annie's mom

happy new year?

2012-01-04T19:58:00.007-06:00

This is my Mama-Ann. when I was in 7th grade she moved into the house across the street with her husband, THREE BOYS and a little girl. Now, to a 7th grader, having THREE BOYS move across the street was pretty big news. Especially when they are pretty cute, and close to my age....one was two years older, one my age, and one a year younger...talk about a BUSY mom. Can you imagine THREE BOYS in 4 years? Then came little Sherrell Ann. She was not only the apple of her Daddy's eye, but also to her THREE BOYS. I grew to love this family as much as my own. During my terrible teenage years, Mama-Ann let me take refuge at her house a lot. She fed me a lot. She listened to me a lot. She trusted me, when not many grown-ups would. I loved her a lot.

Then when we were in our early 20s, her husband died. He was always fun and funny. I still picture him standing in the front yard watering the grass every afternoon. And cheating us at cards.

And her son Allen died. He was my age, early 30s. I didn't get to say goodbye. I decided to go to nursing school after his death. He is still in my heart today. Like a brother. He took me to one of my proms when I didn't have a date and we had a blast.

Now Mama-Ann has died after a long bout with lung cancer. I wrote her a goodbye letter. I learned from Allen to always tell people how you feel. I try not to wait until they are dying, but if I have the luxury of knowing someone is most likely going to die soon, I really try to tell them I love and appreciate their presence in my life.

Bye Mama-Ann...you are now reunited with my brother-friend Allen and Mr. A. And I'm sure my Daddy was there to hug you into heaven.

This has been a wierd few days in the new year.

Not only did Mama-Ann die, but also a sweet friend from church died of pancreatic cancer after being diagnosed only a week.

And a very well respected and loved physician at our hospital died yesterday after a tragic cycling accident.

It's not been a happy start to the year.

But life goes on.

And we need to tell our loved ones how much they mean to us every day.

Because life is precious.

But heaven is gonna be SO GOOD.

UPDATE Thursday: Today I got a text from a friend in Tucson that a former sweet patient of mine passed away today. 4 friends in 3 days is a record for me. One I really don't care to repeat. Go hug your kids!

Happy new year!

2012-01-03T19:51:00.003-06:00

Happy new year, friends!

I love you all and wish God's greatest blessings on you and your family in 2012...

where does the time go?

2011-12-01T20:18:00.005-06:00

Well, dang it's December 1. I haven't blogged since November 1. I'm still wondering where September went???

As you can see we celebrated Halloween at our house by attending the Fall Festival at the Benbrook Community Park. And, yes I was a smurf...Barber Smurf to be exact.

Our clinic all dressed up as smurfs, changed the clinic into SmurfVille and we paraded through the atrium/lobby of the hospital singing the famous Smurf song...

you know the one...La-la-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la-la-la.

We won the costume contest.

Well since October November flew by, I guess I better say "Merry Christmas!"

Hope your Christmas shopping is going well!

See you in another month...or less if I find something to say.

Now I bet you're singing the smurf song too.

More San Francisco Half marathon pics

2011-11-01T21:23:00.004-05:00

NIKE women's half

2011-11-01T20:58:00.006-05:00

I did it...with lots of support from friends and family. It was hard. Harder than I thought it would be. I guess having a stomach virus 5 days prior didn't help, but those hills were LONG baby.

I did it for lots of people...too many to name. Some in heaven, most still with us. Thank you to the Team in Training at the LLS. Team in Training has raised millions for patients with blood cancers (leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma). I have taken care of patients with each, and believe me their walk is way harder than 13.1 miles in the hills of San Francisco.

Blessings to all who supported my effort. Let me know if you are interested in joining Team in Training...it's a wonderful effort with lots of rewards. I highly recommend it.

not many pictures lately because...

2011-09-15T20:36:00.009-05:00

I lost my favorite little red Nikon somewhere in an airport between DFW and Washington, DC.

I have mourned for 3 months now. I have kicked myself for being so irresponsible.

Once we realized the camera was not with us in DC, we were forced to purchase another point & shoot that we did not like, so had to return it once we got back to Ft Worth. At least we got some pictures from Washington, DC.

So since experiencing my great loss, I have not taken one picture until yesterday when a beautiful RED dragonfly was just sitting quietly in the garden. But because it's been so long since I downloaded anything I can't find the cords and remember how to download the picture.

I still have my Canon, and I do love it, but it's just too big to drop in my purse and point & shoot at the drop of a hat.

Oh well. I'm hoping Santa will think I'm worthy of another little red Nikon if I can just hold out til December.

(Yes, it's a Madagascar Hissing Cockroach!!)

Walking in this HEAT

2011-08-29T21:16:00.005-05:00

This past Saturday, I awoke at 4:30 to get up and walk with my team. We are all training together for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team in Training.

I would not get up at dark-thirty for many people.

But when I was six, my friend Jett was diagnosed with leukemia. He was also six and lived across the street with his two sisters and brother. He was in my first grade class. He died a few months after his diagnosis. There was very little treatment in 1962. If he had been diagnosed today, as a six year old he would have close to 90% survival rate or better.

My cousin Eddie was diagnosed with lymphoma when we were young adults. He went through lots of treatments, lost his hair, got sick, but survived!! He is now a productive member of society whose job it is to make sure our country is secure in the National Guard.

My friends Amy and Wes had a daughter Kirsten, who was diagnosed with leukemia when she was 4. She was very, very ill. She endured surgeries, chemotherapies, and a bone marrow transplant, and did not survive. She and Jett are friends now.

This is my friend Charlie. He was diagnosed with leukemia when he was 9. He was in my husband's cabin at Camp Sanguinity, the camp for kids diagnosed with cancer and their siblings held every summer here in TX. When he was 19, he relapsed. I got to know him again. He was a fine young man who recently died at age 20. I miss you Charlie.

I am walking for them and many more. I think of you when that alarm goes off at 4:30 and my feet are tired and my hips hurt...shoot everything from the waist down hurts by 10 miles.

But it's nothing compared to chemotherapy, surgeries and a bone marrow transplant.

Gotcha Day #9

2011-08-14T15:20:00.004-05:00

NINE years ago we were handed a 27 month old screaming girl.

We spent the next 3 weeks learning to be first time parents to a toddler who did not like us very much.

It was the LONGEST 3 weeks of my life.

Annie has turned into a beautiful young lady. I am so proud to be her Mom.

Happy Father's Day!

2011-06-19T14:58:00.006-05:00

This is my Dad.

He is celebrating his first Father's Day with HIS heavenly FATHER!

This is my husband. He is celebrating his 9th Father's Day.

I LOVE them both Dearly!!!

4th Grade...no problemo.

2011-06-12T18:00:00.005-05:00

This is the face of a girl who passed the 4th grade with THREE awards:

Perfect attendance
Participation in the Student Council
HONOR ROLL

Those of you who know us, may realize that #2 is great for a girl with asthma,
but #3 is a B.L.E.S.S.I.N.G!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We've come a long way baby!

Washington DC

2011-06-02T21:26:00.006-05:00

I have been asked to go to Washington, DC on behalf of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of North Texas. I will be lobbying for several issues pertaining to improving the treatments of anyone who is affected by blood cancers (things like please do not cut funding to the National Institutes of Health National Cancer Institute, and fund a program which will shorten the time between new research/treatments from the clinical trial to getting it to the patient).

I am representing the Fort Worth district, specifically Kay Bailey Hutchison's district, and hope to meet with her or her people.

It's very exciting for me...but what is even more exciting is the fact that my husband and daughter will go too. Brandt grew up in the the DC area, so he can't wait to show Annie around his old stompin' ground.

Annie will miss the last day of school (Monday---which is actually a snow make-up day) which means messing up her PERFECT attendance this year. But, we decided that the Nation's Capital will be a little more educational than the last day of school huh?

and a new adventure begins...

2011-05-29T21:44:00.010-05:00

So by know everyone knows I shaved my head a few months ago.

That very day I started asking...what's next on my bucket list???

It wasn't long after this, we HAD to buy another car. The "beemer" that we had loved and cherished was dying a slow and very expensive death. So, the search began...hummmm....what kind of car have I always wanted? Well since I had the beemer for 12 years, my next car should be....a CONVERTIBLE!! Yeah, that's it!! Anyway I've got the perfect hair for it right?

The search began. I really wanted a VW Beetle convertible. We drove a couple. Yes, it's pretty fun to drive. Then for some strange reason I said, "what does the trunk look like?"

Have any of you seen the trunk of a VW beetle convertible? It's about the size of a laundry basket...not a large one mind you. I began to envision a trip to Mississippi, with 2 grown-ups, a kid and 2 dogs. And all our stuff tied on the top. Or better yet, sticking out the top.

OK, not practical.

Then my smart husband called our friend Troy in Kerrville, who owns a car dealership. Guess what he was getting on the lot "JUST THIS AFTERNOON"....A Mustang convertible, driven by a little old lady, who only drove it to church on Sundays. Now, I'm not really a Mustang convertible kinda gal. Those are for old men, right? But it was in our budget, had very few miles on it and it's in perfect shape. AND, did I mention it's a convertible?

Ok, so to recap my bucket list:

Shave head for good cause----check

Buy fun car to go with new hair-do-----check

What next?

How about training for a marathon? You don't need much hair for that either, huh?

One of my patient's Mom came to my head shaving event to support me, and mentioned that she is training for a marathon with the leukemia & lymphoma society's Team in Training. They provide personal trainers, coaches, and a group of great friendly folks to train with on Saturday mornings. All to raise awareness and funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Oh, and did I forget to say that the aforementioned marathon is the NIKE Women's Marathon in SAN FRANCISCO????!!!! And, at the end you get a genuine Tiffany's custom necklace made only for those who finish the race???

Well, you know right then and there I decided to go for it! Yep, I'm training, got the shoes, cool watch, and some fine undergarments (these girls are not going anywhere).

but decided to start slow and go for the HALF-marathon, just 13.1 miles :)
did I mention San Francisco hills???

It's Prom time of year...

