Birthday Love!

Well, yesterday was my birthday...turned the big 32! I don't really feel any older but probably look a bit older! haha It was a quiet day...nothing big...but that was exactly what I needed being 9 months pregnant. I had a pretty rough night the night before...literally was up every hour going to the bathroom. I would just look at Lee sleeping peacefully beside me and want to strangle him...not really! haha Needless to say, I was EXHAUSTED when I had to get up to go to work. The rainy weather sure didn't help either!

After my meeting with new clients at work, I headed to Mary's to have lunch with her and Sloane. Bailey and her sweet little guy, Landon, were there too so we had a great GIRL TIME lunch! It was really nice! We laughed and Sloane sang Happy Birthday to me and I got to take Audrey to her school (she had forgotten something)....it was just what I needed. I then met my mom to run some errands and then she came over to work at my house. She was helping me get everything organized and rearranged - my bedroom and office/new guest room look great! She is the best and that was the BEST present I could have gotten!!

Lee of course was a dream on my birthday...he woke me up early whispering/singing Happy Birthday in my ear. (could literally just eat him up!) He had cards from him and the dogs and some new perfume....which was all I wanted and needed. He had a pretty good day himself too....Everyone at his work started calling him and wishing him a Happy Birthday. He kept telling everyone that it wasn't his birthday. His birthday is in February...finally he said he figured it out. I worked at Manor Homes for a time and they had gotten our birthdays mixed up...he called to talk to the office manager and sure enough my birthday was listed under February 28th which is his. BUT he got cards, lunch and a homemade pound cake! So...on his way home from work he stopped at the store...got me some flowers and fresh strawberries. He had them cut up and soaking in some sugar by the time I got home and we enjoyed "HIS" birthday pound cake for my birthday celebration! How funny was that!! :)

I got many, many calls and emails from family and friends....I am so loved and definitely blessed! Thank you all for your loving words and silly songs (Cass called me early to sing Happy Birdle Daydle) and blog posts (Mary and Melin). I love you all so!!

Another Great Day...

What a family little Eli has...full of friends and family that love him so! I was so lucky to have another great shower today hosted by close, close family friends...Martha and Betty. They went to high school with my dad at Druid Hills and have been best of friends ever since. The neatest part of the day is that 32 years ago when my mom was a mere 21 years old...Martha and Betty hosted her baby shower when she was pregnant with me! Isn't that the coolest thing??

My mom's family and her close girl friends all came to Betty's house to celebrate. What fun we had! Eli got a ton of great gifts...lots of precious outfits, car seat from Grandmother Glo, and tons of stuff we will use everyday like our Boppy, bath tub, Baby Bjorn carrier and so much more! It was so great to see my cousin, Laura who just moved back to Atlanta from Auburn. I am so glad she is close....now we can see each other more often! Of course Melin was there...eyeing all the soft blankets and beaming whenever anyone mentioned her being an Aunt! Literally, Eli is SO incredibly lucky to have this girl as his aunt...God certainly blessed him!

Here are some pictures of the great day...it is amazing how loved a girl can feel!!

The precious cake that Martha made!

Opening gifts...was in LOVE with this box/wrapping!

Melin, me and my cousin Laura

Auntie Melin w/ me and Eli!

My grandmother, mom and me - 3 generations!

Opening gifts - Can you see my beat up knees?? haha! :)

So Yesterday...

Was one helluva clumsy day! I know they say the bigger you get in your pregnancy the clumiser you get...the whole big belly (and in my case big ladies) knocks your equilibrium completely off. That was definitely the case yesterday! I was just walking...yes, just walking in the parking lot of my mom's office when I stumbled and fell....busting up my knees, hands, ankle and my pride! I was not a tomboy as a child so I rarely had skinned up knees....THEY HURT! I sat in the parking lot for about 5 minutes crying and looking at my poor knees and hands. Finally, I made it up (no one was around to help me) and inside where my mom took care of me. I am not going to be ashamed...I was pitiful! I then went and had dinner at my parents house...was putting a plate in the microwave...lost control of it...it fell to the floor shattering everywhere AND cutting my big toe in the process! CAN I GET A BREAK HERE??

