Waking up in Different Places

For the tenth time this month, I've awakened in a bed different from my own. It's been a busy month!

My first trip was to Jefferson, Texas for the annual Girlfriend Weekend. Now, it wasn't just a weekend trip with a bunch of girls. It is a full-out literary adventure, with over 40 authors and 300 book club women from across the country talking about books.

In. Jefferson. Texas.

  I know....


Kathy Patrick, THE Pulpwood Queen, has put together quite an event, born years ago in her interesting business, Beauty and the Book--part hair salon, part independent bookstore.

This was my third year to attend, and my sister, Sarah, went with me this year. She just had to see what it was all about. In the past, Pat Conroy and Fannie Flagg have been there. This year, John Berent (Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil, etc.)

 and Tina Sloan (she played the character of Lilian Raines on "The Guiding Light" for a hundred years) were there. She wrote a fantastic book called "Changing Shoes." Read about it here.

We all had a ball.

We stayed in a bed and breakfast called The Captain's Castle.

It was my second year to stay in Bill and Angie Herlocker's beautiful inn. Staying in a B&B is so much more fun than staying in a generic hotel. Getting dressed and eating a wonderful breakfast at the dining room table with other guests is a great way to really know about a place, and to meet other folks. We met a vacationing family from Austin, some of the authors who were in for Girlfriend Weekend, and a mother-daughter pair who were in for the weekend.

I had a two-day turnaround at home before heading up to Nashville for the ALS Association Winter Walk Forum at the Opryland Hotel. I stayed with my bestest pal, Carol Terry, so I had to get up super early every day to drive to Opryland. It was worth it for the brief visits we got to have.

After a whirlwind grocery shopping trip at Trader Joe's in Nashville Saturday, I drove home, only to turn around again on Tuesday morning to drive to Bay St. Louis on the beautiful Mississippi Gulf Coast for an events conference. I had never been to Bay St. Louis, but I'll go back. It is the cutest, quaintest little town filled with wonderful antique shops, restaurants and the nicest people ever!

Today I woke up to a severe thunderstorm. I could have just stayed in that nice hotel room all morning, but I had to get up and drive to Gulfport for an 8:30am meeting with the Police Chief and Brittany Dyess from Parks & Rec. about the ALS walk I'm coordinating on the Coast. (Check it out: Walk to Defeat ALS, March 31, Gulfport, MS.)

Yep, I've been a girl-on-go, but so has Nicole...she's had speaking engagements all over the state this month. This morning she's in Tupelo, speaking to a group of high schoolers for the American Lung Association. I'm so proud of how she's turned a tragedy into a way to inspire so many others.

It's 10:30 now, and I'm just sipping on my first cup of coffee for the day, watching the rain outside PJ's Coffee Shop in Gulfport. It looks like the sun is trying hard to peak through the clouds.

Here's praying I make it home safely today. I'll look forward to laying my head on my own pillow tonight.

Blessings to all who read this!

Susan

Riding into the Sunset...

It's been awhile since my last post. Too long. But I left the last post up for over a month so that folks could not only get easy step-by-step directions on how to vote for Blake Edward Thomas to have his car made over by Patty Peck Honda, but to tell why he deserved it. I believed from the day I first heard the commercial on the radio that Blake could, and should, win. He has a 1994 Honda that has seen better days, and he drives Nicole around in it, day after day, to the doctor, to therapy, to wherever she needs to go.

The exciting news is that **BLAKE WON**!! (That's a link, by the way, to their winning video!) Ahhh...the power of the internet! I must have sent out a bazillion emails, made an obnoxious number of Facebook and Twitter posts, and asked everyone I know to vote for him. Blake and Nic made daily videos that kept everyone who saw them entertained for a month. Thanks to all who responded. Now Blake's Honda is getting a full-out redo by the incredible folks at Patty Peck Honda! It's there now getting a fabulous "Pimp My Ride" experience, which will be unveiled Labor Day weekend. In the meantime, he's driving a loaner car they provided for him.

