Happy 5 Years!

Its crazy to think that Michael and I have been together for   F I V E   Y E A R S   now! Time really does fly. We did not know what we were getting in to when we had the talk to become more than friends. I am glad we didn't know because we would have not soaked in every moment - the good ones and the bad ones. I am so thankful to say that I love him more today than the day we said, "I do". Happy 5 years to us "my friend Mayfield"!

We were "just friends" here but this was the beginning!

Happy New Year

Serving others at Thanksgiving

                                             

He is always there for my major work events!

Engagement photo

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Mayfield  

Woody and Jesse

 

               

 

                                              

 

We're having a baby!

A family of three

The obligatory church directory photo

3 Years!

Wow - how can it already be three years that we said, "I do"? A lot has happened in three years. Sold a house, bought a house, had a baby, changed a job - thats a lot crammed into that short of time. We've shared laughs, tears, and made lots of memories along the way.

I have loved watching you be the best daddy to Carsyn and the way she LOVES you! Last night at 11 PM as we were dealing with a one year old who had vomited for the first time - you were giving her a bath, I was changing sheets, you were calming her down, I was calming her down, all I could think about during that time was how thankful that we are a team - thats the way marriage is supposed to be! I pray our marriage always reflects Christ love for us and we point others to HIM!

Thank you for being...
My steady rock when I need support
My protector when I'm scared
My strength when I'm just too weak
My positive when I'm negative
My Prayer warrior 
My listener
My Friend
My Love

Thank you for the way you love us! Our family is my favorite!

Happy Anniversary!

Weekend Catch Up!

I have been so busy this week I haven't been able to blog about our jam packed and fun weekend!  

Friday - We had been planning a date night for some time.  My plans were dinner and to start our Christmas shopping.  Well Michael had a surprise for me.  He walked into my office and surprised me with a road trip to Callaway Gardens to see their Christmas lights!!!  I was so excited!  I had always wanted to go there and we had a great time!

First stop was Steel City Pops one of my faves.

The lights were so beautiful!!

I suggest going to check it out!

On Saturday we had the Handley family Christmas.  My dad's side of the family gets together on the first Saturday in December.  We always have such a great time together!  Food, Dirty Santa and this year the SEC Championship game - it was such a nail biter - needless to say it was a lively house with the game on.  This year we had the entire family except one person there.  That hasn't happened since I was a child.  It was a blast - 49 Handley's under one roof!

Brandon and Cole are  big buddies

It was so wonderful that my Uncle Murl was feeling well.  He has been battling cancer this year.

Chase, Ronald and Michael - the brothers-in-law

Michael and Ronald

Charlotte having a fun time

All eyes on the Tide!

The Handley siblings
Uncle George, my dad, Uncle Bobby, Uncle Ricky and Aunt Judy

Our first married Christmas

On Sunday we had Kay's family Christmas.  None of my photos turned out well for that one though.  Needless to say - the Mayfield's are in full Christmas mode!!

Merry Christmas!

3 months...

I have been meaning to write this blog for over a week now, but life has just been busy around the Mayfield home.  On November 11, we celebrated three months of wedded bliss!!  People ask us ALL THE TIME -  "how is married life?? and we say the same thing, "its great!". Because it is!  We are really enjoying married life.  I do not feel that I have had too many huge adjustments to being married.  We spent so much time together when we were dating its been an easy transition for us.  The biggest adjustment I have had is sharing a bed (I like my space) and having more accountability with my finances (which is a good thing).

I have learned some things about marriage, myself, Michael and us the past three months though (some things were expected, some were not)...

Here are a few things:

1.  I cannot imagine what life would be like with kids.  I have gained a new appreciation for my friends with kids - wow - its hard enough keeping up with meals, laundry (lots more laundry and trash) and the house for two people - much less more.
2.  I like to cook but trying to decide what to cook on a nightly basis (or once or twice a week) is tough.  I want to plan meals - but haven't gotten around to it yet.
3.  I am keeping a cleaner house now that we are married.  I am pretty strict on myself about a clean kitchen - which I never did before.
4.  I am slowly changing my vocabulary from mine, I, me to ours, we, and us.
5.  I have had to discipline myself for my quiet time.  Before marriage I was very disciplined, then marriage happened and my schedule went into a whirlwind.  So, I have developed a new one.
6. Michael makes me laugh more now than when we were just dating and sometimes the laughter comes from bodily functions (who knew I would ever think it was funny).
7.  I am learning about compromise.  One example - I LOVE Christmas!  My tree goes up first weekend in November - I think you should enjoy it for more than a month as long as it takes to decorate.  Michael is an after Thanksgiving decorator.  I waited an extra week this year since its OUR house now - he didn't make me wait till after Thanksgiving (thanks babe)! :)
8.  I pick my battles - its not worth an argument if he leaves the cabinet open (and I am sure he picks his battles too - i.e. putting up the Christmas tree before Thanksgiving).
9.  I am so proud of him and the hard work he does to provide for our family and keep our house in working order.  I didn't think I could love him more than on August 11 - but I was wrong.
10.  He really is my best friend.  I love spending as much time with him as I can and am sad when I am not with him.

Here is to another 3 months of learning new things about love, life and marriage!!

2 years....

2 years ago I did not know what to expect as I was invited over to my friend Mayfield's apartment for dinner after church.  I know what I was hoping would happen - but I was guarding my heart the best I could.

I had met Mayfield, as he was known to us, at church on my first visit to GFBC.  I thought he was a nice guy, but didn't think much about it. My friend Karen and I rode to lunch with him and I looked up at his visor and saw a picture of a girl that I had met a few years before - it turned out to be his sister, Elizabeth. I did not go back to GFBC for another few months. Once I began attending the church we became friends - we ran in the same circles.  As I got to know him better, I discovered we shared a lot of things in common - music, Alabama football, loved our families and most importantly - loved Jesus. Over the next year - we became better friends, hung out more and more and I began to have feelings for him. I tried to deny it and hope that it would go away but it did not. I went to Africa with work and really prayed that the Lord would change my heart about him - He did not.

When I got back from Africa, I started to see a change in his behavior towards me. We were talking more and could it be that he was flirting with me?? After all, there was a 5.5 year age difference (yes I am a cougar), why would he want to go out with me? He could have any girl he wanted - I was not good enough for him. He began to tell me to be careful and ask me over to his apt when it was just us and not with a group of friends. We were watching movies together...was something happening is all I could think about.

Then, October 27, 2010 hit - he had asked me 2 days before to come to his apt after church - he would cook me dinner.  After church we went to his apt, he cooked chicken casserole and we watched a movie.  Nothing happened...so we watched another movie - The Burbs (such a romantic classic :)!!) And we began sitting closer to each other and I saw the arm began to move to the back of the couch.  Then it happened - his arm was on my shoulder.  I was dying inside, freaking out!  This was actually happening!!  We watched part of another movie (please know it was so late at this point, on a work day and he never stayed up this late), held hands and then it was time for me to go home.

At this point - I wanted to talk - I was not ready to go home - I mean - what had just happened here? He said he'd call me and we would talk on my way home.  So, we did. We decided to pray about it - see where the Lord would lead us - no labels. We had both stated we were not dating just to date. For 2 weeks we prayed and I still had feelings and so did he. So, we decided to go for it.

2 years later - we have been married 77 days.  I love him more today than I did the day before. He is so much more than I had ever dreamed of in a husband. He is the one the Lord had for me, the one I waited for. I am so thankful for to HIM for him!


I love you Michael (aka Mayfield)!

Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think - Ephesians 3:20