Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Coach Counce...Past and Future

For those of you who attended Dyersburg High School from 1995 on you know who James Counce is. He took our football program from nothing to somthing in 3 years. I got to know Coach Counce first through our women's weight lifting class my senior year. Last years 06-07 football season I helped cover the Dyesburg games for the company I work for, and I got to see first hand how Coach Counce interracts with his players and with his assistant coaches.
At the end of the 06' season, Coach Counce retired from coaching to spend time with his wife who has had been battling with illness for a while. Sadly, she passed away soon after his retirement.
Coach Counce and his son James Jr. then went on to be assistant coaches for Montgomery Bell Academy outside of Nashville, while Dyersburg had already hired the Obion County head coach. Well, two Fridays ago DHS's coach annonced he would be leaving, but then on the following Monday..........we found out that Coach Counce and James Jr are coming Back!!!!!!!!!!
I cannot wait for the 08-09 Football season to start....and things getting back to the way they should be. Go Trojans!!

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Christmas

Christmas......how I love thee....Let me count the ways

5. Presents of course.Taking time picking out presents for our loved ones, and then watching the looks on their faces when they open them.
4. Christmas food...candy...sweets....ham.
3. House decorations: who doesn't love seeing the trees filled with lights, wreaths hanging in windows and the glow of the christmas tree shining through the windows onto the freshly fallen snow...oh wait this is west tn...forget the snow.
2. Christmas songs: I love them all!! Christmas movies! Christmas smells!
1. The reason for the season.....remembering that Christmas represents the birth of our Savior!
I love hearing the story of the birth read from the Bible on Christmas eve...nothing better.

Thursday, October 11, 2007

A new stamp for my passport

I got the call yesterday that I will be heading to Guatemala in January. I will be going with other STAR employees. Not sure on the details, actually I have no idea about anything yet. I just know I am going. I am really excited!!! Let ya know more when I do...
Peace out from Dyersburg.

Monday, October 08, 2007

Second verse same as the first

Well so on Friday I had a patient come in on for an evaluation and lo and behold I thinks they have a DVT. After a few moments of, "should I send her to the ER or not" i decide ER it is. I was worried about the whole situation b/c I did not want her to go through the whole ER process with hospital bill included and not have a DVT because she had only like 2 out 4 DVT signs. Hers were swelling and warm, but not pain with Dorsiflexion and a squeeze (she did c/o calf pain) and no redness or glossy appearance. BUT I had a feeling..........well good thing I listened to my feeling.......she did have one. ALSO, here is a scary fact.....she saw her Ortho MD on that Monday and told him she was having calf pain, but he told her it was a normal response after surgery. Two for two, baby!!!

Saturday, October 06, 2007

Honduras Journal

Hear ye Hear ye Hear ye.........Honduras 2007 journal is now being updated. Day 2 has been poste, BUT except for the first pic there is a good chance that there will not be anymore photos due to my computer hating me.

Wednesday, October 03, 2007

The Great Pumpkin

We are entering my favorite time of the year....Fall!!! It is a time of brisk air nipping at your nose, the changing of the leaves, long sleeve t-shirts and boots, sweaters, visits to Flippins, sitting around fire pits, hay rides, and PUMPKINS!!! I love pumpkins!! The church unloaded the pumpkin truck on Saturday to begin the pumpkin patch of 2007. One of my favorite things about the PP is working the pumpkin patch. Pumpkins also are a precursor to Halloween. I love Halloween. I am already thinking about what I am going to be, and what design I am going to carve in to my pumpkin. I wonder if I will see the Great Pumpkin this year.

Monday, September 03, 2007

Dyer County Fair

I know that I have not been a very good blogger of lateI and I wish I had a good excuse but these willhave to do. My schedule at work has changed so I am working till 6pm most days and that with the drive leaves little time for eating, exercising, washing the Goodyear funk smell off, saying hello to chris and sleeping......Also, my laptop is rebelling against me. It does not like discs right now and I have a bunch if pics I want to upload for ya'll that are a must for the stories I have to tell. SO, I will list the upcoming adventures to be told.

