Our first dinner party!

Well, we made it to Smyrna and are loving this new chapter of our lives. Boxes are unpacked, the Penske truck has been returned, and I think my head has finally stopped spinning from the whirlwind that we just experienced. I will do a big blog post about the move and the week it took to get settled later but, today's post is about our first dinner party.

Jace and I have never entertained before. Our parents and sister-in-law visited us while we were in Gainesville but to say that we had friends over, no. This past Saturday night we wanted to thank Jay and Lisa Cash for letting us spend the night with them the night before we moved into our apartment. We thought we would do the Southern thing and host dinner. Jace and I were both excited to have friends over. The last time Jay and Lisa were at our apartment, they brought boxes up and helped carry in our mattress and couch. With time, the boxes have been unpacked and this once empty space looks and feels like a home.

Now, there is no motivation greater to clean your house than when guests come over. I keep a clean house but we needed to do the weekly chores: dusting, vacuuming, mopping, laundry. I also had to go to the grocery store and gather groceries for our dinner. Jace and I had thought about grilling hamburgers and having the traditional summer sides with our meal. I need to mention that grilling hamburgers is a BIG thing to us. At our Gainesville apartment, we couldn't have a grill. Our new complex has grills and we planned on being one of the first people to use them. With grocery list in hand, I decide to stop by the apartment club house and double check if the grills were in fact working. Thank goodness, I didn't buy five pounds of hamburgers because the grills are not working yet because our complex is still so new. I ran back to our apartment and in a slightly dramatic way, opened every cookbook I have and even had Jace pouring over recipes. We were hosting a dinner party and had no idea what we were going to have for dinner! Jace being the rational one, calmly suggested chicken lime tacos which is one of our favorite meals. We quickly decided on a Mexican themed dinner and after I redid my grocery list, I headed for Kroger.

Once home, I put dinner in the crockpot and fixed a peach cobbler. Jace and I finished cleaning the apartment and before we knew it, it was almost time for Jay and Lisa to come over. Before they came, I set out all my dishes, serving utensils, and napkins--honey I was ready to entertain! The chicken was done and needed to be shredded. Y'all I opened up the crockpot and the five boneless, skinless chicken breasts must have shrunk in size when they cooked. I kept shredding hoping that somehow, miraculously more chicken would appear. I looked at Jace and told him to fill up on chips and salsa and to let Jay and Lisa eat the chicken. I also told him to run down the road to Pollo Tropical and pick up some chicken before they got here. Y'all, if I'm lying, I'm dying five minutes after I had this panic attack of "we-are-hosting-our-first-dinner-party-and-don't-have-enough-food", Jay and Lisa knocked on our door. We were honest with Jay and Lisa and told them that we didn't have enough food and thankfully we all laughed about it. In a "five loaves of bread and two fish" moment, miraculously there was more than enough chicken for the chicken lime tacos! The evening was so much fun and Jay and Lisa complimented me on dinner. I knew the peach cobbler was a big hit when Jay had his bowl already ate before I sat down to the table after serving everyone.

Overall, we had a great time hosting our first dinner party and had even greater first guests! Thankfully, it is something that gave us a laugh and Jay and Lisa were understanding. We welcome more guests and hope to see many more friends soon!

What a whirlwind!

On May 26, 2012, Jace Stamper proposed to me and it was one of the greatest days of my life. I knew life would be busy leading up to the wedding but then I thought things would calm down after our wedding. Boy was I wrong! Life has been going at WARP speed and honey I need to catch my breath. I never knew how much life two people could try to cram into 2 short years. As a Family Studies major, I know of a stress questionnaire and ya'll I have checked off every box except having a baby, buying a car, and buying a home. Thinking of those three things alone makes me want to hide under the covers.

I feel like I have so much to blog about and have drafted posts in my head only to stare at a blank computer screen or worse, not even make the effort to open up a new post draft. I'm tired at night and quite frankly don't want to stare at the computer screen any longer however, the urge to blog is still there. This post is an attempt to record our life's happenings since Jace's graduation (read: this could be wordy and lengthy).

After Jace graduated, we packed up and headed to Hilton Head which is our slice of paradise. We have been going for years now and its just comfortable to us.

 We started our week off by visiting Charleston and enjoyed seeing this historic Southern town.

We ate Moonpies and drank RCs in Charleston, took a carriage ride through town where I proceeded to ask the tour guide about the filming of Bravo's Southern Charm TV show. As Jace said, only I would ask something like that. We also visited the famous Angle Oak Tree that is regularly seen in Southern Living Magazine; what a beauty she was.

I know some people may find it odd that I am enamored by a tree but honey Live Oaks are amazing to me and scream the South!

The rest of the week was spent by the beach where Jace and I talked about everything and anything but nothing really of significance. We started our mornings off slow on our villa's screened-in porch drinking coffee and reading our Internet sites.

At some point we would decide to get ready for the beach and head out. We would come in for lunch and then we would stay late into the afternoon. The five o'clock hour is my favorite time at the beach. All the families have packed up for the day and are heading out to dinner, the tide is up, its quiet, and the sun couldn't get any more golden. That my friends, is the perfect time of day!

We hit up our usual restaurants and I thoroughly enjoyed not prepping, cooking, or cleaning up after dinner for seven nights! One night we ventured out to a new place called Skull Creek Boathouse.

Waiting for dinner at Skull Creek

Ya'll it went down that night. By the end of the night we were dancing under a Live Oak tree swaying to the music of some great band. Memories were definitely made and I am already itching to go back.

On our way out of town, we stopped at Savannah only to find ourselves in a lengthy downpour.

Savannah Cotton Exchange

It made for one wet trolly ride through town but it was fun nonetheless.Thankfully, we have toured Savannah before and I was familiar with the sites of the city.

When reality hit and we realized vacation really was over, life hit with full force. We suddenly found ourselves in a straight-up panic because the apartment that we had fell in love with was WAY behind in construction. Our move-in date of July 1 was only wishful thinking and we had to go back to the drawing board. I chose to live in denial about everything whereas Jace scoured Craig's List for some type of housing. Our months of planning, searching, and budgeting was basically in vain and we might as well have been twiddling our thumbs this entire Spring. I was pretty hopeless at this point until Jace found another NEW apartment complex that was almost finished with construction. We immediately contacted them and on July 1st we will move-in and be official residents of Smyrna, TN.

As far as the move-in process goes, Lord help! Y'all we live in 600 sq. feet so we only brought down the necessities. We can't start boxing up our things until the weekend before we move because where would we put our stuff? Besides, we need that stuff for the remaining two weeks we are in Gainesville. Jace has rented a Penske truck for our move and big boy gets to drive that thing! I will follow along in his car (Dana and Rickey drove my car back to KY when they came down for graduation). I told Jace that as soon as we cross the FL state line into GA that I will blare his horn so hard. Y'all we have lived 10 months in FL and I don't suspect that we will visit for a L-O-N-G time! We are both ready to get out of Gville and head up North to get to the true South. As a Southern woman, all I can say to the people of Gainesville is, "Bless Your Heart".

