My So Called Life

pics

2011-04-20T18:34:00.001-07:00

these are from the park, of course. I have felt "out of sorts" a lot lately, and I haven't been actively looking for things to photograph... I'm thinking my depression is back and plan on talking to my doctor when I see him on Monday. I don't mind being medicated to be happy hahahaha... kidding, sort of ;)

a few pics

2011-04-20T18:33:00.000-07:00

our computer gets crappier and crappier by the damn day... it is SO frustrating... I will post a few pics as soon as I get them edditted *sigh*

the humdrum blahs

2011-04-12T10:21:00.000-07:00

I have felt, for awhile now, that my depression is coming back. And today I actually said it out loud (okay thru text, same difference!) and my SUPER BFF Wenders had some great words of wisdom, as she has had the same issues... Basically she said that I need to get off my ass and do stuff... but she said in a much sweeter way hehe. And she's right. I work in an office for 8 hours every day, and usually eat lunch at my desk (like right now) and so I sit, and sit and sit some more. No wonder my ass is HUGE! If I get out and go eat, its in my car, at the park, but in my car... *sigh* I need ideas... I'm lazy. Like, truly lazy. What are some fun things you guys do to get moving? I have a gym membership. I definitely need to take advantage of that... but what else? Walk the dog? (Don't suggest yard work as we are in a rent house and the yard blows and I'm not putting any time or energy in to that piece of crap)... I look forward to your suggestions :) Thanks Wenders and thanks you guys

pics! finally

2011-03-19T11:25:00.001-07:00

I have the slowest, crappiest computer ever. these have not been edited :( sorry it took so long! but looks like we are finally getting a little color around these parts YAY!!!

pics

2011-03-17T10:39:00.000-07:00

I have taken some new pics. I swear I'll get them up eventually :)

the ducks are happy the geese are GONE!

2011-02-23T20:18:00.000-08:00

all the geese flew back home for the Spring... the ducks were quackin' it up today!

our weekend in pictures...

2011-02-23T20:11:00.000-08:00

this weekend was my best best bestie best friends babys FIRST birthday... Beatles theme of course... his name is JUDE after all ;) enjoy the pics... I have a TON more on my Facebook page...

out and about

2011-02-12T07:47:00.000-08:00

It has finally wrmed up some.... so here are my pics from the park at lunch yesterday. The lakes at almost all of the parks are still frozen... check out these dudes just alking along the top of the lake like its nothin'!!!

PRAYER REQUEST

2011-02-09T10:49:00.000-08:00

I am begging for an urgent prayer request for my friend, Shanna. Her dad was diagnosed with a brain tumor awhile back and he was doing better... but last week, things got bad. Bleeding in his brain, etc... She is up in Utah now because they have given him 5-10 days...

PLEASE pray that God's perfect will is done, whatever that may be. If he is meant to meet our heavenly father, please pray that there is no suffering. If he is meant to stay here with his family longer, please pray that happens and he is healed!

Whatever happens, just please pray...

xoxo ~ Kendra

snow day part 2

2011-02-06T09:09:00.001-08:00

this first image is from my backyard.... our hideously bare and ugly backyard...

these guys were shot at a private park just off of 4th street, west of Quaker... there are BEAUTIFUL houses that surround this park. especially during Christmas time...

UH OH! he's looking RIGHT at me! LOL

snow day!

2011-02-06T09:03:00.001-08:00

these shots have all been uploaded raw. meaning I haven't done any kind of photo editing to them. They were taken at the par on 19th & Utica... or the life of me I cant remember the name right now!!! They cloudy, snowy, wet weather have really given the colors a natural pop, in my opinion

the perfect shot

2011-02-06T08:54:00.001-08:00

I did nothing to this shot, No color editing, no resizing, nothing... and its perfect :)

life at the Masseys - lately...

2011-02-05T12:26:00.000-08:00

Anyone who knows me, knows I am a Facebook ADDICT! (if you read this and we are not friends there - REQUEST ME! hehe

Anyway, about a month ago we got a new neighbor. Bless her heart, she had big shoes to fill. Our last neighbor was a DREAM neighbor. Rarely home, if he was, he was quiet. We had become friends, so we had a friendly repore (sp?) with eachother... this girl... NEIGHBOR FROM HELL. Shes loud, she smokes in her house (GROSS) and she just simply doesn't care that she shares a wall with others. *sigh* BUT after hashing it out through our landlord, things are better.

Today, I was washing a load of laundry and I get a call from my landlord. He says the neighbor called him saying water is pouring through the wall we share... and it was coming from our washer - which it was. BOO on old houses with poor drainage...

SO for now, I guess no more laundry. Good thing I got the sheets done!

weekend

2011-02-05T11:06:00.001-08:00

this weekend is off to a good start. I thought Thursday night I was definitely coming down with something, and I felt awful yesterday at work... but after some relaxing last night, and going to bed pretty darn early.... I felt better this morning. Throats still a little sore and I'm still coughing some, but I really don't think its anything worrisome. Just gonna ride whatever it is out!

Been pretty productive this morning. We got up and made breakfast.... ate and then I cleaned up. Dishes loaded in the dishwasher, I stripped the sheets off of the bed and threw them in the washer. Brendan is off to the vacuum place to get a new belt and brush for our vacuum. Haven't been able to vacuum for a few weeks and we definitely need to!

Once he gets back we are going to tackle the kitchen floor and FINALLY take the Christmas tree down. I know, I know. Its February... but in my defense, that thing is heavy as hell and this is the first weekend Brendan's actually been NOT working so he can help me. I have all of the ornaments off, I just need help getting that thing down and packed up!

So that's the plan... BE PRODUCTIVE today!!! Wish me luck ;)

blahs

2011-02-04T10:47:00.000-08:00

Its been horrendously cold here... not much snow (BOO! no cool snow pics, what a jip!) and way too cold to be walkin' around look for things to photograph! I know, my "hobby" isn't THAT important too me.... especially since I am SO cold natured. I avoid being cold at all costs!

Anyway, that is why I have nothing to offer really... you've seen Jack, you've seen plenty of geese... we are supposed to warm up to the 40's today, so maybe this weekend I can get some neat shots of something!

So, tata for now!

ONLY in West Texas

2011-02-01T19:52:00.001-08:00

Only in West Texas would you see snow and a tumbleweed!

THANK YOU!

2011-01-31T17:08:00.001-08:00

Anyone who knows me, knows I have an obsession with a good Moscato. The other day i got this in the mail from one of my customers, Sara. The girl knows me!

It was AH-MAZINGLY good. Thanks Sara & my Chase Plastics crew!

:(

2011-01-31T17:06:00.001-08:00

I have been quite the slacker lately!!! So sorry...

Anyway, I want to go back soon and do this tree in black and white. I think it will look AMAZING... but first... gotta learn how to work the b/w feature haha

the things from our youth...

2011-01-25T19:04:00.000-08:00

As a kid I grew up a few blocks away from Ribble Park... as an adult, I spend almost every lunch hour there, just relaxing, having lunch... and I saw these fellas just beggin' me to take their picture (I'm pretty sure they are older than ME!)

SHOCKER! duck/geese pictures!!!

2011-01-25T19:02:00.001-08:00

I just lurve the ducks and the geese that keep me company at the park every day at lunch :)

pictures, day somethin'... no more tracking haha

2011-01-22T12:59:00.000-08:00

My afternoon at the park...

Lubbock is SO dry right now. Everything around me is brown and dusty and the wind is insane today... I know, WIND in LUBBOCK? whaaaat tha... hahaha

So I didn't stay very long. These are from Maxey park off of 22nd and Quaker. I love this park in the spring and summer! And when the lake isn't so dry you can practically walk out in to it :(

SATURDAY, OH HOW I LOVE THEE

2011-01-22T12:54:00.001-08:00

We are building a house, kinda. We are gutting and doubling the square footage on my great grandmothers house. Kinda in the ghetto, but our side of the block isn't bad. Its in the "Heart of Lubbock" neighborhood, so all the houses around there are older. Some have awesome character. Some, well they belong in the ghetto LOL

Here is how you know you are by the ghetto... your job site gets tagged AND you get a free shopping cart in your yard haha

(I'm secretly planning on utilizing this piece of beauty and making it like some sort of garden thingy... if I can get creative enough that is.) Everyone should be so lucky ;)

pics pics and more pics!

2011-01-21T18:46:00.000-08:00

I am WAY too tired to add any comments or be clever... but I sure had fun with these today!

photos #4 & #5 #6 - day 4 01-20-11

2011-01-20T18:01:00.001-08:00

I got a little carried away today...

photo #3 - day 3 01-19-11

2011-01-20T17:58:00.000-08:00

feeding time!

photot #2 - day 2 - 01-18-11

2011-01-18T16:04:00.000-08:00

so I wasnt able to go to the park at lunch like I had hoped... so todays picture is not great... but I did want to share the finished product of the gift my Mom gave Brendan and I for Christmas. so that is todays photo. its a bit crooked because I had to hold it up myself, since Brendan wont hang it for me yet! grrrr lol

for this little hobby I am using the camera we got for Christmas, a Cannon PowerShot SX130IS. Its a really nice camera and I enjoying carting it around with me to find interesting things to photograph. I am also using Picnik to edit my photos...

