1 Year Down, A Lifetime To Go

It has been one year to the day since Brant & I got married.  It is hard to believe that a year has past already but I am so excited to see what the future years hold for us.

Reminiscing is fun and it is hard not to do on a day like today.  As I think back on our wedding day, I have many fond memories.  I will apologize up front for being overly loving in what follows this sentence but sometimes it is OK to be annoyingly in love!

an·ni·ver·sa·ry

/ˌænəˈvɜrsəri/ Show Spelled [an-uh-vur-suh-ree] Show IPA noun, plural an·ni·ver·sa·ries, adjective

noun

1. the yearly recurrence of the date of a past event: the tenth anniversary of their marriage.

2. the celebration or commemoration of such a date.

3. wedding anniversary.

I see anniversaries much like the second definition from the list above: the celebration or commemoration of such a date!  It isn't just looking back at us and our wedding.  I like to remember everything that day held.  It is about the people who attended, the weather, the food, the ceremony and most importantly: the feelings we felt & shared.

• The best part of the entire day may be a detail that many of you didn't know about.  We are both from Catholic upbringings and wanted to be united as man & wife in the eyes of the catholic church.  We also understood that a full catholic ceremony would be long to endure for guests!  After many conversations with our priest and family we were able to plan a wedding day that would be most enjoyable and meaningful to everyone.  We held a private ceremony in the side chapel of St. Bridget's Catholic Church at 9 am on the 15th of October.  We had a full rite of matrimony in front of God, our priest, our parents, witnesses and our son.  I didn't have a stitch of makeup on.  My hair was pulled back into a pony tail and I had on a UWRF Track t-shirt.  I was standing in front of a wonderful man who had always accepted every piece of me.  He had never judged me for the paths I had already walked in life.  He simply took me for who I was & am.  That is the best feeling in the world.  I have never had to pretend to be better than I was because being me was more than good enough.
• My favorite part of our Kilkarney ceremony was when our officiant was announcing us as Mr. & Mrs. Brant Johnson.  "You can now make it Facebook official!"
• October 15th, 2011 was a beautiful and sunny 59 degrees with a hefty winds blowing.  Many of our guest needed to wear their jackets but the short 15 minutes ceremony proved to be worth it.  We had so many compliments about how touching & personal our entire ceremony was and several people commented that our ceremony was the most enjoyable they had attended because it was filled with so much love and laughter.
• Arriving to the reception hall at 6 am the morning of our wedding to decorate was hectic, overwhelming and exciting all in one bunch.  The best part was walking in and discovering a vase of one dozen red roses and a note from Brant.
• The special touch added within our ceremony was by far the Hand Blessing.  We joined hands before exchanging rings while Nate recited the following:
  -These are the hands of your best friend. They are holding yours on your wedding day as you promise to love each other today, tomorrow and forever.
  -These are the hands that will work alongside yours as together you build your future.
  -These are the hands that will passionately love you and cherish you through the years, and with the slightest touch will comfort you like no other.
  -These are the hands that will hold you when fear or grief wracks your mind.
  -These are the hands that will give you strength when you need it.
  -May these hands always reach out with love, tenderness and respect.
  -May these hands continue to build a loving relationship that lasts a lifetime
• A couple of months before our wedding, one of my best friends asked me if we would mind sharing a part of our wedding reception so he could propose to his girlfriend, who just happened to be one of my bridesmaid and best friends.  I was thrilled in being able to share in their joy and happiness.  She had NO clue it was coming and that was the best part.  We all watched from the balcony as they "went for a walk".  Perfection at it's best!
• How about ALL of those handmade details?  Wow, so much of my free time in the year leading up to our wedding was spent handcrafting every single detail from the bouquets to the centerpieces.  I wouldn't change a thing.  The details all came together to create a modern country chic fall environment that was everything that I had imagined.  The caramel apples, hot apple cider, homemade pumkin spice cupcakes with buttercream frosting and a candy buffet added hints of my favorite fall things.  I had help from family and friends in perfecting all the projects and I appreciated their lending hands very much.
• Having our family and friends travel from near and very far to share in our wedding day meant so much.  I couldn't believe how packed it was.  All the seats were filled and people were standing on the balcony overlooking our outdoor ceremony & personally written vows.
• The only 2 times I broke down and cried involved my dad.  What can I say, I am a daddy's girl!  He came through the doors to see me for the first time in my wedding dress and had a glistening tear in his eye marked the first time I shed tears that day.  I knew in that moment how happy and proud of me he was.  The second time I teared up was during our father/daughter dance.  A very special moment I will hold in my heart forever.
• All the kissing & hugs from everyone!  I enjoyed kissing Brant as my husband for the first time the most but man did we get showered with all sorts of affection that day!

