Free-For-All Friday

Tonight's post will be a truly random collection of thoughts ... Just a few things we've been up to this summer ...

1.  My husband officially started his new job as of July 1st.  He's traded in his orange and black for purple and gold, as the new Director of Curriculum and Instruction for Fountain Lake Public Schools.  I think he looks pretty handsome (and quite happy) in his new color ...

2.  While my husband was out of town for a few days a couple weeks ago, I went to the Red Box and rented Les Miserables.  Oh. My. Goodness.  I absolutely loved it.  In fact, I loved it so much I made Brad sit down and watch it with me last weekend.  I think he actually liked it too ... after I explained it all to him.  I think to really appreciate the movie, you have to have recently read the book or be sitting next to someone who recently read it.

3.  The summer is flying by way too fast!  I've been spending a lot of time lately preparing for professional development presentations I'll be doing at our school and at a private school in Fort Smith.  Honestly, sometimes I think the worst thing about going back to work is that I'll have to put on real pants for a change ... instead of the athletic shorts and t-shirts I've been wearing pretty much every day this summer.

4.  Last week, we had the opportunity to spend a few days in southern Mississippi with our dear friends, Larry and Janice Brown, who are the co-founders of the While We're Waiting ministry.  We always have such a good time with them.  While there, we made a day trip to New Orleans, stopping to tour a beautiful sugar cane plantation on the way.  We also took a day trip to Gulfport, Mississippi, and went for a walk along the beach.  At least we were able to get our toes in the sand for a few minutes this summer!  A few pictures from our trip ...

5.  Bethany has kept busy working as a counselor at a local Christian day camp this summer.  What a great experience it has been for her!  She's had the opportunity to personally lead a number of kids to the Lord over the last several weeks.  Camp ended for the summer yesterday, and for the next few weeks, she and I will be spending our time getting her ready to start college in August ... and planning for her wedding next May.  How on earth did people plan weddings before Pinterest?  I plan to enjoy every minute we have together before she heads off to Fayetteville in a few weeks.

6.  Finally, for the rest of the summer, would you please join me in praying for a precious family?  We became acquainted with Steve and Kim Dillard through a mutual friend, because Steve has been battling brain cancer for a number of years now.  They had questions about the type of chemo that Hannah had received because they were recommending the same type for Steve.  He has done pretty well for the last year or two, but a recent MRI revealed that his tumor is growing again, and it appears to be evolving into a more aggressive type.  They have spent this past week at M.D. Anderson, and Steve will be facing another brain surgery in mid-August.  I cannot tell you what a wonderful family this is ... Steve is a former worship pastor and very talented musician, and Kim has one of the sweetest spirits of anyone I've ever met.  Even in the midst of all she's been dealing with, she has opened her home in northeast Arkansas for the past two summers to host our While We're Waiting Mini Retreats for Moms.  They have two children, Clark, and Kathryn, who has decided to postpone her freshman year of college to be able to spend this time with her dad and to assist her mom with his care.  I know the whole family would appreciate your prayers.  This picture pretty much says it all ...

You can follow the Dillards' story at http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/stevedillard213.

Free-for-all-Friday -- Things I'm Excited About

Before I list the things I'm excited about on this Free-For-All-Friday, let me give you an update on the bone marrow donor opportunity I shared about a few weeks ago.  My husband had been contacted about the possibility of being a bone marrow donor for a one year old girl with leukemia.  We've been waiting to hear back from them, and finally received an email from the National Bone Marrow Donor Program this week.  Turns out they believed he would be a suitable donor, "however, the patient is not ready for a transplant at this time."  I'm hopeful that means her treatments are working.  The email also said that the likelihood of Brad being chosen as a donor for another patient is increased because of the activity on his donor record, and, of course, he could still be chosen as a donor for this little girl if they decide to go forward with her transplant.  We would be so grateful if we could have this opportunity to give back in this way.

So what am I excited about tonight?

-- First of all ... I'm home!  It's a weeknight, and I'm at home!  Between softball games, track meets, church activities, and While We're Waiting events, our nights at home are few and far between.  But for tonight, we're home, and I'm enjoying every minute of it.

-- Bethany and I are going shopping together tomorrow.  Prom is approaching, and while we already have "the dress", she still needs shoes and accessories.  I love shopping with my girl.  I cannot tell you how thankful I am to have her.  So. Thankful.

-- We have no plans for tomorrow night.  Two nights at home in a row?  Contented sigh.

-- I'm going to cook a nice Easter dinner for our family on Sunday.  No, I don't usually get that excited about cooking, but it's been so long since we've had a nice sit-down family meal together, I'm actually a little giddy about the prospect.

-- Our next While We're Waiting Weekend for Parents will be kicking off one week from tonight.  These events are always such an incredible blessing.  I can not wait for next weekend!  (We've actually had a couple of last-minute cancellations ... if you've lost a child and are interested in coming, click on the tabs above for more information or to register.)

