I love when I listen to God

So, if you're a reader of my blog you know that I have an upcoming ladies weekend retreat.

Well, the event is next weekend and the closer it gets the more ecstatic I get. As I've said in previous posts this is something that I've been wanting to do for a little while but maybe not in the form of a retreat. Well, God spoke and that's what its been turned in to. I swear when He speaks, He gives you all the things, people, etc that you need to execute. I'm so blessed that He gave me the best people for the job. I'm doing a workshop on lifestyle/personal development, a friend, Andrea is covering fitness, a friend Manisa is doing a workshop on finance, another friend Jennifer is covering faith/spirituality and my friend and fellow blogger Toni is doing her workshop on fashion. How awesome is that? Too awesome.

We have a great variety of women who have made an investment in themselves and trust us to bring them knowledge on the above areas. Even though I am the planner of this event I am so looking forward to all the workshops.

We start out that Friday with registration, a workshop and a late night social. Saturday is where the remainder of the workshops will take place and our fabulous "Little Black Dress" dinner. Sunday we will join one last time for breakfast and to share our experiences from the weekend.  I am praying for a very successful weekend surrounded with my friends and other women who ware looking to make improvements in their lives.

I promise that after its over I will post pics and report how awesome it was.  There will definitely be more of these events in the future and I can't wait. Maybe next time you will join us.  The other ladies aren't bloggers but if you're interested in great fashion, thrifting, styling tips...check out prettydarkgirlstyle.blogspot.com

Wishing you all a great weekend. I will be finalizing plans for next weekend and treating my mom to dinner and some mommy/me time.

toodles
~thegorgeousdork

The Celebration

So...the honey woke me up and told me to get ready Saturday morning. "Be ready by 10:30", so of course I followed instructions. I was told to not get dressed up or anything so I put on some jeans, a striped cotton shirt and a black cardigan since it was a little chilly in the morning. We quickly leave and soon after arrive at Cosmopolitan Salon and Day Spa..."awww" was my immediate thought but then I realize he sends me alone.

The staff quickly had me check in and offered coffee, tea or water but I declined since I would soon be lying down for my massage. I was given a very awesome massage by Stephanie for a good hour and ten minutes and was even complimented on my skin. (*blushing*). After the massage I was drinking my cup of water when I was told to follow another lady to a room. Once we arrive in the room there's a pedicure chair with magazines, etc. I happily hopped on up into the chair and rolled up my jeans for my fabulous hour long pedicure. The lady was very nice, I can't remember her name at the moment (senior moment). Shortly after the pedicure was over I was told to have a seat at her station where I received a manicure. While getting the manicure, my tall, handsome hubby walks in in a nice shirt and jeans. Hmm, what is he up to? He goes to the counter and pays while all the staff sent us on our way with huge smiles.

I carefully walk out to the car where the hubby says okay you're ready to eat? Of course, so we head to Aha Sushi which is a fav of mine but they weren't open yet. We then drive back in the direction we had already come from to hit up Sushi Thai.. Nom, Nom, Nom...what a wonderful time!

So, after lunch I see he's pretty ready to go so we pay the bill and quickly leave. Headed towards the tollway now, my mind is racing because I have no idea where we're going.  I don't have the proper clothes on to be going somewhere is all I'm thinking. I say to him, "I thought I was going to get to go home and change" and softly tells me "babe, its okay".  *Sigh*...

We're driving and driving and driving..lol. We're like way out south (south suburbs). Where the heck are we going and I can softly hear the GPS saying "In .4 miles your destination is on your right", all I see is a Burger King sign. WTH. So we pull into the parking lot of a gray building that looks nothing like somewhere we should be going and boom, I see the sign. Aura, adults only. LOL. The hubby had got us a nice room and it actually felt like we were away. Awww, that's all I could say.  So, we pull around back after being let through a gate and park. He pops the trunk where he grabs two bags...he had packed one for me, how sweet.

 The shower was amazing

 Loved this fireplace..

If you're in the area and looking for a nice getaway, I highly recommend it. I loved the exclusivity of the place and with it being an hour away it felt like we had actually gone away. Looking forward to our real vacation though...nothing like beaches and fruity cocktails. He definitely pulled off a fabulous weekend and I was surely surprised. I love me some him.

That Sunday, we slept in and eventually found our way back to "home". It began to pour down rain on our way back so we picked up some takeout and watched movies. My mom stopped by to wish us a Happy Anniversary and she brought us dinner. The hubbs had been up all day Saturday after working over night Friday so he clonked out. After his nap we got up and cut the cake, which was just as delicious as it was the wedding day. What a great, low-key anniversary celebration. I'm super relaxed, just too bad we didn't win the lottery so I didn't have to come back to work. Thankfully I have the memory to keep me sane while working LOL.
Our top layer from wedding day

 Our wedding day glasses

 Wine from our honeymoon that we managed to save

Its almost time

This Sunday, May 6, 2012 will be my one year anniversary with my husband. This year has been great but also a learning experience. I'm so grateful that we made it and have stuck it out through the storms of life.

I've known my husband since we were in the 8th grade, he happened to be my first love. We dated for about a year and 3 months and decided to break up because of us getting in trouble lol. After a few months of being upset with him and him finding a new girlfriend I couldn't see him not being in my life so we remained friends and had been friends for the last 18 years. Our friendship has encountered much, we've watched other relationships come and go, been there for each other during the break ups, lost loved ones, mature, he had a daughter and so much more. We never let our friendship die, even during the little spats we had. He always had a very special place in my heart and I knew no matter what I'd always be in his life somehow.

As I think back to the late night calls and making him run to the 24 hour Walmart with me or just coming and watching movies with me...smiles quickly cover my face. He did anything for me but I never looked at him as my "soulmate". We made a bet that by the time we were 25 if we weren't married then we'd marry each other but that time came and we were both single and I just didn't think anything of it. So a couple more years went by and a few more relationships as well but something started changing. I was noticing myself getting a little jealous if he couldn't come out with me or what have you. We started spending time together but then it stopped and he was being short with my texts, etc... "what is this, me, catching feelings? ...no, it can't be" lol.

Our friend Jonathan invited me and a friend out to eat one day and Mel and I hadn't spoken in about a month so he had him come to, after arguing over dinner a bit we decided we'd hang out soon. Well that's where it started, we hung out and ever since then we've been together. I was so worried that if it didn't work that it would ruin our wonderful friendship but God had been preparing him just for me and I for him.

Two years later, my best friend proposed to me on 12-10-10.  The 12 was for my birthday, the 10 for his...and 5 months later we were married.  All that time my soul mate was right in front of me and I was looking everywhere but there.

This weekend we get to celebrate our first year of husband and wife together. I'm honored to call him husband and I pray that he's just as honored to call me wife. We've gotten to know even more things about each other in this year. You think you know someone really well until you marry them and move in together. I'm thankful for God being first in our life and that we can keep our line of communication open. Marriage is a beautiful thing but it is something that requires work. The work you put in is what you get out, enjoy each other, respect each other, accept the differences and vow to make the other happy.

I wish each of you that come across my blog the same happiness that I've been blessed with.

Happy Anniversary to Us... *cheers*

~the gorgeous dork