To ALL the Mommy's AND Daddy's I know:

Thank you for all the ways you make life so special for us every day.

Mother's Day and Father's Day are two very special days made in order to celebrate the people you cherish so much. Maybe they brought you into this world. Maybe they have become the role models you have based your life after. Maybe you wonder how they could possibly have so much love to spread over all the years you've been around. Maybe you're beginning to wonder just how you would/could ever repay them for all the things they've done for you.
I know that I owe so many wonderful things to my Momma and Daddy, and I'm thankful that days like today were made to celebrate them! Thank you for all you've done for me and Sam and Cayce and continue to do each day. You two have always brought such a special presence into our home that radiates through each of ours lives. Yes, we may be getting older, but the ways of the Brown house have yet to change. Our special days are always spent together and I'm glad we wouldn't have them any other way.

I love you to the moon and the stars and back!

Friday Night = Date Night

Since Loren is at home for the summer we have tried to make an effort to see each other every weekend. I did not do such a good job of that last summer but so far this summer I am 100%. That is if you count the fact that I had to break my face for Loren to come see me the Thursday before she went on a trip with her mom and dad. This weekend she wanted to play (SHOP) with her mom on Saturday so we made plans for Friday after we both got off of work. We met at the galleria because Loren had to do some pre- shopping before her and her mom came back on Saturday morning. Little did I know that the same size pants can be different sizes. Also didn't know that you had to have certain shirts that matched the pants that you either already had (because she bought them on our last shopping trip) and the ones that she thought that she wanted until she found another color that she just needed but they didn't have the right size which goes back to my first point of same size but not the size she needed. I guess that's why I have been a bad shopper up until a few ago.

After we got the linen pant situation settled it was time to eat. There is this really nice steak place called Michael's. We both had to much food there and I embarrassed Loren because I was stretching in the chair so I could make more room for the last couple of bites of the steak.

After dinner and the rude waitress that was trying to rush us out of the booth we got to do some of my kind of shopping at Dicks Sporting Goods. I think that the real reason we got to go to Dick's was because Loren didn't want to watch the previews of the movie we were going to see.

So after Loren was a good sport about boy shopping we went to see Pelham 123. Very good movie by the way. (side note... the power went out at the start and got delayed about 15 min so we got free movie passes for the next time we go back)







The date night had come to and end and we had to go our separate ways so we said our goodbyes and now the wait is on until next weekend. Any suggestions? Hope everyone has a good week.

Another Weekend in Rome

YAY for the weekend! I was so excited for Friday, I just couldn't stand it. Not only had my first work week of the summer come to an end, but I was going to get to spend the WHOLE weekend with Dave :) We drove to Rome late Friday afternoon and had dinner with his mom and dad. Before dinner though, Dave had a little surprise to give his daddy. He had bought this little surprise with the intent of it being Mr. Mike's father's day present, but we ALL know Dave doesn't like to/can't keep secrets so he brought it home with him this weekend. It was a toy/remote control helicopter that we had found on our shopping trip a few weeks ago when we were in Birmingham. We had gone into Brookstone just to look around, maybe rest for a minute or two (because their massage chairs are WONDERFUL) and ended up coming out with TWO toy helicopters. Dave was SOO happy. I think if he could've taken that thing out of the box and played with it while we were walking through the mall he would've. So anyway, once Mr. Mike opened the box and realized Dave, too, had a helicopter, they spent the better half of the poor things battery life flying them around the living room. They would swoop and dive, crash and take off again... You would've thought it was Christmas morning and these two had gotten the BEST present EVER from Santa! After hearing these helicopters drop from six feet in the air, Dave usually replied with, "Oh, no worries. I bought an extended two year warranty. If they break we'll just get us some new ones!" After all that was established, they talked about setting the "trim" (I don't really know what that means) and how to go about keeping the thing in the air. It was pretty amusing to sit and watch the two of them fly toy helicopters around. Sandye said that Mike would end up painting stripes down his or something in order to tell them apart - BUT, if you looked closely, you could tell which one was Dave's... It was all scratched up and he had already busted the headlights out! BOY OH BOY...


