THE STEEL MAGNOLIA

Where has Merri Been??

2007-02-04T21:41:00.000-05:00

I know it has been FOREVER since I last wrote. My life has taken many twists and turns the last few months. I am newly employed! I am the new Executive Director for The Bridge @ Studeo 315 in Mishawaka. It is a new food pantry for our city. It is a partnership between the MAC food pantry, Stone Soup Community, & The Penn Township Trustee. I absolutely love what I do. God has brought me here to this place in my life and I am so thankful and feel so blessed. Just a quick update on Dyan Orr, my niece. she was on her local news this evening:

Portage Girl Battles Rare Disease

Reporter: Brock Bergey

We've all heard the saying--life is short. It's meaning, however, often gets overlooked. But, a Portage girl's story puts it all in perspective.

You wouldn't know it by looking at her, but Dyan Orr is battling a deadly disease.

"My right lung is almost gone and it's not working too good," she says.

Breathing is just one complication facing the fifth grader. Dyan suffers from a rare lymphatic disorder.

"It's lymphangiomatosis," says Mike Orr.

Dyan's father says the terminal condition affects the body's ability to fight off infection.

"It goes in and it sees a problem and it wants to take it over and destroy everything there including good things," says Mike.

He knows his days with his daughter are numbered. But, Dyan continues to prove she's a fighter. Doctors didn't expect her to live this long.

"We don't hide anything from her. We make her part of every decision that is made," Mike says.

At the young age of 10, Dyan says she's prepared to leave this world and enter the next.

"I get to meet my grandma and grandpa who I've never met before and some of my aunts and uncles and other family members," says Dyan.

Dyan's life will likely soon end, but research on her condition is far from over.
And, that's why, following her death, she wants doctors to use her body for further testing.

"They'll know more what happened because they'll do tests on me. They might know more," Dyan says.

Her parents take comfort in knowing Dyan will continue her helping ways after she's gone.

"I don't think I'll be ready. I mean that's my youngest daughter. My youngest child," Mike says.

Dyan is a strong believer in angels. Her dog is named Angel. A pair of angel wings hang in her room. Soon, she says she'll be an angel, herself, looking down on her family and friends from heaven.

"I think it's just like down here except full of clouds," says Dyan.

But until then, the Orr family is making the most of each day and raising awareness about a disease that gets little attention.

A foundation has been set up in Dyan's name. To donate or learn more about her illness, go to www.dyanmarieorr.com.

WAGING A LIVING

2006-08-30T09:03:00.000-04:00

So I watched this documentary last night on PBS called "Waging A Living". It was very interesting. As many of you know, my primary goal in life is to help the poor. Watching this proved even more to me that it is going to take more than just the "government" to get people out of poverty. It is going to take me, you, the guy next door, our churches, our employers.....EVERYONE! Are you doing your part to help the needy? I know God has a plan for me, so far I am being obedient to Him. I am not sure how He is going to use me, but I love what He is using me for so far!! I can't wait to do more! But I need YOUR HELP TOO!!!! Let me know if you want to help me find a way to STAMP OUT POVERTY!

DYAN'S IN THE NEWS!!

2006-07-06T12:55:00.000-04:00

Girl losing fight with rare disease
By Ann Marie Ames

Portage - Tonya Orr wishes her daughter had bone cancer or leukemia. Then, at least, doctors would know what to do to help Dyan Orr, 10, of Portage.
"There would be a protocol," Tonya said. "But they just don't know what to do for this.
"Tell us just one success story. Just one."
Dyan was diagnosed in March 2005 with lymphangiomatosis, a very rare disease of the lymph system, the system of glands and vessels that helps the body fight disease. While the cause is unknown, the disease causes non-cancerous growths to invade certain organs or body parts. The family has made more than a year's worth of hospital trips, even being turned away from St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. Now the Orr family, with Dyan's input, has decided to take no more invasive measures, meaning she will have no surgeries to have any more tubes inserted into her chest and abdomen to drain the lymphatic fluid that continually builds up there. This week the family will meet with Hospice staff from UW Hospital, which will monitor and manage Dyan's pain medications and help keep the end of Dyan's life as comfortable as possible.
Dyan's doctors will not give the family a length of time they expect her to live. But the family has made funeral arrangements and has kept Dyan as informed as possible about her condition.
The fluid buildup in her chest cavity has left Dyan's heart weak, one lung the size of a fist and the other half full of invasive tissue.
"It's like the opposite of AIDS," explained Dyan's father, Mike Orr. "AIDS causes your immune system to stop working. This causes the immune system to attack the body."
As a result of the lymphangiomatosis, Dyan also suffers from Gorham's Disease, an extremely rare bone disorder that disrupts the way bones replenish themselves, causing a reduction in bone mass and leaving Dyan with osteoporosis like that of a 65-year-old woman.
Dyan's condition was diagnosed last March when staff at UW Children's Hospital drained about a gallon of lymphatic fluid out of her chest. She takes a variety of medications, including anti-vomiting, anti-nausea and pain medications.
The family had a scare two weeks ago during a Disney Cruise trip sponsored by the Make-A-Wish Foundation. While the ship was docked at the Florida Keys, Dyan stopped breathing and was rushed to the ship hospital. She was stabilized and allowed to continue her trip, where she enjoyed visiting a spa, touring the ship and watching live Disney performances.
Now that Dyan is home again, she intends to stay there.
"She doesn't want to be hospitalized again," Mike said. "That's one thing we know for certain."
In all of their research, the family has only found two other children in Wisconsin with lymphangiomatosis as pronounced as Dyan's. While Tonya knows doctors can do no more for her daughter, one of her greatest wishes is to see research done to help other children.
"We've been turned down by hospitals, news stations and celebrities that we've asked for backing on this," Tonya said. "We just want so much to get the word out there so that we can back other families and make people aware of this.
"It's so frustrating that no one, including doctors, knows anything about this disease."
Dyan said that using oxygen and a wheelchair often draws stares from strangers. When asked if there was one thing people should know about her disease, she replied: "Don't be scared if you get it, because there's no cure. There's nothing to be scared of."

aames@capitalnewspapers.com
745-3518

BACK FROM THEIR TRIP......

