MOM

THANKS TO KERI FOR THE FOLLOWING EMAIL.

Before I was a Mom,
I never tripped over toys
or forgot words to a lullaby.
I didn't worry whether or not
my plants were poisonous.
I never thought about immunizations.


Before I was a Mom,
I had never been puked on.
Pooped on.
Chewed on..
Peed on.
I had complete control of my mind
and my thoughts.
I slept all night.

Before I was a Mom,
I never held down a screaming child
so doctors could do tests.
Or give shots.
I never looked into teary eyes and cried.
I never got gloriously happy over a simple grin.
I never sat up late hours at night
watching a baby sleep.

Before I was a Mom,
I never held a sleeping baby just because
I didn't want to put her down.
I never felt my heart break into a million pieces
when I couldn't stop the hurt.!
I never knew that something so small
could affect my life so much.
I never knew that I could love someone so much.
I never knew I would love being a Mom.

Before I was a Mom,
I didn't know the feeling of
having my heart outside my body..
I didn't know how special it could feel
to feed a hungry baby.
I didn't know that bond
between a mother and her child.
I didn't know that something so small
could make me feel so important and happy.

Before I was a Mom,
I had never gotten up in the middle of the night
every 10 minutes to make sure all was okay.
I had never known the warmth,
the joy,
the love,
the heartache,
the wonderment
or the satisfaction of being a Mom.
I didn't know I was capable of feeling so much,
before I was a Mom .

BRIAN KIDNAPPED ME AND TOOK ME TO THE LAKE HOUSE. I NEEDED SOME FRESH AIR. WE SPRAYED THE HOUSE WITH LYSOL. I HOPE WE HAVE KILLED THE GERMS. IT WAS NICE TO GET AWAY AND RELAX. I AM FEELING BETTER. I WILL BE GLAD WHEN I AM COMPLETELY WELL.

BRIAN FLY FISHED OFF THE DOCK AND CAUGHT SEVERAL PERCH. BRIAN CAUGHT A 8 POUND 23 INCH BASS ON A FLY ROD. I WILL POST PICTURES SOON. BRIAN HAS BEEN PUTTING OUT FISH FOOD NEAR THE DOCK. I WAS REALLY NEAT TO SIT AND WATCH THE FISH FEEDING.

THE HUMMINGBIRDS ARE BACK. I JUST LOVE TO SIT ON THE PORCH AND WATCH THEM.

BRIAN WAS RIGHT THE FRESH AIR DID ME A LOT OF GOOD. I FEEL LIKE I AM ACTUALLY ON THE ROAD TO RECOVERY. HOPEFULLY SOON I CAN SAY GOOD BYE TO MY BARKING SEAL BUDDY. LOL!!!

HAVE A GOOD WEEK EVERYONE. MOM, ALLYSON AND ASHLEY DON'T FORGET MAY THE 6TH. I WILL GET WITH YA'LL THIS WEEK SO FINISH DETAILS.

HAVE A GOOD WEEK EVERYONE

I AM SITTING AT HOME SICK. I AM BORED OUT OF MY MIND. I HAVE BEEN ON FACE BOOK SO LONG I AM CROSS-EYED. I AM TAKING ENOUGH MEDS TO KILL A HORSE. I SOUND LIKE A BARKING SEAL. I CAN'T BELIEVE I CAUGHT THIS MESS. TODAY IS THE FIRST DAY I CAN BREATHE BETTER. I STILL SOUND LIKE A PERSON WHO SMOKED 3 PACKS A DAY FOR FORTY YEARS. THIS STUFF IS TERRIBLE. I HOPE EVERYONE IS WELL. WELL I NEED TO GET SOME SLEEP. IT IS TIME TO MOVE THE DOGS OVER SO I CAN STRETCH OUT. WHEN I START COUGHING THEY JUST LOOK AT ME LIKE I AM NUTS. THEY DON'T KNOW IF THEY SHOULD BARK BACK AT ME OR NOT. LOL!!! YOU KNOW YOU SOUND REALLY BAD WHEN THE DOG GIVES YOU STRANGE LOOKS. DONNA HAS STARTED PATTING MY LEG WHEN I COUGH. CAT JUST LOOKS AT ME LIKE " GREAT JUST GREAT" SHE THINKS IT IS ALL ABOUT HER. LOL!! CAT IS FEELING MUCH BETTER. SHE ACTED MUCH BETTER TODAY. IT IS A DAY TO DAY THING WITH HER NOW. SHE WILL GO BACK TO THE VET IN A FEW DAYS. CAT HAS TAKEN MY HEATING PAD FOR HERSELF. THAT IS A SAD THING WHEN YOU HAVE TO FIGHT YOUR DOG FOR THE HEATING PAD. WELL TIME TO RELAX AND TAKE MY MEDS. I WILL BE SO GLAD WHEN THIS STUFF IS GONE. HELLO TO EVERYONE ENJOY THE SUNSHINE.

THE FOLLOWING IS A COPY OF AN EMAIL I RECEIVED. I DO NOT KNOW IF IT IS TRUE OR NOT. I LIKE THE MESSAGE AND WANTED TO SHARE IT. HAVE A GOOD WEEK EVERYONE. THANK YOU AUNT JEANIE FOR SENDING ME THIS EMAIL.

