Going on one year

Next weekend will be Shawn's and my one year anniversary. It is a bit strange to think that we have been married for a year. A lot has happened, but time has just flown by. We have been busy working, taking classes, and just acclimating to life in North Carolina.

Thinking back to our wedding day, we have nothing but positive memories and are so thankful to all the wonderful people who came out and shared it with us. My parents helped make everything run smoothly. It was truly a dream day, and I couldn't have asked for anything more.

My brother provided support and humor when it was needed. My bridesmaids, some of the most wonderful women I know, pampered me and made sure the day ran smoothly. I barely had to lift a finger--I had help with everything from having a bath drawn to getting the buttons on my dress undone for a quick dress change at the 9 o'clock hour--and most importantly, they kept me on schedule and calm. Shawn's groomsmen helped make the day memorable by having fun, joking around, and just enjoying time together--they even had enough down time to play some catch!

We had help behind the scenes from aunts, cousins and family friends who made sure place cards got out, centerpieces got created and everything was in place. We had an amazing officiant who spoke from the heart and reminded us to consider the important things in life.

 And of course, we had the most wonderful guests who helped bring the fun to the dinner tables and the dance floor!

Looking back, it was one of the happiest days of my life, and I can't believe it has been a year already! Where does the time go? Thanks again everyone for all the fun and all the great memories.

An exciting weekend--concerts and family!

A few Fridays ago, Shawn and I packed up and headed out of the Triangle area. We were off to Roanoke Rapids, the site of Rapids Jam. Rapids Jam is a three-day country concert series with a number of big-name performers. Over the three days, they had Lady Antebellum, Willie Nelson, Darius Rucker, Sugarland, and a whole lot more. Shawn and I didn't go for the three days, but opted to go on Friday only, which had Craig Morgan, Darius Rucker and Sugarland performing.

We got there around 4 p.m. and  had plenty of time to find somewhere to park (people were selling spots on their lawn), get some food, and find a place to sit. We of course ended up next to some guys who had been drinking all day, one of whom had a bit too much. The guy kept nodding off, and his friends would then take pics of him holding various objects they had or found around the park (or with women who were also a bit tipsy). It was entertaining at least.

The entertainment was great. I really enjoyed all the performers in the Friday lineup! Only downside, the extreme heat. It was about 90 degrees and there was no shade. We just made do and put on lots of sunscreen!

After the concert we headed to our hotel a few miles into Virginia, and the next day we were on our way to Norfolk, VA to see Shawn's brother and family. We had fun jumping on the new trampoline with the kids, eating ice cream, watching movies and just hanging out. It was great to see everyone and we hope to make it up to Virginia more often!