giving thanks

at thanksgiving and all throughout the year, we are thankful for the following...

dear friendships that distance cannot waver (and 2 future babies will make even better...meaning adam and coriell are having TWINS, not one baby from each couple!)
true fall in all of its glorious colors
sisters...and japanese hibachi grills :)
family...the extended family with open arms to all and those closest to us
football and everything that rivalries bring

2

today is our 2nd anniversary.

our second year of marriage brought laughs and tears. death and birth. travels, dark times, and restoration. we moved again and still live in texas. we took on new jobs and roles at work. we grew closer, and more importantly, grew stronger as a couple.

God's hand on our marriage was ever-present and we are so thankful for His guidance. we still don't know all the answers and probably never will, but we do know God does have an evolving plan for us as individuals and as a couple that we are willing to follow.

just as the past two years has made us the couple we are today so will the years to come mold us into a better wife and husband.

to our family and friends who pray for us daily and encourage us often, thank you for your love, support, and friendship. we are so fortunate to be surrounded by so many wonderful examples of Godly relationships.

lee, thank you for this journey and for always leading us as a family. i love you.

impact

we are impacted by so many people around us...those we encounter everyday, those we see/hear through media, those who helped us become who we are today. today and november 30 mark the days that two special people who impacted our lives left this world for one even better.

i would have counted it a huge honor to have known lee's mom. i see what i can imagine are glimpses of her in my husband and his siblings, as well as our nieces and nephews. hearing the laughter that follows the stories describing her sense of humor and practical jokes always makes me happy because i can tell how much she loved to make those around her happy.

my granddad was a man who taught us about working hard, loving those closest to you, and laughing as much as possible. always willing to lend a hand, he never met a stranger and never left a task unfinished. he was so proud of his family. plus, he (the biggest auburn fan around) willingly visited tuscaloosa, al. TWICE to show his support and love for me.

these two special people will continue to impact our families and lee and i. God blesses us with such close and intimate relationships that we can continue to witness glimpses of them in a laugh or a moment. their legacy lives on through each of us as we pass on their stories and share their wisdom with others.

a cup of tea with a side of football & an extra helping of family

last weekend, we had the opportunity to spend an extended weekend in alabama. we flew in just in time to enjoy a nice cool weather weekend...a welcomed change from the 90 degree weather we were having here in houston.

friday was a big day for all of us. lee and hunter played golf and enjoyed moe's for lunch (a delicious place we miss dearly in tx). i met two friends from high school at a tea house for lunch. yes, it was as girly as it sounds but so fun. these girls are my oldest friends. i have known erin since kindergarten and kimberly since 7th grade. we never skip a beat when we see each other and have supported each other over the years through relationships, college, death, and birth (for erin, anyway). i treasure the friendships i have with these girls and love any opportunity we get to meet up. here is our food tray of scones, sandwiches, brownies, cookies, and cheese straws. yum yum. even the hot tea was tasty, and i am not a hot tea drinker!the rest of friday was all about tyler. i still cannot believe he is already a senior in high school. even though a concussion prevented him from playing the last three games, he still participated in senior festivities. the senior night pep rally has included a special ceremony that (i think) began when i was a senior in high school. the youngest students in the school are paired with each of the seniors for a time of recognition for the seniors and encouragement to the youngest group of students. tyler was paired with some of my friends' son who is too adorable for words. tyler also has some longtime friends who have grown into nice young men themselves so it was special to catch this shot of the three of them.prior to the football game, they again recognized the senior football players and cheerleaders and had their parents stand on the field beside them. my parents are still getting used to the fact that this year is the last time they will participate in all of these events as tyler is the baby of the family.saturday, my cousin hannah and i celebrated our birthdays together with our extended family. ever since her first birthday, hannah and i have shared our "family birthday parties" with each other. my aunt makes the most amazing cakes of anyone i know, and for the first time, i had a big special request. she MORE THAN came through for me! this was an AMAZING cake! if you know anything about me, you probably know my love for peanut butter so you can see why i am so excited about this cake. i even had a piece for breakfast before we left for birmingham sunday morning.we also decided to take some family pictures since the times we are altogether are somewhat rare but oh so special. aren't we a good looking bunch?!