Where to start?

I feel like everytime someone asks me how things are going lately I have to answer with "Things are SO busy and crazy!!"

I drove home this past weekend so that I could visit my g-ma in the hospital, her status is pretty much the same- I do have to admit it was super hard to see her. I knew it wasn't going to be easy and had thought about it on my 3.5 hours in the car- trying to prepare myself but when I walked through the ICU doors and saw her I knew there was nothing I could have done to make this easier. Her eyes are open, she moves around quite a bit but just doesn't recognize us at this point. It was just so weird, it didnt even seem like it was my Grandma and the fact that she couldnt respond to me made me feel like I was talking to a stranger.

One thing about my Grandma is that she is a fighter and she is a survivor. She has had a difficult life since childhood and somehow finds the good in everything. I see that trate in my Mom- it's one of the things I love most about both of them. Even in the worst situations, when the people in her life have been selfish and not given her the respect she deserves she continues to love them unconditionally- never thinking of herself. She was a single mom at a very young age and somehow kept it all together with 3 kids! My favorite memories with her were our family Christmas eves at their old house- her Christmas tree was always decorated perfectly and had these lights that had colored water that made a bubbly sound inside it- I will always remember Santa coming to see us at her house and the fruit salad she makes!

Minutes before she was taken back for surgery she called me because she wanted to tell me how proud she was of me and how much she loved me. This is my grandma, even when going into surgery she is thinking about everyone else and now she is in ICU, unable to respond. I can't even imagine what my Mom must be going through everyday, I was in Houston for a weekend and was so drained by the time I left. My Mom, Dad and Grandpa are there day in, day out visiting, talking and reading to my Grandma just hoping she will wake-up and recognize something. Your continued thoughts and prayers mean so much- I pray that she will fight again and come back to us soon.

A few happy things did happen while I was in Houston, my friend Michelle had her baby! Logan Thomas is PRECIOUS! I got to see her while she was still in the hospital because he came early so that was very exciting! We also threw my friend Rebekah's baby shower on Sunday afternoon and it was great to see her and the girls from home, I don't get to see them very often so it was fun! Rebekah looks great and the nursery is so cute, she is doing a safari/sports theme and everything is coming together nicely :) I was able to help set-up and decorate with the girls, it was alot of fun! I can't wait to meet baby Everett and was so glad to be apart of everything.

I also got together with Lindsee and Laura Saturday night and it was just what I needed after the difficult hospital visits. We had dinner and closed the place down! It made me miss our college days oh so much when we could hang out everyday! I am so glad to say that even though we aren't in college anymore and I am 4 hours away- nothing has changed! We laughed until we cried, covered all that is in our lives and the 5 hours we were together seemed like 30 minutes! Thank you for being there for me this weekend and for driving to see me :) I love you both!

I wanted to put something happy in the middle because what I am about to write about is something that has been so heavy on my heart that I honestly can't even believe has happened. Late Wednesday night, I got a call from one of my besties from college informing me that one of our sorority sisters was in jail for something that broke our hearts. This is not just someone I knew in college, this is someone that I had very many sleepovers, late nights and crazy times with- someone that I love very very much, someone that I consider to be a very good friend, someone that is part of who I am today. She is an amazing person with a great heart that could make me laugh like no other person on earth and has prayed with me and for me more than I can count. Although she has made a mistake that has turned her life upside down I know that God is in control. I don't know what the future holds for her but I do know that I love her and that she is my sister and my friend. I am so heart-broken for her but I know that the best thing I can do is just pray, pray, pray and be there for her- unconditionally, just like she has done for me so many times. I think it's easy in times like these to go mia because it's difficult. I'm not going to lie, it is clearly going to be hard seeing her, writing her and not having a sleepover for however long it ends up being but in the face of difficulty your friends are supposed to stand strong and hold you up when you can't do it alone anymore. I know this is going to be a different friendship then it was before but she is my friend- good times or bad. We all make choices, some are good and some are bad and right now my choice is to be the best friend that I can be. I ask that you pray for her and her family during this time, I can't imagine how they are feeling right now but my prayer for them is that they stand strong and support her.

Whew! I need a break after that long post! Thanks for reading and all of your thoughts and prayers! Life is a beautiful mess right now!