Now, the one good thing that we have found in FL is IKEA. I think I have blogged about it before but y'all we went back! We somehow got two nightstands, a 6 dresser chest, and a headboard and foot board into Jace's car! We walked in there with a plan and a tape measure and everyone looked at us funny. Don't mess with a woman who wants matching furniture. I will find a way to stuff long, heavy cardboard boxes into a Honda Accord. (In reality, Jace put the boxes in the car and I just scooted the seats!)

We ventured home last week for my father's mother's visitation and funeral. My MeMaw was a hog farmer through-and-through. She worked right along with the men and ran the show. Her health had been declining but her death was unexpected. With any funeral there are a range of emotions and Jace was there to see me through all of them. In ten short months of marriage, we have moved, had a few job search processes, a graduation, a death and are about ready to move again. Life can be funny at times but it can also wear your butt plum out. I think right now I am worn out and am ready for life to ease up just a little.

While we were home, we visited Sandy Keith's version of Bed, Bath, and Beyond, a/k/a her basement, where all our wedding gifts are stored. Y'all, people were so generous to us! We have honestly forgotten about what all we got and its all so nice! Jace and I sorted things into two piles: "the-things-going-to-Smyrna" pile and "the-things-we-will-put-in-a-china-cabinet-one-day-but-will-stay-in-Mom's-basement-for-the-time-being" pile. I feel like I should write another round of thank you notes to everyone who gave us a gift because we will finally get to use 75% of our gifts once we move. So if you gave us a wedding gift, thank you so much for your generosity and love. Your gift is greatly appreciated and will finally be used!

We came back to Gainesville on Saturday night because even though Jace has graduated, he has this course (from the Spring semester) where he has to present a paper he wrote (in the Spring semester). Do we sound bitter? Maybe a little! So he sits in class for two hours on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays listening to other paper presentations; his presentation is on the 20th. His group is the only one who has to present their paper which given our luck, makes perfect sense. In his down time, Jace has done the "paperwork" for our move. No wonder people hate moving, there is so much paperwork involved! Speaking of paperwork, we made our first adult purchase together: a filing cabinet with hanging folders. You've never met two kids so excited to file crap away!

So that is what has been going on with the Stamper's. It has been a complete whirlwind and we haven't even moved yet! We pick up the Penske truck on the 29th and the big move will be on the 30th, at which time I will have no idea where our towels, toothbrushes, or brains will be! Lord help us!

Jace's LL.M. Graduation

One day I was reading the The Small Things Blog and Kate's husband was graduating from grad school and she said that she has only known her husband as a student. After I read this I almost shouted, "Amen sista!" because it resonated with me so much. Jace is many things:  husband, friend, counselor, supporter, UK fan, best chocolate-chip-cookie-baker, superb ironer, editor, and the list could go on and on. In addition to all these things, Jace has been a student and has been in school for almost 25 years; when I think of that, some people retire after 25 years of working! On May 16th, his role as a student concluded with his graduation from UF!

Jace's parents came into town for his graduation and we had a wonderful weekend together. I don't think proud described Dana and Rickey that day. They are proud of his hard work, his dedication, and persistence which has led to a wonderful job. I can tell how happy they are as parents knowing that he can provide for himself and is doing what he truly loves.

It was a wonderful day and now that its passed, we are adjusting to life without school. Who knew how much free time we would have together! No more papers, problems, or finals! Can I get a Hallelujah! On August 3, 2013 Kory Wilcoxson married us and said that that day would be the start of the rest of our lives. Yes, that was correct but really May 16th, 2014 was the start to the rest of our lives. Honey, I've been lovin' it ever since!

But in all seriousness, Jace's journey has also been my journey. We have walked this path together and Lord only knows there have been peaks and pits but we did it together, hand-in-hand. At times, I think Jace worries that he has "dragged" me along and some people may think that. I assure him that I would do this all over again and that I wouldn't do this with anyone but him. You see, his dream has been my dream too. I wrote in his graduation card what a blessing it was for me to experience all of this with him. He accomplished his dreams and I got to witness it first-hand. How many people truly accomplish what they set out to do? Jace did, and I got to be in the front row seat!

This journey has shaped our relationship and marriage and the way we communicate. Lord knows I made that boy talk on the phone for years and it is has made an impact on how we handle our differences and just life in general. In addition, we don't take our time for granted because we remember how taxing (pun intended) the distance was on our relationship. Though the journey was long (and I'm sure some people questioned if Jace was ever going to finish school), it really was the biggest blessing for the both of us.

Now that our school days are behind us, we are so excited. We are excited about moving to the Nashville area and just living life sans school. I, for one, am excited to just live life without worrying about finals every December and May! The next graduation I will go to will be our child's Kindergarten graduation and honey, believe me when I say that won't be for a L-O-N-G time.  So until then, we're just going to continue enjoying this crazy journey of ours!

Our trip to IKEA

Last Saturday morning rolled around and we had an easy morning, which was a welcome relief to our usual Saturday mornings of Jace running to school. We drove two hours to Tampa and then there it was, IKEA. Oh, you couldn't miss it the store was so big. When we walked in, we truly were not prepared for the experience we were about to encounter. We arrived a little before 12 and left at 3 PM! A full three hours of shopping, making decisions, and planning.

I came prepared and had brought a pillow from our couch. Our couch is a deep burnt red and is something from Jace's bachelor days. I would love to update the pillows and brought it along to try and match up to the red. We had talked prior to the trip about the things we wanted to look for, mainly a headboard and some pillows. When we walked in IKEA, we let the other customers take the lead and we followed what they did. Everyone was grabbing a big yellow bag. You put the straps of the yellow bag on a cart that doesn't have the buggy part. You also pick up something that looks like a grid, where you write down the price of the item, the item name, the aisle and bin number, and the item ID number. The store is a long maze and you must travel through the entire store; there are no aisles that you walk past or can skip. It is a wonderful marketing strategy-the more you see, the more you want to buy.

We fell victim to this strategy! The first level was furniture. We found a bookcase for Jace and then we rounded the corner and found another set that we loved even more. While looking at the bookcase we found a TV stand that we liked. We have a TV stand now but you know an upgrade is never a bad thing! We hummed and hawed about the TV stand and ultimately decided what we have now works just fine. Our next stop was the bedroom suites and we spent so much time here. We finally decided on our suite but didn't really know which color we liked best. After careful thought and consideration, we made our decision and I wrote down all the information for the suite on the grid. The ticket information said that the bedroom suite was temporarily unavailable but I was hopeful they could ship it. Oh they would ship it all right, to the tune of $250!!! We fell in love with the suite and more importantly, the price, and made up our minds that this is what we wanted but we will have to wait. When we get to Nashville, we might have to do a quick trip to Atlanta to pick it up sometime soon.

After we discovered the bedroom suite was not available, we needed a bite to eat. IKEA has their own cafeteria, complete with trays and all! We ate a quick bite and were so happy to sit down for a minute. We picked back up and headed to the ground level which was accent pieces and smaller items. At this point, we were getting weary and quickly scanned through everything. They had anything from forks, plates, dishtowels, curtains, curtain rods, candles, mirrors, you name it--they had it! Even though I came prepared with the couch pillow, nothing really stood out to us. I noticed that no one else brought something from their home and I was the girl who looked like I was ready to take a nap anywhere with my trusty couch pillow!