Thats all for now... hopefully I will find something really neat tomorrow.

photo# 1 - day 1 - 01-17-11

2011-01-17T17:12:00.000-08:00

how could one not ant to capture this?! Opa's smoked meats!

wonder what I will find tomorrow...?

Hobby

2011-01-17T10:49:00.000-08:00

so i decided I need a hobby. cant think of anything super cool off the top of my head, so I decided I was going to try and take one cool picture a day.

originally I was going to start it in February and do it for the whole month, but then on my way to lunch today I saw this big semi with a neat picture on the side that said "Opa's Fine Smoked Meats" (or something similar to that... how could you NOT take a snap shot of THAT?!

I will post it later when I get home...!

2011

2011-01-10T10:39:00.000-08:00

I know I haven't posted in awhile. I really don't have anything interesting to say :) but I will try to be better. It is hard because, sadly, our laptop died. And its just a pain to go in to the guest rm and log on... I know, I'm lazy. BUT I promise to try...

I don't really believe in new year resolutions. My only goal this year, as always, is to lose weight. The holidays got me WAY off track, but I'm getting back on it... so wish me luck!

"Talk" to you all (OK, the 3 people who read this) soon!

Love & blessing ~ Kendra

URGENT PRAYER REQUEST!!!

2010-09-29T15:41:00.000-07:00

Hey guys,

My friend, Shanna Burnett is asking for an urgent prayer request for her father. Mr Wiseman has just been diagnosed with brain cancer. HE had a stroke the other day and that is how the discovered this.

PLEASE PRAY GUYS!!!!!!!!

Our God is a big God and he can make miracles happen in the blink of an eye...

Much love,
Kendra

ELife turns 3!

2010-09-09T19:54:00.000-07:00

our church turns 3 this weekend! You can check it out here!!!

5 & 1/2 more days

2010-09-09T19:36:00.000-07:00

in 5 & 1/2 days Brendan and I will celebrate our 3 yr wedding anniversary!

This is what I'm getting :)

The BFF Wenderz painted it! you can get your own Wendy Hudman original here

RAIDER!! POWER!!

2010-09-05T12:49:00.000-07:00

GET YER GUNS UP PEOPLE!!

MUST READ

2010-09-01T17:47:00.000-07:00

check out Matt Rosenthal's blog... this is AWESOME!!!!!!!

THE BFF WENDERZ!

2010-08-15T08:02:00.000-07:00

check out the interview jjweststudio.com did with my best friend, Wendy

pretty awesome. WAY TO GO Wenderz!

good bye Sally

2010-08-11T17:42:00.000-07:00

I just sold my beloved mustang, lovingly named Sally by my best friends little boy many many years ago. She is a 2000, V6, standard. I LOVE this car. Always have, probably always will.

But about a year ago my old age started catching up with me in my knees. Sally is a stick shift. You get the picture. Well recently it has gotten A LOT worse and we knew it was time to look around for Sally's replacement. And we got our answer last month when we started talking to my in laws about a possible switch of their 98 Ford Explorer and Sally, for my 16 yr old brother in law.

We also started to look at used car lots even, just in case the trade fell through... through a series of events, we ended up putting Sally on craigslist AND my in laws offered to GIVE us the Explorer because they found a really good deal that they couldn't pass up for a newer car for Taylor.

SO, a nice family is buying her for their daughter... and I am truly sad to see her go, but its time. We had a lot of good memories, and a lot of close calls, because I am a terrible driver haha

I love you my Mustang Sally :) I will always treasure our 8 years together

check check check check it out

2010-08-10T18:25:00.000-07:00

see my post about my new plan for "hard coreness" :)

SORRY!

2010-08-02T20:56:00.000-07:00

Check out my latest blog for updates on whats going on in My So Called Life :)

An Oak Tree Late in Winter...

2010-07-16T20:04:00.000-07:00

I received my copy of Josh Rosenthal's book... and he asked us bloogers to blog about it.

It's pretty cool reading a book where you kinda know the places they are talking about, some of the people... all I can say so far is that his book is an excellent read. He has quite a way with words. You will laugh, maybe feel a slight tear.

All in all, people, you have to read "An Oak Tree Late in Winter".

It is not terribly wordy or complex, easy to read and not get bogged down in petty details that don't even matter...

Lastly let me say this, my husband is reading it, he stole it from me and wont give it back... Brendan is a very intelligent man, but NOT a reader... if he's getting in to this book, it HAS to be excellent!

For more on Josh Rosenthal, check out his web site, where you can sample some of his incredible music, or this. You wont be sorry...

reality talent shows

2010-07-14T18:28:00.001-07:00

HOW do i get sucked in to these reality talent shows?! every time i say, "I'm not gonna watch, I'm not gonna watch" yet here i am watching America's Got Talent and i get all giddy when my faves get thru and so sad when they don't make it!

*sigh* at least i haven't gotten in to So You Think You Can Dance this season hehehe. i stopped watching American Idol years ago thank goodness! enough is enough! :)

nothing

2010-07-13T19:07:00.000-07:00

i have absolutely nothing to post about really... i have been neglecting the gym, my asthma's been acting up and my nebulizers being a jerk, just blah blah blah

we attended my uncles funeral Saturday (7/10). it was surreal, sad and just something you never want to do, or see ur family go thru (you can read more at my cousins blog)

no one likes to see the people they love in pain because they have lost their only surviving parent, but there are other family issues popping up that i wont discuss here.... but are just killing me for them. as Jen says on her blog, I know God has a plan, it would just be nice to have some insight on what that plan IS!

please continue to pray for my family. we will probably be driving to Abilene one, two, however many, weekend(s) and help the girls go thru my aunts stuff. it will be sad, and painful, but also another opportunity to be with family and remember the good times :) that is what this past weekend was... it reminded me that, altho my uncle and i had not been close for many many years, we had some fun and great times when i was a child. not everyone gets to have an El Nerdo in their lives ~

life...

2010-07-08T22:06:00.000-07:00

my best friends newest blog says it all...

http://www.wenderflonia.com/2010/07/08/run-raged-but-in-a-hopeful-place/

prayers

2010-07-05T14:44:00.000-07:00

my oldest cousin found her father dead in his home this morning. needless to say the family is in shock. Nyki is actually pregnant, due this fall and almost collapsed when they found him. Thank God, she and the baby are fine - as fine as someone can be in this situation.

her younger sister lives in the Dallas area and is one her way home to Abilene... we are on standby. we do not know any details yet, but those should start coming in soon.

to be honest, I was truly surprised he lasted this long. my aunt died of cancer almost exactly 2 yrs ago, and he didn't really handle it well.

please pray for our family as the girls deal with losing yet another parent.

thank you and much love,
Kendra

blogs blogs blogs

2010-07-01T16:56:00.000-07:00

so I read a lot of blogs. they are all so cleverly written... some are quite profound, others terribly sad... but what is my blog?

I am not overly clever. I am not overly dramatic or unique... and I struggle with what to say a lot of the time. I want my blog to touch people, help them if possible... but how do you do that?! It is the question that I have been pondering lately.

I don't know just how many people follow, or read my blog... but if you are out there... what would you like to see eon a blog? What kind of stories or posts do you like to see?

Thanks for your input in advance!

xoxo ~ Kendra

prayers please

2010-06-13T09:00:00.000-07:00

hello all, I am asking for everyone to please say a prayer for my sister-in-law, Kristen Thrasher. She was admitted to the hospital yesterday for meningitis. She has 2 small children who need her well, so we are praying for a speedy recovery and a short hospital stay!

Thank you my prayer warriors!

New adventure

2010-06-06T16:01:00.000-07:00

My BFF Wenderz and I decided to start a blog about our weight loss journeys... You can check it out here.

Let me know what you think!!

xoxo ~ Kendra

COUNTRY MUSIC

2010-05-23T18:38:00.000-07:00

I hate country music, espcially Texas Country. I like the classics like Garth Brooks (limited) and George Strait (one of my favorites) but these new people, like Suagrland and others make me physically angry. That annoying TWANG (aka Reba McIntyre - who makes my skin crawl) just makes me ANGRY and want to punch them in the freakin throat.

Yes, yes, I know I'm from Texas. So were the boys from ZZ Top, and I bet they don't jam out to Lady Antebellum lol... just because you are from the greatest, most country state in the union, doesn't mean you have to love that awful, hick ass, whiny crap.

Okay. I'm done lol... the Brooks and Dunn thing is on and prompted this little rant.

Thank you, good night :)

blah blah blah

2010-05-03T19:58:00.000-07:00

im feeling kind of blah. not sad or anything, just blah... ever feel that way?

URGENT PRAYER REQUEST

2010-03-31T18:44:00.000-07:00

please pray for my friend, Matt Rsenthal's dad, David Rosenthal. he is in CICu at UMC, on a vent. severe infection, which is mainly centered on his mitral valve. drs didnt want to go in before the infection was under control, but the TEE today did NOT look good, so they are going in tomorrow morning.

David has the same surgeon I had, Raplh Paone, who is amazing.

PLEASE PLEASE PRAY!!!!

Bearings...

