Celebrity Rehab….My Changed Heart….

I don’t watch much TV….never really have.  There’s just not that much that I’m actually interested in keeping up with.  Growing up, I remember watching:

 “Our House” (Chad Allen was such a cutie),

“Life Goes On” I loved Kelly Martin and thought the guy that played Tyler would someday be my boyfriend…and let’s not forget about Corky….I did impressions of him for several years (Lord forgive me)..

….and I LOVED “Touched By An Angel”.....

I remember crying every Sunday night when it came on. It was so motivational and had such a great message each week.  I couldn’t help myself….(Don’t make fun….I’ve been ridiculously sensitive my entire life)  It’s funny, I even remember Mom saying “oh, honey, it’s ok, you just have a real tender heart”….Aww, thanks for not making me feel like a freak, Mom.

 The only thing I watch now is THE BACHELOR and Grey’s Anatomy. I’m really not proud of either one of those, but hey, it’s entertainment….and that’s pretty much the extent of my TV watching. 

Enter Netflix. 

Not too long ago, Caleb got Netflix, and I think it’s amazing.  I mean, the other night when he was at kickball, I went through a lot of the menus on Netflix and discovered a Ronnie Milsap concert performance.  I MEAN REALLY!  It was fantastic.  I sat in his living room BLARING Ronnie Milsap and didn’t feel an ounce of shame…it was fantastic.   I discovered a scary movie (I seriously wish I had waited for a time that Caleb was home to watch too…. I was so scared), and most exciting, we have discovered a couple new TV shows that are quite good.  One in particular that has seriously captured my heart lately.  (I’ll tell you again….dont make fun…I truly cant control my overly emotional heart)

Celebrity Rehab (season 3) with Dr. Drew is painfully difficult for me to watch, and yet I cant stop. 

The participants included Heidi Fleiss (what a train wreck), Mindy McCready (when did she get so off track?!?!), Lisa D’Amato (stunningly gorgeous), McKenzie Phillips (what a fighter), Mike Starr (from Alice In Chains), Dennis Rodman (he did NOT capture my heart), and Tom Sizemore (actor from Saving Private Ryan)….to name a few.  Shortly into the 2^nd or 3^rd show I was tearing up at the trauma that these individuals have survived.  I mean, some HORRIFIC things have happened to them, and the damage as a result caused many of them to turn to substance abuse. 

McKenzie Phillips….holy cow.  It was obvious right away that she genuinely, honestly wanted to work the program and get better.  Her determination made me love her right away.  (Plus she got a call that her beloved dog had to be put to sleep while she was in rehab…(oh hell yes, I cried)….she was able to go to the vet to be with the dog, but still….as if she wasn’t going through enough!)

Lisa D’Amato….what a gorgeous, sweet girl, but her childhood was difficult for me to comprehend.  Oh my Lord….  What MOTHER can allow terrible, terrible things to happen to their child, be aware that they are happening and not come to their rescue?  That poor, defenseless little girl…. I cried for Lisa too. 

Heidi Fleiss….I mean, really….look at her.  She has like 20-something birds at her home and she lives alone out in the desert, essentially.  What a lonely, sad, person.  I love Mother Teresa and one of my favorite quotes of hers that kept coming to mind when I watched Heidi was “Loneliness is the greatest poverty known to man”….  (Her point was that as Christians we have the ability to love and to prevent loneliness in the people around us, and I think that is beautiful).  Anyway, Heidi’s sadness and loneliness just made me want to hug her and tell her she’s awesome and that I’d love to be her friend.

OK, I’ve only talked about 3 of them so far and MAN….all three have been ridiculously sad!  I watched, and began to really feel for these people and (literally, sometimes) cheered them on, or told them that they “can totally do this”….and to “be strong”.  (Yes, I’m sure Caleb was annoyed….but he understands me most of the time, so he let me talk passionately to my new friends on the TV)…..

Tom  Sizemore….. what a sad man.  My heart broke just watching him realize all that he had lost, and where his life ended up.  I sat on the couch just really pulling for him and hoping the rehab “sticks” and he will get healthy. 

