Love :)

Jayson and Nikki's wedding went off great....they are married and celebrating their honeymoon in Florida!! We had several stressful moments, but we overcame them. My husband gave a great best man's speech....I was sooo proud of him! Matt's not a big talker infront of people, and he was VERY nervous about giving the toast. He credited Jayson and Justin for us being together (awww) the crowd cheered on that remark haha.

I've attended 2 weddings since Matt and I have been married. Each wedding makes me remember my special day. Each wedding makes me see how important my marriage is to me and how much I love my husband.

Everyone always said the first year of marriage is the hardest. I am going to have to agree with 'everyone' on that. I am a strong believer in your shouldn't live together before you are married. Now, many of you reading this know our past. I stood my ground. I wanted this to be something for us to experience together for the first time. Living together has been one of two big challanges. Just adjusting to each others style and living habits. Matt's really bad about taking his dishes to the kitchen....and then rinsing them off and putting them in the dishwasher. I am really bad about putting my clothes away. Also, just adjusting to being around each other for a lot of hours was a big adjustment. I think it's made us stronger and closer as a couple. The other thing that has been a struggle for us is our faith. I am Catholic and Matt is Lutheran......not that different I know....but it has caused some big arguments. So big where I told Matt if this was going to continue, he would just have to not go to mass with me anymore. As many of you know, I'm very involved with TEC and Cursillo. It has been an ongoing prayer to get Matt to one of these retreats. I think we are leaning towards Cursillo, but I still haven't gotten a firm 'yes' from him.

So....Love. Love is realizing the person you have chosen to spend the rest of your life with means more to you than anyone could ever imagine. Marriage is about riding a roller coast but staying on the ride even when it gets scary. My husband is a great man and means the world to me. I don't know how I got so lucky to have him by myside for the rest of my life...it is for sure a gift from God.


Prayer List for Today:

Nikki and Jayson on their new marriage and that they have a safe and enjoyable trip.

Kaysi and Pete on their new marriage.

Ashleigh and Christopher on their new marriage.

A Mini-TEC Director for February (still need one!)

All who are traveling for the holiday weekend

All married couples.

The family of G.K. (a dear patient of mine who passed away last Thursday)

AMEN!

Slow down and enjoy the ride

The bachelorette party was a MAJOR SUCCESS!!! SUCH a good time and every worry I had went out the window! We went to six different wineries, two outside of Hermann, and the other 4 were in Hermann. Our Trolley driver was a riot and we had such a good time! But most importantly, the Bride-to-be enjoyed herself!

Sunday was Father's day. We had just a nice laid back day with our father's. I think my Dad really just enjoyed having his children around him for a nice BBQ. And I KNOW he LOVED the windchime that Matt and I gave him.

This week, I've been really busy. I've worked at Bath and Body Works the past two nights and will be there again tonight. Tomorrow night my mama and I are going to dinner then out to the retreat center for Cursillo's Sponsor Hour. My mom and dad usually handle the registration process, but since my dad is on the weekend, I'm going to fill in for him.

Friday will be spent getting all prepared for the wedding. I have to take Wrigley to the vet first thing and then we will be getting our nails done. Fabulous lunch date planed at The Ranch :) and then Saturday is the big day!!!!!!!!!!! Matt's got his Best Man's speach all ready to go, and I think it's going to great and Jayson and Nikki will really appreciate the toast in honor of them!

At work, we just watched the amazing USA Men's Soccer Team WIN! What an exciting finish it was! All the patients were in to it as well! Yeah for the red, white, and blue :)


Prayer List for Today:

Nikki....so she doesn't get any more stressed out about the weekend

Rob and Randy Cadwell who lost their Grandpa yesterday

Cursillo 271

Angie, that she enjoys her new nephew and knows in her heart she made the decision that will make her happy

Everyone who will be traveling to the wedding this weekend

Ashleigh and Christopher on their new marriage

AMEN!

I am SOOOO ready for the weekend. Ready to escape Quincy and head off to Wine Country aka Hermann, MO! I think things are finally coming together for the Bachelorette party and I just hope all the planning that Mandy and I have done will all pay off for Nikki and she will enjoy herself!

Worked at Bath and Body Works last night...if you haven't been in-get there soon! Big sale right now is $5 Wallflowers and Signature Collection is Buy 3 Get 3 Free!! Signature includes the NEW Men's line and the NEW Summer Vanilla's! There's also a lot of prodcut marked 50-75% off...you really can't miss this sale!


I've been stressing (and still kind of am) trying to get directors for this years Mini-TECs. I have August and December taken care of, but I still need a director or directors for February! Please say some prayers that the person I have asked will say 'yes' to February!


I got my first bill from Indian Hills in the mail yesterday. Two summer classes-almost $200 which isn't bad, I don't think! However, these two classes I have to take are one day for four hours each......and it's stuff I already know. First Aid/CPR and Basic Life Support.........Been certified in this since 2001, but it's a program requirerment so it has to be done through the program *blah*. Oh well, it will get me on campus and help get me get familiarized with the campus and buildings and what not. I really am looking forward to going to back to school and furthering my education. I feel like this is the right time in my life and my head is in the right spot. Hopefully, that motivation stays with me for the next 2 years, right?!


