Things May 20, 2013 taught me

1- Being in your closet isn't going to be enough.  Even with a helmet and a mattress on top of you.  If a tornado of any magnitude is coming toward you, get underground or get in your car (if time allows) and drive the other way.

2-  Have all your important stuff with you.  If you have a tornado shelter, move all your important papers, pictures, etc to that safe place, all during tornado season.  If you are dumb like me, and have no place, have a bag made of all your important documents, so you can grab and run. 

3-  Scan all your pictures.  I picked up hundreds of pictures in the debris of the storm.  Every one of them represented a special time for a family.  I realized I would be in deep deep trouble if I lost my pictures....I have NONE scanned. 

4-  Take extra clothes with you.  Most of these families came home to nothing but sticks and debris.  Very little was salvageable.  Wear tennis shoes and pack extra clothes, you don't know how long it's going to take.

5-  Charge your phones.  If you know you are in a threat situation (Like today)... keep your cell phones charged!  You can text with very little problem (calling is not easy), and when you have kids in different areas, this is the only way to know all is well.  My phone got so overloaded with texts it froze up a few times, but other than that.... I kept that baby charged.

6-  Have a plan.  If you think you are going to always sit out the storm in your closet, I'm hear to tell you, that is not a plan.  That was my plan until last Monday.  Now if I hear EF3 or above, I will be heading the other way.  Make sure your kids know the plan.  The best way to stay calm in the rising crisis of a storm, is to have a plan and stick to it.  This is hard for me, because I'm not a planner.  For tornadoes though, going forward....I have a plan.

6 1/2-  Have a plan for your pets.  Nothing broke my heart more than all those pictures of homeless pets. 

7-  Debris.  If a tornado hits my house, in it's current state, I will be leaving a debris trail of 200 miles, just from my house alone.  It will NOT be pretty.  I apologize in advance for anyone getting ANY of my garage contents or attic contents, or house contents, as far as that goes. 

8-  Take pictures of every room of your house.  When recounting what you lost, if you have a picture, you remember even the smallest thing.  This will come in handy to replace things lost. 

9-  Get your kids early.   Everyone has this idea, so the earlier the better...to avoid the panic that is happening when you all get there and the bad weather is 14 minutes out. 

10-  Above all, stay calm, and rely on Rick Mitchell.   Wait.   Mike Morgan.  If he starts to swear or get jacked up and yell things like "Scud" and "Getner", and "Debris Ball".... take it very very serious.  I've heard him swear twice in my life and the first time was May 3, and the second was May 20.  If he is amped up, my suggestion is you get amped up too. 

Be safe friends.... the only thing that is important is you...

Toothaches and Tornadoes

I was told a couple of dentist visits ago that I needed a new crown.  And probably a root canal to go with it.

So being the good, johnny on the spot, never procrastinate a second (remember the Colonscopy 101)
I promptly forgot it.

Last cleaning, Kim, my hygienist, was cleaning my teeth, and I almost went through the roof, because that crown had continued to deteriorate and WHAM,  cold or hot sent me to the moon.

I've tried Sensodyne, I've tried straws, I've tried room temperature food and drinks, and finally yesterday, my crown lost its battle.

I messaged my dentist (Yeah, I'm cool) and she sent me rx's for some meds.  I started my antibiotic and got me some LORTABS.

Well, I don't drink for a reason.

I can SMELL alcohol and get drunk.  It's oh so very true.  So one lortab sent me to my happy happy place.

In fact, when I got up this morning, I was seeing double and couldn't string sentences together.  It was way cool.  (Not.)

I somehow made my way to the lovelies daycare, and headed for my doc's office.  She worked me in, and since Dr. Ashley Lanman knows me well, I'm thinking she knew she would have one shot at me.
For one thing, I can't do x-rays.  I'm a gagging fool.  You put that 8 x 10 with a frame around it in my mouth, and call your mom and do the graduation walk out to push the button, and during that time I am so busy gagging, you can NEVER get a good film.  Kim has taken enough films of me over the years, that she knows this about me, but Tobie, the assistant didn't know this happy fact.  Plus I was still looped, so nothing about that first x ray was anything we want to remember.

