Wedding Anniversary Number 35 Today!

This is my sweetheart of 35 years...Sam! I can not believe we have been married that long. But the evidence is there. Two great kids and four perfect grandkids, as well as a ton of memories.

We went to an informal get-together last night at our friend's house, and one of my girlfriends asked me, "How could you stand to be married to the same man for 35 years?" I thought about it for a second and then told her that I guess Sam and I were just lucky...lucky to love each other as much as we do, lucky that we like each other so much, and lucky that we made it through the tough years without giving up.

She wanted to know if I have been happy and I was glad I could answer "Yes, but not every second!" She didn't seem to get that. So I will tell you what I told her...

In 35 years a lot of stuff happens, life happens! Some things are good and some are not so great. But we loved each other enough that we wanted a life together, so we fought for that life...and often fought with each other in the process. But we never fought without respect...and we never forgot what was important.

Okay, maybe luck doesn't have as much to do with a long and successful marriage as plain hard work does. But I WAS lucky enough to marry a very sweet, caring man.

So, thank you Sam, for loving me for 35 years. It has been quite a ride!

Connor at Texas Transplant Institute

Connor has been in San Antonio, Texas at the Texas Transplant Institute for almost a week now...and he is doing very well. But things will get harder for him from here on.

So far Connor has gone through some routine tests and has been "marked" for the radiation treatments he will need in preparation for the transplant. He has also been found to be an acceptable candidate for the double donor transplant study. This greatly increases his chances of permanent remission!

Let me explain...instead of receiving cells from only one donor, Connor will be getting cells from 2 different donors. These cells will be taken from umbilical cord blood that has been clamped and separated after delivery. Two sources will be used. This allows one source to become the dominate cells effectively defeating the other set of cells. That means survival of the dominate cells...and success for Connor!!

Connor had one bad moment this week. The radiology department made a cast of Connor's face and constructed a mask for him to wear during radiation therapy. So it came time for the first radiation treatment and the mask was placed over his face. Now Connor is used to the way things are done at Arkansas Children's Hospital...slowly and with every step explained to him. So when the radiology team moved more quickly and with less explanations at TTI, it scared him when they placed the mask over his face for the first time. But the technicians were quite understanding...they took the mask off, talked to him, and when Connor was ready, they resumed the treatment.

And, of course, Connor came through with flying colors!!

There is a long and painful road ahead before Connor will be well. The worst and most dreaded part of the treatment will be the chemotherapy that will virtually destroy his immune system. It is going to be a very grueling road for an eight year old boy to travel.

But the transplant is scheduled for the second week in June and I know Connor will go through it as he has all of the last two years...like the brave warrior that he is!

I have to take a moment to thank everyone who has given time, money, emotional support and prayers for Connor. Thank you all so much. God bless you! And God bless Connor and all the children who are battling this insidious disease tonight!!

My Amazing Mom!

I can not begin to tell you how much my Mom means to me, to all of us, so I will just say this...

My Mom is amazing! And she always has been! That's her in the dark blue dress with me and 4 of my brothers and sisters. (Two of my sisters couldn't be with us on this day because one was ill and the other had to work.) But five of us showed up to attend church with Mom on Mother's Day this year.

My Mom is one of the strongest, most loving and forgiving people I know and for as long as I can remember, I have wanted to be just like her. But she is so much better than me in every way!

Mom is 74 years old and runs her own business. She is tireless and can work circles around me. Yet she is never too tired to do whatever her children need done. She has spent her life working for others and is the most unselfish person I have ever known.

She drives around in a red, half ton, Chevrolet pickup taking her dogs to the vet or running kids and grand kids (and great grand kids!) wherever they need to go. She does the work of three people in one, keeping her Kennel up to date and making sure everything is as it should be for her dogs (because that is her second love, next to her family.)

This woman can set you straight in a heartbeat if you get out of line! And all the time she is letting you have it, you are thanking God that she loves you enough to talk straight with you.

Life has made Mom tough...but never hard. And that is a miracle when you consider all she has gone through over the years! You see there is a difference in being a tough person and being a hard person. "Tough" is what you have to be to withstand personal hardships...but "hard" is what many people allow the trials in life to make them, hard and bitter...and there is no hardness or bitterness in my Mom.

