I realized I never really posted an introductory post about me or my family, so how appropriate I introduce "Us" this week. Disclaimer: we are not as cool as the Pearson family, fyi.
Here goes. I'm Alicia! I'll be 29+1 in a few short months [I dare not say the word]. I am married to my husband, Nick, [five years strong] and together we have a sassy and sweet almost two-year-old daughter, Marian "Reaves". We have two fur-babies, an almost 11-year-old Cocker Spaniel, Mia, and a 3-year-old cat, Stella. RIP to our former four-legged babies, Murphy, our golden retriever, and Paisley, Stella's litter sister, who both passed away within the past year and a half.
Nick and I were both born and raised in South Carolina. Nick is from Simpsonville, and I was raised in Greenwood. We've now settled in the Powdersville community, and hope to never live anywhere else. This small town and the people in it have been so good to us, and we look forward to raising kids here, and chickens...one day.
I'll start with me. I grew up a dance and choir nerd, and stayed [against better judgment] in Greenwood for college [Lander], joined Phi Mu fraternity, and majored in Business Administration with an emphasis in Health Care Management. For the first five years of my professional life after college, I worked in the senior living industry in many different capacities ranging from rehabilitation and life enrichment to sales and community outreach. I have a passion for two things: addiction recovery/women's ministry and the aging population/senior citizens. If I could do any job in the entire world, salary aside, I would become a senior advocate, helping seniors and adult children prepare for the golden years, while maintaining their purpose and quality of life. I now work in graduate medical education, which I have come to really enjoy. It provides me a better work/life balance, and I'm incredibly grateful I just so happen to work with amazing people, some of which have become great friends.
While spending time with my little family is my favorite, I love to read, go on trips, serve in our community, plan/host parties, tailgate, watch Clemson football or basketball, spend hours browsing around Target, and hang out with our closest friends, which we refer to as our framily. I'm also in love with all things Joanna Gaines, have an unhealthy obsession with sushi and chocolate, and am a major musical theatre nerd. I only wish I had been talented [and brave] enough for Broadway. I hate hotels, booths, public restrooms, and flying [mostly because planes are a giant petri dish]. I struggle with germs...which is even harder with a toddler who loves licking and touching everything [CRINGE]. I regret to admit that I love a good Netflix binge [wait, it gets sadder] and could make watching cat and/or sloth videos on YouTube my daily workout routine. I love old things and family heirlooms, but hate clutter so I'm constantly battling with the accumulation of too much 'stuff'. I organize when I'm frustrated, but it is also the very thing that frustrates me the most. I sound like one big contradiction.
Mostly, I love being a mom and the bond that happens so effortlessly with other mamas. It's like an exclusive club where no one knows what's going on, but we all know what's going on and can support each other in that confusion. That's one reason I became so drawn to women's ministry with moms recovering from addiction. Because they're fighting, too, for their kids. Our challenges may look different, but that's really what all of us moms are trying to do, big picture.
Enough about me, more about Nick [all the heart eyes]. First, he is such a private person, so I'm sure he's hating the fact I'm about to talk about who he is. Nick and I met online back when you had to have a college email to have a Facebook account [there's that 29+1 age showing]. We had mutual friends on Facebook the summer before starting Lander, and my brother worked with several people who knew him and could vouch he wasn't an axe murderer. We began chatting via Facebook for several weeks, which led to AIM [old], which led to texting, which led to phone conversations, which led to a blind date [and learning he was a Ginger]. After six months in the friend zone during our first semester of college, I ended up loving that red hair, big smile, and great heart so much. We dated for five years before he popped the question, and have been married now for another five. There have been wonderful moments, and terrible ones. Joyful moments, and sad ones, some that were both at the same time. We have failed, and succeeded. We have sinned and forgiven, loved and lost, lied and corrected, celebrated and yelled... we have learned, but know we will fall short again in the years to come, and put our hope in the Lord that he will guide us through all of what comes our way, just as He has thus far.
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| Oh my gosh, she was so little. |
Mostly, I love being a mom and the bond that happens so effortlessly with other mamas. It's like an exclusive club where no one knows what's going on, but we all know what's going on and can support each other in that confusion. That's one reason I became so drawn to women's ministry with moms recovering from addiction. Because they're fighting, too, for their kids. Our challenges may look different, but that's really what all of us moms are trying to do, big picture.
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| BABIES (circa Summer of 2007) |
Nick also majored in Business with an emphasis in Health Care Management, and works as a financial analyst for graduate medical education. Ergo, we carpool to work and he manages my budget, at home and at the office. Fun, huh? Seriously though, my husband is awesome. He is far wiser, stronger, optimistic, driven, hardworking and capable than I could ever hope to be. Without him, I would surely be lost. He obtained his MBA all while putting up with a pregnant "me" and during the first six months of parenthood...holy superhero. He is a nerd about a few things: numbers, money, clothes, and realty. He loves to engage in hours of conversation about budgeting, discounts, cost savings, and always looks at property in our area, for fun. He also spends more time getting ready than I do, most days, and it probably shows. He has two major love languages, which play out in everything he does: quality time and acts of service. He is not affectionate, but shows his love by providing, helping, supporting, and being present. His favorite candy is a persona of who he is, Sour Patch Kids, and when once asked what tv sitcom best described his life, he answered Everybody Loves Raymond [Wait, am I Debra?]
