Almost 6 months!!

This Saturday is 6 months until our wedding day!! Hard to believe we've been engaged for well over a year now. We had gotten so much done early on that for a while we've been able to relax and focus on recover from surgeries. Now that we are hitting the 6 month mark it's time to get back into planning mode. The thing I'm stressing about most is flowers and decorations. Everything from centerpieces to bouquets for flowers and lighting and table set up for decorations!

So I decided for this post to get y'alls input on some of the bouquets that I'm looking at for myself and my bridesmaids. I was thinking of having the bridesmaids bouquets different from mine, but I'm not sure yet.

I've said before my colors are maroon, black, and white....being a hardcore Aggie :) ..... so I want maroon and white in the bouquet somewhere and the bridesmaids dresses are maroon/chianti and black.

Bridesmaids dress

So what do y'all think?

Getting in the Christmas Spirit!!

It really is the most wonderful time of the year and even in the middle of my recovery I can't help but be cheerful!! It hasn't be easy getting around on crutches wherever I end up going to celebrate this season, but I've kept on pushing so I never will have to look back and wish I had. Last Friday night, I went to dinner with my parents and after to our annual downtown Christmas stroll!!

Our beautifully decorated courthouse square

We missed the lighted Christmas parade because of dinner, but we made it in time for the local bands to play Christmas music and eating all kinds of free goodies in the downtown shops. One place had the best wassail I have ever tasted! Do any of you like wassail as much as I do?

Saturday, my wonderful fiance had pre-ordered the new Eclipse movie for me since I got him addicted (really he'll admit it!) and we watched it before driving to town to look at Christmas lights. Since it's still early in the month not very many houses had decorated yet, but it was still great to get that time together just enjoying the season!

Sunday, I had been looking forward to all week because my church decided we should all go to the Lights of Tejas display. Every year we have gone to Santa's Wonderland in College Station so this year we wanted something different. It took quite a drive to get there but it was worth it when we did. Lights of Tejas is on the outskirts of Giddings at a Christian-based campground called Camp Tejas. They had over 800,000 lights decorating the trees and some of the buildings. It was kind of hard for me to get around on my crutches and it was VERY cold Sunday night, but I'm still glad I went. They even have moon bounces and a climbing wall with a zipline that my dad actually went down!! The man is 62 YEARS OLD! I still can't believe he did it, but he is the youth leader so he was looking to get some laughs and HE DID! I wish I could have gotten pictures, but it was too dark. :( So I am addicted to kettle corn and Quade knows if it's around I want it! Once we discovered they had it, he generously bought me a bag and we sat next to one of their campfires enjoying the crackling noises and munching on my treat. :)

From our campfire spot

Smiling now that we're finally warm and toasty..and enjoying kettle corn :)

Unfortunately, their light show was too far away for me to be able to get to, but Quade said he would take me back if I wanted once I get permission to start walking on my ankle again on the 15th!! Instead we stayed in the cabin where all the food was sipping hot chocolate...ahh so nice!!


And I fully enjoyed putting together the new Christmas playlist that you are hearing now so ENJOY! I also hope you like my new layout...I spent way too much time probably on Elf Yourself doing our picture, but it was still fun! These are just some of the things I've enjoyed doing getting in the mood for the CHRISTmas season!! You'll see me put CHRISTmas just like this a lot because I fully believe that Christ needs to be put back in CHRISTmas! He is the reason for the season and so many are trying to take Him out and it just breaks my heart.

This coming weekend I have 2 CHRISTmas parties to go to. Friday night is my dad's business Christmas dinner and Saturday is Quade's first Christmas dinner party at his new job! I can't wait because it is at Cafe Capri in downtown Bryan and it's going to be a five course meal! I've never been, but my friends have said it's great. So excited!! :D

What have y'all done to get in the mood for the CHRISTmas season?

Free Holiday Cards? Thank you Shutterfly!!

