Moving on Up… March 12, 2009

These Eyes of Blue have moved to…

http://howardgazette.blogspot.com/

Whoa! February 20, 2009

OK folks… here is what you have been waiting for… an update from little ol’ me!

It has been quite a while, so here we go!

The remainder of Septemeber 2008 must have went swimmingly, because, at this time… I can’t remember much more!

I turned the big 3-0 in October!  I got to go see the New Kids on the Block live in concert, something I did not get to go do when I was younger, when the boy band was first popular.  It was a blast, I went with my sister and two sisters-in-law.  We all had a great time.  Then, my family threw me a surprise funeral birthday party… I say funeral, because the cake was  casket and it was carried into the house from the back of my brother in laws black suburban by a group of shorts-wearing, suit jacket toting, flowers on label having guys… it was hilarious!

Novmeber 1st would have been Dad’s 64 birthday.  I do miss him so.  What would he think of the kids… well, I can say this… he’d still think the world of all of them… he was always so proud of them!  I take time, on purpose, to sit and remember times with him, I want it to stay fresh in my memory bank.  I read the journal I kept his last few months, from time to time… I want to remember it… not to lose the feeling.  Remembering his life and the pain we all went through makes me want to be stronger, makes me want to not let life pass by… makes me want to be with my children and make as many memories as possible… 

… miss you Daddy.

For Thanksgiving, we went to the cabin in Arkansas.  It was a neat time because it was the first time we had Thanksgiving dinner in any other way but our “normal”.  Pops fried turkeys and the dressing was done in an electric roaster.  Cool.

December was a blur… as ususal.  There are so many family activities to do during December.  One of which sure has dwendled in the last few years… matter of fact… in the last four years… makes me wonder if it will last… I hope so.  Christmas with our new family, since Mom remarriage, was fun.  We went to my brother’s house and all had a good time.

Then… it was on to Colorado!  Stunning… we did all the “S” stuff… ski… snowboard… sledding… shopping… snowmobiling… it was an absolute blast.  We stayed in a cabin on the side of a hill overlooking the Rockies / Continental Divide.  You could see Winter Park in the distance.  I injured my knee significantly skiing on the third day there… and had a bumb leg the rest of the trip… turned out to be a very severe bone contusion that I am still trying to get all the way healed.  My husband snowboarded for the first time and liked it a lot… so did our son.  My daughter skiied and skiied and skiied.  We had a blast.  We went snowmobiling to the continential divide… wow… magnificent view… -14°F up there!  Did I mention we had a blast?

January was back to the grind… for us… back to school… back to work!  New Year… new President.  Now, I do not back the views of our new president, but I am all for his enthusiasm… something this country needs to get us back in the game.  I am not a supporter, per say, but I do support his hope for our future! 

February has brought ups and downs.  Please keep those suffering from illnesses in your thoughts and prayers.  Valentines day would have been my parent’s anniversary… sad thought… we went over to the cemetary to put out new flowers for Dad, they looked great.  This Hallmark Holiday is an excellent time to reflect on not only the love I have for my husband and children… but the love for my dad as well.  I am saddened that my kids do not remember much about him, I wish he were around for them… for me… for us.  Enough of the sad… let’s speed up to a different mood…

I know… how about angry!  I was in a fender bender today!  Yes that is right.  I now have a bent in fender on my car.  SUCKS!  But everyone in the four car incident was ok, my car was the worst off and really it is not too bad. 

These eyes of blue say “Life is grand!”

Update… Get You Update Here September 2, 2008

So, it has been a while… over a month actually.

We went to the coast in the first weekend in August.  It was great, good time!  However, the mosquitoes nearly picked us up, flew us out over the gulf and finished us off… with no remains to be found!  Since we went down so quickly after Dolly, tropical storm, went through, the ecosystem was in an uproar… it was mosquito season like no other.  I think we spent more on mosquito repellent than souvenirs.  It was a great time, none the less.

My daughter turned 8 in the middle of August.  My, where has the time gone?  She used to be so tiny and would hearly speak a word.  Now, though still small framed, her personality is blossoming.  Our son, 9, is right in front of her too.  We just bought him… size 6 1/2 shoes!  Whoa!  But we can’t expect anything less than large feet… his dad has size 13, and both grandfathers are/were 12 or 12 1/2.   For my daughter’s party, she had another Strawberry Shortcake theme… this year’s cake was a map of Strawberryland.

My nephew had tubes put in his ears and his circumcision redone the Monday after the party.  All is well now in his world with these two things behind him.

