Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Weekend Wrap-Up: Part II Edition ;)

So yesterdays post was a WHOPPER!  But believe it or not, that wasn't the entire weekend. hahaha

Sunday morning I woke up with the beginnings of a migraine and so I stayed home with the kids (Dave had a second day of Breakfast with Santa).  My mom came over so I could lay down, but we ended up reorganizing Legos, vacuuming behind furniture and sorting toys. ;)

I took a nap in the afternoon (amen!!!) and then it was time to get ready for our annual BFG (Bible Fellowship Group) Christmas party.  

Attempting to get dressed with this little girl is nearly impossible.  She's a TOTAL mama's girl - and she wants to be on my lap ALL THE TIME.  I promise we were both making kissy faces at one point, but she just looked so sweet in this one! :) 

I was feeling TALL ;) hahaha  I definitely don't wear heels as often as I used to, but black tights with wedges is one of my favorite looks.  My parents watched out kids and my mom snapped this pic before we left.

My super fun skirt is from TaraLynn's and I LOVE it!  I love the volume, the dots and the silhouette.  Dave asked me if he missed the memo about it being a theme party, but he likes to razz me :) hahaha

Shay and Andrew graciously hosted and we had a wood-fired pizza oven in the driveway!  It was awesome!  Custom pizzas - perfection!!!





LOVE this girl and her heart for hospitality!  I mean, who else would move out all their furniture, put a pizza oven in their driveway and invite 50+ people over?!?!

Grateful to call these girls my friends!!!

And I guess these guys are okay, too ;)

It was a great way to end the weekend - lots of eating, lots of girl talk and lots of laughing.

I feel like I should take a minute to talk about our BFG.  A little over 9 years ago, Dave and I were newly married and attempting to get "plugged in" at Church and we visited a "young married" Sunday school class.  We immediately felt welcome and connected and we settled in getting to know a new group of friends. 

In April (we'd been married for about 4 months), Dave had a super dramatic medical event (that sounds lame, but I don't know what else to call it) - but basically, his co-workers found him unconscious and unresponsive at work.  He was rushed to the hospital where they immediately started running tests, as they thought that he might have had a stroke.  It was awful.  I was making decisions for him and signing releases for spinal taps and other tests and I was overwhelmed and terrified.  I remember sitting in the room while Dave was having a second CT Scan when the director of our BFG showed up.  I have no clue how he even knew what had happened - but he was there.  Over the course of the next several days (and weeks and really months) I learned firsthand how important being connected with a group like this was.  It turns out that Dave had meningitis and thankfully he was fine, but having people jump into action for us (bringing us dinner, taking care of our dog, praying for us, etc.) was humbling and incredible.

Over the years, our BFG has grown from twenty somethings with no kids, to thirties with tons of them :)  I've spent COUNTLESS Saturdays at baby showers...

And made DOZENS of meals for families with new babies.  


 We've volunteered together, prayed for each other and rocked each others babies to sleep.
And we've had so much fun!!!






And, as of late, it's been amazing watching our group RALLY around one of our own.  I dropped off a meal at Manda's last night and as I opened the cooler to put it inside, I was brought to tears by the names and sweet messages written inside the lid.  True, supportive, unconditional friendship is hard to come by and our family is immeasurably blessed by these friends!
I know this has been "sappy", but I REALLY want to encourage you - if you're not connected with a Sunday School class, start looking for one.  It's hard to open up and friendships do require time and effort, but the support and community you get in return is invaluable.  Okay, sermon over. hahaha

Have a FANTASTIC Day!!!

40 comments :

  1. GREAT post!!!!!!! And Dave sounds like Chris...once Chris asked me if I was going to a tap dancing recital based on how I was dressed. What?!? :)

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    1. I'm laughing so hard!!! I have these cute TOMS suede booties and when I put them on for the first time Dave goes, "ooooh! Are those your dancing shoes??" I'm sorry.... WHAT?!?!?!

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  2. Listen, this group of people has quite literally changed my life. I am so thankful for their friendships, love, encouragement and support. Because of this group...I met you sweet friend and for that, I will always be grateful. XO

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    1. AWWWWW!!!!! I know, right??? So fun to think about where it all began!!! Love you, girly!

