Mushaboom, Mushaboom
On my wonderful wedding day, a family friend came up to me and gave me some advice which, while well-intentioned, still puzzles me to this day: “If you can just get through the first year of marriage, it will all be worth it.” Thankfully, I have to say that our first year of marriage was far from being the hardship his words portended. Spending that first year in a tiny, one-bedroom apartment, having to walk up three flights of steps repeatedly with all of our groceries, “cooking” spaghetti every other night for dinner, both of us working full-time jobs (with one car to share)…all that normal first-year marriage stuff…it wasn’t that bad. That first year was full of joy, anticipation, excitement–dancing to Norah Jones in our small, candlelit living room, buying our first home, decorating that home, laughing continually…etc…it was ever so, well, wonderful. We didn’t just drudge through our first year; we loved it. Marriage has been fresh air in my lungs, day in and day out. We are so blessed that we feel the way we feel about each other.
So what’s with the title of this blog? Well…Brandon and my love song throughout these years reads something like this…(or if you’re like me, just give me the music video–http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYF0qU5WSew)
“Helping the kids out of their coats
But wait the babies haven’t been born
Unpacking the bags and setting up
And planting lilacs and buttercups
But in the meantime I’ve got it hard
Second floor living without a yard
It may be years until the day
My dreams will match up with my pay
Old dirt road (Mushaboom, Mushaboom)
Knee deep snow (Mushaboom, Mushaboom)
Watching the fire as we grow old (Mushaboom, Mushaboom)
I got a man to stick it out
And make a home from a rented house
And we’ll collect the moments one by one
I guess that’s how the future’s done
How many acres how much light
Tucked in the woods and out of sight
Talk to the neighbors and tip my cap
On a little road barely on the map”
I can honestly say that I have lived this song with Brandon. It’s like my life theme song. “Watching the fire as we grow old…”
When Brandon and I met, we were both involved in a Christian ministry. I always knew I would get married at a young age. I was actually dating another guy at the time when I met Brandon. My heart was cold, stale, hopeless, bored, extremely angry, and really was doing what I was doing at the time to bring fulfillment to the broken parts of me. When I met Brandon in DC that cold January, I was taken back by his long hair, fabulous smile and gentle voice.
We sat down on a grand piano one afternoon, I played a song for him and he played a song for me. The next few weeks (which looking back seems like months) was a beautiful blossoming of our hearts…we were smitten, trippin’, fallin’, oh, man…all of the above. I was enthralled with the way he loved me–not only through his sweet words, but in his actions, like buying me Starbucks lattes every day, taking me to dinner constantly, walking in such wisdom with his words and action.
My closed, angry heart found shelter in the sweetness that flowed from this man. He had such a healed, whole heart in spite of a hard and broken past. He was full of life. He was restoration to me.
Below, is the first picture we ever took together. We weren’t even dating when this was taken.
Below: Brandon had just met my parents. (Maryland, 2005)
Below: Johnson City, TN, 2005
Look at that hair —> Suunnnnshine!
London, Summer 2005
Cardigan Island, Wales, 2005
Wales, 2005
Below: Greystones, Ireland. Engaged!!! 2005
Wedding Day – April 2, 2006
Our love developed so quickly. We started dating on February 14, 2005, got engaged August 7, 2005 (in Ireland), married April 2, 2006. We bought our first home within five months of getting married. We moved to Kansas City for a few years in the summer of 2007.
In 2009, Brandon and I spent eight months living apart much of the time. Brandon lived with his parents in Joplin, MO (two hours from Kansas City) where he was finishing his college degree. I spent half of every week with him in Joplin and the other half away from him in Kansas City working as a bridal consultant and living with my best friend. Those that knew us knew how much we missed each other. I hate, hate, hate being away from Brandon. It was a really hard time being so in love with Brandon, seeing him work so hard (full-time college, full-time work, and a part-time internship at a hospital), and seeing him only on weekends.
We moved back to South Carolina in the fall of 2009, back into the home we bought when we first got married. Since then, we’ve had a few different jobs, started our own businesses, and we’ve spent time with family and friends that we hadn’t seen in years. We are still here in SC and love it.
