a 6 day week and an 8 day week!

Well, for all you "luckies" out there that have a 4-day week. I am jealous. I wish I had 4th of July off, but it will be ok. There, now that that's done. I can be ok with my week. I work M-F and I even work this Sunday. Then I work another M-F and then a Sat/Sun next week! so - Sunday-Sunday this next week will be a lot to deal with. I already dread my regular week :) haha! BUT - the plus of this all is that I get a WHOLE week off July 14th-18th. I will have M-W all to myself to get wedding stuff done with some wonderful ladies - which will be great. And then I'll leave Wednesday evening to go to South Padre with the Melton family. We'll get back July 20th. I'm so ready for a vacation! ahhh!

I got to go to Lake Belton this week (it's crazy to go back to Belton, a lot has changed at the school - well at least for me, maybe not for y'all!) But, it started raining about an 1 1/2 into our tubbing, oh well, it was still fun. We'll hopefully be making more lake trips soon!

I have a florist appointment on Wednesday and I can't wait. We're going to sit down and talk about all our options. We'll probably need LOTS of flowers though! So, to find out prices first will be best. We went to our Star Ranch tasting and it was pretty good food. So, the lady made a food/rental invoice so we could discuss if we wanted to use Star Ranch for our reception. But, I think my dad croaked. So, he said he'll have to think about it. But, hopefully soon we'll have a decision made. One way or another!

After the reception is decided, Derik said he wants to sit down and decide where we want to honeymoon :) So much fun! I've looked at millions of places already - it's what I do at work :). So hopefully soon we can decide on those 2 things. We have our photographer - the lovely Andrea Crosswhite... so, I'm glad some decisions are made.

Miss you all!

Brittney *Melton*

Things are moving along...

Well, for a while there I was getting a little overwhelmed. Now, don't get me wrong, I LOVE this time and trying to soak every minute in. But, it was a lot at once.

A couple of weeks ago - I went dress shopping... girls, it was kind of surreal. I mean, I wore a VEIL and everything! :) I went to Alfred Angelo and found 2 that I really liked, 1 more than the other, but, still wanted to look around. Then we went to Serendipity Bridal and I KNOW that I won't get it there... Doesn't mean they aren't beautiful - they are AMAZINGLY goregous - but, waaaayyyyy too expensive. I don't think I tried a dress on under $3000 dollars. So, haven't found THE dress yet, but I found some amazing ones. At Serendipity I kept saying - "I'm trying not to like these" that way if I did like one I would get my hopes crushed, cause I KNEW that we would not spend that much money on a dress.

And is it true for you all that when you tried on your dress that you knew it was THE DRESS? I don't know if I've felt that, but I loved that one dress at Alfred Angelo and I could definitely see myself wearing it, but I didn't have "THE DRESS" feeling... What did y'all feel??

Anyways, we chose a photographer and are in the process of finalizing all of that. We are going to a tasting tonight at Star Ranch Golf Club, and I'm pretty sure that we'll use them. But, we're trying to make sure the food is good and the price is right.

So, needless to say, things are moving along - even if I don't really think they are.

Brittney *Melton*

IT'S OFFICIAL!

YAY!

The Church called me today and Miss Connie told me that we have the date! 5-23-09 Melton/Dickey wedding is ON the church calendar! This is so exciting and it is now becoming real. I'm getting really excited.

It's also good that we found out this week (previously we were going to have to wait until Bro. Steve got back next week) because we are visiting a lot of places for the reception this Saturday/Sunday and now we REALLY know that we are having it on that day. Now we can actually maybe make a decision on something this weekend for our reception!

YAY!

Also, can't wait for dress shopping! :)

Brittney *Melton*

EXTRAVAGANZA

In a word... overwhelming!

Me and my mom went to the June 8th Austin Bridal Extravaganza... IT WAS SO MUCH FUN!

IT WAS ALSO A LOT OF INFORMATION AT ONCE! :)

I loved it and I'm so glad I got to go with my mom... but now I am feeling the stress of how much needs to be done. But in reality, I will be REALLY ok when and once we book a reception site.

