Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts

Monday, December 19, 2011

William's Hospital Visit



















So, I haven't been back to update, because life has been busy, and we've been running around making new friends, seeing old friends and family and preparing for holidays. However, on Thursday, I was reminded just how lucky I am and how important it is to stop and just soak in this time that we get to spend with our little family rather than rushing around and preparing like crazy for the holidays.

We were planning on heading out of town on Friday late evening to go back home for the holidays, and we were planning to be gone about a week and a half; however, William (2.5 months) was just not acting like himself. He's typically a very laid back and relaxed baby, and he was just fussy and inconsolable. I just felt like something was off, so I decided to make him a doctor's appointment before we headed out of town.

We went to the appointment, and his pediatrician said he had some definite congestion and his chest sounded coarse, but he wasn't too concerned. He sent him for a chest x-ray just to be sure, and he wrote us a prescription for breathing treatments and an antibiotic. We did the chest x-ray, and we went home. I honestly thought nothing of it, and I just knew he was fine...then, I got the call. His pediatrician called, and he wanted us to check William into the hospital as soon as possible. He had pneumonia...I had a total breakdown. I was not at all prepared, because I thought he was fine, and it was nothing, so I just started crying. I called Grant, and I told him he needed to come home right away. I ran to pick up Weston, and I broke down at daycare picking him up. I think the director, and his teachers thought I had lost my mind. Anyways, Grant met us at the hospital, and I dropped Weston off with Grant. I went with William, and we checked into the hospital for three long days. I spent most of my time at the hospital from Thursday afternoon until we were released on Sunday morning. It was terrible...

I had to see my baby get breathing treatments every four hours, have an IV in his foot then pull it out and have to get it put in his arm, have multiple attempts at getting the IV in, because he's a chubby baby, and it didn't go in easily, sleeping and laying in a tent as much as possible, so he could get oxygen and more...it was a nightmare. Not only that, but by Friday, I knew that I was sick too. I was achy and feverish, as well as, congested and coughing. It was terrible! I also had a mild case of mastitis, because he wasn't nursing well. It was truly miserable. I thought that Grant and I would be fine to not have anyone come down and help, but after feeling so terrible, I called my mom, and she arrived at 1:00 AM on Saturday morning. Grant came to the hospital first thing on Saturday to relieve me, and I came home to shower and nap. Then, I went back to the hospital and Grant headed home to be with Weston. Grant spent the evening with Weston while my mom and I were at the hospital with William. Then, I went home, and my mom stayed the night with William. I was just exhausted and sick. I REALLY hated to leave him, but I knew that I needed to get some sleep and try to feel better.

William came home on Sunday morning, and we are now back together as a family under the same roof. He has a follow-up visit on Wednesday morning at our pediatrician's office, and we hope that he is well enough to travel for Christmas on Wednesday evening. We were planning lots of visits with friends this week, but we aren't going to be able to follow through, unfortunately; however, I'm just grateful that he's going to be okay, and he's going to be home for Christmas. We are truly blessed and this just reminded me that we need to slow down and just relax and spend this time celebrating our family and not rushing around trying to get things done and do too much.

It's easy to take your babies health for granted...I hope to never take my healthy, happy babies for granted again. There are SO many people who don't have healthy babies, and they'll be spending the holidays in the hospital. Life is good, and William is recovering. I'm getting lots of snuggles and spending more time just relaxing on the couch and playing with my babies instead of constantly running around and feeling stressed!

Thursday, December 9, 2010

So much to be thankful for...


I know I'm SO late on posting Thanksgiving photos, but I had lost my camera, and I just now found it, and I got it charged back up, so better late than never!

We spent a great Thanksgiving Holiday with my parents at their house on Thursday followed by a second round with Great-Grammy & Grandfather in Greenville, SC on Friday. It was a great week, and we truly do have so much to be thankful for in the Harvey Household.

