Follow along our journey on my new website! https://www.dbtosmelcer.com
0 Comments
Happy October, everyone! I can’t believe it’s already here. I wasn’t sure how I felt about waking up to snow this morning (it’s too early to be this cold!!) but I am definitely ready for everything haunted and pumpkin. This month my goal is to show more gratitude. A few weeks ago, I received a message from the sweetest girl telling me about her goal to “look for love and joy and appreciate the heck out of it.” I was completely inspired by her example to do the same. I could always use a little more appreciation in my life. Plus, I’m hoping a month dedicated to gratitude will be the push I need to finish our thank-you cards. Two months late isn’t so bad, right? To kick off this goal I want to list ten things I’m thankful for. I challenge you all to do the same in the comments, in your journal, or even out loud to a friend, spouse, or family member.
It’s been one month married to my sweetheart!!!!! I didn’t believe everyone when they said I could love him more than I did on our special day but, man, they were so right. Our month together has been full of learning, laughing, and love. Oh, so much love. Not every step has been easy but it’s all been worth it. To celebrate this tiny milestone in our forever, I want to share our wedding video. My sweet cousin, Audrey, created this video for us so we would always remember our day and it has become so special to us. Our wedding was everything we ever dreamed of and more but this month of marriage has been better. I say it often and I’ll keep saying it, I love this life we live. Happy one month of marriage, my sweet love. I can’t wait for the hundreds more. Let’s talk about purses. Recently, my husband informed me that the biggest turn off for him in high school was a big, bulky bag. Until then I hadn’t given much thought on the size of my purse, the perfect size is when everything fits, right? Apparently not. With Just Get Pampered’s cross body handbag you can have yourself a purse that fits all the necessities while avoiding that unwanted, bulky look. It’s small, stylish size is fit with two inside pockets, one with a snap closure along the back, and another zipper one out front. Side note: the interior pockets are both perfect size to secure and fit your iphone. My biggest pet peeve when buying compact bags is when then pockets are too small to hold my phone!
12 DAYS OF ENGAGEMENT:
The engagement period can be long, hard, and stressful! I was surprised to find out there was much more to do than squeal over dresses and sample beautiful cakes so in honor of our 12 day mark I have compiled a list of the twelve things to remember leading up to your wedding. 19-year-old bride. NINETEEN year old bride. Young, naive, in love, stupid. As I’ve been home planning my wedding these past few months I have learned that getting married young is not socially acceptable. Not at all. I have been teased about how I “must be pregnant” or I’m “just in it for the sex.” I have heard the whispering voices say, “there’s no way she’s ready”, “it will never last”, “they’re rushing into it, wait until the honeymoon stage leaves.” And I have cried. I have silently begged for the support and love of those around me, wishing that my happiness was good enough. I have sought after the approval of countless people who don’t matter. Strangers. And I have learned. I have learned that none of that is important. Those people who talk? They’re forgetting a few things.
They have forgotten that being in love is NOT stupid. It is scary. It means being vulnerable. It means putting someone else’s needs in front of yours while remembering that you deserve respect, kindness, and, yes, love. It is beautiful. They have forgotten that being young does not mean naive. They have forgotten that it is okay to not know everything. I have no idea how to change a tire on my car. If you gave me all the ingredients, I would never be able to turn them into a pie without at least calling my mom. I don’t know all the tips and tricks to grocery shopping with coupons and I surely don’t know how to be a perfect wife but, boy, I am excited to learn. Even more? I’m excited to learn with my spouse. Being married is not about being ready. If it was, none of us would ever reach that step. I don’t believe anyone is ever completely ready for a life change this big, and that’s okay. To me, it’s about so much more. As I picture my future with Colin let me assure you, it is not all roses and sunshine. I am completely aware that it is not an IF we hit hardships, it is a WHEN. They will come and they will test our love, our strength, our marriage. They will be scary. At times, it will be rocky. We will have to remember our decision, our commitment, to stand strong as the boat rocks, and each surrounding force tries to push us overseas. I am and will continue to use everything I have, to keep from falling overboard. I am determined to never forget the little things. The butterflies I felt when he first grabbed my hand, and the sparks that exploded from my chest when he said I love you. I refuse to become “comfortable.” Comfort means there is no growth, and marriage is about growing together. So, you better believe me when I say I am going to do everything in my power to keep challenging our relationship, to continue finding new ways to show my appreciation, to remember that Colin’s snoring is not a reason to be upset and my hangriness is not his fault. And to all you young brides? Quit thinking you need permission to be happy. Those dreams you have of exploring the world while young, of kissing in the middle of cooking as dinner burns on the stove, of dying old and in love? Make them happen. Fight for them. Don’t you dare let your spark die. Don’t you dare believe for a second that those whispering voices are right. One week in California was not enough. Not even close. Too many places to see, too much food to eat, and way too much fun to be had. Here are some of my favorite pictures and highlights from the trip. ENJOY!
XO Abbey Okay guys. It’s time to talk about something really important. Something that is incredibly lacking conversation in society today. It’s time to talk about beauty. True beauty.
Somewhere between make believe princesses and making my first apartment feel like home I was convinced that to be beautiful I had to look, act, speak, and even think a certain way. That I shouldn't feel beautiful if my clothes didn’t look like everyone else’s, my teeth weren't perfectly white, and my body wasn't both thin and curvy. That one blemish would destroy anything pretty on my face. Luckily, after moving into that first apartment, I learned something very important. NONE OF THAT IS TRUE. None of it. I have wonderful parents who have told me this my entire life but for some reason it took being on my own for me to finally hear them. It’s safe to say, I wish I would have listened a little sooner.
From before I can remember to sophomore year in high school, I was a dancer. I spent countless hours in the studio perfecting every turn, leap, and plié. It wasn’t just a hobby it was my life. School, dance, sleep, repeat… with a few meals in between. That’s why when life got crazy and I had to quit at age fifteen, I felt utterly, and completely lost. This is the first time I can remember having real and deep insecurities. Of course, I had felt self-conscious many times before- I mean, I was a teenage girl- but never in the way I did that year. Leaving all my friends, leaving my passion. I had just begun a new life with far more free time than I even knew existed and let me tell you, I was lonely.
Shortly after my decision to quit, I began to feel very uneasy about my body figure. My cheeks were too chubby, my body wasn’t beach ready, my hair color was dreadful. You name it, I had a negative thought to go along. I tried everything to become a person I was proud of. Skipping meals, spending hours picking out outfits, using three thousand and more filters on each Instagram post, I did whatever I could but nothing worked. The further away I got from myself, the worse I felt. I became embarrassed about not just my looks but my entire personality too. That’s when I realized, I didn’t want to become someone else, I wanted to be happy being me. So I set off to do it and four years later I’m here to tell you I am happier than I ever have been and I’m happy being me. |