Feeling the love and passing it on!

My friend Becky over at Weeksie50 was soo sweet and passed this blog award to me! Thanks girl!!

Here are the rules:

Characteristics for the Smile Award:
1. Must display a cheerful attitude.
2. Must love one another.
3. Must make mistakes.
4. Must learn from others.
5. Must be a positive contributor to blog world.
6. Must love life.
7. Must love kids.

These are the rules for The Smile Award:
1. The recipient must link back the the award’s creator
2. You must post these rules if you receive the award.
3. You must chose 5 people to receive the award after receiving it yourself
4. You must fit the characteristics of the recipient of the award, as posted by Mere
5. You must post the characteristics of a recipient.
6. You must create a post sharing your win with others.
7. You must thank your giver.

So now I am here to pass this along to 5 of my dear bloggy friends. I had a VERY hard time narrowing this down because I love to read so many blogs - but here is who I pass this to.....

1. Whitney at My Journey toward: The Glamorous Life of a Housewife.
Whitney is such an amazing girl! She loves the Lord and always says the sweetest most inspiring things.... not to mention she's stinking hilarious! I just know that if we lived close to each other that we would be Best Friends.

2. Jenna at these are the days
You will fall in love with this girl! She always has the most fun things to post about writes soo well! You even get to see adorable pictures of two cute little boys that she babysits - and the stories she tells about this? So funny! Check her out - you won't regret it!

3. Insane Mama

She is creative, fun, loves her family and tells the best stories. You never know what you're gonna get when you log onto her blog! You may find yourself rolling on the floor laughing as she tells how she set up a fart machine outside her window while her neighbor was having a party, or you may shed a tear or two as she tells stories from her past. Either way you walk away feeling like she gave you a piece of herself.

4. Mallory at The Lacey's
Mallory is a local Memphis gal like me. I love checking in and seeing what she's been up to. She and her husband are so cute..... so just posted a fun thing showing what their kids might look like!

5. Amy Beth at Ministry So Fabulous
Amy Beth is a 20-something girl whose heart and love for the Lord are soo apparent in everything she writes. She started a ministry for girls while she is in college (wow!) and she writes about that and the other joys and struggles in her life. She's pretty amazing I tell ya!


and to everyone else - I think you're great too!

Always the bridesmaid - never the bride!

My blog friend Megan over at The Life and Times of Megan recently got married, and she is hosting a "post your wedding pictures" party. We all know that I've never been married, but she said all the single gals could post pictures of them as a bridesmaid! And goodness knows I've been one of those enough times (7).

I only have pictures on my computer from 3 of the weddings.... not sure why, but that's how it goes.

These three weddings are from 3 of my best girlfriends in the world... take a trip with me down memory lane.


Wedding #1: A-Train and DeWayne.

A-Train and I grew up in the same small town. Her grandmother lived right down the street from me and I would see her and her cousins out playing all the time. But our paths never really crossed until I went back to school. We met in the same Advanced Biology class that I met Mr. Right and DY in. Once we both got into college, we kind of lost touch. I'd run into her at wal-mart or around town during holiday breaks, but that was really about it. Until one day A-train called me out of the blue and said "Hey, I've got a job interview in Memphis next week. Do you mind if I come stay with you?" To make a long story short, she got the job, moved to Memphis and we moved in together. DeWayne, her boyfriend at the time also moved up here. After living with her for two years, they became two of my best friends. They tied the knot in our home town in June of 2006. Here a few pictures from their big day.

A-Train and her bridesmaids waiting for the wedding to start

Here we are again!

Mr & Mrs DeWayne

Wedding # 2: LiLi and Coach

LiLi and I met my freshman year of college. Our rooms were right next dorm rooms were right next door to each other. In a world of not knowing a single soul LiLi and I started a friendship that I know will last a lifetime. We've been through some very good times together, but also some very hard times. We live 3 hours apart from each other now, but I will always and forever call her my best friend. After college, LiLi was set up with Coach by her grandmother! They knew right away they were meant to be together and they said "I Do" in March of 2007 at her parent's house in Lousiana.

Me and Lili

All the girls in the tub!
(sorry it's a little dark)

her dad giving her away....

