Thankfulness Recently

Lately, I'm grateful for:

Friends who can enjoy some trivia after a successful semester.

A good book that I can read for pleasure and still learn from.

A (discounted) membership at the YMCA to whip this butt into shape after the holidays (and hopefully help my cyber Monday jeans to fit a little better).

4 hour long car ride conversations with my husband.

Memories of past holidays with my mamaw and the ability to cling to them this year.

A snuggly puppy to be lazy with on my days off.

Time to reflect on the Christmas season before rushing all around during the holiday.

A Packer's comeback victory over the Cowboys.

Getting Christmas cards in the mail every day.

Pictures of this cutie patootie in her new hat.

And I'm thankful for a family who will still gather without our matriarch to honor and remember her this Christmas.

Hope you all are enjoying this holiday season and not feeling overwhelmed or rushed. Take a moment to breathe in the winter air and listen to this song, it will help remind you why this season is important.

 

Ay Babay

I'm an auntie!!! Thank you Jesus for a beautiful healthy baby Gracie. The pictures should be self-explanatory.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Becoming a girl....thanks to Gracie

Last weekend Drew and I traveled home for the occasion of showering my soon-to-arrive niece Gracie with gifts. Her shower was a hit and she is so loved already. Plus she will be the best dressed and have the hippest quilts in town.

Above picture represents her haul. Yeah, she's a lucky gal. Also, side note: notice my grandmother parked in her wheelchair facing the wall at the end of the table. That's where my mother her caregiver parked her and left her. Until, Meghan to the rescue to wheel her around aimlessly while she mumbled about all of Gracie's gifts and how they would never be used. A jolly ol' time.

There's the mama herself, enjoying a cheesecake bite while we cleaned up. I won't mention how she yelled at me about how "descriptively" to write down the gifts. So....I don't have a baby and I might mistake a bottle washing brush as a toilet brush and a box to put baby's things in the dishwasher as a pencil box. I was not qualified for that position. And I didn't care for it at all, which is why I passed it off multiple times.And why I have no pictures of Holly opening a single gift.

 Up there is Gracie's bedding which my aunt made. My very favorite gift (and I suspect it's Gracie's too). Handmade gifts are the best. Unfortunately this was mine:

Not hand-made but still cute nonetheless. And pink which is a big step for me. Only for Gracie, peeps.

 

 

Above you will see my sisters. And below you will find my dearest friends. Maybe Gracie isn't the only lucky gal. 

 

A fun time was had by all (except mamaw) and I can't wait to see Gracie's reaction. Just kidding I'm sure her reaction will be sleeping and crying so I'll settle for her mommy's reaction .I'm so excited for her to arrive I may just squeal. Something else I don't usually do. Gracie, you are turning me into a girl!

 

Also this happened while I was home this weekend: