No Matter The Date...God Is ALWAYS GREAT!!!

Oh I HAVE BEEN SO REMISS...PLEASE FORGIVE ME

2012-02-10T05:25:00.000-08:00

Have you ever had so much going on that you just had to postpone the handling of one thing to handle 200 others? Well, of course you have. You are a woman just like me. But I promise very shortly, I am going to get my Blog back up to date. I have some wonderful things to share with you. Please continue to keep Mom in your prayers. I am so appreciative to those of you that keep in contact regarding Mom and sharing your caregiving experiences with me. She has always been my best friend and these years with her have been a blessing. Enjoy your Valentine's Day! Check out The Mom Squad Blog for some interesting ideas and tips. Here's some flowers for you. Adios.

Another Wonderful Season of Life...Grandparenting

2011-10-25T18:45:00.000-07:00

I have seen it...heard people talk about it...BUT NOW I AM ABOUT TO EXPERIENCE IT!!! Yes, my middle child, Beranda is about to have my first biological grandchild and it feels like this will be the first grandchild ever born in this world. hahaha I mean I am filled with so much anticipation I can hardly fathom what this will actually feel like. I am about to meet my new little best friend.

As I sat at the hospital today, watching the various monitors, hearing a very strong heartbeat, I had so many flashbacks of my daughter as a little girl. Her knees never touched the ground; she went from doing a crab crawl (hands and feet only) to standing and walking. She was always cleaning and straightening things up. She became the self-proclaimed Golden Child but in time we all agreed that the title was a great fit. Strong willed, forthright, determined, a self starter, great student, honest, hardworking...one of the most dedicated friends one could ever have and she has such an incredible way with children...that is my sweetheart...lovingly called Ms. B. I know she is going to be one of the most awesome Moms EVER!

After many hours, we got an all clear and returned to our respective homes BUT I believe that little girl will be here before long AND I CAN HARDLY WAIT TO MEET HER...my little Kalaya.

Thank you Lord for allowing me to experience yet another season of life!

Just saw Billy The Exterminator for the first time on A&E..AWESOME

2011-08-23T18:31:00.000-07:00

And you know we need help. I have written about my rodent woes several times but now we have a new predator...RACCOONS. May it is like a rotation effort around here. The skunks were king and I tried everything I could think of to get rid of them. Pest control came and caught quite a few (along with some wild cats) but the next year more returned. Oh how embarrassing when they spray the house in the middle of the night and our clothes smell the next day. Then the groundhogs came and set up shop under the house. When they run and fight I can actually feel them under the floor board under my feet. It is downright scary and at times it wakes me in the middle of the night. I need all the rest I can get in order to care for Mom. BTW, she is doing really well. Thanks for your prayers. But these raccoons take the cake. They are now pulling the gutter board off by reaching down from the roof. Then they pull the pink insulation out and throw it on the ground. Now the pest control is out of traps because Garfield is "overrun" with rodents. Though we are on the list for traps for next week (if any are returned) I wrote to Billy The Exterminator. I saw the show for the first time tonight and I sure hope he and his crew comes to Garfield. They're all so cute but they are menaces and can be dangerous.

Shae Shae Turns 31!

2011-08-21T17:55:00.000-07:00

Oh what a blessing this wonderful child has been to me. Though she is 31, she will always be my baby. As a Mom, one of the first things I do in the morning and one of the last things I do at night is pray for my children. It is so important for me to see them grow and go into this world as positive productive members of society and Shae is definitely that. She has such a passion for the Arts, Education, and people. And God has blessed her to be able to utilize that passion daily via City At Peace in DC and in her church. God has also given her a wonderful circle of loving friends and I am grateful for each one of them as well. I am so proud of her and thankful that God allowed me, ME to be the steward over this marvelous human being. Thank you Lord! HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHAE SHAE!!!!

GOD PLACED UPON MY HEART TO START A LOVE THY NEIGHBOR PROJECT

2011-07-24T10:49:00.000-07:00

We all know the Great Commission:

1) Love the Lord with ALL OUR HEARTS... and
2) Love thy neighbor

I have heard this tons of times. In VA my neighbors were very interactive. There were 50 homes on the street and we all knew each other, each other's children, we pretty much all knew where the "hidden" key was, it was kind of like a commune...ergo the root of 'community'. "The times they are a changin," as Dylan so eloquently put it. But today, as Pastor Mike spoke, I felt a desperate need to connect with my neighbors here in Garfield soooooo I am going to pray and put the spirit of hospitality that God has given me to work and I will let you know what He brings to me to do AND what the reaction/outcome turns out to be.

I love people and over the years I have walked the neighborhoods I have lived in (thank you Pastor Ahlemann for that teaching some 20 yrs ago) and prayed for my neighbors whether I knew them or not. Though I was born and raised in the neighborhood where I care for my Mom right now, those I grew up with have either moved on or passed on and though I wave occasionally to my current neighbors, I don' know them and they don't know me. I desperately feel compelled to do more. Stay tuned....

The Rippingtons Let it Rip @ Cain Park

2011-07-16T14:14:00.000-07:00

What an enjoyable evening my husband and I had yesterday (in celebration of our 6 month wedding anniversary) as we sat in the midst of the cooling night air at one of the most beautiful Greater Cleveland venues, Cain Park. The Rippingtons filled the air with melodies old and new, some inspired by international travel that took me here and there each time I closed my eyes. They have been enjoyed by many for many years via smooth jazz stations, albums and concerts and they've still got it! They didn't miss a beat and it was cool to see them add a bit of choreography to their smooth stage demeanor. It was such a pleasure for us to see them in person. Keep it going Rippingtons! You're one of the GREATS.

Sade Herself...Still Sultry...Hasn't Aged A Bit & The Band "Sade" as a Whole...PHENOMENAL!!!

2011-07-08T14:47:00.000-07:00

First of all let me say, "THANK YOU SADE FOR MAKING CLEVELAND A PART OF YOUR WORLD TOUR!!!" WOW...Songs brought back soooo many memories. The videos that accompanied the performance were cutting edge. One would never have known 20 years had passed. And the crowd was so beautifully dressed! Where were the naysayers about Clevelanders' style THAT night. The crowd was so diverse it was like a little touch of Heaven. All ethnicities...All ages. There were grandparents with young adult grandchildren, mothers and daughters, girls night out groups and evidences of parents' night out gen xers that were happy to rekindle a loving moment from days of early dating. John Legend kicked it off with a total command of the stage. This was a stellar event all and all that felt like a once in a lifetime moment. And though I waited until the LAST moment to obtain tickets, boy oh boy, was I glad that I had the opportunity to capture this moment! Credit to Elizabeth Mirth for the only pic I could find online of the entire group. To see more of her wonderful pictures of this concert, go to http://eof737.wordpress.com/2011/06/26/sade-live-in-concert-in-ny-a-pictorial-review/

Chonda Pierce Spoke Candidly and Made Us Think

2011-05-31T16:03:00.000-07:00

As mentioned in my Mom Squad Post, there were laughter and tears shared between Chonda and the audience during her performance.
(themomsquad@955thefish.com, May 23) It touched my heart to hear her speak of the dynamic of a parent and child, when a parent never feels your accomplishments are enough, but you love them anyway. Thank you Jesus for helping us to know in YOU, we are more than enough for it is not about our accoplishments, but our hearts. How sometimes, we as Christians can be so judgmental rather than empathetic when addressing issues like depression. Some feel those suffering with depression don't need medication but need to pray more. Her answer to that was, "Take off your glasses and let's see you drive home." Funny, but thought provoking. She discussed why some of us as Christians find it necessary to show hatred toward those living a different lifestyle instead of showing them the love of Christ in speaking of meeting comedian, Wanda Sykes. The judgment should come from God...Christ asks us NOT to judge. Why can't we as Christians be more loving and understanding? She spoke of how depression can frighten our loved ones at times and cause division. Satan loves to cause division. We must be mindful of his traps. The pain of mental and psychological disorders can create long suffering. She spoke of the opportunity God gave her, "just a little girl on the second pew", to explain John 3:16 to her Jewish manager that saw the numbers on a calandar in a Christian book store and thought it referred to a Christian holiday of sorts. How beautiful it is that God can and will use each one of us, if we let Him, to plant a seed so those that don't know the wonderful saving power of the blood shed on Calvary, can come to know Jesus Christ, so they too can be saved. God has given Chonda Pierce many talents (what a BEAUTIFUL singing voice) but what's even more amazing is her loving and appreciative heart for our Lord and for people...all people. It was such a pleasure to spend time with her. Bless you Chonda! Thanks for giving it to us straight.

Thank You Lord 4 Keeping Teens Safe During Prom Season

2011-05-16T17:16:00.000-07:00

It was so lovely...I mean SUCH a HUGE BLESSING to see my son all dressed up and confidently ready to mix, mingle and have a great time this past weekend. God provided all of the finances and some major deals to help us get what Micah needed and at the same time at bargain prices. We are just bursting with happiness to see Micah grow to be a man of integrity. But I felt compelled to pray for a hedge of protection around every single teen/young adult out on the roads during this prom season. Thank you Lord. Commencement next, summer job hopefully and off to college. Though I have prayed everyday with and for this young man, I can't stop now. I had to thank my nephew Rocky and his wife Jennifer for moving all the way across town to buy a home in our neighborhood just so Micah would have their son Ryan to go to high school with. That was so thoughtful and it has been wonderful for all of us to see them grow together... pray together...play together...and now move into adulthood never forgetting these precious moments. My new daughter, Dominique, has prom coming up, commencement and college too. We pray daily for her as well.

I am going to miss my constant companion that has helped me for 7 years to care for my Mom but I wish Micah all the best. My children know my motto, "Grow, Go, & Grow Some More". Even before I had children I prayed for 3...2 girls & a boy (probably because that is what my Mom had) that would live for Christ and be positive, productive members of society. God has blessed me and I am truly thankful.

A Lovely Time with My Sisters @ Unity Free Will Baptist Church

2011-05-10T11:01:00.000-07:00

What a pleasure it was for my daughters (Shae-right, Beranda-left) and me to attend the Mother-Daughter Banquet at the Unity Free Will Baptist Church in Middleburg Hts. this past Saturday. Pastor and Sandra Crouch are such lovely people...truly on fire for Christ.

Every detail was attended to in sea of lavender with beautiful floating candles. I am so greatful to Sandy for inviting me and for all her hard work. And the food...OH THE FOOD!!! Wow, those ladies can cook. I'm hoping to obtain a few recipes for The Mom Squad Blog.

What a blessing it was for me to have the opportunity to uplift the precious Name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, with these beautiful sisters. My new sister, Delma (shown below) and I found we had quite a few similarities and God had truly brought us through. By the way, the MC, June, was magnificent and the music was lovely too. Hope to see them all again soon. If you live in the Middleburg area and are looking for a Bible teaching, Bible preaching church in a loving environment, I highly recommend Unity!

NICOLE C. MULEN WAS AWESOME!!!

2011-05-01T11:55:00.000-07:00

Me, Nicole & Brooke - The Mom Squad's first dinner in honor of Mother's Day!
Lord, I just wanted to take a moment to thank YOU once again for the ministry that you have instilled in Nicole C. Mullen. What a blessing she is and how wonderful YOU are to give the ladies of The Fish such wonderful events to be uplifted and rejuvenated. We truly adore you Lord and as each one of us begins to truly realize our purpose in this world, as it relates to being in relationship with YOU and the building of YOUR kingdom, let us never forget that if YOU want us to do it, it is YOU that not only sees us through it but actually gives us the ability to do whatever YOU would have us do....be it speaking, singing, interceding in prayer, caring for others, teaching children about YOU...WHATEVER. May each and every one of us accept these loving assignments with joy and without fear, in the Precious Name of Jesus. Amen. Bless you Nicole and your family. Thanks again for coming to Greater Cleveland. It was so nice to meet Elaine and Jean too.

TIME CERTAINLY FLYS WHEN I'M HAVING FUN!

2011-04-30T15:50:00.000-07:00

I opened my Blog today and was shocked...SHOCKED I tell ya to see that I had not entered anything this year. Man oh man. So much has happened. I got engaged for New Year to a lovely Christian man that I met at Whole Foods. HA. Yes, it was definitely a God apppointment. We did not want to have a wedding but my oldest, Shae Shae, INSISTED so we opted for an extremely intimate ceremony with our pastors, children and us. It was extremely sweet to see the blending of family take place right before our eyes and it continues to this day via Facebook, etc. Media communication is a marvel. Mom turned 95! Whoooo Hooooo and the wonderful people at Crossroads Hospice said she was doing so well they saw no need to continue at this time. WHAT AN ANSWER TO PRAYER. But I miss them very much. Shae Shae (that's just what I call her - it is really just one Shae) acted in her first PAID play. We have seen her use her God-given talents for many years and in many different ways but this just happened to be the first time she was paid for her acting and boy or boy, what acting. She actually played 30 different characters. Such a unique adaptation, a switch of a hat, scarf, coat, glasses and of course tone of voice and each new character emerged. Beranda moved into her new apartment and is still working (imagine a Jamaican accent here "15 j-o-b" HA. She is amazing! And the Micah-man graduates high school. Right after The Mom Squad Dinner with, might I add NICOLE C. MULLEN!!!! we left for a college tour so I am EGGGzausted. But I had to pick up Micah's tux, get an oil change and do grocery shopping. Yes, eggs were on the list ergo EGGzausted. Oh I crack myself up. GOD IS SO GREAT. THANK YOU LORD FOR EVERYTHING!!!And thank YOU for your prayers over the years. Please keep Brooke and her family in your prayers, i.e. adoption in the works (yay), also a new baby on the way (yay) but her Dad is going through a health issue so much prayer is needed all around. Paula is relocating to the Carolinas! We are going to miss her desperately. Please pray for her as well. Love you ladies. You are truly my sisters in Christ. Ciao Bellas!

Just finished telling someone to embrace their BIG "BUT"

2010-12-18T17:40:00.000-08:00

Now you would have to have been at The Mom Squad Christmas Celebration in order to understand what I am speaking of, but Donna VanLiere's message truly touched me. If you weren't there, hope to see you next time. You truly missed a powerful time in Christ. If you were there, then you know what I am referring to. Even as Danita Harris of Channel 5 News put it as our very first guest speaker years ago, our situation may look grim, "Oh BUT God...." He is the author and the finisher. So let's keep encouraging each other and remembering that we may be out of a job, BUT.....he cheated on me, BUT....I feel lonely, BUT. The BIG BUT covers it all because God covers it all. Thank you Lord for reminding us to keep our eyes upon Jesus and not on our circumstances. Sometimes when I ask one of my children for help they respond, in a little hip hop fashion, "I gotchu Mommy." They are so happy whenever they are able to help me or give me the confidence to know they have my back so to speak. Well, we can truly depend upon God all the time. We can trust Him, no matter what. Thank you Donna for blessing us with your godly wisdom.

Waking with a Heavy Heart This Morning

2010-12-17T03:52:00.000-08:00

You know, we have so much to be thankful for. But in the midst of it all, many of us are suffering and it almost seems like holiday times make the suffering that much worse. So many people I know are without employment, are struggling to keep the basics going like utilities, gas in the car and food on the table and yet, wanting to feel the joy of the holiday and participate in gift giving, etc. Some of us have elderly parents with declining health, some of us have lost loved ones that will especially be missed this time of year. Some of us have children that are away defending our country or are just living in other states but due to financial challenges or weather conditions are unable to be with us this year. Life seems hard sometimes and the Bible speaks of long suffering. I hold onto the promises of God. That is truly what keeps me going through all of the times that I just don't understand. Since God promises that He WILL see us through EVERYTHING, I am confident I WILL make it through but its tough holding on sometimes. There are days when I wish...I wish...I wish this could be different, or that. I wish certain things had never happened to me. HA! In fact, there is one specific scenario that I still, believe it or not, wish it was alllll just a dream - NO - I mean a nightmare and that one day I will wake up. Silly I know but when I think about it, it brings such sorrow and so many questions. Today is one of those days. My dear friend in Idaho has been going through so much for the past couple of years. She just e-mailed me that her Mom's health is rapidly declining on top of many other devastating circumstances. I am deeply saddened. I wish I could help her...and yet, I can by praying for her and everyone. I guess in the stream of life, praying seems the least we can do but it is also, in light of whatever else we do, the MOST we can do for someone and for ourselves. Please help us all Lord. You know our needs, as well as, the desires of our hearts. Your Word tells us that we have not because we ask not. Hear our prayers oh Lord, I AM asking not only for myself but as an intercessor for others. We need you desperately and in no way do we wish to appear ungrateful. You know our hearts. We are your children. Help us... everyone of us that are lonely, experiencing health problems and financial stress - PLEASE HEAVENLY FATHER, bring comfort and healing and employment. Bring us comfort and joy while You bring us through times of devastation Holy Spirit. And please know we love and adore You and thank You for all You provide, especially for providing a Savior for this world. We ask all things in the Precious Name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Amen and Amen.

The Cleveland Women's Expo -Come On Out And Meet Me Fri & Sat 3 - 5pm!