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How to Dance in the Rain
It was a busy morning, about 8:30, when an elderly gentleman in his 80's arrived to have stitches removed from his thumb. He said he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00 am.

I took his vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing it would be over an hour before someone would able to see him. I saw him looking at his watch and decided, since I was not busy with another patient, I would evaluate his wound. On exam, it was well healed, so I talked to one of the doctors, got the needed supplies to remove his sutures and redress his wound.

While taking care of his wound, I asked him if he had another doctor's appointment this morning, as he was in such a hurry.

The gentleman told me no, that he needed to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife. I inquired as to her health.

He told me that she had been there for a while and that she was a victim of Alzheimer's Disease.

As we talked, I asked if she would be upset if he was a bit late.

He replied that she no longer knew who he was, that she had not recognized him in five years now.


I was surprised, and asked him, 'And you still go every morning, even though she doesn't know who you are?'

He smiled as he patted my hand and said,

'She doesn't know me, but I still know who she is.'


I had to hold back tears as he left, I had goose bumps on my arm, and thought,

'That is the kind of love I want in my life.'

True love is neither physical, nor romantic.

True love is an acceptance of all that is, has been, will be, and will not be.


With all the jokes and fun that are in e-mails, sometimes there is one that comes along that has an important message. This one I thought I could share with you.


The happiest people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything they have.

I hope you share this with someone you care about. I just did.

'Life isn't about how to survive the storm,

But how to dance in the rain.'
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SICK AND TIRED OF BEING SICK AND TIRED

I CAN'T BELIEVE I AM SICK AGAIN. IF YOU MENTION IT I CATCH IT. I SHOULD TAKE A BATH IN LYSOL AND WEAR IT AS A PERFUME. I SOUND LIKE A BARKING SEAL. HOT TOTTIE LAND HEAR I COME.

Happy Easter

WE ARE ALL DOING GREAT!
ETHAN . . .
ETHAN TURNED 17 YRS OLD. I CAN NOT BELIEVE I HAVE A CHILD THAT OLD. THIS HAS CAUSED ME MORE GRAY HAIR. ETHAN IS NOW RIDING BULLS. THIS HAS CAUSED ME EVEN MORE GRAY HAIR. WE ARE SO PROUD HE STAYED ON FOR 4 SECONDS THIS LAST TIME. THIS HAS CAUSED ME EVEN MORE GRAY HAIR. BRIAN GOT ETHAN ALL THE GEAR (ROPES,SPURS,BELL, ETC...) THIS HAS CAUSED ME EVEN MORE GRAY HAIR. I HAVE NOW SET UP A FUND "JODI'S HAIR DYE" IN ORDER TO DEAL WITH ALL THE SALON VISITS AND HAIR DYE CHARGES I HAVE STACKED UP LATELY. LOL!!! ALL JOKING A SIDE ETHAN IS A GREAT KID. BRIAN AND ETHAN GO EVERY THURSDAY NIGHT SO ETHAN CAN RIDE. I GUESS FATHER LIKE SON. ETHAN IS GOING TO BE A LIFE GUARD AGAIN THIS SUMMER.
JAKE. . .
JAKE IS 12 GOING ON 13 HE CAN NOT WAIT TO BE A TEEN. HE IS COUNTING DOWN THE DAYS. JAKE HAS BEEN WORKING REALLY HARD ON HIS MATH GRADE. HE NOW HAS A 96. YEAH! JAKE! KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. JAKE PLAYS THE CORONET IN HIS SCHOOL BAND. HE WAS BEST ENSEMBLE AT HIS SCHOOL. WE ARE SO PROUD! JAKE LOVES TO SNEAK UP ON ME AND SCARE ME. HE IS ADDING TO MY GRAY HAIR ALSO. JAKE IS "SNEAKY" JUST LIKE HIS DAD. HE LOVES TO PLAY JOKES ON ME. THANK YOU JAKE FOR YOUR BRAVERY AND HELP KILLING THE SNAKE. JAKE GOT THE STICK AND STOOD BACK AND WATCHED ME (MOM) KILL THE SNAKE. FATHER LIKE SON WHEN IT COMES TO SNAKES. LOL!
BRIAN . . ETHAN . . JAKE . .
THEY HAVE ENJOYED GAR FISHING AT THE LAKE HOUSE. THEY ARE SPEAR FISHING. I WILL TRY TO GET PICTURES ADDED THIS WEEKEND.

"IN MEMORY OF MAMA RAY"

"IN MEMORY OF MAMA RAY"

A butterfly lights beside us like a sunbeam And for a brief moment its glory and beauty belong to our world But then it flies again And though we wish it could have stayed...We feel lucky to have seen it.Author Unknown

SHE WILL BE MISSED

SHE LIVED TO BE 100 YEARS OLD. SHE WAS AN AMAZING WOMAN. JUST IMAGINE ALL THE THINGS SHE SAW CHANGE IN THIS WORLD. MY CHILDREN WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO KNOW THEIR "GREAT-GREAT GRANDMOTHER" SHE WAS ABLE TO MEET THE FIFTH GENERATION OF RAY GRANDCHILDREN.

MAMA RAY IS COOKING BLACK EYE PEAS IN HEAVEN.

"you can never have enough fishing poles or tackle boxes"

MY BOYS