Our Anniversary Weekend

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We're back! Indian Rocks was a great trip. Thanks to our friends Jeff & Lisa for letting us stay in their beautiful condo for the weekend! It was so nice just to get away and talk about the past year. It's been such an adventure and so much fun. I must say... I'm the luckiest girl in the world to be married to my best friend.

Bryan, who isn't one for big surprises, pulled out all the stops this weekend. When we arrived at the condo, we changed and went to dinner at Conch Republic. It was really good... then afterwards, we grabbed a bottle of wine and headed back to the condo. When we walked in, Bryan led me to the kitchen and started talking about how bad our cake topper tasted (attention brides :: it's gross). We had attempted to taste it the day before and gave up when we decided it tasted like licking the inside of an ice maker. Bryan opened the condo fridge door and surprised me with my ABSOLUTE favorite... peanut butter chocolate Wright's cake. I promise we did NOT eat as much as it looks like... the poor cake slid off it's board inside the box and squished part of it... :( If you're anywhere in South Florida... you have to come to Tampa and visit Wright's Deli. Their cakes weigh about 20lbs (and probably put that much on your hips) and are the best around.

After I got over my giddiness over his surprise, he pulled out a little box and gave me a beautiful diamond ring that matches my wedding band. Now I have one on each side of my engagement ring.... one from our wedding day and one from our 1 year anniversary. I teared up big time. Photos to come! :)

The best 6 months...

Today, my husband, Bryan, and I have been married for 6 months.  I can say that without a doubt, it has been the best six months of my entire life.  We have grown together incredibly.  In October, we were married on the 18th and left for a week long honeymoon in Jamaica the next morning.  What a blessing to have 7 days in paradise with your new husband and best friend.  It was incredible.

We hosted Thanksgiving at our home in November and in December, we celebrated our first Christmas as a married couple.  We had so much fun (even though Bryan's not been much into "decorating for the holidays' before) putting up our Christmas trees (yep, we had two).  We travelled home to Pensacola for a week for Christmas and got to spend some real quality time with friends and family.  That was so nice - to be back home surrounded by the ones we love. 

It was on our car ride home to Tampa that Bryan convinced me to follow my heart and start ELP.  I'd been dreaming and talking about it for months.  His entrepreneurial spirit has been such a guiding light for me in this adventure.  I worked for a few weeks on the initial set up and launched ELP on January 2, 2009.  Since then, I have worked with 75+ brides... created full invitation suites for 13 weddings... and earned over $13,000 in revenue.  Now, just four months later, we are working with Hi Design for a new website with e-commerce capabilities, finalizing the ELP product lines, and redecorating my studio/office at home.  

Throughout it all... Bryan has been so supportive... even when I've had to shut myself in my office and work at inopportune times.  Last weekend, we had a beautiful heart-to-heart about ELP and the direction it's headed.  To see the pride in his eyes when he talks about how I've followed my dream... it's the most amazing feeling.  He is, without a doubt, my rock and my best friend.  While I am still mastering the art of balance, I know that I've been blessed over and over again in my marriage.  What a feeling to know that you couldn't ask for anything more.