-Van Buren, Mo: floating the current river, Big springs, and this waterfall I cannot remember the name to....oh, and the scary woods drive.

- Knob creek

- Great River Road Bike dragrace/BBQ cookoff

-Honduras 2007 (to be completed somtime before Honduras 2008)


BUT FIRST:
This is the first day of the DYER COUNTY FAIR!!!!!!
Check Out: http://www.dyercofair.com/ or www.stategazette.com for pics

I LOVE THE FAIR!!!!!!

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Cara's wedding

So here are so somewhat delayed pics from Cara's wedding. These are borrowed b/c I still have not gone to get mine developed. No Dyersburg is not in the techno past I just am. This is me posing.



Monday, July 23, 2007

Dislocations

For those of you who were with me in Honduras you know that I semi-dislocated my SC joint (the joint where the collar bone meet the breastbone) or Sternoclavicular Joint.

The good news is I have pain meds...the bad news is that it cannot be relocated, which means I have to grin and bare it. Over the last week it has not been that bad actually. I have had some pain free days. WELL, Sunday morning I rolled over onto my right side to reach for the alarm clock and BAM it popped again. AND just a minute ago I was leaning on the island at work and had a momentary loss of thought and leaned onto my right arm and BAM...did it again. So pretty much have lost the progress over the last couple of weeks and am starting again. Here is a pic. The light is shining on the deformity. The puffy area should not be there.

Thursday, July 12, 2007

I'm Back

Well I am back from abroad. I had a really great time in Honduras and El Salvador this year. I will start my journal for this year soon and will post the link on this blog, on the right side.

I few into nashville last night about 11:20 and got home about 3 am. I didn't have to be at work today until 1 pm so I got to sleep in a little.

Friday, June 29, 2007

Honduras 2007

Well it is that time of year again when I make my way down south...way down to central America...to the country of Honduras.

So I will be out of pocket for about 12 days, but you can email me...here is how

On the right side of this blog there is a section labeled "Blogs I read"
One is titled Terry Reeves-Torch Missions
Click on it and it will pull up the Torch Blog.
On the blog there will be a link: Email us
Click on it and you can email me, BUT remember this....whatever you email will be seen by others than just me. The "Web Master" will print out the emails and then hand them to us.
Sometimes the Internet connection is shotty (hello Honduras) so.....

The Torch Blog will have updates and pictures about what we have done and such.
See ya when I get back.

Sunday, June 24, 2007

50 Things

I want to give a shout out to Dinah Pigg who tagged me to write 50 things about myself. THANKS!!



1. I am 28 yrs old and am a Physical Therapist

2. I drive 40 miles to work

3. I have 2 cats, 2 dogs a horse and a bunch of cows.

4. I love mixed nuts!

5. I was born in Memphis, Tn. My mother ate a Big Max on the way and had to have me natural.

6. I love to read books. All genres but I love books about history. My favorite book ever is Redeeming Love by: Francine Rivers. I even have it on my IPod.

7. I love shoes!! I could go naked and just wear shoes.

8. I don't like to eat green things...except dill pickles or spinach dip.

9. I played softball in high school(out field) and in college (3rd).

10. I am a UT VOLS fan through and through.

11. I've lived in TX, Ark, FL and NY. TN too of course.

12. I am a HUGE Judds fan!

13. I love to travel and see new places. My goal is to one day fill up my passport.

14. I have one sister who lives in Seattle.

15. My favorite ice cream is Mint Choch. Chip, but my favorite dessert is Pecan Pie.

16. I love to be up early in the morning, but I hate the process of waking up.

17. One summer I worked as a cook at our church camp and had to crack then cook 300 eggs.

18. I have a love/hate relationship with flying.

19. My boss tells me I have a hypersensitive olfactory system. I am the only one at work who has to wear a face mask when going out in the plant so that I won't vomit from the smell.

