Good Friends...

This weekend was filled with a lot of "stuff" to do....it's the first weekend I've been at home in a while, so there was a lot to catch up on. The highlight of the weekend came on Saturday night. I spent most of the day at a Junior League Event and the rest of the afternoon and evening working in the yard. About 6:30 just as I was starting to trim shrubs in the front flower bed, my neighbor and good friends, John and Melissa Niebruegge, drove by and pulled up in the driveway. The conversation went something like this..."Hi! How's the yard work coming along? Would you like some help?" And out of the car he and Melissa came to trim the shrubs...I wish I had a before picture so that you can truly appreciate the end result, but trust me when I tell you that John certainly did an outstanding job! THANK YOU, JOHN and MELISSA!! Now, all I have to do is fill the flower bed with fresh topsoil and plant some color (will probably be zinnia's again this year - unless anyone has a better suggestion for a full-sun flower.) The Tru-Green team will be here this week to kill the remaining weeds that have found a new home in my yard. After all this, my yard will be set for summer...at least I hope so :)

Sarah's Weekend...

The beach....the one place where I have celebrated many seasons of my adult life. It's a place of comfort. Peace. A place where all is forgotten. A place to just be.

All of thse things are typically true....unless you are with 11 other girls celebrating baby sister's last girls weekend before tying the knot!

Everyone travelled to Orange Beach on Friday (I flew) and met at Lulu's for a most entertaining dinner....self-entertained, I might add....if you know the girls in the pictures below, you know that there was much entertainment for all those in earshot, also! We were so loudly laughing and cutting up that we had the ONLY table on the water...outside the main dining area. We were louder than the band at one point...thus the separate seating area. I'll tell you this, though, Lulu's will never forget us :) Did you know that they shut down at 10:00 on Friday night????? What's up with that??? After we shut down Lulu's, the Pink Pony Pub was calling Barrett's name, so off we venture to check out that scene...all I will say about that is that Barrett and Sarah found themselves as the final 2 contestants in a dance contest...

Saturday was AWESOME! I literally stayed in bed all day long...had the doors wide open hearing the waves crash to the shore and "got my nap out" as my grandmother likes to say. The last few months have been tough and I guess I just needed the rest...remember I told you earlier that the beach is a place of tranquil peace for me. I roused long enough to go to lunch at Sea and Suds and take a 2 mile walk on the beach with Stephanie and Elizabeth. The nice thing about this group of girls on the trip is that everyone did their own thing...most spent the day down at the beach and others shopped and I slept :)

Saturday night was a whole other story....we ventured down to the FloraBama. A place of historical and monumental adventures and music for many, many years. All I will say about this night are these things:
1 - A good time was had by all!
2 – The mullet is still alive and well in certain parts of this world…and it will attempt to get you…
3 - Sarah found her way to the stage and had the whole place singing her name....we were outside talking and heard the entire upper deck and staging area singing "Sa-rah"...as she was working the lights and dancing all around.
4 - Let it never be said that you can go anywhere without running into someone who knows someone from Meadville! We got to talking to a group of people in the outside tent and they were friends of Dan Scarbrough from Jasper, AL....it all goes to show you just never know who'll you meet...

Sunday morning was off to a very early start. I woke up at 8:00 and found that everyone else was up and PACKING! The entire condo was cleared out and wheels up by 9:30! These girls had some serious shopping on the brain...after a nice home-cooked meal from Ducks, of course :)

I got to spend Sunday late afternoon and night with my best friends from Mobile. I lived there for almost 5 years and it is just like home to me. Some things are just good for the soul. These friends are just that....family. I wish I had a picture, but we had such a good time catching up that I didn't even get a picture! Next time....

Here are a few pics...they are "G" rated, so don't worry about hiding small children's eyes....
To see all the pics, you'll have to visit my MySpace page.

The Sullivan Girls:

Jasmine, Stephenie, Stephanie, Sarah and Elizabeth

Cassie, Leslie, and Jazzy

Cassie and Leslie C

Jasmine, Steph, Stephanie, and Barrett

Sarah and Leslie C

THE ENTIRE GROUP at the FloraBama

Sarah OnStage at the FB!

The Band Leader instructing the crowd how to cheer/sing Sarah....

What is so funny Jazzy??