I had the fibroadenoma mass removed on August 22nd.  It went really well and I have not complaints.  The surgeon did say that the incision area will improve in appearance for nearly a year… I want it to be nearly invisible, but at least it is gone… gone like a freight train… gone.

School has started again.  We have a 4th and a 3rd grader this year… it was only yesterday when they were in kindergarden and pre-k… time flies when you are busy doing something else.

Our son got his first taste of a 20-gauge and 12-gauge shotgun yesterday, with Daddy and Grandpa, hunting.  He liked the 20-gauge and used it all day.  We are so proud of him.

Mom’s wedding is this Saturday.  I am on cake duty this week.  Update to be done next week.

We have a meeting tonight for the parents of our Cub Scout Pack.  This will keep our Tuesday nights busy for the majority of the school year.  It is fun… rewarding… but tiring… we are hoping for more assistance and volunteering from other parents this year.  Oh, and we have BOY SCOUT POPCORN FOR SALE!

I start teaching Sunday School again this coming Sunday for the Fall Semester.  We are starting a new set of curriculum, so it should be fun and interesting!

My sister possibly found a job today… I am worried about the well-being of my aunt… I want a wounded relationship between my aunt and my cousin’s family to be mended for good before it is too late… I want to see my brother and his wife more often… I want more time to rest… I want a maid…

One thing I want most right now…. these eyes of blue want my father-in-law to get good test results this week on his cancer issues… I want his tongue surgery to be soon and go withiout any hiccups… I want the whole cancer scare to go away… I want a cure for cancer!

Post Hole July 29, 2008

Wow, time flies when you are busy doing other things.  Since my last post, much has happened. 

Brandon and Brent got the boat up and running and we were able to take it out on July 4th.  We swam and played and ate… then, we chilled out and watched the fireworks display over the lake.  We had the best seats ever, right under the show!  There were these really cool fireworks that blew, then these little lit red parachutes trickled down for a couple of minutes, they were really neat.  Watching fireworks over the lake is great, can’t wait to see them over the snow covered Rockies!

Brandon is still working feverously on the Brown’s gas stuff.  He has now built a second design and it is installed, functional and hopefully we will have promising results in a few days or so.

This past weekend was our family reunion in Haskell, Texas.  It is great to go to.  This year was a little different, different layout and Mom did not go.  Everyone thought she should be there, though.  Maybe she will go next year.  The auction was a little on the slim side, of course, we did not take a lot of stuff and there did not seem to be as many people this year.  I wondered if gas prices kept some people away.  That is such a great family, really.  It does not matter what differences anyone has, what anyone has been through, drug through, gone around, hid behind… we are family and we are all welcomed with open arms.  It is a wonderful feeling to be surrounded by family that cares.

Brandon’s family is getting organized and one of his great aunts is actually doing a family newsletter now.  It will be great to have a way to keep up with stuff with them.  They are also a great group, awesome!

I am anxiously awaiting a heavy weight being lifted at the end of August, a lot of my focus is centered on this particular weight, the heaviest I have ever had to deal with.

My Dad has been gone from this life now for four years.  It does not seem that long ago, but in fact it has been four years!  He was so great and I’d still give anything to have him back.

I remember Daddy´s hands, folded silently in prayer.
And reaching out to hold me, when I had a nightmare.
You could read quite a story, in the callouses and lines.
Years of work and worry had left their mark behind.

I remember Daddy´s hands, how they held my Mama tight,
And patted my back, for something done right.
There are things that I´ve forgotten, that I loved about the man,
But I´ll always remember the love in Daddy´s hands.

 

 

 

Daddy’s hands were soft and kind when I was cryin´.
Daddy´s hands, were hard as steel when I´d done wrong.
Daddy´s hands, weren´t always gentle
But I´ve come to understand.
There was always love in Daddy´s hands.

Daddy’s hands were soft and kind when I was cryin´.
Daddy´s hands, were hard as steel when I´d done wrong.
Daddy´s hands, weren´t always gentle
But I´ve come to understand.
There was always love in Daddy´s hands. 

Daddy’s hands were soft and kind when I was cryin´.
Daddy´s hands, were hard as steel when I´d done wrong.
Daddy´s hands, weren´t always gentle
But I´ve come to understand.
There was always love …..
In Daddy´s hands.

We are going tonight to plan at the park where Mom and David will be married here in just over two months.  Though I miss my Daddy terribly, every day, I am happy for my Mother and hope all the love and happiness in the world.  This planning will be both sad and exciting, I am looking forward to it.

