Gratitude Friday...

Last weekend, we found out we're getting a brother-in-law.

(Okay, so going back and re-reading that, it sounds like we're getting a brother like we would be "getting" a new puppy. So just to clarify, we did not go to a shelter to pick out Brantley. I mean, he's cute and all, in that Eew, he's my sister-in-law's husband way, but not in the universally cute way a shelter puppy would be.)

Chris' sister, Meredith, is now engaged to Brantley.

Aren't they cute?

Of course, I posted the one of them in Auburn. Sorry Brantley but you'll just have to deal.

And I love this one because Meredith looks so beautiful. Brantley looks like Brantley.

While we were at the scrapbook crop in Alabama and after Brantley left...

(Yeah, the man came VOLUNTARILY to a scrapbook crop. They're in that lovely-dovey phase were they like to do everything together. It'll wear off. Maybe he'll join Jim for his Friday night Mexican meal when it does)

...I asked a rather simple question. "So on a serious scale of one to ten, where are ya'll?"

And she says, Well, we're planning a wedding in September so...

Um. Hello.

Mrs. JT and I proceded to barage her with our wedding advice. It was not requested but that never stopped us from giving anyone our opinion before. I feel relatively confident that she'll ignore us completely. Which only means that by Christmas she'll be telling us how totally right we were and begging us to forgive her for throwing our sage advice out the window.

The next day I bought her a wedding magazine and gave it to them. I then watched them all snuggly on the couch pour through the magazine discussing every detail. Brantley looked like he was geniunely interested. Only he knows the truth of whether he was or wasn't but I give him points for appearance. Chris pretty much had no opinions until a decision had been made and then he didn't like the decision. Unless it was about what color towels to register for. That he honestly did not care about. As long as he could be the one shooting the gun at Bed, Bath and Beyond.

By Monday, my MIL was telling me a secret. Brantley had asked them to have dinner that week. I was sworn to secretcy. And just to make sure I didn't tell, she called me later that day to ask me again not to tell. I assured her that while I had seriously considered Facebook retaliation for announcing our pregnancy to the internet before I had finished making phone calls to family, I decided to take the high road and keep my mouth shut.

It wasn't easy.

Because I was excited for her. Them. Us.

They've waited a while to find each other and besides the fact Brantley is a fan of our instate rival, he seems okay. He's a runner and somehow he's managed to convince my very unathletic SIL to take it up herself. That deserves some kind of award. He's employed (points) and has a house. A fixer-upper. More points. And he dove right on in with the family which isn't always the easiest thing to do.

Welcome to the family Brantley!

But I'm warning you, FB retaliation will occur at some point and now that you're marrying Meredith, you are in jepordary as well.

Thank you Lord for marriage, for those blissful days of the "tingles" and for a family who can't wait to celebrate with each other!