Thankful and blessed

After seven months of strictly regimented training and eight years in the making, my husband graduated last Friday and is now officially a firefighter for the City and County of Honolulu!

It's tradition that a loved one be the one to pin their badge on them. With tear-filled eyes, I got to pin my husband's badge. It's a moment I will never forget and cherish always.

We are so thankful that we got to share this moment with our friends from FL, Jose and Tracy. Jose also happens to be Chuck's old lieutenant from his FD back home. 

Our Hawaii ohana got to share with us as well. They've been and continue to be a wonderful support system and amazing stewards of aloha.

Congratulations to the 98th Recruit Class! I know all of us out there are grateful for each and every one of you!

And from the Weas, Happy and blessed Thanksgiving to all of you! 

They say it's your birthday...

Happy birthday to my wonderful hubby and my beautiful momma. I wouldn't be me without you. I'm so lucky to have you two. ♥

Three. ♥

My life changed forever three years ago today. There are still so many things I wish I could say to him, but I know he's better where he is now. As painful as it is, I know that God knows best and that my father isn't hurting anymore. I miss him dearly every day.


I love you, dad.

Someone had a birthday!

Our beloved big guy, Mushu, turned four yesterday! I can't believe he's already four! And HUMONGOUS! He used to be so tiny! See?

Here we are with him at Christmas 2007, just a couple of weeks after we got him. I think he was 13 weeks old here.

In honor of his fourth birthday, we gave him four BK Minis. Haha! Happy birthday! [Don't get used to it, bud. This isn't grandma's house. Back to your regularly scheduled pup food today and every day!]

Yesterday

Still a tough day for me. I miss him dearly. But I have to keep remembering that even though he's not here physically, he's ALWAYS here in spirit. As long as I keep the memories that I have of him close to my heart. I hope I can be half the parent to my children as he was with my brothers and I.

I miss you, dad.

The hubs is BA.

Just thought I'd throw that out there. He finally went to get his HI driver's license yesterday. Let's just say that he will always be formal, but ready to party.

A Big Fat Sanibel Wedding

This weekend we celebrated the marriage of this big guy on the left to this lovely lady on the right. Said big guy is my (not-so) little brother. Don't they make a great couple?


We arrived in Sanibel the day before the wedding and the forecast for the next day was 50% chance of rain. (eek!) I firmly believe that dad was looking out and talked to the Man above because not a cloud was in the sky the next day. We were blessed with a wonderful sunset wedding.

The bride's talented cousin, Lance, was kind enough to take pictures for the day. He did such a great job from what I've seen and I can't wait to see the rest! Check him out here.

[lancesitton.com]

[lancesitton.com]
We are all so excited to welcome a great new addition to our family. We feel so blessed to have her! The only thing that could've made the day that much sweeter was if dad and the hubs were there to share with us. I know they were both there in spirit.

Welcome to our crazy, loud, loveably awesome family!

Can you tell...

...that I'm going through hubby withdrawals?

This was taken during our portrait session with our awesome friend, Jana Morgan. The heart bunting overlays are from vol.25 aka Digital Eye Candy from her "Be Mine" overlay set. This was the spot where the hubs proposed to me. It's a low key spot under one of the bridge walkways at Disney's Boardwalk, which was also where we had our first date. Cute, huh? Go check these lovely ladies out. I pormise you won't be disappointed!

Epic Summer Continues...

[Whirlwind: Source via Pinterest]Week three since hubs left. It's been a whirlwind still... I've been go, go, go nonstop! I think I'll be nonstop until August!

This past weekend, was a celebration of life and love. Kicked off with a going away party for my brother- and sister-in-law. They're off to Pittsburgh for his residency. Lots of food, friends, family and fun. A good proper send-off for half of Team Weagraff!

The weekend was topped off with a late birthday celebration for my littlest brother (far right). And, in a little less than two weeks, the happy couple on the left (my other not-so-little little brother and his fiance), are getting hitched! Told you... EPIC SUMMER! And it's just the beginning...

Four years in the making

Introducing the new Dr. Weagraff! 

Chuck and I are so very proud of your huge accomplishment. Your hard work and dedication have paid off and we can't wait to see how God will work His hands in this new chapter, not just in your life, but in your little family's lives as well. Good luck in everything that you set out to do. Wea love you!

Dear Dad

Happiest of birthdays to you today. I hope you are happy and well up there. I know you're always smiling down on us. We miss you so much! ♥
I love you!

My hero. ♥

He really is. Tonight, my husband, saved a life. I'm so proud and honored to be married to my firefighter paramedic.

I love you, babe! ♥

A Handmade Christmas.