We go this weekend to the coast for a few days.  I can’t wait, I need a brain break.  Life is SO very busy.  We are going to Mustang Island and will, I am sure, make lots of great memories with another great family group… Brandon’s siblings and spouses and our nieces and nephews and also his mother.  We will have the camera ready to catch those magical vacation moments!

I moved homes at work.  My old workstation was needed by another department, so I finally got to move to the floor where my department is located.  It was a great move, but we are still working out the kinks!

I am truely enjoying a certain project I am working on, which basically boils down to an Emergency Action Plan.  There is lots of details and information and stuff to gather, but I am in my element and it is actually fun.

I am planning on starting the search for a German Shepard breeder in September.  We are hopefully going to get a new puppy in the spring.  We lost Zeus at the end of January to heart disease.  He was our first child and had just turned 10 when we put him down.  I still miss him tons.  When we see his brother, Prince, I still see Zeus, and it still bothers me greatly.  But, I am ready for a new puppy and the kids can barely wait!  We kinda thought we could have one inside dog or two outside dogs.  The kids really want one inside, so I think that is how we will do it.  But, first, we gotta find one!

I have an appointment to see a surgeon about getting this fibroadenoma mass removed.  It is next week, I’ll keep you updated.

The kids start school again in less than four weeks, I think it is.  At least I know that time flies as fast now as it did when I was that age.  They are both getting so big, so tall, so smart, so independent.  I am proud and thrilled and sad all at the same time.

I am now less than three months away from 30!  Yikes.  It is amazing how much has happened in the last 10-12 years.  I have lost my Mema (favoritest grandmother), gotten married, turned 20, had a son, then a daughter, bought two houses, went through at least 1,687 cars (not really, but that is a close estimate), lost Brandon’s grandmother, lost Daddy, lost many other family members, watched my siblings in law get married and have children, watch my sister get married and have a child, watch my little brother get married and soon will watch my mother marry again. 

Don’t blink… life is still moving…

Thank God… life is still moving…

These eyes of blue will try not to wait another month before an update!

Oh Me Oh My… Time Does Fly! June 17, 2008

So, a lot has happened here recently.

My daughter lost another tooth this past week eating Pigs in the Blanket.  Now she is missing two teeth, both lost while eating and have two that have not completely grown back in!  It is soooooo cute!

We went to Travis Peak over the weekend to attend my husband’s family reunion.  It was a good time, it was hot outside, but it is a great group to visit.  We sat Saturday afternoon and sang hymns for over an hour, what a great sounding bunch!  We visited the family cemetary, yes, the Singleton Family Cemetary.  Lots of the family is buried there.  We bought a few things in the auction too.  Kaitlyn got car sick on the way there and finally let it out shortly after our arrival, yuck!  But all is well.  We had a good time.  Last year, those of us that went got to meet Fred an albino corn snake that belongs to one of Cindy’s cousins.  Well, this year, we got to see him eat a mouse.  It was pretty entertaining, I must say, a real hit for the kids!!!

I got my lump checked out and after a painful attempt at aspiration, I went to have a sonogram done of it.  Found out it is not a cyst that can be aspirated, in fact it is Fibroadenoma, see the previous post.  I know this for sure now because I had a core biopsy done.  Ouch… I’d rather put up with this pain than worry if I fell into 5% chance the tumor was cancer.  I can handle the pain knowing it is not cancer.  I still may have it removed!

My son officially turned nine yesterday.  He was so proud.  We are having Family Bible School this week at church, so all the youth embarrassed him by singing to him during our song session!  He with his mohawk, turned bright red and giggled as we sang.  It was great!!!!

Our Family Bible School is doing good.  We are talking about creation.  I am leading the 2nd graders from class to class and so far we have heard about the first and second days.  Tonight is the third and fourth day.  It is amazing when you take the time to stop and think about the ultimate plan for man, shown, starting the first moment in time.  Everything had a specific order and all for a reason, for God to create man in His own image and ultimately to send His Son for us.  It is a fasinatitng tale and one all should adore and remember.

These eyes of blue are tired from going and going!  Nothing much planned for this weekend and my little family will be out of town.  Maybe I’ll actually get a little down time!

Fibroadenoma June 17, 2008

Say what? 

Say it with me… Fi – Bro – A – Den – O – Ma… Fibroadenoma.

