May Came and Went!

Time flies when you're... newlyweds! And yes, we're having fun!

After our move, Damion and I both started looking for jobs, pretty much anywhere.  There were some frustrations along the way - no call backs, spammy links and email offers, and even some "no thank you's" from potential employers. Bummer, huh? But, we tried to keep our heads on straight and our hearts and minds focused!

We started visiting a church right down the road from our house. We have enjoyed getting to know some folks there, and are so grateful for those that have reached out to us to get to know us more personally. Making new friends in a new place can be intimidating, for sure! It's been nice to be back around Damion's family, as well.  Since he came to Raleigh last February, except for a couple of trips back to LA to visit (during the summer for our birthdays and at Christmas), we haven't been able to be around much.

One opportunity that Damion had was to help out during the Lake Charles Contraband Days. It's a pirate festival! Wouldn't it be fun if I told you that he dressed like a pirate, walking around waving his hooked hand in peoples' faces for a couple of weeks? :o) No such luck! He did, however, get to hang out with some really cool people!  Ron and Trish are a sweet couple who love Jesus and run a food truck called Crackerbillies!  Check them out on Facebook!  They're on their way to a county fair in Ohio right now, so if you're in the area, stop by for some fried gator! Yes, gator! It's pretty delish!

Don't worry, he doesn't bite.. anymore ;o)

Gator tastes pretty mild. The texture is a lot like pork chops, but it's more like chicken in flavor.

They use a really great fry coating! I had mine with french fries, and some ketchup and BBQ sauce.

My cousin, Roslyn, lives pretty close! Yay!

She was able to come spend the day with me one day 

while he worked, so she went with 

me to have some festival food. 

She went for the chicken tenders, 

but I got to taste her side of fried cauliflower.

Super yummy!

Shortly after the festival was over, Damion was hired on with a glass installation company. He's been working with them ever since, but not just here at home. They have several job sites all over the country, so he's been hopping around to different cities for different projects. Sometimes, I get to come along! More on that later! 

After his first night of work, we hurried over to the Civic Center for South Beauregard High School's 2014 graduation festivities! Damion's brother, Dustin, and cousin, Dylan, both graduated. 

Congrats Grads!

And just like that, we were heading into June!

Some Of The Details

To finish off the wedding photo posts, I added some of the detail photographs to Facebook.
Head on over to see!

Thank you to Meghan and Micaela (twin sisters!) from True Foundation Photography for spending the weekend with us, capturing everything about our day! You can also follow them on Instagram or Twitter!

So Much Love!

This post is officially dedicated to our friends and family who worked so hard and loved us so well! I will forever be grateful for the things all of you did to make this day so special for Damion and me! <3
Here are some photos of our wedding party and our family!

This is my precious friend, Carmine. She and I met at work, and

once we got to be close friends, we couldn't believe that we had missed

out on one another our whole lives! I have laughed with this girl

(more times than you could believe) until we thought we would pass out.

She is a good listening, a faithful lover of Jesus, and I am blessed

beyond measure to know her! 

Oh, my Hallie... This girl is a picture of grace and faithful friendship.

We met through a mutual friend lots of years ago, and got to be roommates

once we finally got her to move to Raleigh. I miss her tons! She's such a 

servant, loves to share, listens, inquires, remembers what you tell her, 

and seeks to serve and love you on an individual basis! 

My friend, Amanda Jo! She has loved me so well!

She is a picture of home. She loves her family, shares her kitchen,

is creative, full of ideas, and such an adventurous one!

She's taught me many things about loving my husband,

serving the church, and I long to be as much like the 

Proverbs 31 like she is!

It has been MORE than an honor to know this lady for the past 12 years.

We met while working together at a child care program in Raleigh,

have been on many adventures together, traveled to the Caribbean,

shared lots of yummy treats, and I was incredibly blessed to

share her home with her and her family for a year. They consistently

loved me well, served me, and she taught me tons of things about

caring for my own home, loving my future children, and giving the last

thing I own to make sure that someone else around me has what they need.

What an honor to have her stand by me as my Matron of Honor.

This is my cousin, Roslyn. She came to do my makeup!

She and her hubby live in Louisiana, too! Yay! We've gotten to

see them a couple of times down here already, so that's nice. 

Hoping to see them again soon! <3 love you!

This is my longtime friend, Kasey. We asked her to read

from Ephesians 5 in our wedding. I'm so thankful to have had her by me!

She was a lifesaver during the wedding party photos before

the wedding, too. I was getting so irritable and hot and just

plain old mean. But, she was patient, attentive, and helped 

me calm down (and cool off!). :) Love you!

Damion and Jacob, his long time childhood friend.

I have heard TONS of stories and adventures about their years

growing up.. though something tells me, its only the tip of the

iceberg for what's really gone on. :o) 

Dustin is Damion's little brother.  He graduated high school a month or so

after our wedding. He loves the outdoors and is seeking to serve our nation

by becoming a US Marine, following in the footsteps of their Pawpaw Conley.

If there's one thing that Damion has always told me, its that he would

do anything for his little brother. He loves him a ton, 

and I'm so glad he's my brother now, too!

Uncle Jamie. :o) This man is hilarious to me.

Damion (and his mom) have told me lots of stories about how

he wrestled around with Damion as a little boy. He toughed him up. ;o)

He loves his kids and his wife, works hard to provide, and

cares for his nephew (and me!) really well!

This is Damion with his dad, Ted. He's a hard worker and

loves us so much. He's helped us in so many ways, and

we are so thankful that he's around. It's such a blessing to

watch him care for Damion's mom, too. His family has been

so sweet to me, too! I look forward to many more years to get

to know them!

Damion and his family.

Us with my mama and daddy.

Us with his mama and daddy.

Us with both our mamas and daddies.. daddys.. anyway.. ;o)

Elaina, the flower girl.

Me with my maternal grandparents, Johnny and Ellen.

Damion and his Mawmaw Dianna.

My brother, sister, me, and our parents.

My whole family. We were so bummed that somehow Damion

got left out of this shot! Would have been great for the mantle! 

(and apparently, my family has a thing for transition lenses. haha)