So I have a shower on Sunday...my dress comes to my knees...won't I look cute? I have been trying really hard to keep them ultra clean and tons of "Sporin" (as Sloane calls it) on both of them. Maybe they will heal really, really quick and you will never know? The funny thing is...about 8 weeks before my wedding two years ago I fell at work off a curb and sprained my ankle. A coworker was quickly by my side and all I could say was...."AM I GOING TO BE ABLE TO WEAR MY HEELS IN MY WEDDING??" He was a guy...probably could careless but he was real sweet and reassured me that I should be able too. (I did too!) BUT....both of my bridal showers....cute pink silk dresses....great hair....perfect makeup....CRUTCHES and FOOT CAST!! LOVELY!! ;)

It must just be my thing....shower to celebrate something beautiful and grand...I show up looking like a beat up girl! You see why I call my blog...Dash of Grace!

College Days

A couple weeks ago I had the pleasure of having lunch and a mini baby shower with some of my college girlfriends. We all met at good ole Georgia College (before it was GC&SU) in Adams dorm back in the fall of 1994...oh the memories! Some of us lived beside each other...some lived together...and some just put their mattress on the other's floors b/c her roommate sucked!! (that was me...thanks Susan!)

We try to get together every couple months and they were so sweet to come to me this time since I was pregnant...you know how that goes! We met in Covington to eat some Mexican food (another throwback to our college days) and catch up. It was definitely a different scene as we pushed two tables together...one for us "older" girls and a table for their "little" girls. (Listen, if you would have told me that Shannon would have been a mom to 3 PRECIOUS girls...we would have all fainted!) She and Susan are the "mommies" out of us now and they are SUPERB moms! Maggie and I have to constantly watch our mouths and what we are saying...as to not get in trouble...Tara, she never says an evil word! :) Anyways, I could talk all day about the things we did together in college...but I don't need those reminders...haha!!

Thank you girls for a wonderful lunch and for all the gifts for Eli! I can't wait for you all to meet him...just don't tell him about his crazy momma's college days!!! Love you all!

True Blue Best Friend

I didn't get to sign on last night and finish up my post to celebrate my true blue best friend Mary...will post about my eventful afternoon and evening later. For now I want to continue celebrating Mary's birthday! (I think everyone should have a birthday week instead of just one day - don't you??)

Like I said in my previous post, I met Mary when I was 15 and she was a mere 16. We were at a RCHS football game and introduced by Abigal Holt who knew Mary and was a friend of mine from church. We immediately hit it off and were BFF's! Now, we have definitely gone thru some ups and downs...hello, we are girls! But we have always had the truest blue friendship you could ever want. Here are some memories and things about Mary Hudgins (love you Chad, but she will always be Hudgins to me!):

• Riding in our old Honda Accords listening to Indigo Girls and singing at the tops of our lungs


• Going to Chastain (for my birthday) to see Natalie Merchant and it raining...take that back...pouring on us!
  
• Always liking the same boys...this makes being couple friends so much easier...we both adore each other's husbands (in a platonic sort of way) :)


• Getting handwritten letters or cards in the mail from her every couple weeks...even when I was in college...think I have saved them all!


• Being an "Andelle" to her girls who are like my own...love them to pieces and couldn't imagine my life without them. (hoping Sloane will follow in my footsteps and marry a younger man...ELI!)


• Our mutual love of invitations, stationary and GREAT handwriting!


• Trips to PC Beach...Holly Hut...NYC...Seacrest Beach...Nashville...Charleston...Beth Moore conferences...and many more to come!


• Bible studies at her house....praying over the phone..."God Bless You"...holding tight when scared silly...nothing better!


• Laughing until we were crying...and I mean good ole belly laughing!


• Sharing our families as if they were our own....we know each others aunts, uncles, cousins, great aunts, grandparents...it is priceless!


• Being in each other's weddings...what special, special days! Plus having Audrey as my flower girl.


• Her loving Lee and telling me I was crazy to doubt myself...constantly pushing me in his direction and love...she knew from the moment she met him that he was for me! It took me a while to get over the age difference and that he was my brother's friend.


• Telling me I can do anything I put my mind to...especially this pregnancy! She is a consummate believer and supporter...no matter what!


• Both of us owning up to our faults and mistakes and loving each other in the process.

