Tips for a Healthy Marriage

Everyone wants a healthy and happy marriage and everyone has their own way of going about achieving that.

Today I'm sharing mine over at Lauren, from Choosing Joy's blog.

Click here to read.

Happy Sunday!

Five on Friday

I'm linking up for the first time for Five on Friday!

Here's 5 things I'm loving this week!

#1. I'm loving that Shelby is sitting up by herself 100% of the time.
That is, until, Buddy licks her to death and knocks her down!

Girlfriend loves when you praise her and clap.

She gets the biggest smile on her face and laughs!

#2. I'm loving how my bestie Kara edited our family photos so I can blow them up and put on our gallery wall.
Isn't this gorgeous?

And, this one?

We started taking a family photo every Memorial Day weekend and I think it's a great tradition to have!

#3. My new haircut.

It was so time.

I was over the long hair even though it was fun while it lasted.

I think that's the longest I've ever had it that long.

Sorry, for the selfies.

#4. I finally got a mammogram!

This was on my list to do for some time I just finally made the appointment.

I'll be 38 in August and even though they say you shouldn't start until 40 I felt it was time for some reason.

I'm happy to report it was fast, easy and painless!

#5. It's National Wear Your Lilly day so I'm sporting one of my new skirts!
All about pink this Friday!!

What are you loving this Friday??

Looking to Adopt

If you've been reading this blog for any time at all you probably know of our struggle to conceive Shelby.

Years of doctors appointments, tests, fertility treatments.

It was rough time in our lives.

You can read more about it in this post in case you're new.
During that time there was one person I turned to time and time again for support.

My friend Becky.

She and I became friends through our husbands, Brad and George, who went to college together.

Becky and George also dealt with infertility and she was my calm many days during our storm.

Her Facebook messages, emails.

She even offered for Brad to talk to George since it is very rough on the men as well.

George and Becky were able to have a son, Robbie, through their fertility treatments but now they're looking to expand their family through adoption and that's what this post is about.

I'm trying to help them expand their reach as they look to make a connection with a birthmother.

They are one of the best families I know and I want to try and help them and hope you will do the same.

If you can pass this information on to anyone who you think can help, I know they would appreciate it.

And, just keep your eyes and ears open...you never know how a connection is made.

To learn more about George and Rebecca's journey click here to visit their adoption website.

Spill About Your L-O-V-E

I'm linking up today with A Liz Adventures for her Spill About Your L-O-V-E series.
Play along if you will.

{1} Describe your dating life prior to finding your husband/boyfriend/fiance.WOW.

I had a serious boyfriend in high school - dated him for 3-years, we're still friends to this day.

College - I dated one guy for a year(named Brad) but more or less I just dated a lot.

After college, I moved around quite a bit prior to moving to Charlotte 11-years ago, and during that time I dated a TON of guys but no one serious.
Moved to Charlotte and I dated a guy(also, named Brad) for 3 1/2 years.

We broke up when I was 31-years old.

All my friends were married so I spent the next 2-years working on myself and looking for the guy I knew I wanted for a husband and father.

Then, boom! One night in a bar I met him!

In with the newest Brad!

We call him the best Brad! :-)

{2} Describe your husband/boyfriend/fiance in one word. How would he describe me in one word?

Funny.

I know a lot of other bloggers have written this too but it's the truth. He comes up with things I would have never thought of and has a canny way of making a sad/bad situation funny sometimes.

He just makes me laugh.

As for his one word for me?

Outgoing.

If you've met me I guess you can either agree or not agree.

{3} You had a really silly fight. Embarrassing silly. What was it about?
When I was pregnant cooking was a chore.
Brad gave feedback on how it could have been better.
I went ballistic and banged pots around and pouted and said I would never cook again.
Well, I didn't.
At least while I was pregnant.
We laugh about it now but it wasn't funny at the time.
LOL!

{4} In three sentences(and only three!), describe where you both hope to be in 5-years.
Still enjoying time with both sets of parents.
In a house with a backyard.
On a Disney Cruise with family and our friends who have children the same age as Shelby.

{5} Tell us something about your husband/boyfriend/fiance we wouldn't know from reading your blog.
When I first met Brad he wasn't a fan of going to the mountains/hiking or anything in the high country.
But, after this trip - click here - he TOTALLY changed his tune.
He's now shopping for RV camper trailers so we can have Shelby grow up camping and loving the outdoors and high country as much as we do.

