Almost a YEAR....

Well, I know I said that I was going to update the Blog weekly but oh how hard that is.... I am not a computer buff like my husband is, but I am trying to get better with it....

We have done a few things and been a few places since we've been married. And still on HIGH since our Wedding day...I couldn't have prayed for a better MAN then the one GOD has sent. Ladies I'm here to tell you that when you pray for something be sure that's what you want because when you get it you sure better be ready to receive it and know what to do with it. Although, God will prepare you for whatever his plans are for you to have. Remember it's GOD's plan not yours.

My motherly ways have kicked in and I think we are doing good. It's always hard to express to a child that you are not there to take there place but to add to the picture.... But you know how teens can be, I've been there so I know... But God is good in his blessings..

The end of 2008 was good but boy was I glad it was over to move on to something else... The beginning of 2009 was good we brought it in with Family and Friends... February wasn't so good Lee lost his father but again God laid his hands in the mist so things are great...

Lee has joined my home church and has become the Organist and Musician of the Men's Choir. If you know Lee music is his PASSION... I am very happy for him. He will receive the right hand to fellowship the first Sunday in April and become a member of the New Greater Straightway Baptist Church in Philadelphia. He has made my grandfather very happy who happens to be the Pastor... We don't have many men so those that come forth gives the church some balance... I Praise God for him because he surely deserves it....

Well as for me I have taken the Real Estate Course and PASSED. I am waiting now to take the State Exam to become a Licensed Real Estate Agent in Pennsylvania.... I am sooooo excited and can't wait to get my license....

So until next time...... Peace, Love and Blessings.... Erica

Still Rolling On.......

Ok..ok...ok... so it's been two weeks.. I know I said I would post something weekly but time is of the essence... I don't even think anyone is still reading this but if you are very good... Leave me a message and let me know... Lee and I had Courtney for two weeks and I'll tell you it sure makes a difference when you have kids around... You know you can't do the NO KIDS IN THE HOUSE things that you do when you a newly married.... I guess my mothering will have to kick back in since we have a few more years until college....Although we would like to have a kid or two of our own someday... but stay tuned cause you never know what might happen :)

For everyone who came out to the family and friends picnic THANK YOU, it turned out very nice and for all that didn't make it you missed a good one and I guess we'll see you next year...

Well the summer is coming to an end and the kids will be going back to school and college. I wish them all good luck in ALL of their studies...

Well that's all for now.....Erica

I'z Married Now....

Well, it's been 1 month already.... And I'll tell you that there are still things that need to be done...Thanks mom for taking my dress to the cleaners and watering our flowers, send the thank you notes for the bridal shower... pick which pictures we want for the photo album from the photographer...send out the thank you's for the wedding and the list goes on....... I thought this was going to be easy after the wedding was over, but I guess that's all a part of being Married.... Which is sooooooo wonderful....

For ALL my single friends you just wait cause you get right stupid when you get a Huzband...I mean that's all you think about... I couldn't have gotten a better MAN...That Leander McClain is something else, but most of all he loves me very much and I him.... So y'all watch out for the McClain & McClain Team we're going places....you'll see

To all of you who helped with this adventure of me getting married I just want to say Thank You Very Much... I know my hubby said it already but now you can hear it from me... You know we're a TEAM now... so only one of has to say it not both....but I'll do it this time :)

I know we have not been keeping up with this but i will try and post something every week...

Oh, if you have some free time next Saturday August 9, all day our Family is having a Family & Friends Picnic in Fairmount Park call me for details...
So with that said that's all for now see you next week... Mrs. McClain (sounds good right :))

We Finally Made It!

After the months of planning, we finally made it. June 21, 2008 was the culmination of months of planning. And what a wonderful day it was. I actually had a blast. My bride looked so beautiful. All of her efforts were definately worth the time.

The reception was wonderful also. The food was excellent. Anyone who was there will tell you that Larry did a great job with the food.....and there was plenty of food for everyone. Larry.....you are my caterer for life. Keep up the good work. The cake was beautiful and verrrrrry good. Salinda, thank you very much. I would also like to thank the staff at Annunciation BVM. We had some bumps in the road, but everything was done to smooth out the bumps. In the end, the guests never even knew. I would like to thank my sisters, Chrysta and Samantha...you guys really were worth your weight in gold. We could not have done it without you. To my cousin Sheila.....you were on your job and you deserve a standing ovation. Thank you so much. The day would not have been a success without you.

