Lindsey

Lindsey & Minnie Mouse
@ Disney World
'Make-A-Wish' Trip

I'd like you to meet Lindsey.

Stick with me here, please.

Her story is like no other.

• She's 8 years old.
• She's our first grandchild.  The first one of four.
• She's always considered every party to be her birthday.
• She's always loved watching a good soccer game on television with her Daddy - in their matching soccer jerseys.
• She's a lover of dogs, and has three of her own: Casey, Penny & Elvis, who love her dearly, protect her, and sleep under her bed.  She even has an uncle-dog - Uncle Scrappy - who would always sit with her in her special princess chair while watching movies and cartoons at Gramma and PaPa Joe's house.  She misses Uncle Scrappy, but he visits her in Asheville from time to time.
• She's got 3 cousins: Audrey, Samuel & Anderson, who think she's pretty and wish with all their hearts they could play together.  Her cousins pray for her.
• She's 'Princess Lindsey' to her family & friends.
• She lives in the mountains of North Carolina, which can be seen from the big picture window in her mostly-pink bedroom.
• She always loved to bring me fresh flowers, picked right from my garden by her precious little hands.  That's my favorite way to get flowers.  I miss those days terribly.
• She does not like jeans.  You see, real princesses don't wear jeans.
• She prefers only very soft clothing against her baby soft skin.  Real princesses deserve only the very best.
• She's got the softest bed around.  Custom-made by her Daddy.
• She has very soft, long brown hair that her Mommy styles so pretty.
• She has long, gorgeous black eyelashes - just like her Daddy.
• She's a natural beauty.
• She's a fan of the 'Backyardigans' and 'Dora, the Explorer.'
• She's a close personal friend of Mickey and Minnie, and the entire Disney gang.
• She always enjoyed a good game of 'hide 'n seek' at Gramma & PaPa Joe's house.
• She misses her Great Grandma and Great Grandpa Ghiata.  They live in Ohio.
• She's a collector of soft blankets made especially for her by kindhearted souls at the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, where she's spent too many days and nights.
• She loves a good head-rub.
• She gave a blanket with a big picture of her on it to her Mommy and Daddy to keep them warm at night.
• She really wishes she could play with the kids in the neighborhood.
• She wishes she could tell her Mommy and Daddy how much she loves them, and give them lots of hugs and kisses.
• She has the best and most attentive Mommy and Daddy.
• She has more determination than anyone I've ever met.
• She's too familiar w/ hospitals & medical equipment.
• She has a feeding tube, a trach, and a ventilator.  They're with her day and night.
• She's one 'tough cookie.'
• She never gives up.
• She believes in miracles and Jesus.
• She has Tay Sachs disease.

Never heard of Tay Sachs?

Neither did I, until Lindsey was diagnosed nearly 5 yrs. ago, when she was just 3 yrs. old.

Just 3.

Lindsey and her Daddy
in matching soccer jerseys

She wishes you'd pray for her.  So do I.

This Grandma loves Lindsey so much.

I wish I could take her place.

Hammock In The Shade

My toes are calling.

They're begging to feel the sands of Carolina's beaches between them.


'Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place,
and get some rest.'
Mark 6:31

The rest of my body parts are chiming in, 'We wanna go, too.'

All the while, I'm thinking, 'Y'know, I've got some pretty smart toes.  Quite brilliant, actually.' 

Apparently, they know me better than I know myself.  And right now, they know I long for a break.

Just wish I could find a place on the beach to hang a hammock.  Between two palm trees, perhaps? 

A hammock in the shade ... that's the ticket. 

Twin palm trees, freshly painted pink toenails, a never-ending glass of lemonade (I'm not Southern enough yet to handle sweet tea), a beach bag chock full of good books that have been snoozing on my bookshelf waaaay too long, and me - snug as a bug in my hammock.

Nothing too serious, though.  Book-wise, that is.

I'm thinking more along the lines of mysterious fiction.  Something that will allow for appropriate periods of catching the zzz's that I crave.

That's it!  An effortless reading/dreaming day in a hammock in the shade at the beach.

