Enjoying God's blessings ~ both of them!!

Today has been suprisingly a WONDERFUL DAY!! Both of my prayer requests were answered!!! My cousin Elizabeth was taken off of the ventilator yesterday and will be moved into a regular hospital room! She was even able to whisper a little bit. WOW!! God is soooo good! On top of that, My Aunt Kathy was able to drive down here with my parent's best friend's, the Davis', so she's currently on her way!! YAY! I can't wait until she gets here!! Also, today was a beautiful sunny day!! That is amazing! Let me catch you up on what we've been doing so far! Yesterday we hung around the hotel in the morning and then around lunchtime Kristen and I went and got pedicures. Then we came back to the hotel and Mom, Dad, Kristen, Miles and I went into downtown Sarasota looking for the Men's Warehouse so Dad could pick up his tuxedo for Saturday. We stopped at one mall and walked around for a bit, found the Men's Warehouse and then decided to eat at Longhorn's in Sarasota. Imagine our surprise when while we were eating, Mr. Billy and Mrs. Cindy Shields walked in!! They are our good friends from church and are down here for the wedding. We had no idea we'd run into them! It was so funny and we hugged and laughed and were so excited to see each other. You would have thought we hadn't seen them in years when we just saw them on Sunday at church! It was really funny! Then after Longhorns we came back to the hotel and went out on the beach. Miles LOVES the water and he is so funny! There is a lot of seaweed here in the water and he hates that so he tries to avoid it. Then we went back upstairs and got ready for bed. Today Kristen and I got up and got ready. Kristen went with Mom to a Spa and Miles, Dad, and I got went out to the beach and then in the pool. We had a good time! Then we went back up to the room, had lunch and waited on Mom and Kristen to get back. Rusty came over and we all watched YouTube videos ("Charlie you bit me" is one of my favorites as well as "Kick My Ask"*my Mom LOVES that one too! haha) Rusty and Kristen left to go get his tux and Mom and I went out to the beach for a little while. It was so nice. Now I'm just sitting here with a mask on my face that will supposedly clean out my pores. I can barely open my mouth now that it's dry! Tonight I think we are going to try to go out to eat with everybody who is in town today. I can't believe it's finally here!!! Alright well here are a few pictures so far! Enjoy! Thank you to everyone who has been praying for us! We are enjoying ourselves and look forward to sharing with you our pictures and stories when we get back.

~Kristen getting her pedicure~

~Kristen, Miles, and Dad~

Up Early...

Yesterday my Mom, Dad and I drove down from Charleston here to Long Boat Key, Florida for Kristen's wedding!!! It was an eventful drive and it took us longer than we expected but we made it safely here! We stopped by Publix on the way in and picked up enough groceries for 2 months it seemed like! Then we came back here to the hotel and unpacked while we waited for Rusty to drop Kristen and Miles off. Kristen got here around 6:30 and we went to "The Beach House" for dinner. We ate at the Beach House when we came in January to start looking for places for the wedding and that was the first time we met Rusty's Mom Ms. Denise, his brother Stephen, and Stephen's girlfriend Carissa! Anyway, dinner was fun but a little stressful because Miles had only taken a 10 minute nap the entire day!! So he was fussy and Dad, Mom, and I were on edge because we had been in the car the whole day! But it was still fun! After dinner we just came back to our rooms and unpacked some more, showered, watched a little TV, and then went to sleep! Miles is upstairs with Mom and Dad which is nice because that gives Kristen and I a little alone time before everyone starts coming into town! I'm about to finish this up but I wanted to mention 2 prayer requests that I have. #1 ~ That it will stop raining. The next two days look as if they will be pretty rainy with a 100% chance of rain for today, and an 80% chance for tomorrow. However Friday and Saturday only call for a 40% chance of scattered thunderstorms. STILL, that doesn't seem like the best odds for an on the beach wedding! Please pray that God will steer the rain other directions at least from about 4 p.m. - 7:00p.m. on Saturday!! My 2nd prayer request is for my cousin Elizabeth. She was put in the hospital last Friday because she was having trouble with a stint they had put in her esophagus. (sp?!) She kind of crashed and her blood pressure was 40 over 17 and they couldn't get a steady pulse. That was Saturday. Since then she's improved a little but they still have her on a ventilator. She's breathing a few breaths on her own every minute but not many. They were going to take her off the ventilator yesterday but her oxygen count was low so they postponed it. Please pray for my Aunt Kathy (I just call her Aunt) because she was going to come down here with us yesterday but is delaying because of Elizabeth's health. Please pray that Elizabeth will start breathing a little better and my Aunt will be able to come down here soon. Elizabeth's husband Doug and their daughter Caitlin could also use prayers.