Hey everyone! Sorry it's been a while again since I have updated... life has been crazy! My Grandma has had some hard days and most recently we have had a few good things happen. Yesterday she opened her eyes and smiled at my Grandpa and my Dad also got a half smile out of her when he was talking to her a few days ago. She is moving both arms and legs now which is a HUGE deal but she still hasn't actually woken up. My mom and Grandpa have been able to get a few hand squeezes in response to things they have said to her but we aren't sure how much she is actually understanding. The doctors have said its really just a waiting period and we have to stay positive and keep praying! We do know that her stroke was pretty serious and that if she makes it through all of this she will walk before she talks. Please continue to keep her in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time. It's still so hard not being there during all of this but I am getting to go down this weekend so it will be good to support my family. I know alot of you who are reading are friends with my mom- thank you so much for all you have done to help her during all of this!!

On less important notes, I had a really fun weekend- Ryan and my friends have been amazing in getting my mind off of things lately and I really needed it! Friday night Katie, Raven and I went to see "Whip It" and we all LOVED it! Such a cute movie and of course I loved the skating :) Then on Saturday Raven and I took a little road trip to Athens, TX to see her god-sister perform with the Rangeretts! They are the first drill team ever created and are pretty famous here. After seeing them perform, I can see why!! They were precious and did a great job!! Raven's god-sister is so sweet and I was so glad I got to meet her! It was great to just get away and have a day together, the little town was so cute and quaint- it really was a bizarro huntsville, where we went to college so we loved seeing the littl square!! Then, on Sunday Ryan and I went to meet his family for brunch at this great place in Dallas- The Original Pancake House, the food was fantastic and it was great seeing them! Our niece is growing-up and talking so much!! She is the cutest thing :) After brunch we headed to the fair to meet some of our friends for the day. It was TONS of fun!
Everyone bought a different kind of fried food so we could try a bunch of different things, we all tried fried peaches and cream, fried cheese on a stick, corn dogs, fried corn, fried apples, fried snickers and fried oreos!! I would have to say the best thing was the fried apple! Luckily i didnt have a whole of anything except a corndog b/c im pretty sure i would have thrown-up if I would have eaten all of that!! Here are a few pictures of the fair:

Our Group, minus the photographers- Ryan and Curt


Not the best picture of us...


Trying some of the food!

G-ma Update!

Unfortunately I don't have the news I was hoping to post on my blog... my Grandma's surgery did not go well, they were unable to do a full triple bypass because of the condition of her heart and ended up having to just do a double bypass. She has suffered a very serious stroke since the surgery and has still not woken up. Neurologists have most recently been brought in to run Cat scans and MRI's to try to see what kind of brain damage we are dealing with at this point. It seemeed to them that her right side was responding but her left was not responding at all. Up until tonight she had not really moved at all and was not responding to anything... everything has obviously been very difficult for my mom and we are just all praying for a miracle!

Well, tonight we did get a little bit of hope, she started kicking both legs which the doctors have said is a good sign b/c this means that both sides of the brain have hope. Now as we all now things in ICU can change by the day, minute and even second so we are just waiting to see what is to come. The doctors have predicted that she will be in ICU for at least 3 weeks, this is if she wakes up and survives and will probably be in the hospital for a few months after. Our prayers are that she comes out of this and that she has her motor skills, there is a chance that the brain damage will be extensive enough that she will not walk,talk or swallow again on her own meaning that she will be on a feeding tube. However, I know that my God is faithful and stronger than all of this and HIS plan will be done regardless of what the doctors say. Although we do not know what is going to happen we are trying to keep positive and are praying that we still have many more years with her!

I do have to say that working at the American Heart Association has never meant more to me than it has in the last week, I am thankful to be apart of the organization that has done the research that is keeping my grandma alive right now. Your continued thoughts and prayers are coveted!! Thank you so very much!

Prayer Request!!

Hey everyone, my Grandma on my Mom's side is having heart surgery today, triple bypass and a stint put in her leg. Please pray for the doctors and staff along with her to have the strength to make it through! Since my start at the American Heart Association I have always been told that if someone close to you has not already been affected by heart disease or stroke it will happen at some point in your life and it has happened. It makes me so thankful to be in a job that is making a difference in the lives of the people that I love but it also makes it hard to actually know medically speaking what she will be going through today!

These are the days that it is so hard living far away, unfortunately I am unable to be there with my family but I know she is in good hands.

I will keep you posted, the surgery is at 2 and is supposed to last at least 5 hours.