my forever valentine

February fourteenth, two-thousand-seventeen.  Today marks the third Valentine's Day I will be celebrating with Mr. Pedantic, but only the first as his wife.  This new facet enhances this day in that "good morning" is no longer said through text, and our celebratory date this evening will not end in "goodbye," only "goodnight."  It is a pretty special thing indeed to wake up and have breakfast with your best friend every single day, and to no longer endure those sad goodbyes and lonely walks to our separate cars.

This year, just like the two before it, I have written Mr. Pedantic a valentine.  It is what one does this time of year. However, it seems to me that no message could be more fitting than a simple repeat and reaffirmation of my wedding vows - my forever valentine to my forever sweetheart. Yes, this is a cloyingly sappy post, but it is Valentine's Day after all, and I would wager this is still several degrees less repulsive that a heart-shaped box of Whitman's toothpaste-filled "chocolates."  Oops...  is my snobbery showing?

"Sweetheart, I'm standing here today - your almost-wife - about to make you some promises.  We stand here because of love - the only thing that would possess us to pledge these impossibles, and the only thing that will help us keep them.  But what is love?

To Daisy Buchanan love was an escape.  To Hemingway it was to be beautifully and utterly ruined.  To Shakespeare, it was complete acceptance. To me - to us, my darling, it is Christ.  Josh, there were trillion ways to say what I will stand here and say today, but the best one was the simplest. I love you.  I love you, and I vow to you that I will strive to truly demonstrate love - Christ's perfect definition of love- to you every single day.  I've already failed so many times, and it is hard to understand why you would still want to stand here next to me.  But, it is a wonderful reminder that the greatest part of Christ's love is the element of grace. Josh, I vow to shower you with the grace and forgiveness our Lord and Savior so freely grants us both each day.  Someone once said, "we must love ourselves before we can love another," but I feel that it is much better put, "we must know that God loves us, before we can love another."  When we understand the love of God, His grace - His sacrifice, and when we trust Him when He tells us that we are fearfully and wonderfully made - that is when we see what love is - love in its most perfect form.  Only then, can we truly love another imperfect sinner who will fail us just as we fail our Heavenly Father. 

You captured my eyes long ago beloved, and I promise that these eyes will always be faithful to you and you only.  My eyes are and always will be only yours to delight and my heart yours to protect, love, and lead.  

Our beloved Hemingway once said, "when you love, you wish to do things for, you wish to sacrifice for, you wish to serve."  Darling, I can think of no better privilege than that of serving you for the rest of my life.  I vow to care for you, to comfort you, and to serve you selflessly always. 

I vow to put your wellbeing above my own desires, my work, my passions - all will be secondary to loving the husband God has so graciously entrusted me with. 

I vow to you to not be lazy. To set aside childish things in order to work in our home, care for our family, and to serve others by being the hospitable caretaker of our homestead.

I vow to you to always seek your good, to help you fulfill God's calling in your life, and to be your support when you are discouraged. 

The final promise I give to you is that I will fail to keep all of them. Probably every day.  My love may fall short of overcoming my selfishness, my words may sting rather than sharpen, and my hands may grow weary of serving. But sweetheart, I promise you that I will always strive to love our Savior, and that I will look to Him for the strength I need to love you in the purest sense possible.  I cannot wait to spend the rest of my life practicing. 

Forever will never be long enough with you."

Happy Valentine's Day to my darling, pedantic husband.  I love you.

Sincerely, 

your foodie

I am absolutely sure that no one would ever consider reproducing these most personal and heart-felt words (wink, wink).  But, just the same, I do ask that these vows not be reproduced or copied in any way. Thank you so much! 

a very London kind of morning

Perhaps it seems odd to begin in the middle, but putting ten of the most beautiful days of my life into words has been a formidable challenge, and one that I am broaching slowly.  I can give you the travel guides and the gritty details of what I ate (um, literally everything in sight), but for now, all I want to give you is a few of my favorite hours.  A few, precious morning hours with my beloved.  So here we go. 

It was our next-to-last day in London.  He walked down to our newfound favorite breakfast spot - a tiny French bakery that sat just around the corner from our hotel.  He returned with three plump brioche buns as big as my face, in a paper bag -- two sugared and one with chocolate chips.  We ate them, our faces sticky with the caramelized sugar, as we walked to the gardens - Kensington Gardens.

