Grey's Anatomy....and why I ventured into this post

So, unless you live in Shonda – land, this post is going to mean nothing to you. In fact if you have no idea what I just was talking about, you may want to come back on a different day....or scroll all the way to the bottom for a fun Mother's Day printable going live in the Saville Design Shop.

But for now:

I have been a follower of Grey's Anatomy since about 11 years ago… If you know that we are currently in the 11th season, you know that I have followed it from its beginning. I have also watched it in its entirity several times online or on DVD with friends. It had its low points… Circa season seven… However, in whole, the cast and crew of Grey's Anatomy has felt like family for a long time. 

We felt it coming. The disappearance of Derek, followed by his return and rekindled romance. Along with his having to leave just one more time… We all should have seen that those were clues for a tragic ending. However, if you are like me, you were as blindsided as I was when he actually passed away on last Thursday night's episode.  I normally stay away from blog posts like this. Pop culture is not something that I really pay much attention to. Except Grey's. And well, really? I couldn't help myself.

I ended last week's episode with very few tears, honestly. I thought that the episode was so incredibly well-written. It tied together nuances that several of us who have been with her through the beginning would know Shonda was throwing in just for us. For example, he called Meredith when he got on the ferry boat. He said to this sweet little girl (did anyone else love that it was Sydney from Parenthood) "it's a beautiful day to save lives." Be still my McDreamy loving heart! You sealed the deal right there. Love. And a few tears. 

So, what's next? I think that is what many of us around here are wondering. The only experience I have with Shonda Rhymes ending shows is with Private Practice. What I do know about her is that she ended that show in the most appropriate and most beautiful way. So, if Grey's is not renewed for a season 12 (which renewal is still up in the air), I have the utmost confidence that she will do right by us. LOL.

I would almost rather her package it nicely and end it beautifully then go on and on with new and replacement characters. Of the original cast, we only have Meredith, Alex, Bailey, and the chief left. And truly… Meredith has lost both of her people. I know this whole season was about Meredith learning to stand on her 2 feet, however, what is Grey's Anatomy without a primary love story. I have faith that it can go on. I don't think it's possible for Meredith to fall in love anytime soon, but I think it can go on!

I'm not angry. Lots of fans are angry. I get that characters have to move on now and again. We made it through George and Izzy, Mark and Lexie, and now Christina and Derek. We can handle it! If Derek had to go, she did it right. He would've never cheated on Mer, nor would she have permanently kicked him to the curb. He had to die to give it finality and end their 11 season relationship well. It made it better in a way.


Here are a few fun theories for the remainder of the season just for giggles:

1-Meredith could be pregnant. Did anyone else notice the random throw up outside of the hospital? I know she was stressed and overwhelmed, but was it foreshadowing?

2-Will Christina or Addison make it back for the funeral? Addison loved Derek dearly...and though she has moved on, she spent a lot of life with him. Christina is Mer's person! She has to at least call, right?

3-Where are Mer and her kids running to? Switzerland to see Christina? A random tropical beach somewhere? I think Mer is going to quickly learn that home is where her people are.

4-For the LOVE, Shondra, please leave Alex and Jo happy! I know Alex is Mer's new person....but please please please keep it platonic.

Any other random thoughts form you guys? What are some of your favorite McDreamy moments? To get you started:

• "Pick Me, Choose Me, Love Me" -Mer 
• the prom night experience 
• The elevator proposal
• their sticky note marriage
• his desire to cure Alzheimer's for her mom's memory
• the fact that he slowly and patiently helped Christina to heal
• his going off the deep end when his hand didn't work, yet always being our Derek
• Saving Mer's life....several times....and still loving her
• Supporting Mer's infertility and desire to adopt
• and finally...his resignation from Washington, choosing to work under his baby sister...to be with his wife and kids. The perfect culmination to their perfect love story.

AND on a different note for those of you who stuck with me that long. Saville Designs Mothers day prints are ON SALE!

Choose any of our "Mom" designs and download yourself for just $2 in any size. Or, have a 5x7, 8x10, or 11x14 shipped to you for just $7. Guaranteed by Mother's Day. If you want the print with a frame, contact me and I will make a special deal for you as well. info@savillelife.com

Anyone who makes a purchase on or before Saturday of this week will receive an opportunity to win a customized "Home" print and medium frame. I will announce the winner early next week. 

Can't wait to hear your thoughts on Grey's, fellow fans.....

And hope to get some orders soon! Help support missions, love on your mama, and hopefully win a giveaway!

Life Lately-April Edition

K

This month has been so full of fun and family time! It has been polka dotted with traveling and sickness and friends and family. It has been full of JOY! April has truly been one of my favorite months simply because we have done life with the people we love. What more can you ask for, truly? God is so rich in His blessings for us.

The first week of this month/last week of march was Spring Break! We decided to celebrate by having a little rib grilling, fire pit enjoying, and friend time. This fella's mommy had the virus from all viruses so he came to hang out with us. 

I found these ribs on super sale. I had never cooked ribs before, so I put a dry rub of bbq flavorings, salt and pepper, and steak seasonings on them and baked them in the oven for 20 minutes to get them going. I didn't have hours to smoke them, so the internet advised this of baking dry, then grilling wet. So we added some BBQ sauce--Jack Daniels Honey on one and Sweet Baby Rays on the other. They were SOOO good! 

So you know how I said sweet fella's mommy was at home with the virus from you know where? Well, little man must've brought it to me because I spent the remainder of spring break feeling extremely unwell. So......tons of couch and bed time and trying to get better. It was not good, but we made it through! The virus basically hit us all in our friend group except Shannon, who at the time had hit the 9 month mark in her pregnancy. Praise the Lord for small blessings.

