Birmingham Blessings!

A few weeks ago, a dear friend of mine asked if I would like to come up to Birmingham and spend time with her and her kids while her husband was out of town on business. Jaime and I were trying to do the math this weekend and figure out how long we've known each other (5 years in case you're wondering), but needless to say when she invited me, I didn't hesitate to say yes! It doesn't matter how much time has passed, we always pick up right where we left off and this weekend was no different. We spent countless hours just sitting and talking about our dreams, God, her kids, our families, and everything else in between. Here are just a few pictures to highlight the wonderful weekend we had together!

Saturday evening we enjoyed a nice pizza picnic in the back yard!

We rode these down the hill over and over...and over and over...

Tyson and I resting after he convinced me to play soccer in the heat of the day!

One of us learned how to drive (well, not really but she was all about sitting in my car)!

Peyton asked me to paint her fingernails and toe nails! How cute is she?!
Needless to say this weekend was jam packed with fun, talking, love, excitement, joy, and laughter! These 3 kids and Jaime are such a blessing to me, I always look forward to the next time I get to see them and can't for more weekends like this! They are my Birmingham blessings!

Georgia Peaches...kinda!

Well, as most of you have seen by the pictures I've been posting, I went with some other girls to Savannah, GA for my friend Megan's Bachelorette weekend. Even though I've known Megan since Middle School, it wasn't until we were in college when we really got close. Megan is one of friends that always has your back, listens with an open mind, judges no one, and has a heart of gold and I mean GOLD! Although we don't see each other as often because she is in Med School at FSU, we try to see each other every time she comes in town and trust me when I say, we NEVER run out of things to talk about! (hard to imagine, huh)?! Anyways, Friday morning my friend Katie and I set out to pick up Megan from Tallahassee and on we went to Savannah. Friday night we met the other 5 girls at the hotel, changed and set out for dinner at Tapas. I LOVED the atmosphere at this place and the food wasn't bad either. After dinner we decided to go back to the hotel since it was already getting late and let Megan open her lingerie gifts and then I hit they sack (I had been sick last week and knew I should forego social hour to try and get some good rest so I'd be ready for the following day and it worked...Saturday I felt like a new woman). So Saturday we got up and ate some delicious food that one of the girls had brought along, got ready and hit the town. We first made our way down to Bay Street to go in the touristy shops and then it was on to Paula Deen's for some down home cookin' y'all! The peach cobbler was to DIE FOR!! After being rolled out of PD's we then made our way into some more shops and finally decided to take a carriage tour through the historic district of Savannah. We had walked so much that morning we all thought our legs were going to fall off. Our tour guide was gracious enough to offer to take us back to our hotel so we wouldn't have to walk back which we all were SOOOO grateful for. After returning to the hotel we decided to snack/watch My Best Friend's Wedding/rest/get ready for the night ahead. We later set out to have dinner at this place called Rocks on the Rooftop and it was GORGEOUS and awesome all at the same time! I can't even describe the beautiful view! After dinner we decided to head down to a Chocolate Bar (need I say more?!) which was also WONDERFUL! We piddled around a little after that, ran into some interesting people, saw some interesting things, and then headed back to the hotel. The next morning my friend Katie and I got up and got packed before everyone else so we decided to walk down a few blocks to the cutest, quaintest coffee shop for some breakfast and then it was on the road to head home! This weekend we made new friendships, strengthened existing ones, experienced new things together, laughed, talked, slept, talked, shopped, talked, well...you get the point! Here's to celebrating Megan and the wonderful guy, Cameron's marriage and the beautiful people they are!

THIS is the reason for Fusion!

As I'm typing this, I'm asking myself why I decided to start typing at 10:07, knowing I have to get up at 5am tomorrow, but I know if I don't type it now I'm going to lay in bed for the next hour thinking about him. That's right, HIM. Tonight was my first night volunteering at Fusion (it's a sports complex/a campus of LHUMC, which is the church I attend). We bought it a few months ago and have recently opened it for people to come and use our gym facility, soccer fields, and to have a place to worship on Sunday mornings. I was really looking forward to volunteering tonight, however, my thought process changed at about 8:20 when a young boy (who lives in the trailer park down the street) and his friend came in. Let me jump back and say that a while ago I heard about this lady that started praying for a stranger every day. Well, I've thought a lot about doing that as well and I think tonight is the first night that I've done it (and I'm going to try my best to continue it). When this little boy walked in (who's probably about 10 years old, I was told by someone else that he lived down the street, is in a bad living environment, and was the first person through the door, the day Fusion opened. He comes regularly during the week at 6am when Fusion opens until its time to go to school and a lot of times late at night. There was something about THIS boy though. He had the sweetest, cutest smile, nicest personality, and just wanted some love. Its THIS boy that I decided to start praying for tonight...that I added to my prayer journal when I got home, and its THIS boy that is the reason why I'm praising God for allowing our church to open Fusion...so that children like THIS have a safe place to come, to receive a hug or a smile from a stranger, and know that they are cared for. THIS is why I'm extra thankful for Fusion today...because it is a safe house for some, it is a place of rest and at the same time a place for some to let go and be themselves. THIS is something I'm thankful to be a part of. THIS is something I'm thankful to have experienced tonight. THIS boy will continue to be in my prayers. He was invited to the morning services' that  my church is holding this week and I pray that I see him again, but if I don't...I know that he at least has my prayers if no one else's. Please join me in praying for THIS boy!