I have seen blog after blog after blog talking about this promotion for 50 free Holiday cards from Shutterfly just for Bloggers and I just cannot resist anymore!

My fiance' has told me since the first year after we started seriously dating that when we finally got engaged it would be appropriate to send out our own Christmas cards. It didn't seem the right time this time a year ago but this year feels like perfect timing. I know next Christmas we will be married and have all the right in the world to do it, but I think I've earned it being engaged for over a year now and dating three and a half years before that...right? So, thanks to the fine folks at Shutterfly I will very happily be able to create our first Christmas card together! Christmas is by far our favorite time of year and being able to share in the joy of the Christmas season as soon-to-be husband and wife with our friends and family is something I have always looked forward to doing!

I am especially fond of the photo Christmas cards that you can check out by clicking here!

I REALLY love these!!





There are also some other terrific Christmas cards that you can look at here!

And if you want a beautiful card that portrays the joy you wish to share throughout the entire holiday season whether it's Christmas, New Years, or Hanukkah, then you definitely want to click here!

So if you are interested, Bloggers get 50 free holiday cards from Shutterfly… sign up HERE!!

If you do participate please share because I would LOVE to see what y'alls Christmas cards look like. :)

CMA Chat

I have been looking forward to the CMA Awards for weeks like I do every year! Not just because my schedule pretty much consists of sitting on the couch and watching TV right now, but because I breathe country music...ALMOST! It's the reason that I loved my job so much when I was a DJ for the country radio station in my hometown (and YES I miss it)!

I thought Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley were a perfect hosting pair again this year! I know most of what they say is scripted for them, but I loved their opening bit with the rewritten renditions to the Beverly Hillbilly theme song and again with..

"Well, she caught Tiger with some tail it's plain to see,
Brett Favre's taking up photography.
Is it me or have pro sports gone straight to hell,
Ever since they caught Old Tiger with some tail?"

Just hilarious! :)

Rascal Flatts is by far my most favorite band (I tend to be a little obsessive even) and they gave a great performance of their new song "Why Wait!" I can't "wait" for their new CD Nothing Like This to come out on Tuesday!! Every time one of their albums has come out, I have gone to buy it before classes that day or anything so I can listen to the whole album first. Pretty bad huh? I wish they would have won Vocal Group of the Year instead of Lady Antebellum, but they just didn't have as good of a year. :(

I cannot get over how Reba never seems to age!! She looked incredible! A lot of people were disappointed that she took Beyonce's song "If I Were A Boy," but they said last night Reba actually wrote that song and I actually liked Reba singing it a lot more than Beyonce.

One of my favorite moments was when Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson performed their single "Don't You Wanna Stay." If I hadn't heard it for myself I wouldn't have believed they would sound so good together but it made me want to get his album even more than I wanted already.


I was shockingly surprised that Gwyneth Paltrow sounded as good as she did! I never would have put her and country music into the same category even if it is just for the movie, but now I really want to see Country Strong when it comes to theaters on January 7th.


I was so happy for Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton for winning Female and Male Vocalists of the Year! Blake has been in the shadows for so long that it was definitely his time! He also won the Event of the Year Award with Trace Atkins for "Hillbilly Bone." Miranda not only won the Female Vocalist of the Year, but also Best Song of the Year and Best Album of the Year! It was especially meaningful to me because the radio station that I was a DJ for was one of the only radio stations in Texas that at first agreed to play Miranda's music and helped to put her on the map. I also got to talk to her on the phone while working there and she truly is a class act! She gave me one of the biggest laughs of the night when accepting her award for Female Vocalist of the Year when she said, "I don't know what's goin' on. I just told Blake I think we need to go to church."


Probably the most deserving man of the evening was Brad Paisley for winning the Entertainer of the Year award! I really wanted him to win after the awesome year he had. He was also deeply effected by the Nashville flood that hit earlier this year; losing millions of dollars worth in music equipment that was used in a lot of his concerts. Congrats, Brad! There's a reason your song "Then" is our first dance song for our wedding!