2006-07-04T11:54:00.000-04:00

Well we are back from our trip. Dyan had a GREAT time. We did have a few bumps along the way but like always she came through it only as she could. The week was full of many smiles and laughter from her. She met so many great people that touched her life and she will always remember. She was able to meet all the disney cast and has lots of pics to look at. Gabby had a great time shopping in the many ports of call. She spent time in the teen rooms with new friends that she met. Mike and I enjoyed the time with the girls and watching them have the time of their lives. There was so much laughing and good times for them that it will last a life time for us as great memories. Being home is hard and knowing that we may not have much time left with Dyan, we are only hoping that she will stay strong and stay with us for a long time. Please keep praying for her. Love Tonya

UPDATE ON DYAN

2006-05-24T16:17:00.000-04:00

Dyan went on Thursday for more tests, CT Scan, Echo, blood work. The echo was good no more fluid than the last one and her heart is doing real good. No word on the blood work yet. The CT wasn't so good. The fluid in her left lung is getting a lot worse, her right lung is becoming stiffer (dieing) and this is causing all the pain in her right side. It is also getting worse around her abdomen and it is in her throat now. It is squeezing on her esophagus this is why she is having trouble eating and why she is throwing up so much. They wanted her to stay in the hospital and have another tube put in to drain the fluid, but she said no and we agreed to that with her. They put her on a water pill to see if that will help, it is a long shot but we will try it. She is struggling with her breathing and is on her oxygen almost 24/7 now. We do have our date for the cruise it is going to be June 24th. we can't wait. Dyan has let us know that she is going to hang on until after the cruise but she is not sure how things will go after that. She is very strong about what she wants and we are supporting her in this. Thank you for all the great thoughts and prayers for her and us. Love Tonya Mike

PLEASE PRAY FOR DYAN!

2006-05-18T12:03:00.000-04:00

It is 5:33 A.M. right now and I have been up for over an hour with Dyan. She is sleeping again but in pain. She asked me what the % was that she was going to die? I asked her what she thought and she said "oh about 99%" I asked her if she was scared "no why should I" I told her that she was very brave and that when it was time her angels would be with her to take her to heaven. She told me that she told them they have to wait until after her cruise then they can come and she will go and play in heaven with them. I will be talking with the Make A Wish today to get the dates for sure. We need some more prayers for her to get her to this cruise, so please ask God to give her this wish, this one last wish for my Dyan, then he can send her angels down for her. She goes in for a CT scan this Thursday to look at the two new growths that have formed at the bottom of her ribs. She still can't eat much without getting sick, but she does what she can and that is just that. I wish that all of you could see her for a day and see how strong she is and how excepting of what is going on. There are days that I don't know how she does it, but she gets through and as she always says "I'm fine". Know that she is fine and it is almost time for her to go. God bless all of you that think of her and pray for her, Thank you Love Tonya

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TRIBUTE TO MY MOM

2006-05-14T11:04:00.000-04:00

This is a tribute for my Mom, Janet Lee Eldridge Orr Norton. My Mom was a remarkable woman. She lived through so much grief and heartache in her 58 years of life, but through it all, she still managed to love all 5 of her children unconditionally and to the best of her ability tried to give us the best life she could. My Mom was my best friend and I miss her every minute of every day of my life. I know she is looking down from Heaven smiling and just counting the minutes until she can see her kids face to face. The first thing I will ask her when I see her is...Mom, have I made you proud? I know I am the woman I am today mainly due to my Mother. Mom, I know that you will never read this, but I just want to say thank you for giving me life and loving me the way that you did. You were everything to me and I will do everything in my power to make you proud every day of the rest of my life. These Yellow Roses are for you! HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! I LOVE YOU!

THE NEXT PHASE AT BETHEL.....

2006-05-10T10:15:00.000-04:00

Well my next class starts today! It is Written Communications II. I have NO idea what to expect from this class other than A LOT of writing. Hopefully it will help. I had never had to write a paper until this year at Bethel. I missed my last half of Senior year in high School so I never had to do a term paper and when I was at SMC, somehow, I got out of having to do a paper there as well. So this is a whole new ball game for me! Wish me luck!
So far, I have a 4.0 at Bethel! I have never done this well in my entire life! So I just hope I don't bomb this class.
I am sure some of you are wondering where the heck I have been. My life is crazy! Hopefully things will slow down in a few weeks. Summer break is coming and I won't be a taxi for the kids as much. But the rest of May is crazy with school and kid's field trips. I will be on the go a lot! So I will see you all again soon........I hope!

15 MORE TO GO......

2006-04-20T10:49:00.000-04:00

FOLLOW UP TO LAST LETTER ON DYAN...