Ashley got me under nitrous oxide as quick as lightning, before I had time to process what was happening  (Because I've put this off for 3 years, for the.love.) and I was floating somewhere between Venus and Mars, when she strolled in and told me she was going to start working in my mouth, and instead of me trying to hang in there and hold my mouth open, she would put a "Support" in there.  A "Support".   Of course, she couldn't tell me she had a garage door there, that we could drive my SUV into my mouth, because I think it would have sobered me up too quick.  And I swear, when she came in my room, I would have just started getting my senses back a tiny bit, and all the sudden I was flying around the planets again.

And I figured something out.  I blog in my head at all times.  I totally blogged an entire blog, complete with snickers (yes, with the garage door lodged in my mouth) from me when I cracked myself up.

I think I tried to communicate with them (yeah, right) and my phone rang like a half a million times while I was flying around the room, and Ashley finally put it my hands.

Boy I sent out some dandies, under the influence.  I'm just glad I couldn't see straight enough to make my way to facebook status updates.  That would have been quite special.

 One and a half hour later, I walked out with a brand new root canal and temporary crown.  I also sported a near stroke look, that stayed with me for several hours.  I was numb in my eyeball sockets, and all the way in my little finger, and my toes.  That stuff was serious about keeping me numb.

And tonight, as the tornadoes starting rolling toward Norman, I started un-numbing, and had to take another pain pill. 

Tornadoes aren't too big of a deal when you are feeling fine.  You tend to make fun of the weather announcers, and say the same thing over and over, like "scud" cloud and "Dibble".  

I appreciate my dentist Ashley Lanman of Masterpiece Smiles so much that I can't even put words to it.  She has put up with me for many years, and only she would I trust to see me with my mouth hanging open for that long.  If I'm rambling, I'm sorry.  It's her fault. 

But the good news, I had a glass of tea a while ago, and it was the first time in a year I was able to drink without a zing going through my mouth.

And the other good news, I should be sober in a few days.  Wheeee.

Motorcycles, boxes of Food and Cold Drinks

Another day out in the trenches.

Today we had help in the form of Becky Singleton and her friend Dave Radar.  It was great.  It's so much easier to be the hands and feet, when you have additional hands and feet.

We made a bunch of "Love Bags" full of snacks, soap, towel, trashbags and iced down a huge cooler of water and gatorade (that stuff is NASTY) and headed out.

First up, we went over to the 80+ year old lady's house and pick up the scattered debris in her yard.  It looks like NO BIG DEAL until you start to pick it up, and then all the sudden it is overwhelming.  There was nary a square inch in this lady's yard that didn't have something on it.  Took us an hour, and we only hit the big stuff.  3 of us bent over picking up debris (mainly insulation and splintered 2 x 4's, and shingles, oh my gosh, shingles) and Dave on the rake.  What a painstaking, painfully hard on your back, job.

After we helped her clean, Kristen & I headed out to Resthaven to pick up food to bring to the funeral home staff in Moore, who was waiting on families, and busy with that, and on the way, we came across the most outstanding, heartwarming sight.

 

It was the day for one of the precious little children that was lost in the storm and the bikers were there to great them, and hundreds of people lined the street to honor the life of this sweet little soul.  Signs were waved, "Oklahoma Proud" and you couldn't help but tear up with such a display of support.   This picture does not even begin to do it justice, what I witnessed today, but the policeman waving people through, was not happy with me and my need to take pictures of everything.  

After feeding the funeral home staff, we packed up some incredible food packs that had been donated by Carriage Services (each pack would feed a family of 4 for 30 days, along with a heat source) and pondered over what in the world to do with these incredible gifts.  After a brief discussion of needs and demands, we decided to head those out to the Little Axe area, where it's very out in the country.  What an incredible blessing to these people.  They literally could not believe their eyes when we dropped them to the donation center, where the leaders of the center, blurted out, "We KNOW who can benefit from them, that is so fantastic."

Ok, one rant here.  If it's not NEW, and it's been in your garage to Donate or give away, DO NOT give this item to the relief donations.  They do NOT need your garage sale castoffs.  They need NEW or GENTLY USED THINGS.  There were tables and tables of ridiculously used and smelly clothes.  REALLY?  How nice to have a holey, pink with brown spots from paint on a Dan's Pizza Parlor tshirt.  

Whoa.  There is a plethora of water, so for the minute, no water is needed.  Plus, people aren't being smart with the water in bottles, and leaving them in the parking lots, and under tents, and because  plastic bottles can't heat up, as the water in the bottle becomes toxic.  So be careful of the bottle water thing and where you are storing it. 

