This is The Wedding Weekend

This weekend is Chris's wedding. We have lots of wedding stuff going on, and lots of family activites. We're crazy busy, but it's all with family. I don't know if that makes it worse or better. :)

Last night we had the bride and groom over with the kids. We had dinner for 8 - impromptu style. Fortunately, I had fixed a dish that I love (feta cheese chicken), it really does leftovers well, and it's one of J's favorites. So I invited everyone over for dinner. There are no leftovers. It was yummy, and made the house smell so delicious. We had spinach, a green salad, and a fruit salad. I got rave reviews and it was so very simple. Thank you, mom, for making me look good!!

Mama T had extra wedding cake. It didn't look good. It sure did taste good, though. She totally came through on dessert. And we all got a preview of what the wedding cake will taste like. Yummy!

The kids, my niece and nephew, played and played and played. Hannah, our lab, was the focus of most of their attention. She, of course, loved every second of it. It's been a long time since she's had an 8 year old boy to wrassle with. Ha! They also tried to play with Edgar, our 35 pound big mean kitty. He did not appreciate it as much as Hannah did. We had to put him in our bedroom to protect the kids. I know he looks pretty, but those teeth are razor sharp. One of the kids told me, "He's not mad. He just high-fived me with his paw." That's when Ed got put up. We took pics of the kids roughhousing over here. Those pics were cute. I may be posting those later, I want to check with thier parents before I post photos of the kids.

My sis-in-law, W, is taking photos of the wedding this weekend. She is quite an accomplished photographer, but her usual subject is nature. Before she took photos of the wedding, she wanted to practice on some live, moving, non-instruction-taking subjects. Enter my precious critters. She got some FABULOUS pics of them. They will be posted later, when I get a copy of them. She even made my big mean kitty look nice. Very serious, but nice. And I promise, Hannah was smiling in all the photos.

Something that Burt (Bill, Brad, Bob...Brad!) Brad Harrub discussed with us is to vocalize our goals in life. 1. To get to heaven. 2. Take as many people as we can with us. That really resonated with me, and J and I have been really thinking about that and we have a date to discuss that goal as it relates to our family. With those goals in mind, I would like to relate a short-ish story.

Christopher and his new bride came with her kids yesterday, as above. Now, you must understand that my craft room is in total disarray. I'm serious. You need shots to go in that room. Yesterday, while my sweet nephew and niece were here, they wanted to see pics of Chris when he was younger. So, out came my scrapbooks and wedding album. How fun! Then, they wanted to see what else I had done. Um, my works in progress are in my craft room, the room that has already been mentioned is in total disarray. I can not stress that enough. So, hesitantly, I open that door. And in rushed the kids. They looked at everything they could look at - which was fine. That's why the projects are there. And my 8 year old nephew's eyes landed on a pot. A clay pot painted red, with a ladybug face drawn on it and lady bug spots drawn on it. A red pot with a jingle bell inside, foam feet dangling out of the bottom, and a crack around the middle. A red pot with the words, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6" written on it. H pointed to it and said, "It's broken. Your pot is broken." I said, "Yes, it reminds me that God loves me even though I'm broken." He looked at me and said, "Aunt Daesha, I want this. Can I take this home with me?" Ya'll, it was all I could do not to cry. OF COURSE, I am now one red clay pot short at home. I don't think I'll replace it. I think the absence of the red clay pot will remind me to take as many people with me to heaven as I can. I cannot wait for VBS this summer.

There will be posts updating our February and the wedding coming later.

Please be in prayer

More news. . . Just talked to J's mom. Sounds like J's grandmother is having a congestive heart failure exacerbation* and is hospitalized in Amarillo (or Lubbock, we're not quite sure where). We don't know much else at this point, and will give updates here when we get them. J's brother is getting married in 9 days, so we've all already got full plates. Please pray for that situation.

Also, my boss found out today that his wife, who has a history of breast cancer, has a brain mass. The plan right now is that they will try to do surgery early next week. We are assuming this is a new metastasis from her breast cancer. She is in her 50s - much too young for this.