20. I am leaving in 3 days to go to Honduras!!!! It will be my 4th yr to go and I am VERY excited!!!


21. I LOVE chocolate milkshakes from Penny Hill in Union City, TN.

22. I attended 4 undergraduate schools and 1 post grad school....so I know everybody from everywhere.


23. My mom used to make me be in pageants.

24. I am named after my mother's twin. (Jane)

25. Both of my parents are twins.


26. My favorite movie of all time is the Fox and the Hound..."Todd your my best friend"

27. My favorite TV show EVER is Gilmore Girls!!...and I want to live in Stars Hollow.

28. I cannot stand it when people pop their gum. It makes me want to poke my eyes out.

29. I hate running.

30. I have had music lessons for piano, trombone and guitar.

31. I can do a mean jazz hand! Thank you Fine Arts Warehouse.

32. I am a scuba diver...Scuba Steve! Night diving freaks me out a little bit..ok a lot of bit.

33. I love snow!!!


34. I like to give my animals really long names.....Tiffany Catherine Rosley Palmer.

35. I love movie theatre popcorn.


36. My sister and I used to make mud pies and put them on top of the dog house to dry.

37. My friend Cindy and I once dug out a stream of water coming through the levee out of the cow pond to make a bigger stream so we could slide down it......in February....when we where in high school.


38: I hate feet. I have to psych myself up to touch them at work...but I put on gloves.

39. I had a cadaver in anatomy with breast implants.

40. I love to get muddy!

41. I like to change my hair color...brown, blond, whatever.

42. My favorite Halloween costume I had growing up was Snow white. I looked cute!

43. My favorite season is fall. I love the changing of the leaves and the crisp air.

44. My favorite baseball team is the Atlanta Braves. Chop..Chop.

45. I have a REALLY sensitive gag reflex. I once threw up because I got like a drop of muddy water in my mouth. Ask Cindy about it.

46. I went to 2 NKOTB concerts, and would go again if they ever reunited. "You got the right stuff!"

47. I like to do laundry, but I HATE to put it away. I prefer my closet to be color coordinated and shoes in order according to style, but it never stays that way.

48. My cat sleeps with me...sometimes on my head.

49. Growing up my favorite color was blue, but now it changes from time to time...don't really have one now.

50. I retired my real estate license this year.


This was hard for me to do....It took multiple blogging sessions.

I now tag Cindy, the Jeremys', Leslie, Mark and Mary, and Amanda (just send an email out)

Thursday, June 21, 2007

Top Ten

Ok, so my life has been threatened if I did not get this list out soon so here it is.......

The 13 Things That You Need to Bring to the Dominican Republic at the Melia Tropical All-Inclusive Resort

13. Compass: In order to find north while your trying to read the chalk board sized map of the
resort.



12. English/Spanish dictionary: Cause playing charades doesn't cut it.



11. Forehead light: Cause its creepy dark after the sun sets.


10. Closed toe shoes for men and heels for the women in order to eat at the Al-a-carte
restaurants: "Senors, No shoes no eat!"

9. Body Reflector Vest: So yo ass don't get run over by the golf carts after dark cause its creepy
dark.


8. SPF 80: Anything less and the sun laughs at you.


7. Dr. Schouls shoe cushion inserts: Its a long way from your room to the Al-A-Carte
restaurants in heels.


6. TWO brands of Deoderant: Some don't work in the Dominican heat...Say NO to BO!


5.
A watch set to the eastern time zone: To make sure your on time for your reservation at the
Japanese Al-A -Carte restaurant... "Senoritas, 10 minutes late, NO EAT!"

4. Pepto and/or Imodium: Need I say more?

3. 100% Deet: Anything less and the mosquitoes laugh in your face....as they are biting you.

2. Body Powder: One Word....Chaffing

1. Ankle braces: For when you twist your ankles walking in heels on the cobblestone walkway
from your room back to the Al-A-Carte restruant in the creepy darkness and
have to leap out of the way of a speeding golf cart that didn't see you cause you
didn't have a reflector vest on.

Next time: What All-Inclusive means

Sunday, June 03, 2007

Give me Jesus

It is Sunday afternoon and I am waiting for one of my loads of laundry to finish so that I can put in another load before I head to the Y to do some last minute fat burn before I head off to the the blue waters of the Caribbean.

