There is no place like home!

Greg and I are looking forward to a much needed trip home.  We will be getting up SUPER early on Wednesday (yes, I'm 'that' person who likes to be on the road at 5 am), and a not so short 10 hours later we hope to be pulling into my parent's driveway in Tuscaloosa!  We will spend 2 days in Tuscaloosa, and then venture over to Childersburg for 2 days. 

Things we are looking forward to:
- Seeing our family!
- Dreamland BBQ
- Lots of hugs and kisses!
- Mugshots
- Seeing some good friends
- Jim 'n Nicks BBQ
- Relaxing
- Laughing with our families
- Spending some quality time together in the car (20+ hours over the course of the weekend)
- Depalmas

As you can probably see, among how happy we will be to see and spend time with our family...  Food is a trending topic in things we are looking forward to.  Greg has been in serious BBQ withdrawal (it's just not the same here in NC).  I'm pretty sure that if he wasn't in a weight loss competition at work then he would want to eat Dreamland and Jim 'n Nicks for every meal!  HA! 

Although I am completely excited about going home, I would be lying to say that I'm not nervous about going to my home in Tuscaloosa.  It has been 44 days since an ugly EF4 tornado tore through Alabama, cutting right through the heart of Tuscaloosa.  I haven't talked about this on the blog because I haven't really had to deal with it.  I remember watching James Spann on the live-feed in our apartment that night.  I sat horrified as they showed the tornado in Tuscaloosa  I just kept saying, "oh. my. God."  I am SO thankful that my parents and their home was not affected.  I am also thankful that my friends and their families were safe, although many faced a total loss or extreme damage to their homes.  I remember watching news and looking through pictures the next day.  I just sobbed.  Everyone says that nothing prepares you for seeing it in person, and I'm positive that they are 100% correct.  I think a good portion of the drive next Wednesday I will be mentally preparing myself to see what has happened to my hometown.  It will, no doubt, be hard to face. 

Greg and I have been really terrible about documenting our lives by taking pictures.  We have recently decided that we are going to try to take more pictures, so we that can remember things that we do.  We are going to try to take a bunch of pictures during our trip home.  SO, I hope that I am able to do a post after the trip and show you guys all that we did. 

Our Wedding, part 3

Once I finally arrived at the church, Greg and I took all of our pictures together.  I had originally wanted to drive out to the North River Yacht Club (where the reception was being held) to do some pictures because it's right on the river and I thought that we could get some beautiful pictures.  But, since I was 30 minutes late and we had a ton of pictures to take... we decided against driving out there.

After we did all of our pictures, we started with the bridal party and then the families.  Everyone was was right on time (which made for a very happy bride) for pictures, and everyone looked fantastic!

My bridesmaids and matron of honor.  I know everyone thinks that they have the best and most supportive bridesmaids, but I really had the best.  :-)

 I picked this one of Greg and his groomsmen because it just makes me laugh! 

 The whole wedding party: bridesmaids, groomsmen, and ushers

 Fisher family!

 Barrow family!

After we finished pictures, we went our different ways.  Greg and the groomsmen went to their room (where they had a TV, so that they could watch Duke basketball), and we went to the bridal room.  I was starving.  Luckily, we my mom had brought us some snacks.  I think everyone just hung out and relaxed before the ceremony (I know that's what I did, but I can't speak for everyone- ha).  Bob, our wonderful photographer, ran around snapping pictures here and there.  Here are some more pre-ceremony pictures.

I love this picture of Greg and his Dad.

This is dad putting a sixpence in my shoe for good luck.  This is actually the same one that my mom had in her shoe on their wedding day.

When Mary got married (December 2008) she had each bridesmaid carry a bouquet of different flowers, and then her bouquet was made up of all those different flowers.  I loved that idea so much that I stole it (with her permission).  Her mom said something to us the day of her wedding about how each of us carried different flowers because we are all different, and Mary's bouquet combined all of those because we all played different supportive roles in her life (of course it was much more eloquent and I can't exactly remember what was said but it was very special and made most of us cry). 

