The end of the year

I thought I would post a copy of our Christmas letter from this year. This is not an exact duplicate, it has a few updates and changes but it still gives you the general gist of our 2009.

Hello everyone,
We have had a blessed year. We are thankful to all of our friends and family. We are continuing to grow as a family and our friendships are continuing to grow and grow stronger also.

We celebrated Januarie's birthday and Al and I took some Disaster training - hoping we would never need to use it - during the month of January. We were trained by the Southern Baptists to be able to be on a team to help in immediate disaster response. It was a very informative course and we are glad that there are people willing to help others.

During February we celebrated Al's birthday and Luke's second piano recital. We bought a Chevrolet Impala for Kelley, she really racks up the miles on her vehicles. March brought us Lydia's 4th birthday and the birth of our fifth granddaughter Karstyn Elise. Karstyn means anoited by God and Elise is french for Elizabeth. She was born on March 11 and came into this world a happy camper and hasn't changed! Hope loves her and calls her "sweet". That is Hope's name for Karstyn "Sweet." Luke wants to know how many girls he is going to be related to and Lydia, Abigail, and Julia love having another female in the mix!!

Al and I made another trip to South Florida during the month of March and had a great time. We visited Silver Springs Park in Ocala. I haven't been there since I was in 7th grade and Al had never been there. We highly reccommend it. It was very nice, beautiful, and relaxing. Of course we had to go back to South Beach. We love it there! Al wakeboarded in Orlando, he did a good job!

In April Kelley and Januarie attended a Beth Moore Conference in New Orleans and were truly blessed there. In May, Al took Chaplain training (it sounds like a learning year), we went to Luke and Lydia's school parent night, and attended Hope's Gymnastic recital! The Parent night had an international theme and was very well done. Hope was the youngest student at her Gym and her picture was in the local newspaper.

In June we celebrate the birth of Alanna, Julia, and Matt! Al and I also went to Mississippi college for a Missionfuge camp with the youth from our church. It was wonderful!

In July Kelley's sister Russanne rents a condominium at Dauphin Island Alabama. We went down and spent some time with her and her family. Alanna and Hope and Karstyn came too! It was great, we played in the sand, rode jetskis, ate smores, played games, talked, mourned the passing of Michael Jackeson, etc. We had fun family time! July 25 is Luke's birthday and we brought him to Louisiana the week before his birthday and his family stayed here the week after so we were able to have fun famiy time with them also. Isn't God awesome. He has a perfect plan and His plans work!!!

We were blessed to celebrate our 32nd anniversary in August of this year. We officially say old people things now like "it seems like only yesterday," or "I remember when...," we are loving every moment of it and thanking God daily for each other and all of our blessings. We went to the place where we were married and spent a few days in the French Quarter. Russanne also became a grandmother for the first time to a beautiful granddaughter Caroline Elizabeth!

In September Kelley had surgery to help her various health problems. The recovery has been great and she is feeling much better. Peter turned the big 30. We both made a few trips to Memphis with Russanne for Kelley's ear problems and found out that Russanne shares the same illness that Kelley has.

In October we celbrated Hope's second birthday here in Louisiana at the Jumparoo! Her cousins were able to come and she was a beautiful young lady at her party. We also were blessed to be able to babysit for Januarie and Peter as they celbrated their 10th Anniversary by going on a cruise around the Hawaiian Islands. It was a fun time for us. It took us about 2 weeks to recover!!

November is already here and we are planning our holidays, celbrating Abigails 3rd birthday, and planning our next trip to Disney World (in January). Januarie, Alanna, Russanne and I are going on a Disney Cruise in mid January and Al and I are going to Disney World with the Morrisons at the end of the month.

Al and I went to New Orleans the 23 and 24 of December and toured all of the local hotels to see their Christmas decorations. You can see pictures on facebook if you are interested.

Al added a party room and an additional closet for me during the year and in 2010 we hooe to replace all of our windows.

God has truly blessed us and we thank God for each of thewse blessings and our friends and families. We pray that everyone has an awesome 2010.

My weight is down to 163 and that is after the holidays so I am thrilled!

3 years ago today, November 4

Three years ago today my Boo Boo was born. She came into this world gorgeous, she still is, but even being of a good weight did not keep her from the NICU. She was not getting the oxygen saturations that she should have been and all heck was breaking loose in the delivery room. Her Mom had a delivery complication that was being fixed, her Dad made the mistake of looking at the blood and got weak in the knees, and every available nurse was working on the Boo Boo! My daughter kept asking me for reassurance because they were continuing to work on the baby instead of bringing her the baby and I heard what the nurses and doctors were saying but I also heard my Boo Boo screaming at the top of her lungs every time they would give her a chance. They were continually sticking things down her throat and she was aggravated at them! I was too! She looked great, was reacting great, but the stupid numbers were not right. After a period of time it was decided that she needed to go to NICU for the best care available. This was quite upsetting to all of us but we liked the neonatologist. We told her brother and sister that she went to the nursery to "play" with her friends, they wanted to touch her and couldn't! She was the biggest and hairriest (is that a word?) baby in the NICU. She was trying hard to do everything on her own but the machines had to help her for a few days. At seventeen months old she had to undergo throat surgery to try to open her air passage ways some more. She is a sweetheart and doesn't let anything slow her down though. She did go through a period of time where anyone wearing "scrub" type clothing would truly upset her because she associated them with pain. I think she is outgrowing that now though. Last year we went to Disney World in December and she was so excited that Disney World had made a "Birthday Boat" for her (the It's A Small World Ride)! We were all excited for her too. She is pint sized with a heart as big as she is! I thank God for the blessing of my Boo Boo. I love you Big girl!! Happy, Happy Birthday!

Rednecks - I am one!

You know you're a redneck when......