I literally could go on and on and on...but then you would probably all expect this on your birthday and I don't know if I could do it! haha JK! Mary, I love you, I love you, I love you! You are the first person I call when something bad or good happens....you are my constant...thank you for being you! Hope you had a magical day yesterday! xoxo D

Happy Birthday!!!

Today is a grand, grand day...birthday of Mary and Beka! I have known these girls since I was 15 and they were 16 (yes, I am younger!) and what fun we have had! I am posting really quickly but that doesn't mean that I have nothing to say about these two...will update more later today! But I did want to get it out there that I am thinking of the two of you today and wishing you much birthday love!!! You both deserve it!

What a Phone Call...

I just received! It came up as my dad was the one calling but lo and behold! it was Patrick Dempsey calling me. No I am not joking...still in shock myself!

My sweet, incredible, awesome dad just made this happen and I am wishing I could squeeze his neck right now! I know that most girls are daddy's girls but this man hung the moon...gotta love him! My dad who didn't know who Patrick Dempsey was nor had ever seen Can't Buy Me Love or Grey's Anatomy has actually hung out with Patrick a couple times thru racing. See my dad drives a hauler for a race team and works on the pit crew sometimes...he will be at a race when Patrick is there. I remember when I first told my dad that Patrick was a huge movie/TV star and my dad was like "Really? I sat across from him at breakfast this morning and talked to him for about 30 minutes. He seems like just one of the guys...so nice". I of course am in shock that my dad doesn't realize who exactly he is talking too...but I guess this is what any celebrity wants...anonymity on their days off and just being "one of the guys".

So anyway my dad was supposed to be in New Jersey this week with his race team but they ended up only needing one truck. Then he got a phone call asking if he could drive Patrick's hauler to Montreal for the Grand-Am Rolex Series race. He of course was going! He has been hanging out with Patrick all week....always says how genuinely nice he is and so polite to everyone. The race was at 4pm today but is being shown on Speed Channel tonight at 8pm. I talked to my dad right before the race...the team was super pumped and excited! Then I got a phone call around 7pm...Lee was getting my phone for me...so glad he didn't answer the phone! This is basically how the conversation went....

Danielle: Hey Daddy!

Dad/Patrick: Hello?

Danielle: Hello?

Patrick: Hey, this is Patrick not your dad.

Danielle: UH...Hi! (start to freak out...but he had no clue!)

Patrick: I just wanted to let you know that your dad is evidently our good luck charm. We just came in the top 10 in the race.

Danielle: That is awesome!

Patrick: Yeah...your dad is great!

Danielle: He is a pretty awesome guy! I am so excited for y'all.

Patrick: Yep..well he was our good luck charm.

Danielle: Well, I am so happy...and thanks for calling me. You didn't have to do that and I really appreciate the phone call. It made my day!

Patrick: No problem! Have a nice night...here is your dad.

(then my dad accidentally hung up on me)

I was just sitting in the recliner....in complete shock. Lee had no idea what was going on...he just knew that I was slightly freaking out and was really red and waving my hands up and down. As soon as the call ended my mouth hit the floor and I kinda started crying...you know how shock can make you crazy?? ;) I couldn't believe that I had just gotten off the phone with Patrick Dempsey...he really didn't need to tell me his name...you could tell it was him just by his voice.

My dad called me back and asked if I was off the floor yet...haha! He said that they were all sitting around after the race super pumped with their performance. He looked at Patrick and said "You know how dads want to really impress their daughters sometimes?" Patrick said he knew exactly what my dad was talking about. My dad then asked him if he would call me to tell me how they did in the race. He said Patrick smiled and said "Absolutely...give me your phone and I will call her right now."

My mom actually met him last weekend...but did she get a phone call from him? I don't think so! hehe Just kidding. Needless to say, I am on cloud 9 and will probably be here for a while. I wonder if Eli could tell how excited I got? Daddy...you made my year...thank you so much! Patrick...(I know he is reading this) that was by far the coolest thing...thank you! And also to Lee...thanks for letting me ooh and ahh for the past hour. I would totally do the same if Jennifer Aniston called him tomorrow night...

(I am aware that I have used a ton of exclamation points but do you blame me...look at him??!!)