2011-03-31T20:02:00.003-05:00

Which reminds me of this. This is ME and one of my best friends, Allen. We were neighbors since 7th grade. In this particular picture (circa 1975), my steady boyfriend at the time did not dance. So instead of sitting at home in my freshman year of college, Allen went with me. His suit came from a fancy store in Jackson, Mississippi called "The Rogue" and he was P.R.O.U.D. to say he bought it with his own money. My dress was a loaner from my steady boyfriend's mother. As I recall we had a great time. I'm sure we danced to Average White Band, Comodores, Doobie Brothers, Chicago til the cows came home. Afterward, a group of my friends all came to my parents house where my mom had fixed breakfast for us. Allen died when we were in our early 30s of lymphoma related to AIDs. He was the first person I knew who died of the terrible disease. I knew he was very sick, and every day I procrastinated calling him to say hello. When my Mom called to say he was near death, I got in my car, and drove the 7 hours in less than 5, crying all the way. He had died by the time I got there. Allen taught me to never, never procrastinate. He taught me to treasure each day with loved ones. His death encouraged me to "do something" with my life, and I enrolled in nursing school the following fall.

Now to a lighter topic....why in the world did the dance committee think that a red, white & blue backdrop would look universally good???? We did our best to color coordinate our outfits, only to be overshadowed by that setting, don't you think???

And, yes that is my best natural "Sun In" hair color too. Oh, and just one other thing....POSTURE was not my best friend. Why in the world disn't someone say "stand straight Lisa!"

St Baldrick's continued

2011-03-24T10:12:00.006-05:00

Done!

2011-03-19T17:36:00.003-05:00

Ok so here's the REAL after shot...

BTW the event raised over $10,000 today for the St. Baldrick's Foundation. It was fun...now what next? I'm thinking a leukemia & lymphoma team in training event...marathon? San Francisco in October? Who wants to join me?

St Baldrick's Day

2011-03-18T22:58:00.003-05:00

Unless you've been under a rock or not a facebook friend...

I am shaving my head for a cause. So this is my BEFORE picture...actually my hair is much longer than this. I've not had a haircut since December.

It's called St. Baldrick's day. It all started this time a year ago. I saw a banner for this foundation at a local Tucson bar....you see people shave their heads around St. Patrick's day to raise funds for childhood cancer research. You can read more about it HERE.

Anyway, a 21 year old patient of mine in Tucson encouraged me to do it. I said "OK, I would do it for $1000." When he died in August, I was priveleged to be in his room with his parents, and decided right then to keep my promise. So, when January came, I signed up. In less than a week, I had raised $1000. Thank you Celia & Mark for getting me started. I've been so blessed by people's generosity and kindness.

Did I mention that a group of my friends from high school banned together and donated about $250 in memory of another friend's son who was killed in the middle of his senior year last year. These are people I haven't seen in 30 years. Aren't people just wonderful?

As of now, I have personally raised $2500. I am leading a team from our hospital and all total we have raised $4700!!!! In my lifetime, the survival rate for some childhood cancers has gone from 3% to almost 90%...all because of research. I'm proud to be part of that.

Thank you Adrian. Thank you Patrick...I hope both of you are laughing your heads off tomorrow as I go bald for you.

Here's my after picture...heh-heh.

first moment

2011-03-16T20:56:00.000-05:00

This is the moment I became a Mom...
August 12, 2002

spring

2011-03-15T19:41:00.002-05:00

springtime in Jackson, Mississippi...circa 1980.

My mom still lives here!

2011-03-05T08:30:00.003-06:00

The kids at our church recently went to a nursing home to sing a few songs and put on a puppet show.

I wish you could have seen the smiles on the faces of the residents.

Ocho

2011-03-04T21:01:00.008-06:00

I'm just not in the creative mood to blog lately. My new job, while it is wonderful and I am so grateful to be back at Cook Children's, it is taking all my energy. It's all I can do to get home and sit down, yet sleep is not my best friend. Oh well, this season will pass...spring's coming!

So instead of posting something tired and depressing, I'm just taking a vacay and maybe will post a picture here and there until my energy comes back. Yes I'm taking B-12 by the way. And, yes I've had my thyroid checked. Any suggestions appreciated.

In addition, we are staying way busy with church, work, school, and extra-curricular stuff. It's all good, just no time to blog.

So here's a cute picture of my very favorite puppy in the world. I love this dog like my child. It's terrible, but there I said it. Everyone in my family realizes it, so it's no secret. So I'm not so sure it's terrible after all. This sweet dog is a gift from God (as well as a gift from a favorite patient.) He's only 6 years old, but has gotten really grey...another reason I worry. However, there isn't a day that goes by that he doesn't make every person in this family feel loved. Now how many people can say that?

BTW, his name is Ocho....black/white, and when we got him, he weighed about as much as an 8 ball.

snow day

2011-02-04T12:50:00.000-06:00

Inspiration

2011-01-17T20:42:00.002-06:00

"Faith is taking the first step, even when you don't even see the whole staircase".

"The quality, not the longevity, of one's life is what is important". (my favorite!)

"The time is always right to do what is right".

"To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing".

"We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devois of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. when we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies".

all quotes from Martin Luther King, Jr.

2011-01-15T11:23:00.004-06:00

I wish this were true.

In light of the recent shooting in my former hometown I'm not so sure. What I do know is that mental illness is not something to be ashamed of. It is not something to ignore and hope will go away. I recently read a story of an actress who died of something that could have easily been treated but did not go to the doctor. She reportedly wanted to choose a "natural" way to get better (but also chose to take prescription drugs in some very unsafe ways). She died of a very treatable pneumonia. Just as tragic as someone who will not face mental illness. If someone will take antibiotics for an illness, why not take an antidepressant that will help the brain replenish the missing chemicals....or why not take an antipsychotic to help normalize the brain's chemicals and balance.

I am thankful that mental illness, other than a little depression, does not affect my family. I have friends whose family has been terribly devistated by mental illness in some form.

I am sad for all of Tucson. The city used to be a peace loving city, but we noticed some real changes when we lived there the last two years. Still a beautiful city, surrounded by mountains, with wonderful sunrises and sunsets. Blue skies abound. Drug problems. Immigration issues. Crime. Gangs. People.

Sad.

But not the end of the story is it? God is still on his throne. He still cares about the little sparrow and even little old me. He still works all things for good. I can't explain why Gabrielle Giffords is still alive when she shouldn't be and why a sweet 9 year old straight A student is not. I am glad I'm not in control of this universe. I could not handle it.

Shoot, I can't even balance a checkbook.

As my good friend David Lane once said..."Lisa, either God's in control or He's not...which do you choose to believe?"

and more UNresolutions...

2011-01-04T19:46:00.003-06:00

It came to me after I had posted the last set of UNresolutions...

I am NOT going to learn to use my digital SLR.
therefore
I am NOT going to sign up for that class at TCU.

Expect great photos on this blog soon.

Look out Pioneer Woman...I don't have cows nor take pictures of my cooking processes, I mean REALLY, who has that kind of time anyway? But I do have a really cute kid and very photogenic husband. Just sayin...

FOOTNOTE-----
Today I:
1. made an appointment with a new hairstylist.
2. Took a bunch of fruit to work, left it out on the table and have almost eaten all of it.

IT"S WORKING!!

New Year's UNresolutions

2011-01-02T18:52:00.011-06:00

I cant remember the last time I made New Year's Resolutions.

(I always resolve to lose weight in October...just fyi)

Then it occurred to me this morning that I just don't do resolutions well. I do UNresolutions better. A few years ago after I had enrolled in grad school, a co-worker flatly told me "you'll never make it through grad school." Well, I yup and quit my job so I could attend GRAD school FULL-TIME.

So there.

Done.

I guess I should thank her.

So maybe I will do better if I say I CAN'T do something rather than DOING something.

1. I am NOT going to eat more vegetables and fruit.
2. I am NOT going to find a new cool & quirky hair style. Which would mean I am NOT going to search for a new hairstylist.
3. I am NOT going to get to church early.
4. I am NOT going to hang pictures on my walls.
5. I am definitely NOT going to lose that 10 pounds I gained BACK last year.

6. I am SO NOT going to start so many sentences with the word SO.

7. I am NOT going to use as many exclaimation points...wait, that's too much.

Enough already.

I'll keep you posted on my UNprogress.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Sweet, Little Jesus

2010-12-23T21:56:00.003-06:00

Recently a dear friend had a sweet baby boy. Every time I see the pictures of his soft little furry head, I can only think of Mary. How she must have LOVED holding that baby boy, with his soft furry head. How he started as just a sweet baby boy, like my friend's sweet baby...only this baby came to save the world. The Son of God. It still baffles me.

I pray your Christmas is full of wonderful new memories to treasure.

I pray that you are blessed with family, food and a warm place to snuggle with your loved ones.

I pray your 2011 is blessed beyond your dreams.

Thank you Jesus for coming to earth.

thankful

2010-11-21T21:03:00.008-06:00

I am thankful for....

my husband - together 13 years, and I still really like him. Really. He is the most patient person I know (combined with the most impatient person-ME, we even out).

my daughter - in the car singing at the top of her lungs about Jesus' life and death and resurrection - just off the top of her head

my parents - my Mom is still living at age 92. I am thankful that I got to be with my Dad when he entered heaven. I'm thankful that I still have my mom to inspire me.
My wonderful job...it's not a job really. It's an adventure. I get to be social director/nurse for a group of teens and young adults in crisis. I get to witness kids overcoming odds. I get to make new friends every day. I get to work with people who are dedicated to curing cancer. I get to work in the BEST children's hospital in the U.S. hands down. If anyone has a sick kid, I don't care where you live, get them to Fort Worth.

Dear friends in numerous cities, states in the many places we have lived. Bless you!

I pray you are twice as blessed today. God is so faithful.

Happy Thanksgiving!

careful what you type

2010-11-15T20:13:00.002-06:00

Just letting you fellow bloggers know...think before you type. or rant. or go off on a female-type tangent. You never know who is reading your blog.

Last Sunday evening at our church home group, the pastor of our sweet little church whom Brandt and I have grown to love says to me..."I, uh, read your blog...."

I got all excited thinking someone new actually read my blog!!

then it hit me...

OH MY GOODNESS the pastor of my church knows all about my menopausal ranting and raving. As I turned every shade of RED, subsequently followed by a nice hot flash I said "Oh my!" To which he nicely followed up, "I'm so glad my wife did not have so many troubles. It must be so hard."

OK then.

From the advice of my blogging mentor, Lisa...there'll be no more talk about issues like periods, menopause, and placentas.

Men, you can sleep better tonight knowing you're safe. And I'll just have to face the pastor sooner or later and hope he's forgotten...or maybe he's praying for me.

Maybe that's why I've had a better week.

I hate menopause...