Little Axe was overwhelming.  Since it's rural, there are immense trees that are uprooted and laying over in the yards.   Kristen and I with our garbage bags, and "love bags", were ill prepared for the needs of that community.  They already had their drinks in the coolers, and the need in that area are strong strong men, with chainsaws and bobcats and backhoes.   I was happy for the food packs, because many many of the families in that area are in tents, with camping equipment to live from.  

Back to Moore we went, and we headed out to give cold drinks and our snack bags.  There is so much love out there, it was no uncommon for us to be following another vehicle doing similar things as us.  The only difference was our drinks were coming out of ice cold cooler.  And the love bags were rec'd as were given... with love and thanks.  

I talked with one couple that told me this was their 3rd tornado since moving to Moore in 1989.  They rode the storm out in their storm cellar, with 15 of their neighbors.  They lost everything.  It was so weird, because the upstairs corner of the house, his speakers were still standing and his recliner was intact and against the wall.  Everything else in that house was gone.  But the speakers were still stacked 3 tall.   My co-worker Becky, told me that her sister's bedroom, the bed was still made and her mom's picture was still sitting on the dresser intact without a scratch on it.  Tornadoes are weird and fickle things.  

Needless to say, as we ventured out of our 2 mile radius and traveled down 4th street toward Sunnylane, our hearts were broken again and again at the massive destruction.  

People went to work, and came home to nothing.  They are having to rebuild their entire life.  I drove home from the wreckage, and saw people at the golf course, and taking their boats to the lake, and all the sudden I was righteously indignant.   

EVERYONE needs help.  There isn't one house in Moore that doesn't need some kind of assistance.  Even if it is in the outskirts neighborhoods, picking up thousands of pieces of debris in their yard, to being right in the trenches, and handing out water and encouragement....  there are things to be done.

Be the hands and feet of Jesus.  I am so tired this evening, I can hardly type, but I have never felt such a deep satisfaction in my life.  

Be the hands of feet of Jesus.  Now is the time.  Drive to Moore, Oklahoma.... Shawnee, Oklahoma....Carney, Oklahoma.... Little Axe, Oklahoma...... Newcastle, Oklahoma....... and get involved.  

Be the hands and feet of Jesus.  YOU are needed.  Don't think for a minute you can't assist someone.  

EVERYONE needs something.  Just be ready to be overwhelmed to your eyeballs.

When Sorry isn't Enough

I've been on the outskirts of the Moore tornado all week.  Running to and fro, doing errands, trying to figure out where I could be effective.

Today I finally saw the destruction.  I-35 has been a parking lot this whole week.  I have driven the service roads and been all around the outskirts.  Today, I made it down I-35 and my heart literally stopped beating for a few minutes.

I was unprepared for the vast destruction I witnessed.  Entire streets of houses were gone.  There are no road signs, so there is no way to even find your bearings.  Mainly, because all the businesses, signs, landmarks, etc... are all destroyed.

They have been lifted, chopped up, shook up, flipped, chewed up and spit out.  It was horrifying.

We were only able to get to the east side of I-35, we weren't on the side where the schools were.  It's even worse there.  The path is so wide of destruction, and it's so overwhelming when you drive into a neighborhood, and it's not just a few people that need help....it's everybody.   I. Mean. Everybody.

I remember the first time I worked in the nursery at church.  There were 24 kids and 4 workers, and 20 of them were crying.  You wanted to comfort all of them and try to maintain the calm in the room, but there was no way you could stretch yourself thin enough to care for 6 kids at once.  You don't know who to help first.  The loudest cryer, or the sweet one with tears streaming down his face, trying to comfort himself.  Everyone of them need your attention, but where do you go first?

Driving into a neighborhood of utter destruction, I felt that despair weave through my heart.  Where in the world?? Who do I start with?  What do you say?   It. was. heartbreaking.

The severely destructed neighborhoods were being patrolled by military, so there was no getting in there, even with supplies.  So we headed out to neighborhoods that were on the outskirts, homes with no power, but families still camping out in them, and working in their yards, trying to restore order.

Shelby from the funeral home and Preston, our fearless leader Funeral home manager, had struck out in the neighborhoods the night prior, and found a father and son that were without power and could use a generator.  Preston generously loaned 2 from our funeral home and as we delivered those today to those families, the precious man fought back tears and as we asked them what else we could help them with, he just broke down.