Mindy McCready….man, I used to love her music!  What a talent….and a pretty girl.  How do you let a man hurt you like that, and go back, and almost die at the hands of an abuser?  You were at the top of the country charts….hot, talented, wealthy….. what did you not see in yourself that allowed you to be in a relationship like that?  Holy God….what went wrong….and when did prescription drugs start sounding like the answer?  Mindy seemed the most “normal” of the group, and was kind to the other residents.  I loved her pretty quickly.

My very favorite, though, was Mike Starr….the former bassist from the band “Alice In Chains”. 

I pretty much hate rock music, so I certainly didn’t expect to feel anything for him.  When he first came in, he was the one that was abusing the hardest drugs the most frequently.  When I heard him talk, and saw how he treated the other residents, I began to really like him.  He seemed to genuinely want to get better.  The lead singer from the band was his best friend and he died of an overdose.  This pain was still very real and very prevalent in Mike, and it was hard to watch him grieve.  He handled detox well considering all the HORRIBLE  stuff his body was going through.  I watched wanting SO BADLY for him to make it through and to stay strong.  On “Friends & Family” day he invited his late friend’s mother to join him.  It was EXTREMELY moving and bitter sweet to watch him process the grief with her.  The mom told him “stay here as long as you need to….just get better.  I love you, and Layne (the dead friend) would want that for you”.  OMG….yes, I was crying again.  Mike did well in rehab.  He took it seriously and worked really hard.  I became his biggest fan.  Seemed like such a decent guy with potential to be healthy and to be so much happier.  I wanted them all to get better….but I especially wanted Mike to.

A few episodes before the finale, I was feeling really proud of Mike and I turned to Caleb and said “I wonder if he stays sober.  I really hope he is one of the people that gets famous again and wildly successful in his sobriety”.  Caleb didn’t say anything and I said, “what….does he start using again?” and he said “He died a few months ago from a drug overdose”.

BRING ON THE WATER WORKS…..  What!?  No!!  Not Mike Starr…..nooooooo, he was going to get better and be happy and be an example to people all over that you CAN get better, and you CAN get your life back.

I cried.  I just sat on the couch and cried.  Yeah, I should be embarrassed….but I’m just not.  This is me….and I cant help it.  I watched these people talk about and try to work through all the pain that caused them to start using in the first place and then watched them realize they needed help, and take steps to get better and get SO CLOSE…. Oh my gosh!  It hurts me that this pain, sadness and helplessness is a reality for so many people.

The whole next day I thought about Mike Starr and truly felt a sadness for him, for his situation, for his family, and for his fans.  I was not a fan of the band, or the music, but I became a fan of his. He was so close and yet couldn’t quite stay the course.

Ya know what I realized?  These are just PEOPLE….not actors, and singers, models,  athletes and musicians….these are just every day people that struggle with the same stuff that we do, and feel the same feelings, and get bothered by the same things that we do….every day.  It also made me think about the people I work with, and walk by at Wal-Mart and drive next to on the freeway…. You just never know who is battling something, whose friend just died, who has been abused their whole life, whose spouse is hurting them, who didn’t get any sleep last night b/c they have a sick child, whose marriage is falling apart, who is only “ok” on the outside…..I mean, you just never know.  You wouldn’t have guessed that most of these people would end up in rehab and yet they did….they fall just like we all could.

My most AWFUL and most painful situations are absolutely NOTHING  and completely insignificant compared to the realities of the people on the screen before me.  I am really lucky.  I am lucky that I have the family that I have, that I was born in this country, that having more than enough is “normal” for me,  that growing up I was protected, sheltered, defended, safe, and that I have a support system that will either keep me from, or get me through my lowest points in life.

Our lives on this planet are ridiculously tough and some really horrific things happen here.  I am so grateful to know that this is not “it” for my life, and then it’s over….but that I have another, better, happier eternity waiting for me.  I pray that knowing that,  I will think twice next time I want to honk and tail gate the person that just absent mindedly pulled out in front of me, or is driving too slow, or is blocking the aisle at the grocery store. 

Lastly, and most importantly, I am so thankful to know the God of the Universe and to feel a sense of hope and promise from that relationship.  Things suck for me sometimes too…..but no matter how bad it gets, I know that I’m not alone, and that there are promises from the Lord that have never ever failed me.

I started watching Celebrity Rehab thinking it was just going to be ridiculous people paying the consequence for making stupid and irresponsible decisions.  I finished watching Celebrity Rehab with a softened heart, a grateful heart, and a promise to grant grace to those around me…..cuz you just never know who might need a break.

