small successes (vol.33)...

"It’s important for moms to recognize that all the small successes in our days can add up to one big triumph. So on Thursday of each week, we do exactly that."

Danielle Bean @ Faith and Family LIVE!

1.

There are some weeks where I feel like I am on top of things and just moving through my to-do lists at record speed. Then there are weeks when I feel like a very large truck has slammed into me and I cannot get up to save my life. Then there are the rare weeks like this one where I get up every day and thank God above for the boring quiet days.

The success?

Just breathing and enjoying the rest. Thank you Lord for the rest!

2.

I went through my closet and Courtney's reorganizing them both once more. It's so hard for me to let go of things, especially Courtney's. However, there is someone out there that can use what she doesn't so it's time to let it go.

Goodwill...here we come!

3.

I have really embraced my inner veggie this week. I am trying so hard to eat better to avoid meds for high cholesterol. We are coming into Farmer's Market season so now I need to get to the library for some vegetarian inspiration.

Care to share your favorite veggie recipes? Leave a comment...

Head on over to FaithandFamilyLIVE! so we can celebrate each other's journey.

Blessings and Grace,

Mary

always check your switches...

This past weekend we were blessed with some wonderful company on Saturday night. The conversation was loud, constant and filled with waves upon waves of laughter. The blender was busy creating yummy margaritas which fueled even more laughter! By the end of the night everyone was very happy.

VERY early the next morning, I was preparing Courtney's formula. The blender was filled with lots of yummy nutritious ingredients for my sweet girl soooooo...

I flipped the switch...

...and...well...

the blender was still set...

to make frozen margaritas...

as I yelled for my hubby (screamed more like it)

the formula went EVERYWHERE!!

(only a blogger would stop amidst the insanity of the moment , grab her camera and snap away!)

And what did my wonderful sweet and supportive former Navy flyboy spouse say when he finally arrived (so happy I wasn't bleeding or I would have been dead he moved so quickly) in the kitchen...

"Um sweetheart" he said trying and failing miserably to control the laughter in his voice. "You always check your switches before running any kind of machinery."

Nice!

Inside my Head "Of course I being the superior minded woman ALWAYS put things back the way I found them, switches back to normal, this way it's ready for the next person to use!"

Hey don't judge me for what was going through my mind, that's just plain rude.

The question your dying to ask is Did I say that out loud? Nope, not me. I was a good girl. I was kind generous and an extremely forgiving wife.

I said:

"Yes Dear" ( of course they came out in a tiny little squeak but I STILL said them!)

The bonus of this lovely little experience, my cabinets and floor are now spotless!

Blessing and Grace,

Mary

small successes (vol.32)...the emergency room edition

"It’s important for moms to recognize that all the small successes in our days can add up to one big triumph. So on Thursday of each week, we do exactly that."

Danielle Bean @ Faith and Family LIVE!

I am a little late posting this but feel the need to celebrate nonetheless. I had a completely different list and then this morning my world was put into a blender and fired up. Courtney had a really tough night with four seizures in six hours. Each one was at least three minutes and she has started to turn blue for about 30 seconds at the height of the seizure which just heightens the stress on her body and her Mommas heart.

So this morning after discovering she had a slight fever, I called her pediatrician and we made the decision to head off to the ER to make sure were not fighting another UTI. Jer was already at work and J-man was off to take an exam and I was left scrambling for another set of hands to help me with Miss Courtney.

That said here are my successes:

1.

I got out my emergency call list and got lucky on call number four. My sweet friend Cathy B. was able to meet us at the ER and spent the fist four hours with us. She was a gift from God and blessed me and my daughter with her laughter and sweet nature. My success?? The emergency list actually helped. Proper prior planning actually worked. My momma would be proud!

2.

My second success was the fact that for once there was no wait in the ER. I mean NO WAIT! We went right back and were scene within 20 minutes. The staff was superb and so very sweet. The hardest part was putting the IV in and getting blood. That took two blood technicians, Cathy and myself to hold Court and a nurse on standby in case of a seizure. Then Miss Courtney spent the next three hours taking off every single lead and monitor OFF. It was amazing to watch. She did not want to be there and boy howdy did she let her Momma know it. Teenagers! LOL!

