First Funeral & Heaven Bible Study

9-12-10 I have been in a Bible Study for the last 2 1/2 years with pretty much the same Ladies. I adore these Ladies and their devotion to study God's word. I love that I can be totally honest with them and be my ridiculously emotional self and they not think bad of me. We are doing a 6 week study on Heaven right now by Randy Alcorn. It has been a blessing. I really was dreading it. I knew that talking about Heaven would flush my mind with thoughts of my Dad more so than usual. I thought and even said to one of the Ladies, "I'll cry every week, so y'all be prepared." However, God has sustained me and allowed me to get the knowledge that I need about Heaven without causing a total emotional roller coaster. There is so much Scripture about the current Heaven and what we rarely hear preached about...the new Heaven and the new Earth. The study is leaving me encouraged and wanting to tell others about Jesus even more...exactly what it was designed to do.



On another note, my best friend's fiance's Dad passed away. No offense to anyone, but over the last 2 1/2 years, I've been able to get away with only going to visitations instead of funerals. This time, I knew I would need to be there for her...and wanted to be there for both of them. I have to say it was pretty painful. The service was really beautiful and said a lot about Brian's Dad that I didn't know. It made me wish I did know him. It was just so hard for a lot of reasons. As much as I tried to not think about my Dad's service, the memories are just so vivid. I wished that there was that one person (husband) who was there just to support me. (unfortunately, kinda the running issue over the last several years.) I did have two friends, Amanda and Mark, who sent me encouraging words before and afterwards via text. I sat with my best friend's family and they were super sweet to me as well. It was hard as well because I knew there was nothing I could do to comfort my friends. There are no magic words. Knowing the pain of losing someone you love and knowing someone else you love is going to have to endure that pain was a little more than my heart could handle. In the end, I know part of my journey is just being there for others in their time of need. The music during the service was very touching also. A guy sang, "The Anchor Holds." It's one of my favorites by Ray Boltz from back in the day. It puts in perspective that God really does carry us through the storms of our lives. It touched me because I knew that even during all the hurt and grief of losing my Dad, that God loves me and is capable of sustaining me.

Awesome August

Stacey and I went running one night in her neighboorhood and the moon looked amazing over the lake.

My dear sweet Sandra's birthday is August 7th. I celebrated a little early since I am going to be out of town. Her favorite dessert is banana pudding, without the bananas. Since my Dad was the Master of banana pudding, but never taught me how to make it, I looked on the Nilla wafer box and they had these little stacker treats. Of course, it wouldn't be our birthdays without a charm from Steel's.

Sandra holding up her charm. It was a best friend one like she gave me at Christmas last year.

8-6-10 Let the Bachelorette Weekend begin...with the biggest cookie cake ever.

All smiles from her after a good night's rest at the beautiful condo in Panama City Beach. She was probably happy because we let her use your phone. No communication between husband to be and her happened after this. :)

The view from our condo

We went to get groceries and these two had to stop and look at bridal magazines. Shawna is getting married Sept 4 and Stacey Sept 25.

The three of us out by the bay.

So pretty

A very happy Stacey

Love you friend!

We had her lingerie shower Saturday night at the condo. There won't be many more pics of the weekend. haha

We love taking this posed picture

Out to dinner at the Boathouse. I love me some crab legs!

The beautiful drive home on Sunday.

8-17-10 Me and my friend, Curt at the Titletown Tasting, an event to support The Special Olympics of Georgia. Thanks to Susan Steel for taking this picture since I...didn't bring my camera! (crazy, I know.)

8-15-10 It had been a week or so since I had some Annyson time so I headed over to their house for some Sunday afternoon bonding. I adore this picture because the time with her was so precious.

So sleepy

Sleeping in the swing...I didn't want to stop the swing for the picture so it's a little blurry.

Sam and Annyson watching golf together

Daddy getting her to burp. He's so good with her!

8-17-10 Stacey's work shower at Ruby Tuesday's. Yummy cake from Publix that I HAD to have a bite.

The presents to start their life together...

Her office crew from Sentinel Offender Services

The "How well do you know your fiancee? game. It involved her eating marshmellows when she got a question wrong and I couldn't resist posting this pic!

Me frantically writing down her gifts and her doing her fake smile. She loved the gift, but doesn't love the attention.

Showing off her fine china

Hurry and take a pic with me before your mouth turns blue from that cake. Thanks

There were two games that we played and I won both of them. Brian's picture was in a balloon I had to pop and I won the other game by collecting the most candy rings. Woohoo. I love winning prizes.

Shauna and Stacey. Thanks to Shauna for planning such a great shower

Patty, Stacey's mom, Stacey, and her Granny. They were wearing the blue wedding color that I will soon be wearing too.

