Hickman House

My first full week as an engaged woman. It's been a pretty emotional/exciting week. First off, I am not pregnant, nor will I be until AFTER we have been married a while. The fact that I even have to clarify means you obviously don't know me or Sam well enough to be talking about us. Now that that's clarified- we can get down to some business that actually matters. 

We have only gotten a few things accomplished being that we have plenty of time to plan this thing. We have set a date- dun dun dun dun....

December 28, 2013 we will be Mr. and Mrs. Sam Hickman. I can hardly believe it. It wasn't really hard to set our date. We knew from the start we wanted to be engaged a year. We both really love Christmas and being that most of my family is in the restaurant business and his middle brother is a football coach- Spring, Summer and Fall were out. Far too busy. The twenty-eighth is also my Grandma's (who passed when I was younger) birthday. I don't really remember Mema much because I was 3 when she passed but I think about her every time I pick up a fishing pole. That woman loved to fish. I have pictures of her holding me with one hand and a fishing pole in the other. It's perfect and we're both excited. 

I am trying to take my time with the wedding planning and enjoy our engagement until the Holidays are over. I did however already make my "Will you be my bridesmaid gifts?" and was trying to wait until Christmas to give them out but I know I can wait until then. I am really trying to stick to my timeline but knowing me this "taking my time" thing won't last much longer. When my mind is set that's all she wrote. I can't wait to officially ask all nine of my bridesmaids and tell you all about them- but my lips are sealed until they all are asked! :)

I know I have lots to do in the next year and am so excited to start this journey with Sam! All you brides and soon to be brides- any advice for me as I begin?

xoxo-

Mags

So, if you follow me on instagram, twitter, or facebook, you have already heard the news. 

drum roll please..........

Sam put a ring on it. That's right, we're engaged. I can hardly believe it myself.

Sam has been dropping hints for about two months now. Now if you've ever been around Sam he has been playfully asking me to marry him since about a month after we started dating, so I have never really taken the hints too serious until about two weeks ago when he told me he had already talked to my parents. My birthday is in December and he kept saying that he was planning the best birthday surprise ever, to bring my camera, and to buy a new dress. So deep down I knew that was more than likely when it was going to happen. Then he would say little things that made me think it was going to happen at Christmas. He had me all confused. I NEVER in a million years saw this coming. 

I have had a pretty sucky week. My car messed up, and when they told me yesterday it would be 400 bucks to fix I was a little discouraged it being right here at Christmas. There were SO many other things I could do with 400 bucks. THEN as soon as I woke up this morning I got another call......I bring in my car to get my radio and battery fixed for 400 bucks....and now its turned into a 1,300 dollar procedure. Right. Before. Christmas. FABULOUS. So needless to say I was bummed, but what can you do? I need my car, so I will suck it up and pay it like a grown up does. Boo. 

Sam came over around 11 and we were planning on going Christmas shopping. I figured why not get that out  the way before anything else happens. Feeling pretty bummed out I quickly took a shower, threw my hair up, and put on some warm clothes and scurried out the door. I could tell something was up with Sam but I never expected this, I honestly just thought he knew I was irritated so he was staying away. I kept asking if he was okay, over and over until he stopped answering. We stopped by his house for a few minutes and loaded up the car. Well Sam lives very close to the beach, so he said he needed to get gas and it was cheaper on the island. I was a little confused but I didn't say anything. He drove right past the gas station. At this point I thought something was wrong. He said he needed to show me something. He pulled over to a beach access and asked me to get out. It was freezing and drizzling a little so I knew if he was about to walk in this, something was way wrong. I still at this point didn't expect a thing. We walked a little on the board walk and all of the sudden he is kneeling in front of me with a box...it looked an awful lot like a ring box. He opens it up, and sure enough there's a ring. I just remember asking over and over if he was kidding. I was so shocked he finally had to ask me if it was a yes or no. Of course, it was a yes.

I am still in a little disbelief. I was not expecting that at all but it was the most perfect moment ever. I always said I would see it coming when he decided to do it. When Sam gets nervous he huffs and puffs, he paces around, and he gets really quiet. All the things looking back now I saw him doing at his house right before we left and I still never thought twice about it. It was perfect. He's my best friend and I can't wait to start this journey with him and both of our families. 

xoxo-

Mags

So, wondering where I've been? 

It has been one crazy crazy week. So let me bring you up to speed. 

My Uncle owns his own construction business, and while they were living in Nashville he got hooked up with Jake Owen and did some work for him. Well, last week he got a call from Jake and he was asked to come back to Nashville and do some more work for him for a few weeks. Lucky thing. Since my aunt stayed here while my uncle went to work, Jake, being the nice guy that he is, sent her free tickets and meet&greet passes for her and the family. Well shoot, sign me up. So I spent my Thursday night with Jake, we went to the concert. It was a blast. I could have done without all the drunk girls trying to take their clothes off everywhere, but hey, whatever. 

