We got this recipe from my uncle's girlfriend. We were a little weary of it, but it was wonderful! A very hearty soup, great for a cold winter's night! We are not big cooked carrot eaters, so we omitted the carrots.

Potato Soup

3 cups potatoes
1 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 celery flakes
2 teaspoons parsley
1 quart chicken broth

Cook all together until potatoes are tender.

Add one can cream of chicken soup, one can cream of mushroom soup, and 1lb (half a large block) of Velveeta. Heat until smooth and creamy.

I'm not sure yet how it's going to hold up as far as left over's go. It's a rather thick soup and may need to be thinned out a bit for reheating. Will test that tomorrow!

Oh, where to begin.... It feels like it's been such a short period of time and I suppose in all reality, it is. We determined the other day that our first contact must have been in April. I was quite pregnant and he asked me where I would be delivering the baby. He also wanted to flirt and see my boobs so I blew him off. The little devil was persistent, though! I will give him that.

We didn't talk on a regular basis, by any means! Late night chats on Facebook, occasionally. We began speaking more regularly when my grandfather was really sick and then when he passed. Brandon became a rock for me, someone that was so far removed from the situation, and someone that didn't really know me. He was the person that allowed me to let me guard down and really talk about what I was going through. It was never a lot of, "I'm sorry." He just let me talk. I let him talk. We were both going through pretty tough situations and we somehow relied on one another. I never even had plans to meet him at this point.

We talked a lot on my drive home from Hot Springs in early July. I was getting closer and closer to Jonesboro. He told me he would be at Barnes and Noble for a little while... it was on my way home, after all. I toyed with the idea of meeting him. I was terrified. I've yet to really like the way I look since having the baby. I thought he would be disgusted. He was listening to a performer he knew... I sent him something commenting on her performance... he sent back asking where I was... what section I was in. I was still terrified when I heard his voice behind me. I had no idea what to expect. We only spoke for a very brief moment, then he asked for a hug. I could really say the rest is history... It sounds so cliche. He's been a constant in my life since then. My rock.

Let me start this by saying, I'm a hopeless romantic. However, I have never understood how someone could fall in love with another so quickly. I never understood how "those couples" could meet and be engaged or married within 6 months. I understand it all completely, now. It didn't take long at all for me to realize how I felt about him. Brandon does so much for me that no one else ever has. No man, I should say. He allows me to really be myself. He understands that I am still finding out who I really am. He never judges. He keeps me grounded. He makes me feel like the most beautiful person in the world, daily. He lets me vent. He knows my baggage and he accepts it. I wish I could list everything. I wish I could find words to explain exactly how I feel from day to day. Brandon makes me feel a little more complete. When I'm with him, it feels like we are the only two people in the world. My heart jumps slightly when his lips meet mine. I feel safer with him.

It's not been all good. We've had a bumpy road and it might be a little while before things really smooth out. I can tell you, with more certainty than I've ever had, that he is the man I want to be with.

I wish this wasn't such a jumbled mess, I hope you can follow and make sense of it. The bottom line... I've met the most amazing person and I'm so in love with him. I don't care about the length of time we've known one another. Everything, absolutely everything, with him him feels right.

Looks like I've got some catching up to do. I don't believe I've blogged since my grandfather's passing in June. Let's get up to date.....

The ceremony was beautiful, but difficult. My cousins, Alex and Ian, finally realized all that they had missed as we sat during the service. We all just started bawling. It was the first time that this generation seemed to have really needed one another. I've since spent quite a bit of time in Hot Springs. I saw it as a healing process. Not only was my best friend there, but being able to see my uncle transform my grandfather's home into his own helped in some way.

Now for a little more bad news before I get to the good. My other grandfather, my mom's dad, has been in and out of the hospital quite a bit over the last several years. He was diagnosed with COPD and has had several heart attacks and a blood clot in his lung. Just this week, he was released from the hospital after an almost two week stay. He's now in End Stage COPD and the doctor suggested we call in hospice. I've been helping my grandmother contact hospice agencies over the last few days. We meet with another one Monday. The prognosis is not good, but I have prayed and prayed and I am at peace with it all. It's brought up many, many emotions that I had not yet dealt with after Papaw Bill's death. I had a few days that were really hard, had a few little breakdowns, but I feel much better now.

Now for a little update on Thomas! He's reached the 3 month mark! I can't believe how quickly he is growing! He's about 14-15 lbs now, not really sure until we go back to the doctor at the end of the month. I will post some pictures from his 3 month shoot. I fall more and more in love with him every day. I never knew I could love someone so much. 

Now for my big (good) news! When everything was happening with Papaw Bill, I made a new friend. We began talking before I had Thomas, but didn't really start talking until everything was going south in June. His name is Brandon. Brandon quickly became my best friend. Someone I could tell anything to and not be judged. He's someone that I can be myself around and takes me as I am. I've always wondered about those couples that met and were married or engaged just a few shorts months later, but now I see how it's possible. I can't think of words to describe how he makes me feel. It all seems so sudden and it all happened so quickly. Everything feels so right. I've never felt more sure of anything, really. When I'm not watching the twins destroy everything I will explain more, in detail.

Although it feels like things around me have slowly been falling apart, I was able to find my rock. I found someone that keeps me grounded, that reminds me of better things in life. Someone that gives it to me straight, but makes me smile. Someone that accepts me and my son. We came to one another at a time it seemed we most needed someone and something beautiful blossomed from it. I can never thank him enough for all he's done for me in such a short period of time.