Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Please Pray for Lisa

One of my oldest friends and her family need your prayers! I don't feel like I have all that many details, but I think I know as much as there is to know right now...it just doesn't feel like much. I spoke with Lisa's brother Phillip and found out:

Last Monday Lisa went to the hospital with tingling in her face, numbness in both arms, speech problems, and a horrible headache. At that time, they believed she had a stroke. After running some tests, they concluded that she didn't have a stroke, rather had a HORRIBLE migraine. They ran additional tests and found a brain tumor. According to Phillip, they have not mentioned how large or small the tumor is. Its on the left side of her brain near the temple. Tuesday they did a biopsy, the results of which should be in today. Depending on the outcome of the biopsy, they want to do surgery as soon as possible. Lisa was in the hospital from Monday through Saturday.

Lisa's dad passed away about 15 years ago with cancer, so this is all too familiar for the family. Please pray for God's favor on this family. Even if the tumor is benign, there is much to walk through in the coming weeks and months. Lisa's mom Nena is back and forth from San Antonio to Oklahoma City and her brother lives here in Houston. Also, please pray for Lisa's new husband Justin (they've been married since June).

As I know more, I'll update. In the mean time, please pray!

Monday, February 23, 2009

Wedding Flashback

We finally got our wedding album and a copy of our proofs!
Here are a few I'll share for now....

Thursday, February 19, 2009

2009....Year of the Baby

Not mine....

It seems like this year everyone is having a baby! So many of our friends are having littles this year, I can hardly believe it! In addition to several couples at church, my dear friend Ashley is expecting her second (I'm pulling for another girl) and my brother in law and sister in law are having a little boy in May. We didn't think they would find out the gender, but were pleasantly surprised when we found out about our new nephew before Christmas!
With all of these precious lives getting ready to make their arrival, I have babies on the brain! I love buying baby stuff more than anything. I went in to Gymboree the other day----MISTAKE! I found SO many adorable things to buy! I bought the cutest little baby bathing suit, hat, glasses, and matching blanket for baby Katelyn. We were supposed to have Katelyn's baby shower tonight, but it got postponed by her mom (Cindy's) trip to the hospital. I spent last night cooking for the shower and getting everything prepped. I hate to waste delicious treats, so Joe's co-workers will get to polish them off tomorrow. We're gearing up for baby season here in Houston and can't wait to meet all these itty bitties. I see many baby sitting opportunities in our future!

Saturday, February 14, 2009

I Love You More Than Blank....

Several weeks ago I ran across the I Love You More Than Blank website and thought it was pretty fun. The wheels in my head started turning and I decided what to do for Joe for Valentine's Day. I went to the teacher's supply store and scored a few packages of patterned hearts (the kind that would be desk/locker tags or on bulletin boards). I came up with 75 " I Love You More Than ______" statements. I got some from the actual website, and used others to get some ideas. Some were funny and edgy while others were a little more serious. One of my favorites (that I don't know if Joe will get) is, "I love you more than Elizabeth loves Mr. Darcy." I don't know if he will know who Mr. Darcy is, sometimes he is missing that cultural side to things. So, I also made one that says, " I love you more than I love Dr. McDreamy" ---that one he'll get. I got him sucked into my Grey's watching web.

Originally, I was going to attach the hearts to ribbon and hang them from the ceiling in the entry way. I've felt so awful this week, that I got behind and did not feel up to hauling the ladder in the house and climbing up and down it all evening. I was feeling a little better today and made cupcakes for Joe and his team. After he left for work, I decided my alternative to ceiling art was wall art----I put paper hearts all over our walls. Its cute, I'm hoping they stay up until he gets home. The hearts have super cute and bright patterns on them and they remind me of this comforter I had as a kid (but, I digress).

On our first Valentine's Day, I made Joe this little garland thing with 10 things I appreciated about him (he still has it). Last year, we bought a house and I told him I would get back to making his Valentines. How do you top a V-Day house??? You decorate it with V-Day hearts of course! Oh, and you make super yummy cupcakes with buttercream frosting from scratch ; )

Hope you all enjoyed your day!

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Tissues, Meds, TV, and Heart Day

I'm now on my second round of antibiotics. This time they pulled out the big guns---the kind that make you want to throw up and die. You trade one set of symptoms for another. It seems like I'm getting more symptoms and not getting rid of any. Needless to say, its been a long week. The one thing I'm loving is having a nice tv in our bedroom. We found a great deal on one last weekend and bought it for our V-day gift for each other. Joe put it up on the wall this week and its fabulous. If Joe has to work on Valentine's Day and I'm home sick, I might as well enjoy curling up and watching my gift!

Of course, I'll be making cupcakes and cookies for Joe and his team. Other than that, I'll be resting up and watching cheesy movies on Lifetime or something lame like that.

Oh my goodness....the funniest thing happened on Wed night....

