More than you know

Combine a black man, a few white guys, and lots of egytians...what do
you get? Tony Abdou's wedding. Tavaras Brockman and I made the trip
down to Valdosta, GA for the big event. Tony and Leigh tying the
knot. I knew before going that the wedding was going to be
interesting but had no idea what that would entail.

Tony's family is so fun. They were all super funny and very generous,
kind, and loving. We all stayed in the same hotel and ended up
spending about every minute of the weekend together. They came from
all over, including Canada.

The wedding rehearsal went well. We got everything down really quick
and that was good becuase it was a very large wedding party, 10
groomsmen and I think 11 bridesmaids, including two that were
pregnant. No, they weren't ours. Anyway. Then onto the rehearsal
dinner. The rehearsal dinner is by far one of my favorite parts of
the wedding events. A time when people say things that are funny,
encouraging, and just all around good. It's amazing that we wait
until things like that to say how we reallly feel. Many stood up and
shared stories about Tony and Leigh and it was really neat. Tony
shared stories about all the groomsmen and it was also very
encouraging until he got to part of my story. There were probably 50
or more people at the dinner. Tony talked about how we met and served
in ministry together. He told everyone how we had both encouraged
each other in the Lord. "At first meeting Justin, I thought he was
very weird." People laughed. Now I don't really get embarrassed.
But the thing Tony said next got me. After saying that he thought I
was weird, he went on to say that he got a chance to stay in a bed
with me in Memphis, Tenn for a mission trip we were on with FCA. The
next line out of Tony's mouth was..."Justin taught me so many things."
Everyone at our table about died laughing and the room erupted. I
started drinking sweet tea like a sailor. He tried to clarify that he
was speaking spiritually, but it just got deeper and my face was red
I'm sure. It was hilarious. By far, the funniest thing Tony has ever
done around me. A good time was had.

After the rehearsal dinner, we all went out on the town. We went to a
"mellow mushroom" that happened to have a bar and dancing place
inside. It was so fun. We just hung out and got to know each other.
One of Tony's cousins, Natalie, had never really heard good country
music so that was quite an experience to watch a Canadian get down to
some Hank Williams etc.

The wedding was fun and everything went smooth. The church was built
100 years ago and was beautiful. All wood and very detailed. Leigh
looked great and Tony didn't do anything stupid :) Not much room was
left to sit, a packed house! Or church.

Now here is where the fun really really began. I've been to a few
weddings in my life but never had I experienced what I was about to
see and hear. The reception was incredible and was held at a country
club in Valdosta. Super great food and very very nice. After
everyone finished eating, Tanner's Lane, the band, came out and
jammed. People started dancing but it was only a few. Then all of
the sudden, some really crazy Arabic music came on and the place went
nuts. Egyptians came out the wazoo and started breaking it down.
Have you ever seen someone belly dance? These people were breaking it
down. They came with some type of wrap around thing with
tamborine-like things attached to it. Wow, so much fun. So I
couldn't be left out, so Tavaras and I took the opportunity to learn
some moves. Cousin Eddie was happy to teach us. They all were. Even
the white girls were out there learning, hilarious. We would go from
Shag, to rock, to some swing, to some arabic music to some rap. The
most diverse and cultural wedding I've ever been to.

I discovered something this weekend that I never really knew about
myself. I really love other cultures and getting to know them. We are
so close-minded in the states and I don't know enough about the rest
of the world. All of Tony's family was super well-rounded and had
genuine hearts. Me and Tavaras were learning how to pick up girls in
Arabic until we found out that what we were saying really meant, "You
donkey!" Haha. We did learn a few nice phrases :) So a long blog to
say that I really like learning about people and broadening my
horizons.

It's not easy being Tavaras Brockman. Dancing with beautiful women and all :)

Note the drums :) The band rocked out!

Nancy and Natalie....awwww.

Reception, quite possibly the most fun I've ever had at a reception!

Family pictures too!

Tony & Leigh Abdou...awwww...and family.

Natalie (the Canadian and Tony's cousin) Quite possible the coolest crocheted hair around.

Cousin Eddie, Tavaras, and Joe Mikhail in the background. George Jacob in the way back, Mad shouts Dr. George!

Rough life, ya know.

Tonto with the ladies! Woo Hoo.

"So I just carry the ring up to you in my pimp-tight outfit?"

This is the most pimped out outfit I have ever seen. Look at this kid. I so wish I could rock that today.