2010-09-30T14:24:00.001-07:00

ITS ALL ABOUT US LADIES!!! LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU AT THE CLEVELAND WOMEN'S EXPO AT THE I-X CENTER FRI, SAT & SUN 10/2, 3 & 4! TELL YOUR FRIENDS....DON'T MISS IT!!!

Shae Is About To Hit A Milestone!

2010-08-20T00:00:00.000-07:00

God has blessed me with 3 extraordinary children and my oldest Shae has a birthday coming up August 21. She is such a special young lady and she wrote me the most marvelous e-mail in which she asked me to think back to when I was her age, and to write a letter to myself utilizing the wisdom I have gained at this point, to encourage and direct my younger self. In that, Shae would actually be the recipient of these "pearls of wisdom" and from there, hopefully, she will carry-on with a deeper insight. Others have done this in the past and have compiled their letters in a book entitled, What I Know Now, Letter to my Younger Self . Believe me, it was a marvelous exercise! As I began writing, I found myself holding my breath, then feeling a knot in my stomach midway, but upon conclusion a deep cleansing breath took hold. In the release of that breath I felt a freedom or satisfaction in knowing that I had, by the grace of God, come through some very difficult times. He was with me through everyone just as He said He would be and each situation increased my faith, developed my strength and gave me a deeper knowledge of self that uplifts me and makes me resilient. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY FIRST BORN! I thank God so much for you and all the wisdom that you already have and have shared with me. Bless you baby. Keep shining...

Sometimes You Need A Hiatus...Don't Beat Yourself Up About It

2010-08-19T15:06:00.000-07:00

Those of you that follow this site and The Mom Squad site, know that I LOVE my online school experience. Argosy University is a wonderful school and for the most part, every single class, and almost every professor has richly added to my life but for the second time in a year I believe I am burned out. There is a lot of reading and writing to do and though I usually do my school work while caring for Mom I found myself several weeks ago, burned out as a caregiver and my school break did not coincide with the respite granted via Hospice. Consequently, a self-induced schoolwork break was unintentionally imposed. Now, it is time for the school break and I am going to do my best to go great guns when the break ends. I was on the Dean's List for almost the entire year. Things happen. I was beating myself up about it and then I decided that was Satan just trying to bring me down. I choose to give all glory and honor to God and I thank Him for the renewed strength and the renewing of my mind. In fact, I thank my Heavenly Father for even shutting me down when I truly need to shut down. If we push ourselves beyond our ability it may be damaging to our physical and/or mental health. So take a break without the guilt! Then get back in the saddle and ride better than ever.

What Are The Odds Of A Person Being A Good Spouse If They Had No Example of That Growing Up?

2010-08-17T09:07:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine said something to me today that really got me thinking. If one has not experienced a beautiful, loving marital relationship via their parents, grandparents, etc. how would they really know what to do and what to expect regarding marriage? I was blessed to see my parents lovingly interact for 30 of their 50+ years together and I am sure it set a high standard. There is television of course which shows every possible scenario regarding relationships but I am not sure if people really hold on to positives seen on television as the negatives seem to be more prevalent. Many times, I presume if a person has had no concrete example, they may simply go into marriage due to the love they believe they feel for their significant other but may have very little basis or structure as to how to proceed day to day. They may not really know what love is or how to even love themselves so the relationship can become complicated. Then when things become stressful due to financial struggles, employment issues, children and child rearing, illness, maybe the couple doesn't know how to deal with the difficulties and from there they may grow apart, begin to rely on dependencies like other people (affairs), chemicals (drugs/alcohol) and exhibit erratic behavior (psychological malfunctions/illegal activities) which only separate the couple more. They may lose sight of what attracted them to the person in the first place and love begins to diminish. Sometimes a person might get so wrapped up in working and material things that they once again begin to neglect their spouse in ways that really matter like sharing their time, activities, quality moments and communication. BUT first and foremost, there is God and if both parties truly know Him, I believe they can make it through anything. He is our Ultimate Love and I truly believe that, even if someone has not experienced an earthly example of a wonderful relationship, if they seek God, they can receive a pattern through God's Word and the example of the relationship Jesus Christ wants to have with each of us. The Bible teaches us in I Corinthians 13:4 that "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud." When we love, we are supposed to put the needs of our spouse before our own. We are to express sensitivity and caring. I wonder how many husbands know how special it is to bring flowers home for no reason...to help with the housework especially when both parties work outside the home in an effort not to overtire the wife, so they both can sit down at a decent hour together to share their day and relax. I wonder how many wives consider putting the children to bed by a certain time, for no other reason than she wants to have time for herself, making the effort to look and smell her best to then create that loving visual that her husband needs..soft music...conversation...taking a walk...engaging in massage. Couples need to be mindful whether it is 5 months or 50 years that this person is your blessing. Nurture this relationship and be thankful for it always. We must also exercise the Fruit of the Spirit, Galatians 5:22-23 says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." Everyday might not be roses but a single strand of thread is not nearly as strong as a strand of 3 God, you and your mate - Keeping God first as you and your spouse take life's journey can make for the most special relationship ever. In Christ, you are a new creation and in Him, all things are possible. So, all that considered, I just answered my own question. If both parties are in Christ, God can make good spouses and long-term loving marriages regardless of a person's upbringing. Your relationship with Christ is really the key. Blessings.

Bless You Pointer Sisters!!

2010-08-10T08:51:00.000-07:00

This post is a bit late but I had to write it. I had the pleasure of seeing The Pointer Sisters for the first time. The event took place at Cain Park and I am telling you they were MAGNIFICENT!!! They looked incredible. One of the things they are known for is their style. They have such energy, their voices are incredible and the songs really took me back. Anita and Ruth Pointer are the two originals remaining in the group at this time. June, one of the founding members, bless her heart, passed on several years ago and Bonnie, the other founding member, is still a powerhouse but from what I later read has had difficulties with drugs. I am actually praying for a reunion of the 3 sisters. God is able. In the meantime, Ruth's granddaughter, Sadoku, completed the trio and she is a welcomed treat.

If you E-V-E-R get the opportunity to see them, you certainly will not be disappointed! I would go again in a heartbeat. Here's to Cain Park doing more advertising next year and filling the seats to the rafters.

Spyro Gyra was a Hit!

2010-07-19T07:29:00.000-07:00

You know I am always on the lookout for wonderful entertainment...FREE, low cost, stimulating to my spirit and senses...I love the arts. Well, Cain Park has been fulfilling all of these desires this summer. Yesterday, in the warm summer breeze, Spyro Gyra filled the air with its melodic tones, spirit-filled moves, nastalgic info and a bit of humor. I had actually forgotten just how many of their hits I had been privy to over the years. It was a full house. THANK YOU SPYRO GYRA FOR COMING TO CLEVELAND! Thank you Cain Park for such stellar entertainment. The schedule still has tons of wonderful events coming from dance troups, plays, concerts and recitals. There is also an art gallery on the premises now open and a wonderfully stocked refreshment stand. Hope to see you there. www.cainpark.com.

P.S. Remember, in this economy if you cannot afford something you want to see, at any venue, give the organization a call and ask about their Volunteer needs. I used to do that at Wolf Trap in VA and seeing Miss Dianna Ross during my first assignment was a SWEET TREAT

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY DADDY - WE MISS YOU...

2010-06-19T18:42:00.000-07:00

Memories of our Father – We called him Georgieboy
What a wonderful man he was, full of laughter, full of joy
Hard working and full of life. He made time for us.
I guess he was frustrated at times but he never made a fuss.
Oh how he loved our Mom, his Model A and fishing
He made his own drum grills and left the neighbors wishing
For just a taste of his Q with his famous homemade sauce
For just a moment with him again, I’d pay any cost
He made homemade wine too for that we’d all stand still
His day of retirement from TRW was truly quite a thrill.
I could talk to him, you know, no matter what was on my mind
He never seemed too busy, he was truly just that kind
At night I’d watch him on his knees, his prayers were very long
In church his deep voice belowed - The Sweet By and By was his song
Forever thankful for this man who rates a 10+ on the meter
A self-made man, an innovator that knew God was his leader

Has Someone Been On Your Mind Lately - Also Great Ideas For Father's Day

2010-06-18T10:28:00.000-07:00

Wonderful memories of those that have made an imprint on our lives are truly soothing. At times, we can do nothing but enjoy the memories as the person we are thinking of has passed on. In that case, you can still honor their memory and ease your longing for them by writing them a letter, sharing things you would have normally shared with them. Pulling out old photos and making a collage, mobile or adding a few laminated pictures to your favorite wind chime is a great tribute to them as well (Great Father's Day Gift Ideas).

If you think the person is still alive, but you have lost track of their whereabouts, Facebook is a great application to locate someone.

Once you have found them, send them a message, give them a call or send them a note. Consequently, they may be thinking of you too.

God Can Bring Amazing People Into Your Life

2010-06-08T12:31:00.000-07:00

I love to write. Almost everyone I know, knows that. LOL. I have compiled numerous book drafts, scripts, poems, etc. but usually I share them only with my family(and my Mom Squad sisters), receive their accolades and tuck them back in a drawer. I have been praying to get out of that box. I want to come out of my shell and not feel that the work is too personal to share. Well, God gave me information to connect with a group of people that can encourage me in just that way. I had a marvelous lunch with the wonderful woman that created the group and it was so special. I felt like James Lipton today, host of Inside the Actors Studio, and my new friend was so lovely and forthcoming about her life and love of writing and for actors. It touched my heart and truly inspired me. Now, I know that I am ready to take things to the next level...whatever that may be. And I know God has already equipped me. I'll keep you posted. If you have an aspiration, keep praying and planning and eventually God will give you the desires of your heart. He never fails.

Proud...That's All I Can Say of My Shae Shae

2010-05-23T12:06:00.000-07:00

Shae reviewing notes with cast outside on a beautiful day in DC

As I sit here reflecting on God's goodness and the blessing He has bestowed upon me via my 3 children, all I can do is take a deep cleansing breath and smile. My oldest, Shae, could sleep, drink and eat her job and that is magnificent when one can be that passionate, that thrilled about going to work everyday. She is the Assistant Artistic Director of City At Peace, a nonprofit organization in DC www.cityatpeacedc.org that teaches nonviolent conflict resolution via the arts. Every year a group of awesome teens and young adults go through various exercises to get to know themselves, each other and to learn how to embrace differences and see the similarities in the group made up of various ethnicities and financial status representing schools in DC, MD and VA. At the end of each year they write an original play based upon their lives. The choreography and the music are original too!

Cast Run-thru - Atlas Theatre
Shae was actually a part of this group from junior high til graduation and several years after college her prayers were answered to return as staff. This year's event entitled, Right To Remain, brought laughter, tears and opened a dialog for the many issues facing our children in today's society. Great job cast and crew! Thank you for allowing my family and me to always feel a part of the group. And a special thanks goes out to Ms. Sandi Holloway, Artistic Director for all of the blood, sweat and tears she puts into the creation of each group, every year. Shae and Sandi share so much love and their own God-given talent and experienced learning with each member of the cast. AWESOME LADIES!!! See you next year!

2 More Job Postings That May Interest You

2010-05-21T11:21:00.000-07:00

1) Telephone Operator 1 Summit County
PN: 20079648
Agency: Mental Health - Northcoast Behavioral Healthcare
Opening Date: Fri. 05/14/10
Closing Date/Time: Tue. 05/25/10 4:00 PM Eastern Time
State Salary Range: $14.36 - $15.41 hourly

Job Type: Established Term Irr., Fixed-Term, Bargaining-Unit
Location: Summit County, Ohio
Promotional Bid classified position (may include promotion, transfer or demotion)
Pay Range 4
Hours of Work As needed or scheduled
Division Communications
Job Location Northfield Campus 1756 Sagamore Road; Northfield, Ohio 44067
All applications must clearly indicate how the Minimum Qualifications & Position Specific Minimum Qualifications, if applicable, are met. Applications that do not indicate this, will not be given consideration.
*IMPORTANT NOTE: Please do not include your Social Security Number (SSN) with your on-line application and/or documentation. If attaching a document that contains your SSN, please redact (black out) SSN before attaching it to your application.

The State of Ohio is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, age, disability, military status in employment or the provision of services.

When contacted for an interview, an applicant who requires special accommodations due to a disability should notify the office at the time he or she is contacted so that proper arrangements can be made for the interview.

Print Job Information | Apply

Description Benefits Supplemental Questions

At NBH, services are provided utilizing a culturally competent team approach, which embraces the “Recovery” philosophy of care. Each & every employee is a member of that team. Treating each individual with dignity, & respect for patients, co-workers & others is a requirement of the team effort & a requirement of each employee. The following duties are performed with that understanding. This position will be headquartered at the Northfield Campus and travel to the Cleveland Campus to provide coverage as needed.

Operates switchboard to receive & transmit calls & messages: performs assigned ancillary functions (e.g., intercom, TDD paging system, pagers/beeper, two-way radio system to relay messages); notify appropriate personnel of emergency calls; monitors security alarms; use paging system to alert personnel of emergency codes; logs all long distance calls made through the switchboard; operates fire alarm, drill system & electric doors. Performs clerical & other duties as needed or assigned; sorts, stamps & distributes mail; issues keys; locates & updates telephone numbers for files; acts as receptionist & greet & assists visitors; maintains files & records; distributes newspaper; receipts money (i.e., cash & checks) for patients during off hours & weekends for Business Office; answers routine inquires from public. May be asked to work beyond shift (scheduled work hours) &/or until relief arrives to work area. Utilize Ohio Department of Mental Health productivity software, intra & Internet resources, & information systems in an appropriate work related manner as specified approved office productivity software, intra & Internet resources, & information systems in an appropriate work related manner as specified in the NBH Personal Computer Usage Guidelines for Employees.

Minimum Qualifications:
1 course or 3 months experience in operating switchboard system (e.g., multi-line switchboard console; Fujizu 9600; PBX; NEC 2400 PBX), or multi-line telephone equipment (e.g., AT&T 75; Mitel SX-200 digital PABX; AT&T Definity G3I; Meridian full set; Ameritech’s Tone Commander 120; multi-line Meridian; Meridian M5216; Northern Telecom Meridian; AT&T’s Merlin-Sprint multi-line telephone set), or automated call distribution system, or Meridian-NOT multi-line (i.e., for positions as state operators under Department of Administrative Services only), or any comparable equipment to those previously named.
-Or equivalent of Minimum Class Qualifications for Employment noted above.

Major Worker Characteristics:
Knowledge of public relations*; office practices & procedures*. Skill in operation of telephone switchboard system, multi-line telephone equipment, automated call distribution system, Meridian-NOT multi-line or comparable equipment. Skill in typing*. Ability to deal with problems involving few variables within familiar context; read short sentences with concrete vocabulary; answer routine inquiries from public.

Supplemental Information:
Established Term Appointment (ETA) [X]
An employee holding this appointment type would have an appointment period of 10 months from the effective date of the appointment. At the end of the appointment date, the appointment would be canceled. The person shall not be re-appointed to this appointment type without at least a 30-day break. Appointment may be extended without a 30-day break with union agreement.

2) CBS RADIO PROMOTIONS & WEB COORDINATOR
CBS Radio is accepting applications for a Webmaster/Promotions Coordinator to assist in the promotion department. Responsibilities include implementation and maintenance of station websites, generation of creative web content, understand and application of SEO, experience using Wordpress blog management, Photoshop, Dreamweaver/HTML, Stickyfish and audio/video editing. In addition, candidate will assist with contesting; client promotions, maintaining station databases, and coordinating and executing station on-air or on-site promotions. The most successful candidates will have solid organizational skills; ability to multitask in a fast-paced environment; strong writing ability, verbal and interpersonal communications skills and creative ideas. Must have clean driving record. Apply online at: www.cbsradio.com. CBS Radio is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

D.SCOTT, EEO Compliance Officer
CBS Radio Cleveland
WDOK/WKRK/WNCX/WQAL
05/18/2010

R U LOOKING 4 A JOB. HERE R 3 POSTINGS

2010-05-21T10:53:00.000-07:00

Wishing you all the best! As I am made aware of more postings, I will list them here. #3's deadline is May 26.