Honeymoon, Mexico 2006
Our first Christmas, 2006
First Anniversary, Florida 2007
Kansas City, MO, Summer 2007
Kansas City, MO, Summer 2007
Kansas City, MO, Fall 2007
Kansas City, MO, Fall 2008
Brandon and I have grown up together the last six years. We’ve learned each other, found a home in one another. We’ve also had our really disappointing moments, walked through heavy heartache. It’s been quite the dance for us. We are the closest, bestest friends. We love doing everything together…or nothing, we love driving nowhere, being lazy together, dancing around the house, being stupid together. He is genuine and gracious to my heart. He’s a hard-working husband and full of sincerity. I’m so in love with him. And I’ve had years to have his love proven to me time and time again.
We have had the best six years of marriage. I have no regret in anything we have done these last six years. I have needed all of this time, all of these evenings, mornings, afternoons, weekends to discover and learn my husband–to love him, to be loved by him…to find myself, to discover who I am.
We, like so many couples, have massive life dreams. One in particular is to live in Europe. (I dream of photographing the streets and people of Europe.) When Brandon and I had one of our very first dates (before we were actually dating), we walked through Georgetown, Washington, DC. The snow was falling so lightly, and it was (in my mind) just like a movie. I looked at him and knew one day that I would walk the streets of Europe with him. We both are passionate about nations and languages. We both have traveled quite a bit. We even tried our best to get to Spain for a year. Haven’t made it yet, but this will always be on our hearts.
Graduation Day for Brandon, Spring 2009
Branson, MO, Summer 2009
Fort Mill, SC, Fall 2009
Fourth Anniversary, April 2010
Halloween, 2010
Ohio Snow Day, Winter 2010
Fifth Anniversary, Saint Augustine, 2011
Snorkeling in the Bahamas, Fall 2011
Winter 2011
Our other little kitty “Hans” didn’t want to grace us with his presence for this next photo. 
The first line of the Mushaboom song says…”Helping the kids out of their coats, But wait the babies haven’t been born.”
Sometime in July, we are bringing another lover into our sweet life…another character in our life play…another dreamer to dream with…another best friend.
I feel like having a baby is not just “the next step of life,” or “this is how life goes.” For me, I look at it as the outcome and reflection of Brandon and my continuous love, a love and deep friendship which we’ve cultivated for years. We’ve built a beautiful set, planted a lovely history, and it’s time to bring in another to journey and to love with us.
For years I have felt pressure from many around me to get pregnant. At times, I have felt angry, terrified and frustrated by that pressure. But now, I can honestly say that Brandon and I chose this. We picked this time, and we weren’t really surprised when it all worked. (Our cruise this fall was a pretty good kick-off party!) ;D
My heart spent last year searching out the beauty in the idea of having a family…something that had always been scary for me. Thankfully, my heart found that beauty. I have needed every second of these last year six years to gain the right perspective about having a family and about being a mom. The Lord has been ever so faithful to my heart in his perfect timing. Brandon and I have also recognized the extreme commitment it takes, and we waited until our hearts were ready to take on the challenge. (Are we ready for it? Can you ever be ready for it?)
This timing, for us, is a gift. There’s a lot of unknown that lies ahead of us, a lot of newness. Our quiet world is about to become less quiet. What we’ve known up til now is about to be interrupted. We won’t sleep much for the next couple years. Our date nights will be a bit more scarce. Our clean house may not be, well, so clean. But our love will be broadened. We will catch on to this new pattern, this new flow and new way of thinking. And it is good.
So here is our first view of our little “man.”
I’m excited to see a little Brandon walking around!!! ;D
Family, Family……
I thought I would share a few photos we took back in December for our Christmas card. I took a few of my Brother, Sister in law, and sweet nephew Káel. They snapped a few of us together.
My dress I’m wearing was my great grandmother best Sunday dress. Isn’t it so lovely?
I hope you enjoy these!
These are edited with VSCO Film from Visual Supply
Jessica makes these dolls. Check out her website for information on ordering them!
Bahama Beaches and Blizzard Biking
Yeah, so it’s been a very long time since I’ve done a very personal blog. And by the end of this you may feel like you’ve become connected with what October was like for me. But, it’s your choice as to how far you keep scrolling. You won’t hurt my feelings.
