Dedicated to my PawPaw. We read this at his funeral on Friday.

Christmas
In Heaven

I see the countless Christmas trees
around the world below
With tiny lights, like Heaven's stars,
reflecting on the snow

The sight is so spectacular,
please wipe away the tear
For I am spending Christmas with
Jesus Christ this year.

I hear the many Christmas songs
that people hold so dear
But the sounds of music can't compare
with the Christmas choir up here.

I have no words to tell you,
the joy their voices bring,
For it is beyond description,
to hear the angels sing.

I know how much you miss me,
I see the pain inside your heart.
But I am not so far away,
We really aren't apart.

So be happy for me, dear ones,
You know I hold you dear.
And be glad I'm spending Christmas
with Jesus Christ this year.

I sent you each a special gift,
from my heavenly home above.
I sent you each a memory
of my undying love.

After all, love is a gift more precious
than pure gold.
It was always most important
in the stories Jesus told.

Please love and keep each other,
as my Father said to do.
For I can't count the blessing or love
He has for each of you.

So have a Merry Christmas and
wipe away that tear.
Remember, I am spending Christmas with
Jesus Christ this year.

*This poem was written by a 13 year old girl named Lysandra Kay Bencke
Lysandra had a seizure and was in a coma for five days before she died
on the anniversary of our Lord's birthday, Christmas Day 1997

The Saddest Day of My Life Thus Far

Today was PawPaw's funeral. It has been a hard couple days, but Grandma has been holding up really well. I think she likes having so many people to talk to her and occupy her. She has always been a social butterfly. The service today was beautiful. It was fun to hear so many stories about PawPaw: playing basketball with neighbor kids, hearing about his high school days, learning the fun trivia facts he told everyone else... He was a fun guy. I liked how Pastor Brad summed it up.
PawPaw was: a Collector; a man of Character; Compassionate; Cool-Calm-Collected; a Connoisseur of Trivia, Science, and sci-fi; Competitive, Captured by God.

I will always miss my PawPaw, but know that one day I will see him again in heaven.

Below is a link to PawPaw's obituary.
http://hosting-24267.tributes.com/show/Raymond-N.-Meyers-92973581

"I'll have a blue Christmas without you"

I've already posted this on facebook but I thought I would say it here as well. My grandpa, Ray Meyers, had a massive brain hemorrhage this morning. He fell out of bed this morning and said that his left side was numb. My grandma called 911 and he was rushed to the hospital. He is now unresponsive as bleeding had moved to both sides of his brain and is causing a lot of pressure. Breathing tubes are keeping him alive for now, but he is not expected to make it. Though this is a horribly difficult and unexpected trauma for all of us, we know that he is spiritually ready and pray only that God's will would be done and that he would not suffer. Please keep my grandma and family in your prayers as we all travel to Ft. Wayne, Indiana to be together.

*Pray for Grandma to have strength for today and for the days to come
*For my Aunt Lynn to get over her cold so she can join the family soon
*For my mom, Aunt Lynn, and Uncle Rick with their tough decisions in the next couple hours and days
*For my sisters Shelby and Cori to finish up their finals without distraction and for Shelby's safe travels home from school
*For Ronnie and I to work out our travel plans with emergency leave and flights
*For post-Christmas plans to be rearranged with ease

Our Cozy, Christmasy Home

Our first Christmas together. :) Happy to have a home here in TX and a family to fill it.

Daily Dose of Christmas

We have been trying to add a little bit of Christmas flavor into our December days. So far, it has gone really well. We have watched Christmas movies, gone to Christmas parties, done holiday crafts and baking, and Ronnie's favorite- hot chocolate.

The pictures are in!!

For those who have been begging for wedding pics, Please follow the link below. You will see our names on the list. Once you click on them, an email address is required. There are tons of amazing pictures to look at and you are more than welcome to order copies. It has been so fun reliving our special day! Enjoy!

http://amymoorephotos.instaproofs.com/

Amy Moore did a GREAT job on our pictures. For more information on her and her work, please visit her site at:
http://www.amymoorephotos.com/.