The final results of our lovely ER visit...low potassium. Courtney is like a finely tuned sports car. If one thing is off the whole machine shuts down. So the success is that they were able to find what the issue was quickly and we were able to treat it. Yay God!

3.

My final ER success...my husband called to check in on our grand adventure and he is bringing dinner home. That is the best ending to my day.

Head on over to FaithandFamily LIVE! to encourage and celebrate the small successes of life.

Blessings and Grace,

Mary

a true southern belle is lost...

We lost a phenomenal actress last week when the astonishing Dixie Cater passed away after a fierce battle with cancer. I loved Designing Woman. It was smartly written and wickedly funny (all political jokes aside). Dixie Carter was a talented actress, singer and dancer.

Below is one of my favorite scenes from the show when Julia gets her big sister knickers in a twist and takes on another woman who had dismissed her sister Suzanne (played brilliantly by Delta Burke ) in an earlier scene. This true southern belle will be missed.
May you sing with the angels, Miss Dixie...

barefoot bloggers ~ baked shrimp scampi...

This recipe was chosen by Barefoot Blogger Jill@Insanelygoodfood. This was a real hit in my house. I have served it over rice and noodles, both are fantastic. I have also added broccoli to this recipe for additional nutritional support and it bakes up beautifully. The sauce is rich and buttery layered with garlic and herbs.

It is delizioso!

Celebrate the Feast!

Mary

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Baked Shrimp Scampi

recipe from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics

Ingredients

2 pounds (12 to 15 per pound) shrimp in the shell

3 tablespoons good olive oil

2 tablespoons dry white wine

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

4 teaspoons minced garlic (4 cloves)

1/4 cup minced shallots

3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves

1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 extra-large egg yolk

2/3 cup panko (Japanese dried bread flakes)

Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Peel, devein, and butterfly the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Place the shrimp in a mixing bowl and toss gently with the olive oil, wine, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Allow to sit at room temperature while you make the butter and garlic mixture.

In a small bowl, mash the softened butter with the garlic, shallots, parsley, rosemary, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, lemon juice, egg yolk, panko, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper until combined.

Starting from the outer edge of a 14-inch oval gratin dish, arrange the shrimp in a single layer cut side down with the tails curling up and towards the center of the dish. Pour the remaining marinade over the shrimp. Spread the butter mixture evenly over the shrimp. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until hot and bubbly. If you like the top browned, place under a broiler for 1 minute. Serve with lemon wedges.

filling our creative hearts...

http://heartaday.files.wordpress.com/2007/07/creative-heart-sample-small.jpg

How do you fill your creative heart?

Do you read, sew, paint, sketch, bake, play a musical instrument, quilt, scrapbook, journal, blog, or take photographs of the world around you?

What replenishes you? What satisfies your artists spirit and quiets your inner critic?

I thought about this quite a bit while I was away this past weekend attending a writer's retreat. I was surrounded by talented and enthusiastic writer's who were all there to hone their skills, pitch their books to editors and agents as well as spend time with old friends and make a few new ones.

There was one workshop that really got me thinking. My friend Laura, who works in the PR world, challenged us to think about what our meaning of success was. Monetary gain and making the NY Times bestseller list aside, what was the intention of our book? When would we consider the book successful?

For me, it comes down to touching hearts and challenging someones perspective. How many of us have read a book and wept along with the heroine or laughed until tears fell over a particularly funny scene? Or maybe we saw a painting that made us smile and appreciate color once more. Or we had a particularly lovely meal created and shared with dear friends. We are moved. Our hearts touched and perhaps even changed by the gift.

Isn't that what we want our art, in whatever form it takes, to do? We want it to help, encourage, inspire and influence. Perhaps you don't have an audience outside your family. Your creative work is no less important than someones in the public square. Was the last loaf of bread you baked a success? Did it bless your family or a neighbor? Was their gratitude satisfying OR was the simple act of doing from start to finish without receiving accolades all the fulfillment you needed?

I realized this weekend how important it is to have time away from our daily duties and responsibilities, so we can recharge and reconnect with our creative heart. By doing so, we come back rejuvenated and ready to face the challenge of daily living and giving required of us with renewed joy.

So what do you do to fill you creative heart?

Share in the comments and let's encourage one another!

