HaPpY BiRtHdAy MaNdY!

Happy Birth...Day To You..to you! Happy Birth...Day To You...tooo yoooouuu! Happy Birth...Day...Dear........Maaaaaaannnnnnnnddddddyyyyyy
....1, 2, 3, Happy Birth...Day To You...Happy Birthday! ;) Well this will be the very first birthday I have not spent with Mandy. I'll be honest it feels VERY weird not being with her on her birthday but she knows that I am thinking of her ALL day and praying for her as the day goes on. We were txting last night back and forth and she let me know that she was just having a hard time with this birthday. Not that I am some important person in her life, but not only is she missing my Mom this birthday but I am not there either. It was weird, because last night I was struggling too with just missing my Mom and feeling strange that I wouldn't be there for Mandy's birthday. I got to thinking of my life growing up and how much that Mandy and I did together. I think when we were younger we were about inseperable. BEST BUDS! I know that doesn't always last, we grow up and change but Mandy I want you to know that no matter WHAT happens, if I move to Alaska and your in Hawaii or if you change to be a completely different person, I will ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS love you, not matter what!
I'm so thankful for the love God has shown me and that I can love you and my other family with this unconditional love.

So, Mandy even though I can't be there with you today, pretend I am, and that I'm celebrating right along with you. And look at these pictures no matter if we are 2, 8, 12, 19, 21....we will always be close and best friends! I love you so much Mandy!Happy Birthday!
(Did you catch the tune to the b-day song at the beginning?) ;)

Just a little of everything!

It's been forever since I've written and a lot has happened. Since I can't remember everything though I'm going to keep this short and just tell about the last few days I guess. :) Well wait, first for some updates. Thanks for all the prayers for my grandparents. My Grandma is at the nursing home now and doing very well. My sisters go and see her at least once a week and I think there are others there that she can interact with. I'm so thankful to God that her spirits are staying up and she is recovering so well! What an answer to prayers that is. Thanks to Hannah also for sending her a card! She absolutely LOVED it! She was touched and so was my sister Tara to see you had written to her! :) Thanks for being such a blessing to her! :) My other grandma, Grandma Moody, is doing well also! Praise God! I talked to her the day before Easter and she was feeling great! She had one chemo treatment so far and said that she wasn't sick at all and was feeling good. They told her after her second treatment would be when she would lose her hair, so it hasn't come to that yet, but I think she may take it okay. I let her know that so so many people were praying for her and she said to tell everyone Thanks! :)

While thanking God for the healing and recovery of my Grandmas I am sad to say that Tom, my friend who I had mentioned with cancer, went home to be with the Lord. :( I put a sad face, but in reality, this isn't a sad thing. He's at home now and in no more pain. I had no idea how tough it would be for me hearing the news of his passing, but I didn't take it easy. I think for multiple reasons it was hard, one being this was the first funeral and death of someone I knew since my Mom's. To most of you that wont make sense because what does Tom's death have to do with my Mom's and I guess I really have no answer to that, but i DO know that it brings up lots of memories and I just feel like I get to go through all the grieving again....not fun! All of my family was so sweet though to make a way for me to be able to get back to MO to be there for the funeral. So, on Tuesday, Jess, Jamie, Jordan and I packed up and left! We made it in time for the visitation and then went to the funeral the next day. Besides Jamie getting the flu and throwing up the whole way home the trip was nice. :P (Sorry Jamie you got so sick!) :(

I had a great time on Wednesday going to Mama Lee's house! Jess and Jamie took me with them to her house. We went to help her clean a few things, but I think I did more talking and looking through magazines then I did clean! :D Jess and I enjoyed looking through the ads and finding places for Jamie to take us too! ;) Thanks Jessica and Jamie for letting me tag along for the day!


For the last few days here the weather has been GORGEOUS so we were able to work outside and get some things done. Thursday was fun powerwashing one of the barns and getting it ready to be painted. Then on Friday we spent like ALL day outside!! I LOVED IT! We started with scraping paint from the side we powerwashed and then got our paint brushes ready for work! ;) I think there were like 7 of us painting at one time! Needless to say, we got it done very quickly! So now, one side of the barn is looking VERY nice! For those of you who are wondering, we are not painting the BIG barn, just the one that looks similar to a garage. :) After painting though we went to the park to hike. Well, I had no idea how tiring hiking could be! And I think I was a bit confused what I was getting myself into. :P I wore my flip flops and we went on like a THREE hour hike! My foot kills me now! We also had to hike through some creek thing with freezing water, I think I proved to the group I am a woosey! Tennis Shoes for SURE next time! ;) What a fun time though we had all hiking together out there! :)

Yesterday us girls spent most of the day going to garage sales and rummage sales! Unfortunately the night before I had tried riding one of the horses and well, didn't realize I was so allergic to horses, so I still had some effects from that on Saturday. One of my eyes was QUITE puffy so I wore sunglasses into most of the dark buildings we went into to cover up my eye. I think I might have drawed more attention to myself wearing sunglasses indoors than I would have with my eye. We found some clothes though and Mom and Dad bought me lots more cherry stuff for my one day, hopefully soon, gonna be kitchen! :D I love the stuff!! Ice cream dishes, plates, a pitcher and this adorable CHERRIES sign! :)
Today was Gabrielle's piano recital. I had a lot of fun, I've never been to one before so it was pretty neat! :) She did an EXCELLENT job and so did the other students who played. It was neat to see the other girls I know playing also! :) Good job Kalebaugh girls!!!! Faith, who is the teacher, did an excellent job as well! :) I did take pictures but since I'm in a hurry to get this up because I need to call my friend BESH, I didn't edit the pics, sorry :(

Becky and FaithCrystal

Gabrielle and Faith

Rachel and Faith

Jordan, doesn't he look like he's having fun? ;)

Kaleb and Jessica...aren't they cute! ;)

Isaac...adorable!