There was so much joy in my heart as we trotted down to the one place on earth that I had dreamt of visiting more than any other.

We walked through the gates and I am sure my smile nearly dislocated my jaw as I looked at Mr. Pedantic and exclaimed in an elated whisper, “We’re here!” 

There was a soft, autumnal hush that fell over the landscape - interrupted only by the swishing of blowing leaves, and Londoners whistling for their strangely obedient and leash-less dogs that pranced about the green in front of Kensington Palace. 

It was surreal and beautiful and breathtaking.  I found myself wishing, more than I had at any other point on that trip, that I too could own the privilege of visiting this English sanctuary for my morning walks and weekend picnics. 

Then, we saw it.  The statue.  The statue that I had so longed to see - a forever monument for the literary world’s dearest character. 

“Good morning, Peter.  I’ve been looking for you.”

I never wanted to leave.  

Now, as I sit here in my new home, where I am completely content, there is a aching sense of longing for those moments gone by.  I would live that morning over and over again forever, if only I could.  Having Mr. Pedantic there by my side, no trivial responsibilities to separate our hands or hearts -- only us.  That was the best of times.

This morning I made breakfast that was not brioche buns.  He left me to go to work instead of the bakery.  I spent my morning hours working by the Christmas tree rather than walking through the park.  I guess this too, is the best of times. 

Sincerely, 

Pedantic Foodie

Hannah Everly kept me fashionable for our morning in the gardens and she would love to help you prepare for your holiday parties, or revamp your work wardrobe.  You can find this skirt as well as a full line of festive patterns in her shop now!    

the most lovely day...

“You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep

because reality is finally better than your dreams.”

- Dr. Seuss

That quote has come to mind so many times over the past year, but it was never more true than the night before my wedding.  When giddiness took over exhaustion and I realized that my life was on the verge of changing forever. 

Today marks one month.  How that is possible I could not tell you.  My mind cannot even really process that statement.  I am not sure what has happened over the past four weeks, only that they have been truly splendid and I would live them all over again in a heartbeat...if only I could.

 It's all very emotional.  

That is the only answer I can really give at this point.  That is not to say that I am crying all the time.  I am actually continuing with life much like it has always been this way, but if I stop and think, the only sensation is one of being entirely overwhelmed.  Overwhelmed with joy, thankfulness, excitement, gratitude, and a dull ache for what has been lost.  As I said, it's emotional.  For now, as I still try to process all that has happened, photographs can communicate far more than words.  

I cannot stop staring at our pictures.  They just arrived Monday and I have never loved images more than I love these.  I never want to stop remembering the incredible feelings of that incredible day.  Not ever.  This Thanksgiving, I will have many blessings to give thanks for, but right now, as I gaze with blissful contentment at this computer screen, I am most thankful for the privilege of having moments in time forever frozen through images.  

So, here they are.  Our wedding day, or at least a glimpse of it. 

Pumpkin Chai for the bride, please and thank you. 

These are princess shoes.  Princess shoes that were bought one size too large, but I was determined to wear them regardless because they were just about the most beautiful slippers I have ever seen. 

I believe this was the moment where she finally realized who I was marrying.  Up until that moment she had thought Mr. Pedantic was simply my assistant.  I'm not saying she was wrong... 

If you are feeling down, look into the mind of a three-year-old.  Things are far simpler there. 

We would like to give you a sneak peak of our latest album, "Ashlyn & The Glitterets."

#ILoveMySister 

Glitter skirts.  Dear friends.  Precious memories. 

Something old.  My great grandmother's mink stole. 

Something new.  The dress that I never wanted to take off.

Something borrowed.  My mother's necklace from her own wedding day.

Something blue.  My garter, made by my very talented aunt. 

All the heart eyes. 

One last hug for our smallest of friends. 

We did. 

Happily ever after. 

Sincerely, 

Pedantic Foodie

All photographs were captured by the very talented Matthew Dejesus.  He has frozen so many moments of our lives in time through his incredible work and we will be forever grateful. 

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