Best Homecoming Ever

October 20, 2001 - the date Dave and I officially became engaged. Since yesterday was the 8-year "anniversary" of that special date, and since I doubt Dave even remembers it's significance, I thought I'd post a little picture to commemorate it. This was taken by a passer-by right after the big moment.
We met each other in Atlanta for Georgia Tech's homecoming festivities that weekend. At the time, Dave was working in Texas and I was in North Carolina. We had been long distance dating since he graduated in June of 99 except for a few short months when we both worked in Charlotte.

On that beautiful Saturday morning, we joined my parents and brother\sis-in-law\new nephew at the Ramblin Wreck parade on campus. Then we had breakfast at the Silver Skillet right next to campus (featured in a Travis Tritt video as well as a classic episode of Good Eats) and walked around for a bit.

Before the game started that afternoon, we stopped by "our bench" next to the Tech Tower where we used to go when we were dating. It is a very nice courtyard area right next to the football stadium. Once upon a time, Dave carved our initials in that bench, but when we sat down, we saw they had recently replaced it (due probably in part to our vandalism). And that's where he popped the question. I knew it was coming and of course I said yes. (After all, I had been ready to say yes for the last four years.)

Then we went to the game and shared our news with the family. Mom and Dad already knew since Dave had called them ahead of time. After the game (in which Tech beat NC State - the tickets are displayed in our playroom) they surprised us with a little champagne celebration at our hotel.

It was really hard going our separate ways the next day, but we would soon be together again. I moved to Texas a couple of months later, and the rest as they say is history.

One Year Update

Since Lauren turned one yesterday, I was obligated to take her for her one-year well-child visit at the doctor's office this morning. Originally, I had it scheduled for her birthday, and I'm so glad I changed it to today. Poor girl shouldn't have to be subjected to needles on her birthday. Here are her stats:

Height: 29.5in (50-75th%)
Weight: 20lbs, 13oz (50th%)
Head Circ: 46cm (75-90th%)

After Dr. Smoak declared her perfectly healthy, the nurse came back in to give her the shots. She also snuck in an anemia check - the finger prick test I always dreaded as a kid. At least now they don't use the equivalent of a thumb tack. Instead they use a little contraption that punches the little needle down on the finger to draw the blood. That part didn't seem to be a problem with Lauren. It was the way the nurse was holding her arm and squeezing her poked finger while she got the blood to go in the tiny vial. This went on for at least two minutes while Lauren screamed and cried the whole time. My poor baby made me want to scream and cry with her. And when the nurse came at her finger with a Bandaid, that really put her over the edge.

And what was worse, the finger test was followed up with not one but two shots. (We usually only do one at a time with the exception of the IPV and HIB which we do together and happened to fall on this visit.)

Needless to say, Lauren was not a happy camper when we left. She was so worn out from crying, she fell asleep in the car on the way home (after unsuccessfully trying to take off her finger bandage). I got her in bed and she slept for another hour and a half until I had to wake her up to go pick up Mason from school. (I always hate having to wake her up for that.)

When we got home from school pick-up, she had some pizza and milk (which she started drinking yesterday!) and she was once again her bubbly self. Hopefully, she won't remember these doctor's office visits as she gets older.

Happy Birthday Lauren!

She may be a year old now, but she'll always be my little baby! Happy Birthday to my sweet little girl!

Photo album of Lauren with her favorite Pooh Bear taken the 13th of each month of her life...

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