This is my first time I've been able to blog in a long time and probably the last time until the wedding is over.
Only one week and a day left to go until the big day. So much has happened since the last time I was on here. For one thing, we have finally leapt over the hardest 20 day gap before the 10 day countdown began. And let me tell you, it was not easy at all.
But we are finally here and in less than eight days, I'm going to be married....crazy thought.
I will have to take a separate post one of these days and go into detail about how well the shower went. We were so blessed and received so many gifts and so much favor. When you think about the fact that Matthew and I are basically starting from scratch, we really didn't think we would BEGIN to receive everything we NEEDED much less things we WANTED but we got both and our "Needs" list is building up really fast. All in all, I was so joyful that day and we had SO much favor and support and love. It was a blessing.
Okay, so with a week to go, I'm finishing up the little details of things that need to get taken care of. Mostly, my concern at this point is the honeymoon. I realize I put a lot of stress on the wedding throughout most of these four months. While it was important to do that to an extent, it isn't where my energy should have been going to. It should have been making next week an amazing weekend. So now, I'm trying to find crafty things, fun and memorable things we can do. And since we are on a budget and don't feel like traveling much except for one trip to Covington to get away for a few days, it has to be simple and in-home. So far, pinterest has helped with some time-consuming and inexpensive ideas, lol.
So today, on our shopping trip (Since Matt and I were both blessed with coinciding days off) that's what I'm going to be doing. I guess because we are so close to the day, sex is really all that's been on our minds lately...which is natural...especially for those still holding their V cards.
Our pastor teases us every time we go to marriage counseling, saying we are probably going to disappear as soon as the ceremony is over. Matthew agrees, but my goal is to make it as long as the garter toss and cake cutting.
I think I'm going to end a little bit of this scattered post with something that stuck out to me the most during marriage counseling yesterday. I have always read the Song of Solomon from a very spiritual perspective. It's a book containing a lot of symbolism to Christ's love for His Bride and the marriage supper of the lamb. So that was how I studied it. But our pastor told us yesterday that you can only understand the spiritual aspect of it if you can understand the natural and you can only understand the natural if you understand the spiritual.
I think it's time to read that book mushed in the center of the Bible from a new, natural perspective. Hopefully I can step out of my other mindset long enough to put a human twist on it.
That's all. Oh, and now I'm going to really end this scattered post on a crazy note. Did I happen to mention that since December 1st, the weather has been SO HOT and SO HUMID!? I had a feeling this was going to end up being a normal Louisiana hot wedding. It's inhuman to live in such a climate that you want to done shorts and a tank top in the middle of December. Christmas trees and hot coco seem so out of place.
But honestly, everything is okay. I don't care anymore--it's a detail that doesn't matter. It's all about the love that will last a lifetime and cultivating that. This wedding will only be a distant memory in ten years that will loose any of its harshness over time and sweeten as the love grows.
Root beer instead of hot chocolate!
~Rose
Rambles
Tomorrow is my day off and I love the fact I have no need to set an alarm.
There are things to get done, but I have all day to do them.
I don't have much to say today. Progress is still being made. 57 days until the wedding and 21 until the wedding shower.
I think I'm a little dissapointed that my best friend in the whole world won't be there, but it's customary for guys not to attend, so there is not much for me to say on that matter. I think secretly I'm excited it's just going to be girls; I always liked the idea of it being sweet female fun and getting to ooh and aah over tea sandwiches and gifts. I always enjoyed that as a kid when I went to wedding showers.
I wish I had more to say but my eyes are closing even now so I'm signing off for tonight.
Fish in a Creek!
~Rose
There are things to get done, but I have all day to do them.
I don't have much to say today. Progress is still being made. 57 days until the wedding and 21 until the wedding shower.
I think I'm a little dissapointed that my best friend in the whole world won't be there, but it's customary for guys not to attend, so there is not much for me to say on that matter. I think secretly I'm excited it's just going to be girls; I always liked the idea of it being sweet female fun and getting to ooh and aah over tea sandwiches and gifts. I always enjoyed that as a kid when I went to wedding showers.
