Well, last month was pretty wonderful, with Lindsey's wedding,
ASU Football games, and Thanksgiving! Due to a change of plans, Patrick and I celebrated Thanksgiving alone together. I'm pretty sure this was the only year that will ever happen for us. We had originally planned to be in Florida for that holiday and spend Christmas up here, but then we found out that not everyone could get together. While we were going through the throws of that planning process, Cheryl and Rick made plans to go on a vacation over Thanksgiving, thinking we wouldn't be here anyway and Jason and Edyth were going to be with her family. Patrick and I took the opportunity to spend some quality time together in Boone. We ate Thanksgiving Dinner at the Daniel Boone Inn, after an hour and a half wait! It was really worth it though! No clean up or cooking made up for the wait we decided. Once our bellies were full we went back to Jason & Edyth's to slip into a turkey coma. The house was so quiet and we could hear the wind blowing through the trees. When we woke up we found a winter wonderland outside! Snow was coming down in a big flurry! O It was wonderful! The rest of the weekend was full of shopping, napping, movies, and an
ASU football game. Good times! Even though we really missed all of our family, we thoroughly enjoyed being together.
So far this month has been even more joyous! The first weekend we headed to
Asheville to spend the weekend at the Cove Camp (now known as Camp Cedar Cliff). We were invited to be part of a promo video for the camp, which was so fun! Justin & Samantha
Brackett (also old camp staff now married) got to hang out with us Friday and Saturday night. We went to a
Switchfoot concert on Friday night. I hadn't seen those guys since my Teen Mania days - still a great show!
Saturday we woke up and headed to the
Grove Park Inn an awesome hotel in
Asheville.
The Spa (watch the video) there is rated #4 in the country and #13 in the WORLD! Patrick (ever so blessed) WON a free Spa treatment through a contest on Twitter. He purchased one more so that we could go together - half price isn't so bad for the greatest Spa treatment I could imagine! We spent most of the day there from 8:30 a.m. and on. After my 90 minutes of heaven, I took the tour of the facilities while I waited for Patrick to be done with his massage, and as we walked out to the outdoor
hot tub I saw the snow! Grove Park Inn is such a beautiful place, but under a light dusting of snow it is Magical! We napped in our robes by the fireplace, swam in the many pools, enjoyed Sauna, Hot Tub, Steam room, etc. I didn't want to leave, especially to face the very cold temperatures.
This past weekend we went to a sweet wedding in Charlotte, spent the rest of the day shopping with the
Berrys, and had a chance to check out a car that Patrick found on
Ebay and was interested in buying. Today, he made the agreement to purchase a newer nicer vehicle for me to drive. It's a little bittersweet since I LOVE my car. She is getting along in age though, so it is probably the wise decision. I am REALLY excited though about driving the little SUV! We decided it was only fair if we trade off weekly.
Haha! It's okay with me. I love driving the Z too!
Also, last week we got the good news of Patrick receiving a well-deserved promotion and raise in January. We thank God for blessing us when so many are being challenged financially! This year has been more than we ever could have dreamed!
We CAN'T WAIT to see all of our family in Florida in a couple weeks! It's been too long and we are ready for the wonderful chaos of having everyone together again. Patrick had the fun new experience of buying Christmas presents for children this year for the first time.
Haha! He got 10 new nieces and
nephews all in one year! God has been so great to us and blessed us tremendously! We thank all of you too for making this such an amazing year!
My handsome husband. This photo could go down in history
The Hill had a lot going on with the whole Health Care Reform Bill thing. For the past 10 years they have been building the new visitor's center at the Capital, and it is in one word, AMAZING! It's 2/3 of the size of the Capital itself and was built three stories down into the ground on the back side (very much like the Louvre Museum in Paris). (Click here to learn more) Tours start there, and you watch a short movie on the history of the building. No longer can tourist just walk up the steps of the Capital (it's heavily guarded). Instead you enter from a completely different angle. It's a pretty well-oiled machine!
It was pretty chilly, but not unbearable on Friday - our first trip to The Mall. On Sunday we went again and it was absolutely perfect weather. The leaves were turning and the sky was the bluest of blues.
One very cool thing that happened was that while we were in the Capital we were able to meet up with Allison Beach (now Halataei), who works nearby. That was pretty great, and we have Facebook to thank!
I'm pretty sure we have a picture in this very spot of me and Summer when we were 12
While we were there Patrick had a very important meeting that he was actually supposed to lead at ASU that weekend. Since he couldn't be there in person to present from stage, they Skyped him in and put him on the big screen. Notice the Washington Monument from our hotel room window. We had 180 degree views in the Executive Suite (thanks, Dad, for your Platinum status)! Free Breakfast Buffet, amazing views, excellent customer service - the High life!
Lindsey and Patrick's wedding was spectacular! She was a beautiful bride! What a perfect location too, with fun nights in Georgetown and pretty much every guest in the same hotel where the reception was held. The wedding ceremony was in a beautiful old church with high wooden ceilings and velvet covered pews. Everyone had such a great time, and the food was so good!
You may have heard about my dress drama. I ordered it rush from a shop near town three months ago. When I called 3 weeks before the wedding to find out when I could come pick it up, I eventually discovered that the shop did not order the dress. They "couldn't help me", so I found a lady in Boone who was going to do her very best to get me that dress. She worked with the Manufacturer to have it rush made in China and shipped here in time for the wedding. Well, when it did arrive it was a size 14, not a 4! So, they sent me three other emerald greed dresses in a size 4 and I just figured out a way to make it work. The one pictured above was actually a halter top with a straight skirt. Martha, a friend of the family came to my rescue and "altered" the dress with safety pins and a little bit of thread. We tucked in the straps and I almost managed to blend in with the other girls. Lindsey was such a good sport and few people even noticed. Needless to say, the dress(es) was free.
It's such a blessing the way that God has continued to weave together this friendship that I have with Lindsey! I am constantly amazed at what an incredible woman she is, not only in her career, but mostly in her spiritual walk. God has shown his favor on this marriage in so many ways and made Patrick into exactly the man she desired and needed. It's also really fun to have to distinguish our husbands by calling them, "your Patrick" and "my Patrick"...
After it all, we were ready to get home - yes, Hickory is finally starting to feel like home. It's difficult to describe the transition, but I think it has something to do with Autumn. The changing of the leaves is so comforting and beautiful. It transforms Hickory into this quinticential all-American town. It makes you feel like you should go to a football game and drink hot apple cider. Granted, I am still missing all of my family - Ma & Papa, Mom & Dad, brothers and sisters and all of my amazing nieces and nephews. But HOME is where Patrick is now. Well, home is also where our BED is! Haha! Our bed is phenomenal, if beds can be classified as such. Marriot is a close second though.