Saturday got kicked off with a trip to the local barber's shop for Dave to get a haircut. I wish I could add a picture here, but I was so overwhelmed that it took us an hour and a half for him to get his hair cut, I didn't exactly think of taking a picture. We came home from our little "beetle" escapade to Jana and Sandye playing around. We all later went out to the airport to go for a plane ride. Mike made Dave manually pull the plane out of the hanger and walk it all the way out to the pump! Boy did he break a sweat on that walk- ha! After we got the plane gassed up I managed to find a bollard to prop my camera up on to get a picture of ALL of us on our adventure. This was going to be MY first time up in a small plane and Jana had decided that she wanted to try to fly for the first time, so I knew I HAD to document the day! Mike's plane is the one in the background and I was so excited to find that it was in the picture. That was TOTALLY not planned but turned out quite well I think. So, as we gathered headsets and got in position, Dave and I sat in the back while Jana and Mike were up front. It was interesting to be able to hear all the correspondence with the tower... Although I'm not sure I dig that part of flying. I think I like my SMALL little window and the partition that is between me and the instruments up front. Whatever my feelings, Jana was pumped about being up front and was ready to fly. So, as Dave and I sat in the back, we enjoyed looking over the Weiss Lake and Rome, finding our hangouts on the lake along with the brick house the Ashley's call home! While on our way back to the airport we were about to go over some mountains and Mike told us it was about to get bumpy. Jana hadn't flown the plane yet and Mike told her that we were getting too close to wait so she took control. Immediately the nose of the airplane went UP. Needless to say that scared the CRAP out of me. All and all it was a wonderful experience! We came home to a wonderful dinner and even more exciting - COMPANY! Ninnie and Jeri graced us with their presence for dinner and what a fabulous time we had. Thanks to everyone for an incredible weekend :)

Broken Face

So a word to the wise. Don't catch a softball in the face!!!!! Last Wednesday I tried to and this is the result. I don't know how to put pictures up here so Loren will have to help me with that. Once I learn I will post a picture from Wednesday and today. I broke 15 small bones and 3 big ones. The major cheek bone is just separated. There is a bone around my eye that is separated and a bone in my nose as well. The Dr. said that it should all just grow back together. Lets just say that after 2 years of softball I might have to retire.

I FOUND ONE!

WooHoo!

I've been super busy since getting back from our weekend at the lake... AND Rome :) After spending all afternoon on Tuesday submitting applications and taking surveys for a job at St. Vincents, I GOT ONE! I will be working in the pharmacy at the hospital in Birmingham - which I'm super pumped about! I absolutely LOVE this hospital and have always wanted to be a part of the wonderful hospital family that has for so long taken such good care of me and my family. Me and my brother and sister were brought home from this marvelous place along with all THREE of my nephews. And although I'm sure there are other places in this world just as worthy of my praises as St. Vincents is, I could not be more excited about getting my foot in the door here!

SO... I just wanted to say "THANK YOU" to my sister for helping me find a job and for all the sweet prayers that were said in order for me to find something for the summer. I hope to learn a lot and continue my pursuit of greatness in the medical field... and at St. Vincents! I go Friday for orientation and then I start working on Monday!

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{As for my trip down there today to take care of a little "housekeeping" business - paperwork, testing, etc - It ended up being one doozie of a day. I got the paperwork handled with NO problems, except for the fact that I had put my social security card in a safe place at school making it IMPOSSIBLE for me to take it with me today. BUT... because of my wonderful partner in crime :) Dave managed to email a color copy to the office that they happily accepted! YAY! After paperwork I was directed to an "occupational" lab type place that obviously deals with getting people set for hire, workman's comp, etc. Well, I go in thinking I'll be out in 15 minutes or so. BOY OH BOY was I wrong! An hour later or so, I was called back only to find out that I was not only getting to pee into a cup, but a TB skin test AND... blood had to be DRAWN. Now, I understand that to most of you reading, this should've been something I am ok with - going into the nursing field and all. NEW FLASH: I am NOT ok with having MY blood drawn! But, also contrary to popular belief, and actual happenings of times past, I did not cry or faint! I did however make sure the guy knew I was a "hard stick". That DID NOT, however, keep him from sticking me TWICE. I was not happy about this and so, took it upon myself to find a good vein the second time around to MAKE SURE there would be no third stick. Sure enough, I had found a good one! Trying to be a big girl - which doesn't usually happen when getting blood drawn - I leaned my head back and started praying, trying to keep myself from crying. The TB skin test was next and he - the RN - made quite the little bleb under my skin and OUT the door I went! I happily found my mom and sister waiting for me in the car to release the stress and lightheadedness I had managed to conjure up from my not so "quick" office visit. Lets just hope its smooth sailing from here on out!}