I wanted the car makeover for for Blake, but I really wanted it for Nicole, too, because she can't drive, and she is forced to depend on others to get where she needs to go. Luckily, she is approved by the Dept. of Rehab to have an assistant, and for several months now, Blake has been the one to help her do the things she is unable to do on her own. But all good things have to come to an end, and Blake is moving on to a higher paying job--one that is more in line with what he wants to do with his life. I can't blame him, but it's sad none-the-less. He's been very intuitive about Nicole's needs, and he has encouraged her and pushed her and she is in better shape now than she was when he started working with her. He's been a great friend to Nicole, and Larry and I have enjoyed getting to know him. He's a fine young man.

Blake is now training a few hours a week for his new job, and will start full time the first of November. At least Nicole will be able to enjoy his fabulous new ride for a couple of months. In the meantime, she will once again be looking for the person who will spend eight hours a day, five days a week with her. Know anyone? And if so, will they have a ride as cool as the one Blake will soon have?

Blessings to all who read this!
Susan

Food for the Soul

Visiting a different place is one of the best ways to gain perspective. Anyone who travels alot will tell you this. When I've been away from home for awhile, I think about how I have been doing things and how I may want to do them differently when I get home. For me, that thing is how I eat.

I've been much more aware of the food I put into my mouth after taking a detox class taught by Jaclyn Ramsier last year. I took the class again this spring and everything really connected for me. I work hard to stay away from processed foods at all costs, and I focus on eating healthier, fresher foods whenever possible.

Here, in Maine, that's very easy to do.

I love that the restaurants here proudly list the local suppliers they use. From organic farms to grass fed beef, the bulk of what they consume is grown/produced very close to home. That means fewer trucks on the road, hauling things in from other places, which cuts down on fuel consumption and pollution.

One of the local foods we have been hearing about here is fiddleheads. The little sprouts from the ostrich fern can be found on creek and river banks in the northeastern U.S. for about three weeks each May. Lucky for us, it's fiddlehead season in Maine! We tried them a few days ago in a quiche, which was really a round-about way of eating the little delicacies. Last night, we took a plunge and ordered a fiddlehead salad at a Japanese restaurant in Rockland.

I can't help but post food photos on facebook....especially when the food is so good, and so different from what I eat at home. Fiddleheads just aren't something you can find at Kroger!

When I told friends I was going to spend a month in Maine, almost everyone said "eat a lobster for me!"  It's no lie that lobster is as common here as hamburgers. You can just about get a lobster roll anywhere you go. Plus, lobster stew, lobster bisque, and lobster cakes. I ate my first whole lobster ever last Saturday, and we're going again to Youngs Lobster Pound today. (I wrote about it a few posts ago).

One of the most frequent comments I've gotten on facebook has been "aren't you supposed to be writing?" And the answer to that is, of course, I'm supposed to be writing. But I can only write about two hours at a time. For one thing, I get tired of constant typing. And the other surprising thing to me is that writing this story is very taxing, emotionally.

I handled Nicole's accident very well at the time. I held it together and went into "take care of business" mode from the very beginning. But going back and reliving it again for the book has meant facing fears and realizing the enormity of it all. Back then, I couldn't look beyond the very moment we found ourselves in. I had no idea what kind of road we'd be on or for how long. I guess because now I know, it is all so much more amazing to me.

So, I write, then I enjoy all this marvelous place has to offer when I'm not writing. It's food for the soul.

Blessings to all who read this!

Susan

Heading Out...

Twenty-four hours from now I'll be on my way! Jonni Webb and I are loading up her SUV with all the stuff we'll need for a month in Maine, including her dog, Cole.

We'll drive for about three days to get there...and I'm actually looking forward to the road trip. I'll be seeing parts of the country I've never seen before. And Jonni is a great traveling companion to do it with.

While we are there, I'll be writing a book on our family's journey since Nicole's accident. I've got alot in my head, and the year and a half of Caring Bridge we wrote, so I've got a book in the making for sure! Jonni is a potter, and she's designed some awesome lobster ornaments that she's going to try to sell to shops up and down the coast. She's also going to be selling ads for Front Desk (a tear-off map with restaurant ads that hotels give out to guests). So, we'll both be busy.

Nicole's journey has strengthened my spirituality for sure, and the book I have in mind will reflect that. Someone told me that "the closer you get to God, the closer the devil gets to you." I kind of think that's true...I've been tripped up every which way this past month. I've had some awful attacks that have seemed at times like a heart attack (enough to buy me a full cardio workup--and my heart is FINE) and at times it seemed like a gall bladder attack (lots of testing there, and a trip to the ER--gall bladder is fine!). The attacks zapped all my energy, leaving me useless to do the things I needed to get done.