Alright well I'll update later on today! I'm thankful for wireless internet!
:) Praying for sunny weather,
Stephanie

Getting Ready

Well today has been a super emotional day!! I hung out with my family after church. My Mimi and Papa came over this afternoon to see Rusty and Kristen before they leave. Then Kristen, Rusty, Miles and I went to Moe's for dinner. Afterwards we came home and started getting Kristen ready for her trip tomorrow. I got a little upset when I left because tonight's Kristen's last night at my parent's house as a "single girl." This made me really sad because it just reinforced that this is really happening!! I love Rusty so much and I am so happy that he is joining our family but it made me a little sad that it wouldn't be Mom, Dad, Stephanie and Kristen anymore. I guess that changed when Miles came around too though and he didn't really take away from our family and I'm POSITIVE that's how it will be with Rusty so I don't know why I got so upset, but I did! My sister's all grown up now with her own family. CRAZY! Okay, well enough of this gooey sh-show of emotion (*Home Alone line right there for ya!) I'm off to finish up some laundry and then go to bed!! I'll try to post more this week but I"m not sure how the internet will be down in Florida. Never fear, I'll post pics as soon as I can!

Off for now,


The EE Maid of Honor (*Excited and Emotional)


p.s. Susan, Did you see the new video?? It's on both the Mom and the Dad's website! haha. I"m glad we're stalkers together! :)

~Here are a few photos~

Eating at Moe's!

Mom and Kristen going through bags trying to gather stuff to pack

Family Pic (This was taken this past November)

The Countdown is on! 1 Week!

Well let's see... there are so many things going on! The summer has been so busy! The countdown is on for Kristen's wedding!! 1 week from today! Things have been so exciting trying to get things done for that. Rusty came home a week ago Thursday. Kristen was so excited! I text messaged her that morning and congratulated her for making it 6 months and she wrote back, "When I woke up this morning, it felt like Christmas Day!" I headed home at about 3:30 because we were going to leave the house around 4:15. (Rusty was planning on getting home around 5:25.) Needless to say, airlines haven't changed much from last summer (I spent the night in an airport... twice. Once in Atlanta, once in New York under a staircase. Thank You DELTA.) Anyway, Rusty ended up being delayed over and over again and he finally got in at around 9:40 p.m. That was a big bummer because we were all hoping that we would go back to our house and have dinner and be able to just sit and talk with Rusty. Kristen and Rusty had to go to Florida the next day so they had to go to the base to pick some stuff up so we all went our separate ways after leaving the airport. Since then though, we've hung out a few times and I've enjoyed it so much! Rusty is such a blessing and I'm so glad that God has weaved their love story like he has. All of the trials and hardships Kristen went through were completely worth it because God had a bigger plan in store for her. WOW!
Alright, what else? Oh I've been doing a lot of work in my classroom! I set my room up and I'm really excited about how it turned out! I spent 3 whole days cleaning, arranging furniture, categorizing books, and am a seasoned professional at the lablemaker. YESSSS. :) Now all that's missing are eighteen six year olds! haha. (I think I can wait a few more weeks though!)
I am excited about my day today! I am going to Blakely's birthday party! Blakely was in my class this past year and I found out the first day of school that her grandfather works with my Dad, which is so neat because I kind of know her family! Her Mom was an AWESOME help to me last year and always encouraged me and brought things in when I needed it. (Apple Juice and doughnuts the last day of school....score!!) Anyway, today is Blakely's birthday and so I"m headed there this afternoon! Exciting! I love that little girl and I can't wait to see her!
Well, I guess that will be it for now! Have a wonderful Saturday!
~ Stephanie

