Monday, June 29, 2009

Her favorites.






















As I unpacked some boxes tonight, I found a book my sister gave to our mother in 1998. It's an "All About Me" book where the person fills in information about herself. I loved reading her favorites. Here's some of our mother's favorites..

Color you like to wear: Blue
A flower to grow in your garden: Daisies
Lucky number
: 7

A smell that makes you pause:
Roses
A taste that makes you melt: Cinnamon
Hobby: Listening to audio books
A city you like to visit: San Diego
A country you like to explore: Mexico
Favorite meal: Steak and Lobster
A drink you often order: Iced Tea
Dessert: Cheesecake
A book you strongly recommend: The New Testament
Magazine: Family Circle
The music you like when you're alone: Jazz
Film you could watch over and over: Ghost
TV Show: The X Files
Time of day: Early morning
Favorite place you sit at home: on my bed
What you most like to do on Sundays: craft projects


Here's some other random stuff she shared..
Your Motto: Life is a series of moments, make every moment count.
Thing you love to buy: art supplies
On your wall hangs: my artwork
People should not marry before this age: 25
People should not have children before this age: 25
My most recent lie: my weight
A lie you tell yourself: 'I can do anything'
I'm addicted to: sweets
Do you believe in God? Yes.

I love surprises like today. I found so many little things of hers that I brought along with me after she passed away. That time was such a blur, and I had completely forgotten what I took with me. As I head into this new season with a new home, I feel like the Lord gave me a little housewarming gift. Praise Him for the details. Praise Him for knowing just what I needed to really make my new place feel like a home.

Friday, June 5, 2009

Parenting Alone?

Parenting Alone is an organization that supports our local single parents. It offers tremendous resources and support for families in our area. They are hosting a community outreach event on June 13, 2009 from 10am-12pm at their Carrollton facility. It will be an opportunity to offer and inform single parents in the area different support systems and resources that are available to them and their children. I will be representing my church, Bent Tree Bible Fellowship, at a booth at the event. There will also be a few other local churches represented as well. If you have any single parents in your life who aren't connected or are looking for a deeper connection, please send them my way! It's a family friendly event.. there will be music, games and fun for the kids! Here is their website if you'd like more information about the organization: www.parentingalone.org ....I am really excited about this opportunity.. community changed my life as a single parent. We were never meant to do it alone.

Please pray for this event!

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

To 911 or To Not 911.

So, last night before I left work, I had one of our 'crazies' call on the private line at work. 'Crazies' are our regulars that call for nothing and everything, usually very dramatic and they don't have a real diagnosis.. they just keep paying to come back in. This particular patient is a late 40-something self proclaimed former beauty queen. She insists on being brought into her appointments in a wheel chair either by us or her husband. She's always 'out of breath', always needs a refill on xanax or valium, and always calls the doctor by his first name. The doc won't even give her in an office breathing test because the last time he attempted it, she freaked out so bad that he had to get EMS over here. Her husband gives one of those 'yes, it's me again.. please just give her what she asks for or I will pay for it personally' heavy sighs every time he calls or comes here on her behalf.

So, back to the call. She calls.. and immediately starts yelling at me to get the doctor (calling him by his first name) on the phone. Well, usually they (the docs) aren't in the office, but he happened to be in clinic yesterday afternoon. He was doing a consult on the phone. I told her that I could take a message and have him call her right back. She screamed no (the blood curdling kind).. she kept insisting.. I kept saying no.. and I told her that if it was an emergency, she should hang up and call 911. Heck, I will call 911! She kept arguing, she was 'out of breath' and really angry that I wouldn't get him on the phone immediately. I asked for her number.. I offered 911 a few more times.. and she argued with me for about 5 minutes total. I finally told her I was going to hang up the phone. She said if he didn't call her back in a minute 'whatever happens to me is on YOU!' And I politely answered, feeling like I was in the twilight zone, "No, it's not." I told her he would call her back, to consider 911 AGAIN.. and ended the phone call.

I get her chart.. tell him after he finishes his consult (which was about 2 minutes later).. and he rolls his eyes. He calls her.. says 'okay' and hangs up.. he then strolls down the hallway, hands me her chart and says very nonchalantly, 'hey, call 911 and have them go out to her house, would ya?' ...umm okay. So, I did. I call 911 and 911 gives me a direct number to McKinney where the patient lives. Is that weird? Did anyone know that you can't just call 911 for someone in another city? Even a close city? So, after a minute or so.. he gets the number. Seriously, it was like a minute. I call this number and it's McKinney's non-emergency line. Did 911 just not only pass the buck but give me the wrong number?! So, I call this number and explain to the operator what I need for this patient. She puts me ON HOLD. ON HOLD, people. She gets back on.. and I tell her I was told this was 911 for McKinney (still confused). I said, "This isn't a small grass fire, I don't have some stranger digging in my trash.. I need an AMBULANCE for someone!" Slooooooowly... she gets all the information and says she will take care of it. Ummm okay.

One, I am disturbed that someone would be allowed to abuse the system so badly in our office that she feels like she can pull a stunt like that. Who really NEEDS 911 so badly that they have time to call me, argue with me and wait for the doctor to call 911? I'm appalled. I heard later that once SHE called 911 and refused to come to the door so they had to axe her door down to get her. I guess I feel a little mad that I was forced to buy a ticket for the crazy ride... and then have to emotionally invest in the crazy ride to the point where I was fighting for an ambulance. Secondly, I am a little peeved at 911. I must say my confidence in calling 911 has been dramatically altered by these events. I have only had to call 911 once, I think...years ago for my mom.. and it went okay. But maybe times have changed..? Maybe it's like calling information now.. is it 411? 1411? who knows?

By the way, she's fine.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Fond of the Brave.


Jake: "Mom, do you think I have to be in the military to be a good military history professor?"


Mom: "No, of course not. I don't really want you to go into the the military, but that's just my selfish wants as your mom. Ultimately, I know I can't decide your path. But if I had to pick, I'd rather you stick to teaching about war and not being in one!"


Jake: "Well, listen, I am not interested in being in the military. But if I did join, and I went to war and died, I die.. so what. I'm okay with that, I am not afraid to die, mom. It's surviving a war that's scary. The psychological effects on the men that serve and come home are UNIMAGINABLE. Most people have no idea what vets go through when they get home and have to live their lives after those experiences."


Jake has a special heart for veterens, as many of you know. Memorial Day is coming up this weekend. He and Grandma Tague have 75 small flags to put down at the graves of veterens at a local cemetary. He says, 'Memorial Day and Veterens Day are my two favorite holidays after any holiday that has to do with God.'


On another note..what will a 10 year old boy who already goes deeper than most grown ups look like as a grown man himself? A boy who is already more compassionate and intuitive than even me on most days?


Today's prayer: I pray that we all take time to remember the men and women that not only died for our country, but to also remember and pray for those who have survived and live among us.

Friday, April 10, 2009

General Sherman.

Introducing Jake's new pal, General William T. Sherman. We call him "Sherman."








Praying today that this is just a bad cold and not an allergy to General Sherman.














Sunday, March 29, 2009

Spring Break in Branson!



































































Thanks papa! We had a great time!











Sunday, March 15, 2009

Thirty, Flirty and Fabulous!




You have a part of our hearts that words just don't cover. We are so blessed to share our lives with you. We more than love you... Happy Birthday, Biz. My prayer for your 30th year is that you relish in the abundance that only God provides. You are beautiful.
Love, Sarah & Jake