As I am sitting here I thought I would share a little about my experience at church this morning. Mike, our senior minister, is on vacation and Jerry gave the message this morning. He was actually using John 15 as his vision, but I tend to scan the passages before and after when my attention span is walking toward the door. I noticed that I had previously underlined some passages in John 14. I would like to share this with you. John 14: 15-18 (in red letters), "If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask my Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever---the Spirit of truth. The World cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him, but you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you."

My thoughts: I absolutely love this verse. I am so relieved that God has given us the Holy spirit to be with us ALL the time. I am grateful that he watches out for us as we cannot do it ourselves, even when we think we can. I know that I need him in my life constantly to protect me and to open my eyes to the truth. I know I can get wrapped up in what the world offers, but I know that I have nothing without God and his love for me. At the end of the day my desire and my hope is that all I will desire and depend on is him.

Bebo Norman speaks it perfectly:

Take these hands and lift them up,
For I have not the strength to praise you near enough,
See I have nothing, I have nothing without you.

Take my voice and pour it out,
Let it sing the songs of mercy that I have found.
For I have nothing, I have nothing without you.

And all my soul needs is all your love to cover me
So all the world will see that I have nothing without you.

Take my body and build it up
Let it be broken as an offering of love.
For I have nothing, I have nothing without you.

All my soul needs is all you love to cover me
So all the world will see that I have nothing without you.
With all my heart
With all my soul
With all my mind and all my strength that I can find.

Take my time here on this earth and let it glorify all that you are worth,
I have nothing I have nothing without you.

Also, Jeremy Camp's rendition of "Give me Jesus":

In the morning when I rise (x3) Give me Jesus.

Give me Jesus, give me Jesus. You can have all this world just give me Jesus.

When I am alone (x3) Give me Jesus.

Give me Jesus, give me Jesus. You can have all this world, just give me Jesus.

When I come to die (x3) Give me Jesus.

Give me Jesus, give Jesus. You can have all the world, just give me Jesus.

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

DVTs

Of course I learned a lot in PT, or I wouldn't have my license, but I think the thing that stuck with me the most is CHECK FOR DVT. I remember sitting in the hallway at Belmont waiting to take many a lab practical.I would always be running through a mental check list of things I had to make sure to do in order not to fail. One of the things that was on my list was checking for DVT (deep vein thrombosis aka a deadly blood clot). It didn't matter what the lab scenario was....I was checking for DVT. If they had knee surgery - check for DVT. If they had Shoulder Sx - check for DVT. If they had a headache -- Check for DVT. Of course those last two are overkill but I was making sure I wasn't going to fail.

Also, we are taught to touch the patient...meaning the problem may be a simple as fracture that of course is painful to touch.


Today today those two principles came into play. One of my previous patients came into the clinic from the plant floor complaining of having a charlie horse in his calf for 4 days. I leaned down to touch it and knew immediately that is was not a cramp. I was sure it was one of two things: a blood clot or compartment syndrome. Both are not good and need immediate medical attention. The Goodyear nurse and I finally convinced him to leave work and go either the ER or to his primary physician. Later in the afternoon the nurse came to tell me that the patient was admitted to the hospital with a blood cot. The scary thing with those is they can dislodge and he could be dead within seconds.

So thank you Dr. KRob for failing us when we forgot to test for DVTs. Here is an illustration of a DVT and some common signs and symptoms.



When blood clots outside a blood vessel, this is a normal process which protects the body against losing blood. If the blood clots inside a blood vessel however (as with DVT), this can be dangerous.


Symptoms of DVT:
In most cases of DVT, the clots are small and do not cause any symptoms. The body is able to gradually break down the clot and there are no long-term effects.
Larger clots may partially or totally block the blood flow in the vein and cause symptoms such as:
1. Swelling of the calf

2.Pain in the calf: calf pain that is noticeable, or worse when standing or walking

3. Redness and/or a glossy appearance to the skin

4. Pain in the calf when squeezed

5. Warmth to the touch

These are not always a sign of a DVT, but if you experience them, you should seek medical advice. Like my patient today he only had swelling and pain.

Next: Car wrecks and 911 calls

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

MY FIRST VACATION ......

