Uncle Matt and Auntie Lala

Approximately 36 hours ago, this little man graced the world with his presence:

Grady Thomas

7 lbs 15 oz | 20 inches

We're heading to Georgia this afternoon to visit this little guy and his mom and dad. We can hardly wait! Pictures to come!


Lauren

We had nice shoes...

I, personally, feel like I am the luckiest woman in the world to have a grandmother like I do. She is one of the most patient, meek, extraordinary women I know. 


My mom and I lived under her roof on and off: once after my father died and again in high school. Although my mom is now remarried and lives elsewhere, I never once would visit one and not the other. I have celebrated every. single. birthday with a special menu straight from her kitchen with my entire extended family present. I have tip-toed downstairs in her house to get a midnight snack, only to find her up, watching the end of the Braves game. She cooks cornbread for Matt every single time we're in town. And sends us home with the leftovers. Watching Georgia football with her is right up there with being at the game in person. This woman and her weekly Sunday lunches for the whole family is the glue that keeps us together.

She was there for mine and Matt's engagement... her face is priceless to me:

(That's my other grandmother in this picture too. In her most voicemail to me, she said "I love you and I pray the Lord takes I likin' to ya'." Another story for another day... I'm the luckiest.)

A few months before our wedding, my mammaw asked me to help her find a dress. We shopped till we dropped... and she looked beautiful! 

Mammaw is quiet and does a lot of listening. Like any wise woman does, I guess. She's never talked entirely too much about her childhood or her engagement to my Grandfather... but there are a few fantastic stories that I've managed to get out of her and that I'll share with you. 

My grandfather was 13 years older than mammaw. He was a pastor and she was a member at his church.  According to my grandfather, mammaw started wearing bangle bracelets to church so that she would "jingle" when she shook his hand after the service and catch his attention. He claims she added more and more bangles until he took a fancy to her. Mammaw shyly claims, "I might have worn two or three."

Mammaw never talks much about her mom and dad, either. We found out through my great uncle that mammaw's dad was a moonshiner. When we asked mammaw about this, she simply stated, "All I know is that we had nice shoes."

My grandmother is the sweetest, most loving, most thoughtful individual. We never leave her house empty handed. Whether it's Matt's cornbread, snacks for the road, or a two-liter of soda that she "just bought extra", she makes sure we are taken care of.

There's no one like her. 

Lauren

I love being married...

Matt is the most thoughtful, affectionate, entertaining man I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. This sweet man causes me to love him more every day that I get to spend with him. How did I get so lucky? 


A good friend toasted at our rehearsal dinner one year ago: 
May today be the day that you love each other the least.


To celebrate our one-year anniversary, we went on a cruise to Cozumel and Grand Cayman. Cozumel was our favorite by far. We had some killer authentic Mexican food... 

...relaxed on these amazing hammocks practically the entire day. We bought one... for $21. We have absolutely no where to put it but one day! One day.

We snorkled in the beautiful Caribbean...

Our anniversary fell on our day "at sea" and the formal dinner night. We got all fancied-up and reminisced about our favorite moments of the last year.

Among our favorites: Christmas Eve, just the two of us, opening gifts, exchanging ornaments, and emptying our stockings. Valentines' Day, a repeat of the night Matt first told me he loved me (Stoney River and a fountain at Belmont). A few weeks before the cruise, demo'ing our downstairs together (Call us crazy; but we wouldn't want to rip up floors with anyone else). 

It was a great trip, to say the least.

We did miss our Molly girl so very much. She was quite content being right back where she belongs...

Lauren

May I be his hands and feet

Big changes here recently for yours truly. I started looking for a new job about two months ago. I learned so much in the ICU this past year, but saw myself experiencing "burnout" a little too quickly for a nurse of 1 year. I've talked a lot to my good friends about how I believe it takes a special woman to be a nurse in critical care. It's exciting, unpredictable, fast-paced. I loved the nurses I worked with... truly great friends and colleagues. When it all came down to it, though... I realized that I dreaded going to work every day. I dreaded the 13 hours I'd be away from my husband. I dreaded the exhaustion that would set in by the time I stumbled in the door at a quarter to eight. I dreaded working weekend days while my husband was at home alone. I dreaded the holiday season, knowing that I wouldn't be with Matt or our families. I'm certainly not saying that it wasn't a great place to work, I'm just saying that it wasn't for me. I wasn't happy doing my job and I'm a firm believer that you should love what you do. 


I prayed a lot about this decision. Cried a lot about this decision. Exhausted Matt's ears with this decision...


I applied for a job at an outpatient mental health clinic in Nashville and a few other positions. I ended up interviewing with the clinic and being offered the job, after which Matt and I sat on the decision for a weekend. We traveled home to Georgia that particular weekend and talked about it the whole way home. Pros. Cons. Did I mention that this position was Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm, no weekends or holidays? 


My reservation through this process was this: I felt selfish. I felt like I was copping-out. I felt like being happy with my job wasn't reason enough. One thing I love about Matt is his matter-of-fact advice. Why in the world do I think I don't deserve this? To be happy going to work every day? 


That weekend at church we heard a great sermon about God's will. Couldn't have been more perfect. 


Why do we always ask for further "confirmation" from God after He opens a door in our lives? He presented an opportunity. Is that not confirmation enough? Continue to pursue the calling until he closes a door. Simple.


After the sermon, the band played this song by Leeland: 

You lived among the least of these

The weary and the weak

And it would be a tragedy for me to turn away

And I`ll follow You into the homes that are broken

Follow You into the world

Meet the needs for the poor and the needy, God

Follow You into the world 

I accepted the job that next week. The lyrics above were especially appropriate considering the population I now serve at the mental health clinic.


Broken, needy, weary, weak. May I be His hands and feet.

Lauren

Sneak peek!

Home from the Caribbean... had a FANTASTIC time. 

So many blog-worthy events here recently... Stay tuned!

-Lauren