Baby Jef's Wedding

I can't believe our baby Jef tied the knot.  On my mom's side there are nine first cousins.  The older four, the middle man, and the baby four.  Cher (you might remember her wedding here), me, Jef, and Poodle are all eighteen months apart.  We grew up doing most everything together- baths, Christmas Eve performances, etc.  Only two remain maidens: the eternal bridesmaid (Hi) and the cynical diva.

She says hello

The weekend was great.  So much of the family was able to attend.  Tilda and her kids were there from HomaHoma.  My mom's first cousin, Buffy, made it with her kids from California.  The regulars.  Oh and TK.  (We missed Mimi- please pray her vision improves)  Our crew overtook the lobby of Hampton Inn the night of the rehearsal.  My aunts (the Crazy Ladies) attacked TK and asked many "burning" questions.  He was so willing to share, much to my chagrin.  The ladies were loving it- they love any opportunity to make me blush.  He definitely played the game.

The wedding was so sweet.  Our crazy group enjoyed the reception...the dancing mainly.  Oh and I caught the bouquet.  You know what that means...I'm good at fielding.  Really though, it fell right into my hands.  We spent another evening wreaking havoc on the Hampton Inn lobby.  Some of the elderly didn't make it to bed that night!  I bet they paid for it today.

 I would definitely claim her, but contrary to popular belief...this is not my child.

 The happy couple during their serenade.

 Matronly Crazies singing the obligatory "Going to the Chapel"

Young and Old Crazy Ladies

 One of my babies all grown up!

 My preteen baby.  Stop growing.

 Husband and wife!

 Baby cousins

 Uh oh, TK.  Looks like I might need a ring.

These gatherings always make me so thankful for the blessing of a wonderful family.  As we said good-bye to Jef at the conclusion of the reception- he looked at me with such sincerity and said "Thank you so much for coming.  I love you".  I love you too, Jef.  I wouldn't have missed the weekend for the world.

Alternately Titled the Longest Post Ever

I've started like five posts that I haven't published.  It's like I get going and then don't feel like adding the pictures or editing or something like that.  I'll do the fast and furious recap of the past couple of months.

May
Twin and JStill got married.  My first Kirk wedding.  Quite the weekend.  Since I came on the scene, this group has welcomed me with open arms.  TK's friends are the closest little crew I've ever seen.  Friends since what seems like birth, no one can break this bond.  I cried at the rehearsal dinner just hearing all the sweet things they had to say to this precious couple.  Thanks for allowing me to be a part of it!

 Fairy and TJones

 TJones, TK, JBaby

TK, Twin, Wolf, TJones

Memorial Day TK visited the Big City.  It was nice to have a few extra days together.  We really took it easy but enjoyed a game while he was there! 

I'll have you know, TK tried to starve me that night.  Spirits high here, however they quickly faltered.  I bet he'll never forget to order me a bean burrito EVER again.

June

Clinic started in the Big City.  I had three weeks there full time.  It was really nice to just go to clinic and come home- no classes.  Not fun part?  This whole "Capstone" thing started (Ain't too proud to beg- if you know any adults 40-65 with normal hearing or a hearing loss in the Big City area and willing to participate in a research study- hit a sister up.  Ok, I kid.  But seriously).  Doesn't seem too terrible right now...I know I will be singing a different tune in April-May.

My weekends consisted of wedding parties and traveling.  I'm not complaining.

 Me, JStill, Janety, Fairy

TK, Me, Fairy, TJones, Janety, JBaby, Wolf, JStill, Twin

The other weekends I was soaking up my time in the Big City.  Berns left at the beginning of June for clinic in Chicago.  BIG, ugly tears shed on that departure.  During the week, I spent every hour not in clinic with Nelson- walking in the park or eating.  Let's be real. 

The Canadian, me, and SCarls 

 Roomiekins, Davis, me, Nelson, The Canadian

 This was my night for finding "celebrities".  Above Waka Flocka/Lil Wayne, below Phillip Phillips.  I know.  We don't have to go there.  For those curious, YES this was the fateful night.

 Going downhill.

