last night, we went to the mall to register at Crate and Barrel and Pottery Barn. I thought it would be fun, and it was, but it actually also ended up being stressful at the same time. Adam, (whom I let use the scan gun as a bargaining tool to get him to come with me) was standing right behind me ready to point and shoot (and scanning who knows what else in his boredom) as I was attempting to imagine the material possessions that would be crucial once married life begins.

It's kind of hard to figure out if you're REALLY going to need 8 champagne flutes, a gourmet garlic press or a digital meat thermometer in your life after you're married, when you most certainly do not use them before you're married. So, I pretty much stuck to the important things: pots and pans, towels, bedding and of course, margarita glasses (because seriously, what's a good marriage without good margaritas?!?).

Next weekend, we are taking a mini-trip to Delaware to look at wedding rings and hit up the Italian Festival in Wilmington, where our whole relationship started 3 years ago! I'm pretty excited about it, but first I have to make it through another week of work and class.

Quick Recap

So....it's been awhile.

Life has been pretty crazy recently! I decided to take a graduate course this summer, so the professor crammed 14 weeks of work into 4. Needless to say, the class owns me until June 18th, but after that I will be home free until the end of August.

Class is just the beginning of the busy life I lead! Memorial Day weekend, Adam and I went to a beautiful wedding in Ohio. Although the wedding was very nice, it was my first visit to Ohio, and I must say, I wasn't very impressed. I don't think I want to move there anytime soon.

We also went to a housewarming party for my sister and brother-in-law! It was really fun, and they have worked so hard on their house. It looks beautiful, I wish I would have taken some pictures to post.

Adam and I are getting ready to book our honeymoon to ROME (a wonderful wedding gift from his parents) and we are so excited. The picture above is one of the hotels we're considering. The big day is only about 6 months away and there is so much to look forward to! We are also planning a long weekend trip to Boston with 3 other friends this summer sometime.

So that, in a nutshell, it what's been going on with me for the past 2 weeks or so. Nothing too exciting, but definitely enjoying summer so far.

Wedding Vows Dr. Seuss Style

Minister: Will you answer me right now
These questions, as your wedding vow?

Groom: Yes, I will answer right now
Your questions as my wedding vow.

Minister: Will you take her as your wife?
Will you love her all your life?

Groom: Yes, I take her as my wife,
Yes, I’ll love her all my life.

Minister: Will you have, and also hold
Just as you have at this time told?

Groom: Yes, I will have, and I will hold,
Just as I have at this time told,
Yes, I will love her all my life
As I now take her as my wife.

Minister: Will you love through good and bad?
Whether you’re happy or sad?

Groom: Yes, I’ll love through good and bad,
Whether we’re happy or sad,
Yes, I will have and I will hold
Just as I have already told,
Yes, I will love her all my life,
Yes, I will take her as my wife!

Minister: Will you love her if you’re rich?
Or if you’re poor, and in a ditch?

Groom: Yes, I’ll love her if we’re rich,
And I will love her in a ditch,
I’ll love her through good times and bad,
Whether we are happy or sad,
Yes, I will have, and I will hold
(I could have sworn this has been told!)
I promise to love all my life
This woman, as my lawful wife!

Minister: Will you love her when you’re fit,
And also when you’re feeling sick?

Groom: Yes, I’ll love her when we’re fit,
And when we’re hurt, and when we’re sick,
And I will love her when we’re rich
And I will love her in a ditch
And I will love through good and bad,
And I will love when glad or sad,
And I will have, and I will hold
Ten years from now a thousandfold,
Yes, I will love for my whole life
This lovely woman as my wife!

Minister: Will you love with all your heart?
Will you love till death you part?

Groom: Yes, I’ll love with all my heart
From now until death do us part,
And I will love her when we’re rich,
And when we’re broke and in a ditch,
And when we’re fit, and when we’re sick,
(Oh, CAN’T we get this finished quick?)
And I will love through good and bad,
And I will love when glad or sad,
And I will have, and I will hold,
And if I might now be so bold,
I’ll love her my entire life,
Yes, I WILL take her as my wife!

Minister: Then if you’ll take her as your wife,
And if you’ll love her all your life,
And if you’ll have, and if you’ll hold,
From now until the stars grow cold,
And if you’ll love through good and bad,
And whether you’re happy or sad,
And love in sickness, and in health,
And when you’re poor, and when in wealth,
And if you’ll love with all your heart,
From now until death do you part,
Yes, if you’ll love her through and through,
Please answer with these words:

Minister and Groom: I DO!

SURPRISE!

This weekend, Adam and I headed back to Mechanicsburg again for another slew of events.

Saturday night, we went to dinner at the Hershey Country Club to celebrate my Mom's birthday. It was an interesting and eventful dinner, and hopefully the food at the wedding will turn out better than dinner on Saturday.

On Sunday, Adam, Cara and I (along with lots of help) hosted a surprise 50th birthday party for Adam's Dad. The party was a hit, and I actually think he was surprised. We had lots of fun people, lots of great food and a cake that took up an entire refrigerator! Overall the party was a hit, which makes me look forward to the craziness that our wedding will bring in December. I'm also extremely lucky that I get to marry into such an amazing family!

Here are some pictures from Sunday:

It's been awhile....

With my graduate class finishing up next week, and my summer class starting the week after, life has been crazy hectic lately. That doesn't even include death threats at work, choosing a wedding gown and celebrating mother's day on Saturday with my favorite Mom and on Sunday with Adam's Mom. May is just plain busy and every weekend is taken up with some kind of plans!

The picture above is the table my Mom hosted for a women's tea at our church. It was wonderful to have 3 generations in one place (although we were missing the 4th generation of our family due to double ear infections).

This weekend my parents ventured down to Baltimore to come look at bridal gowns, and I found one! I am so excited about my beautiful dress and cannot wait until I get to see it when it comes in and wear it on December 5th! We also chose invitations and I think I know which bridesmaid dress I want. Things are certainly coming together, and I am so excited and grateful for this beautiful wedding that is being planned!