Big Fat Sigh of Relief!

2011-08-15T13:28:00.000-07:00

July was the busiest month I've had in a really long time, although there were a lot of fun filled days, it was no cake walk. It's funny how life happens all at the same time, and while work was overwhelming, my personal life was non stop as well. Francesca's Collections went public on July 22nd, and as you can imagine the months leading up to that were intense. Being John's assistant(the CEO), I had a hand in it all. And as much as I was doing, it paled in comparison to what they were doing. And all the while that was happening, I was also secretly planning a party to celebrate the IPO once it was official. I can't help but laugh at the fact that I played a role in any of it. It blows my mind how much I've learned and grown in one little year of my life. So I guess I'll start at the beginning of July with the obvious...

Independence Day!
We spent the fourth with Brad's family, where else but my favorite town...Galveston! I played washers for the first time in my whole life, and I won! That's a big feat considering I was playing two pros, Brad's uncle Jeff and his cousin's husband Austin. Brad was on my team...and no surprise we were a good one. We came home on the fourth without any firework shows because we had work the next day. I guess that's the life of a grown up.

Engagement!
My dear friend Taryn got engaged, and I couldn't be more delighted! I'm so happy for her and Ben, they are a perfect match. As a friend, there is no greater comfort than knowing that your friend is marrying someone who will love and take care of them, and I know this is the case with Ben. I get to be a bridesmaid and I can't wait. Taryn is so cute, look how she asked me to be in her wedding! This wedding will no doubt be special.

The Calvert's come to Houston!
Since I was so busy, and my little sister was here for the summer, guess who trekked all the way down I-45? Daddy, Mom, and Granny! I was so excited for my family to come down here, especially Granny. This was the first time she got to see our little home. We decided to show them the town, and by that I mean Harwin and Galveston. I rarely miss a weekend at the beach, and there was no way I was going to let my parents miss out on the magical little town of Galveston. We went on a tour of the Bishop's Palace, which you have to see with your own two eyes. It is so grand, it's hard to take it all in. In fact, Granny got a little dizzy from looking up at the ceiling and had to sit down for a little bit. After the tour we went shopping down the strand in all the cute shops, and stopped at my favorite La King's Candy Factory. To finish it off, we stopped in Kemah on the way home so they could experience the boardwalk. That weekend was a big blessing/stress reliever for me. Being away from my family never gets easier, I can't get enough time with them.

Losing Weight!
Brad decided to do a triathlon in September with some of his work buddies. This is a bigger deal that what it sounds like, because Brad hasn't worked out in years. Brad has put on some comfort weight since we started dating....don't think I'm talking crap about him because this is public information. Brad is no stranger to poke fun at himself. I thought it was really funny, until I started packing on the pounds after we got married, and then it was the complete opposite of funny. Because of the triathlon, Brad has weigh-ins at work twice a week. GAME CHANGER. It is a lot easier to live healthy when you do it as a team. We have changed our eating habits AND been exercising. Of course Brad's weight has fallen right off, in three weeks Brad has lost 15 pounds and I've lost 5. (I may or may not have taken a week off) Pictures to come later, we still have our work cut out for us. However it does feel good to know that we are making progress, even in my case as small as it is.

NASDAQ
It's a once in a life time moment to get to see your boss ring the bell at NASDAQ, and I got to live that. After all the work that went into the IPO it was a pretty sweet reward to see him in Times Square on the NASDAQ tower. I threw a party in our warehouse where the ceremony was streamed live onto a big screen so we all got to be a part of it. We even had our own little bells to ring with him, what a special day. I felt so proud to get to be a part of it, no matter how small I am.

IPO Party
During this process of filing an IPO, you're fate basically rest in the hands of the SEC. At the beginning of the summer it was hard to gage when we would actually go public. There are so many things that factor into this, so we made a guess and said August 19th for the party would be perfect. However, it all happened faster than expected. So I was a little shocked when John emailed me on Sunday requesting the party be moved to Friday. No biggie. Changing a party for 200 people that has been in the works for months is not impossible.....but pretty close. After a few bumps in the road, the party was moved to August 5th. Praise the Lord, it was a success. It is a scary feeling to know that good or bad my name was attached to that party. It was quite a celebration! One I'm sure that will go down in company history. (I was so busy I forgot to take pictures, all that I have is from the photo booth. Once the photographers pictures come in, I'll post a few more. Because I'm not going to lie....my dress was amazing.)

