Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Breast Cancer Stamp Booklet


A very dear friend of mine's sister in law was recently diagnosed with Breast Cancer.  
Another very dear friend and sister has cancer all through her body.  
My aunt had breast cancer.  
won't you please by a stamp booklet?  :)





Please read the following story and follow the instructions at the end! Thank You.

Like most elementary schools, it was typical to have a parade of students in and out of the health clinic throughout the day. We dispensed ice for bumps and bruises, Band-Aids for cuts, and liberal doses of sympathy and hugs. As principal, my office was right next door to the clinic, so I often dropped in to lend a hand and help out with the hugs. I knew that for some kids, mine might be the only one they got all day.

One morning I was putting a Band-Aid on a little girl's scraped knee. Her blonde hair was matted, and I noticed that she was shivering in her thin little sleeveless blouse. I found her a warm sweatshirt and helped her pull it on. "Thanks for taking care of me," she whispered as she climbed into my lap and snuggled up against me.

It wasn't long after that when I ran across an unfamiliar lump under my arm. Cancer, an aggressively spreading kind, had already invaded thirteen of my lymph nodes. I pondered whether or not to tell the students about my diagnosis.. The word breast seemed so hard to say out loud to them, and the word cancer seemed so frightening. When it became evident that the children were going to find out one way or another, either the straight scoop from me or possibly a garbled version from someone else, I decided to tell them myself.

It wasn't easy to get the words out, but the empathy and concern I saw in their faces as I explained it to them told me I had made the right decision. When I gave them a chance to ask questions, they mostly wanted to know how they could help.

I told them that what I would like best would be their letters, pictures, and prayers.



I stood by the gym door as the children solemnly filed out. My little blonde friend darted out of line and threw herself into my arms. Then she stepped back to look up into my face. "Don't be afraid, Dr. Perry," she said earnestly, "I know you'll be back because now it's our turn to take care of you."

No one could have ever done a better job. The kids sent me off to my first chemotherapy session with a hilarious book of nausea remedies that they had written.

A video of every class in the school singing get-well songs accompanied me to the next chemotherapy appointment.

By the third visit, the nurses were waiting at the door to find out what I would bring next. It was a delicate music box that played "I Will Always Love You."

Even when I went into isolation at the hospital for a bone marrow transplant, the letters and pictures kept coming until they covered every wall of my room.

Then the kids traced their hands onto colored paper, cut them out and glued them together to make a freestanding rainbow of helping hands. "I feel like I've stepped into Disneyland every time I walk into this room," my doctor laughed.


That was even before the six-foot apple blossom tree arrived adorned with messages written on paper apples from the students and teachers. What healing comfort I found in being surrounded by these tokens of their caring.


At long last I was well enough to return to work. As I headed up the road to the school, I was suddenly overcome by doubts. What if the kids have forgotten all about me? I wondered, What if they don't want a skinny bald principal? What if.

I caught sight of the school marquee as I rounded the bend. "Welcome Back, Dr. Perry," it read. As I drew closer, everywhere I looked were pink ribbons - ribbons in the windows, tied on the doorknobs, even up in the trees. The children and staff wore pink ribbons, too.
My blonde buddy was first in line to greet me. "You're back, Dr. Perry, you're back!" she called. "See, I told you we'd take care of you!"

As I hugged her tight, in the back of my mind I faintly heard my music box playing . . . "I will always love you."


Subject: Breast Cancer Stamp Booklet
We need those of you who are great at forwarding on information with your e-mail network. Please read and pass this on. It would be wonderful if 2010 were the year a cure for breast cancer was found!!!!

The notion that we could raise $35 million by buying a book of stamps is powerful! As you may be aware, the US Postal Service has the "Fund the Cure" stamp to help fund breast cancer research. The stamp was designed by Ethel Kessler of Bethesda , Maryland . It is important that we take a stand against this disease that affects so many of our Mothers, Sisters, Friends, Coworkers, and Spouses of Coworkers.

Instead of the normal 44 cents for a stamp, this one costs 55 cents. The additional 11 cents will go to breast cancer research A "normal" book costs $8.80. This one is only $11.00. It takes a few minutes in line at the Post Office and means so much. If all stamps are sold, it will raise an additional $35,000,000 for this vital research. Just as important as the money is our support. What a statement it would make if the stamp outsold the lottery this week. What a statement it would make that we care.