When we had come to the end of the ground level the real work began! The ground level opened up into a warehouse-type setting. You had to use your grid and find the aisles and bin number of the item you wanted to purchase. They had flat bed carts for you to use and you had to load up your own items. Jace didn't know he was going to need that much muscle for this shopping trip but I didn't mind seeing his flexed muscles in his Polo! We left IKEA with two new bookshelves and two toys for pup! But y'all I have to tell you we were plum wore out when we got to our car. Before we started shopping, we talked about going to Clearwater and exploring Tampa  but all we wanted to do was get home and lay down. Jace said our IKEA experience was similar to completing our wedding registry and I couldn't agree more. We were constantly thinking, calculating prices, and planning where we were going to put the item.

If you haven't been to IKEA, I would definitely recommend it. It's an experience! It is wonderful if you are on a budget, outfitting a new apartment or dorm room. It also has baby items for all the mommas out there. Now if only our bedroom suite would become available...

It takes so little...

Within approximately 24 hours, Jace will be done with finals for FOREVER!!! Let's just take a minute and relish in this wonderful moment.......

Finals have consumed both of our lives for almost three weeks now and though I have not physically taken an exam, I am living the lifestyle of a student. I visit with Jace when he gets home from the library and several nights we have seen midnight. Then Jace is up bright and early to get to school and I can't exactly fall back asleep after he gets up. Needless to say both Jace and I have had our fair share of cups of coffee these last few weeks. Thank goodness I work from home, if not I might have had to buy more concealer for these dark circles of mine.

Sans final weeks, we unwind on Friday nights with home made Italian food (read spaghetti and frozen meatballs) and a bottle of wine. Well, with finals our date night has been put on hold. However, things resume this week and even though its Monday we are both living for the weekend. It really takes very little to make us happy and we are excited to have something to look forward to for once. This weekend, Florida plays Vandy and we are going to watch at least one game. We thought we had missed out on the season but there are four home games left and thankfully three of them are SEC play. Saturday we are venturing to Tampa, which is about 2-2.5 hours away and heading to IKEA. We have never been to IKEA and are looking for things for the new apartment.

Here is the thing about furniture shopping, we have Dom Pérignon taste on a Natty Light budget. Honey, I have "mentally" bought furniture, arranged accessories, hung pictures, and monogrammed shower curtains. All of this is equally exciting as depressing! I get so excited when I find things I like and then sadly realize that in no way, shape, or form will we be getting it anytime soon! A girl can dream right! Hopefully we will find budget friendly apartment finds at IKEA.

As I write this, I realize how sad all of this sounds. We are going to IKEA and a baseball game and I'm excited like a little girl right before her birthday. However, anything is better than getting excited about a new episode of Dateline and curling up with a real-life murder mystery like I have done for the past three weeks. Though Keith Morrison and I have had a "thriller" time together, I'm ready to do just about anything with Jace Stamper, including going to a ball game and IKEA. It really takes so little to please me...bring on the weekend!

Excited for the next chapter

Unfortunately, I have kept up with my trend of not blogging regularly. Forgive me.

Life has been whipping by and we turned around twice and April is just about over with! In April I snuck up to Kentucky for a nice little visit. Listen, I cried when the plane flew over the horse farms and I saw the horses running the track. God made all things perfect, but he spent just a little bit more time on Kentucky. It never gets old going home and seeing family.

Speaking of home, it seems like all month Jace and I have been searching for our next apartment. Searching for housing is not fun but as the old saying goes, "search now or be homeless later". I think we have finally found an apartment which is located in Symrna, TN. The apartment complex is still being built but we have found a few pictures to look at and get a feel for the complex. Jace and I have memorized the floor plan and mentality placed furniture in rooms. It is taking everything in me to not go to TJ Maxx, Homegoods, Garden Ridge, and Bed, Bath, and Beyond and start buying up things for the apartment. Lauren once told me that there will come a point in time when you would rather buy things for your home than for yourself. Oh, was she right! That time is now!

Our excitement isn't just for the apartment, it's also for this next chapter in our lives. In less than a month Jace will be done with finals, a capstone paper, and will graduate from UF. These past 9 months have gone by both fast and slow. We have finally settled into a routine here in Gainesville just in time to jack it up and create a new one in TN. We daydream what it will be like to live life without school? What will it feel like to have Jace come home from work and not have to study or work problems? What will it be like to have Jace with me on both nights and weekends? These things get me excited like a little girl waiting on Christmas Eve. Though this is the path we have chosen, we are both happy that this chapter in life is coming to an end.

It's funny how life let's you know when its time for one chapter to end. I feel like we have accomplished what we set out to do in Gainesville and now its time for something else. I compare it to the feelings I had when I was in high school. Though I enjoyed high school, I was ready to go to UK. I was ready for new experiences, new people, new beginnings. This is exactly how I feel now. I'm ready to live life without school and the stresses and time commitments that accompany it. Praise God that he has saw Jace through school and giving us patience through the years.

But as one chapter ends, I can't help but remember and reflect on the past and I feel grateful. I'm grateful that some days are over with, grateful for Jace's love and understanding when I was down and missing home, grateful for God's provisions, grateful to spend 9 whole months with Jace, and now I must stop because I'm crying! God saw us through this chapter and I know he will see us through the next. 

Shouting (at CATS and lizards)

Y'all! About last night! My word! This UK basketball team has made me mad, shaved years off my life, and made me fall in love all over again. The team at the start of the season is not the same team we are watching now and that is why this tournament has been so fun to watch. I love seeing Big Blue Nation rally together, support this team, and enjoy the moment together. Coach Cal is right, we really are crazy but is there any other way to be?

The game started and Jace immediately started picking his nails. Its a nervous habit he does and it keeps his hands busy. (He does this when he is working too). He picks until his nails are at the quick and the boy needs a manicure worst than I do. We felt ok being down by 4 at the half; we knew we were still in the game and could come back. Kentucky fans are used to the "cardiac CATS" by now and know that its the last couple of minutes that really mean the most. When we fouled the Wisconsin player who was shooting the three point shot, I thought things aren't looking so good. THEN...Aaron shot that three! Y'all we woke up the entire complex. We let it be known that we are Kentucky born and raised and are proud UK fans. Jace jumped into the air like he was Superman and I was stomping my feet and screaming, "we goin' to the 'ship, we goin' to the 'ship!". We were so excited and screamed so much that I considered taking a Halls cough drop. Who would have believed UK would be preparing for the National Championship game and that Aaron Harrison could hit back-to-back three point game winning shots? I so proud to be a UK alum and a part of Big Blue Nation!

I thought my screaming was done for this weekend but it wasn't. At church this morning, proudly wearing our blue, we stood to sing the first hymn of the day. We were on the first stanza when out of the corner of my eye, I saw it. I wish I could say I saw the Holy Spirit but instead it was a LIZARD!!! It was the same kind of lizards that are everywhere here but I prefer for them to be outside and me, inside.

I froze still and Jace knew something was wrong. The lizard was on the floor just one pew in front of us. I thought if that sucker comes near me I will shout to the rooftops and I don't know if it will be "Hosanna". The song ended and I tapped the girl in front of us on the shoulder and told her there was a lizard right by her. She turned around a few seconds later and said it had went to the other side of the aisle. Now listen, I am just a girl from KY and we have blue-tailed lizards but they aren't everywhere like the lizards are here. I sat back, relieved the lizard was away from me but anxiously awaiting to watch people jump from their seats when they discovered our "visitor". Would you know that not one person jumped or moved from their seat. Floridians are more accustomed than I am to these guys.

