Happy Birthday to Mom!

Today is Mom's 79th Birthday! I called and sang the song to her; we talked awhile then said goodbye. As I was hanging up, I realized I had not told her I love her. I don't want to miss any chances to tell my parents how much I love them. I have missed too many chances in my 53 years. Saying and hearing those 3 little words means so much to me and I hope to those I speak them to. It's amazing how 8 letters can change a persons day. We should all hear or say this to those we love every day. Who knows what tomorrow brings? I don't get the hear them too much; husband and kids are busy and in their own little world. My son always tells me when he calls, but that is once a week. Oh well, I am happy with what I have!

I hope when I am Mom's age I will be able to go and do as she does! She walks several miles a day, eats like a bird and is very active in the community. She is amazing and I love her dearly!

We are going to Utopia tomorrow, so we will celebrate appropiately this weekend. It's time to pick grapes! Looking forward to fresh grape juice and restocking the wine cabinet!

High Fashion or Just High

We all have our ups and downs, some more than others. Most of the time it is our kids that cause the ups and downs whether it is due to their moods or actions. My beautiful daughters are all polar opposites; one is just bi-polar. Amy is constantly the source of great joy or great anxiety/anger, depends on the moment and meds. Last night was one of those great joy moments, watching her walk in her first high fashion runway event for Celestino Couture by Sergio! She looked so professional, assured and grown up. Thankfully she has great manners to those she doesn't live with, it is nice to see her thanking the designer, thanking her booking agent, wishing good luck to the other models. Then I quietly wait for the other "dark" side to appear and tell me I am the essence of evil and hated. The hard part is trying to recognize what is "terrible teenager" and what is a loose spark!

Living Against the Wind

The wind has been blowing very strong lately. Sunday afternoon we were leaving Sam's and the wind was blowing strong and steady against me as I walked. I stretched my arms and enjoyed the warm sun and the wind blowing on my face. I am sure people thought I was nuts, but I didn't care. For once I could enjoy living against the wind! It was a feeling of freedom, warmth, invigorating. Yesterday I was walking the trails behind the office building and the wind was blowing again. I am always thinking of song lyrics during thoughtful times alone and I thought of the Bob Seger song "Against the Wind." I began to think about all the "things" Chris and I have been through the past 20 years and how we have used those trials to cling to each other and work through them together. We have been living against alot of wind. Sometimes the wind is hard, sometimes the wind dies down and we live quietly which doesn't seem to happen too often! We are in a bit of a whirlwind right now with financial issues, kid issues, health issues, but we will get out soon and keep rolling. We always do. We are young and strong and we are living against the wind.

North Winds Blew us into Spring!

WOW! I can't believe it is already April. We had a great trip spring Break to Mustang Island State Park, camping in tents, cooking on the propane stove (albiet a 16000 btu jobber!) reading while the girls went to the beach, fishing, and just overall relaxing and enjoying the week! Jelly the Jack Russell went with us, and proved to us he was a great camping dog. Amy's friend Chelsea Smith and my great neice Alicia enjoyed the camp food, games at night and adventurous day trips! We had a tour of the Corpus Christi Fish Hatchery and were able to fish in the tanks - catch and release, no catch and eat here. Amy caught a 30-35 lb red drum and whined about how hard it was to pull it in. Christy caught something so large it popped the 40lb test lead! Everyone caught several fish (except Chris and I!) and had a great time.

April 3rd I had another body scan that was very disappointing. There are still cancer cells in the lymph nodes around the thyroid area. In 2 weeks I'll have a sonogram to see what the next step will be. I had so hoped this would all be gone and this cancer chapter could be closed. Oh well, we keep rolling and praying. Bout all we can do now!

Things will be fine in 2009!

Happy New Year! It was a nice and quiet New Year's Eve, had chicken and dumplings, watched a movie, fell asleep! Amy and Christy went to a friends for a sleepover, so it was Chris, Dallas and I guarding the couch and the animals. We had a good Christmas after a rocky start to the week. Christy had 3 teeth pulled on the 22nd, and while we were at the oral surgeon's Jelly ran under a jeep and was rolled around. Luckily the wheels didn't hit him, so he has a few cuts and scrapes but will be okay. Amy and a neighbor took him to the vet. Jack Russells are tough but always so bright! After 22 years of marriage, only 2 animals we have had have been hit by cars, and both in the last 2 months. Simba had his surgery and is recovering well. He keeps sneaking out the doggie door to go outside, even tho the doctor told him to stay inside for 6 weeks. He is about as obediant as the "real" kids!

The girls and I went to see the Radio City Music Hall Rockettes on Dec. 31st! What a beautiful show! Great costumes, dancing ,singing, it was wonderful!

I am working today, few people are here, so it is quiet! Chris is home trying to get the girls to help clean, better him than me!

Simba the bionic cat!

Our yellow tabby cat, Simba, had been missing for 2 long weeks. He was found Thanksgiving Day by a wonderful neighbor who took him to the emergency vet because his left hip/leg was dangling. X-Rays the next day verified that his femur is broken, and several bones are fractured. Luckily, there are no internal organs damaged, so its just the leg that needs to be rebuilt. Another wonderful neighbor picked him up Saturday (we were in Utopia for the holiday) and set him up in our bathroom so he couldn't run around the house and do more damage to his leg. Chris and Dallas went home Saturday, so they kept him on his pain meds. He is in pretty good spirits considering what he has probably been through! He wants constant attention, and is very vocal about getting someone to visit him. Simba loves to lay in the middle of the living room, so we let him flop there when we are watching TV. The dogs seem to be aware that he is hurt; they lick him and are very gentle! So our Christmas present to each other is a new leg for Simba!

Friday the 14th

TGIF! Today is going to be a great day at work! We have our Divisional Quarterly Meeting, then lunch. This group of people loves to eat and have fun! I brought 2 huge lasagne's, there are 3 more plus a ton of other food! (Including the obligatory carne asada, queso, chips, salsa, etc) How lunch morphed from Italian to Mexican I have no idea, but it seems to happen every time! I guess we could take Texas away from Mexico, from leave the food!!

Last night one of my co-workers and I went to dinner then the Paramount Theater to see "Rockapella" with tickets I had won on the radio. They are 5 men singing without music, except that 1 guy makes percussion sounds somehow with his mouth! He has 2 mics on his throat and constantly making noise into a mic. It was a great show and lots of fun. Chris would have been miserable! Visit this website and listen! They are great!

http://www.last.fm/music/Rockapella/+videos/+1-kDJsgzNTiPQ

Another weekend of the Olsens being scattered across Texas! Chris is going to Afton (near Lubbock) hunting, Christy is going to Round Rock to a weekend birthday bash, Amy and I are going to College Station to the Aggieland Swim Meet. I am staying overnight with my friend Deborah Cannon who I grew up with in Utopia. I am really looking forward to spending time with her. I have missed her company.

Back to work......