1) Koinonia Homes, Inc.
RESIDENTIAL
SUPERVISOR
Leading non-profit agency, specializing in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, has the following exciting NEW opportunity available:
This position leads and organizes direction and coordination of a residential group home and the individuals who reside there. Monitors daily operations & functions of group home, monitors quality services are being provided to individuals. Oversees and directs a team of support professionals. Assumes on-call responsibilities and maintains a varied schedule based on agency needs. Maintains the site budget and oversees the payroll process for the direct team.
Qualified candidates will have STRONG leadership, interpersonal and coaching skills, ability to advocate, computer proficiency, and financial management skills.. Requirements are 1-2 yrs. experience in I/DD field a MUST, 2 yrs. work proven supervisory experience, High School diploma /GED, and a current Ohio driver's license with 2 or less moving violations, including accidents. Competitive salary with excellent benefits. Send resume with salary requirements to:
Koinonia Homes, Inc.
6161 Oak Tree Blvd.
Independence, OH 44131
Email: Michelle.Artale@
koinoniahomes.org
or apply on line at:
www.koinoniahomes.org

2) CITY OF SHAKER HEIGHTS
Position Vacancy Announcement
FOR IMMEDIATE POSTING
May 10, 2010
Job Title: Shaker Prevention Coalition Summer Programs Coordinator (Grant Funded)
Department: Shaker Prevention Coalition (housed in the Shaker Health Department)
Salary Range: $10.00 - $15.00 hourly
Hours of Work: Part-time; 20-30 hrs. bi-weekly; occasional weekends and weeknights may be required
Application Deadline: Open until filled
PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
The Shaker Heights Coalition to Prevent Youth Substance Abuse (Shaker Prevention Coalition) develops and implements programs to support the health and personal development of Shaker Heights teens and their families through best practice prevention programs in schools and the community. A Drug Free Community Support Grant from the Office of National Drug Control Policy and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration supports Shaker Prevention Coalition efforts. The Shaker Prevention Coalition includes representatives from numerous City departments, Shaker Heights Schools & Library, PTO, Shaker Youth Center, Bellefaire JCB, CWRU, faith communities, service organizations, teens, and parents.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS/TYPICAL TASKS:
• Assists with planning, facilitating, and implementing substance abuse prevention and youth development initiatives for youth, parents, school-aged children (5th grade and above), and youth-linked professionals;
• Builds the Coalition through recruiting of new members;
• Receives and participates in training of program providers; facilitates training of community and school-based professionals; assists in organizing and directing specific activities as relation to trainings.
• Attends in-service trainings and staff meetings;
• Maintains appropriate records and files, including program records of participation, supplies and equipment;
• Participates in reporting of Coalition activities;
• Operates and maintains standard office, data entry and word processing equipment;
• Performs related tasks as required.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES
General knowledge of the theory, best practices, and principles of youth leadership development, community engagement initiatives, public health, and substance abuse prevention; ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues, program participants and the general public; ability to maintain program files and reports; ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing; skill in public speaking; ability to operate computer and advanced word processing equipment; ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with associates and the general public; ability to communicate and deal effectively with other employees and the general public; ability to maintain confidential information.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
Any combination of education and/or experience equivalent to graduation from an accredited college or university with major course work in community health; public health; social work or related field. Some experience within the Shaker Heights community and/or schools required, preferably including work in the field of substance abuse prevention.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS
Possession of an appropriate driver’s license in the State of Ohio and reliable transportation.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential tasks.
PLEASE FILE CITY APPLICATION AND/OR RESUME PLUS YOUR RESPONSES TO THE THREE (3) QUESTIONS BELOW WITH THE CITY OF SHAKER HEIGHTS HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT, 3400 LEE ROAD, SHAKER HEIGHTS, OHIO 44120 OR E-MAIL TO human.resources@shakeronline.com Application and candidate questions available online at shakeronline.com EOE
QUESTIONS FOR SUMMER PROGRAMS COORDINATOR (PART-TIME) APPLICANTS
1. Describe your experience with community-based substance abuse prevention programs.
2. Describe your experience with community coalitions.
3. Describe your experience in the Shaker community, including the Shaker Heights school system.

3) THE CUYAHOGA COUNTY INFORMATION SERVICES CENTERANNOUNCES THE FOLLOWING OPPORTUNITY
Integration Developer Salary Grade 14
Information Services Center Salary Range: $60,465.15 - $73,902.40
Location: 1255 Euclid Ave Reports to: GIS Planning & Development Manager
4th Floor
Cleveland, OH 44115

ALL JOB OFFERS ARE MADE WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT PROSPECTIVE
EMPLOYEES PASS A DRUG SCREENING TEST PRIOR TO BEING HIRED. THIS POSITION
IS SUBJECT TO CIVIL SERVICE LAWS UNDER SECTION 124 OF THE OHIO REVISED
CODE.

RESPONSIBLITES:
Design and develop robust production solutions to address Cuyahoga County business
requirements. The individual will possess the ability to produce working prototypes quickly and display the ability to overcome difficult obstacles using innovative concepts to resolve problems.
An excellent understanding of and practical production experience using Java and .Net web application development and conveying that knowledge to the development team is essential. The candidate should have some experience in the entire project development life cycle. It is essential to be able to convey these skills to other team members in a mentoring approach. The individual will be responsible for the programming & development of advanced applications, as well as the administration of enterprise databases, application servers, and web servers. Essential job functions include: Identify user, public business, and internal agency needs,
collect information from users, define input and output system requirements, and prepare graphic and narrative representations of solutions. Prepare detailed diagrams and flow charts outlining system processes. Investigate user problems and needs, identify their source, and determine effective solutions. Design user friendly interfaces, accurate and efficient business logic modules. Analyze technologies, methodologies, software, hardware and other items that
have potential benefits for this agency. Make informed recommendations based on analysis. Candidate will plan and coordinate projects, lead and manage projects that involve changes to existing systems or the development of new systems; monitor project progress and make adjustments when required; determine cost estimates and target dates.
Core Competencies: Develop well designed reusable objects, create xml schemas,
understand the benefits to various types of design methodologies, languages, and database designs. Understand and implement browser specific differences, write unit tests and automated regression tests and track the defects as they present themselves. Candidate will have a good understanding of complex database concepts and how to utilize them to increase performance, perform post-implementation assessment and maintenance. Candidate will run tests and debug software, communicate software test results with users, develop test plans and test criteria and perform problem resolutions for programs.
Minimum Qualifications: Must possess a minimum of a Bachelors Degree in Geography,
Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Computer Science, Computer Programming, Computer Information Systems. An advanced degree; Master's Degree or GISP is preferred. Must possess a minimum of 6-10 years experience in programming and systems administration for the following: Geographic Information Systems (GIS), web application design and deployment, database administration, application server administration, web server administration. Must have proficiency in the following: Database administration; Oracle Spatial version 11g; Database administration; Microsoft SQL Server (2000, 2005, 2008); Oracle WebLogic Application Server; Oracle MapViewer; Oracle MapBuilder; ESRI ArcGIS Server; ESRI ArcSDE; Apache; Unix and Linux; Oracle stored procedures, triggers, and packages; Complex SQL queries.
Must have functional knowledge and ability in using the following Integrated Development
Environments (proficiency preferred): Oracle JDeveloper; Eclipse; NetBeans; Microsoft Visual Studio.
Must have functional knowledge and ability in the following programming technologies
(proficiency is preferred): Java; JavaScript; C#.Net; VB.Net; AJAX; Oracle TopLink persistence architecture; J2EE; HTML; Cascading Style Sheets (CSS); SOAP; Web Services; System Oriented Architecture; Java Server Faces (JSF); Java Server Pages (JSP); VB Script; XML files and object model; Oracle SQL; Oracle PL/SQL.
Proficiency in each of the following is preferred: ESRI ArcMap; Intergraph GeoMedia; Pitney Bowes MapInfo; Autodesk Map 3D

APPLICATION PROCEDURE: Submit a resume by May 26, 2010 to:Erin Spies, Personnel Administrator
1255 Euclid Ave. 4th Floor
Cleveland OH 44115
espies@cuyahogacounty.us

OH LADIES YOU COULD NOT HAVE BEEN MORE BEAUTIFUL AT THE MOM SQUAD LUNCHEON YESTERDAY!

2010-05-16T09:14:00.000-07:00

I don't know how many times I can say it but once again we had an AMAZING TIME!!! And though I saw many of you that had attended Mom Squad events in the past, we had quite a few lovely NEW people. The babies that I saw throughout the audience were precious too. TO THOSE OF YOU THAT WANTED TO ATTEND BUT COULD NOT MAKE IT, I WANT YOU TO KNOW YOU WERE MISSED AND YOU WERE INCLUDED IN OUR PRAYERS AS WE PREPARED FOR THIS EVENT. Love you all so much. Paula, Debbie, hope you ladies are doing well today. Hope to see you soon. My sweet friend Lyda and my god-daughter Becca came with me this time and I was so appreciative. Thanks goes out to them for their love and support and a big thanks goes out to Crossroads Hospice who cared for Mom so I could have a bit of a break the past several days.

BLESSINGS EVERYONE...ENJOY YOUR WEEK...AND WE WILL BE POSTING PICTURES SOON.

Here's a copy of my message.

Motherhood – The Great Adventure, by Darlene Outler

Dictionary.com is one of my favorite sites. It defines Motherhood as:
The state of being a mother, the qualities or spirit of a Mother
And this one is my favorite:
Having or relating to an inherent worthiness, justness
or goodness that is obvious or unarguable.

WE ARE SPECIAL LADIES! (And by the way, if there are any men out there handling the dual role of Mom and Dad, YOU are special too).

Dictionary.com defines an adventure as:
An exciting or very unusual experience, an undertaking
or enterprise…
and further uses terms like:
bold, risky…an action of uncertain outcome.

I’d say that DEFINITELY describes motherhood as well, wouldn’t you?

My adventure has been filled with laughter and awe. I have learned from experience that as a Mom, I must have lightening fast reflexes and keen instincts. My oldest daughter, Shae, is 30 now…a very creative young lady. When she was about 9 she was forever the ballerina - dancing and spinning…One day I heard a terrible noise, boom, boom, boom, almost like she was playing the drums. Unfortunately, Shae had fallen down a flight of stairs and the wind had been knocked out of her. I quickly grabbed her and whacked her on the back. She took a deep breath and the rest is history. We laugh about it now but then it was critical. She asked me the other day, “Mom, how did you know to do that.” I shrugged and said, “Mom’s just know these things.”

I have learned that as a Mom I must have a natural investigative talent. My middle child, also a daughter, Beranda is 23 now. She was the type of child that rarely did anything wrong. One day when she was about 7, I notice her sitting quietly at the bottom of our black rod iron staircase but something seemed odd. I said a few things to her and she was just not herself but I couldn’t put my finger on it. I walked up the first landing then slowly turned around and noticed a couple bottles of White Out (the fluid used to correct typos on paper) hidden in a plant. As I turned slowly the other way, it was clear that she had taken the White Out and painted several of the black banister poles white. I learned that day that as a Mom, I have to be a loving disciplinarians too. “Off to the corner Beranda. Think about what you have done.” hahaha

I’ve learned as a Mom to take deep breaths and not take life too seriously. Moms are very adaptable. My son, Micah is now 17 but I remember how surprised I was at the difference in his actions and reactions as a boy versus my girls. He actually uttered his first sentence at the top of this very same staircase. He was very young, standing in his little pajamas with the enclosed feet and was barely walking when I heard him say “Hey watch this!” and he flipped over onto his stomach and slid with lightening speed down the stairs. What a shock and for many years he entered the livingroom in that fashion. As he grew there were tons of bouncing balls, weird noises and batteries missing from everything imaginable.

Whether we are a Mom or Mom figure, our love, care, words of instruction, acts of kindness and quality time we spend with each child we come in contact with helps to mold another human being. We are to be commended.

Some of us were not raised in the most loving of environments and thoughts of Mother might hurt us. But at the same time, there was someone …someone that showed us what love is all about and we in turn share that love today with a child. What a blessing.

Some of us have children that have now been delivered into the Heavenly Father’s arms. Holidays specifically may be filled with joy and sadness. We just trust that we will see our children again.

Some of us have children that are incarcerated or estranged from us. The Heavenly Father is a healer. He can mend these situations and when circumstances seem unbearable, we can call upon the name of Jesus. He is with us.

Ladies, we bring forth life literally and figuratively…we make a difference in this world…Here’s to our energy, fortitude, and perseverance. No matter how things turn out, we can find peace in knowing we try…we care; and once a child knows that we try and we care, they in turn care about us and try their best to be receptive to the seeds we plant. May we forever bask in the glory of the Great Adventure of Motherhood.

Micah is taking another step - Driving School - PRAISE GOD

2010-03-14T17:51:00.000-07:00

Yes, Micah is now a proud student of the Sears Driving Academy. It took a while for him to get there due to many circumstances but for one, it costs $305. That's a lot of clams, especially for me since I no longer have steady income as Mom's caregiver. But as usual, God is good and though I had to utilize quite a bit of money this week to get my brakes fixed (thankfully a friend did the work so it did not cost me nearly as much as it could have), I hit a chuckhole that was not visible at night and as a result a tire blew (thankfully a friend allowed me to borrow a tire until I can get back to where I had just gotten new tires from, to see if the tire insurance will cover it), my rim cracked - brand new = $755 (thankfully a friend directed me to a master welder who was about 70 years old - years of experience) having it welded saved me a bundle. It is wonderful to have friends but the Master Friend is the Heavenly Father. He guided me to each one of the friends that helped me when I really needed it. OH and I must mention that out of what seemed to be the clear blue, last night my nephew Rocky called and said, "Darlene, I heard Micah started driving school. Let me pay half of the fee." IS GOD MAGNIFICENT OR WHAT!!!!! I cried happy tears for about 30 minutes. Thank You Lord for being such a Wonderful Friend and an AWESOME Provider. Your promises are true. You never said we wouldn't have problems but You promised to see us through everyone and You have certainly done that for me. Bless all the people in this world that unselfishly help others in need and thank you for putting such wonderful friends in my life like Angela, Donnie, Lydia, Rocky, Mr. McKnight and Susan to name a few. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for being such a loving and merciful God! In Jesus Name, Amen!!

A NEW ADDITION TO OUR FAMILY!!

2010-02-18T20:27:00.000-08:00

I am happy to say I now have a cat! A beautiful silver, black and gray stripped Tabby with vibrant green eyes. She is approximately 2 years old and I got her from our local Vet Assistant, Chris...all thanks to our Hospice volunteer, Kate. I had told her I really missed my sweet Chewchy, my Maltese that you may remember died last year, January 12 and she checked around with those she knew to help me. No other pet could ever replace Chewchy but I was very lonely and thought it best to get a cat that I could keep indoors. She is so sweet and faithful to sleep right on me or near me every night. She has been a loving companion for Micah too as he recovers from surgery. Technically, we have not named her. I keep waiting for Micah to do it and he insists that I do it, but whenever I need to find her, in a high pitched voice I say, "Boop Boop" and she comes running. Thank you Lord for our new addition and bless Kate and Chris for helping me. BTW, Kate also got me some books about cats from the library and I have learned so many new things. Sure enough, when she first entered the house, she seemed happy and noticed her food and water bowl right away but when she stepped into the litter box OH MY GOODNESS she got so angry. She began to hiss and howl and her tail was whipping back and forth. She obviously hated the litter. I quickly checked The Cat Bible. Luckily, I had purchased more than one kind of litter and went with The World's Best Litter. It is made out of corn, is 99% dust free and flushable (though I still use the trash can). Once I switched out the clumpable clay with World's Best, she became pleasant once again. I presume the size of the clay was larger than what she was used to and though the World's Best is yellow, the particles were smaller which probably reminded her of the clay she was originally used to. Whew!!! The Cat Bible is a phenomenal book.

2 Torn Areas Were Found in Micah's Knee Instead of One

2010-02-12T13:07:00.000-08:00

Micah is doing well! Getting around just fine on the crutches and though on pain meds, is experiencing little to no pain at this time. Thank you so much for your concern and prayers. We received soooo many e-mails, calls and texts. Here's to you, Dr. David Gurd, and your entire team!!! I am so thankful to Cleveland Clinic and just so thankful to God for being the GREAT PHYSICIAN. Have a wonderful Valentine's Day everyone.

Prayers Needed...Micah has knee surgery in the morning

2010-02-10T18:48:00.000-08:00

Well what a blessing it is at this time to have insurance! Amazingly, this is the first time one of my sweet children will enter the hospital for a procedure. I thank the Heavenly Father so much for keeping each one of them all these years. Micah was injured during a basketball game several weeks ago and will be experiencing anesthesia for the first time. For some reason that thought sent somewhat of a chill through my body. I have been through all sorts of procedures...had some near death experiences but each and every time, I held onto the Lord's unchanging hand and He delivered me. For a moment, I wished my son did not have to experience this but on the other hand I had to remember God did not give us the spirit of fear. I know He will do the same for my child as He has done for me. Please Lord, grant Micah peace, give wisdom and direction to the doctors, let Your will be done Father. We trust You and we thank You. In the precious Name of Jesus. Amen.

Take a Moment to Enjoy Your View....

2010-01-26T08:37:00.000-08:00

Usually as I am feeding Mom and checking my online class site in the morning, The View television show is on. Certain aspects of the show intrigue me, other times the info goes in one ear and out the other because I do not have time to concentrate on it. Mom seems to enjoy it and that is important. But one thing that encourages me to take pause is when the show reaches the end and Whoopi Goldberg says, "Take the time to enjoy your view." It makes me think of my Dad who always told me not to get too busy to stop during some portion of each day to give thanks to the Lord and to enjoy taking a look at the beautiful nature He provides us. Dad loved to point out the variety of birds that came into our yard and would pull out bird reference books so I could learn how to identify them. He loved planting flowers and made sure I knew the difference between a Snap Dragon, Begonia and Lilac. He was such a dear person and though he has been gone 29 years, I feel he is walking right with me as I care for my Mom, cut the grass or share similar information with my children. It is interesting how a sentence, a song, a smell can trigger beautiful memories. Put all anxiety aside right now, and take a moment to enjoy YOUR view.