-- I'm excited about Easter.  Not because of chocolate bunnies or colorful eggs, but because of what this holiday means to me.  At our While We're Waiting support group this past week, one of the moms said that someone had asked her if she was going to be sad because this would be her first Easter without her son.  And she said that of all of the firsts, this one would be the least hard.  And that's because she knew that it was only because of Easter that her son lives today.  And that is so true ... because He lives, our children live.  And because of His sacrifice on the cross, we will see them again one day.  And there's nothing more exciting than that!

Free-For-All-Friday -- Catching Up!

Well, it's obviously basketball season, isn't it?  That would explain the lack of posts since ... oh, the Tuesday before last?  We have been busy, busy, busy ... and there's really no end in sight at this point.  With a win over Mountain Pine tonight, the Lady Panthers have officially completed their conference season undefeated.  Next week brings junior high district tournament and then the following week will be senior high district tournament.  And as the official scorekeeper for Magnet Cove, that means a lot more late nights for the next two weeks.  Thankfully, they usually get me some help for weeks like that.

But, there have been a few things besides basketball going on in the Sullivan household ... Here's a little wrap-up of the last week or two...

1.  We had our first While We're Waiting Support Group for Bereaved Parents Wednesday night.  We had a big crowd there, and several more who wanted to come but were unable to make it due to illness or other obligations.  Our topic for the evening was "Even If He Does Not", because every parent who has lost a child has faced that dilemma.  What do we do when it appears that God did not answer our prayers for healing, or for protection, or even just for the safe birth of our child?  Like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, we must choose to trust Him, "even if He does not."  I'm not going to share any of our discussion because I feel like the things we share with each other are confidential.  I will just say that if you want to be inspired ... spend some time with a Christian parent who has lost a child.  They are some amazing people.

2.  For the second time in our twenty-five year marriage, our household has been chosen to participate in the Nielsen ratings.  Yes, they actually do pick real people to do that.  For the next week, we have to keep a diary of every single thing we watch on TV.  Since we have two TVs, they actually sent us two diaries.  And for our trouble, they sent us five crisp, new one dollar bills.  No, not five one hundred dollar bills ... five one dollar bills.  Not even enough to be a combo meal at most fast food places.  At least there won't be much to write down due to said basketball tournaments.

3.  We booked a family vacation this week.  We're going to go snow skiing over spring break!  No, I don't ski ... Are you kidding me?  Not that I haven't tried.  Well, I guess I didn't try real hard.  Brad and I went skiing the first year we were married, and while he took to it naturally, I felt fortunate just to make it down the mountain alive.  And while Bethany and Brad have already been trying to cajole me into giving it another try, I am thinking that a few days in front of a fireplace in a condo with gorgeous mountain views and only my Kindle to keep me company sounds like just the kind of vacation I need.  

4.  I can't believe how quickly January flew by and that February is already upon us.  February has been my least favorite month for the past few years for several reasons...mostly because it's full of very difficult memories.  I am encouraged, though, by the fact that my attitude going into this month is much better than it's been in recent years.  I didn't feel the sinking in my soul that I usually feel when I flip that page on the calendar.  You know, sometimes in the day-to-day life of grief, it's hard to see progress ... but when you come to a certain date or a particular event and can look back at where you were a year ago or two years ago ... that's when you realize how far you've really come.  

5.  Next Tuesday is Senior Night.  Yes, we're back to the topic of basketball.  Can't seem to have a conversation these days without eventually getting back to basketball.  On senior night, each senior basketball player and cheerleader is called out to the center of the gym floor, where they meet their parents and give them flowers. The emcee tells all about the student ... their extracurricular activities, their plans for the future, and their favorite high school memory.  It's a sweet little ceremony.  For the first two years after Hannah went to Heaven, I went and "hid" in the bathroom while it went on.  It was just too hard to sit through it knowing Hannah never got to experience her own senior night.  Last year I was able to sit and watch it without too much emotion, and now this year, I'll be participating in it.  Not sure where I'll be on the emotion meter this year.  I will say that if there are tears, they'll be tears of joy that my girl is growing up like little girls are supposed to.

Ho hum ... Looks like it's time for bed.  Better get some sleep while I can.  Sure am looking forward to sleeping in in the morning!  :)

Free-For-All Friday -- Things That Made Me Smile

Thought I'd share some photos of things that recently made me smile in today's edition of Free-For-All Friday.  Enjoy!

When Hannah went to Heaven, our church was in the process of building a new activities center/youth building.  Two dogwoods were planted out front, and one was designated as "Hannah's tree."  The week of Thanksgiving one of my sweet friends from church asked me if I had seen Hannah's tree lately.  Uh no, I hadn't paid much attention to it recently.  She said I needed to go look at it, because it had a flower on it.  Sure enough, there was a bloom on that dogwood tree ... during the week of Thanksgiving!  Made me smile!

Here's something else that made me smile.  One of our While We're Waiting board members gave birth to this beautiful little boy last week.  This guy is really a blessing to their family, after their little girl was stillborn a few years back.  God is still in the blessing business.  Look at that sweet face ... He's even got a little smile!

This picture of our dog Lacee made me smile.  She spent last Saturday morning at the doggie beauty salon, and it obviously wore her out.  Being beautiful is hard work!

