Goodbye, Jim

One of my dear friends lost her husband this past weekend. 

Christy and I first met when I was fresh out of college and beginning my career with Abel Construction in 2004.  We were both in the design department.  We shared an office.   She worked while I talked.  ;)  We became friends quickly and did what friends do.  We went for coffee, took a pottery class, went to the movies, laughed, cried, encouraged.....we saw each other through different things in each other's lives, both happy and sad.  I was at her house the night my family thought I had been kid-napped! (I'll keep that story for another post).  In many ways she was (and is) the awesome big sister I never had.  After working for Abel for three years, I took a job with an architectural firm.  Christy and I remained in touch and continued our friendship, still getting together for dinner, hanging out at her house (with her husband, Jim, and son, Dillon).  I even moved around the corner from her back in March and we'd go for walks.

But life changed radically for Christy and her family last Christmas.  They left about a week before Christmas last year for a family vacation to Venice, Italy.  They have friends that live there and they were going to spend Christmas with them.  Christy and Jim (both of whom are architects) had studied architecture in Venice when they were in college.  They loved Venice and were so excited to get be there again.

The day after Christmas, while still in Venice, they had to take Jim to the Hospital.  He had turned Jaundice -  even his eyes were yellow. After some exploring, test, and the placement of a stint into his bile duct, the surgeon speculated that Jim had Cancer of the Common Bile Duct, but the tests for cancer cells came back negative.

They remained in Venice much longer than they had originally planned and finally returned to the States on January 10.  They went straight to Boston to see a specialist.  He confirmed their worst fears.  It was, in fact, Cancer of the Common Bile Duct.  After starting Chemo in Boston, they finally got to come back to Louisville on February 1.  After a medi-flight to Louisville, Jim was admitted into the hospital here, but at least, after 6 weeks away, they were home.

Jim endured multiple surgeries, tons of Chemo, lots of fluid build-up, weight-loss, unbearable pain at times, not being able to eat for months and months (food would not pass through his system any more), and living with the knowledge that his cancer was terminal and would one day take his life.  Through all of this though, he had more drive and determination than I have ever seen a person have.  He did not let this disease get him down.  He fought.  He fought very hard.  He continued life almost as normal.  He wasn't able to work, because he was so worn-out at times, but he tended to life at home with an undeniable strength.  He finished building bookcases that he had started before he was sick, he cooked meals for his family (even though he couldn't eat them himself), and the family got to take several short trips together - the most recent was a weekend in Red River Gorge at the beginning of November.  Jim amazed Christy by setting the pace as they went hiking.  He hiked three different trails, one of which ended with 79 steps up!

That trip would be their last though.  Jim's condition started getting worse shortly after they returned home.  He went back into the hospital for a time and got to come home right before Thanksgiving.  While he was in the hospital, and barely able to talk, he was making plans for the Thanksgiving meal, making sure Christy thawed the turkey in time and planning the rest of the menu.

Jim continued to worsen and this past Saturday around one in the morning, Jim passed quietly and peacefully in his home, with Christy, Dillon and other family surrounding him.  The world lost a talented, self-less, strong, humorous man.  And my dear, sweet friend lost her husband.  My heart has been absolutely aching for her and for Dillon.  Words fail me when I think of how to comfort her.  I just tell her that I love her and I'm here for her.

Jim will be laid to rest today, in a matter of hours.  Please pray for comfort, peace and happy memories of Jim for Christy and Dillon (who is a 6th grader) as they say goodbye today.  Dillon wrote and is going to give the Eulogy for his dad.  Such a strong young man, much like his father.

Christy's sister, Kathy, wrote a beautiful Obituary for Jim here.

O Christmas Tree

Brandon and I put up my Christmas Tree last weekend!

Then we had soup and grilled cheese. 

 YUM!

20 States to go!

I've visited 60% of our Great Nation's 50 States.  The ones colored in red are the States I've been to.  I really need to head North/West! 

visited 30 states (60%)
Create your own visited map of The United States

My First House Guests....and a stroll down Memory Lane

Since moving into my New House back in March, I hadn't had a single overnight visitor yet.  No reason really, as I don't have a lot of House Guests in general, but that all changed on November 21.  I not only had House Guests, but I actually had 6.5 of them!!

