Feeling Royal

Despite some naysayers (read: Sean) I have been up since 4:58 this morning watching the royal wedding. I can remember where I was when Princess Di passed, where I was during her funeral, and now I can say I remember what I was doing during her son's wedding (folding laundry, in case you are interested). It was a beautiful occasion, although just about any wedding will make my throat tight and my eyes well up with tears. Then it was a beautiful ride back to the palace, as I explained to Lex who everyone was and why they were important. And then it was beautiful kiss on the balcony as Lex asked why, again, all of those onlookers were there. It was just a magical morning for a girl who had a crush on a prince in middle school.

And then I got in my less than fashionable car and fought traffic to go to my common job.

It was worth it, though! I shall have perma-grin for the rest of the day (although, it may also be because today is Friday, pay day, and I have glorious plans to furniture shop with my husband this weekend).

Rainy Easter BBQ

This post would make for a more interesting read had I taken pictures yesterday, but I did not because I spent the entire day up and down and back and forth and all over my house making sure everyone was having a good time that I completely forgot to take pictures! I wanted to post, though, so that in the future I can remember my first Easter family gathering in my home. So bear with me. I'm still new to this having a blog thing (again).
Saturday morning I woke Sean up at 6:30 (that's AM, people) to hit up this sale at Sutherlands: 1/2 off trees and shrubs. We got quite a bit for not a whole lot. I also purchased some geraniums in hanging pots to hang on one of the 20 hooks on our back porch (this is not an exaggeration) and they really brought some spring to that area. When we got home at about 7:30 we crashed onto the couch and did not move until about noon. I have been battling some sinus problems so I really didn't feel good, and Sean doesn't usually wake up until about 10 or 11 anyway so it was a lazy Saturday.
When we finally mustered the strength to pull ourselves into an upright position, we scrubbed the house until it shined and then scrubbed a little more. My husband and I have a different opinion of what "tidy" means but beyond that we worked very well together. We treated ourselves to a date at Target and Chick-Fil-A. We redboxed The Tourist on the way home and I have no idea if it was good or not. I wasn't awake for much past the opening credits.
Sunday morning we were up and at 'em to finish getting things ready for a family dinner at 12:30. I iced the cake and colored eggs with the niece and nephew. I dragged Sean out of bed and we got ready for church with Mom and Dad. We brought the niece and nephew along with us and during the opening worship Sean leaned over and said, "I don't think J is going to make it." Dad asked if he wanted to sit next to him and J jumped at the opportunity. They proceeded to play tic-tac-to throughout the sermon and I could barely hear them whispering back and forth about what was going on in the service. Lex does great in church with me. I don't know if she ever gets much out of it, but she continues to want to come so I'll continue to take her.
We made it home right as my father-in-law was pulling in our driveway. We ended up having 20 people altogether at our house for burgers and hot dogs and all that is appropriate at a BBQ. The rain held off just long enough to grill everything and then the skies opened up again to continue to pour for the remainder of the day. After a couple of hours, Sean's mom and dad were both around the same table remembering "the good ol' days," and laughing about Easter's past. This isn't entirely out of the ordinary; my in-laws get along very well. But it is still very refreshing to see.
After everyone left, I had an overwhelming sense of joy from the events of the day. I didn't get to spend very much time with my family, but I have excellent in-laws. I feel like Sean's family is mine and they treat me just the same. I love that feeling and the feeling of everyone just being together. It was an excellent Easter.