2010-03-18T17:20:00.000-07:00

Lately I cannot seem to find my bearings... I feel a little off kilter, as they say... and I cannot figure out whats wrong with me. Is something even wrong with me?! I ran out of my Effexor a week or so ago... (no money, don't ask :( ) maybe that's it?

All I know is I'm sick of feeling like I'm walking thru a fog and maybe it will clear up eventually and I'll be my nice, normal self again

LAYLA GRACE

2010-03-10T17:49:00.000-08:00

I have been following a blog about a precious little girl named Layla Grace for awhile now. NEUROBLASTOMA is what she had been diagnosed with... well yesterday sweet Layla Grace lost her battle. She was in the comfort of her own home, with her family. Mu heart aches for this family. I ask anyone who can, please pray for their hearts.

www.laylagrace.org

My Valentine

2010-02-14T18:07:00.000-08:00

Brendan and I are saving up for something VERY important. So we agreed not to get each other Valentines gifts. He decided to do something we would both enjoy and needed to do anyway...

He made me breakfast - french toast & sausage YUMMMMY

Lunch - my pick, which was easy. ham & swiss sandwiches on croissants

Dinner - my FAVE meal ever. spinach manicotti & strawberry cake!

We went to church this morning, which was awesome. Came home & just lounged and watched movies ALL day.

I love you Brendan. You made this Valentines Day wonderful, as always :)

4 years ago...

2010-02-10T16:25:00.000-08:00

4 years ago today Brendan knocked on my door to pick me up for our first date. I immediately thought "he's so handsome, jackpot!!"

He took me to Fox & Hound for a casual date of pool (and alcohol... lots of alcohol! we were both SO nervous!!)

He let me win... and neither one of us wanted to say goodbye... so we went to IHOP for some breakfast and more conversation. When he finally took me home, he didn't try anything, we impressed me. He gave me a hug and said goodnight.

4 years later, we have been together every day since and married for 2 & a half years.

GOD ANSWERED MY PRAYERS and has blessed me beyond measure. I love you Brendan Cole Massey and look forward to many many many more years together!

TEXAS TECH

2010-01-10T12:31:00.001-08:00

I am still sad over Leach... but, we have to face facts, Leach is gone, Tuberville is in.

We are watching the press conference introducing Tommy Tuberville as Tech's new head coach. He is not charismatic like Coach Leach... I am not on the edge of my seat, wondering WHAT the hell might come out of his mouth like Leach (anyone remember "fat little girlfriends"? haha)... but I think I might be able to warm up to this guy. He seems like a nice family man.

We'll see how things are this fall. GO RED RAIDERS!!!

2010

2010-01-04T18:40:00.001-08:00

I wish all of you a blessed 2010

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

2009-12-24T13:32:00.003-08:00

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone! Be safe... God bless

Wyatt's 2nd birthday

2009-12-13T20:41:00.001-08:00

While in the hospital, I missed several November events... my nephew, Wyatt's puppy themed 2nd birthday being one of them... here are a few pics my husband took for me...

They even had a big bouncy house and dangit, I had ti miss it!!!!!!!

drs drs everywhere

2009-12-07T10:08:00.000-08:00

This is my last week of recovery... I have been home for a week. I go back to work next week, as far as I know. This week is a week of lots of drs appointments. I go to my cardiologist this afternoon... gastroenterologist who took care of me in the hospital & my surgeon tomorrow and my PCP Thursday.

Hopefully they will say everything's going well and there are no set backs. While I like being home and recovering, I am not getting paid while I have been out, so I really, desperately need to get back to work!!

I'm really nervous to go back. Its been a month... but hopefully it will be a smooth transition back.

Time just ticks away...

2009-11-26T21:26:00.000-08:00

I am writing this blog from my hospital bed. I have been here since last Sunday. My surgery was Friday. Of course it was not routine, because lets just be honest, nothing ever goes routine for me medically.

Dr. Thomas said he removed around 2,000 gallstones. He had to cut me open to get to them all. He also had to take out part of my liver. So this has slowed the healing process WAY down.

Right now I am basically in constant pain. Right after surgery I had the handy little pain pump that jacked me up on the Diloded (?) whenever I needed it. But alas, they took my little friend away a few days ago... I know that's a good thing, I do not want to get addicted... BUT in the mean time, I hurt. ALL the time. The Lortab and Demerol dull the pain, but getting up, moving around is still really painful. Just going to the bathroom is an ordeal because I have these drain thingys that are sewn in to me. FUN TIMES!

They transfused 2 units of blood the other night... that is never a fun ordeal... PLUS were feeding me Lasix to keep swelling down, so I was hooked up to all these tubes and IVs and having to get up and pee like every 20 minutes. That was not a good night my friends haha

But I know it will slowly get better. I took a shower by myself for the first time Friday. Moving around is slow going, but getting easier. I even took a walk down the hall to the nurses station and back, with some assistance from the hubby.

So I need to learn patience right now. I need to let all of my drs and nurses help me and not be afraid of sounding like a whiny baby.

OH BROTHER, here we go again!

2009-11-05T16:36:00.000-08:00

2007 - well we all know about 2007. Long hospital stint right before my wedding. Open Heart Surgery, etc etc

2008 - summer time, I'm bleeding to death and have to go in AGAIN for several blood transfusions and a DNC...

2009 - just got the call that they found a BUNCH of gallstones in my gallbladder and its going to have to come out. problem is, I am on Coumadin because of my mechanical mitral valve, so any normally, easy procedure is trickier with Couamdin patients.

So much for my hope of 2009 being hospital free!

The Big 30!

2009-11-01T13:39:00.000-08:00

I am planning a birthday party for my husbands 30th birthday... and I have absolutely no creative ideas.

HELP!!!! So far I have a list of people I want to invite and I cant decide if I want to have it here or not, because our house is kind of small and there isn't much seating... that's as far as I have gotten...

Things that make you go hmmm.....?

2009-10-26T16:02:00.000-07:00

So Thursday I took my wedding ring in to Helzberg to be inspected and cleaned. While in the little cleaner machine thingy... one of my itty bitty diamonds that covere one of the bands fell out! The little guy just happened to get it stuck to his finger while emptying the tray out to look for it! WHAT LUCK!

Since the Lubbock store does not have a way to repair anything locally, they must send things off to one of the DFW locations. So, I do not have my ring for about a week...

What surprised me is how much more confident my wedding ring makes me. Not confident, like... I'm hot stuff man, I'm MARRIED - hehe... but confident like, I can go to the store in my sweats and crocs and not think twice about it. Weird, I know. But since I haven't had it, all of the sudden, I'm like "I cant go to fill Sally up in what I'm wearing?!"

So what is it about that little band of gold that affects me in such a way? Its not like I am trying to land someone whilst out shopping, just because I have no ring on my finger... its not like I'm searching for the hot little college boys. So what is it? I'm sure there's some weird, psychological thing about it... or maybe I am just crazy. A ring doesn't make you married. So all you psychology people, tell me what you think. Has this happened to you?

HALLOWEEN!!!

2009-10-20T17:05:00.000-07:00

Halloween is less than 2 weeks away! I can't wait to see all the cute kiddies in their costumes!! My nephew, Wyatt, is going to be a a dragon and Brantley is going to be Woody, from Toy Story... CANT WAIT TO SEE PICS!!!!!!

Happy early Halloween everyone!!

Humdrum...

2009-10-02T01:30:00.001-07:00

I haven't posted in a very long time because, quite frankly, I have nothing to say. I have been having non-creative bouts of insomnia, but am trying to ween myself off of the use of sleeping pills. Its hard... very very hard, but I hope it will prove to be worth it in the end.

Work is okay I suppose... its work. I got half of the raise I asked for. I know in this economy, that's a tough thing to do... but I did feel a bit slighted, I have to admit, because I am doing SO much work, and they only felt it was worth half? *sigh* oh well, I am truly blessed in my life, so I'm trying not to "sweat the small stuff".

Our Red Raiders aren't doing so hot lately, but I am hoping that will turn around...

And I have some super awesome news I want to share when I get the green light :)

For now... off to try and sleep for a few hours. I have been up all night, kind of sick to my stomach, but can't NOT go in to work, because no one else knows how to do to GE. Fun times, fun times...

LET US ALWAYS REMEMBER...

2009-09-11T21:01:00.001-07:00

Do you remember where you were and what you were doing the day the towers fell? I do... Do you remember how you felt when you heard the news that it was a terrorist attack on our own soil? I do... The body count kept going up... the videos kept coming in... the tears of the people that were there and couldn't find their loved ones...

I was at work at a suicide/crisis hot line. We were all glued to the television. Our callers were sad, scared, heart-broken. Some had loved ones unaccounted for and didn't know how to handle it. We even had a volunteer who's son was at a meeting in one of the towers and he couldn't reach him. (side note: he was okay. they got out before any planes hit)

My sister was in the Army at the time and I frantically tried to reach her once the word "WAR" crept in. She was stationed in Hawaii at the time, so she hadn't heard or seen anything about it. I called, told her what was happening and she started describing the scene on base. It was a long line of cars trying to get in and it was taking forever, because they were searching EVERYONE. She was doing life guard training at the time, so she was in her bathing suit. Once she finally got in, they closed off the base. No one in or OUT... but she was not in her uniform, so she couldn't really do anything. So she just sat around and watched all the heavily armed guards walk around, wondering what was going on.

