Engagement Photos.

On the early Sunday morning of the Fifteenth of July Joshua and I decided to ramshackle the living room, set up our lights and form a make-shift studio so we could take our engagement pictures. We wanted a retro feel so at around 12a.m. that morning we both took showers, got all prettied up, and played dress up. Deedee dog was along for the ride and surprisingly docile, I believe due to her sleepiness state. The pictures turned our better than we ever expected and now here they are for your viewing pleasure!

Our Favorite

Indie-Individuals

For Fun:
Shooting through viewfinder of our Kodak Duaflex.

Hi rest of my life.

Prologue.
I knew you were it after our first night. Although I don't think I would let my mind listen to my heart. It was too scary, to think after one meeting with someone you could know it was over and things would finally start making sense.
I'm a silly girl, playing games in my head. That first night when you drove me back to my car I walked and thought 'If he waits for me he's special.' Admittedly, I already knew you were special, all the little things you noticed like the tattoo on my wrist (its such a small mark on my canvas, but one of the first things you noticed) and mentioning that Maggie song was playing in your head all day. All the ways you made me laugh... You did wait for me though, you waited until I unlocked my door, you waited until I started my car, you waited until I drove away. No monsters got me that night because you were my guardian, no monsters will get me the rest of my life.
In the nine months we have been together I have learned more about life, love and myself than ever before. In your stories I have found my stories, in your confidence I have found my confidence, and in your love I have found within myself a greater capacity to love others and myself. You have been my revolution and I don't really know how to thank you for that but I am going to spend the rest of my life trying.

Our Language.
The way we communicate is so special to me. The words we speak, the words we don't speak, the actions that speak so much louder than words could scream at times. Everything conveying that each of us understands the other.
Our house is infested with bugs. All different varieties. To the untrained eye these bugs may appear to be the walking of two fingers upon the other's skin. But we know the truth... Bugs. All different kinds-- tickle, naughty, I love you, silly. At time clarification is needed and one of us will stop to as the other, "What kind of bug is that?"

A question, an answer, a bright bright future.
I don't believe I have ever met a moment in time as sweet as our moment on the lake July 2nd, 2007. Basking in the sinking sun, with the water spinning diamonds all around us. Muscles beneath glistening summer skins paddling our bodies over the placid water, greater than us. And in one moment a bug moves across my leg and quizzically I ask, "What kind of bug is that?" And you say, beautifully, simplistically "A will Maggie marry Josh bug." Maggie will.

Highlights.

Of our perfectly charming weekend:

Nephew Dylan.

My weekend obsession.

Ever adorable, Delilah.

Lover.

Such concentration.

Dishes, the old fashioned way.

Homemade (by me!) Belguim waffles for breakfast.

Happy Birthday, Darling.

I have been sitting at home today celebrating a birthday. To celebrate this birthday I have gotten up out of bed, eaten ice cream for breakfast, tuna salad for lunch, showered this afternoon, and now sit in my underwear (with wet hair) typing this blog. This may not seem like the typical celebratory pattern for a birthday, but I can assure it is a good, sincere jesture. All while doing my regular daily activities I have been caught in a reminiscent wandry concerning the person who was born on this day twenty-two years ago. My mind has traveled back, today, to a different day, when we were different people-- the people who would become who we are today.
I first met Breanne Dawn McKinney when I was Maggie Ann McKinney, 11 years old and on my way to the first year of Middle School. It was the summer, a summer of grass stains and bike rides to vacation bible school. We were in the same vacation bible school class. That was me (Maggie Ann), Breanne Dawn, and Chanel Renee.
Those programs, attracting pink tan, sweaty hand, mini-protestants, would run one week-- Monday through Saturday. A work week of studying and preparing, and then a program Saturday evening. Then we were spit shined, wet headed, mini-evangelists. I remember Chanel wore overalls, with red mini-mouses, and red hair clips in her strait brown long hair. We met that summer, first.
We met, second, that fall. It was Middle School band class. I decided, "I'll play the clarinet." She decided, she'll play the clarinet. There we were sitting. He calls, "Breanne McKinney," my head turns. He calls, "Margaret McKinney," her head turns. There we are, two McKinneys with clarinets. What are the odds? We meet again. We are fast friends.
That was ten years ago.

Dear Breanne Dawn,
We met ten years ago! Can you believe it? You have been in my life for ten years! That is the longest of anyone outside of my family, besides Chanel (you and her tie). You and her. Me, you and her we are family. We've stuck through it haven't we? Through the thick and the thin of it. Can you believe it? We have been in each others lives for ten years?
Today, on the day that you turn twenty-two, I realized that and it all came flooding back to me. All of our times together-- staying weekends at each other's houses. You know how I can be grumpy in the morning. All our notes, our secret names. Our lives all entwined.
Our lives are still entwined these days. Though at times I think the lines that connect us are thinned by the age of time. Yet it is still as strong, our hearts are still tied twice as tight. We are forever.
Happy Birthday Darling. I love you.
Love, Margaret Ann.

Me and Breanne, September 2004.

Cute Meet.

Six months ago on this day Josh and I met in person for the first time. We met at a show at the DuKum. Six months ago on this day I step unknowingly into something that would change my life and change me as a person. It began timidly at a table in the back of the bar. As the night went on our connection grew. We stayed up late talking and he drove me to my car which was still parked at the bar. I remember he waited in the parking lot, until I got door unlocked, until I started my car, until I drove away. I remember thinking that meant something. It did.
That night I couldn't sleep. Words just kept floating through my head. Words and snapshots of the night. I had something building throughout the night that I had scribbled on a scrap piece of paper earlier and as I lay in bed the waves of that structure kept washing over me. It went like this:

shadows play the pretty pastel lights
like you play the strings strung tight
across your chest.
see the beat in my beer
amber vibration near
your noise makes me want to stomp.
twinkles on strings
and voices that sing
so loud i yell in your ear.
insecure waiting
vanilla flavored hesitating
with an orange after taste.
message on a phone says
backlit glowing letters say
"i'm here."
smoke and nicotine lead
signs on the wooden walls read
blue moon and other beer names.
hi my name is,
nice to meet ----'s
scratch the chair leg to the floor.
sit and listening
awkward show and telling.
my leg's just a shaking, with nerves and caffeine.
step out to the night
the moonlight makes it right
to light up another smoke.
and later it all gets blurry
but i remember it fully
in symmetry and color and merging black and whites,
another sleepless night.