My Apologies!

Dear Readers,

I am sorry that I have been so slack in my blogging. There have been so many things going on lately that I have not had time to give an update. So here's where the Smith's have been:

For starters, my little sister (Jenna...better known as Francie or Francie Pants) is currently in the hospital. This is my blogging location. For those of you who don't know, Jenna always has these "pain episodes" and the doctors have never really figured out what is wrong with her. Hopefully, this trip will be different. We are having another test done tomorrow on her so maybe it will show us what is causing her all this pain. Please pray for her because her frustration is growing with each test that comes back "normal" while she lays in the hospital in pain. My sisters and I have been taking turns spending the night with her because my parents are out of town. Well, not just out of town, but out of the country. They are visiting Spain. Can't you just imagine my Daddy (a true Bulloch County-ian in Spain!?!) Believe it or not, this germy little hospital room sleeps quite cozy inbetween all the nurses visits. The chair folds out into a bed so it's like it was when we were growing up! Jenna and I shared a bedroom growing up and she used to sleep in the "pull out" or "hideaway" bed that you could pop down and it ccould be stored underneath my daybed. So, we're used to this shacking up in cozy corners thing:)

On a lighter note, I am committing myself to health...just not today:) My diet these past two days while in the hospital has consisted of McDonalds (twice) and MacCalisters. But, when things return to normal, I am going to pick back up my recent attempts to "get my figure back"...and I say "get it back" because I have lost it since college. My body misses those 15 minute walks across the hilly campus of West Georgia and the staircase that I climbed at least twice a day in the business building.

Cassie and I are starting a training program (recommended by Jenny Eastman who is now a serious runner of things like 10ks) that will have us running 30 mins by the end of the 8 weeks! Get pumped!! Aunt Cindy so graciously donated her old treadmill to our cause. Below is a picture that makes me giggle. Here is Keith being a helper and changing the batteries to the electronic display part while Daniel is testing the treadmill out. Notice his workout attire....overalls:) That's why I love that little cutie!



Another cute story I have to share about my husband. As you may know, Linens-N-Things is going out of business so everything is on major sale. So, being the little homemaker that I am, I went and puchased some new things for our house. I bought one of those brown wicker-looking laundry baskets that sits out in your room. Now see, let me back up. Daniel and I have this "system"...you know you have one too! If clothes need to be treated for stains or grease, then they don't go in the laundry basket. They go outside of it so I will know that they have stains. So, when we got back from the mountains, I saw some of Daniel's clothes laying on the floor outside of the basket. Well, knowing that when he came in the house his clothes weren't stained or greasy I was curious:
"Hey D, there are some clothes on the floor outside of the basket, but I don't remember you being that dirty when you got home?" said Amanda.
"Is that what that is? I was wondering..." said Daniel.
"Yes darlin, it's a laundry hamper," said Amanda.
"Well these days, it's just better that I play if safe..." said Daniel.
Oh, the joys of being a newlywed:)

Speaking of newlyweds, how stinkin cute are my parents here in this picture!?! Here, on their wedding day, are Joan and Tommy. The beginning of the Childs Family that so many of you have come to know and love. That woman to the left is Joan's mama. She is trying to hand Mama a box of food. Tommy is pulling her back because he is afraid that she would start chatting, and he was ready to get to the honeymoon!! Ah, shame on you! Get your mind out of the gutter! I'm sure Tom Tom was just ready to see the waves from the cruise ship:)

Home Sweet Home

WE'RE BACK!!!!! And we could not be happier to be home!....There really is no place like home. For those who couldn't be there, the wedding day was absolutely perfect! Daniel and I have never had more fun. The weather was perfect, the ceremony was sweet, and Daddy stealing the car key so we couldn't get away was hilarious.

Jamaica was a-m-a-z-i-n-g! Clear water, free food (well, not technically, we had to just pay for everything up front, but it felt free!), sunny days, and new tan lines:) Beside the fact that we got to the Savannah airport around midnight, had a dead battery when we got there, and my passenger window broke on the way home the next day (meaning it fell completely down and we had to ride home from the lumber yard with the wind blowing on us...it was freezing!!!!), we thouroughly enjoyed our little married selves:)

For those of yall who have ever lodged at Daniel's house (pre-Amanda times), we've got a surprise for yall! The house has done a complete 180! Instead of trophies in the china cabinet, we now have crystal. See pictures below of Daniel taking the trophies out (tragic day for hubby) and my new crystal!



For those of you who are used to only drinking out of dixie cups and john deere mugs (no offense, Daniel), take a look here:



And lastly, the squirrel is gone!! Instead, Daniel now has cute decor signs up, picture frames, and floral arrangements:) Don't ya know he just loves what the new wifey has done! I can't wait to start painting all the walls now, hehe!

All in all, we are loving our new little cozy home! We build fires every night in the wood stove so we don't have to turn on the heat (saving that moola!), and snuggle up to catch up on our missed tv shows (the good trashy ones like Desperate Housewives and Georgia Farm Monitor). And best of all, our security system (Lady Belle Childs Smith) is thankful we are back home so she can sleep inside away from the coyotes and freezing cold!