Finally, I had to close with this gorgeous picture of Carrie in her purple ball gown! I thought it was amazing and quite elegant! She had a lot of mixed reviews on how she looked in it but I personally would LOVE to have it in my closet!

So what did y'all think of the CMA's?!?

Ankle Update

I know I said that I would give an update last weekend after my surgery, but I've been a lot more out of it than figured I was going to be. Thursday morning we left my house at 5 AM to give us plenty of time to get to the Methodist hospital. We were almost an hour and half early but my dad figured if we would have left any later than we did we would have gotten right in the middle of morning traffic. I was excited when they let us in early thinking they might get started early however surgery still didn't get started until sometime between 10:30 and 11:00. Everything from the time I woke up until that night is really fuzzy. My sister even filmed me on her phone and showed me yesterday and it was pretty funny. I do remember my sweet friend Christa calling to check on me and Quade staying by my side until he, my dad, and my sister had to drive back home since only one person could stay with me. Early Friday morning they came and put my cast on and they discharged me from the hospital at 12:30. Since then I've pretty much slept and moved around as little as possible. I did go to church with my family and Quade Sunday because it was the very first Sunday for our new pastor to begin. Hopefully later today my mom or dad will be going to town to get my wheelchair so I can get around less painfully. The crutches and walker that I have been using are really starting to bother my other joints.

I just hope the next couple weeks go by fast until the Tuesday before Thanksgiving I will hopefully be getting my cast off and my walking boot on so I can gradually start putting more and more weight back on my new ankle.

Well the drugs are starting to get to me again so until next time...

Have a great rest of the week!!!

What I'm Loving Wednesday!!

Head over to Jamie's site and play


I'm Loving


The weather is FINALLY getting colder here and the Pumpkin Spice Latte is back at Starbucks so I thoroughly enjoyed my first cup today!!

I'm Loving


That after tomorrow's surgery I will have a brand new ankle and will soon be on my way to being PAIN FREE!


I'm Loving


That my wonderful fiance' is going to be able to take off work tomorrow so he can be there with me and my family for my surgery! <3>


I'm Loving


That all my bridesmaids are happy with the dress that I picked for them to wear in my wedding! It's pictured in green here but I'm having it ordered in chianti/maroon with a black sash to match my Aggie wedding colors!

Which leads me to what I'm loving most....



Only 220 days until our wedding!!!!!!!


I'll update y'all on how the surgery goes this weekend! Thank you so very much for all the well wishes for my surgery!

Oh Those Friday Night Blues

I now know tonight what John Conlee was singing about in his song! Being a big fan of country music and especially classic country, songs like this one have a big impact on my life. If you don't know how the song goes here's the chorus...


And the Friday night blues they get in your shoes and they work to get you down
Oh and there ain't a lady that I ever knew who didn't need her a night on the town
But the hills and the bills and a week's worth of deals has got him feeling more than used
Oh, he's kicking his shoes off she's putting hers on she's got the Friday night blues


I'm more focused on the part "there ain't a lady that I ever knew who didn't need her a night on the town." Yes, my Quade did go home and go to bed but he has to be up at 2 AM so I TOTALLY understand that! This is just my last weekend before my ankle replacement next Thursday (November 4th) and I was really hoping for a fun weekend to "send me off!" Not exactly my idea of a fun night being at home with the parents tonight and tomorrow night going to my church's fall festival! It's not like I expected a big party, but just me not have to be the one to ask or go out of my way. I think I'm a pretty good friend, but when my gestures aren't returned I start to feel otherwise. I think I've just been having a pity party way too long and I need to get some sleep. Who knows, maybe while I'm in recovery this time I will get visitors.

Hope y'all have a Happy Halloween!!

"How Would You Rate Your Pain On the Pain Scale?"