I wish I had more to say but my eyes are closing even now so I'm signing off for tonight.
Fish in a Creek!
~Rose
Sneaky Peaky 2! (Our Humble Abode)
This, ladies and gentlemen of the blogging world, is the bedroom in our new apartment!!
Okay, so maybe it could use some curtains and some pictures, but I think it's coming together pretty nicely! :-)
I know, I know; it is a risky gamble Matt and I are taking to agree to wait on the renovation of this apartment complex instead of taking a smaller one that would have opened up two weeks earlier.
But while it's risky and pushing it really close to the wedding date, it was definitely a wiser choice to make in the long-term.
I'm so in love with the extra space and a patio this particular complex has to offer as well as getting to be THE VERY FIRST ones to live in it. That means, it has brand new insulation, we will be first to use the fridge, to walk on the carpet, use the bathtub...to me, that is a big deal. I like getting to start off with brand new things, and I believe God pays attention to every little detail of desire I have (which is why this opened up).
At first, I was totally okay living upstairs in an itty bitty apartment they originally showed us, but after seeing this floor plan, the extra space idea quickly grew on me. It's a wiser investment and wiser wait to go this way.
I remember the feeling as we traipsed through the renovation of our new home, gazing up into the empty rafters and stepping over screws where the kitchen counters would be. For some odd reason, I actually began to think, "This is how a grown-up must feel...wait...I am a grown-up!"
It was wonderful to have this opportunity to see the before shot of our future home, however long God has us here.
Like I said, it's a gamble since they said the latest it should be completed is about four weeks before the wedding. While it's risky, I'm trusting God that He is working it all out. I have that confidence in Him, luckily, and I'm enjoying every moment of this journey. :-)
Matt snapped this picture about a month ago, so I can't imagine the progression that has been made since that time.
And this is how I shall abruptly end my post of the day.
I do believe in fairies, I do, I do,
~Rose
Okay, so maybe it could use some curtains and some pictures, but I think it's coming together pretty nicely! :-)
I know, I know; it is a risky gamble Matt and I are taking to agree to wait on the renovation of this apartment complex instead of taking a smaller one that would have opened up two weeks earlier.
But while it's risky and pushing it really close to the wedding date, it was definitely a wiser choice to make in the long-term.
I'm so in love with the extra space and a patio this particular complex has to offer as well as getting to be THE VERY FIRST ones to live in it. That means, it has brand new insulation, we will be first to use the fridge, to walk on the carpet, use the bathtub...to me, that is a big deal. I like getting to start off with brand new things, and I believe God pays attention to every little detail of desire I have (which is why this opened up).
At first, I was totally okay living upstairs in an itty bitty apartment they originally showed us, but after seeing this floor plan, the extra space idea quickly grew on me. It's a wiser investment and wiser wait to go this way.
I remember the feeling as we traipsed through the renovation of our new home, gazing up into the empty rafters and stepping over screws where the kitchen counters would be. For some odd reason, I actually began to think, "This is how a grown-up must feel...wait...I am a grown-up!"
It was wonderful to have this opportunity to see the before shot of our future home, however long God has us here.
Like I said, it's a gamble since they said the latest it should be completed is about four weeks before the wedding. While it's risky, I'm trusting God that He is working it all out. I have that confidence in Him, luckily, and I'm enjoying every moment of this journey. :-)
Matt snapped this picture about a month ago, so I can't imagine the progression that has been made since that time.
And this is how I shall abruptly end my post of the day.
I do believe in fairies, I do, I do,
~Rose
Day 63: Sneaky Peaky (As Free as My Hair)!
This particular blog post, as I sit all cozy on my day off, I figured I would give a sneak-peak on the wedding inspiration.
This is how I plan to wear my hair on the big day. While it probably won't be blond unless I get this quirky inspiration to change it up, the style, flower and veil placement will be the same. :-) (The Jewelry too! I found a drop pearl on a silver necklace in my jewelry box and dangling pearl earrings. Simply elegant).
