Zugspitze!!

Well i was able to fulfill my dream of climbing the biggest mountain in Germany!!! Me, David and Daniel (a couple of guys from church) started out on Friday evening with a two hour hike into the woods and to the Hut where we stayed the night. Friday we hiked about 200 meters in elevation. That night we ate dinner and were made to go to bed at 10 pm, (i guess they want to make sure everyone gets enough sleep for the hike) Needless to say with 30 men in one room snoring it is hard to get any sleep but we did manage about two hours. We woke up at five AM and got our gear ready and ate breakfast, then headed out on the trail at 6 am. About twenty to thirty minutes later we came to the first set of "kletter steigen" pegs and latter rungs nailed into the face of the cliff. So then we started. We eventually made our way up about 1800 meters and made it to the Glacier, i strapped on my home made ice shoes (from duck tape and roofing nails) and we walked up the glacier! Then we had some more free face climbing and kletter steigen. Eventually we made it to the top of the Zugspitze. This Alpen peak towers a whoping 2962 meters high!!! It was so much fun and let me tell you all that i really enojoyed the wonderful Creation that God made!!! I was also able to enjoy the wonderful feeling of the Sun at such a high altitude. Unfortunately i forgot my sun screen so i am a little roasted. But happy we made the climb and thankful that God kept us safe and gave us the strength to make it up the mountain. The total climb the second day lasted nine hours and was INcreadible!!! I was worried while hiking b/c lila had been pretty sick, she is just now getting over her stomach bug but Praise the Lord she is feeling better!!!! We are both very excited as the day of our marriage draws nearer and nearer! Pray for us, that we will continue to grow close to eachother as we grow closer to the Lord. We love you all!! See ya soon!

Ginger Lilly

there once was a girl who was not fully complete
not until her true love did she meet
they dated and talked and had lots of fun
and so their new path together had begun

soon there after there came the day
when the man of her dreams had to go away
so the sweet couple went on a special date
all dressed up, he led her through a garden gate

they walked and talked and toured all around
the precious couple even took pictures on the ground
as they wandered around the girl picked a single flower
he gently placed it behind her ear, it's aroma delivering such sweet power

now a year has gone by
and as time does fly
the adorable couple will soon be wed
there's just one little detail still to be said

the girl, as a memoir, has held on to the flower
and on their special day she would like to see it tower
along the path that they will take
as they exit through the big iron church gate

not too big or standing out
but tucked in among the crowd all about
wishing the newlywed couple well
as they start their new life, a story only a flower can tell

ljt 13 July '07

We have been so blessed!!!!!

This past Saturday was our fourth wedding shower given to us by our friends and families, and let me tell you, we have been VERY blessed! The first shower, in May, was mainly friends in medical school who were going to be moving and starting residencies. Then starting three weeks ago, we had showers 3 Saturdays in a row! First was in Florence, then a work shower, and then in Winnsboro. At each shower I (Josh is still in Germany) was tremendously blessed to see and hug and visit (ever so briefly) with the wonderful women who came!! In Florence nearly 40 women from all ages and stages of my life came to show their love and support. Women such as my piano teacher of 8 years, my flute mentor, my friends mothers, neighbors, family, all each so special in many many ways!!! Josh & I feel overwhelmingly joyful to have been surrounded by women of faith who love and support us! We are very grateful...and super excited to test out new gifts such as our amazing new kitchen mixer :) We love you all, and we're counting down the days until we are united as ONE under Christ! Thank you!!