My baby boy gets hitched! (A very bright and happy thing even during COVID!)

 I've been waiting to finish this post until we had some "official" wedding photos and the wedding video so I could include them.  

I can still hardly believe my baby is married!  July 25, 2020 my son became a husband.  💓💓💓💙💙 Brett and Whitney got engaged on December 6, 2019 in Memphis when they traveled with me, mom & Erin to the St. Jude Memphis marathon weekend.  We went to the Memphis zoo lights on Friday night and Brett got down on one knee and asked Whitney to be his wife.  I had a little bit of a heads up because Erin had let it slip that he might do it.  But then we were kind of disappointed in the zoo lights so I figured he would not do it.  But to my surprise he did just as we were leaving in front of the big tree.  I was honored to be there!!! As a parent we pray for our children to find a soul mate.  I am thrilled Brett found his.  

Brett, Whitney, & Zoie their fur baby!

We hosted Brett & Whitney a family shower (FISH FRY) in June during COVID.  I would have liked to of had a huge blow out, but we had to limit it to family due to the dang pandemic!  However, it was still wonderful!  My 2 baby brothers cooked and we played games.  We had a BLAST celebrating Brett & Whitney.

Fish Fry Video:

Link to Video from Fish Fry

And then July rolled around... Wedding Month!  Oh I was so emotional all month before the wedding.  The least little thing would have me in tears.  Not sad tears, but joyful tears... I mean my BABY is getting married!  I never dreamed he would get hitched before my oldest.  Heck there were times where I thought he may end up an old bachelor.. 😁😇

Now we are still in COVID era, so again, we had to be so careful.  The wedding was outside which was a blessing because all the rules were no large gatherings inside at the time.  However, a heavy rain came a couple of hours before the wedding and we all worried it would not stop raining.  But it did!  God blessed us with a beautiful evening for a wedding. 💗  I was still a tad emotional on the big day and Brett had told me not to cry or he would ... So I took a couple of "calm" pills from the health store that day and it paid off.  I didn't break down and truly enjoyed every minute of watching my son become a husband. 💙💙 Here are some pics from rehearsal and wedding:

Mom made this for them.  Cross stitch all done by hand!  

Brett with his dad, Uncle Brian and Uncle Roger... the HUNTERS>>>

They are ready to get hitched! 

Brett with the flower girl, Madelyn Grace, Brian & Devon's daughter. 

Brett & Whitney with his dad, Erin and Erin's boyfriend Matt and his daughter Abryi 💕

Whitney is an angel!  Brett couldn't have done a better job in finding a wife.  She has such a kind sweet heart.  She is beautiful inside and out!  I LOVE her.  💓💓

We did have just a few tears... but heck...that's what it's all about....Brett gave me a beautiful handkerchief.  Believe me I used it!  I also gave him one to remind him how much I love him.  

My two children! LOVE THEM 💛💚💙💘

My heart! 💖 They always say when a women has a little boy he steals her heart... 

Brett didn't see Whitney prior to the ceremony so he did get a little emotional when he saw her.  It was so bittersweet! I was blown away watching my child have such feeling and deep emotions for his new bride to be.  Brett's dad showing Brett some love. 💛

My daughter, Erin and Whitney's brother, Derek walking in. 

The couple with my parents. 💓

Bless with a lot of family there!  

Whitney's dad made all the wood work that was used at the wedding.  He is very talented! 

My highlight as the mother of the groom was our dance together!  I'll never forget it!  💘💘💘

I didn't realize how much mud I had on the bottom of my shoes until I saw this pic.  The ground was still pretty wet from the heavy rain we had before the wedding.  I probably ruined those nice shoes, but it was so worth it!  

The bride and groom with Whitney's family. 

The bride and groom with all parents. 

Melissa Wright out did her self on the grooms cake.  It was red velvet and it was AMAZING!  We had some left and I enjoyed it the next day! and I have to thank my sister in law, Devon and my brother, Brian who  helped me with Brett's table.  Brian made the backdrop and Devon helped me decorate.  It turned out perfect and really captured Brett's personality.   

 

And they are hitched!  #IWood4Life

Me, Tammy, & Becky.  We've watched our 3 boys all grow into men.  Love these women!

The boys!  Love them!

