Getting caught up - most of the first two years

I was thinking, and perhaps before I go into what may happen in the future, I'll briefly discuss how we got here. At least, since we were married to here.

After our wedding, we went on a Disney cruise for our honeymoon. I very much enjoyed it. Chris didn't as much. There were some issues with their sattelite not working and they couldn't update our credit card in the system, so we couldn't use our room key as a charge card. We didn't get to swim with dolphins. We wanted to parasail, but the boat broke and we couldn't. And the worst thing in Chris' book - the server who took care of drinks and appetizers for our whole trip got sick and we rarely got refills at any meal onboard. Chris usually drinks through 4 or so refills before the food gets there. There were some good things about the ship, and we may go on another cruise sometime.

That fall we had faculty season football tickets (we used his mom's), and my parents used his. Loved it. It's entirely different from the student section. I mean, I'd been in the crowd many, many times before, but it's different when you're not with or in the band, or in the student section. I also started working with the Acteens at church. I had been looking for a Bible study to do with Chris, and it seemed that everywhere I looked, something popped up in relation to working with girls, or youth, or teens to the point that I finally said, "okay, God, I get it. And I'll work with them." So I co-taught with a wonderful lady at church and got to ease in a little instead of getting thrown in.

We spent Thanksgiving with my family that year, and traveled to Kentucky for Christmas. We really enjoyed Thanksgiving, and in spite of some tension in his family, we enjoyed Christmas, too. I will say it's a little odd waking up on Christmas morning surrounded by your spouse's family. I don't mean bad at all! And it will become more normal the more years we're married.

Spring of last year was pretty uneventful. Our routine then was work (Chris at the University, and me...at the University - well Extension and all over Alabama, I spose), swing dance, and church. In January or February I joined a girl's Bible study at Tamara's house. I knew Tamara through Chris' former roomate, but I didn't know her that well. Even so, I was craving some girl time and closer friends down here, so I just started going. How amazing was that! Tamara, Trafina, and Jessica became such good friends! I'm so glad I got to know them and our friendships have grown. Later on, Leigh Morgan (now Mott) and Rebecca Cook (soon to be Godwin) joined and what a joy to have two more good friends in the group. I'd known both of them since my freshman year at Auburn. I was working for Chris' mom at the time on a catfish grant and did a lot of traveling in the last spring and throughout summer.

We traveled to Illinois (near Chicago) for Megan's wedding (a cousin on Chris' side). After the wedding, we drove to my Uncle Pete and Aunt Alta's church and visited with them and my little cousins. They're precious little girls!

Also last summer, I went to a WMU leadership training with some women from my church and prepared to lead the Acteens on my own. I had a whole lot of ideas, and though I didn't realize all of them, I'm sure I might eventually. It'll happen in God's time, not my own, which is the way it should be.

The fall was wonderful. This time we were able to sit with my parents during football season, which we enjoyed. This time we spent Thanksgiving in Kentucky with Chris' side of the family and actually hosted Christmas at our house! Remind me not to do that again until we remodel the kitchen. No, it did turn out alright, and I'm sure with more experience I'll get better at timing the cooking. I really enjoyed Christmas and I think/hope my parents, brother, and Granny did as well. We spent New Year's with my side of the family (it was my grandfather's birthday).

Early in spring this year, we said goodbye to a wonderful friend named Brian. He's now on a boat somewhere over in Europe spreading the Good News. We were so sad (complete understatement) to see him go, but we know he's loving it and we're praying for him constantly. We all miss him at swing. Then in June some more friends moved away. Ashley, or now Dr. Miles!, graduated and took a job in Huntsville. We wish her the best up there. I got to visit with her a little when I was up there at the beginning of July and was glad of the opportunity. Jessica Lipscomb from my Bible study and her husband Bart followed God's call to Austin, TX. They're an amazing couple and I look forward to hearing what God has in store for them out there.

This spring and summer we've attended 6 weddings. Two of Chris' cousins, Bobby (on his dad's side), and Emily (on his mom's side), one of my cousins, Josh (on my dad's side), and friends Paul and Jessica Caspers, Leigh and Donny Mott, and Holly and Brad Shaver. There are a few more weddings coming up this year and we'll make 1 or 2 more, and we're sad to miss some others. We wish all these couples the best! And we met a new cousin (1st once removed) at Emily and Jeff's wedding. Little Emma is beautiful. And we'll meet two more at Christmas (also 1st once removed), so I'll be sure to update about that then.

Tonight I'm going to a Beth Moore simulcast, so I'd better get off and get ready for that. I'll definitely have more to update later. I hope this was long enough to keep you occupied until then. I know I left some stuff out, but I'll get to it eventually.

Laura