2006-04-12T12:01:00.000-04:00

Dyan is doing ok. The doctors took her off some of her meds. and uped some of her other ones to see if it will help with her getting sick all the time, she is throwing up almost daily. She hasn't been able to use her bi-pap machine for over a week because it caused sores in her nose, but today we got her a different head piece so we are hoping that it will work better. I would like to say this, even though we have decided not to do anymore treatments for her, that doesn't mean that she is going to pass sooner than later. Only God and Dyan know when that will be. The doctors can keep trying different things but as we have always known, there is NO cure for her. They can't even say if it would give us more time or not. There is no way to even know if what we have done has made it worse, all we know is that it hasn't helped. She just wants to be a little girl and play with her friends and be like her friends. There is so much that she can't do but what she can, we want her to be able to do it and not be sick all the time from treatments. She is and will stay on her breathing machines as needed and all the pain meds. to keep her comfortable. She is very stubborn and could live another 10yrs, and we are hoping for that. What we do know is this, that it has spread into her left lung and is growing fast there, it is also around her abdomen, rapped around her liver and stomach. The spot on her heart has not gotten worse and that is good. She is getting bruises that are showing up on her arms and legs also, and she hasn't done anything to cause them. Her spirits are very high, she is at such peace with what is happening and is going to happen someday. She is not scared and does not cry about anything. She has had many conversations with her angels and knows what heaven will be like for her and she loves to share that with anyone that is willing to listen to her. She has helped us to learn how to deal with what is going on, she doesn't want us to worry about her, because as she always says.... " I am fine". She has so much to do yet and is looking forward to doing all of it. She hasn't stopped fighting and we haven't stopped praying for one more day with her. No one has given up we just want her to be a little girl to the best of her ability, that is all we have ever wanted and we are going to give that to her for as long as we can. We don't want her in a hospital hooked up to all these machines and having all kinds of drugs running through her that can be doing more harm than good. Remember there is not a treatment for this, it is all a guessing game for the doctors, and Dyan has had enough of being a pin cushion. We hope that everyone can except this and try to understand that this is what she wants. If anyone knows of a doctor that can help her and has a cure for what she has we would be more than willing to get her there, just let us know. Until then please respect our decision. God Bless , Tonya

A SPECIAL LETTER....

2006-03-30T10:19:00.000-05:00

I received this letter today from my brother and his wife regarding DYAN.....

First we would like to take this time to thank everyone for all the support and the many prayers that you have given Dyan and us. This last year has been very hard on all of us and we have had many bumps in the road. Dyan has been such a trooper through it all. She has shown us what it is to fight for life and to live every day to it's fullest. She is very strong and we pray every day that she will make it one more day and we won't stop until the end. Mike and I have talked to many doctors around the US and over seas to try and help Dyan and with some help from them Dyan's doctors have been able to try new things to help her. We have looked at many different hospitals to take her to, but most don't know about this condition or do but don't treat it. We have kept her at the UW because there is nowhere else to go and they have shown us how much they care and have worked very hard for her. That all said we have come to a very hard decision but one that we know we can live with and hope that all of you can try to understand and respect. Everything that we have done so far treatment wise for Dyan has not worked. We know that there is not a cure for her so we are going to look at the quality of her life not the quantity of it. We are not going to put her through any more. She will stay on her pain meds and breathing machines at night to help her but that is it. Dyan has asked and told us many times that she doesn't want any more. She knows what this means and is ready for what will happen some day. This has not been an easy decision for us, but we know it is time to let her have what she wants and needs so that she can spiritually plan for her future. Our pastor is helping our family to get ready for that time and it will be peaceful. We hope that you will still keep Dyan in your thoughts and prayers. Again thank you for all your support.

Love Mike and Tonya

HAPPY 6TH BIRTHDAY MADDIE!!

2006-03-29T10:19:00.000-05:00

This is my baby girl! Maddie is very special! She is outgoing, has a great personality, loves music and dancing, she is smart, pretty and loves Jesus and our church GCC. She has a great laugh. I love her so much!

2006-03-27T10:55:00.000-05:00

MOM & DAD W/FRIENDS

2006-03-27T10:54:00.000-05:00

MY MOM & DAD

2006-03-27T10:53:00.000-05:00

MY DAD'S NAVY PICTURE

MY NIECE DYAN

2006-03-27T10:32:00.000-05:00

First let me say how incredibly brave my niece Dyan is. She has been through so much in the last year. She will be 10 on April 16th but she has the maturity of a 40 year old when it comes to her health. She, my brother Mike and my sister-in-law Tonya made the decision to just let Dyan be. No more being a pin cushion any more. She went home on Friday knowing that she is done with the extensive treatments. This disease has no cure. It is VERY rare. The doctors have no clue how to treat her. She will stay at home and try to be as normal of a kid as she can be. They will keep her comfortable with her pain meds and only do simple procedures as needed. She has a breathing machine so she can sleep at night. The most awesome thing is that she knows Jesus! I believe He is walking beside her every step of the way. Thank you to all who have been praying for her and the family. Please continue to pray for her, her family and for a cure for this terrible disease called Lymphangiomatosis & Gorham's Disease. The above pictures are of Dyan, her sister Gabi, my brother Mike and me.

WHOS FEET ARE YOU WASHING??

2006-03-17T13:20:00.000-05:00

" You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet; you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. "

Who are you connecting with? Who's eternal life is on the line that you know of? Are you washing their feet? As Dr. Bob said last night at New Community, Is there someone who needs their brow wiped with a cold cloth? Someone that needs food?

I want to invite you to join me on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of every month at MC3. GCC's out reach ministry to the folks of Monroe Circle, downtown South Bend. You will have the opportunity to connect in every way with people who need their feet washed! Just leave a comment if you want more information!

WHAT A WHIRLWIND!!

2006-03-16T10:57:00.000-05:00

I know it has been almost a month since my last post. I have been going mach 2! With school and life it is CRAZY! Some of the highlites from the last month are:
1. The Marriage Retreat
2. Starting Transfigures
3. Acing Exploring The Christion Faith
4. Being able to finally attend New Community
5. Starting Pshychology

The Marriage retreat was incredible! Dr. Bob was his normal awesome self! I really learned a lot. Not to mention I was able to spend a wonderful weekend with Aaron! We need to do that ALOT MORE!!

I have been doing Transfigures for about a month now and I have to say....I am losing weight baby!! My pants are HUGE!! WOO HOO!! The first week I lost a little over 3 pounds, I am not sure where I am at now..but will find out soon!

I passed ECF with an "A"! Prof. Terry Linhart was a great teacher. I really miss his class.