Plan B

I stumbled upon a blog about a month ago and now I check it daily for updates. Her name is Angie Smith and her husband is in the musical group Selah. I have truly been touched by her posts and I would really encourage you to check it out. (http://www.audreycaroline.blogspot.com/) Their story is sad. A few months ago they found out they were expecting their 4th little girl but 20 weeks into the pregnancy found out that their little girl had a variety of things wrong with her and if she didn't die in the womb, would die shortly after she was born. She was born in April and lived about 2 and a half hours. They are ordinary people who serve and trust in God but had this awful tragedy occur. Now they are using their story of Audrey Caroline to spread the word about Christ and his plan for you and me. I watched a video on Youtube that a church compiled about their story called "Plan B." In it, the Smith's told their story and how they envisioned their family but how God had another plan. It was THEIR Plan B but their testimony is that this was NEVER God's Plan B. He knows exactly where you are and where you are going. He knows your thoughts, actions, and deeds. He knows how many hairs are on your head and how many breaths you have left on this Earth. He ordained Audrey's life and this situation for the Smith's and it is now a testimony for God's will and our choice to trust Him. Do I trust him like I should? Do I trust in his perfect will and plan that he has for my life or do I daily take into my own hands?? I am trying to work on this one.

I am encouraged by Philippians 3:7-11
"But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbis, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ - the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead."

The End...

Well this is it! Tomorrow is officially the last day of school! (WITH KIDS THAT IS!) I can't believe it! Today we had our awards ceremony and ice cream party! They had a blast and behaved so well for the parents (whew...relief! ya never know with 6 and 7 year olds!) I actually got pretty teary eyed during the awards ceremony! I will definitely miss my kids! I know that some of them aren't coming tomorrow so I had to say goodbye to a few today. We have a half day which means they get out at 10:30. What are we going to do for 3 hours?? Who knows! But I"m sure I"ll find something! I have a lot of work to do in my room to get it ready for the cleaners. I really got excited today thinking about next year because our grade level chair is ON THE BALL and already has so much done for next year. I went into her room and just let myself absorb the "new year" feeling! I'm excited because I know what to expect and I'll know what things to buy and what things are dumb purchases!
I have a lot of goals for the summer. My first goal is to get back into my quiet times! I have been SO SLACK with that and I really have been missing it. I have distanced myself from God and let sin come into my life that I have been BOMBARDED with lately and I'm soooooo done with it!!! So I'm smacking Satan in the face this summer and getting back in righteous standing :) My next goal for the summer is to lose some weight! I was really good about going to the gym about 3 months ago and it lasted for about 2 months but with the end of the year stuff I haven't been able to do it at all. I've missed it but now I have NO EXCUSE!!!
I"m really looking forward to this summer! I have a lot of things planned but then a lot of nothing planned! I have 3 (possibly 4!) weddings to attend this summer. My friend Tiffany from high school is getting married this Saturday! My friend Ashley is getting married on the 22nd and I"m a bridesmaid in her wedding!! THEN on July 19th my SISTER is getting married in FLORIDA and I"m the maid of honor! I can't wait for that trip! It's going to be a week of BLISS! I'm possibly going to a wedding in Chicago with my friend Mike for our friend Hunter's wedding. That will be an amazing road trip if it happens! :) So between weddings, school prep, laying by the pool, working out, and hanging out with amazing friends, I think I have my whole summer planned. I hope it is wonderful!
Ok well I think I outdid myself for the night! Happy Last Day of School to me!!

Until,

~ Stephanie

MAY

Well, here it is. MAY. That means there are only 23 more school days left :) Which means Stephanie is a happy camper. I'm so ready for the summer but when I think of not seeing my kids I'm so sad! But I know I'll see them again in the fall but it's still so sad!!! So I'm watching "27 Dresses" and it pretty much has me over the edge :) I love it!!!!!!!!!!! so anyway, graduation is this weekend. All my friends are graduating which is sooooo weird! I'll only have like 2 people I still keep in touch with at CSU. CA-RAZY!!! Everyone's moving on which makes me sad. Last year, it was me who was moving on. And I haven't really moved on. I'm still in town, still hanging out with the same people. Which is good... but now I feel like everyone's going different directions and I can't help it. I just got back from Florida on Monday. My sister and I went down to visit my aunt and tie up some wedding details in Long Boat Key. We had a BLAST!!! I love my sister so much and we just had a great time listening to music on the way and chatting about old memories. Family life is going to change dramatically come July but I'm excited about it! I love Rusty and he loves Kristen and Miles ~ we're all about the love!!! :) So I'm trying to prepare myself for all of these big changes.

It's going to be a fun summer and I can't wait... only 23 more days...