How Great is Our God!

So this past weekend was my visit to Montgomery to see Papa. We drove down to Birmingham to my best friends house Friday night. We got there around 11:30 (b/c of some CRAZY traffic, we should have arrived around 10:15!!). Anyways, we stayed at my friends house so that we wouldn't be in the way at Mimi's. Saturday morning we got up and left for Montgomery right after lunch. When we arrived Papa was awake so we got to go right back the bedroom to see him. When we walked in I could tell immediately that Papa knew who I was. I bent down and gave him a hug and said hello. It was hard for him to talk b/c at the time he only had one lung and it was almost completely covered in cancer. So...he mostly just nodded and turned his head to look at us while we were in the room. He seemed very content painwise but he did say that he wanted to fall asleep and not wake up. It was amazing how at peace with death he seemed to be. He was ready, his body just needed to catch up with him. Jarred and I spent about 30 minutes with him and then left the room to let him rest some. I was so happy that I got to see him and talk to him one last time.
Most of you know already but for those that don't we got the news yesterday that Papa had gone on to be with the Lord. It was incredible how fast it happened from when I was with him to the time we got the news yesterday. Saturday, when we were there, I remember talking with Mimi and Mom about how we thought he could live like this for a while, we knew he didn't want to but he seemed so content that we thought he would. Apparently with all the pain medication that he was on it was masking how bad he really was. By Sunday afternoon Papa had been put on liquid morphine (which I'm told is the most pain medication you can be on) and he became non-responsive as well. Hospice came in that afternoon and told everyone that it would be within 1-2 days. Although Papa was non-responsive Hospice assured us that he could still hear. About an hour before he died my Uncle Chris sang hymns to him. Mimi came in after Chris had finished to sit with Papa, she noticed that his breathing had changed and called my Mom in the room. Just before Papa breathed his last breath Mom and Uncle Chris both assured him that Mimi was going to be okay and that they were going to take very good care of her. After hearing this and that they both loved him very much Papa breathed his last breath and went on to be with the Lord. We had been praying after I left (After my visit, all the grandchildren had been able to see Papa and talk to him one last time) that God would take Papa home as soon as he could. God really does answer prayers. Mom, Mimi, & Chris are all very sad but they are also relieved that Papa is now in a better place. They are going to have a family viewing on Thursday morning and then the funeral will follow Thursday afternoon. We appreciate all your thoughts and prayers so much. I wouldn't have been able to get through this without all of you! I've really been strengthened throughout the entire process. God is working through my family and friends and I've been so blessed because of it. Thank you all.

Last Weekend

Well this is long overdue but I wanted to put pictures w/ this posts and I've just remembered to load them on the computer so here you go...

Last weekend my parents came to town to see all their kids! It was a much needed weekend for my mom, who has been extremely stressed lately with the "stuff" going on with my Papa. My youngest brother plays soccer for Harding and he had two games this weekend so it was the perfect weekend to come! Friday night I went up to Searcy (without Jarred b/c he had to work late) and met up w/ Mom and Dad out at my in-laws house for dinner. I didn't get to their house until 7:00 (Jay's game was supposed to start at 7:30) so Mom and Dad had already eaten and they basically gave me a hug and ran out the door to Jay's game. I stayed and ate a burger (My father-in-law makes the world's best burgers!!) w/ my in-laws and once I finished I went on to Jay's game. It was such a great game, Harding lost in the last 9 minutes 1-0. Of course, I think this was the coaches fault b/c he pulled Jay out w/ 20 minutes left in the game b/c of a slide tackle that he didn't think Jay needed to do and then w/ 9 minutes left the guy Jay had been guarding the entire game scores their ONLY goal!! Stinks, I know! Anyways, that night I stayed in Searcy at the in-laws house w/ my parents. That was a lot of fun to have both sets of parents together. I really enjoyed it!

Saturday morning I woke up WAY TOO EARLY for a Saturday and went apartment hunting for my brothers with the entire family! Dad took us to Burger King, of course, it's his favorite place to eat! Then after looking at my brothers top 3 apartments Mom, Dad, & I headed for Little Rock to go out to my house! They helped me design what I want my landscaping to be around the house. We've been struggling with this since we moved in, now we're just waiting for some money to fall in our laps so we can afford to do it!! Hopefully we'll be able to have most of it done by next Spring, we'll cross our fingers! Anyways, that night I went to watch the HOGS play w/ Jarred while Mom and Dad hung out w/ Michael and his now (as of Sunday night) ex-girlfriend. The Hogs game was definitely a waste of our time! The only good part was that it was our nephew's first college football game to go to (He's 5) and it was histerical watching him. I think at halftime we were up like 17-9 and Dawson came up and sat on Jarred's lap for a while and told him all about how we were "Killin them!!" Seriously, he's a hoot!!

Sunday I did an amazing thing...something that never happens at the Crow house, at least not for me...I woke up at 6:10 and went running w/ my Dad over the River bridge...it was great but oh my goodness it was early!! I'm not what you call a morning person AT ALL! I mean you can ask those closest to me, I prefer the night hours!! My college roommate and I had a deal where she didn't talk to me in the mornings until we were on our way to chapel and we DID NOT turn the lights on for at least 30 minutes after we got up!! It worked quite well. Jarred doesn't have very much sympathy in this area...he always tells me (much like my parents) that it's just a choice whether or not I'm going to be happy in the mornings...so, being the sweet husband he is, he go around turning lights on in the mornings just to aggravate me!! He seems to think this is funny...I do not! So after we went running, which I must say was an excellent start to the day, maybe I should do this more often...I'll let you know if this happens, we got ready and went to church! I was so bummed b/c Jerome wasn't there on Sunday, not that I didn't enjoy the singing but Mom and Dad hadn't been there to experience Jerome before I was so excited...OH well, next time!! After lunch we drove to Searcy, yet again, and went to Jay's other soccer game. Jarred and I made a stop at the hospital to see his Mammaw for about an hour and a half then went over to Jay's game. Mammaw is doing great and it was such an encouragement to go see her! Well, that's about all my weekend, we got to see about an hour of Jay's game then had to get back b/c we both do Platoons w/ the youth group on Sunday nights. I'll tell you all about that some other time...anyways, keep praying for Papa, Jarred and I are going this weekend to see him so I'll have more news on that next week! Thanks for all the comments and prayers...Here are some pictures from our weekend w/ the fam.