A Day of Shopping

Dave and I met each other at the Galleria yesterday (Saturday) to hang out and catch up. I've been home a week and a half now and we thought it was time for a little date - little did I know he was actually going to be a GOOD shopping buddy! YES, surprise, surprise! We shopped ALL DAY and he never once pouted or strategically planned to buy a cookie cake so that we would have to leave the mall (oh what a story that one is).

In the midst of this wonderful outing, we both found/bought some really cool things. MY favorite was the fabulous buy I ended up getting on some linen pants, while I was most excited about Dave finally buying a pair of loafers. Now, to the casual individual this may seem like such a small and pointless thing to become excited over, but for me... I was beside myself. For at least two years now I have been trying to get this boy to invest in some type of shoe he can wear when flip flops aren't quite appropriate but dress shoes are completely over-kill. And the day FINALLY came :) I could not believe my eyes when I simply suggested the stop into the Clarks store and we came out with a pair of nice, dark brown loafers! {NOW, everyone just keep your fingers crossed that he actually wears them before they dry-rot and he LOVES them!}

After having Chic-Fil-A for lunch and spending at least an hour in Brookstone playing with toys and being massaged by the four thousand dollar chairs {HA! lost your breath, too didn't ya?}, we had to swing back by the Great American Cookie counter for Dave to close the chapter of his shopping trip with a double doozie cookie - just as Sandye used to do for him as a child.

Before leaving the Galleria to meet some friends at the Cheesecake Factory for a little mingling and an afternoon snack (for me at least, Dave already had his cookie), we decided when we got out to the parking that we would take a picture of our successful shopping trip! We were so proud. So, I, per usual, dug my camera out of my "Mary Poppins" bag and propped it up on the toolbox of Dave's truck. In the process, Dave had placed his double doozie cookie on the tailgate so that we could be goofy for a split second and take a picture. {This is the point in which I would usually post a picture, BUT... I've missed placed my cord, so NO picture} Neither of the pictures we took turned out remotely ok, but we laughed, said our temporary good-bye's and got in our separate cars heading towards the Summit. As soon as were pulling into the parking lot to meet our friends, Dave calls. "You'll never guess what just happened..." Well, with me being the eternal worrier that I am, I immediately started thinking the worst. But before I could start spitting out scenarios, he jumps in with, "I laid my cookie on the tailgate and drove off without getting it. My double doozie's in the parking deck." You would've thought something BAD had actually happened - or at least I did before I heard "COOKIE".

To say the least, Saturday was filled with lots of laughs and good times. From returns to cool finds, it was a shopping adventure I know I won't forget any time soon!

YAY for Family Dinner Night!

I'm so excited that we all got to meet tonight at The Cheesecake Factory for dinner!

Wonderful Company + Good Food = A FABULOUS TIME!

After all the stories and a LOT of laughs, the night only seemed to solidify how great the people are that encompass my life.

My Momma and Daddy are my rock. To them, I owe EVERYTHING I am. Every day I realize more and more how lucky I am to have been brought up by two of the most thoughtful and loving people I know. Thank you for all you do... Thank you for making me, ME! To the moon and the stars and back!

Sandye and Mike have taken me in as one of their own, and that means the world! It's been an absolute pleasure these last three years. You guys are great!

Ninnie... WOW! What an amazing lady. There are not enough good things to say about you. Thanks for always treating me like one of the kids!

I love you ALL and hope there's many more dinners to come.

--Loren