So I've had this question asked a lot at therapy and I always pick a number that is better than it actually is because I HATE people knowing that I am in pain. It's been a tough couple of days mainly because I am having pain drug withdrawals as I come off of them more and more!! It's good because I need to get off of them as bad as they are for me to be on as long as I have. My moods have been so up and down and I know my family is ready for me to be completely off of them!! I feel bad for them, but sadly I've been feeling more sorry for myself. :( As selfish as I know that sounds it is the truth...it's just that nobody actually knows.



On a better note...we are almost halfway paid for our Carnival cruise honeymoon!!! We were going to downgrade from the huge suite that is a lot more than we should be paying for, but Quade went on ahead and booked the one that exceeded our desires. Besides, you only have one honeymoon..at least that's the way I am going to keep it! We will be going to Montego Bay, Jamaica; Cozumel, Mexico; and Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands on the Carnival Conquest!! We leave the day after the wedding and we only have to drive to Galveston that morning which is nothing for us. :D I actually went on this same exact cruise with my family 2 years ago and it was awesome!! I'm even more excited not just because it is my honeymoon ;) but because it will be Quade's first cruise! Plus, we will finally get to do the Mayan ruin excursion that I have been dying to go on every one of the 3 times I have been on a cruise to Cozumel with my family.

Have you been on a cruise before and if so where did you go?

Top 2 Tuesday- Hair Products!!

Today over at The Undomestic Momma the Top 2 Tuesday topic is hair products!! This perfectly suits me because I don't know what I would do most everyday without my two favorite hair products...after I have rolled my hair FIRST.

1. Paul Mitchell SUPER SKINNY Serum

I love this stuff because it smells sooooooooo very good and it leaves my hair very shiny!! It feels so silky when it's in your hands that I don't even wash my hands after putting it in my hair because it conditions my hands so well.

2. Aussie Aussome Volume Hairspray

I have NEVER found a hairspray that holds my curls and volume as good as when I use this stuff! I love so many products from the Aussie line if this were top 5 Tuesday instead I would just keep going with their products.

Hooray For A Good Update :)

Today was my two week check up for my knee surgery and my doctor was very pleased with how it looks! I finally got my stitches out and permission to take baths again which is a BIGGGGG deal to me!!! I don't know which style you prefer for I will take a relaxing bath over a shower any day unless I have to wash my hair. My doctor also put me on a better pain reliever which is making me feel very good. Unfortunately it's the kind of stuff that I could really get used to and not in a good way but at least it's helping for now. I had a very very bad night Monday night..so bad I started to read things online and thought I was getting a blood clot! Thankfully I was just overdramatizing yet again and I am fine!

I also got to squeeze in an appointment with my ankle doctor which was very important since my parents were starting to have doubts about the ankle replacement surgery not being the best option for me, but after our meeting the surgery still is. I did get some assuring news that for the ankle replacement surgery I'll only be in the hospital one night most definitely since they just put me in a cast and tell me to stay off it for 3 weeks. The great news is in most ankle replacements I won't even have to do physical therapy!!! This sounded great to me since I'm already dreading going back tomorrow for my knee therapy. :(

I've been much happier too that several more of my friends have been checking in on me since my last post and oddly they aren't even readers of my blog so even more proof that I didn't really need that GOD LISTENS but it's always a great reminder isn't it?!

I appreciate my readers so much for your kind words and emails and I promise to get back with you as soon as I can.

God bless!!!

The GOOD, The BAD, And The UGLY of Knee Surgery Recovery

Sorry I am just now giving a report on my knee replacement surgery, but the only technology I have felt like using is my IPhone and it's too time consuming to post from that. My actual surgery really couldn't have gone any better than it did which was a real blessing. Since we had to be there at 6 o'clock Tuesday morning, my family decided to go the night before and stay in the town house that my dad's customer has been letting us use during my sister's hospital stay. I was one of the first surgeries of the day which was much better than the 3 plus hours we had to wait last year from my left knee replacement. I was actually walking on my knee that night getting up to use the restroom instead of using those dreadful bed pans! My doctor was so pleased with my success by the second day he said I could go home Thursday, but I decided to wait until Friday so I'd have an extra day on the good drugs. Since the hospital, I haven't used my crutches or walker and I have my 3rd day of physical therapy tomorrow. This is all the GOOD part of my surgery.