Wedding # 3: Schneeder & Doc

Schneeder and I met in 2000 on a mission trip to Costa Rica. She was from Ohio, I was from Alabama so when we got back home from our trip we didn't see much of each other. We both finished high school, then went off to college. An occasional card or Instant Message kept us in touch. But in the spring of 2005 I got a familiar phone call "hey! I have a job interview in Memphis! Can I come stay with you?" You know how this story goes - she got the job, and moved in with A-train and me. After A-train got hitched, Schneeder and I moved into a house by ourselves. (Sometimes I think God put me in Memphis because he know i'd be a gateway and a friend to many of my friends who would end up here.... these aren't the only two friends of mine that have come here since I've been here). Schneeder and Doc met in August of 2007, were engaged in November/December (can't remember) of 2007 and got married this past August. "Love at first sight" we beyond true for these two.

me with a few of the other bridesmaids

Cutest flower girl in the world!


saying "I do"

The whole wedding party

Being apart of such a special day of my dear sweet friends was and is always so much fun! And I can't wait until they stand by my side when my day arrives! I know it is coming eventually, and I will patiently wait until the time is right. Until then I will enjoy this time w/ my boy that the Lord has given me.

Ahoy, me hearties!

Yo ho Yo ho! Yar matey! Today is none other than National Talk Like a Pirate day! So Lass' grab your Gentleman o' fortune and rustle up some doubloons. Don't be a scallywag or swarshbuckler!

Who doesn't love free stuff?

Hey girls - Stacy is giving away a great book all about JUNK! :) Click below to check it out!

well I declare!

a few weeks ago, our good friends JC and Merrie were over hanging out, and Ben and I were voicing our frustrations about being out of town every weekend. Ya see, since April we have been gone at least every other weekend, if not several weekends back to back. Our frustration with this is that we haven't been able to find a good church home. He and I were both brought up in different denominations (me: Baptist him: Catholic/Methodist) so finding a church we both like and feel comfortable in has, needless to say, been difficult. You throw being gone all the time in that mix and it's nearly impossible.

So - while telling JC and Merrie about this, they were explaining how they have been going through the same thing. Merrie just moved to Memphis a few months ago to be with JC, and they are getting married in November. Their wedding is out of state, so they are gone as much, if not more than we are.

They told us about this Bible Study they had started going to on Tuesday nights and invited Ben and I along. We both jumped at the opportunity. While we are gone on the weekends, we are always here during the week - especially on Tuesdays! So last night we all loaded up and headed to Bible Study. It meets each week at a different persons house.


Now, if you noticed before I said I grew up in a Baptist church. I also went to a Baptist college. I ate, slept, and breathed Baptist until I was about 20 and realized there was more to life than being Baptist! (not really - Im totally exaggerating) But the one thing it did take me a while to realize after leaving my sheltered South Alabama, Baptist life is that alcohol is not from satan! I know now that I will not die and go to hell for having a glass of wine or a margarita if I so choose. Hallajulah Thank ya Jesus! (again, I am exaggerating about this as well)

Please do not get me wrong on this. I love the Lord with all my heart, and I am not bashing Baptists (or any other denomation) - I'm just stating what my thoughts on alcohol were a bit deminted.

MOVING ON! I'm getting so sidetracked. Bible Study. So we walked into this home (HUGE, GORGEOUS HOME) and everyone was on the back patio socializing. The four us of went to say hello to everyone, and then I saw it: the alcohol. I must admit; I was slightly taken aback. Alcohol as BIBLE STUDY?! Even when the preacher started teaching, people were just drinking a beer, reading their Bible, asking questions. It was such a surreal moment for me. Even though I've come to a place where I no longer see drinking as a bad thing, seeing it in that environment was too weird. I guess I still saw it as something that was ok to do - just not in church (or a church like setting).

But hey, Jesus drank wine and taught. Why shouldn't we drink wine and learn? I think I'm going to enjoy this Bible Study!

Swap

OK, so I keep seeing all the adorable things that people are getting/giving in these swaps, and reading about how they got to meet so many fabulous new friends. I've never done a swap, but I want to give it a try! Only problem is, I don't know how to go about finding/getting involved with one. Do any of you ladies know of one that is going on now?


Thanks!

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