The one leaving Raleigh.

Right before I went to college, my parents got me a credit card.  Don't freak out.. it was a credit card that was meant only for emergencies such as gas and groceries & I had to promise them I would call them every single time I used it.  But anways, they got me a credit card & the design on the card was a city skyline at night.  It was gorgeous.  My parents picked out that specific card because I love cities & they thought if a child of theirs was ever to go away from home, it would be me.  I love the hustle and bustle of cities, the lights at nighttime, the life of unlimited amount of coffee shops, non-chain restaurants, and hidden treasures within the concrete walls.  I love cities.  Moreover, I love Raleigh.  I adore this sweet little college town.

Well Sam is moving home... TODAY.  He is picking up his life in Raleigh and moving back home.  He is starting a new job & looking for us a place to live.. because we will reside back in our precious small town after May 25th.  Put bluntly, Sam is done with Raleigh.  He has had a good time... but he is ready for the big move.  I asked him why he was so done with Raleigh & his reply was simply this:

"Court, where can I hunt?  Whose land can I do that on AND ride four wheelers?  And babe, I am not about to pay to go fishing."






He is a country boy, through and through.  I am so thankful for man that is content with a life full of woods, guns, knives, game, four wheelers, fishing poles and home cooked meals.

I believe I am half & half.  I love cities, but I also love the country.  I love how slow the morning seems to be.  I love being more aware of natural beauty.  I love being outdoors.  I love the community and all the little "finger waves" everyone gives when they are driving down the road.  Everybody knows everybody.  I love it.  Oh, and the sunsets in this place are ridiculous.

On behalf on Sam's last night in our beloved Raleigh.  We tried a new restaurant in downtown called Cafe Luna.  It was delicious.  I had some type of black pasta with grouper, shrimp and tomatoes & Sam got grilled chicken, roasted potatoes & a cute little salad.  It was so good.  The sun was setting perfectly, so we just drove around.  We blared Pandora, opened the sunroof, and heated the seats.  We ran an errand or two.  Then went back to driving around.  The moon became full & gorgeous, creating the perfect send off for Sam.

 

  

  

 

 

Raleigh has been so good to us.. too good.  But life is changing and its for the better, which makes breaking my Raleigh ties a little bit easier.

The one and only, Clark.

Let's take a stroll down memory lane, shall we?

So when I was fifteen my parents started talking to me about what kind of car I wanted for when I turned 16.  All I knew is that I wanted a SUV.  I kept leaning towards a Nissan Xterra -- I mentioned them every time we passed one on the road.  & honestly, I really didn't care what car I got, but for some reason, I just really loved the Xterras. 

One morning in November, my sophomore year of high school, my parents told me that were gonna meet up for lunch with one another, then run some errands and then one of them was going to come pick me up from school.  Awesome.  No big deal.

While I was waiting in the lobby of my high school, I saw this gorgeous Xterra pull up.  It was the most perfect color and it was the newer model!  I immediately called mama.   "Oh my gosh, Mom.  There is an Xterra in the car line at the high school that is the exact car I want.  It's this dark beige color.  Where are you?  Are you close so you can see it?"

Without another word spoken on the phone, the window of that Xterra rolled down & there sat my parents just waving like crazy!!  I freaked out.  I ran a dead sprint to the car screaming & clapping my hands.  I was on cloud nine.

I jumped in the back seat & just ohhed & ahhed over everything.  They pulled over at the local grocery store so I could drive it home and we stopped at Wendy's on my way home so I could show my best friend.  I was freaking out, y'all.  I got my dream car. 

When we got home, I pretty much had a photo shoot with the car.

*cue embarrassing but hilarious pictures*

 

 

My parents got me my dream car for my first car. (I am the luckiest girl in the world to have the parents that I do)  The day I got my car, I named it.  With a slight obsession with Superman at the time, I dubbed my Xterra, "Clark".  Clark has been his name from the get go.  I love Clark, like love love y'all. 

I write all this to say, that my Clark has had some trouble with his transmission.  Sam & I had already been talking about trading one of our SUVs in, so we could save on gas... and we chose Clark because we thought we could get more money out of him.  This week has been a "growing up fast" week for Sam & I.  We have learned more about insurance, loans, car payments, and budgeting than we ever have.  We are buying a new car today & saying good riddance to Clark.  I don't wanna give up Clark, I really don't.  But this new car is a smart decision and signifies an exciting new chapter of my life, my life with Sam. 

More details to come, once we have the keys in our hands and the wind in our hair! 

We will seek Him & LIVE!

I always thought being engaged would feel just like dating... um, dead wrong.  Over the past 3 months I have grown & matured, Sam has grown & matured, we have grown and matured as a couple.  We are not on a wedding-high, where everything is blissfully perfect.  Um, no.  This is such a sweet season, but it can get stressful as it is woven in with the season of ending the college chapter of my life & in with the season of figuring out what life looks like postgrad.  The growing up - oh let's start a life together- let's share our money - where are we gonna live - whats our next career moves - learning how to be a spouse rather than a boy/girlfriend- stuff is stressful at times but it is so much fun!!  My heart has been twisted, turned, and stretched in ways I have never experienced over the past three months & I am so excited to feel my heart experience new things.  Sam & I are leaning FULLY on the Lord and trusting that He is doing big things in our hearts to prepare us for this life as one flesh. 

