Thursday, January 28, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
New direction
To whom it may concern,
I believe my writing assignments for staff training over. Thus, my blog will be taking a new direction. It will be focused more on snapshots of moments in my life, memoirs. Inspired by an amazing professor Dr. Barbara Everson & Stephen King (On Writing)...oh and inspired by life and its chaos. My attempt at organizing life into words and images. Enjoy
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Two Girls and a Horse
Katie, Xena, Luisa, Bella
Katie, Alfie, Luisa
Luisa, Katie, Alfie
Two Girls and a Horse
I started thinking the other day how I could spend time with a couple of students but not expend quite as much energy as I usually do. (Work smart, not hard, thank you Rhett Sanders). Recently I've been exhausted after all that has happened with mom, 4 day camp with work, etc. I decided I'd take two freshmen out to the farm. Luisa & Katie came to our camp the other weekend and especially enjoyed the trail ride they did. I decided the farm would be perfect for these two fun girls...and me.
I showed them the babies, and they giggled when the foals tried to nibble their shoes, shirts, hair. I pulled Alfie out of his stall, not quite sure how he would handle all of us at the same time. I taught them how to brush him, pick his hooves, find his favorite spot he likes massaged, and how he gives hugs for cookies. It was perfect. I wasn't having to carry a conversation or ask a ton of questions which can take the life right out of me some days even though I love it. But I just let Alfie do the work. He loved the attention of 3 girls fussing over him. A year ago, he would have been nervous and agitated with all of the activity.
I watched and thought about the past year. A kind of circle was taking place. I spent the time and patience to mentally and physically rehab this horse who was allowing these girls to take a break from a fast paced life to enjoy calm and quiet moments with a new fuzzy friend.
Afterwards, I introduced the girls to the herd of ponies at the top of the property. I told them that horses don't talk, but they communicate through the slightest body language. They watched as I blew in to Bella's nose, a form of equine greeting, and she blew back in my face as a warm hello. "You try!" So the girls did. When Xena blew back in Luisa's face, Luisa's face lit up and she jumped back amazed. "Katy! SHE DID IT! Wow!"
I will never forget that moment. Word's didn't have to be exchanged. Questions weren't asked. I just watched. And let Xena, Alfie, and Bella be the teachers.
Saturday, January 23, 2010
25 in 2009
I posted the previous list of 25 random things because it's something I did on facebook and just found again today. Thought I'd do it again and see what I can come up with each year. And it's a feeble attempt to put thoughts in to words...things I've learned/noticed or will remember.
1) It doesn't matter age or life stage-Many of us experience similar struggles just through different situations. (12/2009)
2) I've STILL made it a life goal of mine to never run a marathon.
3) After living for the past 25 years, meeting the people I have, spending time with them and the ones I love, I'm STILL convinced 95% of the population needs to be in counseling. Though, I'd like to narrow it to 95% of the American population.
4) As much as I really can't stand Romans 8:28 sometimes, I've found it to be true.
5) KAMJ The Sequel (mom's breast cancer)
6) KAMJ The Threequel (mom's lymphoma returns)
7) Music is a great comfort. (NeedtoBreathe: Something Beautiful, Chris Quilala: Your Love Never Fails)
8) Running too. Just know your limits before you set off like a bat out of...
9) Barnes & Noble as well. Especially the Tea they serve...Cinnamon Spice.
10) Boundaries are good. Knowing your property line, even better. this one takes some explaining.
11) Bed & Breakfasts are great hide aways. Even if it sounds like they could be from a King novel (Murder in Meridian).
12) Books are great friends and taking a hiatus from your usual genre is encouraged. (some of my breaks: The Road by Cormac McCarthy, Peter Pan by JM Barrie, Dr. Seuss)
13) Teaching is still one of the highest forms of learning.
14) Life=not a formula. ... There's no formula for people either.
15) Horses know how to listen, and listen well. Speaking only when absolutely necessary.
16) Horses can teach you a lot about how to read body language. Every behavior serves a need.
17) "You see, but you don't observe." Sherlock Holmes. Observe.
18) "We hear, but we don't listen." ...my observation 6 yrs ago, even more true with text/iphone, etc.
19) There are friends we wish were family, and family we wish were friends.
20) Ask questions.
21) And when you do, allow for the awkward silences, an answer will usually come.
22) When someone asks you how you are, ask them how they are. Chances are they aren't really asking. It's just an American conversation starter. When in other countries/cultures, answer appropriately. This one I've been reconciling for 5 yrs.
