Jill Victoria

I’ve made my list of wishes for Santa, but what I really want for Christmas is for all the people in the above picture to be together.

For this year, I at least have my parents, husband and brother for Christmas. My brother, Matthew, will leave two days after Christmas to serve in the Army for a year in Iraq. I won’t see him again till next December. Matthew’s wife Susan is stationed in Korea with the Army and I won’t see her again till June or July of 2010.

As much as I wish I could have my whole side of the immediate family together for Christmas, I know it won’t happen. I look forward to Christmas of 2010, when all the people in that wonderful family photo will spend Christmas together.

Everyone has their traditions, especially around the holiday season.

My personal traditions with my family have always been special to me. Part of Christmas is participating in these traditions, and helping them grow.

Traditions have changed with the years. One tradition that we used to follow at Thanksgiving was taking a walk in the woods at my GranMar and GrandDaddy’s house after digesting. We’d also walk up the road to visit family friends. That tradition faded as it became harder for my grandparents to walk that far. I miss it.

During the Lighting of the Great Tree at the Macy’s in Atlanta, my family and I would also light our indoor tree and the outdoor one my dad would put up every year. That was the mark of Christmas beginning in my childhood.

An evolved tradition happens on Christmas Eve. Used to, GranMar would fix spaghetti and we’d all eat that on Christmas Eve. Then we’d watch The Grinch on TV and open gifts from each other. Santa would bring more to open in the morning.

Now we all go with other family members up to The Varsity in Atlanta on Christmas Eve to eat there. We meet and will give gifts to those we won’t see again for a few months. It’s a fun tradition. In fact, I can’t go to The Varsity during the year without thinking of Christmas Eve.

Other traditions I hold dear for the holidays is decorating the house, my GranMar’s elf hiding game (she has five little elves that she displays somewhere silly every year. we all compete to find them), visiting Santa Claus, watching A Muppet Christmas Carol (my personal tradition I started) on Christmas Eve, driving to see people’s Christmas lights displayed, opening gifts on Christmas Eve from each other, and Santa coming on Christmas morning.

One of my favorite long-standing traditions is tomorrow: the McDonough Christmas parade. My family has gone every year in my memory, along with my godparents and their sons. We bring food (usually pizza and chicken tenders) and watch the parade. My dad will actually be participating in it this year, marching with his Marine Corp League.

Now I’m married and have new traditions to start and to participate in. Both of David’s sides of the family do the “white elephant” type gift exchanges. Except they actually bring gifts people want and fight for!

It’s these things that really bring a special meaning to Christmas for me. I look forward to these little events every year, and I bask in the warm fuzzies they give me. Now I’m a new member of a family, and David as well. My brother Matthew also brought a new member along in Susan. I can’t wait for Matthew and Susan, as well as David and I, to start our own traditions, and to carry them over to our children one day!

What are your Christmas traditions?

I realized that the blog I wrote yesterday didn’t post for some reason. Instead of going back and trying to recreate it, I will just make this post instead.

I tend to take a lot for granted in life. This past year has really taught me differently. I have been given a lot of blessings in just the past few months, and I definitely have plenty to be thankful for.

The greatest thing I am thankful for is my family. I’ve been blessed to grow my family by leaps and bounds this year! Marrying David has doubled the size of those I call kin.

I consider myself very lucky, blessed and thankful for everyone you see in that picture, and for those who aren’t in it. Family is one of the best things a person can be a part of, if that family is a God centered one. Thankfully, that’s what my family is.

I’m so grateful to have people who support and love me, and who I am able to give my love and support to in return. Being part of a family like mine and a family like David’s is a true blessing. All my life I knew that I’d have to find a man to marry who was as focused and involved with his family as I am with mine. It’s hard to find people these days who are interested in their families, and not searching for the nearest exit when it comes to family get-togethers.

Not only did my family grow with marrying David, but I also gained a sister-in-law and another soon-to-be sister-in-law! Times are so exciting! My brother got married just a little over a month after I did and my brother-in-law will get married in July of next year. More people to add to this family, and who are also involved with family life.

God has definitely been good to me.

My family has gained another member.

Yesterday, my baby brother Matthew married a wonderful girl named Susan. It was a small, close family and friends ceremony at Salem Baptist Church in McDonough. Matthew and Susan were married in the same (original building) chapel as our parents. I know that made it even more special. My dad and GrandDaddy both made toasts.

It’s hard to believe my brother is married and I now have a sister-in-law! I’m so happy for both Matthew and Susan!

