Update

Grandmommie went to the hospital on Friday with severe abdominal pain. She had not eaten in about 4 days and was getting dehydrated and sickly. My Mom took her to the Emergency Room under orders of Uncle Al because she didn't have enough time in the day on Friday to get in to her regular doctor. They admitted her into the hospital and she actually is still there as of today. She will have to stay there until she gets completely better. She has an infection in her colon. They gave her antibiotics through and IV, fluids through an IV, and also morphine for the pain. That must be intense. I know that morphine is a very strong drug. I am glad to hear that she will recover however. She will also probably need some rehab when she gets out because of the fact she has to sit in the bed for so long and it is causing her legs and other parts of her body to feel sore and not even able to move. I hope that this will get better soon. Moving around is the most important thing for anyone, especially the elderly.

Appalachian lost their games on Thursday and on Friday as well last week so the guys ended up staying the night on Friday and coming home on Saturday morning. Josh got in about noon and we got our things into the car and went on to Montreat. I am sad that I didn't get to go to Greenville and see the games and my cousin Kevin but I'm glad that we got to visit with Billy and Pat at Montreat. Even though we live in the mountains Montreat is still an amazing get away. The Porter house there was built in 1907. Can you believe that it's over 100 years old? It is in great condition and the downstairs has been redone since the year 1907 I'm sure. The upstairs is more of the old timey look and gives you the home feeling every time you step foot inside of it. We went to lunch at Dr. Pepper's as soon as we got there. This restaurant is right in the middle of Black Mountain downtown. We then hung out at the house and helped straighten up a few things. We mounted a flat screen tv on the wall in the living room which I might add is a very nice addition to the downstairs. Papa Porter will love it I'm sure when he sees it for the first time in a few weeks. Bill Porter comes up for a few weeks every summer and relaxes and gathers his thoughts. I think that it's kind of like his sabbatical, as you hear so many people talk about in the summers. Saturday night we went to dinner in Asheville at a place called Cheddar's and ate entirely too much. Then that night we just watched tv together and fell asleep. Sunday morning we got up and did more things around the house. I wanted to go to church at Montreat Presbyterian Church but we just couldn't gather ourselves together in time because we were so tired and lazy. We did get more things done around the house. We all left in the mid afternoon and headed back home. I was sad to go but glad that we had been able to be together.

While we were at Montreat and sharing stories about our lives, Pat told me a story about how Josh's cousin Eric is in the hospital in Tennessee. He apparently had surgery on his hand and it has become infected. He has been in the hospital for about 10 days I believe and they are saying that he needs to control his drug habit or he will die. His brain apparently has been fried from using so many drugs. This is a sad thing because everyone in the family loves him and wants the best for him, not the worst. He will have to do something in order to be able to regain control of his brain and drugs are not the answer. I say prayers for him everyday that he will make a full recovery and not need to turn to drugs for an answer or for an escape.

In the mean time, my family had been gathering together at the hospital in Charlotte to take care of Grandmommie. Uncle Al and Aunt Ann had gotten Grandmommie a new loveseat from a furniture store in Charlotte and put it in her living room. I know that she will be excited to come hom to this surprise and will find herself more comfortable on that couch I'm sure than her old couch. That couch was beginning to feel very uncomfortable and she spent most of her time in a chair instead. Al and Ann weren't leaving until today so I'm glad that my Mom and Dad got to spend some time with them. It's so nice to be with family.

You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them. ~Desmond Tutu

There is nothing more precious in my eyes than family :)

The Importance of Grandmothers

Grandmommie has been having a rough time these past few days. Apparently she is very sick to her stomach and had some incidents that weren't too pleasant. The doctors seem to think that she just has a virus but I sure hope that she gets better soon. People say that she was getting some of her color back today but Daddy said that she was talking funny tonight. I don't know exactly how funny that she was talking but apparently she just seems too weak to talk. I think that the Lord will lead us through it but I think that we need to say prayers for her. Grandmothers are very special people and without them we may not learn all the ways of the world. She is so very wise and loving. I hope that she can get better and recover fully.

Appalachian and the Southern Conference Baseball Tournament

Josh has left and traveled on to Greenville, SC with the Appalachian baseball team. The season is winding down with the final Southern Conference Baseball Tournament. They start off the tournament by playing the Citadel at 1 p.m. tomorrow. If they win then they will play at 5 p.m. on Thursday but if they lose then they will play again at 9 a.m. on Thursday. Whew! That would be an early game huh? I think that playing at 5 would be a much greater advantage. I think that tournaments don't ever really reflect how well a team can play because the circumstances in a team's life changes throughout each game and throughout each team that they play. One day one team can play amazingly and the next day everyone not feel well and play awful. Baseball however is unique in the fact that someone can help make up for someone else's slack.