                                             

Mom & Dad with MG 💓

and here's the wedding video:

Brett & Whitney's wedding video

💗💗💗💗

Year of the Mask - COVID 19 (Short VACATION)

 So what else have I been doing besides working during COVID... Well, I finally talked my hubby into getting away to the beach for a few days.  Normally this time of the year we would go to PA to visit his mom, but right now due to COVID anyone coming into PA from Mississippi has to quarantine for 14 days!  Again ... I'm over COVID!  

I had really been looking forward to our beach getaway.  I had not traveled since February this year thanks to COVID!  Well, the week finally arrived and guess what..... tropical storm brewing...... Geez Louise!   A few days before we were to leave it became a hurricane!  However, they were still not sure exactly where hurricane Sally would come on shore.  So we decided to go ahead and drive to the beach.  And just like everything else in 2020...... we got one day of sun then the next day the storm really started brewing bringing in rain, wind and huge waves!  So we started watching the weather closely and decided we needed to get back home and not get caught in the storm because it was headed more our way.   So basically I paid for a condo for 4 nights / 5 days that we really only got 1 day out of!!!  2020 has NOT been a good year!!!!   On the bright side we did have some good food during our short stay and I did get to see the waves and walk on the beach.   Sure wish it had lasted longer!    Here are a few pics:

See how the water had beat the sand up! 

The Aegean where we stayed is one of the older condos right when you come into Destin.  But I love their set up and for families it's perfect.  Not many loud young adults partying.... ha   They have strict rules on no noise after 10pm, etc.   

The sushi at Harbor docks was amazing!!! 

Louisiana Lagniappe never disappoints!  Baked red snapper with their delicious topping and veggies.

This was the day we decided to leave.  The guys had even taken all the umbrellas and chairs out of the boxes because as you can tell the waves during the night had pushed up sand.  The beach was not pretty with white sand.  It had foamy water rushing in from the waves.  Would almost knock you down if you tried to walk.  NO one was out there walking.

I see people saying bring it on.. what else can happen in 2020... well, I ain't going to say that... I've had enough happen. 😀  Right now I just want to end the year with hopefully a vaccine for COVID so maybe we can start to get back to some type of normal.  I miss my races.  I miss traveling.  I miss having big family gatherings without mask or everyone worried for 2 weeks afterwards that someone will get sick.   I'm just tired of worrying about it all.   I do know there are some people that are experiencing deep anxiety and worry over this COVID.  I do worry some, but I also try to put a lid on it because I know God has got this.  It may seem that he doesn't with all that is happening, but I know deep in my heart that he is right here beside us all.  This life here on earth is not our final resting place.  This is just temporary.  So I smile and think positive because I know where my final resting place will be.   Do you? 🙏

Well, I must get back to it.  Maybe the next time I write, I'll have some real positive news about COVID.  🙏🙏🙏🙏  Until then... keep moving!  Hope to see you out there! D 

Year of the Mask... COVID-19 (Be runs her virtual Boston Marathon)

Another month has rolled by since my last post and we are still in the year of COVID.  All races still being canceled or going virtual.  Just heard officially today that Disney in January & February has gone virtual.  Can I just say I'm so OVER COVID. 

So what have I been doing? Well.... recently my friend, Be Freeman, ran her VIRTUAL Boston marathon.  I had hoped the race that was moved from April to September would take place for her.  She's worked so hard.  However, I am super proud of her for running it virtually!  and I'm so glad I was able to be apart of her celebration.  The PPRF (Peer Pressure Running Friends) group decided that if Be was going to run her 26.2 virtually, we needed to support her and show her how much we love her.  I borrowed a balloon Arch from my sister in law that we used for a finish line arch.  Several of the girls ran different legs of the 26.2 with her and some of the girls rode their bike along beside her to support her.  It was an awesome morning. She did not know we had the finish line all set up so we did surprise her on that. 😃   Even her family showed up and the grandkids held the finish line banner. 💙💙💙

Here are a few pictures from the day:

              

Candy, Jessica and I set up the Finish Arch.. Thanks so much to my sister-in-law, Devon for letting me borrow it.  It was work blowing up those 200 balloons, but so worth it! 