We are healthy and enjoying life with an almost 11 month old! He is so joyful, and I need to post a Monthly Update...I'm WAY late!

Here are some things that I'm thankful for this year:
  • A handsome, healthy son
  • A loving, supportive husband and father
  • A husband who gives our son a bath every single night, puts on his pajamas and reads to him, because he enjoys that special time that they share each night.
  • Parents who love us and our son and who would do anything to help us and be there for us when we need them.
  • A dog who lets our son chew on him, pull his ears and tail, step on him and "pat" him constantly.
  • The ability to nurse my son to his 1st Birthday! Yay!
  • Friends with children close in age to Weston that we spend time with regularly
  • My sister who is getting married in the Spring, and I get to help with her wedding! She is a true best friend, and I'm SO glad that I can call her that!
I have SO much more to be thankful for, and I could go on and on and on, but I'll stop with those for now! I have nothing to complain about and am so grateful for all the joy in our lives.

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Stress

Edit: Just an update to my comments below...Grant is going away for one of his best friends Bachelor parties next weekend to Charleston, and he leaves early on Friday, and he won't be home until Sunday afternoon. So, I'm hoping that a weekend away with his "guys" will cheer him up! :)

It's been a busy few weeks in the Harvey household, and it's really caused some tension lately. I feel like we've been running from one place to the other nonstop for the past two weeks, so it's been pretty stressful, and I don't see the situation improving much until after the end of June.

Ultimately, the stress hasn't gotten to me much, because I'm so Type A that I've been very organized and gotten everything completed with little to no issues; however, it really seems to be affecting Grant. He is constantly aggravated at the dog, quick to anger and just moody. I asked him last night what was going on, and he said that he thought that once I finished my MBA (last Wednesday) that things would calm down for us, and we wouldn't be so busy. He thought we would have more time in the evenings, and he would have more time to do things. Unfortunately, he feels like we've become more busy since I finished.

I can't wave a magic wand and grant us more time to do the things that we want, but I am trying to encourage G to embrace our hectic schedules and know that we'll always be more busy now, but if we work together, we can make it through. It's frustrating, because he takes out his stress on me sometimes. I try not to let it get to me, because I know how he is feeling, but sometimes it's tough. I know that together will make it through these next few months where we've got something going on every single weekend and often times during the week, as well. I hate to wish away the time, but I'm SO ready for the end of June!

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Questions Answered - Part 3

I think that this will be the final post of Questions Answered. If anyone thinks of any additional questions to ask, please feel free to ask at anytime! :)

What is the hardest "thing" for you to handle since Weston joined your family?

The hands down toughest thing for me to handle is the crying...I want my baby to be happy all of the time, and I hate when he cries, and I can't make him feel better. I just don't know what's wrong, and it makes me so sad. It's the worst at night...Weston cries himself to sleep, and it's not just a whimper, it's a full on cry. If we go in his room to comfort him, it only makes it worse, so we leave him to put himself to sleep. But it completely breaks my heart! The other hard thing is making time for myself...I used to be able to run to the grocery store real quickly or run errands or shower, etc. Now, I have to more carefully plan those things based on his naps or his schedule. It's tough, but it's SO worth it!

What has been the easiest "thing" for you to handle since Weston joined your family?

The easiest "thing" for me to handle has just been being a mom...we've easily fallen into the routine of working and spending time together, and I feel like it's been so smooth for our family. I love being a mom...absolutely love it!

Talk about your diagnosis with PCOS and your positive pregnancy test / experience...

So, as most of you know, Grant and I will have only be married for a year this upcoming weekend, and we got pregnant with Weston on our honeymoon. I can't imagine life being any different, and it worked out perfectly. We love our little boy, but he was definitely a huge surprise.

