Christmas in Dixie: A holiday review

I was very excited to make the trip home for Brad's post Christmas break!

We visited with both of our families and one of my good friends Sabrina.

We enjoyed catching up and making Match predictions as her husband will 

be having match day in March just like Brad last year.

 Barrell Room trivia game night.

Me and my Christmas mug from Sabrina. It reads,"Don't mess with Texas."

Of course! In other coffee cup news The Tide won the first round

or the football playoffs while we were home. Making for a very Happy 

New Year's Eve for Brad. That puppy by the coffee cup is Miller! 

My brother Trey got the cutest puppy for Christmas this year.

Family pictures with my brothers and sister-in-law to be Janie! 

They are getting married in May!

Miller...again!

While home our cousin Gina was so kind and passed on 

an awesome Pottery Barn coffee table and mirror, which she

had in storage and was done using! I love the addition to 

our room and am so excited and thankful for her gift!

Craft Days

By day three of my stretch home from work I am 

usually going nutty and ready to go back

to work. Luckily these days there are

 a few things going on. My friend Sabrina is 

getting married in April, and we are planning a girls trip 

around that time to celebrate. In need of some fun and 

fancy touches I visited Etsy.

And when Etsy charges $40 for a banner the creative side 

of me comes out. A trip to Home Depot and the Dollar Store 

later and we are on our way to making a less expensive "Last

Fling" banner for a great friend. 

The remainder of the day will be spent cutting and pasting some 

metallic gold letters. 

With the weather being a bit to cold to visit the park 

in between reading and washing clothes the kitchen 

seems to be a fun place to play! Luckily we have a 

few friends and family near by to share with!

25 and Engaged!

A few weeks ago I posted about Sabrina

getting engaged to her boyfriend John.

I was so excited to get to have dinner with them, and

also celebrate Logan's 25 birthday the other day in Birmingham.

Then, just a couple of days ago, I got this in the mail!! Yay!

Goin to the Chapel and the ICU

ICU Orientation is finished and in one week I'll

be all on my own. I am excited and know I'll learn a lot 

during the next nine months, however I get the 

sense it will be a baptism by fire experience as well.

I hear ventilator alarms in my sleep, and still get 

sweaty palms when the doctors come by and expect 

whatever info is pertinent to their organ

of expertise...Sorry I don't know what type of doctor 

you are yet people.  I will grow. I will learn. I will
be stronger (at least that's what i think to myself).

Yesterday was a fun Friday with friends and pretty much 

felt like a big dress up session. As I said in an earlier post

my friend Sabrina is getting married, so I hit the road to 

Bella Bridesmaids and my two closest friends from high 

school and another sweet bridesmaid were their to join
in on the celebration. Love is so fun to celebrate. Our times together

are always filled with laughter, jokes, and always seem to end too

soon. Here are a few pictures from the day. 

I finished the trip with a visit to my favorite Homewood restaurant 

Urban Cookhouse and then enjoyed a beautiful sunset 

on the drive home. The Lord's gifts are innumerable and his

love constantly flows to his children.

All this dress hunting had me reminiscing 

on my days of dress shopping! Sabrina 

changed colors and materials during the trip.

I couldn't help but remember how I 

did the very same thing!

 We used our phones

to compare textures and colors on

our last trip to Bella's. Sweet memories.

Tiffany's Travel Plans

  My night visiting one of Brad's classmate was fun. We have hung out in a group many times, but have never gotten to talk  just the two of us. Tiffany's husband (brads classmate)  is in the National Guard and is in Afghanistan for a year. He is scheduled to be home around the time Tiffany will find out where they will be going for residency! We hope he makes it back in time for Match Day. 

  Tiffany and I talked while decorating a 3 foot tall Christmas Tree... No she isn't celebrating 6 months early. She decorates a tree for each holiday her husband is missing and then sends him pictures to remind him of home. What a challenging time for any couple especially when this year will determine where they spend the next three years. Tiffany has a positive attitude and is confident in The Lord to assist her with the decision. Her main concern was deciding what country her away rotation would be in. She Is thinking Middle East or South America! 

The girl has no fear and I admire her very much. We enjoyed our visit! She is doing internal medicine as well. 

Beach and Graduation

It seems like every devotional marriage book we 

have read together suggests taking a trip together out of town,

so Brad and I chose a quick beach trip for our first weekend get away. 

Great beach views and extra yummy dinners were enjoyed by

us both! And of course we had fun just the two of us away from home 

for a couple of days.

So happy for Sabrina one of my best friends who recently graduated

from Pharmacy School at Samford.

While I was at the graduation I also got to see another

dear friend Logan's Office! She is so grown up!!

Weddings...More

Forever behind I am still posting December pictures,

but this week has had a little excitement with 

southerners braving winter weather! Ha! Our friends who

regularly deal with the snow must think we are silly with 

all the ruckus a few snow flakes have caused.

Miss Sara got married in December! We had a ball 

with this beautiful bride!

Brad attended sweet Cecil and Emily's wedding on the 

very same day, but headed south after the wedding festivities!

We love this couple to pieces! 

Rehearsal Dinner!!

Most of our January evenings have been spent sipping

coffee or hot chocolate and reading (or studying if your

Brad) after making yummy meals with Chef Manny!

Birthday Fun

Another 20 something birthday brought on a little blues

why cant we all live to 17 and then never get any older just stay 

young as the years go buy? Turning another year older

called for an impromptu dress up session full of

polka dots and girly accessories to beat the birthday blues.

Brad and I traveld to my most favorite eating establishment 

for a Berry Good Salad! And it was very very good!

He always makes an extra effort to celebrate the holidays!

(Mostly because I hint at how exciting they are often)

Rose got married on my birthday this year and we were so 

happy to help her celebrate! And we got to see lots of 

sweet Enterprise friends!!

Love these ladies!

And below is a random weeknight meal photo 

made to prove to my mother that I am cooking and that her 

parenting skills were not a complete fail! See mom we eat!

Memory Lane

All this growing up has prompted

a walk down memory lane. Such wonderful

times have been had with these wonderful

friends!

love them.