With a (Liz) Wink and a Smile!!!

I wasn't going to post before Christmas, but this Liz Wink is just too darn cute to NOT share (ofcourse, what Liz Winks aren't cute...they are all just in God's perfect timing and Liz's unique ability to always put a smile on my face!! This Liz Wink involves my dear friend, Katie (my maid of honor). I think Liz and God were helping her out to help me out and she didn't even know it.

Well, God (and Liz) have a way of just "doing things" and continuing to bless me!! For the last few weeks, I was needing both a Liz Wink and a Calendar (but not at the same time or for the same reasons...LOL!)!

So, our friend Ryan (best man @ our wedding) went to the airport today to fly back home (Va) for Christmas. So, he dropped his vehicle off at our house while he's gone (since we will be picking him up from the airport next week). Meanwhile, we couldn't take him to the airport today so another friend of ours took him to the airport (so that Ryan could leave his vehicle here at our house). That friend came back and apparently left Ryan's car keys on the table on our front deck. So, I guess he called my hubby (Aaron) to let him know. So, Aaron called me and asked me to grab the keys out on the deck. OK. Well, I stepped outside to get the keys and low-and-behold there is a package for me from my friend with a PINK envelope (my Liz Wink...I needed that for this biochem class I'm taking, along with my job situation)!! I opened the present and was blown away by the contents! A 2009 calendar with pictures of me and Aaron!!!!!!!!!!! OMG..I have been "trying" to "make" a 2009 calendar with wedding pics for WEEKS now and have failed miserably (my inability to be creative)!!! But wouldn't ya know...Katie, God and Liz ALL came through (with help from Liz on this idea...no doubt)! She knew I needed both the PINK Liz Wink and the Calendar with pics of me and Aaron!!! How incredibly cool is that?!

Here are some pics of the calendar:

Thank you a million, Katie! I LOVE it and will treasure it forever!!!! I'm so fortunate to have a friend like you!!

Now, for those of you that do not know Katie...she is getting married in November. BUT...not just any day in November, she is getting married on November 14 (which is Liz's heaven Anniversary). I got married on Liz's b-day and my friend (and Maid-of-Honor) Katie is getting married on Liz's "heaven anniversary". Katie didn't even realize that was the date for Liz's anniversary until I told her, but it's so meant to be and we are so excited and know that Liz will be watching over Katie and her fiance' Nick for years to come!

Incase I don't update again before Christmas, I hope everyone has a VERY Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Love,

Amanda

(Happy Advent) leading to a Merry Christmas/Happy New Year!

Hello Friends & Family,


Well, there is a fresh blanket of snow on the ground as I type this blog, so I thought it fitting to post my Christmas letter! :) Here goes:

Dear Friends & Family,
Greetings from the brand new Phillips Household!! As you all know, we were married on June 14 and now settled into our roles as husband and wife.

Our wedding was perfect. All of Amanda’s family came from North Dakota for the wedding and much of Aaron’s family joined us from Colorado, Kansas. Many of our friends that came to the wedding currently live in Colorado and we were blessed with all the love from all family and friends. One special friend, Katie (Amanda's Maid of Honor) flew in from Minneapolis with her boyfriend, Nick. Katie did everythin in her power to make sure that Amanda and Aaron had the perfect wedding. She flew in to Colorado on a few occasions before the "bid day" just to have some fun "hang out" time. She planned Bridal Showers and Bachelorette Parties all the way from Minneapolis and even flew in for Amanda's b-day in Jan to help finish up dress shopping and other "wedding stuff". She really is a God-send and we were so blessed to have a friend like Katie!! The wedding was a fun-filled day with a honeymoon in Mexico which we left for on the 18th of June and stayed for 7 days. It is so hard to believe that it has been 6 months to-the-day since the day of our wedding as this letter is being typed. Where does time go?!

Aaron is keeping busy with his business. He had a minor set back with his back. Thankfully, the Dr has agreed to watch this for a year and treat with Physical Therapy. If his back is not better in 12 mos, then he will need surgery. We pray this does not happen. He started his own business “AP-Rentals & Repairs, LLC”. He still does warranty work on homes and also helps out his dad as well. Even more so, Aaron will begin taking on an entire new role in January, 2009. Aaron will be going college taking up Radiology Tech. With the economy the way it is, he finds Radiology Tech to be a very secure area of work. He will do very well with this since he is so good with people and just genuinely caring. The program will take about 2 years and this is an adventure long in the works! We are both very excited for this journey that God wants us to take. He will continue to help his dad while he attends school.