Here is my story: I had been on birth control since I was in the 8th grade due to irregular cycles, so I was anxious to get off of BC to see what would happen. So, I talked to Grant about it, and we agreed that I would get off birth control in September just to see what would happen, but we would use other forms of birth control in the interim. I only ovulated once on my own and once with help from the doctor by taking some pills from September to January, so I went to the doctor, and she did an ultrasound and blood tests, and she diagnosed me with PCOS. She told me that when we were ready, that we would go the route of using Clomid. I had 14 cysts on one ovary and 10 on the other. I was devastated, and I cried and cried thinking that it would be difficult to get pregnant, and I might never have a child.

Since we weren't ready yet, the doctor told me that to avoid additional cysts that I should get back on BC until we were ready to start trying, so I agreed and got back on birth control in late February. I took it regularly, but I didn't always take it at the same time everyday, and I sometimes missed a pill and took two in one day, because I didn't think that it was possible to get pregnant or to ovulate without medical assistance based on my diagnosis. So, Grant and I moved forward with our plans, got married, went on our honeymoon and a week after returning from our honeymoon, I got a positive pregnancy test.

I couldn't believe it...I had been diagnosed with PCOS, so this wasn't possible! I was shocked, and I was confused. It was an emotional time, and I felt like God had given me a miracle, because I had been told that getting pregnant was going to be difficult. Even though it's not how we planned it, I feel like God knew what he was doing, and he knew that the time was right. So, I'm anxious just thinking about the diagnosis and wondering whether it will be so easy next time or if it will be difficult. I'm scared that though we want two children, we may only have one. If that's the case, that's okay. God blessed us with a beautiful, healthy, happy baby boy, and we are SO lucky!

What are your favorite - hair/skin products?

My favorite hair products are Bumble & Bumble. I love it!! Specific products that I use regularly are Spray de Mode, Brown Hair Powder, Tonic Lotion, Warm Brunette Shampoo & Conditioner. As far as skin products go, I use a variety of products. I use a moisturizer, under eye cream and anti-wrinkle cream in the evenings. I use a sunscreen and general moisturizer, as well as, anti-puff eye roller in the mornings before leaving the house.

What is one thing you can do to make you feel pretty?

Take time to myself...in the evenings after work, I spend time with Weston, get him ready for bed and do his bedtime routine, then I prepare everything for the next day. We wash bottles, eat dinner, prepare bottles for the next day, etc. It's very busy, and I often just have a quick rushed shower. I love the weekends when I just have time to take a LONG shower, fix my hair, put on make-up slowly and do any other things to feel good about myself. Just taking my time and getting ready and not being rushed makes me walk out of the house feeling pretty! :)

Favorite drink?

My favorite non-alcoholic drink is Diet Coke. My favorite alcoholic drink is Margarita's especially on the beach with friends.

Have you chosen not to drink at all while breastfeeding?

No. I haven't chosen not to drink while breastfeeding. I try to avoid drinking large amounts, because I just don't know that it's good for him, though I don't think that it'll necessarily hurt him. There are so many mixed opinions and thoughts on the subject. I didn't drink a whole lot before I was pregnant. I drink socially...at parties, tailgates, etc. I also have the occasional glass or two (or three) of wine in the evenings, but never an abundance. I do not drink within two hours of the next feeding, so if I'm going to do it, it has to be after he goes to bed when I won't be feeding him for awhile, when I'm gone for a few hours, and he'll be getting a bottle or at the beginning of awake time after he has just eaten.

How many more kids do you want to have?

Now that I've had Weston, and I've had such a great experience from the time I got the positive pregnancy test to the present that I told Grant the other day that I would be happy having four kids total, but in all reality, we are planning on having two. We don't want Weston to be an only child, because we want him to have that experience of having a sibling, but we also want to be able to provide for them financially as best as possible without having financial worries or stress. So, we've agreed to stop at two babies. :)

What is the best thing about being a mommy?!

I don't know if there is one best thing, because I feel like everything right now is just awesome! I really love when I go to get Weston from his crib in the morning, and he just looks up at me and grins this huge wide smile! I love it, and it makes the job SO easy. I also love cuddling with him and just holding him close. I love knowing that he relies on me, and I take care of him and would do anything for me. I don't have a "best" thing, because it's all so rewarding, and I'm SO lucky to be the mom to such an awesome little boy!