Money has been t-i-g-h-t, and now we have all these medical bills to pay. But they can be paid another day...and I've worked hard in spite of the attacks so that I will have a little money coming in throughout May...enough to make sure I stay fed while in Maine.

So there! I'm going!

I'm leaving my sweet, supportive Larry behind. I'm leaving my miracle daughter behind. I'm leaving my now-maturing son behind. I'm leaving two high-maintenance dogs behind. I'm leaving my parents behind. Everyone will have to fend for themselves, because I'm taking one month to process what's happened over the past two and a half years so that I can share what I've learned in a book that I hope will glorify God as much as Nicole's healing has.

I'm still going to be taking writing assignments and doing work for the ALS Association while I'm there, so my time will not be spent lounging around. But I think a change of scenery, lack of daily obligations and a will to do something that will make a difference will make it all worthwhile.

I'll be reporting from the road, so stay tuned! Your prayers for our safe travels will be appreciated!

Blessings to all who read this!
Susan

Ain't No Roadblock Gonna Get in My Way!

Have you ever had a plan, and a million roadblocks seemed to try to keep you from that plan?

My plan is to head out on April 28 to go to Owl's Head, Maine, where I'll spend the month of May writing a book about Nicole's accident and our family's journey.

The first thing to try to thwart my plan is lack of funds. But I'm determined to do all I can to cover not only the household expenses I typically cover, but Joe's tuition and the trip itself, not to mention rental fees for the house, and expenses for the month.

The second thing to get in my way is my health. I've been in relatively good health for a long, long time, and I'm eating healthier and doing more exercise now than I have in years. Yet, my body is turning on me...simulated heart attacks, which were really the result of critically low potassium. Then severe abdominal pain that sent me to the emergency room at River Oaks last night, sure that I was having a gall bladder attack. Now, thousands of dollars of medical testing later, we know that my heart and gall bladder are fine!

The third challenge is my friend Carol, who had major heart surgery Wednesday. Somehow, I've got to fit a quick trip to Nashville soon to be with her for a few days when she comes home from the hospital. There's nowhere on Earth I'd rather be.

And then there's life in general...lots going on...like the Jackson Ad Fed Silver Medal luncheon/presentation that I'm involved with, and the Southern Miss Founder's Day Dinner that I'm planning. And Nicole's got her big annual "Evening of HOPE" event coming up tomorrow night. (Check out her facebook page to see the awesome commercial she did at WLBT earlier this week!).

In the middle of all this, I've got more work than I've had to do in years. And less energy. I poop out fast and my house is falling apart around me.

So, it sounds like this may not be the best time to go to Maine. But since when do I do things when the time is right? As a matter of fact, if we all wait to do things until conditions and situations are just right in our lives, I'm convinced we'd never do anything!

Sometimes you just need to plow ahead, regardless of the roadblocks that are thrown up in your way. Nicole taught me that in a major way, and the best way I can honor her bravery and perseverance is to write her story for others to be inspired by.

So, we're T-minus 13 days and counting! If I don't answer your phone calls or emails, please forgive me. I've got a book to write, and alot of work to do before I can!

Blessings to all who read this!
Susan

Out of the darkness

They're out! The 33 miners who have been trapped for 70 days a half mile below the Earth's surface in Chile finally saw the light of day yesterday. It was awesome seeing each miner break the surface, coming up in a tiny capsule.

I have clastrophobic tendancies. I used to get panicky in tanning beds, back when I used to lay in tanning beds. Sometimes I'd have to get out of the room altogether, feeling like I couldn't breathe. It didn't happen every time, just every now and then. But it was enough for me to stay away from a career as a miner.

As a child, I heard that you could dig your way to China. I was told that China was exactly opposite the United States on the globe (no, I didn't check that out for myself!). The idea was that if you dug a hole deep enough, you'd come out in the land of ricshaws and little coolie hats. I was up for the challenge, digging the hole in my own backyard.

Until I realized how hard it was for an eight-year-old to dig into the hard Mississippi soil. Mission aborted.