C25K

The title stands for “Couch to 5K” and before you start hysterically laughing at the idea of me running, let me tell you a little bit about it.

Caleb’s cousin’s wife is awesome, (SHOUT OUT, CI!!!) and she can run like the energizer bunny.  She sent a text (God bless her) asking if I’d be interested in running a half marathon with her in Vegas at the end of the year.  This created a little dilemma for me.   On one hand, YES, I’d love to be fit, and thinner, and healthier and have the ability to run 13 MILES…..  and YES, I’d love to go to Vegas with them, but GASP!  I couldn’t run out of a burning building!  Let’s be real here.  A half marathon is probably biting off a little more than I can chew since I haven’t run since high school.

I thought about it, and kinda felt a little stirring in my heart about wishing I could do this.  My thoughts went something like this:

 God gave me this incredibly healthy body that I’m doing nothing with….

People a lot more “unable” than I am have done it….

The human body is amazing and can be taught / trained to do some pretty remarkable things…

How cool would it be to set a goal, and see myself able to accomplish it? 

Caleb has a treadmill…..so I wouldn’t have to be outside (in these hellish temperatures) or be concerned about my safety….

I love music, and a good playlist can make all the difference…I do have some fun tunes……

Maybe I could eventually do this?

What’s the harm in giving it a shot?

With that, I began to research some “learning to run” type websites and read about the “Couch to 5K” program.  It starts out ridiculously slow….which is precisely what I need and is a combination of walking / running.  I decided that I would give it a sincere, committed try for 2 weeks before deciding that I couldn’t do it.  Yesterday was run #1 of week 2, and it truly is amazing how your body can improve, and learn to do things and get stronger. The first couple runs were kinda brutal and I thought “this is never going to happen” but I didn’t want to quit before the two weeks was up, so I kept going…. Even did an extra (4^th) run last week b/c I was excited at how it was getting easier….already!

I purchased an app for my phone that dings and tells me when to walk, and when to start running while playing my playlist.  It just works.   I don’t even have to watch the time!  I just sing along to my tunes and keep moving!

I don’t want to get too excited just yet…..but so far, I feel good that I’ve been able to see such an improvement….just in week 1!  I haven’t told very many people that I’m doing it b/c honestly, I’m afraid they’re going to laugh at the idea or tell me I can’t do it.  I want to at least try before I accept that I just can’t do it.  Wouldn’t it be awesome if I could incorporate a run (even just a quick 30 minute one) into my life several times a week?  Here’s hoping…..  maybe I'll be running a half marathon in Vegas someday....

SOAPBOX RANT

There aren’t very many things that get me more worked up, sad, tearful and just plain rageful than the mistreatment of the defenseless…..whether animals, children, or the elderly.  Nothing makes my “blood boil” or my emotions flare more quickly or more passionately.   I firmly believe in forgiveness and second chances, but I’d be lying to say that I feel that grace should be extended to Michael Vick.   I’m not saying I’m right in feeling that way….I’m just being honest.

I read the article below earlier today.  Although it really didn’t say much, it still evoked extreme emotion from me.  I’m not over it…..still.  I’m not over Michael Vick’s “poor choices”.  I’m not over him being free.  I’m not over the numerous animals that suffered needlessly so that Michael and his “friends” could be entertained by their pain and anguish.  I’m not over the fact that he is allowed to make millions of dollars running up and down a football field.….and  I’m for DAMN SURE not over seeing his face as the voice of the Humane Society.  He makes me nauseous.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/SPORT/07/19/vick.dogfight/index.html?iref=obnetwork

I don’t believe….no matter how many appearances and / or press conferences with the head of the Humane Society…. that this man suddenly realizes how horrific and inexcusable his actions were.  I do, however, believe that he didn’t like being locked up, or what being caught did to his reputation.    It is hard for me to accept that suddenly, he truly understands how barbaric and inhumane dog fighting actually is.  If you are capable of doing that in the first place….. there is something seriously wrong with your mental/emotional state.   If you were capable of funding, sponsoring, hosting, and/or promoting the cruelty,  you just don’t suddenly go “oh, that was really terrible….I’m now I’m the face of anti-dog fighting initiatives”.   NO….you simple resort to, “I better start speaking out about this and see if people stop hating me”.   Sorry, Mr. Vick, you a$$hole, I’m not there yet.  I still hate you.