I am so looking forward to New Community tonight! It will be my first communion in a LONG time! Sadly I think the last time was in October! Plus Dr. Bob is on and Aaron is on as well! So it will be an awesome night! FULL OF JESUS!!

I started Psych last week. I was really looking forward to this class, but sadly I have to say I am not to enthused with my teacher so far. We shall see what the next 6 weeks hold.

Sorry I have been gone for so long! Hopefully I am back!

mylamesexlife.com

2006-02-22T10:28:00.000-05:00

Ok so most of you know that GCC has made it to the national news! Our Senior Pastor Mark Beeson was on Fox News bot Sunday and Monday. If you missed seeing him on Monday, just go to FoxNews.com and click "VIDEO" and the "ONLY ON FOX" and click "SEX CLASS AT CHURCH"
I am so proud of our church!

TRANSFIGURES

2006-02-20T10:33:00.000-05:00

So I started a new diet yesterday. It is called Transfigures. I am so excited about it! I know a lot of people on this diet and I have seen their amazing results! They look fabulous! This is day 2 for me and I can say so far so good. I am limited to a 1000-1200 calories per day plus a ton of protein, water and some meds. The only hard part is trying to figure out what to eat and counting all of the calories and such. I think my main staple is going to be eggs and chicken! If anyone reading this would like more info on this wonderful diet plan click here! I also put on a link to their page and CalorieKing!

PURE SEX....

2006-02-16T09:36:00.000-05:00

Well GCC has done it again!We are launching our Pure Sex series next week and already people are talking about it...why you may ask....see the picture above. GCC placed some billboards around town and they are getting some MAJOR attention see here and here. To see the real deal click here!
I applaud my church for going all out to reach the unchurched about the most prevelant topic in our country....SEX! So many people have the wrong take on sex, so many use sex in the wrong context, God made sex for two married people to enjoy and get the best out of it. God loves when we are happy and fulfilled....that is what sex does! IT makes you happy and fulfilled but only when it is between a husband and wife! So if you want to find out what sex is really about..come to GCC starting next Saturday, February 25th!

INDESCRIBABLE

2006-02-08T10:06:00.000-05:00

What an incredible night last night! We went to the Morris Civic to see Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman & Louie Giglio for the Indescribable tour. It was amazing. You could feel God all over the place. These guys really know how to worship our God. We just saw them in Nashville for Passion "06 along with David Crowder & Charlie Hall. They were just as good last night, if not better. It was a packed house and we had great seats. 3rd row center! Louie's message is so inspiring. I highly recommend if you have not heard it yet...BUY IT! You can get the DVD here.
You can also see their blog here.

FINALLY I AM BACK!

2006-01-31T15:56:00.000-05:00

Ok! I know it has been a while since I have posted. My life has been to say the least...chaotic.....Between kids,husband, MC3, church & school, I barely have time to sleep..but I am lovin every minute of it! Especially school. I wish I was going full time. It feels great to be back in learning mode. Especially the field I am studying...JESUS! How could I not love it! Here are just a few pics from my trip to Passion in Nashville. We had a wonderful time. David Crowder was awesome. Charlie Hall, Chris Tomlin & Matt Redman were great too! This was the first time I have ever heard Beth Moore speak...I love her! I can't wait to hear more from her. Louie Giglio was terrific too! Can't wait until next week to see the Indescribable Tour here in town! If you don't have your ticket yet to the show...GO GET ONE!!!! Until next time.....

2006-01-31T15:51:00.001-05:00

AARON & I AT PASSION

2006-01-31T15:51:00.000-05:00

ME & DEBBIE NEW YEARS EVE IN NASHVILLE

2006-01-31T15:50:00.000-05:00

A COLLAGE OF ALL OF THE LEGENDARY BARS IN NASHVILLE

2006-01-31T15:49:00.000-05:00

ME WRITING ON THE CANVAS AT PASSION

MY MOM...JANET LEE ELDRIDGE ORR NORTON

2006-01-17T17:20:00.001-05:00

This post is dedicated to my Mom. She would have been 71 this past friday, January 13th. She was a wonderful Mom. She was my best friend. I miss her every day of my life. Not a day goes by that I don't think of her at least once. I finally was able to scan some pictures of her into my computer today. I am so thankful for this because now I have another way to preserve her memory. See pictures below.....I LOVE YOU MOM!

2006-01-17T17:20:00.000-05:00

Me when I was 12 with my Mother Janet

2006-01-17T17:19:00.000-05:00

Mom & Brittney

2006-01-17T17:18:00.001-05:00

Mom & my Nephew Benjamin

2006-01-17T17:18:00.000-05:00

My Mom (in navy blue) & my Aunt Mary

NASHVILLE HERE WE COME...2 DAYS AND COUNTING!!

2005-12-29T09:46:00.000-05:00

FOR KAYLA!

2005-12-27T16:46:00.000-05:00

THIS POST IS DEDICATED TO MY NIECE KAYLA WHO IS SERVING IN IRAQ. HERE ARE SOME PICTURES OF HER BEAUTIFUL LITTLE GIRL TIERNEY...I LOVE YOU KAYLA!

2005-12-27T16:43:00.001-05:00

Ok...are we done with the pictures yet?

2005-12-27T16:43:00.000-05:00

Givin Maddie some love!

2005-12-27T16:42:00.001-05:00

The cousins hanging out!

2005-12-27T16:42:00.000-05:00

Grandpa's Girl

2005-12-27T16:41:00.000-05:00

I love you mommy!

2005-12-27T16:40:00.000-05:00

Listening to her mama say hi from the bear

2005-12-27T16:39:00.001-05:00

I'm so cute!

2005-12-27T16:39:00.000-05:00

My new baby from Aunt Merri

2005-12-27T16:38:00.000-05:00

opening her present, with Griff looking on

2005-12-27T16:37:00.000-05:00

Trying to be neat about it...