Just doing as I'm told ...

MARK 6: 31  ...  'Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place, and get some rest.'

Don't know when it'll all come to pass ... But, that's my plan and I'm sticking to it.

Jesus Taught Me How To Pray

Just sitting here.  Alone.

Thinking.  Wondering.  Questioning.

Why?

Because sometimes I just don't know how to pray.

'When you pray, go into your room.
Close the door, and pray to your Father (God) who is unseen.
Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.'
Matthew 6:6

Its not that prayer is at all new to me.  I'm quite familiar with the concept.

Jesus and I have shared quiet prayer time daily since I was nearly five years old.

Matter of fact, I cannot recall a day in my life that did not include prayer.

I understand full well that prayer is my spiritual communion with the Lord.

Yet at times, I still find myself questioning:  'How in the world do I pray about this?'  Whatever the 'this' may be at the time.

While sitting here in my self-induced solitude, trying to figure out how to pray - particularly regarding a circumstance that both saddens and dumbfounds me - I decided to ask Him.  THE Him.

Without delay, He - THE He - spoke to my heart through these verses:

Matthew 6: 6

When you pray, go into your room.

Close the door, and pray to your Father (God) who is unseen.

Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Matthew 6: 9 & 10

This then is how you should pray ... (vs. 9)

Thy will (God's will) be done. (vs. 10)

Matthew 6: 36-39

Then Jesus went with His disciples to a place called Gethsemane.

And He said to them, 'Sit here while I go over there and pray.'

He (Jesus) took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with Him,

And He began to be sorrowful and troubled.

Then, He said to them ...

My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death.

Stay here and keep watch with me.

Going a little farther,

He fell with His face to the ground and prayed ...

My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.

Yet, not as I will - but, as You will.

That's it then.  He answered my question.

I'll go to my room, close the door, and pray to My Father (God).

And though I am overwhelmed with sorrow, I will pray on bended knees with my face to the ground.  I'll make my requests known to Him, finishing my prayers with - 'Yet, not as I will, but as You will.

'Do not be anxious about anything.
But in every situation, with prayer, petition, and thanksgiving,
Present your requests to God.'
Philippians 4:6

'God will meet all your needs,
According to the riches of His glory in Christ Jesus.'
Philippians 4:19

I don't feel so alone anymore.

But, I still have some work to do on the 'anxious' part.

River Rocks and Moon Pies

Between a rock and a hard place.  An unfortunate place to be?  Not necessarily.

Not this particular time, anyway.

The rocky places our kayaks encountered Saturday - all day - were often met with sweet relief.

Case (or 2) in point:

1. Our rock-encounters allowed us substantial time for much-needed breaks from paddling.
2. Our rock-encounters resulted in plenty of good-for-the-soul belly laughs.

Because of the rocks, we gained a greater respect for mother nature, latched onto a heightened awareness of our surroundings, and endured one mighty tough full-body workout.

Yes, full body. 

Rushing white water has the ridiculously amazing ability to slam you and your kayak full-force, and at tremendous speed, smack-dab into the center of a rock that you had no idea was there, and which suddenly stops you dead-in-your-tracks in the blink of an eye.

Best plan?  Don't blink.

I tell ya', it was an obstacle course out there.

Rocks here, there, and everywhere.  And most were winners at the whole hide-'n-go-seek game. 
Child's play?  Think again!

The entire rock-encounter experience could teach 'Mr. P90X' a thing or two.

Oh, yes!  This particular kayaking ordeal worked every single body muscle known to us.  And, even the ones we had no idea existed ... until now.

Five solid workout hours of paddling, maneuvering, slamming into rocks, and exerting all energies in navigating off said rocks, only to discover that more rocks - alot more - were secretly lurking ahead.
Pretty sure we'll be feeling the effects when we roll (literally, 'roll') out of bed tomorrow morning.

Would I do it again?  In a heartbeat, and after I invest in a blow-up/cushiony seat for my hind end.

What part do the moon pies have in this whole story?  After a workout such as this, every good body deserves a moon pie.