1. You take your dog for a walk and you both use the same tree.

2. You can entertain yourself for more than 15 minutes with a fly swatter.

3. Your boat has not left the driveway in 15 years.

4. You burn your yard rather than mow it.

5. You think "The Nutcracker" is something you do off the high dive.

6. The Salvation Army declines your furniture.

7. You offer to give someone the shirt off your back and they don't want it.

8. You have the local taxidermist on speed dial.

9. You come back from the dump with more than you took.

10. You keep a can of Raid on the kitchen table. (This one scares me)

11. Your wife can climb a tree faster than your cat.

12. Your grandmother has "ammo" on her Christmas list. (I don't have a problem with this one)

13. You keep flea and tick soap in the shower.

14. You've been involved in a custody fight over a hunting dog.

15. You go to the stock car races and don't need a program.

16. You know how many bales of hay your car will hold.

17. You have a rag for a gas cap. (been there, done that)

18. Your house doesn’t have curtains, but your truck does.

19. You wonder how service stations keep their restrooms so clean.

20. You can spit without opening your mouth.

21. You consider your license plate personalized because your father made it.

22. Your lifetime goal is to own a fireworks stand.

23. You have a complete set of salad bowls and they all say "Cool Whip" on the side.

24. The biggest city you've ever been to is Walmart.

25. Your working TV sits on top of your non-working TV.

26. You’ve used your ironing board as a buffet table. (Only with a holiday cloth)

27. A tornado hits your neighborhood and does $100,000 worth of improvements.

28. You've used a toilet brush to scratch your back. (gross)

29. You missed your 5th grade graduation because you were on jury duty.

30. You think fast food is hitting a deer at 65.

171 pounds!

Memphis Tennessee

Hope Elizabeth - the big 2 year old sweet heart!


I am back in Memphis to get my ear surgery checked up on. My ears are doing great, I really have been feeling great since my last ear surgery and then stomach sleeve. It is a little hard to stay right on track with my diet and exerciwse when i am out of town but I do my best. I will let you know about the weight when I get home. Russanne needed another procedure on her ear so please continue to pray for her
We had a wonderful visit with all of the kids over the past couple of weeks. Grandchildren are such a blessing. They each have their own special gift that they bring to the table and they each have a special place in my heart!
The LSU loss this weekend was hard. I like Tim Tebow but I wanted LSU.

update: October 19, 2009

The Saints won! A decisive victory!! Happiness reigns in Louisiana!! LSU was off and Alabama won but I did not think it was a "pretty" win. Next week the Saints 5-0 play my beloved Miami Dolphins!

I came across this and realized I probably needed it more when my kids were younger but I still think it is cute!

Dear Santa,

I've been a good mom all year. I've fed, cleaned and cuddled my children on demand, visited the doctor's office more than my doctor, sold sixty-two cases of candy bars to raise money to plant a shade tree on the school playground. I was hoping you could spread my list out over several Christmases, since I had to write this letter with my Daughter's red crayon, on
the back of a receipt in the laundry room between cycles, and who knows when I'll find anymore free time in the next 18 years.

Here are my Christmas wishes:

I'd like a pair of legs that don't ache (in any color, except purple, which I already have) and arms that don't hurt or flap in the breeze; but are strong enough to pull my screaming child out of the candy aisle in the grocery store.
I'd also like a waist, since I lost mine somewhere in the seventh month of my last pregnancy. Thanks Alanna

If you're hauling big ticket items this year I'd like fingerprint resistant windows and a radio that only plays adult music; a television that doesn't
broadcast any programs containing talking animals; and a refrigerator with a secret compartment behind the crisper where I can hide to talk on the phone.
On the practical side, I could use a talking doll that says, "Yes, Mommy" to boost my parental confidence, along with two kids who don't fight and three pairs of jeans that will zip all the way up without the use of power tools.

I could also use a recording of Tibetan monks chanting "Don't eat in the living room" and "Take your hands off your sister, " because my voice seems
to be just out of my children's hearing range and can only be heard by the dog.

If it's too late to find any of these products, I'd settle for enough time to brush my teeth and comb my hair in the same morning, or the luxury of eating food warmer than room temperature without it being served in a Styrofoam container.

If you don't mind, I could also use a few Christmas miracles to brighten the holiday season. Would it be too much trouble to declare ketchup a vegetable? It will clear my conscience immensely. It would be helpful if you could coerce my children to help around the house without demanding payment as if they were the bosses of an organized crime family.

Well, Santa, the buzzer on the dryer is ringing and my daughter saw my feet under the laundry room door. I think she wants her crayon back.
Have a safe trip and remember to leave your wet boots by the door and come in and dry off so you don't catch cold.
Help yourself to cookies on the table but don't eat too many or leave crumbs on the carpet.

Yours Always, MOM...!

P.S. One more thing...you can cancel all my requests if you can keep my children young enough to believe in Santa.

My mom always said if you Believe you Recieve. How appropriate - looking at it biblically.

Weight is up a little from yesterday 174.3 - feeling good!

Happy Birthday Hope Elisabeth

Happy Birthday my Hopey. We have been so blessed since your arrival! We have been so thankful to Jesus for placing you in our lives. My how these 2 years have flown. You are an incredible young lady! You are beautiful and smart and a sweetheart! You remind me so much of your mother even though everyone says you look like your Dad. Looking like your Dad is usually said by your Dad's relatives, I see your Mom when I look at you. Now you have a sweet little smiley sister to play with, how cool is that! Thanks for having your party at the Jumparoo in Hammond, we had alot of fun! You are very loved young lady!

It has been a busy week. We were busy with our oldest granddaughter here all alone! We had fun. She is 4 going on 40! We had manicures, went to the circus, and she rode a sheep (ram) at the rodeo! She even won a trophy!!

I will add more tomorrow but it is time for me to bathe aned go to bed. My weight is 174.6 today! Thank you Jesus!

Rainy Night

I had trouble sleeping last night, it rained a whole lot! I got up and read, tried to not get on the computer (I succeeded), but I really just wanted to sleep! I have realized how dependant I am on Cable TV. I am on day 3 without it and it has rocked my world. I don't think I necessarily watch it alot, I think I use it for background noise. The house seems very quiet without it.
I've got to go back to the doctor's office now, I went yesterday to purchase 2 canisters of lactose free chocolate protien shakes and they gave me 2 canisters of vanilla. I didn't realize it until I was at home so I need to go exchange it while it is fresh on their minds because they have a no exchange/no refund policy. I guess God just thought I might want a ride this morning. My weight today is 176.6, down 1 pound from yesterday. No complaints from me! I'll probably add more to this blog later! have a wonderful day in the Lord!

