Georgia

Georgia....


Last Wednesday, we packed our bags and headed back to my hometown in Georgia. This is a picture of a river that runs parallel with the road that leads to my neighborhood. It's as though you are driving through a tunnel of trees- I love it.

I was really excited to have my ten year reunion this year because it gave me an excuse to take JC and Tucker home with me. Although I haven't lived in Georgia for the past 10 years, it is where I was born and raised and my roots are as southern as you can imagine. It is a beautiful place to live and I've been so blessed to live in many amazing areas of the country since leaving Georgia. We live in an incredible country and I'm so thankful for all of the opportunities it provides me and my family.

So we flew into Atlanta around 11:45pm Wednesday night and after getting all of our bags and picking up the rental car, we didn't get to my house until about 2am. Tucker was wide awake and excited to play with his grandma and grandpa McAlpin.
We didn't have any problems sleeping in the next day. When Tucker woke up he was ready to play with the dog. Tucker LOVES dogs!!!

When we finally got ourselves out the door, we headed up to Darlington Lower School- where I attended elementary school. My best friend growing up, Jennifer, now works there along with her mom who was one of my 2nd grade teachers. I loved seeing them!
Me and Jennifer then. . .


Me and Jennifer now. . .


After that, we went to lunch with one of my sweetest friends in the world, Rachel, and her husband Jason. Rachel boarded at my school when we were in high school and now lives there with her husband, Jason, who coaches Darlington's Varsity football team. Rachel and I were happy our husbands got along so well. They do have one major thing in common- Football:-)


After that, we drove to the middle and upper school campuses where I went to school and then quickly headed over to the retirement home where my 88 year old grandmother and 89 year old grandfather live. They are doing really well for their age and I'm so happy I was able to see them and have them meet Tucker.

Friday we woke up and drove to Atlanta to see my sweet Aunt Ora and Uncle Dan. I was super close to my Aunt and Uncle growing up and I've always adored them. You would never know that she has MS and that my uncle had cancer recently. They look amazing! It was so much fun showing Tucker and JC off to my aunt and uncle. They told my dad that they couldn't have imagined me with anyone else besides JC. They said he was perfect for me and I agree:-)




Later that evening we got ready and headed over to the Pigskin Picnic and the Homecoming/Alumni football game. This was so much fun for me because I was able to see so many friends I hadn't seen in a really long time. There were a lot of people there from my class as well as the classes before and after me. It was great to be able to see everyone.
My school ended up beating the other team by 30 points or so that night- Go Tigers!!! Yes, I used to cheer:-)
This is a picture of 4 out of the 5 girls that cheered together from my class. I love these girls and miss them so much!! We had so much fun catching up!


I was surprised to see that the cheerleaders don't make big banners for the players to run through anymore- they now have this big blow up tiger that they run through. Things have definitely changed;-)


Tucker loved the balloons!


JC and Tucker were awesome! They hung in there and let momma socialize all night!


This was my middle school principal who is still the principal and is still coaching the boys Varsity Basketball team. He coached my brothers! He's been there 41 years now!! He's amazing and we love him.

Another picture of the girls I cheered with and Gordon. He played football and I was his secret cheerleader in high school.

Jennifer, me, Tucker and Rachel!


Saturday we woke up and drove to Alabama to attend a neighborhood party with my grandparents. JC wasn't used to this kind of neighborhood party. My grandparents lived on a lake in Alabama when I was growing up and on our way to the party we stopped by that lake house to show JC where I spent a lot of my time when I was little.

Then we headed to the party for this neighborhood. Even though my grandparents live in a retirement home now, they still have the lake house in Alabama and that's why we went to this party. I could have thought of a million other things I'd rather show JC, but it meant a lot to my grandparents that we were there- listening to old people sing George Jones and Tammy Wynette karaoke. We were the youngest people there by far! Oh well, good times!



That night we got ready for the alumni cocktail party before my actual class party. I was glad we went over to the cocktail party because I saw a lot of my old teachers as well as my old cheerleading coach. I loved her! The cocktail party is just a party the school puts on so they can take everyone's class picture in front of the steps of the President of Darlington's house. It's one of the oldest houses in my hometown. It's a beautiful southern home.

This wasn't everyone. There were people running late and others who just went to the reunion and not this part of the alumni weekend of events. That's why there aren't many people in this picture.



This is me, Molly- the other girl from our class that we cheered with, Rena Cooper- my cheerleading coach and Rachel.


Me and Mr. Moss- the Dean of Students. He helped me through the application process of getting into BYU. Thank You Mr. Moss!


Mrs. Eberhart- one of my 5th grade teachers, and Mrs. Kothe- my keyboarding teacher. I'm so glad I took that class. I can type so fast thanks to her:-)


After that, we went to my class party downtown and JC was amazing!!! He took so many pictures and just let me go talk to EVERYONE all night. Luckily it was in a fun place and there were other husbands there in the same boat that he was able to hang out with. He was definitely a sweetheart all night and my friends loved him!


This is a picture of my really good friends- Berry, Meg, Emily, Molly, Paige and in front is me and Jennifer.


A portion of my class who decided to come to the reunion.

My good friends- Nathan, Betsy and Jordan

More good friends- Meg and Lou

And more- Lauren, me, Molly, Gordon, Gillian and Regan

Mary-Winsten, Erika, Me, and Lauren

Rachel, Jennifer, me and Berry

Me and Rachel!

Paige and me! I love this girl- we grew up together- from Kindergarten to Senior Year. That's like most of us though besides the friends that boarded in the dorms in high school.

Christy, me and Valerie all grew up together too.

These girls all boarded in the girls dorms in high school (besides me).

Sunday- we went down to the farm where my dad grew up and I was also able to visit the grave site of my Granny and Grand Dad. I love them and miss them! I know my dad gets his sweet heart from my Granny- she was so darling!!


That night we were able to get a few conference talks in before my grandparents came over to eat dinner with us. My mom made a wonderful southern meal before Tucker dove into his cake and presents. I'm thinking Tucker doesn't like frosting!

And Monday our trip came to an end- we packed up and headed to the airport that morning. We had a wonderful time! Thanks mom and dad for letting us crash at the house and for taking care of us while we were out there.