THINGS TO DO

Rory: 'How the plan plays out is up to God'

Marisa Kwiatkowski
IndyStar
Joey & Rory duo Rory Lee Feek (left) and Joey Martin post on the cover of "Album Number Two"

In a perfect world, Rory Feek would be spending Valentine's Day grilling rib-eye steaks and sipping wine with his wife at their farmhouse in Tennessee.

But that couldn't happen. Rory's wife Joey is fighting a losing battle with cancer. She stopped treatment in October and moved with Rory and their daughter back to her home state of Indiana, so she could be surrounded by family. Doctors gave Joey six to nine months to live.

Rory has been documenting his wife’s struggle with cancer on his blog, "This Life I Live." The couple is the Grammy-nominated country music duo Joey+Rory.

Grammy-nominated Joey Feek ready to go 'home'

In a post Friday, Rory shared an update on his wife's condition and detailed their "little plan" for a big week.

If their plan succeeds, the couple will have released a new album, celebrated their 14th Valentine's Day together, watched the Grammy Awards and celebrated their daughter Indiana's second birthday — all in a five-day span.

"How the plan plays out is up to God," Rory said.

They are halfway there.

The couple's album was released Friday. In his blog post, Rory said he planned to celebrate Valentine's Day by cradling her hand, sharing gentle kisses and taking a "virtual walk down memory lane" through photos and videos on his laptop.

He said Joey has not been able to eat very much for some time now. She sleeps away most of the day and night.

When Joey found out she and her husband were nominated for a Grammy, she set a goal to live to see the ceremony. Their song "If I Needed You" earned a nomination for Best Country Duo/ Group Performance.

On Monday, Rory said he and others plan to surround Joey's bed to watch the ceremony. Their daughters and manager will attend the show in Los Angeles on their behalf.

Rory said Joey tried to convince him to attend. She even purchased a plane ticket for him, but he canceled it.

"I can’t leave her," Rory wrote. "I won’t. I have done many foolish things and made lots of mistakes in my life, but this isn’t going to be one of them."

Joey grew up in Alexandria, Ind., and she performed at Elliott's nightclub in Anderson before moving to Tennessee.

She and Rory, who met in 2000, sang together while competing on cable TV talent search show "Can You Duet" in 2008.

Their single "When I'm Gone" reached No. 21 on Billboard magazine's country chart in 2012. Three years earlier, their "Cheater, Cheater" single reached No. 30.

In addition to tonight's Grammy nomination, Joey+Rory collected the top new vocal duo trophy at the 2010 Academy of Country Music Awards.

Call Star reporter Marisa Kwiatkowski at (317) 444-6135. Follow her on Twitter: @IndyMarisaK. Reporter David Lindquist contributed to this story.