2 weeks touring Mississippi

Before I go on to Christmas, I must tell you that during the two weeks I spent at home, (AKA my parent's house...I assume, when Michael and I get a real house, that will become home in my head, but this apartment just doesn't qualify!) I did lots of fun things including:

1. Attending Mom's office Christmas party where I was fed like the fattened calf in the Bible. (I got TWO desserts and some of the kids' mac 'n cheese just because I'm pregnant!)

All the "children" at the office Christmas party. Some qualify a little better than others as far as age goes. :)

2. Going to Memphis with Bubba and Luke to visit Martin and Becca and Bryan!

3. Getting my hair cut for the first time since JULY!

4. Getting my eyebrows done!

5. Sharing meals with wonderful people that I love including: Aunt Edna, the Westmorelands minus Caleb, Lindsey Easley...I mean Nicholson, Jenna and Day (they go together), Nanny and Pa (them too), Uncle Doug, Uncle Stan (dad's brothers), and Aunt Jane (mom's sister).

6. Lunch at Nanny and Pa's deserves its own spot because she made salmon croquettes!!! YUM!

7. Attending Matthew's (nephew on Michael's side) 5th birthday party!! I CANNOT believe he is five already. Michael would say, well time does go by. That's the whole point! We'll see what he says when its HIS little boy turning 5!

8. Spending a morning catching up with my old Sunday School teacher in Starkville and discussing how to survive natural childbirth.

9. Meeting Clint Townsend's son Dunkin--hopefuly he and Thomas will be good friends!

10. Last and certainly not least, probably the best actually, spending lots and lots of time with Luke! I got to keep him several times while Stephen went hunting the first week. The second week, when I started missing him, Ashley very sweetly brought him to work with her for me to pick up and spend the day with! He is absolutely precious and the happiest baby I think I've ever met. (and I've kept a lot!)

 

Here is sweet Luke in one of his Christmas outfits. I must admit that in all the time I spent with him, he ALWAYS had on  a Christmas outfit or pajamas. And he only repeated two outfits that I can think of. This kid's got style.

I almost completely forgot to mention getting hit by a DEER! Mom and I were on our way back from Jackson the day of Matthew's birthday party. We stopped in Starkville to pick up Stromboli's for dinner (because really, who can pass up Stromboli's?) and then headed home to Columbus. We were just chatting away, when I look over and see this huge doe running straight for us. I barely had enough time to shout "Mom!" and point before the deer made her impact! Luckily the care just rocked a little with no airbag deployment or seatbelt lock up, so I doubt Thomas ever knew anything happened. The poor deer rolled all the way down the driver's side of mom's care though denting the whole thing up! (Yeah, it came from the median, not the side of the road!) So then we had to sit there and wait on the HWY patrol, who apparently just take their time when you aren't injured. I had to talk my dad down the whole time from coming..to do what I still don't know. Apparently, I have good skills because he stayed at home. Police man rendered the car drivable, so we went home. Poor mom. This was her 3rd wreck in six months. The first one coming 1 month after changing insurance companies. They probably aren't too happy with her. Only one was her fault though!!