27 for my 27th....

In honor of my 27th b'day (yesterday) I thought I'd share 27 things about myself with y'all...
1. It's almost ridiculous how much I love our puppy, Miley.
2. #1 makes me realize that I cannot fathom the love that I will have for our babies.
3. I judge people a little when they are seemingly healthy and they ride the elevator between the 1st and 2nd floors...particularly from the 2nd DOWN to the 1st.(*women later in pregnancy do not qualify for any judgment-I'm sure I will also be riding the elevator when I'm in that position as well!)
4. Some people claim I'm "too sensitive" because I cry/tear up more than most... but I see this as a blessing b/c God gave me a tender and compassionate heart.
5. It bothers me when brides think that entitles them to treat others poorly. It is an excellent opportunity for them to rise to the occasion to show their grace and gratitude for those around who love and support them. Same goes for preggos, but I have more compassion for them and their inability to control their hormones.
6. I do not like being in one-sided friendships. I invest greatly in my friendships and expect the same in return. On that same note, I do not give up easily on them either.
7. My favorite flower is the hydrangea.
8. I have a routine in the shower and it throws me off if I accidentally don't follow it: wet hair, wash face, shampoo/rinse hair, put conditioner on hair, wash body, rinse conditioner, and rinse body.
9. I reallllly like sushi and like to try new rolls.
10. I believe I was made to be a wife and a mom. Hopefully God will bless us with babies and the money for me to stay home with them (at least for a little while.)
11. I am a sucker for "chips and queso."
12. I am extremely productive when I am procrastinating doing something else. haha.
13. I have recently started enjoying yoga/pilates classes at Gold's. They are so great for stretching out my tight muscles that increase my low back pain.
14. I am good at keeping others' secrets, but have a little trouble keeping my own. haha.
15. My favorite shows right now: Law and Order (Criminal Intent, SVU, and original), Real Housewives of NYC, Grey's Anatomy, and Private Practice.
16. My newest nickname is TBG. Some of our friends in our Sunday School started calling me that b/c it's how I sign my text messages and some e-mails. I dig it.
17. My latest conviction has come from the verse Proverbs 16:9 "In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps" because I have been trying to plan my course of babies, school, and life, when all I genuinely want is God's perfect will for my life.
18. I have had the same 2 best friends for about 14 years now. Although they are both amazing, God glorifying women, they also very different, which is something that I admire about them because it makes each relationship special and unique.
19. Sometimes I look at JBG and can see the little boy in him. It makes me love him even more.
20. I adore Wyatt K like he is my real nephew.
21. I've recently given up "dieting." I'm eating what I want within reason. This includes pizza once a week and icecream at times. I haven't gained any weight doing so. It's very freeing.
22. I hope to use #21 to my advantage for losing weight by continuing to add more exercise and creating a bigger deficit.
23. Josh and I think 27 seems a lot older than 26, even though it's just a year.
24. I get anxious about big life changes, but intensely look forward to them at the same time. (ie: getting married, babies one day)
25. My biggest fears are drowning and dying early. Secretly they used to be drowning and dying a virgin (early). Score one for me.
26. I really like traveling and staying in nice hotels. (who doesn't? haha) I particularly love cruises!
27. I cannot stand Curlz font. It offends me. Spread the word if you'd like. ;o)
Although those of you reading this probably know me really well, I hope that you learned at least one new thing about me.

I'm interested to know... What was it?

Tweet!

Well... I did it. I've joined the ranks with Ashton Kutcher, Demi Moore, Oprah Winfrey, and Trey Hardee. I joined Twitter. Let me know if you tweet as well. You can follow me @taylorbgamble :o)

Story to come....

Here's the story!
Last night, Josh and I decided to start cleaning out our storage closet in the carport. It had never really been organized when we moved in, just a catch-all for junk. In the midst of cleaning, I grab some of the gardening scissors and go trim a few weeds growing in the bushes in front of our house. Afterward, I walked back, saw a tub of stuff that had a few other "tools" in it and just tossed the scissors in it... WELL..... the tub also had a can of rustoleum (which is basically spray paint) in it and the scissors landed right in the can! It started spraying just a fine mist at first, but then that died down and I went over to grab it and throw it away... when I touched it, paint when EVERYWHERE!!! Not sure what to do, we drove the .87 miles to my parents' house to get answers and give them a good laugh, b/c... let's face it, it was really funny! After catching her breath, my mama gave me a few bottles of fingernail polish remover to try. I came home and scrubbed like there was no tomorrow. Not only was it all over my face, in my hair, in my nose, and in my ear, but it was up both of my arms and hands. It has mostly come off, but there is still a little left on my arms for me to finish scrubbing today. So, moral of the story.... don't toss garden scissors... ever... but especially not anywhere near a can of rustoleum!

