We're engaged!!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is real life guys.

I am actually going to marry Brandon Goodman. Like for realz. There is a diamond ring on my finger. The one knee situation happened. I bawled like a baby. Here is the story.

I have known for a long time that he was the one. Some sources say as early as Valentine's our six month anniversary (2 and a half years ago). Some sources say the moment that I saw him outside my window at Chick fil a that first summer three years ago. Some sources say last fall when we said "I love you" for the first time outside of BNA on what ended up being the most wonderful and difficult Labor Day I have yet to have. Whatever and whenever it was, I have known for a long time. It was the reason why I moved out here, it was the reason I found the job that I did, and I was so grateful to know in my deepest parts that I had found my future husband.

And so, I waited. I don't want to gloss over this part because it was hard for me. After waiting what felt like forever for God to finally give me the job I had been praying for, you would think I would have been more patient and willing to hold on to truth during this period of waiting, but that was unfortunately not the case. I was angsty. I was impatient. I was rude. I didn't understand. And it really took a toll on me and on Brandon for a long time. Until a few weeks ago when we had a really needed conversation. And I realized the extent of my selfishness and the complete lack of faith I had in anything that I knew was going to happen. We healed. I finally learned what it is to be grateful for where you are.

Enter: Nashville. Homecoming. We had bought tickets to go way back when Southwest had a flight sale in June, trusting that I was going to have a job and be flying out of RDU that weekend. At this point, I was still hoping that "it" was going to happen that weekend, but I was also completely content to see friends, spend time at Vandy, be present and enjoy the beautiful city I had missed. We didn't spend a lot of time together until late Saturday afternoon when we went to a friends' wedding. And it was all so lovely. That night, I subconsciously clawed my way for that bouquet, though (and I have the scratches to prove it. Oops). Brandon laughed. I felt a little silly (or a lot silly, actually). The girl I fought it for may or may not have been the grooms' sister. BUT IN MY DEFENSE. It did come right for me. I swear.

So Sunday morning comes. Brandon goes to get ready for this Melodores reunion concert which he had seriously been geeking out about all week between a small throat cold and going over with me all the songs they were going to sing. I was excited, too. The Melodores had been a big part of my college experience, going to all of the shows and even driving 14 hours one time to South Carolina to watch them compete. I went to church excited and weirdly nervous about the day, but assuming it was just because I was about to see a ton of people I hadn't seen in a while.

An hour before the concert was supposed to start, I get a weird one second snapchat from Brandon. It looked like the top of the beautiful cube that he had given me for our three-year anniversary, a gift that he had told me was carved around a small cross that I could hear rattling inside when he gave it to me. It had been sitting on my dresser for the past two months, and my heart started racing for no apparent reason when I got that picture, so I tried to ignore it. Surely it wasn't going to happen today.

I kept feeling weird and nervous all the way up until we arrived at Alumni Hall for the event, and tried taking sips of water to calm my stomach as the Melodores each got introduced and shared their favorite memory from the group. It helped, and when each generation started their musical selections, I really started to relax and enjoy myself. It was so fun to hear how the group had changed and evolved, and the music was so awesome.

The last song of the set was their alumni song, "And So It Goes" by Billy Joel. It is so beautiful, and I always tear up every concert when they sing it. And then Brandon stepped out from the group, and started to speak. My heart started POUNDING. He thanked everyone who was there, saying that the Melodores were so much more than just the group, but also the support of our family, friends, and girlfriends. I started freaking out big time. He paused for a second too long, and someone else said quietly, "And so we have one more song".

The second that he started singing, I 100% lost it. I can't even begin to explain all of the emotions that went into those tears: happiness, relief, unbelievable amounts of grace and love being poured out on me with every word. It was the biggest desire of my heart, and it was coming true with the man of my dreams, as he sang a song that he sang to me three summers ago before we even started dating, a song that had become our song. I tried to be completely in the moment (a la Leslie Knope). I wasn't even paying attention to anything or anyone else in the room in those brief minutes. I could not hold together my thankfulness, my love for that moment. I ugly cried so hard, and I was so incredibly grateful. He took that box he had given me two months ago out of his pocket, opened up a side and slid out a ring from a drawer inside. The sight of it literally took my breath away, and I lost it all over again.