I've been thinking about my Mom a whole lot the last 2 days. Yesterday especially, I guess since I was in a groggy kind of mood anyway, I don't know, but then when we passed a street called Peri Dr. that was VERY weird for me. Never in my life had I seen someone with that name and especially a street named that. I'm glad God does little things like that though for me. Today Pastor John was speaking about the passage from Luke chapter 20 and how Mary was weeping at the empty tomb, not realizing Jesus had rose from the dead. He then started to compare that with James, where we are to take joy in our trials and knowing God works all things for our good, he asked us how many of us were crying next to empty tombs. It made me think a lot about my own situation and with my Mom's death. I cried a LOT and was angry with God. That went on for a long time actually, confused as to if God even could love me. With all the things that were happening in my life it felt like it wasn't possible. I WAS crying next to an empty tomb....God knew what I had to go through and knew what I could handle. And I had to go through all of that to end up where I am right now. And He isn't finished with me yet, just right now though I am having more and more peace with my Mom's death. Don't get me wrong, I am not HAPPY one bit with what happened, but I realize that God had to take my Mom to teach me a lot of things and for me to meet the Lees and for them to become part of my family. What a blessing that has come from my Mom's death, a whole lot more family! As I sit here and think about what I just have written I feel like most of you will think I'm so cruel that I could be saying that....and I'm wondering the same thing. I don't mean that I want my Mom dead, or that I'm content with what God decided..I'm not, but I AM thankful that I am seeing good come from it. More than just good, God knew my heart and knew what I needed and has given it to me. And I'm thankful to Him for that. And I know that my Mom is in Heaven with him also rejoicing witht he decision God has made, to place me with such a wonderful family! ;( ;( Thank you God!

Prayer Updates

Thank you to all of those who have been praying for my Grandma. I've gotten two emails this past week giving updates on her and they've been quite encouraging. The first one mentioned that she was out of ICU and getting physical therapy in her normal room. They did have her ankles tied to the bed though so that she wouldn't move her hip. :( Sounded mean but it was necessary. She was in a lot of pain too and still is but I think she is in better spirits now. The email I got today said that she was going to be moved to the care facility soon, (like tomorrow maybe) which is good. From the email it sounds like she is okay with this decision. Her doctor will be there regularly to see her and then nurses there 24/7. There are many people from her church that have been visiting which has been a tremendous blessing. I'm still praying a lot for her but thanking God so much for healing her this much already. I was thinking too....if any of you have extra time or would like to make a little card or send a note, she would love that! I know it seems weird, because none of you know her, but she'd be so encouraged by that. Even if you just sent her some scriptures that'd be great! :) Just let me know if you'd want to do that.

As for other news....the thing that I couldn't share before I can now. :( While I was in MO, I found out that my other Grandma, Grandma Moody, has cancer. :( What a shock that was finding out. She's never been sick, never been in the hospital and well....she's the last person I would have expected. When I found out I had to pretend I didn't know, she wasn't telling anyone and then my sister didn't even know, so that's why I couldn't post it. Please PLEASE be praying for her though. She starts treatments tomorrow (Thursday) for the cancer. From what I hear she has lymphoma, but there is also cancer on her lung and in her neck. :( The doctors are saying it's treatable but as soon as I hear the word 'cancer' it means death to me. God can do anything though, and if it's his will He can heal her also, and I just have to remember that. :( Also with hearing this news not only was I devastated because she has this awful disease, but it brought back so many memories. My Grandma is the closest one to me besides my Mom that has been diagnosed. Please pray for her health and for her soul.

As for updates here....I've just been editing it seems like. I came home with 6000 pictures to edit and boy does that take a LONG time. I've posted some pictures from one of the photoshoots I was on if you want to check those out, they are on the photo blog I have. Yesterday I worked a lot more on wedding pictures but they get tiring. :( Also my neck and shoulder and back started hurting pretty bad. We are guessing it's from all the computer work I'm doing, so I've tried to take a break from that. :) It IS my job though, so I need to get them done.

Kaleb's birthday was Monday, so we had fun celebrating that Mon and Tuesday. Jess and Jamie were here the past two days also which was a lot of fun. Jordan and Jamie were building the new chicken coop, it looks SOO good. I'm sure they will be posting pics on their blog soon! :) They did a very nice job though...I'm going to hire them to build my house someday I think! ;)

Well just got done with bible time and am thinking of baking something so I better get going..just wanted to update you all. :)

Thank you again for all of the prayers! :)