Amanda is still with UAP however, things are ever changing for her with the company. Last December (2007) UAP was bought out by Agrium and through these last 12 months since the announcement, Amanda’s job has been up-in-the-air. It was finally announced in October that her position is being eliminated. However, thanks to her wonderful colleagues at UAP, she was able to transition into a brand new role with the company as an Inventory Accountant. She is very excited about this new challenge and welcomes this opportunity. Amanda’s health (Sjogren’s) has been a roller coaster all year long with many rounds of prednisone and chemo to keep things under control. This is nothing new to us, so we continue to go through the motions and Fully Rely on God to get us through each flare-up.

We look back on 2008 with a variety of emotions and events from weddings, to health, to job changes and school. We cannot wait to see what 2009 brings and whatever happens we know is God’s Glory so we must do His Will and keep smiling!! We pray that you find yourselves doing the same thing remembering this time of year what life is really all about. How Mary must have felt as she gave birth to the Savior of all. We think of those who eternally celebrate Christmas with Jesus each year as they are no longer on this earth. We rejoice with the hope that we will see them again because of the birth of Our Savior! May God Bless You All and have a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Love,
Amanda & Aaron


Aaron and I are staying put in Colorado this year for Christmas. We are spending our first Christmas as a married couple alone...just the two of us and I find a sense of peace and calm with knowing that.

Well, it's time for church so I better wrap this up. Take care and hope this finds everyone having a very Blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Amanda

Learning More about Blogging Everyday!

Hello Friends & Family!
Well, I seem to always learn more about blogging and the websites associated with it, etc. Recently I came across TheBlogFrog.com. In short, TheBlogFrog shares a tiny excerpt from your blog (if you wish) and then can link you to others with your interests or even those from your school's, etc! Pretty neat! :) I'll update shortly with another post...so much going on lately and lots to update on before Christmas! :) Love and prayers to all!
Amanda

Tis the Season...

Hello friends!
Well, once again it has been a while since I've updated. I just feel like there's so much to write on that I guess I get a little overwhelmed with it all. First...Aaron had his appt with the back surgeon on Nov 26. The verdict on surgery..."yes and no"! The dr said surgery is needed. Aaron asked if he could try PT. The dr agreed to that, so Aaron will have PT 2x/week for a year with x-rays every 6 months. He will be re-examined at the x-ray dates and if the vertebrae has moved at all, then surgery will be a must...but it gives us both a year.

Now, Thanksgiving! I just LOVE this time of year! Aaron and I help out with the Turkey Trot (5k run to raise money for heart disease). The Northern Colo Medical Center Cardiac Dept puts this on and Aaron and I work the Timing/Scoring side of it. Sure, we have to wake up early on a holiday, but it really is a lot of fun! There were over 2,000 runners and the entire race from start to finish lasted about 2 hours...not bad. Then we went to Aaron's parents to eat and the food was wonderful! Aaron's sister, brother-in-law, nieces, some cousins, his aunt/uncle and parents were there. Ate a lot and then watched football...always fun! :)

I ended up gettging really sick the rest of the weekend, so I didn't even get out of bed Friday-Sunday. I was glad to be feeling good on Turkey Day itself. :)

Now we are onto Advent and preparing for Christmas. We are getting new carpet this year (on Sunday), so I have to wait with the decorating until after that. But that's OK because this week is finals week for me and that has be busy to my very core. So, I will decorate when finals are done.

And speaking of blessings and thanksgiving, I'm just reminded how very blessed we are! There are blessings happening all around us! One of which I might mention is going to happen on Dec 26th. Our dear friends Ryan and Janie will have their marriage blessed in the church. They have been waiting for an annulment to go through and they finally got word in October that it indeed has been approved and they will be getting their marriage blessed! We are SO excited for them! We have been praying for them non-stop for the last 2 years and our prayers have been answered! And speaking of blessings and marriage, my dear friend Katie got engaged on Nov 5th! :) No date set yet, but she deserves all the happiness in the world and I am so glad she has found someone who is so right for her! We rejoice that the prayers have been answered for Ryan and Janie, and for Nick and Katie!

Ryan and Janie (on the left ofcourse) :)

Nick and Katie

Aaron and I are thankful for so much! Especially during this time of official "recession". We both have full-time jobs, a warm house and food to eat. We get to celebrate Christmas and the REAL meaning of it and on top of it...our first Christmas as a married couple! It's so wonderful!

Ok my dear loved ones...this has been quite the update. I hope to post with some pictures soon once the house is decorated. Until then, enjoy this time with those you love and count your blessings (whatever they may be).

Love,
Amanda

I Really Have a Wonderful Life

I do. Each morning I get to wake up to a wonderful, handsome man who greets me with several kisses, hugs and compliments! As I'm getting ready (and usually in a grouchy mood since mornings are not my thing), he just reminds me how much he loves me and continuously tells me how beautiful I am! :) I could be having the worst hair day, or feeling like my clothes don't fit right, and Aaron will still tell me that he is the luckiest person on earth (but really, I think I am the lucky one to have him). Yes, this man can put me into a very good mood. :) Yep...I have a wonderful life!