I urge you to do two things TODAY:
1. Go out and purchase some of these stamps.
2. E-mail your friends to do the same.
Many of us know women and their families whose lives are turned upside-down by breast cancer. It takes so little to do so much in this drive. We can all afford the $0.55. Please help & pass it on.



Monday, April 26, 2010

Joe Swimming 2010

Last year in November, I took Joe to swim class with Miss Kristina.  Joe did so well and I continued to work with him.  This year when they sent out an email that we could do swim lessons again... I jumped at the chance to refresh his memory.

I cannot sing the praises of mr. Bobby and Miss Kristina enough!  They have my baby swimming like never before.  He can hold his breath for about 15 seconds and is learning the freestyle stroke (although his little brain has a hard time processing that with his fine motor skills but he's getting there).  He also worked on his floating... float to tummy, kick kick kick, then back to float.  This way if he gets tired he can always flip over and float.  YAY!

enjoy his little video.  :)

Buddies

Jason has been so good about not going to the island all the time lately!  We've really had some great family time and I have enjoyed it so much.  

But this weekend, he went to the island with some clients and I think they have had a great time.  But that left me and Mr. Joe all by ourselves.  Which is nice every now and then.  

Well, my friend who lives right down the street has a little boy who is in Joe's daycare class.  They are buddies.  And her husband travels during the week and is usually home on weekends but this weekend he had to stay at work.  So, we basically spent the weekend together.  

Saturday after nap time we took a late afternoon trip to the train at trinity park.  
when the boys got out of the car, the only way we could keep them from running off was to tell them to hold hands.  

then trying to get a good picture of both of them was impossible! 

goofy boys!  
Got a cute one of Hayden's younger brother Pryce.  
we rode the train to Trinity Park and back.  The boys were so cute sitting next to each other.  Again... tried to get them to look at me, to no avail!  

k... Joe, give Hayden a hug!  HA ha ha ha.  Hayden's response... "get OFF of me"... ha ha ha
Miss Scheri and Pryce


A great time to be had by all.  
The best part?  We went to Joe's Crab Shack for dinner and sat outside.  The boys could run and play on the playscape and we could sit and have a glass of wine.  We could still see them and make sure they were ok.  I do wish they had had a lock on the swing door, but we made sure that no one escaped.  ha!  and the crab legs were stupendous!!!  :-)  

thanks Scheri for a great weekend! 





Friday, April 23, 2010

Pictures in the bluebonnets...er... well, maybe not

We were supposed to get pictures in the bluebonnets last saturday night but it rained.  It rained all weekend long.  It rained over night.  It rained through our race.  It rained through what would have been our picnic.  It was one big fat soppy weekend. 

So after our race, we picked up Joe and went home for a nap.  After nap time we headed out to the Fort Worth Museum of Science and Nature.  Incidentally, it has our color in it's mortar.  :) 

However, we didn't arrive until 4:00 pm and it closed at 5:00 pm.  Seemed a waste of $28 to get in and only have an hour.  So, we let the boys run around a bit in the halls and I managed to get a few pictures taken of the family.  Not in the blue bonnets and well, none of me...  but some cute ones none the less. 

Fort Worth Flowers


Last weekend Jason's family came into town and we had such a great time.  Friday afternoon we all packed up with the intention of going to the zoo to ride the train.  We missed the train by ten minutes.  :(  So, we were going to go to Trinity Park but it was closed to get ready for a march of dimes walk.  So we ended up at the Fort Worth Arboretum. 

The kids had a great time running around, throwing rocks and smelling the flowers.  




A Boy and his Guitar

So you may remember me mentioning that my boy loves music!  He has several "electric guitars" at home and he regularly plays them with Jason.  However, weekend before last, we went over to Meg and Jeff's house for dinner.  Their daughter, Shelby, has a pink princess guitar. 

It was INSTANT love.  Joe lugged that thing around ALL night.  
enter states exhibit...  

He played to Ryan in the yard.  

Hey played by himself.  


He carried it in the jeep.



and stored it in the back while he drove.  

He serenaded us all night long.  
So much so that the next day.....  

we bought him his very own! 
Not exactly like this but close.  