It's a good thing the Chilean authorities didn't give up so easily. I was so impressed watching Chile's president, who had a "gut feeling" the miners were still alive, thus directing a full-scale recovery operation. He's my kind of guy!

I think people give up too easily all too often. It's easier to give up. If you don't try, you can't fail. But you'll never move forward either...

Nicole recently took a big leap ahead, challenging herself and her "new" body to something most able-bodied people wouldn't attempt. She flew to Sedona, Arizona for 12 days to take a 100-hour certification course called "Yoga Meets Dance." The days were long--9:30am to 6:30pm in class, and a couple of hours of reading/studying at night. Many of the classes were held outdoors, on the beautiful red rocks of Sedona. So Nic had to hike. And she had to climb. And she did!

Before going to Sedona, Nicole didn't know she could hike or climb rocks. She didn't know she could touch her toes or do many of the amazing things she did with her body. Remember, she has 8" titanium rods that go from the base of her neck down her back, and more rods that go down her lower back.

She passed her certification exam, and is now ready to teach classes!

Just as the miners were released from the darkness of the mine, Nicole continues to be released from the injuries that could have defined her. All are free from being confined. The world is watching the 33 miners to see what they'll do next, and I believe the world is hoping that they will do something positive with their experiences. We want to learn from it, and become better people because of it.

Nicole could have easily resigned herself to life in a wheelchair. We've been told there are people with lesser injuries who are still in wheelchairs. As a matter of fact, we were told that was her fate. But Nicole, like the miners, had hope. And hope fuels action. And now Nicole can teach anyone how to use their bodies in a healthy way, including people with special needs. Including people in wheelchairs.

We may not be stuck in a mine, or stuck in a broken body, but we all have something in our lives that we allow to hold us back. Today is a good day to reflect on what we want to do, and how we've allowed either external or internal roadblocks to hold us back. How are we going to get past those roadblocks? I'm inspired by the miners, and by my own brave daughter.

It's time to get up and move ahead!

Blessings to all who read this!
Susan

I'm back!!!

Wow. It's been over a month since I last posted a blog entry. That's unusual for me, but for some reason, I just haven't been able to stop long enough to write.

It's been a busy month, with lots of exciting things happening in our life. As I write this, Nicole is finishing up a "Yoga Meets Dance" workshop in Sedona, Arizona. It's a 100-hour certification course, so she'll be able to teach when she gets back. It's the next step in having a totally independent life again. The surprising thing to her is how flexible she is. With titanium rods in her neck and back, Nicole probably felt that she would be more rigid. But she's been able to keep up with everyone else in the class, including touching her toes! (The rods are flexible...who knew?) And the change of scenery has been just what she needed. And what a dramatic change of scenery!!!

I love these photos...and I'm so impressed, because they were taken with Nicole's iPhone. Look how blue that sky is! Twelve days of that would be good medicine for anyone!

My iPhone wannabe, the HTC Hero, still gives me fits. The phone and I are just not a good match. BUT, I did discover a cool app on the phone...it's called "Retro Camera." I had alot of fun taking photos of little things around my home. The app gives everything a vintage, grainy look. And I love the boarder.

I've been spending more time with Joe (yes, I have another child!) lately, and I've enjoyed it so very much. At 21, he has matured so much and has become such an impressive young man. He and I both signed up to be distributors for C-PRIME, a fashion technology company that sells bands (designed by Fossil) that help with balance, flexibility, strength and endurance. Everyone in our family has had great results, so we have decided to step out and sell them ourselves! It's been amazing...I have a team of over 65 people! I figure if it's good enough for Harry Connick, Jr., Tim Tebow, Evanka Trump and a laundry list of other celebrities and athletes, it's good enough for me!

This is my blue band...

Joe wearing a scarlet band and a grey band...

And Nicole wearing her signature purple band! (That's her yoga teacher, Beth)

Joe and I took a road trip to Dallas last week for a C-PRIME corporate meeting, where we learned more about the company and met the key players. We were both impressed and we're really excited about the possibilities C-PRIME can have in people's lives. Check out my website to learn more about it.

This weekend, he's gone to Atlanta with Emily (his precious girlfriend) and her family. My parents have gone to Nashville, and my dad will be taking a class (woodcarving!) up that way. So, it's while our family are all over the country, Larry and I are holding things down here at home.