I know I originally said I wasn't going to wear a veil, but that was when everyone kept throwing those nasty tulle veils on my head (I HATE that princess mesh; my dad used to use it to catch baby shrimp on his fishing trips). I didn't know they made chiffon veils (as featured in the picture) but as soon as I found out, I started scouting the Internet for the perfect one. I mean, c'mon, the lady at David's Bridal should have put two and two together seeing as how my dress is completely made out of chiffon....but I guess if you want creative inspiration, you have to get it yourself. Hopefully I will like it when it comes in. :P
This is how I plan to wear my hair on the big day. While it probably won't be blond unless I get this quirky inspiration to change it up, the style, flower and veil placement will be the same. :-) (The Jewelry too! I found a drop pearl on a silver necklace in my jewelry box and dangling pearl earrings. Simply elegant).
I know I originally said I wasn't going to wear a veil, but that was when everyone kept throwing those nasty tulle veils on my head (I HATE that princess mesh; my dad used to use it to catch baby shrimp on his fishing trips). I didn't know they made chiffon veils (as featured in the picture) but as soon as I found out, I started scouting the Internet for the perfect one. I mean, c'mon, the lady at David's Bridal should have put two and two together seeing as how my dress is completely made out of chiffon....but I guess if you want creative inspiration, you have to get it yourself. Hopefully I will like it when it comes in. :P
As you can tell, we are still going for that late 1930's early 1940's Hollywood type glamour. I remember I originally told the lady helping with decorations that I didn't want a lot of pizaz and glamour and bling. I don't want to eliminate that completely, just use it as backdrops for when it is needed.
It's going to be a beautiful wedding. ^_^
Drink More Hot Chocolate,
~Rose
I'm Still Breathing and Very Much Coherent
Hello blogging world, or that which glances at my little patch of Internet space to see what's blooming here.
I haven't had the opportunity to blog in the longest time! Even though so much of wedding details are being taken care of, it is still hectic trying to get my side of things taken care of.
Can one believe that I FINALLY gathered all of my addresses for wedding and shower invitations? Mind you, just my side, we still have Matthew's side to gather. That is one thing that is stressing me out beyond words. My little task-oriented mind demands it done NOW but circumstances or life and the fact the world does not revolve around this wedding forces me to apply some brakes. Even though we're running out of time, with only 65 more days to go, I cannot allow myself to stress.....
I...
Won't...
Stress.........
Okay....
It's so hard to believe how far the little details of this wedding planning have come and how much God has provided out of his abundant resources (which is everything plus a thousand cattle on a hill lol ). We have the cake, God provided a professional photographer out-of-the-blue a few weeks back and all of the little details that are adding up are getting scratched off the list one by one.
My most recent amazing bit of information is that God has even provided a NEW mattress and dresser set for the apartment today.
Wow! That was--obviously--a huge concern for us newly weds. The fact that we don't have to go thrifting for a mis-matched set is even more astounding since we had no expectations of starting out with that form of American luxury. Heck, we even told each other that if we had to sleep on the floor the first while, then we would. We would remove any form of expectation we had and take whatever came our way.
Luckily, of course, God has taken care of us, His children, better then that. :-)
What else?
I don't really know what to say or anymore updates to give. I know so much has happened since the last time I wrote and so much I wanted to say throughout that time, but unfortunately so much of it has slipped from my mind to make room for everything going on today.
The memorial service for Matthew's grandfather was Friday. I have never had so much remorse and so much respect for a family all at the same time...dang it...even all I wanted to say about that day has left me, unfortunately. :/
But one thing I will say; when Matthew stood up in tears to give his words and memories of his grandfather, I truly wished I had the opportunity to know Grandpa for a longer time then I did. "I would not be the man I am standing before you today if it wasn't for my Grandfather. The hard work ethic that I have is because of him..."
The realization that one of the character traits I love so much about Matthew is due to that man makes me reverence his life on earth. Hey was a key instrument in molding Matthew...it fills me with gratitude and wonder.
I say that right now as he works a double shift on only a few hours of sleep then again tomorrow under the same circumstances.