September 24, 2009 179.4 pounds

I asked Al to take these two pictures tonight so you could have a reference point. It has now been 17 days since my surgery. I feel really good, I get tired some but I'm not eating as much as I used to so that makes since. The Nurse Practitioner said that I would be energized in about a month. I am slowly graduating to different foods which will make it easier to get all of my nutrients and proteins in. I am walking on the treadmill about 6 out of 7 days a week and I am adding 2 minutes to my walk each day. I am not hungry and do not feel deprived of any food. I did start getting a little burning at the bottom of my throat Tuesday and I think it may be a little reflux. I have been taking gasx thin strips for it and today I spoke with the nurse and she told me to take some prilosic. She said if that didn't help in a couple of days to come in. They are so nice !!
This would not be a bad weight if I was about 10-12 inches taller. God knew my height when he made me though and I praise him for putting this surgery in my life!

Wednesday - Sun is out - for now and Football season is here!!!

Good Morning!

I went shopping yesterday and overdid it a little I think. My weight loss for today is .4 of a pound, which I am still pleased with. The nurse at the doctor told me to NOT weigh every day because it is not good for you because your weight can fluctuate and depress you. You see how well I listen. I went and bought a new scale (The Biggest Loser kind from Target). I weigh before bed, out of curiousity and in the am. The weight that I post is in the am.

Since I am from Mobile and Football is in your blood from birth there, I thought I would pass along a little football knowledge that has been ascertained over the years! This is how we Southern Belles are trained and we pass this along to our children, generationally preserving this rite of passage!



Southern football


Planning for the fall football season in the South is radically different than up North. For those who are planning a football trip

South, here are some helpful hints.

Women's Accessories:

NORTH: Chap Stick in back pocket and a $20 bill in the front pocket.

SOUTH: Louis Vuitton duffel with two lipsticks, and waterproof mascara. Money not necessary - that's what dates are for.


Stadium Size:

NORTH: College football stadiums hold 20,000 people.

SOUTH: High school football stadiums hold 20,000 people.

Fathers:

NORTH: Expect their daughters to understand Sylvia Plath.

SOUTH: Expect their daughters to understand pass interference.


Campus Decor:

NORTH: Statues of founding fathers.

SOUTH: Statues of Heisman trophy winners.


Homecoming Queen:

NORTH: Also a physics major.

SOUTH: Also Miss America


Heroes:

NORTH: Rudy Giuliani

SOUTH: Herschel Walker & Peyton Manning


Getting Tickets:

NORTH: 5 days before the game you walk into the ticket office on campus.

SOUTH: 5 months before the game you walk into the ticket office on campus, make a large financial contribution and put name on a waiting list for tickets.


Friday Classes After a Thursday Night Game:

NORTH: Students and teachers not sure they're going to the game, because they have classes on Friday.

SOUTH: Teachers cancel Friday classes because they don't want to see the few hung-over students that might actually make it to class.


Parking:

NORTH: An hour before game time, the University opens the campus for game parking.

SOUTH: RVs sporting their school flags begin arriving on Wednesday for the weekend festivities. The really faithful arrive on Tuesday.

Game Day:

NORTH: A few students party in the dorm and watch ESPN on TV.

SOUTH: Every student wakes up, has a beer (not me, my drink of choice in the am is good old Coca-cola!) for breakfast, and rushes over to where ESPN is broadcasting "Game Day Live" to get on camera and wave to the idiots up North who wonder why "Game Day Live" is never Broadcast from their campus.

Tailgating:

NORTH: Raw meat on a grill, beer with lime in it, listening to local radio station with truck tailgate down.

SOUTH: 30-foot custom pig-shaped smoker fires up at dawn. Cooking accompanied by live performance from the Dave Matthews Band, who come over during breaks and ask for a hit off bottle of bourbon, a rack of ribs, or some gumbo!


Getting to the Stadium:

NORTH: You ask "Where's the stadium?" When you find it, you walk right in.

SOUTH: When you're near it, you'll hear it. On game day it is the state's third largest city.

Concessions:

NORTH: Drinks served in a paper cup, filled to the top with soda.

SOUTH: Drinks served in a plastic cup, with the home team's mascot on it, filled less than half way with soda, to insure enough room for bourbon.

When National Anthem is Played:

NORTH: Stands are less than half full, and less than half of them stand up.

SOUTH: 100,000 fans, all standing, sing along in perfect four-part harmony.

The Smell in the Air After the First Score:

NORTH: Nothing changes.

SOUTH: Fireworks, with a touch of bourbon.

Commentary (Male):

NORTH: "Nice play."

SOUTH: "Da**it, you slow sum'bitch - tackle him and break his legs."

Commentary (Female):

NORTH: "My, this certainly is a violent sport."

SOUTH: "Da**it, you slow sum'bitch - tackle him and break his legs."

Announcers:

NORTH: Neutral and paid.

SOUTH: Announcer harmonizes with the crowd in the fight song, with a tear in his eye because he is so proud of his team.

After the Game:

NORTH: The stadium is empty way before the game ends.

SOUTH: Another rack of ribs goes on the smoker, while somebody goes to the nearest package store for more bourbon, and planning begins for next week's game.

Nothing else in the universe comes even halfway close to the glories of

Southern football! ________________________________ And for SEC Fans:

HOW MANY SEC STUDENTS DOES IT TAKE TO CHANGE A LIGHT BULB?

At VANDERBILT: It takes two, one to change the bulb and one more to explain how they did it every bit as good as the bulbs changed at Harvard.

At GEORGIA: It takes two, one to change the bulb and one to phone an engineer at Georgia Tech for instructions.

At FLORIDA: It takes four, one to screw in the bulb and three to figure out how to get stoned off the old one.

At ALABAMA: It takes five, one to change it, three to reminisce about how "The Bear" would have done it, and one to throw the old bulb at an NCAA investigator.

At OLE MISS: It takes six, one to change it, two to mix the drinks and three to find the perfect J. Crew outfit to wear for the occasion.

At LSU: It takes seven, and each one gets credit for five semester hours.

At KENTUCKY: It takes eight, one to screw it in and seven to discuss how much brighter it seems to shine during basketball season.

At TENNESSEE: It takes ten, two to figure out how to screw it in, two to buy an orange lampshade, and six to phone a radio call-in show and talk about how much they hate Alabama.

At MISSISSIPPI STATE: It takes fifteen, one to screw in the bulb, two to buy the Skoal, and twelve to yell, "GO TO HELL, OLE MISS".

At AUBURN: It takes one hundred, one to change it, forty-nine to talk about how they did it better than at 'Bama and Georgia, and fifty to get drunk and roll Toomer's Corner when finished.

At SOUTH CAROLINA: It takes 80,000, one to screw it in and 79,999 to discuss how this finally will be the year that they have a decent football team.