Amazing Cousins

Mia got a cute little present from her puggle cousins in Colorado, Kooper & Kannon. She looked so cute! She loved the new jacket, but wasnt quite sure about the shoes... It is her first set of boots and she had a little trouble adjusting to them. So funny. :) Thanks, Matt & Kendra!

Taylor Swift- Ours

So my amazing friend, Katie sent me this video recently. She said it made her think of Ronnie and I. I have to agree. I have played the song a hundred times over now and I LOVE it. Just a song straight out of my life. Thanks Taylor Swift!

Wedding Goodness

I just have to brag on these little darlings for a second. These adorable children were the ring-bearer and flower-girl in our wedding. They did a spectacular job and captured the hearts of EVERYONE with their charming smiles, easy-going temperaments, and all around cuteness. I am so blessed to be able to borrow them for a couple days and tote them around with pride. I know that all children have their good days and their bad, but let me tell you, this day was a very good day.

Christmas Portraits

We have tried to incorporate a little bit of Christmas into each of our December days. So far so good. We have decorated our apartment, set up our tree, watched Christmas movies, shopped for gifts and decor, drank hot chocolate [with lots of marshmallows courtesy of Ronnie] and today, we got our Christmas portraits done. A nice gentleman came to the WFSC to serve the families by taking their pictures. How wonderful! It is always nice to get a good photo with BOTH of us in it. Usually it is just one or the other as someone needs to hold the camera. I think the pictures turned out wonderful.

RAK

I have been intrigued by Random Acts of Kindness (RAKs) lately. I think it is such a blessing to bless others when they least expect it. There are so many random things you can do that don't cost much but bless eternally. I was so excited to find out that a church we are involved with decided to do RAKs in place of our Wednesday fellowship dinners. This week, we took baked goodies to the local fire station and police station. It was so much fun to interact with everyone and learn more about their jobs and say 'Thank You' in a tangible way. I was truly blessed by the experience.

Wisdom

Ronnie and I stopped in to visit a friend of my Grandma Meyers today. Her name is Helen and she is a wonderfully sweet 93 year old woman. She has been a prayer warrior for us over the past year and was so excited for us to drop by. Though we stayed for only a short while, I learned so much from her. Helen's late husband was a veteran of World War II. She proudly showed us the pictures of him in uniform. She pulled out an oversize binder filled to the brim with "His Story."

"Do you keep a journal?" she asked me.
"Not really, but I suppose I should." I replied.
"Oh, you must keep a journal." she insisted as she proudly flipped through the pages of "His Story."
You see, Helen is preserving history... for her, her family, and for future generations. She is creating books filled with stories, memories, pictures, and history. How precious is the gift of memories? She did not just stop there though. Helen has made a book of her daughter's story and is also working hard to create her own story. She inspired me today. She inspired me to dig into my family's story and to preserve it, and also to preserve the story Ronnie and I are just beginning to create.

Honeymoon

We honeymooned in beautiful, serene Gatlinburg, Tennessee. The views were simply breathtaking. We enjoyed shopping in the quaint town, seeing the shows in Pigeon Forge each evening, driving out to historic Cades Cove, and relaxing in our lovely Eight Gables Bed & Breakfast suite. There was so much to see and do!

To see our pictures, please follow the link here.

Wedding Day

Our wedding day was simply perfect. I could not have asked for anything better. We were surrounded by so many cherished friends and family. Here are a few of my favorite highlights.

1. Seeing so many friends in one place
2. The horse and carriage ride
3. Pastor Woody's personalized message
4. Hanging out with our amazing wedding party
5. Having the CUTEST flower girl and ring bearer EVER
6. Dancing with my husband and my daddy
7. Seeing everyone enjoying the variety of cakes
8. Being surprised by everyone's dance moves
9. Dancing with "my kids"
10.Group dancing with my IWU peeps
11.Driving away in a hott 2011 Chevy Camero SS

Pictures to come soon!

