New Beginnings

As we all know, Sunday, March 20 was the first day of spring! I've been known to call all four seasons my favorite at different times of the year, but I decided that I get excited about each season at its very beginning. I've come to love getting the home prepared for new decor, and little festive seasonal trinkets. I only recently, like in the last year or two, began really getting into holiday decor. I never did before that because everywhere I lived throughout college was so temporary, so I didn't bother. Plus, I didn't have the financial means to buy what I wanted to decorate, and I was just a little bit preoccupied with studying and graduating and nonsense like that. Now that I'm feeling more settled,have a place to call home - even if it is just an apartment that we don't intend on living in forever - a little more money to throw around (ha!) and someone to decorate for besides myself, I find myself getting really excited about each new season.

Spring is a time of new beginnings all over the world. I know from one of my favorite, favorite, favorite blogs, Aura j o o n, that this weekend marked the Persian new year, and families celebrate with lots of yummy food and staging the home for spring. Over spring break, I had the delight of celebrating new beginnings in some of my good friends' lives. One friend and her husband are eagerly awaiting the arrival of their first baby! I had the joy of celebrating their bundle of joy's upcoming debut to the world at a baby shower over spring break. Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures of the shower. :( But I did get one picture of my little baby cousin who was also in attendance and who I met for the first time! This is baby Ellarie!

Saturday I had the privilege of celebrating one of my very best friend's upcoming wedding! Katherine's family hosted a gorgeous wedding shower in honor of her marriage to Adrian in August. Andy and I had the immense joy of having dinner with Katherine and Adrian on their way through town last year, and I have never seen two people so perfectly matched. I loved hearing them joke together, rib each other just a bit, and I could see and feel the unconditional love between them. It gave me such joy to see my dear sweet friend of 13 years so blissfully happy. 

One of my OTHER very best friends, Rachel, is engaged to Zach, and they will be saying their vows in October. Ah, a summer wedding followed by an autumn wedding, followed by a winter wedding. Does it get any more perfect? I've met Zach and, oh my gosh, CUTE! What a sweet man, and there is no more perfect, Godly man for one of my oldest and dearest friends. 

Everyone is getting married! My talented, beautiful, and downright hilarious cousin Michaela (who is the best wedding and birthday cake baker and decorator in America) is marrying Aaron in May. I am heartbroken - HEARTBROKEN - that I won't get to go to this wedding. It will be in California and if I weren't busy paying for my own wedding this year, I'd be there in a minute. I've never met Aaron, but I've corresponded with him through the miracle of Facebook and he's so caring and sweet-natured. They are such a perfect couple!

AND! I just found out last night that my cousin Richard, who I love to pieces and is one of the funniest and most genuine men in my life, proposed to his dearest Katie, who I had the pleasure of talking to over the phone and personally congratulating. I haven't formally met her yet, but I can't wait to meet this beautiful and sweet woman who stole my cousin's heart!

Ahhh! I'm just giddy about all this joy and love going around, especially for some of my very favorite people in the whole world!!! I could easily name about a dozen or more weddings coming up of more distant acquaintances, but these, for me, are the most important. I can't wait to find out who else will be making babies or walking down the aisle!!