This Guy

I don't think it is possible to love him any more than I do. I'm so glad God brought me from the opposite side of the world to the tiny town of Booneville, Mississippi where we would grow up side by side (I had a crush on him at age 11) before becoming neighbors 11 years later during our first semester at Ole Miss.

A few weeks ago we were in Florence, Alabama for a wedding, and Jonathan showed me around the campus of the University of North Alabama. The year before we connected at Ole Miss, he attended UNA and I was back home at Northeast Mississippi Community College. If he had stayed at UNA or I had stayed at NEMCC for two years instead of one (or gone straight to Ole Miss), we wouldn't have been neighbors. If he had chosen one hundred different paths, we wouldn't have ended up in Oxford that August, but for some reason he chose the path to Harris Grove Condos. He came into my life when I was at my most fragile, and he saved me. Those three years were some of the most fun of our lives, and when we left Oxford, we left together to start a new chapter in Memphis. All those years later, here we are getting ready to become parents.

In some moments we question God and ask why. I asked why a million times that year before Ole Miss. I will wake up every morning for the rest of my life thanking Him for sending Jonathan into my life. He is my heart. I can't wait to see him with our son.

P.S. I'm also really glad he still loves mowing the grass...or in this case, the sidewalk!

Inspired: Psalm 71

One year ago today, I had surgery to remove precancerous cells from my cervix, and three days later, our dog, Porter, had his second surgery of 2014 to remove a possible mast cell tumor from his side.

It was a tough week for us. At times, 2014 was a tough year for us, but it also gave me and Jonathan the first real opportunity to work through very adult issues on our own. Throughout the ordeal, we found the most comfort in church. After years of visiting different churches infrequently and then the same church frequently, we made a commitment and found ourselves more centered than we'd ever been. Church has been the link that has connected us to God and our community. For people who had previously struggled to find their place in the world, this has been a huge blessing.

I wrote these Bible verses in my prayer journal one year ago this week, so it seemed fitting to share them here today. Today and every day, I count my blessings. 

Baby Brother

As you probably know, I have a sister who will make me an aunt later this month or early next month. She is three years younger than me, and our babies will be two months apart. When I found out she was pregnant, I prayed that we would be able to raise children together. One of the all-time great moments of my life was surprising my family with our news at her gender reveal party. We told our entire family that weekend. It was one of the best ones of our lives.

Jonathan has two siblings -- a sister and a brother who have blessed us with two nieces and a nephew. Anthony came along when Jonathan was 11, but they are very close despite the age gap. I remember Anthony coming to Oxford and Collierville to stay with us when he was a wide-eyed middle and high school student. He'll be 25 next month, and his son Haze will be eight months old. It's crazy how time flies.

Haze definitely takes after his mama right now, and it's been so fun to watch his personality develop. He's already proving to be a little flirt. I wonder where he gets that from? 

Anthony and Gerald. He would give his son Gerald's middle name. 

While we're on the subject of genes, I see Julie's daughter Eliza in Julie's smile in this photo. Eliza also loves to help open presents!

High School Memories

Ah, high school. Not all of us had the perfect high school experience, but we can all imagine what that would look like thanks to the movies. 

My mother-in-law Denise was the quintessential high school girl in the 1970s. When I look at these photos, I can practically hear awesome classic rock and roll playing in the background. I love how carefree and happy she looks in the top photo. Of course, that might have something to do with her driver...