The Fair!

Yesterday we went to the fair, and took Madelyn with us. I love the fair! We've gone every year (that I can remember) since I was a little girl. One of my earliest memories is riding on the Ferris Wheel with my Daddy...I remember closing my eyes the entire time because I was scared :) I'm not a big rider, but I love walking around and people-watching. And eating pancakes and sausage at the pancake house, of course. This year it was so sweet to carry Madelyn around and see her reaction to everything. She and her Mama rode on the Merry-Go-Round; I don't think she knew what to think about it! She also had her first taste of cotton candy...I think she liked it!

Dreams

I still dream about it. Last night, it was the day of the wedding. Guests were already arriving at the church. I was in my wedding dress. I was a wreck. I knew I was doing the wrong thing. There was no happiness, no joy, on this wedding day. Not the way it should be. I finally broke down and told my Daddy that I couldn't do it, that I didn't want to get married, that I didn't want to do the wrong thing. He immediately said that was alright, and we should go announce to the people in the church that there wouldn't be a wedding. I was relieved, but sad and upset that that was happening, that I had caused it. I was crying, wishing it was just a dream. And I woke up this morning, and it was just a dream.

Only, really it wasn't a dream. It happened. Not exactly like that, not that close to the wedding, but still, it happened.

And I still grieve over it. I still hurt for hurting others. I still ache for the pain I caused him. I am still embarrassed that I planned a wedding then called it off. I am still sorry that my parents had to deal with undoing everything that I had done. I am still grateful that my parents supported me. I am still thankful for my friends who helped me through rough times.

And I still dream about it. And I wish I didn't.

Feeling Crafty

I love making things! I get it from my Mama...she's the most crafty, creative person I know. Here are a few things I've done over the summer...

I stole this idea from Laurie B. ... I bought stools from JoAnn's and painted them as gifts for 2 little boys.

I found a quilted notecard tutorial and made these super-easy notecards with fabric scraps.

These are some bags I made as graduation gifts for my sweet OT friends. My mama monogrammed them on her new machine. (Since she got a new sewing/monogramming machine she let me have her old one. Yay!)

I had a lot of fabric left over from the bags, so I made a dress for my niece.


And, I made her a stool for her 1st birthday. Thanks Laurie for sharing this idea!

A Sweet Girl Turns 1!

On September 19, my sweet niece Madelyn turned 1 year old! This year has flown by. I remember how excited we were when we found out my brother and sister-in-law were expecting, then how happy we were when we found out it was going to be a little girl. And how we all sat in the hospital waiting room anxiously awaiting her arrival. It's hard to believe that's been over a year ago! She is the most beautiful little girl with the sweetest spirit. She is so happy and brings so much joy to my heart. She is so blessed to have such awesome parents. This is one loved little girl!

Madelyn and Aunt Mal Mal the day she was born.

And on her birthday!

Jesus said, " Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." ~Matthew 19:14

Chronicles of South Dakota

Last week my parents and I went on vacation to South Dakota. Well, it was supposed to be their vacation but they asked me to go with them since I'm not in school anymore and don't have a job yet. It was so nice to get {far} away from everything and see things I've never seen before! Here are some pictures from the trip.

leaving on a jet plane...

We flew into Rapid City on Sunday. It was late (Georgia-time) by the time we got to the hotel, so

we ate supper at Arnold's, a 50's-style diner, and went back to the hotel and went to bed.

On Monday we got up and drove to the Badlands.

We stopped at Wall Drug Store, the world's largest drug store. It was started in the 1930's; business picked up after they started advertising "free ice water." They still serve free ice water, and 5 cent coffee as well.




Pictures just don't do it justice.

On Tuesday, we went on a bus tour and got to see a lot of the SD sites. First stop...Mt. Rushmore!

This cave was 8 feet 4 inches wide. Our bus was 8 feet wide. We drove through it. Yes, I'm serious. The people on the other side didn't think we would make it through, but we did...

Sylvan Lake, where part of National Treasure: Book of Secrets was filmed.

Crazy Horse, a memorial to the Lakota leader Crazy Horse; started in 1948.

On Wednesday, we drove to Wyoming and saw Devil's Tower. One popular Indian legend about the tower claims that some little girls were playing around some rocks when a bear came after them. They climbed up onto one of the rocks, and the Great Spirit caused the rock to grow up out of the ground to keep the bear from getting to the girls. The bear kept trying to jump up the rock but would just claw at the rock and fall to the ground.

We had a great trip, but as always, there's no place like home!

Crazy...

...about this little girl!

How could you not be?

The Big 2-5!

On July 31, I turned 25. A quarter of a century old. The age in which you can rent a car. And get kicked off your parent's health insurance :) My brother, whose birthday is July 21, and I had a joint family birthday dinner at my parents house. I don't have any pictures but we had a great time celebrating our first birthdays with a niece (me) and a daughter (him). And my Mama made some delicious birthday cakes...key lime for Landon and chocolate with cream-cheese filling for me. Yum!

I was in Augusta on my actual birthday, which happened to be the last day of my Fieldwork, which means I am officially done with grad school (and school period, for that matter)! Great day to celebrate! My friends and I went to eat dinner at White Elephant, then went to Tropicabana for salsa night. Only, when we got there, we found out that it was hip-hop night instead. We stayed anyway :) We had a great time, although none of us are exactly hip-hop dancers...