Weston with Aunt Amanda (my sister)

Friday, April 23, 2010

Questions Answered - Part 1

I'm going to answer as many of your questions as I can before I have to get back to work...it's been a busy week, so I haven't had a chance to post my responses. I will finish the responses that I don't get to early next week!

Did you have any girls names picked out? If so, what were they?


We really struggled with girls names, but we wanted to be completely prepared if we found out we were having a girl. It's really funny, because we both really have always wanted two boys, so we have had a boys name picked out since we first started dating. We started trying to think of girls names, and we came up with all the really popular girls names that we loved, such as, Abigail and Madison. We had settled upon Madison if it was a girl, but some of our best friends have decided to name their little girl, due next week, Madison. So, it looks like we'll be going with Abigail or something entirely different if our next child is a girl.

On another note, I've always wanted to have two boys, but now that we have one boy, I think I'd kind of like to have a girl next time, but I'd be so happy either way, and I'd love a boy or a girl! :)

How did you choose daycare for Weston? Did you have the option of leaving him with a family member or having a full time "nanny"? How did you choose that particular daycare?

I am completely Type A and OCD, so I started looking for Daycare Providers early on...I didn't go to a regular daycare when I was a baby, because my mom chose an "In Home" daycare provider. I knew that this was something that I wanted to look into, because I had a great experience. I still get Christmas and Birthday cards from my daycare lady, and she attended my high school graduation. The State of Georgia has a website that you can enter your zip code, and it gives you all of the daycare providers, in-home and commercial, within a certain radius from the zip code that you entered. It also allows you to see the reports on each of these individuals and the most recent licensing study. I made a detailed spreadsheet that included information on each of these individuals, location, contact information, distance from home and office, cost, etc. I then set-up meetings with five different women, and I made notes after the visits about what I liked and didn't like, etc. I then made a decision based on all the information that I had compiled, and it is the best decision that I have made. We LOVE her! She even cleaned the cradle cap out of his head yesterday, because I was too afraid to do it! Ha-Ha! :)

I didn't have the option of having a family member stay with Weston, because both Grandma's still work, and I didn't want to have a Nanny, because I felt like if I wasn't home, and he wasn't with a relative, then I would prefer him to be with other kids for the interaction and to build his immunity.

Any plans for more babies in [near or not] future?

Definitely...I had such a great experience both in pregnancy and birth, as well as, following birth with care, sleeping and breastfeeding. So, I'm actually really excited about having another one. We aren't ready yet, because Weston is still so young, but I'm planning to wean him before a year, so I can get my cycle and body back under control and then hopefully, start trying again when he is about a year old.

What's the one item in your closet that you just can't live without?

I can live without every item in my closet right now...I just hate my wardrobe right now, and while I can fit into a lot of my clothes, my boobs are too big, so I can't fit into my favorite tops! :( And I can't fit into my "skinny" jeans yet! I'd love to go out and buy a new wardrobe, but that's not happening right now, so I'll just live with what I have. I always thought that I'd get breast implants after a baby, but now, not so much. I don't want to have to buy all new shirts, and I want to fit back into some of my favorites!

How did you pick out your adorable furbaby?

Grant saw a Vizsla when he was in college, and he fell in love with his personality. I had never heard of them before until I met Grant. He had never had a family pet growing up, so he was nervous about getting one, but I really wanted one, so he said, that he was up for it, but he wanted a Vizsla. I did the research, and I gathered information about them and about breeders in our area. I set up a visit with one of the breeders who I had heard good things about, and we met her when she had puppies available. We agreed to purchase one, and it's been tons of fun! He is our 1st child, and we love him. He's great with Weston, and I recommend a Vizsla to everyone! :)

Are we related? We have the same last name!