The BAD has definitely been the pain!! The downside of me pushing as hard as I have been to quicken the recovery process is the pain is worse this way. It being worth it in the end is what I keep telling myself, but usually the pain is stronger. Another bad part is definitely the bruising. I have had purple all up and down my entire leg. I would show pictures, but I figure I should spare y'all the agony. Just trust me that it's been bad! I've been down so much using ice packs and pain pills like crazy. Finally, I started using my sister's really strong stuff because I just couldn't take it anymore. I've been this huge emotional baby about everything...over dramatizing over a lot of things like extremes such as my friends don't care enough because they won't come see me or many haven't even called to check on me. I know truthfully once I am rational again that I'm being stupid for thinking every one's world should revolve around me. I was mostly upset when my friend, Amy, told me at the beginning of last week that she planned to come see me over the weekend and then I was the one to contact her Saturday and she forgot she was going to dinner to celebrate an old high school friend's birthday. At least Quade has been an absolute doll though spoiling me! He made me special dinners every night while one of my parents has been taking a turn staying with my sister, who was in the hospital again but is now home. He would ice my knee down anytime I needed to be. He's even looked up wedding stuff with me to cheer me up since no one else has been bringing it up in a while.

The UGLY has been just being sooooo trapped, bored, anxious, and all the above!! I can't go do anything even though I know I am ready to do things. I was way too excited at getting to go to church yesterday just for the reason that I got to get out of the house! If I don't get to go do something fun soon I am going to have a meltdown! I have had way too much time to think about how things used to be when I lived away from home, when I had more freedom, and when my friends lived closer.

Well, now that I've vented some and talked about how the recovery has gone it's definitely time for me to go to bed. It's sad how emotionally and physically exhausted I become after the smallest things still, but hopefully not much longer. I know things will get better..I'm just ready for it to be now!

Hope everyone is doing well!!

Aggie Graduation and Ready For Surgery!!

Well this is definitely overdue, but I had to do it.....I am an official graduate of Texas A&M University!!! On August 13th at 7:30 AM my parents proudly took me to the Association of Former Students where I finally got my Fightin' Texas Aggie Ring!! Graduation began at 9:00 and it was wonderful!! :) My future in laws were able to come since my fiance' wouldn't have missed it for the world. I thought it was sweet and funny that my his mom wanted to be there since she figured no one else in the family would ever graduate from there again! :D Prideful moment for me I have to say! They were able to get a lot more pictures that I have not gotten back yet, but I hope to soon. After graduation we went back over to the Association for pictures under the ring replica.

Proudly holding my diploma

Me, Mom, and Dad..wishing my sister were in this picture with us! :(

Love my new Calvin Klein dress!!

Me and Quade

Me, Quade, and Quade's parents, Ken and Mary

After we finished taking pictures I was craving Mexican food and since moving home I have greatly missed Los Cucos so that's where we went. Quade's parents had never been and they loved it!

This was after I got caught admiring my Aggie Ring and everyone laughed at me

My dad gave me a gorgeous frame for my diploma that I could not wait to put in as soon as I got home! I had to show off my ring to my sister first who was so excited for me then I did exactly that.

Tomorrow is another big day for me...the day I get my right knee replacement! I have been off a lot of my meds in preparation for the surgery so I've been in a lot of pain. Some of my meds can thin my blood and cause me to bleed to death and other meds I had to stop increase my risk of infection so all good things to stop but not pleasant. I've been very doped up on Vicodin and Norco...Norco is a higher dosage of Vicodin so I've been on a emotional roller coaster! I feel bad for what Quade has had to put up with and my family. I will be in the hospital probably til Friday and hopefully can give updates from there!

