First Anniversary

Yesterday Danny and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary! Hard to believe just this time last year we were surrounded by so many friends and family all at once and how HOT it was!

We had dinner at the Carolina Inn which was where our wedding/reception was. Catrina-- if you're reading this, here was what we had for dinner:

Along with Biltmore Estate Champagne (Asheville, NC)

Me
Appetizers: Grilled White and Green Asparagus, Frisee, Serrano Ham, Manchego Cheese, Shaved Radish, Latta Farm Sunny Side Egg, Roasted Shallot Vinaigrette

Entree: Hickory Nut Gap Farm Pork Chop, Collard Green Wonton, Toasted Sesame Rice, Snow Peas, Nappa Cabbage, Blood Orange Segments, Citrus Ponzu

Danny
Appetizers: Cornmeal Crusted Veal Sweet Breads, Spring Pea Puree, Oyster Mushrooms, Corn, Toasted Pecans, Apple Bacon, Chili Oil

Entree: Chili & Cumin Rubbed Bison Strip Steak, Crispy Oysters, New Potatoes, Vidalia Onions, Cremini Mushrooms, Dandelion Greens, Truffled Veal Jus

Dessert: Bread pudding with ice-cream and raspberries and they treated us to a chocolate brownie.

YUM!

As tradition of the Paper Anniversary, I gave Danny our wedding invite and rsvp card framed. He was more creative and did a fun scavenger hunt based on clues on six different cards. Each card had some sort of "paper" gift with it: notebook, paper roses pop-up, and books. His first card was a "regular" anniversary card but the design was in pink and brown -- just like our wedding. The remaining cards were reprints of Rothko (my favorite artist) and they were all filled with verses and loving words that give his vows a run for their money.

This first year really has been one long honeymoon. Say what you want about us being newlyweds but we have an AWESOME blessed fun loving marriage!!! All glory to God our Father for it!

To celebrate our anniversary, Lauren wore her bridesmaid dress to church :)

We are headed to Kitty Hawk for a whole week next Monday (my birthday FYI) and accidentally keep calling it our honeymoon. This year BamBam is joining us and still unsure if Beth is going to meet us for dinner!

I hate to sound like being happy is important, because as a Christian I know that is not what life is about. BUT can I just say, my husband makes me SO HAPPY!!

P.S. If you're interested in seeing a few pix in slideshow format of our wedding, CLICK HERE

UNC & the 'Apollo Theatre'

Last week Lauren attended a 2 day stay on the campus of UNC with their Project Uplift program for prospective 'minority' students. Its UNC's chance to court top minority students to consider UNC as their college choice. (In this family, we have no problem playing the minority and female cards when it comes to colleges paying attention to us.)

The morning I dropped Lauren off she didn't even want to get out of the car to go check-in she was so nervous.

"Get out of the car. You're practically an adult," I said lovingly. (No, really I WAS loving).

"Nooooo...... I don't want to. Can't I just live in my room the rest of my life?" She whined almost half serious.

So with a start like that I had anticipated that her experience might be only slightly positive at best. Turns out she had an amazing time and the dorms are "so NICE, like a hotel room almost!" Hmmmm, this is what a strong, successful sports program will buy you.

She loved the campus, the trees, the "amazing digital library studio" and "all the libraries!!" The food was not so great. And for someone who was thinking she wanted to go to a small college she said, "I am seriously being woooo-ed by this place."

The last night of the program there was an Apollo Theater program. If you don't know what the Apollo Theater amatuer night is all about .... SHAME on you. Anyway, Lauren tried out for it with her poetry slam "Beautiful" and got a slot to perform with 6 other students. Their talents varied from rapping, singing, playing the piano and stepping.

In the end no one was booed but the standing ovation and loudest cheers came for Lauren and she won! Talk about going out of your comfort zone! No money, no scholarship, but a nice Tarheel penant. Good job Lauren! And who doesn't look good in gorgeous Carolina blue....?

Animazement 2009

Hello there! I have been meaning to blog but have been a busy bee, not just a queen bee :P

The weekend before last Lauren went to the anime convention Animazement at the Raleigh Convention Center. If you are unfamiliar with the Anime world -- subculture, its like.... how do I say this? Those die hard Trekkies that go to Star Trek conventions and eat, drink, sleep all things Star Trek. Animazement is all about dressing up as your favorite anime character, and in Lauren's case it was Hinata from the Naruto series. Its also about all things Japanese pop culture. Like all subcultures it has its innocent, not so innocent, good and bad. Sounds like the real world.

Before the convention Lauren spent a lot of time online in the Animazement forums having discussions about the upcoming events. She created a forum called "Christians at Animazement" and to her surprise the forum filled with several participants who were believers and encouraged each other in their faith. There were participants that said, "I can't go to the convention but I'll be praying for you guys!"

After the sermon at church Lauren said she wanted to go talk to our pastor. When she returned, I was concerned something was wrong so I asked her what she talked to him about.
"Well, our church is always talking about how we want to reach out and serve the city of Raleigh and I know today, here in the heart of Raleigh is a whole group of people at Animazement who don't know Jesus. I asked Chuck [ our pastor ] to pray for this group."

"And?" I replied

"He was very excited for me and prayed right there."

You know what? It is by the grace of God that my child owns her own relationship with God. I'm good with this child never being "successful" with anything else in life. I'm good with this child in the hands of God without my interferance.

There is NO greater blessing than to have a child who knows Christ personally and owns their own faith and practices in places that would be scary. And I mean scary. Check out the picture here of her with the Japanese rock band at the concert whose influences are Bon Jovi and .... KISS who were all the rage at the convention. Those crazy Japanese!