After the game last night and the lizard this morning, I am worn out. My throat hurts and my nerves are shot. You know what can cure my problems? One more win from the CATS!

We are MOVING!!!!

Y’all don’t know how long I have wanted to share this news! On March 17^th, Jace signed a contract with Ernst & Young accounting firm and we will be moving to Nashville, TN summer 2014. As with any job search process, it had high moments and some rough days.

Jace started researching and applying for firms late last Fall. He compiled a detailed Excel spreadsheet of firms, their location, the contact person, when he sent his resume, and the date and response from the firm. When I say firms, this includes both accounting and law firms. As a tax attorney, there are three main tracks for employment: government, law firms, and accounting firms. Jace chose to focus on accounting and law firms and he sent over 50 letters to firms. The firms he sent letters to were located in: Atlanta, Jackson, MS, Lexington, Louisville, Jackson, TN, Bowling Green, Nashville, & Memphis. Honey, we were a letter sending machine. Jace folded and signed his name, I stuffed and put on stamps. I felt like every week we were buying stamps and praying that one of those letters would come back with a potential lead.

November and December 2013 were hard months. We had sent letters and weren’t hearing back from many but when we did hear from firms it was basically, “your resume is impressive but our firm is not hiring right now”. Those were some hard days and made us feel the same emotions we had when he was applying to law school.

Jace was really good about telling me where he was applying and we would talk about the benefits and drawbacks to a particular city where the firm was located. Several were located in Atlanta and I was scared of living in such a large city and commuting to and from work. I distinctly remember one night, while doing the dishes, the city of Dallas was brought up. I filled that sink with tears and told Jace I just couldn’t go that far away from home. I hated to tell him no to a potential job that he may love. I felt as though I was squashing his future in some way by saying no but knew I had to speak up because I didn’t think I would be happy in Texas. You know when they say that marriage will be filled with decisions and you must work together as a team, well honey we did just that! Big decisions have been made so far in our marriage, decisions that affect the other person but there is no one else that I would rather make these decisions with than with Jace.

The holidays came and went and Jace received his grades from the first semester (they were stellar by the way!) and we sent out another round of letters with his updated GPA. January brought more dark days and the roller coaster of emotions kept us on edge. One day, one of us would be optimistic and the other would have a bad day. One day we were all about accounting firms and the next moment we were all about law firms. We even toyed with the idea of going back to Paducah but that idea was short lived.

At this point I knew the law and accounting firms by name and where they were located. We talked about them all the time like they were family members and it was a sign that we had both gone crazy. I was so consumed by worry and tired from the waiting game that I just broke down one day, on the elliptical of all places. I know I scared the poor girl in the gym when I was choking back tears. I just couldn’t handle the ups and downs of this process much longer and I reached out to Lauren and Whitney and did something that I never do: I asked for prayers. Those girls emailed me scripture faster than anything and I felt their love immediately. I also texted a lot with our dear friend, Haley. Her husband and Jace went to law school together and they just went through the job process last year and she could relate to every emotion I was feeling. Those girls saw me through some rough days and I won’t forget that.

Around February the tide started to turn and honey that is when the ride really started to get fun. Our first job lead was from a law firm in Jackson, MS. Though nothing materialized from the call it sparked a new sense of hope within us. Shortly after the MS call, other firms started calling and wanted to set up Skype interviews. A law firm out of Nashville wanted to set up a Skype interview with Jace and another accounting firm based out of Atlanta had invited Jace to dinner interviews. We finally had leads; leads that we had been praying about for so long. I swear to you one day, Jace called me every four hours with an update on a job lead and interviews and it was hard to keep up with what all was going on. Ernst & Young (EY) was one of these job leads.

                                                                                                                                      
EY wanted to set up an in person interview at their Nashville location and they would pay for our travel! Honey, I was in the car with my bags packed when he said this. The interview was on a Wednesday but first he had an interview with a law firm out of Chattanooga on that Monday. I remember we left Gainesville at 6 AM and drove all morning until we got to Chattanooga. We stopped by Kennedy’s and Elizabeth’s house before the interview and Kennedy showed me around Chattanooga while Jace was interviewing. After Kennedy’s tour, I had basically moved us to Chattanooga, mentally, and was ready to look for homes on the North Shore side of town.

From Chattanooga, we drove home and spent less than 24 hours in Graves County. We didn’t anticipate getting to go home that early after the holidays and it was the nicest treat to be back. Tuesday night we drove to Nashville and Wednesday morning Jace went to the interview. He met with five individuals and y’all the second he called me after the interview was over I knew we had a good shot. Jace was so excited and said it went so well. The following Tuesday the job offer came in. We had two weeks to make our decision and during this time we waited to see if the Chattanooga law firm would come back with an offer. Now, I’m not going to lie, I was ready to forge Jace's signature on  EY’s offer and didn’t see the point in waiting. EY was so incredibly nice to Jace and I knew he would be happy there. However, Jace wanted to give equal weight to both firms so we waited for two L-O-N-G weeks.

All Jace and I have ever wanted was to be close to our families and we felt that Nashville was the best place for us. Nashville provides the job opportunities that both he and I are looking for and was just a short drive from home. We can’t forget about the Teak too! She is only 3 ½ hours from Nashville! Throughout this whole process, we prayed; oh did we pray. We prayed that our will would match up with God’s will. We prayed for patience and understanding throughout the journey. Our motto was, “You {God} lead, we will follow”. Well, he lead us straight to the place we had been praying for and we both felt God’s peace wash over us and knew without a doubt that EY was the place for us. Jace signed the contract on March 17th and it was a great day!!!!

I don’t care what you tell me, a job search is a process and it is spiritual. We were completely out of control but knew that God was walking this journey with us. I laid my burdens on him and you know what, he took up my yoke and helped me. Even on those hard days, He was working behind the scenes creating something far greater than we could have imagined.

Though this process has been emotionally draining, Jace and I came out stronger. Eight years of being apart makes you learn how to communicate and work as a team and we did just that. I shed many tears through it all but I wouldn’t do this with anyone else. I am so happy to know that Jace is going to work for a great company that treats him well and respects the education and knowledge he possess.

We will be boxing our things up and leaving Gville June 2014. By this time, our school days will be behind us and we will both be working. So long are the days of writing papers and studying for finals. I told Jace after this first year of marriage that was filled with two moves, a graduation, and a new job that maybe we should take a year off and just do nothing but work. No major changes or life events; just work.

I do want to go on record and let it be known that just because we will be living in TN I will not wear that God-awful TN orange. Is there a tackier color than that orange? (However, I will wear UT apparel if I am employed by UT in the future) In addition, the words to Rocky Top will never be sung. The only volunteering we will be doing is at the church! Lord help us, Jace and I are already worried that the babies will want to go to college at UT. So if you have moving boxes, send them our way. If you know of good places to live in Nashville, let us know. Watch out Nashville, the Stampers are coming!

Mommy are we going to crash?

Hey y'all! I am writing this completely jet lagged and have no idea what time my body is functioning on right now. If this post is crazy sounding its because I am sleep deprived and need a meal of substance that doesn't consist of peanuts and a coke. This week I am attending the National eXtension Conference in Sacramento, CA.