Say prayers that App makes it far into the tournament. If this does happen then I will be going to the ending games on Saturday and Sunday. I hope that this happens because Tuesday-Saturday without seeing Joshy is tough enough as it is. I can't wait until SATURDAY! :) On top of this tournament going on it's also Memorial Day weekend and the fam is going to Montreat along with Vick and Allen. I think that that will be a fun time. If App does end up losing and the boys come home then Josh and I are going to head on over to Montreat to relax and enjoy some more mountain air. That house is so nice and relaxing that it's hard to not want to be there all the time.

Sam's Bridal Shower in Belmont

Today was a great day. I drove home to Belmont to attend Sam's bridal shower at Mitzi and Doug's house in Pinsto Forest. This is in my parents neighborhood so I stopped off to get my Mom and then we traveled on down the road to their house. It was raining so we needed an umbrella to carry the presents inside under. I parked somewhat on an incline and Mom couldn't get out of the car. It was hilarious! I was laughing so hard and standing in the rain. If anyone could have been there for this you definitely would have wanted to be.

We went inside and everything was beautiful. There was a dining room filled with punch bowl, pretty flowers, tarheel shaped white chocolate, carolina blue m&m's, chicken salad sandwiches, and carolina blue and white cupcakes. There was a pretty display of gifts in the living room and after everyone had gotten something to eat we gathered around to watch her open her gifts. She received many things from her registry which were all beautiful of course. I'm sure that she can't wait to use all of them. She will be the best cook in the world and have the best kitchen that anyone could ever ask for. Everyone feels that way during their wedding time because of all the kitchen utensils that you receive. It's fabulous!

It was so great to see Ansley, Mitzi, Mimi, Glo, Julie, Maw, Stephanie Sellers, Stephanie's Mom, my own mother, Meg, Mary Barron, and others of course. Ansley is getting a little belly on her and I think that it's precious. She is going to have a little one and they are naming it Jayden Thomas and I can't remember the last name but what a cute name right? Next shower will probably be Ansley's shower unless Erin's wedding shower in June comes before that one. It's an exciting time. Sam will be married on September 5th and Erin on August 8th. All my babies are growing up. :)

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Last night and this morning have been so awesome because Josh has been able to be at home and gotten to sleep in. I even got him breakfast in bed because I am so happy that he is here. Baseball season is winding down and it has been a long road. The last thing left and the last traveling that he has left for a while is this coming week when Appalachian goes to the tournament in Greenville, SC. I hope that App makes it all the way and wins the whole thing but I also hope that I don't have to be without my husband from Tuesday-Sunday. I will however go to the final tournament game and stay in his room with him if they make it that far. That will be a lot of fun and work perfectly especially since I don't have to work on Memorial Day. Merry-Land will be closed. Woohoo!

Last night App won against Longwood and they played a good and somewhat quick game. I've seen games that last forever and this game seemed to just breeze by. Longwood probably didn't even know what hit them even though they did almost come back to win since the score was 3-2. Josh and I are missing out on some important events this weekend. It is Alexandria's bachelorette weekend in Savannah, Georgia and it's also the night of Sam's lingerie shower in Charlotte, NC. Also last night and today is the Alumni Reunion of KDR brothers in Greensboro. I will be able to make it to Sam's shower at Mitzi and Ansley's house tomorrow between 2-4:30. I decided that this will be do-able since it's only a drive to home (an hour and a half) and I already have the gift ready to give when we get there. My Mom and I are going to go together.

As a side note I feel really blessed that both Josh and I have jobs at the moment in this economy. The United States will take a while to recover from this hole that we've dug ourselves but I know in my heart that the Lord will provide and take care of us. Prayer is always a must!

Ephesians 4:1

This book called Devotion for Couples by David and Teresa Ferguson is fabulous and really puts family life into perspective.

May 14, 2009

Josh and I have been reading through a devotion book for couples for the year after they get
married. Today the devotion is titled "To Beseech Another with Exhortation, Comfort, and Care." I therefore....beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called. Ephesians 4:1 Caring entreaty helps give purpose and passion to life. It's easy to fall into the barenness of a busy life, thus faithfully addressing the tyranny of the urgent while the truly significant goes unnoticed. Caring entreaty brings me back to eternal reality. Life is short, but people are eternal, and I can make a difference in their lives.