My sister, Courtney, has been happily enjoying being home again and I have been so happy to have her home again!! Last night we watched "The Back Up Plan" together and last week we spent almost 2 full days watching 2 seasons of Mad Men! I'm looking forward to having a recovery partner next to me once I'm home again this weekend. She is continuing to recover so well and every time we have gone to the hospital for a check up they have been very positive reports! Thank you for all of you who have prayed, inquired, or given any support at all!!

Have a GREAT week!!!

Road to Recovery, More Wedding, and Knee Surgery

Hey friends! Still coming to you from St. Luke's Hospital. My sister is doing better and better! Thank you for your sweet comments on my posting below! She is now on a different floor which means I can be with her all the time and not limited to three 30 minute visitations a day. She has had a few of her drainage tubes pulled out and 3 more to go which should be today and tomorrow. She is finally being allowed to eat ice cream but unfortunately most of her nurtition is still coming by a feeding tube. The feeding tube should come out tomorrow and she will start a liquid diet first then slowly move into a regular diet! No clue yet when she will be able to come home, but I am hoping before my graduation. She won't be able to come for health reasons but just to be able to come home after and see her would mean the world! My fiance's family is bringing there video camera so they can film me walk to stage and she will at least be able to see it! :)

So my family is finally really getting on the bandwagon for the wedding! My dad paid the deposits on the harpist for the ceremony and the photographer which you can check out her site here!! I was so happy! I know they have wanted to get going on the wedding but understandably my sister was our main priority, and still is!! It's still nice to see things going more into motion.

My knee replacement surgery is officially scheduled for August 31st and I am definitely ready for it! I have had a lot of pain lately and I'm ready for surgery pains to begin because even those aren't as bad as this pain. My ankle replacement surgery won't be scheduled until I have mostly recovered from the knee surgery, but my guess is sometime beginning of October.

Hope y'all have a great week!!

A LONG Awaited Answered Prayer!!

Greetings from St. Luke's Hospital!! I can proudly say as of Thursday afternoon my sister received her transplant for a heart and both lungs!! Everything began right before 5:00 PM on Wednesday afternoon when my sister called me on the phone saying they had asked her to stop eating. We were always told this was the first sign to look for when a donor was possible. The next thing that happened was her cardiologist coming into her room saying that there was a possible donor in Albuquerque, New Mexico. This is 1100 miles away from us which was out of our range meaning if anyone else needed a heart or the lungs they came first. There was 1 person ahead of her that if they matched they got it. First we were told we would know about 6:00 or 6:30. This later turned into more like 8:00 PM we will know. At 8:00 PM I called and my sister still didn't know, but that there was still hope. At 9:45 PM she called and my mom answered and Courtney said "THEY'RE MINE!!!!!" I immediately started jumping up and down, called friends to tell them, and got on Facebook to write everyone in the group that was created for my sister "Praying for the Guthrie Family." After that my mom, fiance' Quade, and I hit the road! We got there very quickly since it was 11:45 at night; however, it turned into a long night. We first were told the surgery would be between 2 and 4 AM then around 4 AM then between 5 and 6 AM....on and on because of issues with blood typing the potential donor. After a couple of hours of hearing very little, finally at 8:45 we were really told they were ours and would be leaving Albuquerque soon. Finally, at 9:30 they wheeled her into surgery after a very emotional goodbye. I figured the time waiting would just crawl on, but after such a long night of already waiting I was happy this wasn't true! Every half hour the organ coordinator that had become very close to Courtney came and gave us an update. The organs arrived between 12:00 and 12:30 and they were sewing her back up at 2:00 and she didn't even need the pump to keep the organs going anymore. The surgeon came out about 3:30 and said how great everything went, how fast it was, and almost immediately her heart and oxygen levels were where they always should have been! Even though she was still out, we got to see her at 5:00 and she was the most beautiful sight I had ever seen!!!!! Full rosy cheeks, the pinkest fingernails that were no longer blue/purple, and breathing the way she always should have been!!

