tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46721591416557286422024-03-12T20:49:27.317-06:00Fifteen Minutes of DelusionAn attempt to connect with the world at large -
fifteen minutes at a time.Donhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17369952902975144773noreply@blogger.comBlogger620125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4672159141655728642.post-10858087378210992362014-10-05T16:43:00.000-06:002014-10-05T19:55:41.603-06:00Home Improvement - Paint and VinylWhen we first moved into our home back in 2006, we spent painfully large sums of time and money remodeling in order to remove and replace things Kara was allergic to - things like carpet, pine, and medium-density fiberboard.<br>
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Once that work was done, we pretty much left everything alone, except when a major crisis forced our hand. (See the posts tagged <a href="http://15minutesofdelusion.blogspot.com/search/label/home%20improvement">Home Improvement</a> for the complete saga.)<br>
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Recently, however, we have been making a few small changes that we <b>want</b> to make.<br>
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A couple of months ago, we painted the living room a rich, milk-chocolate shade of brown and replaced the curtains. And yesterday, we finally hung some cut vinyl patterns that we made, based on traditional Hawaiian quilt patterns.<br>
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Take a look at the result:<br>
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<br>Donhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17369952902975144773noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4672159141655728642.post-76342196487027401442014-09-26T18:19:00.001-06:002014-10-05T13:39:39.243-06:00Pizza is a big deal<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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Here at the Carey house, pizza is a big deal. Every Friday, we make two or three or five, and then watch a movie while we eat. </div>
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Kara recently bought me some mini deep-dish pans. </div>
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She makes her pizza with a gluten-free crust and almond cheese. </div>
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<br />Donhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17369952902975144773noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4672159141655728642.post-48449792948803378692014-09-26T08:21:00.002-06:002014-09-26T08:21:14.655-06:00So much to say...I'm starting to remember why this blog fell into disuse - I have so much I want to say, and so little time in which to say it - especially since I desperately want to not sound like a whiner-butt.<br />
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Even when I quite often feel like a whiner-butt.<br />
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It takes a lot of effort to filter and sanitize my life for public consumption - more so now than ever.<br />
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I have a lot to be thankful for, and I want to share that.<br />
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I have a lot that I really don't like in my life. I want to share that too. But I don't know how. At least not without burning all of my bridges and sounding like a whiner-butt.<br />
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Folks, we are clearly entering into the phase known as "Mid-life." I hope to manage this well enough to avoid the dreaded Mid-life Crisis.<br />
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I am trying. However, I recognize there is a very real chance I may not succeed. This scares me. The possibility of failing publicly scares me even more.<br />
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But fail or succeed, this blog needs to resume. And maybe I need to drop a filter or two and let these words be a true reflection of who I am.Donhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17369952902975144773noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4672159141655728642.post-78220661874006386412014-09-24T20:34:00.001-06:002014-09-24T20:34:42.980-06:00About time for an updateThree years is a long time for a blog to lay dormant, and we have a lot of catching up to do.<br />
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Kara has made some amazing progress in her health - we absolutely need to follow up on her story.<br />
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Anna is a senior in high school, getting ready to apply for college. Lots of adventure here.<br />
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Alyssa is now a sophomore, and making her presence known.<br />
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And me? Well, I shaved my mustache.<br />
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Let's see if we can't find those fifteen minutes again and breathe some life back into this blog.Donhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17369952902975144773noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4672159141655728642.post-75536931663055294712011-05-29T19:14:00.007-06:002011-05-29T19:33:50.047-06:00Six Flags with Sixth GradersAlyssa's school went to Six Flags a couple of weeks ago, and I went along as a chaperone.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbXdNPDbSdP2WbndqB8JM058eB5c07RByjdFgG4M0E8lDL4fuBKijdUSUg7qhwvS5N-X-Z-1mYQJXu5cXBIkX49Opjc-EB-7L6tKFIlS_ylXFJqUClUDxxLGy3EHs7Xk0ss9m7osWTHKw/s1600/DSCN3606.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbXdNPDbSdP2WbndqB8JM058eB5c07RByjdFgG4M0E8lDL4fuBKijdUSUg7qhwvS5N-X-Z-1mYQJXu5cXBIkX49Opjc-EB-7L6tKFIlS_ylXFJqUClUDxxLGy3EHs7Xk0ss9m7osWTHKw/s400/DSCN3606.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612315477785952034" border="0" /></a>Because of Alyssa's special needs, and the large number of parent volunteers that went, we were a group of two.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUK6Hr3iZaDGyRVAP1s9QvEyYaW4L4MMV9dYKIcqrdPz-c8WclPJrbRk8ZiLSZqa3mb5TnF3NFkdxJyutMj7pGmcHSsO5JO5IMmJx-xQFjMYiPKaurjPNCgalkebt0Oa6HwxcVYca7YkQ/s1600/DSCN3605.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUK6Hr3iZaDGyRVAP1s9QvEyYaW4L4MMV9dYKIcqrdPz-c8WclPJrbRk8ZiLSZqa3mb5TnF3NFkdxJyutMj7pGmcHSsO5JO5IMmJx-xQFjMYiPKaurjPNCgalkebt0Oa6HwxcVYca7YkQ/s400/DSCN3605.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612315484150152978" border="0" /></a>We hooked up with a couple of other groups for most of the day.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX78-H4qm-OvzS2MRcHu09bDT2LSXEsw4db7V1cPw2nHQtc52Fuk78jHaxuAxm8vOn4pu12g2VzFWbvBUEc-WoLMLq1yDGXDqjXhqnhlNZMXOyeU1HENhB_lX-8rVZi73c-DaNuFjkOQY/s1600/DSCN3609.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgX78-H4qm-OvzS2MRcHu09bDT2LSXEsw4db7V1cPw2nHQtc52Fuk78jHaxuAxm8vOn4pu12g2VzFWbvBUEc-WoLMLq1yDGXDqjXhqnhlNZMXOyeU1HENhB_lX-8rVZi73c-DaNuFjkOQY/s400/DSCN3609.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612315476634774722" border="0" /></a>Alyssa would not go get her picture taken with Tweety Bird and Daffy Duck.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiULmoO3Kl4gt2L8BOZdB5MBOrjYz23wZ3CHZwbYQCkPqrX0vC9ySXPdSIKXUPkrc4n1etGVXqr_urMFfD0m-UW9Yj9Bq5UmsZ7QV32IPjVLA36JHQQqwIxrYfi5QuRYUeBJHMpul-LpuA/s1600/DSCN3608.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiULmoO3Kl4gt2L8BOZdB5MBOrjYz23wZ3CHZwbYQCkPqrX0vC9ySXPdSIKXUPkrc4n1etGVXqr_urMFfD0m-UW9Yj9Bq5UmsZ7QV32IPjVLA36JHQQqwIxrYfi5QuRYUeBJHMpul-LpuA/s400/DSCN3608.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612315474766025058" border="0" /></a>She barely went over with Bugs Bunny.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj126oBxFY9nS3rIATU_YUnmnk5p1VzjaGNHgEbCfbK06l5bUSLHtzpx_RwTG8FhaRLTcSf5ya6Y4lJ96iy70cZz7uhI7K1N9HBtiNN-2ZV3ygrMlfqGTNwVuez-Srxvx2DiHnHF3UgkA/s1600/DSCN3610.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj126oBxFY9nS3rIATU_YUnmnk5p1VzjaGNHgEbCfbK06l5bUSLHtzpx_RwTG8FhaRLTcSf5ya6Y4lJ96iy70cZz7uhI7K1N9HBtiNN-2ZV3ygrMlfqGTNwVuez-Srxvx2DiHnHF3UgkA/s400/DSCN3610.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612313891216473330" border="0" /></a>They rode on the teacup ride.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixSiyGQXBfA9nawgqCOfAVchja_LtH8Vn5uKt9yMj8FuPjWDaLqsuGv8iD2EG0QswzDOwQMidjPDrmcVx7t6MUndJ3yoJzF9URbfINS33OXTqBGlQ_JhxXBp74JwVVsyxiHdeCxhjQraE/s1600/DSCN3611.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixSiyGQXBfA9nawgqCOfAVchja_LtH8Vn5uKt9yMj8FuPjWDaLqsuGv8iD2EG0QswzDOwQMidjPDrmcVx7t6MUndJ3yoJzF9URbfINS33OXTqBGlQ_JhxXBp74JwVVsyxiHdeCxhjQraE/s400/DSCN3611.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612313887171773778" border="0" /></a>And the Bucking Bronco ride.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBbzjL-YLSrjuXBaFGqOsSe5NqvyS5xklRe4e0inUldbhTrBprs-x895q4JjvRKdToa33ZcLRUytHaRQtNwNDCj7nowwMbiuHxlZmGKW1ySoLjah_u7pJCxvxUHnVAg4g1MTRyWatIaK4/s1600/DSCN3614.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBbzjL-YLSrjuXBaFGqOsSe5NqvyS5xklRe4e0inUldbhTrBprs-x895q4JjvRKdToa33ZcLRUytHaRQtNwNDCj7nowwMbiuHxlZmGKW1ySoLjah_u7pJCxvxUHnVAg4g1MTRyWatIaK4/s400/DSCN3614.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612313880889977298" border="0" /></a>And the Six Shooter swings. Shown in this picture are Alyssa, Alyssa, and Elissa. Yeah, it was fun keeping everyone straight.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbU7sYGxXBVTiNxVx40_2LkTkE-ZpVs130QCLumeMFKEgqNhFY7AMlDBvslhKqDyOwQ395QckAdJmLw3IlQb9ADrKVmymSf_k-l146LyrMPaF-FJEzX8tXmhqX-Ai33gbKIfPUBdm5XNM/s1600/DSCN3617.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbU7sYGxXBVTiNxVx40_2LkTkE-ZpVs130QCLumeMFKEgqNhFY7AMlDBvslhKqDyOwQ395QckAdJmLw3IlQb9ADrKVmymSf_k-l146LyrMPaF-FJEzX8tXmhqX-Ai33gbKIfPUBdm5XNM/s400/DSCN3617.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612313882326307586" border="0" /></a>The others all rode the recently rebuilt Texas Giant. During that half-hour, though, I sat in the train station with Alyssa laying over on my lap, asleep.<br /><br />She wouldn't ride any of the big roller coasters or the Superman or Batman, but she did want her picture taken with the Batmobile.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinBrftgjB74tsklUOVyoOIUekHP-SDrXUpg0Kt0Ul8U1gQ64NVNwLm-AgNmMU_0Qo2Xk-F2O2VZ4cQlGsnVISu69cOi-MKB5XUDiD3j_yPTUYXiyuBZmEwYSxE9H3alpvpRvi4eoBYwzY/s1600/DSCN3621.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinBrftgjB74tsklUOVyoOIUekHP-SDrXUpg0Kt0Ul8U1gQ64NVNwLm-AgNmMU_0Qo2Xk-F2O2VZ4cQlGsnVISu69cOi-MKB5XUDiD3j_yPTUYXiyuBZmEwYSxE9H3alpvpRvi4eoBYwzY/s400/DSCN3621.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5612313877391107970" border="0" /></a>I think I'll set one of my books at Six Flags. That way I can get a season pass, go back over and over again, and call it research.Donhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17369952902975144773noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4672159141655728642.post-26944259232706005802011-05-29T19:14:00.001-06:002011-05-29T19:14:37.564-06:00Donhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17369952902975144773noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4672159141655728642.post-15203825330446562612011-04-24T16:33:00.004-06:002011-04-24T16:46:14.719-06:00Easter 2011Just a quick post to share some pictures of the girls in their 2011 Easter dresses and new shoes. This is Alyssa's first set of heels (1.5") and she's doing quite well with them.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbeF1_ITa_PUPoutwSr2vPuobaWXoFr02rnRkRWYDLulD3A3bh4rWiIUsP8AOfhRdMfl70QmGBqdbLbekOuHzulxrlSG8yA2a26PFMTD-eSSGJGqiREAsaSPDAyrrMBt4yVfQId_AfcaM/s1600/DSCN3539.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbeF1_ITa_PUPoutwSr2vPuobaWXoFr02rnRkRWYDLulD3A3bh4rWiIUsP8AOfhRdMfl70QmGBqdbLbekOuHzulxrlSG8yA2a26PFMTD-eSSGJGqiREAsaSPDAyrrMBt4yVfQId_AfcaM/s400/DSCN3539.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599284707675253522" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUjRx4mLiKf71uF3eA3W2NoMjJO4G4w869rqH2IWCZwvTKAC1IHaiGGQMoV10F2DqYLifkv6-oustqWLkApBuNXV6Arrma0AT3mdpjSBKthRz_dihemWgMEUBDmYrpl-So8I98hq0qhyphenhyphenY/s1600/DSCN3537.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUjRx4mLiKf71uF3eA3W2NoMjJO4G4w869rqH2IWCZwvTKAC1IHaiGGQMoV10F2DqYLifkv6-oustqWLkApBuNXV6Arrma0AT3mdpjSBKthRz_dihemWgMEUBDmYrpl-So8I98hq0qhyphenhyphenY/s400/DSCN3537.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599284705372543074" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2oVlctzHTho1VfxrthQxrACkU8AFhSP9k5qo4DGvQOjqkuEjGBjXqtjpFRI48SVGvgkyftcHPX42UIXmYUNOzH8qDDqS2ovGUbXzSb-EHLxqXYte80RZyaaerBBiSVjD9PpeQDNMZGLY/s1600/DSCN3534.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2oVlctzHTho1VfxrthQxrACkU8AFhSP9k5qo4DGvQOjqkuEjGBjXqtjpFRI48SVGvgkyftcHPX42UIXmYUNOzH8qDDqS2ovGUbXzSb-EHLxqXYte80RZyaaerBBiSVjD9PpeQDNMZGLY/s400/DSCN3534.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599284699084915362" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8XBZerb-DUUKzuQuiif2hFNxmGs0MplUEZgHo0gbMjriU5CzQlYZpKRUI7s8PdZO-6tSUJ-4kMJ0c21kJpo8XD_TxsTDFjuX-eoFMVmmujFZRDBLt9ZJOWNCwIbJQYHiwcYU_nOboAfk/s1600/DSCN3533.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8XBZerb-DUUKzuQuiif2hFNxmGs0MplUEZgHo0gbMjriU5CzQlYZpKRUI7s8PdZO-6tSUJ-4kMJ0c21kJpo8XD_TxsTDFjuX-eoFMVmmujFZRDBLt9ZJOWNCwIbJQYHiwcYU_nOboAfk/s400/DSCN3533.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599284696571240898" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2i5QJ6VSajXBVxwdI3DwMAgrPhXLVwvKZs0b-lJPTJDFUOBku0BeuC7j51SOzn1XyJTVANc7HvHiDYHY2XGsLdLeQX0tItSLaf8fFc7ZZnNpGETRae94bMgs5QRUpbgcq6BAZldVuE74/s1600/DSCN3530.JPG"><br /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-JCoKN3ObxiwRJAPWS8lVRQkSCtxf-DYsJenkTKUgsxAVrWa9rxmrEh0UzQVRMMGJcKm56uv2bjtJnGhntjXZ5IgADGeY3BBVMaI96Zb5cJEqThV9Rz4DWEqtyoHOaUhw-_WosFlq38s/s1600/DSCN3531.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-JCoKN3ObxiwRJAPWS8lVRQkSCtxf-DYsJenkTKUgsxAVrWa9rxmrEh0UzQVRMMGJcKm56uv2bjtJnGhntjXZ5IgADGeY3BBVMaI96Zb5cJEqThV9Rz4DWEqtyoHOaUhw-_WosFlq38s/s400/DSCN3531.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599283109208434322" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSq28UYVlT3R2AxXxnma4aYed2Icg5a7-EaeAunfgW5CCNYFflA8S-qf5pPxxEFgMnhdmVLKLXNYlodzIs4pS4sjo-vaPUyJ9YjYRiLF4LcfuuVqSaXJrLRYaQmSVc7AFcPKdcKtbksCc/s1600/DSCN3530.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSq28UYVlT3R2AxXxnma4aYed2Icg5a7-EaeAunfgW5CCNYFflA8S-qf5pPxxEFgMnhdmVLKLXNYlodzIs4pS4sjo-vaPUyJ9YjYRiLF4LcfuuVqSaXJrLRYaQmSVc7AFcPKdcKtbksCc/s400/DSCN3530.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599283107179996434" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRlvL5d7RJ4wxzErh8KsQYByD92heOpNv6aUYdyuZKmKQrGugyMswYSPId_LZhPr51gzardKUo_DkSzQS3bSGfpagGN2RrdV8mhIuwXES9seSivh68ZwZ3KBpZnH2nTdb3z9jZCIdQniQ/s1600/DSCN3525.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRlvL5d7RJ4wxzErh8KsQYByD92heOpNv6aUYdyuZKmKQrGugyMswYSPId_LZhPr51gzardKUo_DkSzQS3bSGfpagGN2RrdV8mhIuwXES9seSivh68ZwZ3KBpZnH2nTdb3z9jZCIdQniQ/s400/DSCN3525.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599283102768336946" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBXZNj1LIflDMzdw4L1bmUnNgF5iS1jz4mwasfKSnPTLmXCmXN2q_syQiUrTsZIUvfbOMpVae9US2puvBihx0fdj3RxvY94Zq1pv67H9TOg5MqJiTZoL21KXX0dD2XqkOOYG_HcAbGd5E/s1600/DSCN3524.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBXZNj1LIflDMzdw4L1bmUnNgF5iS1jz4mwasfKSnPTLmXCmXN2q_syQiUrTsZIUvfbOMpVae9US2puvBihx0fdj3RxvY94Zq1pv67H9TOg5MqJiTZoL21KXX0dD2XqkOOYG_HcAbGd5E/s400/DSCN3524.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5599283095759372450" border="0" /></a>Donhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17369952902975144773noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4672159141655728642.post-83609269999514680512011-04-17T10:15:00.003-06:002011-04-17T10:28:59.297-06:00Some Pictures from the WeekendHere are a few pictures from this weekend.<br /><br />I had a book signing at Moon's LDS Bookstore in Dallas yesterday. This is my setup, with chocolate macadamia nuts, bookmarks, and paper airplanes that I fold for the kids. It was a great signing, although I didn't sell as many books as last time. Maybe it's because I wore the blue shirt instead of the red one.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsNdM2TBnxIq4OK8ozZDEDVgdL-h7NFK2FtktW8N4Z6dnmjr48iE-tw7kh2iZl0iukh6zlEN2-EsiLwXGypgJcPW3k1WRElnKUlFuT-g2OK1pCST1WXmeDufhd2lbk5MrfHPKCQn9pmeU/s1600/DSCN3493.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsNdM2TBnxIq4OK8ozZDEDVgdL-h7NFK2FtktW8N4Z6dnmjr48iE-tw7kh2iZl0iukh6zlEN2-EsiLwXGypgJcPW3k1WRElnKUlFuT-g2OK1pCST1WXmeDufhd2lbk5MrfHPKCQn9pmeU/s400/DSCN3493.