As I said last year, fall always has the way of making you feel reminisc(ee)–haha! As soon as pumpkins start coming out and color starts happening on my front yard trees, I want to kick up the leaves and remember this year. It has been an extremely insane year. Busy, busy, busy. And I don’t think that “busy” for the sake of “busy” is necessarily a virtue. It doesn’t make me sound cool saying… “Oh, I’ve been so busy.” But the truth is, busy is what puts food on the table, and makes life “happen.” I’ve also had extreme heart hardships this year. Never in my life have I experienced more growing through heartache. I’ve grown in confidence, in identity, and in perspective. My business has done extremely well this year, and in the end I can’t believe that “I did it!” haha! I’m not quite at the end of my weddings for this year, but I am very proud of me. And that feels good to say.
So, with all my busyness and my husband working 50 hrs a week in the translation industry, and seeing him only on some evenings when I’m not working at my small part-time job, and on the weekends I’m not shooting…we needed a vacation. Back in April when we went away for our anniversary to see my best friend, Sharon, Sharon and I schemed that in the fall we should all four go on a cruise. Sharon and I talk on the phone almost daily. I love, love, love this girl. So the thought of going on the cruise with her and her hubby along with my man and me. wow!! Well…we did it. In August we booked our tickets on Royal Caribbean’s Monarch of the Sea cruise to the Bahamas. Four nights, Two stops. Yes please.
During the second week of October, Brandon and I drove down to Jacksonville, FL to meet Sharon and Ferrill. We then drove down to Port Canaveral to catch our ship.
*Disclaimer: I shot mostly with my iPhone on this trip. And I’m okay with that. So, you’ll see the dance between high resolution photos and the crappy photos from the front camera on the iPhone 4. But… no worries, If I can handle it, you can too.
See that pile of wings…. yeah, they killed it.
*Below: Sharon is so ready to go!
So I have never been on a cruise before. And I could NOT stop smiling. Getting our cards for the boat. (It was like a credit card!)
We had a drill, that didn’t include wearing the vests… but we put them on anyways…
My first of many pina coladas …
This is our boat baby!
Sunset over the ocean. So amazing.
Can I just say, there is nothing like being in the middle of the ocean in a hot tub in a rain storm. ammmmazing.
Every evening we got to dress all nice and go have a three-course dinner at the fancy restaurant. We had steak, duck, my husband ate snails, fruit soup, pasta, chicken…. oh man!
Below: Our first dinner…
So the story goes: we stayed up till 2AM dancing on a dance floor. yeeeep. And we were so tired. I set my alarm for sunrise time, I was determined to watch the sun rise over the Bahamas. I mean… who gets to do that!?
Brandon decided to come along. He was happy he did.
Our first stop was Royal Caribbean’s private island “CoCo Cay.” The cruise boat anchored in the middle of the ocean and we took small ferries to and from the island. The island itself is a bit touristy. Bright colored signs, straw huts, beach chairs everywhere. The water is to die for. So clean, so clear and so blue. We snorkeled, and got to see big bright fish hanging out over the ruins of a 4 seater airplane crash under the sea. Fab! I also almost ran into a jelly fish. eeeee….
Halfway through our time there, Brandon and I decided to walk across the island. We walked a little less than a mile and came upon the most beautiful private beach I have EVER seen. No one was there. Giant shells EVERYWHERE! It was a sand bar that reached out so far, and next to it was deep water where you could dive. Unbelievable. We ran back to our locker to grab my camera and Ferrill and Sharon. We spent two hours or so having the most amazing part of our cruise. The four different shades of water that you could see crystal clear straight through–it was heaven. I was in a vacation commercial.
Sunset that evening…
I loved dinner that night. We got to get really fancy. I primped all up for our fabulous dinner. oh man! sooooo fun!
The next morning we docked in Nassau, Bahamas. We prayed for a really great day. And oh yes, twas amazing! As soon as we got off the boat we met a man named “Byron” (Which is the best name ever… considering my fav youtube video is HERE) He offered to give us a two-hour tour of the island and then drop us off at the amazing Cabbage Beach. We had the most incredible time driving around the city of Nassau with Byron.
We got to see some of the biggest resort in the islands–Atlantis.
That water is legit.
And at last… *sigh* the brilliant Cabbage Beach. We spent four hours on this beach. Unreal.