My brother, his wife, their 3.5 kids (my sis-in-law was still cooking #4) and my mom all stayed the night.  Well, technically my brother and his wife didn't stay all night as they left in the middle of the night for the hospital.

Let me explain:

My brother and sister-in-law decided to have their 4th child in the Ville (they live elsewhere and this was a good option for them for many reasons).  So they drove up about a week and a half before the baby was due.  They stayed a couple nights with my parents, then went and had some fun family time at a hotel for a couple nights, then ventured out to my house where they would stay until the baby arrived (as my house is just a couple miles from the hospital where she would deliver).

So, on the night of November 21, I had a house full!  We had a lot of fun!

This is my "Treasure Chest" (as Tank calls it) that I use as a coffee table.  I keep some small toys and items from my childhood in it.  Well, curiosity got the best of Tank and he decided to open the chest and see what was inside.

Among the old key chains (with my name on them), 80's plastic clip-on charms, and slap bracelets was my old record player and a stack of records. 

After sifting through records by the likes of The Oakridge Boys ("Elvira" ~ Oom bapa) and Olivia Newton John ("I Honestly Love You"), and others, my brother found an old copy of Waylon Jenning's "Theme From The Dukes Of Hazzard (Good Ol' Boys)"

My nephew played his best air guitar and danced around to the static-y sounding song (my brother practically wore that record out doing the very same thing as a kid!)

Then we put on a record that went along with a book - remember those?  'When you hear this sound....turn the page'.  The kids chose "Cinderella" but as I guessed, their attention spans didn't last for the entire story.



Goose & Boo enjoyed my old Pound Puppies and My Little Pony's as well.

I also knew Goose would love my collection of Charmkins (she loves things with tiny pieces!)

After the stroll down Memory Lane, we all turned in for the night.

My sister-in-law had started having contractions early in the evening and so she and my brother headed over to the hospital in the middle of the night while the rest of us slept.  Things progressed slowly through the night for them, so the next morning my mom and I enjoyed waking up with the kiddos.

Goose watched cartoons in my bedroom, while Tank played Angry Birds on my phone.

Little Miss Boo slept in a bit - here she is still snoozing in her make-shift bed on the floor in the Guest Room.  The other two kiddos slept in the bed.



As one of my previous blogpost's announced, little Quatro joined the family around lunchtime that day.

While my sister-in-law and the baby stayed the remainder of the time at the hospital, my brother, the older 3 kiddos and my mom stayed with me another couple nights.  What a great visit we all had and I was so happy to call them my very first House Guests!

December Already?

Wow!  How is it December already?
It's snowing outside today, which is very fitting for December 1st.  The snow makes me want to watch "White Christmas" - my absolute favorite Christmas movie.  I love all the singing, dancing and the love stories within the movie - not to mention the fact that they travel & sleep on trains, wear elegant evening wear all the time and get to hang out at a ski resort for weeks while performing musical routines!

Here's one of my favorite songs from the movie:

European Adventure Recap - Paris Traffic

Sunday October 25, 2009

Paris, France

It sure is a good thing that Paris has a subway system......I can't imagine driving there!  (see all the headlights & taillights just to the either side of that monument leading up to the Arc de Triomphe?)  Crazy I tell you!

The picture below is pure madness - I don't even know what lane was what and which way was right!

European Adventure Recap - Eiffel Tower at Sunset

Sunday October 25, 2009

Paris, France

While strolling along the Seine, we stopped to watch the Sunset with the Eiffel Tower silhouetted in the background.

Welcome Baby!

Just in time for Thanksgiving, we welcomed a new little turkey into our family yesterday.....my new Nephew!  I've yet to come up with a real nickname for him here on the blog, so for now - we'll call him 'Quatro' (since he's my brother's 4th kiddo).

 Look at all that hair!!

European Adventure Recap - Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel

Sunday October 25, 2009

Paris, France

On the same property as the Louvre is the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel.  (Not to be confused with the larger, more famous Arc de Triomphe du Place Charles de Gaulle, also in Paris).  Nope, this one is similar, but different in it's own right and a little smaller.   This Arc stands 63 feet tall and is 75 feet by 24 feet (wide & deep).  It"is a triumphal arch...located in the Place du Carrousel on the site of the former Tuileries Palace."

"It was built between 1806-1808 to commemorate Napoleon's military victories of the previous year...Around its exterior are eight Corinthian columns of granite, topped by eight soldiers of the Empire."  Napoleon's conquests are depicted in the marble facades of the Arc.