On the last day of my sickness, Chelsea and I knocked out lots of freezer meals. Don't worry, they're being cued for "Freezer Meals Part Two" post coming soon. To see my first freezer meals post, click here.

The weekend following the great spring break sickness, we spent Easter weekend with these cute kiddos: 

And their mommies and daddies:

 We don't get to see the Saville side of the family enough. When there are three grown kids who live in three different cities (even if we are only 2.5 hours apart), it is difficult to all get together at the same time. We are so grateful when we do. There is always fun to be had!!!

We made it home for Easter Sunday because Moose had to play bass for our special service. I matched one of my favorite middle schoolers for church that morning AND it was her birthday, so a picture was warranted. Happy Birthday ML! I love you and your family so much :)

We spent Easter afternoon with friends and family. Our family always always takes an Easter picture at the dogwood in my parents' front yard. (We took some this year, but for some reason not on my phone. I'll come back and add in a bit). My friends have made it a tradition as well:

  These boys....so glad they found their male soulmates ;)

  WHYYYY do i look so awkward in jumping pictures?? (Don't answer that...)

Love these people!

 ...and this guy is my favorite!

The week after spring break, I took a few days off to get my spring break chores done. There are some days I'm sad that my college/masters journey has brought me to this place of intermission where I'm subbing and still doing coursework. AND there are other days when I stay home to get things done and I am forever grateful for my part time schedule.
Clean and organized Pantry.

 And you remember my laundry room project.

About mid-month, Melanie Shankle (The Big Mama)'s new book came out. I've been following Melanie since my freshman year of college (so 8 years now) and knew that her memoir on friendship would be hilarious and perfect to share with my loves. I delivered copies on release date to my in-town besties and called my out of town besties, who all follow the blog and already had it. So, basically my 8 + favorite people all read it together, thought of our times together, laughed, and cried all together. It just added to fantastic moments of friendships. Melanie, if you happen to ever read this, know that about 10 minutes after one of my friends gave birth this months and about one hour after I had my wisdom teeth taken out, it was declared "Nobody's Cuter Than You" and we all laughed and shed more tears. Friendship is precious, but that's a blog for another day.

As I mentioned in my live it post, we are participating in local, international, and national missions this month. We collected over 250 baskets of food for our local food pantry after easter and sorted and distributed that food together.

We had a yard/craft sale as part of our fundraising for national and international missions. I have created a page on the homepage of this blog: http://blog.savillelife.com/p/shop.html with my Saville Designs on it. If you email me this week info@savillelife.com and order a small sign with print, I will give it to you for $10 and ship it to you for free. I will also enter your name into a drawing to win a medium sign with "YOUR STATE" and "home" for one lucky winner. Must purchase to win. We are hoping to finish out our mission trip funding in the next few weeks, so it is crunch time!!!

  One of my sweet friends sent this picture of my print on her mantle. I am so grateful for the support of our friends!

We spent more time this month watching running and basketball....in town and out of town....on the same weekends. SOOOOO FUN! (My husband would say...SOOO BUSY).

First overall girl in a 10K trail run. She beasted it. She was second overall behind this super fast man who was really impressed with our girl!

  Basketball has my heart.

We wrapped this month up with two fun things and one not so fun.

We waited on our Sweet Shannon to have baby Henry! They were induced on Sunday the 19th, so we planned to go see her Monday night....well, by 7:00 that night, no baby! The rest of us piled up in Starbucks and had a "push party" in Shannon's honor. She needed all the prayer she could get after 25 hours of labor!!!

  I subbed for Shannon's mother in law during the day and she had this sweet note on her desk calendar. I had to snag a picture!

  FINALLY we got to meet Henry Silas Meares. He is precious and his mama is a wonderwoman for beasting that labor and being willing to host a million visitors! Two years, two babies......many years and babies to come with these sweet friends. We've experienced 4 (and almost 5) weddings together, 2 babies, a miscarriage, additions of precious new friends, and we are so grateful for the time God has given us to be grown up friends! We are each other's people.

The second happy thing is celebrating Megan (not me, the other one) the weekend before her wedding. She and Sam are our last remaining non-married people in the group, so we can't wait to celebrate them the first weekend of May!

We started exercising on Sunday Night! Chels, Andi, PJ and I began (and we feel like others may join). We have SO enjoyed getting to know PJ and Michael this spring and I'm thrilled they're joining us for small group and she's going to join us as we kick our own booties into shape!

And finally, the not so fun part. I had an x-ray a few weeks ago that showed four impacted wisdom teeth that HAD to come out. (I creeped and took a picture of the x-ray when the doctor left the room).

So, yesterday, I had them out! Here are some photos for your viewing pleasure. To my husband and sisters' displeasure, I was not goofy, nor did I make any stupid videos on the way home. I apologize for being relatively normal!

 This side is beautiful.....

And lastly.....because, well, if you know me at all, you know this:

Oh, Grey's Anatomy. You have torn my heart into pieces again. Thanks Shonda. If you are at all slightly interested, my thoughts and opinions on last Thursday, on McDreamy and the whole shebang will go live on the blog Thursday morning in anticipation for the two hour special this week. If you aren't interested at all, you can scroll to the bottom of the post for the giveaway reminder and POSSIBLY some new print options that you will want to check out for MOTHERS DAY!!!! Free shipping and guaranteed delivery if you order by Saturday. 

DON'T forget to contact me this week info@savillelife.com to order your small print and board for just $10 AND to be entered into the drawing for a "Home" board for one lucky winner!!!

I love these life lately posts, even if they get super long! It's a perfect way for me to remind myself what's going on in life :) 

See you soon!