Pita Pit!

So last night we went to Friends & Family night at The Pita Pit in Edmond to celebrate their opening. This is my friend Jen in the picture with me last night - the girl has been around forever and been with me through it all - I'm lucky (and surprised) she's kept me around! Her sister's boyfriend is the owner so we got to get the sneak peek. I was really impressed with the location, the store itself and the food - it was delicious! I highly recommend anyone that likes a good sandwich go eat at the Pita Pit. It's on 5th St. between Boulevard & Broadway in Edmond. GO EAT AT PITA PIT!! Sales pitch is now over :-)

Tonight we have our monthly dinner with the Taylors, Blake & Stephanie - we are trying out a new Mexican joint by the lake. And then tomorrow night is my monthly bunco night - I have really lucked out and only had to cook dinner two nights this week!! Next week Greg wants to start "dieting" with me. It's technically a diet, yes, but more importantly it's a lifestyle change so it will be something that we will stick with. I have been doing it (WW) since this past November and have lost over 20 pounds so far. I was going to stop there, but I decided why stop if I'm not pregnant - so I'm going to keep it up until that happens! We are starting our daily/every other day workout on Monday too. This next week is going to be a big week for us (more for Greg, but for me because I'll finally have someone doing this with me!) I've also decided to start playing in a sand volleyball league with some friends. I used to play but I quit the year I got married - I hurt my back right before the season started and then I only had a few months before the wedding and I didn't want to get hurt anymore than I already was so I stopped and just never got back into it. But, no sense in sitting around waiting to get pregnant - I'm going to do all I can while we are "waiting" for this to happen. So I'm looking forward to the next month of getting in better shape with my hubby at my side and getting back into outdoor sports. Today I am just looking forward to the beautiful spring weather coming back - a winter mix in late March, really??

college hondos

So two weekends ago I had my girls weekend in Stillwater Oklahoma. Not the glamorous destination most people would think of for a girls weekend, but a perfect spot to catch up with college friends without spending an arm & a leg for flights and hotels and such. My 'little' (little sis in the KD house) flew in from DC on Thursday night - she was SO excited to be home! We hung out all night and chatted and enjoyed some Mazzio's (her request for dinner) before turning in. The next morning we got up early and drove to Moore (her hometown - about 30 minutes SE of us) to surprise her best friend from HS who just had a baby a few weeks earlier. It was a really neat surprise - her friend had no clue, but her husband was in on the surprise so we were really able to pull it off. After visiting with their family for a whole we drove back to OKC to meet up with the other Baltimore girls that were just arriving for lunch at Ted's. Ted's is an awesome Mexican joint for those that don't know and it is a must for these girls when they come home because as they put it "the east coast doesn't do Mexican food right!" After lunch we hopped back in the car and headed to Edmond to visit my little's SIL who was in town from DC and at her parent's house recovering from back surgery. We visited there for a bit, got to see their BEAUTIFUL little girl, and then hopped back in the car yet again to head to Stillwater.

Driving into town was very strange for me. I had not been back to Stillwater since December of 2002 when I graduated. Everything is SO different! There is a nice new WalMart that they built on the highway as you come into town where there used to be nothing. Neighborhoods are gone and in their place are hotels, restaurants and new parts of campus. Things have been built up everywhere! After stopping by HES to see one of my little's former professor's we all went to the KD house to check it out. Some of the girls laughed as we asked questions about how things had changed - the fact that we were shocked that the house was all wireless and everyone had laptops now was particularly funny to them! We would've stayed a bit longer and chatted with our housemom, but she left shortly after we did and is a housemom in some other state for the Theta's of something. Mom Judy was the greatest!

We went to the hotel, got settled and met up with the KC girls before heading to dinner. Pizza at the Hideaway and then drinks at Murphy's and Dirty's Tavern. Our usual spot, The Wormy Dog, is no longer there - but the manager from our day (and a friend of all of ours) is now part owner of Dirty's so we got VIP treatment. I hung out for a bit, but only really have one beer on these meds. Bars aren't my thing really, and this weekend just confirmed that. After getting a horrible headache (courtesy again of my meds and unbeknownst to me an oncoming sinus infection) I headed back to the hotel to turn in.