In January of 2011, Matt and Susan will have a traditional ceremony to which everyone they want to invite will be asked to come to. Susan wants to have their re-commitment ceremony at the Hazelhurst House, too. I think it would be great if they did! I know I loved every second of my wedding day there.

This time of the year just became even more special. Two wedding in just six weeks and two new and fantastically wonderful people were added to the family.

I can’t help but marvel at how blessed and wonderful my life and family are. I have never lacked anything I needed and I have certainly obtained my fair share of the things I’ve wanted. Loving family, loving husband, new loving in-laws and family, new sister-in-law, great friends, a house, working cars, an education, health, happiness and adventures! I was able to have the wedding of my dreams and marry my best friend, just as I had hoped for my whole life. I’m a newly wed who was fortunate and blessed enough to end up in a house with room to spare.

I have gone and done and experienced more than I ever thought I would in my lifetime. If I have done what I’ve done now, it’s hard to think of what there is to come!

Since it’s so close to Thanksgiving, it’s nice to think of all the wonderful things I’ve been blessed with that I am so truly thankful for.

I really love autumn! Though autumn in Georgia can be confusing. One day can be sunny, cool and have a crisp feel to the air; the next it can be muggy and rainy. But despite that, I love how fall looks and feels. I marvel at the beautiful colors the trees turn. I just wish they had turned in time for the wedding. Still, I get to enjoy them now. Or rather, what’s left of them now.

I think I’ve finally settled into a new routine for life. Things are still hectic feeling at times for me. It’s not easy to change a whole life routine. And I miss being in my lifetime home. Though my new home with my husband is a wonderful place to be! I’m so happy!

I’ve been having a great time with my parents, brother and soon-to-be sister-in-law, Susan. Yesterday I tooke Susan up to Atlanta to a place called Natalie’s for her to try one her dream wedding dress. She looked absolutely gorgeous in it! I’m so glad that Matthew found someone like her to marry.

Susan and I had lunch together at Salsa, since it was right down the road from Natalie’s. It was great to get some girl time with her.

Last Thursday David and I finally got the pictures with Ashley done. We were supposed to have done them in August originally. I’m pleased with the ones she did. As a Christmas gift to my parents, David, Matthew, Susan and I are paying for Ashley to do family photos of the six of us this coming Sunday. I’m really looking forward to it!

I’m also looking forward to Thursday. Matthew and Susan will be getting married in a small, family ceremony at Salem Baptist. They’ll get married in the same chapel as my parents. I’m so excited for them! In January of 2011, after Matthew is back from Iraq, they will have a traditional wedding. Susan really wants to have it at the Hazlehurst House, too. She loved the pictures from the website and from my wedding. I really hope it works out for them to do it that way.

John and Yoly set their wedding date for July 31st of next year. From what they have discussed, it should be a great wedding! I’m just glad that both John and Yoly’s as well as Matthew and Susan’s weddings are both happening locally. I love to travel, but not for two weddings!

Next week is my last week of classes for this block. I’m debating taking a semester break and trying to get the house and my finances more organized. But then, it could be bad for me. I am just now getting into a routine that involves school. Should I deviate from that routine now, or stick it out? I’m really not sure what to do.

I can’t believe that next week is Thanksgiving! I’m looking forward to spending my first holiday season with David as my husband and us both being part of each other’s families. That is one of my favorite parts of being married: family. It’s important for both of us to be involved with family. I just wish Matthew and Susan would be here for the holiday. They leave Thanksgiving morning for Texas to spend time with Susan’s family.

Things in life sure do change quickly. It’s like seasons in Georgia, sudden and never knowing when it might happen!

Today marks one month of marriage. I can honestly say that being a wife is wonderful, but that could also be because David is a wonderful husband. If every woman had a husband as loving, caring, supportive, hard working
and devoted as David is, then all marriages would be easy. Though I will admit, I’m a lucky woman to have married a Cole man. They are a rare and wonderful breed of men. Its not often you find guys like them anymore. Kind, considerate, polite, loving, generous, family and God centered gentlemen. They are great examples of who men should be.

Now I’m glad to know that I will soon have two sister-in-laws! My brother proposed to his girlfriend, Susan. They will get married this month while she is on a 30 day leave from her Army station in South Korea. I’m so happy for them! Susan is a great girl and my brother is a wonderful guy.

My brother-in-law John also proposed to Yoly last week. They plan to get married in July of 2010. It seems that wedding planning didn’t stop at my own! I can’t wait to see what kind of wedding John and Yoly have. If its anything like Yoly was talking about, then it will be fantastic!

Matthew and Susan will have a “real” wedding when Matthew gets back from Iraq. He leaves December 27th for a year. I’m sad he’s going, but proud of his service to this country.