Election 2008

"So it is with voting. We deal with the system. We deal with the news. We deal with the candidates. We deal with the issues. But we deal with it all as if not dealing with it. It does not have our fullest attention. It is not the great thing in our lives. Christ is. And Christ will be ruling over his people with perfect supremacy no matter who is elected and no matter what government stands or falls. So we vote as though not voting."
-John Piper

A Thankful Bride

Four months after Daniel got down on one knee, we are ALMOST tying the knot! Exactly 7 days from right now! A lot has happened in the past four months...for example, I graduated college, moved to a new town, got a new job, and planned a wedding.

As the wedding is getting so close, and I can FINALLY start to see the light at the end of the tunnel (and realize that all this work really will pay off), I realize how important it is to have had so many friends and family be so supportive throughout this whole process! I know I was not-so-pleasant at some points during this process, or as some would say "impatient", "bossy", "stressed", "not myself", etc., etc., etc., but we made it:)! My Mom and sisters faithfully made trips week after week to shower after shower to various places to show me their love and support. Mama T and Heather were the best ever as they made wedding planning/talk part of their daily afternoon routines with me:) Daddy was wonderful with financially providing for me so that I was able to plan this glorious wedding. And I probably owe Daniel the most of all, for just loving me and being so patient and understanding as I adjust to my new life. He still doesn't understand why we just don't go to the courthouse and get married...that boy!!

As this week winds down and the final week is just around the corner, I am amazed at how the details really are all falling into place..and this leads to me to see how much of it I owe to everyone who has helped me get here. I N-E-V-E-R, I said N-E-V-E-R, could have done it without my family, and for this, I am thankful.

18 Days and Counting...

I am only 18 days away from becoming a wife! Yay, yay, yay!! A lot of things have changed over the past year...one in particular, I began learning how to cook...

I am going to toot my own horn today, toot! toot!, because for the first time ever last night, I made some home made sausage biscuits!! And they were edible! While my soon to be mother-in-law can do it with her eyes closed, I can not! And it was a process! I said to Daniel, "How the heck does your mother just whip up these home-made biscuits so quickly?" His response: "Baby, she's been doing it for years"...maybe I'll get there one day. She's the best teacher! I know I call her at least 2 times per meal that I cook with questions.

Anyways, all that to say, I began the process of learning how to cook around this time last year when I realized that I loved Daniel and wanted to be able to cook good meals for him (hence the picture of my apron and glove that I got for Christmas last year). Daniel is always gracious with me and doesn't even pick when I call him in a panic because I set the smoke detectors off and can't make them quit beeping. And, like any good man, he asks for seconds:)










Lady misses all of her Carrollton friends, and her mama misses her being that little!

Charlie Childs

This is for those who know and adore Charlie, with his eyes that point to Savannah and Macon at the same time and represent Christmas, often showinig up as one red eye and one green eye in pictures (see below). If you love Charlie, you will appreciate this. You have to watch it to the end...

Fireproofing Our Relationship

So last night was date night...meaning that Daniel and I took a night for ourselves, for a date:) We spent the sunday afternoon picking on each other in good fun and him telling me that I am "bossy" because I told...asked:)...him to change a light bulb and to put up a hat organizer thing in laundry room. You know, it just needed to be done and it seemed like a boy job, meaning that it took him about half the time that it would have taken me to figure out how to get the light fixture off so you can actually get to the light bulb.

We conclude date night we went to the evening show (that ended up costing us about $26 by the time it was said and done, but what is a movie without a coke and popcorn?!?) and seeing the new movie, Fireproof. It was great! I highly recommend that everyone sees it. Seriously, take the time and plan to go see it. It was filmed in Albany, GA, and the acting definitely isn't going to win any award in Hollywood, but the message is something that everyone needs to hear and be refreshed on. The movie is a good reminder that Jesus must be, and remain, the centerpoint and foundation of any relationship where unconditional love, peace, and forgiveness are experienced. And don't we all need some of that?

I'm not going to lie, it was emotional too. I fought back tears because I didn't want my mascara to run (I'm shallow, I know), and my sweet-hearted fiance would not shout it from the rooftops, but he too was moved deep down.

A lasting impression that the movie left on me came from this quote (if I can remember it correctly) "Fireproof doesn't mean that fire won't come, it just means that you won't get burned"....kinda reminds me of the promises that Jesus makes us.

I recommend that everyone take an evening with your loved one, and go see this movie in a comfy sweatshirt and with some overpriced concessions in hand.

My Very First Post!

Well, I guess that I should begin by explaining how this blog came about....to be honest, there isn't a real reason, beside the fact that I want my friends and family that don't live near us to be able to keep up with us and not miss out on the ins-and-outs of life.

So here it is, the Smithpartyof3 blog...the Smith part will take effect in exactly 29 days (SoOoOoOoO exciting!) and the partyof3 part already exists: Me, Daniel, and Lady. Laugh now Daddy, Katie, and whoever else, but Lady has come be part of our family. She has won Daniel over with her sassy, independent personality, fierce growl at other innocent animals, and the famous heart-warming "put your head down trick"....in case you can't tell, I'm a proud mama.

So, here it is. Nothing grand. Just life. Enjoy:)