I Can Only Imagine...: family

Showing posts with label family. Show all posts

Monday, November 26, 2012

My main man..

..turns 54 today. And doesn't look a day over 40.

;)

**Picture Overload**

Family pictures, c. 1995

c.1997

c. 1998-99

c. August, 2000

Freshman Prom, 2007

Summer 2008


NYC subway, December 2008

Blurry :( - Junior Prom, 2009


Cancun, Mexico - July 2009

Snowshoe, January 2010

Senior Prom, May 2010

18th birthday, May 2010

High school graduation, June 2010

Christmas 2010 - I know I look young, but it's from the lack of makeup ;)

19th birthday, May 2011 - SHORT HAIR!


Christmas, 2011

Easter 2012


Hunt's college graduation from ECU, May 2012

Old Town, San Diego, CA - June 2012

LA Dodgers game, Los Angeles, CA - June 2012

Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, CA - June 2012

_________________________________________

Daddy,

To say that you're my hero doesn't even do it justice. You are so much more than that to me. You're my rock, my anchor, my blessing, and the one person I know that I'll always be able to count on. I take you for granted entirely too often -- not everyone has a dad that loves them as unconditionally as you do me and Hunter -- and for that, I'm so sorry. But I still think you know how much you're loved and admired. The Lord knows that we would have loved to still have Mama here with us the past 9 years, but to say that you've done an amazing job with me and Hunt would be the understatement of the century. You've worked so hard to make sure that we were never without and that we had the best life possible -- and you couldn't have done it more perfectly. I am so blessed to live the life that you have given me and thank God everyday that he blessed me with you as my father. I will never be able to fully express how thankful I am for you but I'll sure try as long as I live. I can't imagine life without you there to have Chinese food waiting for me when I get home on Thursday nights, without you to spot me doing my backtuck, without you to take me on summer night jeep rides, or without you to just be there -- sitting in your recliner reading the paper with football on the television.

Daddy, I know this won't be the best birthday you've ever had because Mama still isn't here, but I pray that it's still a great day for you because you deserve it more than anyone I know. I love you so, so much, Daddy -- Happy Birthday!!!

_______________________________

Friday, October 26, 2012

Moments.

I know that I promised y'all a full recap of my NYC trip and little look-see into my Chinatown haul but that's just gonna have to wait until ~~another day~~ Monday because I had 2 papers due this week and couldn't find the time to take pictures of all my loot.

So, instead I'm gonna talk about moments. You know the ones I'm talking about. Yep, those. The ones you just know that God planned. Now, I know God plans everything (duh) but I think y'all know what I mean. The ones where you can just feel that he knew you needed THAT specific moment RIGHT THEN.

I had one of those moments last week.

I don't have them often. But I'm lucky enough to realize when I do.

I was on fall break last week (Praise the good Lord himself for that one, too) and was so looking forward to all the time I was going to get to spend with family and friends. Wednesday morning I got up, got dressed, went grocery shopping, and then went to spend the entire afternoon and evening with my sweet, amazing, loving, sassy, country cooking Grandma.

You see, I've only got one real grandparent, and that's her. My dad's parents both died before I was 6, and my mom's dad died when I was only 3. My Grandma (mom's mom) did re-marry when I was 5 to a wonderful man named Cecil who, for all intents and purposes, is my granddad. Just not my real one.

Anyway, back to my point. I don't get to spend a lot of time with my Grandma during the school year because when I'm home on the weekends I still have schoolwork to keep up with and I have to divide my time up to make sure I can see my dad, my brother and Kait, Jordan and Kelly, my aunt Terry (mom's sister), and my grandparents. And I don't always get to see everyone every time that I'm home, and when I do get to see them it's usually only for an hour or two, tops. So I made sure that since I had five full days of fall break, I was going to spend more than just a couple hours with my Grandma.

I went over around 3 and we sat down and racked our brains over a jigsaw puzzle and ate chicken salad for about an hour and then we started to cook -- homemade chicken pastry, cornbread, and fried sweet potatoes. I'd never helped my Grandma cook before but she sure put me to work this time. And I know everyone thinks their Grandma is the best cook, but y'all...I swear mine really is ;) At least her cornbread is, for sure. It's Heaven in your mouth.

So while we're both standing there at the stove, me flipping the fried sweet potatoes and her tending to her precious cornbread, we get on the subject of my mom. We always talk about my mom but this time it just felt different. Just me and my Grandma...cooking dinner together...talking about the most important woman in both of our lives. How much we love her, how much we miss her, and how much we can't wait to see that beautiful, smiling face of hers again one day.

It was the perfect moment.

And one that I'll never forget.

Moments like those are the ones we need to cherish. The ones we need to share with others. And the ones that we need to thank God for.

L to R: Mama, Grandma, Aunt Terry, & myself -- Mother's Day, 1999

Have a great rest of your Friday and weekend, y'all!

Friday, October 5, 2012

Heyyyy, it's the freak-ing weekend

So, Friday...have I told you how absolutely wonderful you are?

No?

Well, you are.

Let's get together more often, yes?

Don't have to ask me twice.

I'm home for the weekend (holla, holla) and I couldn't be more excited.