2010-11-02T08:42:00.003-05:00

Ok, this is not going to be a happy little blog. I'm sorry I can't be Sally Sunshine every single day. I know it's hard to believe. At age 54, I am in the dregs of menopause and I really hate it.

1. Hot flashes

I've been having hot flashes for 10 years now. TEN. I remember when they started. I was working with a lot of hormonal women who had breast cancer. I thought I was having sympathetic hot flashes. They continued. TEN years. Our bedroom ceiling fan has been running on high for 10 years. One solution...wear layers. I have a nice drawer full of tank tops. That's the most decent thing you can get down to when taking the layers off.

2. Sleepless nights

related to hot flashes and night sweats...mostly worse in the last few years. Solution: sleep in layers, throw covers off and prepare to pull them back on when you wake freezing an hour later.

Benadryl doesn't help, unless you like to wake up in a fog. Melatonon helps a little, sometimes.

3. Facial hair

OK, I know this might be TMI, but what's all this fur all over my face??? And I'm not going to mention the whiskers. I have light colored hair, really, so where did this dark mustache come from? Please, please promise me that if I am ever in a coma, someone will come to the hospital with tweezers.

4. Wrinkles

One morning I woke up and I have my Mother's neck. How did that happen? My mom does NOT have wrinkles on her face. She has nice smooth skin at age 92. By the time I am her age, I'll need a sling for my cheeks and eyelids. And a chicken neck.

5. Mood swings

Guess what kind of mood I'm in right now. It's like the Texas weather, just wait a minute and see what shows up. Nothing more needs to be said.

6. Weight gain

I used to see those women who were "thick in the middle"...now that's me. No waist. I can no longer lose the weight like I used to. I have no metabolism. None. Now my stories revolve around saying "back in the olden days, when I was skinny..."

7. OK I'm going to stop before I tell you about dry skin issues. I'm not just talking about places you can see. I would have made this number one, but it might have scared you off before now.

I've been taking hormone replacement therapy for years. I recently tried to wean down to half the dose. Everything got worse, so I'm back on my full dose. And wishing I could increase. And yes I've tried that estrogen cream, what a mess.

So fair warning, if I have a crazy look...

So that explains Shirley Maclaine's character in "Steel Magnolias"....remember her? She wore her mink coat with her overalls and funny hats (layers I tell ya) AND she said whatever she thought. I'm turning into Ouiser Boudreaux: "I'm not crazy, I've just been in a very bad mood 40 years!"

I think I'd rather be Clairee.

Or Truvy.

Time to blog

2010-10-10T18:59:00.003-05:00

I wish I had time to blog.

We are fine.

I love my new job...it's perfect for me.

Annie still loves her new school. I joined the PTA.

I have an even greater appreciation for single parents.

We found a sweet little church family.

I taught 4-5s Sunday School today and we all survived.

I'm taking a Beth Moore Bible Study on "Esther".

We close on our new home THIS Friday the 15th.

Brandt and our dear friend Jimmy drive the trucks over on the 14th.

Can't wait to see my best friend husband.

And my dogs.

Life is sweet.

God is good!

P.S. more to come...

school daze

2010-08-27T12:16:00.006-05:00

So Annie LOVES her new school! The first week flew by, according to her. We were a little nervous about wearing uniforms on Monday morning. As we walked up to the school, she declared "everyone else is wearing them too!"

So we now love the uniforms, thank you very much.

This daughter of mine brings me such joy. She loves Jesus, singing, dancing, riding her bike, reading, life! I am so blessed to have her. She is healthy and happy. She cares about others. On her first day of school, she announced that there were deaf kids in her class, so she is going to learn sign language. She has mastered the alphabet since.

Here she is....

Did I mention that this 10 year old has been in SEVEN new schools...

Did I mention how blessed I am?

For the skeptics...

2010-08-24T11:03:00.002-05:00

Before we moved I told friends:

"We have 4 days to find a home, get a contract, get Annie in school and find afterschool care"

It would get real quiet usually followed by that look. You know the one.

WELL, ye doubters, I have only one thing to say:

WE DID IT.
(with God's help)

On Monday morning as we set out to see 20 houses on our list, we prayed for the Lord's guidance. His hand in everything. We asked for us to LOVE the home when we saw it and for God to make it clear when we entered the house.

We had looked at about 5 houses when I realized I really liked this neighborhood (that I had once dismissed as too far away). There was one house that I had eliminated because the pictures just didn't look that great. The street appeal was blah.

But as we passed the street, I asked our dear real estate agent if she wouldn't mind driving down "Plantation Drive, I think there was a house on that street that I left off of the list". She obliged. The pictures did not do the house justice. On a whim, we looked inside. We had seen about 3 rooms when we said "this is it", thank you Lord.

We have a contract. Closing October 15. Nothing to do to the house...just move in.

Annie is in an "exemplary" school just around the corner within walking distance. She had a wonderful first day at school yesterday and loves it. She has hearing impaired children in her class and is so excited to learn sign language.

She is going to the YMCA afterschool care which just happened to come with a free membership to the Y. I have been blessed every day when I go to the YMCA gym. Today it was the lady who gave me my locker key.

Sunday we went to a new church. We were welcomed by so many. I'm starting a Beth Moore Bible study there in September.

We are finding our place in Texas. It's so good to be home.

God is good.

A Great Day

2010-07-25T13:10:00.003-05:00

I have made some good friends here in Tucson. One family is very special to me. I have been helping treat one very special young lady at our clinic since February. She is so talented, sweet and loves the Lord. This family has been an inspiration to me, and to many others I am sure.

This very special young lady LOVES horses and she just happens to have a beautiful White horse named Santiago. She invited us to come visit her and meet Santi.

We spent a great day with these friends in a cool little historic Western town called Tubac, Arizona.

We enjoyed the horses, had a nice tour of the old fort and schoolhouse, followed by lunch....which included the yummiest fried peach burrito with ice cream. Best dessert I've had in a long time. Just sayin..

Oh, and Annie got to ride Santiago.

Thanks friends for your inspiration.
Thanks friends for your kindness.
Thank you for your encouragement.

I will miss seeing you twice a week.
I will continue to pray with you for your complete healing.

Love you!
Lisa and Annie

yes, it's true!!

2010-07-18T21:46:00.005-05:00

Yes, we are moving.

Yes, we are moving back to Texas.

Yes, we are moving back to Fort Worth.

Yes, I am working at Cook Children's Medical Center. Again.

YES, IT IS ALL VERY EXCITING!!!!

Here's how it all went down:

It all started with an innocent email from my friend: you might be interested in this job...

ME: No I'm not ready to move. Again. Period.
MY FRIEND: Just take a look at the job description...
ME: OK, but really I'm not interested.
but it does look interesting
MY FRIEND: Just come talk about it on your way thru town. Let's just have coffee.
ME: Well....................................................................ok.

One hour into the coffee talk:
ME: thinking, hummmm, this job really REALLY sounds like something I would like to do.
OK, maybe I will consider it.
MY FRIEND: OK, well lets just see if others are available to talk.
(remember, this was on the way home from my Dad's funeral. I had no energy for a job interview...but OK.)

THREE hours later:
ME: I WANT THIS JOB!!!
REALLY< REALLY< REALLY!!!

ONE WEEK LATER:
I got the job.

God is SO SO good. Really.

update

2010-07-01T14:19:00.003-05:00

My Daddy died two days after the picture below was taken. Annie and I spent the entire day with him on Friday, just the three of us. It was a good time to talk about dying and how we are celebrating life with Jesus. So when my Daddy peacefully took his last breath the following day (Saturday) with myself and two dear friends at his bedside, we were all ready. My Daddy is now the head greeter at the pearly gates...just as he was for 54 years at his church.

It has been a good time with my family and friends. It has been a good time supporting Mom who lost her husband of 71 years.

thanks so much for your emails, your calls, your prayers and your support.

Daddy

2010-06-25T16:21:00.002-05:00

This is my sweet daughter giving her Papa a big hug. My dad, who is 94 is very ill and probably seeing his last days. We are in Mississippi giving my Mom support and loving Papa. Please pray for all of us to have strength and comfort. Pray for Jesus to receive my Daddy soon and end his suffering.

Thanks friends!

Happy Father's Day!

2010-06-19T22:49:00.010-05:00

This was the day you became a father.

best day ever.

You inspire Annie to love all kinds of music.

I wish you would finish that CD of yours.

You gush over all our hand made cards.

Thanks for always finding a way for me

to have a card making room.

You KNOW how to have fun!

You've shown Annie how to have fun, too.

For these and many more things, I'm so grateful.
You've blessed our lives in too many ways to count.
Thank you.

And today you are still the best daddy I
could have ever chosen for my daughter.
I love you.

Happy Father's Day!

the beach

2010-06-16T20:53:00.000-05:00

Our favorite Legoland ride!

2010-06-11T22:53:00.003-05:00

2010-06-11T22:50:00.000-05:00

This was my favorite ride at Legoland. It had "levels". Because of Annie's size, we could only choose level one or two---they weren't supposed to turn us upside down. OK, I realize it didn't technically turn us upside down, but it dang sure felt like it that first pass....just sayin...

LegoLand!!!

2010-06-03T11:55:00.001-05:00

Annie turns TEN!

2010-06-03T11:31:00.002-05:00

Happy birthday Annie! Can't believe you are ten years old!

childhood wisdom

2010-05-21T22:35:00.002-05:00

The other night Annie and I were riding home from a trip to Target listening to our favorite Christian radio station K-Love.

A great song came on and our conversation went something like this:

"Annie do you know what this song means?"

She said "yes, one day we will see the Lord face to face"

I said "Here's what He is gonna say to you---Annie I'm so proud of you!"

To which she replied:
"Mom, He tells me that already every day!"

I almost had to pull over to find my Kleenex...

Happy birthday Daddy!

2010-05-11T21:55:00.005-05:00

This is a picture of my mom and dad in 1939. The year they got married. Today is my Daddy's birthday. He is 94 years old. He has alzheimer's and probably doesn't really realize it's his birthday. My Mom takes good care of him (she's only 91). She still drives him to his doctor's appointments, to church and out to lunch on Sundays. (If you're in Jackson, it's a big white buick...just sayin...)

Let me tell you a little about my Daddy.

He used to own the Logan Barber Shop for over 50 years in Mississippi. I still have guys tell me "your dad used to cut my hair". When I was a teenager in the 60s and 70s, this was not a good thing...long hair was in. More than once I had boys come to me to complain, "Look what your old man did to me - he scalped me!" Up until a few years ago, he used to cut his buddies' hair in his barber chair out on the back porch. My husband still says my Dad gives the BEST haircuts of any he has had. One thing, if you notice any of my childhood pictures, I always had pretty short bangs, and not always real straight. Thanks Dad.