Our biggest fear of course was that a war would start and she would be deployed. By the grace of God, she wasn't. Eventually her future husband was... but he had to have knee surgery, and could not deploy. He was upset, but we were really happy he didn't go over there.

So it's been 8 years. The war is still on. MANY soldiers lives have been lost and changed forever. Families shattered, both here and over there. Osama is still hiding out somewhere, but I truly believe we have to support our men and women over there. They risk their lives every second they are there. My cousin, Tyler, is actually serving over there right now. I pray every day that he is okay and will come home, once again, safely.

THANK YOU TO ALL OF YOU MEN AND WOMEN - PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE (like Tyler's little brother, Hunter who just joined) - WHO CHOOSE TO SERVE AND RISK THEIR LIVES FOR ALL OF US. YOU ARE TRUE HEROES.

GOD BLESS YOU ALL AND KEEP YOU SAFE

LONELY WEEKEND

2009-08-30T11:13:00.001-07:00

So Brendan went to Lake Alan Henry with his uncle and some friends this weekend. They left Friday afternoon and are staying until tonight some time... Needless to say Jack and I have been very lonely with out him...

Jack gets really solemn and depressed when his Daddy's not here

And finally... since he is the "man of the house" this weekend, he couldn't be bothered to sleep in bed with Momma...

HURRY HOME DADDY! WE MISS YOU!!

One Year...

2009-08-19T15:11:00.000-07:00

We lost my Aunt Christi a year ago. Its been hard for my mom. Christi was her oldest sister, and friend. I think about here every single day. At first with many many many regrets, but as time has started to heal my heart, I only look back at the fond memories. I will always miss her, but am happy we had the time together that we did have.

I love you very much, my dear, sweet aunt. You will always be in our hearts.

LONG Night...

2009-08-08T12:04:00.000-07:00

So Brendan had been complaining for a couple of days of a very personal boy problem ;-) one that I couldn't understand. He kept thinking the pain would subside, or go away on its own. Then he started doing on-line research... which is a bad idea! Yesterday morning he woke up and the pain was way worse. Every little movement hurt. So last night he keeps talking about how he's not sure how long he could handle it, and wondering if it was really something bad and the longer he waited, the worse the problem would be.

So about 10pm last night we head up to UMC ER. The place was PACKED. You truly see some odd and unusual people in the county hospital emergency room on a Friday night. I busted out the hand sanitizer numerous times to say the least. Especially after the little girl sitting by us starting coughing loudly, without covering her mouth, and then proceeded to burp in her sisters face. Nice huh? I was anticipating a VERY long and annoying wait.

After all of my issues, I have to admit, I was not used to not being an immediate priority, and being rushed back in to a room. So I was in a weird position... I was used to being the one who felt like crap! After about 20 minutes, they called him in to triage. Then, 5 minutes later, they call me in there and took us right back. I was shocked! Apparently when someone comes in with an issue pertaining to any limb, or organ (in this case) they take it very seriously, and try to get that person seen ASAP. Who knew?

So we get in to a room, and they bring B a sexy hospital gown. He was not very comfortable showing off his backside to the world, so he leaves everything on and just puts the gown on over it. Quite a funny site! So the barrage of questions begins... Our nurse, Barbee, was awesome. She's young, enthusiastic and has a great sense of humor, which you need with us lol. She tells B she isn't all that comfortable seeing, or looking at the problem area, that she was going to leave that to the doctor. She mainly didn't want to cause him any unnecessary pain, by touching them.

Doctor Birchfeld comes in finally, asks all the same questions again and finally does a physical exam, which is very painful for Brendan, poor baby. He's concerned about a possible hernia or something worse. So he orders an ultrasound... AWKWARD...! Barbee comes back in and takes blood and puts in an IV line. She then gives Brendan an IV of Demerol and Fenergan (apparently Demerol can make you queasy). It hits B FAST, which begins a hilarious, drug filled adventure for the guy who never gets "high"LOL.

We get wheeled off to ultrasound, and none other than our Uncle Kevin's friend, Melissa, greets us. Melissa is cool. We all went out together a while back AND last summer when I was bleeding to death, she is the one that ended up doing my ultrasound of my girly bits. FUN TIMES! Any way, I thought, man, this lady has seen the most intimate parts of BOTH of us now! CRAZY!! But Melissa is VERY professional, so its no biggie.

Brendan letting the drugs take effect in the ultrasound room...

The ultrasound didn't show a hernia, thank God, and didn't show anything scary or abnormal. WHEW! Off we go back to our room again...

And we wait... and wait... and wait... and wait some more. By this time, Brendan's exhausted and passes out from the drugs, and proceeds to have a snoring contest with snory man in the "room" next to us (room being a large room separated by a thin curtain. Talk about no privacy!) It was hot, and about 12:30am, and all I had was an uncomfortable chair in his room. I was so tired and antsy. We waited forever. Poor Brendan had Cotton mouth from the Demerol, but they wouldn't allow any water, because they didn't know what the ultrasound results would show, and if they needed to rush him in to surgery they didn't want to have to wait because he had some water in his stomach. Makes sense, but my poor baby was not comfortable. His mouth would just stick together as he tried to talk. I felt so bad for him. And I was nervous as hell thinking, what if they need to rush him in to surgery!

FINALLY, Dr. Birchfeld comes in and says he doesn't see a hernia, or anything else suspicious. Just an enlargement that he diagnoses as an infection ON the left testicle (I have NO IDEA how to pronounce the actual diagnosis). OUCH! How he got it, there's no exact way to know, but he said it may have resulted in the sperm duct getting twisted after his vasectomy last year. Again, OUCH! So we left with scripts for pain meds and antibiotics.

WHEW! I hate that he is in pain, but I am so relieved that it wasn't something worse. It is something non-life threatening and very treatable. We finally got discharged and left about 2:30am... first thing Brendan wanted was something to drink! So I took him to the store and we got him taken care of :-) All he wanted was sweet tea and a Sprite! So that's what the patient got.

This whole ordeal made me appreciate Brendan so much more and all he has had to deal with in regards to my illnesses. He has had to rush me to the ER SO many times, in the middle of the night, and in the middle of the day. All times, he was strong and comforting to me. He stayed calm and waited and waited with me, in those uncomfortable little chairs. And he never complained once.

I am so grateful for the love and care God has shown both of us, And I am so grateful that my husband is okay!

WATER, WATER EVERWHERE

2009-08-04T20:51:00.000-07:00

My husband went to do a load of laundry right before bed. All of the sudden I hear expletives coming out of Brendan's mouth! He screams "go move your car!!" (We live in a duplex, where you have to park behind one car to fit the other) So I run outside, barefoot, to move my car to the apartment complex parking lot right next door. Brendan jumps in his truck to go around back to turn the water off.

Water is literally pouring out of our house at this point...

Well in his haste, he leaves the front door wide open. Normally Jack is very very good about staying put even when the doors open, but right as Brendan left, a neighbor from the apartments walks over to the mail box. Jack bolts. Here I am, in my pj's, barefoot on a gravel lot, with a side yard full of stickers (thanks to all the rain lately) and my dog is bolting towards some random guy.

Luckily, he is a dog lover :-)

So the guy says, "everything okay? Your front doors wide open you know" (I'm thinking DURH guy) Then he looks at our driveway, which has water pouring down it. He says, "OH NO! Wheres the leak?" I tell him its shooting out of our washer connection. He says, get this, "I'm a plumber. Let me go get my tools and I'll see if I can help"

Does God look after us or what?!

Anyway, Brendan comes back at this point, has the water off, grabs Jack and Tyler goes to get his stuff. I hobble back to the house, because my feet are NOT tough. Tyler comes in and there is water EVERYWHERE. I was SO embarrassed because I hadn't swept in awhile and Jack sheds like crazy. DOG HAIR + WATER = ICKY POO!

I start trowing towels down and trying to keep Jack from having a heart attack because his new found friend is in our house. Brendan does some banging and clanging and viola! No more water. In fact, we are doing a load right now!

So all in all, not a disaster because my man is super handy!! And my dog is super friendly and God sent us a new plumber friend. Not a bad person to have on your side ;-) cuz you just never know when your house is going to turn in to a swimming hole!

They Grow Up So Fast

2009-08-01T18:37:00.000-07:00

My nephew, Wyatt has gotten SO big. He will be TWO in November, on his daddy's birthday... I still can't believe it! He's running like a crazy, wild man and talking up a storm... and even though you can't understand EVERYTHING he says, its just amazing to me that I have a 2 year old nephew... he;s awesome. I could watch that kid all day, every day!

Ball?

He was pretending the ball was SO heavy!

Wyatt is such a little silly ham...

DANGER, DANGER...!!

2009-07-29T18:53:00.000-07:00

So this week has not been great. I know my problems aren't monumental... and there are way worse problems out there... but dangit, I really wish things would start to look up.

Monday and Tuesday were just SUCKY days at work. I was sick to my stomach all freaking day and nothing was going right.

