INSPIREMS

Putt Rehearsal Dinner {Events}

3/10/2019

Happy Tuesday y'all!
We wanted to start your week off with this gorgeous rehearsal dinner. This event was so elegant, timeless, and fit this couple perfectly. Keep scrolling to see more from Harrison and Evan's rehearsal dinner.

Wendy Putt, owner of Fresh Cut Catering and Floral, is an expert on bringing her client's visions to life. for this fabulous rehearsal dinner, the client happened to be her son Harrison and his fiancé Evan. With the help of the Fresh Cut team, Wendy translated the bride's overall theme for the wedding of classic elegance into a stunning event filled with dynamic floral arrangements, clean lines, and amazing food. All these elements came together to create the perfect occasion to celebrate this precious couple.

A Celebration of Lori Newcomb {Life}

3/8/2019

Happy International Women’s Day!
Everyday we are so thankful to be surrounded by strong, caring, and inspirational women. There are so many women in our community who give so much in order to better the lives of others. One of these women, Lori Newcomb, passed away last week after a long battle with ovarian cancer. It goes without saying that Lori was a bright light in the Jackson community and beyond. Her dedication to serving her community even in the midst of extreme adversity leaves us at Inspiration in awe of her strength and wonderful spirit. In 2017, we had the privilege of sharing Lori’s story with our readers. Today, in honor of International Women’s Day we wanted to share Lori Newcomb’s story again. We hope that every one of you are inspired by the strength, generosity, and light that defined Lori. Our prayers and condolences go out to her family and all who had the privilege of calling Lori Newcomb a friend.

“God gives you gifts in life. You get to practice using your gifts throughout different stages, with different people, different circumstances and at difference times, preparing you for what you are truly supposed to do,” reflects Lori Newcomb. “When I was younger, I was so passionate about being a great mom and making the best of my path in life. Now I’m on a new journey.”

Newcomb is beautiful, elegant and smart. She exudes warmth and grace, and her genuine care for others is refreshingly contagious. Newcomb grew up on the Ross Barnett Reservoir outside of Jackson, Mississippi. After graduating from Northwest Ranking High School, she left for the University of Mississippi. While studying Public Administration and Economics, she often found herself relaxing at her favorite haunt, McAlister’s Deli.

“I was a loyal customer and went in all the time,” she laughs. “Chris Newcomb and his father had opened McAlister’s. One day I walked in to grab my signature sandwich, and Chris was working with a young lady in the kitchen. He looked at her and said, ‘I want to know who that girl is! I want to take her out.’ She just happened to be my roommate.”

Four years later, they became husband and wife and soon welcomed daughters Madison and Blair and son Hayes. Madison, age twenty-two, says, “She really is the best mom; she put all of her energy into raising us. She helped me with my homework, was always involved with my school and activities and most importantly, was always there to talk.”
In 2004, Chris opened his first Newk’s Eatery restaurant. In the past, Lori worked for the Gap Inc., training employees and opening stores in Dallas. The restaurant world was a perfect fit. “Though I have never worked directly with Chris, we both love the entertaining aspect of Newk’s. I came from the retail world, where you have total care of your clients when they come in. It is the same in the restaurant world! We love making sure our clients are happy.”

But in 2013, their world changed. “Every year for my birthday, I have an annual checkup with my OBGYN. I knew I wasn’t feeling well for a few months prior, but I kept thinking, ‘I feel better. I feel better.’ But I never felt well and it got persistently worse. I was diagnosed with Stage IIIC ovarian cancer in February at my annual checkup.”

Lori loved to exercise, but suddenly found herself in bed, undergoing treatment. Opening her laptop changed everything. “I came across the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund Alliance (OCRFA) and noticed a spin event. I thought that was so cool; it combined my love for spin, raising awareness and finding a cure.”

The symptoms of ovarian cancer are blurry at best. Bloating, lack of energy and a loss of appetite are common. If ovarian cancer is diagnosed early, the rate of survival is high. “But with no early detection test, vague symptoms are the only warning signs.

That’s why we started the Newk’s Cares initiative. Our goal is to improve the rate of early diagnosis by funding research and creating greater awareness about the early symptoms of ovarian cancer,” says Lori.

