Black Bear Lodging

Today, Alex and I booked our honeymoon.  We are extremely excited to be getting a way for a week after we're married.  We had originally decided to not do a honeymoon because we weren't sure of what are finances would be like come July or if we would have jobs, but after a bit of scouring the web, we found a pretty good deal and couldn't pass it up.  After our wedding we will be heading to Pigeon Forge, TN to spend a week in a one bedroom cabin.  We will be staying at Black Bear Lodging in A Mountain Hibernation.  It's a simple one bedroom, one bath cabin fully equipped with a jacuzzi and a hot tub and we couldn't be more excited.  I'm so excited about being able to get away with Alex for a week, just the two of us.  Granted, I know we'll have the rest of our lives together, but as of right now we're only seeing each other once every couple of weeks and to be honest, it's old.  Real old.  While in Pigeon Forge, we plan on going hiking, white water rafting, and to the Dixie Stampede.  I'm sure we'll do some shopping while we're there as well. 


I can't wait to be Mrs. Greer.  83 days and counting!!

Graduation in 3 weeks!

Something Old...

This is a continuance from a previous post. You can read it here.

Since I wrote my Something Old, Something New post, I've been thinking about what my something old and something borrowed could be and I've finally decided on my something old.

My parents named me after my grandfather on my dad's side, George McLawhorn. Papa George passed away when I was ten. He was super special to me. I think it was because I'm the only granddaughter on that side of the family; I have a brother and two male cousins. When I graduated from high school, my Mama Janice gave me a gold nugget. She had taken Papa's wedding band and high school class ring and had them melted down into a nugget. The initial purpose was to buy a chain so that I could wear it. Well I never got around to purchasing a gold chain and honestly, I don't wear much yellow gold, okay I don't wear any yellow gold. I was looking through the jewelry box the other day and came across it and it hit me. The nugget would be PERFECT for my something old and I love what the nugget means to me. Part of it was my grandfather's wedding band. I don't even know how long my grandparents were married or when they got married, but I know it was a while ago, so it's definitely something old.
My intentions are to tie the nugget to my bouquet and I'm super excited. I also can't wait to see my grandmother's face when she finds out.

Now I'm on a search for something borrowed and I've got to find that sixpence!

Student Teaching Has Taken Over My Life

Hello blogging world. So where have I been the last month?? Student Teaching. It has taken over my life. I wake up, go to school, teach, go to meetings, come home, plan lessons, and then go to bed. In between all of that I'm trying to do some wedding planning. Things have come along very well. Here's an update:

Colors: Blue and Yellow
Bridesmaid Dresses: ordered
Groomsmen Attire: delivered
DJ: selected
Photographer: Eric Jones Photography
Flowers: Selected! Calla Lilies, Blue Hydrangeas, Yellow Gerber Daisies
Center Pieces: Decided on!
Rentals: Tents, Chairs, Tables RENTED! (Huge Relief)
Invitations: Ordered and received! LOVE THEM!
Save the Dates: I got 30 for free and those have been sent out!
Guestbook: I just got it today!!! Check out the pics!



Alex and I decided to go with a photo guest book. I first got this idea from a friend and fellow blogger, Laura, who is also planning a wedding right now. She's super crafty and has awesome ideas, so I sometimes steal them (hope you don't mind!). She sent me a link where she ordered hers, so Alex and I sat down, picked out pictures, and ordered ours on Saturday. It was here when I got home from school today. Talk about excitement! Every time I get something for the wedding I'm like a little kid on Christmas morning. All of the pictures turned out great, all were in focus, not pixelated or anything. What was even better was a had a coupon code for a discount and we got free shipping! The whole book was around $30, not too bad when all the plain guest books I've seen were around the same price. Plus, this is something we can leave sitting out on the coffee table for guests to see in our home!

I graduate a month from tomorrow. That is so crazy to think about. After graduation I will be spending the next two weeks packing up my house in Raleigh and my house at home (my parents' house is under contract and they are set to close May 28) and moving everything to my new home in Lexington (which I promise to do an update on sometime!).

I'm so excited about being Alex's wife. The wedding festivities really begin this weekend with my first shower. Erica, Alex's sister, is a Pampered Chef consultant so I decided to have a Pampered Chef shower in Raleigh for all my friends at school. I'm so excited to spend some time with family and friends celebrating the next stage in mine and Alex's life.

A year ago today...

It's crazy to think how much my life has changed in the past year. If you would have asked me a year ago what my life would look like today, I probably would have told you I was preparing to raise support to go on staff with Campus Crusade for Christ. At the time I was preparing to go on Summer Project to Sweden, which turned out to be the best summer of my life. Last summer, I did realize that I wasn't being led to become a full time missionary, instead the Lord was leading me to the classroom and oh how I hated it. I didn't want to teach. I regretted going into Secondary Math Ed. I didn't want to spend the rest of my life in front of the classroom. The Lord laughed at me, seriously. Right now I'm doing my student teaching at Knightdale High School and although it can be crazy and hectic at times, I'm really enjoying it. I love being in the classroom. I love teaching kids. I love the moment that they "get it". I had a moment like that today when four of my students said OH!!! I get it now! It's the best feeling in the world. I love that my kids test averages were the highest compared to other Algebra I classes. I by no means think that I'm a better teacher than the others, but it does make me feel like I'm doing something right.