Today (Wednesday) I had Coumadin Clinic. I hate going to Coumadin Clinic. Its a pain to leave work early, drive all the way across town over to TTUHSC, wait int a waiting room full of sick, weird people, then finally get my finger pricked. The entire visit takes roughly 5 minutes, but everything all together takes like 30-45 minutes. And, the best part, I have to PAY $25 EVERY time. It wouldn't be so bad if I only had to go like once a month, or every other month, but lately my level has been off and I have had to go in like every 2-3 weeks.

My therapeutic level is supposed to be between 2.5 and 3.5. Its very bad if it is BELOW 2.5, because that means my blood is too thick and I could develop a clot on my heart and well, we all know what the result of that is... it is very bad if it is ABOVE 3.5, because that means my blood is TOO thin, and your risk for bleeding internally goes up.

Well today my level was *5.7* YOWZAS!!! VERY VERY VERY bad, and very frustrating because I honestly cant figure out WHY it is so high! I haven't changed meds, my diet, anything that interacts with Coumadin (which is pretty much anything seems like.) So now I get to -carefully- walk around, watching every step I take, worry about getting in a car wreck for the next 2 1/2 days. Then go BACK up to the lab to get my level checked again. We are hoping by skipping my Coumadin doses tonight until Friday, it will level back out and be normal! One can only hope.

I know this drug will keep me alive for the rest of my life. I know that this is just a small pain, compared to having a stroke or dying... but all I can do is see me having to do this for the next, what, 40 years? Every 2 weeks, even once a month... its a frustrating, depressing thought.

So I have gone on-line to research home PT INR testing kits, just like the one they use at Coumadin Clinic and in the hospital/labs. I have contacted my insurance to see if they are even covered, because the exact one TTUHSC & UMC uses is... $1,110. YIKES. Who woulda thought?!

I know its kind of selfish & probably silly, but please pray that this will work out to where we can afford it. Otherwise, I will be petitioning for my own parking space at the TTUHSC Medical Pavilion, because I am there WAAAAAAAY too much!! I have my Dr over there in my phone people! That is way too sad haha.

________________________________

**UPDATE: Dr. Dalal called me this morning with the results of my blood test yesterday and my leve was now 1.7 *sigh* BUT this means I can start taking my doses again. I just have to keep telling myself "at least I'm alive, at least I'm alive"

We have a roof!

2009-07-17T20:04:00.001-07:00

There's a roof!!!
Nick kinda brokeded my front porch :( Brendan promises me a new, improved one :)

Apparently this is whats called soffits and facia (no idea how to spell that!)

my guest room now has a window to the world... well, maybe, just the back fence :)

LOOK! NO SKY!! YAY!!!

Sorry these pics aren't like professional or anything... I don't really know how to take good construction site pics

Next is the electrician. Then I think an inspection... but I'm not sure

House Developments

2009-07-15T16:53:00.000-07:00

Brendan's been working really hard lately... I spend a lot of time alone :-( He also started the roof tonight. He said that hopefully he'll get it finished up this weekend and then the inspectors can come in... we shall see. This house has been such a pain in the ass, that sometimes I think we would be better off just walking away from the project *heavy sigh* again... we shall see...

Smile :-)

2009-07-08T01:32:00.000-07:00

WIth all of the MJ hooplah... one song keeps coming up... it apparently was one of his favorite songs, and I have always loved it myself... Smile by Nat King Cole. I wanted to share the lyrics. It always seems to make me... well, Smile :-)

Smile though your heart is aching
Smile even though its breaking
When there are clouds in the sky, you'll get by
If you smile through your fear and sorrow
Smile and maybe tomorrow
You'll see the sun come shining through for you
Light up your face with gladness
Hide every trace of sadness
Although a tear may be ever so near
That's the time you must keep on trying
Smile, whats the use of crying?
You'll find that life is still worthwhile
If you just smile

That's the time you must keep on trying
Smile, whats the use of crying?
You'll find that life is still worthwhile
If you just smile

_________________________________

Sometimes life isn't going exactly how we plan it. Sometimes it is going in the exact opposite direction! But we all need to stop and smile. Find the beauty in the dark things. Know that God has a purpose for all of us and for all things.

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!

2009-07-06T14:57:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to say THANK YOU to all of those men and women who have fought, and are fighting, for this country's freedom!

We appreciate all that you have gone through, and are going through.

THANK YOU! I'm sure you do not get told that enough

I am asking for prayers... for me

2009-06-29T15:51:00.000-07:00

Early March God answered my prayers and I got a job at Wilkerson Storage Company. I was SO excited! I really wanted the job and thought it would be a great place to work.

Fast forward to May... my co-worker, who worked the dry desk AND the dreaded GE desk gave her 2 week notice. I was told I would be moving to her position (which is actually TWO full time positions, with ONE full time pay) whether I wanted to or not. I was mortified. Not only did the dry desk scare me to death, GE is a nightmare. I thought, okay... I can do this for a little while. Suck it up and just do it.

Well its been over a month now and, while I have come to love the dry desk, I LOATHE GE. My boss told me point blank that he has been there for 12 years and has never learned GE and never planned too... nice. He also didn't agree that it is a full time job, all by itself. This is coming from a guy who has NO clue what GE entails... nice.

So, I have come to the conclusion that I do NOT want to be stuck with this GE desk... especially with no hope of a raise anytime soon... The girl that left the position tried for MONTHS to get a raise, and they finally gave her like a dollar more, right before she found another job.

That is why I have started job hunting once again. Now, I am not one to jump from job to job, but I am also not someone who is going to sit around and let some job make her miserable, when something better may be out there.

So please pray for me. Pray that I am making the right decision. Pray that either I get another job, that wont take advantage of me and will make me happy, OR that my current job will get better... either way, somethings gotta give...

Thanks ~ Kendra

*** UPDATE *** Global Pumps decided to hire from within the company :-( oh well, wasn't meant to be

Update

2009-06-27T18:32:00.000-07:00

Sue Mhoon gets her port out in next week, so she can start receiving chemo. They decided against surgery for now... they want to see how well the chemo fights the tumors. She continues to be positive about beating this cancer.

Please continue to lift her, and her family, up in prayer.

Movie night

2009-06-27T15:19:00.000-07:00

We went to the drive-in last night and saw Transformers and the new Star Trek. Both great movies. I highly recommend both!!

DUH

2009-06-23T19:46:00.000-07:00

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090623/ap_on_re_us/us_fea_pets_ap_poll

NEW YORK – Susan Jacobs and her companion Kingston both like chicken and collards, chilling on the couch and riding in her convertible with the breeze tussling his curly black hair.
Kingston, it should be said, is a black poodle. But for Jacobs, 45, of Long Beach, Calif., he is like a child.

"The next time I travel, I'll probably take him with me," said Jacobs, a Mary Kay consultant and freelance writer. "I'm just used to him being around."

An Associated Press-Petside.com poll released Tuesday found that half of all American pet owners consider their pets as much a part of the family as any other person in the household; another 36 percent said their pet is part of the family but not a full member.

And that means pets often get the human touch: Most pet owners cop to feeding animals human food, nearly half give the animals human names and nearly a third let them sleep in a human bed. While just 19 percent had bought an outfit for a pet, 43 percent felt their pet had its own "sense of style."

Nathan Nommensen, 19, a college student who lives with his parents in Winthrop Harbor, Ill., said their golden retriever Molly sleeps in his parents' room, goes with them on camping trips and appears in their annual family Christmas photo.

He doesn't consider her a full member of the family, though. "She's part of the family but not a human part of the family," he said.

Singles were more likely to say a pet was a full member of the family than married people — 66 percent of single women versus 46 percent of married women, for example. And men were less likely to call their pet a full member of the household.

For some single women, pets become surrogate children, said Kristen Nelson, a veterinarian in Scottsdale, Ariz. She said men are also attached to pets — but are less likely to admit it because it's not seen as masculine.

Debbie Jablonski, 50, of Wilmington, N.C., talks about her cats like a mom talks about her children.

Milkshake, who sleeps at the foot of her bed, sticks his cold nose on her eyelid and touches his paw to her face at 4:30 a.m. to wake her up and feed him. The other cat, Licorice, sleeps on the couch and has a habit of sitting on her newspaper when she is trying to read it.

"If you try to budge her, she will not move," said Jablonski, laughing. "You will have to practically pick her up and move her."

Jablonski, who works for a laboratory equipment manufacturer, celebrates the cats' birthdays, includes photos of the cats in holiday cards and watches home movies of them playing.

Most pet owners don't go that far, according to the survey. Only a little over a quarter celebrate their pet's birthday or the day it came to live with them and just a third have included a pet's photo or name in a holiday card.

Still, 42 percent of pet owners have taken a pet on vacation, with dogs more likely to accompany the family than cats. Dog owners were also more likely to take their pets to work (21 percent) or somewhere the animal wasn't allowed (18 percent).

When it comes to feedings, nearly half of all dog owners and 40 percent of cat owners admit giving their pets human food at least sometimes.

Jimmy Ruth Martin, 73, who sells real estate in Louisville, Texas, said she gives her border collie Samantha table food: chicken, steak, potatoes, salad, ice cream. "She'll eat anything I'm eating," she said.

She said her dog has gotten so fat, she can't climb up on the bed. "The table scraps have done that."

Helen Reed, 60, of Clearfield, Pa., said her cat Sadie has personality — she is not a lap cat, sleeps at the foot of the bed and likes to be in the same room as her. But she doesn't dress her up.

