One year ago today, my precious Grandmother passed away. I cannot believe it has been an entire year. One year ago from Saturday was my Grandmother and Graham's Grandfather's funerals. Yes, in the same day. That morning we had Graham's PaPaw's funeral, which Graham did, and that afternoon was Grandmother's funeral. Definitely one of the hardest and most emotional days of my life thus far....if not THE most. I wrote a card to my mom this morning saying this same thing, but I woke up this morning with these lyrics in my head:
"When we all get to heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be! When we all see Jesus, we'll sing and shout the victory!"
What comfort and JOY these words have brought to me today. To think that my sweet Grandmother and Graham's PaPaw are in their eternal home with Christ...that they are in constant worship at the feet of our Father...that they are experiencing eterninty where there is no pain, no sorrow, no worries, no sadness...that they are with Christ! Praise God that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for us...to become sin for us...so that we might have eternal life with Him. Hallelujuah, what a Savior!
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Help Haiti...
I am in the process of putting together another blog post of pictures from our Christmas break and our time at Passion 2010, but this is much more important.
As I'm sure you have already heard, an earthquake hit Haiti yesterday causing immense amounts of damage, and costing many their lives. Haiti is the most poverty-stricken area in the Western Hemisphere. Not that any country needs to be hit with a natural disaster, but if there was ever a country that had absolutely no resources to survive a disaster to this scale, it is Haiti.
To view some pictures of the aftermath, click on the link below:
Earthquake hits Haiti
Compassion International, who is heavily involved in Haiti, has set up a Disaster Relief Fund to provide the following items for families effected by the earthquake:
As I'm sure you have already heard, an earthquake hit Haiti yesterday causing immense amounts of damage, and costing many their lives. Haiti is the most poverty-stricken area in the Western Hemisphere. Not that any country needs to be hit with a natural disaster, but if there was ever a country that had absolutely no resources to survive a disaster to this scale, it is Haiti.
To view some pictures of the aftermath, click on the link below:
Earthquake hits Haiti
Compassion International, who is heavily involved in Haiti, has set up a Disaster Relief Fund to provide the following items for families effected by the earthquake:
- Food and clean water
- Temporary shelter
- Basic sanitation and personal hygiene items
- Medical attention and preventative health care
- Family reunification and/or counseling
Sunday, January 10, 2010
White Christmas...
For the first time in my life I had a WHITE Christmas! It was absolutely beautiful!!!
Graham and I spent Christmas in Oklahoma this year. We headed up there on the 23rd, and luckily we did because a blizzard hit on the 24th! I have never seen so much snow before! I love snow. Snow and fireworks. Both fascinate me. The fireworks were a random insert just then, but I always lump them into the "Things That Fascinate Me" category. Anyways... it was a wonderful Christmas! This was my first Christmas away from home - except for one in Mexico, but Mom was with me then - so officially, this was the first. I was a little emotional, to say the least, but once I got there I was A-Okay :) Well..except for when Graham got stuck on Christmas Eve. That story to come soon...
I should warn you before you read this...I got a camera for Christmas. Like a real camera. I am SO excited and cannot wait to learn more about photography! I have had so much fun with it so far...especially in OK with the snow...so get ready for lots of pictures on the horizon....
Okay, so Christmas Eve...the blizzard begins. Because of this, I could not go outside and therefore took a picture of just about EVERYTHING in Graham's mom's house. No, seriously. Everything...
It was a wonderful day...but ended with, well, tears. Ha. Graham and Mike (his stepdad) braved the snow to take Car Car home and..well..got stuck. Due to the fact that half of Oklahoma City was also stuck on the roads in the snow, no tow trucks were able to make it out that night, resulting in a slumber party...that's Graham, Mike and Car Car in her apartment, at her retirement home. Funny thought now...not so much then. So after calling my parents and crying to them...missing them so much at this point...Graham finally called (his phone had been lost in the snow) and we read the Christmas story from Luke 2 together. He promised he'd find a way back on Christmas morning, and sure enough, he did! ...after hitching a ride with a stranger at the retirement home. Seriously. That is the only time I will not care that my husband is practically hitch-hiking! Christmas day turned out to be absolutely wonderful, though. It was a beautiful day and an incredible celebration of the gift of Jesus Christ.
We were able to spend lots of time with Graham's dad and stepmom, as well, which was wonderful! I was afraid we were not going to get to see them on Christmas day, but it all worked out for us to make it over to their home that afternoon!
The rest of our time in Oklahoma was spent going back and forth between family and friends - loving every second of it! It was a wonderful week!
