A "just us" weekend

Eugene and I had a wonderful weekend! Dave Matthews, Jason Mraz, and Robert Earl Keen played in Nashville on Saturday night. We had tickets to go, but Friday it wasn't looking to promising. You see, when you are married to a farmer your entire life (socially anyway) is based upon the weather. I may or may not go to social functions alone because certain times of the year dictate Eugene's schedule. He has to get the crop in and of course get it out! But... thank you God for wind!! Saturday it ended up being too windy for them to work. So, we got to go!!

This is the only pic of the two of us from the concert. I am not a big fan of it, but oh well. It was fun, and I like to document! :)

These girls were so funny! I never went to a Widespread "show" in college. That just wasn't my scene. Needless to say, had I known that this level of entertainment would have been there I may have considered. Eugene said that this kind of attire was pretty normal. I loved the wings!! I tried to video them dancing because it was HILARIOUS!!!!!!!!!!! I think my favorite part was when they turned around and asked this girl behind them if she wanted a hit off of their joint. She gladly accepted! :)

We stayed a great place called the Hutton Hotel. It was a newly renovated hotel downtown on West End. After the concert we went downtown to go out. We met a coworker of mine for a drink and then just the two of us hit the town. It was so much fun! I enjoyed being on my sweet husband's arm all night and having a weekend just for us!

New Obsession

So I have a new obsession with this website that I saw on the Today show last week. It is called cutethingsfallingasleep.org. I could sit and watch it forever! Then... then... another cute one that I laugh out loud at is cutethingslaughing.com. You can't help but laugh at these babies. Go check out these sites if you need a laugh.

Here are a couple of my favorites.



These two are from cutethingslaughing.com. I could decide which I liked better... so I chose them both as favorites!

Pray it Forward

I really cannot put into words how thankful I am to all of my family and friends that prayed for me and my "condition" last week going into surgery.

You know, I have never been one of those people that talk a lot about faith, God, and how wonderful it is to be a christian. I am not sure that I really ever will be either. I have always been of the belief that the relationship that one has with God is very personal and doesn't need a lot of fanfare. Matthew 6:2 really sums it up for me: What we do, must be done from an inward principle, that we may be approved of God, not that we may be praised of men.

What is my point you ask? Well, since last week I just want to shout from the rooftops how truly amazing it is to be able to put your trust and faith in God and know that it will all work out. I have always known this, told myself this, and tried hard to live by it... but some things are easier said then done. I really for the the first time in life, put everything in God's hands. It was a great peace and triumphant feeling to know He was there for me.

So now I am ready to Pray It Forward!!!! I want to return the favor for everyone that kept me in their prayers. Please, please, please don't hold back. If you have any special prayer requests that you want me to add to my daily prayer list, I am ready! Feel free to email me if it isn't something you want to disclose to everyone in the blog world katiepugh111@hotmail.com. I know first hand now the power of prayer! Crazy that it took me 28 years to get here!

No Turning Back Now

I am sure that I have mentioned at some point in my blogging days that Eugene and I live in a house that has been in his family since 1923. His dad grew up in this house, and there have been three weddings (including Eugene's sister Elizabeth) in front of our fireplace. Fun times!

Needless to say, we love this house and the family history that it represents. But as most everyone knows, with any old house comes some remodeling. My sister in law did a beautiful job of the 1st floor when she lived here for a few years. We bought it from her in 2006, and Eugene and I are now embarking on our remodeling adventure... the upstairs!! We will turn this space into three bedrooms two baths, and an office area. We are also exposing our staircase. Right now you it is hidden behind a doorway and a wall. I cannot wait for the finished project!!

This is at the top of the stairs and to the left will be our built in office/media nook

This will be part of one of the bedrooms. This was attic space that we will not use as living space.

Another shot of the room that will be made up of lots of attic space. I am so excited for this room. It is going to have lots of character!

Eugene did all the demo himself! He's a hard worker for sure! :)

The fruits of his labor. (this big space you see here will be two bedrooms split by a hallway. then at the end of the hall, one the door on the left will lead into the jack and jill bathroom.)

God is Goooooood!

