Weekend Festivities

We had a very busy weekend, to say the least! From Dave's last day of work, his going-away happy hour, a family wedding, and Mother's Day, we're ready to spend this week in sunny, warm Arizona doing absolutely nothing but lying poolside :)


FRIDAY: Going Away Happy Hour
Friday was Dave's last day at his old job. We decided to throw an informal going-away party at Ryan Braun's Waterfront Restaurant in Milwaukee's Third Ward. It was an amazing place, full of modern furniture and delicious food! A lot of Dave's co-workers came out along with some of his good friends. I loved listening to stories of Dave's four years with USBancorp and how much everyone was going to miss him. Mostly I enjoyed chatting with the other wives while the boys talked sports, politics, and drank their beer. I'm so proud of my husband and the great opportunity he's been given with this new job!

I really wish I had taken some pictures of the night. We'll just have sweet memories to go by I guess!


SATURDAY: Another Irish Wedding






Saturday we celebrated Jon (Dave's cousin) & Kelly's wedding! It was an unseasonably cold, rainy, snowy (yes, a few flakes were flying) day but the wedding was beautiful, we hardly noticed the weather outside! I always love Irish family weddings, mostly because Dave's cousins are so much fun to spend time with. He's so lucky to have so many cousins (and now cousin-in-laws) that are so close in age.

Congratulations to the newest Mr. and Mrs. Irish!!


SUNDAY: Mother's Day










We celebrated Mother's Day with both of our families. We had lunch with Dave's parents and brother followed by a cookout with my mom's side of the family. I love that there is a day dedicated solely to mothers, although I think everyday should be Mother's Day. The older I get, the more I appreciate everything my mom has done for me throughout my life. She has truly made me the person that I am today and I am thankful that our relationship continues to grow into my adult years. Our relationship has changed so much since I've gotten married and moved out on my own. I look to her for advice and guidance and she's always there to listen, offer support, and encourage me. She's the rock of our family and I hope that I can be half as great a mom as she is to me.

Mother's Day was also bittersweet for me this year. It hit me as I was getting ready for church that this year I should have been celebrating as a mom-to-be. I would have been 20 weeks pregnant this mother's day, finding out the sex of the baby, celebrating that in a few short months I would be a mom. I've done my fair share of grieving the past three months since we lost our baby but all those feelings of loss and sadness resurfaced yesterday morning. The hubby was so good to me, letting me cry, assuring me that my dreams of becoming a mother will be fulfilled someday. He assured me that next year I'd be celebrating, and I certainly hope he's right. At church, our pastor said a special prayer for mothers, including mothers who have lost a baby and those who are anxiously waiting to become mothers. My heart healed a little with his prayer.

Our pastor also prayed for adoptive and foster mothers. A little more joy to the heart with that one. He shared a story as a part of his sermon about an adoptive mother and her daughter (this is significant considering adoption isn't a commonplace within our congregation). During the children's sermon he gave out cards for kids to draw pictures in and give to their moms. In the pew next to me was a little boy, about seven or eight years old, who looked as though he was Guatemalan. I had never seen him or his mom before but it was a safe bet to assume that he was adopted. I couldn't help but see the card he was drawing for his mom. On it he wrote, "Thank you for being my mommy". Joy, joy, and more joy to my heart! I couldn't help but think that God knew exactly what I needed that Mother's Day morning to help heal a broken heart.