We're Back and AirTran did not lose our luggage!! YAY!

Hello to all! First off I want to thank everyone who came to the wedding:) I hope everyone had a wonderful time! Chad and I had an amazing time even though most of it was a blur that night. I loved every aspect of our wedding...especially the rain holding off!! YAY! I loved the cake, programs, music, and the dancing!! So much fun! Everyone contributed to making that day so special for us.

After the wedding we went to Chad's house becuase he had not yet packed for the honeymoon (Why...you ask??? I have no idea). I sat in my wedding dress while he packed. Then we had to get his matress over to the house. Of course we were about half way to the house and the bottom fell out. We pulled underneath an overhang at a Suntrust bank. To which a cop pulled up next to us asking if everything was okay. I'm smiling and saying yes everything is fine but inside I was smacking Chad on the head;) We finally get to the house...matress=soaked=Laura and Chad sleeping on their air matress:) That's not it...We couldn't figure out how to turn the water heater on so we had no hot water. I washed my hair in the sink and come to find out I left my blow dryer. So Chad made a little trip up to Kroger for me...Least he could do:) All in all it turned out fine and I was laughing about it then and still laugh about it now. haha:)

Puerto Rico was AMAZING!! We went snorkling, horse back riding on the beach, surfing, and ventured through a Rainforest that was breathtaking. Inbetween all of that we relaxed, took in some sun and had the entire beach to ourselves. The resort, staff, and room were Wonderful!! Thank you again to Angelica and Johnny!! Did I mention that I sprained my ankle while surfing??? Yep, Sure did. I didn't realize it until that night. The waves down there were rather large and the board got away from me but it was still strapped to my ankle. I walked fine all day but that night I couldn't bend it and it was swollen. Oh well, its all better now.

We had a lot of good laughs, fun times and sweet moments over the past week. I still have some of my wedding cake that I would love to eat considering all we got to taste was a grape (and those are pretty standard).

Things are pretty hectic week so please dont take offense if you haven't heard from me. There is alot going on and so much to do at our home. I will call everyone this weekend! I hope you all have a wonderful week and we will chat soon!

My Friend Samantha

I have known Samantha since I was five years old. We have literally been through everything together; Chasing boys on the playgrounds, Slumber parties, College classes (that were absolutely pointless), stupid boys, Graduation, and now she is one of my beautiful Bridesmaids. There is no way I can possibly sum up what Samantha means to me in a blog. She is my two hour phone call during the week. She is my gmail conversation during the day. She is my shoulder to cry on when things go wrong. Samantha is my lifelong friend that I will be able to share everything with. I cannot wait to be a part of her wedding day when she meets that one amazing man. God has blessed me with her in my life.
Samantha and her mother did a wedding shower for me on Saturday. As soon as I walked in I held back the tears because it looked amazing. They went all out and every bit of it was beyond creative. Everything to cupcakes with gingerbread people on the top with a iced wedding cake and veil to a tux, with pictures of us on them. The thoughtfulness that went into this shower was overwhelming at times. As I sat in the "special chair" opening presents I couldn't help but look around the room and think, "I have the most amazing friends, hands down." They are always there for me and they have been amazing during this special time of my life. Samantha is a selfless person who will do anything to make you smile and feel special. There are times during the day that I think about funny stories from the past and just about all of them have Samantha in them. I say all of this to say that during this period of my life I am learning so much about cherising every minute. Whether it is with my family or friends.
Yesterday, I watched Australia with my mom and she doesn't know this but there were times I watched her and not the movie. I kept thinking to myself how blessed I am to have her in my life.
Saturday night I was hanging out at the house and I wanted to watch Father of the Bride. I have watched that movie so many times before however this time was different. Since I can relate to more to what was going on I think I was in tears for half of the movie. The relationship I have with my Daddy is so special. I think many of the thoughts expressed in the movie is exactly how my Dad is feeling. There is so much I am going to miss but I have so much to look forward to. At what point in the movie he expresses how he remembers when he could fit her whole hand in his. Yesterday in church my dad and I held hands during the prayer, it still fits perfectly there just in a different way.
Many random thoughts but this is what is going on in my mind today. Hope its not too hard to follow. I will leave you with some pictures from the shower on Saturday:

Biggest hair at the Prom...

A friend of mine shared this website on her blog

and I am going to share this with y'all:)

Loving the big hair...HAHA

http://www.sexypeople-blog.com/

Closing on Friday?!?!?

Chad and I are closing on our house this Friday at 10:00 A.M.

I refuse to post any pictures until everything is good to go.

