Simple Things

The simplest of things can often give me the greatest joy.

Take today, for example - I only did a few light chores around my apartment, put on an easy but favorite outfit with a new satchel I majorly scored on clearance yesterday (yeah!), and ran some errands which included a brief stop at Starbucks for a grande, two-pump vanilla iced latte (what a mouthful).

Yet I feel like today was near perfection! It's overcast with hints of sunshine, I hear sweet little birds chirping in the tree outside my door, and all my dishes are clean (which, if you don't know me, is a real feat!). On top of all that, one of my best friends is throwing a bash tonight which combines a million different things that deserves celebrating - it's crazy title is..

Gradubirthaversarymentorial Day Celebration.

Try saying that five times fast! Or even just once, which I still can't quite get the hang of..

I think I'm able to appreciate all of these simple things because this week was such a whirlwind of running around, going from here to there, not having a chance to stop and just breathe. So here I am, finally breathing regularly again. And add the fact that I get to see my fiancé in less than a week tops everything else going on right now. I can't even tell you how giddy I feel!

The pictures below document a similarly simple yet fantastic day (notice my giddy face) that I spent with my fiancé a few days before he left for boot camp...

{Huntington Gardens, April 2011}

Enjoy your three-day weekend everyone! Any special plans out there that have outrageously long titles like the party I'm going to?

Kate

Inspiration: Twinkle Lights

There is just something to be said for the whimsy and awe twinkle lights add to any occasion. When I see a string of them hung above a table, wrapped around a post, or those precious little bulbs floating from tree branches, my heart skips a beat. The warmth and intimacy it creates during a gathering is just undeniable. I want to capture this very feeling for my own wedding reception, and make it feel like we are celebrating under our very own twinkling stars. Wherever we end up having it, I just hope there will be something up above to string some lights on! I think that may be one of my top venue requirements.. :)

1/2/3/4/5/6

Your Love is My Anchor

Hi friends!

Some of you may know me from Kate is Late (and to you, dear readers, I say hello!), while others of you may have just stumbled upon this new place (and a hello to you too!). I have come to realize that the reason I abruptly stopped posting on that sweet little blog of mine awhile ago is because I have transitioned into a new season of my life and continuing that blog just wasn't something I was inspired to do. Not that I don't still take pictures of my style and things I love, though! I just needed some time to take in life, and not worry about blog posts. I'm sure many of you can relate to that!

{Yours truly}

So here I am once again, starting up something new. You may wonder why I am back and where the idea for The Nautical Wife came from, so I shall explain..

You see, there once was a girl who longed to find love, yet she was frustrated by the silly little boys around her who seemed to never grow up. After time, she realized that she did not need a significant other to make her feel complete. She was finally content with being on her own, trusting that God, in his gracious timing, would decide to bring her a man. During this time, she traveled abroad, studied some things she loved and other things she despised, and grew into a woman.

Then, when she least expected it two years ago, she met the man she had been waiting for her entire life. The man who made her feel completely comfortable with being herself in a way that she had never felt before. The man who made her laugh like no other. The man who pursued her in the most gentle and honest way. Although she had never known what true love was, she soon became familiar with it!

{Me and my darling man}

On a cold and blustery day by the ocean not too long ago, this same man took me by both of my hands, knelt down on one knee, and asked me if I would marry him.. It was one of the sweetest moments I have ever experienced, and one that I will never forget - especially because I had him kneel back down so I could capture it all in a mental snapshot, hehe :) - and of course, I said yes! Words cannot describe how blessed I feel to know I have found the man that I want to spend the rest of my life with!

Yet this love story is not all candy hearts and giggles.. My fiancé is in his final weeks of Navy boot camp clear across the country right now, starting a new adventure and on his way to fulfilling his life long dream of being a hero. We haven't seen each other in five weeks. That is a long stretch of time to be without your best friend! And it's only just the beginning.. But I could not be more proud of him, and going through this time apart makes me even more excited to be his wife, his nautical wife!

So, with all of this being said, I invite you to join me and toss some anchors around to pass the time! I want to make The Nautical Wife a space where I share inspiring pictures, savor special moments in my life, keep track of wedding ideas, and anything else that is near and dear to me. And I'll try not to be too cheesy when it comes to nautical sayings, but I can't make any promises..

{via}

Come sail away with me!

Kate