Wow. He astounds me, truly. Even when we are together and he is dog-tired, he still dotes on my every whimsical desire and emotion, making sure I always remain at the fore-front of his happiness and well being. Always encouraging me with his words, his warm hugs, his sweet smiles. And the most SINCERELY romantic man.
Talk about everything a girl could pray for.
Anyway, my thoughts are running short on this update. I have Little House on the Prairie running in the background so my focus is divided.
Until next time,
-Rose
I haven't had the opportunity to blog in the longest time! Even though so much of wedding details are being taken care of, it is still hectic trying to get my side of things taken care of.
Can one believe that I FINALLY gathered all of my addresses for wedding and shower invitations? Mind you, just my side, we still have Matthew's side to gather. That is one thing that is stressing me out beyond words. My little task-oriented mind demands it done NOW but circumstances or life and the fact the world does not revolve around this wedding forces me to apply some brakes. Even though we're running out of time, with only 65 more days to go, I cannot allow myself to stress.....
I...
Won't...
Stress.........
Okay....
It's so hard to believe how far the little details of this wedding planning have come and how much God has provided out of his abundant resources (which is everything plus a thousand cattle on a hill lol ). We have the cake, God provided a professional photographer out-of-the-blue a few weeks back and all of the little details that are adding up are getting scratched off the list one by one.
My most recent amazing bit of information is that God has even provided a NEW mattress and dresser set for the apartment today.
Wow! That was--obviously--a huge concern for us newly weds. The fact that we don't have to go thrifting for a mis-matched set is even more astounding since we had no expectations of starting out with that form of American luxury. Heck, we even told each other that if we had to sleep on the floor the first while, then we would. We would remove any form of expectation we had and take whatever came our way.
Luckily, of course, God has taken care of us, His children, better then that. :-)
What else?
I don't really know what to say or anymore updates to give. I know so much has happened since the last time I wrote and so much I wanted to say throughout that time, but unfortunately so much of it has slipped from my mind to make room for everything going on today.
The memorial service for Matthew's grandfather was Friday. I have never had so much remorse and so much respect for a family all at the same time...dang it...even all I wanted to say about that day has left me, unfortunately. :/
But one thing I will say; when Matthew stood up in tears to give his words and memories of his grandfather, I truly wished I had the opportunity to know Grandpa for a longer time then I did. "I would not be the man I am standing before you today if it wasn't for my Grandfather. The hard work ethic that I have is because of him..."
The realization that one of the character traits I love so much about Matthew is due to that man makes me reverence his life on earth. Hey was a key instrument in molding Matthew...it fills me with gratitude and wonder.
I say that right now as he works a double shift on only a few hours of sleep then again tomorrow under the same circumstances.
Wow. He astounds me, truly. Even when we are together and he is dog-tired, he still dotes on my every whimsical desire and emotion, making sure I always remain at the fore-front of his happiness and well being. Always encouraging me with his words, his warm hugs, his sweet smiles. And the most SINCERELY romantic man.
Talk about everything a girl could pray for.
Anyway, my thoughts are running short on this update. I have Little House on the Prairie running in the background so my focus is divided.
Until next time,
-Rose
Barefoot Bluejean Night
Today has been an exceptionally beautiful September day. I just want to stop and say that I LOVE the fall. When I woke up this morning and stepped outside to go to church, I thought I would be hit with waves of typical Louisiana humidity. But no. It was incomparable to yesterday. The weather had that crisp fall feeling with a dry breeze replacing the usual summer moisture.And just as easy as it is to flip the pages of a book, so we have moved into the fall season. I have to admit that I always feel 17 this time of year. There is something about the waving of goodbye to summer that fills me with the longing for a nostalgic past I never experienced of lost-love as well as a nostalgia I HAVE gone through filled with hot chocolate and amber leaves, school books and an appreciation for the weekend.
Anyway, since Isaac and through the rest of the summer, I slacked off on wedding planning. I was feeling so mentally exhausted that by the time work was over everyday, all I wanted to do was sleep. Matthew's work has picked up to a soaring pace and I am glad he has more hours. My only complaint is that I haven't seen him in what could very well be a week; I miss him, and my lovesick heart has produced nothing but the disease of lethargy since we've been apart. Hence another reason I haven't been working on wedding stuff with sincerity.