2005-12-27T16:35:00.002-05:00

GRANDMA, GRANDPA & TIERNEY

2005-12-27T16:35:00.001-05:00

uh..I'm tryin to eat here!

2005-12-27T16:35:00.000-05:00

Hey mom...I'm a chipmunk.....

2005-12-27T16:32:00.001-05:00

stretch...

2005-12-27T16:32:00.000-05:00

Tierney sitting down to eat saying..Hi Mom!

2005-12-23T18:28:00.000-05:00

EVEN PASTORS WIVES CAN HAVE A MELT DOWN!

2005-12-21T08:38:00.000-05:00

It appears that Joel Osteen has a hot tempered wife on his hands. Victoria Osteen was asked to leave a Continental Flight after she failed to comply with the Flight Attendants instruction and then proceeded to get into an argument with her. (see here)

51 RANDOM THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT ME!

2005-12-20T13:58:00.000-05:00

1. What is your middle name? Ellen
2. Last person you kissed? Griffin, my son
3. What are you listening to right now? The movie Christmas Vacation
4. Last two digits of your phone? 64
5. Last thing you ate? Fried Rice
6. Last person you hugged? Griffin
7. How is the weather right now? Cold as ice and sunny
8. Who was the last person you talked to on the phone? My Mother in Law Anne
9. The first thing you notice about the opposite sex? What? I only notice my hot hubby!
10. Favorite type of food? Chinese
11. How old are you? too old! 36
12. City or country? neither! Mountains!
13. Hair Color? hmmm dk brown, blonde, lt brown
14. Eye color? gray
15. Do you wear contacts? nope
16. Favorite holiday? Christmas
17. When is your birthday? March 31
18. Have you ever cried for no reason? I'm a woman aren't I?
19. Last movie you watched? Christmas Vacation
20. Last time you were at work? This morning...MC3 from 6:45am-10:30am
21. Last time you were out of state? September, Captivating Retreat
22. Last time you went bowling? 2 years ago
23. Something unusual about me? I like to dip my Big Macs in BBQ sauce
24. Favorite Breakfast food? Bacon, Egg & Cheese McGriddle
25. Favorite Color? I have two Pink & Green
26. What are you afraid of? Any type of rodent, roaches
27. If you could take a trip anywhere, where would you go? Belize, The Holy Land, Greece, Aruba, Ireland/Scotland
28. What books are you reading? The books for my classes at Bethel
29. Piercings? Ears & nose
30. Favorite movie? Too many to count
31. Favorite basketball team? Notre Dame
32. Favorite Football team? Notre Dame, Colts, Greenbay
33. What were you doing before you filled this out? eating lunch
34. Do you have any pets? Yes 3...2 kitties Gus & Newman 1 dog Lucky
35. AIM? yes
36. Butter, Plain oor salted popcorn? Buttered!
37. Dogs or Cats?? CATS!
38. Favorite Flower? Yellow roses, Daffodils
39. Have you ever been caught doing something you were not supposed to? UH YEAH! Who hasn't?
40. Are you single or taken?......I am Married!! Very happily I might add!
41. Have you ever loved someone? I love Aaron!
42. Who would you like to see right now? MY MOM! She died 12 years ago :(
43. Are you still friends with your exes? Only for my kids sake
44. Have you ever fired a gun? Yeah, a Glock...it was so fun!
45. Do you like to travel by plane? NOPE! and I used to be a flight attendant...weird huh?
46. Right or left handed? RIGHT
47. If you could be with anyone right now, who would it be? My MOM!
48. Are you missing someone? Yes...my MOM
49. Favorite Ice Cream? 2 scoops Rockey Road with hotfudge whipped cream and nuts from Baskin Robbins
50. Do you have a tatoo? Nope
51. Do you still watch cartoons on Saturday mornings? Nope I watch them everyday with my kids!

I took this idea from Stephanie!! :o)
Hope you learned a little about me!

MY BUSY WEEK

2005-12-17T10:00:00.000-05:00

I have had one busy week. It started off last weekend with Maddie's Pom Pom debute at Mishawaka High School. First a 3.5 hour practice followed by the performance in the evening. On Sunday we went to church to watch our kids sing on the big stage. Gabe, Maddie and Griffin. This was Griffins first time this year and he did very well. Then in the afternoon we had Griffin's 4th Birthday party. He got a lot of his favorites! Then the rest of the week was filled with illnesses. Griffin and Maddie both came down with Strep, then Griff proceeded to get a stomach bug on top of it...spewing all over the house! Oh what fun. Aaron and I got no sleep that night! All of that combined with 3 Christmas parties, GCC Staff, MC3's and the Art's staff plus 2 parites at school for Gabe and Maddie. I am the room mom so I needed to send treats and actually host the parties. Then I helped Hayley with her Spanish project. I made Chilean fruit. So I think I am ready for a vacation....which in 13 days...we leave for Nashville!!! Yeah!

A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS.....WHY I LOVE THIS TV SHOW

2005-12-16T13:58:00.000-05:00

Do you ever feel like you are having a Charlie Brown Christmas? I love this classic for many reasons, but the reason I am talking about today is the most important of all...Jesus. I watched this the other day and it hit me like a ton of bricks how great this show is. I have seen it probably 40 times in my life, but this year it touched me in so many ways. It made me take a look at what kind of trash that my kids are watching everyday, that classics like this are the real deal. There are many lessons to be learned from this show but the main one is why we celebrate "CHRISTMAS." Our Savior Jesus Christ. I mean I knew this, but just imagine every kid watching this show in todays world...what a great message they hear. They don't hear this message from these new Christmas shows, well, not typically. At least not any of the new ones I have seen. And all of the parents like these classics because it is what we grew up on, so they encourage their kids to watch. If you were to watch this show for the first time, I feel it would lead someone to believe it was about the little Christams tree Charlei Brown found...but then it HITS LIKE A TON OF BRICKS......Linus telling the story of How Jesus was born...Wow!! I love it! Don't you?