I'm also doing my Scentsy thang...lovin' that, too! Don't know what Scensy is? Then check out this website!
It's alot of fun, and I love the products. I'll be doing an open house tomorrow (Sunday) afternoon to celebrate 10-10-10! What a fun, cool date that is! If you didn't get one of my social media invites (email/facebook/twitter), then consider this your invitation to come experience Scentsy tomorrow afternoon!
I've been getting ready for it all day today...the fun part is sniffing the over 80 yummy scents!

The monkey is one of the "Scentsy Buddies" for children. Each one has a zipper in the back that holds a scent pack. This one has a French Lavender pack and it smells sooooo good!!!

The bad news is that I scheduled the open house at the same time as the St. Philip Goat Roast, which we've gone to for the past two years. I'll miss that this year, but look forward to opening my home to friends and neighbors.

So that's it for our exciting life...busy, full, happy, and blessed. We're moving forward, not looking back as much, but when we do, we are still amazed at the miracle we've witnessed. And as we move forward, we don't dismiss that miracle, but we don't dwell on it as much. We are living life in the here and now, and for the first time in a long time, we are able to look ahead with hope, ready for the next adventure!

Blessings to all who (still) read this!
Susan

Happy Anniversary Baby!!!

I feel like I'm the luckiest person on Earth today! I am still coming down from the high of Saturday night, when our amazing daughter Nicole surprised Larry and I with an anniversary party at Hal & Mal's. And I mean SUR-PRIIIIIIZE!!!!

We were clueless. And it's hard to pull one over on me, because I'm a detail person. It's a curse sometimes, but it allows me to anticipate, prepare and deal with just about anything that arises. Except, maybe, for a room full of people all facing the door when we walked in, many with cameras (which lets me know what it's like, if only for a brief moment, what Paris Hilton may feel like).

There were lots of special people there, friends old and new, from all phases of our 30-year marriage, including a few who were at--or in--our wedding. Like Carol, who drove down from Nashville for the night. And Sara Smith and Aline Germany, who were like my other mothers growing up, and of course, my own mother and father. We danced the night away to the tunes of Los Papis, which was a super special treat. And when Raphael Semmes and Lisa Palmer joined them, the evening was just perfect!

The best part of the evening was the pure love we felt in the room...the love Larry and I have for each other, and the love we have for our friends, and them for us.

I have to say that 30 years of marriage doesn't seem like that big a deal. It's been so easy, because lucky for me, this high-strung crazy white woman had sense enough to marry the most easy-going, laid-back, happy and nicest man in the entire world! It takes alot to rattle Larry's chain, and Lord knows, I've managed to do some rattling. But in the end, his calm demeanor and positive outlook has always helped me to be the best I can be. I know that I am blessed, and I am forever grateful.

We both come by our long marriages naturally. Larry's parents were married over 50 years, as have my own. We both had such good role models, and that's made a huge difference in our lives. I only pray that the same carries over to our children when the time comes for them to get married.

Joey Joe missed the party...he had a long-standing plan to visit Emily's dad in Atlanta. But we had a wonderful time this afternoon. He came over and cut the grass, then we went to eat lunch. We had a great visit. He starts school again tomorrow, so I'm praying he has another successful semester.

Ok, let's review:

--Marry the nicest guy on the planet, and hang in with him 30 years.
   CHECK!

--Have a beautiful daughter, who can bounce back from anything to plan a faboo soire.
  CHECK!
--Have a handsome son who gives me great joy as I watch him mature into a fine young man.
  CHECK!

--Collect the best friends anyone can have.
  CHECK!

Thank you to all who came to our celebration, and for those who couldn't, thanks for your well-wishes. Thanks for the food, the gifts, the fun and the love.

Blessings to all who read this!
Susan

Hot Days, Hot Water

At 10:15 last night, my fav weathergal, Barbie Bassett, announced that the heat index was 91. I went outside with Roxie and I believe she was right. It was HOT outside. It just makes me want to sit under a ceiling fan set at helicopter speed and sip on a glass of iced tea.

I don't do hot weather well. We went to dig daylilies last Sunday, and it wore me out for the rest of the day. Now I have to go to Leslie's and separate them, bring them home and plant them. I'm considering admiring them in Leslie's garden instead of my own...