One part of the bill discussed in the article is intended to penalize those that finance the fights and who bring children to fights.  I actually wish there was a way to penalize and/or prevent people this indescribably MORONIC from becoming parents in the first place….but that’s a whole other soap box session.  (I mean, really…...  Is that supposed to be a fond memory for these kids some day?  Gee, I remember when daddy used to take me to watch bloody, miserable, suffering, defenseless animals be abused and harmed for our entertainment.  That’s touching.  Ahhh, memories…..Quality time with daddy…. (Daddy’s a f’n idiot)).  Maybe it would be better to just have an automatic consequence…..maybe something like this:  “Any individual found to have their offspring in attendance at dog fight will have automatic removal of all reproductive organs – no anesthesia”.  CHOP CHOP.   I’d be alright with that.  People that stupid shouldn’t be procreating.  Can I get an “amen”? 

Anyway,  OF COURSE I do not promote bringing children to witness this classless, inhumane, horrifically brutal exhibit of stupidity…and I totally support legislation to nail these people when they get busted.  Our punishments are nowhere near as severe as they should be.    I really hope someday, somehow we get SERIOUS legislation and SERIOUS punishments for these people.  I wish I could just beat the life out of them…..and then walk away and provide no medical care, no comfort, no safety and no love.  I’d just let them suffer in the pain and misery of their physical injuries….and the emotional depression / broken spirit that accompanies this abuse.   I’m thinking a taste of their own medicine would be pretty bitter.

I get rageful, but more than that, I just get sad when thinking about the defenseless animals that are taught to be vicious and know no other life……just allowed to be intentionally wounded, sometimes fatally, so that these ridiculous excuses for humans can enjoy a night out with their low life buddies.  My dream?  Find a barn with dog fighting in it, find a way to rescue all the animals…..lock the barn from the outside and torch the place.  Would society miss any of the people on the inside of the barn?   Hell no.

Ok, I’m going to go pray b/c I know that several things I mentioned in this post are not representative of the Lord of the Universe that dwells within me.  (I think He totally agrees though)……

VACATION: GRAND CAYMAN ISLAND

Cayman Islands....I spent a week in the Cayman Islands.  How cool is that!?!?  I've chosen to post in the color closest to the color of the ocean we've been enjoying all week.  It's indescribably beautiful.  We’ve stayed pretty occupied with beaches, laying out, umbrella drinks and touristy activities so I haven’t made myself sit down to blog.  That’s alright though….I remember the big stuff.  ;-)

We flew in Friday and were greeted with a very muggy day and a rain storm on the way from the airport to the resort.  Not exactly ideal, but alright that we were getting it out of the way at a time that we weren’t trying to enjoy the beach, or do any other activity. Our rental car was a total piece of crap Suzuki that we believe someone may have been murdered in.  The ceiling of the car had what appeared to be dark blood splattered (possible gun shot?) and filth all over it.  UGH.  Made me think we were going to get a disease.  Not a great first impression.

Our first full day (Saturday) was spent at the beach right off the resort.  We got one of the covered cabanas out by the beach and claimed a spot….complete with a hammock right next to it.  It didn’t take long before we realized that we were burning, and should have already had sunscreen on.  We applied at that point, but later realized that we were too late.  I got slightly red on my shoulders, and Caleb got sun poisoning.  No lie.  His feet turned red and splotchy and seemed to get redder over the next couple days. 

That night, the guys ran an errand to the grocery store that ended up being a couple hour trip to Rum Point to check out the bars.  While they were gone, the girls went over to the open veranda and enjoyed some fruity drinks and chatted listening to the ocean and enjoying the cool breeze.

Sunday we were all a little sore from sunburns, so we were not in much of a hurry to head back out to the sun.  Caleb and I went over the resort restaurant and enjoyed breakfast overlooking the ocean. Not a bad way to start a Sunday.  We checked out the infinity pool with the swim up bar, and needless to say, we were amazed.  Literally the pool looks like it drops into the ocean.  It’s incredible. 

Caleb made breakfast tacos for everyone on Monday morning, and we started the day with full tummies, and happy hearts.  We laid out at the beach for a couple hours, and then drove to the west side to souvenir shop (fail…came home with nothing) and look around. On the way home, we toured the Cayman Brewery and enjoyed the free samples. 

