Shaping Women

My Aunt Creada Mae

My friend Linda is hosting a contest (see below on the Happy Woman Blog link). I know that by sharing this with you I am opening up the number of entries. That means, I decrease my odds of being a winner-winner, chicken dinner. But I love Linda and I love her idea of honoring the women in our lives.

Who is the Woman that Shaped Your Life:

This is my short entry:

There have been many women who have shaped the life I have today. Even those women who I do not like have played a role in me becoming me. I remember the kindness of a stranger when I was a little girl. I remember the gentleness of a Sunday School teacher who awkwardly but lovingly led our class. I remember the easy going hippy style of teachers while growing up in the 70's. My mom and daughters have naturally impacted my life. So have my friends. However, there are two women that stand out as influences in my life.

The first is my 9th grade Speech Teacher, Mrs. Nye. She saw something in me that I didn't even know existed. She really believed in me and pushed me to try new things. One of which was the stage. As an only child, that sense of make believe was one that carried me through many lonely weekends. With Mrs. Nye's direction I was able to create characters and roles in which my make believe could come alive. More importantly, the confidence I gained from this was the foundation for everything I would do from that point on.

The second is my aunt, Creda Mae. She is a three time cancer survivor. She has been a chaperon for her church youth group. They traveled the Outback- while in her 70's and in a wheelchair. She is the kindest, most honest, and most forgiving and loving woman I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. She has the faith of an angel and never let's the bumps of life stand in her way. She gives glory to God for all she has and does. When I grow up I want to be just like her! That goal is just about the highest bar I will ever achieve.

Assignment: Enter the contest (or don’t) but you better be thinking about those women who shaped you . . . .if you can, give them a call or send a note just to say hello. That includes my male readers too . . .you know who you are!

Thinking of you Lisa!

Today my friend Lisa had knee surgery. She was skiing over Valentine’s Day weekend and she zigged when she should have zagged. She is an active young mom who is having a difficult time with this forced slow down.

Hang in there Lisa – many people are thinking and praying for a full recovery for you!

Assignment: Whenever life’s plans supersede your plans – there is a reason. Find the reason!

Long Week and It's Only Wednesday

“Everybody’s Working for the Weekend!” Not only is this a droningly memorable song it is also the tagline for my week. I have been so busy this week that I thought today was Thursday. I hate when I do that. Talk about a hump day!

I am ready for a little R&R to get my creative juices flowing again.

Assignment: . . . .. Hang . . .on, just a little bit longer!

A Plate it Ain't

Tom is a design engineer. Let’s say he works for a dinnerware company. A HUGE potential client came to the company to order new ‘plates’ for all their locations. This company is one of the top 4 in their industry so Tom’s business wanted them to buy plates in a very bad way. The HUGE buyer did not like any of the plates they saw. One was too round. One was too square. They wanted a plate that didn’t look like a plate but could serve as a plate . . . because plates are important!

So the project was listed in the department where Tom works as a challenge. Engineers would still have to complete the orders due had but if anyone wanted to try to make improvements on the plate they should. Tom accepted the challenge because he is a stud. He created a proto-type for a new plate, the perfect plate for this HUGE Company because it didn’t look like a plate at all. It looked like a bowl or a platter or maybe even a butter dish – but it was not a plate!

By the way, he did this while keeping up with the workload of orders due (he misses you Matt). Yeah, he is a stud.

The potential client was contacted. They viewed the new plate. They loved the new plate AND ordered it for all of their locations (many, many locations!). Last week the actual order was created. The line supervisor invited Tom to be there as the plates came down the line and were being placed in boxes to ship. It was a proud moment.

That supervisor told Tom that once more potential clients saw this new plate– the orders would go up. This plate was here to stay. Go Tom!

Assignment: When people tell you it is impossible to build a better mouse trap – don’t believe them!

Chaning Times

Our school district, like countless others, is undergoing significant change. The difficult decision to close one (of three) elementary schools has been made. The report states that this will save our district a half million dollars. The population is dropping (rural Michigan –the worst state in the union!) so the forecasting indicates declining students.

The business side of my brain fully understands this change. All businesses are facing difficult decisions as they try to survive in this new economy. The way of doing business is shifting once again – and all careers are impacted. I understand this and know that the closing of this school will eventually become an accepted norm. The change will be hard but it will happen and people will grow comfortable with it. I know this to be true.

But the humanity side of my brain is very sad to see this closing. This is the school where our children finished elementary school. This is the school where Andy began to gain his confidence. He blossomed while at this school because of his 5th grade teacher’s belief in him. This is the school that rallied around Maddy when she was sick – pouring out their love and support for our family. Everyone at this school treated Maddy as herself – not a victim or an oddity – but they embraced her for who she is.

This school is a Golden Apple Award winner – twice! The principal, teachers, and supports staff are the kind of people you want teaching and influencing your children’s lives. Many will find a place in the district and that is good because you do not want to let go of this level of experience and talent but there will be costs involved. Our daughter Jess will be one of them. This is her first year of teaching in the district – next year she will join the hundreds of other unemployed teachers in our state.

Assignment: Pray for America’s Public Education System!

Ugly Flashbacks

Healthy Maddy and Hurley the Cat

I will start this post by spoiling the ending: everything is going to be okay.

It is no secret that our family has been passing this cold virus back and forth to each other. So when Maddy started complaining about a sore throat we all figured she had what we had. Perhaps she did at one point but when the complaints increased I thought it was time to call the doctor.

I made the appointment and Tom took her in for a check during my drive home tonight. I figured they would be in the doctor’s office for a while so I called Andy just to check in and see what he was up to. Imagine my surprise to be told they were all at the hospital because Maddy needed blood work.

The last time Maddy started at the doctor’s office and ended up across the street at the hospital for blood work – our lives were forever changed by the lymphoma diagnosis. My heart started racing a bit and I had a flash of that day in July when we learned the news. I called my husband but he wasn’t able to answer the phone. I recalled Andy and told him to have dad call me ASAP. I didn’t think (didn’t fully think that is) that this would be nearly as serious but still . . . .

Turns out Maddy’s glands are swollen but she didn’t test positive for strep so they wanted to make sure she didn’t have mono (which many other students do have right now). Her white counts came back a little high but it at this point; no strep, no mono, but a bacterial infection is what we are treating.

Assignment: Wash your hands to stay healthy from that common cold. Also, please say a prayer for all of moms and dads who learned their child’s diagnosis today. The battle is long and very difficult. Pray for strength and victory the evil known as cancer!

Happy New Year

The Year of the Tiger began yesterday, Sunday, February 14, 2010. I was born in a Year of the Tiger. That is about the extent of my knowledge base (which primarily comes from reading the placemat when eating Chinese). So I did a little digging to learn more……

This is what it means to be a Tiger.If you were born in 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, or 1986 you were born under the sign of the tiger. Like the tiger, you are one of the most caring and thoughtful signs in the Chinese zodiac. You have a lot to say on the best way to right society's wrongs, and quite capable of defending children, friends, and loved ones against all enemies.

Caring, thoughtful, defender, and has a lot to say . . . yes, that fits me.

For the tiger in 2010, any recent setbacks or obstacles can be overcome, so look forward to a year in which to really shine, either personally or professionally.

Good to know!

Famous people born under the sign of the Tiger include Sheryl Crow, Tom Cruise, Leonardo DiCaprio, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Jay Leno, Marilyn Monroe, Queen Elizabeth II, and Jon Stewart.

Ugh, Tom Cruise and I in the same sentence – well I can overcome obstacles so no worries!

Assignment: Happy (Chinese) New Year