Engagement Anniversary

I love to remember dates and am pretty good at remembering what happened this time last year, two years ago, three years ago, etc. Well, three years ago today, August 21, 2009, is a day I will definitely remember forever. Ross asked me to marry him. I said yes!

Our proposal was so wonderful! I remember it like it was yesterday - getting my dinner invitation in the mail, getting ready for dinner, eating dinner together, driving to the park, walking to the bench, reading "Our Book Of Love," Ross getting down on one knee and proposing, saying yes and hugging and crying, him putting the ring on my finger, celebrating with sparkling grape juice, taking pictures, calling our family and friends.... Oh all of it was just absolutely perfect!

You can read our engagement story here.

You can see our engagement night pictures here.

Suitcase Surprises

Last week I went on a "girl-cation" to the beach with three girlfriends. (I'll write about that later!) When I got to our hotel room the first night, I opened up my suitcase to find a surprise from Ross:

He put a card in my suitcase, without me knowing about it, telling me to have a great time on vacation. He is so good to me! Thanks, Honeys!

Ross' 33 Birthday....A Few Months Later

I had so much fun planing Ross' 33 birthday! His birthday was May 2 (a while ago now, which doesn't really matter!), but I had it all planned out almost two months before the big day!

Ross' birthday was on a Wednesday and I thought it would be fun if we could spend the day together.  I wanted the day off to be a surprise, so I emailed his coworker and asked him if he thought I'd be able to contact Ross' boss to ask for the day off. His coworker said it probably wouldn't be a problem at all and gave him the email address.

I didn't really have anything planned for the day off, so started thinking of things to do. I was SUPER excited to find that the Springfield Cardinals were playing at home on his birthday, at 12pm. Ross loves going to baseball games, so this was just perfect!

Sometime in mid-April I emailed Ross' boss explaining who I was and my plan for his birthday. His boss agreed and thought it was a great idea. I printed out the email and wrapped it up to give Ross on his breakfast in bed tray.

It was SO hard not telling Ross about my plans! I tell him everything and it was killing me to not be able to share!

On his birthday I woke up early and got his breakfast in bed tray ready and woke him up singing "Happy Birthday." He L-O-V-E-D it.... :)

He opened the email from his boss and I think it took him a few minutes to understand what it was. I was kind of afraid he'd be upset about the day off because this happened to be a busy week for him, but he said he wasn't. We went back to sleep for a little while longer and then got up and around.

It was such a nice day. We had breakfast at Gailey's Cafe, went to the Springfield Cardinals game, got shave ice at a local stand, and then had dinner at the Springfield Brewery with friends. We came home to have Oreo cream pie birthday cake and blow out candles! What a fun birthday!

Because He Lives

Last week at my cousin's wife's memorial service, we sang the hymn "Because He Lives." Like the song "How Great Thou Art" (that was sung at Ross' Gramma's funeral earlier this year), I have played "Because He Lives" on the piano and sung it countless times before this service. This time, though, I wasn't really singing the words, but more so reading them and thinking about the meaning of the song.

I haven't heard the second verse as much as the first and third, and really keyed in on it. I love how it talks about a new born baby and that this baby can face life because Jesus lives. And the third verse, talking about going home to be with Jesus and death giving way to victory. This song kind of sums up life with Jesus:  if you know Jesus, life might be hard, but you can get through it because He is there for you. I thought this was such a great song to sing at a memorial service. I have the lyrics listed below. Take a few minutes to read them and really think about the meaning of the song.

God sent his son, they called him Jesus
He came to love, heal and forgive
He lived and died to buy my pardon
An empty grave is there to prove
My Savior lives

Because he lives I can face tomorrow
Because he lives all fear is gone
Because I know He holds the future
And life and is worth the living
Just because he lives

How sweet to hold a newborn baby
And feel the pride and joy he gives
But greater still the calm assurance
This child can face uncertain days
Because he lives

Because he lives I can face tomorrow
Because he lives all fear is gone
Because I know He holds the future
And life and is worth the living
Just because he lives

And then one day I'll cross the river
I'll fight life's final war with pain
And then as death gives way to victory
I'll see the lights of glory and
I'll know he lives

Because he lives I can face tomorrow
Because he lives all fear is gone
Because I know He holds the future
And life and is worth the living
Just because he lives

The "Peterson" Family

Yesterday we were in Fayetteville, AR, for my cousin's wife's memorial service. She passed away last week after a long fight against cancer. It was a very nice service and we got to see so many family members that we had not seen in such a long time. The picture below is of the whole Peterson side of the family. The Peterson family consisted of my grandparents, Harry and Viola, and Marilee, Linda, and Wanda.

