I see your two nieces and I'll raise you a nephew

If you could not tell from my last post. John and I are both thrilled to be an Aunt and Uncle. We are so proud of our BEAUTIFUL and healthy nieces! They got to go home on FRIDAY!!

Just in case you wondered if they are still beautiful




My brother is Stuart. He is 30, he lives in Baltimore, designs video games (the true reason John married me) and is ALWAYS on an adventure. He loves to boulder, travel, do triathlons and is 110% OBSESSED with any "hobby/adventure" he chooses. If you cannot tell from the picture he is way too cool for any of you...and typically is way too cool for me.





His wife is Allison. She rivals Stuart in coolness. She is an architect in Baltimore and is equally adventurous and fun as Stuart.

Allison and Stuarts' latest adventure is PARENTHOOD!! We are thrilled for them, and were ecstatic to learn this week they have a healthy baby BOY due in February. It has been so much fun listening to Stuart as his excitement increases and increases about this baby! I am sure he will know all there is to know about babies, because he is quite the "researcher". Stuart and Allison are minimalist, yet Stuart is a sucker for "gear" it will be fun to see it all collide when they bring home baby!

Last weekend was my first official "I don't work on weekends" weekend and what a wonderful weekend it was!

Saturday morning I slept in, and woke up to my favorite Panera Bread breakfast and latte. I had a perfect slow morning...that turned in to the whole day..spent time with John, talked to mom and argued who loves fall the most and did a few things around the house.

Saturday night John and I went to "Merry Mimics", a ball here in Montgomery. We had so much fun! The concept of these events is still a new one to us being transplants to Montgomery, but it is always a good time to enjoy each others company, dance, AND people watch! John especially enjoys wearing his "James Bond costume" and driving my car very fast in his "costume".




Saturday night I am ashamed to say ended with a late night run to Wendy's...we did still manage to set the alarm for church and planned to make every effort to be on time... In my half awake, half asleep state early Sunday morning I heard a phone buzzing and subconsciously assumed that John's cell phone was dying..which it often does and the delightful buzz was is typically our friendly reminder.

After a few buzz cycles I realized the buzz was coming from my side of the bed. My cell phone is always on my bedside table and makes a much different noise from the "P.S I am dying noise" of John's phone. I opened my eyes just enough to realize that it was my phone buzzing, but it has fallen on to the floor. I opened it to see who called around 7:00 and saw that I had missed a call from my mother in law. For us that is when it all began! I immediately started yelling that "the babies are here!" and "we gotta go!", "get in the shower!" If you had been a fly on our bedroom wall you would have thought I was in labor! When I called John's mom back my hopes were validated..Alyson (my sister in law) went in to labor during the night and delivered our very first nieces early early Sunday morning.

Barley and John were a little confused by their wake up call, but very quickly got in the game. John and I were out of our house and on the road in 30 minutes...which I may boast is EXCELLENT timing for me! We ordered bigger coffees than normal and shot down the road. We could not get to Huntsville fast enough!

Now, I have always known that I married in to a strong family...but this weekend raised the bar a little bit more. My sister in law Alyson is wonderful...she has been blessed first with a dream pregnancy. Now, I know all days were not easy or fun and her continuous optimism absolutely played a part, but all in all she made it look WAY too easy. She was a happy, energetic, glowing pregnant lady. In my opinion she gained less than average weight and truly was all baby...and did I mention she was having TWINS?!?

