The First Thanksgiving....

....we shared together!



Last year JC and I stuck to our normal traditions as he went with his family and I went with mine! (We had only been dating close to two weeks). However, this year we wanted to be together so we chose to cook Thanksgiving dinner at our house. His family would be with us as mine continued with old traditions...minus me!! But the good news is that Christmas will also be at our house with both of our families!

I didn't take any pictures of people.....silly me! But of food of course.

Let me just say that there were a few mishaps....as to be expected! I even think there used to be a Hallmark commercial about the new daughter-in-law preparing the first Thanksgiving meal for her new family....and well....unlike a Hallmark commercial, mine was not perfect!

The Turkey!
He cooked very well in a cooking bag! What a great technique. BUT...have you ever successfully removed the turkey from the bag???? Us either!! As we tried to remove him....he sort of crumbled. So JC took all of the meat off and we got rid of the evidence before his family arrived!



The Ham!!
On the way out of the oven some of the juice got spilled.....and burned....AND.....

The Casseroles!!
....Were flavored with a slight burnt accent due to the ham drippings!! Only I noticed (supposedly). Some casseroles were flavored stronger than others...but ughhh!!




I guess live and learn and try again next year!! I was so close to creating the perfect meal.....oh well....it is a good story!

19 Kids and Counting....

Not really...but pretty darn close!!

Our group of friends...mostly high school friends are just full of babies and kiddos!! AND they are all absolutely beautiful!! I'm kind of included in the "parent" bunch since I am a soon-to-be step mother!! This past weekend at one of their birthday parties I vowed to take tons of pictures of all of the babies.....so here they are!!

JC and Stephanie (Savanna)


Luke and Stacey (Mary Elizabeth and Jack)


Eric and Jenny (Myers)


Grant and Anne (Marnie and Whit)


Jerry and Jessica (Katie)

T and Brantley (Thomas and Mary Frances)


Brad and Claire (Meg)


Allen and Missy (Henry and Michael)

AND....next time we are putting all the kids together for a group shot!!

Happy 1st Birthday Mary Elizabeth

We celebrated Mary Elizabeth's (my friend Stacey's little girl) Birthday on Saturday!! She had a fabulous party with lots of friends!! Here is a tribute to this beautiful baby girl!

A Mother's Prayer

"I pray you'll be my eyes
And watch her where she goes
And help her to be wise
Help me to let go

I pray she finds your light
And holds it in her heart
As darkness falls each night
Remind her where you are

Guide her with your grace
Give her faith so she'll be safe."

Happy Birthday Little Lady!

Thanksgiving Program

Friday morning JC and I went to see Savanna in her school Thanksgiving program. Savanna's mom invited us and I was happy to go. JC and I had gotten there super early so we had a great third row seat! We had saved some extra room for JC's mom and then JC saw Savanna's other grandparents and her mom...he invited them to come sit with us!! We all sat like one big happy family! Ohhh..the joys of this combination family stuff! .....I guess I better just sit back and enjoy!! I remember watching Savanna scan our row and she kind of looked amazed at how many people she had there to see her!

And YES...she was a pilgrim!!

My cousin posted a new blog that she read.....AND oh my gosh!!! Absolutely heart-warming.

Go to this blog and start by clicking on the menu tab called "Start here if you're new."

AMAZING!

Nearly One Year Ago......

I met my perfect person!! Last year on November 14, 2009 I met JC....we went out on our first date November 19.

Never did I suspect for one minute that I would run into this amazing man at a 3 year old birthday party!! The story is on my wedding web page! This year McKenzie (my step-niece) turned 4 and of course we were there to celebrate with her....princess style (we didn't have our princess this weekend...she would have loved it)!! I can't wait until McKenzie gets older and I tell her that she is the reason I met JC!

McKenzie blowing out her candle!!

JC and I at the party....in the driveway...where it all began!!
(I know it's a little cheesy but I never imagined this being my story)!