I can’t believe its been a month since I married David! It seems years ago and also like it hasn’t even happened yet.

Creating a home with David has been a great experience. We still have a lot to do, and we’ve had some great help from Lauren and Mandy’s boyfriend, Charlie. Our guest bathroom is done minus a window treatment and a new shower curtain rod. The main living room is done. We just need new furniture to complete the makeover. I want to work on our bedroom and bathroom next. The dining room and kitchen will follow. I’m not sure what to do with the other living room or the guest bedroom and office. We’ll get it figured out though. We have a lifetime to do it.

Well, David and I are back from our honeymoon and settling into our “normal” life now. I put normal in quotation marks because I’m not sure what normal is now. My life will never be the same in most ways. I’m in the midst of creating new version of normal with passing day.

The honeymoon was great. We left on our Carnival Cruise on Monday afternoon. Our two ports of call were Key West and Nassua in the Bahamas. I really enjoyed being in Key West more than the Bahamas. I’d really like to drive down and stay a while in the Keys.

In the Bahamas, we took a ride in a taxi cab of DEATH! Stop signs and traffic lights are just a suggestion down there. I was never so happy to be out of a vehicle! The sights were cool and the water was beautiful. Other than that, I don’t see why the Bahamas are such a big draw for people.

I enjoyed being on the cruise ship. David and I spent lazy times together, just enjoying each other and the ability to do nothing at all. We both kept journals the whole trip, some of which I may end up transcribing onto here.

Saturday we left the ship and drove back to the condo in Fernandina. We hung out on the beach and in downtown all day. I did some shopping while David checked out the classic car show going on for the fall festival.

Sunday we packed up and headed for home. We stopped in Savannah to have lunch at The Pirate House. David had never been before, and I love the food, history and the ghosts! After lunch, we stopped at the Savannah Candy Kitchen to get our parents (and ourselves!) some fudge and other sweet treats.

My mom and dad met us at our house and brought my car as well as our wedding gifts. After we got things settled at the house, the four of us went to David’s parents’ house for dinner. We visited with them, GrandMom, John and Yoly. It was nice to get home.

Last night David and I started unpacking my boxes and wedding gifts. We started putting things in their proper places. So far we’ve tackled the guest bathroom and the kitchen. Its starting to look more like our home.

I started making plans for our annual Halloween party. Anyone can come, just let me or David know!

My mom called me yesterday and told me that Sunday night she thought I looked the most beautiful she had seen me look in a long time. She said I looked relaxed, happy and had a glow about me. I guess married life suits me.

This weather suits me, too! I love the autumn! I get to wear lovely fall colors and fashions, like boots, scarves and coats. I got out my scarves last night and wore one today.

Life is the same in some ways. I still have school to do, and I’m still watching the kids in the afternoon. I’m also still making plans with friends and playing World of Warcraft. All that is a comfort to me. Makes this transition a bit easier.

Stuff like this weekend’s outting with Krista and Spencer to Oakland Cemetery for the ghost tour, and our Halloween party are just a couple of fun things coming up. Krista and I talked about a couples weekend retreat to Charleston in the next couple of months, too. That should be fun!

I’m pretty sure I’ve covered everything. I’m going to enjoy the autumn weather now. Later!

I wanted to write about our wedding day while its still fresh in my mind.

The day was PERFECT! That 60 – 80% chance of rain that haunted us for almost two weeks never even happened! How awesome is God for doing that?! I want to thank everyone who prayed for the gorgeous weather we had for the whole day.

David and I couldn’t have been happier! Everything was beyond what we could have ever hoped for and more than we deserve. All that we planned went exactly as we wanted. I successfully avoided David seeing me (Though I accidentally saw him out of the bridal suite window. Oops!) and we both got the moment we hoped for as I walked down the aisle. David told me that when he saw me that it was like his heart sped up and stopped at the same time. I knew exactly how he felt.

It was so great to see all the people we did. I scanned the faces as my dad walked me down the aisle (”Moon River by 101 Strings Orchestra, composed by Johnny Mercer) and couldn’t help but have my heart swell with so much love that I literally felt my skin tingle.

I wish I knew how to describe what the moment felt like when I reached David. Everything in my life, the good, the bad, the wise choices and the not so wise choices all fell into place. My dad gave me away on behalf of himself and my mom, and they left me in very safe and loving hands.

Rick Statham, the pastor, did a wonderful job. He didn’t over embellish love by reading Song of Solomon or 1 Corinthians 13, but talked of how David and I are to yield to each other and work as a partnership. If we both live for each other and for God, then we are living in a Christian marriage.