My Birthday - My Girlfriend's Homegoing Day

2010-01-06T19:39:00.000-08:00

Blessings to a sweet angel, my friend Chicquita Durham who succumbed to her battle with cancer this day at 5:48 pm. I will forever be touched knowing she and I share this day in a special way. Appreciate your prayers for her family, especially her husband Rod and her little daughter Gabby. I hope you will take delight in hearing her sweet voice as she sings in the following You Tube Clip. She truly radiated the light of the Lord upon everyone she knew.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42JC4_-q6D0

Let It Snow!!!

2010-01-04T10:22:00.000-08:00

Well it finally looks like winter. My son, Micah truly loves when it snows a lot because in VA we rarely got snow. Sometimes a few flakes would come down but would not stick so he rarely got to make a snowman. Today, he just may make an entire snow family. lol. Here are some friendly reminders to help you along the way:

Please dress in layers.
Drive slowly.
Take EXTRA time for comings and goings.
Keep food, blankets, cell phone charger and a list of emergency numbers IN YOUR CAR. Remember if your cell dies, you may not remember pertinent numbers so it will be nice to have the list to refer to.
Put a bag of salt in your trunk. The extra weight will help your car adhere to the road, plus, if you get stuck, you can put a bit of salt around your tires to give a bit of traction.
This is a WONDERFUL time to get a Triple A membership! Blessings!

OH WHAT A TIME WE HAD!!!

2009-12-12T18:09:00.000-08:00

Were you there...at The Mom Squad Luncheon? Did you see...did you hear...did you eat ...did you laugh ...did you pray...did you shop...did you make a new friend...DID YOU HAVE THE BEST TIME OF YOUR LIFE???? I sure did and it was such a pleasure, once again, to see each and every one of you. Now, if you missed this event...no worries...we'll look for you at the next one, OK? Bless your hearts. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

I feel like a little kid!! The Mom Squad Luncheon is SATURDAY!!!

2009-12-09T21:28:00.001-08:00

I am so excited about The Mom Squad Luncheon. Each event brings such a warm feeling of sisterly togetherness. I feel like I know everyone in the room. We are all there for the same purpose....to enjoy a moment for ourselves, a break from the ordinary, to laugh, sing, eat, laugh, cry, pray, shop oh the list goes on and on. Did I say laugh? haha I can hardly wait to see everyone's beautiful face. And by the way, if you did not get the chance to obtain a ticket this time, more events are coming!!! We'll see you at the next one. Blessings to all.

OASIS OF THE SEAS IS HERE!!! Good Morning America will broadcast live from Oasis this Friday (20th)

2009-11-18T05:17:00.000-08:00

You have got to see this ship. I am excited beyond words and I am truly hoping to form a group so that we can take advantage of Royal Caribbean's Group Rates. Oasis Of The Seas is an amazing ship! As you walk the decks, you are going to think you are walking the streets of New York City...Central Park, shopping areas, etc. When I first saw it, my mouth dropped and I was speechless...can you imagine me speechless. hahaha Give me a call at (216) 978-9667 or visit me at www.darvacations.com and Let's Go Cruisin' on The Oasis Of The Seas together!!! It is a great way to beat the winter blahs. Call me at DAR Vacations and let's De-stress And Relax together(216) 978-9667 www.darvacations.com

Cleveland has so much to offer!

2009-11-16T20:54:00.001-08:00

I have been doing some wonderful new things lately and seeing some wonderful new places...well new to me anyway. Last Sunday a friend and I toured the Lakeview Cemetery. I know that may sound morbid, but the beauty of the mausoleums, the details of the monuments and the architecture will just take your breath away. There is so much history there. I was in awe of Millionaires' Row where the Rockefeller's amongst other well known Greater Clevelanders like Mayor Carl B. Stokes and famous detective Eliot Ness are buried. Charles Lewis Tiffany, the renowned jeweler was commissioned back in the 1800's to do some of the leaded-glass and tile work in some of the areas and it is just magnificent... pictures depict stories from the New and Old Testaments. Take some time on a wonderful Sunday afternoon to tour the area. You just might see me there! www.lakeviewcemetery.com/index.asp

We also toured the McKinley National Monument in Canton. There is a museum AND planetarium that you and your family will definitely enjoy. Go if you can on a Saturday. The cost of the museum includes the planetarium on that day. You won't want to miss it. www.mckinleymuseum.org/

I am soooo very happy!

2009-11-04T20:39:00.000-08:00

The first 8 weeks of school is over and guess what................

I GOT A's IN MY CLASSES...YIP, YIP, YIPPEEEEEEE OH YEAH, IT'S MY BIRTHDAY, I'M GONNA PARTY LIKE IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOO GO ME, GO ME, I'M AS HAPPY AS CAN BE. THANK YOU LORD! OH THIS FEELS SO GOOD.

After being out of school for approximately 35 years, I just wasn't sure how I would do. I am so grateful to God for bringing me to Argosy University via my daughter Shae, for making the classes so interesting, the professors so wonderful and for giving me the stamina to study long hours, the mind to absorb the info, the ability to be creative and the will to be a critical thinker. Thank you Heavenly Father in Jesus Name. Amen.

If you have been thinking about returning to college, why put it off any longer? Check out Argosy! www.argosy.edu

I am LOVING the Argosy Online University Experience

2009-10-07T09:36:00.000-07:00

You probably saw my post dated September 29 on The Mom Squad Blog, if not, here it is for you http://themomsquad.blogspot.com/2009/09/dar-helps-to-dispel-mytholder-adults.html but I just had to do a follow-up today because believe it or not, I am approaching the end of my first semester! WOW! The time has just flown by and I have enjoyed every moment thus far. Working within the Argosy Online framework has been so comfortable. They already have me registered for classes for the entire year and I can see each step via the Campus Commons Page of their website. Whenever I have questions, my Asst. Admissions Director, Sam Thomeier, always has the answers and is eager to help so feel free to contact him.

Sam Thomeier
Argosy University Online Programs | American School of Professional Psychology
Assistant Director of Admissions
Toll Free: 866.427.4679 ext.6267
Phone: 412.395.8267
Fax: 412.995.6091
sthomeier@argosy.edu

There are others too via different departments like Technical Support, Academic Advisors and Financial Aid that are there to help you succeed as an Argosy student. If you are ready to go to college, return to college after an extended absence or interested in changing colleges, I urge you to give Sam a call. In my classes thus far, there have been others that have tried other colleges and other colleges via their online divisions and have not been satisfied. Some of these colleges are doing a lot of advertising too so I was quite surprised to hear their displeasure. Check out the Argosy website www.argosy.edu. Let me know if you decide to make the leap! Also, keep checking out The Mom Squad Blog either directly www.themomsquad.blogspot.com or via The Fish website. We just did the Fall Recipe Contest and did the taste test on air. We had a lot of fun. Remember, you can listen to The Fish online if you are out of our area. www.955thefish.com

Trusting in Him...A Special Gift

2009-08-30T19:41:00.000-07:00

You know, I have always believed that as we pray and quiet ourselves, God does communicate with us. Many times I have heard people say that God did not answer their prayers. He ALWAYS answers our prayers but I think sometimes we don't recognize the answer, because it may be different from what we expected but His will is always best along with His timing.

Over the years, I have really been concerned about the condition of my Mom's property. It needed a lot of help. Dad passed 28 years ago and Mom pretty much had used the band aid approach to keep things going. I prayed a lot of prayers, walked the property, did all of the mowing, trimming, edging, trash removal and other repairs that I could but so much more needed to be done.

About 2 weeks ago, I truly heard/felt, whatever you wish to call it, God communicating to me and He said, "Darlene, clean the house. I am going to send you a gift." I clean regularly but truly strategic cleaning like drawers, cabinets, scrubbing walls, cleaning carpets, replacing some carpets, etc. I had not thoroughly done. He lit a spark under me (reminding me of the "nesting" syndrome during pregnancy...if you have ever had it, you will know exactly what I am talking about). He showed me things I needed to attend to. Things I saw everyday but it was like He showed them to me with new eyes and it was amazing how each effort made quite a difference. Then my sister, sent 2 gentlemen over that worked like Hebrew slaves to further do what I couldn't do AND basically took on the effort as a labor of love. I began to cry so many happy tears and praising God more and more for His faithfulness, my sister and these 2 angels, but there's more....

In the midst of all this, I felt Him telling me it was time for my Mom to come back to our home in Garfield. She had a difficult time a few months ago. I began living with her in a facility, then switched her to another facility near my sister but they would not allow me to live there. It was His way of giving me a much needed break. For the first time in 5 years I was feeling rundown...almost lifeless. But now, 2 months later, this new facility was telling me they had taken Mom as far as they could. I felt, in that regard, there was no reason for her to remain there. The only difference in her condition now opposed to before her difficult time, is that she is now on pureed foods, she no longer walks independently so I knew I was going to need some regular help. And low and behold, at the Women Of Faith Conference just prior to my revelation, I met a Hospice Nurse named Renee Thompson who said to me, "Hospice breathes life, it does not speak death." I immediately asked her if that was their slogan and she said that was just how she felt about it. Well, her outlook gave me a brand new outlook regarding Hospice. I mean we are all going to die one day but Mom reminds me of someone God is not finished with yet. Her skin glows, her smile is so sweet and comforting, she still has uplifting motherly things to say at times and she is strong as an ox. I just want whatever time we have together to be comfortable and pleasant for her.

The following week I was at the library and there was a Hospice poster on the bulletin board, I knew then that I truly needed to call them to find out more about this organization. I left a message on Sunday for Hospice, scheduled a Care meeting with Mom's facility on Monday and immediately after, a Hospice coordinator called me (Cindy) and with the most pleasant demeanor she said, "Darlene, you need to schedule a Care meeting with your Mom's facility." I informed her that I had just done that and she said these words and I will never forget the feeling of comfort that came over me. She said, "We'll be with you tomorrow. You now have a team that will be with you for as long as you need us." I must tell you, embarrassing as it is, that as she was on the phone, I immediately began to cry.

Once we met at the facility and all of the bases were covered and all of the "i's" were dotted and the "t's" were crossed, they gave me a folder. I did not have time to read it until I got to church for Bible Study that evening. I was early so I began to review the folder and then I saw these words....

"You are giving your loved one a beautiful and sensitive 'gift'.
And in giving that 'gift', you are giving yourself a wonderful
'gift' as well."

God told me to clean my house because He was sending me a 'gift'. He was telling me to get prepared for the comings and goings of people that He put in place to help us. I did not understand at the time, but I am so grateful for His wisdom, His mercy, His grace, His love. He takes care of His children. All we have to do is trust Him and wait upon Him. Glory to God. He took a situation that seemed insurmountable in many ways and once again showed me that He is the Alpha and the Omega, the Great I AM, No problem is too great for Him to handle. He has a plan for me AND a plan for my Mom and He is working on each of our behalf's simply because we are His children and He loves us. If you trust Him, He will take care of the consequences, don't ever forget that. And THAT my friend is a very special gift in itself. Bless you and yours. AND BY THE WAY, IF YOU WOULD LIKE MORE INFO ON THIS MARVELOUS ORGANIZATION SO YOU CAN GET A COMPLETE PICTURE OF ALL THEY OFFER, PLEASE CALL: Crossroads Hospice in Cleveland & NEO, 216.654.9300. Ask for Cindy Hackett, Admission Coodinator.

I Always Love Hearing Jim Belushi sing, Sweet Home Chicago

2009-08-14T16:11:00.000-07:00

And now I know what he and others are singing about, in that wonderful Blues rendition! WOW! My oldest daughter, Shae, so kindly came through Cleveland from VA, picked Micah and I up and allowed us to travel with her to Chicago for her audition for The Color Purple. The audition experience is awesome in itself. You can just feel the intensity of the crowd and see the sweat and tears of each person's desire to get selected for a part. Many try out but few are selected. Shae is not discouraged though. She is going to keep on keeping on with the fantastic talent God gave her and when the time is right, we both know all will fall into place.

Afterwards, however, we had the opportunity to sight see. Micah and I may be been the only people in Cleveland that had not visited Chicago. haha EVERYWHERE YOU LOOK, in Downtown Chicago, there is absolute beauty. You must take the Architecture Tour, sample some Garrett Popcorn, try the original Chicago Deep Dish Pizza (slightly different from what we are accustomed to here) AND enjoy brownies where brownies were actually invented. Just imagine that. The Art Museum has sooooo many originals...Picaso, Renoir, all the greats. There are wonderful fountains and flower gardens. I saw Johnson Publishing, and the home of Ebony and Jet Magazines. There was jazz playing in Grant Park, amidst the marvelous aromas of the local restaurants as the children giggled and played in the outdoor water maze. THE CITY FELT SO ALIVE!!! I also had the pleasure of going to Oprah's new high rise builing where I was told she lives on floors 5 and 6. And last but not least, you know I HAD TO GO to Harpo Studios. God has truly blessed her! I was so impressed by those actually sweeping the streets and sidewalks and everywhere I looked people were using the trashcans lined along the walkways (even little children). I felt their pride and wished more Clevelanders could be more like that.

It takes less than 6 hours to drive there, so just in case you have not been there... GO...PLEASE...You will never forget it. Thank you Lord always for Your provision. What a blessing it is to have a daughter that is kind enough to allow her Mom and brother to tag along on her vacation experience. She even bought gifts for us! She is quite a lady.

I took about 200 pictures but here are just a few.

Just A Few Pictures from Kelly Chapman's CD Release Concert @ Pickwick & Frolic!!

2009-08-11T13:01:00.000-07:00

What an awesome time we had last night. Pickwick & Frolic was amazing to open for this Christian venue and service was fabulous! Here are some pictures from this wonderful night. See The Mom Squad Blog for more details www.themomsquad.blogspot.com. Thanks Borders Books for coming out to handle the sale of Kelly's new CD, Great Is Your Grace, and the selling of her book, Real - The Truth About Being Single. And thank you Buehler's for the delicious and beautiful cakes. OH I FORGOT TO MENTION...The little lady you see in the last picture, Miss Raven Platts, is only 10 years old and blew the audience away as she sang a duet with Kelly entitled, Shine Your Light. Kelly has been mentoring Raven for the past year. What an amazing up and coming talent!!

Giving Him The Glory

The Reception Begins

Buehler's Cake

Sarah & Jemma

Pastor Ron, NewSong Church & Greg

Tara & James

Kelly & Darlene

Roz, Sarah's Sister & Toni

Miss Raven Platts

Summer is Going By Way, Way, Too Fast.....

2009-07-27T18:11:00.000-07:00

My children and I really enjoy traveling. Usually some portion of the summer is spent at amusement parks in OH, visiting my daughter and my friends in VA and laying on the beach at Ocean City, MD. This year has been a bit different and I can't quite figure out why. Is it because the "children" are older? This is the first year I had a week with no children and I went someplace I had never been before...San Diego! It was an amazing time. Mom was safe and well cared for. Micah went to VA with Shae and Beranda has worked hard the entire summer so we have hardly seen her at all. School begins so early. When I was in school, it started AFTER the Labor Day Holiday and I wish that was the case today. Soon Micah will be a grownup. I want to spend every moment I can with him. So we are off to Family Camp this week and from there, God-willing, we are off to Chicago. I have never been there either! And maybe, just maybe before school begins I will get the opportunity, once again, to inhale that wonderful salt water, see the beautiful blue water and crashing waves, hear the sea gulls calling out to each other along with the loving laughter of my children. God always makes a way. Enjoy the time you have left.

This Prayer Says So Much...

2009-07-05T11:26:00.000-07:00

WHOEVER WROTE THIS HAS A VERY INTERESTING VIEW...SOME ARE SENDING THIS AS AN E-MAIL MESSAGE FROM BILLY GRAHAM BUT PER ANOTHER SITE, IT ORIGINATED FROM TWO OTHER SOURCES. http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/prayernation.asp

Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and to seek your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.. We have killed our unborn and called it choice. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem. We have abused power and
called it politics.. We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment. Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and Set us free. Amen!

God Is Ever So Merciful

2009-05-14T11:42:00.000-07:00

For the past several weeks, Mom and I have been living between a hospital and a rehabilitation facility in an effort to get her back on her feet from a terrible episode she experienced. Doctor's don't want to call it a seizure...they don't want to call it a stroke...as all tests have no indication of either. So they have decided to call them episodes. How wonderful it is, especially at this time in life, to have an insurance plan. Thanks to God's mercy, He provided my Mom with a loving, hard-working husband some 70 years ago and through those efforts, she is still being cared for. Dad passed almost 29 years ago but he always said God made him a man that knew the benefit of having a loving wife and family and he appreciated being a provider. He was her one and only love and I thank God for granting her someone that did not make her life difficult or put her in stressful situations. She never worked a day outside of the home, but she always took pride in knowing how to run her household and she knew that caring for her family was a full-time job in itself. It is lovely to have and not need, BUT truly a gift from God to have a need met....regardless if that need is a good man...insurance...or whatever. God is worthy to be praised! Thank you, everyone, for your prayers and concern. As you know, I consider it an honor and a privilege to have this time with Mom. My care of her has been my ministry over the past 5 years and the Heavenly Father continues in His faithfulness to show me mercy and extend blessings beyond belief. If you have a need, please continue to pray and wait on His timing. His will for your life and His timing is ALWAYS best! I have some exciting news that transpired from this current situation and I will share that with you at a later time so stay tuned and remember.....

