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!!

Baby, it's cold outside....

Wow, today is actually going to get above freezing!! If it's going to be this cold the least it could do is give us some snow! So there has been a mix of a lot going on lately and not a lot at the same time. More often than not I end each day trying to figure out where it has gone - I am constantly busy, yet most of the time I can't remember what I've been doing that's been keeping me that busy. I have been very bad at keeping everyone updated on what we've been doing so I will try my best to think back and catch everyone up!

The Tuesday before Thanksgiving we had our first appointment with our R.E. He started me on a new drug (metformin) and told me to give it until the first of the year to see if it starts working. He also gave us a game plan of sorts that lets me know what to expect if each thing doesn't work, which is really nice. So far all the metformin has done is made me sick (gotta love side effects!) and made me lose extra weight that weight watchers didn't take off. I am hoping that in the next week something happens, but I am really expecting to have to go on to Plan B which is more metformin with a chaser of clomid. This will be my forth round of clomid - hopefully taking metformin with it will help it work because the previous three rounds have done absolutely nothing but give me more side effects to deal with.

The first weekend in December we took a trip to Alabama to see my Grandma. She moved there shortly after my Grandpa passed away and we hadn't made the trip to see her new place. We have had the pleasure of having her here to visit us for 2 weeks though, so it's not like we haven't seen her. Anyway, this trip was really nice because it involved almost my entire family on that side - my brother's family couldn't make the trip. My aunt & uncle from Hattiesburg (MS), my cousin & her husband from Jackson (MS), my Grandma from Decatur (AL), my parents, my sister & her kids and Greg & I all made the trip to Huntsville (AL) to invade the Fairfield Inn for a weekend. It was SO nice to see everyone - I really wish my brother & his fam would've been able to make the trip - hopefully next time! The weekend was full of watching the kiddos swim, a small amount of shopping, food, family & a bit of drinking. It was a great way to spend a weekend between Thanksgiving & Christmas and I hope that it is made an annual trip from now on!!

We drove back from Alabama on Sunday (the entire way - what a LONG day!) so we'd be back for my FIL#2's surgery on Monday (for my uncle Rick - FIL#2 = Greg's stepdad). He was diagnosed with prostate cancer almost 2 months ago. Anyway, he had decided to skip the radiation and go for removal of his prostate instead, so he was scheduled to have that done on Monday. Surgery went well, a bit longer than we'd expected due to his size, but well. Recovery has been a bit of a bumpy road so far. He was kept in the hospital a day long than he was supposed to be, his drain tube is still in and still draining (it was supposed to be removed a week ago) so I'm not sure if that's bad or indifferent. He can't comfortably sit normal, so he does best in a semi-reclined position and spends the bulk of his day in his recliner. My MIL#1 (Greg's mom) has been taking great care of him and going a bit crazy from staying at home so much I think. She did go out the other day to get him some books so he'd have something to do. Hopefully his recovery will start to go a little better and he will get to go back to preaching and his usual activities - I know he misses it all!

Greg & I have just been working and getting ready for the holidays. I've gotten to spend quality time with my girlfriends at Bunco and my friend Jen's annual Ornament Exchange. We had the pleasure of watching Kayden & Bella in their school Christmas program. They did SO great - Bella even had a solo and she just blew me away!! I can't believe how grown up she is becoming - she's almost 8!! I really love this time of year and the family time that comes with it. If only there was one more day to Christmas so I could have one day per family and not have to rush around so much. Sunday we did get the honor of seeing our friend's son Henry get baptized - it was such a special day and a wonderful celebration to start off Christmas week!

I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas & a Happy & Blessed New Year!!

I'm still kickin'.....just haven't slowed down to write about it yet

So I have been told that I am very behind on posting. Things have been crazy busy and I haven't been home a ton, hence the lack of posts. I PROMISE to get back to it, hopefully in the next few days. Until I have time to sit, think and write here is a little Christmas survey fun...I needed a quick break from work!

