I Love Having My Hubby Home with Me!

The beauty of having a husband that works in the school system is that we get a lot of the same breaks. We can truly appreciate this because we know the other side. Brad worked for a small chain of banks when we started dating, so we know what it is like to run completely different schedules. I definitely prefer the TST schedule. Brad is a Technology Support Technician at another elementary school in Gwinnett County. His last day of being a TST until July 28th was Thursday. We have had SOOOOOO much fun since then.

Thursday - We met at Best Buy and bought me a new camera. We then went to the last night of Sports Camp where we had 2 saved and 5 rededicated. Finally, we wrapped that day up by going to see the midnight screening of the new Disney Pixar film WALL-E. I have never gone to see a midnight movie. It was so fun and WALL E is such a good movie. A robot love story with good humor.

Friday - We woke up early and went and bought my new car. I am the proud owner of a new 2008 Honda Accord LX. It is beautiful. I felt so safe in it and sure that it was going to get everywhere ( even though I have only driven it ten miles) compared to Chester. Then we left with Brad's parents to go to their lakehouse for the weekend. We cooked out steaks and they were so good.

Saturday - We spent the day soaking up the rays at the lake. Brad and Mr. Jack fished, the whole family played games and well it stormed. It almost stormed out our Eatonton experience with the Jimmy Buffett cover band A1A. The concert was fun and we all had fun dancing the night away.

Sunday - We had a breakfast of muffins and a morning of SkipBo . Brad caught his first fish at the lakehouse before we left. We came home and took a nap. Tonight we watched a movie and are prepping for our journey to San Antonio. We leave Wednesday.

Brad and I hope to go to dinner and bowling with Dad tomorrow and then to see Carter, Christina and Jack Tuesday. We will also be jazzing Chester up in an effort to put him up for sale. If anyone knows someone who would like an eleven year old Ford Escort, then please let me know :0).

Haven't Blogged in Over a Week

I haven't blogged in over a week. I don't know why. I am on everyday, checking into the happenings of my friends and family. I guess I just don't feel like anything SUPER interesting has happened this week. I think I judge interesting by how many pictures I can post in relation to what I am posting. Right now, that is none because sadly ( and for those who really know me, you know how truly sad this is) my camera met an untimely death on Friday night. The memory card seems to have survived but the camera didn't. Sigh. There is definitely a replacement in our future soon because our San Antonio trip is approaching quickly. Still, the Griswold in me says a financial ouch over it.
What has happened in the last week or so?
- I went and stayed with Carter and Christina on Jack's first day back to work Tuesday. That was fun. My nephew and I had plenty of quality time together. His hair got washed for the first time and he was awake for a notable amount of time. There would be several cute pictures if the camera hadn't died.
- I got my name changed at Social Security. Halfway to being officially Meredith Griswold Dillard. Now I just have to go to the DMV.
- Sadly, my dad got laid off from IBM. He has thirty days to find another job within the company or he will be placed on retirement. He has been eligible for retirement for five years and we have played this game before ( I was in sixth grade and we almost moved to North Carolina for a new IBM job and then tada, here's another job in Atlanta), but the economy scares me these days. Pray that God's will is done in this matter.
- We are getting really close to purchasing my new car. I am super excited.
What is happening this week?
- Sports camp at church- This is always fun. Brad and I get to serve in different capacities but together all week. This year he will be handling registration for two days and basketball for two days. I am on the same job all four days. I get to lead the choreography of gestures for the rising second and third graders worship rally each day. Pray that these kids not only gain knowledge about the sports they are practicing but allow God to come into their hearts. We had 20 kids saved at VBS this year , and I know this camp can be a success in God's honor as well.
- A new camera, a new car, Carter, camp...... Cookie Monster was right! The letter C is good.