City At Peace is AWESOME!!!!

2009-04-21T09:54:00.000-07:00

There is a wonderful group in Washington, DC called City At Peace. They teach nonviolent conflict resolution via various exercises and ultimately the performing arts. Junior High and Senior High students from various areas, ethnicities and financial backgrounds come together to get to know themselves and each other. They learn to embrace their differences, understand their similarities and learn to respect and love each other regardless of their circumstances. For an entire year they go through a series and the outcome is an original play, which they write, choreograph, create the music and perform under the direction of Sandi Holloway, assisted by my lovely daughter, Shae Washington. Shae is also an alumni of the program and their latest play, entitled, "Living In Theory" was performed last weekend and, as usual, it was AMAZING!!! This June, for the first time in CAP history, they will also perform this play as street theatre. Dates to be announced. If you ever have the opportunity to attend one of their annual events you will never forget the experience. It is also a worthwhile organization to make a tax-deductible contribution to. See their site and video at www.cityatpeacedc.org.

TODAY MOM TURNED 93!!!

2009-04-08T20:04:00.001-07:00

What joy it is to see my Mom smiling and happy on her 93rd birthday. She is so sweet and innocent. She has no idea that her brother, Robert, just passed away last Sunday. His funeral is Friday. It is odd to be so happy about one occasion and sad about the other. Then I pray and I have to remind myself of the beautiful person Uncle Robert was and how happy I should be that now he is no longer in pain, crippled by arthritis and as some would say, wasting away from a cancerous blood disorder. He never stopped smiling. I never heard him say one unkind word about anyone or to anyone. You could tell he had a peaceful spirit. My Mom has a peaceful spirit too but in her day, she was a little more apt to let you have it if she felt you needed a good dose of reality. haha Oh how she used to make me laugh when she would say this person was "just a fool", or that person was "acting like a dunce" or how someone had "lost the good sense God gave them." I miss those days but I am greatful for whatever days we have together. Love you Uncle Robert aka Uncle Rob-Bob. I'll miss you buddy. Say, "Hello" to my Dad, Grandpa and Father-in-Law for me and give Grandma a hug.

Wow! What a Week....

2009-03-27T10:31:00.001-07:00

Mom had a seizure on Monday. Usually when this happens, and mind you, it doesn't happen often, I do my best to keep her comfortable but I call for an ambulance. The last time I took her to emergency, her doctor (by telephone) says to the emergency room attending physician...who then relayed it to me, "I don't understand why they rush her in. They know she is going to come out of it eventually. This is no different than times in the past." Well, thank you very much but I DON'T know she is going to come out of it and I DON'T know that it is exactly the same situation that she has gone through before. There is always a chance of stroke or worse. Why is it that some doctors and other medical professionals that care for our loved ones - our senior citizens show so little compassion? They are not paying for the care of those we love. I will never forget the first time it happened back in 2005, one doctor put her face so close to my Mom's face their noses were almost touching and she actually said out loud, "I can see she was once very beautiful." EXCUSE ME??? First of all, she has Alzheimer's...she is NOT deaf and SHE IS STILL BEAUTIFUL. After asking her into the hallway to point out how I felt about her statement, she still kept going on and on about why she used the phrase she did, so I asked her to leave.

Anyway, this time just as I was planning to stay calm, pray, keep her comfortable and wait until she came out of the seizure, wouldn't you know it - SOMETHING NEW HAPPENED. She began to vomit profusely. I prayed as I pulled her forward so that she would not choke, removed her dentures and began to clear her airways. As usually, God was right there to bring us through the situation. My brother, 2 of my nephews and 2 of my nieces came to assist and I was so greatful. I still called for an ambulance because of this new situation but believe it not, there were no ambulances available due to major accidents on the highway. When I called 911 the second time as a bit of time had passed, the 911 Operator was so kind and apologetic, even trying to obtain assistance from Warrensville Heights but to no avail. I explained to her that Mom had regained conscienceness. I have kept a close eye on her this week. What an amazing specimen she is! In just about 2 weeks she will be 93 years old! Pound for pound her body is still strong. I just thank God everyday for these precious years I have had with her. Thanks to all those that read my Blog and offer prayers. Bless you.

I Had The Loveliest Experience Yesterday!

2009-03-16T05:17:00.001-07:00

I was doing some work for The Gold Guys, and by the way, if you haven't had the chance to come to one of their 5 locations with your unwanted gold or stamped Sterling Silver, NOW'S THE TIME. Gold went up 5 weeks straight, then down just a tiny bit and now it is holding steady...so stop on by and/or plan a Gold Party! They are so much fun. Check them out on the web at www.gold-guys.com. But back to the topic at hand. Since I returned back to Ohio to care for Mom in 2005 I have rarely run into anyone from my past AND I'M ALWAYS LOOKING. I have seen my prom date...my attorney...the gentleman mentioned in my last post...ONE lady I attended high school with (just one), until yesterday. In walked a young lady that I used to have so much fun with, and later she became my attorney's fiance. It was marvelous to see her and catch up a bit and I am looking forward to spending more time with her now that God has brought us back together again. She and her family always had their fingers on the pulse of Cleveland as upstanding individuals, involved in a variety of things economic, cultural and social. I remember her always being creative, artistic and full of life. I thank God for making life interesting for me each and everyday, and thank Him for the little happy surprises of life. I hope you are feeling His goodness. STAY PRAYERFUL AND POSITIVE MY FRIENDS. There's power in that! ADIOS.

And Then There's Love...

2009-03-03T13:59:00.000-08:00

I'm finding the dating scene to be very different from when I was single 100 years ago. In fact, it seems more cyber-dating is taking place than actual dating nowadays. It makes me wonder why people are not interacting...one on one...face to face. Guys approach me often but they don't seem able to offer more than compliments. They begin the conversation with, "Hi! You're very attractive." Then I say, "Hi! Thank you very much." PAUSE or for those of us into the writings of David, SELAH. hahaha I then may muster up the next sentence, something about the weather or the crowd at the register or whatever. Then from there they continue on to expound upon whatever I have mentioned. They don't offer their name or a hand to shake or name and telephone number and I'm sorry if this sounds old fashioned, but I don't think it should be my responsibility to do that so once again...SELAH and no connection. I dated one gentleman a bit but he was hiding a disturbing habit and you know God does not want us to be in darkness so as it was revealed...I POLITELY BOWED OUT. Everyone, at least I think everyone, wants someone to care about them, call during the day, hold hands with, etc. though I thoroughly understand a woman on her own is just FINE (thank you daughters). But I am thankful to say God has brought someone back into my life from many years ago and we were very comfortable with each other before so who knows. I think it gives me great peace that we already had a lovely rapport once upon a time but as the song says, "Nice and easy does it every time." No need for either of us to rush. Those of you desiring a mate, here is the best advice, STAY PRAYERFUL. And if God brings you someone, BE PRAYERFUL TOGETHER. He is truly the glue. God is love and love is wonderful at any age.

Tribute To Henry Washington

2009-02-11T18:41:00.000-08:00

When I met my father-in-law some 32 years ago, there were several things I noticed right away, he loved his wife, he almost never left his green, tufted living room chair and everyone that entered his home had to eat something. He was what you would call the salt of the earth type of person and I appreciated many things about him. If he knew you needed something, he did his best to help you and one of my fondest memories was when I was managing a law firm not far from his home. I needed a tire on my car but had not been able to afford one. I had only been married a few years and had a new baby. But when my boss came in, he said, "I enjoyed talking to your father-in-law today." That confused me because I did not know my boss knew Dad. Then he went on to say, "He's downstairs putting a new tire on your car." That's the Henry Washington I loved. Oh there were times when he was feisty and pig-headed but you just had to overlook that and admire him for being a caring, responsible man. Before Mom passed, he took her to plan her funeral and he did the same for himself, right down to matching his suit with the draperies in the room he picked to be viewed in. He always wanted to plan and pay for everything with cash; a sign of living through The Depression I presume. At 94, he had lived a long and full life and I knew he was now at peace and probably enjoying being with Mom again and both of his sons. But as memories flooded to my mind at his funeral, tears filled my eyes. I kept thinking of the times he sat with my parents and how he and my Dad enjoyed fishing together. I hope he and Daddy take time now, to sit together once more, and fish in the abundance of God's Heavenly streams.

Look out Cleveland, Micah is driving....

2009-02-01T21:04:00.000-08:00

Praise the Lord! Micah passed his permit test and is now my official chauffer. I can tell he is not going to take this opportunity for granted. Oh how this brings back memories of the days when my precious Dad took the time, each day after work, to spend time with me. Showing me the techniques of the task, being patient as I made blunders. He was such a wonderful man. I bet each one of my sibblings, in fact, even one of my nieces had the same maneuvering difficult at the same location. The people that live near this location finally had a metal guard put up. hahaha I guess it is something about that area and how the ice forms but we all, as new drivers, slid upon the curb in front of that house. My Dad never yelled and I am sure there were days he really gripped the sides of his seat or tried to put on the brakes as he rode in the passenger seat. I always thank God for giving me such a wonderful Dad and I pray that I will be able to take his example and use it to train and encourage my son. Beep....Beep...Look Out...Student Driver Is On The Move!

Well, It's Been Difficult To Discuss But I Must Say Goodbye To My Faithful Companion

2009-01-23T08:30:00.001-08:00

A TRIBUTE TO CHEWCHY

I miss you so much...your sweet little kisses and your warmth. May you rest in peace my sweetheart. I, along with so many others will never forget you. I thank God for our time together, in fact, I did that daily because you brought me so much joy. I thank God for giving me the chance to pray over you one last time and to say "Goodbye my sweet boy...Mommy loves you so much."

It Is Always Great To Put A Face With A Name

2009-01-14T08:09:00.000-08:00

I have had the pleasure of meeting sooooo many of you fantastic Fish Listeners on Saturdays and Sundays at The Gold Guys Events. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING OUT and letting it be known that you heard of The Gold Guys via The Fish. Louise, Roseanne, Jane, Kim and Georgia...Thanks for the e-mails you have sent to me. Your kind words are so uplifting. And it has made me so happy that each of you were able to make money from jewelry items you were no longer using or were no longer wearable. What The Gold Guys are doing in providing a company of Integrity...a place of Comfort and Convenience...employees that treat you with Respect and are ever so happy to see you is phenomenal!!! You may not know this but I started out as a customer too so I know how you feel coming in..and how you feel going out. This is a testament to the many, many repeat customers The Gold Guys have. So again, I THANK YOU for coming out and for your kind words. Please spread the word so others can benefit and keep listening to The Fish, checking The Mom Squad Blog & Forum AND I hope to see you at the next Mom Squad Event. Blessings.

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!

2008-12-31T21:23:00.001-08:00

Mom and I brought in the New Year together enjoying Dick Clark's New Years Rockin Eve. I had such a desire to go out and dance but you know, it was great to have Mom as my dance partner once again. Then I held her hand as the ball began to drop and did the countdown real loud. After yelling, "HAPPY NEW YEAR MOM AND MAY THE LORD CONTINUE TO BLESS YOUR SWEET HEART", I layed my hand on her head and said a prayer. No day is promised. I thank God for yet another memorable occasion with her. But my thirst for dancing will be quenched soon hopefully... I am planning to attend a Salsa gathering Sunday night. Wooo Hooo look out Cleveland. I am putting my dancing shoes on. I pray 2009 is better than any year you have ever had in your life!!! Live your dreams. Blessings always.

CALLING ALL BALLROOM DANCING ENTHUSIASTS

2008-12-01T16:20:00.000-08:00

If you're like me you love watching "Dancing With The Stars". Are you a ballroom dancer at heart? Would you like an opportunity to learn more about ballroom dancing from some of the best in the industry and be amongst others that share your love of this art form? Imagine yourself ballroom dancing on The Queen Mary...that's right! Come on your own or gather some friends for 10 days in luxury with Cavana Ballroom's Suzanne & Jim on their Cruise in the Caribbean on Cunard's Queen Mary 2 (QM2) from November 30 to December 10, 2009. You have almost a year to plan.

The Queen Mary 2 has the largest ballroom at sea, with an abundance of dance hosts for the ladies; there is ballroom dancing every evening! The Queen Mary 2 provides you a realm of elegance like no other oceanliner ever built! It has the largest wine cellar at sea and the largest library too. The dicor is stupendous and rivals the most grandiose of the famous hotels around the world. This experience is the ULTIMATE in travel.

Leaving from NYC the trip to the Caribbean will take 2 days. Ports of Call will be Philipsburg, St. Maarten; Bridgetown, Barbados; St. George's, Grenada; Castries, St. Lucia; and Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas.

Contact me, Darlene, via info@darvacations.com for more details and to obtain an information sheet to help you get started on your way to this trip of a lifetime. The base rate, non-air, cruise only, is approximately $1,619.00 for an inside cabin, an ocean-view cabin starts at around $1,775.00 and balconies are available for around $1,895.00. There is a studio fee included in the prices. Suzanne and Jim will host activities on the ship, and different venues will be used by them to provide for group lessons. The schedule of activities will be published closer to departure since the availability of venues is at the pleasure of the Cunard cruise planners.The prices will be supplemented by fuel charges, government taxes and fees, air fees and the cost of insurance, which is highly recommended – this covers trip cancellation and trip interruption.

PASSPORTS will be required for this cruise. A good website for information about passports is: www.travel.state.gov

I WANT TO THANK EACH & EVERY AMERICAN THAT ALLOWED ME TO SEE HISTORY MADE THIS DAY

2008-11-05T05:26:00.000-08:00

My heart is so full today. The electing of the first President of color is such a monumental effort for the United States. I love this country. Never have I ever wanted to live anyplace else. I KNOW the United States is great but I feel prouder of my country than I ever have and for the first time...the FIRST TIME in my life, the words "LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL" feel evident. The crack in the Liberty Bell can begin closure. As my tears flowed last night, I was blogging with my friends of all parties, gender & age, talking with my oldest daughter long distance, and hugging my other two children in Mom's livingroom it was just a moment I will never forget. When the Electoral Vote for Senator Obama changed from 207 to beyond 270 I just buried my head in my hands. I have prayed for this election every day since the onset. For me, and I thank my Dad for instilling this in me, an election is NEVER about Democrat or Republican. It is never about gender or ethnicity (I do not like the word 'Race' as we all are of the same 'Race"...The Human Race). But it is about the issues; who has the most intelligent means to deal with the issues that plague our country? For the first-time, in a long time, people are feeling unified. People are feeling that THEY ARE and CAN BE an actual hands on part of our democracy. Ahhh, Democracy. The thing that other countries are fighting for, the thing that WE go to other countries to help THEM fight to achieve. THANK YOU AMERICA. GOD BLESS THE OBAMAS AND THE BIDENS. GOD BLESS THE MCCAINS AND THE PALINS. LET'S CONTINUE TO PRAY AND SEEK CHRIST TO PULL TOGETHER AND ASK CHRIST TO HELP ALL OF US BE THE BEST WE CAN IN AN EFFORT TO MAKE THE PLACE WE LIVE AND LOVE BETTER. I'm looking forward to seeing what Senator Clinton and Governor Palin bring to our future as well. Shine on America. Thank you Lord for allowing me and my family to be Americans. All Americans making more than $250,000 that voted for and understood the basis of the tax increase I THANK YOU ESPECIALLY. Your unselfish vote is going to help so many struggling families that work or have worked but circumstances have prevented us from getting ahead. As a caregiver of an elderly parent, it has been financially difficult for me these past 4 years giving up regular employment, losing health benefits, etc. But by God's provision, mercy and grace, it has not been impossible. GOD IS AN AWESOME PROVIDER AND I TRULY THANK HIM FOR EVERY THING...EVERY SITUATION HE HAS BROUGHT MY WAY. HE HAS KEPT US AFLOAT AND HE IS TRULY MY ALL AND ALL. IT IS IN HIM WHERE I PLACE MY TRUST, WHERE WE ALL MUST PLACE OUR TRUST. THE BIBLE TEACHES THAT WE MUST LOOK OUT FOR EACH OTHER AND HELP THOSE LESS FORTUNATE. THANK YOU HEAVENLY FATHER FOR LOVING US ALL. GOD BLESS THESE UNITED STATES.

The Memories Keep Flooding Back...Pics from VA/Outer Banks Trip

2008-10-13T18:41:00.000-07:00

Our Favorite Bridge

Footprints In The Sand

Surfers That Pray

Beranda's Cute Little Toes

Micah Digging For Unusual Shells

Ahhh... What A View

IF YOU LOVE CRUISING & ITALIAN STYLE...YOU'LL LOVE COSTA!!