ATTENTION:
If you're my mom or my mother-in-law, DO NOT READ ANY FURTHER. I mean it! Unless it's after Christmas. Then it's all good.

Ok, moving on...

The hubs and I decided early on in the holiday season to keep things simple this year. We didn't get anyone anything elaborate and I ended up making a lot of our gifts. I especially enjoyed making the gifts for my mom and Mudder (mother-in-law). {Really, if either one of you is reading this.... No further!! Love you, mean it!}

My mom and mother-in-law are cut from the same cloth because they are both geniuses in the kitchen! So for Christmas, I originally wanted to get them something like this. As gorgeous as that is, I don't have that kind of dough for one, let alone TWO of them. =(

Thank goodness for my hubs and Hobby Lobby, which is where he found these. And my idea sprang from there. A trip to Home Depot for some wood stain and I now had these:

 Fun, huh? After a whole lot of drying time (my fault for not following the directions), I went to Michael's and found these:

Have I ever told you how much I LOVE Sharpies? Well I do. So imagine my happiness when I saw Sharpie Paint Markers!! And they didn't disappoint. The extra fine point helped me achieve this:

And the fine point helped me fill in the blanks. And I'm so so happy with the outcome!

I created the dividers and recipe cards to go with it, topped it off with some baker's twine and voila!

What about you? Are you giving handmade presents? I'd love to see! ♥

Congrats, Grad!

My littlest little brother is a college graduate! Which means I'm REALLY old. I'm so super proud of him! And I know my dad's high-fiving anyone he can up there. I'm quite certain of that. This weekend was full of graduation congratulations!

Our good friend graduated from the Fire Academy, too! We have dubbed him our "Sponsor Child," since the hubs made it a point to help him out as best as he could. So super proud of him, too!! HUGE congratulations again to my brother and our sponsor child! ♥

Thirty-two Years Ago Today...

These two crazy kids got married. And thankfully so, because I wouldn't be here if they hadn't! The hubs and I are taking my mom out for a late anniversary lunch today after she gets out of work. Then we'll go visit my dad to wish him a happy anniversary. We miss him so much every day.


Happy Anniversary, mom and dad! I love you guys...

Sometimes God's "no" is better than our "yes"

(Source)

It's that time of the year. As I did last year, I kept reliving the days before and after my father passed away. It still feels surreal that he isn't here.

I was in Savannah a few weekends ago, with one of my best friends, to visit our other best friend, her hubby and their sweet little baby girl. It was a weekend that I really needed. And on Sunday, before the car ride back home, we gathered in their living room to watch Northland Church's live stream of that day's worship service.

Dr. Joel Hunter was the speaker and if you've never heard him before, let me tell you that he is amazing. He and his family were experiencing the recent loss of his granddaughter, Ava, to an extremely rare brain cancer.

I'm a firm believer in how God comes through at the right moment. And he came through in the form of Dr. Hunter's talk. God knew that I needed to hear what He had to say, that I've been really missing my father, and feeling the pain fresh today as it was two years ago. Through Dr. Hunter, HE spoke these words:

"There's never a time when the pain gets any less. Because for the pain and sorrow to get less, it would somehow diminish or dismiss the value of the person...almost as if it would make you forget a part of what you had with them; forget part of the contribution they had to your life. The pain doesn't get any less, but you get bigger around it. Your life gets bigger, and deeper, and better because of it."

 As I sat there on the floor of my friends' living room, I felt a peace and a comfort that evaded me for a while. It comforted me to be reminded that God always answers our prayers. That sometimes God's "no" is better than our "yes."

I miss you, dad. I know that you're alright and that I'll see you again someday. I love you with all my heart.

Happy Birthday!

Wishing my amazing mom and wonderful husband a fantastic and blessed birthday! I love these two so much! I'm so fortunate to have them in my life. PTL!

Dad.

I miss you. Every day.
Happy Father's Day

love,
your little girl ♥

Lovely Night with Mom

We took mom out for a lovely Mother's Day dinner at Bongo's Cuban Cafe. Although, I must say that I didn't get to take any pictures of our food, on account of our hunger! But I can say that I was all delicious! If you're ever here in Orlando, at Downtown Disney, grab a bite at Bongo's. I suggest the Ropa Vieja--YUM!

Mother.

I'm quite certain I have the best mom on the planet. She's the loveliest, most selfless person I know. I only hope I can be half the mother that she is to my brothers and I.

Of course I couldn't forget about my other mom, or as we affectionately call her, Mudder. She's the strongest, most giving person and I'm so blessed to have her as my mother-in-law.


We Love You, Mom & Mudder!
Happy Mother's Day.