Happy One Year Anniversary

After we celebrated Christmas with our families in The Sunshine State, we headed back North, only, the party wasn't over yet! We drove to Columbus, Georgia to spend the night with my awesome cousin, Katie, and her wonderful hubs, Brett.

(Shameless plug: Katie is truly an AMAZING photographer. Really. She's the best! If you live in the Columbus, GA area (or Nashville, TN area), you must check out her site. I'm talking ridiculously good family photos, y'all. View her work here.)

We met this fun couple for dinner and headed back to their house for cookies and laughs. I guess we were just enjoying being together so much that I forgot to snap a photo! 

Brett and Katie, we love you both so much. It has been so sweet to watch God move in and through your marriage. We can't wait to see what's next!

The next day was December 31st...our one-year anniversary!!! 

Before leaving Columbus, Jon and I stopped by a local cafe for some good ol' southern breakfast: Cinnamon Toast Crunch french toast (J) and biscuits with sausage gravy (M). YUM! (For the record, this small town was not as fond of our biracial relationship. It was interesting to watch their reactions) ...but the food was great!

Next stop: Atlanta.

Jon and I both love Atlanta. My family lived there when I was three or four years old, so I don't remember much. However, it has always been one of my favorite cities. I think one day we might call this place "home" again ... hmmm...

We had  a BLAST! We spent the day shopping in Atlantic Station. After all, we both had Christmas and birthday money to spend! There were soooo many people and it was frigid outside, but we had a great time. 

We ate tapas at a fun restaurant called The Yard.

 I'm talking delish appetizers, you guys.

We checked into our hotel. Thanks to Priceline, we got a great deal on a hotel room at The Westin by the Atlanta airport. We checked in, showered, and put on our "street"clothes for The Peach Drop.

(Thanks Mom and Dad for our fun new clothes you gave us for Christmas!)

Can I just say, "Wow." How am I so blessed to be married to this handsome man???

My urban look.

New Year's Eve was quite an adventure.

We took the hotel shuttle to the ATL airport, where we boarded the Marta. Now, there were some interesting folk riding this public transportation system. I clung to Jon's arm the entire time.

Once we arrived in downtown ATL, the streets started crowded swarming with people. There were probably 10,000 people in this spot preparing for The Peach Drop. We got there around 10:00 so we could find a decent place to stand. Trying to ignore all the police men walking around in their bullet-proof vests (yeah, THAT was comforting), we laughed at the band impersonating The Beatles... and the family standing next to us that knew every. single. word. to. every. single. song. We also tried to dance and sing along to keep from freezing to death.

I will say, Atlanta puts on a beautiful fireworks show to welcome the New Year. 

It was exciting, and surreal, to hold each other through the countdown. 

A New Year of dreams, goals, blessings, and surprises.

 

 We sept in the next morning before taking advantage of the free breakfast vouchers we received from the concierge for our anniversary present.

Next stop: Ikea.

It was Jon's first time at an Ikea, and I remembered how overwhelming it was my first time. So... we walked through fairly quickly, and I didn't even beg to shop in the Marketplace at the end. 

(Although we did purchase a beautiful canvas painting to hang above our fireplace. 

Happy Anniversary to us!)

Our friend and former Atlanta-native, Jamie, recommended a place for lunch. We read the reviews online, wiped the drool from our mouths, and headed straight to Gladys Knight's Chicken & Waffles. Ohhhhh, y'all. It was UH-MAZING. The restaurant is a classy spot, adorned with pictures of Gladys Knight and Ron Winans. The menu is labeled with titles such as "Grammy Nominees" and Background Singers. And we ate like kings. Check it out:

Southern style fried chicken, the most delicious macaroni-and-cheese I've ever had, collard greens, fried corn with jalapeños, corn bread, and a waffle on the side. 

Talk about a food coma!!!

It will be an Atlanta tradition for us from now on!

Fighting our food comas (and the freezing rail that was falling), we headed back to Nashville.

The past two weeks were full of amazing food, unforgettable times with family and friends, and memory-making experiences between the two of us. It is rare that we splurge; we definitely live within our means. So it was fun to celebrate for a time.

We were full in every way.

Full of food.

Full of fun.

Full of laughs.

Suitcases full of gifts.

Full of life.

Full of thanksgiving.

We certainly were a blessed couple celebrating their first anniversary... beyond blessed.