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596588627734726370" border="0" /></a>Coming up next month, there will be a piece about me in the BYU-Hawaii eNewsletter, and they asked if we had a family picture. It's been a long, long time since we've had our picture made (that's how they say it here in Texas) so this was a good excuse for us to take some.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwrHPmXZRYNmRVWPBims0NO9V3uBTLEO4sB3ZldK3rIqJjslhKWiOYPMOHOoRdQuEnXF68TcdH05kiEDEaGmVj8ob97tA7yn3VtYmyaUrxWPZsEztR855MX7P5kD1I_lYLxT7b3K3Armc/s1600/DSCN3503.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwrHPmXZRYNmRVWPBims0NO9V3uBTLEO4sB3ZldK3rIqJjslhKWiOYPMOHOoRdQuEnXF68TcdH05kiEDEaGmVj8ob97tA7yn3VtYmyaUrxWPZsEztR855MX7P5kD1I_lYLxT7b3K3Armc/s400/DSCN3503.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596588638680515970" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilOZglhMRZE62SvxAroIGlHcDHoItcmczhk6dsdkVbr-gJ5tuGgJWOEgGPQPvQC0G4z93chqGKhSA7_D3gHROz3LWxaqBArSeULvi2LZ-khBG6pw6cKYLxuGqsNmWowGIWo-oAhxCsdc4/s1600/DSCN3505.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilOZglhMRZE62SvxAroIGlHcDHoItcmczhk6dsdkVbr-gJ5tuGgJWOEgGPQPvQC0G4z93chqGKhSA7_D3gHROz3LWxaqBArSeULvi2LZ-khBG6pw6cKYLxuGqsNmWowGIWo-oAhxCsdc4/s400/DSCN3505.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596588651323497874" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwRzxeoafb3H_FaLdUeIzwYw0nMeQaBcjn_VUeFcmswa51eYV4MOTkTHG_oDx61PeKvB3T3X4OEPXGzXAXTq4EHole8iPzfBmvHIGq9HYh1FaQ5fB65TowOLFKBJqSuhtCKvmuXE3gANI/s1600/DSCN3506.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwRzxeoafb3H_FaLdUeIzwYw0nMeQaBcjn_VUeFcmswa51eYV4MOTkTHG_oDx61PeKvB3T3X4OEPXGzXAXTq4EHole8iPzfBmvHIGq9HYh1FaQ5fB65TowOLFKBJqSuhtCKvmuXE3gANI/s400/DSCN3506.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5596588659249862418" border="0" /></a>Donhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17369952902975144773noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4672159141655728642.post-7191599791219019192011-04-03T12:35:00.009-06:002011-04-03T13:10:49.002-06:00The Very Hungry CaterpillarOne of our favorite books when the girls were young was Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar, about a little bug who ate and ate and grew and grew until he became a beautiful butterfly.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-aOAx2oxW01DgDOpXWLhJlDXqjY3SGzTR-y3ZKd-Y0GXzM4HVGCbtkrOORhzBtg8x_omKPu4pkWScl7fJAh6CPF7e4Ov-3M0lrRgwJ6zWbVOsYoZVyWCY_zuPLaMLzurmgz7Rhw4GXQ8/s1600/the-very-hungry-caterpillar-01.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-aOAx2oxW01DgDOpXWLhJlDXqjY3SGzTR-y3ZKd-Y0GXzM4HVGCbtkrOORhzBtg8x_omKPu4pkWScl7fJAh6CPF7e4Ov-3M0lrRgwJ6zWbVOsYoZVyWCY_zuPLaMLzurmgz7Rhw4GXQ8/s400/the-very-hungry-caterpillar-01.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591436105592545634" border="0" /></a>Oops--did I just give away the ending?<br /><br />Anyway, we've had our own very hungry caterpillar at the house this year--Alyssa. Take a look at this back-to-school photo of her with Anna, from just this past August.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2s2mwlpX9ONiyOo9v0FPuJyPC78TI3hEAZFs9BP-d6jv1-D4DTXuViVsjnPiERy8PirWV1Ssm0jEq9xiVqoilmcKUlwsPhFeTyiH0Yw7_KhxB0efn_bXKKSSNFSW0m3rzAchE8WGAmsM/s1600/Back+To+School+011.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2s2mwlpX9ONiyOo9v0FPuJyPC78TI3hEAZFs9BP-d6jv1-D4DTXuViVsjnPiERy8PirWV1Ssm0jEq9xiVqoilmcKUlwsPhFeTyiH0Yw7_KhxB0efn_bXKKSSNFSW0m3rzAchE8WGAmsM/s400/Back+To+School+011.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508755506170604690" border="0" /></a>Now compare that to this photo, taken one week ago.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTbzKhQQMUp889bPwwcLdz0VUBLashAPTiFRxSehyphenhyphenyU4Lvm9oEdGg4HQfuxQBIlEn5WXrsX9ht2vmUNjgntdwf457CAHd7D_eWeibALpZY9DR-Qrf0cTzjGvZCwy4wmbDUZQ4j3aoAg2o/s1600/DSCN3453.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTbzKhQQMUp889bPwwcLdz0VUBLashAPTiFRxSehyphenhyphenyU4Lvm9oEdGg4HQfuxQBIlEn5WXrsX9ht2vmUNjgntdwf457CAHd7D_eWeibALpZY9DR-Qrf0cTzjGvZCwy4wmbDUZQ4j3aoAg2o/s400/DSCN3453.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591430013099475202" border="0" /></a>Hmm. Maybe it's not so obvious, since Anna's wearing heels. Pardon me for one moment while I make the girls take another picture.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDVAa08dHwooUe8lkGyzbzmeXqHu5gJ0j0F669gMfMnG8pB-c4K-mW8wrC3MeKCUAWxEMEg_4Sh_NFNz-Sbr_shwVH8K9RC0mpPifzzwQnGOQpMdoFSi5BpQUSt7jMyoSeGV0MBC2xK2w/s1600/DSCN3479.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDVAa08dHwooUe8lkGyzbzmeXqHu5gJ0j0F669gMfMnG8pB-c4K-mW8wrC3MeKCUAWxEMEg_4Sh_NFNz-Sbr_shwVH8K9RC0mpPifzzwQnGOQpMdoFSi5BpQUSt7jMyoSeGV0MBC2xK2w/s400/DSCN3479.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5591434804822565378" border="0" /></a>She's grown at least two inches; maybe even three. In fact, she's grown so much she's taken over a bunch of Anna's clothes.<br /><br />Yes, our girls are growing up.Donhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17369952902975144773noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4672159141655728642.post-17733724564225095732011-03-30T07:43:00.007-06:002011-03-30T08:11:57.390-06:00Testing, Testing. Is This Thing On?In case you hadn't noticed based on the bloggy silence, these last few months have been incredibly busy around here, and unfortunately this blog has taken a big hit. I really want to continue posting here, as it's a great way to keep in touch and share with everyone. No promises, but I'm going to give it my best shot.<br /><br />There are two big changes in my life that have provided a major scarcity in free time.<br /><br />The first is a change in my work responsibilities. I'm still a software engineer for Onyx Graphics in Utah, working from home. However, rather than just working on whatever the product manager gives me to do, I <span style="font-weight: bold;">am</span> the product manager in a way. Each of us driver developers now have a handful of device manufacturers that we are responsible for, both developing the code and managing the relationship.<br /><br />One of the things this means is more work related travel. I took four work trips in all of 2010. I've already been on three this year, and will likely have some 20 or so by the time 2011 is over.<br /><br />This is a big change, but on balance I think a very good one. I've long felt that being on-site with our partners returns a big benefit, and now we're going to try this in practice.<br /><br />The other big change has been the publication of my novel, Bumpy Landings.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiESdb0SYGKxUCCCMttnaYYLqvO6g2a4EdiKWKjF142ccGYTbteCQrjPovwwyguc9qxkTndUs5nbof8WTQ2CiwJtAUZuvJ6yfds8aJDxUQe_HZjE-W0nl__Yg9Vnz7njVBxeFg2VQPQrrk/s1600/Bumpy+Landings+arrival+001.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiESdb0SYGKxUCCCMttnaYYLqvO6g2a4EdiKWKjF142ccGYTbteCQrjPovwwyguc9qxkTndUs5nbof8WTQ2CiwJtAUZuvJ6yfds8aJDxUQe_HZjE-W0nl__Yg9Vnz7njVBxeFg2VQPQrrk/s400/Bumpy+Landings+arrival+001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589872668025898098" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5fZVxr-7V23U2XNU9vf_iDwjQv_ObodTuEGU_gGtVqXdejTbAZ4apw5nA9RZBkFitzUcBEd8mAAsCehN6AKOpWywj1d10oUWWP8VJrx63oMk200CN2SCv8wxotyFLW22tyHAup5mXVXY/s1600/Bumpy+Landings+arrival+003.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5fZVxr-7V23U2XNU9vf_iDwjQv_ObodTuEGU_gGtVqXdejTbAZ4apw5nA9RZBkFitzUcBEd8mAAsCehN6AKOpWywj1d10oUWWP8VJrx63oMk200CN2SCv8wxotyFLW22tyHAup5mXVXY/s400/Bumpy+Landings+arrival+003.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589872673745316434" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHRGJAFTJcVzOFU15M-HC7BSzd-Ba_SkfNsfLQRbMHlUwhI9yiUx9Bl2NGa0AmUq_p54rg8VpwyX3aXcyijjnuERZ0N9RafGLT9pLFt4rvCk_G0uC7vM4M8XDv4SrhAV18bDVh_msQN8w/s1600/Bumpy+Landings+arrival+011.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHRGJAFTJcVzOFU15M-HC7BSzd-Ba_SkfNsfLQRbMHlUwhI9yiUx9Bl2NGa0AmUq_p54rg8VpwyX3aXcyijjnuERZ0N9RafGLT9pLFt4rvCk_G0uC7vM4M8XDv4SrhAV18bDVh_msQN8w/s400/Bumpy+Landings+arrival+011.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589875288949328594" border="0" /></a>My book came out in January, and is doing pretty well. It's taking quite a bit of work to get the word out, but it's been a lot of fun, too. You can read about some of the many things I've been doing, including my <a href="http://donaldjcarey.com/2011/01/bumpy-landings-book-launch.html">launch party</a>, <a href="http://donaldjcarey.com/2011/02/bumpy-landings-blog-tour-wrap-up.html">blog tour</a>, and <a href="http://donaldjcarey.com/2011/02/all-in-the-name-of-research.html">promotional trip to Hawai'i</a>, over on my writing blog.<br /><br />I'll be doing a book signing at Pioneer Book in Orem, Utah, on Monday, April 4th, from 5:30-7:30. If you're in the area, stop by and say "Hi!"Donhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17369952902975144773noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4672159141655728642.post-1675254751094398282010-09-12T15:21:00.002-06:002010-09-14T05:53:12.185-06:00WARNING! Teen In the House.Last weekend, our oldest child became a teenager.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYtibLjl1tuyaPZ5ZYuf6IqYJu31a5jV8hba2LfGvmo2qwUh49g_eRx4rtT727SXkrWbqdX5JolviUIYlZiTTgMXPLcBX6RtpSXck8O6PicJGmEkSGcw0qdYphu3rJvRBt-Cb9DpO8DZY/s1600/Anna+Birthday+018.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYtibLjl1tuyaPZ5ZYuf6IqYJu31a5jV8hba2LfGvmo2qwUh49g_eRx4rtT727SXkrWbqdX5JolviUIYlZiTTgMXPLcBX6RtpSXck8O6PicJGmEkSGcw0qdYphu3rJvRBt-Cb9DpO8DZY/s400/Anna+Birthday+018.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516735307948854114" border="0" /></a>The transition came without a lot of fanfare. There was, however, soup.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigdH1qcWiuCIJwreAHRP0b00sXiSJOF9S_K8sKRvjJd0o5VnEtBRyuJgPdt6JTq_sFRs8SLZFa58PvfLiYfcft5qMM32l1Ook6spp7f-F-fBdkBoaNt44pPrbWR6LOmn0ygqd_XieFwlk/s1600/Anna+Birthday+004.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigdH1qcWiuCIJwreAHRP0b00sXiSJOF9S_K8sKRvjJd0o5VnEtBRyuJgPdt6JTq_sFRs8SLZFa58PvfLiYfcft5qMM32l1Ook6spp7f-F-fBdkBoaNt44pPrbWR6LOmn0ygqd_XieFwlk/s400/Anna+Birthday+004.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516734307435268946" border="0" /></a>Only the birthday girl could get a way with asking for soup when it's 100 degrees outside.<br /><br />There was cake, too.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr0XJDcIIFxXkGgWvN0RIwqNtsluZ3tj1yISIAey7ssI5FMt7PcVda9i-lTX5jBBWVOWLADj8hFgoKGT_M-Dd-zQ-pLLVxGOLwnGxiDJV-s9DHQyj_veujyFn8rr6iKRx59KrB6B_5Ffw/s1600/Anna+Birthday+023.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr0XJDcIIFxXkGgWvN0RIwqNtsluZ3tj1yISIAey7ssI5FMt7PcVda9i-lTX5jBBWVOWLADj8hFgoKGT_M-Dd-zQ-pLLVxGOLwnGxiDJV-s9DHQyj_veujyFn8rr6iKRx59KrB6B_5Ffw/s400/Anna+Birthday+023.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516735319174849474" border="0" /></a>Lemon cake with lemon icing.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpvgWV0tycl1X-njhi8iQPJkrGYSAlHEqutBZbkdPFTMUWfxHtNeqFXFHSPph1C52EjNgPYu3LKOaBA5FylL0wflrYSOIx77CtF7uEf8cCHq-hTH87485TfiPPlLt1D4TKOwT6QrANCWo/s1600/Anna+Birthday+020.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpvgWV0tycl1X-njhi8iQPJkrGYSAlHEqutBZbkdPFTMUWfxHtNeqFXFHSPph1C52EjNgPYu3LKOaBA5FylL0wflrYSOIx77CtF7uEf8cCHq-hTH87485TfiPPlLt1D4TKOwT6QrANCWo/s400/Anna+Birthday+020.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516735318167822034" border="0" /></a>Not quite the candle inferno her parents' birthdays cause, but she's getting there.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirpEOgnRWYKkuQnMHbgJGOwz55qNl9vQgSI1qAext30UsUgd33g2fFa_Z5ObR1fFuNAbjYNFoD3LTxddCK98p3BJp51_dsdupPgQYsfNuHGIA_DUtjHU6Wle2UxefeUsgseQXCrs-fY4o/s1600/Anna+Birthday+025.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirpEOgnRWYKkuQnMHbgJGOwz55qNl9vQgSI1qAext30UsUgd33g2fFa_Z5ObR1fFuNAbjYNFoD3LTxddCK98p3BJp51_dsdupPgQYsfNuHGIA_DUtjHU6Wle2UxefeUsgseQXCrs-fY4o/s400/Anna+Birthday+025.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516735329700154722" border="0" /></a>And, of course, presents.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4quYCLsiYsGVVmf0FFjYtAdUR7X74oL-8m_be4Dy1Dhsh3tGzT2vYUUbnHsIbdt44m0yyBKdBELvV5VGiMbA6Hpd3teL7CTji_P4fB8_ysMY_mkHLsxtLAPij5i8OLn_sogY_DbsASEI/s1600/Anna+Birthday+012.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4quYCLsiYsGVVmf0FFjYtAdUR7X74oL-8m_be4Dy1Dhsh3tGzT2vYUUbnHsIbdt44m0yyBKdBELvV5VGiMbA6Hpd3teL7CTji_P4fB8_ysMY_mkHLsxtLAPij5i8OLn_sogY_DbsASEI/s400/Anna+Birthday+012.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516734311375874514" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtWYoJ5jrZaPRCGqs742OOSkPltx-NRKTtL9pHj0DYAJBkLN87H2PSuESN9DMOBv-HfUxdQ7Gki_KqSmlvByRhAia6E4DTNIZBH57F-kjOffnvlJP-ZGki8Nuo3TioOSpvMXy8Ucd7ssA/s1600/Anna+Birthday+014.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtWYoJ5jrZaPRCGqs742OOSkPltx-NRKTtL9pHj0DYAJBkLN87H2PSuESN9DMOBv-HfUxdQ7Gki_KqSmlvByRhAia6E4DTNIZBH57F-kjOffnvlJP-ZGki8Nuo3TioOSpvMXy8Ucd7ssA/s400/Anna+Birthday+014.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516734322121828546" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3h8r59ui1iaQSb1tXqBeKDiu6W7LGjCz3mee6LqzYSQpDX4bBj486tTrMR7XCPfdQqrLSshYDhJO8rw9sVHPUNGyVM3hh9CukdYlGhO6CV2j5JZa6a-V0hynglopWS3W3Lhli754g0qc/s1600/Anna+Birthday+013.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3h8r59ui1iaQSb1tXqBeKDiu6W7LGjCz3mee6LqzYSQpDX4bBj486tTrMR7XCPfdQqrLSshYDhJO8rw9sVHPUNGyVM3hh9CukdYlGhO6CV2j5JZa6a-V0hynglopWS3W3Lhli754g0qc/s400/Anna+Birthday+013.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5516734315905545442" border="0" /></a>Happy Birthday, Anna. We love you.Donhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17369952902975144773noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4672159141655728642.post-16089475502455702622010-08-29T18:24:00.002-06:002010-08-29T18:26:40.378-06:00A Shirt With Magic And Aloha<strong>My blogging friend <a href="http://crashtestdummydiaries.blogspot.com/">Crash </a>is collecting fabric for a wonderful Magic Quilt project. The idea is to collect fabric that has a story attached, and make those magical swatches into a quilt. (<a href="http://themagicquilt.blogspot.com/2009/01/big-exciting-announcement.html">Click here to find out what the quilts are for and why they are magic.</a>)</strong><br /><br /><strong>This is the shirt and the story I decided to send in:</strong><br /><br /><a href="http://donaldjcarey.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Magic-Shirt.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-415" title="Magic Shirt" src="http://donaldjcarey.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/Magic-Shirt-1024x768.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="450" /></a><br /><br />Given the circumstances, a trip to Hawaii seemed like a very selfish move. My wife was living half a continent away so she could get medical treatment, and my two young girls were finishing their last year of school in Utah before we were to sell the house and move away from our vital support network of family and friends.<br /><br />Yet given the circumstances, a touch of selfishness was just what I needed. And twentieth high school reunions only come once in a lifetime. So with assurances from both heaven and earth that my loved ones would be well taken care of in my absence, I boarded a plane for Honolulu.<br /><br />Near the top of my list was the task to find an Aloha shirt or two – a classy one like the kind I’d grown up with. After searching high and low, I found two.<br /><br />My contribution to the Magic Quilt is one of them.<br /><br />The months that followed this short, personal vacation were by far the toughest of my life. With any luck the future won’t hold any even remotely that hard.<br /><br />My wife was sick, and had been for years. We didn’t know what was wrong, other than she had a list of symptoms as long as all of our arms, and the doctors couldn’t find anything in her battery of tests. Headaches, tremors, neuropathy, and brain fog joined fatigue, sensitivity to everyday chemicals, and drastic, unexplained weight loss. The best we could do was find costly, time-consuming band-aids that would slow the symptoms, but solid answers were few and far between.<br /><br />My role in this adventure was to be Superman. Hold down a job, take care of two small children, help my wife find answers, and keep the family afloat. The only way I could see to do this was to sell our dream home, pay off our six-digit medical debt, and move our family to a Texas where my wife had found some promising treatments.<br /><br />I wore this shirt as I packed the house, loaded the moving truck, and drove to Texas. I wore it to hundreds of appointments with dozens of different doctors. I wore it while trying desperately to provide two little girls a normal life amidst utterly insane circumstances. I wore it to writing conferences where I tried to find a little bit of normal for myself.