My Village

They say it takes a village to raise a family, or something like that...  Mom was having lunch with some of her closest friends that couldn't make it to Jay's wedding and asked that I send some pictures to Walgreen's so that she could pick them up to share with her friends over lunch.  And then I found this picture...

I remember Autnie Em trying to get us all together for this picture during the reception, thinking she was crazy!  But I look at it, and this is my village.  These are the people that raised Jay and I.  And no matter how far apart our lives may take us- Mandeville, LA to Jackson, MS to Charlotte, NC to Birmingham, AL- they flock back to us for those oh so important events as if we were there own children.

Leenie rescued me when my mom threatened to flush me down a toilet when I was a baby because I would.not.stop.crying.  Her backyard backed up to ours and we always said we should have built a gate to make things easier.

And Auntie Em... She read in mom's wedding, I think mom read in hers, her daughter Jackie read in my wedding and I read in Jackie's wedding earlier this year.  Mom and Emmie have seen the sun rise in like 20 states and they never met a bottle of wine they didn't like.

We used to do Mardi Gras at Aunt Abby's house when they lived uptown, and we did it big!  Like kids in buckets on top of ladders- BIG!  And buckets of fried chicken with all the fixins'- BIG!  She and Uncle Kerry are my godparents and my mom and dad are their daughter Alicia's godparents.

So there they are... My Village.  And I good looking one if I do say so myself.  I love you all, and you will never know how much you mean to me and my family.

Thankful on a Thursday

I feel like I say this every week, but I have sooooo much to be thankful for!  So, why wait any longer?





<a href="http://themcglothinfamily.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img border="0" alt="McGlothin Family Nest" src="http://i846.photobucket.com/albums/ab30/ginimcglothin/TOATBadge3.jpg " /></a>

81. For Luke's Successful Vein Reconstruction.  I'm just glad he is okay and that things will continue to get better from here.  We know God will heal Luke and we continue to pray for wisdom for the doctors and peace for our family.

82. For an AMAZING childcare situation. With all of the things we have had going on lately, I can't imagine what kind of stress it would put on us to have Claire in daycare.

83. Birthday Party Prep.  Now that the wedding is over, I am pouring my creative energies into Claire's big day.  Ok, I know it's really for me and that she'll never remember all that went into this party, but I just want to have a big time to celebrate the first year of her life and how much she has blessed us.  All I can say is, ladybugs are everywhere!

84. Air Conditioning.  While it is cooling off here (and by that I mean it's less than 100 degrees) it's still hot and very humid.  I am thankful that we put a new window unit in our bedroom this year, making our upstairs much cooler.  We are still saving up to get the air in Luke's car running again.  We are thankful he only has a five minute drive to work in that hot car!

85. My new LIFE small group. While I am always excited for the start of a new small group semester, I totally missed this one.  It started last week after I was suffering from severe wedding exhaustion.  But I found a LIFE group (and that stands for Living In Freedom Everyday).  It's just for women (score 1) that meets Tuesday nights (score 2- that's when Claire is at my in-laws) at our Riverchase campus (score 3- two miles from my house).  I know there is much in store for me this semester as I learn to trust more in Him and grow my relationship with the living God.

I've been horrible at commenting on your always amazing Thankful on a Thursday posts because I typically do that on my lunch hour at work.  I am now back into the Strategic Shopping/ Couponing swing of things, and that is taking up a lot of my lunch hours lately.  I promise to try and do better.

Walking and Wedding Weekend

I know that was a tongue twister but it pretty much describes our lives for the past week.  First, my little angel started WALKING taking her first four steps Friday night (the cutest story ever is to come) and then my little brother got MARRIED!  And weel, he's not little, actually he is the same age I was when I got married.

I only took like four decent pictures of the whole weekend, so let's hope the photographer has more.  Or maybe I'll get some before tomorrow's Thankful on a Thursday post that I have yet to begin.

ATL or Bust!

So if you've been missing us lately, I've been missing you too!  We have been in crazy wedding planning mode for my brother and Grace for a few weeks now, but it has only recently hit fifth gear.  Place cards and custom candles are done, programs were completed last night, working on the rehearsal dinner menus at lunch today, ironing and packing tonight, Mom and Dad come tomorrow night, we leave for Atlanta Friday, rehearsal and dinner on Saturday, wedding on Sunday, drive home Monday, back to work Tuesday. 

Whew!  I am exhausted just typing this. And when you feel as exhausted as I am, you have to just let some things go.  So I'm sorry, but I haven't been able to justify spending an ounce of my free time on here over playing with my baby- who by the way MAY have taken a step last Saturday.  I was standing there but did not witness this, so I'm not completely sure, but I am saying it is not official until I see it.

It will probably be next week until I have recovered enough to post again, but then it will be a smorgasbord of pictures and all kind of fun.  Until then- Happy Wednesday, Happy Weekend, Happy Labor Day and all that jazz!