As we fought with the urge of needing to help everyone, we came back down to earth to realize that we may only be able to help one family.  Giving of your time and the amount of effort it takes, just to get the debris off your roof, is unbelievable.  We passed an 80+ year old woman out in her debris filled yard, just aimlessly picking up shingles and insulation, and when we stopped to ask her how we could assist her, she couldn't even think of what she needed.   "Do you need trash bags",  my friend and manager, Kristen, asked her.. "can we bring you some trash bags?"   "I think the trash man will come today", she offered.  I told her I was pretty sure the trash man wouldn't be able to make it today, and that we could come back later and help her with her covered up yard.  We showered her with water, and a bag of snacks and toiletries, that Resthaven has in excess and just drove on.

We went back to the funeral home and armed our car with care packages and cold water and gatorade and lots and lots and lots of trash bags.

 We looked like a mini disaster relief van, but we were still naive newbies at this point, and had way too many diapers and not enough cold water and gatorade.

People are donating the GIANT bottles of sanitizer and people were like  "Whoa, that's a bang load of sanitizer" and yep, I have to agree.  Preston thought we should shrink wrap a giant bottle of sanitizer and a roll of toilet paper for every person.  My first real laugh of the day.  We got boxes and boxes of snack food, and instead of handing someone 36 bags of cheezits or 48 nutrigrain bars, we spent time and divided them up into "Snack bags" and handed them out along with cold drinks to the hard working people diligently cleaning up what was left of their yards.

Tomorrow we will be smarter.  The cold water is important after it gets warm outside.  The trash bags are important every single second.  No one has enough trash bags.  No one.  If we had had 10 tarps, we would have given them out.  We had 4 and they were gone in 10 minutes.  Everyone's roof has holes from the debris.

And to make matters all the more worse, it rained like a cow peeing on a flat rock all morning.  Straight downpour gusher.  It was just the icing on the cake for all these people.  But even driving through the rubble, you saw resiliency.  People out there, digging and friends and volunteers helping. Vans everywhere with water, and supplies, people helping people.   It was just a beautiful thing.

I can't stress enough that there is something for everybody to do.  Don't think you can't help.  Grab as many big strong trashbags as you have.  Take a rake, a shovel and wear strong sturdy shoes.  Get gloves on, and just drive to one of the sites.  There are people EVERYWHERE that need your help.  One yard alone takes 10 people to clean, and there are 1000's of yards to clean.

Shawnee needs help.  Lifechurch.tv MWC campus is organizing volunteers to help Saturday from 9-2.  Go to their facebook page and read about that opportunity.

If you have chainsaws and strong arms, go to Little Axe.  There are desperate situations everywhere in Oklahoma.  Not just in Moore.

It's time to rally together and help our neighbors.  It's about being the hands and feet of Jesus, and this is your way to be just that.  You are sore, and your heart is broken when you leave these places, but it makes you look at your home differently.  It makes you silently thankful to the bottom of your feet that you and your family were spared.

I spent just an extra minute staring at my home when I drove up this evening.  How I take for granted the comfort that it gives me.  How I can draw a bath, and turn on the tv, and cook my family food.  How I can walk in the yard, and play with my dog and wave to my neighbors.  All the things I take for granted, these thousands of families don't have tonight.

Sometimes, telling someone I'm sorry isn't enough.  Helping a total stranger pick up hundreds of pieces of debris from their yard shows them how sorry you are.  Get out this weekend and show your love and pride in Oklahoma.   Go be Oklahoma proud.

When Words aren't enough

I always dread May.  Not just because it's my birthday, but because it always seems to bring the most devastating tornadoes.

Yesterday was bad.  Everyone I love in Oklahoma was in the path yesterday.  It passed over without hurting anyone of those people, but Shawnee got hit hard, and homes were lost and it was tough.

Today was horrible.  It was so beautiful this morning, I had trouble wrapping my head around the fact that it could get bad.

Oh, it did.

I started rounding kids up about 2:00.  It took me 2 hours to get them all out of their schools and home.  During the course of getting LB, Norman sirens went off, and the school went into emergency lockdown.  With Hallie in the car, and us locked down in the school, I sort of went off on the office staff, who were harried, and freaked as I was.  I know most of them have children in other schools, and were panicked as well...

so I just can't imagine the schools in Moore, housing precious little souls, and the brave teachers that stood by them.  When the rescue and recovery changed status to the search and recovery, my heart broke in two. It's just more than I can even wrap my head around.

2 miles in diameter, 200 mph winds.  There wasn't much getting by this today.  