Martin doesn't squeeze Samantha into cute outfits, either, though she said the dog does have her own sense of style. "She's still a dog and I know it," she said.

Bernice Miller, 71, of Springfield, Mo., said she likes to dress her Maltese up as a pumpkin on Thanksgiving and Santa on Christmas. She has a photo of she and the dog on her wall, signs his name "Tully" to cards and gives him treats on his birthday.

"He's the best little thing," said Miller, who is retired. "He just begs to go with me, so I don't leave him too much. He's just like a little kid."

The AP-Petside.com poll was conducted by GfK Roper Public Affairs & Media from May 28-June 1, 2009. It is based on landline and cellular telephone interviews with a random sample of 1,110 pet owners. The margin of error is plus or minus 2.9 percentage points.

___

Associated Press polling director Trevor Tompson contributed to this report.

___

On the Net:
http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/ap/ap_on_re_us/storytext/us_fea_pets_ap_poll/32466887/SIG=111393moo/*http://www.petside.com/petspoll

THAT'S WHY WE PRAY...

2009-06-23T17:02:00.000-07:00

The youth minister, Tim Beal, at our church made this awesomely hilarious video to MC Hammers "Pray"... he is one of the funniest guys I have ever met! (he's the one with the beard and the skate rink they are dancing in is actually where we have church!)

It is a MUST WATCH!!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rtgbek6KVOg

And you can check out more about our church, Experience Life at http://experiencelifenow.com/

Have a great Tuesday everyone!!

HAPPY FATHERS DAY!

2009-06-21T10:27:00.000-07:00

Happy Father's Day to all those daddy's out there - young and old... EVEN DOGGIE DADDYS (that would be you baby :-) !)

We all love you guys!!!

MORE PRAYER NEED - PLEASE!

2009-06-17T16:21:00.000-07:00

Sue Mhoon, my friends mother does in fact have breast cancer - possibly lymphoma. The Mhoon/Bohn families desperately need you to lift them up in prayer.

She meets with the oncologist tomorrow...

PLEASE, pray.

45 Things

2009-06-11T16:18:00.000-07:00

Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio

"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most-requested column I've ever written."

My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's,we'd grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come.
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

Friends are the family that we choose for ourselves.

WHO: Swine flu pandemic has begun

2009-06-11T11:02:00.000-07:00

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/un_un_swine_flu

WHO: Swine flu pandemic has begun, 1st in 41 years

GENEVA – The World Health Organization declared a swine flu pandemic Thursday — the first global flu epidemic in 41 years — as infections in the United States, Europe, Australia, South America and elsewhere climbed to nearly 30,000 cases.

The long-awaited pandemic announcement is scientific confirmation that a new flu virus has emerged and is quickly circling the globe. WHO will now ask drug makers to speed up production of a swine flu vaccine, which it said would available after September. The declaration will also prompt governments to devote more money toward efforts to contain the virus.

WHO chief Dr. Margaret Chan made the announcement Thursday after the U.N. agency held an emergency meeting with flu experts. Chan said she was moving to phase 6 — the agency's highest alert level — which means a pandemic, or global epidemic, is under way.

"The world is moving into the early days of its first influenza pandemic in the 21st century," Chan told reporters. "The virus is now unstoppable."

"However, we do not expect to see a sudden and dramatic jump in the number of severe and fatal infections," she added.

On Thursday, WHO said 74 countries had reported 28,774 cases of swine flu, including 144 deaths. Chan described the danger posed by the virus as "moderate."

The agency has stressed that most cases are mild and require no treatment, but the fear is that a rash of new infections could overwhelm hospitals and health authorities — especially in poorer countries.

Still, about half of the people who have died from swine flu were previously young and healthy — people who are not usually susceptible to flu. Swine flu is also crowding out regular flu viruses. Both features are typical of pandemic flu viruses.

The last pandemic — the Hong Kong flu of 1968 — killed about 1 million people. Ordinary flu kills about 250,000 to 500,000 people each year.

Swine flu is also continuing to spread during the start of summer in the northern hemisphere. Normally, flu viruses disappear with warm weather, but swine flu is proving to be resilient.

"What this declaration does do is remind the world that flu viruses like H1N1 need to be taken seriously," said Kathleen Sebelius, the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, warning that more cases could crop up in the fall.

"We need to start preparing now in order to be ready for a possible H1N1 immunization campaign starting in late September," she said in a statement from Washington.

Chan said WHO was now recommending that flu vaccine makers start making swine flu vaccine. Drug giant GlaxoSmithKline PLC said they could start large-scale production of pandemic vaccine in July but that it would take several months before large quantities would be available.

Glaxo spokesman Stephen Rea said the company's first doses of vaccine would be reserved for countries who had ordered it in advance, including Belgium, Britain and France. He said the company would also donate 50 million doses to WHO for poor countries.

Pascal Barollier, a spokesman for Sanofi-Aventis, said they were also working on a pandemic vaccine but WHO had not yet asked them to start producing mass quantities of it.

The pandemic decision might have been made much earlier if WHO had more accurate information about swine flu's rising sweep through Europe. Chan said she called the emergency meeting with flu experts after concerns were raised that some countries like Britain were not accurately reporting their cases.

Chan said the experts unanimously agreed there was a wider spread of swine flu than what was being reported.

Chan would not say which country tipped the world into the pandemic, but the agency's top flu expert, Dr. Keiji Fukuda, said the situation from Australia seemed to indicate the virus was spreading rapidly there — up to 1,260 cases late Wednesday.

Many health experts said the world has been in a pandemic for weeks but WHO became bogged down by politics. In May, several countries urged WHO not to declare a pandemic, fearing it would cause social and economic turmoil.

"This is WHO finally catching up with the facts," said Michael Osterholm, a flu expert at the University of Minnesota.

Despite WHO's hopes, Thursday's announcement will almost certainly spark panic about spread of swine flu in some countries.

Fear has already gripped Argentina, where thousands of people worried about swine flu flooded into hospitals this week, bringing emergency health services in the capital of Buenos Aires to the brink of collapse. Last month, a bus arriving in Argentina from Chile was stoned by people who thought a passenger on it had swine flu.

Chile has the most swine flu cases in South America, and the southern hemisphere is moving into its winter flu season.

In Hong Kong on Thursday, the government ordered all kindergartens and primary schools closed for two weeks after a dozen students tested positive for swine flu. The decision affected over half a million students.

In the United States, where there have been more than 13,000 cases and at least 27 deaths from swine flu, officials at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the move would not change how the U.S. tackled swine flu.

"Our actions in the past month have been as if there was a pandemic in this country," Glen Nowak, a CDC spokesman, said Thursday.

The U.S. government has already increased the availability of flu-fighting medicines and authorized $1 billion for the development of a new swine flu vaccine. In addition, new cases seem to be declining in many parts of the country, U.S. health officials say, as North America moves out of its traditional winter flu season.

Still, New York City reported three more swine flu deaths Thursday, including one child under 2, one teenager and one person in their 30s.

"Countries where outbreaks appear to have peaked should prepare for a second wave of infection," Chan warned, adding that the virus could mutate "without rhyme or reason, at any time."

In Mexico, where the epidemic was first detected, the outbreak peaked in April. Mexico now has less than 30 cases reported a day, down from an average of 300, Health Secretary Jose Angel Cordova told The Associated Press. Mexico has confirmed 6,337 cases, including 108 deaths.

Cordova said he is concerned that other countries were not taking drastic measures to stop its spread like Mexico, which closed schools, restaurants, theaters, and canceled public events. He said the Mexican government has strengthened its detection system to spot cases in most of its 32 states to prepare for a possible second wave of infections in the winter.

"There's much anxiety over how the virus will act in the Southern Hemisphere, because the zone is currently showing a large number of new cases, in particular Australia, Chile and Argentina," Cordova said.

Many experts said the declaration of a pandemic did not mean the virus was getting deadlier.

"People might imagine a virus is now going to rush in and kill everyone," said John Oxford, a professor of virology at St. Bart's and Royal London Hospital. "That's not going to happen."
But Oxford said the swine flu virus might evolve into a more dangerous strain in the future.

"That is always a possibility with influenza viruses," he said. "We have to watch very carefully to see what this virus does."
___

AP Medical Writers Maria Cheng reported from London and Michael Stobbe reported from Atlanta. Associated Press Writers Michael E. Miller in Mexico City, Dikky Sinn in Hong Kong, Vincente L. Panetta in Buenos Aires and Bradley S. Klapper in Geneva also contributed to this report.

______________________________________

The WHO website is http://www.who.int/en/

My Obsession...

2009-06-11T10:41:00.000-07:00

I am obsessed with my dog. Seriously obsessed... I can sit and watched him for hours... everything he does is adorable to me. Brendan got him for me for my 30th birthday.

Since Brendan and I cannot have a child of our own, I think Jack fills that spot...

Jack is by far the best birthday present I have EVER gotten! Thank you baby!!!

Posting

2009-06-11T09:53:00.000-07:00

I know I haven't been posting very much - or anything very interesting... my apologies.