My Dad has taught me a lot about life.

He served in the Pacific in WWII. He is patriotic and taught me to love being an American. Thanks Dad.

He is a God fearing man who was a Baptist Deacon at the same church for over 50 years. He made us go to church EVERY Sunday and Wednesday. I resented this when I was younger, but now I am so grateful he did. He taught me to love music. He sang in the choir, but no one had the nerve to tell him he couldn't carry a tune very well unless of course he sat next to another loud BASS voice who could sing well. They always put him next to the same man. As a kid, I hated having to listen to good old gospel music on the car radio on Sundays when we would drive to see my grandmother 2 hours away. Now I LOVE a good old gospel tune.

He got me my first job at age 16 as a cashier at the local Sunflower Grocery Store. Taught me the value of hard work and how convenient my own money is to have. Thanks Dad.

He bought me my first sports car...a fiat spyder convertible. I STILL love a cool car. Thanks Dad.

He told me I was smart enought and HAD to go to college. I have 3 degrees. Thanks Dad. He taught me that it is important to find something you love to do, then go do it. I still love being a nurse. Thanks Dad.

Dad was VERY active and healthy until his late 80s. He still went fishing and hunting with his buddies. For the last few years, I think his buddies just perched him up in the deer stand. When I would ask "Dad did you get one?" He would say, "no, I guess I'm just not as quick as I used to be." It didn't really matter, he just loved being out in the woods, and spotting a deer was just as much fun as actually getting one.

Even though he will never read this, I want to tell him this:

Even though life wasn't always the happiest (well, especially during those teenage years of angst and turmoil...sorry 'bout that) I am so blessed to have had him for my Dad.

I love you Daddy. Happy Birthday.

(Can't wait til we all get to heaven and his mind is back healthy again.)

a real vacation

2010-05-11T21:41:00.004-05:00

Oh my goodness, we are actually going on a real vacation. I know, I know, last fall we went to Disneyland, but I was there working all day, so it doesn't really count. Not in my book anyway.

So, back to this vacation. i've been saving up my PTO time off until I had at least two weeks saved up. You see, this new cock-a-maamee group of HR/benefits people decided that we would have all our time off bunched into PTO. If I am sick, I have to use 40 hours of PTO before it kicks in to sick time. Being old, I worry about stuff like breaking my hip, and what would I do for time off, so I never used it. And, if I'm sick, unless I'm dying, I go to work. I'm not about to use my personal time off for a little sickness....no way man. (I don't think my co-workers really appreciate this, but luckily I'm pretty healthy).

So now I have NINETY hours saved up. I'm taking 56 hours of vacation. Starting May 27th, the day after Annie gets out of school. Are you ready for the big part?

We are going to SAN DIEGO and lounging on the beach for FIVE WHOLE DAYS! We have a really cute cottage right on the beach. ooooooh, can't wait, can't wait, can't wait.

Did I mention we haven't really had a real vacation in about 5 years? Most of the time, we usually spend our time off visiting my parents in Mississippi. This year we aren't, and I'm not feeling too guilty. Well I'm trying not to.

princess annie

2010-04-25T21:59:00.000-05:00

I thought I needed to blog something about a happy time...this was Annie's first celebration of "GOTCHA DAY" Every August 12, we celebrate the day that Annie came into our lives (kicking, screaming, crying, pinching, as you might recall) In a few weeks we will have a reunion with families who travelled to China with us...10 of the 14 families are coming to Scottsdale, AZ to let the girls renew friendships, play, and see other girls that came from the same orphanage, raised by the same ladies for the first two years. It's going to be such fun.

Hug your kid

2010-04-20T22:51:00.002-05:00

Today was a sad day. Part of my job is to see "survivors" of cancer. These are kids who have received whatever treatment for their cancer (chemo, radiation, surgery or any combo). They have been followed closely for two years after treatment ends...then after 2 years they come to "Surivivor Clinic" which is run by the other nurse practitioner and I. It's nice to see these kids out in the world, hopefully on their way to being a productive member of society.

Today one of our little 4 year old survivors (treated as a baby), whom I had met for the first time back around Thanksgiving, was in a terrible auto crash. Mom was driving (38 weeks pregnant), grandma was in the front, and my little friend was in the back seat in her booster seat. There was a head on collision. My little friend and her grandma were both killed. Mom is also in the ICU, but they have allowed her to have a room next door to her daughter who is being kept breathing to donate her organs. Her baby is OK, but she has a fractured pelvis, so birth will be tricky.

This is a Christian family. Nice people. Kind people. Oh, did I mention that Mom is also a cancer survivor? Why do so many terrible things happen to one family?

These are the days when it's hard to comprehend how our loving Father can allow so much pain.

It has been a very sad day for everyone in our clinic who have known this precious family for 3 years. Please keep them in your prayers.

Then go HUG your family. And, please buckle up always.

Happy Birthday Ocho!

2010-04-19T21:38:00.000-05:00

our little buddy is 6 today...

2010-04-18T13:31:00.001-05:00

rabbit sitting

2010-04-18T13:04:00.005-05:00

Annie has been rabbit sitting this week. She comes home from school goes straight to the rabbit. She had not asked to watch TV any night this week (not that we do, but she still asks, just in case we've become more senile overnight I guess). She gets out a book and reads to the rabbit.

Here's what I have learned about pet rabbits:

1. they are really really soft
2. they can be really sweet
3. they really eat a lot
4. they really really really poop a lot
5. they are really messy
6. they can be really noisy
7. otherwise useless pet.

Overall, rabbit sitting has been fun and enlightening.

note to self.....resist the pet rabbit, hamster, guinea pig, ferret, etc....stick with the ZhuZhu.

spring beauty

2010-04-15T22:57:00.002-05:00

OK once I finally have time to figure out this Picasa thing, I will learn how to post more than one picture to the blog...but for now you get two posts...Happy Spring!

more of the bloomin desert

2010-04-15T22:56:00.004-05:00

This is a yard down the street fom us. As we were riding bikes the other day, we noticed this carpet of purple flowers and had to get the camera. Couldn't you just lie down and sniff?

the desert blooms

2010-03-29T21:49:00.000-05:00

pictures

2010-03-15T21:40:00.002-05:00

Found the cable, found picasa, found pictures

A good day just us girls

spring where are you?

2010-03-15T17:51:00.002-05:00

I've been in a winter funk, sorry.

It's been raining almost every weekend here for at least a month, maybe two. Who's counting? ME!!! I thought when I moved here, even though I don't have any fun friends, or a fun church, or fun crafting buddies, I'd at least have sunny weather.

Wrong.

So, this weekend Annie and I just picked ourselves up (it was cool, but at least sunny) and went outside. We drove about 30 minutes up into the mountains and played in the snow. If I can't have sun I'll take snow. Pictures to come, assuming I can find the cable for the camera. It seems to disappear on a regular basis around here.

Now I feel a little better. Not.

and she smiles!!!

2010-02-28T16:30:00.008-06:00

After a week together as a new family, Annie began to scream less when she saw me in the mornings. It had become the usual routine...put her in the crib at night, she screamed for about 5 minutes and then collapsed only to sleep all night. In the mornings, she would wake up, stand up, and take one look over at us...I could read her little mind saying, "they're STILL here!" and then she would scream a little less each day.

I was worried. She would sit over in the corner of the room and divide the duplo blocks by color. And only play with the red and white ones. She still had her wall eyed fits at least 3-4 times daily. But at least the diaper stuff was back to normal. Thank you Lord.

Several days into our stay at the White Swan, we went as a group over to the Hard Rock Cafe for our first taste of American-type food. At least it LOOKED American. They gave the girls balloons. Annie loved her balloon. It could have been the first time she ever saw one actually.

The next morning, Brandt went off on his usual morning walk (Annie's obligatory time with her MOTHER). We went out into the hallway of the hotel where the girls were playing. In the past couple of weeks, Annie had NO interest in playing with the girls. Another thing to worry about. Was she autistic? Most of my pediatric medical friends whom I had frantically been emailing daily said ..."quit worrying! She is just grieving...it is a GOOD thing. It means someone loved her and she is missing them." Sounds good...unless you are living it.

We went out into the hallway, and began to play with the balloon. She was having fun in her own not smiling way. I picked her up and began to toss her in the air. SHE SMILED!!! I looked over at my friend Nina (who was the mom to the other girl with the intestinal problem) and said -----"did you see that?" I was not sure I really saw the smile. So I picked her up again...she smiled AGAIN!!! So of course I HAD to do it again....SHE LAUGHED!!!

I cried.

I cried and laughed and did it again. Here is that wonderful picture. The picture that says it all. I'm your Mom and I made you laugh. After that moment, we became buddies. Oh she still had her fits, and her 2 year old moments. But she liked me, she really liked me. The rest of the day was spent making this precious child laugh.

It was a HUGE burden of weight lifted off. The burden of guilt for making this child so miserably sad at age 2. The burden of worry that she would be emotionally scarred for life.

POOF - GONE in one laughing moment. It was such a relief.

China continued

2010-02-13T21:18:00.016-06:00

So sorry to have kept you waiting. I've been hoping for creative inspiration to fall on me...oh well. Over these last couple of weeks emails have been going back and forth at the rate of 10-15 a day planning a Hunan Sisters Reunion this summer. It looks like we have have the reunion just up the road in Scottsdale, Az but many are strapped for cash this year...so we are looking for a "sponsor" if you know anyone...LOL.

This was our hotel in ChangSha. But first, I need to tell you about our experience at the Chinese hospital before I go on with our travels. On the first evening we got our girls, our neighbors came over to say their daughter had fever, sweats, and "something" in her diaper. I encouraged them to give her tylenol, which I just happened to have, and to tell our guide. The very next morning as Brandt was getting Annie ready for her first bath, I heard from the bathroom: "Ah, Lisa, I think you need to see this.....this....um, diaper thing." He was pretty calm about it (or just plain shocked). First of all, I am a pediatric nurse. Had been for about 15 years at the time. Nothing you can show me would shock me. Except when the stuff in the diaper IS MOVING!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OH MY GOSH PUT IT AWAY AND I MEAN NOW!!!!!!!!! I can still see it like it was just this morning...and I only saw it for about half a second before I ran. It was a reflex I guess.