Aaron's also really good about giving me a quick call each morning to make sure I made it to work OK (it's a 20 mile commute every morning), followed by a "well, don't work to hard today my beautiful wife"! Yep...I have a wonderful life!

I am the Nutrition/Dietician savvy person in our relationship, but many times, Aaron will step in and help me cook. He also does the laundry (more times than not), and is so wonderful about cleaning house with me (or for me...haha). Yep...I have a wonderful life!

A person recently asked us if we fight a lot. The answer...NO. Sure, we have disagreements...don't get me wrong, but we have NEVER fought and we never have gone to bed angry. If something is bothering one of us, we make sure to talk about it before our eyes close that night. I don't think this person really believed Aaron when he told them that we really do not fight, but we don't. I give a lot of credit to the Marriage Prep Classes we were "forced" to take before we could get married. At first Aaron and I thought this was such a joke (come on, we are 27 and 34 afterall). But after the classes, we realize that they played a very large role in our attitude towards eachother! Yes, we have bad days and disagreements, but we have not fought once in the 2 years 9 months and 4 days we've been together!! Even in the recent hardships (the nerves in my mouth being inflammed to the point of possibly needing surgery, and finding out that Aaron will more than likely need back surgery), to all the ER trips we make b/c of my Sjogren's...yes, we have been through a lot together. Maybe that makes us stronger..I don't know. But I can tell you this...other than always putting each other first...GOD is our Merciful Savior and gives us Graces to help us stayed married and in love! Oh, and we remember to laugh (Aaron's good at reminding me to do that). :) Yep...I have a wonderful life!

We have a beautiful angel (Liz) who watches over us, too. I think she guides me and Aaron along our married life. She helps God watch over us and she does a wonderful job. Yep...I have a wonderful life!

We continue to pray very hard that Aaron will get good news about his back on Weds (Nov 26th). He meets with the back specialist this day and we pray that the doc will say that this can be fixed with PT rather than surgery. Until then, we remind ourselves that Life is Wonderful and we serve an even more wonderful God who will not forsake us!

Take care my dear loved ones! Remember to hug, kiss, and just LOVE your spouses or significant others! Remember...disagreements are OK (and expected), but fighting solves nothing. Never go to bed angry. And always, always, always...Trust in the LORD...for HE is what makes life WONDERFUL!

Thankful for my Wonderful Life,

Amanda

Mass in Memory of Liz

First things, first...please read the post below this one if you have not done so. :) It's very rare that I post even once a week, let alone more often than that...LOL! But I couldn't pass up writing about today's beautiful Liz Wink. :)

Well, during the month of November, there were to be 2 Masses held for Liz. The first one was on November 3rd and was a beautiful candle lighting ceremony at my church for all departed souls and they read each name one-by-one. The 2nd Mass was held at my chcurch today at 10. Some very good forever friends of ours (Janie and Ryan) joined us in celebration of Liz's life as well. Friday (Nov 14th) was Liz's 2 yr anniversary in Eternal Heaven. I have made a promise to her that as each Nov 14th rolls around, there will be a Mass said in her memory. Today was the Mass. It was a most beautiful celebration of her life and the sermon itself today, was that of a beautiful Liz Wink, which I wanted to share.

Today's sermon seemed as though it was coming straight down from heaven by Liz and God. The priest spoke of marriage. He mentioned that trust, friendship, loyalty are among the many important things in a marriage. He also spoke about how important it is to give to others and that it's not the monetary things in life, but rather your relationship with God that is the great reward for heaven. What kind of friend, wife, husband, stranger, etc one is on this earth, and that we do not know when our last breath will be on earth, so we must always be prepared and to keep God first. He said this and so much more and I just kept thinking yet again "does he know he's still talking about that young girl in the pink and black frame on the altar"? For those of you that do not go to our church, there is a picture of Liz (and pictures of other deceased loved ones) near the Altar of the church during the month of November. Liz loved everyone and everything. She was/is the wife, friend, daughter, good samaritan, etc that the priest was speaking about in his sermon today. Liz was letting us all know that she loves Nick so much and she loves her family and all her friends so dearly but in the end, God knew HIS plan for her and that plan is watching over all of us from Heaven. She wants everyone to know that she misses you...but to please keep your faith and hope strong because soon the suffering will be over and the reward will be great and Eternal. Today's Mass (said in memory of Liz) was absolutely meant to be. It was a message of LOVE from LIZ and God from Heaven. Liz is alive and well and she and God made that message very clear in today's Mass. And when they mentioned her name in prayer, the priest took an extra moment to pray for comfort, faith and hope for all her friends and family that are still here on earth waiting to see her again. I had never heard the priest say that "extra" little prayer before. This blog does not do justice to the miracle of winks and love that went on at Mass to remind us of the promise of Christ...that those who are faithful to HIM will get to see the rewards of Eternal Life. And ofcourse the message of LOVE from Liz. It was all beautiful. I can't wait to see Liz in heaven and meet Jesus face-to-face.