In 14 days I will be going on my first vacation as a working adult.
I am very excited. Not only will there be blue water and white sandy beaches, but I will get to see one of my friends get married.
My plan is to sit, read and look at the ocean. Oh and eat too!

Her is the link to the resort we will be staying at:

http://www.meliacaribetropical.com/services/

I'll be the one in the blue swimsuit.

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Goodbye Gilmore Girls



So ..... THE BEST Tv show....ever is done. NO more Gilmore Girls. I cried my eyes out during and after the final episode.

WHY I LOVED GILMORE GIRLS

* The Townies: The characters provided the right recipe for success for this show. Mrs. Patty, Babet, Kirk, Sookie, Jackson, Mrs. Kim, Cesaer, Gypsey, Michel and Taylor that provided rediculus story lines that gave the show that added character, and gave the viewer a deeper insight to the life that Lorelai and Rory had in Stars Hollow. Sookie gotta love her. Remember her chasing Jackson down the middle of the street after he caught her looking at strawberries that he had not grown.

* Lane Kim: Rory's best friend. What I loved about Lane was her innocence to life, except when it came to music. GG amazing music references were best brought to life through Lane and her obsession to "rock."

* Richard and Emily Gilmore: Although there were times that I wanted to scream at them for being so bull headed when it came to Lorelai, yet so overboard in their love for Rory. I think that the episodes that were the best were the ones in which the grandparents had a more substantial role. If the writers had not included them we would not have known where Lorelai got her sarcasm.

* Luke Danes: Although he thought he was "normal" in comparison to Lorelai he was, in reality, just as insane. Example: Buying a building just to prevent Taylor from buying it, or building the ice skating rink in Lorelai's front yard.

*Lorelai and Rory: The best thing is the friendship they have, yet the respect for each other. I think one of my fav Lor/Ror moment was at the Stars Hollow movie theatre in the town library when they were on a double date and were watching Pipi Longstockings, and they sang the Pipi Theme songs, along with the who ha ha's and everything. And who can forget during season one when they had the "No, yours boobs are bigger" fight.

* The dialogue: I have not seen another show that can even compare to the pop culture references and wit of the writing. I liked how the writers did not dumb down the "jokes" but instead made us have to think or even research the references.

I was talking to Cindy after the final episode...well actually I was bawling and she was laughing at me. I didn't have a little tear rolling down my face I had the ugly face my cat just died/Harding cry going on. I couldn't breath through my nose and my face hurt. When I finally composed myself enough I asked Cindy why she thought GG ending was affecting me so much. What Cindy said, I think, nailed it on the head. She said, "Anna, over the past year you have gone from Nashville to Dyersburg to Florida to NYC and back. During that time you were away from family and at times (NYC) you were totally alone and without cable...so the Gilmore Girls DVDs kept you company and they became your family. So, Anna, tonight you were having to say goodbye to your family."

I know there are more important things in life, but I wanted to give this show a little send off of my own. So, Goodbye GG..goodbye Lorelai and Rory.. thanks for 7 great seasons...thanks for the laughs and thanks for the memories.

Here are some great quotes:

"How can I break up with you? I’ve never been out with you." "Well yeah, but that’s what today was supposed to be, a date." "A date where we need a secret plan and a two-honk drive by and a decoy cousin?" - Henry and Lane, "A Tisket, A Tasket"

"We have not been waiting forever."
"Godot was just here. He said ‘I ain’t waiting for Richard,’ grabbed a roll, and left. It’s been forever."
"When we gather as a family, we eat as a family. We don’t eat in shifts." "You know, you’re bound by the rules of the Geneva Convention, Mother, just like everyone else." - Emily and Lorelai, "Back in the Saddle Again"

"Rory, honey, do you understand, the Gilmores do nothing altruistically. Strings are attached to everything." "There are no strings... I just have to pay them back starting five years after I graduate, and I have to start going back for Friday night dinners." "Um, hello, Pinocchio, those are strings." - Lorelai and Rory, "Those Are Strings, Pinocchio"

"My mother - she was here. I can feel it. Smell that? The room smells like guilt and Chanel No. 5." - Lorelai, sensing Emily in Rory's room, "The Hobbit, the Sofa and Digger Stiles"