First thank you all so much for the prayers, calls, and texts! I promise I will start calling everyone back today. I was out of it pretty much out of it all day yesterday.

We got to the hospital about 5:30am on Monday morning, got checked in and ushered to my room. The nurses quickly came in to get my lab work (ouch... had to that twice because they couldn't find a vein) and then to start my IV. Then this once nurse told me that I was going to be in surgery for 4 hours. Bottom line I panicked. I couldn't imagine being under anesthesia that long and something bad not happening. So... lets just say that I lost it. I cried and cried, and then the poor little guy had to come in try to get my labs... still crying. He missed the vein and I was crying so hard that he sent someone else in. I felt REALLY guilty about that. I later apologized to him, and he said I was about to make him cry so he couldn't come back in! They soon sent in the "relaxing/happy" medicine. Good stuff!

Once we got back to the surgery I saw the robot and they started getting me ready. Next thing I knew, I was waking up asking what time it was. I knew I should be out of surgery until 11 and it was 9. I freaked out because I thought I woke up during surgery! They quickly put that to rest as I realized I was in the recovery room.

Now for the awesome news! The doctor came in and told me that he didn't have to use the robot because the CYSTS HAD RESOLVED THEMSELVES! Praise the lord! I have been in a lot of pain over the past week to 10 tens. I mean pain that would bring me to my knees on the floor. He think that it just ruptured or leaked out alone. HOW AWESOME! I went from losing an ovary to "wow what are going to do now they have her here?!" He did clean out some endometriosis from my uterus and ran dye through my fallopian tubes to make sure they were open. He said everything looked wonderful!

I can't begin to tell you all how relieved Eugene and I are with this news. This is an answered prayer and the best one! Again, thank you all for the thoughts and prayers... they made a BIG difference!

Domo arigato, Mr. roboto

No I don't have a fascination with a terrible old Styx song. Tomorrow I am going under the knife... or should I say robot. I am having surgery with this cutting edge new machine called the da Vinci Surgical System . This amount of technology is amazing to me. It provides a much more precise surgery, hopefully will prevent me from having to be cut open, and (BIG HOPE) will leave certain precious things in their place so that one day I can grace this world with children! (Although, I have heard from many that Eugene was such a hellion as a child that maybe I should be scared of that notion.)

I wish that I could say I was going to come out with some new fun enhancement :) but that is not the case. To spare you all the gory details lets just say, can you please keep me in your prayers. I am very nervous, as to be expected, but I do know that God will be by my side tomorrow, and that is all I can ask. The specialist and my regular OB will be there, and I also pray that God is guiding them tomorrow too!

I sincerely hope that everyone has a very blessed and happy Easter! I have a new saying/prayer that I read last week. It has been getting me through these nerves, and I hope that it can inspire someone else like it did me.


If God brings you to it
God will get you through it.
I love you God and I need you.
Without you I am nothing.

Weekend with Ava

This past weekend I went to Jackson (Mississippi). I have to specify since I have two Jackson's in my life... Jackson, TN and Jackson, MS. Anyway, sorry to digress.

I went to MS this weekend to lend a helping hand to my wonderful sister in law and brother. Many of you know, but poor Katie is 12 weeks pregnant and has been put on bed rest. They thought that she was losing the baby last week, but God showed he had other plans for sure! She is doing much better, and the little nugget is still kicking around. Her bed rest is a must, and includes a reclined position at all times and potty privileges only! You can do it Katie!!

I got there Friday night and Ava and I went and slept at Holly and Clint Sumrall's house all weekend. Thanks Holly for lending us your house!! This gave Adam and Katie a little "breathing" time. Ava and I had a blast, and I had a lesson in chasing a 2 year old. They have A LOT of energy. I truly understand why there needs to be 2 parents involved.

Saturday we went to Kolton's birthday party. He is a friend of Ava's and Kolton's mom, Kara, works with Katie. Ava had a blast hunting eggs and swinging! Thanks Jenny for getting some great pictures.

Cupcakes sure are yummy!

Drinking apple juice through a straw apparently is serious business!

"I need my people to hold these eggs for me. I am far too cool for all of this manual labor."

The little princess and me.

''Winging sure is fun!