He got down on one knee, and asked me to marry him. And through ugly sobs I said yes and pulled him to his feet. I tried to get my promise ring off of my finger and only got half way before he kissed me and just held me for a few seconds. A few precious seconds. When I turned around and ran off stage into the arms of my friends, I saw that they were all in tears, and I proceeded to have the most surreal 20 minutes of my life hugging and crying and taking pictures and staring at this ring on my finger.

It turns out, he had put that ring in that box two months before, and I had had it all along. He just had to wait for the perfect moment to give it to me. He had been ready for a long time.

We are over the moon excited to be getting married, and I am trying so hard to revel in these perfect moments before the craziness begins and I actually get to plan my WEDDING!

For the past 48 hours, this resounding song has been stuck in my head. It speaks to the words that I wish my heart could really write:

The love of God is greater far

  Than tongue or pen can ever tell.

It goes beyond the highest star

  And reaches to the lowest hell.

The guilty pair, bowed down with care,

  God gave His Son to win;

His erring child He reconciled

  And pardoned from his sin.

O love of God, how rich and pure!

  How measureless and strong!

It shall forevermore endure

    The saints’ and angels’ song.

Could we with ink the ocean fill,
  And were the skies of parchment made;
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
  And every man a scribe by trade;
To write the love of God above
  Would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
  Though stretched from sky to sky.

O love of God, how rich and pure!
  How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure
    The saints’ and angels’ song.

Praising Jesus, and living in these moments so completely in love,

Abby

UPDATE: If you want to see a video of our proposal that our good friend put together for us, click HERE! 

nashville, and other drugs

Nashville. It has my heart.

I was so reminded of this when we took a trip with a great group of friends a few weeks ago back for the first time since I graduated. It was so bittersweet! So fun to show our friends from Chapel Hill the city that we love for the first time, so wonderful to remember why we loved it, and so sad when we had to go back to real life afterwards.

While I didn't get to see everyone that I wanted to this trip that I had planned, there were some super special moments and I am so glad we made the impulse decision to go. Just makes me that more excited to go back in less than a month for homecoming! :)

 we heart the gulch. 

And now, back to your regularly scheduled blogging.

xoxo. Abby

12/52

12/52

About a year ago I became familiar with the "I Believe in Nashville" campaign put on by DCXV. Every time I drove by a similar mural in the 12 South neighborhood I kept telling myself I needed to go by and get some shots there, but I never did. It was under construction during this graduation week, but on the afternoon of graduation my parents, Brandon and I went by the mural at Marathon Music Works to get some final images from the day. It was so fitting for my last day in the city, and I'm so glad that I made it a priority. 

xoxo. Abby

GRADUATION

This Friday, my whole family (including a surprise brother! Thanks Adam!) flew/drove/made it to Nashville to celebrate the end of my undergraduate career and the start of a new adventure: my post-grad life. The days leading up to the big day were hectic: lots of packing, lots of squeezing in lasts and lots of praying for good weather. Graduation day itself seemed just as hectic, but in a totally different sense. It was a blur of about fifteen hundred undergraduate names, hundreds (literally) of pictures, and lots of laughter, all laced with the realization that this is really the end of my life as I know it.

I know that my life will go on to be so much bigger, so much crazier, than my four years that I have spent at Vanderbilt, but for now I just want to spend some time being grateful about the past instead of obsessing about the future. Thinking about the girl that I was coming into school August 2009, it is truly only through the work of a gracious Savior that I am the woman that I am today. A woman of purpose, a woman who has learned what it means to struggle and trust and live faithfully, who tries to live selflessly and understand things that are bigger than herself.

For the next few days, I just want to spend some time resting in a good God. Life isn't slowing down, but it is now more than ever a priority I'm making.

