A weekend of celebrating

Brian and I stayed at home Friday night with Baker,

as has become my new favorite tradition - frozen pizza and a movie.

Either I am getting really old, or it doesn't take much to entertain me.

Because, this is about as good as it gets for me.

 

Saturday, my mom and I took off early for manicures and pedicures.

I love being back in town with her, spending Saturday mornings together.

It just feels like home.

 

Brian and I left around noon on Saturday and headed towards Birmingham.

We started off at the Summit with a late lunch and some shopping.

Baker stayed in Tuscaloosa with my parents, and I loved time with just my husband.

The weather was beautiful and we enjoyed walking hand in hand past storefronts advertising this sale and that begging us to take a peek.

We reminisced as we walked, although I was so happy, I may have even thrown a skip in here and there.

There's something about anniversaries that makes me fall in love all over again,

and think about all of our firsts and takes me back to the University of Alabama as a freshman falling head over heels with some country boy from Mayberry Ethelsville.

We played the "what were you doing right this minute six years ago?" game all weekend.

 

We then headed to Kristen and Nick's house to celebrate Ashley, Trey, and Baby Brock!

Kristen is the most wonderful hostess.

She has a beautiful house, no doubt, but it's more than the structure that makes everyone love to congregate there.

She always leaves something special in our room.

She has mastered southern hospitality, and makes everyone feel welcome.

 

Ashley and Trey are positively glowing.

I would be a rich woman if I could bottle that pregnancy glow and sell it.

I'm serious.
I love watching expectant couples. 

They way they dote on each other.

And smile at each other.

And sometimes even insist upon multiple dryer sheets when one will clearly suffice!

 

Baby Brock is already so loved, as was evidenced through conversations, gifts, blessings, and wishes.

 

This morning, Brian and I woke up to our sixth wedding anniversary.

Six years!

So much life has happened in six years.

We have moved, and moved, and now we've moved again.

We've changed jobs. We've been promoted.

We've stuck together through Master's programs.

And grew our family with a Harley dog.

We've lost.

And we've gained. Oh how we've gained.

We grew our family again with an earth angel we call Baby Bake.

We've shared.

We've made memories in these few short years that will keep a smile on this face for the rest of forever.

We've grown in Christ.

We've made sweet friends.

We've dreamed dreams.

We've ached together, and held each other.

We've celebrated.

We've witnessed miracles.

We've been forever changed

We've gotten stronger.

We've loved bigger.

We've fought harder.

We.

I love this 'we' thing.

 

This afternoon, we celebrated Baby Brock and his radiant mama again at her tea.

He got so many adorable things.

Leave it to us southerners to plaster a baby's name on every piece of cotton and make it worthy of more ooohhhs and ahhhs than MiMi's pecan pie.

 

As we were leaving, Ashley passed out hostess gifts.

Instead of some trinket to gather dust, she gave the sweetest, most thoughtful gift.

 

 

As a friend, as a mama,

I was grateful, I was humble, I was tearful, I was proud.

 

Even as we were celebrating Brock, this precious family was honoring my Baker.

 

How many times can one utter the word blessed before it loses its meaning?

Because we are truly blessed.

 

Thank you, Most Faithful Heavenly Father.

Thank you for your many, many blessings.

Thank you for your grace, and your forgiveness.

Thank you for another day with my husband.

Thank you for preparing my heart for his and so beautifully writing our love story,

our life story.

Thank you for sweet friends that are your hands and feet.

Thank you for Baby Brock, and his mommy and daddy.

Thank you for their selflessness and generosity.

I pray in the coming weeks that you continue to prepare them for this blessing.

The blessing of a baby.

I ask you to hold them in your hands.

Give them wisdom, and guidance, and peace, and strength.

Place people in their path to encourage them, to show them your love.

Thank you Jesus.

Thank you for your Sovereignty.

Thank you for loving us and giving us so much to celebrate.