Monday night was the Caribbean dinner at the resort complete with $2 drinks, so we had a good time at that that event with the DJ, raffle (none of us won anything) great food (choice of Caribbean Jerk Chicken, BBQ chicken, Fish in Foil, etc) and Rum Punch drinks for only $2.  Funny part was that most of us were not too crazy about the drinks, so we kept giving them to Dave.  By the end of the meal, Dave was red faced, buzzed, and making jokes with his hair sticking up.  The girls even danced after dinner!  Ahh, good times. 

Tuesday we went out on the boat “Double Trouble” with Captain Daniel.  This ended up being a great day.  We met up at Kaibo dock and loaded up our drinks and snacks and headed out to sea.  The first stop we made was a snorkeling site where we saw moray eel (well, everyone in the party but me), reef, gorgeous fish, and amazingly beautiful and clear water.  Next, we were taken out to Stingray City to get in the water with stingrays.  Pretty amazing.  They swim right up to the boats, and let you touch them, hold them, take pictures with them, etc.  They are amazingly soft and beautiful creatures.  Our captain had some squid that he gave to Karin to feed the stingrays and she was holding it above her head as she walked over to where the stingray were.  Suddenly, we see a sea gull appear out of no where, swoop down and literally snatch it out of her hand.  She immediately started screaming and squealing as we laughed about the view we just got from standing behind her. 

Captain  Daniel's boat was spotless, and the upper level had the perfect spot for a Titanic re-enactment.  Caleb rolled his eyes and made fun of me for it, but agreed to be corny with me anyway.  Love this picture!

Our tour included a second snorkeling stop where we saw  blowfish, lobster, HUGE barracuda…no, I mean MASSIVE barracuda right in front of us….just still in the water looking at us before we swam away.  Not gonna lie….I was scared.  We also found a shell with a something coming out of it, and a “sea biscuit”.  Really neat.  

Throughout the entire day on the water, we were able to fish.  We actually caught several fish, but ended up throwing them back. 

Around sunset, Capt Daniel took us to Starfish Beach where we hopped out of the boat and got to see starfish and a beautiful sunset.  That night, we went to “Over the Edge” for dinner where we all had some form of seafood.  Mine was nothing creative, just sautéed shrimp, but it was delicious. 

Wednesdays at the resort is “Mudslide Wednesday” where they have discounted mudslides.  YUMMMM.   I say discounted, but please don’t mistake and think the prices were good….none of the Cayman prices are good….on anything…..it’s all overpriced.  We started Wednesday on the beach where I enjoyed my first mudslide and read before I fell asleep in the hammock.  Fabulous to just lay there and hear the ocean.   Next we moved over to the pool and swam and laid out.  Caleb and I hit the ping pong tables and enjoyed a few matches beside the pool.  We’re not terrible, actually.  J 

 That evening, Caleb and I headed over to Rum Point to watch the sunset.  I really enjoyed it….it was romantic and beautiful.  Rum Point has some awesome bar beaches and we sat by the water until dark.  On the way home, we heard Chicago and Wilson Phillips , so I was sure that the Love Gods were smiling at us.  (Caleb just rolled his eyes as I belted out the tunes)

Something really strange about the islands and the roadways during the evenings is that the crabs are ALL OVER the road….big huge massive crabs.  We stopped to take a picture, and I was amazed at the creepy little creatures that were crossing the road.  For the most part, we were able to avoid running over them…..but at the end of the drive, 2 of them went to see Jesus.  Crunch! Bummer. 

Back at the resort, there was a Caribbean singer on the veranda, so we went over to enjoy mudslides and music with the gang (there were 7 of us total).  It was a good time.  The breeze was blowing nicely and the people-watching was fun.  Caleb and I danced and had some goofy moments at the table as well.

Thursday morning at 7am, Caleb and I went to the dock to get on Captain Herman’s Fishing Boat.  From 7-11am we fished with the plan of eating our catch for lunch.  Mission success.  J  There were 5 of us (only 2 from our party) on the boat, and all 5 of us caught barracuda. 