At ARKANSAS: None. There is no electricity in Arkansas

Tired

I think I may have done too much today. I was shopping with Janet and we built in 3 breaks but it doesn't feel like my food went down right today. No nausea or vomiting just uneasiness of the stomach.

Today was the first day that I could bathe again(instead of shower). My wonderful husband had the jacuzzi run with warm water and the candles lit for me. It was very relaxing and an awesome way to unwind from spending all of that money!! I love my Jacuzzi. Al built me a room just for it! I will have to post pictures to give you a visual of this oasis for me. I can truly go in there and pamper myself!! Thank you God for giving me the BEST husband EVER!!!

I did have to pick up a few purple dresses for my granddaughter who is turning 3. I already bought her 2 outfits for her birthday attire when I was in Memphis but she, so far, is my most discriminating fashionista!! She will not wear anything that she deems - uggy-!

Hi there

I put my weight loss ticker at the bottom of the page if you are interested! It feels great to feel good!

Your comments are welcome!

I am going shopping with my good friend Janet today! Hope you all have a wonderful day!

Vertical Gastric Sleeve September 8, 2009

I had a vertical gastric sleeve surgery on september 8 to help my health. I am now off od 5 of my regular medications including all diabetes medicine. I am feeling more energetic enven though I was told that I would be fatiqued for the first month. I do plan 1 "special thing, activity" each day. I am napping every day. I am eating fewer calories and walkinmg on the treadmill. I am trying to add 2 minutes each day to my treadmill walking. I am at 15 minutes a day now. I am excited about the weight loss but the medication reduction is AMAZING!! It will be exactly 2 weeks after surgery tomorrow. I spent 1 night in the hospital but have not had complications or nausea, Praise the Lord! I am on thick liquids now and tomorrow I can puree vegetables!! Yippee!! There are many videos on youtube if you are interested in checking it out. I will try to keep you posted and do as told! Take care!!

Karstyn Elise

Our newest grandchild, Karstyn Elise Traylor, came into this world on March 11, 2009. She and her parents did well throughout the delivery. We were told her name a few hours after her birth and her Dad explained to us that Karstyn, in the greek language, means "anoited one." We thank God for this miraculous birth and all of the blessings He has given us.

She is beautiful and sweet and a tall (long) girl. She weighed considerably more than her sister at birth and she is thriving. She loves to be held and snuggled.
Her sister Hope isn't worried about her too much. She doesn't get in Hope's way. Hope does try to throw balls with her and various other objects to include her in playtime but Karstyn isn't quite getting the hang of playtime yet.

These are some ideas that I have recieved thru emails over the years:
I've learned.... That when your newly born grandchild holds your little finger in his little fist, that you're hooked for life.

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT!
1. You spend the first two years of their life teaching them to walk and talk. Then you spend the next 15 telling them to sit down and shut up.
2. Grandchildren are God's reward for not killing your own children.
3. Mothers of teens now know why some animals eat their young.
4. Children seldom misquote you. In fact, they usually repeat word for word what you shouldn't have said.
5. The main purpose of holding children's parties is to remind yourself that there are children more awful than your own.
6. We childproofed our homes, but they are still getting in.

ADVICE FOR THE DAY: Be nice to your kids. They will choose your nursing home one day.
AND FINALLY: IF YOU HAVE A LOT OF TENSION AND YOU GET A HEADACHE, DO WHAT IT SAYS ON THE ASPIRIN BOTTLE: "TAKE TWO ASPIRIN" AND "KEEP AWAY FROM CHILDREN"


My grandson was visiting one day when he asked , "Grandma, do you know how you and God are alike?"
I mentally polished my halo, while I asked, "No, how are we alike?"
"You're both old," he replied.

Al and I never thought that after having 2 children we would have 6 grandchildren aged 5 and younger. I love it!!

Economics 2009

Jesus said to the people, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t be stumbling through the darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

~ John 8:12, NLT

A quote by the late Adrian Rogers, 1931 - 2005
"You cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of freedom. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is about the end of any nation. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it."

Dr Rogers put it rather succinctly don't you think? What part of the above quotation is difficult to understand? People who work hard and have strived to provide for themselves and their families in the manner that they would like to live, are now, by our politicians going to be penalized to support those who don't work.

On April 15, Tax Day, those of us who believe in free markets and limited government have an enormous opportunity.

This opportunity is the Nationwide Tax Day Tea Party.

We're fed up and we're not gonna take it anymore.

Such is the rallying cry building across the country as taxpayers take a stand against what they see as reckless spending in Washington -- all part of a peculiar and rather sudden movement called "tea parties."

Some small, some large, locals converge at the parties to voice their frustration over the federal government's economic policies. The protests have sprouted up from coast-to-coast and city-to-city since late February.

The biggest one so far is scheduled for April 15, tax day, when hundreds of cities will play host to a coordinated, nationwide tea-party protest.

"People are getting killed -- they're getting hammered with taxes and it's not the way this country is supposed to be run. ... We want to fight back," said Kristina Mancini, who's helping organize the April 15 rally in Fishkill, N.Y.

"Sitting back and being quiet never helps."

The grassroots phenomenon, while largely ignored in the mainstream press, has caught fire on the Internet, where platforms like Facebook and Twitter have served as launching pads for demonstrations.

Though nobody -- so far -- is dressing up like a Mohawk Indian and throwing barrels of Darjeeling into Boston Harbor, organizers draw their inspiration from the original Boston Tea Party of 1773.

Whereas colonists back then were revolting against, among other things, unfair tax policies, the impetus now lies in federal spending and intervention that many fear will lead to a crushing tax burden.

Margaret Hyland, who's helping organize the rally in Astoria, Ore., said the parties are just gatherings for "regular people."

"We just feel that the government is not listening to the people," she said, adding that the stimulus package was a big factor in her decision to get involved.

"I do not understand how we can throw money at this problem and solve it," Hyland said. "If I was doing my personal budget and discovered I was deeply in debt, I don't think I would go out and borrow a lot of money to throw at it."

The Tea Party for those of you who live around me will be in Cate Square.


