Kurtis and I were married in St. Louis a year ago May 19th! It was so fun having all of our friends and family with us to celebrate. It has been fun to look back on this past year and see how good our God is...through joys and pain. Kurtis has balanced me as person and has given me love and encouragement in a way in which I have never received before. I am so thankful for what the Lord is doing through him. I love you, Kurtis!
May of 2007 was a time of celebration and love, but also heartache and loss. It is beyond my capacity to understand why God, at times, has us face trials from both ends of the spectrum in the same moment. Both seem to tug at our hearts in very intense and unique ways. What I do know is that God taught me a lot about the bonds between mother and daughter and sisters back in May of 2007, and these lessons I will cherish forever. At a time of overwhelming joy for me, as I was in the final weeks of preparing for my wedding day, my sister experienced the most intense of three miscarriages she has undergone in her life. Words cannot express building up and tearing down of the very fabric of our hearts, however I believe my mom comes closest in a journal entry she made at the time…
5/3/07
Peonies and Tulips
I planted three peonies today. I took great care in selecting them…two deep pink and one, almost white. They stand in a row, separate, yet together. Their stems are sturdy, yet flexible enough to gently bend when the wind approaches and the rain falls. Their beauty and aroma astound me.
How puzzling that a visit to the nursery provided the beauty that went into the soil today, yet, a hospital nursery never held the three babies we love so dearly. In the ER, Lynnie’s words, “I wish I was having a real baby” still my heart and gnaw at my hope. I am so sorry, my darling girl. So, so sorry.
It is the parents’ privilege and honor to name their precious children, so I do not presume to do so. Yet my heart whispers three names: “Lynn,” “Pete,” and “Samuel.” I will love them always. And each May, when the peonies bloom, I will celebrate their brief lives and their beauty. They are a gift from God.
Moments later:
Tulips. Will they hold up for the wedding just two weeks away? There is something strong in their fragility…needing support, welcoming it, yet proudly holding their heads and revealing their beauty as their vulnerable petals risk opening. Delicate. Sweet. Strong.
Lara, that is you. Delicate. Sweet. Strong.
As you prepare for your wedding day and your marriage bed, may you rest in your heavenly Father’s arms and take strength from your Savior who risked it all for you. May you glimpse your loveliness as a woman and a bride. Oh, such sweet intimacy.
Today I grieve grandchildren and at the very same time, smile for you, my darling Lara.
Ecclesiastes 3 says it all…
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven:
Vs. 4 A time to weep and a time to laugh,
A time to mourn and a time to dance.
Spin in your bridal gown, dear one, and dance. You are a radiant bride.
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Thank you for loving me, believing in me, and 
Before I moved to Arizona I thought the desert was always brown and because it is so dry here flowers would not bloom and flourish. I was wrong. I have been in awe of all the beautiful blooms I have found in the desert. I love how the Lord designed each flower and made it so unique and beautiful. As I think of the flowers blooming, I also think of my move to Arizona two years ago. It was hard to adjust and to be content in a new city. I can say now, after 2 years of being in the desert, that the Lord is causing me to "bloom" and no sandstorm (trial) can cause my petals to wilt. God is so faithful and good as He continues to love and lead me. I pray He will keep blooming me!
Katherine Arnold Wolf (a girl I went to Samford University with and had many classes together in Christian Women’s Leadership) is in need of our prayers. You might of seen her on "Smarter than a 5th Grader" a few weeks ago; it was taped when she was 8 months pregnant.
Here are a few pictures from this past weekend! It was so wonderful spending time with our good friends! It went by too quickly! I am hoping Avril will come in September when Kurtis is out of town and help me do a faux finish in our bedroom!
The tortoises at Kurtis' parents house
GQ Models
Avril is so funny!
A bobcat! What a rare sighting!
Playing golf at Starpass 
My heart has been touched by a family I have never met! One of my college friends had a link to their blog on their facebook page. I have been following their blog for many months and have been encouraged and inspired by this family's journey! I have wept many tears.
This amazing story can be found here!
The blog is written mostly from the husband's perspective! The wife has cystic fibrosis and has been waiting for a double lung transplant. They dreamed of having a family, but doctors told them it would be too risky. But God blessed them with a miracle baby! She was born 15+ weeks early! The baby remains in NICU and doing well. Today, they got a call that there is a donor for Tricia! She is in surgery! The match appears to be good. Tricia will wake up with new lungs tomorrow! God is so good!
Please visit their blog and pray for this family! It is amazing to see how God is using their story to touch millions of lives!
Our backyard has been nothing but dirt for too long! It is time to do some construction and landscaping. Kurtis and his Dad have spent many weekends working hard! They have dug a few holes for trees, dug a trench and installed an irrigation system, and leveled out the backyard for a planter. Kurtis and I purchased flagstone to be delivered this week and then laid on our back porch. I am still deciding on patio furniture, so many choices! There are still plans to come and we hope to have the renovation complete before summer!
Digging a 6 foot hole for our first tree!
The tree is planted!
Digging the trench for the irrigation system!
The trench with pvc pipe and secondary irrigation line.
Kurtis with the pick! I love the expression on his face!
Another 6 foot hole for our citrus tree!
