An Incredible Feeling

We are now 23 weeks preganant with Baby Neal and with each day it feels more and more real that we are actually having a baby! For awhile it was like "ohhh yeah we pregnant" but not really feeling pregnant and no signs of baby around to make it feel real. Now we have a actual baby crib, built and sitting in an empty room that now belongs to our son. We have a closet of clothes and knick knacks all belonging to him also... feeling very real around here. The best part though is that I am finally feeling him moving on a consistent basis. I felt little "flutters" along the way that I thought could be him, might not be but maybe it is? Now there is a very definite movement in my stomach belonging to my son. I have to say this is the most incredible and humbling feeling in the world. I am put in awe everyday at God's creativity and complexity in the creation of life. Knowing that I am growing a human being in my stomach is a very empowering thing and yet there isn't a moment that goes by that I am not thanking God for his blessings of health and protection so far for our little nut. I am very anxious for the moment Drew will be able to feel our son's movement but for now I am treasuring the sweet kicks I feel reminding me how incredible our God is!

3 years...

Today I am celebrating 3 years with this amazing man I get to call my husband. 3 years ago today Drew picked me up from my house for our first date and first face to face meeting. He took me to a restaurant 45 min. before our reservation and as we sat in the bar waiting on our table he spilled water all over my new dress. Nerves! In alot of ways he swept me off my feet 3 years ago from today but I wouldn't admit it at first... I wasn't convinced. But 3 years later I am so thankful for the memorable first date we shared. For all the incredible days inbetween and all the ones to look forward to.

Thank you Drew for taking me out that first night and taking care of me ever since. You truly are the man of my dreams and God's gift to me and our son. Thank you for making me laugh, making me realize when I am being a ninny and always supporting me.

3 years of dating, 7 months of marriage and being parents in less than 4. What a wonderful life!

Wedding Week: Part 7, Bridesmaids

Choosing who would stand beside me as my bridesmaids for the wedding was really about the simplest decision I had to make.

I have been blessed with some unbelievably wonderful friends and amazing cousins who I wanted to serve in my bridal party.

I didn't really have the opportunity to share at the wedding why I chose each of these girls and I thought here was the perfect place. I was determined to find a place for all 6 of these girls in my wedding even though Drew only had technically 2 groomsmen. I ended up having 3 of the girls sit throughout the ceremony but that in no way represented them having less significance in my life.

Whitney Ann Davis- (She will always be Whitney Mann to me!)

Whitney an I met the summer before our Freshman year of high school. We were assigned to the same "home" for a weekend church retreat. I had known Whitney for years before since we went to church together but we traveled in two different packs of friends, she the private school kids and I the public. It wasn't until that summer that we actually intermingled with one another. Through highschool we were inseperable. We took every class together, walked the halls together and hung out every night we could. Ryan would drive us home from school together where we would hang out all day until her Mom got off work to pick her up. There was no Whitney or Megan in highschool it was always Megan and Whitney, we were a packaged pair. Our friendship survived highschool, divorces, re-marriages, deaths of loved ones, heartbreaks, new beginnings, familiar endings and everything in between. In college we could often be found eating kids meals at cracker barrel. We traveled to Thailand and Africa together while in college, pretty sure no one else could have talked me into that. Whitney has been a precious and supportive friend to me for 13 years now and I was beyond honored to have her leave her newborn baby at home to come participate in my wedding!

Kelsey- Maid of Honor aka Number 1 Bridesmaid

If you know me at all, which you must if you are reading this, then you know how important Kelsey is in my life! Her smile gives my heart the warm fuzzy feeling that is much needed. Her constant love is a reminder of the unconditional love God promises his children. Kelsey is single handedly the most amazing and spectacular girl in the world. She has overcome some great adversaries and maintains the precious gift of Joy she was given. Simply put there is absolutely no way I would ever think of having a wedding and Kelsey not being a significant part of it. She kept me fired up and excited about the wedding for months, weeks, days before it actually arrived. She took delight in every small detail she could throughout the planning process. She asked me continuously how much longer till the wedding. Kelsey is an Angel to me and our family and I am so blessed she served as my maid of honor on my wedding day!

