Just ole married folks now...

Yep...one year ago today I said "I do" to my best friend, my soulmate, and the love of my life....best decision I have ever, and will ever, make. This year, this start to our marriage, has far exceeded my expectations. And I sat in church today and thanked God for bringing Justin into my life and for giving us the most amazing first year of marriage.

Justin and I celebrated with a nice dinner out at one of our favorite restaurants, Cafe 1912. We had an excellent meal and had so much fun reviewing the events of the this past year of our lives and planning for years to come. We had actually planned to be in Pensacola Beach, FL, for the week, but our plans had to change because duty called at my work.

In the meantime, we continue to work on our yard...I am not ready to post the whole start to finish, but here is a little taste of how we have been spending our time...

Outdoor Project #1: Herb Garden

Sorry for the long winter absence from blogging...we have been so busy...both with work and then the weekends just tend to fly by... We have been doing great and spent the winter starting to plan some spring and summer house projects - some we will do on our own, and others we will get some professional help with. One project of mine was completed today...and I hope that it provides a wide array of cooking essentials: My herb garden. I had an herb garden at my Mimosa house, but it was not very big and I was not cooking as much as I am now. But I have come to love and appreciate fresh herbs in my cooking, and wanted to have my favorite herbs easily accessible. This is what the spot looked like before: a bunch of yard stuff laying around in an otherwise perfect flower bed: So two weekends ago when it was still a bit chilly, I cleaned it out, lined it, and filled it with good dirt and potting soil: Today, Saturday, my plan was to spend the entire day outside doing yard clean-up and spring-readying, and I happened to go on and plant the herbs: This herb garden will - hopefully - provide us with fresh cilantro, basil, rosemary, italian parsley, thyme, and lavender.

I left a little room just in case I found something else to add - Can't wait to reap the benefits!

Prayer Request

I have not yet mentioned one important event that happened on December...I became an aunt...again...and again. My sister-in-law Cobbie gave birth to identical twin girls, Anna Wells Llewellyn and Elizabeth Reed Llewellyn(Bess), on December 6th.

It was a frightening morning for the Llewellyn clan because we had not expected the twins arrival until later in December, but during a routine check-up and stress test, the doctors noticed that one of the twins, Bess, was struggling. While I am fuzzy on the details, she was struggling enough that the doctors whisked Cobbie into the hospital for an emergency C-section.

Several hours later I received the news that the twins had indeed arrived, but with some difficulty. Anna was delivered without difficulty, but Bess was born without a heartbeat and not breathing (it is still difficult for me to say that she was stillborn). However, the doctors resuscitated her and she "pinked up" quickly. Both twins were taken to the NICU where they were closely monitored and cared for. There was significant worry that Bess would not make it through the night. But she did, and over the next three weeks, the twins both made astounding progress - eating, moving, peeing, and pooping, just as babies do. The girls did so well, in fact, that talks of going home started over the Christmas holiday.

Anna went home first, while Bess stayed to make sure her body temperature was stable and to have an MRI. Given her difficult birth, this MRI had been the plan from Day 1. Two EEGs and head ultrasounds showed that she was doing well, but the MRI is a more definitive look at the brain to assess for any damage.

Without getting medically technical, we found out last week that Bess suffered a severe brain injury during birth. While we are not sure what exactly that will mean, the doctors have told my brother and Cobbie that Bess will certainly have physical and cognitive deficits. She will have cerebral palsy, the extent of which we are not yet sure.

We are all shocked by this news, as we all felt, and the doctors agreed, that she was making such great progress. I can safely say that I do not think I have ever felt such profound sadness. Joy that she was alive and stable and going home, but also scared and sad. I have not yet met these babies in person but I have loved them for nine months and anticipated their arrival with great excitement.

We have a lot to learn about what little Bess's life will be like, but we are praying for patience and peace as each day goes by. She and Anna are at home, with big sister Katie, and are keeping Cobbie and Charles busy with poopy diapers and hungry bellies.

Justin and I tried to get to B-Ham last weekend to visit our newest family members, but Katie Cobb had the flu and we could not make it. I hope to post some pics of these sweet babies soon.

If there is anyone out there actually reading this blog, please keep my family in your prayers, especially Charles, Cobbie, Katie, Anna, and Bess. There is a lot of uncertainty and a lot of questions that only time will answer...