To my second mother (you could never be just my mother-in-law)....thank you for all of your sleepless nights, endless days on the phone with my wife, numerous trips to the dollar store, countless deliveries and returns and sooooo much more that even I dont know about. Thank you. I love you.

To my mom and dad, thank you for all of your support. Thanks for sticking it out and making it down the road even when dad wasn't feeling well. The day would not have been complete with out you. I love you guys.

Thank you to my children...all of you.. Ashley, Courtney, Chrystopher, Averrie & Samantha. You are all the best. Always do your best at whatever you choose to do in life and in the end.....everything will be alright. Remember - God listens even when no one else does.

Thank you Rev. Pinkney for your hours of counseling and sage advice. Even though it was tough coming out to counseling some nights, I am so glad that we spent the time with you. I learned many important things which will help to keep my marriage strong. For the first time, I learned the true meaning of the marriage vows.

Mom-mom....beside every great man, there stands a great woman. Thank you for being the great woman that supported your husband and allowed him to share in our special day.

Vincent - Thanks for imparting the Word. We could not have done it without you.

Joel & Chrystopher - Ushers to the third power. Great job guys.. Thank you.

Makaia - You looked so pretty....thank you very much for sharing the day with us. There will never be another flower girl quite like you.

Zion - my nephew. It was good to meet you. When you get back from DC, we have some hanging out to do. Thank you for helping the old dudes look good. Always do your best, even when those around you will accept less than your best. You are a strong black warrior and the future of our generation. We need you! YOU ARE THE FUTURE. Good luck young brother.

Dawn - you know I love you. There is no way that the day would have been completed without you by erica's side. I love you and thank you.

JP - The man with the master plan, my brother from another mother. We have known each other only a short period of time, but it feels like we have known each other. I appreciate all of the words that we have shared over these last couple of years. You know & I know. BRO style for life!! Watch out world.....here comes The Palmore Realty Group. I love you bruh and that's real.

To the rest of my family friends...thank you all so much for coming and sharing in my day. This process has shown me who my real friends are. I love all of you guys.

To my bride.......you already know :)

And last but not least.....A special shout out to my favorite Uncle Billy, I think everyone now knows for the record that you are my favorite uncle. Thanks for gracing us with your presence.

Leander

5 Days! You Can't Be Serious!!!!

5 Days Til the wedding. There is so much left to do. Paint the rail, clean out my man cave, reprint the seating chart, print the programs, find the coolers, order the ice, verify times & location with the photographer, pick up the tuxedo, break in the new shoes, get a haircut (oh wait.....I don't have any hair), get the car washed, put up the new blinds, find a place for my 2nd favorite uncle to sit at the reception...etc, etc, etc.

Everyone keeps asking me if I am nervous. I say no. I am too busy to be nervous. But when saturday comes and my beautiful blushing bride comes walking down the aisle, it will all be worth it. Maybe then I will be nervous. Who knows. Right now, I am happy to have someone to share my life with. Someone who values me as much as I value her. Someone who........ok, ok....that's enough of the mushy stuff. I gotta get back to my work.......gotta pick up the beer, champagne for the toast, ................................

See you guys on saturday.
Lee

Surprise.....The Bridal Shower

Well... they got me... It was sure a BIG surprise on Saturday June 7 when I walked in my mother's house... I was absolutely surprised and knew nothing... All I know was that my mother was acting like she didn't want to be bothered with me, but that wasn't the case at all. So let me tell you the story...

It all started with me going to the hair salon early Saturday morning. I got up and got there around 7:00am which I thought I was going to be the first one there, to my surprise I was the third person and was that a wait. I didn't get out of the salon until 11:00am...yep 11am so how HOT was I, VERY... So I'm on my way home and Lee says, boo " How will you get your hair done the day of the wedding and get out early enough when you went at 7am today and you're just getting done now" I really didn't want to hear that so I just simply explained that the girls and I are going Friday morning to start the process and Saturday we'll only have to get styled...