"Dating. It's a horror." "It's the only cure for the singleness thing, barring ordering a spouse off the internet." "If I had dated a lot, I'd still be single. I'd just have spent a lot of bad nights at Tony Roma's." - Luke and Lorelai, "The Fundamental Things Apply"

"That had all the tact of a Nazi storm trooper." - Rory, after hearing Paris break up with a boyfriend, "A Family Matter"

"Rory... right now is the point in the horror movie where the entire audience is yelling, 'Don't go in there.'" - Lorelai, bracing himself for a family dinner, "Afterboom"

The cats -- they know that I've broken up with Jason and that I'm alone and they've decided it's time for me to become a crazy cat lady... they can see it in my face. 'She's single again. She couldn't make it work again. She picked the wrong guy again.' - Lorelai, attracting cats, "Luke Can See Her Face"

Now here is one that I can relate to:

"Lesson number one - when your mom or your grandmother starts trying to pin down your specific whereabouts at a specific time and place, and she's smiling kind of weird, begin evasive maneuvers immediately." - Graham to Rory, "Last Week Fights, This Week Tights"

Friday, May 04, 2007

The end has come

Today this was posted on the MSN homepage:

"Gilmore Girls' is ending after a seven-year run.'Gilmore Girls' to Wrap After 7 Years


I will post later after I collect my thoughts

Sunday, April 29, 2007

And here it is....

I FINISHED ANNA KARENINA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It only took me half my life..


Not really that impressed..too many characters...too many story lines.

Thursday, April 26, 2007

Big news to come



I have a big announcement coming soon!! Stay tuned.



Monday, March 19, 2007

Stepping aside

I have a question. It is not a new question...I have asked myself this question many times before, but here I am again.

How come itis hard to appreciate what is in front of us?

Whenever I am away from home and my family I tend to appreciate them more, yet after being home awhile I take them for granted, feel boxed in and cannot get away fast enough. When I am away the things I can't wait to do when I get home (walking the dogs through the fields) I hardly make time for when I'm here. (haven't walked the dogs since Sept)

For example, when I know I am going to be away for a while I will find myself standing in front of my bedroom window looking out to the backyard and the cow field trying to burn the image into my mind, or taking in a deep breath with my nose buried into my horse's neck trying to burn the smell in my memory.The best was when I was leaving for Sarasota last March (I had to go to work first though), I stood in the living room saying goodbye to my parents trying my best to hold back the tears without success (the ugly face cry) at 7am. I then proceeded to cry all the way to Jackson General Hospital. Although I was excited about my upcoming adventure it was really hard to say goodbye to my parents and my home.

Now let's fast forward to this weekend......
I have to give this disclaimer: I love my parents very much, but on sat. I felt like I was10. It seemed everywhere I went: in the house, outside or wherever I was being followed by either my mother or my dad asking 20 questions. I went to the kitchen to make supper (they were going out to eat) and my Dad was hovering over me like I needed help or something. I felt like screaming out, " I can pour my own glass of milk...THANKS." Let's just say the walls had claw marks.
Now I know my Dad loves me and was probably just trying to have a conversation with me, but I was in one of my "I don't want to talk to anyone, and the more you try to get me to talk the farther I will push you away" moods.

So, I was seconds from packing a bag and heading out of here for the night. I didn't care where I was going. I had no direction, but I was going.....but then I remembered the gas prices, so I went to the barn to hide.

So, why is it we can't appreciate what is in front of us all the time?
Why on Sat when I was coming down with parental-claustrophobia didn't I go out and walk the dogs in the snow or stand in the window and appreciate the view?

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

If you want me to

The Pathway is broken and the signs are unclear,
And I don't know the reason, why you brought me here.
But, just b/c you love me the way that you do
I'm gonna walk through the valley if you want me to.

Cause I'm not who I was when I took my first steps,
And I'm clinging to the promise that your not through with me yet.
So if all of these trials bring me closer to you, then I will walk through the fire if you want me to.

It may not be the way I would have chosen, when you lead me through a world that's not my home
But you never said it would be easy
You only said I never go alone.