I'm not as ridiculous as his mom, but in the back of my mind, I worry for him. His job is dangerous, the hours are long and tiring and he doesn't get much sleep. Sometimes he manages to snag four hours to rest in a 48 hour period for a week straight, when things get really busy. AND, he has to drive about four hours a day to top it off.
So yes, I do let myself worry a little bit. And I do miss him so very, very much. Luckily, marriage is going to make this all so much easier in one way: I will be able to see him when he comes home to for a few hours.
I said all of that to lead back to my point that this weather has birthed a refreshing in me and I am back to getting serious. I even forfeited a cozy Sunday afternoon nap to work on it. So with my country play list running, giving an official farewell to those summer nostalgia days, I am working on wedding stuff.
The appointed two tasks of today is FINALLY and I mean FINALLY writing out a completed guest list. It took some effort because I was allowing the Holy Spirit and memory to be my sole aids in who to invite. But I finally added up the heads to 59. So totaled with our church and Matt's guest list, we have a whopping head-count of 147. And that's the bear minimum of people, they were all mandatory to invite.
SAY WHAT??!!!
I give or take 47-75 who can't make it due to the wedding being at night on a mid-week, and a bunch are from out-of-town, etc. But like I told Matthew, "If they love us that much, they'll come no matter what. And if they don't, I'm still marrying you because I love you that much, no matter what."
Cheesy I know...leave me alone. lol
I'm in the process of emailing and face book private messaging people individually for their addresses. If that's too silly to you, get over it; it's a big short cut that is saving me a lot of time! Besides, so many are communicating this way these days no one cares anymore. And I am enjoying getting to catch up with people I haven't talked with in a while.
The addresses that I can't get because I'm not connected with people on face book I will try to acquire from my mom and/or grandmother.
The second thing I chose to do today is create a reception play list I want to present to Matthew when he's ready. He'll help me edit it and even add to it if he wants to. ;-) Then I'll give ya'll a sneak-peak on what it will look like. I like giving people sneak-peaks! :-D
And the last thing I'm going to do is stress over what to give as wedding favors. I have about 30 good ideas in mind, but they are either too expensive or don't fit the theme or are only half of an idea. It's crazy, really, how to accommodate your personal flair on a budget that won't just get eaten by the end of the night or tossed away in a year...and I have to come up with this idea for an estimated 150 people.
That's why I'm stressing a bit! lol. I thought about personalizing a box of matches but once they are gone, so will the box with the name and date on it. And then what will they light them with? Personalizing 100 mason jars, even if they are a dollar a piece plus supplies to make them, PLUS candles PLUS the matches just adds up way too fast.
See my dilemma?
I wanted to do skittles in a little pail or mesh bag because that's Matt's and my favorite candy (if you ever hear us talking about skittle kisses, you'll know why we love them so much) but they will be eaten before the end of the night and rainbow really doesn't match our theme (it doesn't have to but it would help my OCD issues).
We thought about doing a candy bar but that runs up into money really fast too. And once again, it will be gone before the end of the night.
I want it to be something that is unique, useful, practical and will be around for a long time. And I REALLY wanted to give people a copy of our favorite picture. How.Do.You.Do.That?
Honestly, if my father-in-law wasn't such a music gyro (love the man, don't get me wrong) I would totally break the law and give everybody a copy of the music play list. It's easy, affordable...yeah....but no. I just had to ask him if it was illegal. Of course he said yes. And now that I REALLY know the fine print of the law, I can't do that without conviction. That is affordable, easy, economical and everybody loves music.
Hmph!
Well, I guess I'll be heading to the thrift stores this Tuesday on my day off and see if I can find some inspirations to coax my creative juices into coming up with EXACTLY what needs to be given as tokens of our gratitude.
So I should be posting more frequent then I did last week on my blog. :-) Thank you for reading.