Fibroadenomas are benign, non-cancerous, breast tumors.  Fibroadenoma means “a tumor composed of glandular (related to gland) and fibrous (containing fibers) tissues.”  Fibroadenomas can occur alone, in groups or as a complex.

 

While doing your regular breast self-exam, you may feel a breast fibroadenoma.  These feel firm, round, smooth, rubbery, and are movable.  They may feel tender, especially right before your period, when it may swell due to hormonal changes.  While some types of breast lumps come and go during the menstrual cycle, fibroadenomas typically do not disappear after a woman’s period, and should be checked by a doctor.

 

Fibroadenomas range in size from one to five centimeters (0.39 inches to nearly two invest).  Giant fibroadenomas can be the size of a small lemon, about 15 centimeters (5.9 inches).

 

Fibroadenoma tumors are not fixed to the adjacent skin, muscle, or lymph nodes, so they are mobile within the breast on palpation. 

 

A fibroadenoma is usually diagnosed through clinical examination, ultrasound, mammography and often a biopsy sample of the lump.  On a mammogram, fibroadenomas appear as round or oval smooth-edged masses.  The outline of the mass will be clearly defined, not blurry.  Sometimes they are accompanied by coarse calcifications.  Fibroadenomas can look like cysts or a well-contained tumor.

 

When the doctor takes a complete medical history, they will ask when the lump was first noticed, if there were any symptoms or changes in lump size, and if there is any personal or family history of breast disease.  The doctor thoroughly feels the breasts (palpates).  Your doctor may send you to have an ultrasound study done by a radiologist.  This is because a fibroadenoma will be easier to distinguish from other tissue, because of the way it responds to sound waves.  It will appear as a dark area, with a definite outline, homogeneous, round or oval, and may have smooth-edged bumps.  If the ultrasound doesn’t give a definite result, the next study may be an MRI (magnetic resonance image).  The most conclusive test is the surgical removal of cells or tissue for examination under a microscope by a pathologist which may be done as a fine needle biopsy or a core needle biopsy.

 

Since firbroadenoas are benign, treatment will vary depending on your diagnosis.  If it is small, painless, remains the same size, and a biopsy shows no problems, you would not need further treatment, but may have follow-up ultrasounds.  However, if it is large, more than three cm, painful, growing, or a biopsy results in atypical, very active, cells, you can have it surgically removed.  Doctors recommend removal if you are over 40 years old.  No medications are used for the treatment of fibroadenoma. 

 

 

The exact cause of fibroadenomas is unknown.  They seem to be influenced by estrogen, because they appear most often in premenopausal or pregnant women, or in women who are postmenopausal and taking HRT, hormone replacement therapy.  Most fibroadenomas come and go during your menstrual cycle, when your hormone levels are changing.

 

These are most common in women who are from 15 to 30 years old and in pregnant women.  Fibroadenomas occur in 10% of all women, but in 20% of African-American women.  About 10% of all fibroadenomas will disappear over time, and 20% of them will recur.  If they don’t disappear, they usually stop growing when they reach 2-3 cm.  

 

A fibroadenoma is not commonly associate with fibrocystic breast disease and has no known links to cancer. 

 

These eyes of blue are thankful for good news!

Father’s Day – belated post June 17, 2008

Down our long dusty driveway
I didn’t want to go
But I set out with tears in my eyes wondering
Daddy took me by the hand
Looked out at the school bus and his little man and said
“Don’t worry boy it will be all right”

‘Cause I took this walk you’re walking now
Boy, I’ve been in your shoes
You can’t hold back the hands of time
It’s just something you’ve got to do
So dry your eyes I understand just what you’re going through
‘Cause I took this same walk with my old man
Boy, I’ve been in your shoes

Down our long dusty driveway
I set my mind to go
I was eighteen and wild and free and wondering
Daddy took me by the hand
Looked at the world and at his grown man and said,
“Don’t worry boy it will be all right”

‘Cause I took this walk you’re walking now
Boy, I’ve been in your shoes
You can’t hold back the hands of time
It’s just something you’ve got to do
So dry your eyes I understand just what you’re going through
‘Cause I took this same walk with my old man
Boy, I’ve been in your shoes

Down our long dusty driveway
This time we both would go
He had grown old and gray
And his mind was wandering
Daddy took me by the hand
Said, “I know where we’re going and I understand
Don’t worry boy it will be all right”

‘Cause I took this walk you’re walking now
Boy, I’ve been in your shoes
You can’t hold back the hands of time
It’s just something you’ve got to do
So dry your eyes I understand just what you’re going through
‘Cause I took this same walk with my old man
Boy, I’ve been in your shoes

 

These eyes of blue miss you, Daddy!

