It’s a baby shower!
Frankly, my dear…
Six months is not really that long to not write, is it? In my defense, it has been a very eventful 6 months.
The first month and a half we were still in Mississippi most of the time with Frank’s parents. His mother passed away at the end of May. I’m not sure what else to say about that…
And then the next 4 months I was miserably sick from way long lasting morning sickness. Oh.my.word. I wish I had just been nauseated! And now it’s time for Christmas crafts already!
But first, for Aunt Mariana, here are some pics from my baby shower this past weekend! I would show one of the super cute invitations…but I can’t seem to find mine…that almost didn’t get to me in the first place because someone (named my Mama) forgot to put stamps on a few…
We had lots of people smooshed into our little house. It’s a good thing it was mostly family ( and Marchbanks’s!) because we are used to being on top of each other.
I had some very lovely helpers. Selah always loves to open presents especially as she’s running around with a balloon yelling “It’s a birthday party!!” It was her birthday party and sometimes EE’s birthday party and sometimes Bobo’s birthday party. Grace also helped me by keeping the gifts close and helping Selah not open all of the packaging 🙂
My BFF”s Becca and Katie. Oh, and baby Anna.
We had our yule log on in the background because it’s fun to watch and act like there’s a real fireplace…and that it’s cold outside…
Mama really wants to have animals in the baby’s room. Especially lions. Even though it’s a sports theme! And there’s our other helper Aunt Riane. Actually, almost Cousin Riane but since she’s marrying Cousin Matt and he’s a self proclaimed Uncle then that makes her Aunt! And she’s a great aunt!
Andrea got to come down!! And got to open a present too for new baby girl!
I love, love the backdrop.
The Billarreal Girls.
With Becca and Katie.
Looking back I should’ve worn something that made me look more pregnant because that shirt really held it in!! And we didn’t get great shots of the gifts and people because my camera is just too slow. I also would have liked to have gotten pics of everyone who was there! It was so much fun. And the cake was yum. And I was obsessed with the sausage balls. As usual.
Miss Scarlett, Miss Scarlett!
Frankly, my dear…
I cannot remember a time that I was so enthralled in a book that I could not put it down and could not wait to see what happened next. But this one did it…
I have never wanted 2 people together more in my life!!! Well, maybe Luke and Lorelai. And Ross and Rachel. But that was tv so that’s different, right?
I’ve had the book on my shelf for years. I can pretty much quote the movie of Gone With The Wind by heart. Obviously, I love it. Ahem, “Frankly, my Dear.” So I have no idea why it took me so long to actually read it. Ah, wasted years.
My heart pounded and my breath caught as I read through the second half of their crazy story. I got mad at Scarlett and then mad at Rhett. Why oh why could they not just see that they were supposed to be together??? I waited anxiously as I, like Scarlett, anticipated Rhett behind every door…in every crowd…from Savannah to Charleston to Ireland.
I’m sure it only added to my enjoyment that I was at home while reading and imagined Scarlett walking down the same street to the Jonesboro depot that I was walking (ok, riding in a car) to go to church Easter morning. And that Scarlett was very well taking the same route on the train from Jonesboro to Peachtree Street in Atlanta that I was. I mean, I-75 is basically the same thing, you know. And my mom’s Jeep is definitely almost the same as a train. 🙂
I googled info on GWTW and Vivien Leigh after I finished. I learned 2 interesting pieces of information. One, Vivien Leigh was Bipolar…no wonder she was so great as Scarlett. And, two, I lived 20 minutes away from a Gone With The Wind museum for over 10 years. It seems like that would’ve been an interesting piece of information to know. Especially considering…
Another day…
Frankly, my dear…
I knew that some friends read this blog. And I knew that some of my bloggy friends read. (Well, that was back in the day when I was somewhat consistent in writing. Ahem.) However, I did not know that some old law school friends of my husband’s read…hi, Brad! 🙂
We have entered our 2nd week at Frank’s home in Mississippi. His mother has been in ICU and this is the 13th day. We have since moved to a long term acute care hospital. It has been challenging to say the least. We were able to be here for the first week. Frank’s work has been amazing through this process. We went home late Sunday night and then came back on Wednesday to stay through the weekend. It was nice to be at home for a few days. It was even nicer that we have been able to be here as much as we have been. I really don’t think that this would have been the case if we were still living in Corpus. Not only was there no flexibility with his work but our trip is also cut in half now.