I dressed myself and walked right to our guide's room right there and then and said Annie needs to see a doctor and it needs to be NOW.......um, please.

So the two familes bonded over "parasites" and we've remained bonded to this very day. We went to the hospital in a TINY taxi in the rain. The 3 of us crowded in the back seat of a bug, with our guide in the front seat. Off we went to this big hospital in the city. It was OLD. The hallways were really wide, with old wooden chairs lining each side and people sitting in the chairs. There were rooms all down the hall, where the patients were examined. We got some looks from the people as we walked down the hall and right in to one of the rooms (thank you Mary!) We were seen by a sweet OLD Chinese lady "doctor". She had one of those silver "light" things on her head, you know like they used to wear in the olden days-Marcus Welby MD? Her stethoscope looked it might have been 50 years old...gosh she looked like she was in her 70s, about 4 1/2 feet tall, with her little white coat. After an exchange in Chinese with Mary she took a look in Annie's eyes, mouth and ears and said in Chinese...where did she come from? Mary told her the name of the orphanage, to which she replied loudly (in Chinese of course)...

"I TOLD THOSE PEOPLE THESE GIRLS HAD WORMS

2 MONTHS AGO!!"

Then said in English:

"You need killing worm medicine".

OK, no kidding. I had planned my trip in advance...got numerous doctors' advice and then brought many things with me in my medical bag...head lice shampoo, anti-nausea, anti-diarrhea meds, even antibiotics and syringes in case I needed to give shots...but did I remember my "killing worm" medicine....heck no.

Lesson learned.

We then proceeded with our prescriptions at the pharmacy on the other side of the hall....Lordy mercy it was something like I've never seen. AND, I am so sorry to say I have no pictures. Once again in times of stress, I go and forget BOTH the camera AND the killing worm medicine. Where was my mind?

Mary proceeded to barge right up to the window (which looked somewhat like a bank teller, behind glass). People in China do not form lines. They just barge right up...past little old ladies (probably getting her chemotherapy medicine), big sumo wrestlers, you name it. Then they just stick their prescriptions under the window repeatedly until someone grabs it....DING DING you're the winner!! Anyway, all I could think of was how much were they going to take the American's for. Seems to me for 3 different medicines came to just under $7. One was "white digestion tablets" (looked like Tums to me) since Annie's diet was probably much different now, to help with stomach upset. The other liquid, was yellow "anti-inflammatory" to take for 2 days, then some brown sludge in a bottle. No kidding it looked like fresh motor oil. It was the famous "killing worm medicine" to take 2 evenings in a row after the anti-inflammatory.

Well how do you think I'm going to get a 2 year old to drink motor oil...I mean she already pretty much hates me.

It was at this point I realized she was a good one. She took all those medicines like it was candy. No problemo. No holding her down. Poor thing was so hungry. But by golly, we got rid of those movers in the diaper....thank goodness, thank goodness, thank goodness. Poor Brandt, had to change those diapers. Broke him in is all I gotta say. Bless his heart.

After about 12 days in ChangSha, Annie took her first airplane ride to Guangzhou. It is a port on the Pearl River, and used to be named Canton. Here's a little side note...I was born in Canton, Mississippi and grew up swimming in the Pearl River about a mile from my house...coincidence??? Well anyway, everyone who adopts a Chinese baby must go through Guantzhou to get home because the American consulate is there. It is the final stop in the long paperwork trail

Here we all waiting at the airport. It was just after this picture was taken that Annie proceeded to have one of her now famous "wall-eyed connip-shun fits". At this point I had learned to hold her facing out where it was harder to pinch or bite me...but she could still dole out a whoppin head butt I'll tell ya. I learned to duck pretty early too. But those Chinese people gave me some kinda looks...I wanted to yell, hey man it's not my fault!!!

One of the best parts of Guangzhou is staying at the White Swan Hotel. It's a 4 star hotel, where almost ALL of the new adoptive parents stay. This was the view from our room. I've met adoptive parents in Tucson, New Orleans, Ft Worth, Dallas - they ALL stayed at the White Swan. It's like a huge support group from all over the world all of us going through the same emotional turmoil. My kid wasn't the only one having wall-eyes connipshun fits~It was wonderful. Not only was it the first place that Annie smiled, but also the first time she laughed was in the hallway of this wonderful hotel. It was the first time I let myself think "she might be OK".

This is the lobby of the White Swan Hotel. Did I mention, this was the wonderful place that I heard Annie laugh for the first time?????

To be continued.....

china doll part three

2010-01-23T19:16:00.012-06:00

So we got us a baby girl alrighty....she was a feisty one for sure. And, just for the record she doesn't remember it as far as I can tell. We look at the pictures often and talk about it, but she is a happy well adjusted kiddo. And we are blessed.

She did not smile for over 10 L-O-N-G days. We would put her to bed, she would cry until she fell asleep. When she awoke, she would stand up in the crib, look over at us and cry. She preferred Brandt. I told him, SHE HAS TO LIKE ME!!!

So, every day we would get up, he would bathe her, get her dressed and we would eat breakfast (the only meal I trusted in the hotel...I could watch them fry the egg right in front of me). Annie would eat like she was starving. We would have to stop her from eating for fear that she would throw up. After breakfast, Brandt would find something to do so Annie and I could have some "mommy time".

One day we visited a "kindergarten" where the Chinese children live during the week. Can you imagine putting your 3 year old on a bus on Sunday nights to live at school until they return on Friday nights? This was a priveledged group of children, we were told, as it was expensive.

Most times we went for a walk. The Chinese women would stop us and talk to her and smile at me. We had a card written in Chinese that said we were adopting our little girl and promised to love her. They would smile when they read the card. Everyone was very nice.

Every day in ChangSha there were things we had to do...paperwork, notaries, paperwork and paperwork. Our guide would make sure everything was in perfect shape. Some days there were sight seeing. Once to a Buddhist Monastery, once to a needlework factory. Every day meant a ride on a bus...and it was usually preceeded by a screaming, walleyed fit as we waited to either get on or get off the bus. Obviously it was very traumatic.

One day Brandt and the other families took a 2 hour bus ride to the orphanage where Annie spent the first 27 months of her life. Annie and I stayed at the hotel. She was still very sad and I wanted to spare her from more grief. Most of the other families took their girls in hopes to find some closure. The nannies all seemed to really love our girls, which was a great comfort. Should I have taken Annie there one more time? I'll never know, and it's the only thing I might change if I could.

These faces will break your heart...

My Milky childhood...

2010-01-18T17:24:00.007-06:00

Annie and I have today off, too. I am currently reading a book entitled The Help. It's about 3 Black women who are maids living in Jackson, Mississippi and one white girl (who is an "old maid" at age 24). It is set in the early 1960s. It's a fabulous thought-provoking book.

You may not know that I grew up in Jackson, Mississippi in the 1960s. I was pretty sheltered. I had a maid named "Adele" (emphasis on the A) and another named Mary (MAY-ree). Both were kind to me. I remember watching soap operas with Adele as she ironed the clothes. She used a big Coca-Cola bottle with a cork-spritzy think on the top to sprinkle water on the all cotton clothes.

When I was in elementary school, there was ONE black girl in the whole school. Where did she come from? She was not in my class. In Junior High, I went to a great school, played in the band, and loved the school. If I remember correctly, there were probably 25% Black kids in the school, but I don't remember ONE Black teacher. In the middle of my 8th grade year it was announced that "integration" would happen. I remember the last day before Christmas break, people were crying as we dispersed...I had no idea why they were crying. In January I would have to take a bus across town to the Black school if I was to continue in the Jackson Public Schools. The ironic thing was that our street was the dividing line. My friends across the street stayed in the same school and would go to the High School that I had looked forward to attending. My world was rocked. My parents YANKED me out of school and sent me to one of the few private schools....Council Manhattan. Why can't I just go to the school I want to go? After many years, I found out the "Council" was the White Citizen's Council (funded by the KKK). Once again, I had no idea.

Yes, I do remember going to the Zoo as a child seeing the "White ONLY" water fountains and bathrooms. I never understood. All the public swimming pools were closed because the whites and blacks didn't want to swim together...or so they told me. I still did not understand. Why can't I swim where I want to swim?

I lived in Jackson in 1962 when a Black man named James Meredith was allowed to go to Ole Miss. Another Black man named Medgar Evers was instrumental in getting him into the school. I lived not far from where Medgar Evers was shot dead in his front yard with his family watching, killed by a White man who was a member of the white citizens council. I still did not know what that meant.

5 years later Dr. King was murdered. Once again I did not understand, and probably did not really care as a 12 year old.

Now I do. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

I will NEVER EVER forget, I promise.

China doll part two

2010-01-16T14:34:00.008-06:00

After being in Beijing for 2 full days sightseeing with about 40-something families, we all separated off to the province where our girls were waiting for us. For 2 days we had been accompanied by several lovely Chinese guides. This is Mary, our guide who stuck with us like glue. She was GREAT and we all loved her from the beginning. She proceeded to guide us through the next 2 weeks without a hitch, and with a sense of humor. So Mary and the 13 families we travelled with took a plane ride to ChangSha, arriving on an early Sunday afternoon. We were told the girls would be arriving by train & bus ride to our hotel later that day. So, Brandt and I decided to take a little nap. We were awaked by the phone just an hour later "THE GIRLS ARE HERE---WE ARE WAITING FOR YOU!!!" I remember thinking What?! I'm not ready...can you believe I even thought that?

For the past 3 days we had been going by couple numbers...we were couple number 4. When we got to the room where all the girls were waiting, every other family was in the hallway waiting for their number to be called. We were the LAST ones to arrive - everyone looked at us like "where have you been???" They called the first number, it was Jeff and Chris (who weren't number 1!) Then they called number 4----once again I thought it, but this time I yelled it out loud "WAIT---I'm not ready yet!" Everyone looked at me like I was from a foreign planet or had just sprouted a second head.

Then they pulled a kicking-screaming-red-faced-hard-headed but adorable little girl out to the hallway....I mean literally they were pulling her (like pulling a goat) and she was not going to have any of it. They picked her up and handed her to me...then Mary said to me "give her water"....WHAT? Is that all the parenting advice from China all wrapped in one sentence? I said "OK"........like if I said "No, I'm going to give her coca-cola" they might take her back?