If you have to ask what a moon pie is, you're obviously not from the South.

Its chocolatey-marshmallow-heaven.

A Change of Plans

'Do not boast about tomorrow,

For you do not know what a day may bring.'  - Proverbs 27: 1

'Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow.

What is your life?

You are a mist that appears for a little while, and then vanishes.'  - James 4: 14

You'd think that by now I'd have this whole 'life' thing down pat.

My entire life, my Dad has reminded me:  'It takes a lifetime to learn how to live, Lori.'

Apparently, I've got a bit more to learn.

Fortunately, my m.o. (method of operation) keeps me from getting too awfully shook up about things that might not necessarily go according to plan.

I'm quite alright with changes in plans ...

• When I was a little girl, I dreamed of marrying fairytale Prince Charming.
• When I became a big girl, I fell in love with and married real-life Joe instead.
• When I was a little girl, I thought my parents were clueless.
• When I became a big girl, I realized the cluelessness was all mine.
• When I was a little girl, I was certain I'd be a Veterinarian when I grew up.
• When I became a big girl, I changed my certitude to Pediatric Nursing.
• When I was a little girl, I couldn't imagine being a Gramma.
• When I became a big girl, I couldn't imagine not being a Gramma.

Even as recently as this very week, significant changes have taken place to big plans I'd made.

But, I'm really okay with that. 

I've learned to be at peace with plan-changes, knowing that ultimately God's will will be done - no matter what my own original plan may have been.

Many things about tomorrow

I don't seem to understand.

But I know who holds tomorrow

And I know who holds my hand.

(lyrics and composer - Ira Forest Stanphill)

It takes a lifetime to learn how to live,

How to share, and how to give,

How to face tragedy that comes your way,

How to find courage to face each new day.

How to smile when your heart is sore,

How to go on when you can take no more.

How to laugh when you want to cry,

How to be brave when you say goodbye.

How to still love when your loss is great,

How to forgive when your urge is to hate.

How to be sure God's really there,

How to find Him ... Seek Him in prayer.

- Ruth Moyer Gilmore

Road Trip - Part Two. Packing.

Packing ... Ugh.

I'm draggin' my heels on this one.

That reminds me ... I need to pack a few of those ... heels, that is.

Second thought:  Nope.  No heels.

Comfortable flats trump fashionable heels.  Every time.

The boxes here pretty much mirror the boxes tucked away in my closet - right down to the dog.

Apparently, Scrappy (my loyal, 10 yr. old Yorkie) thinks he's going with me.  Not.

I've got too many must-haves to drag along.  Can't be dragged down by a dog.  Sorry, Scrappy.

Thus, the entirely-too-many, but can't-live-without-'em packing boxes.

Aside from the essentials - underwear, make-up, and every pair of shoes I own - and the not-so-essentials, I've got boxes upon boxes of books.

But, only one title:  Pregnant at 16.  Authored by me.

I'm hoping these boxes are near-empty upon my return to North Carolina.

If you're attending the National Right To Life Convention this month, stop by my exhibit booth and introduce yourself.

Looking forward to making new friends in Jacksonville, Florida.

Road Trip - Part One. Preparations

Are we there yet?

Hey ... Isn't it the 'getting there' that's supposed to be so much fun?

Soon, I'll be hittin' the open road that leads to Jacksonville, Florida. 

On my own. 

Yikes!

My directionally-challenged behaviors are certain to make this lone excursion, at the very least, interesting if not amusing.

Yup, I've got one of those GPS doohickeys close-at-hand.  But, my hearing disability leaves me at a certain disadvantage, potentially causing me to unintentionally ignore the GPS-guy while he politely informs me (over and over again) he's 'recalculating', due to a turn I missed ... 15 miles ago.

Take a map?

Nope. 

I don't do maps. 

If maps were designed with cute little pictures of landmarks, rather than boring street names and highway numbers, that'd be a different story.  That'd be a map I could deal with ... one with a woman's touch.

That'll be my next big project.

But for now, I'm in preparation mode for the National Right To Life Convention, 2011.