Laura Beth-

I am not sure when exactly Laura Beth and I became friends, sometime in college. What I do know is I cannot picture my life without her in it. She has been the most loyal friend to me since our friendship began. In college Laura Beth would be at my side as we would cruise around with my Mom and usually Whitney. We put the convertible top down and jammed as we went to eat or pick up some Eskimo Hut drinks. After college Laura Beth went to Law school, she is so stinking smart! and we kept in contact via phone and occasional visits. She now lives Lubbock which is where she met Drew for the first time. We were driving through on our way to Abilene and stopped to eat with her for dinner. It wasn't long after she first met Drew that LB said she thought he was "the one" for me. I wasn't even convinced at that point that it was true. She knew even before I did! I have loved watching the friendship the LB and Drew have formed with each other through their individual relationships with me. Laura Beth has been such a caregiver to me and my Mom, especially throughout the wedding. She helped clean up after the wedding and instilled confidence in my Mom with a few texts and phone calls while I was on my Honeymoon. Peyton couldn't keep the two of us straight and ran up to LB several times over the course of the weekend calling her Aunt Meg! Laura Beth is such a beautiful and precious friend! I was so excited she was able to join me on my wedding day!

Tenell-

Tenell, Neeley, and I are all within a couple years of one another. I am in the middle and Tenell is the oldest. We used to spend our summers together at our family's cabin in Blue Haven, NM. I remember one summer we formed a singing group, called Angel Fire ( I think. ) We stood in the woods in a circle practicing our harmonies together. Tenell was the leader and helped Neeley and I find our pitches. During our talent shows for our family in the summer's there the three of us would put pony tails on the top of our heads, gel it to make it stand straight up and sing "Ba Ba Ba , Ba Ba Baran." Ohh memories. Tenell and I roomed together at some of ACU's leadership camps and really became close while we were in school together. She was a year ahead of me at took me under her wing my freshman year. I sat with her and her "cool" sophomore friends and ate lunch with them when I could. Tenell was a constant place for me to escape to while I was at ACU. Her door was always open willing to hear out my struggles, give me advice or just take me out for a coke run. It was very important to me to make sure Tenell was in my wedding and I was so glad she flew up to be there.

Bailey-

One of the greatest things about my time in Amarillo has been getting to know Bailey! We often call her a grown up Kelsey because her Joy is contagious. She is hardly ever in a bad mood, She is always willing to lend a hand for a friend, She is a wonderful listener, and She makes you laugh with weird spontaneous dances! When I first met Bailey, at a local coffee shop, I was stand-offish to her. I wasn't in the mood to meet new people at that point in my life. I left Amarillo and she and Neeley formed a friendship bonded through their annoyance of their boyfriends band. I came back and hanging out with Bailey was like a breath of fresh air. She immediately made me feel comfortable and involved in the friendship she had already formed with Neeley. I adore everything about Bailey! She tries to accomodate everyone around her and reach out to those in need.  There was absolutely no way I was going to not have Bailey in my wedding and she honored me by being  a bridesmaid.

Neeley- Matron of honor

 

Wedding Week Part 6: Lingerie Shower

I have to say that I think I had the best lingerie shower ever... like EVER!

Neeley was in charge of the shower along with help from her Mom, Bailey, and Tenell.

La Posada had this amazingly cool library filled with whimsical southwestern artwork, book shelves, two couches and some tables and a big fireplace to add a cozy feeling. After visiting La Posada I knew I wanted to have something in this room and as soon as Neeley and Aunt Tammy saw it they decided it would be a great place for the shower.

All the ladies who had been invited to the wedding were invited to attend and most of them did. It was a wonderfully fun moment to let loose and hang out with the girls.

Neeley and Tammy did an amazing job decorating with delicious food and drinks and lots and lots of victoria secret bags. The cookies and cakes were toted from Amarillo with a special lingerie theme to them. Neeley had worked tirelessley on a ton of suprises all packaged in Victoria Secret Bags. There would first be a little card to read with a clue as to what may have been inside naught and nice things. Utterly Embarassing in front of some of the conservative Christian people in attendance but all in good fun... really she was trying to pay me back for her lingerie shower!

Among the naughty gifts were, plastic handcuffs, "tickle me there" dice, PromisQuous wine, and edible panties, oh and a box of condoms.... LOVELY! The nice gifts included some lotion, sweet panties, hello kitty lip gloss set, and  a white garter with a gun attached, not sure if that was naughty or nice really. The girls went above and beyond and I was truly blown away at all the fun stuff I got!

In between the Victoria Secrets bags from the girls I was given gifts from attendees. Some of the most beautiful lingerie ever and some of the most comfy stuff too! Needless to say I was going to be set for a very happy first year and probably second, third and fourth of marriage with this stuff. It probably has something to do with why I got pregnant so early on but nevertheless... Peyton was there and she was eagerly handing me bags to open. After I opened a bag everyone would oohhh and ahhh and little Peyton went right along with it...then the smarty pants would say "that's pretty Aunt Megan." or she would say "whats that whats that." Pretty sure it was a little inappropriate for a 3 year old but it was fun having her there!