I had some cookies made for Ms Be 

After all the excitement of watching Ms Be finish, I was walking to my vehicle to get the box to take down the Arch.  You just never know where God is going to put you, but he put me in the right spot at that moment.  There was a guy that I had seen earlier on the trace also running.  I had not even noticed he had on a running bib at that time.  I've been having some hip issues (more on that later) and actually I wasn't paying much attention.  I did speak to him as we passed each other, but that was about it.  Anyway, we are both walking to the parking lot and he says to me, "congrats on your finish".  I explained to him that I was there for my friend that did her virtual Boston and that's when I noticed he had on a bib and he begin to explain to me that he was doing his virtual Boston also!!! I could hardly believe it!  What timing!  He said he had 3 more miles to go and was going to his truck for gatorade.  It was a HOT and HUMID day.  The heat was getting to everyone!! including me that only did 5 miles!  I couldn't imagine doing 26.2 that day!! I asked him where he was from and he told me Jackson.  He said how amazing it was that Be had all her friends there supporting her.  He said he couldn't wait to get back home to tell his friends all about how we supported her.  💙💙💙  He went on to his truck and I went back to load the arch and started telling the girls about him.  I think it was Penny who said, let's see if he wants to come run thru our finish line even though he has 3 more miles.  We can take his picture for him so he can celebrate also. 💗  So me and Penny head back to the parking lot to find him.  At first we thought he had left or ran the other way and we had lost him... 😟 and then I saw him when the door to the truck moved. 😀   We invited him to come let us celebrate him.  He was so sweet and thankful!  He said he had started cramping real bad around mile 18.  We all know how that feels .. 😢

So he ran thru our finish line and we took pics and then he left to go finish his 3 last miles.  It was so cool!  Then we realized that none of us got his last name.  How were we going to find him on social media.. 😁 ... But thanks to Nestor who just happen to show up at the right time, he knew the guy.  💙  I don't think there is a runner that Nestor has not met!  💓

Collin & Be

The whole support group and the 2 Boston Marathoners!

No one can tell me that God doesn't place people in your path.  You never know who you may touch each and every day.... So love, be kind, share, show support... and I could go on and on. 😍

It was a wonderful morning and I left there feeling so honored I was apart of it.  I LOVE my running friends!  I did look for Collin on Facebook.  I found his page, but it really hadn't been updated in awhile.  I figured I may never hear from him, but I might see him eventually one day at a race... if they ever open back up!   And then several days later I opened my instagram (I don't open it as much as Facebook.. ha) and he had sent me a follow request!  I was so surprised.  When I accepted and went to his page, I found the sweetest post from him on that day.  

Cheers to all those Boston marathoners that ran the 26.2 virtually!  You are BEAST!

Now a tad bit about the hip issue I mentioned.... For a month or two I've started having deep butt pain in my right hip.  At first it only bothered me a little and now every step I take with my right foot while running hurts like heck!! So I went to see my doc at Southern Bone & Joint to find out what's going on.  Since I had not had a MRI on my lower back since 2013 (7 years ago), she requested I get a new one so they could look at my old 2 disk that are bulging and see what else might be going on.  I got the call last week when I was on vacation that she wanted me to come in a discuss my MRI.  I knew that meant something was up!  Long story short.... I have a new disk that is bulging!  The one she circled is my new problem and in the other pic the black spaces circled are bad disk that have no jell in them anymore.  They should be white.  I've had 2 of them for years and now another one.  It's called degenerative disk disease.  So I asked her what's the plan.  She has booked me an injection on the 30th.  I haven't had one in years.  I'm hoping this will help.  She also wants me to do some PT for a couple of weeks after my shot.  We hope the nerve will calm down like it has in the past.  And yes, she said I can run.  But I may have to walk more so I can tolerate the pain.  Which that's what I've been doing for several weeks now... mostly walking with a little jogging.  So disheartening after I was running so well a couple of months ago with NO pain!  I will tackle this problem!  So ready for that shot and hopefully so relief! Here's a few pics from my MRI:

The new problem between 3-2 that's circled... 

All the black disk which means no jell in them! Bad disk... also shows all 3 bulging disk.

The real problem she says right now.. she how far it is on my nerve! 

I have faith.  God's got me no matter what. 💗 Maybe I have to bike & swim a little more right now until this calms down... that's ok.. It's going to be OK. Trust and Believe.