Pray for Aunt Gail

Dave just talked with Marla to get an update on Aunt Gail. She will be scheduled for bypass surgery on Friday. She has one 100% blocked artery, one 90% blocked, one 70% blocked and a fourth artery with some percentage that Marla could not remember.

She is having a lot of fluid around her heart and the doctors are trying to get control of this and get her stable by Friday. If she has more chest pains, they may go in before Friday.

Remember we all just went to Vandergrift to celebrate her 80th birthday! I notice on FB that Caryn and probably Cara as well are posting updates too!

Pray for this little lady - our matriarch!!

Today is a sad anniversary.

Twenty years ago today my mom passed away. She was only 54 - that is how old I am right now. Lung cancer - please don't smoke. I miss her so much. Right now some of the things I want to talk to her about - how do I deal with this empty nest? I want to ask her about her growing up years. I want to hear those stories about her grandmother who was was born in Italy. I want her to teach me to jitter bug - why didn't I let her when she wanted to? Oh I wish she could see Rachel and the young woman she has grown into, and Rose who she never met.

There is no other woman on earth who can touch you, love you like your mother.

I love you momma, I miss you.

Okay, I'm a believer.....

I'm ready, take me away again, I'm sold, I believe you now. Oh my. I have experienced my first cruise! I must say that I went with my lovely daughter and had a wonderful time, now I'm looking forward to going again with my husband and having an even more wonderful time.

We left Baltimore on the 7th and came back on the 14th. First stop was Grand Turk, then Half Moon Cay, then Nassau - Bahamas. It was on the Carnival Pride.

The immediate lessons that come to mind for me: two swim suits are better than one, water shoes make for comfort. I only took one excursion - a glass bottom boat ride - but still had a great time. That beautiful white sand and clear water, I would have stayed in it all day, had I not stayed in the same sun on the two days at sea - forgetting to put sunscreen on my face - everywhere else - not the face!

While bobbing around Grand Turk I was talking with another woman from the ship who said she was there with 52! That's 52!!!! members of her family. They plan a cruise every year and then whoever can make it has a year to pay it off and that's their reunion. They've been doing it for 15 hears now and had close to 100 family members in the past. What a great idea! Maybe next summer (2010) at our next reunion in Texas we could talk about it.

We must all be busy - or else we are all on Facebook!!!! I've chatted more with the Tresters on Facebook then here. Maybe we should just all get on FB?????

I did email Nick and Becky - Nick replied that they are all well, just busy with new baby - I'm hoping they post new photos soon. I think they are on FB, just need to figure out how to reach them to become Friends.

Anyway - here are a couple photos from my summer adventure!

Computer Skills ???

Hey Cindy,

Nice job with the cut & paste. I don't know how you made it look like Dave and I were dancing, and I wish that I had your computer skills. Dave and I have a solemn vow..........that we will deny, deny, deny that we ever danced together.

Seriously, we had a wonderful time with Dave, Cindy, Rachel, and Mom. we only have two regrets.......first that we didn't have more time to spend with you all. And second........that Cindy brought had her camera at that moment!

We love you all,
Tim & Merideth

Dads 50th Surprise Party

So I know these pictures are a little after the fact! But as most of you know, we had a surprise 50th birthday party for my dad back in March. The Party had a golf theme and I thought I would share a few pictures with all of you!!

Dad & Mom in their golf attire!

Brittany & Dad! For those of you that don't know Brittany, she is Jeremy's cute wife!!

Awesome cupcakes! They were so cool looking!

Bryan (Tessa's boyfriend) & Shane (my Hubby) out cookin on the grill. Jeremy did the preparing of the food and then Bryan cooked it all up!!

Jeremy cheesin it with his best friend, Josh, and his little girl, Kennedy!!

If any of you want to see more pictures, feel free to check out my blog at www.swaraslife.blogspot.com

Wedding Bliss

Here is a couple of the wedding pics that I have so far!!

All of the Bridesmaid shoes & bouquets!!

My daddy & I - daddy/daughter dance!!
We danced to "I loved her first" by Heartland!
I love my daddy, he is the best!!

Our rings! I absolutely love this pic!!

Shane & I after we were married in the

Las Vegas LDS Temple!!

Awww...I love this picture! I am the luckiest girl in the

world to have such an amazing guy!!

Thanks for all the support from all of you!!

I love you all so much and cannot wait for you to all be able to meet him!!!

Congratulations Mr. & Mrs. Shane Luke!!!!!

Whew - it was a whirlwind weekend for us Maryland Hartmans. We flew out of BWI on Thursday evening at 6:30 pm. It had been raining and raining and raining here, in the 60s. Chilly, wet, almost not quite miserable. When we landed at Las Vegas at 8:55 Pacific Time (11:55 Maryland time), the pilot announced "welcome to Las Vegas where it is currently a balmy 96 degrees!" Wow! Rachel was on a different flight, but landed just minutes before we did, so we caught up with her quickly. Then we found our chauffeur (smile Uncle Tim!).

Tim whisked us away into the night - and found the bachelorette party where we promptly dropped off Rachel. Oh I wish I had had my camera at the ready! Words cannot due justice to the sight of the bride to be and her maid of honor as they hurried outside to greet their cousin, auntie and uncle! We will just say the "accessories" were appropriate for a bachelorette party. The father of the bride might have even blushed!

Friday we got to shop a little with Grandom (Peggy) and then that evening we enjoyed the rehearsal dinner prepared by Jeremy & Brittany Hartman, LLC - A Fine Catering Firm. We would highly recommend this couple to anyone - do you know that Brittany was even kind enough to teach me how to eat an artichoke!!!

Now come some photos. I apologize in advance for the many family members that I did not get in pictures. For some reason I seemed to focus on the bride and groom - duh.

This appeared to be a serious conversation between Mother and son. Cooper looks a little concerned.

Bride and groom appear relaxed after the rehearsal and dinner.

Father of the bride

Uncle of the bride

Grandmother of the bride

At Aunt Stephanies luncheon following the morning ceremony at the temple.

Look at Mr. & Mrs. Shane Luke enjoying luncheon.

Later in the evening at the ring ceremony - so beautiful and look at the lovely attendants and Tim & Meridith - it was a lovely ceremony - the toasts were moving and funny.

Their first dance!

There was wonderful dancing all evening, the final dance belonged to Jeremy and his grandmother.

Oh excuse me, the final dance was given to

David and his mother!

Oh yea, that's right it was the last dance given to Tim and his mother!!

OH FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE - THOSE TWO HAD THE LAST DANCE!!!

Hey, is that Rachel and Brittany in the background?????