We finally got our Christmas tree up this past week.  We decided to get a live tree again this year, so off we went to Lowe's to pick one out.  After critically examining what felt like every tree on the lot, Bethany finally chose the "perfect one", and we brought it home and decorated it.  We decided just to do a "JOY" tree this year, and the results made us all smile.

Take a close look at this picture.  These are the feet of Bethany and her basketball teammates.  If you look carefully at the toes of their shoes, you'll see that they spell out "PHILIPPIANS 4:13".  Isn't that cool?  Big smile from this Mom. (Oh, and Bethany is the "H"!)

Bethany's boyfriend, Brad, came home from college yesterday, beginning his five-week long Christmas break.  That makes Bethany smile ... which, of course, makes me smile!

Finally, what may be my most favorite picture ever.  A dear friend emailed this one to me, because she knows how much I love the word "JOY".  You just can't help but smile when you look at this picture, because it's just so stinkin' cute.  But, the reason I really love it is because it so perfectly captures what so many are feeling this time of year.  We know we're supposed to have the joy of the season (and deep down we do), but with all the busy-ness, stress, and emotion of the season, sometimes we just want to sit down and have a good cry.  I love the girl in the middle ... her face just makes me smile.

So, there you go ... a few things that have made me smile over the last few weeks.  Hopefully they brought a smile to your face, too!

Free-For-All Friday -- Back to Basketball!

It's the most wonderful time of the year ...

No ... not Thanksgiving ... or Christmas.  It's basketball season!  :)

OK, so that's a little tongue-in-cheek.  Basketball season is not really the most wonderful time of the year ... but it is pretty awesome.  Especially since Bethany is a senior this year, and I absolutely love to watch her play.  Her team made it to the Elite Eight in last year's state tournament, and I foresee another trip to state this year.  They have four returning starters, all seniors, a crackerjack junior starter, and a talented bench.

During basketball season, life in the Sullivan household gets a little crazy.  But it's a good kind of crazy.  We're busy, busy, busy ... running from one gym to another sometimes two or three nights a week ... and generally spending the entire evening there once we arrive.  But we have the best conversations on the way home ... about the referees, the other team's post player, the people in the crowd, and how many times Bethany got fouled.  And Bethany gets fouled a lot, at six feet tall and playing under the basket.  Last night, she was 8 for 8 on free throws, and finished the night with sixteen points.  Oh, sorry ... was that shameless parental bragging?  Of course, that was purely unintentional.  Please forgive me.  ;)

The other nice thing about the busy-ness of basketball season is how much it makes me appreciate a quiet evening at home.  Like tonight ... just me and Lacee (our Westie), a warm blanket on the couch, and "You've Got Mail" on TV.  Seriously ... Is there any better movie to watch on an evening at home alone?  Never mind that I can nearly quote it word for word ... I never get tired of it.  "Bouquets of sharpened pencils" ... ahhhhh.

I wonder sometimes what life will be like when Bethany is gone to college next year.  What will we do with ourselves when it's just the two of us?  I have a feeling my love for basketball will wane when my girl is no longer out on the floor in her bright orange high-tops.  We keep teasing Bethany that we're going to get an apartment in Fayetteville so we can come up and spend every weekend with her.  She always laughs kind of nervously whenever I say that, like she's half afraid we're actually going to do it!

Guess that's enough for tonight ... Joe's about to go to the Shop Around the Corner and meet Kathleen for the first time, and I think I'll go check the classifieds for apartments in Fayetteville ...

Free-For-All Friday -- Randomness

Free-For-All Thoughts From This Week...

• Thank you so much to everyone who prayed for us as we marked Hannah's 21st birthday on Monday of this week.  What a difference those prayers made!  I posted a collection of my favorite pictures of Hannah growing up on Facebook that day, and was absolutely overwhelmed by the incredibly kind things people had to say about her.  It's such a blessing and a comfort to know that people still remember and love our girl.
• Hannah would have been so excited about voting in her first presidential election on November 6th.  Well, actually, I'm sure she would have already voted since we have early voting.  She would have been counting the days until election night, when we surely would have stayed up half the night watching the returns come in.  Huh...Now that I think about it, though, she would have been watching from her dorm room at OBU.  I guess we would have been texting each other half the night as we watched the returns come in.  And hopefully, we would be celebrating when our candidate won.  I remember when I was a student at OBU and was able to cast my first vote in a presidential election ... for Ronald Reagan.
• We had a friend take senior pictures of Bethany a few weeks ago.  We got the disc of pictures on Wednesday night, and they are amazing!  I'll post a few of them at the end of today's post.  She is growing up to be so beautiful, both inside and out.  I think it's okay for her mom to say that.  :)
• Got a fire in the fireplace tonight.  So nice to finally have some season-appropriate weather.  Looking forward to a day at home tomorrow.  I'll be spending most of my time cleaning house, but, hey, it's a whole day at home.  My goal will be to not leave the house at all.  We'll see if that actually happens
• My "Reading the Classics" update ... I just finished reading "War of the Worlds" by H. G. Wells. Great book....a fun read.  I recently downloaded a new app called "Books -23,469 Classics", which has all the classics for free.  It's a free app, although I did spring for the $1.99 and upgraded to the ad-free version.  I didn't really like the ads dropping down into the middle of the book I was reading.  I figure 23,469 free classics should keep me going for awhile.
• It's hard to believe that we are already nine weeks into the school year.  Actually ten weeks, as of today.  The year is flying by.
• There will be no Free-For-All Friday next week, because I will be at our While We're Waiting Weekend for Bereaved Parents.  I'm so excited, I can hardly wait for it to get here!  