The “Key” to Life June 6, 2008

Well, the other night, my sister locked her keys in the car… again!  No problem right, you just take the antenna off the car, stick it in the window and unlock the doors… PRESTO… nodda, actually, they dropped the antenna in the car with the keys!  Nifty!  So, long story short, we had a mini-reunion in the parking lot at Mexican Inn… Susan, Jeff, Josh, Daniel, Christina, Adam, me, Brandon and Jeromy.  After nearly an hour of work, with Jeff holding a flashlight, Jeromy and Brandon construct a “fishing pole” of sorts and have the keys out and in hand!

So, my sister posts on her blog an apology about all of use coming out to help her silly self for locking the keys in the car again!  Goofy!!!  Out cousin, Christina, blogged that an apology was not needed and I agree… It was extremely comical and plus it provided some “down time”!  And, Ethan’s ice cream that was in the trunk the whole time was not even melted!  WooHoo…

Really, no apology needed… but thanks… it is nice to be appreciated!  People don’t always say “Thank You”… sometime you know they are grateful, but the words just never appear… but sometimes it leaves you wondering… it is a blessing to hear and good for the soul.  People don’t always say “You’re Welcome”… though this is another high gratitude phase showing mutual respect for a good deed.  People don’t always say “I’m Sorry” of offer an apology at all… this is a terrible fault, I’m extatic that my “Sister Sue’ thinks highly enough of the relationships with us that she offered an apology.  All is good!

So… the “Key” to life from these eyes of blue… Well, it is nuturing relationships, through prayer, conversation, experiences and yes, showing humility and gratitude for even the little things!

Corn Cob Dentist June 3, 2008

So, our daughter went to gymnastics last night, she loves going.  She did not go last Monday due to it being Memorial Day and the place being closed.  But she jumped right in there and enjoyed herself.

Afterwords, we… my little family of four and my mother-in-law, went to Chili’s to eat.  We were enjoying a nice pleasant dinner, and our lovely daughter started in on her corn on the cob… well, a few moments later, she was laughing/crying and trying to hand me something… finally I realized that she, in the process of eating her corn on the cob, had lost a tooth!  That’s right, it popped right out… Now, don’t misunderstand, that tooth had been loose, very loose, but she wanted to pull it herself, because the Tooth Fairy, pays out more when you do it all my yourself, betcha didn’t know that, well she does… So, I was just going to have Granny pull it one day this week when she was “looking” at it to “check it out”.  Too bad, Granny, she figured out a new trick… we gotta remember this, that was way too easy!

These eyes of blue see no reason to pay a dentist when you can perform your own extractions simply by eating corn on the cob!

Happy Birthdays! June 3, 2008

Well, we are about half way through the birthday season.  So far since the end of April, we have attended birthday parties for our 1 year old neice, our 9 year old neice, our 1 year old cousin, our 1 year old nephew, our 7 year old nephew and his 6 year old brother!  WOW!!!  We’ve been busy, parting til… well the cows have not come home yet… We have our son’s 9 year old party this weekend, then have a few weeks before our neice turns 3, then a few weeks after that, our daughter turns 8, then the last of the kid birthdays, our neice turns the big 5!!!  At least these last few are spread out a bit, about one per month.

In between there, we have a trip to my husband’s maternal side family reunion in Travis Peak, those are always enjoyable and a nice drive out.  We have a trip to lovely Haskell, Texas for my paternal side family reunion… a LONG drive but still nice to go.  Then, a trip to the coast is planned, not sure for exactly where yet… we have not ironed out all the details.  Busy time!

Yeah it may be busy, but all that activity gives us lots of good quality time to be with those friends and family that we see at the various functions.  It is great to see people, catch up, joke around and make plans for when we can talk to or see them again!  It is so important to understand that though there are differences in all of our lives, that we are still family, or as close of friends that may as well be family… come to think of it… no matter where our ancestory lies… no matter how many miles are between… no matter how long it has been since the last phone call, email, face-to-face encounter… fact is, we still have each other… and with any one of us misplaced… it is like an incomplete puzzle missing that one, little peice that make the picture, not just a picture anymore, but a masterpiece!

OK, enough ramblings… Happy Birthday to all Spring Babies, hope yours was a blast… Happy Birthday to all Summer Babies whose birthdays are flying our way!  These eyes of blue are bound to be blinded by all the candles on those cakes.