I had gone with Mom and Nana about a month before the wedding to pick out their gifts for me. Mom got me two items, one for the night of the wedding, a beautiful ivory and white lacy number and a fun floral nighty robe set. I loved them immediately! Nana and I picked out a black little set and I have to say it is mine and Drew's favorite!

Moving on... during the shower there was a bar across the hall so the hostessess decided to only provide punch and coffee. Somewhere along the way someone decided to go across the hall and purchase a bottle of champagne. Next thing I know that one is empty and Polly Sumrow, a longtime friend and member of the Church of Christ with my grandparents was walking in with two bottles she had bought for the party. I died of laughter and shock! I was so excited that she was enjoying herself and our group enough to jump in on the fun.

It was a shower I could have only dreamed of and full of people I love! The memories from this shower will last forever!

I honestly cannot thank Neeley and Aunt Tammy enough for their hard work to make the shower as perfect and special as it was.

It's a .... BOY!

It is very surreal to finally know what Baby Neal is going to be... Boy or Girl. I have to say I was completely shocked when our Sonogram tech told us it was going to be a little boy. I was convinced I was having a girl, I was carrying "high" and the baby had continuously had a higher heart rate both of which usually indicate a girl. I asked the sonogram tech to be sure it was a boy. She quickly pointed out that it most definitely was a little boy growing inside of me. Nana has referred to the baby as a "He" ever since the moment we announced we were pregnant. I had felt pretty sure she was right until the past couple weeks when I decided it was a girl and began mentally decorating a nursery for a little girl.

We had a gender reveal party Saturday night to announce to the family what the gender was. It was fun and special to get to tell all of them at one time. Aunt Tammy went above and beyond with her adorable centerpiece and party favors. Now it is on to decorating a little boy's nursery and deciding on a a name!

Halfway there...

The Jekyll and Hyde of Alzheimer's

Mom at this year's Walk to end Alzheimer's. She represented those living with the disease by carrying her blue flower.



Friday night  Drew, Mom, Nana and I went to dinner at Olive Garden. As we are sitting in the lobby waiting for our table Mom continues to punch at her phone just making aggravated noises... "Arghh" "Gahh" "No No No." After trying to get her to focus on something else I finally ask what is wrong with her phone. "It's this girl, this lady is all over it, she is everywhere and I am sick of her!" Reba McIntyre would be who she was referring to and she has almost all of her albums on her phone. I spent the majority of dinner trying to delete Reba's music and managed to delete all but 3 songs. As we left the restaurant I turned on music in the car and thinking it would be funny played one of the remaining Reba songs. Mom perks up with "Ohh yes! This is good!! I love it!!" I couldn't believe it ... the very music I had spent my entire dinner removing she decides to now love. I begin to laugh so hard that tears roll down my face and before I know it I am full on crying in the backseat. She is not quite aware of what has brought on the tears but for the first time in a very very long time my mom leans over and hugs me, grabs my hand and kisses it continuously. We are a very affectionate family but for the past year or so I rarely get voluntary affection from her. I have to remind and force her into a hug when I arrive or leave. The shock of her actions took me by such surprise I started to cry harder. She continues to tell me that it is all OK and that I have a precious baby coming and we have to "get this done" for the baby.

Fast forward less then 24 hours later, I am running errands with Mom and Nana. We have stopped at Walgreen's to drop off some film rolls my Mom has had for 20+ years. As she and I wait for Nana to finish her business  Mom begins to look for "something Tammy gave her." With no clues as to what it is and after many guesses I decide to just follow her around the store until she recognizes it. Fifteen minutes later with still no clue she is more frustrated and the three of us are standing near the checkout. I take this opportunity to try and get her onto a different subject and move her toward the door. As we stand in line Mom unleashes her fury on Nana and I. "Yall don't help me!" "You don't Get it! Nobody gets it!" She stands by the door glaring at me and I feel like fire could pop out of her eyes at any second. I have learned to just ignore this behaviour but as we get home and Nana and I settle down to watch some TV and let her calm down. However Mom decides she is not done yet and comes in to give us another go round of her anger. Eventually, hours later,  she apologizes and there are tears involved but the whiplash of Alzheimer's over the past 24 hours has left me numb.

This disease is horrific! The effects it has not only on the victim but those caring for them are never ending. I hate what it has turned her into and I cherish those moments of vulnerability and glimpses into my Mom's true personality all the more.