"the dress," for today

Ok, this wasn't exactly what was supposed to happen today. I bought my dress for the summer happenings online, a month ago, spending way less than I was expecting. Then, I went to Kohl's and saw the Simply Vera sale.

The smocked dress looked like a mix of watercolor and pen-and-ink. The bold splash of orange and the strip of purple, the mix of structure and flow, reminded me of summer in France. I thought of the sun on my big glasses, sitting at cafés and watching the girls walk by in their slim bodies and flowing skirts.

I can't wait to be back. I pictured myself in my dress (before I caved in and made it my dress) walking me across the lawn in front of the Eiffel Tower, holding hands with my new husband speaking only French.

I was supposed to by shorts today. I was supposed to save my omeny and budget for the summer. Then Dad decided to let me out. Chloe found a frock that reminded me of a page from French cookbook. She looks adorable. Dad helped her out, so he decided to help me out too.

I still felt guilty when I swiped my debit card. It's hard for me to accept money help from my parents. Every month, I try to sneak money for my cell phone to my dad. Every month, he tries to fill my gas tank from the drive home.

I swiped my card and stuck the money Dad slipped me into the wedding jar. It's almost like I bought our wedding license instead. Almost. In a way. In any case, it makes me feel a bit better.

We're so close... to so many things.

"Soon." Joe says it's our mantra, and it's never felt more true than today.

one hundred eighty-one

Far left: Forever 21, Love 21 line
At right: Mod Cloth, with sizes that run way to small






Today is a whirlwind. I'm trying to get the week set off right, doing my homework for Mon-Wed. today so that I can get home Tuesday for some car repairs. To give myself a bit of a break and feel productive in any small way, I am doing some research for a dress that will work its butt of during the graduation season. It's gotta see me through my graduation, Joe's graduation and a wedding reception in Evansville.

I'm leaning toward the white. It's a simple summer dress, white for the wedding-feel, and light for under my graduation gown. But that bold dress has some really awesome details... and I'm anything but conventional when it comes to dressing for certain ceremonies. While the other girls I graduated high school with showed up in their white sundresses, I wore an olive, deconstructed skirt and a rose-colored top.

I like the structure of the pink and its more classic feel. I also like that it is half the price of the white one. So I suppose for now, that settles it. I have just typed myself into ordering the faux-wrap, pink dress. At least this time my graduation gown is black and not a white trash bag!

Alright! That's one more thing accomplished. So this week, I:

1. worked with Joe to set the menu
2. finished the files to send to the printer for the invitations
3. ordered my shoes
4. ordered the dress that I need for the month of May and our Evansville par-tay