I get home and he wasn't dressed," I should've noticed something then"...But anyway we get dress and head out, because Lee still hadn't found any shoes, so I thought that's what we were going to do. We're leaving out and Lee has my mom's picture album in his arms and I said where are you going with that. He says I want to take these to mom cause I'm cleaning and anything I put my hands on has to go. I said ok but thought nothing of it. Our goal for Saturday's mission was nothing Wedding related per say.. So out we go....We went downtown Market Street to Ronald Phillip and we get the shoes and now were on our way to Jersey to pick up Lee's wedding ring but first we stop for lunch, we get to Zale's and the clerk can't find the right paperwork to get the new ring out of her computer to do the exchange, so that took a few minutes, but 20 minutes later we are on our way. Coming out of Zale's right next door was the store "Things Remembered" and we knew we needed a few more gifts... While we waited for the things we purchased to be engraved there was a card store in the mall and we saw that they had somethings on display so we went in and got two more gifts, so now I'm thinking we are on a roll... We got three of the six gifts needed and moved to the next thing... But little did I know that the mission was soon to END... We leave the mall and I'm thinking we are going home cause I forgot about the picture album Lee brought to take to my mom. I started to tell him let's go home and I'll bring it to her later after I take a nap. After we cross the bridge he says " Are we going to your mom's to drop off the book" I said ok... So we get off the expressway and he takes the looong route and I'm tired really wanting to lay down but I didn't say anything... We get to the block and we pass this jeep that looks just like my cousin Dawn's. We're approaching the block an this grey jeep is backing out of the street and I say who is this idiot, so that person backed out we drive up and he passes the house and I say where are you going and he said to park, know we all know how HOT it was on Saturday and he's at the end of the block. So he goes around the corner and as we're coming back I spotted which I thought to be Ashley's car parked a block away, so he comes back up the street and I said to him why you park here, I sure hope she's home and he gave me a smirk and a chuckle...only at that point did I think anything was going on... He was taking so long to open my door and then he was fumbling in the trunk... I was saying to myself what is going on.... We finally walk up to the door ring the bell twice and my cousin Sheila answered the door and says "Hello" and I just started to laugh.. It was soooo funny to me that they had pulled one over on me...So since everyone wasn't there when I got there I answered the door and said Surprise to them, most of them didn't know what to do, laugh or be surprised that I was answering the door for them... This was an over all bestest day that I have ever had... Hope you all had as much fun as I did...Because I had a BLAST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

To my dear mother, daughter, bestest cousin Dawn and Sheila THANK YOU...THANK YOU....THANK YOU.... You really have out done yourselves this time... And to ALL my guests thank you for coming... And my Boo, you know I love you, thanks a million... SMOOCHES

June 6, 2008

OMG....15 days until the wedding...Everybody wants to know if I am ok and how things are going.... To tell you the truth....I'm going through the crying spells and checking myself fifty times to make sure ALL is done. I write two & three lists a day but when it comes time to look at the lists I can't find them... I guess that's my nerves...Hope I don't forget to do something important...

I find myself thinking about the wedding all the time. Lee made a comment the other day that we had to stop talking about the wedding late at night because he then dreams about things going wrong at the wedding.( like he forgets the words to his song...lol) I have dreamt so much stuff I try not to think about it...

Planning this wedding has been fun but a lot of work for everybody. For those of you who don't know my mom and I both had surgery on our hands. She had the right done and I had the left done. I am somewhat back to using my hand but believe you me it has been rough... She on the other hand had extensive surgery so things on her end is going slow but very well...Mom thanks for all that you have done and will do...I am very excited for the day to come for me to walk down the aisle.This feeling is the most incredible and I pray that it never ends... To all of the people who I have asked to be a part of this BIG event and you accepted "THANK YOU" you have no idea what it means to me...

And to my soon to be Hubby,I'm still in like with you & I LOVE YOU WITH ALL MY HEART, TODAY TOMORROW & FOREVER...

Love,

Sweet Pea