Having said both of those things both of us are stressed. The Brown's arranged

my first shower and it was on Saturday this past weekend. It was wonderful!

They are all so sweet and I can't wait to "officially" be a part of the family.

Chad and I received wonderful gifts that we can't wait to start using:)

That afternoon Jennifer and I spent a wonderful day together.

We went to see Bride Wars at the dollar Theatre. It was hysterical!

Anyone that has been married or in the process should

go see that movie. That evening we went to Bed, Bath, and Beyond and added

a few more things to the Registry. Afterwards, we went to my Grandmother, Honey's, house and played cards. It was a wonderful day and I really enjoyed getting to

spend time with my Amazing sister and family.

Yesterday we started addressing all of the invitations.

My mom, Jennifer, and Reagan addressed the invitations

because my cursive is terrible. I worked on my thank you cards while

they did the other. My mom pointed out that I really should

write my thank you cards in cursive. I practiced on a scrap sheet of paper

and then made my first attempt. I tried to write absolutely, however,

it looked like absobutely. I put my hands in my face and was laughing but

all of a sudden it turned to tears. I was just crying and I couldn't stop.

While everyone at the table was giggling at me and I just kept on.

My mom said its the stress and everything going on.

I can laugh about it now. At the time, I was really upset.

Through my tears, Jennifer was laughing because

I said, "I just feel more comfortable writing in print."

Needless to say: Funny now...Not then...

Hope everyone has a wonderful day!

I will get pictures up this Friday of the house:)

Go Melissa! It's your Birthday!!

Dancing with the Stars has invited Melissa Rycroft to replace

Nancy from Access Hollywood on the show! Love her!

Chad knows my obsession with The Bachelor and

he called this morning to fill me in:)

This girl is an American Sweetheart. She either is a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader

or was one but now is not. She has the background!

I wasn't going to watch this season however I now have a reason!

Super Pumped!! I guess I will now be the moron voting 50 times a night;)

A tad bit overwhelmed...

I am striving to remain calm and sane over the next two months however striving and achieving are not the same thing. Chad and I have a lot going on right now and at times I feel as though my head is going to explode.

The invitations are suppose to go out in two weeks. My first shower is in two weeks. As these two things draw closer it becomes more of a reality that I will be a married woman in less than two months. Which is exciting on so many levels and yet nerve racking all at the same time.

For those of you who don't know, Chad and I are set to close on a house on March 13'th. Very exciting!! I don't have any pictures of it on this computer at work so I will post some later on this week. Chad and I are very excited about this step in our lives. We have both lived at home our entire lives are we need to do this for us. We are ready. Chad is about to be 26 and he's ready. We are both ready to have our own home. It is scary with the economy like it is however we discussed it as a couple and made our decision. No regrets! It is a beautiful home and it is one we won't have to move out of as soon as we start having children. I can't wait to post pictures:)

This Friday I will be turning 24:) Where is the time going? I can't hardly believe that it has almost been a year since Chad proposed!! For my birthday present I would like to know I have the job at Chick-fil-a. Yes, that would be a wonderful present.

I will keep you all posted on everything coming up. I hope you all have a Wonderful day!!

C'mon Nadya...Get a Grip

The more and more I hear about this story the more aggravated I become.

Here's the deal:

This young lady named Nadya has been a patient of In Vitro not once but twice. The first pregnancy gave her six children and now with the second she will have eight more. I quit trying to grasp this and just realized this woman is just not right.

She is not married and has never been married. The sperm donor was a friend the first time. However, she used the same doctor for both pregnancies. They are considering pulling the Doctor's certification.

Believe me I fully understand a woman wanting to have children and become a mother.

However, in this situation I feel as though she is doing a disservice to her children.

There was a quote in the AJC from Sunday's paper and it referenced how much it cost to raise a child from birth to age 18 and it said average was around $118,000 to 165,000. A wide gap but you get the point. This mother is not working, she receives workers comp. She received about $165,000 in workers comp but that's what she used for the In Vitro. She lives at home with her parents and they have had to file bankruptcy and are living on welfare. The Grandmother has said that as soon as the other children are born she is going to move. She says,"My daughter has no business having that many children."

My feelings are is if she can have that many children then she can work. Her plan is to go to school however I find that unrealistic with this situation. HELLO!!! You have 14 children...Did you know that? You need to get a job but with 8 babies how do you plan on doing that?

She received workers comp from being injured in a jail while working as a counselor when a fight broke out.

Many are upset that sponsors are not coming forward to help her. Why would they? Her actions were irresponsible. She did this to herself. Why should Pampers or Gerber come forward other than for the children. I'm tired of people not taking responsibility for their actions and expecting the government to bail them out.