23) The chipmunk in Enchanted was the Christ figure and therefore saves the day. I promise! Watch the movie! i totally called it the first time I saw it.
24) I'd rather watch someone do something first, and learn from that than jump in head first. (i.e.parenting, leading)
25) Close & true friends are a rare and precious treasure.
1) It doesn't matter age or life stage-Many of us experience similar struggles just through different situations. (12/2009)
2) I've STILL made it a life goal of mine to never run a marathon.
3) After living for the past 25 years, meeting the people I have, spending time with them and the ones I love, I'm STILL convinced 95% of the population needs to be in counseling. Though, I'd like to narrow it to 95% of the American population.
4) As much as I really can't stand Romans 8:28 sometimes, I've found it to be true.
5) KAMJ The Sequel (mom's breast cancer)
6) KAMJ The Threequel (mom's lymphoma returns)
7) Music is a great comfort. (NeedtoBreathe: Something Beautiful, Chris Quilala: Your Love Never Fails)
8) Running too. Just know your limits before you set off like a bat out of...
9) Barnes & Noble as well. Especially the Tea they serve...Cinnamon Spice.
10) Boundaries are good. Knowing your property line, even better. this one takes some explaining.
11) Bed & Breakfasts are great hide aways. Even if it sounds like they could be from a King novel (Murder in Meridian).
12) Books are great friends and taking a hiatus from your usual genre is encouraged. (some of my breaks: The Road by Cormac McCarthy, Peter Pan by JM Barrie, Dr. Seuss)
13) Teaching is still one of the highest forms of learning.
14) Life=not a formula. ... There's no formula for people either.
15) Horses know how to listen, and listen well. Speaking only when absolutely necessary.
16) Horses can teach you a lot about how to read body language. Every behavior serves a need.
17) "You see, but you don't observe." Sherlock Holmes. Observe.
18) "We hear, but we don't listen." ...my observation 6 yrs ago, even more true with text/iphone, etc.
19) There are friends we wish were family, and family we wish were friends.
20) Ask questions.
21) And when you do, allow for the awkward silences, an answer will usually come.
22) When someone asks you how you are, ask them how they are. Chances are they aren't really asking. It's just an American conversation starter. When in other countries/cultures, answer appropriately. This one I've been reconciling for 5 yrs.
23) The chipmunk in Enchanted was the Christ figure and therefore saves the day. I promise! Watch the movie! i totally called it the first time I saw it.
24) I'd rather watch someone do something first, and learn from that than jump in head first. (i.e.parenting, leading)
25) Close & true friends are a rare and precious treasure.
25 in 2008, recap
Rules:
Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged.
(To do this, go to "notes" under tabs on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your 25 random things, tag 25 people [in the right hand corner of the app] then click publish.)
hmmmm..
1) I'm 5'0, ...on a good day.
2) I've made it a life goal of mine to never run a marathon.
3) After living for the past 24 years, meeting the people I know, spending time with the ones I love, I'm convinced 95% of the population needs to be in counseling. haha
4) Toasty. State HOUSE.
5) Guesstures is a great game until someone says hula boobs.
6) Scented markers are a good way to make friends.
7) Squishy. (sushi)
8) Dogs don't like oranges. and despite popular opinion Zebras NEIGH!
9) You should never decide to visit a waterfall at 4am in the morning when you've never been there and it's out in the boonies and the most either of you have slept is 2 hours and the last movie you saw was a horror movie
10) And when you're pulled over on a mountain road at 4:30am, realizing the waterfall is a gated park, never shine your flashlight at passing vehicles.
11) It's not always a good idea to bake cookies at 8pm and drive 2 hours to feed them to your friend. more than likely, she's already brushed her teeth.
12) Orangatang, not a left over and it doesn't start with T.
13) Always smell the bottle of cranberry juice before drinking it.
14) WHO'S GAME?! OUR GAME! ...old lacrosse tradition.
15) Be nice to your friends. Don't push them off their ponies.
16) Whajabooboo.
17) You know you're my friend/roommate when...you know not to cross the street with me. You'll die.
18) #17 applies to cities outside of the States.
19) KAMJ
20) my friend believes india is a large county.
21) diet coke, mentos, always a good time. always.
22) ok. who nerted??
23) isss goood.
24) NBS. les nouvelles belles souers
25) all but the first 3 are inside jokes that remind me of the people i love. leave a comment. add some more:)
Ask if you want to know the stories.
Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged.
(To do this, go to "notes" under tabs on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your 25 random things, tag 25 people [in the right hand corner of the app] then click publish.)
hmmmm..
1) I'm 5'0, ...on a good day.
2) I've made it a life goal of mine to never run a marathon.
3) After living for the past 24 years, meeting the people I know, spending time with the ones I love, I'm convinced 95% of the population needs to be in counseling. haha
4) Toasty. State HOUSE.
5) Guesstures is a great game until someone says hula boobs.
6) Scented markers are a good way to make friends.
7) Squishy. (sushi)
8) Dogs don't like oranges. and despite popular opinion Zebras NEIGH!
9) You should never decide to visit a waterfall at 4am in the morning when you've never been there and it's out in the boonies and the most either of you have slept is 2 hours and the last movie you saw was a horror movie
10) And when you're pulled over on a mountain road at 4:30am, realizing the waterfall is a gated park, never shine your flashlight at passing vehicles.
11) It's not always a good idea to bake cookies at 8pm and drive 2 hours to feed them to your friend. more than likely, she's already brushed her teeth.
12) Orangatang, not a left over and it doesn't start with T.
13) Always smell the bottle of cranberry juice before drinking it.
14) WHO'S GAME?! OUR GAME! ...old lacrosse tradition.
15) Be nice to your friends. Don't push them off their ponies.
16) Whajabooboo.
17) You know you're my friend/roommate when...you know not to cross the street with me. You'll die.
18) #17 applies to cities outside of the States.
19) KAMJ
20) my friend believes india is a large county.
21) diet coke, mentos, always a good time. always.
22) ok. who nerted??
23) isss goood.
24) NBS. les nouvelles belles souers
25) all but the first 3 are inside jokes that remind me of the people i love. leave a comment. add some more:)
Ask if you want to know the stories.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Creative License, Favs of the year.
Not really creative, but my first ride with him. Prospering's Rhett Butler (Rhett).
Commissioned by Benton Hall, Grand Poobah of SV Dallas.
he wanted a man on a cliff.
metaphors abound
Why I love Frisco.
more metaphors
fun pattern
Sunday, January 17, 2010
What's Your Status?
Benton (SV Dallas) & Pat O'Bryan (SV Orlando)
Frisco & Plano girls.
Main meeting. Frisco.
Notes on Fastbreak 2010 @ Sky Ranch Camp, a Student Venture weekend retreat...
A weekend to get away from the chaos of a broken home. A chance to realize they're not alone. An opportunity to understand there's hope, not in a god we have to earn approval from, but a God who gladly gives whatever we need and what we ask.
"I realized I was that woman...waiting to touch Jesus's cloak. I have wanted to know how to have a relationship with Him. Thanks to Hagan (sophomore teammate) and the weekend, now I have a relationship with God." - 9th grade/cross country & track runner
"This weekend was a taste of heaven."-10th grader(s)
Students from Plano, Carrollton, and Frisco came together to learn about how to have a relationship with God, how to receive His love and forgiveness, what it means to ask too little of God, and how to live believing God for big things.
"The problem isn't that we expect too much of God, but that we expect too little..."
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Outside the Box
Judy Niles tells her story!
Just realized I never posted mom's video on here. This is when she came down for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Light the Night walk. We got about 20+ students, the xc coach, parents, sv staff and friends to donate money for LLS. We walked 2 miles, and the students had the chance to meet my mom. With the help of my "producer" Cam, we put this video together and I texted 30+ people so they could see mom's story. Definitely not a typical way to talk about God, but I loved it. And would love to do something like this again but fine tune it.
Just realized I never posted mom's video on here. This is when she came down for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Light the Night walk. We got about 20+ students, the xc coach, parents, sv staff and friends to donate money for LLS. We walked 2 miles, and the students had the chance to meet my mom. With the help of my "producer" Cam, we put this video together and I texted 30+ people so they could see mom's story. Definitely not a typical way to talk about God, but I loved it. And would love to do something like this again but fine tune it.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Key Lime Pie, Lion&Harp, and the Workout
2009 Volleyball Bible Study
Back in Dallas! Here's the update...Key Lime Pie
Believe it or not, but I will be entering my Key Lime pie in the 2010 Texas State Fair. I have approximately 9-10 months to perfect it, and I know there are a few generous and gracious people who would be as kind as to take a few of the practice pies off my hands.