And now, as promised, I'm going to leave you with a few of Bethany's senior pictures ... Have I mentioned that I love this girl?

Free-For-All Friday -- Random Thoughts

Yes, I know it's Saturday.  Seems like I'm always a day behind and a dollar short lately.  Ah well, what can ya do?

So here are a few random thoughts from the last week or so....

1.  Our While We're Waiting Weekend for Bereaved Dads is going on right now ... even as I type.  And no, I'm not curious at all about what's going on there this weekend.  And if you believe that, I've got some oceanfront property in Kansas to sell you.  I CAN'T WAIT for Brad to get home tomorrow and tell me all about it.  In the meantime, I've been praying for the five Dads who have come from all over Arkansas and Texas to attend this retreat.  Please join me in praying that God will do amazing things in these men's lives over the course of this weekend.  You know, it's one thing when a group of women get together and share their deepest emotions and sorrows ... I'm thinking it's got to be a completely different deal when a group of men does it.  

2.  I got to watch my niece compete in a junior high dance team competition today.  Their family lives in Van Buren, so I rarely get to see my nieces participate in these kinds of things, so it was a special treat that the competition was held in Hot Springs.  I thoroughly enjoyed cheering for her team as they competed in pom, jazz, hip-hop, and kick.  I couldn't help but get a few pesky tears in my eyes as I watched her, though, knowing how much Hannah would enjoy seeing her cousins grow up.

3.  I try not to get into politics too much here, because that is not the purpose of this blog.  But I must say that I've found the two recently-held debates very interesting.  I'm trying not to be too gleeful at this point, but maybe, just maybe the nation is beginning to have its eyes opened a little bit.  We shall see.

4.  I missed Ten on the Tenth this month for the first time since I started doing Ten on the Tenth posts a couple years ago.  There have been a couple of times that they appeared on the Eleventh, but at least they appeared.  Since it's now the Thirteenth, I'm not even going to attempt it this month.  I'll try again in November!

5.  One reason I missed Ten on the Tenth is because I worked that day, and then headed straight to Little Rock for a speech pathology convention.  I spent Thursday and Friday in workshops fulfilling my continuing education requirements for another year.  The meetings were okay ... not great ... but I had a fantastic time catching up with an old friend, shopping, and hitting some good restaurants.

6.  And while we're speaking of the Tenth, on October 10th my parents celebrated their 53rd wedding anniversary!  I am so blessed to have them as an example of a Christ-honoring marriage.

7.  Three weeks from today, we'll be hosting our fourth While We're Waiting Weekend for Bereaved Parents.  This retreat has been completely booked for awhile now, and we have parents coming from Nebraska, Mississippi, Kentucky, Tennessee, and, of course, Arkansas.  We continue to stand in awe of what God is doing through this ministry.  I would love it if you would join me in praying for these folks.  It takes a lot of courage to come to something like this ... where you'll be sharing the most painful experiences in your life with a bunch of strangers.  But we have seen again and again how God uses these weekends to bring healing and encouragement to these parents.  And we, as the hosts, are among the most blessed.   Thank you so much for faithfully lifting this ministry up in your prayers!

Free for All Friday -- on Saturday!

Is it really the 29th of September?  How is that even possible?

The days and weeks seem to be just flying by.  Guess that means we're keeping busy!  Here are a few things we've been up to recently...

1.  Bethany and I went on our first college visit!  She already knows she wants to be a Razorback, and she even has a roommate lined up, so we had a great time visiting the campus of the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville.  We got the full campus tour, which was fun, and toured a couple of residence halls.  We came home and filled out the online application form ... now we're just waiting for formal approval.  Then, we start the scholarship application process!  The way Razorback football has been going lately, we're thinking maybe she can get a football scholarship!  :)

2.  The day after we got home from our trip to Fayetteville, we had Bethany's senior pictures taken!  The photographer is a friend of mine, and she and her husband create the monthly newsletters for the Anchor of Hope Cancer ministry.  She is a fantastic photographer and you can check out her website here.  She made the session so much fun ... I think she was as excited as we were about it!  We don't have the pictures yet, but here's a sneak peek.  It's not the greatest quality picture ... I took it with my phone ... but you can kind of get the idea.

3.  I've also been keeping busy working on "While We're Waiting" stuff.  In the wake of our non-profit approval by the IRS, I've been doing all of the paperwork necessary for Arkansas approval.  And, just like before, I really have no idea what I'm doing.  Hopefully, I've done enough right to get us approved without any major problems.  