So when the whole world turns against me and I'm all by myself
And I can't hear you answer my cries for help
I 'll remember the suffering your love put you through
And I will go through the valley
If you want me to

"If you want me to" : Ginny Owens

I love the words to this song. Tonight at church Mike talked about (in my words) finding your faith, hope and trust when you have lost it, or in times where it is hard to trust, hope and have faith. It made me look back on the past few years. I remember the person I was in high school, the person I was at the end of undergrad, the person I was at the start and end of Grad school and the person that I am now.

Mike also talked about how we tend to daydream about good things that could happen to us, things we would like to happen, and how sometimes we turn those daydreams into prays, and when they aren't answered the way we thought they should have been we blame God instead of admitting that it was our dreams and not God's plan for our lives.

I can remember being in high school and I had BIG plans to be this POWERHOUSE for God. I loved people and I wanted to be there for them...to be able to let God use me however, but somewhere along the line I let life's business push aside my passion. I started making my own plans and started daydreaming. When I was a senior at UT Martin finally awoke and I heard this song.....and it scared me. When I heard the line "Cause I'm not who I was when I took my first steps, and I'm clinging to the promise your not done with me yet."I was sooo afraid that I had blown it....That I chose the wrong path....that God was done with me...that he couldn't or really wouldn't use me anymore.

I know there is not one perfect path to take..that in reality life is like the adventure book where there can be different paths that lead to the end. Like the song says, "It may not be the way I would have chosen" or really" Not the way I would have wanted, " but I Believe that God is not done in my life.

For the past few years I admit that I have been focused on school, even though I know this is the career God lead me into, that was not an excuse to not consistently nurture my relationship with God and allow him to take me where he needs me to go.

SO, even though the road has not always been a mountain top experience I know I have learned from my travels through the valley.








Monday, March 12, 2007

Hockey, Laughs, races and good times

This past weekend my friend Emily and I decided we needed to take a break from the booming metropolis of Dyersburg so we headed out to Nashville to meet Judy and Margaret. On our way out of town we made a pit stop at The Java Cafe to get our coffee fix and then hit the road. Our ETA at Margarita's was approx 12:45pm, but along the way we had a detour. There was a major wreck around the 165 mile marker and the traffic was backed up past the TN river bridge. Emily and I decided to adventure out into the hills surrounding interstate 40 and make a new path to Nashville. Exit 143 was shut down so we had to take an obscure exit and somehow ended up on a gravel road. We quickly turned around b/c we were sure the "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" house was around the corner. Rocks were sprayed as wheels spun.....and we were outta there.
We finally made it to the Reeves abode about 2:40pm.

Judy appeared soon after and the laughing commenced. I am sure Emily thought we were out of our minds. We soon headed out to the Mall at Green Hill's to do some shopping before we went to eat. Apparently the mall was testing a new idea of how to separate the weak shoppers from the determined b/c the air was NOT on and you would break out in a sweat riding the escalator. The bathing suit shop was hopping.

We made our way downtown and drove around in circles, even crossing the bridge once, before we decided on a place to park. Although there was some talk about taking the shuttle from the parking lot across from the Coliseum, but I think we might have had a long wait...the parking lot was packed.

We ate at Bailey's where Amy Fulbright came and met us and then headed over to the game. Oh yeah, the service at Bailey's is still very very slow.

The Preds won. My favorite part of hockey happened like 10 times...fights!!! After the game we tried to take some photos but my hair would not cooperate and Judy reminded Margaret that she needed to switch to filtered cigs.

Nate was working the street(Central Parking) over at the Symphony so we headed to see him and then headed back to the house.

Margaret kept everyone up late talking, and we finally had to tell her it was time for bed.

On Sunday we went to church and went to Brother C. Barrel's Sunday school class,where we met a lady who lost an hour of sleep.

I will not comment on the events that took place between church and Sunday school. I will say "RED...Yellow...GREEN" and they're off!!

I had a great time spending time with my friends on our Girls night out.....no comments Jenny!

Over the years I have had the honor of becoming friends with people from all over. Sometimes when I see someone I think I know I have to think about where I know them from.....what school....what city...
I almost never get to integrate pods of friends ( at least not more than a passing hello) but this weekend I really enjoyed seeing 2 of my "worlds" come together. And as in the words of Ozzie, " I love you all..more than life itself, but your all freaking mad!"