I'm Back! Sort of...

Here's a quick rundown of what's been happening in our lives... So I got back to Birmingham from North Dakota last Friday after two layovers and arriving to Luke's car in the airport garage only to find it wouldn't start.  Got my battery jumped, and headed home.  (And I'll write more about my trip North when I can find some time.  It really was beautiful!)

I unpacked, repacked, grabbed Claire and headed to Atlanta.  Met up with Jay, Grace and Mom.  Had a fab dinner at Houston's (love love that Spinach Dip!) and put a tired baby to bed.  Saturday morning was Grace's Bridal Shower at Einsteins (not the bagel place).  It was beautiful, and I promise to post pictures soon.  We lounged by the pool that afternoon and then got ready for the big bachelorette party! 

Dinner at One Midtown Kitchen was amazing, as were the frozen concoctions at Flip Flops (a bar owned by the guy Ace from Real World Paris).  When the hour approached 11, which in my world is bedtime, we went across the street to Opera and hence my first club experience.  Now I've been to plenty of bars in my life, but this was my first time in a club.  I'm talking $20 cover (which we didn't have to pay thank you Jenny!), pat downs by a big bouncer, VIP tables, professional dancers on platforms throughout the place.  It was interesting to say the least.

I pooped out by midnight and took a cab back to the hotel and back to my mom, who was taking care of Claire for me.  Sunday, it was time to get back in the car and finally see my husband for the first time in a week.  This long drive was followed by a few loads of laundry, dishes, unpacking and repacking for the Smokies. 

Yes, we are on the go quite a bit, but this is just a busy time in our lives, and we know "this too shall pass."  But until it does pass, we are just soaking it all in and making the best of what life gives us.

And then on top of all of that, I was offered a promotion at work, which management wants me to transition into right away.  So I'm doing my current job, training for my new job and trying to please everyone at the same time.  So while I am back, it's not for long. 

I'll be working alot until our vacation starts Thursday, then we'll get home from the mountains next Monday.  Probably won't be much blogging for while, but hopefully you'll stick around for the coming "pot luck."  That's going to be my post of anything and everything that's been going on in our lives.  Pictures, stories, probably a video or two, everything.  Again, coming as soon as I find the time.

So I hope you all are well, and I can't wait to get back to "normal," whatever that is...

Birthday & Wedding: Part Two

The wedding was amazing!  I mean she spent more than two years planning it, and so well worth the wait!  I loaded up on Tylenol Cold & Sinus (and as I mentioned yesterday, not a good idea to drink heavily on that) and cough drops and made it through the reading without really being able to tell I had a cold.

And here I am with the beautiful bride...

And here are all the Zetas, Jay and Grace dancing a jig (they are so cute, I know), Miss Martha with Grace and I, and the happy couple...

So the father-daughter dance was to "I Loved Her First" by Heartland (which I also danced with my daddy to on my wedding day, tear) started like this...

But it ended like this!

It was really a great time, and we had a ball spending time with family and friends.  Claire had a bit of a fever and got pretty fussy, so Luke took her home early so I could stay and party (and party, I did).  I just feel blessed to have been a part of this wonderful day!  Hope your weekend was filled with love and laughter.

Birthday & Wedding: Part One

I feel overwhelmed just talking about the weekend, so I figured I better split it into two seperate posts.  But I can start by saying it was a wonderful weekend!  Granted, I felt like I was getting sick all of last week, and I was right.  (By the way, Tylenol Cold & Sinus and white wine are a bad combination!  I learned this first hand, so please trust me, mk?)

But the rehursal and dinner were great.  Claire was a trooper and made it through with no major meltdowns.  She even got her first kiss. True story. Little boy, about two-years old, came up to Claire and kissed her on the mouth. His parents were embarressed.  Luke got his first taste of daddy rage.  Overall, a good time by all.

The bridal luncheon was Saturday morning at the Swan Coach House in the Atlanta History Center.  Jackie wanted a hat theme, and so it was.  I wish I'd gotten a picture of the awesome garden hat cake Grace got and the great garden hat earings that mom had made as favors, but I didn't :(

It was beautiful, Southern and delicious, as were the bridesmaids...

Even Julia with her cute little belly.  And while she didn't feel like it was little anymore, I told her to just wait for the immense growth in those last few weeks.  I give you Exhibit A.

And here is me, mom, Grace and Auntie Em...

After the luncheon, my dad agreed to keep Claire while Luke and I attempted to celebrate our birthday.  We went over to the AMC Fork & Spoon, and if you've never experienced a movie/ restaurant, I highly reccomend it.  Not for those on a budget, but hey, it was our birthday.  We saw Iron Man 2 (I also highly reccomend it) and had a pitcher of beer with queso dip and a burger.