4.  Speaking of "While We're Waiting", I've been humbled and awed by the number of people who have been registering for our upcoming events.  Our Dads' Weekend is coming up in two weeks (Oct. 12-14), and it is nearly full ... we have room for one more Dad if you know someone who might like to come.  Our Parents' Weekend scheduled for November 2-4 is full, and we have had to close registration.  So, wee have scheduled another one for April 5-7, and already have two parents registered.  Our Moms' Day scheduled for January 19 is full, and we've closed registration for that one, but we have already set another one for March 9.  And God is sending folks from all over the country ... in addition to Arkansas, we have from Moms and Dads coming from Texas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, Nebraska, and even New York.  God is blessing this ministry, and we are grateful.

5.  I saw on TV this morning that there are only 38 days until the election.  That's hard to believe.  I cannot imagine an election more important to the future of our nation.  Please, please educate yourself about the issues and vote!

6.  I'm still reading the classics on my treadmill in the mornings ... just finished Don Quixote, and started The House of the Seven Gables yesterday.  I didn't love Don Quixote, but at least now I know what a Quixotic character is when I hear that term.  And you never know when that knowledge might come in handy.

7.  Made some Pinterest cookies this afternoon.  They are awesome ... in fact, they're already almost gone.  So far, I've only tried one Pinterest recipe that turned out to be a total flop.  It's so nice to have some new things to cook for a change!

8.  Looking forward to the cooler weather that's supposed to move into Arkansas next week.  I'm ready for some "hoodie weather"!

9.  I need to close out this post, because it's almost time to Skype with my family in Indonesia ... something I look forward to every week!

Oh, and guess what!?!  I had written about half of this post, then saved it and took a little trip to Wal-Mart.  When I got back home, I checked the mail, and found an envelope from the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration in my box ... addressed to "While We're Waiting".  I quickly tore into it, and Yes!  WWW has been approved as a nonprofit corporation in the state of Arkansas!  Just one more step forward for this ministry!  Praise God!

Free-For-All Friday

Yes, I know it's Saturday.  It's the Saturday after the first week of school, which should explain why there has only been one post on the blog this week.  Now that school has started back, my posts will not be as frequent.  There's just too much going on!  And on the rare evenings when we are home together as a family, I will not be wanting to spend all my time on the computer.  I will once again be off on Mondays this year, so hopefully I can get at least one post in each week!

Anyway, back to Free-For-All Friday.  Here are my random thoughts from this week...

• Busy as it is, it was good to get back into a regular routine this week.  It's always good to see my students again.  I work with students in small groups, and tend to have the same students for a couple of years in a row, so I get to know them pretty well.  Some of them have home lives that make me very sad, but they somehow always seem to have smiles on their faces.  Sweet kids.

• Why do parents not exert more control over what their kids watch on TV?  I remember when I was a kid, we were not allowed to watch Three's Company, The Love Boat, or even Bewitched. Kids today watch TV shows, movies, and listen to music that no adult should be watching or listening to.  It's scary.

• We got a new vehicle this week!  Well, it's new to us.  It's a 2008 Chevy Silverado pick-up with only 33,000 miles on it.  That means we will be selling Brad's 2000 Chevy Blazer with 116,000 miles on it, hopefully this upcoming week.  We're excited about the new truck, but will be a little bit sad to part with the Blazer ... simply because there are memories of Hannah associated with it.  Little by little, we seem to be replacing those memory-filled things ... but I guess that's part of moving forward.  As my friend Susan says about her son who went to Heaven not long after Hannah ... "I don't need to keep all of his things to remember him by -- I have him with me in my heart all the time."  

• I have discovered Pinterest.  I fought joining it for a long time ... I knew I would like it, and I just really don't need another time drain like Facebook.  But after looking over my friend Gina's Pinterest page on her iPad during one of those school inservice meetings a couple weeks ago (Shhhh!), I knew it was time.  And now, like I knew I would be, I'm hooked.  I really joined for the recipes, and boy, have I found some good ones.  I think my family is just happy I'm cooking again!  We'll see how long into the school year that lasts....

• This week's free Kindle classic has been Oliver Twist.  I am thoroughly enjoying it.

• An article about While We're Waiting appeared in this month's "Hot Springs On The Go" magazine.  If you're interested, you can link to it here.  Click on the "flipbook edition" of the magazine and flip through to page 30.  It's a great article, but we were terribly disappointed that the author gave the wrong website at the end.  The correct website is www.whilewerewaiting.org, not www.whilewerewaiting.com.  We were very pleased to get the publicity for While We're Waiting.

• We've had some really nice weather in Arkansas this week ... cooler nights, lower humidity levels, and even a little bit of rain.  A nice change after the extremely arid summer we've had.

• I have to admit it ... I'm a weather geek.  Most of the people I follow on Twitter are weather forecasters and storm chasers.  I get a kick out of watching tropical systems develop and following all the predictions of where they're going to go.  And I get positively giddy when winter weather is predicted.  And I'm thinking that as dry as our summer was, our winter precipitation chances have got to be good.  Bring it on!