We visited a lot of reception sites and this was the norm:

"how many people does your site accomodate?"
"well how many were you thinking to invite"
"well 250-300 or more, we're not sure"
"oh WOW, well, there aren't that many places that hold that many in Austin except at hotel ballrooms... let me refer you to ___ and ___"
"ok thanks!"

that was a couple of conversations... here's another:

"how many people does your site accomodate?"
"well, first let me ask you when your wedding date is..."
"May 23, 2009"
"oh - we're already booked for May... every saturday there's a wedding already - would you like to have yours on Friday/Sunday?"
"oh, no thank you..."
(sadly walk to the next booth)

YA'LL!
I'm getting stressed that there's not going to be any places available and that EVERYTHING will be booked.

I made an appointment with Forest Creek Golf Club at 11am on Saturday... so pray that if we like it, it will be available... Also, if it's not available - that we please would find something, and quick!

I also made an appointment with Alfred Angelo Bridal to start getting dress ideas. So, I can't WAIT for Saturday! I'm so excited!

The Bride,

Brittney *Melton*

Today is my Friday

Well, I'm so excited that I get a "day off" tomorrow. So today is my Friday!

Really and truly it's going to be a KVUE team-building activity for our department - what we like to call the CSPPI - Creative Services Pitch and Putt Invitational. That's right, I'm going to golf tomorrow - and I'm getting paid for it. Well, if you call it golf. It's really like a midget golf course with the longest hole probably being 100 yards.

This is the 3rd annual invitational and the legend goes if you win 1st place... you leave the next year. Which is true for both 1st and 2nd annual winners. They both left within a year of the CSPPI's.

Last year I got 2nd place and everyone seems to think I'll be the one to beat. I don't know about that. Yea, I played, but like in middle school and only for a few years. haha! Well, hey, if I do win... I have an excuse to leave ;) - "it's the legend of the CSPPI winner!"

Also, Derik and I met with Bro. Steve on Wednesday and we were able to talk to him. Bro. Steve seems to think we'll be the FIRST wedding in the new church! how cool is that!

We've been building this church for the past couple years, or has it only been a year...? It was scheduled to be completed this August... but with all the rain ATX got this past spring, it is now pushed back to Nov/Dec. Bro. Steve thinks it'll be the 1st of next year or February before it's complete. So, maybe we WILL be the first to be married. :)

We had a great visit and got our form to fill out to then bring back to the church. Although, it does have a spot for where/when our rehearsal dinner will be, and where/when our reception will be - which we have no clue about either one.

Hopefully we can find a place big enough for everyone. My mom seems to think we'll have close to 400!!! AHHHHH!

Please pray for my sanity! :)

Really and truly I am super pumped about ALL OF IT! :)

Love you all!

Brittney *Melton*

Wedding Underway :)

Well everyone...

I'm so excited to get planning this wedding. Like I told Janeane (Derik's sister) when she asked me... "hey, let's look at bridesmaids dresses." I said "oh my gosh, yea, I get to do that now!" haha!

We set a date for May 23, 2009 and we could not be more thrilled. It's memorial day weekend. Not only do out of state guests get a little longer weekend to plan trips, but that is the weekend that Derik and I met 3 years ago... and it is the weekend he proposed. So, it only seems fitting to be married that weekend! I'm getting so excited!

I called the church today thinking, "they'll just write it on their calendar... or something, right?" Well, lovely Miss Connie (our Pastor's Secretary) told me that Bro. Steve would meet with us as a couple. We'd then fill out a form that would have all our information and desired wedding date. The form would be presented to the "Board" which includes our churches deacons, then it would be approved. She said I am the first bride to request a wedding in our NEW CHURCH - which should be completed before the start of the year (hopefully)! HOW FUN! Connie also said that she thinks I could be the first bride to have her wedding in the new church. I don't know about that. But that would be fun! I think maybe someone would have it before May, but you never know. :)

So, my idea of writing it on the "church calendar" is not the case. I'm glad our pastor puts so much time into pre-marital counseling and meeting with Derik and I. I couldn't be more thrilled to have him as our Pastor. But, I guess I didn't know there were so many steps in requesting the church to be used on May 23rd.

So, Derik and I will have to take off a little bit of work and go visit Bro. Steve sometime SOON! That way, we'll be on our way to finding a place for the reception.

Would you pray that we could work it out and be able to meet with Bro. Steve when it's convenient for all of us.

Love you all!

Brittney *Melton*