Sam & I are currently out of limbo.  For a couple of months we had no clue what life looked like after May 25th.  We didn't know what city we were gonna live in, we didn't know what he was going to do job wise, we didn't know if graduate school was going to work out for me & if so, where?  We were in serious limbo & it was weighing heavily on both of our hearts.  However, the Lord is good.. just so good.  No, it is not the plan we had for ourselves, it is slightly different.  But we love the new plan. 

"This is what the Lord said to the house of Israel:  SEEK HIM & LIVE!"

Amos 5:4

In lighter news, Sam & I have booked the honeymoon.  The Scott newlyweds will be spending their week together in the Dominican Republic!  I am so excited & already trying to plan out my outfits!  Sam & I are also taking a financial class to help up budget our money as we are still just two kids in love with different views of the value of a dollar.  We have found the outfits for our wedding party, finally.  We are currently working on designing our invitations with my sister & her talented boyfriend.  Spring break is next week for NCSU, so my mama & I will be working of flowers and decorations.  

85 days to go, people.  85 sweet days to go.

The one season to document.

Alright.  I have had this blog for about three & half years.  I have been great keeping up with it until my senior year of college came.  & since December 1st (the biggest day of my life)... I have blogged TWICE!  That is ridiculous because right now is the sweetest point in my life so far.  This part, right here, right now is what I want to capture more than any other.  Although my plate is completely full, I want to do this.  This is not a chore.  It is a creative outlet & an opportunity to embrace this rich & joyful season I have right now.

With all of that being said.  I plan on blogging weekly.  Not just about wedding stuff & future stuff, but college stuff too.  Seriously, I almost cry every Tuesday & Thursday morning on my way to class.  It is beautiful view of the NCSU campus & it is a scary reminder of how fast these next four months are gonna go.  Four more months in this exciting & lovely city, living with 3 of my best friends.   So I gotta embrace each day.  Each second.  Each coffee date.  Each grueling test.  All of it.  Hold me accountable... please?

For all things wedding - I am starting a series that will continue past the actual wedding day because I want to document this whole process: from dress to details, wedding party to venue, music to flowers.  Also, I see so much perk in this because I can use pictures from the wedding!  I am kicking off my wedding series tomorrow afternoon with the story of how I bought my dress.  Of course, I will not tell you about the details of the actual dress but the story behind how this dress is now hanging up in my house right now is pretty crazy (praise you Mama).  

For now,  the best entertainment I can give you is pictures of our more southern engagement session with my sister back at home (click here & here to see our RDU shoot with Jenny Lynn).  This pictures are real sweet as they were shot in our home town, some on Colby's dad's hunting land & some with my grandpa's army Jeep.

The one to start 2013.

 2013 has arrived & I am already feeling the changes and challenges that will sweetly saturate this year.  2013 is a big one for me.  I stand firm in knowing the next 5 months will be the most eventful, stressing, glorious, hardworking, loving months I have ever experienced. 

I am sitting in my bed in Raleigh, coming down from a pink lemonade birthday cake high & preparing for the start of the sweet chaos... my final semester at NC State starts in approximately 10 hours.  My last first day of undergrad.  Bittersweet to say the least.  I love school.  I can thoroughly say that I have even enjoyed the academic aspect of my college career, which has given me confidence that I am in the right major.  I will go super sappy on ya when we really hit the realization that graduation is in 5 months.

Change is gonna come this year.  All good things.  It's gonna be great.  It's gonna be so great.

___________


There are not many more wedding updates since we talked last... a couple small decoration details, DIY projects galore, but nothing major.  My sister took some engagement pictures this weekend & she will post them soon! Im excited to see them all!

(She did, however, give me permission to show you guys one!)

Cheers to 2013 - my favorite year yet.

The one post engagement.

It is exactly 3 weeks post engagement & I am still in shock.  Catching a glimpse of my shiny new ring is a humbling experience.  When I look back at the concept of the proposal, I fall in love with Colby Scott even more.  This man got on his knee to ask me if it was okay to spend forever together.  

Good gracious, be still my heart.

Since the December 1st, a couple things have gone down.. 

Sam & I have picked out a couple wedding details, such as our wedding party, venue & color scheme.

Sam & I have checked another thing off his wonderful Winter Bucket List.

Sam & I have taken a couple pictures with his sister, Jenny, at RDU.  We will take some more with my sister, back at home soon!  Here are some of my favorites Jenny took.

But for now, I am taking a break from wedding planning.  For the next few days, I want my focus to be on Jesus and my family.  Merry Christmas, y'all!