I know I am totally missing so many more grand memories but these are ones that really stick out in my mind.  Thank you to my husband for everything this past year.  We are stronger together than we could ever be apart.  You have held up to your end of the bargain and have loved me through everything that has come our way.  I hope to only be the same for you that you are to me!

Words can be a great way to describe the events that transpired on our wedding day but photos can offer up so much more sometimes.  Here is a collection of my favorite wedding day photos that captured all of the detail and feelings.  Thanks again to Jen Meneghin Photography for capturing such wonderful photos that tell the story of the day we became husband and wife!

peace & love

bj

Creative Outlet

Having a creative outlet or forum is pretty important to me.  I have always loved being creative in one way or another.  Discovering that photography and writing are the most rewarding creative outlets has been awesome.  I love the fact that I can change some body's mood by the post that I write or the photographs that I take.  These creative outlets are "feel good" ways for me to express my individuality.  It is the part of me that is a "people pleaser" that looks to find ways to make others happy by something that I can do.

Writing has proven to be a way for me to be brave, straight forward, honest and blunt with my opinions.  I have received a couple of personal emails from followers thanking me for putting myself out there.  They praised my ability to connect with readers and show them you don't have to be perfect to be happy.  How cool is that?  The fact that some people have felt that way because of me is so rewarding & encourages me to continue writing from the heart. Being myself and having others accept that is one of the best feelings.

Photography has been a way for me to continue learning.  I love finding out new things.  The sense of accomplishment that I get from mastering something new in photography is overwhelming.  It makes me feel smart, important and empowered.  Being able to use the self-taught knowledge in photography to provide portraits for clients tops the cake.

Obviously, you can read all of the post that I've written for My Wonderfully Imperfect Life blog in the achieve folders at the bottom of the page.  If you would like to view the work that I've done in photography, I invite you to visit my website: www.brittanyjohnsonphotography.com

Lastly, if you truly like or enjoy something that I've written or photographed...let me know!  I would love to hear your thoughts, opinions & suggestions.

peace & love

bj

What A Ride

When my best friend got married this past summer I heard a quote for the very first time in my life that has resonated with me and pops into my head often.  I found it to be fitting for my view of life.  The older I get, the more I see how things make sense and the deeper meanings behind them.  Life is one large over arching lesson and what you take from it is the beauty within your journey.

This morning was one of those mornings that this quote came back to me and made me smile because its words ring true.  Lately, I haven't been feeling quite my best and in those moments I wonder why am I going through this.  I remind myself to stop and look at it as a test of strength, courage and faith.  I am being challenged to see how much I can mentally and physically handle.  I will not feel sorry for myself.  I will not give up.  I will look things straight in the eye and say, "Bring it on; I got this!"  Everything we encounter is all a part of the ride. 

Learn to be thankful, humble and soak up every second you have because tomorrow is not guaranteed.  Wallowing is self pity, becoming depressed and purposely being hurtful will not get you anywhere and doesn't add value to your life.  These are just a couple of examples of lessons I've learned in my twenty-some odd years.

I hope you can read this and find the same appreciate for it as I have.  Thank you Karen for sharing this and providing me another great insight as to how to look at this life that I've been given and finding the blessings stitched throughout!

