Monday, March 03, 2008

Wonderful Weekend

Friday:
I felt so grateful for the loving, supportive comments you all left on Thursday's post. I was blessed and so blown away. Lisa, I've been thinking non-stop about what you said. Thank you for sharing your story. I did not post it out of utmost respect for you, but it has definitely made an impact on me. May God bless you beyond your wildest imagination and restore the years the locusts have eaten. (Joel 2:25)

On Friday morning we took Jackson to Mother's Day Out and then Curt and I both spent the morning working. We had lunch together at Freebird's (give Him some glory!) and stopped by JD's Chippery for some cookies and a cherry limeade. I've been going there for more than three years and have just now discovered that their cherry limeades are better than Sonic's! I'm amazed! It was a fun Friday date with Hubs.

Friday night we drove out to Highland Village to have a date night with Stephanie and Jeffrey. A very brave girl named Ashley took care of all three of our boys. (Stephanie's sons are elementary age.) They treated us to dinner at Patrizio's and had we had a great time. Afterward we hung out at their house until about 11 p.m. Stephanie gave me many words of wisdom about being a boy mom. I needed some encouragement that day and hung on every word she said.

On the way there and back, we happened to drive by Acute Kids Care and I wished I had known about it last weekend! DFW moms, be sure to check out that link. They have several locations. Janelle had to take Ella on Saturday and she said it was amazing.

Saturday:
We slept until 8:30 and then had a very lazy day. I only left to get McD's for lunch and Curt only left to get some diapers that evening while I got dinner started. Yes, I cooked a real meal! I cooked chicken and then proceeded to disinfect the kitchen three times before I was comfortable with its cleanliness. I seriously have some issues.

Sunday:
I woke up to find that Beckham had gotten into the trash during the night and eaten some raw chicken bits that were in there. There was a long string of chicken junk stuck to the floor. I cleaned it up while I gagged and heaved. Then I nearly had - no, I did have - a mental and emotional breakdown as I imagined chicken germs all over my house. Major issues, people.

Our pastor is in Israel right now, so Curtis preached the morning services. He taught on Romans 13:11-14 and helped us set our hearts on the Second Coming of Christ. It was such a blessing because I absolutely hate saying goodbye. I've been longing for Jesus and my heavenly home so much. I can't wait to be where I never have to say goodbye to a loved one again and where we will all be together with the One we have in common.

Sunday afternoon I went to a baby shower for one of my best friends Jennifer. (We met on the volleyball team in 9th grade.) She is having a baby girl in April. It's so exciting! And I have never seen her look more beautiful. We played a game at the shower in which we had to open up a diaper and guess what kind of candy bar had been melted inside by looking, touching, even tasting! It was outrageous. If I had been pregnant, I would have thrown up in the bathroom.

Sunday evening we had The Ultimate Date Night (read: The Last Date Night) with Janelle and Heath and Sunni and Xavier.

These are pictures from our first ever date night - childbirth class at Baylor Grapevine Hospital.

What embarrasses me most here is not my 8 or 9 month pregnant shape, but my horrible growing-out bangs.






Here we are going out with a bang at Kirby's Steak House. After two years of much hard work, we deserved to splurge! The whole night was so nice and so fun. The boys were in rare form and our cheeks hurt from laughing. (Actually, they were not in rare form. They are always like that.) I knew I would either laugh or cry that night and I was glad to have laughed. Our sweet babysitter wanted to bless us and absolutely would not let us pay her. Thank you, Rachael! What a sweet gift!

Strapping young men.




We closed the place down.


This is a reenactment of Nurse Nancy's effleurage demonstration. It's too bad you can't hear the sound effects.


Heath and Xavier forcing Curt into a group bear hug.


A reenactment of our belly shot from childbirth class.


Monday:
Jackson went to MDO and I met Mel and little Brynne for lunch at The Grand Lux. Then I got a 1/2 lb. of English Breakfast Tea at Teavana, some new makeup from Estee Lauder (it's Gift Time at Macy's and I am obsessed with their bonus-size mascaras), and an outfit for a soon-to-be birthday girl at Baby Gap. Could this day have been any better?

44 comments:

Hillary said...

I'm so glad you had a great weekend!! What a blessing! And boy I do love that red shirt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It would look great at some Razorback games! I'm always buying red things even though it isn't my best color.

Jenny said...