• Wrapp​ing paper​ or gift bags?​ most of our gifts are for the kids so definitely wrapping paper - I love to watch them tear into it!!
• Real tree or Artif​icial​?​ fake....and not just any fake, a pre-lit fake!
• When do you put up the tree?​ usually the day after Thanksgiving
• When do you take the tree down?​ oh somewhere around the first week of January...I'm going to get as much out of that thing as I can before I have to pack it all up!
• Do you like eggno​g?​ I have honestly tried it but I just don't like it
• Favor​ite gift received as a child​?​ not sure if I have ONE favorite....every Christmas was awesome and I got so many wonderful gifts....if I had to pick I'd say the manger/backdrop for my nativity...my dad built it and painted it and I absolutely LOVE it!
• Who is the harde​st perso​n to buy for? either my parents or one half of my in-laws...there just isn't much that they need
• Who is the easie​st perso​n to buy for? the kids...especially Reed right now - give the boy some tools and he is entertained for months!!
• Do you have a nativ​ity scene​?​ yes, the Willow Tree nativity.....I got it piece by piece over a few Christmases , including the manger for it to sit in/on....it's one of my very favorite possessions ever!!
• Mail or email​ Chris​tmas cards​?​ real paper mail, absolutely no question about it!
• Worst​ Chris​tmas gift you ever recei​ved?​ I can't think of one
• Favor​ite Chris​tmas Movie​?​ A Christmas Story, Miracle on 34th Street, It's A Wonderful Life
• When do you start​ Chris​tmas shopp​ing?​ we do most (if not all) of our shopping on Veteran's Day....Greg's parents started that tradition - it's a bank holiday so the men had it off anyway.....Greg and I started doing it our first Christmas together and it just works out so great....everything (except a few stragglers) is bought and wrapped by the time the tree goes up on black Friday!
• Have you ever recyc​led a Chris​tmas prese​nt?​ um, no
• Favor​ite thing​ to eat at Chris​tmas?​ my most favorite is pumpkin bread - it's SO good!!
• Light​s on the tree?​ absolutely! I'm an all white light kinda girl though....colored lights bother me (on my tree, not on other people's trees)
• Favor​ite Chris​tmas song? I have too many favorites...Tracy Chapman's version of O Holy Night is up there though
• Trave​l at Chris​tmas or stay at home?​ stay home.....Christmas is hectic and exhausting enough as it is with all our families being in the same general city, I can't imagine if we were just here visiting for a few days for Christmas....I'm not sure how enjoyable it would be
• Can you name all of Santa​'​s reind​eer?​ Dasher, Dancer, Prancer, Vixen, Comet, Cupid, Donner, and Blitzen...and Rudolph
• Angel​ on the tree top or a star?​ we have a star...I'm not totally fond of this particular star, but I'm more partial to a star
• Open the prese​nts Chris​tmas Eve or morni​ng?​ wow.....um, we do presents on Christmas Eve with Greg's dad's side, Christmas Day with his mom's side and either Christmas Eve or before with my family
• Most annoy​ing thing​ about​ this time of the year?​ people being "politically correct" and saying that Christmas shouldn't be celebrated in schools because church and state are supposed to be separate.....it's CHRISTMAS for crying out loud - it has never been a problem before, why is it now - why are people suddenly getting so offended by things like school Christmas parties, plays and such? Changing Christmas Parties to Winter Fesitvals and banning nativities from school Christmas programs? If we are really going to be THAT P.C. then shouldn't we not even call it CHRISTmas, shouldn't we change it's name too?!? Can't people that don't these things just not attend? I am ALL for freedom of speech and religion and not making people participate in things against their culture or beliefs....why can't we still have all the things we always have and still call them all the same things and those that are offended by them can just not go see the play, or not go to the Christmas party or to see the living nativity? wow...got a little worked up there...I just don't understand people these days....
• What theme​ or color​ are you using​?​ what, on my tree? it is mainly silver & ivory.....Greg & I add a new ornament every year that has the date on it and we've always gotten silver ones
• Favor​ite for Chris​tmas dinne​r?​ we have beef tenderloin for dinner every year with my Norman in-laws....YUM!! I am not really a turkey fan so I am all about non-traditional dinner!
• What do you want for Chris​tmas this year?​ for the drugs to work and for all of the side effects and needle sticks and early mornings to be for something......to give me my family

Happy Thanksgiving

Life has been crazy as always and I haven't really had time to post lately. I am hoping to make time over the holiday weekend - we'll see!

I at least want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving though - hope you all enjoy the holiday with your families!