So, along with Jeff and Chris and their new little girl, JinYu, we took off to the elevator and back to our room. All I remember is Annie screaming, crying, kicking and looking over at Jeff and Chris and JinYu, who were quietly looking at us...I remember thinking, why is mine crying and theirs isn't? I think poor JinYu was thinking "good Lord, why is Xin-Xin screaming like that?" or maybe she had seen it all before...you know they were friends at the orphanage. Maybe it wasn't a shock at all.

Here we are in the hallway just after I had been told "give her water". Notice all the other families waiting for their numbers to be called.

A couple of things to notice...they had dressed all the girls alike - down to the shoes and no diaper. By the time I got Annie back to the room, I realized she was soaking wet - down to the shoes. So if you look at this picture of them dragging her out of the room, you can see her wet pants. So much for "they are all potty trained" info we got.

This was the sad face that we saw pretty much for the next 10 days. She did not like this new family, especially this new lady who kept saying "I'm your Mom!" She just knew that an adventure ride on a train and bus had turned into something she never expected.

Goin' to China for a Kid part one

2010-01-13T19:40:00.012-06:00

Now that I got your attention...did you know that we actually went to China and got Annie? Recently I have been looking at the pictures and re-living those 3 weeks. We actually went to China with 13 other families that we had gotten to know via email for about 12-14 months...from all over the United States: Pennsylvania, Minnesota, New York, Connecticut, Florida, Texas and Oregon. I think I remember them all. Some of us keep in touch frequently via email and every couple of years we have a reunion so the girls can remember each other.

Recently one of the Moms in our travel group died on New Year's Day. She left a husband, a couple of older children and 2 Chinese daughters close to Annie's age. So in an attempt to remember our trip, I decided to tell some of our story, before I get too old to remember (LOL).

Here we are on the tour bus in Beijing, 2 days before getting our sweet Annie, August 9, 2002. We toured Beijing for 2 days before flying to ChangSha in the XiangTan province, where Annie was in the orphanage waiting for us.

Great Wall of China, needs little explaination. It was spectacular and VERY hard to climb. the steps were very uneven, and some were quite tall, especially for short legged Chinese people. But just the fact that it is so very old and still intact is quite amazing.

This is one of the temples we explored. There were LOTS and LOTS of Chinese people there....all the women had umbrellas to keep them from getting sun. It's considered taboo to be tan, only outdoor farming poor working people are tan. Since I am a good 4-6 inches taller than most of the women, I was continually POKED by the umbrellas. I got really tired of it by the end of the day. The people looked at us Americans, and asked to take pictures with us, especially those families who had American-looking fair haired children. Isn't that funny?

This is the picture the adoption agency sent us of our sweet Annie. She was somewhere around 2-24 months we think. She was 27 months old when we finally got her. Notice her RED cheeks, Red ears and LAYERS AND LAYERS of clothes. The people believe that they will get sick if they don't wear lots of clothes. We were told they bathed them twice a day in strong soap...thus the red cheeks. We discovered tha she had lots of respiratory issues and pretty severe asthma once we got home to TX, thus the red ears.

Did not matter, she's still the best thing Brandt and I ever did together.

SALE!!

2010-01-05T14:52:00.001-06:00

Ok friends if you are reading this blog today Tuesday January 5, just know that

Coldwater Creek has a whopping 75% off of EVERYTHING on-line

You know what I am doing right now...well as soon as I hit the publish post button.

75% off...I'm just sayin

PW Rocks!

2010-01-02T23:37:00.003-06:00

I've found a new blogging world to love. It all started with a gift card to Barnes & Noble where I perused the cookbooks and took a gander at the most beautiful cookbook I have ever seen. I mean spotlight from heaven, angels singing kind of beautiful...

Pioneer Woman Cooks

So, I have seen her blog for at least a year now, but all of a sudden I'm in LOVE. This person, Ree, is my hero...except for the fact that I don't like snowy, cold, wintry places, and I couldn't de-worm any kind of animal, or castrate, or brand.

Anyway, check out the blog, check out the cook book, check out her photography. I'm so inspired, I got the camera & tripod out tonight. And the instruction book. I'm boycotting the AUTO settings on my Canon DSLR.

Hopefully one day I will have a picture worthy enough to post, maybe.
(she makes it look so easy, dang it.)

2009-12-22T09:46:00.003-06:00

Hi there,
Just a quick post to let you know that we are not able to make the trip to Kerrville this weekend....all work related and too tiring to explain. Hopefully we can make a trip in the spring when the weather is nice.

Merry Christmas everyone!
Love to all...

2009-12-20T16:00:00.007-06:00

May God bless you and your loved ones

this Christmas

and especially more in 2010!

I, too need a Christmas Miracle!

2009-12-10T23:01:00.002-06:00

I can NOT believe it is the 10th of December...I don't have my Christmas cards/letter/email/whatever even started yet!

I have not received one card yet. I'm sure it is because you are so busy that the 10th of December snuck (sneaked? snaked? oh well---my blog and my friend Lisa says the owner of the blog can make up words) up on you too.

But just in case you were waiting for that cute change of address card I was going to send back in July (bought a cute stamp set and everything!) well, anyway...here's the address now.

P O Box 13231

Tucson, AZ 85732

Sorry, but I will get something out by Christmas (I hope).

PHOTOs!!!

2009-12-07T22:54:00.009-06:00

Finally! I have pictures on my new laptop so I can post some of them.

In a nutshell, Brandt got his 2nd degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do,

Annie turned 9,

got her orange belt in Tae Kwon Do (and green since this pic),

dressed up like a "Medieval mouse princess"

and went to the happiest place on earth.

Blogging Vacay

2009-12-05T22:13:00.002-06:00

Hi, I've been on a blogging vacation. Just not enough time in the day.

Sorry.

Good news on the horizon ---- I got a new lap top! So as soon as I can figure out this MS Office10 I will get some pictures up on the blog. That's as soon as I get the shopping done, the baking done, the Christmas letter done, etc.

Hope everyone is enjoying the season.

Merry Christmas!

FACEBOOK

2009-11-23T15:26:00.003-06:00

Facebook has changed my life. I have reconnected with friends from high school, previous jobs, college, etc. It has been fun to get back in touch with TWO ex-sister-in-laws, rather than an annual Christmas card (and with as much as we move around, believe you me, it's hard to keep up with us!) Anyhoo, I do love Facebook...

Friday night I was faced with a Facebook situation that I COULD HAVE NEVER IMAGINED would happen...not to any of MY FB friends, anyway. I got a phone call late Friday night from an friend who said "Have you checked your Facebook tonight?" Of course not, I had been having fun with a dear friend who came from Texas to visit, along with an old friend from High School (that I had re-connected thru FB, of course).

It seems that a mutual friend of ours had posted what sounded like a suicide note on her FB page and had sent only me the same message personally just 1 hour prior to this call. PANIC, what to do? She is in Ft Worth, TX, I am in Tucson, AZ. I frantically called her house begging her to answer the phone, while my friend called 911. It was an awful, awful thing that I never wish to repeat.

I was only able to find out that police went to my friend's home, and an ambulance was dispatched, and she was transported to an undisclosed hospital in an undisclosed status.

Please pray for my friend Theresa. She has had a terrible time battling depression for years, but she is a delightful, fun, creative person who has inspired me in many ways. I love her dearly, and pray there is some way I can help her.

How do you do it?

2009-11-20T10:14:00.004-06:00

Many times I get asked where do you work...I respond I work in the hospital with pediatric oncology patients. 9 times outta 10 I get the same response..."OH, I don't know how you do that, isn't that sad?" Well sometimes it is sad, but most of the time the patients are fun, loving, and VERY inspirational. One of my patients is Alyssa who has a brain tumor, yes that is sad, but sad stuff happens every day in the world. She is still a fun loving, hopeful child with a great family. It is a pleasure to know her. Here is a video that her mom had put together just for her just before her surgery. This is just a smidgen of why I love what I do.

Our Sweet Puppy

2009-11-07T08:43:00.006-06:00

We have a chihuahua who was given to us by one of my former patients. His name is Ocho, named so because when we got him, he weighed about 2 pounds and is black with a little spot of white. Just like an eight ball on the pool table. Ocho is now 5 years old and he is just a delightful little dog. He is not the yippy, hyper, shaking chihuahua. He's really laid back, mostly just loves to cuddle and sit in my lap. He loves Annie and every morning goes in her room to see if she is awake yet. Before she got her bunk bed, he would jump under the covers with her and snuggle. Now he just sits on the floor and looks up, probably wondering how she gets way up there on the top.

Anyway, our sweet Ocho developed a terrible cough Thursday night. We were up a good part of the night making sure he was OK. The vet has diagnosed a type of fungal lung infection that is common here in the desert, called Coccidiomycosis, or more commonly known as Valley Fever. It kills humans and pets and is very serious. So we have started him on all the medications (FOUR) that he will need to stay on for at least 6 months to a year in order to be cured. He is now being fed canned dog food mixed with his regular food twice a day in order to keep his appetite up and take the medicine with food. By the end of the year, he is going to be one SPOILED FAT dog.

The good news is, he doesn't have some of the serious symptoms, just a cough and enlarged lymph nodes in his chest on Xray), so we are hopeful that he will make a full recovery. So far, he thinks it's great...he got to go to work with me yesterday and hang out in my office all day, he is eating food fit for a champion, and LOADS of attention.

New bike

2009-10-25T23:10:00.001-05:00

Annie got a new bike today and we took it out for a test run. Pretty good after only an hour of practice I'd say. We can hardly wait to ride together!

SO, Sorry I've tried to upload the video I took of Annie riding her new bike, and just can't get it to work....pictures laters I guess. She had been riding 2 days now and so far without a big mishap. It's slow going, I really need someone who is a better instructor to come and fill in the gap here. I'm a pitiful teacher - "just don't crash" doesn't really cut it. So I just stand there with sweaty palms and say "good job honey!"

Sent on the Now Network� from my Sprint® BlackBerry

Visiting Friends...

2009-10-19T19:58:00.002-05:00

in case any of you were wondering...Beth Moore is coming to Tucson in March. Yes, right here in the very town that I now live. SO check her website, make your reservations and COME ON. It will be a GIRL"S WEEKEND FOR SURE!!!

Also, just FYI, we are planning to come to Kerrville in December - the week after Christmas. SO, let's start planning the gatherings now! (Assuming we have a vehicle that will run.....)

Can't wait to see all my Ktown friends!

I guess its official

2009-10-18T18:12:00.000-05:00

We finally broke down and changed everything over to be Arizona residents. My DL expires in 25 years. I'm sure i will look the same as my photo when I am 75ish.