Aunt Marilee died from breast cancer when she was 45 years old. She left behind her husband, Roger (who remarried a lady named Susan), and five boys:  Rusty, Pat, Eric, Mark, and Kevin. Rusty has three kids:  Lydia, Ellen, and Mitchell. Pat is married to Tessie and they have three boys:  Graeme, Ian, and Bryson. Eric is not married. Mark is married to Alix. Kevin is married to Dany, and they have four kids:  Gwennie, Sydney, Shamus, and Britney.

Aunt Linda is married to Dale, and has two step children and four grandchildren. 

Wanda, my mom, is married to Terry and they have Stephanie and me. Stephanie is married to Nathan and they have two boys:  Trevor and Cody. I am married to Ross and we have no kids!

I love this picture! I see family pictures like this a lot, but I don't think I've ever been a part of one like this.

On a funny side note, all of my cousins have red hair. Yesterday at the service several people were wondering who all Rusty's brothers were and were counting Ross in as a brother due to his red hair!

Heaven Is Brighter Today

Heaven is brighter today because it welcomed another member last night. Stacey Fink, my cousin's wife, passed away after a long, hard-fought fight against cancer. Stacey leaves behind Rusty, her husband of almost 13 years, Lydia, age 11, Ellen, age 9, and Mitchell, age 6.

I don't have all of the details on this, but I believe that Stacey's cancer first showed up as breast cancer 4-5 years ago. She went through several rounds of chemotherapy and remissions, but in May of 2011, the cancer came back in her pelvis and from them on it was a hard battle. It spread to her bones and everywhere else. She and Rusty did everything they possibly could to fight this awful disease, but in the end God called her home to live with Him on August 1, 2012.

I got to know Stacey when I was a freshman and sophomore at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR. She and Rusty were dating then and I spent a lot of time hanging out with her. She was one of my few friends that I had while in Arkansas and thinking back on it now, it was so nice of her to hang out with me! I was 18-20 and she was maybe 33-35 years old...right at the age I am now. She didn't have to hang out with me, I was just her boyfriend's cousin (and Rusty and I weren't all that close and didn't know each other all that well), but she did. I'd forgotten until just recently how much time we did spend together...shopping, eating out, going to movies, walking at the park, hanging out and talking. She made a hard two years of my life easier by being my friend.

And by her Facebook page, I'm not the only one whose life she touched. It has been comforting to read all of the posts from her friends over the past few weeks, especially since last night. Everyone has talked about how kind, caring, and strong Stacey was. I know she made an impact on so many lives over the years, especially Rusty and her children.

This whole situation is so bittersweet. Stacey won't be here anymore and Rusty is left without a wife and Lydia, Ellen, and Mitchell are left without a mother. Yet on the other hand, she is alive and healthy meeting Jesus and everyone else who has gone home before her. I'm sure there are several friends and family members on her side of the family that she has now been reunited with, and how sweet to think that she has finally met Rusty's mother, Marilee. (Marilee is my mom's sister and died in 1985 after a 3-year battle with breast cancer. Rusty was in college when this happened.)

The situation is also so unfair. Why would God take someone as special as Stacey? Why would He take someone with a loving husband and three young children? Why wouldn't He hear the prayers of SO many people and heal her here on earth? There are so many questions like this that will never be answered and will always leave us wondering why, but it's not ours to understand:

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, 

neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.

Isaiah 55:8, NIV

God is sovereign and no matter how much it hurts or doesn't line up with our plans, God's plan is the only perfect plan. His plan for life and His plan for death are all perfect, no matter how early death comes. Yet, God is so gracious that even in our deep sorrow He gives great peace:  

"And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, 

will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Philippians 4:7, NIV 

Peace that passes all understanding - peace that allows you to suspend all of your whys and just be, knowing that God is in control. I pray for that peace to fall upon Rusty, Lydia, Ellen, and Mitchell, and everyone else who has been affected by this great loss. 

I read the following verse just this morning:

 

"The Lord cares deeply when his loved ones die."

Psalm 116:15, NIV 

God cares for us even when our loved ones die. To me this seems kind of confusing...if God cares when His loved ones die, then why doesn't He just do away with death altogether so no one would have to die. I don't have an answer to this and never will. It is comforting to know, though, that God cares for us and hears our cries and is crying with us. He is there to uphold us and comfort us, giving the peace that passes all understanding.


Will you please add Rusty, Lydia, Ellen, and Mitchell to your prayer list? I've lost loved ones before, but no one as close as a spouse or parent. I can't even begin to imagine what they are feeling and going through right now, but I know the only thing that can sustain them is God.