Thankful Tuesday

So yesterday on my way home I made a quick stop to pick up a few things we needed at home. Of course, the minute I got home I realized I had forgotten some other things, isn't that the way life goes? Anyway, that stop led me to write this post today. 

While in the store, I stopped in aisle to read some labels (yes, I read labels) while I stood there, I overheard a girl talking negatively towards her mother. I sat in disgust trying to act like I was reading this label, but my ears just couldn't believe the things she was saying. Granted, I don't know these people, I have no idea what their home is like or what they have been through, but, sometimes (just sometimes) you can look at someone and just know that they are good people. I glanced over at the mom very briefly, she looked tired, worn out, and sad. I felt for her. She just let her daughter talk to her in the most disrespectful tone, and undermine her. The jest of the situation I caught was this, I saw the woman walk into my aisle (bread aisle) alone, she was looking for bread, and a few minutes later the daughter came up with what appeared to be makeup in her hand. She demanded that her mom purchase the items for her, the mom very nicely said, "sweetie, I only have $50 and we need some groceries, I will buy you that makeup when I get my next paycheck" I'm not even going to write what the girl responded. Let's just say it was harsh, involved curse words, and made her look like such an ungrateful brat! Yes, I said it, BRAT! It personally took everything I had inside for me not to run over there, grab her arm and say "Don't talk to your momma like that!!" I could tell by the items in her cart, that she indeed probably only had $50, let's just say she wasn't purchasing anything "gluten-free" or organically grown....real talk.

As I walked away, it made me think of my mom. I know each of us can all say "I have the best mom" and truth is, you do. My mom is one of my true hero's & she is absolutely beautiful. (literally)

I have so much respect & love for her. Growing up, the older I get, the more I see these things. The more I realize what she went through to raise my sister & I. You see, our biological father walked out on us, weeks after my sister was born. My mom was left alone (better off than being with that deadbeat) but still being alone with two kids, and one being a newborn. I still sit back and wonder how she did everything she did. She worked full time, overtime, she provided for us, she nurtured & loved us, we always had packed lunches, clean folded clothes, a clean home, good food on the table. She always made it look so easy, and we never went without. No holiday ever passed without gifts, but as a child you seem to expect those things, rather than appreciate them. Now that I'm an adult myself, I still wonder how she did it. Granted, we don't have kids yet, but sometimes I find its hard enough just to work a full time job, keep the house clean, put dinner on the table, and even start a load of laundry. She did it, alone, and never once did I hear her complain. If we wanted something in the store, she got it for us. I know now that she sacrificed alot. She bought herself nothing so we could have everything. She worked hard to take care of us, and to this very day, not one thing has changed. My mom is incredible. I feel like there aren't enough words in the world for me to tell her how much I love her, and how much I appreciate her. To this day, she will do anything for my sister & I, (and now Sofia) even if it means she goes without. I am thankful that she has found a man who makes her happy and spoils her the way she should be spoiled. I am thankful that she is here today, and still puts us first before anything else. No matter how rough times got for me, I still would always run home to my mommy, and she would still at the age of 30 years old, cradle me in her arms like her baby. 

Mom with Sofia on the day she was born

I could go on & on, but I won't. All I will say is this, your mother is your mother. She brought you into this world. You cannot choose your mom. Hug your mom, tell her you love her, tell her you appreciate her.

 

 

Weekend recap one day late....

Who doesn't love a 3 day weekend? I must say, it was nice.... yesterday I returned to work, my co-worker/partner had taken a vacation day so needless to say, I was SWAMPED. I felt like phones would not stop ringing and everyone I spoke to wanted to complain about something.

Moving on... so this weekend was definitely filled with fun & exciting things! Friday, I was off! I started out my day at Bora Bora Nail Salon getting a refresher manicure and classic pedicure (recommended to me by a fellow blogger) oooo, talk about amazing. It was so relaxing, seriously I already want to go back, but my nails obviously still look good. After getting my nails done, I walked into Freebirds next door grabbed a bite to eat and then headed to Memorial City Mall to browse around. I scored on some new summer sandals, you can never have enough really! AND I purchased my very first gift for my bridesmaids!! Winning!

