Feelin' the Love!

So, it has been a few days since I have written but things have been very busy around the Keeton house! This past weekend some our very good friends got married and that's what I wanted to talk aout the most. I met Spencer and Rachael when Josh and I were dating. They both went to UA so I really didn't get to know them until they moved back home. Since then I have found that they have big hearts! They would do pretty much anyhting for anybody. They got engaged right after Josh and I got married. It was a lot of fun to see some of our friends go through the same process that we had just gone through. Well, a year passed quickly and before we knew it, the time was here. Thursday was the rehearsal and things went so smooth. Rachael seemed so calm and ready to walk down the isle. Friday was the rehearsal dinner which was good and fun. Lots of people and lots of food. Then Saturday rolled around and the big day was here. Their wedding was held at the Monte Sano Mountain Lodge and it was BEAUTIFUL!!!. Rachael made a beautiful bride. One thing that was really cool to me was that she wore my veil. It was really neat to see it on someone else but also really neat that it got used again. So that was nice to see. Well, the reason I wanted to talk about the wedding was that I felt all the love going around that night. You could feel the love between Spencer and Rachael, you could feel the love from their parents while they gave speeches, and it just made you want to get married all over again! For that night I feel like I fell in love with Josh again. These moments in life remind you of what it is all about and that is Love! Well, I just had to take a few pictures even though there was a photographer. I know I know I was being bad but I only took a few. So I will try and post them soon. Until then....... Keep Livin' Keep Lovin' Keep Laughin'

Lucky To Be Me!!!

So, last night my hubby didn't get home until late last night from work. I often get frustrated with his eratic work schedule and tend to get a bit mad. But, today I remind myself how lucky I am to have such a wonderful husband! Josh is loving, caring, understanding, patient, and best of all True. My family all the time reminds me "how lucky" I am to have a husband like him and it sometimes irritates me because I hear so often, but it is SO true. I could not have been more blessed than I was the day we said I do. I just wanted to say thank you Josh for letting me do what I want to do and being sooo supportive. You really are my love! and butthead! lol.

Well, last night I got to start editing some of Monkey's pictures and they are just sooo cute! I cannot believe she is 6 months old already! I am so thankful to be apart of her and her big brother's life. I will post some pics and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do! I will post some more soon and Until then..... Keep Livin Keep Lovin and Keep Laughin!

A quick update!

Hello everyone! It's been a few days since I have written, but i figure I should update this before I get too far behind! Last week, I had a baby shoot up in Winchester. It was Thursday and since we were having birthday dinners on Saturday, I decided to stay the 3 days with my grandmother. The shoot went amazing and I couldn't be happier with the results! Maddy is an adorable 7 week old baby girl that I got to shoot! Both of Maddy's parents came to the shoot whicj was pretty cool to see the Daddy get involved! This is their first child but they seemed like pros! Maddy's mom had brought several props that we had a lot of fun with! My favorite was the tutu that she made. It was just perfect.
Friday, I had an interesting day! I got to go to dinner with the Friday night 5. THis group consists of my grandmother's friend. My grandmother got tied up with a prior engagement so I got to pick up Ms. Bigger. She is pretty much my adopted grandmother. We went to Tullahoma for dinner where we met up with Bruce and Ms Millie. Ms Millie was a character. Her birthday ois Nov. 29 and she will be turning 100! Yes I said it! 100! She still gets out and doesn't look a day over 80. So that was actually a lot of fun.
Saturday my sis came up with her fam to get some pics taken of Monkey since she turned 6 months old TODAY!!! We had a lot of fun dressing her up and dressing her down! We captured some pretty funny happenings as well like her falling backwards in a bowl! But no worries! No Babies were harmed in the shoot! haha We then had the birthday dinners for my uncle and bro-in-law. That was fun and the first family gathering since my grandpa passed away. But it was good.
THis week has just been laid back. I have been playing with my pups and editing pictures! I will post a few from the shoot so you can see! I will also post some pics of Monkey's 6 months soon! Until then...Keep Livin Keep Lovin Keep Laughin

Being Aunt Lauren!