I didn’t realize you could eat barracuda, but you can….and it is absolutely the best fish I’ve ever eaten in my life.  The cool part is that Captain Herman takes the fish you catch, cleans it, and cooks for you in your room.   Since we were with 3 other people on the trip (and they had multiple families back at the resort), they volunteered their room to cook in.  We were hesitant at first, thinking it would be awkward to be hanging out in their room, but it actually turned out better than we could have hoped.  They were great people (Texans, no less) and they were welcoming and friendly to us.  We had rice & beans, and barracuda and met new friends all at the same time.   Great morning.

That afternoon, we headed over to the west side to “Seven Mile Beach”.  Talk about GORGEOUS.  It was so hot that it was difficult to lay out without being uncomfortably sweaty.  Lauren, Karin & I headed to the water, and were amazed at how warm, and perfectly clear the water was.  There were no rocks, the sand was perfect, and we could see clear to the bottom exactly like a bathtub.    This site was my favorite beach of the entire trip.  We stayed there an hour or so, and then decided to go check out the beach outside the Ritz Hotel.   WOW.  That’s all I can really say.  The beach had amazing chairs set out with comfy pads as well as beds (yes, beds) out by the ocean with covers over them so you could be in the shade if you chose.  In the water, there was a floating table & chairs with shade covers over the top.  We claimed one of those and just floated around and chatted about how unbelievable it was to pretend to be rich like a guest at the Ritz.  We ended up showing that we actually did not belong at all when Lauren reached in the leftover lunch tray that was left on the floating table and nibbled on the French fries.  Awesome.  We are a classy bunch!  :-)


Mom, Dave, Caleb and I headed to Hell after we left the Ritz.  Yes, Grand Cayman has a town called Hell.  It's really nothing more than a post office with some dark, dead looking rocks that resemble "hell" with no color, no life, and no vegetation....but it's a neat touristy place to stop, and I was glad to drop by there to get some items for my scrap book.  Below is a picture with the black rocks in Hell.  Somehow, our smiles and hugs don't seem to fit into what you typically envision for hell......but I like this picture anyway. 

We left Hell and headed back to the Ritz to change clothes and head to Yoshi Sushi to enjoy our last dinner together.  It was delish…and reasonably priced compared to most food on the island.  We followed up dinner with a quick visit to Margaritaville for a few drinks before returning to the resort to pack up and get ready to head home tomorrow.

We are now sitting at the airport wondering how we are going to get the new bottles of alcohol that we’ve purchased at the duty free shops in our checked baggage once we get to Tampa.  We will get our bags and have to pack them and then recheck them.  I’m anticipating a weight problem with our luggage.  Wish us luck……

Overall, a very good vacation.  Grand Cayman is much more humid and muggy than I expected but beautiful nonetheless.  I enjoyed the week, and I’m so thankful for the opportunity and ability to check out a new and beautiful vacation destination. 

Weight Loss Challenge #2….

And the winner is….. ME….  Holy Shit, it’s me!!!  Our second weight loss challenge ended and I was one of the winners.   We actually ended with 1 winner for the most lbs lost and 1 winner for the largest % lost.  This meant that we split the $400 pot.  I was happy to have lost the highest % of weight, and happy to gain the money right before vacation, but a little bummed that it was only ½ the amount I was shooting for.  Oh well…. Winning, and more importantly feeling better was what it was all about.  Let’s hope vacation doesn’t totally ruin the progress.  J

Past, Present & Future….

I haven’t blogged in a long time, and really, nothing is happening with me right now that
is overwhelmingly pressing for me to write about, so I’ll just give a little recap of my past, present &
future. I’ve had some really fun times over the last couple months....and I'm looking forward to a couple of upcoming things as well.


Past:

• Launch Party -- At the end of March, the company my sister works for expanded into the DFW area. To celebrate this growth, they had a “Launch Party”. Caleb and I attended, and had a pretty darn fun night with friends, drinks, appetizers and music. Excellent time.

• Camping -- At the end of April, (Easter weekend) we went camping. To celebrate the holiday, Caleb got the creative idea to made Peep Smores. (that sounds a little racy…but I’m actually just referring to the little sugary marshmallow treats that come out every Easter season). We ran to the store and got pink Peeps, a chocolate bunny and graham crackers. Everything was going fine until one of the little peeps on the skewer began to flop and presumably fall right off the poker. Caleb reached out and grabbed it to push it back up (which you could totally do with a regular marshmallow) and it instantly stuck on his finger and could not be wiped off. No, seriously, the sugar just makes a hard shell coating on your flesh as it scorches. I believe he described it as “molten lava being caked on his finger”. Needless to say, this clever idea turned ugly and kinda ruined his mood for the rest of the evening. The rest of the trip was a good time. Weather was nice, and we were able to relax. The bugs (and ticks….omg, kill me now) were plentiful, but I handled it like a champ, if I do say so myself.

