To Dixie Land and Back Again

It's hard to believe that it has been 7 days since my last post. Actually, it's really not that hard to believe because this past week has absolutely flown by...and it wasn't until today that I have been able to write anything because I have been so overcome with emotion. I will get to my emotional roller coaster later...but first things first...HOTTY TODDY!

Lee and I got to experience our first weekend away from Elle this past weekend. Maybe that is what started the emotions on overload?! Animal Print Friday, Lee's mom and grandparents came to our house to watch Elle until my dad got out of meetings to come and pick her up. It was so hard to leave her...which might have explained why we showed up to the airport with 20 minutes to spare...and probably also explains why our clothes never made it to Mississippi! That's right - an hour long flight and our luggage never made it on the plane. It was really ok because we had our hanging clothes with us - but still - it's the principal of the matter. I cried when the nice man behind the counter told us that since we were late checking in, and it was our fault for arriving late, they couldn't take our bags from Jackson, MS to Oxford, MS which is where we were headed for the football game. Bummer. I thought this gave me free reign to go and shop but then I felt guilty as I stood in DSW in Jackson holding a pair of snakeskin heels...considering the fact that the shoes that were in my lost luggage were snakeskin and looked almost identical to the ones in my hand. I thought better of it and put the pretty shoes down and we eventually made it to Oxford. It was a glorious weekend!

Pictures from the game...Laura D and Matt, and Lee and myself

My wonderful friends! I miss them so much!

The sweetest picture of the weekend - Meghan and our friend Amy's daughter, Claire - fast asleep after a long day at the Grove

Lee, Meghan's mom Anita and Zach (Shay's hubby) - Lee and Ms. Anita showing off their crazy handshake skills

Most of my girlfriends from college and their families made it in town for the game and I spent the weekend laughing until I cried. I miss my friends so much and wish we all lived closer. We may only get to see each other a few times a year - but the moment we are all back together - it's like we have never been apart. Elle did great all weekend without us. She spent Friday night and Saturday morning with my parents and then the rest of the weekend with Lee's parents. My dad and mom dressed Elle in her Ole Miss Rebels smocked dress and had a red bow on her to cheer on those Rebs! The outfit must have worked because Ole Miss beat Tennessee - Hotty Toddy!!

We made it home on Sunday and rested up for our big day on Monday! I even made Elle her very own Wee Dream onesie!

Monday, November 16, 2009 - we had the Wee Dream Classic Golf Tournament at Longwood Golf Club in Cypress, Texas. I dropped Elle off with Lee's mom and grandparents and then headed over to the tournament. I pulled into the parking lot and that is when the magnitude of the event hit me. There were cars everywhere! I walked to the back of the clubhouse to check in and it was absolutely swarming with people. Friends, family members, friends of friends...it was truly a sight to see! We had 152 golfers and actually had to turn people away because there wasn't enough room on the golf course for everyone! It was such a perfect day - the rain cleared out early in the day and by tee off time - the skies were perfectly blue. It was so nice to be outside - playing golf again. It took about 4 holes to get warmed back up - but I got the hang of it and thoroughly enjoyed the day. I think everyone thoroughly enjoyed the day! I played with my dad, one of his clients, and Lee. We just had a fantastic day - one I won't soon forget. After the tournament, we all gathered for dinner - plus around 60 more people. I still get teary eyed thinking about how full the dining room was with our friends, family and people that came out to support us. Sean and Angie did such a wonderful job. At one point in the evenings festivities, Sean called Lee and I up to the front and presented us with a check for $10,000.00. (I am bawling right now by the way). I lost it - a check for $10,000.00 - made out to us for our beautiful daughter...and they gave one to Mel and Austan for Witt too. And Sean said that was just a bit of the money they raised. I checked the Wee Dream blog this morning and we raised over $60,000.00 for Witt and Elle. I still can't believe it. Lee and I are both so overcome with emotions. I can't even begin to put into words how i feel right now - joyous, humbled, amazed, inspired, thankful, blessed - just to name a few. Thank you thank you thank you to everyone that has supported us through our most difficult times. The poem "Footprints" comes to mind right now and it was during our most difficult times that our most precious Father didn't walk beside us, he carried us. I just am stunned at the outpouring of support for our families. Thank you just doesn't seem adequate! It was such a successful night, not just because on Monday alone, we raised $23,000.00 but because of the fellowship - everyone coming together to celebrate the lives of two very special and amazing little kids. We brought Elle up for the dinner for about 15 minutes. Lee and I walked her around the room so everyone could see the precious little life that they have been praying for and they were celebrating on Monday night. This isn't the end of the line for the Wee Dream Foundation either. We are hoping to continue the foundation and generate support for the causes that are near and dear to our heart - Congenital Heart Disease and CHARGE Syndrome. Thank you a million times over to Sean and Angie who started this wonderful event and Cindy for the AMAZING silent auction and everyone else that made Monday night a spectacular event. Thank you so much!