My only rant for this post is about the idiot news reporters.  I just can't believe they shoved microphones in faces of people that just lost everything they have.  I mean I was wanting to hear reports, but give me a break, report on the loss, don't talk to people in shock.  I was outraged for many people today.

All I know is that I'm sure Oklahoma stands behind me when I say that our hearts are collectively broken for all the lives lost today.

God be with all those affected by today's storms. 

Scandal of Grace

Dameon has been singing this song at church the last few weeks, and WOW do I love it.

I long to live these lyrics..... it's my greatest goal.   "Oh to be like you"

Today, while at Uncle GE's funeral....I was so unprepared to view firsthand his decline in his final days.  He had been through hell his last few weeks.  It's just overwhelming to me.  I was heartbroken and so sad, and then the preacher reminded us, that while his broken, worn body was still here, he was alive and in perfect condition in heaven.

Immediate peace.   We are only given that peace through God's grace.  We are only given that hope through Jesus's  spilled blood for us.  I wish I could impress on all I come in contact with that we are only given one chance to get it right in this life.   It took me many years to understand that to be in God's presence, I have to give my whole life, heart and being over to him NOW, and live as close to HIS will for my life as I can.  It's not easy, it doesn't make sense to the world (WHY OH WHY do you have kids and HOW LONG will you have them??? is often repeated every day).... but HIS will for your life, is the only way to heaven.  The path to heaven is narrow....are you on that path???

OH TO BE LIKE YOU!!  The cross has taught me to live..... I know that your strength is enough...the scandal of GRACE, YOU DIED IN PLACE, so MY SOUL WILL LIVE!  

I WILL GIVE ALL I HAVE just to KNOW you....Jesus there is NO ONE besides you...FOREVER the hope in my heart.

Watch the video again, and let it resonate it through your soul.

It's ALL because OF YOU, Jesus.   IT"S ALL because of your love..that my soul will live.....

OH TO BE like you.

I'm on FIRE, and It's a fire that will never stop...because it's a fire to have you all there with me.  Don't waste your life..... not one more second.  It's time to live for the reason we are here in the first place.  For HIM.  For his will.

That's all that really matters.

Dear Little Bald Headed Baby,

I visited your grave today.  I was having a hard day, and just needed to come spend some time with you.


As I was wandering through Hobby Lobby to find you some new flowers, a little bald headed angel with purple wings caught my eye, and I knew it was supposed to be yours.

I think the hardest thing for me after you died, Layniebug, was not being able to buy you anymore stuff. As your grandma, it was my duty and honor, and I don't think there was hardly a day that I didn't lug something over for you.  A new outfit, a fun rattle, some yogurt, just something for you that I didn't think you could possibly live without.  

I don't know if it was my birthday,missing you so much more than usual,  and knowing how much fun we had at the last birthday I had before you went to heaven...

and even though this year's birthday was great and fun and special....you weren't here.

 Then, your mama graduated with her masters in a subject very dear to her heart.....
you, my little love.   And her research will help so many families in their own grief. 

How you've changed us all.  How you still color all our days.  How the essence of you lives inside all of us.  How beautiful you made our lives. How special you made every thing you touched.  How there isn't a day that goes by that you aren't in our thoughts

Not.  one.  Single.  Day.

Today, I needed to be near you, so I brought you flowers. 

I miss you every day, and I will rejoice the day we are together again...

I love you forever and a day....   Lolly

Mom's Day

My heart is so full this evening. 

Earlier in the day from LB:

 

I mean if that doesn't hit ya right in the heart strings, I'm pretty sure you might not have a heart.  

I was still puzzling over the favorite memory of when I got him to stop lying (sweetest kid in the world, LYING?) when it hit me what he was talking about.

Coming clean about the abuse that was heaped on his precious little person.  He lied to protect, and once he finally was able to feel safe, and came clean on what had happened to him, he was a 9 year old again.  He's still an old soul, but now there are glimpses of kid in there, and that makes my heart happy.

Lacey graduated with honors from UCO Friday night.  She is a "Master" at her craft now.  She's always been a master at her craft, and now it's official.  She twirled that "Honors" rope around like she owned the dang thing, and YEP, she totally owned it.  

  

And it was super great to have Carl Deaton there.  He had gotten out of the hospital earlier in the day, after being admitted with his heart still in a whirl.  Finally got his meds straight, and I am happy to report that he is finally feeling back to his normal ornery self.   Continue praying for his ongoing healing and that the meds continue to work.  Tricky stuff, this heart crap. 