• Finally ... Bethany started her senior year this week.  And I'm pretty excited about the fact that by the time she graduates, she will already have 12 hours of college credit under her belt.  My girl is growing up ... and I'm absolutely thrilled about it!

Free-For-All Friday -- Olympics-Palooza!

We've been watching the Olympics more or less non-stop at our house this week.  I've been a fan of the Olympic games ever since I was a little girl watching Nadia Comanechi score perfect tens.  Yes, ever since I built my own balance beam out of a tree trunk (with my brother's help) and forced my parents to repeatedly watch what I was sure would be gold-medal winning performances someday.  Never mind that I was already 5'8" at the age of 11, and had the coordination of a drunken sailor.  Hey, anybody can have an Olympic dream ... right?

Now, I'm perfectly content to just watch the gymnastics competition on TV ... and hey, how about those USA girls, huh?  I would say they've represented us well.  Here's hoping things start looking up for the guys as the competition goes on.

So, here are a few random thoughts about the Olympics as our theme for this Free-For-All Friday!

• I always love watching the opening ceremonies.  Last Friday night, we watched them with our good friends, the Browns, in our hotel room in Wynne, on the eve of our While We're Waiting Moms' Mini-Retreat.  I got a kick out of the queen "parachuting" into the Olympic stadium.
• I think it's funny that we will watch sports that we would never otherwise watch, just because it's the Olympics.  I mean, really, if you were flipping through the channels one evening and landed on water polo, would you stop and watch it?  Or judo?  Or fencing?  Or badminton?  But we watch all of those things, just because it's the Olympics and we want our team to win!
• Speaking of water polo, how on earth do those people tread water that long?  It makes me tired just to watch!
• Have you ever noticed that watching the Olympics makes everybody an expert?  "Did you see that step he took on his dismount ... that will be at least a .67 deduction"; or "Did you notice that big splash ... that's because she wasn't vertical upon entry into the water ... that's going to hurt her score."  Of course, I would never say anything like that!
• Just how many swimming events are there?  No wonder these swimming people win multiple medals (not to take anything away from their accomplishments) ... There are just so many different races!
• Did you know that gold medals aren't actually gold?  They are 92.5% silver (just like the silver medals), but are plated with at least six grams of gold.  The last Olympic gold medal that was actually gold was awarded back in 1912.  Hmmmm....Who knew?
• I like the winter Olympics, but I think the summer Olympics are my favorite.  Summer Olympics has gymnastics, diving, synchronized swimming (yes, I know that means I'm a dork), equestrian, track and field, even trampoline events!  All so much fun to watch!
• These Proctor & Gamble "Mom" commercials are killing me.  Tearjerkers, all of them.
• So far, my favorite quote from the Olympics has come from Gabby Douglas, after she won her gold medal in the gymnastics all-around.  She said, "I give all the glory to God.  It's kind of a win-win situation.  The glory goes up to Him, and all the blessings fall down on me."  

And I think that's a perfect way to wrap up this Free-For-All Friday!  :)

Free-For-All Friday!

It's Free-For-All Friday, so here is a collection of random thoughts from the week (in no particular order):

• It rained today!  And according to the weatherman, there is more rain to come in the next few days.  A welcome relief in the middle of this exceptionally hot, dry summer.
• I see that Barbara Walters is hosting a two-hour special on Heaven tonight.  In spite of my great interest in Heaven, I believe I'll pass.  
• I'm so glad to have Bethany home with me tonight.  She came home from her trip to the beach on Saturday and left for Fellowship of Christian Athletes Camp on Monday.  I really missed her while she was gone.  Gave me a little sneak peek of what it will be like when she goes to college next year, I guess.  More about her time at camp in a future post ... Or maybe I should say my time while she was at camp.  For tonight, we're on the couch watching "Say Yes to the Dress."  :)
• We spent the Fourth of July evening with our friends, the Browns, who you hopefully "met" via my post from yesterday.  We grilled steaks and then went out for a cruise around the lake on their pontoon boat.  We ended up watching a fireworks show from the boat, which was an unexpected pleasure, since as far as we knew all the fireworks shows had been canceled due to the fire danger.  I haven't watched fireworks from a boat since I was a little girl in Wisconsin, so that was a fun treat.
• Stuffed pizza from Papa Murphy's is really good ... I'm just sayin.' 
• My classic for this week has been "The Picture of Dorian Gray" by Oscar Wilde.  A very curious book. I'm interested to see how it ends.

So there you have it ... Free-For-All Friday for this week!

Free-For-All Friday (On Saturday)

I was doing so well this week ... I managed to write a new post every day ... at least until yesterday.  Oh well, I'm going to make up for it today.  And since it's Free-For-All Friday (sort of), I can write about anything I want.  So here goes...

1.  I've been reading some of the classics on my Kindle app lately.  I mean, they're free ... Why not?  Over the last few months, I've read "Tale of Two Cities", "Les Miserables, "Treasure Island", and now I'm reading "The Three Musketeers".  I didn't just love "Tale of Two Cities", but I've really enjoyed the others.  Really makes me realize how shallow most of the stuff that passes for literature today is.