And I'm going to leave you with a song, as is my usual routine. Two songs, this time. Springsteen is one Matthew and I jammed to in the truck on these past summer sunsets of 2012. I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy it. Barefoot Blue Jean Night describes us and our southern summer ways to nearly a T.
Go light a bonfire and toast some marshmallows,
~Rose
P.S. The little stinker just knocked on the door when I finished this post. He's home!!!!!! Work let him off a little earlier then usual so we get to spend some time together. My heart just lept with so much joy I nearly cried.
Rest In Paradise
The storm Isaac is finally over and I am back to playing with the pawns of real life. It was quite an adventurous week and honestly a well-needed time for Matthew and I to escape realities on a sort of mini-vacation.
It started Monday afternoon when we stocked up on water, ramen noodles and snacks to last AT LEAST three days. I worked only until 2:30 when they finally shut down the store and ventured home with a box of Brothers chicken and biscuits.
When I woke up at my in-laws house Tuesday, the sky was beginning to darken. We stayed indoors until Matt came home from work and boy! Were we excited and quite happy to see him home. Even his brothers were worried about him. But since 80% of fears never come true, so say the statistics, Matthew was completely unharmed.
A little while later, the rains started to fall so, as country folk do, we went outside to throw a football around and walk on the levy near the mighty Mississippi River. It was quite an adventure; Of course I went through two pair of clothes by the end of the day but it was worth it.
Matthew was told by his boss not to venture out to work due to impending dangers the storm might hold. Yay! I was so happy to have him home safe-and-sound. And he was happy just to be there to protect me. lol
We played Xbox and Apples to Apples until the power went out that evening. Then the generators were hooked up (the men went outside in the hurricane to accomplish this; go testosterone!) We commenced to playing with flashlights, coloring by candlelight and sorting through 13 decks of cards. I even played solitaire at the table (with a real-life deck!) until about 12:00 when I went to bed.
I slept on a mattress in the living room. They left open the curtains of the big bay windows facing the greens of Louisiana. The night of the hurricane, I woke up at about 2:00 and saw the shadow of the trees bent down to the ground, swaying in the rain and darkness. When I woke up again at about 7:30 in the morning, the trees were in the same position my eyes left them. That was frightening. I had never been in a hurricane that lasted so long.
For the rest of Wednesday rain was still coming down heavy in intervals. We played cards, and more cards, and more cards until cabin fever drove us to nip in frustration at each other's heads..and then we played even more cards. After we couldn't take even one more round of poker, Matthew and I ventured out into the storm to his Aunt and Uncle's house to rent Lord of the Rings.
We got the movie but were invited inside and drank Barqs, ate cold, fried chicken and ironically played over an hour and a half of Spades...a card game...wouldn't you know it? We said our goodbyes soon after; shoeless and tired I rode piggy-back home on Matthew's shoulders. That night, we hooked the tv up to the generator, huddled around the screen and watched Frodo begin his journey to Mordor.
Thursday morning, Matt's parents went to the hospital because grandpa was omitted; he was unconscious when his wife tried to wake him up that morning. The boys and I went over to help Matt's Uncle in the yard to pick up debris and tree limbs now that the storm was finally over. Then I went to my work place and helped clean up some water damage there.
Later that night, we watched Part II of Lord of the Rings where Gollum/Smeagul, the coolest character ever, made a lasting impression on my very soul! To rabbit trail for a moment, that movie was a lot more comical and a lot less scary then I suspected.
Friday, we completed the journey with Frodo in the morning, then all sat in the heat with a few fans and an xbox hooked up to the generator. By this time, the sun was back in business and the humidity too. We all wore our skimpiest clothes and everything from our skin to the sheets to the very floors themselves were slick and sticky with moisture from the air.
I contemplated how women of the 1860's even 1950's survived in this place without a/c. By the end of the day, everybody was grumpy, snappy and tired.
Anyways, it was back to real-life by Saturday and back to my current place where a/c and electricity exists in abundance.
That was a recap of my week with the storm. Now comes the devastating bit of news that Hurricane Isaac--nay, life itself--has thrown upon my future family.