Life is not a journey to the grave
With the intention of
Arriving safely in a pretty
And well preserved body,
But rather to skid in broadside,
Thoroughly used up,
Totally worn out,
And loudly proclaiming,
WOW!!!! What a ride!

peace & love

bj

Failed Attempts

Our life's journey is made up of the many experiences that we have along the way.  We obviously enjoy the positive and happy experiences the most but a lot of times the failed attempts we encounter are the ones that shape us into who we are. 

Without challenge, there is no progress. 

I am thankful for the many failed attempts that I have had through my life.  In that moment of failure you cannot truly see the lesson hidden within.  I guess that is the beauty in getting older, you are able to reflect upon those situations and find that so called "silver lining".  Failed attempts at things force us to grow and change.  Ultimately, it is up to us to decide in which way we grow and change.  I for one, have always chosen to build upon those failed attempts to create a smarter, wiser and better me.

Here are some of the failed attempts I've encountered.  Some are serious and others, not so much.  I have allowed these experiences to mold me into who I am today and I am grateful for them!

- I was obsessed with trying to fly as a child.  I don't know what it was about it and why I wanted to so badly but my imagination would run wild with ideas of how I could fly.  I got this grand idea that if I jumped off of one of the calf barns while holding onto a garbage bag that I would be able to fly for a bit.  Dumb idea, right?  Nope, not to my nine year old mind!  Needless to say, it hurt a lot when I slammed into the ground.  Sad part of my story: I tried more than once.  Persistence must have been breed into me!  Lesson I learned: I can't fly.

- Learning how to ride a bike was a pretty big deal and I thought I was awesome once I learned.  I must have been about seven years old when I got the challenge from my big brother to play chicken.  I wasn't an expert bike rider and I've never been one to back down from a dare so I agreed.  There we were, riding directly towards each other and neither of us willing to give in.  Well, I ended up flying through my big handlebars and crashing onto the gravel driveway and rolling into the ditch.  The scraps stung badly and lesson learned: don't challenge my big brother or agree to stupid dares!

- Growing up on a farm meant learning how to drive a tractor.  Pretty sweet huh?  Not if you almost knock a grain bin over onto yourself or almost roll the tractor over in the ditch.  This was a serious lesson learned from a failed attempt at driving a tractor.  I wasn't paying full attention to what I was doing and damn near killed myself twice.  Dad didn't let me drive another tractor for a long, long time and I was OK with that. 

- My brother Jason is 2 years older than me and was often my partner in crime while growing up.  We would dare each other to ride the calves while doing chores.  I would repeatedly get the wind knocked out of me from getting bucked off.  I'm lucky I never broke a bone or sprained an ankle.  Lesson I took from it: don't do stupid things that could result in physical harm.

- Girls, do you remember the very first time you ever shaved your legs?  Oh my gosh.  This was an experience that I will never forget.  I was terrified of doing it but already had friends that were shaving so I knew it was time.  By the end, I had like 30 pieces of toilet paper stuck on cut spots and thought to myself that I didn't care if I ever did it again.  What did I learn, nothing really.  I still cut my damn legs, ugh!

- Prom is a huge deal and Senior prom is a pivotal moment in high school.  I wasn't the most popular girl and didn't have a boyfriend so I was fearful of going to prom dateless.  I had hoped that someone would just ask me but as prom got closer, I realized that just wasn't going to happen.  I had a major crush on one of my friends and fellow classmate.  I worked up the courage to call him and ask him to prom.  He had a date already.  Failure and letdown was felt hard that night but the lesson I took from it was to not be afraid of rejection or failure.  You never know what you are capable of unless you try!

- This is a good one.  I made the varsity cross country team as a little 7th grader.  I was at my first race and didn't know what to expect.  I was nervous, excited, anxious and had no clue of the time frame of a meet schedule.  I was waiting in line to use the bathroom when last call to check in was announced.  I had an "oh crap" moment.  What do I do?  I left the bathroom line and got on the start line instead.  There was no way I was going to miss my first ever varsity race.  That decision resulted in me peeing my pants during the race.  Gross, I know.  Hard to relive it but I gained a big lesson from that experience.  I never go into anything with out knowing an overview of the schedule and I always make sure I go pee first!

