Family in Virginia (One Last Time)

A couple of weekends ago, we hosted 10 family members in Virginia for a very special boy's first birthday! Our time in Virginia is coming to an end (more on that in another post), so this was our last time having family visit! How in the world is our child already one? I could go on and on about how time moves too quickly and it seems physically impossible for our baby to already be one. Instead, I thought I'd keep things light and slightly less philosophical and just share some of our favorite moments from that very special weekend.

We were so grateful and blessed to have so many family members fly in for Preston's first birthday. I get that a first birthday is really for the parents because, let's face it, Preston won't/already doesn't remember it, but it was so special for Parker and me to celebrate our baby's first year with the people we love. 

I hope to write a post soon on the party theme and decorations (again, he won't remember or care, but a kid only turns one once, so we went all out!). For now, here are some of my favorite pictures from the party. 

All pictures were taken by my wonderful friend Lea at Loraine Marie Photography! Check her out here. 

One year of this sweet boy! I can't tell you how much Parker and I have learned about each other and how much we have grown over the last year. Parenting was a whole new ballpark for the marriage, and I am so grateful we get to do it together. 

I love this picture. It doesn't have everyone, but these are some of the girls who got me through the first year. They say it takes a village. This is part of mine!

The grandmothers and great grandmothers who made the trip! This boy is so lucky!

Family picture! Not pictured was cousin Emmett, who was upstairs napping. We love our people!

Preston, you better turn that frown upside down! These are the people that dropped everything anytime I needed someone, like the time they took care of you/me when I had eye surgery solo. Super grateful for these friends of mine!

My people. Love my mom and twin sister so much. Nobody endured more parenting-inspired Facetime rants this past year than these two.

It was such a special day celebrating the boy who changed our lives forever. I cannot believe I've been his mom for a year already! There is no greater job in the world to me!

7 Years With Our Jen Pup

February 5th marked 7 years with our sweet Jenny girl! How we have had this amazing animal for 7 whole years is beyond me. We just love her so much. I probably look at Jenny and say "you da real MVP" three times a day. She really is. She is so good with her kid brother. She is so patient when I can't take her on walks because it's too cold for the baby. She doesn't ever get jealous of all the time we devote to the baby that was once devoted to her. She is just happy to be included. We love that brown dog!

 

Since it's her adoptiversary, I thought I would reminisce on that sweet day 7 years ago that she made us a family.

Side note: As I am typing this, Parker is in the next room and just said "I love this dog. She is so good". So yeah, I guess we love our dog ;)

Anyway...

February 5th, 2011 was a Saturday. Parker and I were engaged and living in College Station, TX, and we went to Petco to see the puppies up for adoption. There was a rescue group that did weekly adoption events there, and we liked to visit and pet the pups. We were excited to adopt a dog as soon as we were married in June!

We started petting the dogs, and Parker found Jenny. She was 6 months old and the cutest, sweetest thing. We took her for a walk around the parking lot and started talking names. We just knew she had to be ours. We both liked the name Lucy, but Parker's uncle had a dog named Lucy (I have no idea why this mattered seeing as we lived in different cities and our dogs would never meet), so I suggested Jenny, and that was that. 

We paid her adoption fee, filled out the paperwork, and she came to live with me and my roommates in my apartment since Parker and I wouldn't live together for 4 more months. We were over the moon obsessed with that dog, and not much has changed. 

I have always called Jenny my best girlfriend, and she really is. She got me through deployment. She was a shoulder to cry on when I lost our first baby. She has just been with me through everything. Parker and I hate that she is getting older, but we are so blessed with another year with our sweet brown dog!

And here is my little PSA because I can't help it... if you are in the market for a furry companion, please adopt! :) :) :)