I have not heard back from biopsies done on Tuesday. Things here are status quo.

I will post more about our comings and goings later, but I wanted to give you a chance to pray for others.

Thank you!

*J said I needed to translate that into "words the rest of us know." His grandmother sounds like she has water around her heart and lungs. It's a chronic condition that has gotten worse suddenly. This is all translated through non-medical people translated back into technical jargon and back into non-medical people language. We might have lost something in the translation.

I simply didn't have words. . .

Let me set the scene.

I was in a hospital stretcher wearing a hospital gown and my socks. I was breathing canned oxygen through my nose. I had an IV in my right hand, right next to my hospital bracelet. I had a blood pressure cuff on my left arm. I am a Patient.

My physician comes in, a woman who I have known on a strictly professional basis until this moment in time. Now, I am her Patient. This does not stop her.

She chit chats while the anesthesiologist mixes the drug coctail. We chit chat about work - the only thing we know about each other. She states that she is looking for a PA. She states that she knows I left my former employer. You know, she says thoughtfully, we would love to have you apply for our open position.

Ummm. Words failed me. I declined graciously (I hope), saying I had found a part time job. She countered with the fact that her position could be part time. Ummm. I am feeling a little naked right now (maybe because I am). I gently told her that my former employer was also having trouble filling the vacancy, that times are hard for physicians right now who are looking for good mid-levels.

When I came out of anesthesia, I laughed. She certainly did have a captive audience for a job pitch. Now that I am no longer the Patient, I can say that that opportunity was not a good one to pitch an employment opportunity.

Master Follies

I went to a wonderful girls weekend in early February. My dear friend Marcey invited me up to Lubbock for a girls weekend and home coming.

I was able to spend a lovely, spring-like evening with my former roommate, her husband, and her two children. Even after all this time, MH is one of my closest friends. I love the enduring closeness we have. Like she said, it's like we never have been apart, even after 12 years of friendship, and 8 years of looonnnnggg distance!

Marcey and I spent alot of the weekend hanging out, eating, going shopping, eating, getting lost, eating... It was great. She is one person I am always excited to see. Our friendship has deepened over the years, and she is another one of my closest friends from college.

While I was in Lubbock, LCU had a wonderful reception for Dr. Estep, the Dean of Biology when I was a student. That man is responsible for my present profession. I remember being frustrated and discouraged at possible career paths. I talked to him, and he mentioned being a PA. He was completely honest about how little he knew about the PA profession, but he would help me do whatever I needed to do. And he did.

At the reception, I was able to see many former professors. Wow. They still inspire me. I am so very grateful for their strong influence on me in my early career, and their unwavering belief in me. These professors taught organic chemistry, biochemistry, anatomy and physiology, and other -ologies while also teaching about preserving their Christian faith while being a scientist.

Dr. Byron Rogers

Donna Harmon

Dr. Iona Baldridge

And, of course, the friends at alumni breakfast, the friends at the shows, and the friends we just ran into. It's amazing what changes after 8 years of being away, and what doesn't. Man, I miss these guys!

And at Master Follies Performance, I was NOT ashamed to be an alumnus. This is in stark contrast to last year. I was actually proud of my girls and the effort they put forth. They didn't win any prizes, but they had fun, and you could tell. (Man, I still hate kelly green...)

LCU's motto is "Changing Lives." It sure did change mine. It brought me and strengthened everything I love, an enduring relationship with Christ, my husband, my friends now scattered all over the world.

I will leave you with this clip, part of the Master Follies performance. You've got to listen to this. It was in my head for days. Who knew that Sweet Dreams acapella style would be so rockin'?

I wish mine did this. . .

The Stethescope. It's worth 2:20 of your time to be reminded of a powerful truth. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Please be in prayer

My college friend's husband passed away Feb 5 after a brief and sudden illness. Please be in prayer for Jennifer and her family as they go through this difficult time. Praise be to our Lord who assures us that death is not the end, but only a brief seperation from those we love.

Hug your children. Tell your spouse of your love. Time on this earth is short, and our days are numbered.

Lord, come quickly.