Oops! I Got Tagged!

My dear friend, Paige, "tagged" me. I guess I have to play along!

Rules:

1)Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
2) People who are tagged need to write a post on their own blog (about their eight things) and post these rules.
3) At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.
4) Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

Here it goes:

1. I would buy anything that was advertised on an info-mercial. I am the biggest skeptic, but if it is advertised on TV I seem to need it!

2. I could swing my life away in a hammock. I've been trying to figure out how to support myself by selling hammocks while demonstrating how they work. Any ideas?

3. Growing up, weekends were extra special because it meant an outing with dad. We had an old, powder blue Scout with cream and tan interior. My dad, brother, and I would bounce around in it and sing 1814 (I think that is the name) by Johnny Horton. "1814 we took a little trip, down the Col. Jackson to the might Mississip. We took a little bacon and we took a little beans, and we fought the bloody British in the town of New Orleans. . ." Most of the time we would drive out around the county with no particular agenda. Dad would pack us a lunch. Good times!

4. Speaking of dad, I love to hold his hand. My dad has huge hands and he can hold both of mine in one of his. His hands are always warm, and mine are usually cold.

5. I learned a stupid human trick at Blue Haven. I can turn my ankles completely around to where my heels touch the ground in front of me. Gross really!

6. My grandmother is 1st cousins with Sheb Wooley, who wrote and sang Purple People Eater. His brother Bill lives in Ruidoso. I went snow skiing with Bill, mind you he was well into his seventies. We would ski some blacks and he would be at the end of the run waiting for me! That was almost 15 years ago and he is still skiing!

7. I went to a Black Crowes concert with my high school principal my senior year. He was dating my boss at the time and they got me the tickets for graduation!

8. I can't donate blood for life because I lived in Ireland during the mad cow scare. So just in case you wondered, there is a reason I am this way!

So now I tag Tim Rush, Elaine Santos, Timbra Wiist, Sydney Phillips, Gayla Bursiaga, and Claire Maguire-Wilson. I think my other blogger friends have been tagged.

Blessed

I guess I have always considered myself to be fortunate to be loved by the people who love me. However, I often take them for granted.

This past weekend was humbling because God expressed his love to me through some amazing people, who I am blessed to call my friends. It seemed to be the icing on the cake of blessing after a rough summer.

Friday was my birthday, and I got to spend the evening with friends. Some were friends I have known for years, others just a short time. Nonetheless, I felt cared for and loved by all. Lisa, Paige, and Sherry, you guys are amazing women and I cannot even begin to say how thankful I am for your friendship. Thank you for your kind words and the way you care for me. I hope I can be the kind of friend to you that you all have been to me!

I was very humbled by church on Sunday. I was surprised by Rex opening the floor for folks to say some really kind things about me. I am so thankful God led me there, and has made a place for me in this church. The things everyone said humbled me and helped me to realize just how much God loves me through my friends.

So I just want to say a big THANKS to all of you who love me and for making my birthday the best yet!

Things I Wouldn't Wanna Be. . .

Warning! The inane post below doesn't contain any pearls of wisdom, spiritual or otherwise. It is merely for my own amusement.

Things I wouldn't want to be seems to be an ongoing conversation my friend, Lisa, and I have. When you have been friends with someone as long as Lisa and I have been, you have to get creative with the conversation topics because you just know each other too well. So, needless to say, we have some serious, thought provoking dialogue!

This started out with me thinking of jobs I wouldn't want to have. Meat packing worker, truck driver, convenience store bathroom cleaner, sanitation worker, etc. Then it evolved into a conversation of what I wouldn't want to be.

So here is a running list to date:

Q-Tip
Toilet plunger/brush/paper (or anything else having to do with the toilet)
Lint trap
Nose/Ear hair trimmers
Garbage Disposal
The floor behind my dryer
Dumpster
Port-a-potty
The bottom of a shoe
A flyswatter
Foot file
iPod earbuds
Flip-flops
Drain pipe
Band-Aid
Toothbrush
Kleenix

Well, that is all I can come up with at the moment. What are some things YOU wouldn't want to be. ***Tim Rush, feel free to make your own list here. I had you in mind when I was doing this post!

BTW, Mom is doing MUCH better! She may go home from the hospital tomorrow. Please continue to pray for her healing!

More on Mom

Dad called this evening and said that the pathology report came back, and there is no sign of the cancer returning!!!!! We found out she does have an infection. She is still completely confused. The doctor thinks it is caused by the infection. She is now on some antibiotics for that. We have been really concerned about her confusion.

So please continue to pray that she will return to the land of the clear headed soon!

A Brief Update

I am at my parents' house, taking a break to clean up. My mom has been in the hospital since this past Tuesday for a bowel obstruction. They believe it was either caused by adhesions that were chemo or surgery related. Mom had surgery two years ago to remove the cancer from her abdomen caused by ovarian cancer.

Yesterday the doctor decided to correct the bowel obstruction with surgery. He removed about a foot of her small intestine. Apparently this is fairly common in ovarian cancer patients. So far he said there was no visible evidence of the cancer returning. They are sending some fluid they collected to pathology.

She had a pretty rough night last night with pain, and confusion from the medicine they are giving her. We didn't sleep much, so I am hoping today and the following days will only get better. She is expected to stay another week in the hospital.

Please pray for her to have a quick recovery, and that they don't find any cancer cells in the liquid they are testing!