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  3. Oh my word. Now, I'm bawling. So sweet! And, I am so thankful for our Sunday School class!! Such a blessing to our family!! Xoxo

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    1. OH NO!!!!! I'm assuming you've pulled yourself together by now - but next time I see you we'll hug it out, friend!!! :)

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  4. Fabulous post, friend!!! I completely agree!!

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  5. This is a great post! Thanks for sharing! I'm a sap so I love sappy posts! Happy Tuesday!

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  6. Another honest/endearing/beautiful post!!

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  7. I also go to church with some of the same people I have known since being newly married 20 somethings (we're not in same SS class anymore because we serve in different areas right now). But I agree! It's been neat to go from Fridsy nights playing video games with no kids to battling infertility, job loss, losing parents, having kids and now watching our kids grow up together. Connecting with people through a church small group is a great thing!!!

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  8. You are so right! This group is one that you will stay connected with even if any of you move away, because you started together! My lifelong friends today are from my SS group where we were young marrieds together, bought houses together, had babies together, etc. and we left that town 24 years ago!
    A crisis only makes the bond that much stronger . . .and they WILL come to all of us!
    Trying to make that point to my children now..... ! Great post!

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  9. I love this post! I'm so glad that you have a group like this to walk through life together. What a blessing!

    Also, you looked adorable!

    Have a wonderful and happy Christmas!

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  10. I love this. As a lonely Pastor's Wife, it makes me so happy to watch you girls be un-jealous friends and help each other out expecting nothing in return. I just know this brings your Pastor's Wife so much joy.

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    1. I think it's hard for some people to understand/believe - but this group of girls is nothing but supportive and loving. It's the best!

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  11. What a wonderful group of friends. Our church family is so important to us as well. God blesses us with fellowship. Merry Christmas!

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  12. So neat to read your post today. My husband and I had the exact "we need to get plugged in" feeling after we were first married. And sure enough it was the Young Marrieds Sunday School class at our church that made all the difference. It's so neat to see how your group has grown, almost like a look into the future for our close-knit group, as babies start to make their way into the picture. I truly can't say enough about community and fellowship and just how important both of them are! It's a huge blessing!!

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  13. is shaeffer in your BFG group?

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    1. Hey! Sheaffer isn't part of our BFG, but is part of an accountability/Bible Study group that started about 7 years ago (which includes some girls from our BFG and girls who don't go to church with us).

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  14. Yes, groups like these are SO important! We call ours small groups and we meet in the evenings in homes but it is the same idea. Couldn't do life with out them! Have a great day!

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  15. What a perfect post for this time of year! Makes you extremely thankful for the gift of God to bring friends and families together!

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  16. This is so great... I'm always so happy for the friendship you ladies have and wish that I had the same! You all are very, very blessed to have each other!

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  17. What a special group of people! It warms my heart reading things like this! Happy Holidays!

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  18. This was such a sweet post! I am 25 and I'm not married yet but I graduated from Messiah College in 2011 and I have these 7 best friends who I couldn't imagine doing life without! We live in 4 different states and are hours away from each other but I know I can call them at anytime to pray for me or listen! And of course our reunion weekends are the best! When my sweet momma died of cancer in 2013, every one of them showed up at her celebration of life service to support me and hug me and love on me. Some took off work and some drove a few hours to be there. I'm so thankful that God picked out those friends for me. I find it to be a total blessing to have forever friends like that!

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    1. That's amazing!!! Nothing like having friends who you KNOW will be there for you no matter what. So sorry about your mom.... but how awesome that you have some amazing women in your life in your friends. God is good!

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  19. I love this post! Precious!

    I pray with all my heart we will find this. My daughter is severely special needs and we haven't found a church that helps with children like ours. Hard to come by or an hour away....sigh....God knows. Trusting He is building strength in us where we're at. Seasons change.

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  20. You are so right....we have been so blessed by our church family! They have walked with us through thick and thin!

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  21. I love that you write about the importance of being connected with a small group at church! Our Sunday school class started out as 20 somethings with only a few kids and now we are 30 somethings with lots of kids. Ha. It is a blessing to go through life together with sweet friends!

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