He loves golf, craft beer, Clemson football, baseball, and his daughter...above all else. He is championing this girl dad stuff. He hates to be bored, and has a major case of Misophonia...chewing, gulping, smacking gum...breathing too loud. For his sake, I hope he loses some of his hearing in 40 years. Most wives wish their husbands would listen more...I wish he could hear less ;) Recently, he's become quite handy, teaching himself home DIY skills. His latest project was hacking Reaves' IKEA Kitchen for Christmas to look more modern [will post before and after on another day]. He also did a board and batten wall in our back hallway to serve as a mudroom area for our coats, bags, and shoes. To me, he looks like he could be Chip Gaines long lost little brother... amiright?
Now about our little one, Marian Reaves aka Nick Jr. Reaves was born three weeks early and her birth story was quite theatrical. She was in the NICU for two weeks, which I believe to be a turning moment in our lives; the beginning of "Our Story" if you will. Not just because we had our first child, but because [among other events] that's when we began to learn what it meant to fully seek and depend on the Lord in the midst of anguish and complete lack of control. Both growing up in a protestant church, 'christian' was just something that we were, stories we heard, a life we claimed. I think this moment was the moment that ignited true life change for each of us, shifting us from acknowledgers of Jesus to followers of Jesus.
Reaves is an independent, spunky, sassy, and sweet little toddler. She keeps us laughing, and of course, is very busy. She hates to be bored, like her daddy, and is always caring after others...including us. When our plates are empty, she tells us to get more to eat. If we don't have a drink with supper, she tells us to get some water. She tries to pick out our clothes, and help us with our shoes. She reminds me of our grandmothers, one of which she is named after...always making sure everyone has what they need and that no one is left out. She even has to kiss us, hug us, and high five us an equal number of times. She will be a great mom one day. She loves Elmo and any stuffed animal she can find. She, like her mama, is OCD about dirt and cleanliness. She loves to wipe down surfaces, swiffer the floors, and put things away. She loves to sing and dance and is incredibly bright [and coordinated] for her age [of course, I'm biased]. She loves her Mia, Stella, and the Clemson Tigers. I have high hopes for her future as a Clemson Rally Cat!
And of course, our fur babes. Mia, my first baby, has been with me pretty much as long as Nick. I got her right as we started dating, and she has been through hell and high water with me. She is the smartest, most loving dog in the entire world, even when she makes me cuss from eating the trash. She loves Reaves, even though she tries to make us think otherwise. She naps beside her crib, kisses her goodnight, is first to greet her in the mornings, and follows her around everywhere [maybe because Reaves is always eating].
Stella, our cat, is the greatest, too..for a cat, as Nick would say. She is so cuddly and would never hurt a soul. Well, that's not exactly true...she's the neighborhood bird murderer...but humans. We are blessed, now only if they didn't shed.
So this is us! And if you didn't watch This Is Us this week, hug your family extra tight, grab some tissues, and maybe an inhaler. Oh, and some eye cream for the next morning.
He loves golf, craft beer, Clemson football, baseball, and his daughter...above all else. He is championing this girl dad stuff. He hates to be bored, and has a major case of Misophonia...chewing, gulping, smacking gum...breathing too loud. For his sake, I hope he loses some of his hearing in 40 years. Most wives wish their husbands would listen more...I wish he could hear less ;) Recently, he's become quite handy, teaching himself home DIY skills. His latest project was hacking Reaves' IKEA Kitchen for Christmas to look more modern [will post before and after on another day]. He also did a board and batten wall in our back hallway to serve as a mudroom area for our coats, bags, and shoes. To me, he looks like he could be Chip Gaines long lost little brother... amiright?
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| Twinsies |
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| 2 days old |
And of course, our fur babes. Mia, my first baby, has been with me pretty much as long as Nick. I got her right as we started dating, and she has been through hell and high water with me. She is the smartest, most loving dog in the entire world, even when she makes me cuss from eating the trash. She loves Reaves, even though she tries to make us think otherwise. She naps beside her crib, kisses her goodnight, is first to greet her in the mornings, and follows her around everywhere [maybe because Reaves is always eating].
Stella, our cat, is the greatest, too..for a cat, as Nick would say. She is so cuddly and would never hurt a soul. Well, that's not exactly true...she's the neighborhood bird murderer...but humans. We are blessed, now only if they didn't shed.
So this is us! And if you didn't watch This Is Us this week, hug your family extra tight, grab some tissues, and maybe an inhaler. Oh, and some eye cream for the next morning.
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| Hubs thinks it's hilarious to snap pictures of me sobbing over my shows. [This Is Us - Sunday Night Episode] |
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