Her delivery story is one that is impossible to follow. Not only was the blessed with a dream pregnancy, but her birthing experience was one for the record books! Alyson woke up went to the bathroom and her water broke, she calmly woke up Pat, told him he was welcome to shower she was not in pain, but it is time to go to the hospital...they got everything in the car..drove 25-30minutes to Huntsville Hospital. Parked the car, got to the waiting room, filled out paper work..yes she sat and filled out paper work! They put her in her room and started preparing for iv and eventually her epidural. When asked to rank her pain on a scale of 1-10 she gave it a 5..and then after a "little" contraction bumped it up to a 6. The nurse wanted to go ahead and check her to see if she was progressing...she yelled "oh my gosh she has hair!" Alyson said a crew of nurses flew in from every angle and her doctor dashed in to the room...My sister in law had TWO babies...naturally...with NO drugs..in THIRTY MINUTES from the time she started her paper work!!! The craziest thing..she swore she NEVER hurt and just took a few Motrin all day. I made her vow when I weigh 300+ pounds and am in labor for 127 hours with ONE baby she will just feel REALLY sorry for me and will not remind anyone of this day!!

The product of her perfect pregnancy and even more perfect delivery could not be more perfect. John and I both instantly fell in love with our nieces. Savanah Claire and Payton Elizabeth. It is amazing how differently they look. Both perfect and gorgeous but each 100% individual.

Savanah was born first and she honestly looks like her daddy. She has Pat's eye shape and dark hair. She was 4 pounds 13 ounces and 17.5 inches long.





Payton looks like Alyson. She already seems to have her complexion. She weighed 4 pounds 15 ounces and was also 17.5 inches long. She has the most fun strawberry blond head of hair!!






Now, I just cannot wait to go back to Hartselle to love on these two beautiful babies (and of course their amazing mom!) I am thrilled to officially be an AUNT!!! ...let the spoiling begin!

What a difference a month makes

It has been literally one month (and one day) since my last post and I can honestly say that the past month has been one of the craziest times of my life...not the typical "oh ga, we have been so crazy", but full blown crazy..causing me to learn how life can truly change in an instant.

A little while ago I posted and "boasted" about my wonderful transition out of the wedding planning world in to my "new" job. I was thrilled to enter a time that I had my weekends back..my nights...and my sanity..without going in to any details I was VERY wrong in every category. To friends I have met post college I am sure I was starting to look like I am a very wishy washy person who can not find satisfaction in a job. I guess I am okay if people think that, but it is a category I would never personally put myself under. I just think there has been some unusual circumstances and very odd timing.

I heard about two jobs and actually decided to interview with both. I then finally had the problem I had been praying for...I was offered BOTH jobs. Amazing! I decided to take the job with Clay Metal and Stone in Cloverdale. I accepted the job in August and was faced with having to tell yet another employer that I would be leaving.

Despite my environment, putting in my notice was shockingly hard for me. I have decided I am just not good and confrontation..especially confrontation that disappoints..and I guess I am vain enough to believe that my exit was sure to disappoint...oh well. I could write an entire blog about the day I put in my notice at Marquirette's. I am sure I would blush when I read it..so awkward but so relieved and thankful to be done.

I should have given an official two weeks notice...but understanding it is retail..and more importantly that I am worse than chicken it ended up being about "a week and a half notice" I gave my notice at the beginning of the week. Thursday I started not feeling well. Friday I felt terrible but pushed to go to work because I thought it seemed pretty shady to put in a notice and call in sick for the first time. I found myself at Primend on my lunch hour...little did I know that was it for me and Marquirette's. Primed gave me medicine to "get me through the weekend" but made me promise I would go see my doctor Monday. Problem my doctor is in Birmingham.

That weekend was so terrible and most of you have heard WAY to much information about all of it. Monday I was in a wheelchair going to my doctor due to the overwhelming pain. What I thought would be a quick office procedure resulted in the worst pain of my life and a full week in Brookwood Hospital. The crazy thing is I felt so sick and I had the lingering "just about to get to go home" mentality that I never once got cabin fever..just emotional and sick of being sick. That Friday I had to have surgery. My doctor is wonderful...almost as wonderful as my family(husband included) and friends for being so incredibly doting and loving. I can not thank each of you enough for all the goodies and support and most importantly prayers..I believe prayers made all of the difference. I was released from the hospital Saturday and started down the long road to recovery. I conquered or survived so many of my fears. I had never really been sick. NEVER stayed in the hosptial. NEVER had surgery. NEVER had an IV. NEVER really had major blood work done. I did each of these things and so much more. I will never take my health forgranted. What an incredible gift it is to be healthy!