I love the picture below....and the muted, overcast tone it has to it.  The people walking/riding by in their dark coats...and the feel that there is a chill in the air, but yet there is still a sense of warmness.  It's just a neat shot that captures Paris in my mind.

Congratulations!!

Congratulations to Shannon & Michael!!!

One of my Best Friends got married on November 6!  Click here to read more about our life-long friendship, since our early days of VVBC Youth Group!

I was asked to be the Maid of Honor, and truly, couldn't have been more honored to do so! 

Here's my recap of the days events:

I started the day by getting my hair did.  Here I am with a head full of pin curls.

After the curls cooled and were good and set....the hairdresser teased the middle portion until I sufficiently resembled "Cindy Lou Who".

She sure knew what she was doing though, because once she started updo-ing it - it turned out great!

Here's the back:

Then it was off to the church for make-up and dressing....

Doesn't The Bride look BEAUTIFUL?  And she's not even in her wedding dress yet!!

Lots and lots of primping....

Here it is:  THE DRESS!!

And look at those shoes!!!  Yes - the Bride was wearing Hot Pink/Purple Heels!  Love it!!  They are 4.5" tall too, as her Groom is more than a foot taller than she is!

Little Miss C, the Flower Girl - Isn't she precious?

Don't let her fool you though - she's got a wild side too!

Once Shannon was in her dress, I presented her with the traditional "Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed and Something Blue" items.  Here, I'm pinning the "Borrowed" item under one of the layers of her dress.

Then it was time for a quick snack.  I was a good little Maid of Honor and made sure to shove food in Shannon's face all morning so she wouldn't pass out on the altar or anything!

Then she finished up a quick note to be delivered to her Groom.....

....and then it was picture time!
Can you believe how stunning she is?  I'm getting tears in my eyes still as I write this.

The Bride and her Attendants

And now a seated shot

BFF's

Little Miss C, taking a break

Myself and Tiffany (she was in Youth Group with us too!)

Then my "Personal Photographer" got a shot of just me....

Who was my "Personal Photographer" you might ask?  This Dapper looking fellow below....my Sweet Boyfriend Brandon.  Not only was he a great photographer that day, but he was my chauffeur, flower holder,  & trash taker too!.  He also helped out the Parents of the Bride by being available all day for whatever they needed, including taking down decorations after the wedding and helping move gifts to the reception site.  And even the night before (during the rehearsal) he made a run down the street to get some snacks for the Bride (who hadn't eaten much all day and wasn't feeling too good).  Isn't he great?  So dependable and thoughtful.  And isn't his 3-Piece-Suit (complete with Pocket Handkerchief) just so snazzy?  He had that Tailor-made in India.  Yup, he's the man.

On to more wedding stuff....

The officiating Pastor was none other than Kerry Jones himself, our former Youth Pastor (he was at VVBC from 1984-1996) and all around wonderful human-being.  I do love a "KJ" wedding and Shannon's was no exception.

Below, I'm giving Kerry his usual birthday present from me - Red Tootsie Roll Pops.  Ever since I was a kid (and right there in that church) I would give Kerry my Red Suckers from the "Candy Man" who gave out candy at church (that takes a little more explanation, so maybe I'll have to do a post about him sometime).  Anywho, it's now become a tradition that I give Kerry a whole mess of Red Suckers every year around his birthday (Oct. 4), so even though I was a little late this year, I couldn't think of not giving them to him!

The Mother of the Bride, Barbara, pinned Kerry's boutonniere on.

Then......it was WEDDING TIME!!!

The lighting of the candles.....

Jenn sang absolutely Beautifully!

Then the Parents of the Groom lit their half of the Unity Candle...

Followed by the Parents of the Bride.

The Groom and his Groomsman took their places....

....and then the Bridesmaids...

(That's me!)

Then the Flower Girl (Shannon's niece) was escorted down the aisle by her father (Shannon's brother).

And then Shannon made her Big Entrance!

Her father gave her away...

....and the ceremony began. 

"Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother, and cleave to his wife: and they shall be one flesh." Genesis 2:24

What a sweet, sweet ceremony it was!

The Groom's Father read a passage from I Corinthians 13 (known as the "Love Chapter").

