His love for her overwhelms me

I love the concern and deep emotion my Mom carries for my Husband. She bought him a CD ,he didn't even know who they were but I loved the group, just because a particular song reminded her of him. When I walk in the door to her house her first words are, "Where is Drew?" Well Mom it is 11 am on a Wednesday he is at work "Oh Darn it I really was hoping to see him!"

I am lucky that this attention doesn't smother Drew or overwhelm him. He regards Mom with the same precious affection.

Drew is having his wisdom teeth pulled Thursday after moving up an appointment scheduled 3 weeks from now due to pain. Mom called me this weekend several times worried about him. I called her yesterday to tell her we had moved up the procedure and she wanted to know EXACTLY when and where it would be. She would be there!

Last night as I was making soup for Drew, he can't bite on things right now, I told him about her calling and her insistence at wanting to be there. I was expecting some resistance from him not wanting anyone to be there to see him act a fool on the anesthesia. Before I can finish my sentence he is on the phone giving Mom the address to where his removal will happen at and telling her we can pick her up to take her with us.

Sometimes the littlest acts cause me to fall on my knees. I am so blessed by this man who not only embraces me and my craziness but truly loves my Mom for who she is and embraces her whole heartedly! God has answered so many prayers by delivering Drew to me. I am thankful beyond words!

A Monday Post

Ohh Monday you little devil you! Why do you come round so often and the weekends pass so quickly and take forever to get here?!

I have been working on my Wedding Week Part Two post but it is taking alot out of me to relive the days before our wedding, to dwell on actions and words said. I want to write about it in a fair and honest way in reflection of the week but also to document the effects of Alzheimer's disease. I haven't finished yet because I feel like I just come off as a snob and brat.

Anyway I, like the country I think have been really caught up in the horrible acts last week in Boston. I was glued to the TV all week watching for any new information.

I have always been one of those people who "feel" tragedies really hard. Like I can't stop feeling the weight of what the people in Boston must be feeling or the people of West, TX who's town was demolished with an explosion I cry at new stories constantly because I just Feel it! Anyway I have been carrying around a sadness with me since last weeks bombings. Sometimes I feel like I am always just waiting for the next Bad News thing to happen, in the world, in our country, in our city or state or in my life directly.... That is no way to live and obviously I am struggling putting my trust in God's hands right now.

On a lighter note...Can I tell you how awesome my husband is? Last week our washer started acting up. As in didn't drain for one cycle. Drew said it was going out and the next day came home with a brand new set of washer and dryer for our house. His company gave them to us for a wedding present. So awesome! I have really enjoyed my wifely duties doing laundry in our new set. Nana was a little jealous. I am a lucky girl!

Here is my husband installing our new washer and dryer... STUD!

Saturday was Neeley's birthday!! We celebrated with the family on Friday night at a cookout at Tammy's house. Neeley wanted Hamburger's and Malts. Nana brought her blender and made the most delicious malts ever! It was a wonderful evening to celebrate Neeley with family!! Saturday night Drew and I met Neeley and Lane and Bailey and Colton downtown for a celebratory drink. Here is a picture of Neeley now... she has Purple Hair and rocking it out!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NEELEY!!! LOVE YOU FOREVER AND ALWAYS!

Dirt Cake

Have you ever had dirt cake? Like you are at a 10 year old birthday party and they are serving this yummy looking dessert with oreos and pudding that has gummy worms popping out of it... dirt cake?

This weekend we attended our first cookout with friends since coming back from our honeymoon. I had intended to make this  yummy dessert that my Mom used to make but realized my family cookbook is still packed away in the garage somewhere. So as I as quickly searching Pinterest for an idea Drew threw out the dirt cake option. I at first turned my nose up to it, Dirt Cake... no way am I putting my name on that. However I quickly changed my tune when I realized how excited he was about it and looked up the ingredients.... oreos, pudding, cream cheese... I am IN!

So we made Dirt Cake. I melted the butter and creamed the cream cheese and my husband crushed the oreos and made the pudding and crushed more oreos and went to the store when we were out. It was delightful and fun and we did it together!

I think it was a hit at the cookout too!

A Reflection on week one of Marriage

( We took this picture on the beach in Jamaica, Drew had been totally upset that the photographer did take one on the day of our wedding so we did it ourselves )



I'm taking a pause from wedding recap to let you in on a few revelations I have had in my first week of marriage:

1. It truly is the BEST thing in the world to be married to your best friend!

2. My husband wakes me up each morning with a kiss... SO much better than the horrid alarm clock.

3. It is so much easier to get out of bed  in the mornings when there is someone making you coffee, I am returning the favor by making breakfast for him.

4. The best part of my day is coming home to my husband.

5. I don't have to take out the trash anymore... YAY!

This first week back has been a wonderful time settling into our routine together and welcoming a week of doing nothing after work but being together.

Wedding Week: Part One

I don't have many pictures to document our wedding yet but I am anxious to write it down so that I have as many details as possible. Thinking back over the past week and a half to our wedding felt like a dream, the actual wedding itself felt like we were walking on clouds. Ridiculously happy and complete perfection!