Now, it is Monday afternoon, 4 days after surgery and she is hopefully going to be moving to a new room by the end of the day! We've only been allowed to see her 3 times a day for 30 minutes each from 10:00- 10:30 AM, 5:00 - 5:30 PM, and 8:15-8:45 PM. If she moves to her new room on the 8th floor, we will get to see her as much as we want! The first few days she was out of it. Just yesterday we asked her how long it felt since the surgery and she thought it was just the day before when it had been 3 days! She still gets sleepy understandably after what she's been through!! She's had some hallucinations from the medicine but only candy bars so we're taking that as a good thing lol! She still cannot eat or drink anything. Yesterday they started letting her chew some ice but very little since the risks for aspirating (puncturing) her lungs are still high but getting less high everyday. We've been blessed to have her do so well so far and have faith that God will continue to bless her recovery! Thank you for those I know who have prayed diligently for Courtney and I ask that you would continue so she can come home as soon as possible! Five and a half months is a long time and will turn into 6 before this is all over!

Top 2 Tuesday!!

Todays Top 2 Tuesday is about the top 2 things you want to purchase.

1. A shih tzu puppy

I have been dying to have one these for the longest! My parents own a cute shinpoo puppy that they bought at the Canton Market in Canton, TX and my finace' says he'll get me one but I'm TIRED of waiting.

2. A new car

My future mother-in-law has this car in white and it's perfect! Good gas mileage, rides smooth, and super cute! I love my Mustang convertible, but with me getting ready to be a married woman, I need a more mature car!

Sunday Sermon, Giveaway Alert, and Wedding Shoes

I had to share what our sermon was Sunday morning because I feel it should be shared and I never want to forget it. We've been looking for a new pastor so when this visiting pastor taught this sermon yesterday he held my attention and made me wish he could be our pastor! The scripture referenced was Luke 10:38-42. The verses talk about Martha inviting Jesus into her home where she and her sister, Mary, lived. Martha was so busy trying to serve Jesus that when she found Mary sitting at Jesus' feet, she got angry and wanted Jesus to rebuke Mary. All Jesus could say was "Martha, Martha thou art anxious and troubled about many things: but one thing is needful: for Mary hath chosen the good part, which shall not be taken from her." The pastor then asked us, "Are you a Mary or a Martha?" I figured the "church" answer would be that we all need to be a Mary, but he surprised me by saying no that we needed to be both! I had never thought of that! It is important to have mixed desires of wanting to serve but still knowing when to stand still and listen. He closed with saying, "How do you think the story ended? Do you think Martha went back to the kitchen clamoring around?" He then said the "or" which is what I want to remember, because I agree. I think that Martha told Jesus, Hold on, let me go turn the hearth off," then came back and sat down next to Mary at Jesus' feet. This week, my goal is to balance the attitudes of Mary and Martha.

Today I discovered on Whitney's blog a great giveaway! Click here to check out the great prize that you can win! I own one of these Da Vinci bracelets and the charms are great! Also, check out her other posts!! I love her perspective on things.

I have been looking everywhere for the perfect wedding shoes. As some of you may know, I have rheumatoid arthritis so I've had a hard time finding a shoe that has a good heel that isn't too tall but enough to at least bring my tiny 5 foot self closer to my 6'1'' future hubby. So tell me what y'all think?

Hope y'all have a great week!!

Graduation Bound and Sister Update!!

Sorry it has been a few days since I've posted but I have been working my behind off to officially be set for Texas A&M University graduation!! I'm so happy that it is less than a month from graduation day and, for me, ring day too!! Since the actual Ring Day isn't until September and I graduate August 13th, A&M has set it up where graduates can get their rings the day of the ceremony. Only problem is my ceremony for education degrees is at 9 in the morning and we have to line up 45 minutes before :( Thankfully the ring office opens at 7:30 I just don't look forward to waking up so early to be there, but I know it'll be worth it!