From the New York Times:
Richard K. Vedder - Economist at Ohio University says "By artificially keeping prices and wages high both Hoover and Roosevelt prevented the economy from adjusting which is why unemployment remained in double digits until the United States entered the war. Mr. Vedder playfully offered another analogy: the recession of 1920. Why was that slump, over and done with by 1922, so much shorter than the following decade’s? Well, for starters, he said, President Woodrow Wilson suffered an incapacitating stroke at the end of 1919, while his successor, Warren G. Harding, universally considered one of the worst presidents in American history, preferred drinking, playing poker and golf, and womanizing, to governing. “So nothing happened,” Mr. Vedder said.

Of course Mr. Vedder does not wish ill health — or obliviousness — on any chief executive. Still, in his view, when you’re talking about government intervention in the economy, doing nothing is about the best you can hope for from any president.

Parenting and Hope Elisabeth

I am amazed at how creative children are and then, how creative their parents can be. Here are some tips that I have heard from creative parents:

1. The car is a MANDATORY shoe-wearing zone.
2. When my kids don't want to finish their dinner, I make them take one more bite of everything for each year they are old.
3. If you're going to have a snack while you watch tv or a movie, it has to be vegetables. (corn, lima beans, etc)
4. One thing at a time. I can't get you a cup of chocolate milk and find your favorite socks, unless your socks are in the fridge next to the milk.
5. If Mom or Dad has said no to something and you whine, the answer will still be no. But if you hold the back of your hand to your forehead (in your best impression of a damsel in distress) and say, "Alas I fear I shall perish without it!" the answer might (just might) be changed to a yes.


A book that I have heard recommended is:

THE 39 APARTMENTS OF LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN
By Jonah Winter. Illustrated by Barry Blitt. Unpaged. Schwartz & Wade Books/Random House. $15.95. (Ages 4 to 9)

Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” is based on at least one fact. Dickens used facts like flavoring in his novels — “Oliver Twist” is an example (those workhouses), and so is “Bleak House.” “The 39 Apartments of Ludwig van Beethoven” is built around six facts. The rest is fiction, a “mockumentary” from the author Jonah Winter and the illustrator Barry Blitt.


We begin with the first fact: “Ludwig van Beethoven was born in the town of Bonn in the country of Germany in the year 1770.” Pictured before a window looking out on a peaceful canal, a baby in his crib cries four musical “wah”s (the famous opening of the Fifth Symphony). Then comes a cut worthy of a first-class documentarian: “Years later, he became a great composer.”

The second fact follows: “Beethoven owned five legless pianos and composed great works on the floor.” The picture shows Ludwig sitting at a piano. Around him the floor is littered with balled-up manuscripts, a fork, a quill pen, and so forth. The messy room of a young genius. Fact 3 is that Beethoven lived in 39 apartments in and around Vienna. This tale needs the fanciful turns the author and artist bring to it. Both Winter and Blitt possess, besides wonderful names, plenty of imagination. For instance, how’s this for fancy — after two centuries of research, experts are still without a clue as to how Beethoven’s pianos made it from one place to another. Did he really forget to pay the rent on his first apartment, and did he leave his second after only eight and a half days, because of the “hideous stinky cheese smell” in a bad neighborhood? Did “Fräulein Inge Hausfrau” have him evicted because she just could not handle the noise? And are there truly water stains where Beethoven poured water on his head while composing and going mad and deaf at the same time?

The book ends with a page of author’s notes. “That Beethoven composed his greatest work, the Ninth Symphony, after he had completely lost his hearing is nothing short of miraculous,” Winter writes. “That he managed to compose so much beautiful music while constantly moving his pianos in and out of different apartments may be short of miraculous — but it is something to think about.”

Blitt draws better and more distinctively than most illustrators. He is also able to draw a likeness, which most cannot do. Nevertheless, his scenes of places, people and legless pianos are much more successful than the large-headed Beethoven who dominates most pages he is on. That he always looks unhappy is not odd; no doubt he was. But the use of a blood-red wash on his hands, lower lip and cheeks is puzzling.

I do admire Blitt’s more contained Beethovens. In one, the composer stands on a balcony overlooking the Danube, his big, brooding head wreathed by musical notes. In another busy spread, the great man scribbles on paper, quill in hand, as he embraces a cello with his other arm.

The endpapers of this well-made, handsomely designed book are photographic reproductions from a handwritten manuscript with lines that have been angrily scratched out, and other lines of triumphant notation. The manuscript itself (of the “Grosse Fuge”) was found in a drawer in Pennsylvania recently — it had been missing since 1890. What it was doing in Pennsylvania, no one seems to know. Something else to think about. This book is full of things like that.

I don't think that we realize how precious each moment is. Time cannot be bought or stored. Here is something that I read awhile back and it kind of makes you think.

Life is a gift

Today before you say an unkind word - Think of someone who can't speak.

Before you complain about the taste of your food - Think of someone who has nothing to eat.

Before you complain about your husband or wife - Think of someone who's crying out to GOD for a companion.

Today before you complain about life - Think of someone who went too early to heaven

Before you complain about your children - Think of someone who does not have and desires children

Before you argue about your dirty house someone didn't clean or sweep - Think of the people who are living in the streets.

Before whining about the distance you drive Think of someone who walks the same distance with their feet.

And when you are tired and complain about your job - Think of the unemployed, the disabled, and those who wish they had your job.

But before you think of pointing the finger or condemning another - Remember that not one of us is without sin.

And when depressing thoughts seem to get you down -
Put a smile on your face and think: you're alive and still around.

Please pray for my granddaughter Hope, she will be a big sister next week and is running a temperature. Her parents are taking her to the emergency room right now.

We are expecting a Princess next Wednesday!!!

Hayden Edenfield

This is my Cousin Kristy's daughter. She is 15 years old and been suffering with Chronic pancreatitus since she was 3 years old.


Her blog can be found at:
http://chronicpancreatitis-isletcells4teens.blogspot.com/

She is doing well today and may not have to stay in ICU for the whole week. She is supposed to stay in the hospital for a month after the surgery.


There are two main types of pancreatitis: acute and chronic. About 90% of all cases of pancreatitis are acute; 10% are chronic.

Chronic Pancreatitis

Depending on the stage of the disease, chronic pancreatitis may be easy or difficult to diagnose. In general, the more advanced the chronic pancreatitis, the easier it is to diagnose. Chronic pancreatitis is very painful. It can occur after known episode(s) of acute pancreatitis or it may develop without an identifiable episode. The most common symptom is persistent abdominal pain, sometimes radiating into the back. Other symptoms include diarrhea, anorexia, malabsorption, and diabetes. Many people with chronic pancreatitis have experienced frequent hospitalizations or emergency room visits.