At the age of 74 she is as loving and lighthearted as a young "20-something" woman. Her sense of humor cracks me up sometimes! We have so much fun when we are at Mom's house! I love to go "home" when I feel down because she always makes me feel better.

As you can imagine, there are so many things I could tell you about my Mom that would give you greater insight and appreciation into her character and life. But I would just like to say, that if I can be even half the person she is, I will be satisfied.

I am in my 5th decade but she is living her 7th decade...and that is wonderful! Why? Because she is truly LIVING it!

I pray God will grant us many more years with Mom because we all love and need her so very much.

So..."ROCK ON", Mom!! (And I know you won't be doing that in a rocking chair!) We love you!

"Old" Lady Seeks Gainful Employment

As most of you know, my husband has been out of work since February 1st. His unemployment is adequate but can not last forever. And here in Oklahoma, there are no more extensions being given for those out of work.

So...I have been looking for a job. And I found one I would be perfect for! There was an opening at one of the vet clinics in our area, for a vet tech. I was so excited and went immediately to apply.

The terms for employment were no experience required, minimum wage, and must love animals. However, I had plenty of experience to offer! I had spent 4 years breeding and raising English Bulldogs. I worked closely with the veterinarians in our area, often assisting in C-sections on my own dogs. I also gave all my own vaccines, know tons about diseases and disorders in small animals and am very familiar with the signs and symptoms of illness in dogs, cats and birds.

I also worked as a nurse for 18 years and am adept in sterile technique, clean technique, and various medical instruments and devices that are also used in a vet clinic.

In short, I was perfect for the job! But one of the questions on the application was "date of birth." I felt a little nervous about it but filled it in knowing that I was very qualified for the job.

I turned in my application and was told they would call me in for an interview soon. After 3 days and no call, I took the initiative and called them to let them know I was still interested in an interview. I asked if they had any questions about my application...and was told again that they would call me soon for an interview.

But that call never came. So I waited 4 more days and when I called them again, they said the position had been filled. I reminded the receptionist that I had been told I would get an interview and she said, "Oh, we're sorry, but we found someone more qualified."

Now this is a small town where everybody knows everybody...and I can tell you for a fact that the girl they hired was not more qualified for the job than me.

But she was younger...much younger...and very pretty. I know the "patients" will appreciate that when the new girl is trying to figure out how far you are supposed to insert the thermometer up their little butts. Or how to give a subcutaneous injection. Or trying to remember what a normal body temp is for a dog, cat, horse, etc.

If I sound angry it's because I am. Sometimes I wonder why they even ask for your age on an employment application. Why not just say plainly , "No one over 35 need apply!" At least then I wouldn't waste my time applying for a job I don't have any chance of getting, no matter how qualified I am.

I am having trouble with this experience. To be judged solely on the basis of my age is simply not fair. I am healthy, energetic, qualified and have a strong work ethic. Plus, I needed that job as much as anyone else!

Oh well, I will go to WalMart tomorrow and apply for a job in the pharmacy. I am well qualified for that position too. We will see what happens there.

To be passed over for gainful employment because I am almost 53 (birthday next month, yikes!) is more than a little discouraging. It actually hurts! But I can tell you this one thing for sure...someone will hire me eventually. And they will get a hard working, honest employee who will do her very best for them!!

Connor's Transplant is Scheduled!

I wanted to give you an update on Connor, my great nephew who is battling leukemia. For those of you who don't know him, Connor is eight years old and was diagnosed in 2008 with leukemia.

Since my last update on him, Connor has had two serious close calls with infections that landed him in the hospital both times. He is currently in remission, but must be very careful as his immune system is quite weak.

Connor will be flying to San Antonio tomorrow where he will receive a bone marrow transplant! The process is a long one: first, there have to be various tests, then his immune system will be completely destroyed and he will be in isolation prior to the transplant.

After the transplant Connor will be in the hospital until he is stable enough to be moved to the Ronald McDonald House next door. He will be checked by his doctors everyday for as long as it takes to make sure his body isn't rejecting the new cells.

This little boy is facing a painful ordeal and lengthy hospital stay. There will be days when he is very sick. But if the transplant is a success, Connor will be cured! He will be able to look forward to his tomorrows without there being this constant pain.

Hang in there Connor! We love you and our thoughts and prayers are with you every moment...keep fighting, brave boy!