For anyone who has to get out in this heat, I'm sorry for you. It's times like this that I'm especially thankful that I work out of my home. I can hang out in shorts and write. And thankfully, I've been writing alot lately. Assignments seem to be picking up, which is good, because we've had a run of unexpected, yet necessary expenses. Aging vehicles have needed repairs, things are wearing out in our 15-year-old home, and just this week, a crown needed repair and I got word that I need a root canal ($1000....out the window)...

I think back to the Good Mood Blogger contest and how I wish I had won. That would have been $5000 a month. My writing skills were there, but Bridget from California had it all over me on "social networking skills." I had 10,000 votes to her 17,000. I've learned alot since then--I've actually been to workshops and conferences on blogging and social networking skills. It's times like this, when we're in a bit of hot water, that I wish I had known then what I know now!

But, like so many others, I trudge on...working hard to get ahead. And I'm fine with that. As a matter of fact, today I'm doing a Scentsy party at Methodist Rehab. I'm taking my 80+ scents up to the sixth floor physical therapy office at lunch time where I'll be taking orders. It will be fun to see all our favorite pt's and ot's. I have such a special place in my heart for them, because they truly taught Nicole how to walk again. And to dress herself. And to do so many other little things that we daily take for granted.

Speaking of Nicole, she continues to improve every day. She walks on her own with more confidence, and it's amazing to see her go up and down our front steps with no assistance at all. She works so hard in physical therapy and with her trainer, Eclecius, and working with her Bioness devices which help to restore her hand function.

The next step for Nicole is INDEPENDENCE. She needs to be on her own or she'll go crazy. That means she needs to be financially independent as well as physically independent. She's working towards both. She's getting more and more speaking gigs and she's been hired to do choreography for a summer theatre camp in a couple of weeks. Baby steps, but encouraging.

Son Joseph is watching all the progress his sister is making...it inspires him in school, as he works towards his degree in physical therapy. This summer, he's taking Human Anatomy and Physiology I and II. His girlfriend, Emily, is in his class (she's in nursing), so they are studying together.

Because of their drive, I don't feel so bad about working hard to stay afloat. I know I'm blessed to have two beautiful children who have overcome adversity to excel. I'm happy that I can use my talents to supplement our household income.  And just as we know this hot weather will eventually pass, Larry and I know we can weather anything together--from tragic accidents, financial downturns, and anything else life throws at us.

Blessings to all who read this!

Susan

Sleepless in Madison...

Here it is, 4:21am, and I'm wide awake.

Maybe it's the excitement of Mardi Gras...

No...that's not it.

Chinese New Year? (It's the year of the TIGER!!!)...

No...not that.

Maybe it's dreams (nightmares) about my office.

It's a work in progress...and I tend to ponder those alot when I should be sleeping. But tonight, I don't think that's what's keeping me awake.

Maybe it's because when I was cleaning stuff out yesterday, I found this picture:

And I wondered how I went from that to this:

The realization hit me yesterday that Nicole is 27 years old...the same age I was in the photo of us above. That photo was taken 25 years ago! And I remember everything about that day...from getting dressed, going to the photo studio, how Nicole made us all laugh...like it was yesterday.

I had some serious flashbacks yesterday as I thumbed through some old photo albums (a no-no when cleaning/organizing. The goal yesterday was to clear everything out. Period. But I couldn't resist). I really saw time pass before my eyes as I looked at these old photos:

That's me...with a waistline I'll probably never see again, looking all bridal-veil-ish with the fountain at USM behind me (Was that planned? Larry took this photo while we were dating...). The 'fro is hot, don't you think?

Speaking of HOT, how about these two babes?

That's my sister, Sarah, and me, hamming it up at the Germantown Fire Department!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
We were so young, and too stupid to know that those big glasses weren't flattering on anyone...

 
 
And we were totally clueless as to how this little pink bundle o' joy was going to change our lives in such a huge way...
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

We had no idea how simple life was then...and that we were only just beginning the journey of a lifetime...
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
Or that our hearts could ever feel as much love as they could for a child...
 
 
 
 
 
 
And we wondered if we could ever love anyone as much as we loved that little girl...
 

 

Then along came...

 

 

...Joe. The sweetest little boy ever!

He was ALL boy...all the time...and he turned our lives upside down and inside out in a fun and crazy way, and he made us laugh all the time.
 