I also couldn't be more excited about the fact that it's finally October!
October is by far my favorite month. No, it's not my birthday month. And no, I don't particularly like Halloween (but I do like curling up on the couch with a bag of candy and a scary movie, just sayin').
BUT, I do love the leaves changing colors.
I love the smell in the air.
I love all of the festivals and fairs that come with it.
I love the cooler weather.
I love Sunday football.
And I love that it's the beginning of the holiday season.

Ohhhh, October...how I've missed you!

I've got a fun, but busy weekend planned so I'm gonna do a quick link-up with Ashley over at Adventures of Newlyweds for...

Dear my followers, I am so super pumped that I now have over 50 of you! I know I lag behind in the actual writing blog posts every now and then, but I'm a college student and that's what happens. BUT, I am so thankful for each of you! Dear NC Seafood Festival, I cannot wait to see you and smell you tomorrow afternoon. I know that may sound weird to some of you, but if you'd ever been then you wouldn't think so. Promise. ;) Dear tomato soup, you have been my go-to meal the past few weeks. You are just so faithfully delicious, especially with a piece of whole wheat oatnut bread toasted, cut up, and tossed into you to sop up the goodness. Nom. Dear roasted red pepper hummus, you are the light of my life. I love you. Don't ever leave me. Dear scarves, I'm so happy to be able to sport y'all again. I have so many of you and in order to give you all equal lovin', I have to start wearing you early. Even when the thermometer is still topping out at 80 degrees. Hot stuff, I tell ya. Dear Jordan, McAuley, and Daddy, this weekend is going to be amazing and a boatload of fun. I'm especially looking forward to the drive down cause I know Daddy is going to dance while driving and that's always a good time. Dear weather, even though you're still a little warm on occasion, you have overall cooled off tremendously and I'm so grateful. Stay awhile, why don't ya? Dear NYC, I will be on my way to you in exactly a week and even though I won't be there for long, I am going to strip you clean of every pashmina scarf and knockoff Tory Burch handbag I can find. Watch out.

_______________________________________________

And just because I'm obsessed with these things...here's another one. Seriously, y'all need to check this website out. It's so hilarious. I don't know how they come up with this stuff.

WHEN I GET HOME FROM THE GYM

Credit: whatshouldwecallme.tumblr.com

Hehehe. They get me every time!

Have a fab weekend, y'all! xo

Monday, April 16, 2012

lazy, wonderful weekend!

Happy start of a new week, y'all! :)
I thought that sounded better than 'Happy Monday'...didn't it?
Anyways, this weekend was spent doing a whole lot of nothing, other than catching up on some much needed sleep, and it was fabulous.
Despite my Thursday night ordeal, I picked up and headed off to Charlotte on Friday to spend the weekend with my sweet boy and his even sweeter family!
I don't have much time today, so I'll just leave you with a quick of recap of what I did manage to do this weekend! ;)
Enjoy!
Friday, David and I treated ourselves like an elderly couple to K&W for dinner.
I had forgotten how good their food was. Not to mention, cheap.
Afterwards, we went back to his parent's house and I was out like a light before 10:30.

Saturday morning we were up and at 'em and off to watch David's nephew, Turner, play flag football..where he scored 2 touchdowns! I think. I know it was at least one ;) Afterward, Mr. Queen (David's dad) treated us to to lunch at McAlister's...yum!

such a cutie pie

Saturday afternoon, Laura and I laid out in the sun..and it felt so, so good. C'mon summertime!
Saturday night, we decided to make these little babies...

and they were..a success!
Ours weren't quite this pretty, however, because we had to use a regular muffin tin. But they were still delicious! :)

Sunday, we slept in and lounged around until about 1:00 when David and I headed to the mall for some retail therapy. Here are a few of the things he got:

And I can't find pictures of the other things, but he got some khaki shorts and powder blue colored shorts (obviously, he needed new shorts), a couple t-shirts, and a super snazzy yellow, long-sleeve button-up. Ay yi yi! ;)

But more importantly, here's what I got..


Merona Milena Suede Wedges, Target, $14.98 on clearance. BAM.

Essential Belted Shorts, Coral, Forever21 - $12.80

Belted Woven Shorts, Blue and Brown, Forever21 - $13.80


Pleated Cap Sleeve Dress, Royal Blue, Forever21 - $17.80

And I also bought some super cute jewelry, but couldn't find it on their website. Boo! So you'll just have to trust me on that one :)

Hope that y'all had a wonderful weekend and enjoy the rest of your Monday! xo

Thursday, April 12, 2012

birthday wish list...#1

Thursday, Thursday, gotta get ~~down~~ ~~on Thursday~~ ready for Friday!

One more day guys..we can do this.

Since my 20th birthday is exactly one month from today (eeeeeek!) I thought I would entertain you all with my tentative (emphasis on the tentative) birthday wish list!

In the off season of holidays, whenever I see something that I like/want/need...I make a note of it on my phone so when another gift-giving holiday rolls around and my family starts asking me what I want..I can actually tell them something! Brilliant..I know, I know. Or is it bratty? Either way...here's my list!

#1. Land's End Extra Large Open Top Canvas Bag