Thank you!

Stay-At-Home Wife

Yes....that's right...I'm a stay-at-home wife...for one day. Nope, I did not quit my job, I just took a very necessary day off - which allowed me to have a four day weekend with New Year's Eve already being a day off from work. Yahoo!! Bazinga!! I have loved this much-needed time off to rest, take care of the house and Justin, and just reset my clocks for 2011.

I have cleaned the house, entertained friends, celebrated the New Year, nursed Justin's feet back to health, and cooked like I have always wanted to... I told Justin that I needed one more day to go hit the after-Christmas sales.

A picture from New Year's...we met some friends at Bosco's - a really fun place to sit, talk, celebrate and toast 2011... Below is Damie and Dave, who graciously allowed us to join their New Year's festivities...

Saturday night, the first night of the year, we had friends Doug and Erica over for dinner and game night. We cooked a great meal. Justin LOVES risotto and has always wanted me to make some so I have tried a few recipes out over the past few months. Risotto is actually very easy to prepare, its just takes a little stirring...

This is Butternut Squash Risotto, a recipe from "Simply Suppers" by Jennifer Chandler. I really like this book (a gift from my mom for Christmas) and find that the recipes are very interesting without being overly difficult. The author is also a Memphian who studied at Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Academy in Paris. I sometimes dream about taking a year and doing the same thing!

Next challenge, from the same book...making Corn Chowder. Justin helped me out with this one, and we found the recipe easy to follow and delicious...and we have enough chowder for an army...

Yum-O as Rachel Ray would say!!

And today...Monday...we are enjoying one last day before returning to the work-grind...Lowe's and William Sonoma are on my list...but its noon and I am still in PJs(reason numero uno NOT to be a stay-at-home wife)...I guess we'll see what all is accomplished!

Happy 2011!!!

December 2010

Gosh...December...I hardly knew ya...I can't remember a holiday month ever going by so quickly. I don't know if it was the extreme craziness at work (lots and lots and lots of sick folks, and some others trying to get medical issues taken care of before deductibles reset in the new year), or the whirlwind of weekend activities, starting with the St Jude Half Marathon, our soccer team's annual Tacky Sweater Party, and then the holidays themselves when Justin and I participate in what we affectionately call "The Family Shuffle."

The first weekend of December, two friends (and one's sister) from Vandy came in town to run the St. Jude Half Marathon...these girls are all phenomenal runners and I was happy to just hold my own...I finished the 13.1 miles in 1 hour and 55 minutes, beating my goal time by 5 minutes. We all enjoyed the race and were happy to be finished. Below, from left to right, Beth Whitworth (who ran a marathon the very next weekend), Erin Miller, me, and Allison Moulder (6-month old baby at home). I hope we can all get together for another race!

This was Justin and I's first Christmas together...well, at least, it was our first Christmas as a married couple, in one house, with one tree. Since we have been dating, we have spent the holidays with both families, but this year was extra-special since it was our "married-first." We spent Christmas Eve at our house with Justin's parents, where we all contributed to an amazing meal. I am thrilled to report that future meals will be exponentially finer since I was the recipient of this:

A picture of our first tree:

We spent Christmas morning with my parents at their house...opening gifts and eating a delicious pancake breakfast. My dad continues his quest to make a handyman/woodworker out of Justin by giving him his first circular saw...ahhh...the projects yet to come!

Later on Christmas Day we celebrated with my aunt and grandmother, then again at the Gage's house...it was quite a fantastic day!

We hope that everyone had a wonderful Christmas holiday and enjoyed every minute with their family and friends!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

We have so much to be thankful for...loving families close-by, great jobs, wonderful friends, good health...we hope that each of you (if anyone actually reads this blog) have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday... Next year, we are going to strive for better picture-taking smiles...as this is the ONLY picture Justin would take with me...

Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Black Friday...

Katie's 3rd Birthday

Here are a few pics of our favorite niece in Birmingham who celebrated her 3rd birthday with a princess-themed playground party...

Uncle J-Loh gave Katie a soccer ball...very appropriate...but I think the most favorite gift was her scooter from her aunt Tay-Tay (Cobbie's sister).

Little does Katie know that her world is about to be rocked by identical twin girl sisters...coming December 2010/January 2011...we can't wait!