Family Weekend at Auburn College of Veterinary Medicine

Last weekend, I had the pleasure of going to Family Weekend at Auburn College of Veterinary Medicine to celebrate my sweet sister Grace's acceptance into the Class of 2013. We are fortunate that our lake house on Lake Martin is about 45 min to an hour from Auburn, so Josh and I drove to the lake house, played with Miley in the water for a little bit, put Miley in her crate, and drove to AU to met my family in Auburn for the dinner at 6pm. After the dinner was an information session, at which I won one free night at the local Hampton Inn in the raffle. Woo! Ha ha. Then we all headed home, and boy was Miley glad to see us! Needless to say she had lots of energy after being in her crate for the evening. The next morning, Josh, Miley, and I went back over to campus for a special kind of Fun Day thing the Vet School does every year. There were dogs EVERYWHERE and Miley was in HEAVEN! She looooves meeting new friends! The Vet School was open for tours, so we got to look around and see where Gracie would be spending all of her time for the next 4 years. I was amazed by one lab in particular because it had TONS of skeletons that I'd never have an opportunity to see otherwise, such as a llama, cow, and an ostrich! After a little while, Josh and Miley drove back to B'ham so he could compete in the cycling race in town (he got 10th in the category 3 race and 8th in the Pro, category 1, 2, and 3 race!) and I stayed back to look around for houses for Gracie with her and my parents. My parents decided that since Grace would have her dog Bailey down there with her and she'll be there for four years, it was the best investment to go ahead and buy a house down there. Apparently resale is great down there as well. Win-Win. (They are also hoping my other sweet sister Paige will go to AU for grad school, so they can live together.)Gracie headed home after house shopping, and mom, dad, and I grabbed some dinner and headed back to the lake house to rest after a long day. We definitely observed the Sabbath on that Sunday, because we just relaxed-which is one of the best things about the lake house. It is so relaxing... no computer... on the water... just time with friends and family. :) I had a great time in Auburn, and have always enjoyed being on campus in past, too, because there is just such a friendly, social atmosphere. It is definitely that way at the Vet School, and I am so excited for Grace and this incredibly exciting new adventure on which she is about to embark. She's going to work really hard, but it is going to be an amazing experience.

SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK!

I'm taking this opportunity to do a plug! My sister is on the Junior Board for Cornerstone Schools of America and is heading up the silent auction this year. They are having their big Schoolhouse Rock event tomorrow night!
PLEASE COME!!!

Here are the details:
Date: April 16, 2009
Time: 6-10pm
Where: B & A Warehouse
1531 1st Ave South

Strickland Trading Company and the Jr. Board of Cornerstone Schools presents the 4th Annual Schoolhouse Rock on April 16th from 6:00 - 10:00 p.m. at B & A Warehouse. Schoolhouse Rock will feature music from Billy Gant & Teenage Daddy, heavy hors d'oeuvres, drinks, silent & live auctions.

TICKETS ON SALE NOW!!! Tickets are $25/$30 at the door. You may purchase tickets at www.csalabama.org or call Sarah at 205-591-7600 x8. All proceeds will benefit the children of Cornerstone.

Cornerstone School was founded in 1993 by the late C. Molton Williams and area business and community leaders. These leaders sought to end the cycle of poverty that goes hand in hand with an inadequate education by providing a stellar academic and biblically based foundation for children in Birmingham.

For more information about Cornerstone visit our website at www.csalabama.org

Baby Gray

Our friends Jenn and Cole Gray just found out today that they are having a GIRL! I'm so happy for them :o) They will be such loving parents. Baby Girl Gray is due September 13th, and I'm so excited to meet her!



Check out their blog for details as they unravel!
The Gray Family

Weekend in Fairhope... and Kelly Run Farm.

This past weekend, I was in the wedding of our dear friends, Sarah and Keith, down in Fairhope, AL. Josh and I had the pleasure of making a trip down to visit them back in the Fall, when we got to celebrate their engagement and see the venues which they'd chosen for the Big Day. I absolutely loved Fairhope, and became even more excited for their Big Day after seeing the venues. They were married at St. Francis at the Point, a precious little white chapel in Point Clear, AL, and their reception was at the gorgeous Grand Hotel Marriott-also in Point Clear, AL, less than 1 mile from the church. If you have never been to the Fairhope area, I highly recommend taking a trip down there!

Let me back up a bit... So, Sarah gave me the tremendous honor of standing up there with her as she and Keith pledged themselves to each other in holy matrimony. Josh and I made plans for the trip, and after a recommendation by my BFF Eden, we made reservations for Miley at Kelly Run Farm in Odenville, AL. She had taken their dog, Buck, down there a few times, and said that he always had a ball, so we thought we'd try it out for Miley. I had to be in Fairhope by 12:30pm on Friday afternoon for the Bridesmaid Luncheon, so we battled between getting up early Friday morning to make the drive or leaving on Thursday evening. Since Kelly Run Farm has specific drop off/pick up hours, we had to leave Miley there before 5:30pm on Thursday due to the fact that they would not be open early enough for us to drop her off on our way out of town on Friday AM. That helped us make the decision, and we went down on Thursday evening to stay in Mobile with my long-time family friend, Ryan, who is a 3rd year med student at the University of South Alabama. After we got down there, Ryan and I ended up staying up until 1:15am chatting! (WAY past my bedtime!) The next morning, Ryan took us to his fave coffee spot, Carpe Diem, to get some coffee and a muffin. Afterwards, he gave us the grand tour of Mobile. He was a fabulous host, and we were sorry to leave him mid-morning as we headed to the hotel for our early check-in. (No, we didn't stay at the Grand Hotel...it was just too expensive for us Gambles...but we wish we could've!)