Our wedding week began on Tuesday for me. I had taken the entire week off to finish last minute errands and details before heading to Santa Fe. Tuesday Neeley and I had hair appointments with our stylist Kent at 10:00... 3 hours later we rushed out both sporting new colors, one happy and one not, to pick up my mom for our eyebrow appointment. I hadn't touched mine in about two months to make sure they were nice and bushy ready for a good clean waxing. Aunt Tammy met us at the salon for waxing and the four of us took our turns in the torture chair for the next hour and a half. Neeley and I left to go to her salon so she could cut some hair for about an hour. It was a good time to relax and decompress while letting my mind run rampant with tasks to get done. Once Neeley was finished we met Mom, Aunt Tammy, and Kelsey for mani / pedis. The Pedicure was great, the manicure was a disaster as the color I choose turned out to be clear and I am NOT a girl for clear nails! Neeley also almost passed out while getting hers done and had to take some time lying on the sidewalk outside.... needless to say not the highlight of the day! After Nana joined us for dinner at Olive Garden I went home to pack for Santa Fe, pack for Honeymoon, and pack up the rest to take to my married house.

Wednesday started with a day full of errands. I woke up with my mind already running a million miles an hour. I felt like I had a gazillion tasks to do and a tiny amount of time to do it in. I ran a quick errand before taking Nana to the oncologist to get some good news, then off to Target where Neeley picked me up and chauffeured me around all day. She was also the voice of calm and reason telling me it would all get done. We picked up cake, dry cleaning, new panties, more cake, wedding dress, bridesmaids dress, more cake, a trailer, sound equipment, and some treats before having to meet family coming in for dinner. We finished just in time for me to run one last major errand with Drew before dinner, getting my birth control... yeah wouldn't want to forget that one! My brothers and Peyton drove in earlier in the afternoon and helped us load up the trailer full of wedding stuff. Uncle Pat, Aunt Paula, Rebecca, Taylor and Stella all drove in to meet us at Napoli's for dinner where we celebrated the days to come. I went home with Lane and Neeley to sleep in their guest bedroom since all the out of town company took up Mom and Nana's spare rooms.

Our Complimentary Dessert from Napolis'

My Sister-in-Law sent me this awesome gift! It is a spoon bracelet with Never Forget engraved on it! So precious! She also had me a very cool "Mrs. Neal" hanger made for my dress!!! LOVED!!

Thursday morning my hosts and I woke up at 4 am to hit the road by 5 am. Insane?! Yes  a little but I was an anxious bride! After trying to fit in all the lingerie gifts for the amazing shower to come and all the cake for the wedding we finally loaded up the car, picked up Drew and headed out of town. We arrived in Santa Fe about 9 am with our first stop being Dunken Doughnuts for a large iced coffee. After we all felt refreshed Drew and I were dropped at the county clerk's office to file for our marriage license. We filled out paperwork, paid our $25 and walked out in shock and awe that this was finally really happening. My sweet husband to be had tears of joy streaming down his cheeks as we walked out and I couldn't help but join him! What a moment! Lane and Neeley picked us up and we were off to find the florist. I had a centerpiece to deliver to her and as soon as we arrived she gave me a sneak peak of the flowers that had just been delivered. I was in awe of the beauty! After heading to La Posada to unload the wedding trailer and return the trailer we hit up TJMaxx and Target for some last minute supplies. We finished just in time for My Mom, Nana, Brother's and Dallas crew to arrive. We all separated to our hotels to settle in. Mom, Nana the boys and I with Drew and Peyton hit up the plaza for some lunch before meeting with our wedding coordinator. Drew and I ran to a shop on the Plaza with Peyton to exchange a groomsmen gift and pick up some other bridal party gifts. Peyton mesmerized the clerk who gave her a Dark Purple Dream catcher as a souvenir. She would tell any and everyone the rest of the weekend that it was her "Deamcasher" and it's job was to "catch the bad deams." Steal my heart amazing girl!

Up until this part everything had been smooth, we were blessed with beautiful weather, great timing, and excellent help... little did I know the storm that was looming.

From the Mrs.

The past two weeks have been a complete blur of overwhelming love and happiness. We had some ups and downs leading into wedding day but everything turned out exactly as I had imagined it. I felt like I was living a Dream our whole wedding day. Drew and I couldn't be happier with the way everything turned out. We were surrounded by a ton of precious friends and amazing family! Our honeymoon was the best week of relaxation and rest we desperately needed. I will fill in the details of our trip and wedding later. For now we are jumping back into work on a Monday Morning but dreaming of being in our private cabana on the beach sleeping to the sounds of the ocean...

I cannot thank everyone who helped make our wedding dream a reality, from my mom who paid for everything to my aunt Tammy who labored for hours decorating to make sure each detail was as I planned, my Nana who battled altitude problems to witness our union, Neeley and Kelsey who never left my side the day of to keep me calm and collected, my bridesmaids who traveled for many miles to bless me even more with their friendship on such a fantastic day,  my brothers who were my rocks and gave me away at the alter, all the family and friends who traveled to be apart... Each one of you made it that much more special! Thank you for a a Blessed and Amazing beginning to our marriage!

We love you all!

Mrs. Neal