<br /><br />I wore it to the hospital where my wife lay dying of malnutrition, despite bottle after bottle of nutrients being pumped into her veins. I wore this shirt as I pleaded with heaven to spare her life – if not for me, then for our children.<br /><br />And I wore it when those prayers were answered.<br /><br />I wore it to the doctor who figured out why my wife couldn’t digest her food, and found the one enzyme that would work for her. I wore it to the doctor who diagnosed our whole family as having Lyme disease.<br /><br />I wore it as I watched my wife gain dozens of pounds. I wore it as I helped her move home, and later join us on our first family vacation in years.<br /><br />I wore it until the edges tattered and the seams ripped out and I couldn’t wear it any more.<br /><br />I wore it until only the magic was left. The magic, and the Aloha.<br /><br />And now I’m sending it to you, so the magic can help someone else.<br /><br />God bless you.<br /><br />Don CareyDonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17369952902975144773noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4672159141655728642.post-33611801375040144512010-08-23T17:32:00.007-06:002010-08-23T17:52:48.234-06:00Good-bye Summer - Hello, SchoolWe survived summer vacation. Woo!<br /><br />Actually, Anna had a pretty good summer. Alyssa, on the other hand, contracted a serious case of boredom. She also had the munchies like crazy, and grew over an inch since April. Woah!<br /><br />The girls both had end-of-summer swim parties for church, but I was only able to make it to the primary activity. I purposefully did not wear my swimsuit so as to encourage Alyssa to have some fun on her own, which she did - kind of. Actually, she just sweet talked other adults into helping her swim around. But I guess that's okay.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl1SFka2kE4h9PX4b63H4j9Ggyzx1Uz4kyA6wocCq_fBnB2VgLqXjCph7f83YjvcbKcE8QNftCyw5-IfAS6z-stPOqnpRDUH0jnwpn_reY-V0_MUmbT_db1HnSqOaY5UnwN4TSK_2Huro/s1600/Back+To+School+001.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl1SFka2kE4h9PX4b63H4j9Ggyzx1Uz4kyA6wocCq_fBnB2VgLqXjCph7f83YjvcbKcE8QNftCyw5-IfAS6z-stPOqnpRDUH0jnwpn_reY-V0_MUmbT_db1HnSqOaY5UnwN4TSK_2Huro/s400/Back+To+School+001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508756459584584242" border="0" /></a>In honor of Back To School, we bought Anna an early birthday present - a desk for her to do her homework on. She was almost happy-tears excited.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQdQf9baLYMP7Sq-0JDdF2hSpYsL5CDxYDwLv6iNNa6imhpAOZw8_zojDeKqTaxNmm6M0GQNu9UXh1hAH-kNc3dx5GNrqU254ZP8aY-SdPlt2WcZuHYWlJaVhc5mWijsItArvelNX6-D0/s1600/Back+To+School+003.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQdQf9baLYMP7Sq-0JDdF2hSpYsL5CDxYDwLv6iNNa6imhpAOZw8_zojDeKqTaxNmm6M0GQNu9UXh1hAH-kNc3dx5GNrqU254ZP8aY-SdPlt2WcZuHYWlJaVhc5mWijsItArvelNX6-D0/s400/Back+To+School+003.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508756455261144706" border="0" /></a>This morning we had a pretty easy time of things. I've been getting up at 6:15 all summer so I can get in some outside chores and do some writing before I buckle down at the day job. Since the girls are both at schools that start on the same, later schedule, that was plenty early for Anna and I to go for a short run, the girls to get ready, and me get breakfast and lunches made.<br /><br />We had family scripture study and got a few pictures taken.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTVj88yfzkI4h6cyOhyphenhyphen2rpkjAMsnewFlqb-yJYpryH-wX4MlyNA9_3A8uvZvYcAHvwI30O1B4aWizuiypsTh_mBO6QjCx_lVXgBHhjezB62h1ZtgKqIU9R8SHfkRwlHSs9EHgD0s7ZHhU/s1600/Back+To+School+004.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTVj88yfzkI4h6cyOhyphenhyphen2rpkjAMsnewFlqb-yJYpryH-wX4MlyNA9_3A8uvZvYcAHvwI30O1B4aWizuiypsTh_mBO6QjCx_lVXgBHhjezB62h1ZtgKqIU9R8SHfkRwlHSs9EHgD0s7ZHhU/s400/Back+To+School+004.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508756452773079474" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpeCD57bUuM7abhhQ4F8vj_Ebm1hyTStQA4bQa5hBPobqzliW_1-kbA0L0uiVRaPkuYoi86D0PEwXmmgfqosANu_kVUuzvJVnKMKyIBvqlwCY490igx3s00ymghwhBYRemRKeKqVrCWb8/s1600/Back+To+School+006.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpeCD57bUuM7abhhQ4F8vj_Ebm1hyTStQA4bQa5hBPobqzliW_1-kbA0L0uiVRaPkuYoi86D0PEwXmmgfqosANu_kVUuzvJVnKMKyIBvqlwCY490igx3s00ymghwhBYRemRKeKqVrCWb8/s400/Back+To+School+006.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508756440651965458" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHIhwRLXtAomKBL4OUKFVuYFVDpp6jK_lXhyphenhyphenG6yeL45y5yb1O42lonEtunvKUDUQ-hj4sM9tNI8wWxxoaU_aUzhlhzPjvIU-RECL33WcQKBdo-uD5I_61WADTeXnNVevrgRl_vTpSTklc/s1600/Back+To+School+010.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHIhwRLXtAomKBL4OUKFVuYFVDpp6jK_lXhyphenhyphenG6yeL45y5yb1O42lonEtunvKUDUQ-hj4sM9tNI8wWxxoaU_aUzhlhzPjvIU-RECL33WcQKBdo-uD5I_61WADTeXnNVevrgRl_vTpSTklc/s400/Back+To+School+010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508755510567551394" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2s2mwlpX9ONiyOo9v0FPuJyPC78TI3hEAZFs9BP-d6jv1-D4DTXuViVsjnPiERy8PirWV1Ssm0jEq9xiVqoilmcKUlwsPhFeTyiH0Yw7_KhxB0efn_bXKKSSNFSW0m3rzAchE8WGAmsM/s1600/Back+To+School+011.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2s2mwlpX9ONiyOo9v0FPuJyPC78TI3hEAZFs9BP-d6jv1-D4DTXuViVsjnPiERy8PirWV1Ssm0jEq9xiVqoilmcKUlwsPhFeTyiH0Yw7_KhxB0efn_bXKKSSNFSW0m3rzAchE8WGAmsM/s400/Back+To+School+011.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508755506170604690" border="0" /></a>Then it was off to the bus stop.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrvcso0j6MAbd-JGDW91a8CYFdeu3vty3S8RVLh2TpDbfKMqwIXflT1M5C0E8eCETvUCLI0jj2qd4mcbou1HeCQtkWLgkV_bu07pQwugqkZyC4sJrWrTVZbNns-GLC19J00YcxqaZ5_mk/s1600/Back+To+School+013.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrvcso0j6MAbd-JGDW91a8CYFdeu3vty3S8RVLh2TpDbfKMqwIXflT1M5C0E8eCETvUCLI0jj2qd4mcbou1HeCQtkWLgkV_bu07pQwugqkZyC4sJrWrTVZbNns-GLC19J00YcxqaZ5_mk/s400/Back+To+School+013.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508755496429856050" border="0" /></a>Anna's bus came about 10 minutes late. Alyssa's bus was about 10 minutes after that.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtLIhEKebMxsiFkptGOgImsx1SnS1HhmxkCGmijW-8r5LBf2WaRdQ0Dj9q50SKmIEShyrR1m3IkpvVnmEZ4PEJ4CJC98nMKnEhMmYzBMp3SLZBPNRyDvtYY1NSPI5BNZGARNGHCFkul6E/s1600/Back+To+School+015.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtLIhEKebMxsiFkptGOgImsx1SnS1HhmxkCGmijW-8r5LBf2WaRdQ0Dj9q50SKmIEShyrR1m3IkpvVnmEZ4PEJ4CJC98nMKnEhMmYzBMp3SLZBPNRyDvtYY1NSPI5BNZGARNGHCFkul6E/s400/Back+To+School+015.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508755489746566034" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmO2wMi5RvlTHYZYf07d1C4UHqJHe-Og17okEay_KFaLr2EKiY5_TT8KonsgWllliPg4JdaVT2Rd0yKyeVHPLI0fN-4ULTw5oephxh_Oud7dBtYsJtscmg3fkgTdMEwNBbA09vm9S2L84/s1600/Back+To+School+016.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmO2wMi5RvlTHYZYf07d1C4UHqJHe-Og17okEay_KFaLr2EKiY5_TT8KonsgWllliPg4JdaVT2Rd0yKyeVHPLI0fN-4ULTw5oephxh_Oud7dBtYsJtscmg3fkgTdMEwNBbA09vm9S2L84/s400/Back+To+School+016.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5508755480104027682" border="0" /></a>They both survived the first day back, and are looking forward to a great school year!Donhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17369952902975144773noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4672159141655728642.post-85286163119175430942010-07-18T17:23:00.005-06:002010-07-18T17:32:54.236-06:00Alyssa Turns ElevenAlyssa turned eleven this past Monday. She wanted a "pink train" cake - but not just any pink train. She wanted Rosie, one of the Thomas engine friends.<br /><br />In the past, I've done some fancy run sugar cakes. This year I copped out an bought a Rosie toy and put it on top.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Wwdk3Jg03HP23TyokN6b6cgUXpY4XPumvUXvtph9TMTPsDYpLi3r9CXmy4la3F7BV75i6BPBUuXtqvoOyAGDpW-nmcsMn89lCzqL4ELH5zBvVhGi51H2jizP7MUGVKQeiIIsVw7DU_Q/s1600/Alyssa+Birthday+005.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5Wwdk3Jg03HP23TyokN6b6cgUXpY4XPumvUXvtph9TMTPsDYpLi3r9CXmy4la3F7BV75i6BPBUuXtqvoOyAGDpW-nmcsMn89lCzqL4ELH5zBvVhGi51H2jizP7MUGVKQeiIIsVw7DU_Q/s400/Alyssa+Birthday+005.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495392575853291682" border="0" /></a>I would hang my head in shame, but I'm over it now. Alyssa got an extra birthday toy, and I saved a couple hours of work.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ1TqcfvJ59hnlNNAf-Qon1TGiEsfaBeFXTBsGyRQJSOBWEBWGxCFWnz86cIpusf_BMq8-tfD-6_WQbGaywfnTCJmwLxYcm1_M7bOF6K2JuzyLg249MDbwYrNmWB06rPNM6AdIR8eXjg0/s1600/Alyssa+Birthday+015.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ1TqcfvJ59hnlNNAf-Qon1TGiEsfaBeFXTBsGyRQJSOBWEBWGxCFWnz86cIpusf_BMq8-tfD-6_WQbGaywfnTCJmwLxYcm1_M7bOF6K2JuzyLg249MDbwYrNmWB06rPNM6AdIR8eXjg0/s400/Alyssa+Birthday+015.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495392570631406722" border="0" /></a>Plus, we made her frosting pink with guava. Yum!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKzz4-sao2d2VBYMaSf1kijX7ra0MqL1qsGeeRiIeDr6zA6r9dAd_M54nLLMwU9eEcYPC0LWBfxvAS2hEq8NFVa7FuGvcUPIr3LtSN0a74MzuwXFzevsOIcs065QxCBkzQPgmrxl2I9AE/s1600/Alyssa+Birthday+030.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKzz4-sao2d2VBYMaSf1kijX7ra0MqL1qsGeeRiIeDr6zA6r9dAd_M54nLLMwU9eEcYPC0LWBfxvAS2hEq8NFVa7FuGvcUPIr3LtSN0a74MzuwXFzevsOIcs065QxCBkzQPgmrxl2I9AE/s400/Alyssa+Birthday+030.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495392557799170802" border="0" /></a>She got some more trains, and a some puzzles, and a Yathzee, Jr. game. It's pretty fun.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiWWouuxliqTZAGV-I9bGq0eTuvUGdUIw1nAJW4EbwyQjEqGYCSVwAugLG13iChskyiEc8qDjPDkmbL_tpv8imfRbmylHwZoQzheUeEPQXO3WAByuXemRGQei4QddmFIhyPuolB1n7PBw/s1600/Alyssa+Birthday+027.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiWWouuxliqTZAGV-I9bGq0eTuvUGdUIw1nAJW4EbwyQjEqGYCSVwAugLG13iChskyiEc8qDjPDkmbL_tpv8imfRbmylHwZoQzheUeEPQXO3WAByuXemRGQei4QddmFIhyPuolB1n7PBw/s400/Alyssa+Birthday+027.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495392564380594242" border="0" /></a>Happy Birthday, Alyssa!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_RXlqW1JC7HNyntvw9qzmZ44M77WSoKt74bkNemuFSZm0bSLOND2wXiLt5m2_rutcx8GuhRUYgRL6fk7Jo34r4uoUVAwH_hrUkwNSZE4s6tpwbB_xxQE-9lRfy6Idcr-NACi6V6_TduI/s1600/Alyssa+Birthday+034.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_RXlqW1JC7HNyntvw9qzmZ44M77WSoKt74bkNemuFSZm0bSLOND2wXiLt5m2_rutcx8GuhRUYgRL6fk7Jo34r4uoUVAwH_hrUkwNSZE4s6tpwbB_xxQE-9lRfy6Idcr-NACi6V6_TduI/s400/Alyssa+Birthday+034.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495392545472496162" border="0" /></a>Donhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17369952902975144773noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4672159141655728642.post-88533143765752137902010-07-12T20:33:00.005-06:002010-07-13T08:54:38.459-06:00Fabulous News Report on LymeSharon Rose, of WCSH TV station in Portland, Maine just did a 4 part series on chronic lyme. I must say I think it's the best news coverage I've ever seen on chronic lyme. It's accurate, informative and interesting.<br /><br />They interviewed 4 patients who told their stories. All sound familiar to me in one way or another. Even though each person with lyme experiences different symptoms, one lyme patient can nearly always identify another. I can identify with each of these patients in several ways. The 2nd lady they interviewed has lyme-induced chemical sensitivity. I think she did a superb job of clearly explaining how chemicals effect her.<br /><br />Here's the link to the stories. On the left is an article. On the right are the 4 stories. The 1st one is at the bottom. Watch from the bottom up. Each is 4-6 minutes, so not too long.<br /><br /><a target="_blank" href="http://www.wcsh6.com/news/health/story.aspx?storyid=119882&catid=273"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1278984158_4">http://www.wcsh6.com/news/health/story.aspx?storyid=119882&catid=273</span></a><br /><br />Sam Donta, the physician in the first segment, is one of a few Lyme Literate physicians in the United States. Lyme Literate physicians (LLMDs) know what the lyme bacteria and other tick borne co-infections are capable of and how to treat them.<br /><br />I am so thankful LLMDs are here to help us. Their numbers are small but they repair thousands of lives. Healing from late stage or long term lyme disease is no small task. It is a long road and it is a blessing to have doctors who are dedicated to helping us heal.Karahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04540253405630085694noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4672159141655728642.post-27094722341090569602010-07-06T18:01:00.003-06:002010-07-06T18:06:56.387-06:00Alyssa and the Pool BoyPart of our busy summer is to have Alyssa take swimming lessons. Alyssa has a love/terror relationship with the water, and we'd like to try and fix that.<br /><br />A family across town offers lessons in their pool, and one of their options is five days of one-on-one instruction for a very good price. We signed up.<br /><br />Here's Alyssa with James after her first lesson.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_jeVOupxC2oj9EL-emYqJc5w_C5QhUdnieno_V0TeLL2rOw04OLjmGXcN7Ba_iRSsoz2RybJELfZxxrnzbpvVIun3x3Vw6RI-O60rm2Gywgqs-ffIRC9bjryqulX3bGLxhys0BY98C3A/s1600/Alyssa+and+the+Pool+Boy.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_jeVOupxC2oj9EL-emYqJc5w_C5QhUdnieno_V0TeLL2rOw04OLjmGXcN7Ba_iRSsoz2RybJELfZxxrnzbpvVIun3x3Vw6RI-O60rm2Gywgqs-ffIRC9bjryqulX3bGLxhys0BY98C3A/s400/Alyssa+and+the+Pool+Boy.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490948686696565618" border="0" /></a>His main goal for the day was to get her to put her face in the water.<br /><br />Her main goal for the day was to keep her face out of the water. Same thing today. Maybe tomorrow.<br /><br />She is enjoying it, though, and I'm picking up some good games I can use with her to help her in the future as well.Donhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17369952902975144773noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4672159141655728642.post-9470261410481338982010-06-23T07:53:00.005-06:002010-06-23T08:04:54.816-06:00The Big Two-OhTwenty years ago today, Kara and I were married in the LDS Temple in Laie, Hawaii.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj96zOkw3sD4ANm0dNIgDGPoT_eOnhiSIsZ1nNXoJjm5EMk-d69PWYJ1ADVy0LmP9mTk1C0-OTC1daPa4DS0MuZ7dNOR2FahJ6HZo-jFuc-auawoyakPQc_jYflTohtxwbRSSncB1MEkqE/s1600/Anniversary+Blog+001.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 279px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj96zOkw3sD4ANm0dNIgDGPoT_eOnhiSIsZ1nNXoJjm5EMk-d69PWYJ1ADVy0LmP9mTk1C0-OTC1daPa4DS0MuZ7dNOR2FahJ6HZo-jFuc-auawoyakPQc_jYflTohtxwbRSSncB1MEkqE/s400/Anniversary+Blog+001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485969133075824610" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtSjF9MoY3j2XYkd3RpA9udLt01B5ZjjzmEyHpq95UBF3iMvXMdjR8yfQM1s_sGt8TiyBoAZlMa5c_tD2vlpTcN9F5R5X1Bt3HFA9bPKI3BJwF-9zoFk_iv2R3uPDZ6zYFHF_uZf1l37M/s1600/Anniversary+Blog+004.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtSjF9MoY3j2XYkd3RpA9udLt01B5ZjjzmEyHpq95UBF3iMvXMdjR8yfQM1s_sGt8TiyBoAZlMa5c_tD2vlpTcN9F5R5X1Bt3HFA9bPKI3BJwF-9zoFk_iv2R3uPDZ6zYFHF_uZf1l37M/s400/Anniversary+Blog+004.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485969123504984386" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix41WMJZ1HexM8AFEEhnC0eEgWQLQJcyPJP__-DqsCCeIJzFILes5yoJ9WX-BQRTaUvmx4DzQcI1IPTdZ8BfeVDGiPVHnvIGLBrkh7E6msOg8IXGf8ascv3gAjZddxXzps2P_zW3fJ8EU/s1600/Anniversary+Blog+006.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix41WMJZ1HexM8AFEEhnC0eEgWQLQJcyPJP__-DqsCCeIJzFILes5yoJ9WX-BQRTaUvmx4DzQcI1IPTdZ8BfeVDGiPVHnvIGLBrkh7E6msOg8IXGf8ascv3gAjZddxXzps2P_zW3fJ8EU/s400/Anniversary+Blog+006.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485969120150965650" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDWe4qqScgW7BfJQocL13dUAUJYnyFZ1GRIUZW5gQBpxz7nVc1soyciykD1EkOXPWdyGIhyw1zawulfYmaFTz8sqFd-yJVoTm5Q9hny7TFpFbvh8dgYxglqWySkT1WV3XPNglFuYuW68w/s1600/Anniversary+Blog+013.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 294px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDWe4qqScgW7BfJQocL13dUAUJYnyFZ1GRIUZW5gQBpxz7nVc1soyciykD1EkOXPWdyGIhyw1zawulfYmaFTz8sqFd-yJVoTm5Q9hny7TFpFbvh8dgYxglqWySkT1WV3XPNglFuYuW68w/s400/Anniversary+Blog+013.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485967614610319042" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRjlZqbB7-nVT347ksc0QXbMdlWE-Dw4LiVbKqvOiDF5QAZuxeK6T-SaRciLBeiGmnaqayWkZ4hlWytpctNUKXJPH8VdkooMmMx-95iGVJs5qN3aEAqmZR8gD1B41u55j9BEAZR4Jj7zY/s1600/Anniversary+Blog+016.