Invitations

Just had to show you probably the cutest creation I've ever done!! yep.... I created all of the invitations to my lingerie shower/bachelorette party! I got this idea just from looking up invitations online, so I figured it would be cheaper to make them myself than to buy them! I decided to spice it up and do all different background colors and ribbons... these are some of the different types that I mailed out! It took time away from my precious studying for finals but they sure did turn out fabulous!

~loss of a soldier~

Kile was one of the bravest people that I ever had the opportunity to share time with! We met back when I went to Stephen F. Austin State University during my freshman and sophomore year. He was part of the Delta Chi Fraternity, and my roommate at the time were part of their 'little sisters.' We always seemed to have fun no matter what we were doing. We dated for a couple months, until I moved to Tennessee, where my family was. I knew that he was graduating and wanted to go fight in Iraq... so I knew I wasn't going to see him for a while. So fast-forward to 2 years after I left SFA... Kile was over in Iraq.. I had spoken to him before he left and he was sooooo excited! If you knew anything about Kile, you knew that he was seriously gung-ho about this dang war! He loved his country and was honored to go over there and fight the bad guys( is what he used to say) ! It is what he looked forward to every day that he was in college.. Everyone, seriously, never heard the end of it.... Anyway..... he called in April, while he was over in Iraq... and boy did it NOT sound like the same Kile that I knew.. He said that he had seen so many bad things and was ready to come home for a break.. he sounded pretty depressed.. We ended up talking for about an hour and we had planned to meet when he came back home which was June 15... and one of the last things I said to him ( of course trying to make light of the situation) was that he better take care of himself and come home in one piece... Little did I know that 4 weeks later, on Memorial Day, only 2 weeks before getting to come home on leave, Kile was killed. He had just been promoted to 1st Lieutenant that morning. A helicopter had gotten gunned down and so troops were sent to help.. The hum-v that Kile was in got struck by a road-side bomb.. Of course, no one knows all the details, but I did know that he volunteered to go... Yep.. volunteered! But that is just like Kile to volunteer... Here are some pics of him.. 

When my old roommate called me and told me about his passing.. I pretty much lost it... it's weird how something like this happens and you begin to remember all of your conversations and time you spent together just like it was yesterday...  I think that God does that so you can remember all of the good times, and not dwell on the obvious. It is just so crazy to think how precious life really is. But I know that Kile died fighting for what he believed in! And part of me thinks that this is how he wanted to go... by fighting for his country...It has been 2 years, and I know that everyone who got the chance to know Kile, loved him dearly and still misses him. My purpose in writing this is to not make people sad... but for people to cherish every moment that they have with their loved ones! I only knew Kile for a couple of years, but I am so glad and lucky that I got the chance to know him. I know that he is hanging out in heaven, and watching down at all of the people that loved him. Although, people may not agree on the war and our guys fighting, we should still thank all that are still over there, alive and fighting for our freedom... and remember those brave ones who we have lost..... and to never forget them! Our lives are always in God's hands. Rest in peace Kile... Happy Memorial Day.....

*-One Month-*

WE'RE GETTING MARRIED IN 1 MONTH!!!!!! 

THE FINAL COUNTDOWN HAS BEGUN!!

~*~ Ashtyn Faith ~*~

And she's here!!! Little Ashtyn Faith Neufeld was born May 7th... 8lbs 9 ounces and 21 inches!!! This is Courtney and Billy's third kid.. yes... #3... and so now they have three kids all 3 years old!!!! seriously crazy!!!! Court definitely has her hands full!!! But isn't she just precious!!

do I see a Texas Tech's Guns Up?!? 

I think she's practicing!!

Aunt K got a lil smile!

Poor 'lil Addi doesn't know what's goin on 

with this new edition!

Top 10 Reasons I Love My Mom!!

10- She is very hardworking and doesn't mind getting her hands dirty once in a while. 

9- She always used to dress me in the coolest outfits in town.. i.e. my pink Kristin shirt that had my name ironed on... it rocked!

8- She always worked hard when Josh and I were little so we could have the most awesome toys!

7- Even to this day... we can stay up for hours laughing ( and end up laughing so hard we cry)  at practically nothing... 

6- kind of random... but for not teaching me how to do my make-up! I still don't understand putting all that stuff on my face... we did have a little episode a couple weeks ago.... let's just say it ended up with hysterically laughing and crying about how I had no idea how to put on make-up... but it's kinda nice... because mom said I didn't need all of that anyway!

5- She cooks some mad dinners... oh the joys of living at home... boy do I miss those!

4- She gave me some fabulous Italian heritage that helps me just magically become tan! I LOVE  not having to really work for it! Now if only I was as tan as her!!