{6} What's one thing you never thought you'd do in front of your husband/boyfriend/fiance, but you did?
Hmm..
Several things but probably taking a tinkle in front of him would be top on the list.
When you gotta go, you gotta go.
Even if it is in the woods!

Chilling with Friends

Brad's only request for Father's Day?

He wanted to do what 'Brad' wanted to do.

Guess what that was?

Go to the lake house.

It worked out perfect because his parents were out of town and we were able to host some friends up there for the weekend too.

After the nasty storms on Thursday the rest of the weekend ended up being really nice.

So, we packed the car and headed north.

Despite fighting colds, we rallied and set up the corn hole boards and hit the lake.

My favorite view on High Rock lake.

The mountains and the water.

2 of my happy places.

Shelby wasn't 100% after her shots on Thursday but she enjoyed a little(like 20-minutes) of time in the lake.

We don't mind having her in the float without a life jacket but both Brad and I agree that in the lake, even off the dock at the house, she needs it on.

Even, Mr. Buddy enjoyed himself.

The lake house is his happy place too.

He would probably never choose to come back to Charlotte if you knew the truth.

HAA!

Shelby is so enamored with him right now.

It's the cutest thing to see.

Despite what you see in these pictures he gives her lots of kisses and attention.

He loves her!

We made dinner simple by throwing a few things on the grill and we all brought appetizers and sides.

I made this delicious appetizer that A Liz suggested.

Crostini, brie, strawberry, basil with a drizzle of honey.

They were a huge HIT!

We had a little fun with our new NIKON and I took some pictures and vice versa.

Love how this one of Katie and Josh turned out!

This one isn't too bad either.

Shelby grabs anything in her site these days.

It's funny and hysterical and a bit annoying all at the same time!

Brad said it was the perfect first Father's Day weekend, despite the cold/sinus thing we had/have going on.

Daddy's Girl!

Happy first Father's Day to my husband Brad!

We joke that Shelby gave Daddy a cold for his first Father's Day.

I was so lucky to get it too.

UGH..

Been a rough couple of days because she hasn't felt good between her cold, 6-month shots and teething.

Poor baby.

Now, we don't feel good either.

Nothing a little Allegra D won't help though I guess.

We had a great weekend doing what Brad wanted to do and that's hang out at the lake.

More on that tomorrow but today a few highlights of why Brad is such a GREAT father.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

* He makes sure to get home at a decent hour every night to be able to spend time with Shelby.

* He makes a point to be involved in being a caregiver just as much as Mommy. That involves making her baby food, taking turns giving her a bath and putting her to bed.

 * He takes joy in teaching and showing her new things.

* And, he treasures every morning with her where he wakes her, dresses her and takes her to school.

I know to a lot of you, this may seem like what a Dad is suppose to do, and I agree.

But, I'm here to tell you.

I hear more and more stories about husbands who haven't ever given their child a bath much less make baby food.

So, here's to best Daddy a girl could ever have.

Shelby's Daddy!

My husband, Brad.

We both are SUPER lucky!

Hope it was a great day even though we're all feeling a bit under the weather.

Only One??

Now that Shelby is 6-months old I have people ask me all the time.

'Ready for Another???'

~~~~~~~~~

Why do people do that?

It's just like right after you get married people assume you're going to pop a child out.

As IF it's EASY for everyone.

Right?

I find these questions a little much.

I know a lot of people don't know any better but it still drives me bonkers.

Or even better?

When you're single and people ask you when you're going to get married.

'Well, MAYBE when I find someone WORTH marrying!'

But going back to the, 'are you ready for another' is when you reply that you're good with only one.

People look horrified and ask, REALLY??

You don't want to give Shelby siblings?

She's going to be an only child?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is where we are right now.

 I will soon be 38 and Brad is 35.

We aren't young.

Having babies when you're older comes with risks, not to mention less energy.

We have decided that we are happy and content with one child.

I know that may seem selfish to some people but there are several reasons why we have made this choice and I'm not going to go into each reason to justify.

Believe it or not, being an only child isn't a horrible thing as same people might believe.

I have contemplated about writing this post for some time but finally decided to pull the trigger after reading this article.

Click here to read.

I think it sums things up pretty well.