The next day we went for lunch at Joe's (Eskimo Joe's for those that know it by it's proper name) before heading to the OSU/Baylor basketball game. I have been craving Joe's pasta salad for years now and I finally got to enjoy it! At the game we befriended a five year old boy who was sitting two rows in front of us (we had pretty bad seats, but it didn't matter) and spent about half the game talking to him or his dad. After OSU's victory we headed back to Joe's for a drink or two and then to the hotel to veg out. We decided to lay low that night because the Baltimore/DC girls had to fly out of OKC at 8:15 the next morning, so we had to hit the road by 6 to get them there. We got together one last time for dinner at El Vaquerro, a usual spot for some of us in college for some good Mexican. After dinner a few of us ran over to catch up with an old friend from the pledge class above us (an old roommate of mine) who lived in town and is a few weeks away from having her first baby. It was great to see her, she's been going through some rough stuff lately but is looking fabulous and doing well. The we gathered in one of our hotel rooms for a bit longer to chat some more before we all headed our separate ways.

All in all I had a great time getting to catch up with everyone in person instead of by email for once. I totally vote for more of a spa weekend next time or somewhere that has other things to do than bar hop. It was still nice to see everyone though and to see how much everything is changed there, but Stillwater is just not for me anymore. I have some pictures, but still need to get some from the other girls. Once I get them I will stick a link at the end of this post!

same 'ole thing

I haven't posted in a while because there just hasn't been that much going on. Greg has been working extra lately and I have been lucky to make a full 40 hour work week - things are a bit slow for us right now. We (and by that I mean "I" because Greg was working) had the pleasure of helping the Taylor's celebrate Molly's 1st birthday and then the next day I celebrated my niece Kayden's 6th birthday with her & my sis. It was a weekend of birthdays! In the midst of all of that we had some visiting to Greg's stepdad in the hospital. He had a kidney stone (rather large) that had gotten lodged and had to be surgically removed that same weekend so we spent the evening after Molly's party visiting with him and my MIL.

My "little sis" is flying in on Thursday to stay with us for the night and the two of us are heading up to Stillwater for a girls weekend on Friday with a group of ladies from my pledge class. I haven't been back to Stillwater since I graduated so it'll be a bit strange, but it will be really nice to see everyone. We have girls coming in from the Dallas/FW area, the Kansas City area, the Baltimore/DC area and then 2 of us from the OKC area. I think the last time I saw a decent-sized group of us together was at Brooke & Adam's wedding (which was 2 months after mine) so it'll be great to catch up. I'm sure I will have something to post about after this weekend and maybe even a few pictures. Hope everyone had a wonderful Valentine's Day!

just a little praise

I just wanted to take a minute and praise God for bringing Greg into my life. He is the most incredible husband - fun to be around, really rather funny (apparently there is a side of him that has only been seen by yours truly!), he has one of the biggest hearts of anyone I know, family oriented, has a good work ethic, knows how to be lazy if the need arises, knows how to make me smile when I need it and how to make me think about anything but what is troubling me at any given time after talking me through it. He has truly been my rock in quite a few instances and I'm not sure how I would've made it through those times without him by my side. I am not worried about anything that the future might hold because I know in my heart he will be there to make the journey with me.

The other day I had a really low moment (lots of moments rather) and he turned my day around by merely being there and sitting next to me. We are taking a path that we expected to take, but that is still hard to handle sometimes. He has been really beyond incredible in "handling" me and my emotions so far! I have never felt so blessed in my life as I have since he walked into it! Anyway, enough gushing on him, I just wanted to take a minute to "shout it from the rooftops".....thanks for asking me to be your wife, it's the best decision I've ever made!

a few more hours

UPDATE: Kate lost her battle to cancer about an hour ago and has joined her brother in heaven. Thank you for your love & prayers for this family. God has gained an incredible angel today.