But I wanted to elaborate today on a few more of the details leading up to that moment....a life changing moment!

All of my life I have waited to fall in love, get married, start a family.....FOREVER!!! That is what I have dreamed of and what I felt like I was living my life for......BUT....I was always living for the next day, the next moment, the next year...when all of what I hoped for would happen!!

It took me quite some time to realize that I was living for the future....missing out on today because I could not wait for what I wanted.....in my time, when I was ready!! The key word here being "ME and I." And everyday that I wished and hoped for my perfect life....was a day I was not accepting my life as it was (pretty close to perfect)! I had just defended my dissertation on November 6 (the last step to getting my PhD), I had moved to Mobile to work at the University and be near my family....and yet...I wanted!! Wanted what I was ready for!! I had recently started reading a book trying to find some peace in my life. It was getting better....but I still was not content.

BUT....on Friday night, November 13, 2009 (the night before I met JC) a group of my closest friends had gotten together for our friend's bachelorette party...just a laid back version. I started talking with one of my friends.....I like to call her the Christian girl....really because she is the one who openly and proudly talks about her faith!! Anyways we started talking and I was telling her how I just could not stop....wanting! Wanting more......her and I talked in the kitchen for a couple of hours and she shared some bible verses with me....AND....she invited me to join her bible study on Wednesday, Nov. 18. I was excited....my plans were to get the book the next day and start reading...I couldn't wait to start bible study....this was my answer...turning to GOD (duh...huh?!?!).

So then on Saturday morning (November 14).....feeling somewhat more content after talking with my friend.....trying to not "look" for my version of the perfect life.......feeling more confident in my life and circumstances................... IT HAPPENED!! Just when I let go.....I met him! What I had been searching for...ALL MY LIFE!!! How in the world could this be....I looked to God for comfort....and BAM (no Emeril pun intended)....he gave me what he had planned all along!!

The follow-up to this story is that JC called me on Wednesday, November 18 so we could talk.....I was headed to bible study. I, not being so open,...told him it was BOOK CLUB! Well.....later that night....of course.....he asked me what we were reading? With a little hesitation (and a ton of gratitude towards GOD..who I'm sure staged this whole thing) I opened up and told him!!

........................We went out the next night!!! November 19, 2009!!


....So how are we celebrating?? We are going to Savanna's Thanksgiving program, then lunch,....and if it all goes as I expect we will be watching "Barbie in the Nutcracker" with blankets and popcorn!!!

The Latest Wedding Nightmare!!

Literally it was a nightmare....a dream....nothing actually happening in real life except that the plans are coming together!!!



My biggest concern for my wedding day is that I will not be able to see how everything looks before the big moment. Whether the tables are just how I wanted or the right candles are in the right places....I just cannot have any control on that day and I need to move on!!! I have vowed to not leave my house the day of my wedding until the trolley picks me up to head to the church!! Everything will come to me!!

So the dream.....I was at the Chapel meeting the florist to make sure everything was in the right place. The florist had brought my unity candle adorned with bright red bows and peppermints hanging down as decorations. I remember thinking to myself in my dream "I'm okay with this...it's no big deal." (Remember my wedding is in April....nothing to do with red or peppermints)!Anyways....I was hanging out at the church so late that even some of the guests began to arrive. I had to hurry and leave.....the next thing I know, I am driving way out past Tillman's Corner in the country. I had no clue how to get home. I got out my GPS and it said "coordinates cannot be found." Ugggh.....all of a sudden I am walking around some festival trying to get home. JC thinks (when I told him about the dream) that I was in Bayou La Batre at the Watermelon Festival. Either way.....I was wandering around and was not near ready for my wedding.......the end.



Actually I woke up....very concerned!!! So hence my need to stay home the day of my wedding...no getting lost anywhere!!!

The thing is...I know these dreams will only get more intense as time gets closer.....I just have to deal with them. I think it will be kind of funny if I write them all down and can read them later!!!