- Seven is my number... for car accidents I've been in.  Some were my fault, others were not and there was one freak incident too.  Most important lesson I took from these: there is NOTHING that is worth getting hurt in a car accident for.  I am OK with being 2 or 3 minutes behind because I still have my life.

- 2004 Senior track season was a heart breaker.  I missed going to state in the long jump by less than a 1/4 of an inch.  I was new to the 300 hurdles but had a shot at making it to state in that too.  I was leading all the way to 100 meters left when I got to a hurdle that someone had set to the wrong height.  My trail leg caught and I fell.  It was evaluated and the committee granted me another chance to run it, by myself, after I finished anchoring the 4x400 and had a PR for my split.  I ran the 300 hurdles again but I didn't improve due to exhaustion.  Lesson learned: NEVER EVER GIVE UP! 

- Lastly, I could not do this post without sharing my first drinking experience.  I was 17 years old when I drank for the first time.  I thought I was a rock start that Saturday night.  What I didn't realize; church was at 8 AM the next morning.  I'm catholic so we do a lot of stand, sit, kneel, stand, sit, repeat.  This continual motion was no good for me and my first ever hangover.  We were halfway through service when God's mighty hand struck me.  I knew I was going to puke.  I excused myself and once I hit the back of the church I think I ran the fastest 400 meters ever and then proceeded to throw up all over the church's bathroom.  I certainly felt like I was going to hell after doing that.  It was not a proud or shinning moment in my life.  Lesson learned: hangovers and church to not mix.

I know I'm not perfect and I never have been.  I have had to learn things the hard way but I can tell you that I am all the more wiser for having gone through them!

peace & love

bj

When You're Feeling Down

Lately I have been having a lot of fairly large "life decisions" weighing on my mind.  I've been wondering which decision is right and which is wrong, trying not to upset one person or another and being way too concerned about minimal things in life.  I have been feeling nervous, scared & anxious.  Trust me, I don't like feeling like that.  It isn't healthy to do that to yourself.  I am sure that some of you can relate.  I tend to over analyze and I blame that on my type A personality.

Many of us get caught up in things like our career, physical appearance, who our friends are and how nice of a house we have.  It is easy to lose sight of the most important things.  Every once in a while I will get the swift kick in the rear that I need to remind me that I need to stop worrying so much, let go and let it fall where it may. 

I am going to enjoy all the snuggles, smiles & kisses my son gives me.  I won't take for granted the love my husband holds for me in his heart.  I want to always makes sure I take the time to have conversations with my family.  It is important for me to tell everyone who I care deeply about that I love them.  I am going to smile big, laugh till it hurts, love with everything I have, treasure every second of everyday and I won't sweat the small stuff anymore!

One of my friends that knew I have been having a hard time lately shared the following story with me.  It was just the thing I needed to read to make me smile, appreciate all that I have and get me back to what matters most.

peace & love

bj

When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 beers.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous ‘yes.’

The professor then produced two beers from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed.

‘Now,’ said the professor as the laughter subsided, ‘I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things—your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions—and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car. The sand is everything else—the small stuff.

‘If you put the sand into the jar first,’ he continued, ‘there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you. Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.

Spend time with your children. Spend time with your parents. Visit with grandparents. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18 . There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first—the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the beer represented. The professor smiled and said, ‘I’m glad you asked.’ The beer just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem, there’s always room for a couple of beers with a friend.

You Named Your Child What?

When it comes to naming another human being, it can prove to be a difficult task.  I remember being pregnant and reading tons of baby name books, name searching on the Internet & asking friends their opinions.  First lesson learned: never ask family or friends for their opinion because you might not like what they have to say!  I was shocked at how forward people were with their responses to some of the baby names I had picked.  It almost ruins your own opinion of the name and causes you to shy away from it for fear of being ridiculed by everyone around you.  I really wanted a unique or less traditional name for my son.  I don't find anything wrong with common names but for myself, I just felt like I wanted my son to have a name that no other child in his class would have.  It gets confusing when there are 3 kids with the same name in one class room!  After lots of searching and a time span 8 months & 30 days I finally decided on a name for my son.  On April 28th, 2009 I named my first born: Cruz Carter

I love unique names as much as the next person but there is a fine line between unique and down right ridiculous!  Check out this list of names I've come across that people actually named their child.  Some of these will leave you saying, you named your child WHAT?!?!