And can I just say that I'm really glad that Luke drug me out of the hotel room.  If it were up to me, I just wanted to chill, maybe nap, while I had someone else volunteering to care for my child.  But he wanted to go the movies and I figured I shouldn't let him spend his birthday alone, or mine for that matter.  And when we got back, it was straight to hair and makeup and before I knew it the shuttle wad there to bring us to the wedding.  So I didn't get a nap, and now I wouldn't have had it any other way.

More to come!

Weekend Update

I can't tell you how weekends both re-energize me and exhaust me at the same time.  I am really trying to take in each moment and enjoy time with my family while simultaneously staring the laundry and dishes in the face, as if to say, I will not let the idea of a perfect and clean house get in the way of playing on the floor with my beautiful baby.  I have really been inspired by Kelle Hampton over at Enjoying the Small Things as she documents her days with the two most beautiful girls (other than my two, of course).  We are both step-mothers and mothers just trying to navigate through life, and she simply takes better pictures and writes more elequently than I do.

But back to weekends... I had a wonderful time with my mom this weekend and loved spending time with Jay and Grace.  Little Claire was a trooper at the party Saturday night, and here she is with Aunite Em and Uncle Cliff.  Cliff's mom gave that yellow dress to me 26 years ago and my mom had saved it for Claire- so weet, I know. 

But she had simply had enough when it came time for brunch Sunday morning.  Between being off of our schedule and cutting the first tooth (YES, CAN YOU BELEIVE SHE IS CUTTING A TOOTH? and yes, I was yelling that) she straight up screamed through the entire brunch.  Mom, Jackie, Uncle Cliff and Auntie Em all took turns bouncing and walking with her as far from the other post-church crowd as possible, but would you like to know who was able to calm her down?  A stranger.  You read that right, I allowed a complete stranger to hold my screaming baby and walk around the restaurant, and you know what?  It worked!  She went straight to sleep to his rendition of "Hush Little Baby."  Not sure what it is about a big man's deep voice and cushy chest that settles my girl down, but it worked and I don't care how or why? 

Honey and Auntie Em were freaking out that this man was going to run out the front door with my baby, but I was at my wits end and would have simply sent my half-marathon running brother after him (note to self: write a post about Jay and Grace's awesomeness in running).  And with her still not sleeping through the night, I was sure he would promptly return my angel.

And while I was enduring the wrath of teething, Luke was at church enjoying Catalyst, our men's conference.  I'm not too sure what went on there, as he won't share any details.  But I know what a powerful God we serve, so I'm sure Luke learned a lot.  After dropping Honey off at the airport, Luke and I enjoyed an awesome Palm Sunday service that outlined all of the benefits we received when Christ died.  And then, of course, it's back to work Monday... Hope you had a great weekend too!

The Weekend Ahead

Honey has arrived!  Although late last night, I swooped her from the airport and returned her to my oh-so-messy house (which she is expected to tolerate and not to clean) and in typical mommy fashion, she took over night time duties.  What is it about moms that make us feel whole again?  That makes us feel like we can do this: work, wife, mother, Christian, everything?  I don't know about you, but having my mom close has always made me feel better.  And Claire feels better too- she slept almost six hours for Honey (although she continues to wake every three hours for me)!

And Honey has been so wonderful as to give Jessica the day off and keep Claire today, so the rest of my in-law family is off to South Carolina to visit Kristin and Christian in Columbia, SC or to see my favorite cousin (really, she's Luke's cousin, but I think I talk to her more than he does) get married tonight in Knoxville, TN.  We were so sad not to be able to attend either of these always-entertaining family vacations, but with the time Luke took off when Bella was here and the time I have yet to accumulate at the new job, anything more than a Saturday-Sunday one-night affair is more than we can do.

But we do have big plans for the weekend ahead.  Luke is off to the men's conference at church this weekend, and we are praying that God moves these men in a very special way.  We feel so blessed to be a part of the Highlands family and the wonderful people there.  This Easter marks two years we've been at Highlands, and we are still amazed at the wonderful, life-giving work they do (note to self: write a post about how we found Highlands).

And tomorrow morning, Honey and I will take of for Atlanta for Jackie and David's wedding shower.  For the non-family readers, Jackie's mom, Auntie Em- as I fondly refer to her, is mom's friend from back in her Zeta days who has become like a second mom to me.  And Jackie was awesome enough (among other thigns) to read in my wedding back in 2007 and I will be reading in hers this May (actually on Luke's and my birthday).  We are also going to see my little bro (ok, he's no longer little, but he will always be little to me) and his wonderful fiance, Jay and Grace.  (Another note to self: write a post about Jay and Grace's AMAZING engagement party.)

And bruch at Serpas will follow Sunday morning before I have to get Honey back on a plane to New Orleans (and subsequently cry that I won't see her again until our Fourth of July vacation in the Smokey Mountains).  And then back to church for a Palm Sunday service.  I hope you have a wonderful weekend ahead of you too!