Joe and I were at church for youth Bible study. Our fabulous youth pastor, Josh, started a round of "Honey If You Love Me You'll Smile." Since Joe was sheltered as a teen, he'd never played before. It was hilarious to watch him get into the game. First, Josh sat in his lap and tried to get him to smile---nothing. That was pretty entertaining in itself. THEN, another adult sponsor, Jonathan, sat in his lap. He whispered in Joe's ear, played with his cheeks, etc...in attempt to get Joe to laugh or smile. Joe had NO response. We were all in hysterics. I was laughing pretty hard and it hurt so bad to laugh. Then, I started crying and laughing (crying because of the pain) and still laughing one of those silent deep laughs that made my face get all distorted. Luckily everyone thought I was laughing so hard I was crying instead of the other. Joe was a rock, it was great.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Looonnng Day

Today was insanely long. I was working away and thought surely it was time for lunch....nope, 8:15. I hate days like that. Even now, it feels so late....can I rationalize going to bed before 6:30? I think I will....I can get away with it. I REALLY hate being sick, and so far, the antibiotics don't seem to be working---so much for swearing by a Z-Pack!

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Ok, so this has been going around Facebook for the past few weeks. I think everyone I know has tagged me to do it and I've FINALLY given in. Our weekend was pretty uneventful since we're both under the weather, I figured I'd use this as my Sunday night blog post.
Without further ado----

25 Random Things About Me


1. I love my dog more than a lot of people love their children
2. I can hold my hair brush in my toes and brush my hair
3. If I could have ANY job in the world, I would be Madame Thenardier in Les Mis so I could sing her part in Master of the House
4. Until I met the Cook kids, I didn't like children
5. We had a pet monkey once. He ate grapes, chocolate chips, and butterscotch chips. Really cool pet if you ask me.
6. When I have a family, I want it to look like NATO met and everyone left a kid on my lawn (I wanted to do that before Angelina did it)
7. I love cold weather and all the fun clothes that go with it!
8. When I move from Houston, I'd love to live in New England
9. I want a house with a red front door
10. I've lived in two foreign countries in my life and would LOVE to add to that list by moving over seas sometime
11. In the summer of 2004, my parents and I went on a trip to Germany. It was amazing. My mom was taking her time while trying to take a picture of my dad and I. In those minutes he said something to me that made me laugh so hard I almost wet myself. Neither one of us ever told anyone what he said....it was the same thing I said to him during our dance at my wedding. I think we'll take that secret to our graves.
12. My dad and I are freakishly similar---God bless our spouses!
13. I love giving to others (almost to a fault)
14. My goal before I die is to have one passport full of stamps
15. I took Chinese in college and LOVED LOVED LOVED it
16. I love languages and cultures
17. When I was 5, I was attacked by an ostrich....then again in the 8th grade. I'm terrified of the things. Then, just as I was getting over the trauma, I was attacked by a goose at fall retreat my Sr. year in high school. Now, I don't trust birds of any sort and fear them all. (this is something my husband finds hysterical)
18. I tried to smoke a cigarette before my stats final. I couldn't even inhale and my friend smoked my cigarette and his at the same time. This was the first and last time I tried to light up.
19. I tried to teach myself how to make fried tomatoes one summer in jr. high. I had a couple of small fires in the kitchen (cleaned it all up before my parents got home though---sorry mom!)20. My first college major was Church Music
21. While on a mission trip to New York City, a few of us accidentally threw a flaming tampon bomb out the window of the hotel. Yes, this could have been a major disaster, and yes I could have been tried as an adult. (It really was an accident!)
22. My husband does all the laundry in our house so that we have clean clothes to wear--otherwise I wouldn't be able to keep up
23. One time my brother and I were home alone and we ordered pizza for dinner. While we were waiting, I dressed him up like a girl and the pizza guy hit on him (should I mention this is when we were living OUT of the country?)
24. My husband thinks its weird that I get out of the shower before I dry off and he makes sure I know it!
25. I broke my leg in several pieces in the 7th grade. I was more upset at the thought that they were going to have to cut my new jeans off of me than I was about them having to pop my leg back in place.

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Heavenly!

My lazy day turned out not to be so lazy! I had really been wanting to try to make cinnamon rolls from scratch. At first, it was just time consuming---waiting for the mixture to cool so I could add the yeast, waiting for the dough to rise, etc...After today's adventure, I've decided I need more counter space! I couldn't get my dough into a long enough rectangle because my counter top isn't long or wide enough. I had piles of flour everywhere and the kitchen was a mess! But, at the end of the day, I have 7 pans (yep, 7 PANS) of cinnamon rolls. The cinnamon roll itself is good, but the maple frosting on top is indescribeable! I'll be making 1/2 a batch next weekend for a Sunday School breakfast. Hopefully next weekend won't be so messy!

Lazy Days

After a full day at work on Friday, Joe and I went to dinner and did some shopping at the mall (I think we spent a whopping $5!). Yesterday morning, we went over to the Space Center to meet my parents and four super precious kiddos from the International Children's Choir. The kids were so sweet and well behaved. We hung out there the majority of the day, but had planned to go see a movie. We grabbed a late lunch/early dinner at Cheddars and went to see Revolutionary Road (with Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet). The movie was really interesting and had some interesting messages that we felt like we could identify with--but all in all, it was not what I was expecting in the least.
Last night after we got home I started feeling icky. I keep feeling like I'm coming down with something and then it will pass. Lately though its getting more frequent. So, today we are taking it easy. Joe ran up to the church to deliver sodas, chips, and dips for the teen Super Bowl Party tonight. We'll grill burgers and make home made fries. My only goal today is to make cinnamon rolls with a maple frosting to send with Joe to work tomorrow morning and to take to the engineers on my floor at work. Hopefully they'll turn out great--its a lot of work!