Mary Sofia is Finally Home!

Our dear friends, Carrie and Billy, have been on a year-and-a-half long journey to bring their daughter, Mary Sofia, home from Guatemala... and we are thrilled that the three of them are finally home in Memphis!

Hang, Carrie, Mary Sofia and me - with our homemade "Welcome" signs - at the airport

A big group of us met them at the airport last night - we were so blessed to be a part of their homecoming! Mary Sofia is absolutely stunning... all that hair! those eyelashes!!

What a beautiful and precious girl!

And there is no doubt that Carrie was made to be her Mom! Look how in love they are with each other :)

Mom and daughter greeting their friends

She's having a hard time warming up to Billy, but they know that will just take some time. Before they know it, all of this transitional stuff will all be a memory!

Carrie's Mom, Carrie, Mary Sofia and Billy's Mom

So welcome home, Mary Sofia! God has blessed your family, and has finally brought you all together. It will be a joy to be a part of your life and we can't wait to see you again!

Welcome home, Mary Sofia!

-JessWill

Being A Christian

I got this from a friend today. I think it's very powerful and I wanted to share it:

Christians by Maya Angelou

"A woman's heart should be so hidden in Christ
that a man should have to seek Him first to find her."

When I say... "I am a Christian" I'm not shouting "I'm clean livin'"
I'm whispering "I was lost, Now I'm found and forgiven."

When I say... "I am a Christian" I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble and need Christ to be my guide.

When I say... "I am a Christian" I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak and need His strength to carry on.

When I say... "I am a Christian" I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed and need God to clean my mess.

When I say... "I am a Christian" I'm not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are far too visible but, God believes I am worth it.

When I say... "I am a Christian" I still feel the sting of pain.
I have my share of heartaches, so I call upon His name.

When I say... "I am a Christian" I'm not holier than thou,
I'm just a simple sinner Who received God's good grace, somehow!


What a beautiful reminder of what being a Christian is all about. Thanks, Barbara, for passing this along!

-JessWill

What's Up

Just thought I'd fill you in on what's been happening in our lives the last few months...

At the end of February, I threw Lance and his twin brother, Reed, a surprise 30th birthday party. Our closest friends and our families were able to join in on the surprise - and as you can see, both Lance and Reed really didn't have a clue!

The big reveal!

We had a great time and enjoyed having all of our favorite people together too. As you can see, Caroline (our friends Amy and Steve's daughter) and our nephew Quentin really hit it off!

You're FUN!!!!

Lance is still in awe that so many people would come together to celebrate just for HIM (and it's this humbleness that's one of the things that I love the most about him!). We are so thankful that so many people could make it for a wonderful evening.

Lance and me with our awesome families :
Martha, Lance, me, Bill, Reed, Erica, Quentin, Joe and Dad (Mom was sick and couldn't make the trip from Texas)

Lance and me with our amazing friends :
Reed, Billy, Carrie, me, Addison, Nate, Lance, Helen, Steve, Caroline, Hang and Amy

We recently had a fun night out with our good friends Carrie, Billy and Hang. Carrie and Billy are thisclose to bringing their daughter, Mary Sofia, home from Guatemala - and we enjoyed a night out in celebration of this life-changing event! After a yummy dinner, we played a game of Trivial Pursuit. And of course, the girls won - would you expect anything less? :)

Hang, me and Carrie post-victory!

We also went to the wedding of our friends Catherine and Brandon. It was great to be a part of their special day, and to enjoy a night with some of our favorite people!

The happy couple

Lance and me

All the girls (almost!) :
Me, Amy, Lashlee, Shelley, Hang, Molly and Stephanie

Billy and Carrie

Carrie and me

Hang and me

This month has also been full of other great things: the Return of Breakfast Club at Hang's house! She got the ball rolling again on this yummy tradition, and hosted the group at her house for a Cereal Buffet last weekend. She is such a wonderful hostess, and we had a great time.

I helped host baby showers for two good friends, Jen and Christy. Christy is an old friend from church, and Jen is one of her old coworkers who I was blessed to become friends with myself. They are both having boys, and really loved being pregnant at the same time. Jen and her husband, Corey, welcomed little Jacob last week - and we are all counting down until Christy and Jeremy welcome their son, Wesley!

And the latest news.... Lance and I got back yesterday from three days in Little Rock. We were there for the 1st and 2nd rounds of play in the NCAA Basketball Tournament! Go Tigers!! Four games on Friday, and two games yesterday - I'm pooped! - but we really had a great time. And because this is the middle of Lance's busy season at work, he had to work all day on Saturday from our hotel room while I did some shopping :) He and I really enjoyed these days together, since it is a rarity this time of year for us. We had some really yummy meals, went to a local comedy club, and mostly just enjoyed some "us" time. And of course it helps that the Tigers made it to the Sweet Sixteen! yay!!

So that's all from here... I hope each of you are doing well and that God is continuing to bless each of you as He has us.

Will have more to share soon.

-JessWill

I've Been Tagged

I'm supposed to share 10 weird or quirky things about me. Oh gosh, how in the world am I supposed to narrow it down to 10?!? :)

1. I hate feet. Absolutely hate them. I have a hard time wearing flip-flops because I know that's forcing the rest of the world to look upon mine. Wonder whose God-awful feet traumatized me as a child?

2. I have to sleep at night with the TV on. I used to have the sound on too - just loud enough to hear, but not loud enough that I could understand what was being said (because of course I would just lay in bed and watch TV). But Lance got me to agree to mute it while we sleep. I don't know, I guess it's like having a night light?

3. I have to park on a certain side at Sonic. Somebody told me this was "the cool side." I don't know about that... all I know is that I have to be facing the direction of the street. Don't ask me why - these are quirks for a reason.

4. I can't eat anything off of a bone. Nope. Just something about tearing meat off a bone with your teeth and hearing the tendons rip. Ugh...

5. I have OCD! After I clean I have to put every picture frame, every decoration back in the exact same spot. If it's turned even a slight bit from its original position, it drives me insane. And yep, I'm the girl who straightens the crooked photos on the wall at your house.

6. One of my secret obsessions is "The Hills" on MTV. Kind of embarrassed to admit it... but a new season starts up tonight and I'm already counting down, ha!

7. I have a little bit of a photographic memory. If I'm recalling something from a book that I'm reading, I can remember which side of the page and how far down the page it occurred.

8. I do not like to shop. At all. Hate malls like the plague.

9. I can't leave the house without mascara on. Anybody who's seen me without mascara on knows why :)

10. I am always "typing" with my fingers, either physically or in my head. I'm always spelling out conversations or song lyrics. And the craziest thing is that I'm counting the letters, and always try to go for an even number of letters in a sentence or phrase. If it's not even, I go back and "re-type" it until I'm convinced it can't be worked out right. Crazy, huh?

So there you are. If you read this blog, you're officially "tagged" and you have to do it too. I can't be the only one who shares her quirks with the world! :)

-JessWill :)