Memorial Day

Cody and I headed down to the Mountain House in North Carolina to meet my parents and his parents this past weekend! We had a blast and enjoyed every minute of it! Pictures to come!!

-LaRae

Perfect encouragement...

One of your favorite church's, Elevation Church, in Charlotte, North Carolina had a great Mother's Day service!! The senior pastor,Steven Furtick, told his wife, Holly to speak. She did an incredible job and it was SO great to hear another pastor's wife who doesn't have it all together, but God still chooses to use. Please check it out-she did an awesome job and it's such an encouragement...especially if you're the wife of someone in ministry!

Thanks Holly, so much, for your encouraging words!!


CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO!

mom.

It's Saturday night and my weekend is starting to wind down. I'm laying in our big bed and just relaxing, reading and now surfing the web. I have this feeling so strong, i miss my mom. I know it sounds somewhat silly coming from a 25 year old wife with a full time job and involved in more things than she can count, but it's in moments like these, when I start to unwind and clear away everything on my "to-do" list that this feeling comes back. 

My mom has become my best friend, well aside from Cody, but we have made the successful transition from parent child to two friends. A transition that didn't take too much work, and has become so sweet. Yes, of course she will still be my mom and I, her child, but our relationship has deepened. 

I guess it makes sense that I've been missing my mom lately, tomorrow, after all, is Mother's Day...so it fits. 

I'm lying in bed right now and just wishing she was with me, talking with me and probably giving me advice, talking about life and family, the future and our relationships with Christ, chatting about clothes and more importantly how to put outfits together. Just thinking about this makes my eyes all misty. 

I miss my best friend. 

I took all those Christmas and Summer and Spring vacations for granted when I HAD to come home. (Don't feel too sorry for me, "home" is in Florida, so my breaks were moments in paradise.) But, it's funny how you miss the small things when you can't just up and leave. I miss my mom and dad picking me up at the airport, mom and I going to great little cafe's for lunch, shopping for the PERFECT outfit (p.s. doesn't exist, but a great excuse to tell dad we have to keep shopping), sitting in the living room watching mindless TV, waking up early and finding my parents doing their Devo's by the fireplace and getting to hear them share what God's revealing to them. Oh just thinking of it fills my heart. 

Don't get me wrong, I'm so happily married it makes most people sick, but it's something about the beginning of a marriage, especially when you've come from a family like mine that a little piece of you seems to be missing when you aren't all together. It's as if I'm only 99% here, and the 1% is left in Florida, with her. 

To say I have a perfect mom, I would not. No one is perfect and though her and I both would like to think we are (we are much more similar than I ever though to realize), we both know the reality... that we're flawed. Her and I fight, get upset, vent and definitely annoy the junk out of each other, but instead of wishing it were different, it makes me so happy because those types of flaws come to relationships that are real, honest, genuine and transparent. That's us.....a couple of glass houses.

This woman has taught me more about sacrifice, love and nurturing than I will ever really know. She gave me my love for cooking and my love for hospitality. She showed me kindness to strangers and respect to everyone. She is the woman I admire and aspire to become. She is my mom. 

i love you mom and it pains my heart so much that I won't be with you tomorrow. I hope I can be half the mom you were to me and justin. hugs and many kisses.

-your baby girl, LaRae.

We're famous!!

The Ted Knight Orchestra (the lovely musical entertainment for our wedding) has made a little page about Cody and I's wedding!! Check out the link below to see our new found fame-just kidding!! ENJOY!!

Ted Knight Orchestra

A Celebration of the Marriage benefits!!

Last weekend, I was able to throw my dear friend, Danielle, a lingerie shower!! I was so nervous, ask anyone in my life, but it was so wonderful and I really feel God was honored through it! I had such great helpers, too!! Thanks Rebekah, Sarah and Kristi!!


One of Danielle's maid of honors lives in Florida, so she couldn't make it to the party!! But, she sent me a gift to give to Dani when I got there!! This was her first present and she was so excited!!

A little shocked at the goodies!! :)

Dani was so sweet and got me some presents for throwing her the shower--she was too sweet!! The frame goes great in our house--p.s. maybe the worst picture ever taken of me.!! Word to teh wise: don't let friends take your picture at 10:30pm after a long car ride and a full day of work!!

The next day called for Pedicures!

Rebekah let us use her apartment--some of the decor!

Advice to the bride cards, name tags and the like



Alisha giving some advice for the bride :)

Introducing ourselves and how we know Dani



Quite entertaining stories!


Decorating the Undies game---it got quite interesting!








Memory Game



all the goodies Dani got to go home with!

Presents!






Toast to the Bride and Groom--Apple Cider, of course...we had a preggers there!!

Jackie--the preggers!

Free Food!!!

Go to this website to print out your Free KFC Grilled Chicken Dinner!! Act fast--the coupon will only be available until midnight tonight!!

http://www.unthinkfc.com/

A working couples "spring break"

Since Cody and I are a part of the "work force" now, we have desperately missed our College breaks---summer, spring and winter, well and fall for that matter!! So, in an effort to have our own Spring Break--we took a few days off work, the week after Easter and headed northward to Ohio--every Spring Breakers perfect destination..haha.


Enjoying Robin's delicious coffee!!

Father and Son!

Later that night, the family got together for a belated Easter dinner. After dinner, Cody and I hung out with Noah on the back porch and taught him the basics of catching a football!

We taught him "hands up" and the triangle with your thumbs and pointer fingers--he caught a few and we were so proud...if he ever goes Pro, we have this picture as proof!!

The next day, the guys went Golfing and the ladies had tea! We went to Miss Molly's Tea Room!

This was my first "high tea"--we had a great time! I just wish my mom could've been there too!!

Cody's grandma enjoying her Pomegranate tea

Perfect form--pinky out!


After lunch we stayed in Medina and went to the ROOT candles store---I LOVED IT!!! I wanted to know how we hadn't been there before!! :) It'll be a staple in our trips back to Ohio!

Grandma and Grandpa!

Cody's parents and us!

Matty came along for a nice little lunch before we headed back to Virginia! Always great to see him--those two together keep my laughing, for sure!


It was such a great trip--so relaxing and a great first "working man's" spring break!

Love y'all,

LaRae and Cody