Can I just tell you about my flight? Now this story is being told by a Southern girl who is without child and who enjoys her sleep--keep all this in mind.

Jace dropped me off at the Gainesville airport which is approximately the size of our apartment. We had to ring a bell for a Delta representative to come and assistant us. The guy who helped me was the same guy who scanned my ticket to board the plane. I am sure that is what Gainesville airport calls efficiency and low-cost organization. Jace dropped me off early because I am one who would rather sit at the airport and have lots of time than to run and stress about missing my flight. My flight to ATL was supposed to leave at 3:39 PM. Well it got pushed back to 4:15, then 4:45, then 5:00, and the kicker was 5:45. I was about to Google, "what do you do if you miss your connection flight?" but thankfully the plane left ATL just in time and they bumped the arrival time from 5:45 to 5:00. With this flight time, I would still have plenty of time to make my connection flight.

Now during this whole time changing ordeal, some man was absolutely freaking out. He really needed a "help" pill like Mom had the other week. I was only worried about one thing: my chi. What if I miss my connection flight and they somehow loose my luggage, I would be without my beloved chi. I wasn't worried about having clean underwear or losing my Vera Bradley make-up bag, oh no, I was worried about my hair being straight. Priorities people, priorities.

After I boarded the plane in Gainesville, I was lucky enough to sit in front of a mother and her 3 year old child. Now, I don't have kids but have a deep desire to be a momma ONE DAY. That day was not yesterday. You want to know what isn't funny, cute, or comforting...when a 3 year old says, "Mommy, are we going to crash?". I immediately said the Lord's prayer and tried to focus on the book I was reading. This 3 year old was also the kid that threw down his tray table and my seat mate and I experienced our own joy-filled turbulence. Now, I know you mommas out there are rolling your eyes and saying, "Katie you just wait!". Well, guess what I am waiting and kiddos won't be arriving anytime soon!

I finally made it to ATL and to the 3 year old's surprise, we didn't crash. I found my gate but decided I had just enough time to grab a bite to eat. Now, I could have chosen something light and healthy before I sat for 5 hours but no, I ate something similar to General Tso's chicken with brown rice. What a dumb idea! I was popping peppermints like they were going out of style for the first hour and 30 minutes. Despite thinking about my overly full stomach, I proceeded to talk to my seat mate, who just so happens to be Italian, about pasta. I only wish I would have asked him for his grandmother's meatball recipe.

After asking the stewardess for the luxurious red Delta blanket, I think I slept some. Around 1:30 AM EST, I arrived in Sacramento. I rode the Super Shuttle to my hotel and if you have rode on a Super Shuttle you know what a pleasure they are. My driver was nice but y'all he played this CD and it sounded like something from Teak's generation and this lady was singing basically about sex but this CD was from like the 1940s. Do you want to listen to a sex-filled CD from the 40s in a van with strange people at 2 AM? Y'all I can't even make this stuff up. Anyway, I made it to hotel and felt like I needed a shower for more than one reason and fell into bed.

This afternoon the conference starts and I have already downed one large cup of coffee. Have a great Monday or whatever day it is y'all!

Visitors

This past Thursday my momma and sister-in-law, Beth, flew down and soaked up some Florida sun. Over Christmas break we decided that Spring Break would be a good time for all of us and they made their flight arrangements shortly after Christmas. I started planning then! I planned out my menu and thought of things we could do in the big town of Gainesville. The weeks leading up to their visit, I grew more and more excited. I reworked my menu and made list after list of things that needed to get done before they arrived. I thought it would fun for them if I made them a welcome sign for when they arrived at the airport, so one night I colored to my little heart's content.

With the sign and my GPS in tow, I left to pick up Mom and Beth. I had started praying earlier in the day because we all know Mom doesn't fly too well. Sister girl had some "help" for the plane ride in the form of a pill and turns out she did quite well. The flight landed earlier than expected and I hadn't been at the airport but 5 minutes when Beth texted me that they had landed. I texted her how Mom did and she said that maybe Sandy needed a margarita! I acted like a fool when I saw them waving my poster board sign and hugged both of them. Mom really was fine but you know what made her feel better? A round of margaritas! Wheels down, margs up! We left the airport and I whipped it into the closet Mexican restaurant and we laughed throughout dinner. The Keith women were reunited!

Friday morning rolled around and honey I had whipped up brownies before 7:30 AM. Somehow licking the brownie batter is not nearly appealing at 7:30 AM as opposed to a normal hour that you would bake a brownie. When the brownies were cooling, I picked up Mom and Beth from their hotel and I finally got to show them our little apartment! I opened up every drawer and closet just so they could see how much space we have! This will probably be the only time in my life that I go around showcasing my linen and pantry closets! I am so glad that they can now visualize where we live. I gave them the grand tour of our complex and then it was time to eat!

As a hostess, you never want your guests to be hungry or thirsty. So I made sure I had every beverage and food item available. You want chicken salad, we got that. You want a sandwich and chips, we got that. You want broccoli pasta salad, we got that. Oh and honey don't forget about these brownies. Bless Mom and Beth, I made them eat all the time because I sure don't need to be left alone with all that food in our house!

Jace came home from school after our first big round of eating and we did a tour of UF, visited the bookstore, and went to Lake Alice. Would you know that not one alligator was in that lake. Not one. So we all loaded up and went to Paynes Prairie and saw the granddaddy alligators: the bull gators. All that sight seeing made us, you guessed it, hungry. Mom treated us to Bonefish Grill and then we came home and at more brownies.

On both Friday and Saturday night, we had some good ol' clean fun with a game Beth downloaded on her phone called Heads up. I have seen this game on the Ellen show but had never played. Can you picture Jace giving me clues to guess the celebrity? The tax man knows I love People and Us Magazine and did pretty good with his clues. The kicker of this game is that you can record the people who are acting out or giving you the clues. That is the truest form of blackmail I have ever seen.

By Saturday it was time to shimmy squeeze  into a bikini and we headed to St. Augustine. After a quick tour of the city, we had a quick bite to eat and then headed to the beach. Now this ghost white body lathered up in sunscreen and had already set the aloe out on the bathroom counter earlier in the morning. Even though we live in FL, I don't want to worship the sun. I am not going for the leather look. I like a nice tan but only get it after a week at the beach and then let it fade. Hopefully my 50 year old self will thank me later.

Anyway, we enjoyed the beach and the beach was that much sweeter when we read that Kentucky was going to get a wintery mix later that evening. Sick. With that we reclined into the sand just a little bit more. We left the beach sunkissed and sandy--the signs of a good day. Saturday night was another round of Heads Up but this time it was more intense. I think we finally quit around 10:30 PM but that was only after the entire apartment complex heard us plan the game. What can I say, we are a loud bunch!

Sunday, we were all moving a little bit slower from all the sun the day before and us girls ran to the mall that afternoon. We were home in time to watch the Cats and then I made dinner. Sunday night Jace had to go back to school so I took Mom and Beth to the Bat House, which is located on campus. UF built two houses for the bats because they were messing in the football stadium. At dusk, tons of bats leave for the night and lots of people come to watch. Typing this sounds like people in Gainesville are completely bored but y'all it really is unique to campus. It is just one of those things you have to see to understand. We rounded out the night with one last trip to Lake Alice and we finally saw a gator! That my friends, was the perfect ending to a great trip.