I don't think so...I think that Harvey is a pretty common last name. :)

What breeder did you get Banks from?

We got Banks from Vizcaya Vizslas in Winder, GA. She has some beautiful dogs, and Banks is featured on the home page slide show twice...once in the dryer and once with Weston. He is also featured on the "In the Field" page and the "Up and Coming Titles" page. Check him out! I'm one proud mom!

How did you and your hubs meet? How did he propose?

Grant and I met at work, and we both still work for the same employer. I was managing a project, and he was selected as one of the tester's for the application. I had spoken to him on the phone, but I had never seen him. He walked into my office that day, and we never looked back. I explained testing to him, then I emailed him and asked if he wanted to go to lunch. We enjoyed lunch at Loco's, and we had a great time talking and getting to know one another. I was going to see Milledgeville to see Luke Bryan over the weekend, and we were really anxious to see one another again, so I asked if he wanted to come with me. He ended up coming, and we spent the whole weekend together. We've spent every weekend since together except for one...he lived four hours away in Jesup, GA when we first met, and he got transferred to Athens after we had been dating almost a year.

He proposed on the 4th of July. I wanted to hang out with friends, and he kept saying that we shouldn't worry about it, and we should just do something fun together. So, I set-up dinner with my parents instead. We had dinner with my parents, and I could tell he was a little frustrated, but I didn't think much about it. We then went to see the fireworks afterwards at the park, and we were laying on our blanket, and I went to get up, so we could leave before the crowds during the finale, and he stopped me and asked me to marry him. I started crying, and I thought he was joking! It was the best day, and it was perfect for us! We waited until the next day to call all of our friends and family to let them know the news, and we spend an enjoyable night basking in our newly engaged status! :)

Alright, I've got to get back to work...I'll post some additional responses, hopefully, on Monday!

Weston & Gramps

Monday, April 12, 2010

Our Schedule

So, everyone has been posting about their daily schedules lately, so I thought that I would share mine and Weston's daily schedule. It can get a bit hectic and chaotic, but I love it, and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.

Daily Schedule
5:45 AM - Wake up & prepare for work
6:15 AM - Weston up, dressed & nurse
6:45 AM - Play with Weston & finish packing the car for daycare
7:00 AM - Leave for Daycare
7:20 AM - Drop W off at Daycare
7:30 AM - Arrive at the office
10:30 AM - W eats and I pump at the office
12:00 PM - Run errands
2:30 PM - W eats and I pump at the office
4:00 PM - Leave office
4:10 PM - Pick up W from Daycare
4:45 PM - Arrive at Home, W finishes up nap in crib while I start dinner
5:15 PM - W wakes up, and we play, Dad arrives home, and we eat dinner or go on a walk if it's nice out and save dinner until after W goes to bed
6:00 PM - Play with W, sing, read books, bath-time, etc.
6:30 PM - Nurse Weston
6:45 PM - Play, read, sing, say our prayers, etc. before W goes to bed
7:00 - 7:15 PM - W goes to bed
7:15 PM - Straighten up house, prepare W's things for daycare the following day, make bottles, do laundry, iron clothes, get clothes prepared for following day, run out to the store for emergency items, if necessary.
9:00 PM - Shower, Dry and Straighten hair
10:00 PM - Dreamfeed for Weston
10:30 PM - Bed

So, that's how our day goes, and I haven't watched TV since I went back to work. We are going to cut off our cable, because it's a waste of time and money. I'd rather spend my time playing with W rather than watching TV and when he goes to bed, I don't have time for it anyways! It's a busy life, and I often feel tired, and I don't typically get in bed by 10:00 PM. I'm not sure what I do that takes so long, but it is usually more like 10:30 - 11:00 PM, but Weston is sleeping pretty well, so I'm getting good sleep. I love our busy schedule, and I wouldn't change anything about it!