Rearranging Furniture...Turning Things Around!

I decided to rearrange my living room today. This meant some heavy lifting. Thank God for my husband who was totally up to the task!

Do you ever just want to turn things around? Well, that is what I wanted to do today. So I moved all the furniture that was at the back of my living room, to the front, and vice versa.

I got rid of an old couch that I hated...seriously, I just tossed it! It was quite heavy, (I will be sore tonight from all the lifting); and hubby and I were out of breath by the time we had it loaded in the back of his truck. We had to take the legs off of this monstrosity to get it out through the front door. And, for the life of me, I can't remember why I wanted it in the first place.

We moved the other pieces of furniture around and this gave a very "open" feel to our living room. I love it! Change is so good sometimes!

My computer/writing room is freshly painted and I have both my laptop and desk top computers in it, along with my printer. Some new curtains, a rug and a few pictures will finish it off nicely. Hubby calls it "NASA Central" and I love it!

Change is often a needful thing. Sometimes we have to turn things around in our lives. Maybe even toss out the things that aren't working for us. And I don't mean just the furniture.

Sometimes a change, however small, can lift our spirits and give us a new outlook on life...and totally turn things around for us!

Oklahoma Tornadoes!

There has been a lot of devastation in our State tonight...Mother Nature tends to have her way with us here in Oklahoma, in the springtime.

Several lives have been lost and many homes destroyed in Central Oklahoma tonight. Literally thousands are without power tonight. But this is nothing new to those of us who live in "Tornado Alley."

I am 52 years old and have lived in Tornado Alley all of my life. My Dad used to tell us about the awful tornado that hit Howe, Oklahoma when we were babies. He was one of the volunteers that helped in the aftermath of that storm and he never forgot the horror of pulling dead bodies out of the destruction.

Naturally, I have a great respect and life long caution of these storms that sweep over our area. At my age, I am on a first name basis with the concept of death...but I don't want to meet my Maker in the vortex of a tornado! Frankly, having my ass blown away in a storm just doesn't excite me at all! Call me crazy, but that simply doesn't appeal to me!

So hubby and I went to the storm cellar that my Dad built for us years ago. We ran from these tornadoes tonight and found a safe haven in the home of my youth.

It was so comforting because my Mom was there, my brother, my cousin and all of their family members, in the storm cellar with us. We laughed and talked as the storm raged outside. We told stories of days long past, while the lanterns' light flickered off the concrete walls. We were safe inside our shelter...no harm could come to us there.

We were spared the devastation that so many in our State have suffered tonight.

Please God, be with those who have lost so much tonight in these terrible storms. And thank you, Lord, for keeping so many of us safe!

Husband Laid Off...No Work...Lots of Activity

My husband has been out of work since the last of January. He works for a construction company and no one has the money to expand or build right now. But that doesn't mean hubby has been sitting idle...no way!

Sam (my husband) has been in a frenzy of activity since he has been off work. Our property has never looked better! And that is great! I love it!

But hubby has decided that we need to utilize every inch of our property in a productive way. So...he has bought laying hens for us to have fresh eggs. He is building a pen for a milk goat, that he intends to buy for us as soon as the pen is completed. (Because someone told us that goat's milk is good for you.) Tomorrow he is going to buy a new tiller and we are putting in more vegetables. My spare bedroom is being converted into a "computer room" for me to do my writing in (awesome)!

And all of this is so wonderful...but I am exhausted! I am rushing, trying to keep up with this man! I say, "Let's pull the travel trailer to the lake and do some fishing", and he says, "You know, we could knock out this wall and make a bigger living room." And I reply, "Sure, hun, we can do that."

And both of us are looking for jobs, which is a dismal prospect because of the severely depressed economy in our area. Hubby has his unemployment benefits and we do okay on that. Because he has worked so hard, we have very little debt, but Sam isn't happy with just drawing a check...he needs to work a job. And I think that is why he is in such a high state of activity.

So this blog is dedicated to the man I have spent 35 years with, the man I love! Thank you, Sam, for working so tirelessly for us all these years. I appreciate you so very much!

But, could we go fishing now...read a book...watch a movie...cuddle?

Oh, what the heck. Give me a kiss and let's knock out that wall! I'm with you, hun!