• Girls Weekend -- The very last weekend of April was a girls trip to Fredericksburg with the girls from church. I had a really good time. We stayed at an old farmhouse and just had a good time touring the wineries and laughing at each other. We laughed hysterically, had great wine, shopped, and did a lot of dancing in the car.  (goofy girls) The first night (after several vineyards and tastings) I gracefully and elegantly fell down the very steep stairs of the farmhouse. I don’t exactly know how I did it, but I ended up with symmetrical ugly bruises on my forearms. My guess is that I caught myself on my arms? Who really knows. This pic doesn’t really do it justice. It got darker and bigger. Classy.

• Fishing – Caleb and I fish! It’s true. We got fishing licenses and equipment and I hope this becomes something we do regularly cuz I really enjoy it. He already had a fishing rod, but I went and purchased myself a PINK fishing pole….and I love it. We have yet to catch anything, but I’m certain that with some research regarding where to go and what bait to use, our catches will be plentiful! Stay tuned….

• Road Trip -- We spent Memorial Day in Agra, Kansas…..and as you know from my previous blog about Agra, I’m a fan of the place! The weather was really nice, and we spent a lot of time on his parents’ back patio. His brother's family was there too so I got to meet his sister-in-law, and niece & nephew for the first time. (this was not the first time to meet his brother). The kids were neat little people and it was fun to watch them and interact with them. It was even neater to watch UNCLE CALEB. This guy truly has a gift! Children LOVE him. My nephew is pretty much obsessed with him (even to the point of wearing his cap backwards like Caleb does) and I believe that his brother’s children adored him in the exact same way. Right away, he was on the ground playing games, and talking and joking with them. He’s truly a natural. I love this pic below. I mean, really…..this guy is just cool……

• I also got to see Agra’s Memorial Day service at the cemetery as well as partake in the family/friend annual fish fry. Talk about NICE PEOPLE….. I totally enjoyed seeing them, talking to them, and how receptive they were to a new person. Just good, old fashioned, nice, kind, welcoming people. This visit reinforced my positive perception of Agra, KS.

• Shelby -- I got some upsetting news about my dog a couple weeks ago.  She had an accident on the floor (which has not happened in about six years....I mean, she NEVER has accidents) and was drinking literally BOWLS of water every night.  The excessive thirst went on for maybe 1.5 days...  I emailed my vet and asked if this meant anything, and he wrote back that at her age, I needed to bring her in to be evaluated.  I didn't really think I needed to, but certainly didn't want to risk anything....so we went.  The urinalysis came back that she has compromised kidneys, and the vet recommended taking her to Texas A&M vet school clinic to have the "best of the best" look at her.  Needless to say this did not result in a calmness in me.  I pretty much freaked out.....sobbing.....  Keep in mind that about 15 years ago, we had the same recommendation when my Cuddles got sick.   The Austin area vets were perplexed and sent us to TAMU for more examinations.  Long story short, Dad and I did not come back from TAMU with my beloved Cuddles.....so to hear "you need to take her to A&M" does not result in warm fuzzy feelings for me.  This time, the alternative to this very expensive trip to Aggieland was to wait a couple days and have do another urinalysis.  I opted for that path.  A couple days later the peeing and drinking was back to completely normal, and I was trying to convince myself that there was nothing wrong with this dog, and there would be no trip to Texas A&M (although I do love College Station, TX with every ounce of my being....Gig Em, Ags).   After urinalysis #2, the results were again not what we were hoping.  However, since she was showing no symptoms of a larger problem, my vet suggested I take her home, watch her, and bring her back in a month to compare the levels again.   Praise the Lord....we still are not having any symptoms....she acts totally fine....so I'm hoping that maybe there is not an issue that needs to be dealt with right now.  I know that the older she gets, the bigger problem this will be, but for now, my job is to love her (check), and keep her as healthy (check), safe (check) and happy (check) as I can.   Please say some prayers that there is nothing seriously wrong with this dog.  

