Elizabeth Grace

POOR THING
My niece, Elizabeth, loves to swing around on their play set like a little monkey. She was doing this Saturday when she fell off and broke her arm at the elbow. Vanette took her to the ER in Madison where they took X-rays and then decided to send her to Louisville for surgery. It ended up being 17 hours from the time of the break until they took her into surgery. And 21 hours until she could eat or drink. That is a long time for a five year old.
For being a drama queen, she did really good. However, the last hour before surgery she decided she had enough. These are a few of the things she said in her despair: "I want to see the doctor, NOW!" "I want a drink, I want a drink, I want a drink, I want a drink." This last one was repeated over and over for several minutes. I understand that these things could make her look like a brat, but put yourself in her shoes. How would you be feeling if you had to lay there in significant pain for that long??
She came home Sunday night. I left this morning and she was still in a lot of pain. I am very proud of her and how brave she has been.


Sunday night after she got home from the hospital. I think her face says it all.


Finally able to go to sleep.


Trying to spend some time with Rebekah who has been a little neglected in all the excitement.


Smiles!

Wind and Humidity

HUMIDITY
Last Saturday our church had a picnic at one of the local parks. We had a good turnout of youth and young adults. Up until Saturday, the weather had been nice and cool. But the weather gave a slight turn on Saturday and gave us a very sunny and humid, very humid, day. Despite how hot it was, we all had a great time playing games and talking. We played corn hole and softball, and ate very yummy hamburgers!


Katie and I watching the softball game.


Mary and Emily


Providing entertainment


Cornhole!!!!


WINDS
Sunday was an unusual and interesting day. Mostly because we had to anchor down in order not to blow away. I spent the day at my sisters house in Hanover where we had winds up to 75mph. At around 2pm, the wind started to get really forceful. Vanette and were finding great entertainment in looking out the window at the neighbors house (pictured below), watching everything that the wind was damaging. We were amazed at what all was happening. It was about that time that I remembered the tree at the end of the house, positioned so that if it snapped would fall toward the house. I mentioned this thought to Vanette and she just laughed and said "oh, you don't have to worry about it because it's not on your end of the house". About that time one of my nieces came in and said something about a tree and falling on the truck. In our distraction, we simply thought she was asking if it would fall. She was followed with Jeff, who said "did you hear that tree fall on the truck?" That got our attention and we went out to find that the truck was covered by half of the tree. Luckily, it was covered mostly by the small branches and not the bigger limbs. There was no damage done.


The neighbors


Tree and truck

We ended up canceling church Sunday night for a few reasons. Number 1, the state of Indiana issued a state of emergency and did not want people out on the roads for obvious reasons. Number 2, most of our people are from KY and in order for them to come into IN they have to cross a bridge over the Ohio River. The state of KY closed this bridge around 3pm because of it shifting. Scary! So, we stayed home and made pizza!!

Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Smith

I had the privilege of being in two of my closest friends wedding on Friday. I have known Nathan all of my life. We grew up going to church together. We worked at Garst Seeds as Research Technicians when we were in high school. There have been many times that I have asked Nathan his opinion on something. After all of his preliminary speeches Nathan typically gives, he was always very honest about his opinion. I appreciate the friendship that we have had through the years. Nathan was the bus captain on the bus that I worked on at the Bible Holiness church. I have many memories of the all Saturdays we spent out calling on people from the church and on our bus kids.

Ironically enough, it was on one of these calling endeavors that I first saw Laura. We were calling at a house on Elm St. which is just behind the church. We were standing on this porch talking to a lady when I saw a girl in a skirt walking our way. It occurred to me that Nathan somehow knew her because he walked over to talk to her. I guess the lady we were calling on thought that I may be interested in Nathan. She looked at me and said..."you better get him before Lorie steals him away!"

Several months after my first encounter with Laura, she and her parents started attending our church. We were both 15 years old. Her Father had just left a Baptist church across town and was taking some time off from pastoring. They decided to see what we Holiness people were all about! So, Laura came to church. Laura and I have talked several times about what our thoughts were of each other that first day we met. My thoughts of her? I thought she was stuck on herself. She didn't seem happy to be there at all. And as time passed I found out that indeed she was not happy to be there.

Despite what I thought of her, we started hanging out and became fast friends! We were very different in personalities. Laura somehow brought, and still does bring, the crazy part out in me. I love that about her. Until I met Laura, me hanging out with friends consisted mostly on me going out with my brother and his friends. Laura was the first real "girlfriend" I ever had. I consider our friendship priceless.