8-19-10 Casey Jones was so happy after the birth of his sweet baby girl.

Getting our first look at her from the nursery at Smith Northview Hospital.

We got to watch her get her first bath. Obviously she wasn't very happy with it.

Look at those lips.

She had just come from nursing but had to be taken back to the nursery to warm up so I snapped a quick photo.

Kasey, Casey, and Veyda Elisabeth Jones.

Veyda was 10lbs 4oz and 21 1/2 inches long.

My first chance to hold their bundle of love.

So happy for the sweet blessing for my friends!

Happy Daddy and Daughter time...he was already being really protective of her which was so sweet.

This is what has consumed my life since Dec of last year. For any League members that read this...this is not a whining session. I just want my family members who are a little annoyed with my lack of timely posting to know what has been going on. I am the Registration Chair for this event. It's my job to secure the vendors for this show. You would think it would be easy. Send out applications with deposit deadlines and wait for the money to come in. Unfortunately that is not the case. I have to go to other arts and crafts shows looking for vendors and selling them on our show. I have to make calls and emails and visits to past and prospective vendors discussing why our show is great and all the charities that will be helped by their participation. I am not a good salesperson...I realize this is not God's calling for me. (Sometimes I even have a hard time selling myself as a Massage Therapist to someone even when I know they need it.) The application deadline was August 1st and the full payment deadline is Sept 1st. We are ahead of the game as far as how many vendors we have at this time of year, but I learned last year that persistance really is key! With all that said, it's going to be an amazing show and I expect all of you to come out and support the Valdosta Junior Service League and get your Christmas shopping done!

8-23-10 I took Kasey dinner and got to have a little Veyda time. She slept the whole time like a good newborn should.

Couldn't resist

She did finally wake up to eat and say hello to her "aunt Heather"

8-25-10 My cousin, Holly, had her sweet baby, Hope in FL.

8-27-10 The birthday celebrating really began with a dinner of pork tenderloin, okra, and mashed potatoes prepared by "Chef" Max.

Elizabeth and Max laughing at my joke. I love it when they look so happy!

We had both had very long days at work, but I had to capture the memory. Happy Birthday to Elizabeth on Sunday, August 29th and mine on Wednesday, September 1st.

8-28-10 A busy night. I went to Jamie Herndon's wedding at Park Avenue United Methodist Church and then the reception at Quail Branch Lodge. Me and my sweet friend, Jeanna.

Jeanna and Andy Ganas

Trista, Tara(bridesmaid), and their mom, Melanie

The beautiful bride, Jamie. The ceremony was perfect. Lots of sweet sentiment and the right mix of laughter too. Love you!

Ladies' pic

Wendy likes making the blog so I knew we needed a new pic together especially since we were rocking the same color family.

So the wedding was at 6pm, got to the reception at 7:30 and was supposed to be at a baby shower for my friend, Andrea, from 7-9pm. Did I also mention it was pouring rain? An adventure for sure. I'm so glad I made it to hang out with her for a few minutes.

8-29-10 My childhood friends took me to dinner for my birthday. Brooke, with her youngest, Karsyn. She was a champ considering it was her bedtime.

Rylin coloring "aunt" Heather a picture

Allison and me. Thanks to her and Jeffrey for getting my dinner tonight. I sure do miss you, but am thankful for our friendship.

me with Rylin in the middle of saying cheese

Thanks to Brooke for always being there for me no matter what!

8-30-10 Dinner with some friends at Texas Roadhouse. Rachel, Lauren, and Stacey. Thanks to Stacey for getting everyone together.

Love you Jen!

Me, Jen, and Kasey. Thanks to Kasey for braving to be without her new little one for an hour! She made me cry when I saw her turn the corner!

The whole group after dinner outside.

Upclose and blurry, but you gotta love the memory. Thanks Ladies for a night of laughter with friends.

Look a there...Wendy making the blog twice in one month...note to self...don't face the sun when trying to take a pic.

Rebecca and Wendy took me to lunch for my birthday to Pita Pit. We had a great time of chatter! They are so spiritually strong and I'm blessed to call them friends.

Thanks to Rebecca for getting my lunch and blessing me! The birthday week/month just keeps getting better and better!

Tracy is such a sweetheart to me! We met years ago at Valdosta Medical Clinic and have been friends ever since. She is very thoughtful of me and always out of the blue. She brought me a beautiful cookbook and stationary from Perfect Settings.

Amanda and I had a girls night out. We went downtown to 109 Central for their "recession" celebration. Then we headed to Mori for some yummy sushi, my fave!! She got me the cutest phone cover and clutch from Perfect Settings. (maybe I'll just go register there without being engaged...haha!) Love Ya!