Present:

• Work -- Work is pretty much the same as it has been.  I'm staying busy, and I like that, and I'm getting some really good projects.  I'm meeting new people, working on a variety of different initiatives, and getting some good exposure.   We have recently been informed that there is an organization-wide reorganization, and our current boss will no longer be our boss.  This is TERRIBLE news, as I totally love and respect my current boss.  No word yet on who exactly will take her place....only rumors.  I don't care how good the new boss is, I doubt s/he will be as awesome as Mary (current boss)  

• Ranger Baseball -- Caleb and I are heading to the Rangers game tomorrow.  They're playing the Detroit Tigers, and although I haven't lived in Michigan in forever, my family was always big Tiger fans, so I don't get the fiesty "hope-we-embarrass-you-tonight" feeling when the Rangers play the Tigers.  I remember a long time ago my oldest sister loved Tiger Kirk Gibson....  Awwww.....   Should be a good time and I do hope the Rangers win (but not embarrassingly kicking some tiger tail)

Future

• This coming weekend -- Kristi and the kids are coming up on Friday and I'm super excited.  We have a trip to the children's museum and some playtime at the park planned.  We're planning movies and popcorn, and I'm extremely excited to host several of my most favorite people in the world.   While Kristi and I are having a kid-friendly visit here in DFW, our "significants" will be having what I bet will be a not-so-kid-friendly weekend in Minneapolis.   This is brother-in-law's (BIL) yearly trip with his buddies to go to a MLB game somewhere, and they happen to be playing the rangers, so BIL invited Caleb.  I totally love that they are friends and have a good time together, but I'm a little nervous to be quite honest.  (I have visions of the movie "The Hangover").  No, really, I'm so glad they enjoy hanging out together and I hope they have an awesome trip.....(and don't come back sick, hurt, or with police charges).....  Here's hoping.  :-)

• Vacation -- we leave for the Cayman Islands at the end of the month, and I AM READY.  I honestly want to just chill out, sleep on the beach, get an awesome tan, and enjoy turning my brain OFF for a little bit.  I'm stoked that Caleb will be on this trip, and I'm excited that we are going to get to experience this gorgeous island together.  Good times ahead, I'm positive!

Alright....that's a quick recap of my life lately.  I intend to get back to blogging a little more regularly again.....so you'll hear from me soon!  Thanks for checking in!

WINNING....

….no, not Charlie Sheen..... 

Our “Biggest Loser” weight loss challenge finished up on Monday, and the winner was…..

 CALEB

 Caleb completed the contest at 30lbs lost!  No lie.  He looks absolutely amazing.

If I’m being honest, this has been bitter sweet.   I am extremely proud of him, and happy that not only did he meet the goal, but that he walked away with $750 in reward money.  However, it kinda makes me feel worse about myself….(by no fault other than my own I realize).  Not only did I not stay serious about the progress I made the first ½ of the contest, but I feel a little frustrated at the seemingly little effort that he had to put into this.  HEAR ME ON THIS….he absolutely DID work at this….most of the time.  It’s just frustrating to see how much faster he sees results.  We usually eat together, so it certainly wasn’t like he went on this strict plan and cut out beer and carbs or something…. No!  He really just said (the last couple weeks of the contest)… “I’m gonna be good” and it felt like each day he would say “I’m down another 8lbs but I don’t know how”…..   I MEAN, REALLY?? Of course that’s not exactly how it happened….but that’s certainly how it felt.

We head to the Cayman Islands at the end of June, so now I’m in full panic mode again.  I want to lose 30lbs, and while that’s probably not possible before then, I’m thinking I could be down 20lbs by then if I stay serious and work hard.  Soooo, some of us from the challenge are starting ANOTHER challenge on Monday.  This time, there are not as many participants so the reward pot is not as big.  I think the competition will be much stiffer this time b/c people are mad at themselves and frustrated with the failure of the first contest.  We’ll see….  Maybe this is what I need???  Seeing Caleb down the exact amount of weight that I wanted to lose is tough b/c it makes me realize if I had stuck with it I would be either at or very close to my goal weight right now. Let’s hope that ends up being motivating.  I have a plan, and it seems to be working so far (this is day #5).  I’m just frustrated and bummed that this is always a struggle.   But anyway…..

Yeah, I said Cayman Islands.  How cool is that!?!?!