honey bunches of oats

One year. We've managed to successfully maintain this blog for a full year! Impressive and exciting, no? We truly are great bloggers -- okay, maybe not GREAT bloggers, but certainly we are lovingly updating bloggers : )

I'm engaged -- yeah that happened. Holy COW! So much is happening, and I can't wait to sit down with all of you to tell you what has been done so far. Matt is still deciding on his groomsmen (Men... and they think women are indecisive. SHEESH) So if he decides to have his gaggle of men in the group I may have to tack on a few extras. (No awkwards though, I promise :) Maybe a few cousins or something -- or perhaps a few close-ish friends. We shall see. I will keep you all updated for sure. You can start here:

www.joygallucci.com/ourwedding

I haven't broadcasted this website yet because we haven't booked anything, registered for anything, or nailed anyone down to the groomsmen for that matter. So you guys can show your families for sure :) but don't spread it like wildfire.... yet.... : )

Briana! You're DONE!!! I can't even tell you how funny I realized I must have looked when I squeeled at my computer to see you were done -- yup, that happened all by myself. I am so cool! :P I prayed for you, and I hope you did well on your exams!!!!

Hilreeeeeee, what are you up to these days?! I was wondering the same as Amanda, applying for grad schools still in the plan? Let me know what you are doing so I (we) can pray for you!!!

Amanda -- great post!! I love that you bought a bike that cost $15. Adventures>Routine. I can't wait to come see these "Gems" you've found : ) Oh -- and it's not a huge secret that you're addicted to GLEE. And if its not a huge secret for you then its not a huge secret for me either, and my obsession with Fin and Will Shuster! If only Matt could sing like them.... ::sigh:: (I'm kidding... but seriously... if he could sing Jesse's Girl to me the way Fin did the other night.. we'd be eloping!!! Okay, that was also a joke :)

So I went to powerhouse the other night -- it was so emotional!!! What a throwback. It really made me realize how great we had it at Messiah. We really did. Wow. And how crazy it is that we've been done for a whole year -- time flies. I wish it wouldn't. I remember being young and thinking how I could not WAIT to be older, wiser, richer, and with a boy -- I think now about all the things I have been through and have made me who I am today. Now I am older, wiser, richer, and with a man, and I think of how blessed I am, and how it feels like I blinked and time has changed. One thing that hasn't changed though is how much I love and trust all of you. It's amazing how God puts people in your life to remind you of his love for you -- and thats what you are all for me -- a reminder of how just like our love doesn't change, his is neverchanging and neverending as well.

I love you all, and I can't wait to see you. (and I am really sorry if I made you tear up.... cause I definitely shed a few the other night..)

Love,
Joyful

I am the slacker here—even Briana of the brainiac medsociety had time to post a little something. My humdrums and I just sit in my room night after night reading what you’ve written, loving you all from a distance and then signing off. Sorry, I’m loving you up close and personal right now J

First—Joy you’re engaged, which is wonderful and the most mind boggling thing to happen to any of us! Congratulations!! I’m thoroughly excited to help with planning, organizing (I’ll leave most of that to you actually) and helping with color and fabric and flowers (that’s more like it).

Hilree—Have you started looking at programs yet for gradschool? I think what you are looking into sounds really great for you, a little more one on one and specialized. You have an amazing gift for teaching and relaying information in way that people can understand it—I’m so excited for you! I hope in the meantime that you are enjoying the time when your days are filled with hilarious Bar Mitzfah jokes, Vera Bradley bags, time with Mom and Pop Schaal and Grilled Cheese Sandwiches!

Breeeedom--- YOU DID IT LADY!! Congrats on finishing this year out. I can tell how hard you worked and I’m so mama hen proud of you! You will have to let us know how you did, and if you ever for any reason ‘visit’ Jefferson in the next few weeks you know who works down the street J

::Side note:: My apologies for the lack of structure in my blog posts thus far. I am slowly being trained by my personal peace corps volunteer how to write more clearly and with more purpose::: J

So how about this weather huh? I find myself stomping around my neighborhood guarding myself against breaking out in song and starting the musical that is in my heart. The first few days of spring it felt like the city was on uppers! Everyone was SUPER friendly which is not necessarily normal, most people had been hunched in their wool coats as they skirted into building and out of the wind tunnels. I heard a tune in my head begin as the parking garage guys down the street from my office greeted me with huge smiles and waves and the bus driver opened the door with a hearty ‘good morning!’ I was going to tap on the food cart with my keys for percussion to cue the choreographed dance down Broad St. So good.

I’ve been not-so-secretly obsessed with GLEE and for that matter walking barefoot in my backyard and with the used bookstore down the street. I think this city life is going to take a longer adjustment than I had originally planned for. I thought I’d just traipse down here and be out every night dancing or singing karaoke. Well, let me tell you, that is the farthest from reality that I could be. I come home after work, maybe run, make dinner, and then read a book or watch TV or whathaveyou. The weekends are similar in pace, except when I get out of city, ironically enough. Hopefully though, now that the weather is nicer and I have acquired a 15$ bike from a flea market that I will be a bit more mobile and consequently more adventurous. I’ve already gone and discovered a few little gems in the city that have made my venturings successful.

The whole situation with my roommate earlier this year made the sense of safety in the city a hard thing for me to regain. Nevertheless, here I am, it’s a beautiful world full of things to be sought out and enjoyed and so off I go again, on my quest to live life enthusiastically with a bit more perspective and regained assurance.

I just wanted to thank you guys again for coming down to the city to see where I live and what’s happening down here. I had so much fun! As per the usual, nothing has changed and we’re all the zany group of amazing ladies that we were the last time we were together, only moved forward a step in life—1 year after graduation and groovy. I feel very blessed to have you all in my life.

Have a wonderful weekend my petite cherubs haha! I promise not to be straggler next time!