SNOW DAYS.....

2005-12-09T11:11:00.000-05:00

It is a happy day all around our town..It is a Snow Day! I used to love these days when I was in school. Back then you didn't have to make them up, it was just another day off of school. Now, they have to use another day that they would have had off and replace it with the snow day. Another crusher was for my oldest daughter...she HAD school today. South Bend Schools were just about the only schools that were not out today. That is just crazy! When she was taken to school today, they couldn't even get throught the parking lot because it had not been plowed. People were getting stuck! Crazy! So the kids are home....already going stir crazy! Oh how I do NOT love snow days any more.......

GOOD BY TO A VERY OLD FRIEND....

2005-12-08T18:55:00.000-05:00

It all ends today! I have been wondering why every time I go to Meijer, I can never find my favorite hair spray. I used to get it at CVS but they stopped carrying it, then I switched to buying it at Meijer, now they have stopped carrying it. So tonight I decided to get on line and see if I could find it anywhere. Guess what? They have discontinued it! I did find it on Ebay for $54.00 a case....It was $2.oo in the store. So what little there is left in this country, people are jacking up the price! I have been using Jheri Redding Design Spritz since 1987! No other hair spray I have tried holds like this one. WHAT AM I GOING TO DO????? Can anyone help me???? This is a very sad day!

BECAUSE OF YOU...............

2005-12-03T20:37:00.000-05:00

Last weekend at GCC, they finished up on our parenting series. During the service they showed the Kelly Clarkson video, "Because of You." I literally cried my eyes out. I have listened to that song so many times on the radio, but I guess I never REALLY listened to the lyrics. The video coupled with the lyrics at the bottom really hit me hard. It has now become a song for me about my mother (and partly my father). My mother was my best friend, but she was also a very devistating part of my life. Over this last week I have been really thinking alot about the relationship I had with her. She passed away September 11, 1993. That was ultimately the WORST day of my life! I miss my Mom so much. I guess I have spent the last 12 years mostly thinking about the good things about my life with her. I have thought about the bad too, but not like I have this week. Hearing this song, seeing the video really made me think about whay I am the way I am. Here are the lyrics:

I will not make the same mistakes that you did
I will not let myself
Cause my heart so much misery
I will not break the way you did,
You fell so hard
I've learned the hard way
To never let it get that far

Beacause of you
I never stray to far from the sidewalk
Because of you
I learned to play on the safe side so I don't get hurt
Because of you
I find it hard to trust not only me, but everyone around me
Because of you
I am afraid

I lose my way
And it's not too long before you point it out
I cannot cry
Because you know that's weakness in your eyes
I'm forced to fake
A smile, a laugh everyday of my life
My heart can't possibly break
When it wasn't even whole to start with

Because of you
I never stray to far from the sidewalk
Because of you
I learned to play on the safe side so I don't get hurt
Because of you
I find it hard to trust not only me, but everyone around me
Because of you
I am afraid

I watched you die
I heard you cry every night in your sleep
I was so young
You should have known better than to lean on me
You never thought of anyone else
You just saw your pain
And now I cry in the middle of the night
For the same damn thing

Because of you
I never stray to far from the sidewalk
Because of you
I learned to play on the safe side so I don't get hurt
Because of you
I try my hardest just to forget everything
Because of you
I don't know how to let anyone else in
Because of you
I'm ashamed of my life because it's empty
Because of you
I am afraid

Because of you
Because of you

HAVE YOU EVER FELT LIKE THIS.....

2005-11-30T16:15:00.000-05:00

THIS IS ME FOR THE LAST 2 DAYS......FEVER, BAD STOMACH PAINS, NAUSEA...OH WHAT FUN!! THE PICTURE IS PERFECT FOR WHAT I LOOK AND FEEL LIKE RIGHT NOW!! SEE YOU ALL WHEN I AM UP AND AROUND MORE! THANK YOU HONEY FOR DOING THE DISHES FOR ME!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

2005-11-25T16:30:00.000-05:00

PRAYER REQUEST

2005-11-23T08:03:00.000-05:00

Please pray for me. I am experiencing some severe back pain and had to go to the emergency room last night. I am on some heavy pain killers and muscle relaxers. They did a battery of tests. I really thought it was my kidney, but so far that looks good. I am seeing my doctor today to see what more needs to be done. On the tests though it did show some swollen lymph nodes in my body and I am anemic. Please pray those heal and my pain goes away very very quickly! Thank you. Also, please pray for my kids, Maddie and Gabe. They will be having very minor surgery on Monday morning. Thank you!

AN INCREDIBLE DAY YESTERDAY!

2005-11-18T08:15:00.000-05:00

What an incredible day it was yesterday! I had the privilege of going to Mars Hill Church to see and hear Rob Bell speak to us for 2 hours. I went with the staff of my church Granger Community. First I want to say how great it was to spend the whole day with my husband Aaron and some really good friends. Also, I was able to eat lunch with our Senior Pastor Mark Beeson and get to know him a little more! That was a true treat for me!