I'm glad you had a good day! I know moving is hard as we have moved a couple of times, but in the end you just get to make more friends.

I am curious about where you are moving to and what you all will be doing. I'm guessing it is not as far as when you all went to England. Was it England or somewhere else? I'm not a good "blogging" friend, I can't remember!

Jenny

Heather said...

Glad you are able to have a wonderful weekend and great time with friends. Looks like a grand time was had by all! We are praying for your family as you go through this season of change.

Jenna said...

Sounds like a perfect weekend, indeed! Friends (who are like family), food, and fun :) I love all of the pictures, too. Y'all are all are adorable.

Keeping you in my prayers in the coming weeks as y'all continue to move through all these transitions and goodbye's. Although I have a feeling with friends as close as y'all it will most certainly be see you later's. :)

Anonymous said...

Oh Amanda, I am just choking back tears! I know it was bittersweet. I'm glad you all were able to have a night out together! I'm praying for you all as you leave for your next adventure!

Much love,
Sarah, TN

Anonymous said...

Tell me that you eat at Bubba's fried chicken too. It is amazing and worthy of Divine praise!!!! It must be cooked in annointed oil.
I have one nosy question that is well shallow - what about that cute red door!?! Is that terrible!?1
And Acute Kids care is our weekend angel, with 4 kids, they've learned all the names.
Praying for you!

Lisa @ The Preacher's Wife said...

Seeing those pics with your sweet friends makes me want to cry my eyes out. I'm so glad you all have such great memories to hang on to!

Stephanie Kay said...

Looks like you had a wonderful night out. Glad you went out with a bang and created some new precious memories.

mariel said...

Praise the Lord for a sweet weekend with dear friends!

Looking forward to that heavenly home with ya, girl!!

Kari said...

I love the pictures! Aren't date nights with friends so fun? You look beautiful in your red!

Sunni at The Flying Mum said...

My 7-8 mo. pregnancy shape...I don't know what to say but "thank you for being my friend at that time."

Such a good, good time last night. Loved it!

Kelly said...

Love the belly shots!!! Ya'll were adorable!!
Better than sonic cherry limeades? I'm going to have to come to BigD and check it out!
I'm glad ya'll had such a great date night!!!

Sister Lynn said...

Dear Amanda,

I am glad you had such a lovely weekend. I was reminded of some words of wisdom that you may be familiar with -

http://www.lproof.org/Devotions/2007/AlltheWaytotheShip.html

May your friends continue to see you all the way to the ship.

Blessings on your new adventure.

Peace,
Sister Lynn

Janelle and Ella said...

I'm still choosing denial over an emotional break down for the moment, but I will say it was the perfect "last" date night!
Oh my word, those pictures of the boys are cracking me up all over again!!

Janelle and Ella said...

Oh yea, I am still thanking our all-knowing Lord that He allowed Acute Kids Care to catch your eye! I don't know what we have done without it.

Erin Ward said...

that's so great that you got to have one big finale of a date night!

Amy Beth @ Ministry So Fabulous! said...

So much fun! And I'm with you on the chicken germs. Gag me.

Holly said...

I gave a hearty clap offering for the Freebirds in DFW! WooHoo! Do you know? I love it so much, I have had deliveries to our old East Texas home from our friends, when they came to visit!

Continuing to pray for you and your family and friends! Praying for the new, the wonderful and the best that God has coming!

Much love,
holly

Toknowhim said...

Oh my... you all are just so cute with your round little tummies (it makes me want another baby :)... Also, I too would have kind of freaked out about the raw chicken thing... I have raw food issues too :)

Fran said...

Oh Amanda!! I just thought about you 101 times and checked your blog so frequently because I was desperate for some good words from you....I knew that God would already be doing His beautiful work in your life as you shared with us the changes taking place.

He is gloriously working in every single detail. I'm so excited for your new friends that you haven't even met yet. They are going to be so blessed by having you, Curtis, and sweet Jackson in their life. The wheels are in motion.

Blessings sweet friend. I'm thrilled the weekend was so full in so many ways.
Hugs~
Fran

Kelly said...

Great friends are the best- chosen family. These memories will be tresures forever.

Praying for abundant blessings wherever you are going.

Jaime said...