After the mall, I headed toward the Galleria to pick up my best friend, we had an appointment with the florist at 3:30! Honestly, I'm not a huge fan of a zillion flowers everywhere, yes, I love flowers, what girl doesn't? I just can't justify spending ridiculous amounts of money on flowers for a 5 hour event, which will later die. Anyway... that being said I'm super excited to see what they create for me! I'm pretty much sticking to flowers for my girls, guys, fam, and maybe centerpieces.......maybe! I feel really confident in them, and the fact they are they SUPER nice is such a perk, they seriously listened to what I wanted, made suggestions, and are helping me get everything I want for the budget I have! Flowers by Minerva, in Bellaire......Need flowers? Look them up, you will not be disappointed! As a thank you, they even gave me some flowers to take home! LOVE!

After the florist, we headed over to our appointment at Ventura's to try on dresses! I was going to post some photos, BUT I have decided to wait until we order the dresses, and they come in .... the ones we tried were all colors of the rainbow, but overall it seems like almost everyone found a dress they liked, which was great, I just have to go back with my sister now for her to try on a few... she couldn't make it that day, so we'll be back once again!  

And last! After we finished up at Venturas, we headed up to meet our men :)  (Yes, we are still on Friday here) We met up with them at the Astros game! Club seats? Don't mind if we do.... the game was a blast, we had a great time & ALMOST made it on the big screen! Short but funny story, we we got to the game, we found a family of 4 in our seats (our guys weren't there yet) when we told them they were in our seats, the "mom" I would guess asked us if we could sit somewhere else because their tickets were apart, and they wanted to sit together?!#@? Uhh, newsflash, WE WANT TO SIT TOGETHER TOO, IN OUR SEATS! Sooooo, Adriana tells them, we'll sit here behind you, but if someone comes and we're in their seats, you guys will have to move.We eventually moved up to some better seats, and we enjoyed the game from there, however the camera guy totally recorded where our REAL seats were, and those people made in on the big screen, suckers.

Saturday was a good day, Danny was actually off from work, so we were able to spend the entire day together, I love hanging out with him. We ran alot of errands, I got an alignment on Nena, we went shopping and picked up some Easter treats for the kiddos, and then went home and relaxed together! Love snuggling up on the couch and catching up on DVR!

Sunday was Easter of course! We went to the 2pm mass, and afterwards headed up to Spring to meet the family for Easter dinner. We stayed for a short time, ate, talked and headed home a littler earlier than usual. We were both tired, and just wanted to get home, and rest up and prepare for the week. I was happy we got to see our sweet Sofia, and family for that short bit! 

 Easter baskets I made for the kiddos :D Can you tell which one is Sofia's? lol

 My little bunny wearing the bib we gave her in her basket.

I had these bloomers made for her before she even was born! 

I love that little bunny! 

Love, 

Jess

PS Danny's uncle gave me his memory card which I found out held MANY pics from Christmas and NYE! And for those of you that don't know, NYE is when Danny proposed! I will be uploading those this week to share! Woooo!

Good things to come...{and slight bragging}

So Danny's birthday festivities are coming to an end (besides our official birthday dinner alone) we weren't able to have it yet due to his work schedule, so we'll be doing that Saturday night, and possibly catching a movie too! I'm so excited.  

So with that said, I'm also looking forward of all the events coming up! Today is my FRIDAY!! Plans for this weekend make me smile. Tomorrow I'll be going with my best friend, and cousin Bianca (who is also getting married - in Oct) to see a florist :) I'm really not big on flowers, I really just want bouquets, boutonnieres, possibly centerpieces for every other table and possibly an arrangement or two for the church. It will all depend on prices of course! After the florist we are heading back to Ventura's for an appointment with Penny for bridesmaid dresses! I am so so so so excited to hang out with my girls, and try on dresses, well.....watch them try on dresses :D So we have a general style in mind.Long, flowy, comfortable, and grey!

I know these photos are not all in grey, but its a starting place :D

Sunday of course is Easter, so that day will be spent celebrating the Resurrection of our almighty father, and spending time with our amazing families. Because of him, we are able to live this beautiful life, and I could not be anymore thankful, glory to him on HIGH.