3- She has been working her little tail off on helping me plan this wedding! It really has been such a blessing and I couldn't have done it without her!

2- She loves the Lord with all her heart, soul and mind!! She is so involved in church and enjoys putting others before herself!

1- She is my best friend and is always there for me when I need her. I am so blessed that I have her as a mom!!! MOM YOU ROCK!!!!! HAPPY MUM'S DAY AND I LOVE YOU!!

The Low-Down

So I know it's been about 2 weeks since I last blogged... and it is wayyy past due! I seriously have been a crazy woman!!!!!! Sorry there's no pics... just updates! So here's the low-down over what's been goin on....

1. Had my shower.... just fabulous!! Everyone had a wonderful time and Derryck absolutely loved all the goodies we got from all of our wonderful friends and family!!

2. Had a meeting with the florist, photographer, and music director from our church... and I'm seriously starting to get a little scared that things aren't going to turn out like I had envisioned in my mind... (something is bound to go wrong at a wedding, right?... go figure.)

3. Got our invitations, Oooooo do they look good! I am so excited to send them out! Thanks to my mom ( who is still in the process of addressing them! )

4.  MY DRESS WAS A DISASTER!!!!!!!! Here's the scoop... went to my final dress fitting on the  Wednesday on Spring break (a couple days after my shower)... and boy did I wish it had been sooner in the week ( I was leaving the next day) that I had the fitting. My mom couldn't even zip up the dress.. BY ATLEAST 2 flippin inches!!! That is how much of the dress they took out! Everything was wayyy off center and pulled to the left side... I seriously had a melt down!! And Gina (Mom) was furious! I was wondering how the heck they were going to pull this off!! So we left the store... all frazzled.... get a call, and they want us to come back in like 1 hour... so mom and I make another trip all the way down there ( 45 min there and 45 min back)! We do that 2 more times because of how bad they messed up... I started to think I was going to have to go dress shopping again 3 months before a wedding! So skipping over everything else... and exactly how angry I was.. (HELLOO... YOU DON'T MESS WITH SOMEONE'S WEDDING DRESS PEOPLE) after 3 trips, panic, and some crying... it all worked out! It looks great! By that point, I really just didn't want anyone else touching the dang dress! Whew!

5. Started getting the little accessories that people always forget until the last minute... i.e. napkins, toasting flutes, spicing up the lil pillow, little organza bags for the candy buffet.. etc.. I am bound to forget something! 

6. Got back to Lubbock to study for a test that next Monday.. did good on that test which was Pharmacology... but yes didn't do so well on the one on Thursday... let's just leave it at that. Also... realized that Derryck brought Lily (my goat) to live at the shop... bummer... but she was getting kind of needy... and loud!

7. When I got back to school, I had to go back to the hospital on the Oncology floor... And let me just say how hard it has been for me the last 3 weeks there. Cancer is no fun... especially when you get to know your patients and more than half of them are DNR's. It's just really sad to see people of all ages suffering, but also in a weird way happy. I know that most of these patients will soon go to be with the Lord and will no longer suffer here on earth! It is peaceful to walk around the hallways and to know that. Working on this floor really brings you closer to God and makes you re-evaluate your own faith... makes you stronger.... makes you look at yourself in a different perspective... What if you had cancer and the prognosis wasn't good? What would you do? What would you tell other people you love? What about the man upstairs? What is Heaven like?

8. On a prayer note... one of Derryck's worker/friend and who just accepted Jesus into his life is in the hospital. He has had Pneumonia off and on for a long time now and just can't seem to kick it. They admitted him into the MICU Friday, the doctor said he wasn't going to make it.. and now he is back on a regular floor. Last time this happened he was in the ICU for 3 months... They have 5 kids and another one on the way. So keep him and his family on your prayer list! They really need as much support as possible! And praise Jesus, for He is good!

9. Went to the Orthodontist! Trying to get atleast my top braces off for my Bridal portraits in the beginning of May! I go back on April 23rd and I'm going to try and work my magic on getting them taken off! He said it's really up to me on how "perfect" I really want my teeth to be. Keep your fingers crossed because I'm soo tired of looking like I'm 12!

10. Back to another week at school... hopefully this month and May goes by fast... I'm beginning to get very tired of waiting for this whole wedding.. I'm just ready already.. and I'm sure everyone else is too!!

Sleepy Sunday

So as I was studying away at the bar in the kitchen, I just happened to look over at the couch, and this is what I saw.....

And judging from Charlie's position, he looks pretty comfortable... seeing how he is spread all over Derryck and Boo.....it's pretty precious how much Charlie loves Boo...  And what was I thinking?  Pure jealousy!!!!!!!! They sure do look comfy....