I absolutely LOVE this picture!  It's so cute and sweet how they're almost sneaking a look at each other, while they are listening to Mike's dad read aloud.

Next came the Vows...

Then the Rings....

First, his gift to her...

....then hers to him.

Then the Lighting of the Unity Candle.

Next, Michael and Shannon took communion together.

And then Michael prayed for he and his Bride privately.

Then it was time for the KISS!!  I LOVE it!  Shannon's hands at her sides, Mike laying a good one on her.  What a happy (and very cute!) moment!!

Then they are officially pronounced Mr. & Mrs.!

Whoo Hoo!

And you should have heard the crowd when they started down the stairs and Shannon's hot pink/purple shoes popped out from under her dress!  (Look at her shoes!)  :)

Since Mike & Shannon didn't see each other before the wedding, there were a few last photos to take before heading over to the reception.

Here's the entire Wedding Party:

Maid of Honor and Best Man with the Bride & Groom (I think I've failed to mention yet that Mike is a twin!)  Mike & Nate are super-tall....and well, Shannon and myself are kinda...shorter.  In this picture, we're all standing on the same step...

...and in this picture Shannon and I are on the same step, while Mike and Nate are one step lower to help even us all out.

Once the rest of the picture were taken, it was time to head over to the reception.  Shannon had a gorgeous jacket to wear with her dress for the chilly November day.  Isn't it lovely?

And the buttons on the back of the sleeves to the jacket, match the buttons on the back of her dress!!  So cute!

Husband & Wife!  (I LOVE this picture!!)

One more shot before the reception

The reception was at Hotel Louisville, downtown.  It was a really pretty ballroom with a nice ambiance.  Hotel Louisville is owned by the Wayside Christian Mission (a local homeless shelter). 

All the people working at the Hotel are "in a unique social enterprising program that is empowering men, women and families to rebuild their lives".  It's a great program that helps rehabilitate folks who have become Homeless.  So, all the proceeds for renting out the ballroom, plus the food service go directly to those in need.  Pretty cool, huh?  For more info about this program, click here. 

My mom and her friend, Susan, helped to decorate at the reception hall that morning.  And hey - that's my Dad in the blue shirt (almost) in the center of the picture.

The Bride & Groom took the floor for their first dance as Husband and Wife.

Then came the Father/Daughter dance.  They danced to "I Loved Her First."  (I have never been able to listen to that song without crying!!)!

It was a very tender moment between this Daddy and his Daughter.

Next it was Time to Eat!

Then Time for Toasts.  First Nate, who had the crowd laughing (a lot!)...

...then it was (nervous-out-of-my-mind) my turn!

Mike's so tall that he had to squat down a bit for the "Intertwined Arms" pose

The simple, yet oh-so-pretty (and very tasty!) cake.

And here's the Groom's Cake.  There's a joke that started between Shannon's Dad and Mike about each of them wearing yellow shirts (2 different days, one after the other) and teasing each other about looking like Big Bird.  Then Mike ended up getting Shannon a small Big Bird doll (that she then took to Europe, getting pictures of him everywhere we went) and Mike also incorporated the Big Bird doll into the proposal (the ring box was propped up against him).  So needless to say, this was the perfect Groom's Cake for them!

Cutting the Cake...

....and deciding whether or not to smash it? 

Mike ended up perfectly placing the cake into Shannon's mouth - great job Mike!

...and then it was Shannon's turn.  She returned the favor of being nice, even though his face seems to suggest otherwise.

Aww...how sweet!

Here's me and my Boy-fran.  ;)

Isn't he too handsome??

Three Generations:  My Granny (Tillie), My Momma (Cindy) and Me

Gal Pals!  Me, Shannon, Gina and Jenn.  Shannon's breaking up the foursome.  Guess somebody had to go first though, right?  We're all so overjoyed for her though and technically we're still a foursome....even if one is an old married lady now.  ;)

Couldn't be happier for my BFF on her big day!!  Congratulations Shannon!  I Love You!!!

Michael and Shannon left with tin cans rumbling off the back of their SUV - off to a wonderful week-long Honeymoon in Belize!

One last shot of me and that handsome guy I'm blessed enough to call my boyfriend.  Love that vest/shirt/tie look he's got going on!  Sigh.

What a Wonderful Day!  May God mightily bless Mike & Shannon in their marriage as they put Him first and glorify Him with their lives!