On Monday afternoon we drove to the airport and we hugged goodbye. I told them "y'all come back" but guess what we won't be here much longer! Overall, it was a great visit and it is always good to see family!

Weekend Recap

Let me begin our weekend recap with a confession: y'all I was a tee-total wreck in church today. It was the cry that you can not stop and I didn't have a Kleenex. The reason I lost it was because the song from our wedding, "Give me Jesus", was sung.

Now, this is the part of the post where other technology-savvy bloggers would insert a clip so you could listen to the song. Honey, I don't know how to do that! So instead, I will give you the lyrics:

"In the mornin' when I rise, give me Jesus. You may have all this world, give me Jesus. Dark midnight was my cry. Oh, when I comes to die. Nobody but Jesus."

When Doug sang this at our wedding, his voice took me to church and back. We could have all just showed up to hear him sing that song and gone home because it was that moving. I believe it was the perfect song to begin our marriage and at the end of the day, even on our wedding day, just give me Jesus.

So back to today's service, I knew from reading the bulletin that the song was a part of today's worship. I was looking forward to hearing it but nothing prepared me for the amount of tears that followed. I think the reason I was so emotional was because that is what I wanted to do during our wedding ceremony. I wanted to hold up my hand and stop the ceremony, thank everyone for coming, and ask them if they would mind giving me about five minutes behind the alter centerpiece arrangement so I could let out a big ol' cry. After five minutes, I would have asked PinkLouLou to touch up my makeup and proceeded to get my crap together, because hello the show wedding must go on!

As we left church, I squeezed Jace's hand and told him he got an emotional one! Bless his heart! Jace didn't know what tears were before he met me!

I wasn't the only one crying this weekend--the Kentucky Wildcats cried too. Lord, have mercy on this team! Now listen, we live in Gainesville. Jace goes to UF. The Gators are ranked #1 in the nation. They are lead by senior leadership. They are fun to watch. I say all this because I cheered for the Gators in my UK t-shirt and do you blame me? Now, my blood is always blue but quite frankly, I am tired of the lack of effort and heart from these boys. Coach looks tired and the boys look frustrated. Kentucky fans put too much pressure on the boys and we forget they are freshman. When I was a freshman I was trying to survive Math 109  with Fuk Lee-Ho and Biology 101. I can't imagine what they are feeling!

The game for the CATS didn't go according to plan and it didn't help that it was Senior Day for the Gators. Jace and I have been to 8 or 9 games this season and I promise you, I have never heard it any louder in the O Dome before yesterday. The Gator fans showed up and showed out! I must say there is something to be said about Gators fans and the student section really is rowdy!

Though the game wasn't the greatest, what was great was that Jace and I got to see Kentucky people! The UK College of Agriculture Alumni Development office travels down to Gainesville every other year and meets with alumni. I have been excited about this event since we moved down here and it was so good to hear updates about the university and the college. I love the people from that office and it was so good to see UK family.

Overall it was a good weekend. We have just a few short days ahead of us before Mom and Beth are here and the Keith women will be reunited!

Spring Break 2014

Who gets a blogging award and then doesn't blog for a month? This girl! Sorry y'all--February has been a tad crazy, just flew by, and now March is here.

This weekend was the start of Jace's Spring Break. Spring Break 2014 y'all! The Stampers got wild and crazy and went to lunch on Saturday AND Sunday. Watch out! Technically this is our last Spring Break and we all know in the working world there are no Spring Breaks. Friday night we kicked off SB14 with our favorite date night-in menu: spaghetti and meatballs, garlic bread, and wine. This meal is so simple and can I just tell you what we get so tickled about...the garlic bread. Now listen, we are newly-weds and money isn't exactly growing on trees around here so anyway we can save a buck or two, we get excited! I don't know where I saw this or thought of this but I go to Jimmy John's and buy day old bread for a whopping $.50! Jace lathers EVOO, garlic, Parmesan cheese, and butter and y'all it is the best thing. We think it is much better than the frozen cheese bread and probably saves us a few calories. Anyway, our conversation is always so good after this meal and it is nice to unwind from the week and catch up with each other.

Saturday we had big plans to do brunch at this cute place in Gainesville but we slept in! We never allow ourselves to do that and I felt like a teenager again! Brunch plans turned into lunch plans and then we came home and had a lazy Saturday. A Saturday that didn't involve Jace going to the library, which is rare. We watched that awful game played by the CATS--Lord have Mercy! CATS fans don't hate on me when I say this, but Jace and I have absolutely loved watching and cheering on the Gators this year. Can you blame me? UF has only lost two games and are lead by senior leadership something that the CATS are lacking and in desperate need of.

This morning we went to church and afterwards drove 50 miles to Cedar Key. It is a little coastal town and there is a restaurant there that is known for their clam chowder. Jace and I ate so much clam chowder on our honeymoon and wanted to get a taste of San Francisco again. The chowder didn't disappoint and neither did their fish sandwich. We walked out to the pier where people were fishing and then we found a little beach/playground area. Give me a sand, the water, the sun and I can sit for hours. These two pale bodies probably got more sun than we think and we soaked it up. If only we could send it to KY where they are getting hit with another round of ice and snow. We picked the right winter to leave KY!

Overall, it was a wonderful weekend and was a relaxing break, just in time to start another week. Hope y'all had a great weekend and an even better week!

Sweet Caroline

And baby makes 4!!! My dear friend, Whitney, welcomed sweet Caroline Elisabeth into this world at 2:22 this morning! Caroline joins big brother Jack and now my friend from college is a momma to two!

When Whitney told me she was pregnant, I didn't quite get what she was telling me. During the time I was wedding planning, Whitney and I were talking one night and she told me that her bridesmaid dress may not fit. I told her, I too, was worried about getting into my wedding dress and wanted it to fit just right. I completely missed what she was indirectly telling me and that is when she told me she was pregnant. From then, I hoped that the baby was healthy, that her pregnancy would be smooth, but maybe, just maybe, there would be a little girl on the way. 

Fast forward to yesterday, which was Caroline's due date, and I texted Whitney to see how she was doing. She replied that they were in fact, at the hospital and that her water broke on Sunday night. We continued texting throughout the day and I made sure to keep Lauren in the loop. Lauren called me when she got off work and started the conversation with, "we're having a BABY!!!!". Clearly, what one of us does, the other two experience it too. I heard from Whitney regularly from 1-3 PM but then the texts stopped and I knew it must be show time.

This morning I woke to two beautiful pictures of a little girl that looks just like her brother and a tired but glowing momma, with daddy right beside her. Whit--I'm so proud of you and wish I could hop on a plane and see you and sweet Caroline. Thanks for paving the way on motherhood because Lord knows I am going to have a ton of questions when our time comes.

Blog Award

Last Thursday night, Hope from Taste & See, messaged me on Facebook and asked if I had ever been nominated for the Liebster Award? I said no and had to Google what the award was for. The Liebster Award is for bloggers with less than 200 followers and is a way for others to know more about you and your blog.