But I think one of the biggest changes happened March 26, 2009 when I met Alex. We were haning out at the Table, celebrating my friend Mark's birthday. The girls had made Mark a poster board with pictures and signed it. As we were watching Mark read the board, John McNeil came up and said "Hey guys, this is my buddy Alex". I shook his hands and took notice of his beautiful blue eyes and country accent. There was a lot of people at the Table that night so I didn't talk to him anymore, but once things died down and some people started to leave, I took to a couch and laid down, but not for long. Alex walked up and said "No ma'am, move your feet" and he had a seat. Why I didn't shrug him off as rude I'm not sure but we began to talk. By time I got home that night I had a friend request from Alex. The following Tuesday, we went for a walk at Lake Johnson and it was down hill from there (or so they say).

The past year has been a roller coaster. There has definitely been ups and downs, but I'm excited about the future. A year ago today I had no idea I would be writing this blog, graduating, getting married, and moving to Lexington to spend the rest of my life as Mrs. Greer. I'm looking forward to the next year and seeing where the Lord leads me.

Something Old, Something New...

Something Old

Something New

Something Borrowed

Something Blue

and a Silver Sixpence in her shoe.

I've always heard the age old adage and never really thought much of it. I knew I wanted to incorporate this popular tradition into my wedding, so I decided to learn what the significance of this saying truly is.

This is an English tradition dating back to the Victorian era. We know it is english because of the sixpence reference.

Something Old represents continuity from the bride's past. Our pasts definitely make up our future. Some say that this tradition is to stay connected to the bride's family and others believe it represents the life you leave behind. It can symbolize a bride leaving behind her past to start her new beginning. Either way, I want my something old to really have a special meaning. I haven't quite decided what this is going to be yet.

Something New represents optimism for the future. Symbolizes the union being created by the bride and her groom. This will be my dress.

Something Borrowed represents a variety of things. Some say it is borrowing happiness from someone who is married. Others believe it represents the love you have for the person you borrowed from. I tend to borrow something from someone who has had a happy marriage that is built on the foundation of Christ. I think I know who I'm going to borrow from, it's just a matter of what.

Something Blue has been connected to weddings for centuries as a symbol of love, modesty, fidelity, good luck, purity, and loyalty. I purchased my something blue today, my shoes.

and a Silver Sixpence in her shoe. This represents future wealth and financial security. I'm not so sure about this part of the tradition yet. I can't imagine a sixpence in my shoe would be very comfortable, much less where I would find one. I've read that some brides just place a penny in her shoe. We shall see.

I'm not superstitious at all, but it is a tradition I want to have as a part of my wedding. I think it will be fun and everything will have significant meaning to me!

Now, my mother-in-law likes to pick about this tradition. She says that my something new is my dress, my something borrowed is Alex, and my something blue is her, since she will be so sad about her son getting married on our wedding day. I love her :D

Did you use any parts of this tradition for your wedding? Leave a comment and let me know!

Spring is Coming!!!

I decided that the blog needed an update. I was tired of looking at snowflakes, especially after the beautiful week we have been having. It's so nice to hear the birds chirping at a fresh 5:30 am every morning. With Spring, comes time to kick the wedding planning into full gear, which honestly, isn't something I really care to be doing right now. I stay exhausted from the amount of work I have on my plate while I am student teaching. Don't get me wrong, I love every minute of teaching, and it's definitely a profession that is perfect for me, but it is exhausting. By time I come home in the evenings all I want to do is eat and go to bed, that doesn't leave much time for wedding stuff. I'm heading home this weekend to hopefully get some work done on the wedding.

One thing I want to get out of the way this weekend is the rental things. There is a lot of things to rent for the wedding and I want to knock that out. In addition, I may go ahead and try and order the invitations this weekend. I definitely am on a mission to find shoes for me and my bridesmaids so I can go ahead and get my dress altered. That reminds me, I must find someone who can alter my dress. Any takers?

I know this is a short post, but I knew it was time to update. I'm heading to school and then hittin' good 'ole 264 East and heading "home". I don't know what is home right now. There are three homes. I can't wait to have one home. 1171 Brown Street :D

Pictures to come soon!!

1171 Brown Street

1171 Brown Street. This is our new address!!! Alex and I purchased a home last week and we are so excited to begin fixing our place up. We were very fortunate to get a deal on a home in Alex's hometown, Lexington, NC, where we will be living once we are married. I've only seen it twice and I'm super excited to go this weekend to start cleaning the place up a bit! Pictures to come!