 

Hallie had her first foray into beach volleyball this weekend, taking 3 of her Middle school buddies with her to round out a 4 person team.  They called themselves the "Honey Badgers" and I have to tell you, yelling  "Go, Honey Badgers" was never said with a straight face.  I ended up calling them "HB" and those silly girls wound up in 3rd place.  Not too shabby for their first time out.  I'm really looking forward to having a lot of fun with beach volleyball this summer. Super duper fun.  (except for the whole sweating, menopausal thing)

Speaking of menopausal..... LOL...... I suffered ...er..... celebrated...through a birthday this week.  Yep, I turned 52.  Though I've gone on the leap year birthday system (only celebrating birthdays in a leap year, thus slowing down the cycle), I was forced to celebrate, because my manager Kristen, and friend Darlene, took me to breakfast, and lo and behold Lacey was there to celebrate with me.  They bought me cheetos, 7-11 gift card, and Eileen's cookies.... those chicks know me well.   Then Kip surprised me at work with flowers and I squealed like a stuck pig because this chick NEVER gets flowers and that was a BIG BIG deal.  I'm still loving them this weekend, and wow.... fantastic friends and a plethora of good wishes on my facebook page.   Makes me re-think the "leap year" system just to get those wishes!  :)

 Mother's day is always bittersweet, because one of the greatest mom's I know has her precious little sunshine in heaven now.... it's just my time to honor her....  my precious eldest daughter.... Lacey....

You know....life is a gift.  You get one chance to get it right.  I may be stressed, and old, and cranky half the time, but then all the sudden out of no where, you get a card from a 9 year old that loves you more than cookies.  You get birthday wishes from people you don't even think know you.... you are reminded of your precious grandbaby at the most perfect times....and your children are your biggest joy.

Life is a gift, and God Is Good. 

Heart Problems, Hearing Loss, and New Jobs

This has been a crazy few weeks.

I've been thinking that BB must have hearing loss, because he works mainly from visual cues most of the time.  He doesn't really mind you when you talk to him, because I've been thinking he can't really hear me.  Plus, he has only been speaking English since November, so he's doing pretty good considering.

Got his hearing tested today, and he didn't pass.  He didn't fail either, but, he like his brother and sister, are at odds with anyone trying to help them, because they can't decide if it's a language barrier, a learning disability, or if it really is, indeed a hearing loss.

Hallie couldn't talk until she was almost two.  Her eardrums were so impacted and fluid filled that once that kid finally got tubes and heard the world around her, she almost immediately started talking in full sentences.  I keep expecting that to happen with BB.  It's a whole 'nother world with that kid.  The Audiologist today said that she would love for someone to speak to him in Vietnamese and assess if he is speech delayed in that language too.

Interesting.

Speaking of interesting, Carl Deaton had a bunch of buzz on my facebook page today, because I requested some special prayer about his heart.  Then I had 1.2 million people ask what is happening, so in the interest of totally blowing his privacy, I'm going to give a quick update so everyone can be in the loop and know how to specifically pray for him.

His heart has been mis-firing (for lack of better terms) for a while now.  There is no blockage or problems there, it's just an electrical thing getting the signal to his brain to keep it beating normally.

A few weeks ago, he had an episode he couldn't fix and found himself being medi-flighted to OKC from his lake house.   Scary to say the very least.

One week and a 10 hour "Procedure" later, he is "fixed" and ready to go.

Didn't work so great.  Found his heart not beating correctly again this past weekend, and had to go in and "Shock" it back to regular.  None of this very good.

For those of you that know him, you know this ain't his style.  He never is sick, he doesn't like pills, he is a mover and a shaker, and none of this works for him.

So serious prayers on miraculous healing are definitely needed.  He's had the procedure to fix the irregular beat, so it's just a matter of it "minding".    This guy carries WAY too many hearts in his hands to have anything happen to his heart, so that's the big and little on Carl Deaton.  He needs some good prayers from my prayer warriors and hopefully, the healing they expected from that massive "procedure" will take hold.  Prayers for Evelyn as she cares for him, and his mom and dad, as they tirelessly are there for him as well.  There are no better people on this earth than this family, and prayers are very welcome.

On a happier note, KIP FOUND A JOB!  She was pretty despondent in Oklahoma over the fact that even with a 5 year degree from OU in architecture, there were no jobs.  So, that crazy girl moved to California, took her resumes to the firms there, and I'll be double dogged danged if she didn't land a job at the biggest firm!   Duh.  Who's surprised??  Not me.