I was so flattered that Hope thought of me for this award and the beauty of this award is that you pass it on to other bloggers. The rules for the award are pretty simple: list 11 facts about yourself and then answer questions from the person who nominated you.

Here are 11 facts about me:

1. I prefer a breakfast date over a dinner date with Jace.

2. I am addicted to candy crush. If Jace hears, "tasty" one more time he may scream!

3. I consider both Lexington and Mayfield as "home".

4. A sappy commercial can make me cry.

5. I secretly like doing laundry. I like knowing everything is clean.

6. I show my love through cooking.

7. I love my accent and am not ashamed by it.

8. I print my blog into a book each year as a way to remember what happened.

9. Teak's macaroni and cheese is my comfort food.

10. Christmas Eve service is my favorite service of the year.

11. I don't like collard greens, okra, cast iron cornbread, or grits. As a Southerner, this hurts my heart to admit.


11 Questions from Hope:

1. What verse or quote has been really impacting you lately? 

 

Jeremiah 29:11:  For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

 

Matthew 11:28-30: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

 

Jace's job search is just that...a search. These two verses remind me that though we don't know what the future holds, He has a mighty big plan and will relive us of this burden. Our hope is found within Him.

 

2. What hymn is your favorite?

 

I don't think I can narrow down to just one. I love "Leaning on the Ever-Lasting Arms". I adore the song sung at our wedding, "Give me Jesus". I love any hymn that has a fast tempo and after you sing it, you think, "now that song just took me to church and back!"

Funny side story about hymns: when Kory, the minster at Crestwood, first started the job, meetings were set up for congregation members to meet at someone's house and have a more intimate, get-to-know you meeting with Kory. Kory asked questions and heard from the congregation, first-hand, what their concerns, expectations, and joys were about the church. One question he asked was what is your favorite hymn? My Aunt Mitz, Teak, and I attended the meeting and as each person said what their favorite hymn was Aunt Mitz and I would nod in agreement. We would think of a hymn and then someone before us would say it and basically steal our answer! At the end of the meeting, we realized just how many hymns we love and I can't help but think of my Aunt Mitz when answering this question!

 

3. If you had a farm, what animals would you have on it?

 

I would have two pot-belly pigs. Their names would be Dwayne and Priscilla. I don't know why I want pot-belly pigs but I think it would be hilarious to stand on my back porch, in my country accent, and scream their names!

 

4. Who would you love to meet over coffee/sweet tea?

 

I'm going to break this question down into fantasy and reality meetings. I would love to sip a glass of sweet tea with bloggers, Big Mama, Boo Mama, Ree, and Kelly. I read their blogs every day and they crack me up. Big Mama lives in TX and is a wonderful writer. I would eat everything Ree cooks and play with Charlie and Walter, her dogs. I would ask Big Mama to tell me everything she knows about football and living in AL. I would listen to Kelly's wisdom.

 

But in reality, I would love to see Lauren and Whitney. We would swap out the sweet tea for margaritas and solve the world's problems while devouring chips, salsa, and guacamole.

 

5. What color do you find most in your closet?

 

My closet is color coded and I feel like their is an equal amount of the rainbow represented. However, if I had to say one color it would be black (just like my momma's closet)

 

6. What fruits/vegetables/herbs would you plant in a garden?

 

I would plant tomatoes, potatoes, corn, green beans, sugar snap peas, cilantro, and basil and probably all of it would die because I have never planted a garden before.

 

7. What is your favorite book?

 

I love Nicholas Sparks and Emily Giffin books. However, one that stole my heart was Big Mama's book, Sparkly Green Earring. It is about a mother's love and made me laugh and cry. She has a new book (The Antelope in the Living Room) coming out in February and I can't wait to read it.

 

8. Where is your favorite place you've traveled?

 

Hilton Head Island, Palmetto Dunes. Hands down this is my slice of Heaven. It's family friendly but isn't commercial. The pace is slow and the day is long. To me, there is nothing more spiritual than the beach. My goal is to own a beach house there so my future grandkids and I can go to the beach together.

 

Another contender is San Francisco. The city is amazing, the weather is beautiful, and the ocean is so blue. It will always be a favorite of mine because that is where we honeymooned. I guess you can say I left my heart in San Francisco.  

 

9. What are you most thankful for right now?

 

Several things:

 

Me and my family's health.

 

Dear friends who are unbelievably supportive, even when we are states apart.

 

That some decisions are not up to me to make; they are up to God and I am here to live out His will.

 

Our marriage--I never knew life could be this much fun.

 

As always, the Teak!

 

10. What is your go-to recipe for supper?

 

Chicken Lime Tacos (made in the crockpot!)

 

11. What is your top reason for blogging?

 

I  thought I was absolutely crazy when I started blogging in 2012 but it has turned into a wonderful pastime that I greatly enjoy. I knew 2012 was going to be a crazy year and I wanted to have a way to remember everything. It turns out, every year since then has been crazy and I wanted a way to document all the changes, transitions, joys, and celebrations. Mostly, I blog as a way to keep in touch with friends and family back home. I also blog so my voice can be heard. At the end of the day I want to remember life in my word's, and not just through pictures.

Thank you Hope for gracing me with this award! Now, I get to pay it forward and would like to nominate the following blogs with the Liebster Award:

Sanda, at A Fisherman and His Wife
Devan, at The Super Messy Supermommy
Carilynn, at A Patchwork Life

Ladies, your questions are:

1. What is your favorite meal?
2. What is your biggest fear?
3. What is your greatest accomplishment?
4. Describe your perfect day.
5. Who do you look up to?
6. What qualities do you look for in a friend?
7. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
8. How has your blog impacted you?
9. Would you rather read the book or watch the movie?
10. What is your dream job?
11. What is your top reason for blogging?

Can't wait to see your responses!

January Happenings

Our life is fairly routine and each day is just about the same. However, we have had a few exciting and not so exciting things happen over the last week.

Jace and I were both looking forward to last weekend's holiday and spending some time together. We didn't have big plans for Saturday morning except for a donut run and a long morning drinking coffee in our pajamas. That leisurely morning was thrown out the door when I went to get in my car last Friday and my car didn't start. My battery light had come on the week prior but I thought it was because I hadn't used my car much prior to Christmas, then it sat for two weeks over the holidays.  When it wouldn't shift into gear, I knew it was more than the battery. So I texted Jace my problem and he came home. We proceeded to jump my car three times but no charge would hold. Jace's dad diagnosed the problem for us and said there was a problem with my alternator. Rickey was right. Saturday morning was greeted not with donuts and hot coffee but instead a cold trip to AutoZone. We ran to AutoZone three times on Saturday and found a guy to fix my car. One trip to the ATM later, my car was like new again. Oh the joys of adulthood.

Monday, we decided to take advantage of Florida and traveled to St. Augustine. We visited St. Augustine last Labor Day and enjoyed it but we didn't have time to explore downtown. Monday was a beautiful day and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. We had lunch at a restaurant downtown that overlooked the water. We toured around some and enjoyed the day together. We went down to the beach and the water was ice cold but that didn't stop some little kids from playing in it. For us, it was so weird to think we are at the beach in January when we know it is frigid in KY. Monday was a nice reminder that we do live in FL and it has some perks! Sometimes you just have to get away and St. Augustine provided the perfect escape on our MLK holiday.