Christ often gave testimony of being "entreated" by His Father. "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing, for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does." (John 5:19)

Maybe such times of entreaty reminded the Son of His first day of ministry, when at the River Jordan He heard His Father say, "This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased." (Matthew 3:17). In many ways, His earthly ministry can be seen in terms of a relationship between the Son and His Father.It's this priority of relationship that seemed to guard Christ from being caught up in temporal things, allowing Him to remain free to reach out in love.

Christ's example ecourages my openness to entreaty. Teresa seems to have a special sense about the children's needs for time and attention. As the tyranny of busy schedules begins to take its toll on family closeness, she seems to sense the need to reconnect. Her loving entreaty maintains our family priority. "Honey, I think it might be important to plan some relaxing family time," she will tell me. "Everyone seems to be needing it."

I've just been reminded-entreated-in a loving way about what really matters.

Question: What would you and your spouse put at the top of your list of priorities today?

This devotion that I read really helps me to realize that there are times that family just needs to sit down together and care about only each other for the time being. I think that this even means Josh and I and our dogs. When life gets busy I do know that being together can make everything all better again. Life does get busy for everyone and the Lord provides time to be with those that you love the most and that make your world go round. God isn't only concerned about taking care of you in the physical needs but in emotional needs as well.

The Bridesmaids

Carly, Kami, Heather, me, and Katie

Katie, me, Heather, Maggie, Lily, Lindsay, Carly, and Kami

Pictures of Lindsay's Wedding

Our pretty done up toes

The gals at the rehearsal dinner

Me, Lindsay, and Katie

Rehearsal dinner: Heather and I

The vows are being exchanged :)

The pretty bride and handsome groom

The pretty bride, Katie, and I

Look at the bride in her cute wedding attire

Look at Kate's works of art

John and Lindsay Mineck

It was a beautiful weekend in Charlotte, NC. Josh and I woke up to get ready to leave on Friday May 1st. It's been my first day that I've asked for from work since I've worked at Merry-Land Academy in Boone. We took the dogs to the vet and then set off on our way to my parents house in Belmont, where we stayed instead of the hotel to save money. I dropped Josh off and then went on my way. The rehearsal is the first thing that I attended at Asbury Park in Charlotte, right off of Harris Blvd. It was nice. I knew that I was to walk back down the aisle with Tommy as my escort. It had been a long time since I had seen him or any of the groomsmen for that matter, besides Matt Daurelio who I see most often. After the rehearsal I headed back to Belmont to my parents house to get ready for the rehearsal dinner. Josh and I left about 6:00 and arrived at Fox and Hound at 6:30. We were on time and ready to go. There was a perfect amount of people there. The room was nice and the food was very good. There was even a chocolate fountain. Other foods that were included were salad, chicken, pasta, and fruit. Josh and I left about 8:30 and we went to see Xmen: Wolverine. That movie is good if you ever get the chance to see it, especially if you are a fan of the other Xmen movies. After the movie we went home and went to bed in anticipation of the next day.

I woke up at 8:30 and took a shower and dried my hair. I gathered my things that I would need to get ready in Lindsay's room in the hotel called Drury Inn and Suites. This hotel is located right on the grounds of the new Northlake Mall. It is very nice and you can tell it is brand new almost. Josh drove me to the hotel so that we could have one car that night and not two. It was 10:30 already and when I got there Heather painted my toenails with the pretty pink color that Lindsay wanted our toes to be. Then the hair ladies arrived. One of the ladies named Joy did my hair at the same time that a lady named Kyndal (spelling?) did Lindsay's hair. Joy did a good job on my hair. After this Kate Knowles did my makeup. This is what she is going to school for so she did a fabulous job. It really was very beautiful. I should take her with me wherever I go. After we were all ready we were lounging around and relaxing and waiting on the photographer to arrive. The photographer came and we reenacted getting ready and then we got our things together to head over to the wedding site (Asbury Park). We took shots of us and some of the family before hand and then we escaped away into our room so that we could hide so the boys could get their pictures taken. We worked to make sure that Lindsay wasn't seen by John. ;) It worked. Then we waited for the ceremony to start. We walked through the inside instead of walking around outside because it stormed and rained. However, it has been said that rain on your wedding day is good luck. It sure was beautiful and peaceful.

From there the ceremony was beautiful. John cried of course and it was very sweet. Then we took more pictures after the ceremony and then we were introduced into the reception. It was fun to watch Lindsay and John have their first dance together. They were so happy. Then we ate some fabulous food and danced the food right off for the next 3 hours. All in all a very successful wedding. I'll get some pictures up here for you to see.