*Work update - ugh, where to begin? I have been working the Dry accounts and the GE account for about 3 weeks. The dry accounts aren't terrible. I have gotten pretty decent with our largest dry account - a dry milk company. They have roughly 8+ million pounds in our warehouse right now... they bring about 6 or 7 loads in every day and are supposed to take about 7-9 loads out, but right now that is not happening as planned. It was a frustrating transition, but I am slowly easing in to it. I actually LIKE the milk account now and the folks I work with from there are super nice, which always help!

Because I have been so swamped and stressed out with the transition and large number of complicated accounts, my boss decided to move our wine accounts over to the freezer desk. That has been a nice relief. Not that those accounts were super hard, or complicated, but they are fairly large volume, so its nice to have that out of my way right now.

GE on the other hand, continues to be a giant pain in the ass. I have the normal daily/weekly stuff pretty much down. But these little, random things keep popping up and you have to stand on your head and hold your breath just right to get things taken care of. I'm telling ya, I don't know if I will EVER like this account ~ heavy sigh.

*Health update - I caught a little something. Nothing to worry about. Staying home from work today because I was running fever this morning, and I don't think my co-workers would appreciate me spreading my germies around the office. Dr. Hinshaw's calling in an antibiotic for me, so hopefully that and some good rest will knock it out before it gets any worse!

My Coumadin level was a wee bit high 2 weeks ago, so I have to go back on Tuesday to get it checked again. I'm pretty much an old pro with this Coumadin thing, and I know illness and meds to treat it, will almost always alter my level... so I expect the next 2-3 checks will be off. Oh well... a life of Coumadin is never normal or easy. It is a nasty, horrible - although life saving - drug. But I'd rather deal with worrying about what I eat, drink or take than get a clot on my heart! Good thing I am super sleuth and I always research ANYTHING I put in to my body.

*Jackers update - Brendan made the mistake of being cheap and kinda lazy last time we bought Jack food - and bought a food with a higher fat content, that was on sale. He didn't check with the store to see if they had some of the weight issue kind we had been feeding him. So for about 3 weeks we have been coming home to a remorseful Jackers and his little "surprise" for us. EWWWWWWW. Any one who knows me, knows I loathe poop. I don't do poppy diapers (just ask my sister lol) and I really don't like coming home to it ALL over Jack's room. We will definitely have to clean that carpet this weekend! Because Brendan feels so guilty about the whole food change, he usually cleans it up. Plus he knows it grosses me out... what a nice guy :-)

Anyway, he is fine now. No accidents for the past few days... THANK THE LORD!

*FUN FUN FUN - we will be heading to Las Vegas October 8th for our cousin Josh's wedding. Josh was Brendan's best man, and now Brendan will be his! We LOVE LOVE LOVE Josh's fiancee, Meghan. They are pretty perfect for each other. Can't wait ti have her in our family!!

Plus, I have never been to Vegas, so I'm super excited. Our friends, Amanda, Wendy and her boyfriend, Simon will all be coming along. C A N N O T wait!!!!!

*Prayer update - Mrs. Mhoon is heading to Dallas with the WHOLE Mhoon and Bohn gang to go visit her son who lives there. I think they all just want to visit, relax and be together as a family during this anxious and stressful time of unknowing. Please continue to pray for her - and her family. We need to pray that God takes any cancer out of her body, if there is any. She goes in Monday. I know we will hear good news, because our God is an awesome God.

So that is all for now. Sorry this was SO long :-)

Prayer request update

2009-06-09T17:11:00.000-07:00

Allison said the surgeon does not "think" it is cancer. They are going to remove the masses Monday and send it off to be tested.

So we all still need to pray - pray that the test shows no cancer.

THANKS!

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PRAY!

2009-06-08T16:40:00.001-07:00

Our good friends, Nick and Allison are going through a very difficult time right now. Allison's mom, Sue, found a lump under her arm during a routine self-exam. When they did a scan, they found another one under her other arm. The doctors say it could be lymphoma, leukemia or cancer. Sue is an amazing woman, mother and grandmother. They haven't done the biopsy yet.

PLEASE PRAY for the Moohn and Bohn families during this difficult time.

1st Annual Lazy Days Celebration begins!

2009-05-24T21:31:00.000-07:00

Because of the long weekend, Brendan and I decided we were going to have us an old fashioned lazy weekend, which has now been dubbed the 1st annual " Lazy Day Celebration". It will consist of 2 days of absolutely nothing!

Sunday we did have to go to the grocery store to get provisions - such as sandwich stuff, dinner stuff, fizzy drinks and of course cookies! We slept in, bummed around until we decided to head to the store. We watched movies ALL day - literally. Cooked some yummmmy enchiladas... and played with Jackers. We also had to run to CVS, to pick up $125 worth of my rx's *heavy sigh*... all in all, a nice lazy day.

Monday will consist of laying in bed with the laptop and watching movies most of the day... while we will have to get up occasionally to make breakfast (homemade burritos - YUM!), lunch (chicken salad sandwiches - my fave) and dinner (spaghetti)... our bed shall be our BFF tomorrow!

I asked Brendan if he had any plans for Memorial Day and he said no... so I told him I wanted him all to myself, so he wasn't allowed to make any plans :-) so far, so good!!

City confirms second Swine flu case in Lubbock County

2009-05-23T20:39:00.000-07:00

By Staff Reports Avalanche-Journal
Friday, May 22, 2009

City officials confirmed this afternoon a second case of Swine flu in Lubbock County.
The second person to get the H1N1 flu is a relative of the child who was the first confirmed positive case in the county, according to a city statement. The child is not school aged.
The person was already being treated for flu-like symptoms and is staying at home, officials say.
“We encourage people to not panic and take precautions for this mild strain of influenza,” said Nancy Haney, health department director, in a statement.

The Lubbock Health Department continues to advise everyone to take the following precautions to prevent the spread of any illness:

· Wash hands frequently and thoroughly for at least 20 seconds using soap and warm water especially before handling food, after touching potentially contaminated surfaces, and after being around someone who may be sick.

· If soap and water are not available, alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.

· Cough or sneeze into a facial tissue (then dispose of tissue) or into your shirt sleeve if a tissue is not available.

· Stay home if you are experiencing flu-like symptoms to prevent spreading the illness to others, or seek medical attention if your symptoms worsen.

Due to overcrowding at emergency rooms, please visit your private physician or an urgent care clinic before trying the emergency room.

http://lubbockonline.com/stories/052209/loc_442863207.shtml

SWINE FLU IS HERE

2009-05-21T17:34:00.000-07:00

Lubbock County sees first confirmed case of swine flu
By Joshua Hull Avalanche-Journal
Thursday, May 21, 2009Story last updated at 5/21/2009 - 1:42 am

Lubbock County reported its first confirmed case of H1N1 flu, better known as swine flu, Wednesday in a young boy who has already nearly recovered from the virus.

Nancy Haney, director of the Lubbock Health Department, said the boy, who is under five years of age, first contracted flu-like symptoms Friday before being taken to the hospital on Saturday.

The boy took anti-viral medicine and is well on the way to a full recovery. His family, which was tested as well, has not contracted the virus but will stay indoors for a week to keep the flu from spreading.

Haney said she couldn't reveal any more information about the boy because of confidentiality agreements, but believes they have identified the source of the infection and have successfully quarantined the virus.

The Lubbock case was the first recorded in Texas since May 11, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. Of the 694 cases recorded, there have been three deaths.
Haney said she believes there may be more cases that weren't reported across the state, but as the mild nature of the virus was better understood those infected responded in kind.

"I think people when they were getting flu symptoms they stopped going to the doctor and they started taking care of at home," she said. "People are treating it like they would any other."
The health department is reminding residents that the best way to prevent disease transmission is to wash hands regularly, sneeze or cough into a facial tissue and stay home if they aren't feeling well.

http://www.lubbockonline.com/stories/052109/loc_442269094.shtml
___________________________________________________________________

*So not to sound cliche or like a whiny person, but PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE just follow the simple rules of cleanliness - wash your hands often and most importantly, COVER YOUR COUGHS AND SNEEZES!

Job changes

2009-05-20T20:11:00.001-07:00

So Friday my boss comes in and tells me that my co-worker is leaving in 2 weeks and (like it or not) I am moving from my beloved freezer desk to the dry desk PLUS our GE desk. I sort of freaked out #1: the dry desk has almost double the # of accounts that the freezer desk does and #2: the GE desk is a full time job by itself! (One of the reasons my co-worker is leaving...)

*heavy sigh*

So Monday morning I moved back to the dry & GE desks... while a little intimidated, I had some knowledge of the dry accounts, and have done the small daily GE tasks before, but not in like a month or so. My main concerns were our 2 biggest accounts - Llano Estacado Winery & a dry milk account - which at last count had over 7 MILLION pounds of product in our warehouse.

As I have been working back there this week I have learned that the milk account isn't so scary... they just move A LOT of friggin' milk around every day. I have also started learning the quirks of handling our wine accounts (we have multiple - I never knew there were SO many types of wine!)... but GE. Man oh man... that account is going to be CRAZY. We are a small service area and we still ship, receive and deliver GE appliances EVERY SINGLE DAY. They work Monday through Saturday delivering stuff... we have 3 trucks, just for GE. OY!!