The minute we put the license plate on my car it began to spew sputter and run like an old jeep. No kidding. And the check engine lite came on too. Maybe it's just trying to say "take me back to Texas!!!". Well Brandt says we are taking it back to the mechanic instead.

And yes I know I said I was taking a blogging vacay. A week was all I can stand. And then I remembered I can blog from my BB. So here I am. Have a good week!
Sent on the Now Network� from my Sprint® BlackBerry

blogging vacation

2009-10-06T17:41:00.002-05:00

hi friends,
i'm sorry but i'm going to take a blogging vacation. no computer at home that I can actually figure out how to work. no time at work...too many patients, too much sickness, and I just can't think of much fun stuff right now.

I'll be back later. With lots of fun stuff, pictures, etc.

I did make my goal of 12 pounds lost so I was welcomed back into the Weight Watchers Lifetime Membership Club. Promptly celebrated all weekend, gained 2 pounds back. Thankfully it's a revolving door I guess.

I started running today. If anyone is reading this who has known me for more than a couple of weeks, don't faint or drop dead from the shock. Yes, I am getting up at dark-thirty-five-something and going to the gym. I actually look forward to it. Must be God-inspired is all I can say, it's not me.

Life-----don'tcha just love it?

life without computers

2009-09-28T16:48:00.003-05:00

do you remember life without computers?

It was just a few years ago was it not?

Well, my beloved first computer finally passed away last Friday. I got it for my birthday in 2000. It had 9 years of my life on it. It had thousands of pictures from an adoption journey to China. It had lots of scrapbooking and card making ideas, lectures from several teaching jobs, and on and on. It had been on hospice care since we returned from Orlando and it finally just gave up and quit living.

Luckily we have one of those external hard drive memory thingies. EVERYONE needs to get one. My entire life is still available (or so my husband SAYS) to be found on the external hard drive thingy...which by the way I suggested my husband purchase at the last close call (which I won't go into). Thankfully after 10 years of marriage he listened.

NOW, everyone GO GET ONE NOW before you lose your life in pictures.

So, in the meantime, the only pictures I can send are from my BB. My blog is going to be kinda dry for a little while. My child will grow new teeth, got a haircut, and has grown at least an inch, but you'll have to take my word for it...no pictures (and yes I know there are several "tenses" in that last un-gramatical sentence - it's MY blog).

I'm praying Santa brings me a new laptop of my very own...is it right to pray for such a thing?
Life before computers, boy it seems like a lifetime ago.

weigh in

2009-09-28T16:29:00.002-05:00

Hey friends,
I weighed in on Saturday and had lost ONLY 0.4 pounds....every ounce counts. I did ask the lady if I could just take a few clothes off and see if it helps. She said NO, it won't help.

You see, I am 0.4 pounds from an even 10 pounds - soooooo close.

There's always next week.....

Do You Tweet?

2009-09-23T17:35:00.003-05:00

You know I try to stay up with the latest things.

SO, I got myself a twitter account. Even have 2 followers. Sometimes I remember to tweet a funny line or two.

Then I kept getting these random followers....names like Angela Robinson, or CindyLu Who, or whomever. I would click on the profile, and EVERY TIME the profile picture is not a face...but 2 lovely mounds of flesh located on the chest of most lucky thin women. Of course I have the option to block them from my tweets, but this has happened at least weekly for several weeks in a row now. I'm just tired of it.

Has anyone else had this happen? Does my name sound like a porn star name?

How did this happen to me?

SO now I have closed my Twitter account.
D.O.N.E.

No longer hip I suppose....

Fw: Weigh in

2009-09-21T09:06:00.000-05:00

Sent on the Now Network� from my Sprint® BlackBerry

-----Original Message-----
From: lmlpnp@yahoo.com

Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2009 13:59:30
To: Blogger<lisalogan.kerrville@blogger.com>
Subject: Weigh in

Hi friends. Or should I say Hi Mimi----I think we've lost all our other losers? Anyway I weighed in on Saturday morning and am down 1.8 pounds over the last 2 weeks. I can not say it has been fun but the reward is being able to wear a pair of favorite jeans and NOT having to lay down on the bed to zip them. Can I get a witness anyone?

Its Monday, I lost not only a couple of pounds but also an uncle in a car wreck. Now that I've got you depressed let me tell you how good life is today this minute.........It's not all about food. Its about being healthy, setting a good example for our children and grandchildren and doing our best to live to be old ladies wearing purple and lime green or whatever color we want to wear, right? I don't see myself getting old wearing big old tent dresses, do you?

So by the way, my uncle who died, was in his 80s, worked out at the gym every day, travelled all over the world and had a wonderful wife (my aunt) whom he married in his 60s. We should all be so blessed!!! It about quality not quantity!!!!

Have a quality day today. I love you all and keep on keepin on being healthy and thinking of our future!!
Sent on the Now Network� from my Sprint® BlackBerry

LOVE this song...

2009-09-17T14:38:00.003-05:00

I don't know about you guys, but I've had a hard time coming back to the real world this week.

I just want to go back to Disney for a few more days, or spend time with my friends in Texas, or, or, or...just not back to the world of sickness and hair loss and nausea and bad news.

Then my hubby sends me THIS wonderful video. He knows I LOVE this song, it reminds me of my dear friends at Impact and everytime I hear it I weep, not just tears, but ugly face weepin honey.

Anyway, enjoy it. This is my gift to you fellow bloggin friends. Oh how He loves me and YOU.

We are home!

2009-09-15T22:56:00.000-05:00

We made it home last night about 8 pm our time. The flights home were eventful but that's another story. Sometimes I wish I was NOT a nurse and there is a reason I don't do grown ups and that's all I'm gonna say about that.

I did weigh this morning and I did not gain a pound!!! Yee haa!! So let us know how you are doing. Once again I am reminded its not all about food!!! I had to help deliver bad news to a teenager today who can not gain weight and just decided eating is not important but living to get a drivers license or go to your Jr. Prom certainly is, isn't it? We are blessed sisters.

So you might wonder why is this still coming from her beloved blackberry? Well its because our elderly laptop decided while we were gone that it no longer wants to live. So I have no way to post pictures from D-land and posting is a challenge period. We will not buy another until the new 09 operating system comes out in late October. Even the IBM guy said its not a good time to buy right now. I refuse to use Vista so there. In the meantime I will blog when I can on the computer at work or here on my beloved blackberry (henceforth known as the "BB")

Post your losses friends. And somebody find Amy and tell her I am looking for her to post this week! Or is she lost? As in disappeared?

Love you all!

P.S. So far Mary you are the leader/biggert loser again sister baggy pants!!!!!!!! Congratulations fellow bloggin buddy!
Sent on the Now Network� from my Sprint® BlackBerry

Disney by night

2009-09-13T21:05:00.002-05:00

Sent on the Now Network� from my Sprint® BlackBerry

We made it!

2009-09-13T15:04:00.000-05:00

Sent on the Now Network� from my Sprint® BlackBerry

The bus!!

2009-09-13T14:15:00.000-05:00

Sent on the Now Network� from my Sprint® BlackBerry

Waiting for the bus to the Magic Kindom

2009-09-13T14:08:00.000-05:00

The good news is it stopped raining! The other news is the humidity must be 125 percent. My wrinkles are magically gone! Its true...this is the most magical place on earth! Hope you are having a magical day too!
Sent on the Now Network� from my Sprint® BlackBerry

Epcot

2009-09-13T11:37:00.001-05:00

Sent on the Now Network� from my Sprint® BlackBerry

Epcot

2009-09-12T11:25:00.000-05:00

Brandt and Annie are spending a rainy day at Epcot. The down side is...............well, what could be the downside? Yep it might be raining, but the lines are SHORT, its a little cooler, and hey it's the happiest place on earth!
Sent on the Now Network� from my Sprint® BlackBerry

Disneyworld day 1

2009-09-11T13:06:00.000-05:00

Brandt and Annie got here very late last night and are off bright and early to play while I learn. Several wonderful things have happened to me here. I have renewed some old relationships, mended a fence, and just run tito a friend from WAAAAY in my past who just happened to be attending another conference totally unrelated to my conference.

At this point who cares about the CEs! They are just icing on the cake at this point! I am tired, the 3 hour time difference is starting to get me, and the food is MUY MUY Expensive here. In addition, my room is a good 10 minute hike from the conference center. Needless to say I HOPE this means I will not gain a pound!!

Keep on keepin on girls!
Sent on the Now Network� from my Sprint® BlackBerry

IMG00061.jpg

2009-09-08T18:27:00.001-05:00

Here's a photo of our lovely clean porch (sent from my beloved blackberry)
Sent on the Now Network� from my Sprint® BlackBerry

a quick inspirational moment

2009-09-07T09:20:00.005-05:00

Hi friends,

Something the WW leader told us on Saturday has haunted me ever since, and thought I should share it with you.

She said,

"What legacy are we leaving our children??
Because of OUR generations' unhealthy lifestyle,
we are now leaving the next generation
a LOWER life expectancy,
for the first time in many many years."

That is NOT something to be proud of, is it? I want to teach my child healthy lifestyle habits, so that when she grows up, it is truly a lifestyle, not a "diet".

Keep on keepin on friends......think of the future, not the moment.

Now I'm off to walk with my friend the 3 mile loop around the zoo/park. Have a great Labor Day! I sure miss you all and pray for your strength.

Weigh day for me

2009-09-05T20:24:00.003-05:00

Hi sisters,
I weighed in this morning...lost 1.6 lbs.

No new recipe at weight watchers this morning...our leader is out of town. The substitute was AWESOME. I really wanted to ask her when she led meetings so I could switch, but I'm starting to make some acquaintences with the 7am group, so I will keep going.

Here's what we are having for dinner tonight:

Grilled Scallop K-Bobs and curried rice

2 tsp canola oil
1 lg onion, chopped
1 c basmati rice (we are using brown jasmine rice - thanks Celia)
1 tsp curry powder
1 3/4 - 2 cups fat free reduced sodiom chicken broth
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 Tb. golden raisins
2 TB fresh cilantro
1 LB sea scallops
1 large peach pitted and sliced (oops I sliced 2 - oh well)
1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes

1. Get the grill ready (med-high heat)
2. heat oil in saucepan over med-high heat. Add onion, cook, stirring frequently, until it begins to soften, 3 minutes. Stir in the rice, curry, broth, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper, bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until the rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. Stir in the raisins and cilantro, and keep warm.