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRjlZqbB7-nVT347ksc0QXbMdlWE-Dw4LiVbKqvOiDF5QAZuxeK6T-SaRciLBeiGmnaqayWkZ4hlWytpctNUKXJPH8VdkooMmMx-95iGVJs5qN3aEAqmZR8gD1B41u55j9BEAZR4Jj7zY/s400/Anniversary+Blog+016.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485967603742109202" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHNltlP6zmSujvekIKwtrhIuT_GmKR1DCD24WITNwSs5xtIptYS3RrI0qJxLUd7XbfymbXKrsblHwo6Y3rvcvjHF424BCUjFyIp3g8Tvm0ZO8l4BDz-dP7GtcdR2QVUG1RDtv0VzhW1P8/s1600/Anniversary+Blog+018.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHNltlP6zmSujvekIKwtrhIuT_GmKR1DCD24WITNwSs5xtIptYS3RrI0qJxLUd7XbfymbXKrsblHwo6Y3rvcvjHF424BCUjFyIp3g8Tvm0ZO8l4BDz-dP7GtcdR2QVUG1RDtv0VzhW1P8/s400/Anniversary+Blog+018.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485967598803417826" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY526_9JkeskW4K5dVko-7JBSNLZj4ZwbuDEp_ytf9aEQ7Setq3KoyXXrC1Xx9Zwj_vKR8Vqdqwqf8zTiVNY54o74yH-JnU5cS0_EeoS8VrkGBWac6AQkd3duIySj0r3us4KKRorRSz_Q/s1600/Anniversary+Blog+023.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY526_9JkeskW4K5dVko-7JBSNLZj4ZwbuDEp_ytf9aEQ7Setq3KoyXXrC1Xx9Zwj_vKR8Vqdqwqf8zTiVNY54o74yH-JnU5cS0_EeoS8VrkGBWac6AQkd3duIySj0r3us4KKRorRSz_Q/s400/Anniversary+Blog+023.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485967584689230770" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiktOQ_ivkABj2o-pcwHeIKwkfKkC6qyxagwfo6PMiBZTyaRRDswExDTJLKknaYU2OtTINKcU5lGWxsg3ODZHrr88Uvy4tDznT5Rz0WP6RoTUJN8KzXXvDBu2x6-RJvwK2t_8oD7HqDZFM/s1600/Anniversary+Blog+019.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiktOQ_ivkABj2o-pcwHeIKwkfKkC6qyxagwfo6PMiBZTyaRRDswExDTJLKknaYU2OtTINKcU5lGWxsg3ODZHrr88Uvy4tDznT5Rz0WP6RoTUJN8KzXXvDBu2x6-RJvwK2t_8oD7HqDZFM/s400/Anniversary+Blog+019.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485967594032501618" border="0" /></a>Happy Anniversary!Donhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17369952902975144773noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4672159141655728642.post-34871256240729971182010-06-15T09:22:00.008-06:002010-06-15T10:03:28.972-06:00La'ie Friends PartyI grew up in La'ie, a small town on the island of O'ahu in Hawaii. La'ie is home to BYU-Hawaii, sister campus to BYU in Utah, and this is one reason the populations of the two places are very interconnected. In fact, I think there are more of my friends from Hawaii living in Utah than there are still in Hawaii.<br /><br />Whenever I visit family in Utah, I invariably run into people I knew in Hawaii, and we spend time catching up and talking about mutual friends. The conversation usually ends with, "We should try and get everyone together some time."<br /><br />Well, this trip I decided to make it 'some time' and organize a get-together.<br /><br />We planned for an evening at the park, but the weather was not in a cooperative state, so we moved to a nearby church building.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggI5Gi6KsQpWdUW31ech_baWB2yINk4fasjG9UZUt1Ew5QPDbqClTLDlZu9c4YYEx4vVek-WSwzHbnaUyneLc4GIIfOBUZZN34Lkpwz7Vj6tgXXtYtjJFT_ZuI7QJrsFfc9scB4RibsTE/s1600/Laie+Party+005.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggI5Gi6KsQpWdUW31ech_baWB2yINk4fasjG9UZUt1Ew5QPDbqClTLDlZu9c4YYEx4vVek-WSwzHbnaUyneLc4GIIfOBUZZN34Lkpwz7Vj6tgXXtYtjJFT_ZuI7QJrsFfc9scB4RibsTE/s400/Laie+Party+005.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483030643320296338" border="0" /></a>My sisters and I, along with our families, got the cultural hall in the church set up by five, and then waited. Three other people showed up.<br /><br />I was a little disappointed in the turnout, as we had almost 100 people mark themselves as either Attending or Maybe on our Facebook event. But I knew the weather would be a factor. And I hoped that, in true Hawaiian Style, people would eventually trickle in as the evening progressed.<br /><br />And that's just what happened. Beginning around 6:30, more and more people came until we had nearly two dozen friends, plus their families.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8-dWMX71qyCBkPRe8xNbcHQ0ax5mvBGWpOwWa3HDEk90HEj8_vEo4YToHBr1vQNrlDRuNyUu_cJNvZGszzW7TJNxH_poRLUbSf7pYFADWroFmOcIPt-NwBvwAQZsQOe6Vn4wkXwPjucU/s1600/Laie+Party+013.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8-dWMX71qyCBkPRe8xNbcHQ0ax5mvBGWpOwWa3HDEk90HEj8_vEo4YToHBr1vQNrlDRuNyUu_cJNvZGszzW7TJNxH_poRLUbSf7pYFADWroFmOcIPt-NwBvwAQZsQOe6Vn4wkXwPjucU/s400/Laie+Party+013.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483029367194613154" border="0" /></a>Most were friends of my sisters and I.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5JU0drccJMAuBVaxRQvINdq1k6vHBg86s_VktvGkF-gqlCtkd2KkyW0o05XytlrQ_IvpKurgOStQqfpFPCRA2zOpmQ4Fnzo2IIelb7Hq2Ya8K1HlwpGZuyZOr3n5DvcwG62kCLTqIOeA/s1600/Laie+Party+017.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5JU0drccJMAuBVaxRQvINdq1k6vHBg86s_VktvGkF-gqlCtkd2KkyW0o05XytlrQ_IvpKurgOStQqfpFPCRA2zOpmQ4Fnzo2IIelb7Hq2Ya8K1HlwpGZuyZOr3n5DvcwG62kCLTqIOeA/s400/Laie+Party+017.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483028585784727538" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzefXa-_9FtdqKLgtfVdhL0V7EX9zbHLBnMyBQC2wdyG3ecITdhW5S5rqVP9nXwwbgAABIDOEQk07jaSx1lQCRz2V4w3VpWQA_zA64jPJoEvLbo2XU1v5FS0IYT4B13IMB1VHRyLYygJo/s1600/Laie+Party+020.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzefXa-_9FtdqKLgtfVdhL0V7EX9zbHLBnMyBQC2wdyG3ecITdhW5S5rqVP9nXwwbgAABIDOEQk07jaSx1lQCRz2V4w3VpWQA_zA64jPJoEvLbo2XU1v5FS0IYT4B13IMB1VHRyLYygJo/s400/Laie+Party+020.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483029358892998722" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-HzgQGh6Nxi8k1mnYe8P78zC8UcuA7xmHw2C2yNcw2J9bDArcOcj1yAo3vQQuu2LZ-b03fbyBOQanUQ5c3VbpEL__t-JfmgP3LvTfIDei9aY5xs4fxtZZtq2iA_GppeuuaxB11OyRX0o/s1600/Laie+Party+022.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-HzgQGh6Nxi8k1mnYe8P78zC8UcuA7xmHw2C2yNcw2J9bDArcOcj1yAo3vQQuu2LZ-b03fbyBOQanUQ5c3VbpEL__t-JfmgP3LvTfIDei9aY5xs4fxtZZtq2iA_GppeuuaxB11OyRX0o/s400/Laie+Party+022.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483028575469166722" border="0" /></a>Near the end, Ka'au Alapa arrived with his beautiful and talented family. Once the music started, the party went from "fun" to "outstanding."<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNU3jNrdmYAaWkJpu_rsTWU6yst3a_1bRgZ-Y9DAS3TaSuqXFnVOSWzHILfRiI7olT_6bNW966Z2nNhBNXjE2-44zzpeo3W14KM8RBdGCQURi4_Cu2lVxNqcp8NUdU1Ow_-uWzuvsd0aE/s1600/Laie+Party+027.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNU3jNrdmYAaWkJpu_rsTWU6yst3a_1bRgZ-Y9DAS3TaSuqXFnVOSWzHILfRiI7olT_6bNW966Z2nNhBNXjE2-44zzpeo3W14KM8RBdGCQURi4_Cu2lVxNqcp8NUdU1Ow_-uWzuvsd0aE/s400/Laie+Party+027.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483027732125892738" border="0" /></a>I even broke out my ukulele and sang a little. Ka'au has enough talent to make anyone sound good.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHsLHPlHwrgSSjY6QWZ4inecqdsl1nbdDNU10Bgb_yI8R9FrAszXA4G_zTMAXYP4lnRPQYUyiPc6Wm1PFfDtoGZObJJpi-7Iku07RjUdWNn1AJV-wVqr_lSrEUh16HTY0a6-8BGPy9cn0/s1600/Laie+Party+025.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHsLHPlHwrgSSjY6QWZ4inecqdsl1nbdDNU10Bgb_yI8R9FrAszXA4G_zTMAXYP4lnRPQYUyiPc6Wm1PFfDtoGZObJJpi-7Iku07RjUdWNn1AJV-wVqr_lSrEUh16HTY0a6-8BGPy9cn0/s400/Laie+Party+025.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483027448400749282" border="0" /></a>It was suggested more than once that this event become an annual affair. I think that would be great. Hopefully with a regular event, more and more people will be able to make it.Donhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17369952902975144773noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4672159141655728642.post-89254425363287403362010-06-07T16:47:00.004-06:002010-06-07T16:56:58.161-06:00Everybody Jump!Each year, our school district does the Jumpin' Jamboree, a Special Olympics kind of event that Alyssa loves to attend.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk1f8jrCRUQEgiZlqv2Y14NjwomtFeihiHEIeQyf_dSbwUaWu7cd8TdAF8ulCEomZz8HVqWFrq52RuFnxKsy_hJ1n7woWTuNGpE5Elmgf70vTEqvPc-jHbxaDLvwDzL6XqmASXdktY4ZE/s1600/Jumpin+Jamboree+006.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk1f8jrCRUQEgiZlqv2Y14NjwomtFeihiHEIeQyf_dSbwUaWu7cd8TdAF8ulCEomZz8HVqWFrq52RuFnxKsy_hJ1n7woWTuNGpE5Elmgf70vTEqvPc-jHbxaDLvwDzL6XqmASXdktY4ZE/s400/Jumpin+Jamboree+006.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480169128485471042" border="0" /></a>Here she is with her high school student mentor.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0hT1efoOPam0tLBApgRZ8ORgiiTgTLuKOHlqKgH1xbWW0-h78uH1FZ-Hd7eOLQdLZHRtcPs_1dWThJChWPkygJNRKa56kz0rmgtnX3JJGnka12IYPZNoyTOtuYXRIGrJ8s71V5bGjlQQ/s1600/Jumpin+Jamboree+002.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0hT1efoOPam0tLBApgRZ8ORgiiTgTLuKOHlqKgH1xbWW0-h78uH1FZ-Hd7eOLQdLZHRtcPs_1dWThJChWPkygJNRKa56kz0rmgtnX3JJGnka12IYPZNoyTOtuYXRIGrJ8s71V5bGjlQQ/s400/Jumpin+Jamboree+002.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480169134980814818" border="0" /></a>And the big parade.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz0FKUK35txCTP85KN8Bp7icT-5C1Ii0Redr9x82gSSvwIU0tFsAoeEiNJIKnMSBK3y3ZUoVE6gD46aIGd66ABb1wvuAfwdOwHZrpqbqNjJKOgVxaif1iLcpRUHH0ECr5o4qGvJ2slhgw/s1600/Jumpin+Jamboree+011.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz0FKUK35txCTP85KN8Bp7icT-5C1Ii0Redr9x82gSSvwIU0tFsAoeEiNJIKnMSBK3y3ZUoVE6gD46aIGd66ABb1wvuAfwdOwHZrpqbqNjJKOgVxaif1iLcpRUHH0ECr5o4qGvJ2slhgw/s400/Jumpin+Jamboree+011.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480169125853679058" border="0" /></a>Alyssa even had her own cheering section. These kids gave up a special activity at the school to come and cheer for Alyssa.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy3IovBremEQH8An2JIBkeTdgYO2zZmgXHieqcvUBiXK0jE-ibJ3V9-e5zxLEKf6600nPcg3gjStIJqXGiwqkusRiUUeQa9QEF0zKAbwehd7L3fmLScZqbqQMDR9fc2k8uZZ-eCmSc4SA/s1600/Jumpin+Jamboree+014.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy3IovBremEQH8An2JIBkeTdgYO2zZmgXHieqcvUBiXK0jE-ibJ3V9-e5zxLEKf6600nPcg3gjStIJqXGiwqkusRiUUeQa9QEF0zKAbwehd7L3fmLScZqbqQMDR9fc2k8uZZ-eCmSc4SA/s400/Jumpin+Jamboree+014.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480169112009591154" border="0" /></a>She has a lot of fun every year.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkLg_nkAeIWPI80DxFB__-fjP8ZrqUgt5PtyQZ3JWlwdaxmNFqCnGq1qH6iwIAYN2SpChK048wkpe3whPF72gS48O6KueF7EHBwm-aosM-LC5VHpcUET9lI-j_YDtnsRwrY5zI30hoQpw/s1600/Jumpin+Jamboree+019.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkLg_nkAeIWPI80DxFB__-fjP8ZrqUgt5PtyQZ3JWlwdaxmNFqCnGq1qH6iwIAYN2SpChK048wkpe3whPF72gS48O6KueF7EHBwm-aosM-LC5VHpcUET9lI-j_YDtnsRwrY5zI30hoQpw/s400/Jumpin+Jamboree+019.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5480169102184106914" border="0" /></a>Donhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17369952902975144773noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4672159141655728642.post-63887866594865527122010-05-16T16:15:00.015-06:002010-05-16T17:08:17.218-06:00Long Time, No PostKara here -- attempting to fill in for Don and give a brief update on our family. It is has been very busy here the last few weeks. Don has been working extra hours on a new project of sorts. He is a "Census Man." So far, he seems to enjoy this new adventure. The people have been nice and to date, has only been bitten by one dog. Well, his pants were bitten, not him. Thank goodness!<br /><br />I have also been keeping busy this month teaching others about Lyme Disease. I think the <span style="font-style: italic;">one thing</span> I'd like my family and friends to understand about lyme and tick borne infections is they are <span style="font-style: italic;">real.</span> They can change a person's life almost overnight. It could just as easily happen to you as it did me. Everyone is at risk. Visit <a href="http://learnaboutlyme.wordpress.com/lyme-basics/">LearnAboutLyme.com</a> and <a href="http://www.lymedisease.org/lyme101/lyme_disease/lyme_disease.html">California Lyme Disease Association</a> to learn about Lyme today.<br /><br />Anna had a band competition about two weeks ago. They got all 1's and runner-up to "Best in Class." Then, yesterday she performed a solo at the Solo and Ensemble Competition and received a '1' out of possible ranks of 1+, 1, 2 and 3. We are so proud of her. She did a fabulous job!<br /><br />Here's a picture of her all dressed up in her band uniform tux holding Lillie. She just had to give her piggie some love!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY_Q3JndZ4lCsqo20mKGccL_bB7gvlZ3ZaMAYJWy0HASdQ1d8VYIRnzdRjP8UHfkyGHuDN0UcHO2WUgnn9WgvTsL14Zl9xbQjMMCrSzuzeMyzUJeH_LnTMDW9kkrzkNBFwsHQZ92LAgMBD/s1600/DSCI0725.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY_Q3JndZ4lCsqo20mKGccL_bB7gvlZ3ZaMAYJWy0HASdQ1d8VYIRnzdRjP8UHfkyGHuDN0UcHO2WUgnn9WgvTsL14Zl9xbQjMMCrSzuzeMyzUJeH_LnTMDW9kkrzkNBFwsHQZ92LAgMBD/s320/DSCI0725.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472002251079721106" border="0" /></a>Alyssa managed to catch a bad spring cold of sorts and is still coughing and sneezing. She was already having a tough go of it with the spring pollens. Even with her being a bit under the weather, she's still managed to keep up with her usual antics like making off with the camera.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHkKRQpfatWY5uB6F_tk77LbcAqFAaJh36buYyYqdMBfiG9hyphenhyphenLyYNbGYEn68Di8GN-AurjsQQDaxvwycoBl8brSrGabhBny9QORmy1lbiOQWEwjyjZZqPna7jwlV1SSQeVf8ppYIJouIQo/s1600/DSCI0749.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHkKRQpfatWY5uB6F_tk77LbcAqFAaJh36buYyYqdMBfiG9hyphenhyphenLyYNbGYEn68Di8GN-AurjsQQDaxvwycoBl8brSrGabhBny9QORmy1lbiOQWEwjyjZZqPna7jwlV1SSQeVf8ppYIJouIQo/s320/DSCI0749.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472003153861688818" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVdbM2otC56N6LuXu-yEfIQrQRjUvf3J7TQS-3aA8ImXCK3FEigMX6fZYL211QM80AbAcQMLGVma2FksdPfAq7ZZECSqCP5nasg8pzdkqFF2ju-OmnGxEl0j6L-AaGVuJxQjVudp1uxTQV/s1600/DSCI0750.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVdbM2otC56N6LuXu-yEfIQrQRjUvf3J7TQS-3aA8ImXCK3FEigMX6fZYL211QM80AbAcQMLGVma2FksdPfAq7ZZECSqCP5nasg8pzdkqFF2ju-OmnGxEl0j6L-AaGVuJxQjVudp1uxTQV/s320/DSCI0750.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471999002503622194" border="0" /></a><br />Until next time . . . have a great week!Karahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04540253405630085694noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4672159141655728642.post-15212027812917899632010-04-30T16:36:00.058-06:002013-01-24T17:02:22.010-06:00Lyme Disease Awareness: Kara's Story<img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466077732816818402" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Cy-jRI2B1X0Xqcq3nGYmlM9UAwRK4inuZt6E0LwC3AjBO5WHeB07nswG5Sq1OfkFvPMN9l4K2VvjAesJhRkGGC4ksPpQyIAiothNZ4qpW2WNmFlsyrrXVY9VrhE6oYQwsRb0l21PercL/s320/CopyofPA140046.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 320px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 240px;" /><br />
