My best friend got ENGAGED last Friday night to a wonderful man who I have yet to meet in person but who Robert and I already love.
Julia was my maid of honor and is, for all practical purposes, the sister I never had. She was my roommate for two years in college in the SAME room. Let's just say we're about as tight as friends come. She has loved me through thick and thin, pre-Robert and as a married women, with tough love and courage to say what I needed to hear even though she knew I wouldn't like it. She has loved me over literally pounds of TCBY yogurt that got us through four years in college. She is the kind of friend who borrows your car, happens to accidentally hit a mailbox, tells you about it, and you just laugh - because it's Julia and its just a car. (True story; I was actually surprised at how laid back my OCD self was about the whole incident.) This sweet, precious friend is getting married! We are so thrilled for Julia and Joshua and how the Lord will use them as man and wife to advance his Kingdom. We cannot wait for the big day - yet to be determined - in possibly Denver??? Can you say Colorado here we come? Love you Jules and so excited for you guys!
After the big engagement news, we had a wonderful weekend with Robert's sister, Liz, and her husband, Mike, who drove down to Birmingham from Lexington for the weekend. I really think impromptu visits are some of the best. It was so good to be able to catch up with them and enjoy the small things you take for granted when you live close - like good conversations over meals. We didn't take very many pics but I did manage to snap a few.
I am actually very thankful for Liz and Mike's willingness to help us with everyday life. Mike and Robert did some pretty heavy manual labor on Friday and took out the gazillion-year-old, could-I-really-be-more-hideous concrete planters on our back patio. Here's the before pics for those of you who don't remember.
And here's the post demo pics. What you don't see is the hours of labor and sweat in insane Alabama heat that Mike and Robert put in to haul all that rubble to the front of the house for Homewood Sanitation to pick-up. (Thank you Mike!) Let's just say there's good things to come if our home renos/re-landscaping adventures don't get the best of us. But more on that later...
We also celebrated the wedding of a dear friend from college in Tuscaloosa on Saturday. The bride's father actually had an unexpected stroke the Monday before the wedding and wasn't able to attend. Her younger sister walked her down the aisle, and her mother was so strong sitting on that second row representing the family without her husband by her side. That's just not how you picture your daughter's wedding. Fortunately, the dad is doing well and will make a full recovery with therapy and over time. At his insistence, the wedding went on. It was such a reminder of what's important in life - not the dress or the flowers or things going as planned but having the people in your life that you love and, at the end of the day, being married to the man God has picked to be your spouse.
I also loved this wedding because it was such a sweet time of reunion with some of our best friends from college. (Think roommates, groomsmen and bridesmaids, the friends that last despite distance or time.) It was so good to see them all and catch up on life.
Speaking of life, these two precious ladies are growing new ones in their tummies! Anne is expecting baby Maggie McKay Riley in November and Amy is expecting Baby Bogue in February. More details to come from an upcoming baby shower/it's-literally-raining-babies blog post (with pics from Anne's recent shower). Then there's Megan due in November with Annie and sweet Leigh (both college roommates) due with Baby Prickett in February. Elizabeth H. could have baby Wilson any day now - and that' just girls from college. We've also got a handful of precious ladies at church expecting kiddos, including one couple expecting twins! Let's just say we've got some fun times coming down the pipeline and lots more reasons to celebrate.
And, I'm also thankful for this man, who celebrated 28 years on Tuesday, the same day we celebrated the birth of our newest nephew, Stephen "Tate" Cannon (see link for blog post with precious newborn pics). I am so blessed to have Robert as my husband. He certainly embodies the role of a godly spouse, preparing me for heaven as he works for my sanctification as well as his own. He is so forgiving and constantly shows me the love of Christ. As my parents would tell you, I am married to a good man, and God is faithful.
I forgot to take pics, but Wednesday night was our second book club meeting. More in a coming post about this adventure, but suffice it to say I am so thankful for the new girlfriends God has put in my life recently. These ladies have been such a blessing, and I haven't laughed so hard over Pat Conroy, Charleston aristocracy, a glass of wine, and crazy life stories in ages.
This coming weekend we again celebrate marriage. I'm throwing a bridal shower at work for a dear friend getting married in September, and later we travel to Huntsville for the wedding of a good friend from college.
So, yes, there is much to celebrate. And we are filled with joy.
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