This post should really have been several posts so that it is not so obnoxiously long but unfortunately that is not the case...I was supposed to start my new job Tuesday September 2nd. I was so excited about starting my new job and eager to get things underway. Sadly, I had to push my start date back to rest and recover. Last Thursday I had my post op with my doctor in Birmingham. She was thrilled with my progress and I was thrilled with her good report. Each day I gained more strength, felt better and starting to feel more and more like myself again.

Whew.

That catches us up for the most part. Monday I started my new job. I literally LOVE it. I hope and pray that I will always love it as much as I do. I go to work at 9:00...every day... Monday through Friday. 9:00 is the perfect time to go to work in my opinion. 8:00 seems just a little bit too early...AND I leave at 5:00. I do not work weekends and I do not work nights. I do not have to look at a calendar to know when I work..or wait on an emailed schedule to make plans. I was so giddy as I got in my car each day this week to head home. I really can not describe my gratitude. This job is sales and interior design and I honestly think it is a perfect fit. My coworker is as sweet as she could be and the showroom is beautiful. I could not ask for more. At this point my only problem is wondering how I am going to afford to eat at Nancy's everyday...its just next door..what a wonderful problem to have.

Tonight is my first official official Friday night. I guess I should be a little embarrassed that I am blogging and not doing something crazy! We did go to dinner with some wonderful friends and enjoyed good company and lots of laughs. We got home and what was supposed to be a quick email, facebook, blog check in resulted in the marathon post.

Tomorrow is Saturday. I will sleep until my eyes open. My husband will be home with me...sleeping until his eyes open (or until I wake him up) and we do not have plans until the evening. I honestly do not know what I will do with myself...is this really what life will be like!? ....incredible

Something that may NOT be hurting America

In response to Nick's recent posts series "Things that are hurting America", I wanted to write about a much different experience...and not one at Taco Bell.

I got a new car. Still excited...but you know that. The worst part about a new car (if you have to find one) is getting the liscense plate. I am not a fan of renewing liscenses, or liscense plates, or boater registration, etc. etc. and typically neither is any one else in the crazy long lines standing with you for hours...the worst part is the people behind the counter hate all of these things the most...which means they also hate you for making them deal with these things all day.

I put it off long enough. This week my car will be three weeks old, so I set out on my mission to get the tag. I checked several times to be sure I had my papers and insurance so that I would not work forever to get to the front of the line and be refused a tag...I left the house at 8:15 this morning and headed toward the Probate Office on the Atlanta Highway.

I walked in the office approximately 8:20. I was kindly greeted by a retired aged man who sincerely asked how they could help me. I told him I needed a new tag and he directed me over to the "pick a numbers"...As I lifted my hand to choose my fate a lady said "ma'am, I can go ahead and help you over here if you would like"...I was thrilled not only because she could help me right away, but more importantly she did not sound like she hated her life!

She was nice as she asked for my papers, asked which tag I wanted, looked at me when she told me my total and actually pointed at the places she needed me to sign...I was beyond thrilled...the best part it is 8:53, I am at home, and the tag is already on the car. AMAZING! High five to the Probate Office on Atlanta Highway.

One week ago today my life changed...now, I thought the day my precious Dyson came there was no way my life could get any better but I really was so wrong.

Most of you know the red jeep...you know its beautiful appearance, its special sounds, special smells, and special ways you have to occasionally hit the battery connectors to get it to start. You know that it does not have air conditioning...or radio...or a seat that is not broken....did I mention no air conditioning?!?!
Some of you know the dear Volvos I had the privledge of driving for the near decade prior to the wonderful jeep. The Volvos were loved, they were carefully maintained..they sometimes had to be put in neutral and "re-started" on the interstate despite the fact that they were automatics. One was driven with a small screw driver in highschool after the ignition fell apart and one was lovingly named Speedy due to the fact that its spedometer as well as so many other things did not work. The Volvo worked hard to drive to Auburn to visit John...the Volvo was so proud to be parked on sorority row. Do not get me wrong I have always had a car...for that I am very thankful...but always a car with "personality".