With May being Lyme Disease Awareness Month, I want to share my “story” in hopes that someone will benefit from it – either by letting you know you are not alone or by helping you or someone you love receive a correct diagnosis. I have divided it into chapters so if you need to take a break, you can easily find where you left off. Truthfully, this is only a small snapshot of what I went through. <br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 100%;"><b>Chapter 1: The Beginning</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: black;">Up until 1999, I was an active, busy young woman. I was happily married and had a beautiful daughter and another baby on th</span></span></span><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: black;">e wa</span></span></span><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: black;">y. I <i>loved</i> being a mother. I also liked gardening, enjoyed nature and had fun</span></span></span><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: black;"> inventing new recipes in the kitchen. Italian food was my favorite thing to make and, above all, eat! Well, that and sushi.</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">In December 1998 while I was pregnant with daughter #2, I caught some kind of virus or bacterial infection that was going around which turned into bronchitis. I went on antibiotics for it and afterward, never really felt like “myself.” I </span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">was tired and didn't have much stamina.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: black;">Baby girl #2 was born in July 1999 by c-section. After that, I felt even worse. I was so tired and weak. It took me about 6 weeks before I could stand up long enough to cook dinner. My doctor said he'd never se</span></span></span><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: black;">en anyone take this long to recover from a c-section. Eventually I got "better" and was functional. I remember being <b><i>so</i></b> <b><i>tired</i></b> all the time. I went to the doctor and had my thyroid checked. He told me it was fine. My baby was not a good sleeper an</span></span></span><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: black;">d cried a lot. I also had a 22 month old daughter. She was a bundle of energy and never stopped except during her 3 hour afternoon nap.</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: black;">In Feb 2000, we moved into a brand new home that we'd built. We were planning on staying there "forever." That first year we were all sick </span></span></span><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: black;">with something or other all the time. After about 9 months, my husband an</span></span></span><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: black;">d girls were fine. They felt great. But I still struggled. It seemed like I was constantly sick with a cold or flu or something. Finally I found a practitioner (not a doct</span></span></span><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: black;">or) who told me I wasn't detoxing the chemicals from ou</span></span></span><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: black;">r new house properly. That was why I was sick. I began taking some vitamins and detox support and felt TONs better. I thought all would be well . . . </span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><b>Chapter 2: The Search for Answers Begins</b><br /><br />In early 2001 I started having brain fog. My thoughts would be all jum</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">bled for short periods of time every week or so. My legs and lower back ached incredibly bad all the time. I took a lot of epsom salt and baking soda baths to help with the pain. I was exhausted no matter how much sleep I got and I'd wak</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">e up way too early in the morning. I also noticed my body could</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">n't regulate my temperature very well. I was comfortable at 74 degrees. At 75 or above</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"> I was very hot and sweating, and at 73 or below I was very cold and had to put on a sweater.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">I went to a couple of doctors in search of answe</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">rs. They ran blood work a</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">nd found nothing out of the ordinary. Arrrgh. I was told I was too stressed because of my small children and needed to “slow down” and take more time for myself. Several offered me anti-depressants. I wasn't depressed so I passed.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">As time went by, I noticed the supplements I'd been ta</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">king for chemical detox support gradually stopped working. They started causing the same symptoms they used to alleviate. What was going on? I was very confused by al</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">l of this. I started doing cold-pressed caster oil liver packs for detox support. They</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"> worked great! It relieved much of my pain and brain fog as </span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">long as I did one </span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">every day.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">In July 2001 I went in for my OBGYN check up and the doctor found a 6” dermoid cyst in my left ovary. It wasn't there the year before. I had surgery to remove the ovary in Sept 2001 and recovered fairly quick. Once again, I believed my troubles were over. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">In November I started having dizziness. By December it had progressed to vertigo off/on all day. At the end of December 2001, I had surgery agai</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">n to repair an incisional hernia caused by the surgery i</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">n Sept. That was the last</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"> straw. When I woke up from that surgery, I was never the same again. I had vertigo 24/7, was utterly exhausted, h</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">ad migraine headaches, muscle aches, muscle weakness, brain fog, etc. I could still function but just barely.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">In 2002, I went to doctors and more doctors. They all ran tests. The results were always normal. I started doing a lot of research on my own but st</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">ill couldn't come up with anything that fit the breadth of my symptoms.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">I finally decided that all this craziness must be caused by old emotional baggage. No one else had any better ideas. So I found a fabulous practitioner who knew all kinds of energy balancing an</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">d techniques. He knew both eastern and western approaches. The emotional and energy work really did wonders for me. I dumped a lot of baggage from my childhood and generational things that had been imprinted on my DNA. Emotionally, I felt “free-er” that I e</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">ver had before.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 100%;">But my physical health continued to decline and at a faster and faster pace.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 100%;"><b>Chapter 3: The Plot Thickens</b></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw1j-GDMhjoImr3Onixiws-HPYD_J9oKn_Nyn5mgwhM2w0l-sAlOrH8S0NAbFLRJRH1hNaTBIWx7sZJWJmxSFk3QzR_X2NrFcDIftJFHlL77fXzKqbHLflunu3Z0_MIMaV0zsfy1_scTPn/s1600/PA030022.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466076318703952642" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw1j-GDMhjoImr3Onixiws-HPYD_J9oKn_Nyn5mgwhM2w0l-sAlOrH8S0NAbFLRJRH1hNaTBIWx7sZJWJmxSFk3QzR_X2NrFcDIftJFHlL77fXzKqbHLflunu3Z0_MIMaV0zsfy1_scTPn/s320/PA030022.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 240px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 320px;" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">In October 2003, my family came dow</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">n</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"> with the flu. I caught </span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">it but didn't have</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"> any of the regular "flu symptoms." Instead, I started having t</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">remors in</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"> my arms and hands, horrible anxiety, severe muscle pain and insomnia. This</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"> is on top of the vertigo, migraine</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"> headaches, muscle weakness, diarrhea, exhaustion, etc.</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: black;">At the time, I went to my doctor and he said I </span></span></span><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: black;">was fine. Just too stressed and</span></span></span><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: black;"> anxiety was the problem. He gave me some anti-anxiety medication and said to try some next time I couldn't sleep. And get rid of all my commitments, etc. Just relax, relax, relax. I told him I was meditating and relaxing all day to keep the tremors down. But if I even had 1 thought go through my mind, the tremors would start again. Obviously, he didn't belie</span></span></span><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: black;">ve me. He just kept saying I was too stressed. Well, I was tremoring like crazy. Of course I <b><i>looked</i></b> stressed.</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">A few nights later as I lay wide awake in my bed at 3 or 4:00 AM, sha</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">king horribly and exhausted, my husband suggested I take o</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">ne of the pills we got from the doctor. I was very hesitant. I didn't have a good feeling about it at all, but finally gave in. I took the little, red pill. Within 30 minutes I was sha</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">king worse than ever before and, in addition, was crying and felt out of control emotionally. My husband took me to the ER and they gave me IV ativan, saying I was having an anxiety attack and sent me home. Looking back, I was having a huge allergy reaction to the medication.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: black;">I went back to my doctor and he didn't know what to do. I recall him saying it seemed like I was being poisoned by something. </span></span></span><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: black;">But he didn't know how</span></span></span><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: black;"> to help me. He agreed I was very sick but I had no diagnosis. If I had one, he would admit me to the hospital. Without one, the best he could do was admit me to a mental hospital. We didn't feel good about that. Instead, h</span><span style="color: black;">e referred me to another doctor for chelation. But we couldn't do it because I was so sick.</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">This pattern of tremors, migraine headaches, muscle aches, exhaustion, na</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">usea, weakness, vertigo, etc. continued through</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"> the winter. The only way I could st</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">ay sane was to take ativan. So, I stayed on it, </span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">but that turned out to be a really bad idea. Yes, it got rid of the anxiety but turned my adrenals upside down. The severity of my symptoms was sky rocketing and new symptoms were app</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">earing daily. The nerves in my hands and feet began burn and hurt all the time. Soon, that graduated to burning nerves down both</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"> arms, legs and up into my head and face. I also started having diarrhea and lost weight at a tremendous pace.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 100%;"><b>Chapter 4: Sick and Sicker</b></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJeL-DzpQPB5Olhm1B_LyyCvuCco-sUojY-KegURr32Y6MJSEvkMYgYsdSHj6ip1SwKWuu8yv-3_o65f29nVbZ5ThWvlbDJC1-gyCNnbUnoGu7-mH5LuNTE2hJ8CdEY22lJutRTNB5jQqe/s1600/P6140089.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466073430234601282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJeL-DzpQPB5Olhm1B_LyyCvuCco-sUojY-KegURr32Y6MJSEvkMYgYsdSHj6ip1SwKWuu8yv-3_o65f29nVbZ5ThWvlbDJC1-gyCNnbUnoGu7-mH5LuNTE2hJ8CdEY22lJutRTNB5jQqe/s320/P6140089.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 240px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 320px;" /></span></a><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">In April 2004 I became totally</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"> dysfunctional. I could hardly get out of bed. It would take all my energy just to take a shower. I couldn't do an</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">ything. I </span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">was so brain foggy and weak I couldn't cook, clean, or take care of my children. I had to call my husband and have h</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">im instruct me over the phone how to</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"> get a glass of water for myself. I also remember distinctly calling him and asking him how to make a hard boiled egg for my, now, 4 year old special needs daughter #2 who was crying for an </span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">egg. I recall the instructions included things like where to find the pan, how to turn on the</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"> water faucet, which knob would turn on the correct burner, etc. I honestly thoug</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">ht I had lost my brain.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">At this point, all I could do was manage to get to the bathroom and lay in bed all day. I could hardly make it the 30 feet out to the living room and th</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">en would</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"> have to sit or lay in the Lazy Boy for an hour or two before I could walk any further. I got about 1-2 hrs of sleep a night, had hor</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">rible anxiety, muscle pain, tremors, vertigo, nausea, headaches, tunnel vision, brain fog, burning in my hands, feet, head and face, weight loss, diarrhea, muscle weakness, and many other symptoms.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">Mid-April, my Mom came to help me with the girls while my husband went out of town on business. She ended up staying for 7 months. During this time she took me to specialty clinics in California and Mexico. They didn't find anything wrong except candida overgrowth. My gut feeling said there was no way my horrible symptoms were caused by candida alone. No way. I'd been on an anti-candida diet for over a year and had studied a lot about it. </span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">The root cause was not candida.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">After returning home, my Mom took care of my </span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">children, hauled me t</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">o doctor</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">s appointments, I.V. sessions, hyperbaric treatments, and cranial sacral work.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">My IVs started out with just vitamin C and glutathione. They really help</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">ed calm my symptoms. Amazingly, the hyperbarics healed the nerves in my hands, feet, head and face. I still had a little tingling but the pain and burning was gone. I did about 50 dives.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">My doctors were still clueless as to what was </span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">ca</span></span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 100%;">using all this. They ordered a bone scan, ultrasound, MRIs and lots of blood work. Nothing.<br /><br />Two separate doctors suspected Lyme and they ran the "regular western blots." They came back negative. Not one band. Well, no wonder -- my immune system was very weak by this point and wasn't able to fight anything.<br /><br />I had lost 25 lbs -- and was thin to begin with.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 100%;"><b>Chapter 5: Some Answers and Progress</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">In July/August 2004, through the hand of God, I found a doctor who was</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"> confident I was being poisoned by our new house. He is a brilliant man. He was correct. Blood labs confirmed it. He helped me put air purifiers in place, water filters, and educated me on making my environment cleaner. He got me right in to see a GI doc who found my pancreas was no longer making digestive enzymes. OK, so 2 answers! </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">I started taking prescription pancreatic enzymes. My GI doctor assured m</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">e I'd be back up to my normal weight in no time. Despite taking the enzymes, I did not gain any weight. The doctor didn't know</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"> wh</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">y. He did more tests and although my intestines looked good, he suspected Celiac Disease. Sure enough the blood tests checking for genetic markers for Celiac came back psitive. I also had an allergy to gluten. The doctor said he had seen this in a few cases and felt that my immune system was so compromised it could not launch an attack in my intestines. He told me to go off of gluten for the rest of my life. I did.