Tony's bride :)

Leigh and the "flower girl" awwww.

Imagine Tavaras with white socks here and Michael Jackson in the making. Well I mean. Nevermind.

Very Sneaky.

Tavaras and John Scott, who knew?

Eddie Abdou ( Tony's cousin). We spent about 48 hours around each other and I'm now know as "cousin Justin" and he is "cousin Eddie." I love it. What a funny guy.

Tony talking to the bridesmaids...the last time he will talk to women as a single man.

Michael Gilbert, Andy Heck, and Tavaras Brockman.

Before the big show, some of the boyz grazing around the cheese and grapes :)

Natalie and JT at the waffle house too. See we have to make sure our Canadian people get the full experience of the South! She tried grits for the first time and was upset at me for ordering a "Big House" breakfast. Fat Americans.

No comment needed here. The myth, the man, the legend.

Sarah (Tony's cousin) and Tony the night before the big day. Of course we had to go to Waffle House.

John Scott and Elizabeth S. the night before Tony and Leigh's wedding. Good times!

We all needed money to go out one night so about 10 of us stopped at an ATM machine. A white guy, 1 black guy, and 8 or more egyptians walking through a drive-thru ATM machine. People possibly were suspicious, so fun :)

Wedding practice, or some like to call it rehearsal. Tony, Mr. Clary, David Welch, and the Bride, Leigh Clary.

They shall be calling from all around requesting this teaching.

This is a sign :)

I really like motorcycles. A guy I work with got a new harley and let me take it for a ride today. There is nothing like riding a harley. It feels like you've been on a roller coaster and when you get off of it, your whole body is shaking. VRMMMMMM.

My boy jeeson inspired me to post this. While he was growing his "crustache" and staring in chocolate milk commercials worldwide, I was busy growing a surfer mullet. I'm surprised that I was even able to have a girlfriend at this point in my life. Just look at that. Disturbing and profound.

That aint even right

Breasts. Many many blogs ago, I wrote about a woman breast-feeding in
the toy aisle of my local Walmart. This very much bothered me and the
many young children that were trying to eye the latest Star Wars set
and saw a different set. What was this woman thinking? I'm not
really sure.

Recently I went to visit some "friends" for dinner. One of my buddies
had a baby recently and I had not seen this child yet. I walk in the
house and see his wife sitting on the couch with the baby and then see
all the guys outside. Again, I've never seen this child so the first
thing I do is go straight to the baby. There was about 20 feet
between the time I walked in the door until I could reach the baby and
his "mama." Well upon stepping within the 5 feet zone, I was
informed, "I'm breast-feeding." Now isn't that something I should
have been told at the 20 foot mark. I could have easily avoided the
"no fly" zone and missed the breasts on the couch. I think there
should be some written rule about communication while a woman is doing
that. I'm all about God's creation and how it's amazing that a woman
has the ability to do that. It really is. But I'm not all about
seeing it happen while I'm trying to eat a steak dinner or maybe even
just driving in my car. Either way, I still find it quite hilarioius
and comical.

I really just enjoy life and all the characters that make it up. It's great.

The hottest DJ in all the land. She spins the ones and twos like a champ.

A modern day Solomon.

Lily and Taguba...This was during one of our "foul" conversations if you know what I mean. I think Tugboat might have tasted a sour orange or something.

Sleeve and Niffer, also dancing to the boyz II men.

Also dancing to Boyz II men!! Tavaras and JuJu!!!!

Memorial Day weekend party at our house...fun times, cookout..and well...dancing to boyz II men with tugboat!

Melody in green.

Well, you may be asking yourself why Sanch and I have on the same outfit. Well...I'm not sure. Everyone who came to our house one night was wearing green. We didn't want to be left out so we changed to be like the rest. Forgive us.

Showstoppers Part Deuce

I wrote a whole blog and the internet ate it. Grrrrr. I should go
find Al Gore, he invented the thing :)

So anyway, after you lose a lot of work, you lose the desire to write
all the same things again. So I wanted to write a follow-up blog to
showstoppers part 1. Many people, mainly estrogen baring ones, thought it
was very insensitive and highly offensive. I love it. Haha. It was
not meant to be. See a showstopper for me, might be the very thing
another guy really looks for in a girl. Just like some girls like
tall guys, some like short guys. Some girls like guys with big
muscles, some don't care. Some guys like girls with big....brains, ya
know. And well other guys don't really care about that, they would
rather ask.."Can she cook?" etc. The things we hold important to
ourselves might not be so important to others.