I have never been one to have any sort of self image associated with the car...or lack thereof that I drive. I think of cars as a super way to get from A to B and am honestly okay with whatever that involves...UNTIL i am hot....all the time......really hot..and until I find myself ready to go to church by myself and a car that will not take me there or find myself opening the hood solo in a parking lot after work hitting the battery in hopes of it cranking...

John is patient. He is wonderful. VERY few things ever bother him. He is so optimistic I really think his deep love for the red jeep is blind. I also think he is blind to the fact that it is one million degrees daily in Montgomery....

I was off work last Monday and John did not have to go to work until 1:30. That in itself is a miracle these days..John asked if I might like to go see our friend John Ingram. I didn't want to jump to conclusions incase he meant for breakfast or coffee, but was beyond thrilled when he said go see him at work...Jack Ingram Nissan

We talked and decided a realiable, efficient, couple of years old, gently used car would be the way to go. I was shy looking at the cars. I never fathomed such a "fancy" thing could be mine... then just for fun we drove a maxima....and then an altima...and I fell in love.

John went to work and I went about my day. Tuesday as I left for work John said I needed to be thinking if I wanted that car...What do you mean if I wanted that car!?! John and John crunched numbers and John tried things out on all his fancy, cute money graphs and charts and Wednesday morning was THE day. For someone who is not a car person this car fit every bit of the car favorites I had written thus far...It is pretty, black, tan leather interior, sunroof, radio, cd player, good fuel efficiency lots of "fancy things" most of you think is normal and AIR CONDITIONING..we adopted it Wednesday and I drove in shock the few miles to work..

The next morning was even better.....when I woke up it was STILL in our drive way. John and I no longer have to do the car dance of coordinating schedules to see who ever had to go the farthest or did not need to be hot had the green jeep...we no longer cross our fingers that the other can get where they need to go if one of us goes out of town. It was a win win...do not worry. John still has his beautiful red jeep. I think we would had to pay them to take it away...so let us know when you are ready to go pick up your Christmas tree....he will be happy to do the honors!

Happiest Birthday to me!

Sunday was my TWENTY SIXTH birthday and it quite possibly was my favorite birthday ever! Saturday for the first time in literally months, I did not have to work. Starting off a birthday weekend knowing that I would have some time for myself was reason enough for me to celebrate!! I was thrilled at the thought of three days to do whatever I wanted!

Saturday morning my sweet friend Brittney arranged for several of our friends to get together for a girls breakfast to "kick off" the birthday fun. We were planning on going to Shashy's but sadly realized it was closed due to the holiday weekend and moved the group to Durks. It is was so much fun to visit with friends and eat greasy "dirty grits". We ate, went to a little shop and truly enjoyed the morning.

After breakfast I practically had made plans not to have plans, but as most of you know if I have time off I enjoy working on things at home. I kidnapped my friend Annie and took her to the paint store to choose a color to paint my dining room ceiling. We spent the better part of the afternoon painting the ceiling and working on a few little projects at home. John asked Friday night if we could go on a date Saturday night to celebrate my birthday a little early because he is working the night shift right now. As Annie and I ran to Lowe's for a last minute errand John told me I should come home and started getting ready for dinner so that we could eat and visit for a while before he had to head to work. Casually he said lets go eat around six.

I got back from Lowe's and of course I didn't want to get ready. Annie told me I should listen to John. I didn't think anything about it. I got ready and we went to Kabuki. John walked a little ahead of me and when we got to the dining room where we usually turn right....we turned left in to the "party" room and were greeted by some of my very favorite friends saying SURPRISE!!! It was so much fun! I do not think that I am a very easy one to surprise and John did it with flying colors! I was thrilled, surprised and honored to share dinner with such great friends who took time out of their weekend to celebrate with me. Alex and Susan were already at the lake and came back home just to celebrate with us. Jur and Nick JUST had babies and still made the effort to come...not to mention what an incredible and thoughtful husband I have to arrange the whole thing for me!


