WARNING: EXTREMELY LONG POST!
Wow! What a fun time we had this past weekend. :) My mom called me about a week and a half ago and informed us that she had decided to take a quick trip to Lynchburg for a college reunion. My dad was going too, so this was the perfect opportunity for us to hop in the car and see our family...and all of the Lburg friends too! Unfortunately, Joshua has been short on help @ work so he was unable to come--we really missed him--but he probably would have been sick to death of all the girl talk by the end of the weekend anyways. ha I hadn't been back to Lburg since Dolly's wedding over 2 years ago, so I was SO excited to go back for the weekend!
Bradley and I headed out of town Friday morning and got to L-burg around 4-ish. We met up with dad so he could see Jesse (who cares about the daugther & son anymore...right???? ha) and then Jesse and I went to spend a little time with Dolly, Leland and Michael before they left to go out of town. I was SO excited to finally be able to meet sweet Michael and boy was he precious, darling, all of the above!!! Dolly and I have been able to experience all the stages of life together so it was VERY surreal to sit there and watch our boys play together after all of the prayers we have prayed. We are so incredibly blessed and Dolly's friendship will always mean the world to me. She is the real deal people!!!!
I love this picture. :)
After I left Dolly's I stopped by to see my mom for a short bit and she cried and cried whenever she saw Jesse. She hadn't seen him since he was a week old, so she couldn't get over how much he had changed. It was SO good to be with her. My parents had a banquet on Friday night, so since they were busy, I took the opportunity to meet my old Lburg roomie, Chapel, her husband, Troy, and their little boy, Charlie Cash for dinner. We had the BEST time and again, it was so wonderful seeing all the great things God has done for Chapel. They live in a GORGEOUS home and have been blessed with the most precious baby boy! After dinner, we headed to an icecream shop and met up with another one of our good friends, Brian, and his kiddos, Makenna & Nick. Brian never fails to make us laugh. We sat there, ate our icecream, oo-ed & ah-ed over the kids and laughed. It was so refreshing and I left with that feeling in your stomach--the one you get when you've laughed so much it hurts. It was great! I stayed with Chap that night and after we got the boys to bed, we stayed up late talking. And just like back in the day, I got SLEEPY and my words starting running together...so we ended up going to bed too! Some things never change. :) It was a LONG day for me...what can I say???
Jesse meeting Chap for the 1st time!
Troy & sweet Charlie!
Jesse & Brian
Me & Jesse with Makenna & Nick
Saturday morning, Bradley and I met Dad and Pam for breakfast. I know that EVERY family has their issues--just like my own--but the thing I love about being with my family is that we truly enjoy eachother whenever we're together. We don't fight, we don't bicker, we just laugh and have a great time. I'm so thankful for that! Anyways, it was fun for them to love on Jesse and they even brought him some presents too...guess that's what g-parents love to do! :)
G-pa & Jesse--they are such good buddies. :)
After breakfast, Brad, Jesse and I all met up with my mom, Nan, and Jim (Nan's husband) at the mall, ate lunch and just hung out. We haven't all been in the same place in so long, so it was nice to have everyone there (except for Jay and we missed you so, so much!!!) My friend, Bonnie and her baby girl, Alivia met us @ the mall as well and I hadn't seen Bonnie since my wedding and hadn't met Alivia yet either so that was such a treat! What a cutie-patootie she is -- she has the most beautiful face and the cutest giggle. Bonnie has waited such a long time for a baby--and has been through so much trying to have one, that it made me EXTREMELY happy to see her with her beautiful little girl. :) After the mall, we all headed to a reunion cookout with my mom and then Jesse really needed a nap, so I headed to Bonnie's house for that! It gave us a great chance to catch up a little bit while the kiddos slept. Loved that.
Jesse & Mimi
Jesse & Nan
Bonnie & Alivia
That night I headed to dinner with mom & Nan @ Shakers (yum...miss that place!) and then we headed back to the hotel to hang out. By this point, we were all EXHAUSTED from running non-stop and I wanted to get my poor boy into bed early--he was such a trooper the entire weekend! It was so great to be with mom and Nan--it refreshed my heart in a huge way. :)
Sunday AM Brad came to get me @ the hotel and brought along another dear friend from Charlotte, Lyndsey. Lyndsey had never met Jesse before either--we were SO happy to see her! We all ended up going to Thomas Road to hear mom & dad sing and I ran into a thousand people I haven't seen in ages. A lot of our friends from college still live in LBurg so it's always like a big reunion when we go back. You see someone everywhere you go...and I love that! We FINALLY headed back to Knoxville about 1 PM and it felt like the weekend had come and gone in no time. Both Brad and I got to see our parents, our Nan, alot of our friends and had the most wonderful time! Everyone needs a weekend like that every once in awhile. :)
Jesse meeting Lyndsey for the 1st time!
Finally got to see Kim!!!
Saying Goodbye to Mimi!
YAY! Going home to see my DADDY!!! :)
Me & Mom in Cali back in 2007
Jesse & Mahala with the boys on their 5th b-day!
Quick trip to Starbucks! Bradley's teaching Jesse early. :)
Jesse meeting Dolly for the 1st time!