This will most likely be a very long process. Eventually, we will be moving his parents to be near us. (Of course, the plan would be to move both of our families near us!) There are many things that have to fall into place before the move can happen. It kind of makes my head spin. And hurt. And creates an increased uncontrollable desire for more Dr. Pepper. I think I may go find one now…
As promised…
Frankly, my dear…
It’s taken me a lot longer than I thought to write about October and November…and December…and January…and, well you get the picture…
But I have a good excuse. I promise. Never mind that it involved lots of sitting around and waiting. And let’s forget about the fact that I had the laptop. And wifi. But it’s a a good excuse 🙂
October…what happened in October? Well, we settled into our new home and town. We had lots of cute babies visit. And parents.
The babies looked super cute in Uncle Frank’s Rangers hat…
We also went to see Bobo, my grandfather, for his 88th birthday. He has had some major health problems this year including having amputations of both legs. He likes to have his “Little Bobo’s” around him.
Of course originally it was just us grandkids…(insert badly scanned photo of me and my cousins 20+ years ago). I’m the oldest in the middle of the back. I know, I’m cute 🙂
And now it’s us and his great-grandbabies that he has waited a a good 10 years for!
Maybe next year he’ll have some more “little Bobo’s” in his bed.
Long time no see…
Frankly, my dear…
I had no idea that it had been 10 million years since I last wrote! Ok, I had a small idea…but I didn’t realize that it’s been 7 months.
7 months.
A lot can happen in 7 months.
So, here’s a quick catch up:
August: Frank interviewed for a new job and we began to get very excited about finally being able to leave this coastal town! The hard part was that it took forever to hear anything back. So we waited and waited. We went around and around. We weighed options. Over and over again. But we knew that ultimately it was not in our hands. It seems like we are always waiting for something. I feel like I am always looking for jobs. Always looking at houses. Always looking to better our situation. I know that we were sent to South Texas for a reason…and I can list many…but it was just NOT where we wanted to be. It was not a forever, or even an extended stay, kind of place. It didn’t fit. We were so far away from our families. And friends. And in a place that we just didn’t like. (It’s nice that I can finally say that out loud now!)
And then, somewhat, surprisingly, Psalm 40:1 came to life. “I waited patiently for the Lord, and he heard my cry.” Yay!! I just so happened to be with the sweetest boy that I know when we found out that he got the job. ( I know it’s blurry but that’s what happens with a phone in a hotel room!)
An hour away from our new home so it worked out perfectly that I could drive over and find a place to live…in 2 weeks!
September: So long South Texas…hello…another part of Texas…north? West? I’m not really sure because it’s west of “where the west begins” but not really west. Although there are an awful lot of cowboy hats. And spurs. People in restaurants wear spurs, y’all. So weird.
Anyway, in a crazy change of events (as usual), we moved within 30 minutes of where my sister was before they went back to Georgia. Ugh! We just keep missing each other. The funny thing is that we are actually closer to EVERYONE than we were in Corpus. I really didn’t think that we would stay in Texas. I didn’t really want to. We are Southern people. Southern and Texan are two different things. But obviously Someone has different plans for us. It’s so nice to finally be able to breathe. And being an hour from Becca is certainly a perk! It’s the closest we’ve been in years 🙂
October and November coming next!
It’s beginning to look like fall…
…in my house, anyway.
It is SO time to start decorating for fall. I know that it’s only early August. My usual rule is that I decorate on September 1. But it’s not like we really have seasons or anything anyway. And I like the fall decor. So I’m doing it early. Actually, I’m just giving fall more of a fair chance at being the decor of choice because I start Christmas decorating in November. Or June if you count that random Christmas wreath I made and have hanging up…
I saw a table runner in a cool Christmas decor book made out of ribbons. All you have to do is take the wire out and sew the sides together. I got 3 $1 ribbon spools of pretty fall colors and leaves. So my runner only cost $3. I already put it over the top of a bookshelf that is already decorated. All it takes is that little bit of ribbon and a cute owl candle holder from the Hob Lob and it’s a little bit of fall! Well, on that bookcase anyway. And I finally finished my fall yo-yo pillow. I know it’s not the best picture but it’s all I’ve got!
