Lots has happened since our last update......it's been busy!
Hope you all had a wonderful Easter celebrating our risen Savior! We spent the day in Waterloo with Dad and John. It was a lovely weekend, though bittersweet. We saw Mom's headstone for the first time. I'm not sure it's appropriate to say, but it's beautiful....Mom would be proud. There is something shocking about seeing the family names on a headstone however. I know it's another step in the process of healing, but I'm not a fan.
2 weekends before Easter, we headed to Jefferson City, MO to compete in the Butt-to-Butt invitational and the Capital City Cookoff. The Butt-to-Butt is an invitational for 10 cooks that win the pork category in certain contests throughout the year. Since we won pork at the Iowa State BBQ Championship last year in Marshalltown, we were invited. It's an honor just to be there - you should have seen the list of cooks - holy cow. I definitely felt we were the underdogs. We cooked pork all night Thursday night for a Friday afternoon turn in. We thought our meat was good, but had no idea how we'd fare with the competition. The awards are handled differently than most awards ceremonies. I think Mike Lake's goal is to have one of the competitors have a coronary during the ceremony. Only 7 teams could attend the contest this year, so Mike called all 7 teams up front. Then he announced places 6-2, leaving only the first and last places standing. I was really praying for a 2nd or 3rd place call, but of course.....we had to be one of the last 2 standing. We were honored to be up there with Randy Twyford as the last 2 standing. Mike decides now is a good time for some small talk and chit chat, while I'm standing at the back of the crowd trying not to throw up. When all was FINALLY said and done, Meadow Valley BBQ came out as the Butt-to-Butt XIII champs and winners of a nice cash prize and the coveted Boar's Tooth Necklace. I'm not going to lie....I freaked. I am just slightly competitive and get a little excited at awards.....once my little celebration dance was over, I turned around to see a huge circle had cleared around me....ooops....oh well. There are only 13 people in the world that can claim this honor, and we're humbled to be one of them. Since the contest, Josh and Steve have been fighting over who gets to take the necklace to show it off. It was a good start to the BBQ contest season!
I believe our next contest will be May 20-21 in Austin, MN. Then the madness begins from there.....it's looking to be a very busy summer with a graduation, a new neice or nephew, and lots of work projects for both Josh and I.
We're also excited to announce 2 new additions to the Bryant family.....
The first is a 2009 Toyota Camry. Since I drive 60 miles each day for work, we decided a more gas efficient vehicle was a wise purchase. We really like the Camry and are looking forward to 300,000 miles with her!
The second addition is a new little member of Meadow Valley BBQ! YES - we are expecting!! We are due 11/11/11 and are so excited and humbled to have been chosen to be parents. All the grandparents are excited, and I'm sure Mom is rejoicing in heaven over her first grandbaby. Baby Bryant has good timing too; we'll make it all the way through BBQ season, and most of the way through ISU football before the big day. We'll also not miss much of the wrestling season - what a good kid! :)
We are completely head over heels in love with our little creation already. The more I read about pregnancy and birth, the more amazed I become at what a miracle it is. It's a surreal feeling to know that I'm carrying our little one in my belly, and to know that every decision I make impacts this little life. I love it! I can't wait until we can feel him/her move!
We've had one ultrasound already, and have another this week. It's still too early to see the gender, and we're still "fighting" over whether to find out or not. I want to, Josh doesn't. I have a crazy need to organize and get things ready, and he just doesn't understand. He thinks we can just buy everything in yellow and green. That used to be the case, and let me tell you....it is no longer! Even at the baby stores, there is so little that is gender neutral anymore! So....I will totally win, I assure you :)
We already have a Meadow Valley BBQ onesie ready for Baby Bryant, too : )
I think spring is finally here, and we've enjoyed having the windows open to get some fresh air. Hope you all are enjoying this season as well!
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