Saturday, February 10, 2007

Its Sat evening and I am laying on the couch. I am sick....AGAIN. This round is nastier than the last. Just a couple of weeks ago I had a cold that hammered me with a nonstop headache, zapped ALL my energy, took my voice but I could breathe. On Monday afternoon at approximately 4:00pm I could feel the another cold coming on. I was trying not to claim it but after Pilate's class I could not deney it. This time I can't breathe. All week I have been breathing through my mouth and no medicine can clear out my sinuses. The tip of my tongue has wind burn and is wind chapped. The one good thing about this round was that I has enough energy to go to the YMCA and workout....until today. I awoke with my right nostril packed with dry gunk that needed a chisel and hammer to get through and apparently I ran a marathon in my sleep b/c now walking downstairs wipes me out.

But on the bright side I invested in a Rubik's cube.....that is keeping me busy.

On a sad note: this week Goodyear lost two of its employees. The first happened last weekend when a young man was pulled up into his machine and was killed. The other was a young mother who passed away on her way to the hospital after suffering an aortic aneurysm. The Goodyear flag was lowered to honor them both.

Sunday, January 28, 2007

Update

Baby Smith came home today after spending 11.5 days in the hospital.

Last Sunday our church met in the new building and it was awesome. David even got out from behind the guitar/piano.

Today during worship we sang My Savior My God. I love this song. It took me back my summer in New York. I made a play list of songs that I would listen to on my IPod as a commuted back and forth to work. I listened to it as I made my way first from the subway station on 68th and down to 14th street, then from the 58th street station. Whenever I hear these songs I feel a wave of remembrance wash over me. I can see myself riding the subway, walking down Park avenue with Grand central in the distance, and looking out the window onto the street while exercising on the eliptical. SOOO many memories.

Friday, January 19, 2007

Goodyear, Births and hospitals

Things have been kinda crazy around here the lately.....

First and most important..my friends Cindy and Katie had their babys.
Katie beat out Cindy on Dec. 28th with the birth of Kennedy Susan Oliff,

and then Jan 13th Cindy to Jospeh David Smith...



I know that Jospeh's pic is small but I took it with my phone ok.

Both Kennedy and JD turned into bathing beauties by spending some time under the Billi lights to take care of Juandice.

BUT, JD is still in the Hospital due to a staff infection. He will be at the hospital for at least a week to get antibiotics by IV.


On another note.....


Gracie is feeling better. Her wounds are healing and she has got a bounce in her step once again.


That pic only shows two of the wounds. If you look down on the left you can make out where there is only a line of hair then she is shaved again.
Goodyear is back at work after a 3 month strike. By the end of the strike we had very few GY patients left, but the census is quickly on the rise again. On Tues, Thurs and Fri the GY clinic opens at 6am, which means I have to leave my house by 5am to get to the clinic about 10 till 6. It really only takes about 35 min to get to union city but at GY you have to swipe a card to get in the gate and then walk into the clinic through part of the plant. You can walk in throught the front and bypass the plant floor, but when it is 23 at 6am, walking through the power house and tire room is warm.....although I have to wear ear plugs and keep my hands around my mouth and nose so I can breath in the rubber gunk in the air....lung cancer anyone?
All in all I like being at the plant. They just got a new plant manager and a local Italian grill sets up lunch across the hall from the clinic.
I awoke Monday to a nasty cold that has settle into my right tonsil. I sound like a man who has laryngitis and my throat hurts like a bad word. I asked my co-workers if anyone would cut out my throat with a butter knife..no takers.

I feel like I haven't gotten to talk to some friends lately so here is a shout out:
Amanda and Cara: WOO HOO about 4 months till beaches !!
Judy, Dinah and Kristen: I miss ya'll
Sarasota: Ken, man I am sorry I haven't gotten a chance to call you back yet. I hope that everything is going good. You realize that you and Joy need to move to nashville!
Joy: You need to move to Nashville, but keep your FL home for vacations!