2008-09-23T17:43:00.000-07:00

I am soooo excited. I met with the Costa Cruise Line rep last night and the deal they are offering us is AMAZING!! If you love Italy....If you love cruising...If you love Italian decor...magnificent artwork...the best pasta in the world, and how about have a FREE Cappuccino with your breakfast in the morning - you will NOT want to miss this upcoming event!

7 Day Cruise Western Caribbean Cruise on the Costa Fortuna, their largest ship
From Sunday, January 25, 2009 through Sunday, February 1, 2009
Inside cabin for ONLY $560*

Outside cabin with window for $640*
Outside cabin with a breathtaking balcony for $940*

Our group will receive Italian Wine and Imported Cheeses during a 45 minute VIP Cocktail Party and a $50 ship board credit for all attendees!

Whether you are cruising Europe or the Western Caribbean, Costa, the #1 cruise line in Europe and soon to be #3 in America offers the finest in Italian Style. Come! Lets live the sweet life together. LA VIDA DOLCE!!! Please call me so we don't miss out on this limited offer (216) 978-9667.

A deposit of ONLY $250* per person is due by October 13th. Ciao.
*All cabin prices exclude taxes and fees/$50 of your deposit is nonrefundable

www.darvacations.com DAR wants you to De-stress And Relax!!

The Mulicultural Praise Fest was Phenomenal!

2008-08-16T07:50:00.000-07:00

I hope you had the opportunity to attend the 2nd Annual Multicultural Praise Fest that took place this year at The Cleveland Zoo. If not, PLEASE, plan to attend next year. It is such an inspirational event. It was amazing to look up at the Praise Team and see people from NewSong Church and The Church On The NorthCoast that I have enjoyed listening to for many years, along with others. Their voices blended in a joyous harmony that was so uplifting. The Praise Team Band, comprised of anointed musicians from various area churches never missed a beat. Then we were blessed by the praise stylings of Britt Nicole (I'm Coming Back To You), Jaci Valasquez (I Get On My Knees) and the ever amazing Minister Marvin Sapp (Never Would Have Made It). Pastor Louis Kayatin gave a rousing talk about mending hurt feelings and Pastor Alan Fung delivered a heartfelt message about uniting as a Christian family throughout all ethnicities. Danita Harris (Channel 5) and our own Len Howser (95.5 The Fish) were wonderful hosts offering interesting information about the various artists, the event and sharing their own hearts for Christ. Their beautiful smiles just radiated throughout the massive crowd. Dariana Delgado, Tina Farmer, Ronnie Knight and Ed Powell also brought their love for Christ and their broadcasting expertise to the stage. Every seat was a winner as the sounds of worship could be heard throughout the entire Zoo. HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE NEXT YEAR!! Thank you Marcella Caffe and Ruby Alexander for creating such a marvelous event, which helps support the M.C. Chatman Center for Humanitarian Services. May the Lord continue to bless your efforts.

Problems - Panic + Prayer = Peace

2008-07-17T09:32:00.000-07:00

You know, it really saddened me when I heard about the death of the lady that worked at St. Vincent's Charity Hospital and her husband. Per the news, $2 million dollars is missing from the organization and she was in charge. I do not know any pertinent details but I can imagine the pressure she must have felt...knowing or not knowing the whereabouts of these funds. I have been going through financial difficulties too in caring for Mom and not being able to find employment to fit my overall circumstances BUT no matter how horrible my situation gets...no matter how much pressure Satan tries to place upon me, I have truly learned not to panic. God's promises are true and He promised to see us through EVERY problem. I hold on to that and it is because of Him that I would never consider suicide. I truly want to see and be able to share with others how His mercy and grace brings me through. There are times when he inspires me to try this or that, encourages me to ask others for help but He is the catalyst of every blessing. Its nothing that I do. So I encourage you from the FIRST MOMENT you feel a problem coming on...PRAY...and be at PEACE, knowing our Heavenly Father has it all under control. Learn from past mistakes and continue on in Him. He loves us so much. He will never let us down.

Feeling Groovy...

2008-06-30T11:49:00.000-07:00

I love hearing songs from the 60's 70's and 80's. They have such a descriptive character. I woke up rested today and the words 'Feeling Groovy' came to mind. It made me smile. What songs do you think about and how do they correspond to your feelings? What about 'It's a Turn Down Day' What did that actually mean? And have you ever had 'The Tears of a Clown'? Here's a good one, 'Blue On Blue'. Today would be a great day to take a peek through some of those old 45's, 78's and 33's or if you have purchased some of those DVD series that have revitalized the music of the past...then, dance. Not only is it great exercise, but the experience will make you feel years younger! Bless you.

Life Is Precious...Life is Sweet

2008-06-09T10:49:00.000-07:00

For those of you that haven't heard, (see The Mom Squad Forum - Prayer Request Folder) a very unfortunate incident took place this past Saturday and it really made me realize, even more than ever, just how precious life is. But it also made me realize once again, just how precious it is to have Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. We can be here one second...and gone the next. Do you know Him? If not, I truly and sincerely invite you to take a moment and ask Jesus to come into your heart right now. He is always waiting for us. The Heavenly Father never said we wouldn't have difficult times, but HE PROMISES TO BRING US THROUGH EVERY SINGLE ONE. I know Him. I trust Him and I thank Him for yet again, seeing me through...lifting me up...As I continue to pray for the gentleman that lost his life and his family and friends, a portion of my prayer is that they be comforted by the Holy Spirit and that any that haven't had a personal relationship with Christ up to this point, will turn to Him at this time. I've heard so often of trucks and cars running into motorcyclists but this is the first time I have ever knowm of a cyclist running into the back of a vehicle. I lost my cousin Mitchell in a motorcycle accident 40 years ago. Please take more care and slow down cyclists everywhere. Though I did not know this gentleman, I grieve his loss. Bless you one and all.

Boy Am I Tickled!!!

2008-05-11T16:20:00.000-07:00

I had no real desires for Mother's Day except to go to church, enjoy a smile from my Mom and some hugs from my children (virtually from Shae Shae since she is in VA) but as usual, they knocked me off my feet. I was awakened to breakfast in bed, a mug they decorated and filled with various cutouts and on each cutout there were words that described how they feel about me. Then they sang a song that they had written. So thoughtful...They made Mom's breakfast too and Micah and I went to church. He was the perfect gentleman once again. The pastor's wife gave the message and what a message it was. First of all her delivery was so heartfelt as well as researched. She provided insight regarding 2 Mom's in the Bible...one being Eve and the other being Mary. Even though I would never be able to reiterate the message, the bottom line was this...One Mom brought sin into the world and the other Mom brought the One that would save us from sin into the world. Profound. Mothers are so important. We can learn from one mother's mistakes and learn from the other mother's example. The pastor then asked every Mom to come to the front, he prayed over us, gave each of us flowers and led us in a very inspirational song. I truly felt honored. Once home, my children gave me another set of gifts that were well thought out...a planner and a sparkling stainless steel pen/pencil set. They know I love things that help me with organization. We enjoyed a nice dinner and each others company. BUT WAIT, night time came and all of the lights went out and I saw twinkling lights approaching. You guessed it. One last gift, a candle holder with 4 of the sweetest smelling tealights ever! Blue is my favorite color and I love angels so this holder was the perfect combination and along the bottom it read "Guardian Angels Are Disguised As Mothers". It just doesn't get any better than that. Thank you Lord for granting my heart's desire to specifically be the Mom of 2 girls and a boy. I SURELY HOPE YOUR MOTHER'S DAY WAS FILLED WITH JOY AND LOVE.

Beranda turned 21 yesterday!!!

2008-05-07T07:00:00.001-07:00

And boy did we have an awesome time. PRAISE GOD for this wonderful child. She is amazing. Self-proclaimed the 'Golden Child' but it truly fits. Actually I have been blessed with 3 glowing gems and I am grateful for every similarity and every difference amongst them. They have been such a beautiful support system for me and with Mother's Day approaching, though children usually give Mom's the thanks, I truly want to thank my children and God for allowing me to be their Mom. Well anyway, we had an eating experience. Cuyahoga Community College had a free event about 2 weeks ago and we were blessed to win a gift certificate to The Melting Pot in Legacy Village (Beachwood). If you have never been there, put on some nice duds and go at least once. It is fondue style. I remember when I first married (back in the 70's), the "in" gift was the fondue pot and though I received several I never used one of them, in fact, we probably returned all of them for something we thought was more practical. Now I am thinking I would enjoy having one. Especially now since we eat so much fresh veggies and seafood. It was so much fun and my 15 year old son who is a pretty picky eater laughed, ate heartily and actually tried new things. He was the perfect gentleman. YOU WILL TRULY LOVE IT THERE!!!! I investigated their menu online prior to going so I would have some idea and also touched bases with my oldest daughter, Shae, who dines at their VA location often. It's funny, we used to eat out a lot in VA and there was a Melting Pot near our home there but I just never took the opportunity. The older I get, the more I am embracing new things. By the way, Beranda and I shared the reading of a wonderful book for her birthday. It is titled "The Art of Growing Up". It is filled with marvelous revelations by Vienne & Lipsey and though it spoke deeply to me at my age, I thought it would help her to embrace life more as she travels this wonderous journey. Mom's I truly encourage you to read this book and share it with a daughter or close girlfriend. Love you all.

The Amazing Difference An Honest Mechanic Makes

2008-05-05T11:52:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I wrote about some auto woes. I really prayed about it because funds are limited and I truly needed a miracle. Several things were wrong with every car I own, and the estimates on my newest vehicle ran from $1,000 to $1300, that included 2 new tires. Well, as always GOD IS A MIRACLE MAKER. My niece, Gina told me she knew someone that was an excellent mechanic..very busy..but honest and reasonable. I had no idea what he would charge me completely (parts & labor) for all that the above estimates had indicated. I am here to tell you that I was blessed to pay $470 and that included 2 new tires!!!!! Little by little I will work to save up for repairs to the other vehicles because it is always nice to have a spare in case I or someone else has a need. I WOULD NOT HAVE EXPECTED THIS TYPE OF PRICING IN A MILLION YEARS...but why didn't I? Sometimes we forget that ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE IN CHRIST JESUS. He knows my heart, my budget, how much I am trying to secure employment keeping in mind Mom's care, but He has been and always will be THE GREAT PROVIDER. Thank you Lord Jesus. You can depend on Him always.

Wow, What a Whirlwind....

2008-04-28T10:50:00.000-07:00

HEY EVERYBODY! I HAVE MISSED COMMUNICATING WITH YOU. Well, let's see...where to start. I'm still waiting for the pictures from Mom's birthday party so I will post those as soon as I receive.

I saw a commercial on TV for Free Mammogram and Pap Screening so I signed up. I used to be faithful to get these tests annually but unfortunately a few frustrating medical moments caused me to fall off the bandwagon AND THAT IS NOT THE RIGHT THING TO DO. Anyway, I am still waiting for the results on those tests but when they checked my vitals my blood pressure was through the roof! What a shock to me. As some of you know, over the past 3 years or so I have made many drastic changes in my life to improve my physical fitness and I had never had high blood pressure before so this news blew me down as Popeye would say. Consequently, I was sent immediately to the emergency room and from there given meds. Believe it or not, my pressure has not come down yet (they say it takes about 10 days for the medicine to kick-in) and I have had to see the doctor 3 times in 1 week with a standing Tuesday @ 1pm appointment. They keep sending me for more and more tests and the only thing left to do now is the dreaded colonoscopy...yikes! Though some of the results have not come back yet, those that have are, per the doctor "better than great!". Let's see, I have had 2 sets of blood work checking for anemia, thyroid, kidney function, cholesterol and EKG and a CAT Scan. Whew!

So at this point, they are saying it is either "one of those things", "hereditary" or "something is critically wrong that they have not found yet". I appreciate your prayers in this matter and I PRAISE GOD for allowing me to have the opportunity to be checked out but just in case you were wondering I FEEL FANTASTIC!!! I have none of the symptoms that they are telling me I should be experiencing with hypertension. I am still power walking 3 - 6 miles a day, eating right, drinking 64 oz of water per day and slowly but surely my weight is coming down so I will keep you posted.

Hypertension is called THE SILENT KILLER. I recommend everyone get their pressure checked regularly, with or without health insurance. You can go to any fire station and they will be happy to check your pressure for free. Not sure how accurate the machines are at the grocery or drug store but that is also an option. Don't ignore high results. Take care.

SPRING CLEANING IS IN FULL BLOOM

2008-04-09T06:09:00.000-07:00

These past 4 days have been just glorious! Mom's 92nd birthday was yesterday (more about that later and I will post pictures too) and in honor of that, my sister-in-law, Phyllis, wanted to come in and do a good old fashioned Spring cleaning for Mom. And what a magnificent job she did spending roughly one day on the kitchen and another on the living room scrubbing every nook and cranny, washing walls and curtains, etc. The place really sparkles and the wonderful pine scent radiates throughout. Another part of this that was so special for me was that having someone there for such an extended time, seeing her moving things around and hearing her sing from her vast array of Christian CD's, made me think of days gone by, when Mom was moving around the house like that. It felt like old times and that made me so happy. Mom enjoyed her being there too. She loves music and she did her best to supervise. Though it was meant as a gift for Mom, it was truly a special gift for me as well. I could tell Phyllis really enjoyed herself and put her heart into this effort. Sometimes getting away from the normal routine and having alone time or partial alone time to focus on a project can be very therapeutic. Maybe that's why I enjoy mowing the grass so much. Though Dad has been gone 28 years, it feels like he and I are out there handling it together the way we did when I was a teenager. It relaxes me, refreshes me and exhausts me all at the same time. Every now and then, I appreciate someone doing it for me but for the most part, I simply love it. Well, here's a big THANK YOU to Phyllis!!! Also, my son Micah decided to tackle the yard and the garage on Monday so another big THANK YOU goes out to my son Micah, my nephew Rocky and his son Ryan for outdoor cleaning and getting allllll the trash out just in time for trash collection this morning. May the Lord bless all my family!

A Television With A Mind Of Its Own

2008-04-03T07:14:00.000-07:00

Last week I noticed a couple of times that when I entered Mom's livingroom, the television was off. I thought, "Hmmm, she must be getting tired of watching it and is now remembering how to turn it off."
There are days like that with Alzheimer's victims. One day they may not remember how to wash their face and the next day, you might find them handling complete body care and getting dressed. I try not to be overbearing. I watch to see what she remembers and what she doesn't and from there step in to help where needed. I always make sure to lay jewelry out for her because that is something she liked to wear daily before the Alzheimer's. Some days the jewelry goes right on...other days she will hold up the earrings and ask "What are these?" Anyhooo, yesterday I realized her television is on the fritz. I checked to make sure the sleep timer was off, so that is not the problem. It shuts off sometimes every 5 minutes and other times it shuts off after several hours. Her 92 birthday is April 8 so I think a new television would make the perfect gift! I'll send out the good old family e-mail to see if anyone is interested in chipping in. Enjoy today's beautiful sunshine my friends! Let me know if you know of any great electronic sales.

Praise and Worship Leaders Really Set The Tone

2008-03-30T20:16:00.001-07:00

Mom had a very difficult morning. She did not sleep well, which meant I did not sleep well. She kept wanting to go home, though she was already at home. My brother came over to help calm her down but by then (8AM or so) she was dressed and enjoying breakfast. So since we were both up bright and early and she was raring to go somewhere, I thought I would do something that would bring a smile to her face. I decided to take her to visit her church. We hopped in the car and began our travels, when half way there I heard her say, "I told you to take me home!" I reminded her we were on our way to church and she said, "I did not tell you to take me to church I told you to take me home!" So I turned the car around. This opened up a wonderful opportunity for me to attend the church of my choice. My nephew, Sammy and my son, Micah stayed with Mom. I arrived right on time for the very first song and let me tell you, our Praise and Worship Leader, Eric, is AMAZING! He has such a heart for Christ and you can feel that with every soulful tone. He helps the crowd leave whatever happened before they got there behind, so they can focus on Christ. His selection of music and his delivery makes the crowd feel excited to praise and then he and the worship team direct you right into deep worship. When I close my eyes, as I repeat certain verses, I feel as though I am inhaling the essence of the Holy Spirit. For a moment, I forget others are around and it is just me and God and Eric and the praise team. I love that feeling. After Praise and Worship, I feel totally refreshed and renewed. Blessings go out to all the Praise and Worship Leaders everywhere.