Monday, October 19, 2009

You can just call me...Mrs. Waterworks

Because I've broken down sobbing twice in the last 24 hours...I'm assuming that it's my hormones trying to play tricks on me and letting stupid little things bother me, but I'm going to try really hard to restrain myself the next time something stupid happens, and I feel like breaking into tears!

Last night on the way home from taking Banks to his Hunt Test, I got an email on my phone from my sister. She was updating me on who all was planning to come to my Family Baby Shower on Saturday, the 24th. I read through the list, and I came across one of Grant's sisters, and she had replied "No". I can't tell you how disappointed that I was to see that. Showers work much better for me on Sunday, because we have a busy schedule, but we planned it for Saturday, because she told us that she wouldn't be able to come if we didn't have it on a Saturday. So, Saturday it is...then, she volunteered to help my sister with the shower, and she bailed on helping, because she was "too busy with work". Okay, I understand that...we are all busy, and I can't blame her for not wanting to help. Then, I sent her an email in early August, and I told her the date of the shower, so she would be able to work around her schedule and make it. She emailed me last week and told me she thought that she would be able to make it, and she would let me know by the end of the week. I never heard back from her but apparently, she emailed my sister and told her that it was her boyfriends birthday weekend, and she felt like she needed to be there to celebrate with him, etc.

I sent an email to both of Grant's sister's inviting them to stay with us the night of the shower, and I never heard back from either of them. I doubt his other sister will come either, as I'm sure she has other things to do, as well, though she has known the date for quite some time also. As soon as I saw the email, I mentioned something to Grant about it, and I just burst into tears. I am extremely hurt that they don't make an effort to come and share things with me and to be a part of my life. I love them both, and we get along great, and they are fun to be around, but they don't make things that are important to Grant and I a priority. I felt like making the decision right then to not come to any showers that they ever have, because why would I make the effort if they don't make the effort for me.

Also, Grant's mom is very similar. She is coming to the shower, but she'll blow me off when I invite them to come to Athens to visit. They are always too busy or have something else going on. I emailed her almost two weeks ago, and she still hasn't call me back. I called her on Thursday and left her a voicemail asking her a few questions and asking her to call me back. I haven't heard from her yet. It's just so disappointing, and I feel like I can't count on them. It's so different from my family. If I called my dad this morning, and I said I needed something, he would drop everything and help me out. Same with my mom and sister, but I don't feel like I could do that with Grant's family. He knows this, and he has had similar experiences with his family, so he doesn't ask them for much, and he doesn't talk to them often. It just sucks, because I want to have a close relationship with them like I do with my parents.

The second time I cried was this morning...I was standing at the door waiting on Grant to help me carry some photos that I wanted to take to my office to my car, because they were heavy, and I had my hands full. I left the door open while I was waiting on him, and I was letting all the cool air from outside into the house, so he snapped at me about closing the door, because I was wasting energy, etc. I don't know what it was about him telling me that, but I just broke down into sobs, and I closed the door and took the photos to the car one by one by myself. Just thinking about it now makes me want to cry again...And it's SO stupid! He was just trying to avoid our power bill from being outrageous! Why am I so emotional?! I hate this, because it's SO untypical of me, and I want to be back to normal! Ha-Ha! Hopefully, I'll be back to normal before long!

What a way to start off a Monday morning...hope everyone else has a great Monday!!

On another note...check out this great offer from Traylor Papers:
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Wednesday, October 14, 2009

My Girls

As I was looking at photos today to print some out for our office, I came across photos from the Bridesmaid Luncheon, and I realized that these are the most important women in my life, so I wanted to post a photo of the women at the Luncheon, as well as, tell a little bit about each one and how we met. :)
From top left to bottom right: Laurie, Abby, Natalie, Rachel, Amanda, ME and Amanda

Laurie - My BFF since 5th Grade...She was one of the first people who talked to me when I started the 5th grade at a new school. We were also both thrown into the 4-H scene, and we both remained very active in our local and state 4-H program throughout high school. After high school, we went our separate ways...we were both 4-H counselors over the summer, but she went to UGA and I went to GC&SU. We didn't talk everyday, but we talked often, and we picked up right where we left off every time we had the opportunity to spend time together. This girl has been my right hand through so many adventures in the last 16 years, and I wouldn't trade her friendship for anything!