She called me when she heard and I swear we squealed on the phone with each other for 5 minutes.  We'd catch our breath and just squeal again.  I already didn't have any doubts that she is where she is supposed to be, but any shadow of a doubt was erased, with this most excellent news.  My little architect is going to get to actually use that 5 year degree.  Ain't that something??

Sorry to use Ain't.

I haven't in a while, and I needed to see if you were paying attention to my bad grammar.

Lovely goes to the zoo with her school tomorrow, and she is so jacked up on adrenaline I'm not sure she'll even sleep tonight.   It doesn't matter that she JUST WENT last Saturday with our friend Taylor, she says,  "It different, going with my homies."

Oh, Ok.

I just hope the zoo is ready.  Again.

Thankful for my praying friends.  God continues to bless the lovelies, my girls, and now I'm ready for him to rain some blessings on Carl.

Time to let them flow.

If only life were a Volleyball Game

It hit me this morning, as I was waiting to go to Hallie's last volleyball game in her first year of Club ball, that if we just all approached life, like we do to play a volleyball game, then it might just be a whole bunch easier.

Let me break it down for you...

1-  It takes a team to make it work.  --  In volleyball, there are 6 people on the court.  They have to work together to make it go smooth, to get a point.  One person alone can't do it, it takes all 6 working together.    How much sense does it make to try to do something by yourself??? When you have friends and support, life is such a smoother journey.  If you don't believe me, try to install a garage door opener alone.  go ahead.

2-  You need to talk to each other....  In volleyball, when you aren't yelling and talking to each other, it can get ugly in a hurry.  The worse things happen when there isn't any talking.  When the girls are chattering and directing each other, it's like a beautiful dance.   I've never seen an instance in life, where not talking fixes anything.  You got to talk... and sometimes yell.  Just keep your eye on the prize.

3-  When all else fails, listen to your coach-  When the going gets tough, the tough listen to their coach.  I don't know an instance in life where it isn't smoother, when you get in a bind, to just go search out someone that knows how to help you out.

4-  Be the best at what you do--  Though it takes 6 to make a team work, it takes everyone doing their job EXCELLENT to be the best.  You have to be the best blocker, the best hitter, the best setter, that you can be.  In life, excel at your vocation, whether it be a salesman, a teacher, a stay at home mom, whatever if it, BE YOUR BEST.

5-  Being kind beats getting mad --  I've watched teams get mad at each other, and just implode.  Once one person gets mad, it's a domino effect, and everything goes south in a hurry.  But, going the other way, being kind, and patting each other on the back, and rallying to cheer each other on.... works everytime. 

6-  You gotta move --  This is extra tough for me, because I am a couch potato in a significant way.  I move move move all day, so when I get home, I want to take a load off.  But in volleyball, you stand around, you are losing the game.  You have to be sharp, and be on your toes.  If you snooze for one second in a volleyball game, you lose.  In life.....to be your physical and mental best, you have to move.  Exercise, walk, run, skip, play ball, ride a bike.  Just move. 

7-  You can't win, if you don't try --  Volleyball is intense, and even a strong lead doesn't mean anything.  You can be behind quite a bit, and one good server, and a few good blocks, you are back on top.  But you can't just show up, you have to go for it, and believe you can do it.  That's what separates the good from the great....the will to win.  I watched a team come back from a big loss in the first game, and come from behind in the second, and beat the top seeded team.  They didn't for one minute ever BELIEVE they couldn't do it.  They believed it from 10 points down, and they did it!  It was a magnificent moment.   You have to believe that you are the best at your job, the best at your home, the best at your church, the best in the attitude, and win in life. 

8-  Be a humble winner, and a good loser --  It's easy to gloat and be thrilled in the face of victory, but being humble in the wake of a win..is a fine line between gloat and thrill.  Always remember for every winner there's a loser, and that loser feels as bad, as you feel good.  Be kind and humble.  This is more for me than anyone, because after losing a bunch, it's almost a shame to not be given a warning for excess celebration.  (I know this first hand).  But I've seen excess gloating, and it's not pretty. 

But mainly, remember that when all is said and done, that it's just a game, and the whole point of the game is to have fun and do your best.  Give it all you got, encourage others, listen to people that know how to help you, be a good sport and believe that you can do it.