Carter's First Picture with Aunt Meredith and Uncle Brad

We had another great visit with Carter, Christina and Jack today. I actually got there before Brad. Once the mattress was delivered, I headed to the hospital and managed a 1:50 arrival. Apparently, I wasn't the only one with an itch to see the cutest baby in the world.:0) I was met at the door by Carter's Aunt Alecia, Grandma Cindy and greatgrandmother. We got to witness his footprints being made. He is still is pretty content. Tomorrow should bring the big trip home. I decorated over at the house when I went to go check on Marley tonight. Marley is our fuzzy Pomeranian nephew. I don't think he quite understands why Mommy and Daddy are not at home, and all the change that is going on. He will find out soon enough but if he is like all the rest of us, he will think it is the best change that has happened in a long time.

I Have a Nephew!

At 4:49pm yesterday afternoon (one week after his due date), Carter Kenneth Dillard arrived. He is beautiful! He was 8lbs and 8oz and 18.5 inches long. He has a full head of hair, which makes him the envy of his uncle. When Brad held Carter, he stuck his tongue out at Brad several times. He also cried a little bit. But Brad handled it like a pro. When I got my first hold with Carter, he was so content and just made cute cooing sounds and I fell in love.

Naturally while sitting in the waiting room for several hours with all the fellow aunts and both sets of grandparents, Brad and I weathered our share of questions as to when Carter's first cousin would arrive. It sounds like that may happen about the time Carter can expect a sibling. It still is something that I get very excited over talking about and project to happen in about two and a half years to three. Of course, God always has a plan.

I am going back to see Carter today as soon as our generous wedding present from Mom and Dad Dillard gets here. They have bought us a mattress set. Yay!

The picture of Brad with Carter is on its side but by far was the best and I couldn't figure out how to rotate it.

Chester...bad Family ...good

So today is the second to last day of the Writing Institute. I am pumped about all I have learned here but I am ready to start my traditional teacher summer of getting up around nine and going from there. Sure my traditional summer is going to be full of little missions like going to the courthouse, Social Security and DMV to change my name, unearthing the back bedroom from beneath the mountain of artifacts from the apartment and such but it is something I am ready to embrace. Being a wife....I want to have time to do things to surround my husband with reasons to notice that I love him more and more each day. I also want to get back to loving myself. I am setting the goal of walking three miles a day. 1.5 in the morning and 1.5 in the evening and eating fun salads for lunch....we will see how it goes.

You may wonder what is up with the title of the blog today. I can explain.

Lets start with the bad. Chester : he is my car. I love him dearly. He is eleven years old . I have had him for nine. We have had many good and bad times together. Still, he will be leaving the family this summer as we purchase a new car for Meredith. Somehow the car must have caught wind of this and the fact that we had intentions of testdriving cars this Saturday because when I came out of Kohl's yesterday and turned the car key in the ignition this is what happened...

NOTHING!

My husband sent my inlaws to my rescue and we made our way (after a jump) on to our original plans to go through items at Mawmaw's house. Once we concluded there ( and another jump was issued to revitalize Chester), we went on to have a really nice dinner at the house as a family. The good news: Our house now has motion sensored lights and a toilet in the bottom half of the house that doesn't run non stop. And since Chester's problems were not fixed in a very permanent way - I got to drive the truck to the Writing Institute today. Yay! :0)

Now on to the family good. With the men outside doing work, Linda (my second mom aka mother in law) and I were allowed an opportunity to talk. We dabbled in a lot of topics but eventually came to talking about Carter's middle name and what it might end up being. As we came up with possibilities, we shared different names in our family trees. I mentioned that Grandma's name is Lillie and that I had always thought about trying to work it into a girl's name if I ever had a daughter. Linda told me that Mawmaw's mother's name was Lillie Mae. She even thinks it was spelled like Grandma's with the -ie instead of the -y. I was so in awe of the fact that one name could mean so much and honor two women so incredibly significant in both Brad and my lives. Brad even smiled when I shared the discovery with him after his parents had left. So who knows? In our future we could very well have a beautiful little Lillie Dillard in our lives and if she is just a fraction of the grace, greatness, sweetness and generosity of her two greatgrandmothers, then we would be so blessed.

So definitely family good.

Introducing Emma Grace

This is me with Miss Emma Grace Rayburn and me. She slept on me for some time yesterday afternoon. Such a sweet baby! :0)

The picture is a little pixalated....don't know why but I promised a picture and I deliver!