Now to Rob Bell.....
All I have to say is WOW!! I really liked his style of teaching before...but now.....I am completely taken back by him. He is so wise for being so young. What he says just makes sense to me. He explains things in such a way that you just get it. If you have no idea who he is, watch one of his NOOMA videos and you will understand. He spoke to us for about an hour and 45 minutes. He allowed us to fire any question at him we wanted. The questions ranged from very deep to very personal. Some things we learned about Rob is that he of course puts God first but her really puts his family first after that. He guards his family time. He is really in love with his wife and she really protects him in every way. He loves his two sons immensely. His favorite part of the day is driving them to school. I loved that about him! He is real in every way! After the talk he served us Communion. It was truly a very special moment for me. Here are some of the major points I took away from hearing him yesterday:

We were created to worship
We are to be filled with wonder
Why settle, there is more
Christians need to relieve the Hell on Earth
We need to bring Heaven to Earth
The message of Jesus needs to be brought out to duke it out where all other cultures exchange.
Are we doing everything we can to live with in the story of the Bible?
When reading the Bible, figure out what the authors are trying to convey through their messages.
The real meaning behind the parable "The Good Samaritan" is really about racism.
Our joy comes from the everyday...That is where we find God.

Aaron and I had never been to Mars Hill, but I can tell you we will be making several trips to hear Rob Bell from now on!

RESULTS OF MY TEST!

2005-11-18T08:11:00.000-05:00

I PASSED THE TEST! INFACT, THE LADY THAT SCORED IT SAID I DID VERY WELL. WHEW! I AM SO GLAD THAT IS OVER! THANKS FOR YOUR PRAYERS!

TODAY IS TEST DAY!

2005-11-16T10:44:00.000-05:00

In about 2 hours I will be taking the ASSET tests for Bethel. These tests consist of Reading, Writing and Math. I am good when it comes to the first two, but MATH.......UH OH! The last week my two oldest daughters have been teaching me math. I hate math! I hated it in High School and I hate it still today! What is the purpose of having to know algebra? It makes NO SENSE! I just don't get it! Can anyone please explain when I will ever use it in Ministry or Psychology? Well, wish me luck! Please pray I pass! I will let you know the outcome!!

IT'S OFFICIAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2005-11-09T19:42:00.000-05:00

I AM A BETHEL PILOT!!!

I became a college student once again today. It has taken me a long time to get to this point in my life. Just in case you are wondering what I am majoring in....MINISTRY with a minor in PHSYCOLOGY!!! Can you tell I am excited!! This is the first step in God's plan for me! Please keep me and my family in your prayers over the next few...years!! :o)

VERY "RANDOM" THOUGHTS

2005-11-09T09:55:00.000-05:00

First I want to know what is up with this word "RANDOM?" It seems to be in EVERYBODY'S vocabulary lately.

Why is it that some people think God is helping them find parking places or sales at stores? Isn't our God worth more than those mere thoughts? click here

Why are our children idolizing thugs like 50 Cent, Chingy, or Young Jeezy (<-click there)?

Did you know that half of the world-nearly three billion people-live on less than 2 dollars a day? click NOW!

The average bed is home to over 6 billion dust mites? YUK! Now that is creepy!

Did you know that on average, a 4-year-old child asks 437 questions a day? Griffin is about to turn 4 next month!!! No wonder my brain is so fried!

HALLOWEEN AT THE DEWINTERS!

2005-11-02T13:32:00.000-05:00

We had a funfilled night on Halloween. We did some quality trick or treating for a good hour until it started raining. Then we hit the haunted yeard and the grandparents. The kids came home and immediately emptied thier bags......score! They had a ton of candy! We only go on 2 complete blocks, but that is enough to fill a bag. We will have candy until Easter I am sure!

2005-11-02T13:31:00.000-05:00

THE WHOLE GANG!

2005-11-02T13:30:00.000-05:00

HAYLEY ALWAYS ON THE LOOK OUT FOR PAPPARAZI

2005-11-02T13:29:00.000-05:00

WHO'S UNDER THERE? IT'S GABE!

2005-11-02T13:28:00.001-05:00

MADDIE OUR LITTLE DIVA ROCKSTAR!

2005-11-02T13:28:00.000-05:00

SPIDERMAN...oops I mean GRIFFIN!

DO YOU LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRARIE?

2005-10-28T11:15:00.000-05:00

This is probably my all time favorite TV show. I remember running home from school to watch reruns of Little House at 3:00 every day. Now i get to watch it with my kids every day! They love it just like I did. If you are a true die hard fan, you can watch it up to 6 times a day on 3 different channels. It is on twice in the morning on the Hallmark Channel, 9&10am then again on the same channel at 2&3pm. THen right after at 4pm it is on WHME and then later in the evening on TV Land. We usually catch it for sure in the mornings and if there is nothing interesting on in the afternoons, we watch it then too. I figure it can't hurt to watch a show about God, love, good moral values and great lessons more than a few times a day. Maddie loves it! So if you are looking for a great show to watch with your kids, remember a good old show from when we were young, back when TV was worth watching as a family, when you weren't afraid what your kids might see on TV.

WHICH SWORD DO YOU LIVE BY?

2005-10-26T10:19:00.000-05:00

Hello! I am back. I have taken some time to try to regroup and figure out some things about my life. A question that keeps coming up to me is, Which sword do you live by? Do you live by the sword of Justice or Injustice? Do you live with a fighting sword for love, family and faith? Or is it the fighting sword of anger, hate and persecution? There seems to be so much of the latter sword in this world. Why aren't we fighting with the "BRAVEHEART" sword as Jesus calls us to do? I love the picture to the right. It is a picture of Jesus lowering the sword of anger, hate and persecution. Are we calling on Him to do that in our own lives? I am guilty of having anger and hate in my thoughts, words and actions, we all are. Why can't we lean in, ask Him to lift up our hands and fight with the swords of righteousness and love? I have been praying about this a lot. I have a niece Kayla in Iraq right now. I just receiveid a letter from her and she said she has had some close calls lately where her camp has been under attack. Yesterday we hit a record 2000 lost lives over there...and for what? I could go on and on about the war in Iraq but I will choose to abstain from that argument for now. I just ask you, What Sword Do You Live By?