Little Sister and Big Sister

Stephanie, Sarah and Elizabeth

Myself, Stephanie, Sarah, and Elizabeth

April Showers

...Bring May flowers for the June bride. Sarah and Elliott fortunate to have all but one of their wedding showers in the same weekend. The community shower was hosted by 11 friends at our good friend and neighbor, Barbie Fleming, home. The neighborhood "Honey-Do" shower was also held at Barbie's where Elliott received many useful "honey-do" tools and gadgets. On Sunday, Meadville UMC showered the happy couple-to-be with a few "words to live by" from Doc Gabbert and made complete with very generous and beautiful gifts. Here are a few pictures to highlight the weekend....

Hostess gifts

Lisa & Mom
Cousins: Kendra, Megan, Leah, Stephenie, Sarah, Stephanie

Community Shower Hostesses:

Kay, Nell, Judy, Sarah, Barbie, Dana, Avis Louise, Sharyn, Tammy

Sarah, Steph, Mom

Crooked Places Straight....

Today's devotional could not have been any more fitting for me right now...I just have to share it with you.

Is your trust in the Lord today? Trusting in the Lord is a decision that we make just like we choose anything else in life. You chose what to wear today, you probably chose what you would have for breakfast, and you can choose to trust God today, too! Just like the decision to receive salvation, when you choose to trust God, there is a peace that settles on the inside of your heart. There are blessings in store for you when you trust Him. No matter what you are facing in life today, you can have faith that God will come through for you. You can trust that his Word is always true. In Psalm 32, David calls God his "hiding place." In other words, not only can you choose to trust God in the midst of your difficulty; you can actually hid in Him and find rest for your soul. When the circumstances of life seem to be overwhelming, choose to trust that God is ordering your steps. Find security in Him knowing that He's making your crooked places straight and leading you into the everlasting life He has prepared for you!

written by Joel Osteen

"Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust..." Psalm 40:4

Saturday in Hearth Stone...

Was a BEAUTIFUL day and perfect for a baby shower brunch for one of my dear neighbors, Tonya (and Shawn) Beckwith. It has been a while since I've been to a shower/brunch quite so nice! Tonya was the best Mom-to-Be as she was opening presents. She went the extra mile to ensure that every gift was looked at thoroughly and the giver was properly thanked on the spot. You're a gem, Tonya! But while Tonya was opening the mounds of presents the other neighbors took a few snapshots marking the very special day. Tonya - since you were busy and could not get in the picture with us, here is one of you...it's so cute as it perfectly displays your emotion and disposition the entire shower! You looked beautiful and orange is certainly a great color for you! Congratulations! I know that you and Shawn will be awesome parents!

Tonya (opening gifts)

Me, Melissa, Tina, Mary, Tanya, & Jen

Engagement Party

The spring season for our family is typically marked by an engagement party on Easter weekend....at least that's the trend of the last 2 years. This past Easter weekend, Sarah and Elliott celebrated their engagement with a customary Sullivan Family Engagement Party hosted by our Aunts Cindy Roberson and Teresa Sullivan. It was a party like no other...decorated in black and white with two of the country's best DJ's playing every genre of music imaginable (that would be me and Uncle Tim...) There were a little under 200 guests joining in the celebration. If you've never been to a Sullivan Family Engagement Party, you are missing a really fun time! When else in Meadville do you have the opportunity to get all dressed up and actually have somewhere to go????? Here are a few pics....however, I am waiting on a friend to send her pics as they are the really good ones...these are just a few from Sarah's camera (mine stayed in my purse all night as we had a photographer there for most of the night and I knew that my pics could not compare to hers....)

The Happy Couple, Sarah and Elliott

Jasmine & Elliott

Me and Jazzy

Dad giving a very emotional toast....not a dry eye in the crowd.

Cutting a rug to the BEST MIX of music :)

The Joseph girls before the festivities:

Mamawgran, Lisa, Ashley, me, Andrea, Sarah & Stephanie

Aunt Cindy, Sarah, Elliott, Mom

Chris & Elliott

Stephanie and Uncle Tim....obviously enjoying the song playing :)

Have You Ever...

...had a situation when anxiety keeps you up at night tossing and turning just to have God diffuse the situation the very next morning? Well, that describes my Monday afternoon and Tuesday very well. The very morning I was expecting all to crash down around me, God sent me a good dose of mercy and grace. A dear friend prayed over me via email and that morning's devotional gave me the very words of encouragement I needed to hear. It's amazing how God works sometimes...

Today a friend sent me this and I am claiming it as my own: "God is going to shift things around for you today and let things work in your favor." As far removed from reality as that feels right now, I know that all things work together for good. God gives us mountains to teach us how to climb...well, I'm climbing, Lord....

May you feel God's grace all around you.