I'm not sure why this sounds fun, but how awesome would it be to say "This Pie is the best in all of Texas"!! High aspirations, but go hard or go home. Right? I've already checked out the competition from last year. And while I don't really expect to win my first year, I think this should be a fun endeavor. I'll let you know how it goes.
Lion&Harp
I stayed in the cute b&b in Meridian, Mississippi that I found online. Though it sounds like a staging for a Stephen King novel (Murder in Meridian, Meridian Massacre, etc), it was quite the opposite. It was the only purple (fuschia?) colored plantation home on the block, owned and run by a lovely English lady Janet, her husband Tom, and Chris, their cocker spaniel. I had the luxury of being the only one to stay the night, and I loved it. Tom served me poached peaches, Yorkshire Golden hot tea, and Eggs Benedict. A-mazing. Janet taught me about Royal Crown Derby (Dah-by) china and showed off all of her pieces. Gorgeous. She mentioned her children didn't take great notice or care in any of it (It's JUST dishes, mum), so it seems she has lost interest as well. Rather sad, but I do believe I've said something of the same to my mom about her things.
Speaking of mom, quick update. Her hair has been falling out quickly but she keeps reminding me, "Today is the day that the Lord has made. So I'm going to rejoice and be glad in it!" I think she's found her hope again. Thank you for praying.
The Workout
I started helping the cross country coach with his track team this season. I should probably add I haven't run in...well, since Thanksgiving. So, I decided I would take it easy this past Monday. Taking it easy included running a half mile, some conditioning with the team, some weights, oh annddd biking 4 miles. oops! But I enjoyed it and spending time with the team. 4 of the xc/track girls are coming with us to Fastbreak (our weekend camp) on Friday (6 others are coming too, not from sports). Pray for my energy! Pray these girls would hear the talks, connect with God on a new level, and walk away having learned what it means to live a life out of their love for the Lord because of what He has done for us. Too many times I have observed we live out of fear and guilt in our relationship with God.
Pictures of the B&B and Fastbreak to come.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Chemo Day 4, oops
Silly medicare. We are back at SCOA for one drug that medicare wouldn't allow more than 8 doses of per year. Of course mom has already had it 8x in the first chemo round. So, now it's 2010 and we are here getting the drug. It's actually not a "Chemo" drug. It's monoclonal antibodies. Not a chemical (yay). So no nausea from this. However, mom has experienced a good deal of nausea from the other drugs. :/ She says she'll be ok, but I've had to do quite a bit for her.
Part of that included chloroxing the cabinets yesterday. WOW they were disgusting. I tried some natural cleaner for the sake of my lungs, but it didn't get the job done. But oddly I did enjoy it. There was a beginning and an end; therefore, therapeutic. haha not sure why, but those kind of jobs are good for me. If you need your cabinets cleaned, call me. Free of charge. Actually I do require food. But that's it. :)
We just talked to Nurse Tess, and she said mom looked great. She let us in on the fact that mom's chemo combo actually puts most people in the hospital due to sickness and dehydration. The doc did give mom the option to receive it in the hospital, but she said no thank you. We do see why. It's been hard to get mom the fluids she needs. But she feels so sick it's hard for her to drink a lot. But she felt like superwoman hearing Tess talk about how rough these drugs are and seeing how well she handled them. Mom is the Poster child! We know it's because of those of you praying for us. Journal Club--you know who you are--you're on duty for Chemo Round #3, make sure she drinks fluids (5 bottles a day, she likes it diluted with ginger ale) and/or goes in for fluids day 4, 8, 10, and maybe 12. :)
Right now she is OUT! Benadryl does the job. She woke up to ask me if there was a dragon fly on the wall. It was one of those fire sprinkler things. so cute. she laughed at herself.
I think she's going to be good. If not, my aunt/her sister will be down for the next round, and Jclub for the third. I can fly down for 4 or anything else if needed.
As for me, it's actually been a good time to rest. I have done a lot of work too, to get ready for our camp in a week and a half. But it's been fun work. I'm worried about leaving mom, but she has great friends (well, we call them family!). I'm excited to see the ponies again and get into a routine. I leave tomorrow morning, staying at a bed and breakfast in Meridian, and then driving to Dallas Wednesday. I'm really excited about the b&b. www.lionandharp.com I'll definitely blog and put pictures up. It looks SO cute! And it was the same price as a hotel. WHy not do it!
Ok, going to catch up on some NCIS episodes. Thank you again for your prayers!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)