Lots of love from a proud sister ready to watch her brother graduate tomorrow,

Abby

10/52

10/52

“As many have learned and later taught, you don't realize Jesus is all you need until Jesus is all you have.” - Tim Keller

Nine days til graduation. Two days to the beach. Thank you Jesus. 

8/52

8/52

On a lovely day a few weeks ago before spring faked us out I made it to Alumni Lawn, hammock in tow. As the weather continues to warm as April is officially here, I'm excited for more days like these. 

Wishing you a relaxing Monday,

Abby

BLACK AND WHITE HOLGA #1

A few weeks ago, I sent of a roll of black and white 120 mm film to be developed, and I am so excited to now share these pictures with you. These shots were taken around Nashville and on Vandy's campus  and I am so grateful to have them to take with me as I am leaving one stage of life, and this city, at least for a little while. 

Happy weekend, 

Abby

EAST NASHVILLE LOVE

Wednesday was a really good day.

After a few days of the aforementioned doing nothing together, we decided we needed an adventure. And have an adventure we did. Because adventure is out there if you're willing to look for it.

Our destination: East Nashville. Five Points, specifically. But thanks to our lack of general knowledge about where exactly Five Points is, we ran into an area, and some people, that we didn't expect, and that we loved!

We ended up parking on Porter Road, right in front of a little store called DCXV. Have you Nashvillians been to see this mural anytime recently?

Turns out, this guy Adrien designed it! It was a tiny little shop and it seemed like Brandon and I were the first people to visit in a little while (Adrien openly admitted to having spent the last hour or so stalking Anderson Cooper videos on CNN), but this guys' designs were really fantastic. It was a great conversation and I plan on heading back there sometime soon to purchase this tank that I saw in store.

In that same plaza are a few more little shops that boast local artists and organic candles that just felt nice to be in, window shopping and picking up a set of cute notecards, being the sucker for paper that I am. With Adrien's directions, we then made our way over to the Five Points area with just enough time to peruse a few more awesome shops and pick up a very important book:

It not only led to a helpful guide for dinner, but inspired a really awesome moment reliving so many fun memories over the past three years living in this city and eating our way around it, initialing all of the places we have been. I'm also so glad to have this book to help finish up my Nashville food bucket list over the next six weeks and cram in all the Nashville goodness I can!

And then, there was Bolton's Hot Chicken.

If you can't tell by the pictures...it was really, REALLY HOT. I was a little bit nervous going into it because I'm not the biggest spicy food girl, and so when Brandon ordered for us, he made sure to ask for mild for me. Brandon, however, got the extra hot, and by mistake when the man brought us our sandwiches, I got the extra hot by mistake! There he is, eating his chicken like it's the easiest thing in the world, and I'm DYING over in my seat, trying to figure out why I'm such a wimp. We figured it out, but it was definitely an adventure in and of itself. After dinner, I initialed my name next to Bolton's to record our adventure, along with the words "never again". But I'm not sorry we went, it makes for a fun story that I can now say I've eaten something that spicy!

We took a couple fun pictures at Five Points on my Holga that I'm excited to develop. Speaking of which, I got my first batch of Holga pictures back and they are absolutely beautiful as well. Will be sharing those sometime soon.


Lots of love, good design and a burnt mouth,

Abby

LIFE LATELY

Life lately is great. This weekend Brandon came into town, the weather warmed up a little bit and a few friends and I got to hammock before formal on Saturday night. Can we just talk for a second about how handsome this guy is?

I got him for a whole week this week while he's on spring break, and although my week hasn't stopped and has kept on being full of projects, presentations and the general academic push to the end of the semester, we have also gotten a lot of chance to do just what we like together: nothing. :)

More to come on this spring break week soon. :)

Abby

HOLGA SELF PORTRAIT

7/52

Last night after a week of hellish midterms followed by a week in wonderful, windy Chicago, I made it back to Nashville. This spring break was absolutely incredible, and I have many posts planned about it already that I can't wait to share. ASB has now brought me two spring breaks with new traveling destinations, new relationships, and a new appreciation for service that is pushing me through the last six weeks of my college career (!!!!). 