3. Thread the scallops, peach slices and cherry tomatoes alternately onto 8 (6-8 inch) metal skewers. Srinkle with the remaining 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper; lightly spray with olive oil nonstick spray. Place the kebobs on the grill riak and grill until the scallops are opaque in the center, 2-3 minutes on each side. Serve with the rice pilaf

Serves 4
314 cal, 4 g fat, 990 mg sodium, 52 g carb, 4 g fiber, 19 g prot
POINTS: 6

Enjoy, so far it SMELLS really good.

Looking forward to hearing of your excellent progress on Monday!!!!

Happy Friday!

2009-09-04T18:36:00.002-05:00

Hi friends, It's Friday.

I don't know about you, but this is my hardest day of the week to NOT overeat. I just want to celebrate the fact that it's the weekend, and how do you I love to do that? I just want to eat - anything that's unhealthy, fried, salty, au gratin, whatever. Happy hour, steaks on the grill, you name it I could eat it.

But I have to remember, it's not all about FOOD.

Over the past month, we have had a lot of kids newly diagnosed with cancer, probably 6 or 7 if I had the time to sit down and count. Ages 12 months to 12 years. I have watched one of my favorite teenagers lose 10 pounds in a few weeks, and she was already thin. It really helps me put things in perspective. It's just food.

SO, just to encourage you, NOT DISCOURAGE YOU, or make you sad, keep on keeping on dear friends. I have prayed for you all every morning, and will continue to do so.

You guys in turn, encourage me with your postings, your emails, and your friendship.
THANKS!!!

Now go have a FUN filled Labor Day weekend - eat LOTS of watermelon!

And you know what, I've found veggie burgers really aren't so bad.

thought for the day

2009-09-02T17:47:00.001-05:00

"Don't trade what you want most for what you want at the moment."

...Still praying for you on the treadmill every morning...

Keep on keepin on Sistas!

WOW, my brain must be FRIED

2009-08-31T22:37:00.003-05:00

Cause Lord knows, nothing else I've seen lately is....(fried, that is).
So did anyone realize that I posted the SAME recipe twice?
So sorry, here's a new one:

Tami's favorite Salmon

3-4 oz salmon filet
2 Tb. Fat Free Ranch Dressing
1 Tb. bacon
1 T fat free Feta cheese
pepper

Spray aluminum foil with cooking spray
Place salmon in the center
Top with remaining ingredients
Create foil pouch
Place on grill.

1 Serving
6-8 points (depending on size of salmon filet)

Enjoy this one! I love salmon cooked on the grill, and I might just squirt a little lemon juice on it too...but that's just me.

Post your losses on the previous post if you can...just to help me keep up with us all...obviously I need all the help keeping up as I can get.

YOU GO SKINNY GIRLS!!!
We can do this, we can do this, we can do this!!!

Ok you Losers....

2009-08-31T21:59:00.006-05:00

time to post your losses...

I lost a WHOPPIN ZERO! Yee Haa...not. Well at least I did not gain. This past week was a stressful one, and it's not going to get any better any time soon, so I've got to deal with it by planning a little better, eating a little less, and continuing to work out just a little harder.

So, anyone beats me this week...but I've got 5 more weeks to go!

Here's this week's recipe that everyone at WW has raved about for 2 weeks now. One lady said she eats it for breakfast! WOW, I'm gonna try this one soon (but not for breakfast).

Tami's Veggie Soup
1 cup = 1 point
Serves 10

2 lbs. frozen vegetables, such as California blend
3 cans Fat free chicken broth
1 can diced tomatoes
10 oz. diced Velveeta LITE

Place all ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat, simmer til done.

That's it, my fellow losers! Now give me some numbers ladies...MAKE ME PROUD!!

So just to make us all accountable here's who I have in:
Mary (our recent winner)
Lisa
Amy
Celia
Lorie
Alicia
Me

Did I miss anyone?

And by the way, I'm praying for each of you every morning as I am walking on the treadmill!
Love you all,

I can just feel those skinny pants going on so smoothly...........................

The Sisterhood of the Skinny Pants

2009-08-26T17:16:00.006-05:00

We are ON IT LADIES!

So how about we go 6 weeks this time? 4 just was not enough fun, don't you think?

And the prize will be.....................................

A really great cookbook.

I have already tried out her first version of cookbooks, and REALLY wanted this one that just came out (but could NOT justify buying both). So far I have NOT found a bad recipe...even Annie and Brandt like them.

Weigh in every Monday morning...post your losses (not your actual weight PULEEEEEESE)

LET'S GO FOR IT GIRLS!
SPREAD THE WORD!
INVITE YOUR FRIENDS, FAMILY, ENEMIES - THE MORE THE MERRIER I SAY.

We shall no longer be the saggy bottom girls (or the soggy bottom girls for that matter - wish I had stock in Depends back before the stockmarket crash).

DISCLAIMER:
Sisterhood is not responsible for events that may happen as a result of extreme weight loss...i.e., 1. increased energy (like actually dusting & vacuming the whole house in one day yeah like that's gonna happen here); 2. increased attention by husband (may/may not be a good thing depending on event #1); 3. numerous compliments by friends, co-workers, family members (OK that's a good thing) resulting in increased self esteem; 4. decreased amount of intracranial pressure when you bend over to tie your shoes; 5. amount of $ spent on new smaller sizes; etc. etc. etc. If the winner already has said prize, another prize of equal amount in value will be awarded to winner; in case of a tie there may be a weigh-off the following week. Contest rules good from August 26-October 5, 2009 (MAN, can you believe October is only 6 weeks away? We'll be skinnier, healthier girls just in time for the season of eating!)

my new favorite recipe

2009-08-24T23:24:00.002-05:00

This one is SO EASY

Take a fresh ear of corn, you know shuck it, wash it, etc.
Place it on a piece of heavy duty aluminum foil sprayed with just a tiny bit of Pam
Brush the corn with teriyaki marinade (I've used Lowrey's, and another one I found in the Chinese food)

Wrap up the foil, place it on the grill, turning every so often.

It is the yummiest corn recipe ever...I would have never thought it. It's a little sweet, a little salty, a little garlicky...speaking of garlicky, you can also sprinkle garlic powder on the corn before cooking too. YUMBALICIOUS!

2 weight watchers point for a big ol' ear of corn (and it's in season right now!!)

(this one came from Hungry-Girl.com)

OK OK OK already

2009-08-24T16:36:00.005-05:00

Yes, I got skinny and left you all in the dust

NOT

Yes I would like to start over/keep going/lose more weight/get more folks involved

Should we name our little club? Sisters of the Baggie Pants club... or the Saggie-Bottom girls (thanks Mary for the fun suggestions)

How about LETS START TODAY?
Everyone post your weight loss for this week sometime by next Monday (I weigh in on Saturday, but everyone else can go til Monday)

OK who's IN??? And what will the prize be?

NEXT on the agenda: THE FIRST BIG WINNER/LOSER ----Drum roll please
MARY!!!

Mary what magazine does your skinnier healthier heart desire? (WeightWatchers perhaps - just kidding - just don't say Gourmet - OK I'll pay for that too, but not Vegetarian Times - OK I'll pay for that too I guess - but only if you promise to eat a piece of bacon every once in a while to keep Roy happy)

AND even NEXT: the BIG REUNION story

the reunion was so much fun!! It was so good to see everyone, connect with a friend's spouse, and reconnect with a friend that I didn't hang out with in HS, but would love to now. Most of the men still looked OK - you know grey hair looks good on a man, and many still had most of their hair. Especially Casey, who had the yummiest curls in HS...but I digress.

So on Friday night we had our welcome gathering in a bar - I ordered fried dill pickles. Has anyone had these? Well I ate only a few and gave the rest to my friend Mike. Yay me. And I watched everyone eat french fries, onion rings, big jucy burgers, etc. Poor me.

But when I weighed in on this past Saturday I STILL lost 1.8 pounds bringing my total to 6 so far. HA, take that you jucy burger with a side of onion rings and ranch dressing.......oh for the olden days...OOPS, I drifted off there, sorry.

Saturday night we had a good time just sitting around at my friend's house visiting. Now that we are all older, the playing field is now level so to speak. There was no bragging, no competition, no jealousy, etc. just fun visiting. I found out one of my friend's husband is running for office, another is planning to run for mayor of his small town in 5 years when he retires from the IRS. Others have worked at the same place for over 20 years, owned businesses, have successful children, and on and on. I am very proud of our little group of alumni...of course, maybe the less successful ones are the ones who didn't come.

Anyway, it was fun, and I can't wait til the 40th.

And I have been busy trying to get back into the swing, do laundry (not so successfully I might add - got out of the shower this a.m. - no towell, dripped to the linen closet - no towels - dang I hate it when that happens....had to use a beach towel - at least it was clean)

Ok gang, I will post a recipe once I get home...I have a couple of good ones, and I bought a new cookbook from Hungry-Girl so IF I could find time to blog more, I'd get you all recipeed up (yes I know that's not a real word, but something about recipeed reminds me of the saggy bottom girls or is that soggy bottom girls? Oh I digress again, sorry)

so, WHO's IN?????

update...

2009-08-09T14:24:00.002-05:00

OK, my reunion is THIS WEEK girls. How much weight have you lost for me...did I mention that I was going to total ALL our losses and then use that for me??? Ok, I'm kidding, but I did step it up a bit and actually join the workout center at my hospital and I actually got up and worked out with the encouragement of my workout buddy, Cindy. SO, my bit total for the last 3 weeks is a whoppin 4.8 pounds. OK, I'm trying NOT to be disappointed, but I do plan to go weigh in on Wednesday before I leave just to see if I can tip the scale over to FIVE pounds loss....

Here's a good recipe this week from my WW leader, Tami.

Tami's Favorite Veggie Soup

2 lbs frozen veggies (like California blend)
3 cans Fat free chicken broth
1 can diced tomatoes
10 oz. Velveeta lite

place all ingredients in a pot - bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer til done.

1 cup = 1 point
Serves 10

How simple is that? Tami likes to eat a cup while preparing dinner so she doesn't overeat or stack through the meal fixing (a problem I also have). I usually eat a small bag of microwave popcorn while fixing dinner...also 1 point.

OK girls, start tallying up your weight loss. TOO bad my friend AMY didn't join us on this plan....she has lost 18 pounds since she came here for a visit back in the early summer. YOU GO GIRL!!! I'm so proud to be your friend and sister.

Keep on Keepin ON~
(even after this reunion!!)