In closing, I truly understand women wanting to be mothers but having children means you have the necessities to support them. Children cost money no matter how you spin it. Maybe she should not have requested for all 6 embryos to be used and all 8 the second time. I find her actions to be extremely irresponsible. I'm interested to see if I am alone in my thinking...

Three Months Away:)

Chad and I were sitting in Sunday School yesterday and after it was over Chad looked at me and said, "3 months from tomorrow you wont be able to get rid of me." (He did an evil laugh). It hit me how fast the past year has flown by. I'm in shock but so excited at the same time. As far as wedding planning goes I am checking the wedding list and making sure everything is right, staying on top of chad about the rehearsal dinner to make sure that goes smoothly, and making shower dates:) I'm trying not to get stressed however that does not come easily for me. I am a class act "worrier." I'm trying to put the fact that it could possible rain as far out of my mind as possible!! At times I feel overwhelmed. Chad and I have yet to find a home that we like but I know that we will be where God wants us. I am still awaiting to here from Chick-fil-a about a second interview from my interview on January 9'th. It's so much easier to say hand it over to the Lord than it actually is. I am striving to do this because I know it would alleviate the stress I'm experiencing. My cousin who is now way to far from me will be giving birth to a beautiful boy named Tristin in February. I'm thinking about asking her to wait and have him on February 27'th. Why you ask? It's the best birthday of the year...Mine:) I'll have to wait til April to see him which stinks but I understand. I think thats it for now:) Please keep Chad and I in your prayers while we are seeking to follow God's will for our lives. I have some pictures I want to share... I let Chad open up the vaccum cleaner so he would know that its his too;) We got luggage from my parents for the Honeymoon:) Have a wonderful day!!

God's Gift of Christmas

While I am sitting at work today answering the phones at church for Linda I have been reading a book by John MacArthur called, God's Gift of Christmas. If you do not own this book I urge you to. This book so far has put many things into perspective for me. I chose to read it today because I think throughout the Christmas season the true meaning for the Christmas season gets lost. John has once again blown me away with putting things so simply that I wonder how I have missed this for so many years.
He discussed the incarnation which was the act of the preexistent Son of God voluntarily assuming a human body and human nature. He did not give up his diety to become human but he set aside the right to his glory and power (Phil 2:5-8). He pursued God's will and never waivered. What an amazing example we have.
Colossians 1:15-20 describes Jesus' Divine Nature. "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities-all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning , the firstborn from the dead, so that He himself will come to have first place in everything. For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven. -Colossians 1:15-20. I find peace in this scripture. I take great comfort with everything going on in the world right now knowing that He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. Everything that happens (big or small) is according to his perfect will. I cannot think of a place I'd rather be than in the center of God's Will for my life, where ever it may lead me. These truths are what make Christmas truly wonderful.
In 2 Corinthians 8:9, John brought out the immeasurable gift of Christmas. Christ, God's own Son, gave up his wealth and privilege to live as God with us, that he might save his people from their sins, and that through His poverty might become rich. There is no greater gift on earth than this.
I hope this Christmas for people to remember the sacrifice, suffering, and love that come with Christ's love for everyone. You aren't just another person you are special and loved by God. This being my last official Christmas waking up in my bed at home is bittersweet. I am excited for the new but mindful of all the wonderful memories I am taking with me. I don't tell my family enough how much I love them and how much they mean to me. I am so thankful that God has blessed me with my parents. I am who I am because of them and instilling in me my Christian values. They are always supportive, honest (even when I don't want them to be), and there to give unconditional love. This Christmas I am mindful of all I have to look forward to and all that I have to be thankful for.
I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Me??? With a degree!!!

On Thursday afternoon at 4:00 I will walk across the stage and receive my degree from the Dean. This whole week I have been doing a lot of self evaluating. It's such a big step. Aside from the sense of accomplishment I will feel there is a little bit of fear mixed in because it is such a huge step in my life. I honestly can't wait til Thursday because it will be official. I've been done since last Wednesday however I will really be done on Thursday.

On another note Chad and I officially have a real estate agent which makes the fact the we will be homeowners sometime in the next four months more real than ever:) Every house that we have gone to so far I have tried to invision our families there for the holidays, what the kids will look like playing in the yard, how I can decorate the living room, and what the master bathroom looks like. Chad however is worried about the yard and the garage; "The Man Stuff." It amazes me how differently men and women think. Absolutely amazing:) I will keep everyone posted on our Home Hunt. Clever huh?

Hope you have a wonderful day and enjoy the Christmas Season to the fullest!!