And I almost forgot, we celebrated Poodle's 21st birthday.  Wow.  Exciting night for me because we were in Oxford AND never again will her ID be taken in Boure.  Never again will my mother try to recover said ID from bouncer at Boure.  Just an example of things that might have happened pre-21 on Double Decker weekend.  An EXAMPLE.  I think she enjoyed it.  Sad night as well, realizing you aren't the spring chicken you once were. 

My sweet friends LHall and JC also got engaged!  I was in the movies when I found out so I almost didn't hear my phone!  I'm so excited.  Since I've had some time at home this summer, we've gotten to catch up over dinner.  This engagement is one I've been waiting on for a while.  AND they will be getting married on my birthday in 2013!  So honored to be sharing in this special day with both of you! 

July 

I've been back at home full time.  I had a mini vacation before my second rotation started at the M.emphis O.ral S.chool for the D.eaf.  Three full weeks there as well.  My life was so blessed because of the precious miracles there.  I loved EVERY SINGLE SECOND.  How rewarding to see the change you've made in another person's life.  It was so gratifying to see the work I'd put in pay off in them.  They'll never know the change they made in me.  I cried the whole way home on my last day...I didn't want to leave.

We had wedding parties and showers in July as well.  One major shower.  Janety's Bachelorette Shower.  We headed to Gulf Shores for a weekend all about the bride.  Fun times with sweet friends. 

 Favorite picture of the weekend.  I'll let you decide if I'm referencing above or below.

 

The following weekend, TK and I baby-sat the CuddleBug.  Who's now Smiley.  He is such a sweet baby and has gotten so fun over the summer.  TK is really loving it.  I love watching them together.

Smiley's blog debut. 

Well, I think that brings you pretty much up to date.  Fun weekends ahead.  My baby cousin, Jef is getting married this weekend, Janety and JBaby are getting married the next, and the following weekend I'll be at the beach with my man!  

Hard to believe I'm about to start my last year in the Big City.

Where I Would Have Been

A year ago today, the world stopped spinning the way it had my entire life.

Today I a sat where I would have been one year ago.

I remember the voices of that day.  The quivering, disbelief, gut wrenching sobs on the other end of most every telephone call.  The panic and urgency of that day.  My urgency to get to my people.  The exhaustion.  The feeling that everything was speeding around you, yet you remained unmoved.

Today I sat in a research seminar, much like I would have been last year.  I wish I could have done that last year.  Like, this didn't happen.  But the world spins madly on.

My sister shared some words of peace at his viewing last year.  With most of my large family around him, she described Heaven and Earth having different timelines.  Here we count every day.  Day by day.  Year by year.  It feels long, but it's not eternity.  And we miss him and KNOW he's gone...and we realize this day by day, year by year, etc.  She said, when he got to Heaven and saw Jesus he was so in awe he didn't know we weren't with him, but by the time he realizes we aren't there, he'll turn around and we WILL be there.

That's comforting to me.  While we miss him daily, we've been promised an eternity with him.  It still doesn't change the fact that I want him here.

A lot has changed in this one year.  Oh my goodness, I can't even tell you how much I miss that sweet man. We love you so much.  I really do "thank my God upon every rememberance of YOU".

Halfway

For starters, I never thought I'd be coming here

But I did.

And when I thought about FOUR MORE YEARS of my life in school, I never thought about being here

But after today's final, I'm HALFWAY there.

BRING IT YEAR THREE.

I'm ready.  But I'm more excited about that octagon hat, fluffy green robe, my HOOD, and being called DOCTOR.

Two more.

Absentee

Well, hi.  You've missed out on the entire month of April.  I've either been on the road or hosting visitors.  Both of which, I've thoroughly enjoyed.  Where to begin....

Easter
First "big" holiday spent in the Big City...with the family.  My father's first trip to the Big City since he moved me in, nearly two years ago.  Let me tell you, we had an amazing time.  I've never seen my father more proud, which meant the world to me.  We dined at some of my favorite places, drank copious amounts of wine and other spirits, and just caught up on life.  I loved showing them my city and amazingly, the walls of my teeny apartment didn't close in on us while they were there.

 William in the gnome loft. Even Lula at 5'2 had to duck upon entering.

