Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Thank You

UPDATE as of 5/13: Amy is being discharged from the hospital TODAY! When she heard the news she shouted "YES"! Thanks again for all of your prayers. :)

Morby Girl Cousins...

Thank you for your e-mails, texts, thoughts and prayers regarding our cousin, Amy.

She's been in the hospital for 12 days with pneumonia, most of them in ICU. As of today she is ventilator free and hopefully moving out of ICU!

Thank you.
Thank you.
Thank God.

Saturday, May 7, 2011

Request

Val and I have a cousin named Amy. She's one of a kind.
(Amy with my mom)

Fierce hugs.
Amazing dancing.
Outrageous costumes.
Hilarious personalities. *Yes. Personalities. :)
Dearly loved by our family.

Amy is currently battling a critical case of pneumonia. She's stable, but it has been a long and emotional week - especially for her parents.

Will you add Amy to your prayer list?

Will you ask specifically that:
1. Doctors will have wisdom for her treatment.
2. That she will take a quick turn for the better and be up on her feet dancing and twirling and wearing her Hannah Montana wig soon?
3. That God will grant peace.

Thanks bloggies.
__________
UPDATE as of Monday morning: Amy is still in ICU but she remains stable and receiving the oxygen she needs. Continue to keep her in your prayers. Thanks, the Morby sisters.

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Etymological

Grandma: How do you even get pneumonia? How do you catch it?

Carter: Isn't it... Oh wait, that's hypothermia.

Grandma: I know it has to do with fluid in the lungs. Fluid. Hey, maybe that's how they named it! Flu... Fluid.

Valerie: Pneumonia, Grandma.

Grandma: Oh, right.

Carter: How did they start spelling that? Why is there a "p" at the front of the word?

Grandma: Yeah, I don't know how they came up with that word! Valerie, do you know?

Valerie: No, I don't know. Do you want me to look it up?

Grandma: No, don't look it up! You always have to look everything up! Don't you ever just sit and ponder something?

Valerie: Not really. If I know the answer is out there and I want to find it, I don't wait to go chase after it.

Grandma: Hmm. Ponder. I wonder where that word comes from.

Carter: I bet it has to do with the word "pond."

Grandma: That's good! You're probably right!

Carter: People'd just be sittin' by a pond, thinking about something...

Grandma: Pondering. That sounds right. I think we should all pick a word and try to find where it came from.

Carter: Like... radio.

Grandma: Well, that's because it goes out, in a radius. <moves her hands outward>

Carter: Is that why? I never knew that!

Grandma: <Laughs>

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Missing Gene

I'm drape deficient. I don't have any hanging in my house and I just can't seem to get excited to start. We were lucky to get paint on the walls. But after cleaning the blinds and surveying the situation, we've both decided it's time to get something over the windows. We have dark blinds that keep out the morning sun, but they aren't very pretty. (If you speak drapery, please put on your creative thinking and dreaming for the following.)

The challenges:
Three windows
Green walls, white bedding
The accent color we are considering is khaki/tan/burlap
I am under guidelines to stay away from floral

So please... I know that this is speaking to somewhere out there. Hunt for some photos, post some links, make some suggestions, and help a girl out! (P.S. Although I know how to sew I do not have a sewing machine.) Thanks and all that jazz.

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Gotta See the Whole Town

New York was... wonderful. Truly an amazing experience.

We were blessed with safe and easy travel, no major hiccups, and a really fun trip. More and more I am realizing how special and unique it is to seriously ENJOY spending time with my siblings and my parents, and this vacation was no exception. Dad, Mom, Clay and I all laughed a lot, had plenty to talk and joke about, and really just enjoyed being around each other!

I loved that there was SO MUCH to do there, and I really tried to pack every day full to the brim with as much sight-seeing as possible. If I weren't limited by sore feet from so much WALKING or the need for, you know, SLEEP, I really don't think I ever would have stopped!

I loved seeing the top of Rockefeller Center with my mom, and am so glad she and I got that time together. Afterwards we warmed up (yes, it was COLD there most days!) in a French cafe with pastries and hot, sweet drinks. I got to see filming locations for things like "You've Got Mail," "Friends," and "Newsies" (kinda). I also really enjoyed going to see the Statue of Liberty and visiting the museum there (I know, I just said I enjoyed a MUSEUM, but it's true!). And then of course there was BROADWAY! "Billy Elliot" was a wonnnnderful production that we all enjoyed far more than I think any of us thought we would. It really does have a great great story, good music, and of course amazing dancing.

One of my favorite parts was walking the entire length of Central Park (about two and a half miles!) with my family and stopping only to enjoy some honey roasted cashews (DE.LIC.IOUS.) and the view at the reservoir. Another favorite was arriving back in Midtown after the Yankees/Rangers game up in the Bronx. We were FREEZING and all I could think about was GETTING WARM. We ended up in a little diner that was so warm and cozy and only got better with the arrival of Manhattan clam chowder and a grilled mozzerella cheese sandwich. I just remember removing jackets and scarves one by one as we finally thawed out and practically melted into our booth. (Or maybe that was just me... ;))

I think the standout portion of the trip has to be our last night in the city. Somehow we ended up at Sardi's (SARDI'S!) for dinner, and I spent the entire evening spotting different favorite celebrities on the wall in caricature form. After a ridiculously delicious meal (swordfish!) we headed down the street to the Al Hirschfeld Theater to see HIM:



















In this:



(Seriously, if you like musicals at ALL, you will do yourself a favor and PRESS PLAY.)

So that gives you just a taste of the FUN we all had at the theater that night. Daniel Radcliffe was amazing (he started the show hanging over the orchestra pit on a rope as a window washer). He had a remarkable singing voice, was ridiculously funny, and surprised us all with his athleticism and fantastic dancing! I watched the entire show just grinning and laughing my way through, and when it was over I exited the theater basically walking on air.

New York, New York, a wonderful town.
The Bronx is up, and the Battery's down.
The people ride in a hole in the ground.
New York, New York, it's a wonderful town!!

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Victory



Death swallowed by triumphant Life!
Who got the last word, oh, Death?
Oh, Death, who's afraid of you now?
1 Corinthians 15:55, The Message

Saturday, April 23, 2011

The Weight of it All


Between the cross of Friday and the victory of Sunday rests Holy Saturday.

But it doesn't really rest.
It's a tight line of tension walked first by the disciples.

Longing.
Doubting.
Despairing.
Hurting.
Reeling.
Waiting.
Hoping.

Trusting that when the sun comes up,
so will the Son of Man...

The Son of God,
The Hope of Glory,
The Great Rescuer.

We hold our breath
and we wait for Him.