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">Simultaneously, I was going to two different Naturalpathic Doctors. The</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"> first, young and fresh out of medical school and det</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">ermined to keep me alive although baffled at what was causing all of this. He is caring and dedicated to helping his patients. The second, a lady, exper</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">ienced and confident. Also determined to get me well but equally baffled at the cause of my ever-grow</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">ing multitude of symptoms.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">The lady ND, (yes, all these doctors knew about each other) began giving me different IV meds to see if we could find something to help the headaches, brain swelling symptoms, pain, etc. I couldn't take any supplements orally at this point or I would have diarrhea. So she ordered a PICC line. We tried many things: nutritional I.V.s, IV homeopathics, and a couple of IV antibiotics. T</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">hey all seemed to effect me horribly. Some worse t</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">han others. Finally, she tried IV Flagyl. I felt horrible for 3-4 days afterward and then would feel much bet</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">ter for 3-4 days. After that I would start going down hill again. She</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"> started giving me 1 bag of IV Flagyl a week and finally after about 4-5 weeks I had relief from my brain symptoms which included burning and pressure from swelling in the back of my head and brain stem as well as horrible spike headaches that moved</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"> all over the top of my head. YAY! I also felt calmer.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">Although she found success with the Flagyl, that was all. And she had no idea why. She couldn't understand where all the IV nutrients were going and why I couldn't gain weight. I recall her words almost ex</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">actly, “If you are not well after all the things I've tried, you are not physically sick. This is all coming from </span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">your brain as miscommunication. I have done all I can t</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">o help you.” </span></span> </span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 100%;">Basically, she told me I was crazy. Either that or it was all in my head.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">I asked her to call a doctor closer to my home and see if he would c</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">ontinue to administer the IV Flagyl and he agreed. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">Starting in January 2005, my other Naturalpathic Doctor developed a detox I</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">V to help my body dump the chemicals from my new house. It worked. Gradually, I became functional again. By March</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">, I started sleeping. The brain fog went away. My tremors stopped. The was nausea </span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">gone. My muscle aches decreased. I had energy. YAY! So the chemical poisoning was a large piece of the puzzle. </span></span> </span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 100%;">Between the IV Flagyl and my detox IV, life was MUCH better. Hooray! Little did we know these things were helping with lyme and co-infections as well.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 100%;">By September 2005, it became quite clear that I had developed a huge allergy for the IV Flagyl and could no longer tolerate it. I started to backslide.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">Even though I had made significant progress, I was still</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"> sick. I couldn't </span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">gain weight even though I was taking the digestive enzyme and still had</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"> horrible anxiety as well as some muscle weakness. I was on a rotation diet but reacted to every food I ate. My weight dropped to 109 by fall 2005. I am 5' 7 ½” tall.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 100%;"><b>Chapter 6: TPN ~ IV Nutrition</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">At the suggestion of the doctor who diagnosed me with chemical poisoning, in Nov 2005 I came to Dallas, TX to see a specialist for chemical poisoning. He explained thhat I was a “universal reactor” m</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">eaning I was sensitive to pretty much everything: foods, pollens, molds, chemicals, and even my own hor</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">mones, neurotransmitter and nutrients that made up m</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">y body. By doing allergy testing, I learned that some reactions were a true allergy and others were caused by dysautonomia. He helped me design a rotation diet of foods I could tolerate with the help of food antigens (allergy shots). I also started antigens for molds. I returned home in Dec 2005. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">At this time, the doctor administering the IV Flagyl started learning about Lyme Disease. He discovered that IV Flagyl was used to </span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">treat Lyme and after the huge success we'd had with it, he wanted to test me for it. He knew of a spe</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">cialty lab in California that only did testing for Lyme. He had used this lab to help his diagnose a couple other “difficult cases.” Their </span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">tests came back positive for Lyme when the regular Western Blot did not. He ordered the tests mid January 2006.</span></span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha0HujDYnVPvWzB6dqFzM4cFx250N2GaUs8HVuxyNTbI9-NlW1axLZ1ZYOJXXwiO4huSPI7msH2PWn_hg-Ba-Edm49OEoBTo7yGLT-jAcECSK_LrKU2KIw6Nr-AMZ2f2l9Q2sb6l-lV5k3/s1600/P1010364.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466074598001093970" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha0HujDYnVPvWzB6dqFzM4cFx250N2GaUs8HVuxyNTbI9-NlW1axLZ1ZYOJXXwiO4huSPI7msH2PWn_hg-Ba-Edm49OEoBTo7yGLT-jAcECSK_LrKU2KIw6Nr-AMZ2f2l9Q2sb6l-lV5k3/s320/P1010364.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 240px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 320px;" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">My weight continued to drop. By early Feb 2006 I weighed</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"> </span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">99 lbs. I came back to Dallas and the doctor there put me on TPN (total parenteral nutrition or IV nutrition) to heal my gut and f</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">inish detoxing the</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"> chemicals. That would calm down my immune system and m</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">y body</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"> would finish healing. He gave me an</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"> estimate I'd be on it for 6 month</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">s to 2 years. Most TPN patients have a central line catheter in their chest. Since I already had a PICC line in my arm, we opted to use that instead.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: black;">Near the end of February, I got a phone call from the doctor in Utah saying my Lyme test came back and it was positive for Lyme and Ehrlichia. He told me that when I got back to Utah, give him a call and we'd go to work on it. Well, he failed to explain what a <b><span style="font-style: normal;">HUGE</span></b> role Lyme and co</span></span></span><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: black;">-infections were playing in my illness. Looking back, I wonder why I didn't research this fur</span></span></span><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: black;">ther on my own. The “old me” would have. Well, I was just too sick. I could hardly walk let alone think.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><br /><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">After starting on the IV nutrition, I began to feel much better. I had ener</span></span><br /></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">gy and strength again. What a wonderful feeling! Very slowly, I began to feel bett</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">er in other ways, too. My immune system seemed stronger and I could think better.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">Although I was feeling better and gaining weight, it was very difficult being so far away from my family in Utah. Thankfully, Angel Flight pilots flew me back and forth from Dallas to Salt Lake City 4 ti</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">mes so I c</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">ould have week long visits with my husband and daughters. I am so grateful for their willingness to donate their time, energy and aircraft to fly me home.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">In September 2006, I had my first sepsis infection and was on very high powered IV antibiotics for 2 weeks. The infection was brought under control very quickly. I was allergic to the antibiotic so the doctor put me on an antigen for it. It kept me from reacting. The longer I was on the antibiotic, the better I felt. I hadn't felt this good in years – since I got pregnant with Alyssa in 1998. So much better in fact that I dreaded going off the antibioti</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">c. I remember wishing I could stay on them long term. But that just wasn't possib</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">le. The doctor was able to k</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">eep me from reacting to it only by having me adjust my antigen every couple of d</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">ays. By the end of the 14 days, I was highly reactive to it.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 100%;">I felt good for about 6 weeks after the antibiotic was discontinued then gradually, began to feel sick again. Muscle pain returned as well as brain fog, fevers, anxiety, head pressure, muscle pain, etc.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><br /><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">By October 2006 our family had moved to Texas. We found a home and renovated it to be as chemical free as possible. It has all tile and wood floors and air and water filtration systems. In thekitche, bathroom and closets, there is metal shelcing in place of the standard cabinets and press board shelving.</span></span><br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrGWqeMKnytfvb0cFaUqIaLDNiuB0e1cNvQb_IRxoQihfyvqQ7LHQYY8zLUKDl9_wIDXurtuwV1GJCu_UliRPXz1TaFTxIFCHLHYNOrIr4RH3xpLGgEyBnW8w9auXQAap1cQ1rT9Lkhsj7/s1600/P6260634.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466079133985100338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrGWqeMKnytfvb0cFaUqIaLDNiuB0e1cNvQb_IRxoQihfyvqQ7LHQYY8zLUKDl9_wIDXurtuwV1GJCu_UliRPXz1TaFTxIFCHLHYNOrIr4RH3xpLGgEyBnW8w9auXQAap1cQ1rT9Lkhsj7/s320/P6260634.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 320px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 240px;" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">I was still on IV nutrition and had to stay close to the clinic in Dal</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">las so th</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">ey could m</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">odify </span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">my it as necessary depending on lab work and how I was feeling. I was still taking antigens for pollens and molds, and doing sauna every day to stay “s</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">table” in a very loose sense of the word. At this point I was functional but was VERY chemically sensitive and still could not eat and absorb nutrition. I felt unwell most of the time and a long list of symptoms continued. The IV did it's job when it came to detoxing the chemicals that were leftover from the new house poisoning and my immune system began to recover. So much in fa</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">ct, that my sensitivities were worsening. This is typical when healing from a long term exposure. But why were my intestines still not funct</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">ioning?</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">I had visited other doctors in hopes of finding out</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"> what the root cause of the malnutrition and inability to assimilate nutrition through my intestines</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"> but to no avail.</span></span></span></div>
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<b><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></span></span></span></b><br />
<b><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Chapter 7: It Just Can't Get Any <span style="font-style: normal;">Worse – or Can It?</span></span></span></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">Fast forward to June 2007, I had a bad sepsis infection, again, which this go around also included a large blood clot in my vein at the catheter insertion point. I had to have my PICC line pulled and was hospitalized while on high powered antibiotics. My doctor urged me to go ahead and eat and we'd keep an eye on things. Once again, my intestines could not assimilate nutrition from my food – enzymes or not. I slowly went down h</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">ill losing 1-2 pounds a week.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">By December 2007 I was in worse shape than ever. I was down to 95 lbs. He started IV nutrition again. This time he ordered a central line catheter to be surgically inserted in my chest. The surgery went well but the surgeon only used local anesthesia. It is no fun being awake when something is being</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"> threaded through a muscle!</span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">When he restarted the TPN, my body hated it -- and I mean <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">HATED</span> it. Even with an allergy shot for it, I couldn't tolerate it. My sensitivity to it escalated higher and higher every day. But what choice did </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: black;">I have? The TPN gave me horrible symptoms and such bad anxiety that my increased metabolic rate burned up the calories faster than I could assimilate them.<br /><br />By this point I had come to a sort of "peace" that I might not survive. I wanted to live -- did NOT want to leave my husband as a single parent of 2 b</span></span></span><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: black;">eautiful girls. One with special needs. But I was out of ideas. So was everyone else.</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 100%;"><b>Chapter 8: The Lyme Connection</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">One day at church, my husband was talking with a lady who has Lyme Dis</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">ease. She asked him some questions about me. Had I ever been tested for Lyme? He told her I had and the test was positive. She stressed that LYME and co-infections were the cause of all of this. It had devastated her life. She said my “cluster of symptoms” was very indicative of Lyme. She also explained that most doctors do not know about Lyme and how horrible it can be. It is the “great imitator” and can cause all kinds of symptoms in all parts of the body.</span></span></span><br />