Thanksgiving

Today I am reminded, as I should be every day, to be thankful for everything that I have. I have been so blessed this November to be able to see so many of my extended family and friends. It is certainly not taken for granted. Our wedding was a wonderful time of worship and fellowship with so many who have prayed for us from afar. What a blessing to be able to see so many wonderful people. We are truly blessed.

I am also incredibly blessed to spend this thanksgiving with my husband. Last year on thanksgiving, I was by myself in San Antonio, visiting Ronnie in the hospital. At the time, we still did not know to what extent he would recover. Today, he stands as a living testimony of God's amazing healing power and grace. I am so blessed to live day in and day out with him and learn more about him through good times and trials.

Wedding Prep

Everyone pitching in to stuff cake pops. :)

Bleed Blue

Wounded Warrior Project graciously gave Ronnie 10 tickets to the Colts vs. Jaguars game on Sunday, November 13th. It was an experience that even us Hoosiers had never had. We invited the McCullough family to come along too. We arrived early Sunday morning at Lucas Oil Stadium and were escorted down to the field for a photo op. We were all given souvenir backpacks and meal vouchers. After the photo op, we walked down the road to Dunkin' Donuts for breakfast before the game. It was an amazing experience despite the inevitable loss of the game. One more thing to cross off my bucket list!

23rd Birthday

23. It doesnt feel much different than 22 yet. Maybe it is because I have had very little time to process it yet, being so busy and all. My birthday was a lot of fun though. We spent the morning sleeping in and recouping from our late night in the ER then headed out to a local craft show with renewed energy. Later on, we went out to dinner, ate the wonderful Boston Cream Tort my mommy baked, and opened presents. What a wonderful day. So thankful I could spend it with my family. :)

ER Trip

Coming from warm Texas to frigid Indy seemed to shock my body. After only a day, I was developing a sore throat and within two days I could no longer talk. Knowing that my birthday and weekend were going to be busy and that I had less than a week until the wedding, Ronnie and I decided to go ahead and get me checked out at about midnight on my birthday, November 12th. I was kind of bummed to spend the night in the ER waiting room but in the end I was glad I did. The Doctor assured me that I was not contagious (a huge relief) and that instead I had something bacterial developing. Normally they would wait until something actually formed, but given our time crunch, they went ahead and treated me. Four shots later, 2 Penicillin, a steroid, and an anti-inflammatory pain med, I was discharged and already feeling better. My voice stayed week for the next week and a half, mostly just raspy in the evenings. Thankful everything could be taken care of early.

11.11.11

Today and everyday I am so beyond thankful for those who have served and continue to serve in our nation's military. I have met so many wounded warriors this past year. They continue to teach me the value of life, courage, and sacrifice. I owe them more than I could ever give. To my husband and all the others who serve, thank you for "walking the walk".

On my way again

Sometimes I feel like I live in these airports. I know where everything is; the less crowded starbucks, the clearance magazine section... I can't count the number of flights I've been on the last 10 years. But I still dread it. I hate all the preparation that goes into planning and packing for a trip. I hate loading my whole closet into a suitcase and then living in the mess for a couple weeks. Bleh. But, like all things, the destination makes it worth it. I'm heading to Indy today. I cant wait to see my family and to see all the planning come to completion. All in all, I am really excited.... even though I would rather be in bed at this early hour. ;)

Ronnie's First Buck of the Season

Bringin' home the meat. :)

I love this girl.

Alisha and I met back in our Costa Rica days. We hit it off right a way and became amazing friends. After language school however, our lives went different ways. Her family became missionaries in Peru while mine moved to Honduras. Then we started school in different states. Six years later we both found ourselves in Texas at the same time. When Alisha told me she was going to be in Austin, I knew right away I had to make the quick trip up there to see her for the day. We spent the day catching up, baking, and shopping at IKEA (best place in the world!!!). I have missed having Alisha close. She is always such an encouragement to me. I can say without a doubt that she is one of my biggest role models. I just love this girl.