Hurt Feelings

2008-03-25T15:33:00.000-07:00

There are some people that really like to emphasize that they are Christians. There's nothing wrong with that, however, I think it is just as wonderful to show the love of the Lord via your actions. As you live to glorify Him, in word and deed, others will see Jesus in you. Someone may even ask why you do this or don't do that and their questions can open a dialog for you to witness to them. There are those, however, that really study their Bible, attend church regularly and forever quote scripture but unfortunately they do not notice that some of their actions are contradictory to God's Word. They can be the nicest people yet maybe they don't realize that they gossip, hold grudges and do other things that hurt loved ones. I like to take a 'What Would Jesus Do' attitude. If you have a problem with someone, do what the Bible teaches. Go to that person and speak to them directly about whatever is on your mind. It does no good to spread negative information about someone. Plus, if you go to them, you may find that whatever you were upset about, may just be a simple misunderstanding or by bringing your upset to the other person's attention, it may help them in how they handle a similar situation in the future. Remember, God is Love. We all make mistakes but let's do our best not to allow Satan to cause division. (BTW, if you go to them and they become angry that you brought a situation to their attention, you can either take the next step of bringing someone else with you to further discuss the matter with them as the Bible teaches or pray for them, give it time and know that you attempted to do what God wanted you to do.)

HE LIVES!!!

2008-03-23T09:06:00.000-07:00

Thank you Mom, Dad and St. John's Church for teaching me about Jesus and the words to this song about 49 years ago. This song has radiated in my heart and mind many times throughout every year of my life. It is so uplifting. I hope you will sing it often. HAPPY RESURRECTION SUNDAY!!!

He Lives!
Words and Music by Alfred H. Ackley
© 1933 Homer A. Rodeheaver
Renewal 1961 by The Rodeheaver Co. (Word Music, Inc.)

I serve a risen Savior, He's in the world today;
I know that He is living whatever men may say;
I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer,
And just the time I need Him, He's always near.

Chorus
He lives, He lives,
Christ Jesus lives today!
He walks with me and talks with me
Along life's narrow way.
He lives, He lives,
Salvation to impart!
You ask me how I know He lives?
He lives within my heart.

I've Got The Auto Repair Blues

2008-03-20T06:52:00.000-07:00

You know I have often thought about taking an automotive course. I learned quite a few things from my Dad with regards to how a car works but I have never actually handled any repairs. I'm GREAT, however, at holding a flashlight, making sandwiches and providing a soft drink to someone actually doing the repairs haha. If anyone knows of an automotive course particularly geared toward women or at least to those women or men that would like to learn basic auto repair but may or may not necessarily be mechanically inclined, please let me know. I would like to know how to change a flat tire, at what voltage to change a car battery, how to change a car battery and maybe how to do a bit of autobody work. Keep rolling on Blog Buddies. Say a prayer for me!

Mom's Bed Is Still The Best

2008-03-17T19:11:00.000-07:00

When I was young, my Mom and I shared a bedroom. My Dad snored and it kept her awake so for the most part, she opted out. Two of my nieces lived with us also, so Mom slept in a twin bed with my niece Gina and I slept in the other twin bed with my niece Luann. Every now and then if I had difficulty sleeping or was not feeling well, I would get in bed with Mom pulling the covers around her feet to make a mock pillow for my head. Boy that would be the best sleep ever. It must be universal because Sheryl Kravitz wrote a story about children that found Mommy and Daddy's bed to be The Coziest Bed In The World! Well, in the wee hours of this morning, Mom was having some difficulty. I don't know if she had had a nightmare or maybe woke up not recognizing where she was but she was shaking quite a bit. I put her back in the bed (now she sleeps in the big bed where my Dad used to sleep) and tucked her in real well to make sure to warm her up I climbed in with her. She immediately calmed down. Again, I gathered the covers around her feet and layed my head there. She patted my leg and I patted hers and off to dream land we went. I fell into such a deep sleep, my daughter had difficulty waking me. She said she had never heard me snore like that before. Oh, if only I could have slept until I woke up on my own but you know how it is. A Mother's work is never done so when duty calls you've got to get going.

When Life Throws You a Lemon, Make Lemonade

2008-03-14T12:04:00.000-07:00

I'm sure you've heard this before but you know, positive thinking really works! Dreary days like today really can bring you down. Unfortunately, many people, like me, are dealing with leaking roofs and severe structural damage to older homes as the treacherous Cleveland winters have taken their toll. Keep praying. Stay positive. God has a plan and we can trust in His Word. So curl up in a warm blanket with a glass of lemonade and your Bible. A warm cup of hot chocolate or tea may seem more appropriate but I bet as you drink lemonade, a smile will come to your face. You will automatically begin to think of Spring and what a Wonderful Provider God is.

Isn't It Odd That We Hold On To Certain Things

2008-03-12T08:07:00.000-07:00

I have had the same automobile insurance for 20 years. In 20 years, I basically never used this insurance. I received a ticket last year, which I did not feel I deserved but in talking with the officer, she said...your word against mine...coming to court is an all day process.. With the care of Mom it is difficult sometimes to get away for long periods so I paid the ticket. Little did I know (now mind you I have been driving for 40 years and by the grace of God I have NEVER had an accident and maybe only received 5 tickets including parking situations in my whole life) this ticket counted against my driving record. Well, I get a notice from my wonderful insurance company that due to my ticket, they are going to have to raise my rate, increasing my monthly payment $50. I was truly hurt and I wrote a letter but you know, it forced me to truly examine other companies out there and almost everyone offered me a lower rate. It feels like a relationship breakup. hahaha But I am pretty sure I am switching. I have until the 20th to decide. Whenever something like this happens, more and more I look for the silver lining. It could be God's way of forcing me to examine my options and move on. Next, bundling my cable, telephone and high speed Internet service. The deals sound phenomenal so onward and upward!

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow??

2008-03-08T16:56:00.001-08:00

Still out enjoying my daily walk though the weather was treacherous. May not have been able to go as far but I DEFINITELY got the workout. Walking in snow gives you so much resistance, just like the sand when jogging on the beach! It is truly great when you are dressed appropriately for it!
H-E-L-L-O Spring!!!!

I tried something new today!

2008-03-07T12:41:00.000-08:00

This may be something that you have had for years. Maybe it will seem common place to you. You might be shocked that I never had it. I had seen pictures of it in the past and had meant to try it but never got around to it. Ok..Ok enough of the suspense right??? Today I put Blueberries on my cereal AND IT WAS A DELICIOUS COMBINATION. I had tried bananas in the past, strawberries, apple slices and raisins. But the sweetness of the cereal with the somewhat tart taste of the Blueberries is very complimentary. If you haven't tried it, or if there is any food that you have thought about but never put the thought into action, I encourage you to just do it! Little changes mean a lot and Blueberries are a great source of fiber. I'm thinking about ordering some Blueberry plants (pictured above) and growing my own. For me, that's thinking out of the box. (smile)

Everyone Needs A Sammykins

2008-03-05T19:56:00.000-08:00

There are some people in this world that are just so wonderful. You know you are blessed to have them in your life and you might even wish everyone could experience their kindness, but what can you do? You can't clone them. hahaha Well, my nephew Sammy is in that category. He makes sure to visit us regularly and as we sat together the other day I immediately thought, "I've got to tell my Blog friends about him!" Actually he would be my great-nephew (no pun intended) because his wonderful Mom is my niece Gina. I lived in VA during the majority of his life but once he met us, he had an immediate bond with my children and me. He is the type of person that you can depend on and he looks for opportunities to do things to help without even being asked. That's what I call going the extra mile! He is a gentleman, very respectful and a godly person. Like my daughter, Beranda, he demonstrates a maturity beyond his 19 years. He is so patient with my Mom and when he fills in for me during vacation time, etc. I know he follows my schedule in getting Mom up, feeding her and administering meds and that he is giving her all the love and care that I do. He also helps to transport and babysits his little nephews and nieces when he is not working or serving within his congregation. And he is a wonderful encourager to his teen male cousins. So here's to you Sammy, nicknamed Sammykins by this Auntie. You are a sweetheart and I cannot thank you enough for all the love and care you provide to our family and all those you come in contact with.

Good Day Sunshine!!!!

2008-03-03T06:04:00.001-08:00

Woo Hoo!!! Man, does sunshine make you feel great or WHAT!!!! I woke up bright and early, had my Blueberry flavored Green Tea (yum) and a delicious breakfast (boiled egg w dill on whole wheat toast) and a huge cup of water. I try to walk/run 6 miles 5 days a week but today I feel so great I might be able to run at least 1/2 of that. I do have a few errands today and because the weather is so lovely, I think Mom and I will hit the trail together. Thanks for your prayers for Mom Dee, my sister-in-law's Mom (See The Mom Squad Forum Prayer Request Folder). Surgery went well. She will spend a a bit of time in rehab now so please continue to pray for her complete recovery. Remember to take a moment to inhale some fresh air. Gina Hart has not made it back to the station yet so please continue to pray for her. She is having a very difficult bout with flu/pneumonia. Brooke sounded much better this morning, PRAISE GOD. The Mom Squad had a great time at the Hartville Hardware this past Saturday. It's such a fantastic place. If you were unable to come out I hope you will stop by there in the near future. While you are out there, enjoy the Hartville Flea Market and Hartville Kitchen. Beranda and I loved our lunch at the Hartville Kitchen and the Apple Cobbler...mmmm...mmmm good. If you haven't signed up for The Mom Squad yet, how about doing it right now? It's quick, easy and you will receive notices of our upcoming events AND have a chance to obtain gifts and win prizes. Who wouldn't love that? Everyone at 95.5 The Fish is so special. One can't help enjoying the wonderful music and happy commentary. Bless you so much. Thanks for checking in. HAVE A MARVELOUS MONDAY!!! P.S. I'm skunk free thanks to the Garfield Heights Animal Warden. THANKS A BUNCH ED!!!

Praying For All My Friends Today with Colds, Flu & Pneumonia

2008-02-29T05:09:00.001-08:00

This time of year can be pretty rough on your system. Flu often leads to pneumonia and it takes months sometimes for your body to recup. Pneumonia is very dangerous so don't take any chances. See a doctor.
Once you begin to recover, don't push yourself. Drink plenty of liquids, get plenty of Vitamin C and rest. See The Mom Squad Blog (Thurs. Feb. 28) at www.955thefish.com for more helpful hints to ward off colds and flu. Blessings to you all.

Creativity Combats Confusion

2008-02-27T06:16:00.000-08:00

I have been my Mom's full-time caregiver for 3 years and 3 months now and part-time caregiver 7 months prior to that. I have seen the gradual affects of Alzheimer's and have had to make adjustments accordingly. It is always my objective to keep Mom happy, healthy and safe but some days, she attempts to fight the status quo. I pray a lot for the strength to handle this situation but on difficult days (like yesterday), I go into extreme prayer mode. I do not want her to become frustrated nor do I want to be frustrated. Some days she forgets she is in her own home and begins to put on layers and layers of clothing. She says quite forcefully, "I am going home now." Sometimes a simple reminder that she is already at home helps. Her facial expression changes as if a light bulb has been turned on and she begins to look around. Then she responds, "What am I thinking, of course I am at home." She will then repeat her address over and over a few times, remove the clothing and pick up a book or sit and enjoy a TV show. Other times it is an entirely different story. Here is where the creativity comes in. When she won't remove the clothing or allow me to remove the clothing, I simply say, "Mom, are those my sweaters?" She will immediately begin to take the excess clothing off. In her mind she is still very independent and she KNOWS she has always been able to afford her own things, God bless her. She KNOWS she has her own clothes and does not want to ever bother things that belong to others. Then once she removes the many layers of clothes and moves to the closet for coats I simply say, "You know Mom, in order to go home, you have to have a good breakfast." She always spoke to us about the benefits of a good breakfast so those words seem to trigger something. Once she sits down to eat, I can administer her morning pills. I must call these the "morning vitamins" because she can relate to vitamins but she refuses to relate to the words 'medication' or 'pills' as she has been against that concept all her life and never needed any basically until just before the onset of the Alzheimer's. One of the meds, helps to keep her calm. I usually give 1/2 with breakfast and 1/2 with dinner just because that normally works well. But on the days when she starts out being a little rambunctious, I administer the entire pill with breakfast. Then usually, the rest of the day is great for the both of us. So if you are a Caregiver or become one, I encourage you to be prayerful, patient and by all means, creative. Call upon others to give you a break if you begin to feel overwhelmed. THANK YOU RANDY FOR GIVING ME A BREAK YESTERDAY AND TO YOU AND PHYLLIS FOR THE HELP ON TUES. & THURS. Caregivers are a blessing and God sees all you are doing for your loved one so be encouraged.

Daughter Gets a New Doo

2008-02-25T18:14:00.000-08:00

My youngest daughter, Beranda, is one of the most adorable people I have ever known. She is beautiful inside and out. She and I are forever changing our hair-doos. We like wearing it long so we can have style variety but due to breakage, etc. periodically we need a trim. So here she is, wearing it shorter than EVER but still looking magnifico! You go girl!!! By the way, this will be the first year Beranda will be eligible to vote so she is really excited! She is listening carefully to what each candidate has to offer and Saturday we had the opportunity to see Senator Obama in person and he shook Beranda's hand. What an experience for a first-time voter!

I Give Up

2008-02-22T04:44:00.000-08:00

After trying many things this week to deter the skunks, it has only aggravated them soooo this morning I called the Animal Warden. From what my nephew told me, they will come out, set traps and take them away once they are caught. I have to make sure my little Chewchy does not go into the area but I truly am PRAYING this nightmare will be over real soon. Blessings.

The Battle Between Me & Pew Wee Continues

2008-02-20T15:58:00.000-08:00

It is incredible to me how everything that God created has a purpose, a plan and the instinct to survive. Skunks are here for a reason. I just don't know what that reason could possibly be! Just like clockwork, there they were again at 4am Tuesday.

This time they were surprised by a large wooden frame I had placed in front of the trellis and up over the siding. I could tell they were puzzled and for sometime they displayed their anger by further spraying the area and the stench is what actually woke me up. BUT in visiting the scene of the crime, I noticed they had found a way to still get up under the frame and had actually dug a pretty deep hole, so its ON TO PLAN B (imagine that being said with an echo affect-hahaha). In speaking to a Home Depot rep, he highly recommended pouring vinegar around the area and then distributing moth balls along the perimeter of the house. I can hardly WAIT for them to come to see my next move. I'll keep you posted....The Bible says, "Count it all joy." smile

Skunktus Interruptus...

2008-02-18T09:39:00.000-08:00

The weather was quite blustery here during the night and a family of skunks wanted a place to hide so they attempted, at 4am to pull the siding off the back of my house, along the wall of my bedroom right where my headboard is. This had happened previously but it had been a while. After the last time, I found a piece of wooden trellis and placed it along the back of the house and pushed the grill against it. Last night, they were relentless. They were jerking the trellis back and forth and banging against the wall. First I banged back hoping to frighten them, but that did not work. Then I got my flashlight and shined it through the bedroom window but that just seemed to make them work more fervently. So I got bold and opened my bedroom window so I could shine the light directly on them but they said, "Thanks lady. Now we can see exactly where we want to burrow." So I had to do something I hated to do...I woke my son, Micah. Now Micah loves the Lord and I think next in line is sleep. He brought me one of his air rifles and I began to do a bit of target practice. On one hand, that was a good thing because the skunks ran. On the other hand, they ran toward the front of the yard, where my sweet little companion, Chewchy (See photo on 2/1 posting) was relieving himself. They sprayed him and he ran into the house doing a weird dance of sorts. Falling down on the right, then the left, rubbing his face on the carpet and franticly spinning. I grabbed my rubber gloves, put him into the bathtub, covered him with Scope Mouthwash (HA - I did not have tomatoe juice and I wasn't about to use my Classico Spaghetti Sauce). Then I bathed him in antibacterial soap. It worked pretty well. It took about an hour for me to return to sleepytown but what a wonderful sleep it was. Sometime today, I plan to do a bit of research to find out what I can use to encourage my furry striped 'friends' to stay away from my home. Have a precious President's Day!

Laura's Home...What An Amazing Place

2008-02-15T18:31:00.000-08:00

The longer I live in Cleveland, the more I am amazed by all it has to offer. There are so many people that need a fresh start and there is an amazing place called Laura's Home, that provides that fresh start. It is a part of the City Mission that houses women and their children. This Christian organization receives no government funding, yet funds that come in via private sources and companies, provide a clean, bright facility, 3 meals daily, job resource training, daycare and much more. You would be so impressed by the loving atmosphere. I hope you will take the time to tour this marvelous facility, make a donation and make a difference! For more information, call (216) 472-5500.

Where Are They Now????

2008-02-13T08:36:00.000-08:00

There are so many people from high school that made a wonderful impression on my mind. I have not seen these people in 30+ years but still, after all these years, I think of them and wonder how they are doing. Are there people from your past that you would like to see again? I lived out of town for most of my adult life so I never received info about our high school reunions. I wonder if anyone from my past thinks about me. I made a list of 20 today and I am going to try to reunite, without paying for a class reunion website membership. I'll keep you posted.

Election 2008 - Have We Grown As A Country?