Matthew's grandfather passed away this past Saturday.
I am heartbroken over the circumstances. While I know he was suffering from terminal cancer, death never registers in your mind as a possibility; there is just too much left my mind said he needs to be here for. One of the things I confided to Matthew was that his face was one I looked forward to seeing, could actually envision being there at the wedding.
I reflect back on the first time I met him; I was helping him tear down a set from a musical the church had. When we were finished he took me and the family out for fine-dining sushi. When I went away to college, he always asked Matthew how I was doing. He even invited me to his retirement party when I came back to visit in December/January; he called me up to the front with the entire family and was acknowledged and introduced to the other guests as Matthew's "girlfriend" (even though we were engaged at the time...I was upset at that, I will admit).
He was a very sweet man that I desperately wanted to get to know better. I know there was books upon books of amazing and fun Grandpa-like stories in the history of his life that I itched to unlock over time. He was a fun individual with a great personality and charisma about him that I would label charming.
He will be missed. I reflect on that moment when mama2 sat the boys down with tears streaming down her face as she said it was just a matter of time before he would pass away. It was a heart wrenching silence, heart-splitting moment I won't ever forget. And I cannot imagine the pain his wife and three children--including my father-in-law--must be enduring at this point.
I was in tears as I read on his wife's face book status, with a picture of her beloved, "The love of my life died today." She always said they were soul-mates and I can believe it. They were cute together, and worked great as a team, it was very evident.
Grandpa was an amazing guy; I am so glad for the impacting memories I did have with him, how few they may have been.
Love and death are the only two components I know of that have the power to alter our lives for eternity. When both hit, we are never the same again. And I hate the fact that life cannot pause for a few days in the midst of this tragedy as it did for Hurricane Isaac but must continue on with its same demands.
That is when life becomes unfair.
But I do know this, this post I am making to my blog will not be filled with the excitement and hum drums of wedding planning, but it is here to honor Grandpa and the legacy he left behind. I am honored that the very last time Matthew and I saw him, he smiled and said, "I heard December the 12th is official. Congratulations to you both!."
We weren't even supposed to go to that party that day; to think if we would not have gone, we would have missed out on that blessing from him, once taken for granted.
Grandpa, we love you, we miss you, we look forward to seeing you again. May your memories live forever in the hearts of your family. And as my brother in law put so accurately on facebook, Rest In Paradise.
~Rose
P.S. Please keep Matt's family in prayers AND
Pray for their electricity to come back on. There is nothing worse then these stressful circumstances in this draining Louisiana heat.
For Matthew. Keep holding on, Babe, in this hard time. I am here for you.
When I woke up at my in-laws house Tuesday, the sky was beginning to darken. We stayed indoors until Matt came home from work and boy! Were we excited and quite happy to see him home. Even his brothers were worried about him. But since 80% of fears never come true, so say the statistics, Matthew was completely unharmed.
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| Matthew and JP. |
Matthew was told by his boss not to venture out to work due to impending dangers the storm might hold. Yay! I was so happy to have him home safe-and-sound. And he was happy just to be there to protect me. lol
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| Matt and JP focused on shooting people on the Xbox. |
I slept on a mattress in the living room. They left open the curtains of the big bay windows facing the greens of Louisiana. The night of the hurricane, I woke up at about 2:00 and saw the shadow of the trees bent down to the ground, swaying in the rain and darkness. When I woke up again at about 7:30 in the morning, the trees were in the same position my eyes left them. That was frightening. I had never been in a hurricane that lasted so long.
For the rest of Wednesday rain was still coming down heavy in intervals. We played cards, and more cards, and more cards until cabin fever drove us to nip in frustration at each other's heads..and then we played even more cards. After we couldn't take even one more round of poker, Matthew and I ventured out into the storm to his Aunt and Uncle's house to rent Lord of the Rings.
We got the movie but were invited inside and drank Barqs, ate cold, fried chicken and ironically played over an hour and a half of Spades...a card game...wouldn't you know it? We said our goodbyes soon after; shoeless and tired I rode piggy-back home on Matthew's shoulders. That night, we hooked the tv up to the generator, huddled around the screen and watched Frodo begin his journey to Mordor.