Seven Sirius
Fifi Trixibelle
Peaches Honeyblossom
Little Pixie
Heavenly Hiraani Tiger Lily
Moxie CrimeFighter
Poppy Honey
Daisy Boo
Racer Maximilliano
Rebel Antonio
Audio Science
Oranjello and Lemonjello (twin boys)
Peanut Kai
Muffin Zappa
Bluebell Madonna
Jermajesty
Moon Unit
Pilot Inspektor
Sage Moonblood
Memphis Eve
Mayflower
Elleighette
Braxlee
Adorabelle
Providence
Sketch

This is just a short list of a very long one that could be displayed.  May you never find yourself to be one of "those" people whom name their child something absolutely ridiculous!

peace & love

bj

Shit My Kid Says...Part Deuce

I did a post roughly 6 months ago about the shit my kid says and I feel that it is time to do another.  It is amazing how much our children's vocabulary expands in a mere couple of months and their ability to construct full sentences explodes.  I have to chuckle to myself when I hear my son playing in his room.  I am also dumbfounded at some of the things he says directly to me and my husband.  Somethings are funny, some are innocent and some are darn right shocking!  Here is another collection of ridiculously crazy & cute things my babe says:

- Come look Mom!  I took a hundred poops!
- That was a bad choice Mom.
- You and Daddy are being rude to me.  (this is whenever we discipline him)
- Mommy, your hair is beautiful.
- You can't say that.  Its naughty.  Go to time out.
- I pulled my pants down and showed Leah my underwear at school today and she was happy.  My response: "Did you only show her your underwear or did you show her your wiener too?"  Cruz: "Hahaha, oh Mom.  I didn't show her my wiener, that would just be weird."  (WOW, that conversation blew my mind!)
- I pooped my pants, change me.  (pre-potty trained days)
- I want to go to Disney World right now to see Dan & Brittni!
- You legs are poky Mom.  (note to self, shave legs more often)
- Can I put your hair in a pony tail?
- Is your wiener bleeding?  (after sneaking in on me in the bathroom while changing my tampon...I lock the door now!)
- I'm going to marry my Mommy.  (Cruz's response to his teacher's question)
- If I become a runner like them and win, will you be so proud of me?  (while watching Olympic Track & Field...my heart melted!)
- Mommy, leave.  (choosing to play with my beautiful girlfriends over me, bummer)
- I like to poop it, poop it.  (Cruz's version of Madagascar's: I like to move it, move it song)
- Mommy, you be nice and happy to Daddy.
- Daddy, you kiss Mommy.
- I lost.  (Cruz's response after he broke our 5 day old  iPad and I asked him why he threw his monster truck at it...we are working on his sportsmanship!)
- Me: "Cruz, would you like a kitty or puppy for a pet?"  Cruz: " Panda Bear."
- Daddy, it's frickin' cold outside.
- Is there a baby in there?  (Cruz commenting on my full tummy after a potluck, thanks buddy)
- Is this cool or weird? (Cruz's common question to lots of things)
- The carrots in my mouth are icky because they are mushy and crunchy carrots taste yummy (all done in a singing voice)
- But I can't go to bed yet, the sun is still out.  (well played my smart little one)
- I don't have a big wiener like Daddy has because I'm too little. 
- Me: "What do you want to talk about?" Cruz: "Horse's poop."
- Why do we poop?
- Why don't you have a wiener?
- Stay careful Mom!
- I'm really getting older.

There will be so many more things my little Cruz will say that proves to be nothing short of entertaining through the years to come...can't wait!

xoxo

bj