Thank you for tagging me Ginger!
10 years ago... I was almost a junior at Vanderbilt University. I was loving my major (Interdisciplinary Communications), I had a great partner for Cheerleading, I was volunteering with Young Life, on rush committee for Tri Delta, living with Kori, and passing time until John Jeffery would leap back into my life.
5 years ago... I was about to turn 25! I was finally marrying John (after 18 months of praying and waiting to get out of the Army)!! My Calvary Christian School cheerleaders won their first State Championship. I was teaching Body Combat and RPM at North Columbus Athletic Club. We moved John's belongings into my apartment in Columbus while I moved home to Nashville for the month.
1 year ago... I only had one more month before Gabrielle Garner would change my life! I stopped training clients at the Wellness Center and spent most days working out and reading books. John had a surprise birthday party for me with everyone I had met in Huntsville.
5 things on my to do list...
1. Go to the grocery store. (I have to make John's favorite meal Saturday)
2. Clean the house.
3. Order furniture. (Breakfast table and chairs)
4. Call the Mall about Training Wheels.
5. Order carpet.
5 snacks I enjoy...
1. Cup of Gold Bar
2. Laughing Cow cheese and reduced-fat Triscuits
3. A smoothie made with my left-over decaf coffee
4. Pretzel chips with Boursin cheese spread
5. Something left on Gabrielle's plate
If I were a Billionaire...
I would not change anything about my life except I would take more vacations and definitely visit a snootie health spa out West with my mom.
John and I would have fun giving and supporting our missionary families and friends.
5 Bad Habits...
1. Watching Grey's Anatomy and American Idol-two shows that totally waste time.
2. Staying up too late.
3. Eating too fast...my table manners in general.
4. Procrastinating.
5. Letting house work come before reading God's Word.
5 places I have lived...
1. The three houses in Brentwood, Tn I grew up in with my family.
2. An apartment at the Grove with Kori.
3. The house my brother and I shared.
4. My apartment in Columbus, Ga and Mrs. Sear's amazing house!
5. Our apartment in Huntsville, Al
5 jobs I have had...
1. A camp counselor for Universal Cheerleaders Association.
2. A customer service rep and sales associate for MCOM.
3. Assistant to the Headmaster at Calvary Christian School and Varsity Cheerleading Coach
4. Fitness Director and Personal Trainer for The Country Club of Columbus
5. Personal Trainer at the Huntsville Hospital Wellness Center
No Pressure But YOU have been tagged...
1. Penny Philley
2. Ashley Turnbull- ok.. you already did this.
3. Amy Schnorrenberg
4. Dayna Whitlock
Can you see it on Gabrielle's face? We are just a little sad because we are missing John. I have been so blessed by my friends here who have included me in their dates with their husbands, called to check on me, and invited me to lunch. Gabrielle and I are so blessed to have our church family here who loves on us when we are feeling a huge part of our lives is missing! I got another call from John today. I was so happy to hear he is doing well, and he and Craig are diligently working. Gabrielle and I have been surprisingly good even though I miss John's companionship and support at home. The afternoons have been the hardest on both of us. Gabrielle normally does not cry and fuss, but the past two days she has been a little fussy around the time that John comes home from work.
When I found her staring down the stairs, I knew exactly who she was waiting to see come through the door.Times like this bless me in several ways. One is by feeling the love and support of friends. Another is having moments in my day that make me appreciate the husband and father that John is. Finally, I realize that two are indeed better than one, but 3 is even better!!
Today we took John to the airport at 10:30 to catch his flight at noon. Thank God that John planned ahead and got us there early because we needed the extra time! We parked in the one-hour parking lot so Gabrielle and I could walk in and hang out with John until they left. As I was strapping Gabrielle in the Bjorn, John was getting his luggage out of the car. I quickly tossed the car keys in my purse, sitting in the floor board beside me. John stepped around the side of the car and shut the door as I was busy getting Gabrielle settled. The car was locked... with my purse and keys inside. I tried hard not to show how irritated I was. All I could think about was how I could get home to get a spare key when I had Gabrielle, who had to be in a car seat. John was able to take a cab home to get us a key, and still made it back in time for his flight.
I laugh now that I am sitting at home thinking of how terrible my attitude becomes at the most simple mishaps. Maybe I was just wanting the most perfect departure for my husband, and this was not really what I had in mind. Something as simple as locking my keys in the car stirs me to anger. I am so thankful that John was able to take care of us before he left so I did not have to stew about this longer than 30 minutes. I should just expect things like this to happen since we are becoming professionals at locking the keys in my car. It all started the day John was going to drive Gabrielle and I home from the hospital. Standing in front of the hospital, I watched John lock us out of the car. The next time, I locked Gabrielle in the car while it was still running. I was able to go to the fire station to ask for assistance. They turned on the sirens and came with their ladders and all. Thanks Guys for letting the whole neighborhood know that I just locked my baby in the car!!
When I look back through our pictures of Gabrielle over the past month, this sweet picture stands out to me most. Gabrielle loves hanging out with Daddy and doing everything he does. John leaves with Craig (Vanguard) tomorrow for South Africa. We will miss him so much. I guess I will have cereal picnics in the floor with Gabrielle until he returns next Saturday.
My friend Penny told me tonight that it is time that I update our blog. So, I decided I would start where I am and move backwards. I have not spent much time on our blog because I have been working on getting things together to start our stroller company, Training Wheels, Inc. We have our license, and our outdoor venue has been approved! Starting July, we will have classes for moms and babies!! Get ready girls... the fun is about to begin.