He has not put it down since...  unless he is playing with his forklift, of course.  

Monday, April 19, 2010

I'm a runner

Now if you knew me at all in the past...  you would know that if I was running, it was to something or away from something.  HA!

Part of it was because I was a smoker.  blech!  


I quit four years ago when I got pregnant with Joe...  and there are still a few times that I miss it.  But, I don't miss being a slave to the damn cigarette.  You don't have to worry about restaurants allowing smoking... where you sit... what purse you carry... do you have enough to get you through the night... so on and so forth. 

Then there was the fact that I faked being "in shape".  I mean, how can you really be in shape when you are polluting your body with cigarette smoke? 

so...  I had Joe in 2007 and quickly got back to my pre-pregnancy weight however NOTHING was where I left it. 
NOTHING. 

And many of you know that I did bootcamp.  Faithfully.  And little to no results, really. 


Well, about February...  something came over me.  Not sure what and not even sure how.  But, I strapped on my runnin shoes...
 and hit the pavement and the treadmill and more of the pavement...  and started running. 

Now, it has been two and a half month's and....

I have now completed my first 5k marathon and I did it in 31 minutes 45 seconds.  This may not be an accomplishment to you... but to me...  this is HUGE! 

I had so much fun.  I did it with Jason and my sister and brother in law.  It was crowded.  It was crazy.  it was raining.  It was FUN! 

Before it all started, we were hanging out in a tent waiting for the band of rain to pass and a young woman had already finished the 10k and was about to run the 5k for fun.  :)  ha!  But she made me laugh!  Her comment was...

"I just got to the start and ran like a Kenyan!"

HAAAAAA!  ha ha ha ha ha. 

So, we got behind everyone else (mistake number 1) and got ready for it to begin.  The horn sounded and it actually took us four minutes to get to the starting line.  Then we had to dodge and swing around all of the walkers. 

They ran us through the zoo (mistake number 2) and people were looking at all of the animals and oohing and aahing.  :)  Which was great but those of us that actually wanted to run had to struggle a bit here. 

I finally saw my opening and made a break for it.  The hole closed behind me which meant that the other three didn't get through but at that point... I"m shorter than them... every man for himself!  HA!

I crossed the line and then waited for the rest of the gang.  WHAT a rush!

We did it!  We ran the whole thing and did it in good time.  It was soooo super exciting and we are gonna do it again in two weeks in Nacogdoches.  I can't wait! 

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Just read a horrible article

I just read a horrible article, one that all parents should read but that I will not subject you to.  It was an article about parents accidentally leaving their children in a car to perish.  It was graphic.  It was horrible.  I don't really even know why I am sharing this article with you...  I cannot even FATHOM the pain these parents are feeling and will continue to feel for the rest of their lives.

These were not intentional.  They were accidents.

I remember reading or hearing about them and thinking horrible thoughts too.  Even judging them (and really... who am I to judge?).

After reading this article... (man oh man, I wish I hadn't read this article... ) I keep thinking how easy, not that's NOT the right word...  how avoidable.. yes, how uncomprehendable... yes, how with the added stress and preoccupation we all face... how easy it would be to do this. 

God this is unfathomable.

Accidents happen.  Just last night Joe was being trailered behind our bikes and the trailer tumped over.  He was fine.  He has a scraped elbow and a cut on a finger.  He was fine.  It was an accident.  J and I both feel horrible and that is all it was... a bike accident.

So I sit here...  wishing upon wishing I could go and hug my little boy.  I am probably a different person for having read this stupid article.  I can hope, and I can pray that all parents are conscious of a change up in routine and can urge them, and myself, to take extra precautions when doing so.

We can only protect our children so much... but this is one instance where with proper diligence...  we can all be better.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Houston Fun.... backyard, Easter, partying it up at Harmony's




Smiley Jacob
Emi and Joe opening Aunt Cole's easter presents. 
Joe swinging and beautiful Lila

the fabulous Shannon O'dear made this!  Isn't she talented?
Starlette Sarah...  and the three muskateers eating Ice and spitting it back!  HA!

Beautiful Eileen.
Eileen and Oliver sittin in a tree... K I S S I N G


The birthday boy and three more muskateers
two beautiful blue eyed boys
MY beautiful blue eyed boy!