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<span lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">OK, so maybe we </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: black;"><b><i>DID</i></b> have all the answers. Just no one had explained these facts to us.<br /><br />Our friend told us about the Igenex test and the CD-57. I had them done right away.<br /><br />The test came back with 1 positive band and 2 weak positive bands. The PCR was positive! That meant they found the lyme spirochete in my blood. I a</span></span></span><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: black;">lso tested positive for Ehrlichia. My CD-57 was '7' which was <i>very</i> low. This is a test for the number of killer cells that directly attack lyme. </span></span></span> </span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 100%;">After discussing the results, my friend told me she was pretty sure I had lyme. She explained about lyme literate doctors (LLMDs) and how they are the best at treating tickborne infections. She suggested I get to one as quickly as possible. I had no clue how to find one. I was so sick I couldn't figure it out but had one thought: Since LLMDs often do IV antibiotics, I called my pharmacist</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 100%;"> at the infusion company that was making my IV nutrition. He gave me the name of a doctor who treated Lyme. I called his office right then and made an appointment.<br /><br />As near as I can figure, my LLMD was doctor #32.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">In January 2008, I walked into his office. All 90 lbs of me. I was on IV nutrition and carried my bottle around with me an a canvas bag. I was very weak and had a long list of symptoms. I was literally, on my “last leg.” With my test results, symptom list and history in hand I felt somewhat hopeful. But I didn't wa</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">nt to get too excited. All my other "leads" had been dead ends. What if this one was too?</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">He looked at my tests and symptom lists. Then looked at me and sai</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">d, "I have no doubt you have late stage Lyme Disease. No doubt.” </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">I remember feeling relieved but overwhelmed at the same time. And still wondering if I would survive.<br /><br />He spent a very long time with me going over my history and symptoms with a fine-tooth comb. It turned out that in addition to lyme, there was also ehrlichia, babesia, bartonella, </span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and </span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">mycoplasmas. I was way too sick to start treatment. My chances of surviving it were slim. I had to get my nutrition going first. My heart sank. How in the world was I going to do that?!</span></span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKssgico77pa6chyphenhyphenT4NoC3tiKXuDXzWat59prsSw0y6uqsb19odEGgyf6amxu1N9el0Vahx24JYXTJhpZU9afNLaLon0tGrlaBqXzX_Whwvc2_CfrNKzC7c1Lu-Sk4hYxDTDtOeTlbJYhu/s1600/P3090932.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466316355394548482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKssgico77pa6chyphenhyphenT4NoC3tiKXuDXzWat59prsSw0y6uqsb19odEGgyf6amxu1N9el0Vahx24JYXTJhpZU9afNLaLon0tGrlaBqXzX_Whwvc2_CfrNKzC7c1Lu-Sk4hYxDTDtOeTlbJYhu/s320/P3090932.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 240px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 320px;" /></span></a><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">Fast forward to March 5, 2008. I had</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"> sepsis in m</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;">y</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"> central line, and</span></span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"> was down to 74 lbs. I was so weak and every fiber of my body hurt so bad it was torture to be alive. Thankfully, I didn't have tremors and could still sleep 5-6 hours a night. If you call getting up 2-3 times a night to change the bedding because of drenching night sweats, sleep. </span></span> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: black;">I was admitted to the hospital. Not only did I have sepsis for the third time, my electrolyte levels and nutritional markers were dangerously low. They started IV antibiotics for the sepsis. By the third day, I began to improve. The interni</span></span></span><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: black;">st I was assigned to hooked me up with a GI doc. She spent a lot of time by my bed going over all my labs. She felt she had the answer. All I needed was the digestive enzyme i</span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: black;">n a form that would dissolve in my acid-less stomach. That's it? <i>REALLY</i>?<br /><br />So we started the chalky enzyme tablets and liquid oral nutrition. It worked! In 10 days I gained 18 lbs and was released from the hospital on March 28th. WHAT A MIRACLE! The problem with the enzymes the doctor gave me in Utah was that they were hard little pellets inside a capsule. When there's very little stomach acid, they can't dissolve and therefor</span></span></span><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: black;">e, no digestion will happen.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 100%;"><b>Chapter 9: Finally Moving Ahead</b></span></span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW716WW1JiLGxcff9YNgbRnCqxfizlRDkb1gOV8dsdOEoAbAZhub0xSNH4u-XH75Qts6D5A9MldPrFRk19PSYDFG9PSBDmU7pUvmv4QuCi3u3GFedSGmYmsDrBeVU6uxmJiZqYVUpsxbti/s1600/P5111037.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466096516852273794" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW716WW1JiLGxcff9YNgbRnCqxfizlRDkb1gOV8dsdOEoAbAZhub0xSNH4u-XH75Qts6D5A9MldPrFRk19PSYDFG9PSBDmU7pUvmv4QuCi3u3GFedSGmYmsDrBeVU6uxmJiZqYVUpsxbti/s200/P5111037.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 200px; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; width: 150px;" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: black;">With nutrition in hand, I went back to my LLMD in April 2008. He was thrilled and told me I needed 1 year of good nutrition before we could start</span></span></span><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: black;"> treating Lyme. OK ... in the meantime we worked on balancing my thyroid, hormones, and vitamin D levels. And getting candida levels down in my gut. I still had lots of muscle pain, incredible fatigue and a laundry list of about 40 symptoms symptoms. Chemical sensitivity which i</span></span></span><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: black;">ncludes food, pollen, mold, and chemical allergies being at the top of the list.</span></span></span></span><br />
<span lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: black;"><br /><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Basically, for a year, I focused on bringing up my thyroid, vitamin D and gaining weight. It worked. With the help of food antigens and a rotation diet, I gained way beyond my "regular weight" to 160 lbs. My fatigue and many other symptoms gradually went away. I still had muscle pain, headaches, severe chemical sensitivity, neck pain, medium-sized night sweats, anxiety, and about 20 more symptoms.<br /><br />I'm not sure if you know much about chemical sensitivity, but it is truly nightmarish. Due to toxin overload and other factors, the immune sys</span></span></span></span><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">tem attacks pretty much everything: foods, pollens, molds, chemicals, and even the very hormones and nutrients in your own body.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 100%;">In Feb 2009, it became very clear that I had to do something different to treat my allergies. My food and other sensitivities were getting worse instead of better. The antigens I had been taking for 3 years were not retraining my immune system as we'd hoped they would.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times;"></span> </div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: black;">In April 2009, I started an allergy treatment called</span></span></span><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: black;"> N.A.E.T. It rewires the body and immune system to respond appropriately to things again. It is working! I have terrible pollen allergies. They usually cause me to have sinus and ear infections as well as diarrhea, migraine headaches, nausea, anxiety, insomnia, fevers, muscle pain, and neuropathy. Thanks to NAET, I had my very first fall without one single ragweed symptom! That is a miracle!! We have also treated on infections so no</span></span></span><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: black;">w my immune system responds appropriately by killing them instead of reacting to them or trying to store them as a toxin. Treating on various pollens, molds, neurotransmitters, cortisol, hormones, and peptides have allowed me to make huge progress in the last year. I am so excited! My immune and autonomic nervous systems still need a lot of re-training. This is being accomplished one step at a time.</span></span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUg_2MNM9JRbvGGuFgdVlii5pdUq30k3QABU9TNA22XY30ImEsJwQABlpcUiEVd-mGm-bfIyLLv9KSjzdlp2kUnHfNsSUPKA9BR9EFoB5-VfsxvvuGCyzDWkAMhJMl3pSUhu7OB-biBn-o/s1600/Feildblured.bmp" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466086928640864306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUg_2MNM9JRbvGGuFgdVlii5pdUq30k3QABU9TNA22XY30ImEsJwQABlpcUiEVd-mGm-bfIyLLv9KSjzdlp2kUnHfNsSUPKA9BR9EFoB5-VfsxvvuGCyzDWkAMhJMl3pSUhu7OB-biBn-o/s200/Feildblured.bmp" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 186px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 200px;" /></span></a><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><b>Chapter 10: My Current Healing Adventure</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 100%;">In the fall of 2009, my LLMD said my body was strong enough to begin treating lyme and co-infections. I am seeing even more progress as my body is relieved of these infections that produce such a large amount of neurotoxins. Care is being taken to kill the infections slowly enough so my body can get rid of the toxic die off.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 100%;">My residual muscle pain disappeared. Most of the anxiety has resolved. That is cause for celebration! I had often wondered if I would ever be free of it. Yes! I will be!! What a relief. Now, the only time I experience “jittery-ness” or “anxiety” is if I have a chemical or pollen exposure. I've also noticed that I can gain weight easier. Now, I don't need any extra weight, though. Ha! But it's always good to have a few extra pounds on board.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 100%;">As of May 2010, I am still at the point where my home is the only place I can really 'be.' I can tolerate going into one grocery store and 3 doctors offices for short periods of time. That is it. Whenever I go out of the house, I have to wear a mask. I really cannot be around other people because of their detergents, fabric softeners, lotions, hair spray, shampoo, etc. I get very sick from those things. When I say very sick, I have brain inflammation, migraine headaches, muscle weakness, dizziness, tremors, swollen eyes, anxiety, swollen lips, blurred vision, muscle pain, etc. You get the idea. Antihistamines are worthless.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><b>Chapter 12: Reflections </b></span></span> </span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 100%;">Recently, after looking back over my old, original Lyme test from January 2006, we discovered I have more than one strain of borrelia: borrelia garinii and borrelia burgdorferi. Gosh, what a discovery that was!</span></span><br />
<span lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">My husband has also been diagnosed with lyme. Both of my daughters have congenital lyme. </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 100%;">I am not sure when or where I got Lyme Disease. My history strongly indicates that I got it within months of when my husband and I were married in 1990. He grew up in Nebraska and had tick bites there as a child. He's had knee and hip pain for as long as he can remember. He thought everyone felt that way.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times;"></span> </div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 100%;">But who knows? I grew up in Eastern Washington State and ticks were unheard of in my hometown area during my childhood. Then, I lived in Hawaii for 6 years, then in Texas for 4 and to Utah for 10. No clue. I probably had 600 mosquito bites while living in Hawaii and it can be transmitted that way.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">All that matters is we finally know what is causing the craziness and I am healing.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></span></span><br />
<span lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">I thank the Lord each and every day for my life. Only through a miracle He brought to pass am I still here on earth. He sustained me through my darkest nights and carried me when I couldn't bear to go on any longer. </span></span></span><span lang="en-US"><span style="font-size: 100%;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Thank you to all of you who prayed on my behalf. I thank my dear husband for staying by my side through all the craziness. I thank my wonderful family for being there for me in so many ways. Thank you to the caring doctors who went many extra miles to help me because they believed I was truly physically ill even though they couldn't find out why.<br /><br />Now, I see life through a different set of "eyes" than I did in the years prior to my health struggles. These eyes are focused clearly and can see what is important and what is not. Often, it is the small and simple things that are really the most important.</span></span></span></div>
Karahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04540253405630085694noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4672159141655728642.post-68854104804870323242010-04-30T10:40:00.017-06:002010-04-30T12:11:46.791-06:00Many Thanks to Angel Flight<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGFc_uVX9Gp7POfHyPsVDnaaSpIOR82dHeBn_2ojOguBuN5zrXOP7ZJYEo8UblXMITnYmoHIgdET7K2zr-FGCYKDvQKxLeKWmdkVNsVUZ3svjUy8PyZukBriHjfbUz7Mb24CPHL56jFhmz/s1600/P1010480.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGFc_uVX9Gp7POfHyPsVDnaaSpIOR82dHeBn_2ojOguBuN5zrXOP7ZJYEo8UblXMITnYmoHIgdET7K2zr-FGCYKDvQKxLeKWmdkVNsVUZ3svjUy8PyZukBriHjfbUz7Mb24CPHL56jFhmz/s320/P1010480.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465984212504532482" border="0" /></a>The last couple of weeks, I've been in the process of writing "my story" in preparation for May which is Lyme Disease Awareness Month. These many trips down memory lane have brought back both warm memories and painful ones. Today, I'd like to share with you some warm memories -- those when I was flown as a patient by Angel Flight.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9FNKQrUPlluJMaVday5K4xp6cgeLqMoIEPzYfjjCDdkM9GZCJBxqMwYykBidurHfFbOKAE4xa1iX-BPQe9Ni6NbIi4c7tX2naLBWQZ-hWCIknjtFOC7iaDqEpxTv6pcHTrsMPTDyh0f5B/s1600/P1010702.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9FNKQrUPlluJMaVday5K4xp6cgeLqMoIEPzYfjjCDdkM9GZCJBxqMwYykBidurHfFbOKAE4xa1iX-BPQe9Ni6NbIi4c7tX2naLBWQZ-hWCIknjtFOC7iaDqEpxTv6pcHTrsMPTDyh0f5B/s320/P1010702.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465992148562428066" border="0" /></a>Angel Flight is a nationwide service organization that provides non-emergency medical transportation in private aircraft. The pilots donate their time and aircraft to fly patients in need.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz_NgBXBqZjwy4ivF0sN1kslEcwL9YSqAe2prJAhTPaGaztQKppdLP1tqwE6PVtfT2Cl0i6EnEz2oZqZ3YJCG8FwKjOzHNzopIBNY_eaVEa5WpStKUvHboqcI203miI_IL_lN207KNjZZN/s1600/P7010689.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz_NgBXBqZjwy4ivF0sN1kslEcwL9YSqAe2prJAhTPaGaztQKppdLP1tqwE6PVtfT2Cl0i6EnEz2oZqZ3YJCG8FwKjOzHNzopIBNY_eaVEa5WpStKUvHboqcI203miI_IL_lN207KNjZZN/s320/P7010689.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465990052991329346" border="0" /></a>During one chapter of my "healing adventure" I was being treated by a doctor at a specialty clinic in Dallas, TX. I was on TPN (total parenteral nutrition or IV nutrition). I needed to stay fairly close to the clinic so they could adjust my IV depending on lab results and how I was feeling. At the time, our family was living in Utah. It was very difficult being separated from them during such a stressful time.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEita_scPqi-UVBqnUNkRRKOMnN5YttRCDe5qZTdF0Bj0g5yZP4RgL3HJ5FrXIYX1H4daRm2rB6FoF_KvR33LPZrctZkSRedaa2kd8xJQFfeW5GhPDcMC_2bRKpvaupgH2BLwasc8X9EWGKk/s1600/PA310102.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEita_scPqi-UVBqnUNkRRKOMnN5YttRCDe5qZTdF0Bj0g5yZP4RgL3HJ5FrXIYX1H4daRm2rB6FoF_KvR33LPZrctZkSRedaa2kd8xJQFfeW5GhPDcMC_2bRKpvaupgH2BLwasc8X9EWGKk/s320/PA310102.