While I was gone, my first development of Holga pictures came in the mail! Turns out it is exceptionally difficult to develop black and white medium format film locally nowadays, but the extra cost was definitely worth it and I can't wait to share those as well! Here is one I took one afternoon at the end of last month. Black and white photos just melt me. 

Lots of love from this corner of the world and happy Monday!

FISHTAIL

This morning was another one of those chilly winter days here (I'm starting to think that the groundhog lied to us). I woke up just in time to fix my hair before I went to Thistle Farms and suddenly realized that it just might be long enough to attempt a fishtail braid again after months of re-growing from its last major cut this summer, and I was right! I love fishtails. They're easy and bohemian and were exactly what I needed today.

6/52

Today marks exactly 9 days until spring break and I can't wait to spend it having the ASBest time in Chicago, IL, so I guess the new Chacos I got for my birthday last week will just have to keep on being patient for a little while longer. I know the summer will come soon enough here and I will be pining for cooler days like today.

Here's to contentment and lots of winter love. xoxo 

22

On Tuesday, I had another birthday, and thanks to Taylor Swift, many birthday wishes, and sweet gifts from my parents, I didn't feel quite as old as I thought I might.

I woke up early and had a Skype date with my mom and got to see my dad on her phone in Budapest! Technology rocks. The rest of the day was busy, full of class and homework, but I managed to find a few minutes to enjoy the day in between my hectic Tuesday appointments.

Downing Coke Zero floats with my roommate,

Accidentally blowing out my birthday wish...twice. And loving a little carrot cake.

And enjoying very fancy cocktails late on Tuesday with these beauties. 

On Wednesday morning a few friends and I continued a three year tradition of pancakes at Pfunky Griddle, which was just perfect. 

If this birthday was any indication of what the year ahead will be like, it is going to be amazing (and very very busy!). Thanks to everyone who made this day so wonderful despite its busy-ness. Here's to another year!

5/52

(PS- I officially cannot wait for spring! Hammock and chacos and Holga camera here we come!)

PORTABELLO BURGER

For a few years in high school, I experimented with being a vegetarian. It didn't end up working out (it involves a long story including a traumatic band concert and a torturous craving for Publix fried chicken), but ever since I think I appreciate vegetarian cuisine a little better, and tend not to mind if I don't eat meat in every single meal I make for myself.

On Friday, in celebration of the weekend and impending birthday celebrations I made myself this sandwich that was definitely indulgent but not too heavy. My inspiration came from this post over at A Beautiful Mess. It was a delicious and filling lunch!

To cook the portabello mushroom: 

-Take one portabello mushroom cap, wash thoroughly and cut off the stem. Using about a half a cup of red wine let the mushroom soak while heating up a pan with about a tablespoon or two of butter. Drain off the red wine and cook the cap, a few minutes on each side, seasoning with salt and pepper, until it is soft and cooked through. 

Toast a bun, slice cheese and other toppings of your choice (I picked tomato and half an avocado). The mushroom is flavorful enough that you shouldn't even need condiments. Enjoy :)

--

Tonight is my last big/little reveal, we are getting the best littlest! I am also so excited that our little fam is going to have my big and grandbig join us for pizza and fam jam happiness and bonding. 

Hope you're having a relaxing Sunday!

Abby

VALENTINES POM POM GARLAND

More than any other holiday, I think, Valentine's Day has a tendency to polarize people. Either you loooooove Valentine's Day, or you absolutely hate it. I would be lying if I said that I didn't have Valentine's Days where I felt like this, but on the whole, I have always been a hopeless romantic when it comes to sappy stuff like this. I also love how Valentine's Day has the potential to make people think about what love in action really looks like. For more on that topic, check out this blog post by Kinsey. I love the way she thinks.

Coming out of a post-Christmas decoration depression, I used this tutorial  to make myself a pom pom garland with some yarn that reminded me of V-Day, and it really makes me smile whenever I'm sitting in my living room. I hope it makes you happy too!

Lots of love from Nashville. xoxo