Our Family: January 2009

Friday, January 30, 2009

Thank You!

Thank you for all the calls, texts, blog messages, facebook messages, etc, expressing sympathy at the loss of our "Pop." It's nice to know I have so many friends who care and who pray for each other. God Bless you all!

Love, Karen

Friday, January 23, 2009

A sad goodbye to our Pop

Today our "Pop" went to be with Jesus only a short five months since "Neenie" left us to be with Jesus. I'm happy that he's in a better place, but my heart is broken and aching right now knowing that I won't hear his whistling tune as he comes in the door of our family gatherings. I'm heartbroken and words cannot describe what this wonderful man meant to me. He's Chris's grandfather, but has been my "Pop" since I was 16 years old when Chris and I started dating, just shortly after MY grandfather (also, called "Pop" had suddenly passed away.) He was one of the finest men I've ever met and I loved every minute with him. He had friends everywhere he went and if you knew him, you'd know why. I'm sure he's whistling his way through the gates of Heaven right now. Please pray for our family as his departure will leave a huge hole in our hearts. He had a BIG piece of mine.

Here's the obituary that was posted in the Bham News on Sunday:
ELLIOTT, JAMES W. (1919~2009) James William Elliot, age 89, of Jasper, Alabama was called home to be with his Lord and Savior on January 23, 2009. James Elliott was born of Claude and Lilly Elliot (also of Jasper) and was preceded in death by his loving and devoted wife, Lois Sherer Elliott. James "Pop" Elliott lived a long and wonderful life serving his Lord, Family, and Country. Mr. Elliott graduated with a Civil Engineering degree (a member of Theta Tau fraternity) from the University of Alabama in 1942, and earned a Masters Degree in Civil Engineering in 1947. Upon graduation with his Bachelors, Mr. Elliott enlisted in the U.S. Army and served his country honorably as a member of the elite Office of Strategic Services (OSS) in the China, India, Burma Theater during WWII. He later worked for U.S. Pipe and Foundry in their Technical/Sales Division in Birmingham, Alabama until the age of sixty-nine. He also had his own engineering and land surveying business and worked in the Birmingham Metro Area as a Professional Engineer and Land Surveyor until the age of eighty-six. Mr. Elliott was an active and devoted member of the Crossroads Methodist Church in Jasper, Alabama. Funeral Services will be held at Kilgore-Green Funeral Home on Tuesday, January 27, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. Visitation will be from 10:00-11:00 a.m. at the Funeral Home with Graveside Services at New Prospect Cemetery. Minister Roy Wolfe will be officiating and Kilgore-Green will direct. Pop was a loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and friend. He is survived by his sons, James William Elliott, Jr. and his wife, Carol of Pleasant Grove, Thomas R. "Rick" Elliott and his wife, Holly of Plano, Texas, Jeffrey W. Elliott and his wife, Robbie of Huntsville; grandchildren, Sherra Elliott Wagner and her husband, Pete of Plano, Texas, Chris Elliott and his wife, Karen of McCalla, Brandon Elliott of Plano, Texas, Nathan Elliott of Plano, Texas, Patrick Elliott and his wife, Rose of Montgomery, Ryan Elliott of Huntsville, Taylor Elliott of Huntsville, and Leila Elliott of Huntsville; great-grandchildren, Anna Kate Elliott of McCalla and Ethan Elliott of Montgomery; and sister, Jetty Ziff of Jasper. Kilgore-Green Funeral Home, Jasper, Alabama directing.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Our Baby's heartbeat

Today was only my second doctor appointment. It feels like it takes FOREVER to get to the next appointment! I'm very impatient with pregnancy:) Poor Chris... Anyway, today we let Anna Kate go with us to the doctor's office. I had mixed feelings about it, because she's SO excited but since we had not heard a heartbeat up to this point, I was a little nervous about having her come in with me. But, God has blessed us with wonderful news at each appointment now, as we heard the heartbeat loud and clear today and I'm feeling very relieved, at least for a minute. I'm already ready to fast forward to the next appointment and the next and the next and the next. I would be happy if the doctor would let me come every week, just for reassurance.... ha ha. Anyway, thank you to anyone who might have said a little prayer for us and our baby. I believe in prayer and I'm praying each visit to the doctor will continue to bring good news for my family. I'm also praying for all of my friends who are also pregnant or are trying to get pregnant. I pray for you all too and I hope we all are blessed with happy healthy families.

Thursday, January 8, 2009

We're BACK! Surviving Christmas...

Hi Everyone! I'm way behind on posting because, well, Christmas just wore me OUT! I felt like a big ol' Scrooge this year because sometimes the craziness of the holiday events that we attend gets the best of me. This year in particular, I was SO sick during Christmas because of the nausea I've had during this pregnancy. Walking into loved ones homes and smelling food just did not go very well for me. I can remember thinking, "If I have to eat one more meal today, I will die!" I've been doing better since Christmas, and as long as I stick to cold foods, not hot, I somehow manage to eat pretty well. I eat a lot of sandwiches and salads right now because they don't have any aroma. That's the key.... If I can't smell it, I can eat it... ha ha.
Anyway, enough about nausea.... ha ha. I've finally been to the doctor and she says things look great. I go back on the 20th for another visit. Please pray with me that we'll have a strong, healthy baby again. I don't take it for granted at all that Anna Kate has been super-healthy this far in life. I just hope that baby #2 will be blessed with the same level of health and happiness that Anna Kate has. She was an easy baby, so I'm nervous this time around since no two babies are alike!
We had a great time over the holidays and enjoyed the time we had with our family and friends. I'm posting pics of some of my favorite moments during the holidays:

Singing "We wish you a Merry Christmas" with friends at church