Chronic pancreatitis can be caused by a variety of things, including:

chronic alcoholism,
chronic obstruction of the pancreatic duct - the obstruction may be caused by pseudocysts, inflammation, tumors, cystic fibrosis,
traumatic injury to the pancreatic duct,
developmental variations in how the pancreas forms, or
no specific causes.
Intermittent attacks of acute pancreatitis may be called relapsing pancreatitis. Relapsing pancreatitis often leads to chronic pancreatitis in which the pancreas has become so scarred that amylase and lipase levels no longer elevate in the blood. In this case, the patient may also develop problems with intestinal absorption from a deficiency of the pancreas enzymes and have to take them in pill form.
Chronic pancreatitis is a long-standing inflammation of the pancreas that alters its normal structure and functions. It can present as episodes of acute inflammation in a previously injured pancreas, or as chronic damage with persistent pain or malabsorption.

Patients with chronic pancreatitis usually present with persistent abdominal pain or steatorrhea resulting from malabsorption of the fats in food (typically very bad-smelling and equally hard on the patient), as well as severe nausea. Diabetes is a common complication due to the chronic pancreatic damage and may require treatment with insulin. Some patients with chronic pancreatitis often look very sick, while others don't appear to be unhealthy at all.

Considerable weight loss, due to malabsorption, is evident in a high percentage of patients, and can continue to be a health problem as the condition progresses. The patient may also complain about pain related to their food intake, especially those meals containing a high percentage of fats and protein.
In up to one quarter of cases, no cause can be found. Autoimmune pancreatitis is increasingly recognized and may be associated with raised IgG4 levels, other autoimmune features and bile duct involvement.

The abdominal pain can be very severe and require high doses of analgesics.
Chronic pancreatitis is long-standing inflammation of the pancreas that results in irreversible deterioration of pancreatic structure and function.


Abdominal pain may be persistent or intermittent.
The diagnosis is usually based on the symptoms, but blood tests may be helpful.
Treatment involves allowing the pancreas to rest and taking drugs to relieve the pain.

In the United States, most chronic pancreatitis has no clear cause (idiopathic) or is due to alcohol abuse. Other less common causes include a hereditary predisposition, hyperparathyroidism, and an obstruction of the pancreatic duct caused by a narrowing of the duct, gallstones, or cancer. Rarely, an attack of severe acute pancreatitis makes the pancreatic duct so narrow that chronic pancreatitis results.

Symptoms

Symptoms of chronic pancreatitis may be identical to those of acute pancreatitis and generally fall into two patterns. In one pattern, a person has persistent midabdominal pain that varies in intensity. In this pattern, a complication of chronic pancreatitis, such as an inflammatory mass, a cyst, or even pancreatic cancer, is more likely. In the second pattern, a person has intermittent flare-ups (bouts or attacks) of pancreatitis with symptoms similar to those of mild to moderate acute pancreatitis. The pain sometimes is severe and lasts for many hours or several days. With either pattern, as chronic pancreatitis progresses, cells that secrete the digestive enzymes are slowly destroyed, so eventually the pain may stop.

As the number of digestive enzymes decreases (a condition called pancreatic insufficiency), food is inadequately broken down. Foot that is inadequately broken down is not absorbed properly (malabsorption), and the person may produce bulky, unusually foul-smelling, greasy stools (steatorrhea). Undigested muscle fibers may also be found in the feces. The inadequate absorption of food also leads to weight loss. Eventually, the insulin-secreting cells of the pancreas may be destroyed, gradually leading to diabetes.

Diagnosis

A doctor suspects chronic pancreatitis because of a person's symptoms or history of acute pancreatitis flare-ups or alcohol abuse. Blood tests are less useful in diagnosing chronic pancreatitis than in diagnosing acute pancreatitis, but they may indicate elevated levels of amylase and lipase. Also, blood tests can be used to check the level of sugar (glucose) in the blood, which may be elevated.

A computed tomography (CT) scan may be done to show changes of chronic pancreatitis. When available, many doctors now perform a special magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) test called magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) instead of a CT scan. MRCP shows the bile and pancreatic ducts more clearly than CT scan.

Chronic Pancreatitis


People with chronic pancreatitis are at increased risk of pancreatic cancer. Worsening of symptoms, especially narrowing of the pancreatic duct, makes doctors suspect cancer. In such cases, a doctor is likely to order an MRI scan, CT scan, or endoscopic study.

Treatment

Treatment of repeated flare-ups of chronic pancreatitis is similar to that of acute pancreatitis. Avoiding all food and receiving only intravenous fluids can rest the pancreas and intestine and may relieve a painful flare-up. In addition, opioid analgesics are sometimes needed to relieve the pain. Too often, these measures do not relieve the pain, requiring increased amounts of opioids, which may put the person at risk of addiction. Medical treatment of chronic pancreatic pain is often unsatisfactory.

Later, eating four or five meals a day consisting of food low in fat may help reduce the frequency and intensity of the flare-ups. If pain continues, a doctor searches for complications, such as an inflammatory mass in the head of the pancreas or a pseudocyst (a collection of pancreatic enzymes, fluid, and tissue debris resembling a cyst). An inflammatory mass may require surgical treatment. A pancreatic pseudocyst that causes pain as it expands may have to be drained.

If the person has continuing pain and no complications, the doctor may recommend injecting a combination of the local anesthetic idocaine and corticosteroids into the nerves from the pancreas to block pain impulses from reaching the brain. If this procedure does not work, which is frequently the case, surgical treatment may be an option if the pancreatic ducts are dilated or if there is an inflammatory mass in one region of the pancreas. For instance, when the pancreatic duct is dilated, creating a bypass from the pancreas to the small intestine relieves the pain in about 70 to 80% of people. When the duct is not dilated, part of the pancreas may have to be removed. Removing part of the pancreas means that cells that produce insulin are removed as well, and diabetes may develop. Doctors reserve surgical treatment for people who have stopped using alcohol and who can manage any diabetes that develops. For people who no longer produce adequate digestive enzymes, taking tablets or capsules of pancreatic enzyme extracts with meals can make the stool less greasy and improve food absorption, but these problems are rarely eliminated. If necessary, a histamine-2 (H2) blocker or a proton pump inhibitor (drugs that reduce or prevent the production of stomach acid) may be taken with the pancreatic enzymes. With such treatment, the person usually gains some weight, has fewer daily bowel movements, has no more oil droplets in the stool, and generally feels better. If these measures are ineffective, the person can try decreasing fat intake. Supplements of the fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K) also may be needed.