I'm not very organized. Some girls might really like a guy who has
everything in it's place. Well my issue there might be a showstopper
for that girl. Now if you are hot and love Jesus, I can be trained.
Well, that's another blog. Anyway.

We are who we are. We cannot change that our ears are big, we are
natually disorganized, or the fact that waking up in the morning is a
challenge. Hopefully if the Lord has someone for you, He will make
that person appreciate all the lil things that you don't like about
yourself. My boy Ed wrote a song for Julie about all the
lil things about herself. Her lil quirks. How she likes to drink
out of a can, how she curls her hair but it never stays etc. He loves
all those lil things. I hope I can find a girl who really digs a guy
with a messy room. :) Or I should say, disorganized :)

Caught!

I caught our washing machine eating a sock of mine. I just happened
to open the door at the right time and saw one of my socks being
chewed on!

For years I have wondered why my sock drawer looks like an orphanage.
None of my socks has a brother or sister. They are all alone. They
are all the same color because I'm color blind and it's sometimes
tough to match socks, so I buy them all the same color. White, brown,
or black.

I really like buying socks, so I honestly don't mind losing them
sometimes. I bought some new socks in charleston that actually take
the sweat away from your feet. But what I am wondering is...well if
they take the sweat away from your feet....where do they put it??? It
goes in your shoe. Unless it just disappears. Maybe.

Not quite a packrat

Every single time I move to a new place, I go through all my old
stuff. I never want to throw any of it away. I hold onto everything.
It's the strangest thing. I have the desire now to be organized but
struggle to fully comprehend the whole idea. Daily, I walk in my room
and look around at the things that are there. I need help in this
area. I have improved a lot over the past year and I don't think I
will ever be super "organized." Hopefully the Lord will send me a
chick that likes to straighten up and all that jazz. I didn't say
clean, people, so don't get mad. Well if she did like to clean, that
would be cool too. And well cook, do laundry, have children, etc
etc...i kid i kid.

Anyway. It's funny to look back at old stuff and see how things in
your life have changed and also how some things have remained the
same. I heard this quote in a song I think..."If you want to make God
laugh, tell Him your plans." This is funny stuff to me. I believe
that it is true. It is very helpful to have an idea of where you want
your life to go, but we should never limit it to only that. We must
be ready to take a hard left or right at the drop of a hat. I think
"change" is really tough for many people. Stepping away from what you
"know" into the "unknown." SCARY.

I really like people. There is just something to be said about
hanging around with good people that are on the same page of life as
you. I like people on different pages of life too. :)

We found an ant living and well in the center of a peach yesterday,
this was profound.

A co-worker/friend of mine invited me on a camping trip with his church. Fun times were had by all and if you cannot tell by the picture, it rained the whole weekend. I'm not sure about the Eminem/camping look I had going on.

Awwww, I found some more pictures from Freedom Weekend. Someone please fix my hat.

BLOG LINES for Stalkers

For all of you who love to read blogs, this is the website for you. It lets you know when new blogs are posted. It also allows you to share your favorite blogs with others :) :0~

Blog Lines!

I guess this is really what Freedom Weekend is all about. THE BALLOONS.

Can you say..."Asian Persuasion" :) NICE.

My brother Greg and his boo Megan(sp) He came up to visit me :)

4 Reasons that I love living at 106 Canterbury.

Left to right, Niffer, Lindsay O. , and WhitYEY at Freedom Weekend Aloft. I definitely had more fun dancing and singing with these beautiful people than listening to the music, ha.

At Carrie & Daniel's reception/party. It was great, lots of food, lots of friends, and well, lots of food. Amy Wyatt went with me and yes, if you haven't noticed, she's tall. I'm 6'1 and with heels, she's about to be taller than me. I'm secure in my manhood enough to not be intimidated by this! I like to brag about peoples' dads...well her dad was a Top Gun pilot :) Yes, girls just like Tom Cruise in THE movie.

Josh & Jennifer Turner sang at Carrie and Daniel's wedding. So good...they both sang a song in the wedding and at the reception. Good team and great wedding.

I'm not really sure what happened here. Am I Asian too?? WhiYEY and I could be brother and sister!

Freedom Weekend Aloft! Gavin DeGraw and some fly honies! Left to right ( Melody, Lindsay, Lindsay T. , Niffer, and WhitYEY.)