Announcing the starters at Sunday's game. Jay is the second from the end of the white jersey's!

This is my Mom and Jarred. Jarred is cracking me up in this picture...he never really smiles but I got him on this one! He's cheesin big time!!

This is my Dad.

Michael and Kaitlin (at the time of this picture they were dating, at the time of this post they are no longer dating...they were cute huh??)

Action shots...I totally need a new camera...I can't get it to zoom in enough and it's just old! Jay's #20 in the middle.

I've been tagged!!!

I was tagged by Amanda Dyniewski! Thank You.

So here it goes:
1. Who is your man? Jarred Crow
2. How long have you been together? Married a little over 3 years, dated 2 1/2 before that!
3. How long dated? 2 1/2 years (engaged 1 year of that)
4. How old is your man? 26
5. Who eats more? I guess Jarred but I'm a good eater myself!
6. Who said "I love you" first? ME
7. Who's taller? Jarred
8. Who sings better? I think we both sing pretty good, Jarred would say me though
9. Who is smarter? OH no question, that's definitely Jarred
10. Whose temper is worse? No question again, that's definitely Me
11. Who does the laundry? Me
12. Who takes out the garbage? Mostly Jarred but I do it occaisonally
13. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Jarred, I'm the same as Amanda, don't like to sleep by the door
14. Who pays the bills? I do
15. Who is better with the computer? Jarred
16. Who mows the lawn? Both of us, lately it's been me
17. Who cooks dinner? I do
18. Who drives when you are together? Jarred but he hates it b/c I'm a passenger seat driver...sorry honey!
19. Who pays when you go out? It's been me now b/c we're doing the envelope system and I have the envelopes!
20. Who is most stubborn? Oh that's me again
21. Who is the first to admit when they are wrong? Jarred
22. Whose parents do you see the most? Well, it probably should be Jarred's since they aren't far away but it's mine b/c all three of the kids are in Arkansas
23. Who kissed who first? Jarred kissed me! Wouldn't have been me, I was terrified...he was my first "real" kiss! :)
24. Who asked who out? Jarred asked me out
25. Who proposed? Jarred did and it was great!
26. Who is more sensitive? Me, I cry kind of a lot!
27. Who has more friends? Since we've been married we have a lot of the same friends
28. Who has more siblings? Jarred
29. Who wears the pants in the family? Jarred (most of the time! :))

Thanks Amanda! I will now tag The Blands and Jeni! Enjoy girls! You have one week to complete. Hah!

House/Kid Sitting

Well, first I'd like to start by saying thank you to everyone who has left such sweet comments for me about my Papa...Jarred and I are going to Montgomery in 2 weekends to see them so I'll fill you in more after that trip. Please continue to keep them in your prayers...



So the past 5 days have been VERY interesting...Jarred and I have been playing Mom and Dad for three kids at church while their parents went to Colorado for some R & R! We really enjoyed it but it definitely was an eye opener! I mean we went from just the two of us to having 3 kids quick!! It was fun to stay at their house, which was awesome & now my dream home, and I enjoyed pretending I was "Mom" for a couple of days. We had two girls and a boy (9th grade, 7th grade, & 3rd grade). So our responsibilities were to make sure the kids got to all their functions (volleyball games, babysitting clinic, birthday parties, etc.) and make sure they got fed, did their homework, went to bed at a decent hour, etc. I gained so much more respect for my parents from this weekend. I mean these are really awesome kids and they are pretty self sufficient but it was still crazy! I mean I don't know how my parents did it with the three of us...they both worked and still were able to come to all our of games, practices, plays, etc. They even acted well rested the next day for the most part. Sunday afternoon I was SO tired and worn out and I really didn't do that much! Jarred helped out a ton b/c he's great w/ kids and so the 3rd grade boy LOVED him. Jarred's got a great sense of humor and he's got a crazy imagination, kind of like he's still in 3rd grade himself. So at night after homework was done he would play legos w/ him...they even recorded some silly stories they made up with the legos and the kids thought it was hilarious...well Jarred went to the Hogs game (YAY, we finally won!!!) on Saturday w/ 3 boys from Silver City Church, the oldest girl went to her volleyball tournament, and the middle girl went to a babysitting clinic so it was just me and the little boy for most of the day on Saturday. That poor child...I'm not as good or creative as Jarred is with him. I mean I tried but it just didn't work out so good!! He wanted to record another lego story (about Star Wars, which I have NEVER seen) and in his words..."It was a complete failure!!" He was nice about it but I could tell I was NO fun at all!!! Needless to say when Jarred was back with us he was on Cloud 9!!! I relate much better with the girls! Anyways, you'll be glad to know that Jarred & I still want kids one day just not now!! We are enjoying our alone time too much! Plus, I get to keep my friends babies pretty often so I live vicariously through them every once in a while, and for now, that's enough for me!!