Monday night, I posted a few pictures of our day and then I got a text from Jason Headrick saying he and the UK Ag Ambassadors were in Gainesville! He invited me to dinner at a pizza place that is well known in Gainesville, Satchel's. It is very unique and quirky to say the least. It was so good to see a familiar face and to hear about UK and Lexington. It was a great night and it was so good to see someone from home.

To top off this week, our friends Kennedy and Elizabeth will be in Gville tomorrow and we are hoping to see them while they are in town. Two visitors in one week is a big deal around here! This week is shaping up to be a good one!

Happy Birthday Mom!

Today is my momma's birthday! Last night I was thinking about the birthday girl and tears welled up in my eyes. My mom, like all mothers, should be celebrated every day--not just on their birthdays or Mother's Day. When I think of my mom, several qualities come to mind. Here are just a few things that I think of when I think of my Mom.

Strength: My Mom is one of the two strongest people I know, besides the Teak. She has provided for Ross and I and gave us more than we needed. The greatest of which was a loving home and relationship. Ross and I have always respected Mom and because of this, there wasn't a need for a lot of discipline in our home. As a family, we leaned on one another when times were hard and we are a tight party of three. I am thankful to have grown up in a home that was close-knit, caring, loving, and respected.

Friend: Mom has a great group of friends and all of them are like extended family to me. These ladies have been like second mothers to Ross and I; hosted bridal showers, opened up their homes to us, we have shared meals together, and treated us like we were one of their kids. They have supported my Mom in the good times and bad, and their friendship means a lot to our family. I am grateful that my Mom has such a great group of women around her! To have a friend, is to be a friend and I think my Momma is a great friend.

Mom and I have always been close but our relationship and friendship has only gotten stronger the older I have gotten. She didn't raise Ross and I in a home where she was a friend and not a parent. She is a parent that turned into a really great friend, best friend in fact.

Funny: If I'm in a crowded area and can't find my Mom, I listen for her laugh! I get my laugh from her and there is nothing that makes me laugh more than when my Mom gets tickled. It's important to laugh and to laugh easily, and Mom does just that.

Wisdom: when we got married, Mom gave me the family cookbook and inside were note cards with little sayings that Mom says and honey, its pure wisdom. Some of which are: It is, what it is; Good Luck and God Bless; Life is too short to sleep on cheap sheets (amen!); a lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine; and work hard and be nice.  She also told me that nothing good happens after 10 PM and that is the absolute truth! All of these sayings are said in our home and the older I get, the more I realize how smart my momma is.

Big Heart: Mom does so much for not only Ross, Beth, Jace, and I but also for our entire family. She is always thinking about our family. She lets her family know they are loved and thought of, often. For example, she makes calendars for each family member at Christmas each year. Each calendar has pictures of that family member and all the family member's birthdays. I know the calendars take her lots of time but every year they are under the tree. She also made the family cookbook. She creates small treasures for the family through her love as well as traditions. These gestures and acts of love are examples of her big heart and shows where her priorities are.

Now, I know Sandy Keith and she is probably crying reading this because I cried writing it! Like mother, like daughter! Mom, I hope you have a wonderful birthday and you know how much you are loved, admired, and appreciated! Love you!

Holiday Recap and Looking ahead to 2014

Happy New Year! I may be a little late in posting in the new year but better late than never. I have a good excuse for my absence of blogging--we spent two weeks at home. On December 20th, we made the 10 1/2 hour drive back to KY or as Jace called it, the Promise Land. Being back in KY and seeing friends and family restored my soul. Living outside of KY has only reaffirmed my love for my Old Kentucky home and honey, there is no place I would rather be.

Our 2 weeks in the Promise Land brought a ton of laughs, quality time with family, and too much Christmas food. Lord have Mercy, my momma and Teak were whipping up Rotel every time I turned around and next thing I knew, I ate the entire thing. Now, I am paying for it on the treadmill!!!! However, I wouldn't have it any other way because the matriarchs in my family show their love through their cooking and I showed them my respect by eating. every.single.bite!!!!

Christmas this year was different in two ways. My cousin's twin boys are two and know what to do with presents. They were so much fun to watch and I can see why adults are more excited about Christmas than kids sometimes. Their reactions were so sweet and hilarious. We also have a six year old in the family and when he yelled with enthusiasm about Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle underwear, I yelled back, equally as loud, and was thrilled that I could experience the joy of Christmas through a child's eyes. When it came time to share Christmas with Mom, Ross, Beth, and Jace it wasn't about the gifts. No, this year it was the fact that all five of us were together and sharing the day with one another. The gifts were nice but the greatest gift was being together back home with my momma and family.

As for New Year's, Jace and I went to the movies and saw Wolf of Wall Street. I beg of you to save your money and don't go see it. It is filled with drugs, greed, sex, and set the record for the number of f-bombs used. The desire to skip home and head straight to church was intense when we left the movie theater.

On January 2nd, we drove the 11 hours back to Florida. Thankfully, this goodbye wasn't nearly as painful or emotional because guess what...Sandy is getting on a plane to come see me and Jace in March!!! My sweet sister-in-law is coming too and bless her, she has to deal with my scared-of-flying momma. I am serious in that you need to add Beth to your prayer list. She is a good woman to deal with Mom's fear of flying. Since we have that trip to look forward to, it was more like a see-you-soon instead of a goodbye. I don't like leaving and not knowing when I will see family next.

I am not kidding you, when we left KY it was spitting snow and we saw wrecks everywhere. Honey, by the time we reach Gainesville, Jace and I were burning up hot and we had to turn on the AC in the car. How we didn't get sick, I don't know. It is cold in Gainesville and by cold I mean 30-50s. I realize that is a heat wave to the rest of the nation but for Gainesville, you might as well call off school. We finally turned on our heat for the first time this week.

Now that we are back and settled, it is back to the grind. Jace has 5 classes this semester and will most likely work himself to the bone by the end of May. He is taking five classes and has to write a huge paper, basically a thesis. After graduation, he will take one summer course in which he will defend and present his thesis. Supposedly, the last date we will be in Gainesville is the end of June. I am sure that date will change but the official countdown has become. Where we go next is still up in the air.

While we were home, Jace and I had a moment to step back and see the big picture of everything. I needed that. I needed to be reminded of why we are doing what we are doing. I needed my hope to be restored. It was almost like we took a vacation and recharged our batteries. The everyday grind is hard and tiresome and, sometimes, I forget about our goals; all of that was brought into focus again after spending time at home. Oh, what home does for the soul!

Reflecting back on 2013 makes me a little tired. Together, we: planned a wedding, hosted It's Your Reality for UK students, finished law school, graduated from law school, studied for the Bar, took the Bar, left  a job, got married, went on a honeymoon, moved to FL, started an LLM program, started living together, started a new job, became a TN attorney, and survived another round of finals. All those things were hard, exciting, scary but we did it together. 2014 is shaping up to be another crazy year. I anticipate the following to happen: graduate from UF, finish a thesis, vacation in Hilton Head, move again, get a job, and who knows what else God has in store. When I think about all of that, it too, is going to be hard, exciting, and scary but God will see us through it. Thank goodness, we had some time at home during the holidays to rest up before all of it begins!

I hope you had a wonderful holiday season and that your New Year is off to a great start!