2005-10-13T20:31:00.000-05:00

My Gorgeous Husband at Crooked Creek

MEET OUR TWO KITTYS

2005-10-11T13:14:00.000-05:00

This is Newman & Gus. They are a part of our already big family. We adopted them 1 year ago this October 30th. They have two totaly different personalities. Gus is skiddish but will come up to your feet when you enter the kitchen, or if you are new to the house, will greet you with some rubs and sniffs. Newman does not like strangers, but loves us. He is more like a dog. He will not leave you alone unless you pet him. He even drinks from the toilet....gross! We also have a very cute but very big Saint Bernard named Lucky. He is outside. He is very hairy and slobbery....gross! But he is very cute!

2005-10-11T13:13:00.001-05:00

NEWMAN....WHAT DO YOU THINK HE'S DOING?

2005-10-11T13:13:00.000-05:00

THIS IS GUS....

SOME IMPACTFUL MESSAGES

2005-10-07T09:53:00.000-05:00

I am currently listening to a message called "Calling" by Gary Barkalow, part of the Ransomed Heart Team. It is about deciphering the mystery of your life. Here is the trailer on the cd package:
Could we have been brought into an Epic Story where the way we live really doesn't matter? Could we have been given an irreplaceable part to play but the Author refuses to tell what it is? Our hearts sink with the fear that the answer may be "yes" because of the way we have experieinced life and God. But the true answer is a resounding and definite "no." Why can't we find the life we were created to live if it is simply a matter of discovering our personality type and spiritual gifts and them matching them to the needs of the church and the world? And if you have done that,why does it feel so life-less or life-taking? God has already given you a map to your particular place in this Larger Story. It is as Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn said, "Many lives have a mystical sense but not everyone reads it right. More often than not, it is given to us in cryptic form, and when we fail to decipher it, we despair because our lives seem meaningless." Building off the message of The Sacred Romance & The Journey of Desire, Gary sheds light on interpreting the mysterious code written on our hearts leading us to our place in The Story.

Pretty cool eh? It is a good follow up for me after attending Captivating. I heard my calling from God, now I need to learn how to follow His call for me in my life. Another impactful item i have recently come across is a movie out on DVD called CRASH. If you have not seen the movie yet....SEE IT!! It was very good. I wasn't sure of it at first, but once it got going, it hit hard! IT is about how we all collide into one another in life and also about how racism impacts all of us. It is a challenging and thought provoking film.....SEE IT!

BLASPHEMY OR NOT?

2005-10-04T16:11:00.000-05:00

I came across this site in Rolling Stone Magazine. I looked it up simply because I was VERY curious...you would not believe what I found. The Bible completely done in LEGOS! Yes, that's right, LEGOS. I am not sure quite frankly what to think about this. This guy who made this spent about $10,000.00 to create his epic "Brick Testament" RS says, he is 32 and says he is avowed atheist but this is simply to explore the Scriptures not to mock them. I looked at some of the pictures, not all, I was shocked but yet amazed at the creative view of this. It says it took him about 4 years to stage and photograph it all.....You be the judge......let me know what your views are..... http://thereverend.com/brick_testament

THE LAST DAY OF CAPTIVATING

2005-10-04T13:32:00.000-05:00

Well here are the details and pics from the last day at Captivating. The day did not start off very well. I woke up at 4:00am very sick. As I look back on that morning, I truly believe that it was my bodys way of realeasing all of the toxins and junk I had to get rid of and leave their. I had such a break though the day before and I think it was my body and spirits way of releasing all of it. As you can see, there are no pictures of surise from that day...too sick! But there are pics of the frozen trees that we woke up to. The sprinklers were left on and it caused the trees to freeze. IT was beautiful! The last day is always sad. You know it is over, you must say your good byes, and it is back to reality, back to flat land! Towards the end of the pictures you will find a very unique house, it is usually known as the "Jetson house" but it is officially named the "Sculptured House" It is a land mark on I-70. I love it. If you want to know more about it click on this link..... www.kentwoodhomestour.com/sculpturedhouse/sculpture1.html
It is an amazing home!
IF you go a bit further down on the pictures, you will see a cloud that is shaped like a heart. This is very significant to me. Last year when we pulled on to the road that leads to the Denver Airport, their was another cloud shaped like a heart...this year...the same thing....it is like God is saying, you may be leaving here, but here is my heart to take with you. HE is so good! My Daddy loves me!

2005-10-04T13:29:00.000-05:00

MERRI & JULIE

2005-10-04T13:28:00.000-05:00

GOD'S SPLENDOR

2005-10-04T13:27:00.001-05:00

THE FROZEN TREES

2005-10-04T13:27:00.000-05:00

wow!

2005-10-04T13:26:00.001-05:00

Marvelous

2005-10-04T13:26:00.000-05:00

O' Christmas Tree

2005-10-04T13:25:00.000-05:00

Morning the last day

2005-10-04T13:24:00.001-05:00

The pines from my spot....

2005-10-04T13:24:00.000-05:00

MERRI & MOJGAN (my angel on Earth)

2005-10-04T13:23:00.001-05:00

MERRI & JENNY

2005-10-04T13:23:00.000-05:00

JENNY & BLYTHE

2005-10-04T13:22:00.001-05:00

DEBBIE & MERRI

2005-10-04T13:22:00.000-05:00

CAREY & MERRI

2005-10-04T13:21:00.001-05:00

THE FEARLESS FOUR!

2005-10-04T13:21:00.000-05:00

One of the Young Life Crew guys..he helped us with our bags and hooking us up at the High Ropes

2005-10-04T13:20:00.000-05:00

The Continental Divide

2005-10-04T13:19:00.001-05:00

View from HWY 40

2005-10-04T13:19:00.000-05:00

The huge crater

2005-10-04T13:18:00.000-05:00

The changing of the Aspens.....

2005-10-04T13:17:00.000-05:00

The Jetson's house ...can you see it? See pic below!