Graham and I spent Christmas in Oklahoma this year. We headed up there on the 23rd, and luckily we did because a blizzard hit on the 24th! I have never seen so much snow before! I love snow. Snow and fireworks. Both fascinate me. The fireworks were a random insert just then, but I always lump them into the "Things That Fascinate Me" category. Anyways... it was a wonderful Christmas! This was my first Christmas away from home - except for one in Mexico, but Mom was with me then - so officially, this was the first. I was a little emotional, to say the least, but once I got there I was A-Okay :) Well..except for when Graham got stuck on Christmas Eve. That story to come soon...
I should warn you before you read this...I got a camera for Christmas. Like a real camera. I am SO excited and cannot wait to learn more about photography! I have had so much fun with it so far...especially in OK with the snow...so get ready for lots of pictures on the horizon....
Okay, so Christmas Eve...the blizzard begins. Because of this, I could not go outside and therefore took a picture of just about EVERYTHING in Graham's mom's house. No, seriously. Everything...
It was a wonderful day...but ended with, well, tears. Ha. Graham and Mike (his stepdad) braved the snow to take Car Car home and..well..got stuck. Due to the fact that half of Oklahoma City was also stuck on the roads in the snow, no tow trucks were able to make it out that night, resulting in a slumber party...that's Graham, Mike and Car Car in her apartment, at her retirement home. Funny thought now...not so much then. So after calling my parents and crying to them...missing them so much at this point...Graham finally called (his phone had been lost in the snow) and we read the Christmas story from Luke 2 together. He promised he'd find a way back on Christmas morning, and sure enough, he did! ...after hitching a ride with a stranger at the retirement home. Seriously. That is the only time I will not care that my husband is practically hitch-hiking! Christmas day turned out to be absolutely wonderful, though. It was a beautiful day and an incredible celebration of the gift of Jesus Christ.
We were able to spend lots of time with Graham's dad and stepmom, as well, which was wonderful! I was afraid we were not going to get to see them on Christmas day, but it all worked out for us to make it over to their home that afternoon!
The rest of our time in Oklahoma was spent going back and forth between family and friends - loving every second of it! It was a wonderful week!
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Continuing Traditions...
This weekend Graham and I made our annual Christmas Cookies! I have to say...it was much more of a success than last year. I actually had all of my Grandmother's cookie cutters that we used each year growing up - it was so much fun reflecting on all of the fun times that we had at their house making cookies each Christmas season. Though I did not have as many fun things to decorate with as she had...it will come eventually!
If you know me, then you know I am pretty particular about things. Some may call it type-A, others may call it a perfectionist, I just like to think of it as being thoughtful :) Because of this trait of mine, I could spend HOURS decorating cookies. I have always been like this. Every sprinkle needed to be in it's exact spot and every drip of icing needed to look good. My sister, however, always liked decorating the first 2, but then got sick of it. She would throw the rest of the icing on, toss the sprinkles on top, and head on her way. I don't know why, but it would frustrate me so much as a child! I guess I just thought everyone should be as particular about their Christmas cookies as I was. I mean...they were going to Santa, of all people...right?! Well, I quickly learned this year that Graham has this same approach to decorating cookies. And by same I mean the same as Melanie...not me. For him, it is all about the taste of the cookies and since he does not like sprinkles, then he only used the icing. For me, it is all about the look of the cookies, and since I can't eat the cookies..ha..I use as many sprinkles as needed to make it look pretty :)
Here are some pictures to recap the night...
The final mess...
Ta-da!
We are headed to mom and dad's tonight to have our Christmas with my family, then we fly to Oklahoma tomorrow to spend Christmas this year with Graham's family. We are so excited to see all of them and spend such a special time of the year with them!
I hope that everyone has a very Merry Christmas and that it is FILLED with the JOY of Christ!
Merry Christmas!!
Graham and Beth Ann
If you know me, then you know I am pretty particular about things. Some may call it type-A, others may call it a perfectionist, I just like to think of it as being thoughtful :) Because of this trait of mine, I could spend HOURS decorating cookies. I have always been like this. Every sprinkle needed to be in it's exact spot and every drip of icing needed to look good. My sister, however, always liked decorating the first 2, but then got sick of it. She would throw the rest of the icing on, toss the sprinkles on top, and head on her way. I don't know why, but it would frustrate me so much as a child! I guess I just thought everyone should be as particular about their Christmas cookies as I was. I mean...they were going to Santa, of all people...right?! Well, I quickly learned this year that Graham has this same approach to decorating cookies. And by same I mean the same as Melanie...not me. For him, it is all about the taste of the cookies and since he does not like sprinkles, then he only used the icing. For me, it is all about the look of the cookies, and since I can't eat the cookies..ha..I use as many sprinkles as needed to make it look pretty :)
Here are some pictures to recap the night...
