Stephanie Vest

Many of you have blessed me with wonderful comments about my old friend and Sigma sister Stephanie Vest. I know lots of you have followed her blog http://www.stephanievest.com/ over the last four months. Unfortunately, she lost her battle with cancer last week and today we said our goodbyes to her at her funeral. Please continue to pray for her husband and three little ones. To see the four of them it is apparent that God has wrapped his arms around them... They are truely a part of Stephanie. She will always be an angel watching over them...

As with everything pertaining to Stephanie's life.... Her funeral was more of a Celebration of Stephanie. I can't begin to tell you how incredible Stephanie's life was... all the way up until the day she died. Not because everything in her life was "perfect", but because she made every moment "count". She savored every moment, she made every moment special... all of the small things. She lived these last four months laying in the hospital bed just like she lived the 34 years before. As many of you have, I have learned so much more about Stephanie and her life over the past four months... I think everyone wants to "be and feel like Stephanie". It's not that everyone is striving to be beautiful and vivacious like Stephanie (although it would be nice... :) ) but, instead to find the peace, strength, and absolute trust that she has in God. Someday I will meet Stephanie again in Heaven and I will thank her for impacting my life and the lives of so many others.

Here is the poem that her little boys (4 and 7) read at the funeral today... I cry every time I read it, but it is perfect...

I'm Free

Don't cry for me for now I'm free.

I'm following the path God laid for me.

I took His hand when I heard Him call.

I turned my back and left it all.

I could not stay another day,

To laugh, to love, to cry, to play.

Tasks left undone must stay that way.

I found that peace at the close of the day.

Since my parting will leave a void,

Then fill it with remembered joy.

A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss,

Oh yes, these things I, too, will miss.

My life's been filled, I've savored much,

Good friends, good times, a loved one's touch.

Perhaps my time was all too brief.

Don't lengthen it now with undue grief.

Lift up your heart and share with me.

God wanted me now, He's set me free.

The greatest thing that we can do for Stephanie is to pray for her husband Eric and her adorable kids Zachary, Cole, and baby Gracie. And nothing would make Stephanie happier and more at peace then if everyone would make God our Savior and live our lives for Our Lord... The beautiful life of Stephanie Vest... What a role model we all have now!

Now on a lighter note... In true Stephanie Vest style we got all of the many Sigma girls together... (Just like Stephanie requested) Here are few pics... (There were probably 100 Sigma's there... didn't get the big group on my camera.) It was absolutely wonderful to be reunited with my old friends... We won't lose touch again!

Pink Laundry Room!!!

My beautiful sorority sister and friend lost her fight last night and is now at peace in heaven. If you have not heard about the incredible Stephanie Vest I hope you will get to know her thru her blog at http://www.stephanievest.com/ Her life may have been way too short, but the impact she has had on so many will live on forever. She was truely an angel on earth and is certainly one in heaven. Stephanie had a beautiful sassy pink laundry room... So, along with many many others, I decided to paint my laundry room pink in celebration of Stephanie. Here are a few pics of Taylor and I celebrating Stephanie... (We will post more as we continue decorating... stay tuned for a zebra ceiling...) Pic (1) Just getting started (2) Taylor ran to put on her "too little clothes" and started painting! (3) Pink, pink, pink...
Jake and Taylor have learned so much thru Stephanie's fight... All good...The amount of lives she has positively impacted is unbelieveable.

Raider's Won the Superbowl!

Jake's flag football team won the Superbowl this year and he is sooooooo excited! The Raider's have a terrific organization and Jake has had a wonderful first year with the Raiders. Jake, Taylor (She was a Raider's cheerleader!), and even Paul and I made many new friends. Here are a few pics... The first pic is of the team after the Superbowl victory, second pic is of Taylor running onto the field as she was announced at the Homecoming game, third pic is of dad (Paul) and Jake after the Superbowl victory, and the fourth pic is of Jake playing with his buddies after their Longhorn victory which put their team into first place.

We're back!

Ok, I'm laughing! Yes, it's been over a year since I've posted and I think I only posted a few times anyway. I've focused on my photography blog www.nanderson.typepad.com for the past year (And haven't done very well with that either!), but I'm going to attempt to do them both. Tomorrow I will post some pics and fill everyone in on what's been going on at the busy Anderson home! God bless everyone! Nicole