Sunday was my actual birthday and it was just as perfect as the day before. I woke up...John was still sleeping (again working nights) picked my favorite coffee mug, put a little extra creamer in my already LOTS of creamer coffee and enjoyed a bagel with strawberry cream cheese. Then I went to Home Depot (not every birthday girl's first stop but high on the list for me!) I came home painted the second coat on the ceiling and worked a little while on my china cabinet in progress...GREAT DAY!

That afternoon my Mom, Dad and Rachael came to help celebrate my birthday with me! I love having them at my house and they do not get to come nearly as often as I would like. We ordered Mellow Mushroom and enjoyed a relaxing night at home. It truly was a perfect birthday for me!

Sometimes Quitters DO Win

I have always had a subconscious "quitters never win and winners never quit" mentality...but that all changed when I finally found the courage to quit my job.

It has been a while since I last posted, but so much has happened. After months and months of prayer and continuous internal conflict, I made my decision to leave Weddings by Jill. I loved so much about that job, but I knew with out a shadow of a doubt it was time for a change. I hate to disappoint. I hate for people to feel that they can not count on me. I hate to leave tasks incomplete. I did all of these things when I told Jill it was time for me to go. Leaving that job was like breaking up with the terrible boyfriend I never had. I knew it was "over" and NEEDED to be over, but for some reason I kept hanging on. It was honestly the hardest thing I have ever had to do...99.9% of other big life changes could be credited to life events that were out of my control. I had to quit my high school job to go to college. College job to move back to Birmingham. Leave my roommate because I was getting married and moving. This was the first time I ever said...I have made this decision for myself...if for no other reason but knowing it is what I need to do.

As soon as I "talked to Jill" the weight of the world was off my shoulders. I left the office after our conversation to run a quick errand and get myself together. Before I could even call John to tell him about the morning my phone rang. It was the owner of Marquirette's here in Montgomery. I met with him weeks prior about a possible position and we had been emailing and playing phone tag ever since. He said he really would like to nail down the position as soon as possible and was curious if I was still interested...WHAT?! little did he know that I literally JUST gave my two weeks notice not exactly knowing what was in store for me.

Two weeks came and went. Seemed so dramatic and important during the time, but it is funny how perspective changes with just a little bit of time. I tied up as many loose ends as I could, turned in my credit card and phone, tidied up my desk and left my office one last time. It didn't really sink that I was done. My last day at Jill's was a Thursday. Like a dummy I told Marquirette's I would start Friday. Mother's Day was Sunday and since I would be working the Saturday before I thought it would be helpful to try to meet people and figure things out a little bit so I would at least have a name to yell when I was lost in the craziness that Saturday. I jumped right in...so far I haven't sunk yet!

I have really enjoyed my new job. My feet not so much. I must say this is a difficult transition for someone who feels much better about herself in shoes at least 3" tall. ...AND I have to wear skirts and dresses...which if you know me and have noticed...this is something that I do not typically do. But hey, it was time for a change right?!? I just didn't know that change would mean that my faithful pairs of black pants would no longer be a part of my daily life...and I have yet to accept the fact that the heels really aren't either.

I was ready to escape the stress and drama. Ready for something that didn't require me to have all the answers. Ready not to have to memorize random things about people and the way they like bows tied or what seafood their future father in law may be allergic to. Stress level is way down. Still around a bit of drama, but right now I am a happy outsider to the drama. I know every job has an element of drama, this one is no different, I am just thrilled not to be a part. My job is not nearly as mindless as I anticipated and so far I am enjoying it much more than I expected. After all days fly by when I am surrounded by diamonds and china!!