I will also never forget the first time she told me she liked Nathan! Once she told me, she went on to make sure that I did not like him. She said she would feel horrible if she liked someone that I was secretly liking. After I assured her that I did not like him and that I never had, she went on to talk about how handsome he was! That was August of 2002. After that point, she was always asking me if I thought he really liked her. And how she thought he treated her like any other girl. This was always followed with me trying to assure her that no, he did not treat her the same. I guess I never spelled it out good enough because the next time she was at my house..."Valerie, I just wish I knew if he liked me".

Most of you know the rest of the story. How they were "just friends" until May of 2006 when they finally started dating. Since then they have been a wonderful godly example of a Christian couple. They were engaged on February 29, 2008. And married on September 5, 2008

Congratulations Nathan and Laura!




Following are some pictures I was able to get of the wedding


This would be Laura (after decorating for too long) and her now brother-in-law, Andrew.


The centerpiece to the tables. They actually had goldfish in the water for the wedding!


THE DAY OF!

Beautifying the Bride!


Laura's mother Pat putting on her veil.


Gorgeous!




Laura with some of her family members.


Laura's beautiful niece Beth Lee


Laura and I.


The bridal party


Nathan and his new niece Beth Lee


Ashley and I waiting for the photographer to finish the pictures


Nathan and Laura with the Groomsmen


Me...shifting on my very tired feet


Cute!


Laura and Nathan with their fathers


Mr. and Mrs. Smith walking into the reception

A few more pics from my summer!

THE STEPHENS
I have worked for the Stephens family for two years! During that time I have become very attached to the boys. Jamie and Seth are 4 years old and Blake just turned 10! My last week of working for them was a special one. I went out on the boat with them for the last time. On my last day, the boys made a card for me that said.."you can come when you want to see us". Mom said those are the exact words of Seth. Here are a few pics.

I love these boys!

Seth and I

















Jamie and I

















Getting ready to go out on the boat!


FRIENDS
A few weeks ago I was able to meet up with a few of my old friends that I use to attend church with. It was nice to be able to be all together with them again.

My friends!!

My sister-in-law Becky and her sister Laura

End of Summer

I'm looking back at the Summer of 2008 and I am totally clueless as to where it has gone. Somehow, without any of my permission, the Summer has played it course.
I have enjoyed working for the Stephens family in Cincinnati. Since I started working for them in September of 2006, they have been wonderful people to work for. I believe that I am a little too attached to the boys. There are 4 year old twin boys and a 10 year old boy. These guys are too cute, I miss them so much. I also have worked for the past year for another family with all boys named the Kreiders. I went with the Kreiders to South Carolina on their vacation to help keep an eye on the boys. We had beautiful weather for the week on the beach.
I started my studies last week at Ivy Tech State College. I am taking a class for EMT-Basic, English and a Math class. There is going to be a lot of reading in the EMT and English classes. I am also working at the nursing home as a CNA and at a little Mexican restaurant called Garcia's. Needless to say I am keeping very busy.
I am finally going to post some pictures of my summer!!!!

GRADUATION

I was happy to have my whole family except for my brother-in-law (who chose to be sick) at my graduation!

This Summer Laura was able to stay with me at my apartment while she was in Cincinnati to work. One evening we went out to eat at Jalepenos and then down to the river to eat ice cream!!! While we were at the river I had a phone call come in, so Laura sat there taking random pictures on my camera. These are some of the results.


This one happens to be a high five!





See what I mean about her being bored?

PA Trip
In July I went to PA with my friend Tiffany to visit some of our friends from GBS. While we were there we went to AYC to work as staff. I was put on a team as the assistant coach.

My team members!

Christy and I waiting for service to begin.

Melissa, Tiffany and I watching the girls Stars vs. Stiffs softball


Heidi and I at Applebees. YUM!


Leanna, Tiffany and I at Chocolate World!


SOUTH CAROLINA
I had the privilege to go with the Kreider family on their family vacation to South Carolina! We spent two nights in Charleston and then a week at the fathers parents beach house on Folly Beach.


Me....on the pier.


Ken and baby Quinn


Pierce and Keene playing in the water!


This is a shark that a man caught while fishing on the pier.


As sad as he may be in this picture I still have to laugh every time I see it. Keene was out in the ocean with his dad trying to boogie board and he got the washing machine treatment by the ocean. Poor little fellow.


Sunrise on the beach


Pierce, Keene and I at Fort Sumter


The beach house


Keene and Quinn waiting for the taxi


Pierce does a wonderful job at reading for a six year old.