There and back!

My mom and I took a quick little trip to Birmingham this morning! We intended to stay until after super tonight, but we decided to head back early due to concerns about some stormy weather that was supposed to hit this evening! Fortunately, we managed to miss it all!
Even though it was a quick trip, we had so much fun catching up! We had lunch out together and a little shopping excursion. Didn't get too many pictures this time...I think Thomas is getting tired of Aunt RuRu always pulling out her camera! :)

What a sweet smile!

 One last hug before we rushed out the door...Thomas seems more interested in the chocolate chip cookie...can't say that I blame him! :)

Tonight, my daddy helped me change out my headlight on my car! I felt pretty grown up fiddling around under the hood! He is so smart about knowing how to fix things and I am so thankful that he has taught me a thing or two about fixing things! :) I wish that I had a picture of us! I was still all girl even under the hood...my bangle bracelets kept getting in the way, and my necklace kept hitting the car battery! :) Fun times!

Happy Birthday!

I want to wish my sweet mama a very happy birthday today! I got to spend most of the day with her, and what a joy it was to celebrate her life and the gift that she is to our family and SO many others!
 My mother is an amazing woman of God! She loves the Lord, and serves Him daily! She is a prayer warrior, an encourager, a devoted wife and mother, and a friend to everyone she meets! She is walking hospitality, and engages others with a sweetness and sincerity that is unmatched by anyone I know! She loves to laugh, and enjoys life to the fullest!

 She's a dancing queen!

 A go-getter!

 She has always been an example of a wife who is fully supportive of her husband's calling (even if it means long hours away from home!).

 She's a fashionista:

 An amazing grandmother:

AND...she raised me, which makes her pretty awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

Happy birthday to my sweet mother and dear friend!! May God bless us with many, many more happy years together!!

February...

February has been a great month so far! I have had lots of fun catching up with friends since my return from Trinidad...my kitchen has been hopping this past week with two dinner parties with friends, my annual Valentine cookie bake, and a baby shower last night! I love it!!

First, a few additions to my focal wall in my bedroom...
My sister gave me the 4 corner plates for Christmas and I have just not taken the time to put them up! They are a perfect color of yellow and grey to match my theme! The middle plates I found at TJMaxx.

 Here is a closer shot...I am really on a bird-theme kick right now. I love how they remind me of the verses from the Bible that God sees the sparrow and cares tenderly for his creation! Seeing these birds reminds me of God's sovereignty in my life! God sees provides for his creation and God provides for me!

For one of the dinner parties, I cooked homemade chicken pot pie and mashed potatoes, which we had with salad and a deep-dish chocolate chip cookie pie (smothered in vanilla ice cream!) for dessert. I didn't get any pictures of the food or the fellowship! We had a great time visiting, and they didn't leave until about 1 am! I did manage to snap a shots of the flowers before the guests arrived. I love fresh flowers around the house...

Last Sunday evening, I made about 7 dozen cookies to take to work (because I work mid-shift, I always try to bring enough to cover day shift and night shift staff!). Getting ready to ice the cookies...

They turned out so cute, and I had a fun time doing them...

 Last night my sister and I hosted a baby shower for our best friend, Rena Carolyn. I love having things like this in my home!

 The theme was a new addition to the nest! I had a little mother bird in a nest for the centerpiece.

 

 Charlie with his mommy:

 The grandmas:

 Aunt Katie:

 Best friends!

 Loving me some baby boy!

Back to B'ham!

This past weekend, I went to Birmingham with some of my family to celebrate with my dad as he received an award during UAB's Medical Alumni weekend. It's neat to think that my parents started out in Birmingham so many years ago, and now both my brother and sister are there now! My parents always enjoy going back and remembering those years of medical school!

We rolled into town Friday evening and had a fun time together at dinner:

 Thomas is getting so big, and looked like a little man in his overalls!

 Saturday morning we got dressed up and went to meet my parents at the Birmingham Marriott where the luncheon was being held.

 Grandmommy and Thomas:

 Thomas did a great job playing with his trucks during the event!

 Tom and Ivey:

 My precious parents:

 Sisters:

 So proud of my Daddy and how God has gifted him and continues to use his life to impact so many others! He is a true example of a Godly man who serves others!

 We were glad Robby was able to leave the hospital in time to make it! I am so proud of him, too! He is on a rough rotation this month, but he loves what he does! (Sorry the other two brothers couldn't make it due to work and school!)

 Most of the family:

Trinidad (Part 3)

On Friday, we had the day off from clinic. Half of the team took a little puddle jump over to the other island of Tobago (I signed up for the trip so last minute, that I missed the opportunity to do this!). Instead, I went on an amazing adventure with the other half of the group to a tropical rain forrest! The ride up was a real thrill! I got to sit up front with our driver where I got a close-up view of everything and a real education about Trinidad, too!

We had a police escort, too! This is a two lane road (and we are in a bus!). It was really scary a couple of times (especially the times where there was no side rail and a precipice on the side! :)

 Everything was SO green! And to complete the experience of the rain forrest, it was raining on our way up!

Here is the view from the veranda of the house where we ate lunch:

 Our adventurous hike begins with this tiger lizard:

 Beautiful plants! What an awesome Creator we have!

 The group:

 This is a termite nest! Our guide said that we could taste a termite if we wanted too! I decided that I was in the middle of a rain forrest in Trinidad, and that it would be an experience I might not have again, so why not just try?!

 Getting one of those critters ready!

 Termite!

 Yes, I might be a girly-girl, but I can eat a termite!! :) They actually are not that bad--they taste like carrots.

 More beautiful surroundings:

 Raining! (My roommate Connie forgot her raingear, so we had to improvise!)

 Stunning!

 Back at the main house, there were tons of feeders that attracted a number of exotic birds. The humming bird is Trinidad's national bird!

 The last day of our trip, we held a clinic at the police station for the officers and their families. Pastor Ricky and MTW have built a close relationship with the police force and we wanted to provide services for them. We also held CPR training for them! That night, they invited us to an appreciation dinner for all that we had accomplished during the week. We got dressed up and took a team picture before heading to the dinner:

The ladies:

 So sweet of them to make us feel so appreciated!

We were entertained by some very talented individuals with a little local flare!

 At one point, they even had us all up dancing!

 They called each of us to the front by name and thanked us for the work that we did!

I still get overwhelmed thinking about all that happened during that week. It will definitely require some more processing on my part! It was an absolutely amazing trip--a dream come true!! I am so thankful for the opportunity to go and for God's watching over the details of the trip! I can't wait to go back, Lord willing!