Thursday Thoughts

Things that are swirling around my head today:

• "Lost are saved, find the way/ At the sound of Your great name."
• We are hosting an Easter dinner at our house on Sunday - burgers because it's what we can afford. I hope it doesn't rain like it's supposed to. But if it does, I am sure we will still enjoy our time together. I like having a home that people can gather in. It's not much, but it's ours. And the laughter that fills its spaces is what makes it a home. What good is a home if people can't gather in it? That's what I tell myself when I get embarrassed by what it lacks.
• The highlight of my week so far: I get to make dessert for Sunday. I haven't made anything in such a long time because no one will eat it. I can't help it if my joy is found in sugar.
• A very good friend revealed she is pregnant. I am so excited for her news and new life. I worry for her though. I pray that her partner will support her and lift her up when she needs it. I pray that they will seek guidance from the Father in how to be good parents.
• Sean is doing so well in school - much better than I thought he would do when he originally began. I am so proud of him and his determination. However, I can see the weariness begin to show. He has just one month left - I pray that I can be the cheerleader he needs.
• We I have been cleaning out his old room(s) at his mother's house recently. He wants to keep a tub of clothes from his teens/early 20s to give to our kids in the hopes that they are "retro" by then. I washed them and folded them all thinking about what my life will hopefully hold in store for me when I look at them again. And then I realized that some of the shirts were truly "bachelor" shirts. Needless to say, in 20 years Sean might be asking me where some of the shirts are. Hopefully he forgets about them by then. And thank God his wardrobe has changed.
• My family is getting together for Easter & I won't be there. But I continually pray for my grandma's health and healing. 
• A friend from college (not a good one, but still a friend) found out yesterday she has cervical cancer. She's getting married in the summer to a boy I went to kindergarten with. What a small world! Prayers for healing.
• I have not been nearly as close to the cross as I would like to should be this Easter season. This gives me goosebumps that I would take advantage of such a sacrifice. Who do I think I am, really, that I would ask for all of these things in prayer? Thankfully, He listens anyway. And it's not too late for me, either.
• "Hungry souls receive grace/At the sound of Your great name"

Happy Easter!

How Charming

Me: Hey! Do you realize our anniversary is one month from tomorrow?!
Sean: Yikes. What do you want?

He's such a charmer, that one.

I think we've settled on side tables for the living room. Boy, this marriage thing sure is romantic. :D

My Family Tree

I am secretly a huge fan of the television show "Who Do You Think You Are." I know those celebrities probably didn't do any work to trace their own genealogical line, but it's still neat to hear someone else's stories about how their triple great so-and-so was a civil war hero. This inspired me to do some research into my own genealogical line which got me talking to my grandmother.

The Bryson family documents ~everything~. And people just don't write letters like they used to (the salutation from one funeral home director: I hope to always remain respectfully yours, {insert name here}). I found my parents wedding invitation, several of my cousin's birth announcements, receipts from funeral homes from the early 20th century, and copies of birth certificates form the late 19th century. I remember one of my aunts putting together a family tree when I was younger and it looks like she has continued to document our heritage. I feel like there is very little that I'm going to find that hasn't already been found.

However, my mother doesn't know very much about her family. She only knows the stories that have been told to her by her father which I took and ran with. My grandfather & his brother lost their father when they were very young. Their mother remarried a man and the children took on his name, although not legally. This makes it very difficult to find any information about them. Their mother died when my grandfather was around 13 and his brother was 9. From that point, my mom tells me, they were orphans, going from family member to family member throughout their childhood. But there is so much more to find out about this family! Where they came from, what they did, the people they allowed to board in their home. I don't have a lot of experience and most of the time don't have a clue what I'm doing but it's kind of fun to research.

Things I Love (and Some Things I Don't)

These are some things that I love today:

• A productive weekend full of hard work and sweat.
• Coming home to a clean house, no laundry to do and a spotless fridge.
• Thinking, "I could really go for some bacon," and then smelling bacon, followed by the realization that my sister-in-law is making breakfast for dinner. I believe I'll be over for dinner!
• Getting a text message from my bestie that she is watching the movie that defines our friendship and then texting each other our favorite line. "You look like a girl!" "I am a girl you half-wit!" "Yeah, but today you look it!" Good times.
• Planning summer projects with my husband and doing all of the necessary research.

Now here are the things that I don't like:

• Bradford pear trees in my yard.
• Realizing that it's not my yard.
• Giving in and letting my husband plant cleveland pear trees in our yard.

Ugh. This marriage thing is hard sometimes.