Day 121::September 5, 2010

For Labor Day we celebrated with family at a place that's been in the Barnwell family for a LONG time.  After church, we drove to "the old place."  The old place is a cabin that Doug's grandfather was born in, grew up in, and later inherited in 1982.  Growing up spending time at the old place, Doug has memories that he is thankful for and holds close to his heart.  I realized that this weekend and think it's great that he has something like this in his family that has been around for so long and holds so many special memories. 

Our first night there we unloaded the trucks, set up camp, explored the woods and set off fireworks.  We brought Delia and her sister Patty with us and they both got a taste for camping.  Delia seemed to love it all.  I'm sure the fireworks were kinda scary for her but she put on her brave face and seemed to enjoy them all.

Day 120::September 4, 2010

One year ago today Douglas asked me to be his wife!  This is the first rose he gave me on our second date.  We had a picnic by a river in Gadsden, AL.  Doug brought shrimp linguine alfredo, Milo's sweet tea, caramel ice cream and perfect pink rose.  What a treasure this will be for us in the years to come.

The Proposal...
Friday, September 4, 2009, Doug asked me to marry him on the side of Stretch Road on Berry College campus.  I was at work that day and I knew he was on his way to come see me for the weekend.  I got a phone call from him that afternoon around 4:45.  He sounded out of breath and said that his car battery had died.  I asked where he was and offered to leave work early and come help him out since I knew he would be close.  Doug never told me where he was.  Rather he insisted that I don't leave work and that I stay until exactly 5:00 like a good employee.  He also asked that I call him when I decided to leave.  So at 5:00 I called him back and he asked that I just hang tight for about 5 more minutes.  I thought he was being awfully strange but anyone that knows Doug knows he always has a reason for what he does.  So I left work a few minutes later, got in my car and headed off campus.  

As I headed down the three mile "stretch" of road to main campus, I started seeing handmade signs that read... "Hey"..."You"..."I think you're pretty special"..."I love you with all my heart" (At this point I thought, "Aww, someone is about to get proposed to!"  I had no idea it would be me... THEN I saw Doug and I started shaking and smiling and pulling the car over) ..."So I was wondering"..."Will you marry me?"

I jumped out of the car, ran across the road, hugged Doug and said, "YES!!!"  Out of breath, Doug replied, "Good!  I have a ring for you!"  After he put the ring on finger, he explained that he was telling the truth about his car battery being dead.  He was out of breath because he had to literally run down the road to put the signs up.  I got lucky that I missed the dead car because it was right behind the first sign!  He was in his mom's car though, so that must have thrown me off.  So to celebrate the beginning of our life together, I jumped off his car and we drove happily all the way home. 

Day 119::September 3, 2010

You know you're in Alabama when.... They have an annual Butterbean Festival.  The Butterbean Festival is only 20 minutes from your house.  You go out of your way to have a picture taken with a butterbean named Bucky.  And you get the chance to experience the world's largest pot of baked beans.

Day 118::September 2, 2010

Just because.  :)

Day 117::September 1, 2010

Our backyard is making food again!  The garden is busy growing green beans and the trees are busy producing pecans and muscadines!  Does anyone have any good recipes for pecans or muscadines?

Day 116::August 31, 2010

This has again been a day full of thinking about my Doug.  He started classes today.  I know that we are called to this chapter in our lives and I'm excited about the new opportunities it will bring.  We realize that it will be full of challenges but are looking forward to the blessings that it also has to offer.

Each Tuesday at Beeson a chapel service is held in the Hodges Chapel.  I posted pictures of the inside a few weeks ago.  This place is gorgeous!  It's known as a "sermon in stone".  Seminary students are required to attend the services, but it is also open to anyone else interested in attending.  I took the opportunity to attend convocation today and very much enjoyed myself.  On the way out, I snapped a picture of our new "gate of opportunity."  You Berry folks know what I mean.  :)

Day 115::August 30, 2010

I've been thinking of Doug all day today!  He had orientation at Beeson all morning and afternoon.  Tonight they had a pizza dinner for all new and returning students, and their families.  We met a sweet couple and had a long conversation that lasted well after dinner ended.  On our way home, just a few miles away from our exit, we hit some traffic.  This was unusual given it was almost 8:30 at night.  As we inched along, the reason for our traffic became more evident.  This is what we saw...

Crazy!