SO, agenda for tonight.....I should be able to get off work early (pretty stoked about that one!) SO, if that's the case there are a couple of errands I need to run (mainly to get ready for the bachelorette party and help the husband get ready for the bachelor party), then dinner with Michelle, which I am looking forward to, volleyball tonight, and then meeting up with Mandy to make the shirts for the bachelorette party!



Anyways-hope all who are reading this are having a great day!

Prayer List for today:

Daphne Whittaker's family...former pommer of mine whose grandmother just passed away.

Bill Gilmore family...Bill is the man who was to be on my Dad's Cursillo that suddenly passed away.

All the people who are traveling to Bill's visitation tonight (espcially my Dad, Jeff Steinkamp, Mike Grant, and Msgr. Mike Kuse).

Melissa and Luke Maynard who were just blessed with their first child!

Mary and Adam Tjeerdsma

Cursillo #271 (taking place next weekend, my Dad is on it)

Request #2 (taking place this weekend, my Mom is on it)

A Director for the February Mini-TEC

Those of us who will be traveling to Hermann for Nikki's Bachelorette Party.

The boys who will be traveling to the Ozarks for Jayson's Bachelor party (LORD, REALLY watch over them)

AMEN!!

Peacemaker

Peacemaker:
I like that my friends trust me enough to come to me for advice and guidance. However, when it's two of your friends that are coming to you about the other one...that makes it really tough. I understand where both are coming from, and I agree with points they both make. But there is no way I can side with one over the other, and I think that may be where the problem lies. They each want me to say that she is right and the other is wrong. My sole advice is they need to talk to each other.....nicely. I pray that they can solve their problems and try to get back to being the friends they once were.

Bachelorette Party Update:
We are down two people now, making our total 6. The bride, the MOH, myself, 1 bridesmaid (the groom's sister), the groom's mom, and the groom's grandma. The bride's mom and one of her sister's aren't going now because of a family crisis. Family Crisis meaning the bride's great grandma is sick and all of the family members are flying in. Such a sad thing to experience during a time that is supposed to be joyous. I feel like this is a group of women from a family going on a vacation and the MOH and I are tagging along. I feel bad for Nikki (the bride) because as a bride (and I can speak from experience on this one), you want ALL of your friends there, especially your bridesmaids! I'm sure it will still be a good time, I mean you can't go wrong with wine, right?

Enjoy the People in your life:
So, Sunday I had gone to the buddy mass for my Dad's Cursillo. All of the men on the team are there and we have a mass to pray for the upcoming retreat and then each team member is called up and we pray over them. Afterwards, we have a dinner that the team supplies (or their wives haha). Yeserday, a patient of mine who is also to be on the Cursillo, informed me that one of the team members had a massive heart attack early Monday morning and passed away. This man was just at the budd mass on Sunday. I saw him! I prayed over him! We must cherish every moment of our lives, and cherish every person in our life. We must not hold anything back, because never know when God will call us home. Please pray for Bill Gillmore's family. His wife is to be the rectora of the next Women's Cursillo, so she will need even more prayers now then before.

Hello Monday....I hate you. Love, Laura

Ok, so first off......this is my first blog! A wise friend told me it might be a good idea to start a journal to get stuff off of my chest and a good way to express myself. Well, I would rather type my feelings then write them....writting to much hurts my hand. So, here we go with this blogging buisness!

I hate Monday's. Especially after a busy weekend when you really don't have time for yourself. And to top it off, it's rainy and dark outside, which really doesn't add to my mood. This weekend was ridiculous! Friday night, after working my full time job, I worked my part time job until 9:15. Saturday, my mom and I had a garage sale, then I had to work again from 10:30-3:00. After work, I went back to the garage sale to load everything up that didn't sell then went home to change and meet my husband, then back to Quincy for a graduation party. And it doesn't stop there. After the graduation party we went to the St. Francis Picnic (where I drank entirely too much) and after the picnic went to late night at the Phoenix. SO, here we are at Sunday. Slept in a little bit, but was hard to with the thunderstorms. Then I went to mass at 2:00 for my Dad's Curisillo, had a meal afterwards, then went out to TEC for the Hoot (it was hotter than Hell's Bells in the gym!!). After the Hoot, the parentals and I went to the Tower to eat, then headed back out to the retreat center to be a guardian angel. Those girls did not fall asleep until about 1:15 so i didn't get home until about 1:45.

And here we are...........Monday. I hate Monday's. I'm tired.........I would have liked to have slept in. I'm huntry ( I brought left over's from the Tower for lunch...don't know if I'm looking forward to that or not). I might have to work at Bath and Body tonight (call in shift. those kind of suck because you don't know for sure if you have to work or not). If I don't have to work, I'll do Zumba (LOVE this workout!!).

The bachelorette party is this weekend.....not sure how I feel about this one. It's been a roller coster trying to get it planned. I have to find tank tops for us all to wear friday night, so if I have a chance between work and Zumba, I'll do that. I also want to get a dress to wear to the winery on Saturday and will need to get a dress for the wedding.

Anyways...........I don't know if I feel any better after typing all that out or not. Maybe we will try this again tomorrow and see what happens.

Peace out :)