2.  We've really had fun as a family watching both the NBA finals and the college world series this past week.  We were pulling hard for Oklahoma City in the NBA finals, and, of course, the Razorbacks in the college world series.  Unfortunately, both of our teams were eliminated.  What in the world are we going to watch on TV now?  ;-)

3.  I'm missing my girl right now.  Bethany left early this morning for Destin, Florida, with "other Brad's" family.  I'm sure she's going to have a wonderful time!  I've been thinking about it, though, and I think this is the first time she's really been away from us since Hannah went to Heaven.  Oh, she's been to camp and stuff, just an hour or two down the road, but this is the first time she's been away away.  Guess I'd better get used to it...she'll be going to college next year!  Thank goodness for cell phones and texting!

4.  While Bethany is gone, we're going to slip off for a few days ourselves.  Our anniversary is August 15th, but when we got married 25 years ago this summer, we didn't take into consideration that as a high school principal, Brad would never be able to get away for an anniversary trip at that time of year.  So, we just try to take off when we can, and pretend it's actually our anniversary.  Twenty-five years ago, we went to Eureka Springs for our anniversary, and that will be our destination this week.  Not sure if we'll have internet access where we're going, but that may be a good thing!  So looking forward to a little time away!

5.  I know that many of you who read this blog do so because you have lost a child.  If you're on Facebook, search for "While We're Waiting--Support for Bereaved Parents" and request to join.  It is an amazing group of Christian moms and dads from all over the country who have lost children.  At last check, we had 96 members!  The greatest thing about this group is the faith we have in common.  Everyone is so positive and encouraging, even as we share our struggles and prayer needs with each other.  Check it out!

Happy Weekend!  :-)

Free-For-All Friday -- Three Years of Blogging

Today makes three years since I started on this blogging adventure.  Hard to believe.  But I can say, without a doubt, that God has used this blog to bring an enormous amount of healing in my life since Hannah went to Heaven.  I seem to do a much better job of expressing myself in writing than with the spoken word.  In fact, I can really relate to this quote by John Piper:  "Writing became the lever of my thinking and the outlet of my feelings.  If I didn't pull the lever, the wheel of thinking did not turn.  It jerked and squeaked and halted.  But once a pen was in hand, or a keyboard, the fog began to clear and the wheel of thought began to spin with clarity and insight."  This blog has helped clear the fog and get my "wheel of thinking" turning again.

To all of you who read this blog ... Thank you.  I've often said that I would continue to write, even if I knew no one ever read it, simply because it helps me so much, but I am grateful for every person who takes the time to actually read what I've written.  I read and appreciate every comment that is left, and I'm going to try to do a better job of responding to them.  I would love to be more interactive with you.

Please note that you can sign up to receive my blog right in your email inbox ... All you have to do is click where indicated in the left hand column.  When you subscribe, you'll receive a verification that you must reply to in order to start your subscription.  Make sure you do that, or you will not be officially subscribed.

I look forward to starting my fourth year of blogging.  God teaches me as I write, and I'm excited about where He may lead.  Thanks for coming along on the ride!

Free-For-All-Friday -- "State of the Blog"

It seems that lately the state of this blog could be summed up with just a few words ... "a little bit of nothing going on."  This entire spring has just been so crazy busy, and it has carried right on into the summer.  We've had company, then Relay for Life, then basketball camp, then Bethany's birthday ... so, today, I'm taking a breath.

I had only two things on my "to do" list today ... one was to donate blood, which once again was an epic fail.  Every time I've tried to donate recently, my iron has been too low, so I've been taking daily supplements.  I was just sure I'd be able to donate today, but no, my iron was one measly point too low.  I'm such a proponent of blood product donation because I've seen the difference it makes in so many lives, and I'm so frustrated when I'm unable to donate.  I'm going to keep taking my supplements and start eating raisins every day and try again in a couple of weeks.

Anyway, the other item on my "to do" list for today was to write a little "state of the blog" address.  My goal for this summer is to get back to blogging every day, (or as close to that as possible), following the format I started about this time last year ... Monday Mourning, which will feature posts related to grief/losing a child, Tell-About-It Tuesday, which will feature something I'm really excited about and what to share, Wacky Wednesday, which will feature something that I've found amusing during the week, Thoughtful Thursdays, which will feature something that's really had me thinking, and Free-For-All Fridays, which could be just about anything.  I'll also continue with my Ten on the Tenth posts, providing I can continue to come up with topics!

I also plan to acquire some blog design skills, which I hope to use in updating and making the blog more user-friendly.  That's what YouTube is for, right?  I know I could pay someone to do it for me, but I'd like to try to learn how to do it myself.  So, depending on my learning curve, you'll start seeing some changes to the blog over the next week or two, which I hope will make it a more enjoyable reading experience.

One thing that will not change ... my goal in writing this blog is to encourage others, especially those who are traveling the road of grief, and to exalt the name of Jesus.  I will prayerfully be pursuing that goal this summer.

Free-For-All-Friday -- A Collection of Random Thoughts

Random Thought #1 -- I am ridiculously excited about what God is doing with the While We're Waiting ministry lately!