Oral hypoglycemic drugs rarely can be used in the treatment of diabetes caused by chronic pancreatitis. Insulin is generally needed but can cause a problem, because affected people also have decreased levels of glucagon, which is a hormone that acts to balance the effects of insulin. An excess of insulin in the bloodstream causes low sugar levels in the blood, which can result in a hypoglycemic coma.

Hayden had to have the puestow procedure at the age of 4:

Puestow procedure
The operation involves creating a longitudinal incision along the pancreas while the main pancreatic duct is filleted open longitudinally from the head of the organ to its tail. The duct and pancreas are then attached to a loop of the small intestine (pancreaticojejunostomy), which is oversewn to the exposed pancreatic duct in order to allow its drainage. When used in the appropriate setting, pain from chronic pancreatitis can improve. One advantage of this procedure compared to a Frey's procedure is that pancreatic tissue is preserved, which may be of critical importance in patients with exocrine or endocrine insufficiency from their chronic pancreatitis. A Puestow procedure is indicated for the treatment of symptomatic chronic pancreatitis patients with pancreatic ductal obstruction and a dilated main pancreatic duct. One of the problems that can lead to failure of the Puestow procedure is that pain can persist due to failure to drain the pancreatic duct on the head of the pancreas. A Frey's procedure is an alternative surgical procedure to the Puestow that allows for better drainage of the head, but pancreatic tissue is removed.

Her Doctor now is at the University of Minnesota:
Dr. Sutherland graduated from the University of Minnesota Medical School in 1966, completed his Surgical Residency in 1975, and a Transplant Fellowship in 1976. He has been on the faculty at the University of Minnesota since 1976, Professor of Surgery since 1984, and Head of the Division of Transplantation since 1994. He is also Director of the Diabetes Institute for Immunology and Transplantation at the University of Minnesota. Since 1980, he has been Director of the International Pancreas Transplant Registry. He was recently (2002-2004) President of The Transplantation Society, the Past President of the American Society of Transplant Surgeons (1990-91), the Cell Transplantation Society (1996), and the International Pancreas and Islet Transplantation Society (1997). His major academic interests include an array of transplantation topics with special emphasis in clinical and experimental pancreas and islet transplantation. He is author or co-author on well over 1000 publications.

Hayden is not a type 1 Diabetic, those are the people who this surgery is usually for. Here is an explannation of the surgery:

Islet Transplantation for People with Type 1 Diabetes

The purpose of an islet transplant is safe and effective treatment of Type 1 diabetes. Although islet transplants have been performed in clinical trials for years they are not yet considered standard medical care. What is exciting is that the outcomes of islet transplant clinical trials have significantly improved over the years. Continuing clinical trials are needed to further improve the success rate of islet transplantation.

Insulin therapy, whether by injection or insulin pump, is life-saving, however, insulin therapy is not perfect. Most people with type 1 diabetes still have blood glucose levels that are above normal, putting them at risk for long-term complications of diabetes. Patients able to keep their blood glucose levels near normal often have trouble with low blood glucose (hypoglycemia). After a number of years with type 1 diabetes some people lose the early symptoms such as sweating, dizziness, extreme hunger that warn them that their blood glucose level is at a low level. The inability to sense a low blood glucose is called hypoglycemia unawareness and raises the risk of severe hypoglycemia. Severe hypoglycemia is defined as needing help from someone else to raise the blood glucose such as giving juice, soda pop, or glucagon. The possible advantage of islet transplantation over giving insulin via injections or pump is that the transplanted islets would maintain normal blood sugar under all conditions, and would not produce excess insulin resulting in hypoglycemia.
How is an Islet Transplant Performed?

Islets transplanted into people with diabetes come from the pancreas of a deceased organ donor. An overview of the process is shown below. The islets are isolated from a decreased donor’s pancreas and infused into the recipient’s liver via the portal vein. The transplanted islets then produce insulin in response to sugars found in the blood as it flows through the liver.
A number of critical steps must be taken in a timely fashion to complete an islet transplant.

1. The donor pancreas is obtained by a highly skilled group of physicians. The University of Minnesota has a dedicated team on call to obtain pancreases.

2. The pancreas is brought to a facility the University of Minnesota whose purpose is to make biological products such as human islets. At this facility, staff members isolate and purify the islets. This process takes more than six hours.

3. The pancreas is cut into small pieces and put in a special container with steel marbles. The container is shaken, and enzymes are added to break down the tissue so the islets are freed from the rest of the tissue.

4. The islet tissue cells are removed, washed, counted and checked to be sure they are not damaged. On average, approximately 500,000 of the 1 million islets in a pancreas can be retrieved. This number of islets can usually maintain normal blood sugar levels. If the number or quality of islets is not satisfactory, the transplant must be cancelled.

5. If the number or quality of islets is satisfactory, the islets are cultured for two days before transplant.

Islet transplantation is a usually done in the radiology (X-ray) department and it takes 30 minutes to 2 hours. The recipient receives some sedation but remains awake. Islets are put into the body through a catheter (tube) in a vein of the liver. This vein is called the portal vein. The catheter can be placed in two different ways. The study doctors will decide which way would be safest for you. The two possible ways are:

1. Placement of islets through a needle going through the skin into the liver. If you have this procedure it will be done in an x-ray room. You will receive medication to sedate you and medication to numb an area on your right side between two ribs. The doctor will insert a needle into your liver. A computed tomography (CT) scan or an ultrasound will be used to help the doctor get the needle into the portal vein. A kind of dye will be injected to make sure that the catheter is in this vein.

2. Placement of the islets through a small cut in the skin. If you have this small operation, you will receive a medication to sedate you and a local anesthetic (numbing medicine) will be injected into your upper abdomen. A cut (no longer than two inches) will be made and the catheter will be inserted into a branch of the portal vein. If you receive your islets in this way, after all the islets have been given, the catheter will be removed and the cut will be closed with stitches that will dissolve when the cut is healed.

Recipients recover quickly from the procedure and are typically discharged from the hospital 2-3 days after the infusion. To monitor the patient’s health status and to determine how the islets are functioning, the islet transplant recipient will have to visit the University of Minnesota numerous times in the first year post-transplant as an outpatient. A second or third islet transplant is considered if the first does not stop the need for insulin injections or if blood glucose control is not well managed.




