Kitsch Cupcakes

The well group year is over with the (approaching) ending of the school year, and I missed the party because of my brother's Court of Honor (which I was happy to attend and very proud of him. He's a Star ranked boy scout, a real leader in his troop and getting ever closer to Eagle! He works hard, that little handsome fellow.).
I'll miss the girls but it's been a stretching and delightful experience since the fall. I've learned so much from working with Mrs. Welkner in leading the group, and been humbled by the girls' insight and love and joy. They are so much fun and some are really...special ;) In a silly way but in reality too, of course.
A few months ago we had an outing to Kitsch Cupcakes on beach road. I've wanted to take Candace since then, and a couple weeks ago we finally made it for a little date. The time with Candace was sweet but I've decided I'm not actually a fan of their cupcakes. I prefer them softer, sweeter, more flavorful, and maybe even chilled. We'll have to find another sister date favorite, and maybe even another cupcake shop!

love,
Cait

Here are some major inspiration pictures for our wedding. (Looking at them may or may not help you picture it; I'm being a tiny bit sneaky - these photos are still important though!)

love, Cait

p.s. listen to this lovely tragic celtic ballad, with Kate Rusby's gorgeous accent.

He's ridden o'er yon high, high hill,
and down yon dowey den,
And the rushin' in of the Clyde water
would fear five hundred men.
"Oh, roaring Clyde, you roar so loud.
Your streams are wondrous strong,
Make me a wreck as I come back,
but spare me as I'm gone."

on why we are having a large wedding

Many prefer to have small, intimate weddings, for many reasons.
Perhaps because of cost
Perhaps because they can have a fancier wedding with less people
Perhaps because they want it to be very personal and private, with the very closest relatives and friends.
All of these are valid and admirable reasons.

For several other reasons, we desire to have a large wedding on principle.
(Not just because I like things big and beautiful - but that too)

Joel and I would like our wedding to be as much of a witness as possible, in several ways.
First, the message of the Gospel.
Second, the witness of our covenant before God.
Third, the message of what we believe about marriage and family.

We would like our entire church to attend!
This means that the time will be announced in the service on the Friday morning before our Saturday evening wedding. We by no means expect all 600+ to come (though thankfully the next door church building can hold more than enough people!), but want it to be very much a church-wide service, and a worship service.

This is the community that has watched and counseled our friendship, courtship, and now engagement, and is the main reason we are being married in Dubai and not in Washington, where most of our extended family is (thankfully the closest family will be able to travel). It is also the community and church we will be living among after our wedding.

Covenants should be witnessed, celebration should be shared. I'm so excited about the family and community aspect of everything - even if I'll only be thinking about one person :)

Love,
Cait

(By 'large' I mean the whole church is invited to the ceremony. The reception shouldn't exceed 250.)

Please pardon my unmanicured hand, but I wanted to show off my beautiful engagement ring. I love it and can't imagine having anything else! It is elegant and tapered, and a picture really couldn't capture how sparkly it is!

I love to think about how it will be there for the rest of my life, and the fact that it symbolizes that I will get to be Joel's wife. O happy thought!

love,
Cait

Dear Sleepyhead

Dear Sunny, when you clean your tail it is the cutest, because you hold it between your paws. Dear florists, why are you so expensive? I am not paying 800 dirhams for my bouquet. Dear Marsik, I hope you become our cat after we are married, because you are the prettiest and fluffiest thing ever. Plus you live with our stylish Russian friends so that really raises your attractiveness. Dear Nicky, you are amazing at taking engagement pictures, even if we had to go back and take more when I was hungry because the sky suddenly turned bright pink. I can't wait to see them. Dear bridesmaids, you are going to get to pick your own dresses, isn't that fun? Dear Leader Hunt, I'm very excited to dress up for you. I'll wear jeans and no one will recognize me. Dear wedding and registry websites, thank you so much for being free, it's very nice of you. Dear Joel, you are my favorite.

love,
Cait

finally blue

Months ago now, just before going to Lebanon, we painted my room's little hallway a dusty turquoise. It had been intended for over a year, and I bought the paint around Christmastime! I absolutely love the color, and it makes the hallway so much more interesting. (I'm getting very excited about having our own little home to arrange and decorate and make welcoming!)
It's feeling like there is so much to do and not nearly enough time to go around. I'm not panicking, just really wish I could do more. What are your best time-using and saving habits and priorities?

love,
Cait

last thursday's prayer

Father,
break up my fallow ground, for it is time to seek you (hos. 10:12)
You have given blessing upon blessing and filled my heart with joy. distill all these thoughts into thanksgiving as an offering, and do not let me ever neglect praising you for what you have graciously, abundantly given (not because of righteousness).
o God in the face of happiness i am overwhelmed; keep my wandering heart tethered to your side and seal all my love and hope to Christ. He is so beautiful and i am blind sometimes, and always need your persistent drawing.
Father, to think that i am betrothed to Joel! let that thought never lose its glow, for it is a gift from you and it will always be good and for Your glory.
You have done far above all that i ask, think, imagine, and you will continue to - please continue to, great God.
please bless Joel, call us to pray and to your word, and be pleased with us today.

amen

Some things with wedding planning just can't be like you would do it in America. For example, the gift registry - all the stores that are both here and in the US have very little variety or no online store. You can do the fancy ex-pat thing and get a service to compile a registry for you from all the stores in Dubai, but then you're paying 1500 dirhams for their work (that's almost $500).

Then there are flowers. They just aren't as good here, because few can be grown locally and bringing them in is very expensive. And fresh, delicate, springy flowers like anemones...forget it! So I'll likely use silk flowers. That way I can get all the perfect flowers (including usually expensive ones like peonies) in the perfect colors, arrange them myself and get them done stress-free, long before the week of the wedding. (Fresh sounds much nicer to me too, but the look is more important than the natural sentiment, and there are some things we have to deal with living here!) I'm excited at the prospect of arranging the bouquets myself this way, too.

What is or was your dream bouquet?
Do silk plants offend your organic sensitivity?

Even if there are extra decisions to make and frustrations with working things out in the UAE, I am so happy to be thinking about a wedding that it's all wonderful. Every opportunity for panic is met with Wedding=marriage to Joel and I can't believe it. Planning is something I've always looked forward to anyway, so all of the little details should be considered a joy. And they are.

[ranunculus collage from Emilie Duncan]