Hello Hello!!

Hey guys! I'm Miss Camel and I'm so excited to be introducing myself to you today! I feel incredibly honored to be able to share my wedding plans with such an awesome and welcoming online community. Not to mention that it's a great feeling to finally be able to give back to a group that has given me so much over the past several months. So come along -- join me on my (mis)adventures in wedding planning!

But first, a little about myself and the Mr. . .

This May I'll be marrying this super sweet, super dorky guy I met at work. We're planning a wedding with a theme that can only be described as Marie Antoinette at the Petit Trianon. If you've seen Sofia Coppola's beautiful film Marie Antoinette or visited the palace of Versailles then you will surely understand the look and feel that we are trying to accomplish. If not, stay tuned for more details and lots of images that have inspired me over the last few months.

Dressed up for my friend's wedding in Baltimore. (personal photo)

I'm a Georgia girl who doesn't define herself as truly Southern. Maybe that has something to do with my mom being from upstate New York, or the fact my dad now lives in LA, or maybe it's because I've never cared for grits, sweet tea, or collard greens. In my mind sweet tea = humming bird food -- it's way too sweet! I've lived in the South for essentially my entire life while never really identifying with Southern culture or the Southern lifestyle. Let's put it this way, I have never used the word "ya'll" in a serious conversation. But get me angry and you'll hear a hint of my Southern accent.

I love living in the South -- the hot, humid summers alive with the sounds of cicadas, the golden tinge of light in a hay field at sunset, the sagging remains of abandoned barns dotting the edge of highways. Summer weather arrives in April and stays until October. I've never known the pain of shoveling snow from the driveway or keeping a thick, woolen blanket in the back of my car in case of an inopportune breakdown. And what about Southern hospitality? It certainly can't be beat.

All this talk about the South and here I am marrying a guy from Michigan. Not only that but I traveled around the world only to meet the love of my life in the classroom next door to mine. But we met, and crushes blossomed, a relationship formed, an apartment was shared, and now we are engaged to be married!

I am so happy that my invitation to join the Hive coincided with a seriously adorable generation of icons: the endangered species generation. Everyone seemed partial to the otter or the adorable black squirrel (definitely a close second for me), but I just knew I had to have the camel. It might have something to do with my weird obsession with Lawrence of Arabia. Okay, it has everything to do with my weird obsession with Lawrence of Arabia. And I'm not just talking about the 1963 David Lean film starring the handsome Peter O'Toole. . .

Peter O'Toole taking a break during the filming of David Lean's Lawrence of Arabia. (source)

. . . I'm talking the real historical figure, T.E. Lawrence. I teach social studies for a living so I think I'm allowed a few quirks. (There's actually a lot of quirks. I think I have met my lifetime quirk quota.) I asked my fiance how he felt about me choosing the camel, seeing as he will be known henceforth as "Mr. Camel." He gave me a huge, beaming smile and said he would be incredibly proud to be known as Mr. Camel. I can't tell you how much I love this guy!

The REAL Lawrence of Arabia: T.E. Lawrence. All images circa 1918-1918 and found at Clio History

Mr. C and I have many common interests and hobbies and yet very different personalities. I think this is the secret to our successful and easy-going relationship. Our differences really complement each other and we make a great team, both in our professional lives and our personal lives. I'm a very direct, no-nonsense type of person with introverted tendencies and a lack of social graces. Mr. Camel however is honestly one of the kindest, most genuine and compassionate people I've ever known. He is loved by everyone he meets because he is an optimistic person who always does his best. As a team I say what needs to be said and he smooths it over with his charm. When I'm down, he does everything he can to cheer me up. When I have a crazy idea, his eyes sparkle with a shared enthusiasm. He always knows what to say when I get myself into a rut, something that is especially important considering our challenging work environment.

We also may be huge dorks. Here we are at Dragon*Con.

We both teach social studies at a rather challenging high poverty Title I high school. When we're not teaching, tutoring, or lesson planning (we do a lot of all three) we are hanging out at home with our two cats, playing video games (like Skyrim, StarCraft or Minecraft), spending time with our friends, visiting family, or seeing the world.

We also may or may not procrastinate by taking weird photos of our cats Loken and Jasper.

We have family in Illinois, Michigan, and California so keeping up with everyone definitely keeps us busy, especially around the holidays. We know the value of a relaxing Saturday at home, or maybe a not-so-relaxing weekend spent scouring the local thrift stores and flea markets for milk glass. But that's a story for another time.

Until then, please know how excited I am to share our story and our wedding with you!