What are the Risks Associated with an Islet Transplant?

Although islet cell transplantation is being developed as a safe alternative to pancreas transplantation, people who participate in islet transplant trials may have more problems resulting from study participation than if they continued insulin treatment alone. Islet cell transplantation is an experimental treatment. As with any experimental treatment, there is a risk that rare or previously unknown complications can occur.

There are two main types of risks associated with islet cell transplantation:

First, the risks associated with the transplant procedure itself. These risks include slowed breathing from the anesthesia, severe bleeding, blood clots, abnormal liver function, accidental injury to organs, infection, decrease in blood pressure, pain, extra exposure to x-rays, allergic reaction to contrast dye, and very rarely, death.

Second, there are risks associated with the use of anti-rejection drugs, also known as immunosuppressive drugs or immunosuppressants. These drugs are needed for all transplants. Immunosuppressive drugs must be taken to prevent the body from rejecting a transplanted organ. Anti-rejection drugs may weaken the recipient’s immune system, which can lead to serious infections and even cancer.

What are the Benefits Associated with an Islet Transplant?

If successful, the transplanted islets will produce enough insulin so that the transplant recipient will no longer need to take insulin shots or use an insulin pump. A successful transplant will also control blood sugar levels in a normal or close to normal range and therefore will prevent low blood sugars. If the transplant is partially successful, the recipient may benefit from more stable blood sugar control, needing less insulin, with fewer low blood sugars. Because improved control of blood sugar has been shown to slow the complications of diabetes, islet transplant recipients may benefit whether their transplant is fully successful or partially successful. Preliminary studies suggest that islet transplants also improve quality of life. At this time larger studies monitoring development and progression of diabetes complications and quality of life in more transplant recipients for longer durations are needed to assess the true benefits of islet transplantation.

I want to thank all of you for praying for Hayden and you can keep updated through her blog or www.caringbridge.org
type in the name: Haydenedenfield

Here is an encouraging word from scripture, by way of KLOVE:
Encouraging Word
Friday 2/20/2009

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

Women

I don't think women get enough credit for all they do. Many things that women do are expected to be done, and they get no credit for it. So this is for all of you strong women and the men you have chosen to allow into your life.

NINE WORDS WOMEN USE

(1) Fine: This is the word women use to end an argument when they are
right and you need to shut up.

(2) Five Minutes: If she is getting dressed, this means a half an hour.
Five minutes is only five minutes if you have just been given five more
minutes to watch the game before helping around the house.

(3) Nothing: This is the calm before the storm. This means something,
and you should be on your toes. Arguments that begin with nothing
usually end in Fine.

(4) Go Ahead: This is a dare, not permission. Don't Do It!

(5) Loud Sigh: This is actually a word, but is a non-verbal statement
often misunderstood by men.

A loud sigh means she thinks you are an idiot and wonders why she is
wasting her time standing here and arguing with you about nothing. (Refer
back to # 3 for the meaning of Nothing.)

(6) That's Okay: This is one of the most dangerous statements a women
can make to a man. That's okay means she wants to think long and hard
before deciding how and when you will pay for your mistake.

(7) Thanks: A woman is thanking you, do not question, or faint. Just say
you're welcome. (I want to add in a clause here - This is true, unless
she says 'Thanks a lot' - that is PURE sarcasm and she is not thanking
you at all. DO NOT say 'you're welcome' .. That will bring on a
'whatever').

(8) Whatever: Is a woman's way of saying *&%+!*&

(9) Don't worry about it, I got it: Another dangerous statement, meaning
this is something that a woman has told a man to do several times, but
is now doing it herself.

This will later result in a man asking 'What's wrong?'

For the woman's response refer to # 3.


One Flaw In Women
By the time the Lord made woman,
He was into his sixth day of working overtime.
An angel appeared and said,
"Why are you spending so much time on this one?"
And the Lord answered, "Have you seen my spec sheet on her?
She has to be completely washable, but not plastic,
have over 200 movable parts, all replaceable
and able to run on diet coke and leftovers,
have a lap that can hold four children at one time,
have a kiss that can cure anything from a scraped knee to a broken heart
-and she will do everything
with only two hands."


The angel was astounded at the requirements.
"Only two hands!? No way! And that's just on the standard model? That's too much work for one day. Wait until tomorrow to finish."


But I won't," the Lord protested.
"I am so close to finishing this creation that is so close to my own heart. She already heals herself when she is sick AND can work 18 hour days."


The angel moved closer and touched the woman.
"But you have made her so soft, Lord."


"She is soft," the Lord agreed,
"but I have also made her tough. You have no idea what she can endure or accomplish."


"Will she be able to think?", asked the angel. The Lord replied,
"Not only will she be able to think,
she will be able to reason and negotiate."


The angel then noticed something,
and reaching out, touched the woman's cheek.
"Oops, it looks like you have a leak in this model.
I told you that you were trying to put too much into this one."


"That's not a leak,"
the Lord corrected, "that's a tear!"
"What's the tear for?" the angel asked.


The Lord said, "The tear is her way of expressing her joy,
her sorrow, her pain, her disappointment, her love,
her loneliness, her grief and her pride." The angel was impressed.
"You are a genius, Lord. You thought of everything! Woman is truly amazing."


And she is!
Women have strengths that amaze men. They bear hardships and they carry burdens, but they hold happiness, love and joy.
They smile when they want to scream. They sing when they want to cry. They cry when they are happy and laugh when they are nervous. They fight for what they believe in. They stand up to injustice. They don't take "no" for an answer when they believe there is a better solution. They go without so their family can have. They go to the doctor with a frightened friend..
They love unconditionally. They cry when their children excel
and cheer when their friends get awards. They are happy when they hear about a birth or a wedding.

Their hearts break when a friend dies.
They grieve at the loss of a family member, yet they are strong when they think there is no strength left. They know that a hug and a kiss can heal a broken heart. Women come in all shapes, sizes and colors. They'll drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you to show how much they care about you. The heart of a woman is what makes the world keep turning. They bring joy, hope and love. They have compassion and ideals. They give moral support to their family and friends. Women have vital things to say and everything to give.

HOWEVER, IF THERE IS ONE FLAW IN WOMEN,
IT IS THAT THEY FORGET THEIR WORTH.