So, last Friday I got to babysit my neice and nephew. My sister had to do some shopping and needed both hands to do so. I am always happy to babysit for her though. Josh and I have just as much fun as they do. Well, my sis dropped them off in the morning and we put started to watch cartoons. The cartoons were starting to fade into disney shows like zac and cody and others like that and well mr austin wasn't having any of that. He wanted another show. And thats what he told me. Nother show! Well then i got to my feet and put on Happy Feet. We watched that for a while and then let the dogs in! This is where it gets good. We have 2 dogs of our own but we are dogsitting for the in laws and have their pug, Duke. Man did they have fun. Austin ran and ran and ran around the couch with the dogs. They were chasing him, he was chasing them. and then you weren't really sure who was chasing who. But that doesn't matter. We had to stop to eat lunch and feed Monkey. So the dogs went outside for a bit. Monkey is getting so much fun to be around. She is so alert and I think she is starting to recognize me. I like to think that she does anyways! haha. She's making lots of noise and rollong over, and just all around fun. At one point Josh called home and Austin kept asking about Josh all morning so I let him talk to him over the phone. It was so funny because he started the convo out good but then was too intranced in the movie. Man can he multi-task. lol. Well overall it was a good day.My sis got some stuff done and Austin wore the dogs out. Pretty successful day if you ask me!
I had an awesome weekend! I had a friend come into town that I haven't seen in a while! I got to spend quite a bit of time catching up and remembering the days when we were roommates! It's funny to think that we have gone in different directions but remain such good friends! I miss her! When we are together we don't have to talk to one another to understand what's going on. So that's nice. And she is always introducing me to new things, likes smoked gouda! It's quite yummy! Well, i had a good weekend and just wanted to update everyone on everything!
Going to TN tomorrow so I prob won't be getting on much! However, I should have so new pics on sweet roots before the weekend is up so keep an eye out! Until then....Keep Livin Keep Lovin & Keep Laughin!

Sisters are forever!

Because of the passing of my grandfather, I got to spend a week back home.I don't believe I have spent an entire week at home since I left for college. But I had so much fun just hanging out with my family. Being home made me so homesick that I am making a plan to somehow move back. One day I will. haha. But having all four girls home (me and my sisters) was an absolute blast. We were able to all connect on a deeper level. I miss my family so much. When we all are together I feel so sure of myself and my decisions. It's like life is so simple and things are black and white. I have 3 beautiful sisters that have beautiful families. It's fun to watch them as mothers and kind of liaugh at the same time. I have one sister that lives in Huntsville, one that lives in Florida, and another that lives in Virginia. So I have to find a way to make the other 2 move back home. :)

We went over to my grandmother's house to take some photos. We had a photo of the four of us taken 3 years ago so we thought it was appropriate to take another. The one I'm posting is the four of us and my grandmother. I hope you girls (my sisters) enjoy the pic. I just wanted to say that I love my sisters very very much and miss you all very much! I'll try and post another pic soon. Until then.................. Keep Livin Keep Lovin Keep Laughin

So, it has been a few days since I have written anything due to the passing of my grandfather. It still ahs not sunken in and I'm afraid it won't for a very long time. The subject is very hard for me to verbalize but I feel if I write it out, it may help just a bit. So, here it goes.....

My grandfather was diagnosed with bone cancer about a year ago. They really didn't get him llong to live but he really did better than anyone had anticipated. My grandfather has been and probably will always be the srtongest man that I know. His story is a true rags to riches tale.

Gerald Eugene Johnson was born in a small town in Arkansas. His family farmed and did not have much money. I know at one point their house burnt down and so they lived in a chicken coop. I can still remember stories about my grandfather about being embarassed at school bus he had to eat ham and did not have bologna like everyone else. So he use to hide in corners while he ate his lunch. Well, later on in his teen years, he entered a contest at the local fair wiht his hog. His hog won and his prize waas that he got a scholarship to the university of Arkansas. Without this scholarship, he never would have been able to go to school. He went and later on got into medical school which is a whole nother story in itself. But he went to med school, and was later on relocated to Winchester, TN. He was a doctor/surgeon for 42 years. In those 42 years my grandfather did some remarkable things. No he didn't invent things or become famous but he did put reassurance into patients, save lives, and instilled values into his family. My grandfather worked for everthing he had and taught his 4 sons that aswell who turned to their kids (me and the others) and taught them the same thing. It's so funny that he had so many things that he had worked for but it was the simple things that he cared about. Like the Braves, white beans, and his hunting dogs.

When my dad called me with the news, I broke. I have never lost anyone inside my circle before. My circle is now broken and I don't know quite how to deal. All I can think of is that I don't have my grandfather here to make me watch sports and my little grandmother is all alone. I tried so hard to keep it all together while I was at home. I did pretty well but I could absolutely not think about the situation. A huge part of it was that I didn't have any closure. My grandfather donated his body to science so we really didn't get to say good bye. However I am left with a really good memory from the last time I saw him. I just hate that it came to soon. I have honestly never felt so heart broken before in my life. My heart hurts for my family. We all lost a very important person in our life. I stayed with my grandmother after all the family had left so that she wouldn't be alone. I cried myself to sleep thinking that she was in a bed all alone for the first time in 53 years. We went to the grocery store and went for the bananas and realized she only needed 1 or 2. I held back the tears there but they are most certainly streaming now. I hated to leave my grandmother alone. She is the person I look up to most. I only hope to have half as much class, grace, and strength as she posesses. I can only pray that the transition is one that isn't too hard or painful.

So I ask everone who is reading this to please keep my family (especially my grandmother) in your thoughts and prayers. I will hopefully have more to write soon. It just won't be the same.