On Friday after work I had dinner with my sister. It went far better than I ever imagined. The power of a praying family is incredible. If you're a bit confused by this, you can catch up here. Thanks for all of your kind comments and tweets. It went so well that we ended up meeting Sam, my brother Bobby and his wife Jenn after for dessert. Whoop.

My cousin is having her baby shower tomorrow and I cannot wait! So many babies! I'll be sure to post tons of pictures with my new camera...that I still don't know how to use. :) 

So with all this being said-- I am thankful for country music, a ton of prayer, and cute babies! 

Thank the good Lord, and a Veteran, it's a four day weekend. 

xoxo-

Mags

This post is a little unusual from all my others in the Thankful series. Today I am thankful for courage, compassion, and forgiveness. Let me explain. It's about to get real personal. 

I have a sister. You're probably wondering why you haven't seen her on my blog, right? Probably questioning why I've never mentioned her, right? Well I won't go into detail but lets just say we haven't talked and/or seen each other in almost a whole year. It was December 14th to be exact. Talk about a dagger through the heart. Long story short, she was my very best friend and now we're strangers. 

Well I got a call from her yesterday. She asked me to dinner to talk on Friday. This will be the first time we will sit down and fingers crossed have a civilized conversation. I know I should go, there is no question about it. I know I can't let this keep building up. Why am I telling you this on a blog? Because I ask and trust that if you're reading, you will say a prayer for me. I need to soften my heart and open my ears. I need to have compassion, and I need to be willing to forgive and forget. I also need forgiveness myself. 

We all have issues but I highly encourage you to fix what is broken this holiday season if it is in your control to do so. Regardless of what happens I love my sister to death and I am constantly praying for my family. 

I'd love to have my best friend and my sister back, so say a prayer for me that this is a step in the right direction.

Love y'all!

Mags

Post Four in this months Thankful series.

Samuel Eli Hickman. 

Boy am I ever thankful for this guy. We may drive each other insane all the time sometimes, but he loves me unconditionally. He always has my back, he always makes me laugh, and he stays with me even when I act crazy. He means the world to me and I thank God for him daily. He truly has become my very best friend. 

Love you, Gooz.

It doesn't hurt that he's quite the stud either. 

xoxo-

Mags

Okay so it's only day four and I have already missed a post. Oh well, I did say that I would try. Day four, post three in my Thankful series. I am most importantly thankful for my Lord and Savior who never fails to love me despite my many many flaws. I know sometimes I am not always my best, my attitude could use a little tweaking, and sometimes I let my so called "busy life" get in the way, but he loves me unconditionally. I am forever thankful for his never ending grace and mercy. 

I am also beyond thankful for my church, and my church family. It means so much to know that I have a place that I can go and worship freely with people who love me, support me, and encourage me. And the little babies I get to teach fill my heart with so much joy. I am so blessed that I get to speak into their lives.

Here is post two of my Thankful series. If you know me well at all you know that I am a HUGE family person. I love being around family any chance I can get. Also, if you know me well at all you know my family is enormous, loud, and a tad bit on the crazy side but I wouldn't trade them for the world. We are all extremely close, and we always have each others backs. They have taught me so much, and I know I wouldn't be the same without every last one of them. We may fight, and get on each others nerves every now and then but they truly are the best people. They all have the warmest hearts and they would give you the shirt off their back if you needed it.  

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I am so thankful for these bunch of nuts. 

xoxo-

Mags

It's November? Where did this year go? Well since it's almost Thanksgiving I thought I would take this month to reflect on some of the things I am thankful for. So this will be the first post of my Thankful series. I'll try to post one everyday until Thanksgiving, and I would love for all my blogger friends to join in! 

I am so thankful for my parents. Most people at my age don't consider their parents to be their best friends but that is exactly what they are to me. I know that no matter what is going on, or no matter what I've done, they always have my back. They always have time for me. I am even more thankful  that they raised me in a Christian home. They taught me how to have a relationship with Jesus Christ. They taught me that doing the right thing may not always make me popular, or be the fun thing to do, but in the end it will pay off. They taught me to work for the things I want, to be loyal to the people I love, and that being pure means more than wearing a ring on my finger. 

I"ll love both of you forever and I am so thankful to have you as parents! I hope one day I am half the parent you two have been, have a marriage as awesome as yours, and have children as cool as me. :) 

High School Graduation

Sister-in-law's Bachelorette Party

Senior Prom 

Them after their Wedding in 1989

And in 2011..still going strong!

xoxo-

Mags