Here is a picture of a Liz Wink I rec'd in March, 2007. It was taken from our back yard and a constant reminder that Liz watches over us!

I must get back to some studying. I have a Bio exam tonight and I need to be prepared for it. So, another weekend closes here and the love of Liz and God from heaven is still strong. Rest peacefully sweet, sweet Angel! You are working so hard for our Lord in heaven and I can't wait to join you! Until then, we pray for your family and friends that they will take great comfort and peace knowing that you will always watch over them!

Hope everyone has a wonderful week! I'm back to studying!

Love,

Amanda

Remembering Liz

Today, it has been exactly 2 years since Liz Hacker went to be with Jesus in heaven. To honor her memory on this very day, I wanted to post my very first ever "Liz Wink" from Liz. See, for those of you who do not know Liz, her family termed her "pink messages from heaven" as Liz Winks. As a friend of Liz, I have rec'd many of these "Liz Winks". Right now, I'm going to share the very first Liz Wink I ever rec'd. This litereally happened within the first hour of Liz passing away. Here it is:

My story starts here:
"So, I recall the evening of the 14th of November, 2006 very well. It is one day and night that will be in my mind for an eternity. My friend, Tommy (who is the Catholic Campus Director here in Greeley CO) had put in a request to have Mass said for Liz on the 14th (keep in mind, he put the "14th" down for Liz long before we knew that would be the day that Jesus would call her up). Keep in mind that in Colorado, we are an hour behind you guys (so, when I write this...I will be talking about Colrado time zone...and this "wink" is very time specific). Anyway-Mass was being said for Liz at 5PM (6 your time). I had written in to the caring bridge site at precisley 4:56 (my time...5:56 your time) stating that a Mass was being said for Liz as I typed the message. Right after that, I knelt down to say a Rosary for Liz. During the Rosary, I had an overwhelming sense come into my body, and thought one of two things; either the Rosary was answering my prayers or the worst had happened. Well, after I got done with the Rosary I had to head into town for a Church event. I checked the website one last time hoping to see an update. I will never forget, for at that point (5:24 my time, 6:24 your time), I saw that Liz had gone to be with Jesus in Heaven. I am not sure of the exact timing of Liz's passing from earth, but Li'z brother-in-law posted the news was the same time that Mass was being said for Liz. I just sat on my bed, the room spinning wondering how this could have happened (and at the same time, seeing the miracle in that as the same time Liz's brother-in-law posted about Liz, I was saying a Rosary for her, and a Mass was being said for her that had been requested almost a week prior). The whole thought gave me chills.

Well, I couldn't sit anymore and I had to be off to the Church for a weekly event, though I thought what a perfect place to be at this time. Anyway-here is the actual"wink" I got from Liz. About 5 mins after reading about Liz's passing (which was about 1/2 hour after her brother-in-law posted it on the site), I got into my car to drive into town. I turned the radio to K-Love (a Christian radio station). I don't listen to it often, but I didn't want to listen to anything else at that moment. When i turned to the station, I noticed there was nothing on. I thought "great, just when I need the radio station the most, it isn't working." Just then, a song came on. It is called "Wish You Were Here" by Mark Harris. This was truly Liz's wink to me. I don't know at that point, how long she'd been in heaven (remember, this was about half an hour after the post to the caring bridge site), but I will never forget that drive to Greeley as long as I live. The song was truly Liz "winking" to me. It was just a little too much of a miracle to hear those words to that song only 20 mins after hearing of Liz's passing. I knew Liz only a little bit (knew her through others at UND...I was a couple years older than she was), but she obviously remembered me, because that song was not being sung by Mark Harris that night, but rather by Liz, as she was sitting in the passenger seat in my Explorer."

Here is a video of the song:

And, if you want to hear the song...here's a youtube version...it's just beautiful:

Here is a picture of Liz. Her wedding pic...taken just 3 months before she passed away.

Liz, there isn't a day that goes by that I don't think of you and pray for your family. Thank you for ALL of the Liz Winks you send my way...they truly keep me going. We always look forward to the next Wink you and God have prepared for us and we wait with joyful hope until we see you again and meet Jesus face-to-face! We love you Liz!
Amanda