OMG! I drank out of a coconut. You have no idea. Best day ever.
Said goodbye to our tour guide…. =(
And then… I get back on the boat and they are selling drinks in PINEAPPLES! HOLA!
*Like my bad vacation sunburn? haha…. it’s awesome.
The cruise boat had a party on the top of the boat, this is at 1AM. They roasted a pig, had ice sculptures, and a giant meal.
We spent the next day and final day on the water, at sea cruising home. I slept on the deck, swam, relaxed. Bittersweet.
Woke up the next day, and we were docked in FL. All good things must come to an end. =(
Brandon and I had the most unreal vacation. So much fun. So much beauty. I can’t stop dreaming of that water. Hands down, next year we will do it again. And I’m totally going to be one of those old people who cruise all the time. yes!
So we came home to the “busy” place we call life. Two weddings to edit, back to work. yeah. Life just keeps going. But we had the Virginia Creeper trail to keep us excited. The Virginia Creeper Trail is a 17 mile bike ride mostly downhill through the mountains of Virginia.
Last weekend we left home Friday evening and car pooled with our neighborhood friends, Josiah & Nicole, up to Damascus, Virginia. We met the rest of our group (which is all of our friends) at a small cozy house that we all had pitched in and rented. There were twelve of us all together staying in this home. Brandon and I found our place on an air mattress that we later discovered had a slow leak in it. In the middle of the night we would wake with our butts touching the ground. This air mattress was connected to a button to blow it up. Brandon would lean over and say… “Beka, push the button.” We did this about four times the first night and six times the next night. haha! (phrase of the trip…”Beka, the button!”) —->bunny trail.
So we heard that it was going to snow the next morning. And I can honestly say I like snow once a year and then I’m done. And snow in October? ah…. Well… we woke to fog and coldness, but lots of pretty color.
Our cute home…
You wouldn’t believe what was waiting for us when we reached the top of the mountain.
I’m glad I bundled up. Very cold, and very snowy. We biked through snow, and wind, and beautiful winter, down to colorful fall. Seventeen miles.
Cozy Nicole.
Friends!
Hilarious! The mud slinging up hitting our butts while we were biking. haha!
It really was a magnificent day. We stopped in a small town at a diner and had hot chocolate and sandwiches. It was the cutest diner. I felt like I was in a movie. loooved it.
We finished just in time to see the light hit the town and bring out all the beautiful color around.
In the evening we all sat around and laughed, getting to know each other. It really was a blast! I so enjoyed getting to know our friends more.
Ending our time we stopped in a sweet town and walked around….
Some of my girlfriends–Mallory & Alisha.
While we were in the mountains, Brandon and I took a few photos of each other. I liiiike him.
So there you have it–our October. Might I also include that we added to our family this month? (no…I’m not………….) Brandon and I adopted another sweet ragdoll kitty so our other kitty would have a friend. His name is Hans. And I’m sure you’ll see a picture here in the near future.
I hope I didn’t bore you. And if you made it to the end…. (applause) I thank you.
Happy Fall!
Green no more! – my bedroom is a sweet haven now.
So, if you’ve followed my blog for a while, you’ll remember that I had a crayon box house. Red, yellow, and now green…. omg… i wished it all away, and it worked. ;D
You can click on these links to see my rooms I’ve repainted and somewhat redecorated. (Yellow no more…) & (Red no more…)
So today, I want to share with you my bedroom. It was green, and brown. And actually it wasn’t as bad as the other rooms I’ve redone. But after drooling over Anthropologie and Pintrest I was wanting to redo it with something light and romantic yet, I wanted some rustic in there. I still have so many more things I really want to add. But this is the start to something….
So here is before… :p
Notice the dresser please…
You wanna see the new improved room??
Drumroll……………………..
TADA!
Cloudy Gray Sherwin Williams paint.
Curtains from Ikea. cheap, cheap! ;D
My bedspread is from Anthropologie. (yes, you can be jealous)
My wonderful husband and I sanded and repainted that dresser, added fabulous Anthropologie knobs. Didn’t it turn out great? (We swear we will never redo furniture ever again.)
The old windows above the dresser: Me and my friend Shelley were driving through a small town near Asheville and we saw them for sale on the side of the road. $10 each.
My old windows above my bed, a friend of mine gave me from a torn down house.