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465985116484148194" border="0" /></a>Traveling was very hard on me at the time. I could not fly on a regular airline due to my low immune system and severe chemical allergies. Not to mention the fact that our budget was beyond stretched due to medical expenses.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVCAuck76GX14V-6hQOY11I_3sBItJFWfV5SjCbQbH6CwMvPrHuvQ5snjaAhA1uQsXG2Q-RT4PEx2pRdFU8Hv2yMNP4RnZUlUopU8MssP44Jqg1Cx3-xuyB_saW5vEBWzQJrQYpNkY61jb/s1600/P1010566.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVCAuck76GX14V-6hQOY11I_3sBItJFWfV5SjCbQbH6CwMvPrHuvQ5snjaAhA1uQsXG2Q-RT4PEx2pRdFU8Hv2yMNP4RnZUlUopU8MssP44Jqg1Cx3-xuyB_saW5vEBWzQJrQYpNkY61jb/s320/P1010566.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465992818193751042" border="0" /></a>This is where Angel Flight came into the picture. Don and I are both involved with the organization and love it! <a href="http://15minutesofdelusion.blogspot.com/2008/06/back-on-board-with-angel-flight.html">Read more about that here</a>.<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><br /><br /></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkAC1-gQnNglqYLoO4oMYTrZS-cqFGzNFg49zfaSYlMpMHpeOezwkFDmNfjHiCY8N_ON_yHNKda8oALQWimYIP1pGWX4KaBcVF5RWBDMqO49UI0dAtK9KP171e9pY0_4ps-fSpGMtvJ6rT/s1600/P1010188.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkAC1-gQnNglqYLoO4oMYTrZS-cqFGzNFg49zfaSYlMpMHpeOezwkFDmNfjHiCY8N_ON_yHNKda8oALQWimYIP1pGWX4KaBcVF5RWBDMqO49UI0dAtK9KP171e9pY0_4ps-fSpGMtvJ6rT/s320/P1010188.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465987031524733906" border="0" /></a>Many heartfelt thanks go out to the Angel Flight Pilots who flew me back and forth from Salt Lake City, UT to Dallas, TX so I could see my family while I was in treatment and on TPN. You lifted my spirits and brought light into my life during a very difficult time. Thank you!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-OylKRdFYGrVRdAD5Km5Ls_66XNVlp2r8vLNvXa57U__6krXcydJiHYLMwt3rjFMwufwpBM7KFaEVA-9eZBjj0crrTdWc77faIAhyVVdsB1Xx2MkEWXuEtUeX3npzAyZT4BfcyeA-shNV/s1600/P7010694.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-OylKRdFYGrVRdAD5Km5Ls_66XNVlp2r8vLNvXa57U__6krXcydJiHYLMwt3rjFMwufwpBM7KFaEVA-9eZBjj0crrTdWc77faIAhyVVdsB1Xx2MkEWXuEtUeX3npzAyZT4BfcyeA-shNV/s400/P7010694.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5465994637459688834" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBQ3abavNQTpE80gBJjv_YgmXs_AK3jTXDotjlTDkf5yQ2cs4m0XuFLjdwgU2K9HzmRo8QpU7stmZlRnORwUh05GVsDCDwTeKqUNoPy8Qx2j8goQAhgwy4D1eFWFFIZ6NjiFQbtvODuYDN/s1600/P7010694.JPG"><br /></a>Karahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04540253405630085694noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4672159141655728642.post-46751788863466200432010-04-05T10:12:00.009-06:002010-04-05T11:32:35.818-06:00Lyme Disease Awareness Campaign<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHHRXxf0YvsnseL8rbDWk9b5Z2Xq0VjPfTw-MR2yNaMNadPATSHh_tAEpAtEicjEKNYt-x-9qBEGu_haLrbSUAytxNcv1hHWbrKvzdVhDEI8tV3anouBLd8vx52GiZusIkmeUpYHJkwxP5/s1600/ribbon.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 133px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHHRXxf0YvsnseL8rbDWk9b5Z2Xq0VjPfTw-MR2yNaMNadPATSHh_tAEpAtEicjEKNYt-x-9qBEGu_haLrbSUAytxNcv1hHWbrKvzdVhDEI8tV3anouBLd8vx52GiZusIkmeUpYHJkwxP5/s200/ribbon.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5456689457017023554" border="0" /></a><br />As you know, myself, Don, Anna and Alyssa have chronic <span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; cursor: pointer; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1270483772_3">Lyme Disease</span>. This disease is a very misunderstood, misdiagnosed and overlooked illness. In 2008, 35,198 cases were reported to the <span style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1270483772_4">CDC</span> (<span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; cursor: pointer; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1270483772_5">Center for Dise</span><span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; cursor: pointer; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1270483772_5">ase Control</span>). Actual new cases are conservatively estimated at 422,000.<br /><p>You can get Lyme in any state -- west coast, east coast, north, south and every state in between. It is everywhere. <span style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; cursor: pointer; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1270483772_6">Ticks</span> know no boundaries. Lyme is also found in many countries. It is on every continent except <span style="background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; cursor: pointer; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1270483772_7">Antarctica</span>. It is the fastest growing <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1270483772_8">infectious disease</span> in <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1270483772_9">North America</span>. There are more new cases of Lyme disease each year than there are of <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1270483772_10">HIV</span>, <span style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1270483772_11">West Nile</span>, <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1270483772_12">Swine Flu</span>, and <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1270483772_13">Avian Flu</span> <span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">combined.</span></p> <p>My friend, Ashley, over at <a href="http://lymenaide.wordpress.com/">Lymenaide</a>, has started a project to create a Nationwide <span style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(0, 102, 204); cursor: pointer;" class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1270483772_14">Awareness Campaign</span> for Lyme disease. Her brother, is filming a Public Service Announcement! I am so excited about it! It is time to get the word out about Lyme Disease. Knowledge is power and a vital part of getting diagnosed early and properly to avoid <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1270483772_15">chronic lyme disease</span>.<br /></p><p>In order to bring this about, some funds must be raised. There are some production and distribution costs that need to be covered. Most donations are small, just a few dollars. They are adding up quickly! The goal is to raise about $5,000. All donations are kept track of on Ashley's website, <a href="http://lymenaide.wordpress.com/paint-may-lyme-green/psa-donations/">here</a>. When you donate, you will be acknowledged there too. Please help us spread awareness about Lyme Disease!<br /></p><p>For all the different donation methods and options, please go to <a href="http://lymenaide.wordpress.com/paint-may-lyme-green/how-to-donate/">How to Donate</a>.<br /></p>Don and I are saving in order donate to the Paint May Lyme Green campaign. The public service announcement is a terrific way to get the word out about Lyme Disease and prevent others from getting this potentially disabling and horrible disease.<br /><br />Thank you for helping us get the word out about Lyme Disease!<br /><br />~KaraKarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04540253405630085694noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4672159141655728642.post-21684218947084136532010-03-28T19:55:00.003-06:002010-03-28T20:14:49.316-06:00Easter Dresses and McCall BallEach year, my mother-in-law springs for new Easter dresses for the girls. When they were small, shopping for dresses was a lot of fun - pile them both in the car and hit a couple of shops at the mall.<br /><br />Now that they are older - especially Anna - the trip has become a bit more complicated.<br /><br />For one thing, Alyssa is still in girls sizes (just barely) while Anna is in misses, so they aren't in the same section of the store. One of them will always be bored, and bored is bad.<br /><br />Yesterday I decided to take them out separately. I made Alyssa go with me during my regular grocery run, and we tacked on the mall. She was very excited to see the Easter Bunny. Fortunately, she didn't want to sit on his lap - just walk by and wave.<br /><br />I found a dress for her at JCPenny, which was only our second stop. Whew!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHPhs8zl2C5jTNMxLLeODLw8YI-uHFxEXML0xc7bizADom_kbjPVCWzxlB6oSDLR05fhj0KJARlQPe1qOjtr4hAafaQWe3Qq7r6ikNiNOSiUoTgMXUFHwKXiZAqKnTSkojt1tccdTCgB0/s1600/Easter+Dresses+001.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHPhs8zl2C5jTNMxLLeODLw8YI-uHFxEXML0xc7bizADom_kbjPVCWzxlB6oSDLR05fhj0KJARlQPe1qOjtr4hAafaQWe3Qq7r6ikNiNOSiUoTgMXUFHwKXiZAqKnTSkojt1tccdTCgB0/s400/Easter+Dresses+001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453872210245208322" border="0" /></a>Anna is not one for doing much shopping. It didn't require a headlock or bribe to get her into the truck this time, but I was starting to worry.<br /><br />We also went to JCPenny, where she found a couple of dresses she really liked. Both were sleeveless, low-cut summer dresses, but Anna was prepared with an undershirt, which is how she planned to wear them.<br /><br />The first didn't fit right through the straps, and the second wasn't in her size. So I went to the front of the store, where we had seen the same dress on a mannequin, and asked the helper guy what size that dress was. It was a 6, which is what we needed!<br /><br />He tried getting the dress off of the dummy, but it wouldn't come. He finally ended up removing both arms and splitting the body at the torso before the dress would come off.<br /><br />It's a good thing Anna was in the dressing room at the time, or I'm certain she'd have died from embarrassment.<br /><br />Sadly, the dress was just a little too tight through the middle.<br /><br />Our second stop was Belk, and after a little bit of searching, we found this bright, sunny yellow number.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic_9jcimGBi1AhrjOsajt_wwg3lrhwIOyyDE3Rjj5BTiUsKER4WC4aMyj5aTqMJ9iZwkmC65SKLKA6UuFMV1tmkjo0OzNjssZy3XyXmcKi7YDjgmodbn-TDlpEkKq2_MO743C4TnYTUaQ/s1600/Easter+Dresses+011.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic_9jcimGBi1AhrjOsajt_wwg3lrhwIOyyDE3Rjj5BTiUsKER4WC4aMyj5aTqMJ9iZwkmC65SKLKA6UuFMV1tmkjo0OzNjssZy3XyXmcKi7YDjgmodbn-TDlpEkKq2_MO743C4TnYTUaQ/s400/Easter+Dresses+011.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453872207008838770" border="0" /></a>Two pretty girls.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipC09Xi5WdLI5uZaITN8d8EGRHzF4HjD5bZfPjOl8x9eZR3B0Iic8EzcTP2h79dICYdn2YkEq4APZex3zvdxcNG_YobbKpkebQPr1sGe2HhxmBizaet5VG7ZrzoPaJt4H5_xHaZ4v8ing/s1600/Easter+Dresses+006.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipC09Xi5WdLI5uZaITN8d8EGRHzF4HjD5bZfPjOl8x9eZR3B0Iic8EzcTP2h79dICYdn2YkEq4APZex3zvdxcNG_YobbKpkebQPr1sGe2HhxmBizaet5VG7ZrzoPaJt4H5_xHaZ4v8ing/s400/Easter+Dresses+006.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453872200578811186" border="0" /></a>Then last night, Anna went to the Young Women's broadcast, and Alyssa and I went to the McCall Ball - a daddy-daughter dance at her school. We even danced a little bit.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBt18LAuz_J6r9PXMd1rfHtfHTk7WhTTNOC0puEbN8gXvVs7kQd2y8eZYdh04doalA-KE7z3aR9bZNQ0I2JdImwhyphenhyphen1qvnaWXTPjvpLptFUwICF4HfV703ZhqD1HCM-p-a4yAvctuSwlDw/s1600/McCall+Ball+006.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBt18LAuz_J6r9PXMd1rfHtfHTk7WhTTNOC0puEbN8gXvVs7kQd2y8eZYdh04doalA-KE7z3aR9bZNQ0I2JdImwhyphenhyphen1qvnaWXTPjvpLptFUwICF4HfV703ZhqD1HCM-p-a4yAvctuSwlDw/s400/McCall+Ball+006.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453872195626397042" border="0" /></a>Alyssa had a lot of friends tell her how pretty they thought her dress was.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfOPVmnxzKxIegoFUknFxnP9iWekEe6fZFp5Z95ktJtwPegs-yqB1Oova5DQR4EHGVhhod-agzQtv3l-3OReH-cx7nZwOvGhuMKy-n6rrsHYiBNyfFU8CRipaznthxN8TKOnDagC_FnzY/s1600/McCall+Ball+001.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfOPVmnxzKxIegoFUknFxnP9iWekEe6fZFp5Z95ktJtwPegs-yqB1Oova5DQR4EHGVhhod-agzQtv3l-3OReH-cx7nZwOvGhuMKy-n6rrsHYiBNyfFU8CRipaznthxN8TKOnDagC_FnzY/s400/McCall+Ball+001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453872186499592018" border="0" /></a>Donhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17369952902975144773noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4672159141655728642.post-67903105247894136492010-03-28T19:31:00.003-06:002010-03-28T19:51:49.904-06:00Spring Break Dallas TripA couple of weeks ago, the girls were out of school for spring break. We were originally hoping for a trip to Utah, but that fell through. In the end, it's probably just as well, as the girls had a different activity pretty much every evening.<br /><br />I decided to take a half day off of work and take them to Dallas on the one night they <span style="font-weight: bold;">didn't</span> have anything else planned. So we piled into the van and started driving east.<br /><br />First stop: the Lego Store. Alyssa has really been into building with Legos lately, and since we'd never been I decided it would be a fun trip. They have this wall full of random Lego bits, and you can fill these little plastic bins with whatever fits. We got a lot of wheels - Lego wheels are the best.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnmPGdE-PWQKkgbYzun3glRfeABt8Tsvw4p27BlbM4ipNOijlcgA1C8aD4Qvd9MC8gKZNPPo_xgxET7BL1CwIseWca1rE9kYI_8cV8TPlzwm-0LkgGG1p9zmDZhrhDGMvOTPvi-rVnlS4/s1600/DSCI0503.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnmPGdE-PWQKkgbYzun3glRfeABt8Tsvw4p27BlbM4ipNOijlcgA1C8aD4Qvd9MC8gKZNPPo_xgxET7BL1CwIseWca1rE9kYI_8cV8TPlzwm-0LkgGG1p9zmDZhrhDGMvOTPvi-rVnlS4/s400/DSCI0503.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453866566685807762" border="0" /></a>They also have some bins where you can build your own mix and match Lego people. I was a little disappointed in the selection, but the girls had a great time, anyway. These dudes were maybe not as good of a value as the mix-n-match bins, though.<br /><br />We found a store with a big Batman.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwWdMmMGs_bcOR0Zuw3Geek2SytFwBYn9iuvQV9e7ga_Xi6bYgQipZWOEp_CRflOQzDIYggA64hUb46sB_salhxIs85wxskQSsqpnuLV5tJX6f_-f1bJInp_EdScZMJpjsfHwh3tJrvZQ/s1600/DSCI0504.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwWdMmMGs_bcOR0Zuw3Geek2SytFwBYn9iuvQV9e7ga_Xi6bYgQipZWOEp_CRflOQzDIYggA64hUb46sB_salhxIs85wxskQSsqpnuLV5tJX6f_-f1bJInp_EdScZMJpjsfHwh3tJrvZQ/s400/DSCI0504.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453866571792833586" border="0" /></a>Then we went to dinner at the Macaroni Grill, followed by a trip to the American Girl store.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmEudYJPZE8tL62od7Tx197_u585c-RyzEMNDozZH6IKFW5sgtjYSkGuu4n58rLfoG4AT-3h3dU2loSTNzkayG-0J92mZMOP1Fpz8Bmz5cQHkWgHfqRwuCwGK33pZci9ZaqOPqe7bznhE/s1600/DSCI0528.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmEudYJPZE8tL62od7Tx197_u585c-RyzEMNDozZH6IKFW5sgtjYSkGuu4n58rLfoG4AT-3h3dU2loSTNzkayG-0J92mZMOP1Fpz8Bmz5cQHkWgHfqRwuCwGK33pZci9ZaqOPqe7bznhE/s400/DSCI0528.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453866560942026322" border="0" /></a>Alyssa has been big into caring for her babies lately, too, so this was a great trip for her.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXOE1gdOkHdPMLZV8EQtUYoncZjBBBd22-gTtp9d2TbImFwLpiI-7_P7p9UxRs9Y3G4EFbOtQ1LtolY3kBGXVz9ilQq8kxBLG66g-SRnOaG6TuQaJcj2SLYKFcWNpsrbHrCD1Kk6VsNRo/s1600/DSCI0542.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXOE1gdOkHdPMLZV8EQtUYoncZjBBBd22-gTtp9d2TbImFwLpiI-7_P7p9UxRs9Y3G4EFbOtQ1LtolY3kBGXVz9ilQq8kxBLG66g-SRnOaG6TuQaJcj2SLYKFcWNpsrbHrCD1Kk6VsNRo/s400/DSCI0542.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453866551801695634" border="0" /></a>Anna has pretty much outgrown American Girl. So have I.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCNUlr5W2w7o3tk0FiqRhV4z80lB6S_98iK81UCBqdK5oQmj8xRtC4l0zXKeMJu4FlFmZp4ptKMGEkkX83csvVtU0DCpXYktehlAnDHAktOkM-QMyBPyou6h8S4zLKd7Dd9e3NaCBaCcY/s1600/DSCI0535.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCNUlr5W2w7o3tk0FiqRhV4z80lB6S_98iK81UCBqdK5oQmj8xRtC4l0zXKeMJu4FlFmZp4ptKMGEkkX83csvVtU0DCpXYktehlAnDHAktOkM-QMyBPyou6h8S4zLKd7Dd9e3NaCBaCcY/s400/DSCI0535.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5453866548558327090" border="0" /></a>Some other Spring Break activities included sleep-overs, backyard camp-outs, and a Young Women cookie dough making party.<br /><br />It was fun having the girls home for the week. It was even more fun when they went back to school the next day.Donhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17369952902975144773noreply@blogger.com1