Happy Halloween!

Mia is an extra special puppy. She got TWO costumes this year; a Princess costume from Ronnie and a Banana costume from me. It's funny because she doesnt mind wearing them at all. She loves the attention people give her. So cute.

It finally feels like fall!

For all of us, today’s experiences are tomorrow’s memories.~Barbara Johnson

A Few of my favorite Fall things are…

1. Sipping hot cider

2. Baking all sorts of goodies

3. Riding the Wagon out to the pumpkin patch

4. Hearing the occasional Christmas song and not feeling weird about it

5. Delighting in simple things like little orange pumpkins sitting in a neat little row.

6. Tasting sliced apples with yummy dip

7. Cozying up next to a wonderfully crackling fire

8. Eating pumpkin pie

9. Candy corn

10. The sweet aroma of wood smoke in the brisk evening air.

11. Watching the leaves swirl and twirl in a gust of wind as I drive along a country road.

12. Stargazing on a clear night

13. Apple picking with my family

14. The way the sunsets seem to glisten just a bit more

15. Eating soup on a cloudy, cool day

16. Going to hometown craft shows with my mom

17. Wearing boots and scarves for new cute outfit combos

18. Looking forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas!

19. The distinct smell of the leaves mixed with bonfires

20. Tasting grandmas pumpkin pie, or anything pumpkin for that matter

On a Rainy Sunday in SA

Ronnie's Uncle Dave came rolling in to San Antonio all the way from Colorado today! We had a great time taking him to church, the Alamo, and the River Walk. It is always so fun to see family and show them a bit of our world. Thanks for coming Uncle Dave!

Pinterest Week, Cont.

More Pinterest successes from this week... :)

Granola-Apple Sandwiches

Bacon-Cheddar Breakfast Rolls

And the biggest success of the week... HOOTENANNY!
(I loved how it poofed up in the oven!!)

The Dash

Mia gets these bursts of energy every so often.  It is a lot of fun to watch.  I especially like her smile at the end.  *So happy*

MPC Lock In

What I learned....

1.  High Schoolers DO NOT sleep

2.  About 101 new amazing games

3.  Shipley's Do-Nuts is open at 5am

4.  To Save A Life is a great movie

5.  Girls will ALWAYS scream in the dark

6.  Grog is a great capture-the-flag-type game

7.  Not everyone gets tired at 3am

8.  I heart this group

9.  Cheese balls are the bomb

10. Maybe I am not the night owl I use to be *old*

Pinterest Week

I have declared this week "Pinterest" week. For those of you who don't know, Pintrest is a social networking site that allows you to "pin" ideas you find on line and organize them into "boards" for yourself and others. It has been a lot of fun collecting hundreds of recipe, craft, and home ideas! But rather than let all the pins sit in the "world of good ideas," I have decided to try out some of the many ideas this week. Here is what we have tried so far:

Creative Storage Solutions

Using Marshmallows to Keep Brown Sugar Soft

Two ingredient pumpkin muffins/cupcakes

Kiss Mini Pies

Toasted Ravioli

Homemade Dog Treats

Spying on Mia

Doggie Dip

We took Mia to a doggie pool party at Ft. Sam today. Swimming, however, was her least favorite part. No matter what we tried, she seemed a bit panicked in the water. Not to say she couldn't swim though... her little feet were pumping before she even hit the water! It was so cute the way she clung to me as if begging to be released from this new torture. She made it clear that she much preferred running around with the other dogs around the playground. And her towel. She always loves her towel...

(no animals were harmed in the taking of these pictures. and the little feelings that were hurt were quickly mended with the pounds of free dog treats being passed out.)