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| Barq's at the Aunt and Uncle's house. |
Thursday morning, Matt's parents went to the hospital because grandpa was omitted; he was unconscious when his wife tried to wake him up that morning. The boys and I went over to help Matt's Uncle in the yard to pick up debris and tree limbs now that the storm was finally over. Then I went to my work place and helped clean up some water damage there.
Later that night, we watched Part II of Lord of the Rings where Gollum/Smeagul, the coolest character ever, made a lasting impression on my very soul! To rabbit trail for a moment, that movie was a lot more comical and a lot less scary then I suspected.
Friday, we completed the journey with Frodo in the morning, then all sat in the heat with a few fans and an xbox hooked up to the generator. By this time, the sun was back in business and the humidity too. We all wore our skimpiest clothes and everything from our skin to the sheets to the very floors themselves were slick and sticky with moisture from the air.
I contemplated how women of the 1860's even 1950's survived in this place without a/c. By the end of the day, everybody was grumpy, snappy and tired.
Anyways, it was back to real-life by Saturday and back to my current place where a/c and electricity exists in abundance.
That was a recap of my week with the storm. Now comes the devastating bit of news that Hurricane Isaac--nay, life itself--has thrown upon my future family.
Matthew's grandfather passed away this past Saturday.
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| Matt, Grandpa and I at his retirement party. |
I am heartbroken over the circumstances. While I know he was suffering from terminal cancer, death never registers in your mind as a possibility; there is just too much left my mind said he needs to be here for. One of the things I confided to Matthew was that his face was one I looked forward to seeing, could actually envision being there at the wedding.
I reflect back on the first time I met him; I was helping him tear down a set from a musical the church had. When we were finished he took me and the family out for fine-dining sushi. When I went away to college, he always asked Matthew how I was doing. He even invited me to his retirement party when I came back to visit in December/January; he called me up to the front with the entire family and was acknowledged and introduced to the other guests as Matthew's "girlfriend" (even though we were engaged at the time...I was upset at that, I will admit).
He was a very sweet man that I desperately wanted to get to know better. I know there was books upon books of amazing and fun Grandpa-like stories in the history of his life that I itched to unlock over time. He was a fun individual with a great personality and charisma about him that I would label charming.
He will be missed. I reflect on that moment when mama2 sat the boys down with tears streaming down her face as she said it was just a matter of time before he would pass away. It was a heart wrenching silence, heart-splitting moment I won't ever forget. And I cannot imagine the pain his wife and three children--including my father-in-law--must be enduring at this point.
I was in tears as I read on his wife's face book status, with a picture of her beloved, "The love of my life died today." She always said they were soul-mates and I can believe it. They were cute together, and worked great as a team, it was very evident.
Grandpa was an amazing guy; I am so glad for the impacting memories I did have with him, how few they may have been.
Love and death are the only two components I know of that have the power to alter our lives for eternity. When both hit, we are never the same again. And I hate the fact that life cannot pause for a few days in the midst of this tragedy as it did for Hurricane Isaac but must continue on with its same demands.
That is when life becomes unfair.
But I do know this, this post I am making to my blog will not be filled with the excitement and hum drums of wedding planning, but it is here to honor Grandpa and the legacy he left behind. I am honored that the very last time Matthew and I saw him, he smiled and said, "I heard December the 12th is official. Congratulations to you both!."
We weren't even supposed to go to that party that day; to think if we would not have gone, we would have missed out on that blessing from him, once taken for granted.
Grandpa, we love you, we miss you, we look forward to seeing you again. May your memories live forever in the hearts of your family. And as my brother in law put so accurately on facebook, Rest In Paradise.
~Rose
P.S. Please keep Matt's family in prayers AND
Pray for their electricity to come back on. There is nothing worse then these stressful circumstances in this draining Louisiana heat.
For Matthew. Keep holding on, Babe, in this hard time. I am here for you.
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