Looking back on July, I'm really proud of what I accomplished. I was exhausted but proud. Brad and I took the Monday off after the party last Friday to just have a weekend to hangout and do nothing. I loved it, doing nothing with Brad is the best. I know some day we won't have that luxury so I'll take advantage of it now.

A look back at the first year as Mrs. Bradford McKinney

2011-07-01T15:07:00.000-07:00

Brad and I got married one year, 4 months, and 4 days ago. If that was a pair of shoes or a purse, I would by no means consider it new. In fact, to be honest, I probably would have gotten rid of it at this point. (unless it was designer or a really functional basic…)But when I think about how this marriage’s lifespan is intertwined with mine, it’s brand new. There is no way I could squeeze 490 days into one post…but I will try.

Our first home!

Brad fixing the paint job that I so sweetly started while he was at work.

Brad was determined to have the Houston skyline outside of his window…absolutely determined. After disagreeing on one loft (that was beautiful but a little too…well surrounded by the ghetto), we found the perfect compromise. Skyline for Brad, Chili’s, Petsmart, and Target in the parking lot for me. (I actually think I got the better end of the deal on this one!) However…these things don’t come cheap. Therefore, our first apartment was a mere 750 sq. feet, of which Brad’s clothes took up 500 sq. feet. Only Sandy can truly empathize with me on the amount of clothes Brad owns…not because he is such a frequent shopper, but because he REFUSES to throw things away…we are talking about things from middle school! Anyway, other than the size, it was perfect and it became home. And it wasn’t long before there was a new addition to our little threesome…..

Our first Pet!

Obviously I’m not talking about a baby, I already have one of those and his name is Bentley. He just happens to be furry. Brad and Bentley have a good man/yorkie relationship, the only problem is the fight for alpha-dog. I won’t answer who wins that one…

Anyway, we walked across our parking lot to Petsmart to grab some things for Bentley, when we approached a sign saying “Pet Adoptions today!” Knowing my heart for dogs, Brad looked at me and said, “No more pets Libby.” My interest quickly faded when I saw they were all big, however Brad’s was peaked. Before I knew it, we are walking out of Petsmart with a 50 pound mutt. We really lucked out, he is the sweetest most gentle dog I’ve ever known, and his name is Levi. (there are plenty of Levi and Bentley stories to come)

Work!

God really blessed me with an amazing opportunity last July. I am the assistant to the CEO of Francesca’s Collections. I was a little nervous/intimidated about the thought of being a CEO’s assistant, I didn’t even know how to use a fax machine. I get to plan events, book travel, organize meetings….everyday is different. I’ve learned so much in one year it’s overwhelming to think about. As if I didn’t get to work for the best bosses in town, there is a little thing called a sample closet 20 yards away from my desk. I love everything about Francesca’s. The best part of is I inherited a whole new family when I started working here. I LOVE MY JOB.

Brad is still working for Gallagher and has now been promoted to associate producer. It’s been funny to watch Brad turn from a college boy with wrinkled clothes into a business man. I’m very proud of him.

Lesson’s learned in the past year:

· White cooking wine is NOT Chardonnay

· Paying movers is worth every cent

· Dallas is too far away

· Brad is an amazing husband

This isn’t even a sliver of all the sweet memories that have come from our first year of marriage, that is why I want to document our story for memories sake. My life has been nothing but an adventure from the day I met Brad, marriage being the biggest so far. Happy is inadequate to describe life with Brad, I am blessed.

Libby

"Love is not blind; that is the last thing that it is. Love is bound; and the more it is bound the less it is blind."
— G.K. Chesterton

Tales of The Newlyweds

Big Fat Sigh of Relief!

A look back at the first year as Mrs. Bradford McKinney