Happy Birthday Gracen!

Another extraordinary...our little miracle baby turns a year old April 23, 2012.  We've come a long way from our uncertain bed resting days, my little angel, when we were up against horrible odds and scary scientific reality.  What a difference a year makes!  All of God's grace in one sweet little face, for sure. 

April 23, 2011
8 lbs. 3oz.

April 23, 2012
19 lbs. 12oz.

If you need to see to believe, just look in these sweet little eyes.  God is amazing and the power of prayer is life changing!  Thank you, Lord, for the perfect gift you have given us in Gracen.

Weddin' Time Y'all

Mere and me at her bridesmaids' luncheon.

My sister's wedding on March 30th of this year was definitely an extraordinary event in my ordinary life.

On the funny side, I would like to draw attention to a few things I learned from my experience as the matron of honor in a family wedding.  In fact these things should probably be listed as disclaimers prior to participating in the festivities.  1) Saying weddings "bring out the best in everyone" is most certainly full of sarcasm.  2) Weddings are not days, they last all week and they are exhausting.  Pacing yourself is necessary and may require training similar to running a marathon.  3) Blowups, emotional meltdowns, fighting, sleep deprivation, lateness, and all out crazy talk are pretty much guaranteed multiple times over the course of wedding events.

My toast, that I had all intentions of giving at the rehearsal dinner, is a prime example of the disclaimers mentioned above.  I worked on the toast for weeks before the wedding to find just the right words for my sister's special occasion.  It was typed, printed, and ready to go on my desk at HOME.  Of course, that doesn't do me any good when I am on a boat in the Harbor in front of my sister, soon-to-be husband, and our closest friends and family members.  In my panic, I realized I could pull the toast up on my iPhone; but as soon as I stood up to speak, my emotions just overflowed.  Man, I tell you that toast would have been good. I don't even know what really came out. I just know that at that moment, I looked at my sister, and I was overcome with how much I love her and how thankful I am that I have her in my life.  The tears started coming and all the tiny words on my iPhone ran together.  So much for being able to read my toast to keep me from turning into a blubbering mess!  So, in an effort to redeem myself, I am going to share the toast that was "supposed to be."

From the day mom and dad brought you home from the hospital, Mere, I was hooked.  Even though I was only 4, I remember them laying you down on the middle of their king size bed to sleep.  I wanted to hold you so bad but you just kept sleeping.  Thank goodness Dad was as ancy as I was…he taught me how to sneak in the room and give you kisses on your little bald head without waking you up.  If your had any hair fuzz when you left the hospital, we surely kissed it all off by the end of your fist day home.

And that was the start of our sisterhood.  I had big plans for us, and we hit the ground running from there.   Life has always been more fun with you in it.  Who knew driving through the neighborhood could be so exciting when mom hit those curvies with just the right jerk of the wheel?  Remember the tacky, tacky deer and hee, hee, hee moments that only you and I understood?  Flying down our stairs on gymnastics mats, doing acrobatics on our collapsing trundle, dance routines and Whitney Houston, shopping with Granny’s money all by ourselves…I have to add temperature taking; it’s a wonder we’re here in one piece.  We knew how to find trouble…the splatter painting your room incident I blamed on you, peeing in your trash can, photocopying our best sides and leaving the evidence behind in mom’s office, that high speed, plunging water slide Rikki and I convinced you was such a blast to go down- that gave you nothing but water up your nose and the biggest wedgie of your life…just a few of our best moments.

All those hours of playing house under the stairs with our baby dolls have helped to prepare you for the real deal.  You are my best friend and an amazing aunt to my three boys. You are a feisty, sensitive, loving, firecracker of woman with an enormous heart. Luke is a lucky man. 

Chip and I will have been married 10 years this year, and I have always said that every woman deserves a man who loves her as much as my husband loves me.  I am so thankful Meredith has found that in you, Luke.  I knew you were a keeper from the first time I met you the weekend of Erin’s wedding.  Our family is bigger and better with you in it.  Luke, I want to welcome you and all of the Hutchins’ crew to our family where more is merrier. 

Congratulations on your marriage, Mere and Luke.  We look forward to this next chapter... I want to raise a glass to both of you.  To a life that is better together.  May your marriage be filled with constant love, abiding faith, undying hope, and the grace to forgive each other when you screw up…because you will screw up…and cheers to children of course!  Love you both.

In all seriousness, Mere and Luke's wedding was amazing.  It is a blessing to be able to celebrate happy moments as a family, big and small.  Congratulations to two of my favorite people.