Random Thought #2 -- Spring in Arkansas is exceptionally beautiful this year...loving all the spring blooms!

Random Thought #3 -- Whoever thought of spring break had a brilliant beyond brilliant idea.

Random Thought #4 -- Thinking about putting together a "While We're Waiting" team for the CureSearch Walk this year.  Hmmmm....

Random Thought #5 -- Joshua Ledet's performance of "When a Man Loves a Woman" on American Idol this week was amazing!

Random Thought #6 -- There's an awful lot of basketball on TV lately.

Random Thought #7 -- My daughter makes a pretty cute Powder Puff football player.

Random Thought #8 -- Looked through Hannah's closet the other day (where her clothes are still hanging), and noticed that most of her clothes are now out of style...Hard to believe she's been gone that long.

Random Thought #9 -- I have a love/hate relationship with Facebook.

Random Thought #10 -- I really don't want this to seem like a Ten on the Tenth list, so therefore, I give you...

Random Thought #11 -- Got Bethany registered for her senior year today...So happy to see her reaching these "growing up" milestones!

Free-for-All Friday

A few random items on this Free-for-All Friday....

1.  Remember the little girl I posted about a few weeks ago?  Well, last week sweet little Glory girl got to come home from the hospital for the first time in her eleven months of life!  And I'm happy to report that she's doing well and enjoying spending time with her siblings and parents.  She still has a long road ahead of her, but this is a huge step in the right direction!  Please continue to keep her in your prayers...

2.  We now have brochures printed with all the information about the various "While We're Waiting" retreats for moms, dads, and couples.  If you would like for me to send you one (or more) to share with friends or family, please email me or leave a comment below with your address, and I'll be happy to put some in the mail to you!

3.  Bethany started back to basketball practice this week.  This may not seem like a big deal ... but this return to basketball comes after a fractured bone in her forearm, followed by a partial tear of the plantar fascia in her right foot, followed by a recent flare-up of mono.  So, to say I am thankful for something as seemingly minor as a return to basketball practice is an understatement.  She is doing well, and I am so proud of her for a multitude of reasons. 

4.  We are heading to northwest Arkansas this weekend to attend a wedding.  I have not been to a wedding since Hannah went to Heaven nearly 2 1/2 years ago.  Hmmmm....that could be the topic of my next "Monday Mourning post.

Free For All Friday

Well, we've made it to "Free for All Friday".  Friday posts can be about anything...and may often be rather random and disjointed in nature.  So here we go...

This week has not exactly gone as planned.  Remember all those favorite things about summer I talked about in my last "Ten on the Tenth" post?  I believe I said something like, "I may not have to leave the house all summer."  Well, I've actually spent the last four days of this week at the doctor's office with Bethany.  Starting this past Sunday, she began developing a constellation of symptoms that left me convinced by Tuesday that she had viral meningitis.  I brought her to the doctor, who drew lots of blood, and announced that she did not have meningitis (thankfully!), but she did have strep.  This seemed a little odd, because a sore throat was not one of her symptoms.  But we left with a prescription for an antibiotic, and figured we were done.

Later that afternoon, though, I got a phone call from the doctor's office.  The full blood test results were now back, and there were some numbers they did not like.  Would I bring her back in tomorrow for another blood draw?  Well, of course I would...but after having a child with cancer, hearing that there were problems with Bethany's bloodwork really twisted my gut.   

So we went back the next day, and had another blood draw.  There were lots of folks having labs done that day, and the results were slow coming back, so the doctor suggested that we go out for lunch and come back later to find out the results.  So off we went to a nearby Mexican restaurant and had lunch ... which, for me, was eerily reminiscent of the day the MRI tech sent Hannah and I down to the hospital cafeteria for lunch while we waited for her scan results.  I really wasn't very hungry. 

When we got back to the doctor's office, we were told that her bloodwork profile was indicative of either Lyme Disease or mononucleosis.  Either one was preferable to what had been going through my mind.  The tests were inconclusive, though, so we were asked to return the next day for another blood draw.  Just in case it was Lyme Disease, the doctor did prescribe another antibiotic to tackle that, which we started that evening.

So yesterday was another blood draw, with some numbers going up and some going down, which led to yet another set of blood work today.  Today's numbers showed improvement in all areas...Praise the Lord!...but we'll have to go back Monday for another blood draw.  We should also have results of some of the sent-off tests by Monday, hopefully letting us know definitively whether it's mono or Lyme Disease.  Hey...We can deal with those things!  I'll just be glad to have it settled.  And, thankfully, she really doesn't feel all that bad, although I know she is sick because she hasn't been begging me to let her drive...not too much, anyway.  :)

OK...Now a random subject change (as my friend Susie always says).  I have a friend who has lost two children, a little girl to a mitochondrial disease, and a little boy to cancer.  Before her little boy ever got sick, he told her that if he went to Heaven before her, he would send her heart-shaped clouds.  So ever since he went to Heaven, she has been collecting pictures of heart-shaped clouds.  When I saw this picture posted on Facebook today, I emailed it to her, and I thought I would share it with you, too.  Enjoy!