So time will tell if I can make the dry desk my own. So far I haven't freaked out too bad... of course Vickie is there, sitting right next to me. The real test will be June 2nd, when I am all alone back there... thank goodness Carrie, the woman I was replacing on the freezer desk, will still be here for the time being. She knows all 3 desks and can help me if I run in to anything.

PRAY FOR ME. Pray that this is whats best for me, and that I am not being set up for a failure OR to be taken advantage of (money will be an issue shortly... doing 2 jobs for the price of 1 isn't exactly fair now, is it?)

You HAVE to watch this video. Its fantastic!!!

2009-05-16T09:35:00.001-07:00

http://video.yahoo.com/watch/5017561/13347466

The Middle Wife - HYSTERICAL!!

2009-05-09T19:15:00.000-07:00

The 'Middle Wife' by an Anonymous 2nd grade teacher:

I've been teaching now for about fifteen years. I have two kids myself, but the best birth story I know is the one I saw in my own second grade classroom a few years back.

When I was a kid, I loved show-and-tell. So I always have a few sessions with my students. It helps them get over shyness and usually, show-and-tell is pretty tame.

Kids bring in pet turtles, model airplanes, pictures of fish they catch, stuff like that. And I never, ever place any boundaries or limitations on them. If they want to lug it in to school and talk about it, they're welcome.

Well, one day this little girl, Erica, a very bright, very outgoing kid, takes her turn and waddles up to the front of the class with a pillow stuffed under her sweater.

She holds up a snapshot of an infant. 'This is Luke, my baby brother, and I'm going to tell you about his birthday.'

'First, Mom and Dad made him as a symbol of their love, and then Dad put a seed in my Mom's stomach, and Luke grew in there. He ate for nine months through an umbrella cord.' She's standing there with her hands on the pillow, and I'm trying not to laugh and wishing I had my camcorder with me. The kids are watching her in amazement..

'Then, about two Saturdays ago, my Mom starts saying and going, 'Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh!' Erica puts a hand behind her back and groans. 'She walked around the house for, like an hour, 'Oh, oh, oh!'

(Now this kid is doing a hysterical duck walk and groaning.) ' My Dad called the middle wife. She delivers babies, but she doesn't have a sign on the car like the Domino's man. They got my Mom to lie down in bed like this..' (Then Erica lies down with her back against the wall..)

'And then, pop! My Mom had this bag of water she kept in there in case he got thirsty, and it just blew up and spilled all over the bed, like psshhheew!' (This kid has her legs spread with her little hands mimicking water flowing away. It was too much!)

'Then the middle wife starts saying 'push, push,' and 'breathe, breathe. They started counting, but never even got past ten. Then, all of a sudden, out comes my brother. He was covered in yucky stuff that they all said it was from Mom's play-center, (placenta) so there must be a lot of toys inside there.

When he got out, the middle wife spanked him for crawling up in there.' Then Erica stood up, took a big theatrical bow and returned to her seat.

I'm sure I applauded the loudest. Ever since then, when it's show-and-tell day, I bring my camcorder, just in case another ' Middle Wife' comes along.

MISS AMANDA

2009-05-09T16:52:00.000-07:00

I have a fantastically wonderful friend, Amanda. We have been friends for 9 years... I love her dearly, and just want her to know that I am here for her NO MATTER WHAT.

Love ya girl!!

Why Parents Drink - in honor of Mother's Day

2009-05-08T19:06:00.000-07:00

Why Parents Drink

The boss wondered why one of his most valued employees was absent but had not phoned in sick. So he dialed the employee's home phone number and was greeted with a child's whisper.

' Hello ? '

'Is your daddy home?'

' Yes, he's out in the garden ,' whispered the small voice.

'May I talk with him?'

The child whispered, ' No .'

So the boss asked, 'Well, is your Mommy there?'

' Yes, she's out in the garden too ' 'May I talk with her?'

Again the small voice whispered, ' No .' Hoping there was somebody with whom he could leave a message, the boss asked, 'Is anybody else there?'

' Yes ,' whispered the child, ' a policeman. '

Wondering what a cop would be doing at his employee's home, the boss asked, 'May I speak with the policeman?' ' No, he's busy , ' whispered the child.

'Busy doing what?' ' Talking to Daddy and Mommy and the police dog men. '

Growing more worried as he heard a loud noise in the background, the boss asked, 'What is that noise?' ' 'It's a helicopter ' answered the whispering voice.

'What is going on there?' demanded the boss, now truly apprehensive. ' The search team just landed a helicopter ' 'A search team?' said the boss. 'What are they searching for?'

Still whispering, the young voice replied with a muffled giggle.... ' ME '

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!

2009-05-08T15:50:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to wish all you awesome mothers out there a happy Mother's Day Sunday!

Weekend wrap-up...

2009-05-04T16:52:00.000-07:00

So our trip to Ft Worth went well. Always good to spend some time with the family... Jack felt abandoned... poor baby. The pic below was sent to us by Debra and Paula, who were watching him for us...

Looks pretty mistreated huh? LOL

Faboulousness

2009-04-30T19:17:00.000-07:00

My cousin and her family are here in town for Shark Fight - Rex is fighting in it Saturday... so this evening we all got together to have dinner and just hang out. Wyatt and Riley played and played, the dogs went crazy and the adults chatted. It was wonderful.

GO LUCK REX!!

Tomorrow we leave for Ft. Worth for the weekend to celebrate Kristen's 21st birthday! We're dropping the kid (aka our dog LOL) off at Debra & Paula's and we're going to stay at Brendan's uncle's lake house in Weatherford. It will be so nice and relaxing I hope!

EVERYONE NEEDS TO READ THIS!

2009-04-29T20:21:00.000-07:00

This was sent to me in an email and I HAD to pass it on. Everyone needs to see this... Please read:

Guess our national leaders didn't expect this, hmm? On Thursday, Darrell Scott, the father of Rachel Scott, a victim of the Columbine High school shootings in Littleton , Colorado, was invited to address the House Judiciary Committee's subcommittee. What he said to our national leaders during this special session of Congress was painfully truthful.They were not prepared for what he was to say, nor was it received well. It needs to be heard by every parent, every teacher, every politician, every sociologist, every psychologist, and every so-called expert!

These courageous words spoken by Darrell Scott are powerful, penetrating, and deeply personal. There is no doubt that God sent this man as a voice crying in the wilderness. The following is a portion of the transcript:

"Since the dawn of creation there has been both good & evil in the hearts of men and women. We all contain the seeds of kindness or the seeds of violence. The death of my wonderful daughter, Rachel Joy Scott, and the deaths of that heroic teacher, and the other eleven children who died must not be in vain. Their blood cries out f or answers."

"The first recorded act of violence was when Cain slew his brother Abel out in the field. The villain was not the club he used.. Neither was it the NCA, the National Club Association. The true killer was Cain, and the reason for the murder could only be found in Cain's heart."In the days that followed the Columbine tragedy, I was amazed at how quickly fingers began to be pointed at groups such as the NRA. "

"I am not a member of the NRA. I am not a hunter. I do not even own a gun. I am not here to represent or defend the NRA - because I don't believe that they are responsible for my daughter's death. Therefore I do not believe that they need to be defended. If I believed they had anything to do with Rachel's murder I would be their strongest opponent.. I am here today to declare that Columbine was not just a tragedy -- it was a spiritual event that should be forcing us to look at where the real blame lies! Much of the blame lies here in this room. Much of the blame lies behind the pointing fingers of the accusers themselves. I wrote a poem just four nights ago that expresses my feelings best. "

"Your laws ignore our deepest needs,Your words are empty air. You've stripped away our heritage, You've outlawed simple prayer. Now gunshots fill our classrooms, And precious children die.

You seek for answers everywhere,And ask the question "Why?"

You regulate restrictive laws,Through legislative creed. And yet you fail to understand, That God is what we need!"

"Men and women are three-part beings. We all consist of body, mind, and spirit. When we refuse to acknowledge a third part of our make-up, we create a void that allows evil, prejudice, and hatred to rush in and wreak havoc. "

"Spiritual presences were present within our educational systems for most of our nation's history. Many of our major colleges began as theological seminaries. This is a historical fact. What has happened to us as a nation? "

"We have refused to honor God, and in so doing, we open the doors to hatred and violence. And when something as terrible as Columbine's tragedy occurs -- politicians immediately look for a scapegoat such as the NRA. They immediately seek to pass more restrictive laws that contribute to erode away our personal and private liberties. We do not need more restrictive laws. Eric and Dylan would not have been stopped by metal detectors. No amount of gun laws can stop someone who spends months planning this type of massacre. "

"The real villain lies within our own hearts."

"As my son Craig lay under that table in the school library and saw his two friends murdered before his very eyes, he did not hesitate to pray in school. I defy any law or politician to deny him that right! I challenge every young person in America , and around the world, to realize that on April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School prayer was brought back to our schools. Do not let the many prayers offered by those students be in vain. Dare to move into the new millennium with a sacred disregard for legislation that violates your God-given right to communicate with Him. "

"To those of you who would point your finger at the NRA -- I give to you a sincere challenge. Dare to examine your own heart before casting the first stone!My daughter's death will not be in vain! The young people of this country will not allow that to happen!"Do what the media did not - - let the nation hear this man's speech... Please send this out to everyone you can. "

"In God We Trust! "