2008-02-11T16:49:00.000-08:00

As a youth, preparing to vote for the first time (about 100 years ago), I asked my Dad what his voting strategies were. I will never forget these words, "Baby, politicians are relatively all the same and a lot of them are crooked. But the bottomline is as a citizen of the United States, the right to vote is a privilege so don't take it for granted. Listen to all candidates and determine your voting strategy not by party, but by what the candidates stand for, and how what they stand for will affect your life." I'm not sure if my Dad would have envisioned a woman candidate or a candidate of color but based on the intelligence of his voting strategy I know he would definitely encourage EVERYONE to vote...not based on a person's gender, nor on the color of their skin...nor their political party BUT WHAT THEY STAND FOR AND HOW THAT WILL AFFECT YOUR LIFE! I pray that America has grown at this time in history and will continue to grow to be a wise and intelligent nation valuing all people, for many have contributed to the building of our great nation and there is no better time, than the present, to embrace diversity.

Experience a New Way of Waking Up

2008-02-08T09:15:00.000-08:00

Some people hop out of bed in the morning raring to go. Others can be groggy and get up with an unwillingness to start the day. I've been doing something a bit different lately and I must admit I feel better for taking the uninterrupted time with myself AND for myself. Some of these suggestions are a combination of things I have read about lately and seen on television; some I already did but together, I feel they make the complete package. All in all give yourself about 10 minutes....longer if you desire.

1. Take a moment to greet God. Thank Him for your rest and whatever else comes to mind. Discuss any concerns with Him and by all means commit the day to Him. As the Bible teaches us, His yoke is easy and burdens are light. So attach yourself fully to Him and lay all burdens down at His feet right there from your bed before your feet even touch the floor. No problem is too big for God! Ask Him to prioritize your day. You'll be surprised at the results.

2. Take several deep cleansing breaths. Inhale through the nose (produces niacin I believe, which we need) and exhale through the mouth.

3. Do the "Ooooommmm" chant a few times. This opens up and helps to clear the sinuses.

4. Stretch, in the bed and again once you stand up. Deep breathing coupled with stretching does wonders for your body.

5. Hug yourself (I love hearing my aqua aerobics instructor, Estella, say this). You deserve it. Remind yourself how important you are to YOU. Give all extremities that you can reach a tiny massage. Then reach behind you and with your fists, GENTLY pound the kidney area. Dr. Bob from Cleveland Clinic indicated on Oprah that this increases the blood flow there and helps them to function more effectively.

The Bucket List

2008-02-06T06:42:00.000-08:00

When I heard of this new movie with Morgan Freeman and Jack Nicholson in which two older men, make a list of things they want to do before they kick the bucket, I laughed. Then I thought, "Hmmm, that's not a bad idea." And though no day is promised to any of us, how nice it would be to actually create a list like this before getting too old. So I have decided to create one. Why don't you do the same and let's keep in touch to keep each other accountable. I have already begun, as my New Year's Resolution, to do new things, meet new people and go new places so this is right in line with that. I have always wanted to go back to college, take trips to Spain, Jerusalem and Alaska and take all 3 of my children on a cruise, so I am going to really begin to pray about these things and try...NO...not try, I am going to make and take definite steps toward my Bucket List. It may take some time but focus is key. God bless!

It's Just A Routine Surgery....

2008-02-04T10:20:00.000-08:00

I had a hysterectomy about 8 years ago. And there was nothing routine about it. I truly needed this operation as I had begun to experience great difficulty at times. But I remember watching my doctor's mouth as she said the words "Routine Surgery" and "Of course, there could be complications with any surgery but puncturing your rectum or infection happens to maybe 1 in 20,000." I was told after the surgery I would be allowed to go home if my temperature was normal and if all bodily elimination functions had returned. After the surgery, I did not feel well. I had a fever of 101 and I could not have a BM, but wouldn't you know it, the nurse said those are just general rules and my doctor felt I could go home. Eight days past and the problems persisted. I consistently kept my doctor informed and the day before I was to go for an in-office checkup, I had a BM and my fever immediately vanished. OH I WAS SO GLAD and at the appointment she assured me that's how it goes sometimes. Well the next day or so (a Friday), I went to bed and for the first time since the surgery I felt great. I was still moving around gingerly but that was to be expected. I slept like a baby that night and when I woke up, I took a nice deep breath but something was terribly wrong. I inhaled the worst smell of my life and as my hands moved to my abdomen my jammies were soaked with a thick fluid. Technically my abdomen had become infected and the incision had burst open. The doctor's office called back and told me to go immediately to the hospital, that she would clean the area and send me back home...not to worry. An angel met me in the parking lot. She was a nurse that had actually experienced the same thing I was going through. She opened the car door and put her nose (I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE SHE DID THIS)...put her nose near my abdomen and took a whiff. She said, "You've got salmonella. She is NOT going to just clean you up and send you home! She's got to operate." I guess the doctor had spoken to her before I got there. Sure enough the area had to be completely opened and another surgery was performed. I was so out of it, I had forgotten what day it was. On Sunday, the doctor entered my room crying. She said, "I'm sorry but you're dying. Your organs are shutting down and unless I can come up with some type of aggressive treatment, you're not going to make it. Your family has got to get here and I am having trouble reaching them." The entire time she was sobbing and trying to explain through her tears, I felt an extreme level of calm and I said, "Please give me a moment to pray." She yelled, "YOU DON'T HAVE TIME TO PRAY!" I responded, "I have time to pray if I have time for nothing else." She left the room. After praying I tried several times to reach my family and when I finally got through, they said, "We were at the alter praying for you...It's Sunday ...We are in church." What a blessing it was to hear that. The aggressive treatment took place which started with a blood transfusion. Four or five months later, after daily home care, having a stint to my heart inserted, and having to go through excruciating pain several times a day as the dressing had to be changed in the deep, wide hole that existed, I began to walk again. The doctor said the instruments in the operating room must not have been sterilized during my first surgery causing the infection. TO THIS DAY, I THANK THE LORD FOR BRINGING ME THROUGH THAT SITUATION, FOR ONCE AGAIN, PROTECTING ME. THE GREAT PHYSICIAN HEALED ME. I AM FOREVER GRATEFUL!!! And the hole is completely healed to the point one would never even know I had surgery. It was a devastating time for me and my family that I had nightmares about for years. God is Great! I heard Thelma Wells tell a similar story at the Women Of Faith Conference in Cleveland in 2007. I believe these mishaps happen more than doctors are willing to admit. If you are told that you need surgery of any kind, here are my suggestions:
1. Pray about it. Let the Holy Spirit inside you strengthen and guide you.
2. Discuss the pros and cons with your family. It affects them too.
3. Hope for the best but be realistic about the worst.
4. Do your homework. Get a 2nd and even a 3rd opinion if you wish.
5. If you are working, make sure you know what your health care and leave of absence options are.
6. Inform your pastor and prayer group for spiritual support, visitation and other needs you may have like meals or assistance with your children.
7. And definitely inform neighbors because in an emergency, these may be the people closest and able to respond the fastest. (The Bible teaches us to love thy neighbor as thyself...there's are many reasons for that).

Pictured with me are a few of the wonderful Women of Faith: Patsy Clairmont, Thelma Wells and Sheila Walsha. Each of them have quite a story to tell. If you have never attended a WOF Conf. I hope you will in the near future.

My Faithful Companion

2008-02-01T09:46:00.000-08:00

I have always loved animals and pets can add such a tenderness to one's life. I'm sure you have heard that pets are now being brought into nursing homes and hospitals so seniors and children can interact with them. They find the interaction can lower blood pressure and give hope to those suffering with serious illness. Unfortunately, some people have serious allergies and cannot experience that love. But pets are definitely a sweet little gift. They have personalities and we can learn from them. Pets can teach a child responsibility, as well as, how to focus, be more caring and even how to deal with loss. I will never forget my first dog Sheppy. He was a German Shepherd-Collie mix, super intelligent and very human-like. He cried when I cried. He would drape his large body over a swing and do his best to swing along side me. He passed away when he and I were 14 and I was heartbroken but the time we spent together was priceless. Above is a picture of my current little sweetheart, Chewchy. He is a precious gift...smart, intelligent and so loving. Before getting a pet, do your research to get the right fit for your family. Keep immunizations up-to-date and perform regular hygiene care. Consult experts at your local vet or pet store if you have questions. "He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your Dog. Your are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion" - Mark Twain

Have You Ever Thought About Becoming A Vegetarian?

2008-01-30T18:57:00.000-08:00

There are many reasons why people decide to eliminate meat from their diet: 1) mistreatment of animals, 2) antibiotics injected into animals that may get into our bloodstream and possibly cause us to become immune to antibiotics and 3) fattening agents given to animals could cause human obesity. I've been a vegetarian for 8 months now and some people ask me, "How do you survive on lettuce?" There are tons of things to eat besides lettuce BUT after I explored a multitude of different types of rice, pastas, legumes, beans, nuts, fresh fruits and veggies (and I am sure I have only explored the tip of the iceberg) I decided to try soy meats and I must admit, I am very pleased. There are soy chicken strips, soy sausage, soy steak strips, soy meatballs, soy crumbles (like ground beef) and soy burger and chicken patties, etc. The texture is good and the taste is great. Basically, you're not cooking the soy meat, but heating it through so once your recipe is prepared, toss the soy meat in about 10 minutes prior to completion, stir and enjoy. If you are taking steps to improve your health, I encourage you to try the vegetarian lifestyle...maybe have vegetarian Thursday then move up to 3 days a week or something like that. It helps to have onions, bell peppera (green, red, yellow, orange) and celery, etc. cut up and put in freezer bags so as you prepare different recipes, it is easy to incorporate more flavor via fresh veggies. Keep fresh garlic available. I also use Sea Salt, Black Peppercorns and Extra Virgin Olive Oil now. Some of my recipes have been posted on The Mom Squad Blog. My children are enjoying the change and slimming down too. As an old commercial used to say, "Try it...You'll like it." Let me know if you do. My oldest daughter, Shae, became a vegetarian 14 years ago. Thanks for paving the way honey!

Just Shut Up!

2008-01-28T09:27:00.000-08:00

Oh how that phrase sends chills through me and I hear it more and more as parents are out with their children. I find children to be the most interesting little people. Their honesty and creativity is incredible. They are gifts from God, on loan from the Heavenly Father to us. I wish more parents would just take a moment and simply listen. True engagement with a child can bring so much joy in both directions. Your attention makes them feel important and many times they offer great information and advice. This past weekend, a little girl, about 4 years old sitting in a shopping cart, kept trying to tell her Mom something. Over and over again she said, "Mom ... Mom your...Mom please I am trying to tell you something." The Mom just kept ignoring the little girl. She was seriously reading the ingredients on various product boxes, and checking items off of her shopping list and then she yelled, "Just Shut Up!" I said, "Excuse me but I believe your little girl was trying to tell you that you dropped your gloves in the previous aisle." The lady turned so red. Her serious demeanor changed. She took a deep breath, smiled and said "Oh thank you so much. I better run and get them!" But there was no need as I had already picked them up and I handed them to her. She shook my hand and said how wonderful it was that I was so honest and that I took the time and that these are her favorite gloves and on and on. But I reminded her that it was because of her little girl that her gloves were recovered. I heard the little girl trying desperately to get her Mom's attention and when I looked at her, she kept pointing downward but the Mom totally ignored her cry. Her little one deserved the smile and the kind words more than I. Children have a lot to say. Some of it is funny, some of it may make no sense to you but it is all worth hearing. They grow up so fast, slow down and enjoy every word and if you are really that busy that you can't take a moment to engage in conversation...maybe you are too busy and need to make a few changes in your life. But at least, take the time to calmly and politely explain to them that you need them to "be quiet for just a moment please". My Mom always taught me that we are "once a man and twice a child". So if you live long enough to enter into your second childhood, guess who most likely will be there to listen to you...Your Child. And who do you think would be more apt to show you loving, considerate care - the child that you were patient with and engaged in conversation with or the child that you told to "Just Shut Up"? If you are too busy for them now, it's possible they may be too busy for you later. (Remember the words to Harry Chapin's, Cat's In The Cradle? - 'When ya comin home Dad?' 'I don't know when, but we'll get together then...' But the time never came and the Dad heard his son repeating the same words to him once he became a grownup.) Every moment of your life is a gift from God. That's why it's called The Present. (smile) Living in the moment lowers your blood pressure as you are not thinking about the disappointments of the past or dealing with the what ifs that might come in the future. (By the way, most of what we worry about never even takes place so toss out the what ifs and just pray for God's protection and guidance). Enjoy your children...Enjoy your life.

I Am Loving My New Bible Study!

2008-01-25T11:40:00.000-08:00

As a Caregiver, I have to plan accordingly for off site situations and I truly miss having a Bible Study that I can attend on a regular basis. During the 20 years I lived in VA, the Pastor impressed upon us that we are in a spiritual battle. Each and everyday we must put on the whole armor of God, Ephesians 6:10 - 18. We have to be girded up (ready for action) from our head to our feet. There are many ways to fight this battle and one way is by speaking God's Word to the enemy when he approaches. The Bible tells us to resist Satan so he will flee, I Peter 5:8. It's that simple and that complex. In order to have a strong spirit, we must BE IN THE WORD so the WORD can be IN US. Bible Studies like Community Bible Study (http://www.communitybiblestudy.org/), Women's Worship Groups like AGLOW (www.aglow.org/aglow/Default.aspx?id=758), church studies like those written by Beth Moore (http://www.lproof.org/) and Christian Retreats are priceless in my opinion. I have thoroughly engaged in those listed and many others during my years in VA and I miss the fellowship in addition to the wonderful information. So once I relocated back to OH, I prayed for a Women's Study. Then I asked the wife of one of the church leaders where I presently attend, if she knew of any upcoming studies and she informed me that there was nothing on the horizon. Well, you know God is so faithful. He hears our every prayer and truly answers them. The very next week, there was a notice in the bulletin, 'Women's Bible Study to Begin Next Month'. I jumped for joy (literally). Though this is an entirely different topic, the older I get, the better I seem to feel so I do a lot of jumping, hopping, skipping and dancing just to burn calories and it makes me giggle inside like when I was a little girl...but back to the subject. It was an 11 week study I believe and man, what an experience. I got to meet and feel closer with the women of the church. This meant so much to me being new. At my VA church there probably are about 2,500 people. I was Director of several ministries so I was in constant contact with lots of people. I missed all the smiles and allllllll the hugs. I needed the interaction. Caregiving can be isolating but I thank God everyday for the opportunity to be with Mom and to care for her. I wouldn't have it any other way. She was always the sweetest most caring Mom I ever knew so being her Caregiver is my privilege, my pleasure and definitely a ministry in itself. I do quite a few things to make myself feel alive and to keep myself strong and healthy, including praying, so I can take good care of her...but I will share more about that at another time, back to the subject. (smile) After that study was over, the church arranged another one but Mom's sleep schedule changed which made it difficult for me to get out early in the morning. Since that time, I have been praying for another way to have a study and feel a part of a group. 2008 has brought about such a fresh outlook and a renewing...an appreciation of my being, so I wanted to start the New Year off with a new Bible Study. I began to surf the web and found a daily online study that I just love. Every morning I am greeted with a synopsis and question(s) pertaining to text. I selected the study on I Peter. If you have been looking for a Bible Study and for one reason or another have been unable to locate a group study or maybe you just enjoy a private study, try this site. It is free, easy to register and there is an online community in which you can share your answers and read others information, if you like. You do not have to enter your answers online if you do not wish to. The site address is http://www.joyfulheart.com/ Even if you don't want to do a study, there is tons of info there, periodicals and you can sign up for a monthly newsletter. I pray the Lord guides you to the Bible Study that fits your needs. Our bodies need food daily...Our spirits need daily nourishment as well. Bless you.

Jesse & Angie Return to All My Children!

2008-01-24T10:53:00.000-08:00

Now I must admit, I don't get a chance to watch a lot of television but the return of Jesse and Angie really excites me because it takes me back to the days of my youth. And though Jesse was killed, there was a funeral, he came back to several people over the years as a ghost and then they even brought him back as his look alike cousin on a spin off soap (a Patty Duke moment-haha), I really don't care HOW they bring him back, I'll just be happy to see he and Angie together again. I feel the same about Luke and Laura from General Hospital. I can never get enough of them so though Laura is supposedly rocking away in a chair in a mental institution semi-conscience or something like that, whenever she regains her conscience and appears in a few episodes now and then, I do my best never to miss them together on screen. It's magical. You know how it is when you hear one of your favorite songs from the '60's and '70's and for a moment, you can actually remember where you were the first time you heard it. It's magical. Great shows and great music from the past also makes me think back to the times when television and music were worth remembering. You did not have to worry about an inappropriate word being sung or spoken. Certain situations were more so implied. One had to use their imagination perhaps. I believe the lack of censorship in the entertainment industry is robbing our society of its integrity...robbing our youth of their innocence but that's just me.... What do you think? Talk to you later. Stay blessed

What a Fine Day It Is...

2008-01-23T10:45:00.000-08:00

Burrrrr. It's a bit nippy out there but all is well. Often in the winter we have an issue with our water pipes so we are right on schedule today. Thank God for my nephew who came over and fixed the break. Stay warm everyone. It is great to dress in layers during this time of year. For some reason, I feel as if Spring is going to start tomorrow. I guess I am sooooo looking forward to the nice weather I am using the power of positive suggestion. (smile) Well, take care until the next time I check in. Have a blessed and Wonderful Wednesday!!!