Cute babies…
One of the best parts of the summer was being able to see the babies!! I was used to seeing Selah every six weeks or so. Six weeks would be the longest I would have to go without seeing her. You know, for the long 1 year of her life 🙂 They moved to Georgia 1 1/2 months before we got to go visit. And she was so adorable as usual.
When she can’t be with me, she likes to let everyone know how much she loves me.
She has bunches of fun with Uncle Frank too or Jay-Jay as she calls him.
Frank got to meet Josiah for the first time. He is such a big baby!!
Oh, yeah, he likes to tell people about me too.
He likes hanging with his aunt 🙂
Little House…
I started re-reading the Little House on the Prairie series while I was at home last month. I used to love the books when I was little. I remember staying up late and reading in bed. I especially remember one time when I had pneumonia and I read constantly while I was sick. I can’t recall the last time that I read the books though. Mama started picking up the old books at flea markets and antique shops so I can have the whole series again. I do love my old, old books! Ahem, Nancy Drew. I”m not sure where all of the old ones are that I used to have.
Again, I’ve been reading before bed. The funny thing is that as I read about the long, hard blizzards and how cold they are, I start to feel cold. And then as they struggle and are hungry because all they have left to eat is a little bit of wheat, i feel bad when I eat! How silly is that? (Luckily, Almanzo saved the whole little town by getting wheat from a settler 30 miles away in the blizzard!!!)
I guess one of the good things is that it also makes me think about thankfulness and gratefulness. Like the Christmas that Laura and Mary got one piece of candy and their tin cup. She was thankful for that years later. There were such good lessons in these stories. I guess you’re never too old to hear them…
The South…
Frankly, my dear…
I am having to get readjusted to being in Corpus. It our 2nd day back in town after 10 glorious (no, I’m not being dramatic) days of being HOME. I think that there’s just something about being in the South. The real South. I was in a gift shop in Dahlonega, GA and saw the cutest sign/frame. It really explains life in the South. I hope you can read this…
The land of Scarlett, sweet tea and thank you ma’am! I’m about to break into a chorus of Tim McGraw’s Southern Voice… 🙂
Currently…
I came across a really cool sign on Pinterest that included this list. I thought it was a great way to start writing…
CURRENTLY…
1. Listening to HGTV turned down very quietly, noises in the parking lot and the hum of the refrigerator…which interestingly enough, is making me sleepy. Ok, interesting to me, anyway
2. Eating vanilla wafers but really wanting the fancy frozen pizza we’re having later.
3. Drinking sweet tea (that could be sweeter!) in my little pink bubble glass that used to say Perdido Key on it. Oh, and with 3 ice cubes.
4. Wearing the remnants of my outfit from the day…a plain white tshirt that had a cute purple argyle sweater vest over it. Until I got home. And realized that it’s June. In Texas.
5. Feeling happy because I found something interesting online, hopeful that this could end up being what we’ve been waiting for, doubtful that it is, and still sleepy.
6. Weather is cloudy and kinda dreary but I LOVE it. I really really want us to get some of the rain from the tropical storm because it has been SO long. It’s sad when the palm trees are turning brown…
7. Wanting it to be time to leave for our trip home! It will be the first time home since we got married. 2 years. Since I’ve been home. That’s way too long.
8. Needing to pack, wash clothes and for Frank to be home from work!!!
9. Thinking that I need to be intentional in my thinking and focus on good. Be appreciative and grateful. Not worry and at least attempt to be carefree for a few days. I’ll set a short goal…maybe the few days will be easier to do than long term!
10. Enjoying that I was able to recognize and somewhat be continually aware for a few days that God has provided. And will. And that I get to go home 🙂
Frankly, My Dear... 