My sister is doing pretty well! For those who haven't read my earlier posts about her, my sister has been in the hospital for over 5 months now, waiting on a heart and lungs transplant. We had a pretty upsetting week last week when we found out she could have had the surgery because 2 donors came available for her. Problem was she did not have the central line IV in her neck called a swan. She had one in for the first half of her hospital stay, but developed a staph infection so they had to take it out. We've always been told since then that if a donor became available they could quickly put the swan back in her neck and be ready for surgery, but it was a lie. Now, she does have the swan back in her neck and she is back in the CCU/ICU area. This means she should be getting something PRAYERFULLY soon! The doctor is very optimistic that something will. We had a donor the doctors thought night before last but unfortunately it did not work for her.

Thank you for those who have been praying and please continue to pray for me, my sister MAINLY, and my family! I know that God has great things in store for my sister once this is all over and that everything is in His timing!

Being silly!!

Ben and Katie's Wedding and To Grandmother's House We Go

Friday night, Quade and I had a very special wedding to go. It was special because it was only for closest friends and family of our friends Katie and Ben! It was at the 7F Lodge in College Station and it was beautiful! I was worried for her since it had been raining earlier in the day and even though there is a small chapel, the ceremony takes place in outside in front of the chapel.


The family and bridesmaids walked down the small aisle to Josh Groban's "You Raise Me Up" and at the part when the music gets loudest and the chorus joins in near the end of the song the doors at the back flew open and the bride and father walked through. I swear it was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen! The groom was basically sobbing almost and the bride's lips were quivering as she mouthed "I love you" to him. I had tears pouring out of me at this point and again when they said their own personally written vows.


My face was bad enough Quade and I had to walk back to his truck for me to fix my make up again! Kinda embarassing!

Unfortunately, in our absence, we ended up having to get a table on the covered dance floor outside where the humidity was still horrible from the short rain shower they had before the wedding. The cakes were great and tasted even better!! Katie's mom is the cake baker that did theirs cakes and will be doing ours as well. Hers was a delicious white chocolate flavor that I will probably end up stealing (I'll ask her first) and his cake was regular chocolate that he designed himself with a golf theme. If you look close you'll see the golf items are in the shape of a "B" for Ben. I loved it!



The catering company they used for dinner was friends of ours who we will also be using since we told Katie about them and they are great and reasonable. The speeches were so sweet (cried again) and the DJ made everyone dance the night away!! I just hate that the heat/humidity was so bad and the wine selection was OK. You can see just how bad the heat/humidity was by how bad I look in the picture of me and Katie!


Sunday we FINALLY got to make the 3 hour drive to visit my Grandma to ask her husband if he would do the honor of marrying us. After my Grandpa died, my Grandma had been so used to being married (she was 18 when they married) that she got to know her pastor more and they were married about a year after my Grandpa's death. It was hard at first on us, but over time I have seen the care he has for her and the way Quade has bonded with him when they have visited together so it made sense to ask him to do the honors. We went to church with them and took them out to lunch after service at Lone Star Cafe which was some good home style cooking...and very yummy!! We drove back to their house after lunch and caught up on all that had been going on then officially asked. I knew Bro. Bob would probably tease about living that long, he really isn't that old, but after asking when the big day was he did said he would!! So, now we have a pastor!!!!

My dad is actually started to get involved!! YAYYYYYYY!!!!!! You would understand how BIGGGGG this is if you knew my dad like I do. We had a great talk when Quade left my house last night and even gave us a great idea for who we could use as a pre-marital counselor. :) Still having a hard time with trying to make him understand how important a good photographer and cake is, but he does always end with I want you to have a wonderful wedding day so I should still get what I want in the end!