SNOW!

We were so excited when we woke up on Saturday, December 5th and opened up our curtains to find that it was completely WHITE outside! I was completely shocked because I didn't really think it was going to snow as much as it did. So we spent our morning doing all the things you do when it snows...sledding, snow ball fight, snow angels, and making a snow man.

Gobble Gobble Gobble

For Thanksgiving this year, David and I were able to stay in Tennessee. My mom, brother, and sister-in-law came up from Georgia and stayed for a couple of days. It was a great time of food and fellowship and Rock Band!

We started at David's grandparent's (Mimi & Granddad) house for lunch.

Back to David's parents' house for some Rock Band while we wait for dinner.

My family!
Some more Rock Band!

Then time to eat again...mmmm....turkey!


Friday was spent with some more family. My cousin, Christina, and her husband, Josh, came up for a visit.

And Mommy made filipino food....mmmmm...yummy!

And more Rock Band!

Queck-Schaaf Wedding

After David was sworn in to the Bar, the two of us headed up to Charlottesville, VA for a wedding weekend! Our good friends, Laura Queck and Jon Schaaf, tied the knot at The Clifton Inn. It was a beautiful wedding and I was honored to be a part of it.

David is a bona fide TN lawyer!

Since the last time I blogged we have had some very exciting news! A lot of you who read our blog already know that David has been working very hard for the last three years. These past few months were probably the most stressful out of all the three years. So here is a recap of the events leading up to this final great announcement! On May 17th, David graduated from The University of Virginia's School of Law.

On July 29th & 30th, he took the TN bar after spending the entire summer studying for it.

Then we waited two and a half months to find out whether or not David passed the bar. On October 16th, we found out what we all already knew (David was the only one that wasn't sure)...He PASSED the TN Bar!

The last thing to do was to get sworn in. On November 19th in Knoxville, TN, it became official. David was sworn in to the TN Bar and can now practice law! We are all so proud of him and all of his hard work.

God is My Provider!

I spent this past weekend up in Virginia. Being up there made me realize, once again, that God is my provider. Most of you know that I spent the last 2 years living in Charlottesville, VA. It's a scary thing moving your life to a completely new place where the only person you know is your husband. I can remember praying to God before David moved up there for law school that God would provide him with good Christian friends. God definitely answered that prayer when He put David in to Section F (you are placed in a section of 30 people your first year of law school and take classes with that section). Within that section David met some of the most amazing people who have become some of the greatest friends to us. I knew then, that God definitely had His had on that situation. It made me feel so much better about David being up in Virginia by himself his first year of law school.

Then, when David and I decided to get married and I knew I would have to leave all of my friends down here in Tennessee; I started praying that same prayer again for myself..."Lord, please let me find some good Christian girl friends." Once again, He answered my prayer. God provided me with amazing friends who were/are an incredible support. I just didn't think I would be able to make such good friends in my short time in Virginia, but God is my provider and He continues to show me that no matter where I go, He is there!

Some of the CVille people who mean so much to us!

Locks of Love

It has been a long year and a half and my hair was sooooooo long, but not anymore. On Friday, October 9th I headed up to Charlottesville, VA to have 12 inches cut off. My hair has been donated to Locks of Love so hopefully someone else can benefit from my hair. It is different having short hair and this is the shortest I have ever had it, but I am getting used to it and I love it!

Some of you may be asking, "Why did she drive 7 hours to get her hair cut?" Well, Jonathan has been cutting my hair for the past five years...he used to live in Cleveland, TN before he made the move back up to Charlottesville. The same year he move up to Virginia is the same year David started law school...so we lucked out and were able to have him continue cutting our hair. Since he has been with me during the whole growing my hair out process...I wanted him to have the joy of chopping it all off. So I timed my hair cut with a weekend that I was going up to Virginia for another event (Queck's Bachelorette).

Summer 2009

Since I didn't blog all summer, I thought I would just do a summary of some of the things we did this summer after going on our cruise.

Before heading back up to Tennessee after our cruise, we drove down to Ft. Lauderdale to visit Rich and DawnChere' Wilkerson...friends from college.

We also met up with Steve and Jessica Houston, who are friends from Charlottesville...but they just moved down to Miami this summer.

Settled back in Tennessee, I learned how to do some pickling with Nana.

Celebrated the 4th of July on the Hiwassee River.

On July 10th, got together with old college girl friends...we had ourselves an old fashioned slumber party at Mallory's old house in Ooltewah, TN.

Spent the day at my in-law's pool in Charleston, TN.

On July 29th-30th, David took the TN Bar Exam in Knoxville, TN.

We came up to surprise him after he was finished...it was a long two days for him....we find out on October 16th whether or not he passed.

David driving the tractor down to The Carroll's house to cut some grass...welcome back to the country!

Celebrated Robin's birthday on August 4th!

My mommy came up to visit for the weekend...took her on a boat ride up the Hiwassee.

Did some gardening.
And learned to cook a couple of my favorite filipino dishes, Menudo and Pansit.David and I celebrated our 2 year anniversary on August 11th.

So in love with this man!

Two of our favorite people from Charlottesville, Pam and Carter, came to visit us on their way back to San Diego...Pam just graduated from UVA Law with David.

Celebrated Lorraine's, one of my little cousins, 18th birthday on September 4th (her bday is Sept. 2nd).

Celebrated my 27th birthday on 9-9-09.

Watched UCLA beat the TN Vols :( But it is a fun start to the Fall.

Hicks Family Cruise 2009

So I know the cruise was a long time ago, but I have not posted a blog since then. We took our cruise June 21st (3 months ago) and had a GREAT time! We sailed on Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas out of Port Canaveral, Fl. David's grandparents (Mimi and Granddad) loved it so much that about two weeks after we got back, they decided they wanted to take us on another cruise next summer. It's already booked for July 4th on the same ship...can't wait! Here are a some pictures from this year's cruise.

Practicing in case of an emergency.David and Laura with Mimi and Granddad...About to get off the ship at our first stop...Labadee, Haiti

In Labadee...on top of the "Dragon's Breath." When the water hits the rocks, it sounds like a dragon's breath. That is our ship behind us too.

Me, David, Kyle, Laura, and Kari posing by an "abandoned" boat on the beach in Labadee.Second stop in Ocho Rios, Jamaica.

Me holding my turtle friend.The Scott Hicks family shopping in Jamaica...our ship in the background.

Playing putt-putt on the top deck of our ship.

David's cousins, Kate and Kari, and David's sister, Laura.

Playing in the arcade...we're just two little kids.Just one of many towel friends created by our great stateroom attendants.

With Aunt Amy and her diving gear...tendering over to Grand Cayman...third stop.

Met up with my cousin, Priscilla, in Cayman for a private tour.

Played with some stingrays...no big deal.

And did some snorkeling.

The whole Hicks family!

Just doing some shopping in Cozumel, Mexico...our fourth and last stop.

Last night...our wait staff sang "Happy Graduation" to Kari and David.