Abby - Friends since college...we were both involved in 4-H throughout high school, but she thought I was a snob, so we weren't really great friends. Turns out that we both went to GC&SU, and we lived across from one another in the dorms. We ended up hitting it off, and we were inseparable along with our roommates for the remainder of college. We still all four get together at least every other month to spend time together.

Natalie - After college friends...Natalie and I went to high school together, yet she was four years older than me, so we didn't know one another well. I graduated from college, and I moved to Athens where she was living. We both ended up going to a DZ Alumni Chapter Meeting in Athens one evening. We hit it off, and we grabbed one another's numbers, and we started spending a lot of time together. She is a steadfast friend who I've spent a lot of time with here in Athens since graduating, especially when Grant was living in Jesup. We spent many evenings drinking wine and chatting after work!

Rachel - My sorority little sister...I met Rachel at Ruby Tuesday's only a few days after she pledged Delta Zeta. I came up to her, and I told her that we would be friends, because we both had the name Rachel. At that time, there were no other Rachel's in our sorority. We began hanging out and found that we had a lot in common. We both are scarily alike in our relationship likes and dislikes. We enjoy many of the same things and some people even say we look alike. Our families are even from the same town of Columbus, GA.

Amanda - Where to start...she has been a lifesaver for me. Grant's friends have NEVER been real nice to me, mainly the girls or girlfriends of his friends. She was dating one of Grant's best friends, and I went to a wedding as Grant's date when we were dating, and she immediately gave me a hug and introduced herself. She was pretty much one of the only people that spoke to me or spent time with me that evening. She called me the very next week to see if I wanted to come over for dinner since Grant was living in Jesup, and we have been steadfast friends since. She spent a lot of time going out of her way to make me enjoy my time in Athens even though Grant was in Jesup. She has always included me, and I've enjoyed being the third wheel with her and her boyfriend on a regular basis when Grant was away! :)

Amanda - Not sure if you can see the resemblance, but this is my sister! We are two years apart, and we haven't always been extremely close, but in the past two years we have grown very close, and we talk to one another via phone, text or email almost daily. If I'm ever sad or upset about anything, I call my sister. I know that I have great friends, but my sister is the one who will never judge me and never ask questions. She'll listen to me and understand. If Grant and I have argued about something dumb, I call my sister. She doesn't think that Grant is a "bad" guy, because we've had a fight. She just listens to the situation, and she understands that we are being stupid, and we'll get over it in the morning. She is my shoulder to cry on, and I am so grateful to have her for a sister. She also takes after me and was a Delta Zeta at her college, as well. :)

Alright, so I've written a novel about my awesome bridesmaids, so I'll move on to some of the other important women in my life...
My Sister in Laws, Anna & Ashley

Both of my sister in laws are so much fun, and I really love and enjoy spending time with them. I'm so lucky that both of Grant's sisters and I immediately hit it off, and we've been friends since the beginning. I first met them both when Grant asked me to go with him to his sister, Anna's, graduation from college. They both came up and were able to make it to my Bachelorette Party, and I keep in touch with them regularly via email.

My Mom & Mother in Law

I'm blessed with a mom who I am very close to and talk to on a daily basis! She does so much for me, and I couldn't do it without her. I'm also very lucky to have a wonderful mother in law who is extremely easy going and enjoyable to be around. She doesn't meddle in our business or try to call or come visit on a regular basis. She is the best kind of mother in law to have! :)

We had a few others who were at the luncheon, but I don't have photos of them, including our grandmothers. Everyone is wonderful, and I have a great group of friends and family that I'm so lucky to have and who care about me and support me through all of life's challenges.