Fabulous prints of my hubby and I, by my friend Shelley Paulson.
The old school desk, is probably going to end up somewhere else. I want to put this Ikea Chaise in that corner, once I save up the money for it.
Dried flowers in Wine bottles, Ikea metal and white vases, Value village vases, and the lantern is from the Sleepy poet.
My yellow bench is a gift from my girlfriend Tara Mauldin. <3
And Miles.. well… he just looks good anywhere he sits.
We are hoping to get REAL overhead lighting at some point.
I also bought this door knob from Anthropologie that I’m waiting to put up. I need some special parts for it, and we have to order it..
I hope you likey!! ;D
I do!
Anniversary Vaca
Marriage is so amazing. I can’t imagine life without my husband, Brandon. This past weekend we got to get away and celebrate 5 years of glorious marriage. I am so blessed to be able to feel the way I feel about my husband. He is the kindest man and my closest most dear friend. We have so much fun just being together. The negative emotion toward marriage in my generation is very discouraging and very hard to swallow at times. But for me I am blessed to be able to say that its all been so great and so right.
*Photography by Ken Beebe- Kugler Studios
We decided to spend a long weekend in Jacksonville, FL visiting our close friends (Who I lived with in Kansas City for 9 months) Sharon and Ferrill Gallaway. They recently moved from Kansas City to become youth pastors at a great church. I’m so happy that my lovely Sharon is so much closer then Kansas city. 6.5 hours is nothing compared to 15 hours. We left Thursday evening and had an excellent road trip down to Jacksonville. We arrived late and slept amazing. Friday morning the Gallaway’s graced us with breakfast and we took some time to visit their outdoor mall and hang out together, catching up on life. We made a fantastic Indian dinner and ended the day with marble slab.
I went around their neighborhood and found some cool things I loved…
Saturday was our actual anniversary day. April 2nd. This day will go down as one of my most favorite days. Probably the best in about 4 years. We went to Saint Augustine with Ferrill and Sharon. Oh my gosh! I was in heaven. Its so, so lovely down there. Weeping mossy trees, wedding bells ringing, potted flowered plants in window seals, old brick, and gorgeous textures on rustic houses. I was freaking out. We walked the streets and I felt like I was in heaven.
Sharon took this photo of us right on the river front.
Beautiful Sharon
Ferrill overlooking the water…
We stopped at a quaint Cuban Bistro, sat outside and sipped a sangria with the wind coming off the water. So wonderful.
They had carriages going by with people telling the history of Saint Augustine. I loved this guys feathers.
I found this street singer… I love these next few photos of him.
So this was a huge highlight of our day. We found an all natural Popsicle place. Check out these flavors… omg! amazing… I got the Hibiscus pear. mmm…
After visiting the historic area of Saint Augustine, we crossed over the bridge and went to the beach. It was a little chilly out, so that’s why we are well dressed. haha…
Inst.gram baby. taken with my Iphone4.
I love this one below.
When we finished at the beach, we drove back to Jacksonville and got dressed nice to drive back to Saint Augustine for our anniversary evening together. Brandon took me to a little Italian place off a side street in Historic St. Augustine. We ate dinner together, and then after we walked down to a small martini place inside a historic hotel house. We sat on the front porch over looking the water with a jazz band playing. Oh man… I can’t rank that moment high enough. It was beyond perfect. So incredible. Brandon and I then went and sat on the beach looking up at the stars, dreaming together. Such a fantastic day.
On Sunday, we visited our friends church and spent the late afternoon at Jacksonville beach. I took my film camera, so I don’t have any photos developed yet from it. Maybe I’ll share later.
Monday we left around noon and drove half way to Savannah, GA. Another…. OMG! weeping trees again with moss hanging, old buildings…. oh man! We only were able to stay like 2 hours. I was dying to visit every store and see every side street with the parks. I took quite a bit with my film camera again. But here are some I took from my digital.
(Iphone photo above)
Ending it all with Five guys is always right.
So, yah… it was all pretty much amazing getting away from the craziness and thoughts of normal life, and just being with my best friend. Brandon and I had a great deep, tearful conversations about life on our road trip home. I love him. yes. I say, I’ll keep being married for him forever.
Thanks for reading and looking.