Well Saturday Julie updated Kate's CarePage to tell us that Kate's left lung doesn't work anymore, leaving breathing up to her right lung, which is plagued with tumors. She has told her mom that she is ready to go, and has been comforted by Julie's thoughts of her daughter finally being reunited with Ryan (Kate's brother) in heaven, which made her smile. At Kate's request, she has been put in a drug-induced coma that will put her out of pain until she goes and allow her to rest and be able to breathe. It will be soon, probably today. She told her mom, dad, step-dad and brother that she was ready to go, so they called the doctor to get things started. She can't sleep anymore because her breathing is so bad that just as she falls asleep the breathing trouble wakes her up. She is very, very tired because of this. She said her goodbyes to each of her parents and her brother, and the process got started. I just can't imagine.....God, please bring them peace and comfort.

keep the prayers coming

Kate at the start of her fight, summer 2007

So now that I've gone to the happy side of today I will go to the not-so-happy side. Please keep the prayers coming for our niece Kate. Pray not that she will recover, because she won't, but instead that she and her family have some peace at the end. Pray that she won't be in pain anymore. We got the latest update this weekend, it wasn't pretty. This will probably be the last update on Kate that we get....

Posted on CarePages 2 days ago:
"Hello dear praying friends, I really don't have my thoughts together like I would like to but Kate is sleeping sound and I will say a little more than I have. Kate's oncologist, made a home visit this week. He has been a fantastic doctor to her. They love to smart off to one another and Kate always has the last remark. He stayed and talked with her for about an hour, which was the most she has done in at least a week. He then spent time with us. He confirmed she does have fluid in her lungs, and does not think she will be here with us till the end of the month. I really expected him to say not even one more week, which may well be the case. She drifts in and out of sleep, and from time to time feels panicky because she can't breath right. She has been so sweet, and is putting things in order for those she wants to leave something with, like photos in frames and her car tag signed to Shane. There is no resistance to life, she just wants to sleep. I know she has given something to all of us, without handing anything to anyone. In our heart talks I have assured her of this,and she will never be forgotten. She is worried about me, but I told her to remember how God gave peace after Ryan went home to be with the Lord. There is no time for depression and withdrawing from living. There is great pain of separation, but I can truly smile at the thought that my children had a happy life, though short, and are already in the presence of the one who created them in the first place. I will use these experiences in life for the Lord in some way as He shows me how. One of the songs that goes through my mind often because of the lyrics is I Surrender All. "All", includes my children. I can't close without saying Thank You for everything that is done for us! I will keep you posted. With deepest love, Julie"

Greg and I were talking last night and we are just in awe at the faith that this family has. We think of ourselves as strong believers in Christ, but neither of us think our faith would be this strong in a situation such as this. We should all strive to have such faith in any situation. We think of you always Sullaway/Langford family, I just wish the next time we see you wouldn't be for such a sad reason.

last photo of Kate before paralysis, Winter 2008/2009

counting backwards...

Greg is usually still in bed when I leave for work in the mornings. Occasionally I will try to start a conversation with him, which isn’t very nice because he is usually still half asleep and can say some pretty strange things. I find it funny though - most of the time, mind you, I am really trying to ask him something important before I leave and sometimes I will get a good answer and sometimes I can tell he’s talking to me as if I am in his dream. Sometimes I will TRY to get something funny though, just because his comments are usually so random and sometimes make no sense whatsoever. So this morning I lean in to wish him a happy 31st on my way out the door and he replies with “I’m 29”......so I try to see if he’s awake or asleep still by saying “oh, what....you spend one year at 30 and then you work your way back down huh?” and without missing a beat he just lays there (eyes still closed and the way he mumbles I honestly can’t tell if he’s awake or not) and says “well yeah, I’m counting backwards now”.....

Okay hun.....good luck with that! Hope you have a happy birthday babe - I love you!!