David was so sweet. I knew he was nervous because he was shaking as we held hands and said our vows. During the last prayer, before we kissed our first husband and wife kiss, David started to make what I call his “happy noises”. He basically sighs very content and happy sighs. I knew he was totally overjoyed that we were finally married.

My Aunt Donna served as our MC instead of the DJ. She did a great job. She announced us as we came in and went into our first dance (”At Last” by Etta James). My dad and I had our father/daughter dance (”True Love Waits” by Buddy Holly, which has been stuck in my head all day) and David and Ms. Deb danced their mother/son (”Life Story” by Grant Wilson).

The food was great. Marmalade chicken, roasted potatoes, and green beans. Our wedding cake was strawberry short cake and was delicious!

There was lots of dancing. I danced with Matthew, Emily, Lauren and kinda with Jonathan.

I wish we had more time at the reception. It was a great send off though. David and I walked out in a cascade of tiny bubbles and were driven off in a Model A classic car! I had always imagined leaving in a classic car, but never thought it would happen.

All my girls looked so beautiful. They were a great help and I was so honored they were able to be a part of the day. The groomsmen were handsome as well, especially my brother in his Army dress uniform. I thought my mom looked beautiful in her red dress, and Ms. Deb was lovely in hers as well.

David and I made it safely to the beach condo. I can’t believe I’m laying next to my husband! Its such a sweet yet still foreign word, but I love saying it!

I can’t wait to see pictures from today. Its hard to realize that today is still my wedding day. It was like two days wrapped in one. Though most brides have told me that they didn’t have time to enjoy anything, David and I can both safely say that we enjoyed and savored every second. We had the best day of our lives!

I’m sending out lots of love to our families and our friends. You all made this day very special and we were so blessed to have you as part of our wedding day.

And thus ends my wedding day and my first blog as Mrs. Jill Cole! <3

Why yes, I am blogging on my wedding day! Emily, Krista and Lauren can rip me a new one later, but I want to capture the moment.

So far, so good for everything, including the weather! Please keep praying that the rain holds off till after 12:00.

My mom, Rachel, Emily, Lucie and I all just finished getting hair and makeup done. Now we’re heading to pick up shoes, then on to the Hazlehurst House to finish getting ready!

I’m so excited! I’m getting married! I love David so much and I can’t wait to be his wife! An hour and a half from now, I will be Mrs. Jill Cole.

Holy crap!!!

The wedding countdown is now at 10 days and a few hours. Its so hard to believe that in only 10 days I will be David’s wife! Its totally mind boggeling! And still, I haven’t finished what I needed to do before now.

This Saturday is my bachelorette party. Just a good old fashioned sleep over with some close girl friends. We’ll be going to eat Mexican before the sleep over commences. I really need to get the Goza Road house clean before then. Especially the carpet.

Tomorrow I have an appointment for a haircut and highlights. I’ve never had highlights before, so I’m nervous and excited. TheKnot.com recommended that autumn brides get some highlights to make their hair look fresh, and not dull. So, fingers crossed it turns out good!

I’m so loving the fall weather! Its my favorite time of year, and the cool in the air makes my heart race, because it means its time to get married.

I started my new block of classes. With all I have to do, school is giving me a hard time. Its hard to focus and learn, but I’m doing it. I had to tell my new teachers that I will be missing a week of class, but that I’ll be turning in my assignments the week before. Not sure how I will meet attendance though. I guess i’ll figure out a way around it.

The house is another thing that has my attention. We need to clean and paint and move furniture… but we have no time left. All the stuff I wanted to try and do before this late in time didn’t happen, so now its all bunched up with everything else going on!

Yeah, I’m a bit stressed. Everyone keeps asking how they can help, but how do you ask someone to come and help you move things, or paint, or scrub a carpet that just gets dirty again because no one bothers to care. Plus, when I do ask for help, no one responds. At least David wants to help me. He said he wants to help me as less stressed as possible. He’s wonderful like that.

I so can’t wait for the honeymoon! I plan to relax. At least someone finally have us something on our honeymoonwishes.com registry. Seemed like everyone was scared to do anything on there.

Still, with all the stress, I’m savoring every moment. I’m especially looking forward to seeing family coming into town next week! It will be fun, and I’m kinda bummed that I won’t be around after the wedding to hang out with them.

Please keep David, myself, and our families in your prayers. This is an exciting and stressful time, and it takes a toll on you after awhile. Part of me wants this over with, the other part doesn’t want it to ever end! This is the biggest event in my life, and I don’t want it to also be the biggest stress either.