Shower Weekend
The following weekend, I hit the road for Janety's first shower!  Spent the night with TK (hadn't seen the boy in three weeks) then trekked to Jackson for the event.  It was SO WONDERFUL to see my friends.  I shouldn't even speak this, but I hadn't seen MyH(e)art since HER WEDDING, that was nearly (how did that happen?) one year ago.  Janety got some great gifts and I loved getting to know some of the fellow bridesmaids.  That night, we went to Mimi's.  My heart needed it.  There's something about that place that just makes your world right.  We all stayed up late visiting.
Let me tell you something too, the longer I'm gone, the more I appreciate the little things that seem so common.  Honeysuckle.  It's overwhelming and one of the best smells in the world.  It hit me a few times that weekend, that I could possibly enjoy a life in the pasture.  Then I laugh.  Because I would die in the country.  But stop and smell the honeysuckle.

Tax Weekend
TK came to the Big City after Tax Day.  He arrived on Thursday because they got Friday off.  So we got like four days together.  We really did a whole lot of nothing but it was just what we needed.  Favorite part?  We spent an afternoon in an arcade.  Playing Skeeball.  Neither of us are competitive.  So it wasn't fun at all.  Obviously, I won.  We gave our tickets to a little boy...surely there's some good juju coming our way.

The Inbetween
I've been working on my fitness.  There's been some success.  I really can't complain.  I've been on an exercise hiatus for around two weeks.  I randomly developed this huge thing on my right shin.  Really hard.  Bulging about a centimeter and a half off my shin.  University of G.oogle deemed it shin splints.  One lady said a blood clot- based on anatomy, that was impossible...but it scared me enough to make a doctor's appointment.  So the Dr. thinks- stress fracture.  Lovely.  X-ray says no stress fracture.  Bone scan says no stress fracture, but finds something in my LEFT ANKLE.  I'm sorry, what?  Ended up being nothing, Thank God.  But there was some drama there for a second.  The day I was going in to be re-examined I woke up with what has now been determined to be a strained trapezious muscle.  Probably from sleeping.  Let me tell you EVERYTHING I did hurt.  I've been on pain killers and muscle relaxants for the past five or so days.  Made class more fun.  I'm warding off any other ailments for the time being.  At least until I'm 30.
I finished clinic last week.  I sobbed as I left.  My supervisor did too.  We had fun and I learned so much.  I hope I am the educator she is one day.  I had a patient give me a letter on one of the last days.  I lost it then too.  One of the nicest things I've ever read.  We hugged it out before the appointment ended.  I know why I'm doing this never-ending school thing.
I think I have a Capstone.  Praise Be to God.  FOR REAL.
We chatted Fourth Year (Extern Year) with our director.  We all kind of freaked out.  This is all coming to an end very quickly.  The real world is getting real. 

Double Decker Weekend
TK begged me to come back for an Oxford weekend.  I said, finals- schminals.  Why study?  So I came back and loved every second back in my home away from home.  Saw so many people I haven't seen in forever.  TK actually said, everywhere we go here you know someone...you definitely must have been more popular than me in college.  As if that was a question.
Also, shout out to LAUREN.  Sister, I saw you at DD.  I should have introduced myself.  Do Blogfriends=Friendfriends?  Check her blog out.  It's cute.

Next Steps
Studying for finals.  Studying=eating.  I'm not really sure why.  It becomes a reward system.  Oh, you've read two pages, eat 10 M&Ms.  Not really, but...kind of.
Exercise hiatus is over.
Wedding season is officially here.  This eternal bridesmaid has nearly every weekend booked this Spring/Summer...and into the Fall.  Don't let me fool you, I love it.
Sorry for the lack of pictures.  I know they are better than the words.

Until Next Time.

You'll Laugh

A teacher friend recently shared this poem with me.  It was recited by a 5th grader to her art teacher.  If I'm correct, it then spread like wildfire to the entire school.  It's just too good not to share.



Bacon is bacon
Eggs is eggs
Don't let no boy between yo legs

He'll say you cute
He'll say you fine
But in nine months he'll say it ain't mine




Yeah, you should be laughing now.