While I was at the luncheon, Josh took that opportunity to go ride his bike on the flat roads of south Alabama. That night, we had rehearsal and the rehearsal dinner, which was at the Wash House Restaurant-almost across the street from the church--another perfect venue! Following the delicious meal, great fellowship, and humorous toasts, many of us headed to the Grand Hotel to hang out with each other and wedding guests at Bucky's Birdcage Lounge. Exhausted from the early-morning chatting with Ryan, Josh and I called it an "early" (and by early I mean 11 or 12) night. Saturday morning, we hung out around the hotel for a little bit before walking over to Downtown Fairhope (approx 2 miles from our hotel) to walk around and grab lunch at Panini Pete's, a local favorite featured on Guy Fieri's Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives (one of Josh and my fave shows) last May. After a pleasant walk back to the hotel, I got ready for the Big Event!

A pretty laid-back bride, Sarah didn't ask us to be there until 3pm ready for pictures. After my great experience with our wedding photographer, Samantha Alday, I highly recommended her to Sarah, which she took and quickly booked Samantha. It was SO great to see Samantha and her husband, Clark! (He comes as her assistant to catch some of the shots from different angles and other special moments). They both hugged Josh and my necks, and wanted to hear all about how life for the Gambles was going. They are too sweet. Pictures went well, and I was glad to see that Sarah and Keith took mine and Samantha's advice to do their pictures together pre-ceremony. I know this can be a touchy subject for some, because we all have this romantic notion about seeing each other for the first time as we walk down the aisle to our groom. I was the same way, but after talking to Samantha, I changed my mind. Not only did Josh and I have the opportunity to have that very special "first glance" in a more intimate setting (not that doing it in front of 350 of your closest friends and family isn't intimate ;o) ) but we got to take pictures when we were at our freshest--fresh makeup, no/few wrinkles in Josh's suit, etc. It also gave us the opportunity to get some of our pre-ceremony jitters out of the way so we could better enjoy the ceremony. Another plus that I personally felt strongly about was not making our guests wait at the reception for us to finish pictures. Please don't take me the wrong way--I believe every bride/groom should do what is best for them. This is what was best for me, and as it turns out, was also best for Sarah and Keith. Full of love, joy, excitement, and sentiment for her groom, Sarah did get emotional during the ceremony, which messed up her make up a little bit. She was so glad to have already taken those special pictures with her groom at her freshest! I digress :o)

Sarah was absolutely beautiful, and Keith was beaming with love for his bride. It touched my heart to see our sweet friends tearing up as their eyes met in the church, and as they began that amazing journey together. Their ceremony was performed by a friend of theirs from law school, who was also an ordained minister. His ceremony was one of the BEST that I've ever witnessed. After the ceremony, we all took a few pictures and then it was on the the Grand Hotel to celebrate! There was a cocktail hour, followed by a sit-down dinner, during which we watched Sarah and Keith's first dance, the father-daughter dance, and Keith's mother-son dance. (Josh and I both had the filet mignon, which was incredible!) Following dinner was lots of fun, catching up with old college friends, and dancing! I thought it was a great evening. Around 10:30pm, we all wished Sarah and Keith a safe trip (Whistler for skiing) and headed back over to Bucky's Birdcage Lounge to visit with friends. Sunday morning, Josh and I had breakfast with our friends Katie and Eric Spencer, and Lara from Vandy before they headed out. We took it easy that morning, doing some leisurely packing and watching a little tv before checking out.

Because it was the first time we'd left her for the weekend (or more than a few hours), we were anxious to see how Miley's weekend at the farm went. She was so excited to see us and was clearly a happy girl---success! Apparently she made some new friends and even got into the lake on one of her walks (don't worry, it's encouraged!). The lady said Miley did great and that she just wishes she had 1/2 the energy that Miley has haha. Josh and I were so relieved to see that she was happy and that the weekend was a success for her as well.


A few things about which I'm excited...
1. My friend from Vandy/AOII, Jenn Gray and her hubby find out the sex of their first born tomorrow!

2. Easter is this weekend! Jesus died for our sins---I am so humbly grateful for his sacrifice! For us, Easter Sunday also means getting together with family, which I adore. It is so neat to watch our family expanding as we add new wives/hubbies and babies.

3. Blooming flowers and trees! Spring is my absolute favorite season due to the beautiful weather (where did that go btw?) and flowers everywhere! Snowball viburnum, dog wood trees, azaleas, etc. I. Love. It!

Well... I've sufficiently procrastinated, seeing as though I'm at the library to do school work... not blog. Ha ha. I'll post some pics from the wedding soon. Hope you're having a blessed week and staying warm, Y'all!