Lastly, who doesn't like to brag on their wonderful man? My fiance works as an athletic trainer for a local Christian High School. He is beyond amazing at what he does, and his passion is second to none. For those of you who don't know what a trainer does, they are the guys you see run out onto the field when a player goes down. He never seizes to me, he is by far one of the most educated and intelligent people I know. Just the other day, one of the lacrosse players went down the field. He was unconscious immediately. Danny responded in a heartbeat and was able to get him to wake up. They carried him off the field on a golf cart and into the training room where Danny would be able to better assess him. As the kid was sitting there, Danny did his routine series of questions to gauge how bad the trauma to the head was. He very calmly informed the parents that their child had suffered a concussion and that he needed to monitor him  for a little while. When he went back into the room, one of the kids eye had completed dilated while the other got smaller. I'm going to act like I know what I'm talking about, but truth is I am clueless. This sign apparently showed Danny that this was more serious than he had anticipated. He again, calmly pulled the parents aside (to not alarm them) and said, things have just turned and we need to get him to a hospital right away. Without second guessing, he was on the phone with an ambulance, and on the walkie-talkie with security to clear a path, and keep cars out of the way. Thanks to God, and his quick actions & knowledge, the kid is getting better by the day, we don't know the exact outcome as of yet, but we do know that had it not been for his quick action things could have gotten very bad & very quickly. So I wanted to share the emails he received yesterday from the Head of the School and the father of the child. This man is amazing, and more than anything, he is mine.

Email from head of the school:  (Names have been removed and replaced obviously)

Danny,

I have to thank you for your attentiveness and quick action last night related to (kids) concussion. Mrs. (kids mom) confirmed that your decision to call the ambulance made a difference in (kids)'s recovery. I also applaud your ability to communicate clearly to the security officers the plan to make room for the ambulance, clear out the entry, and open the alternative exit. Your instructions were understood and followed.

Additionally, I appreciate that you found and updated me on the situation which allowed me to call the Family and show our school's support. It also allowed me to inform (the board of the school) as to what was happening which allowed a school representative to go to the hospital.

Thank you for the excellence you bring to our school. I know the (kids)' Family will forever be grateful. 

Well done!! 

And.... Email from the kid's dad:

Danny,

I echo Dr. (head of school) comments and assessment of your actions last night.  Our family truly appreciates your medical attention, sound decision making skills and clear communication during the critical time during (kids)'s injury last night. I am especially thankful and know how important sound medical attention is to the safety of patients in those moments following any trauma incident, particularly a head injury.  Thanks to all at HCHS who took a keen and dedicated interest in (kids)'s health and safety. 

We equally appreciate all the prayers from the HC community and lacrosse team/parents, I honestly think God heard all those prayers as (kids)'s condition improved dramatically during the ambulance ride and upon his arrival at TX Children's Hospital.

Thanks,

(Kids dad)

Love,
Jess

Birthday Monday....

Happy Birthday to the man whom God created just for me!

Today, I give thanks to God for blessing me with such an amazing man. I realize now what the true meaning of unconditional love is, I realize now what it feels like to be taken care of, I realize now what it is to have finally found your other half. 

I cannot wait to marry this man - Happy Birthday Danny!!! 

Here are a few pics from yesterdays birthday celebrations from my phone, the rest I will upload and share tomorrow :)

Love, Jess

Wedding Wednesday!

 

Does anyone have any medication for brides to be planning their weddings? I swear I'm not going crazy, lol - I just feel like my mind is moving a thousand miles a minute, and ideas are floating out of my ears. I am, however very happy & fortunate to have picked a venue that does do the majority of the planning for me. I still however have things to do outside of that, and I want to be sure to incorporate my personal touches the most I can. So here are things currently on my mind:

I should be looking like this, but instead I daydream about cupcakes and think about my next meal as I'm eating my current meal. Fatty.

Trying to think of unique ideas for the ring bearer, I have a few cute pillows saved, and looking at other options as well.

I've been trying this whole DIY thing lately, I want to go to Hobby Lobby or Michael's and see if I can pull off some cute letters for our table. Still wondering if I should our initials or like Mr. & Mrs. 