Here is mom giving me one last smooch on the cheek before the ceremony started.

Don't you worry...  We totally had a dance party before we lined up for the ceremony.  I love love love this picture!

Greg's dad did most of our ceremony.  It was really special for us.  The guys were helping him get his robe on after he had walked Linda down the aisle and lit the unity candle. 

RIGHT before we walked down the aisle.  Actually, the wedding director rang a bell for the chiming of the hour that was right behind us (the organ bell was broken).  It was SO loud.  I kept imagining that scene from Steel Magnolias when she has to nudge her dad when the pastor asked who gave her to be married because he couldn't hear.  ha!

Our Wedding Weekend, part 2

Originally I thought that I would be able to blog the wedding in two parts, but as I pulled pictures that I wanted to share with everyone I realized that it would have to split into three-four parts.  I don't want to have overwhelmingly long posts.

I also realize that it has been forever since I posted Our Wedding Weekend, part 1, so if you missed it be sure to check it out!

I woke up on Saturday, December 19, 2009 so happy.  I knew that the day that Greg and I had been waiting for was finally here!  All the hard work that we (and of course my Mom) had been doing for the past year and a half was going to be worth it all.  I hopped out of bed to a silent house.  We had a house full of people so I was pretty surprised to be the first one up (although, now that I think about it... that isn't actually surprising).  Mom, dad, Betsy, and Jordan were all sleeping.  I went ahead and got the coffee brewing, and then I hopped in the shower.

We had to meet all the girls at the salon at 9 (I think).  I was cool, calm, and collected which is exactly how I wanted to feel the morning of our wedding.  I had talked to myself for months about how if something wasn't done by that morning then it wasn't going to happen.  No need to sweat that stuff because no one would even know it was missing (except for me and mom).

We finally got everything loaded up in the car and headed to the salon!  I feel really lucky to have a close relationship with my hair stylist.  I actually worked for her at PH Balance Salon in Tuscaloosa, AL.  Kim and Lisa were amazing!  They did everyone's hair for our big day...  And we had muffins, fruit, and mimosas!  Here are some shots of everyone getting made over at the salon:

 Kim is amazing!  I still go to her to get my hair cut even though I live 10 hours away!  If you live in Tuscaloosa and are looking for a fabulous hair stylist then you have to check out PH Balance Salon!

 My wonderful bridesmaids and my sister-in-law!

I absolutely love this picture.  Mom seeing me for the first time with my hair and make-up done.  (note: She hates this picture because she doesn't have her make up on yet, but I still really love it)

This was right after I got my dress on.  We are only 30 minutes late for pictures with Greg.  No biggie.

This is also one of my favorites.  Mom said, "You can still back out if you want to." I'm laughing because it's absurd, I was completely ready to marry Greg, and she would have DIED if I had called it off.  

We were 30 minutes late meeting Greg and the church for our pictures.  Mary drove me to the church which was only a bout 4 blocks away.  She sat in the car with me while Bob, our fantastic photographer, and our wedding coordinator got Greg ready for our first meeting.  I was so excited to see him!  I couldn't wait to see his reaction to my dress because it was nothing like he had thought it would be.  

Greg as he patiently waited for me to arrive.

Our meeting!  I said, "surpise!"  

By the way, we got married at Christmas because it has been my dream since I was old enough to dream about weddings.  I love the church at Christmas time.  

The church was so beautiful.

  It was freezing outside, and I felt like we were out there forever.  Being really cold was totally worth it because now we have really pretty pictures of us in front of the church.  

I think that I've put enough in this entry.  I have a really hard time picking just a few pictures from the wedding album to share, so I think I will have to do our wedding in 3-4 parts.  I don't want to over do it with a million pictures in one entry. 

I'll try and post the next entry sooner rather than later.  Love!