sending...
I’ll be out of the office until next Wednesday doing a wedding and visiting family in FL, but take care of the blog while I’m gone with all of your comment love. We have some killer posts set up while I’m gone. I promise to share pics from the wedding when I return. I’ll be working with a really fun team this weekend including {Cook Images} and {KH Floral}. You can follow my week ahead on Twitter.
The {Hello!Lucky Contest} winner will be announced in the next couple days. Sorry for the suspense! We will post the winner ASAP.
OK, forgive the gushing that follows, people. I am just feeling the love right now! On a personal note, after seeing the ABC Diane Sawyer special on Randy Pausch, I will be shutting off the computer for most of the week to spend some time with family. My 90 year-old grandmother, my mother and I will be spending some girls-only time together sans my dad. My father (in his mid-seventies) is taking the ultimate adventure trip with my brother for the next 8 days. This is such a significant trip for them that I am tearing up as I type this. My brother broke his spine 3 years ago in a snowboarding accident and was unable to walk. By the grace of God, he is almost completely healed now and has taken on intense long-distance biking. Just him being able to walk amazes me daily, but in the last year he has gone back to the site of his accident at Vail…. zoomed right past it on his snowboard in fact! And now, he and my 70something year old dad are spending the week in Alaska hiking, dog sledding, salmon fishing (a life-long dream of my father’s), camping, and to top it all off biking near 150 miles together through some of the most beautiful terrain on the planet. My dad (who has had two knee surgeries this year) started training for this trip a couple months ago with daily 20 mile rides and double on the weekends. My mom says, “he could have worse hobbies.” Ha! I agree, mom. Dad and Stephen, I am so proud of you both. I feel so blessed to have such an inspiring pair of men to call family. I hope this week fulfills your dreams and you wake up every morning invigorated. I can’t wait to hear all about your Alaskan adventures!
Have a great week everyone!
tweet 
post on
comments hide
comments What do
y'all think?
this
facebook
Rebekah at Elizabeth Anne Designs, August 13, 2008 5:20 pm Yeehaw! Love this:
0 reply
I know I'm late to post, but this is fabulous. So awesome to hear about your brother.
DrewB, August 3, 2008 6:25 pm Yeehaw! Love this:
0 reply
What an awesome story! Your brother sounds like a very courageous person! Good for them for following their dreams!
Rick Bucich, August 1, 2008 7:38 pm Yeehaw! Love this:
0 reply
I see the word "inspirational" is already taken, but my sentiments exactly so I'll use it anyway. Enjoy the time away.
cyndi, July 31, 2008 9:29 pm Yeehaw! Love this:
0 reply
Awesome story and I so appreciate you sharing it with all of your readers. I've been in awe of this blog for awhile now but haven't told you. Today seemed like the perfect time to let you know how much I enjoy reading it!
Dynamite Weddings, July 31, 2008 8:28 pm Yeehaw! Love this:
0 reply
Now, I'm tearing up! Thanks for sharing this inspirational story. Appreciate all the time you have and congrats to your whole family for their amazing recoveries and accomplishments! Bravo!
Lauren- Sweet Magnolia, July 31, 2008 7:53 pm Yeehaw! Love this:
0 reply
I got very emotional myself as I was reading this! I nearly lost my mother a few years ago to an accident that could have broken her neck, and I get so caught up in the daily grind of things that I take her for granted sometimes. Thank you for reminding me what family is all about. Good luck and can't wait to see the wedding post!