I know the true meaning of a marriage. So don't let my excitement of planning fool you, yes I am completely in love with the fact that I'm able to plan my wedding and make it ours, but I am most excited about marrying my best friend.

My colors, however the main focal color is grey, and very light touches of pink.

Isn't this darling? I don't know if I would want it as my actual band, but perhaps a travel band? To use when we travel, and keep our actual rings at home and safe. 

Here is my real problem, I am the most indecisive person I know! I think of something, love it, then question it, then get confused! Ugh... its annoying. I'm very lucky to have such a great group of friends to help me when I get into these ruts.

Then, finally..... you have this. This trumps it all, and makes me feel at ease. Yes, I want a beautiful wedding that I have always dreamed of, but seriously... I already have the best, most beautiful blessing ever. 

Indeed!

Love, 

Jess

ZzzzZzzz...

Finally back into the swing of things from our mini spring break vacay. You know those vacays where you do SO much that you need a vacay from your vacay?! This was it. Granted, we had a great time with Danny's best friend Danny (lol) showing him all around Houston and surrounding areas... but seriously I am exhausted. I definitely would like a chair, a fruity beverage, and white sand please. Here are some quick photos from our mini break  :)

All in all, we had a blast, we did SO much, and honestly I'm so very thankful for everything. For having the friends and family that we have and for being blessed in a way that allows us to enjoy life so abundantly!

Love, 

Jess

I said YES to the dress!

This weekend has been a whirlwind of events! The majority of my weekend was enslaved in cleaning our house and getting it ready for tomorrow when Danny's best friend arrives from NY. I cannot believe how much pain cleaning puts on your body. I wonder if its because I'm getting old? LOL... but my back and legs feel like I ran a marathon! Sheesh!.

Anyhow, my only time away from the house this weekend was to trip to Ventura's Bridal (suggestion from fellow blogger Savanah) and boy am I glad I did. Penny (my consultant) was AHHHHmazing, I could not have asked for any better. She was so sweet, and friendly. We laughed, joked & I loved the fact that she was truly honest with me. I would recommend her to any and everyone!  We are actually going back in about two weeks to work with Penny again for bridesmaid dresses!

So my initial plan was to just browse, try on gowns, see what complimented me, check out prices, look at some bridesmaid dresses, etc. I had a dress in mind that I loved, but I had always heard things like "the dress you love on someone else may not be the one for you" so I went with an open mind. I said, well I'll try it on and others as well to see what I like. Even the owner Mrs. Ventura said, alot of brides don't leave with the dress they came in looking for. So I said, it is what it is, let's go for it & see what happens!

I started out by trying some other dresses, 2 of which were by the same designer, one was okay... I actually told her to put one of those dresses on the "maybe" - the 2nd dress I passed, it did nothing for me. She told me she wanted to put me in the dress I had loved next because now I had something to compare it too. She told me not to face the mirror until she had me all tied in. Finally, when I turned around, I instantly loved it. It was missing the flower that comes with the dress, but the fit, feel, everything was so perfect. I stepped out of the room to find my girls faces lit up... they loved it. As I stood on the step, I looked at myself in the mirror and thought, wow, I'm trying on dresses. Wow, I'm standing in a wedding dress. Wow, I'm getting married. As I was thinking, Penny went and grabbed a veil, and accent belt. She placed both on me, and had me turn around again. Here... and now... is when the emotions hit. I knew this was it, I felt beautiful. My friend suggested I try on ONE more dress to to confirm, since this was only #3. I said okay... I tried on the next one, it did nothing for me. Then we knew.... "It was time to ring the bell"  Here is a sneak peek :) What I thought would be dreadful and awful turned out to be amazing & easy... I am still in a state of shock, good shock though..  hee hee.

Saturday night, after being out with my girls for a while... we babysat this adorable love bug of mine (my niece Sofia) I love this little girl with all my heart & soul. It was nice getting to spend time with her, and to give my sister & brother a break to have some fun at the Rodeo with their friends. 

Sunday from the moment we woke until the moment we hit the bed, we cleaned as if our lives depended on it. I am so exhausted but feel like victory is ours!! I will snap a few pics of all our organization, and final finishes tonight. Until tomorrow.... 

Love, 

Jess