But somehow, in the blink of an eye, something happened.
 
This little boy with his frog boots began to grow up.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

And before I knew it...my babies were adults. And our lives are rich and full...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Except the people around us keep getting older...

And a look in the mirror tells us we are too...

So I guess I just don't want to sleep, because I want to savor every drop of this wonderful life that I can...

 

Only, I'm too sleepy, and I've spent the last hour writing this....

 

And I'm thinking if there is such a thing as "beauty rest," I need to grab some while I can!

 

 

 

 

 
Blessings to all who read this!

Susan

Birthday Bliss

On this day, at this very moment, 27 years ago, I was in heavy labor. Scared out of my mind. Not a happy camper At All.

I was about to give birth to my first born child.

IT (we didn't know the sex yet) was not making it easy on me. And IT didn't seem to want to come out. But finally, late into the evening, IT did come out. All 7 pounds, 3 ounces of wiggling dark haired beauty. Nicole Elizabeth came screaming into the world on Groundhog's Day 1983 and my life has never been the same since!

It's been a roller coaster ride and I've had to learn how to be a mom--her mom--as I went along. I'm still learning. And she's quick to let me know when I'm not getting it right. But she also tells me when I am, and for that, I'm grateful.

I've had a unique opportunity to do alot of the things I've done once before all over again. When she had her accident at age 25, she was suddenly transformed from an independent, active young woman to a small and helpless little person in a hosptial bed--not unlike a newborn. We went through all stages of development: sitting up, learning to eat, hand-eye coordination, talking, and (thankfully!) walking. Because she's in the room she grew up in, and she's still the same size she was in the ninth grade, it's easy to forget sometimes that she is a young woman, not a child. For goodness sakes, she was already two years old when I was her age!

But in that time that I've been "raising Nicole" again, I've had lots of time to reflect on her wonderful childhood and all the joy she's brought into our lives. She's been a little actress since she could talk, and she could recite lines of movies as early as age two. "I've seen a house fly (accentuate the FLY). I've seen a dragonFLY. I've seen a horse FLY. Oh I been done seen about everything 'til I've seen an elephant fa-lyyyyyye!" (That's the song the crows sing in "Dumbo," which was her favorite movie for a long long long long long long long time. We watched Dumbo A-LOT!)

One thing I can say about Nicole is that she loves a camera. And cameras love her! Since she was little, she was hamming it up for professional and amateur photographers, and that's made it even more fun to look back and remember all she's done. This was her first "professional" photo shoot in Hattiesburg at age three. It was a for an ad for a children's store.



Not long after that, we moved to Jackson, and Nicole was enrolled in the Ballet Mississippi School at age four. We did a studio photo session with my friend, David Claiborne. He asked her what she'd like to dress up in to have her picture taken, and she chose this pink tutu--which I bought for her at a garage sale for a dime! What a wonderful investment that was! She loved wearing it so much that it was often her attire to the grocery store, the park, McDonald's...

I'm heading to a blogging conference in Nashville this week where I'll learn alot more about how to improve the look of my blog, tricks with photos, etc. What I know now, I've learned on my own, which means practically anyone can do it! I just want mine to be a little more polished and interesting.

I also want to explore the possibilities of blogging for companies, and this conference has a business track that will teach me alot of how that world works. The conference is called "Blissdom," and many of the (mostly) women attending read each other's blogs and they are great online friends. I read a few blogs every week--it's addictive, and if I'm not careful, I can do nothing but read and admire blogs all day. I learn alot from the many insightful women whose blogs I read. It will be fun to connect with them once I'm in Nashville.

One way we'll connect is through a cool new toy sent to each of those registered to attend the conference. It's called a Poken. http://www.poken.com/ A little plastic USB-looking thing, it is a type of 'social business card.' It's an easy way to share your contact details and online social networks in the real world. just hold two poken palms together - high4! - and you're connected.  Of course, I've already lost mine...so I ordered another one. But this time, I ordered a fun Geisha Poken! (By the way, Larry calls it a "social slapper.")

So, Happy Birthday, Nicole! Hope your day was a good one and that life for you has only just begun! Keep those cameras focused, because she's always ready for her closeup. And I'll use the photos in an artful and entertaining way in my blog, as soon as I learn how!

Blessings to all who read this!

Susan