As a former Lauder "consultant" I applaud your delight over the bonus mascaras. Did it come with Rosa Rosa lipstick? Classic. As a military brat I can totally empathize with the 'leaving'. You and your girls look so adorable in your prego pics. 8/9 months indeed (you were so tiny!! Glad your weekend was so delightful!!

Mrs.Naz@BecomingMe said...

Yeah for a lovely weekend! Very cute photos.May I ask if all raw meat freaks you out, germs in general or just chicken? I hope much beauty encompasses your week. Angela

jennyhope said...

First you look so pretty!
Second, I have major chicken issues and literally bleach the kitchen whenever we eat it. IT is almost not worth the meal. My husband sales chemicals to poultry plants and (the LORD) a customer sent him home with 21 pounds of boneless chicken. I seriously took it in as quail from the Lord.
Long story short, my man and I were separating it into individual bags and he knows how bad I can't stand raw meat so he flung (is that a word) the chicken juices all in my hair and eye to be flirtatious and kidding. I was mortified!
Praying for you guys Amanda. My heart hurts for you even though I know you are leaving to follow Jesus and He will bless you ten fold. Easier said right?

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a perfectly wonderful weekend! Aren't the belly pictures classic? I have one taken with my husband and best friend's husband showing our bellies though...good news is that I wasn't in my last trimester! I think I actually talk more with my BFF now then when I lived there! What a blessing to have such great friends!

Dana said...

Sweet memories, you have so many to take with you. What blessings you have - enjoy!

Dana

Anonymous said...

We love our Care Now Clinics! Acute Care sounds cleaner though. :)
We have been so often with both boys!
You are moving so quickly! Be glad about that though, I wish we were! Waiting and waiting is very hard on my soul!
I will be praying your old house sells! Any news on it? We are putting ours up tomorrow but the other one is already up!

Jenn said...

Amanda - Acute Care is a great place! We have taken our boys there a few times and they are very friendly and fast!

MamaCass said...

I love that first date night picture! Very sweet. I am glad you guys had a great night out and laughed alot. You need to share some of that wisdom for boy moms. I am in dire need=)

Unknown said...

Amen!

Those men are a riot! I love their pictures ~ it made me giggle.

I hope you got the kitchen all clean after the chicken goo experience. Have you tried the new Clorox spray on disenfectant? I use it at work to help kill all the sniffly germs.

Unknown said...

Sounds like perferction to me! So happy for you!

Erin said...

oooooh sister...that picture of you three at 8/9 months pregnant was NOT the thing for me to look at this morning (after my half box of girl scout cookies I had for breakfast)...I am only 32 weeks today and I'm pretty sure I'm MUCH bigger than you were. Shame. Glad you had a good weekend, love you...see you soon?

Erin

Kevin and Christie said...

Looks like you guys had fun! Love the prego pictures.

Anonymous said...

Wow! Sounds like a great weekend! You guys look like you had a blast on your date night!

Kelly @ Love Well said...

What a fun weekend. I could sum up our recent weekend with one word: boring. We didn't even get out to go to church, thanks to a little fever sprouting on Natalie.

But sitting around on my duff, doing nothing, did give me lots of time to think. And sometime on Saturday, the thought occurred to me, "OH NO! Amanda is going to have to leave her beautiful red door!" And I wept for the unfairness of it all.

Kay Altic said...

so fun friend....so glad ya'll got to have such a sweet time together...Love you

Mocha with Linda said...

That reenactment picture? Your tummy is WAAAAY to flat to have ever birthed a child. Oh to be young....

"Precious memories, how they linger."

So glad you had a great time with your friends.

Amy T said...

So glad you had a great weekend. Y'all looked Mahvelous! After the stress you've had, it was probably just the thing you needed.

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful weekend, and a beautiful picture of that adorable little man!!

Kelli said...

What a great weekend and great time that you had with friends this past weekend! That breakfast tea looks super yummy! I think that I might have to order some online! :)

Abby said...

Thanks for the 'shout out' for Acute Care - my husband is the NP in the ortho clinic on Tuesday. He works with wonderful Christian men who office from there (Plano) twice a week. Ironic.

Lisa Pierre said...

Look at how long your hair was in the first pregnancy picture!???! Loved the effects and results of pre-natal vitamins, back when....

connorcolesmom said...

Those pictures look so cute!!
What darling friends God has brought into your life!
They are treasures!
Blessings,
Kim

Melissa said...

I'm in love with Freebirds! Sounds like you have been busy having fun :)