Through Newk’s Cares, Lori started an Ovarian Cycle Ride in Jackson. In only three years, the high energy event has raised over $500,000, donated to the OCRFA.

Newk’s Eatery locations across the south are stocked with educational literature, and their red straws have switched to teal in honor of ovarian cancer awareness. Lori says, “September is awareness month, and we change out our signature black cups for teal cups. We also sell water bottles with information on them, and ten cents from every bottle sold is donated to the OCRFA.”

The community has beautifully embraced Lori’s fight against this silent killer. “It has been so rewarding,” smiles Lori. “We have received personal emails from women thanking us for putting educational literature in the restaurants. We now know what the symptoms are. Women are aware, going to the doctor, and finding out what is going on with their bodies.”

Lori remains completely devoted to her adoring family. “She is one of my best friends and we talk twice a day,” says Madison. “People who meet her never forget her. I have had so many approach me and tell me she made them feel so loved, even through one simple conversation.”

Lori is gracefully humble, yet passionate about her path in life. “I am not the greatest at bringing awareness to cancer, but I think God is helping me be the best communicator I can be. He has often taken me out of my comfort zone and walked me through some major mistakes in life,” Lori smiles. “But looking back, it humbled me. It helped me to be more open minded and hopefully a gentler person. That is part of sharing my experiences with this illness. When people are fighting cancer, they need to feel empathy. I am passionate about communicating that it is okay to be you in life through all of your experiences.”

To keep supporting Lori's fight against Ovarian Cancer, please consider donating to OCRA through this link https://give.ocrahope.org/lorinewcomb. Additionally, you can find out more about Lori's story at www.NewksCares.com.
You can find Lori's obituary here.

Uptown Dental {Insider Inspiration}

3/5/2019

Happiest of Tuesdays Y'all!
As always, we hope every single one of you had an amazing weekend. We know that going to the dentist can feel like the worst chore out there, but it really doesn't have to be that way. Our friends at Uptown Dental have gone above and beyond to transform the patient experience. Keep reading for more on how Dr. Michelle Crews and her team at Uptown Dental make sure dreading a trip to the dentist becomes a thing of the past!

There are so many things that set Uptown Dental apart from the typical dental office. At the core of Uptown Dental is Dr. Michelle Crews, a talented dental professional and dedicated business owner. Dr. Crews grew up in Clinton, attended the University of Mississippi School of Dentistry, and currently lives in Madison with her husband Derrick and their three children. As a sophomore at Ole Miss, Dr. Crews fell in love with dentistry and her passion for the field has not wavered since. “I love how much changing someone’s smile can be such a life changing event for them. It’s amazing to be able to be apart of that process,” smiles Dr. Crews.

Her passion for patient care is visible in all facets of her practice, down to the atmosphere of her office. “The Uptown Dental team has an amazing dynamic that makes patients feel at home. That feeling only exists for the patient when they can tell everyone loves what they do,” says Dr. Crews. For the Uptown Dental team, a large part of making sure their patients feel at home is ensuring that every visit is as comfortable for the patient as it can be.

Technological innovation is the driving force behind Uptown Dental’s daily practice and ensures that patients are experiencing the highest level of care and comfort possible. “We strive to stay on top of the latest technology because each and every advancement makes dentistry more comfortable and efficient for our patients. Patient comfort is our top priority!” says Dr. Crews. Uptown Dental provides patients a range of services from the cosmetic, such as teeth whitening, botox, and fillers, to more complicated dental procedures such as surgically guided dental implant placements and restoration. Any service is accompanied by complimentary additions like paraffin hand dip, warm lavender neck wraps, essential oil diffusions, and blankets. Televisions streaming Netflix in every treatment room take the patient experience above and beyond what is expected of a typical dentist appointment. Uptown Dental offers these extras in order to ensure every visit to their office is as pleasant as possible.

“Mississippi is absolutely home to me. It is the people here that make it so amazing! My patients feel like extended family. I love watching their families and our bond grow,” smiles Dr. Cews. To become a part of the Uptown Dental family please call (769) 257-0399 or visit their office in the Township in Ridgeland to make an appointment!

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Putt Rehearsal Dinner {Events}

A Celebration of Lori Newcomb {Life}

Uptown Dental {Insider Inspiration}

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