Friday, May 23, 2008

prettiness



Just wanted to share what was growing around our yard. The orange ones are in the front, and the red ones are in the back. I love lilies, they make me happy!

Monday, May 19, 2008

Answers and Updates

I thought I would give a small update on things, since several things have happened since the last post. On Saturday, May 10, Nana took her last breath. It is one of those things that if you look deep inside, you know she is so much better off. However, the pain still seems to sneak up on you. The fact that we knew this was coming, did not make it easier to deal with, but there is comfort in knowing that she is in heaven. I went to Mississippi on Sunday and Jonathan came on Tuesday. We held visitation on Tuesday night, and the funeral was Wednesday morning. It was nice. I still think my favorite thing the pastor said was something along the lines of the following (however, I don't remember exactly):
"On the ports of major rivers, once the workers load the ship and send her off, they look down river and say, 'There she goes.' The great thing is that at the port where the ship is headed, there is a crew waiting saying, 'Here she comes.' And although we all look at Nana and think there she goes, there is a crew in Heaven rejoicing and saying, 'HERE SHE COMES, HERE SHE COMES!'"
Another tidbit, Jonathan and I were asked last night if we were ready to go to Nicaragua. That was his way of letting us know that we were accepted. I don't know if either of us have realized that we will be in another country again this summer, but we are excited none the less. Now comes the part where we pray for clarity. We have to decide how to handle the financial part (it will cost us $3200), my course schedule, and other small logistic issues. Please pray with us that God will show us how to work these things out!

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

A few requests

Because someone might read this one day, and it helps me feel better, so if you are out there, here's what I'm asking:

When I start to type the many things that are on my heart, and desire to ask for prayer, I am reminded of the many blessings (too many) that we have and how undeserving I am of all he continues to give. So my first request is that you pray that I never take anything that God has given us for granted, and I learn to fully rely on Him for EVERYTHING!

Next, my grandmother is sick. She has been for quite a while, and I've been expecting God to call her home for quite sometime now. However, last week she was admitted to the hospital with pneumonia. Since she has no immune system, her body will pretty much just be shutting down at this point and it's only a matter of time. She has a UTI, and she is aspirating food at this point. She will not receive a feeding tube as it will only prolong the inevitable, and probably even pain. The hardest part for me, is that I am having a hard time accepting that her leaving here, and going to heaven is the best thing. I mean I know that, but it is so much harder than I expected. I just thought since I expected it, that it would be easier, and I'd be more willing to accept that she is better off. She is the matriarch of our family, the last living grandparent to my siblings and I. My heart hurts that I won't get to travel to Mississippi, and go the nursing home and see her, with her Albert Einstein hair, and listen to her constant "blue, blue, blue" talk. I will miss even that, but more so, the woman she was before she was sick (oh, she has had Alzheimer's for at least 2 years). Please pray that she will feel as little pain as possible, and that we (my family and I) will be okay with the Lord's plan. Please pray specifically for my mom as she balances working and spending all her spare time sitting at the hospital with my "Nana."

And lastly, Jonathan and I have decided to apply for a week long mission trip to Nicaragua. There are a couple of quick things I'd ask you to considering praying about for us. First, that if it is God's will for one, both, or neither of us to go on this trip, that He would make it crystal clear. Second, if we do (either or both) do go, that God will help show us how to figure out the details...financial, my schooling schedule (if I haven't told you, I start course work for my masters in June), Jonathan's work schedule, baby-sitter for the dog, etc. None of these are huge deals, we just want God to be all over this. We are really excited about the possible opportunity to get to do a trip together and experience God's hand in such a unique way. This would be a special and unique opportunity for us because we would get to spend our first anniversary doing missions. That would just be incredible -- I think anyway!

Anyway, I've gotten enough of my emotion out that I can move on now! Take care, and we love anyone that might possibly read this!