Fam Jam!

The weekend before last was VERY special to me! One of my sisters, Lilian is expecting her first child and my 3 sisters and I were lucky enough to throw her a baby shower in Memphis!! Yes, that is special enough it its own, but coming from the HUGE family that I do, it is a task to get everyone together at one time. I wont even try to explain how my family all fits together, just know that it is rare we are all in the same place at the same time. When there are 9 siblings including yourself, it is tough to find a time when someone is NOT busy. Anyway …

Sisters! (L to R Melissa, Lilian, Myself, Eva)

My step-sister Eva was gracious enough to hold the shower at her house (she has the perfect house for entertaining) The kitchen opens up into a HUGE den area where there is plenty of room to sit and gossip about who knows what. The shower was a success!! I brought some yummy pasta salad and broccoli salad that is lets just go ahead and face it, ADDICTING, from a place in Oxford called Emiliegh’s Bakery. Even with her broken hip, my mom got some YUMMY cupcakes, and Melissa(my other sister) brought some delicious chicken salad on sister Shubert rolls… Add in some fruit and sherbet punch.. YUMMY!!! 

My sister, Lilian

Cupcakes! 

Green sherbet with floating duckies!   Shower invitation 

Okay I will take this millisecond to give my BF a shout out… He is from a place called Luverne, AL. Yeah I know you have never heard of it…It is about an hour south of Montgomery, AL and I love it! Even thought it only has a population of 2,600, it is nicknamed “The Friendliest City of the South,” and it is where Sister Shubert rolls are made!!  Whoohoo! No I haven't met her, Cole.. HINT* HINT*! :) 

Okay, back to the shower…. Lilian got TONS of presents for her baby to be (in typical Lilian fashion, she isn’t finding out the sex of the baby). We had so much fun talking with our friends and family! I never realized how much stuff you need when you are having a child, especially your first child. You could just see it in her face how excited she was. She is going to be the most incredible mother. I have 3 amazing sisters to learn parenting tips from, I should be a pro by the time I have children!

Opening Gifts!

     

I knew she would be such a cute pregnant woman~

After the shower everyone from my dad’s side of the family headed over to Melissa’s house to see the rest of our family. This is the first time all of my siblings on this side have been in the same room in over 2 years, (there are 5 of us) Pretty awesome!!! We were even only missing one spouse! (you were there in spirit Jay) He is a preacher in Cleveland so he can’t go out of town too often because his most important work day is Sunday J It was SO incredible to have all of us in the same room. Now as if that wasn’t special enough, this day was also the first time I met one of my nephews! Clemens was born 6 months ago but lives in San Francisco and I am…. well…. broke.  This was also the first day Clemens got to meet my other nephew, his cousin, Pal. This day was so very special to me because I am not sure the next time I will see everyone again… Makes me sad, but I know the Lord will bring us together in time.

Peepaw (my dad) with his grandson (my nephew) Pal

Holding Peepaw's hand

 Pal with his favorite Auntie Em

Peepaw swinging with my niece, Ann

My nephew Clemens and my brother Tate

Lilian and I

It is times like these that I remember just how incredibly blessed I am to have such a loving family. We may be a large family, but the more people the more love to go around.  Yes at times it is hard to keep up with everyone and we have our ups and downs just like any other family, but I thank God everyday for each and every one of my family members! 

Everyone on my dad's side of the family

(L to R) Back Row: Jesse (brother), Caroline (Sister-in-law), Pal (nephew), Lilian (sister), myself, Peepaw (my dad) Tate (my brother), Clemens (nephew), Tom (brother-in-law) Front Row: Betsy (niece) Ann (niece) Yes they are identical twins, Melissa (my sister) and Hilary Anne (my sister-in-law)

Although it was a HUGE challenge growing up in such a large family, I pushed through and allowed it to it shape me into the woman I am today. I would not have had it any other way. 

With Love,

Emily