Graham so excited about making cookies.... :)
Mixing the icing...
Baked, pre-decorating...
Graham's final products...
My final products...
The final mess...
Ta-da!
We are headed to mom and dad's tonight to have our Christmas with my family, then we fly to Oklahoma tomorrow to spend Christmas this year with Graham's family. We are so excited to see all of them and spend such a special time of the year with them!
I hope that everyone has a very Merry Christmas and that it is FILLED with the JOY of Christ!
Merry Christmas!!
Graham and Beth Ann
Monday, November 30, 2009
It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like...
CHRISTMAS!!!!
This is officially my favorite time of the year. Anyone who knows me is well aware that Christmas is not only my favorite holiday, but one that I celebrate all year. Who says you can't listen to Silent Night and Jingle Bells in May? Okay...lots of people would say that you can't. But...I do. Oh well.
We decorated our house this past week (calm down...I waited until AFTER Thanksgiving)! So thankful to mom for helping me get my tree together. She had gone with me to Old Time Pottery to get all new tree decorations a few weeks ago because I wanted to do a silver/blue/green tree this year...but once I pulled all of my other decorations out I realized that everything is gold..or has warmer tones. So to relieve me from my sadness, mom came and helped me. She can decorate like no one else...SO talented...I was incredibly thankful for her help!!
Here are some pictures of our house. I'm not sure why all of my pictures are showing up a little blurry??
This is officially my favorite time of the year. Anyone who knows me is well aware that Christmas is not only my favorite holiday, but one that I celebrate all year. Who says you can't listen to Silent Night and Jingle Bells in May? Okay...lots of people would say that you can't. But...I do. Oh well.
We decorated our house this past week (calm down...I waited until AFTER Thanksgiving)! So thankful to mom for helping me get my tree together. She had gone with me to Old Time Pottery to get all new tree decorations a few weeks ago because I wanted to do a silver/blue/green tree this year...but once I pulled all of my other decorations out I realized that everything is gold..or has warmer tones. So to relieve me from my sadness, mom came and helped me. She can decorate like no one else...SO talented...I was incredibly thankful for her help!!
Here are some pictures of our house. I'm not sure why all of my pictures are showing up a little blurry??
Our den...
Christmas Card holder...we always had this in my house growing up :)
Table Centerpiece...
Kitchen decorations...
Our tree...
My grandmother always told my mom that every Christmas tree HAS to have a bird on it. Mom surprised me with this ornament today :)
One of my favorite ornaments... I love Christopher Radko!
Front door...
Kitchen decorations...
Our tree...
My grandmother always told my mom that every Christmas tree HAS to have a bird on it. Mom surprised me with this ornament today :)
One of my favorite ornaments... I love Christopher Radko!
Front door...
Thanksgiving...
This Thanksgiving was wonderful. We stayed here in Birmingham and spent the day with my entire family - both my Mom and Dad's side of the family met at my parent's house for a Thanksgiving lunch. It was great and a nice reminder of what a blessing family is.
Melanie and I braved Black Friday this year. I always say that I'm not going to fight the traffic/crowd the next year, but I always give in. I have to admit, though..there's something about it that is fun...well, stressful and fun at the same time...
The rest of the weekend was spent watching football and decorating our house for Christmas...see the above post for pictures!
Melanie and I braved Black Friday this year. I always say that I'm not going to fight the traffic/crowd the next year, but I always give in. I have to admit, though..there's something about it that is fun...well, stressful and fun at the same time...
The rest of the weekend was spent watching football and decorating our house for Christmas...see the above post for pictures!
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Friends...
I miss my friends. Plain and simple...I miss them. There is so much to be said for your time in college where all of your best friends live with you - and though I wouldn't trade where I am in life right now for anything, I miss those days! Atlanta is guilty of taking my friends. Los Angeles and Nashville, too. As far as I'm concerned...Birmingham is in the middle. So that clearly means one thing...a reunion needs to happen soon. In Birmingham. Sound good, girls? Here are some pictures of these girls I miss like crazy and look forward to seeing SOON!
In Birmingham...
Heather and Molls...
Another picture from Molls' wedding...
Birmingham reunion before Step Sing...
Spring break cruise our senior year...so much fun...
Mollie Ann's wedding...
In Birmingham...
Heather and Molls...
Another picture from Molls' wedding...
Birmingham reunion before Step Sing...
Katie's wedding shower...
Katie and Heather...
My wedding :)
Katie and Heather...
My wedding :)
These girls truly are amazing friends and I am beyond thankful for each of them. It's hard that life has us spread all over the country right now, but it is exciting to see how God is using each one of us in our jobs, marriages, and friendships to spread His Name and bring glory to Him.
I love you girls :)
I love you girls :)
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