Blessings and grace,

Mary

barefoot bloggers ~ chicken caesar club

This Barefoot Blogger was chosen by Karen@Shortbread. The chicken was moist and delish. My favorite part was the caesar "dressing" combined with the crunch of the pancetta. Oh my, heaven on a plate. My guys were very, very happy the night I made these. It was a" mondo man" sandwich for sure.

Celebrate the Feast!

Mary

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Caesar Club Sandwich

recipe by Ina Garten

Ingredients

2 split (1 whole) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on

Good olive oil

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

4 ounces thinly sliced pancetta

1 large garlic clove, chopped

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 1/2 teaspoons anchovy paste

1 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 cup good mayonnaise

1 large ciabatta bread

2 ounces baby arugula, washed and spun dry

12 sun-dried tomatoes, in oil

2 to 3 ounces Parmesan, shaved

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan skin side up. Rub the chicken with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until cooked through. Cool slightly, discard the skin and bones, and slice the meat thickly. Set aside.

Meanwhile, place the pancetta on another sheet pan in a single layer. Roast for 10 to 15 minutes, until crisp. Set aside to drain on paper towels.

Place the garlic and parsley in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and process until minced. Add the anchovy paste, mustard, lemon juice, and mayonnaise and process again to make a smooth dressing. (Refrigerate the Caesar dressing if not using it immediately.)

Slice the ciabatta in half horizontally and separate the top from the bottom. Toast the bread in the oven, cut side up, for 5 to 7 minutes; cool slightly. Spread the cut sides of each piece with the Caesar dressing. Place half the arugula on the bottom piece of bread and then layer in order: the sun-dried tomatoes, shaved Parmesan, crispy pancetta, and sliced chicken. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and finish with another layer of arugula. Place the top slice of ciabatta on top and cut in thirds crosswise. Serve at room temperature.

learning how to cook everything...

I love it when I get to use one recipe for two different posts. I have been really challenged as a member of I Heart Cooking Clubs to stretch my cooking wings. It's a fabulous concept of spending six months with one cookbook author so we can really explore their work. I have heard of Mr. Bittman but had never made anything from his body of work.

So this week I got to really dig into his MANY cookbooks thanks to the local library system. Since my creative cooking time was really limited this week I decided to go with a simple recipe. I chose White Bean Soup from his cookbook How to Cook Everything: the basics. This recipe allowed me to use what I had on hand including a bag of dried white beans from the pantry AND the carrots, celery and onions that were crying out in loneliness from the crisper thereby qualifying it for this weeks:

What I loved about this recipe was how versatile it is. I could add in pretty much anything I wanted/needed to. So I used carrots, celery, garlic, mushrooms and onions and the very last of the Easter ham. I was inhaling this glorious smell all afternoon and by the time dinner was served I wanted to bathe in this velvety rich soup. I served it with a fresh loaf of Rosemary Garlic bread and a green salad.

Oh baby was it yummy and I am not just saying that because I was freakin starving. It was creamy without a drop of cream only chicken broth and a blender. I seasoned it with salt, pepper and some fresh thyme I had left in the crisper. I had some very happy people sidle up to the dinner table last night.

So, Mr. Bittman, you and I are off to a very nice start in this new relationship. I look forward to getting to know you better over the coming months.

If you want to join in on the fun, head on over to I Heart Cooking Clubs or lifeasmom.com. We would love to have you!!

Celebrate the Feast!

Mary

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

White Bean Soup

recipe adapted from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything:the basics.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups navy, pea or other dried white beans, washed and picked over.

About 6 cups chicken stock

(or vegetable or beef depending on your preference)

I medium onion, quartered

2 tablespoons butter or olive oil

salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

minced fresh parsley leaves for garnish

1.

Place the beans, stock and water, and onion in a large, deep saucepan or casserole; turn the heat to medium-high. when it boils, turn the heat down to medium-low and cover partially. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are very soft, at least one hour.

2.

Saute 1 cup of chopped carrots, onions, mushrooms and celery in another saucepan in 2 tablespoons of olive oil until soft. Add 1 tablespoon of finely chopped garlic and saute one minute further.

3.

Add vegetables, beans to the blender. Add as much chicken stock as you prefer. I like the soup a little thicker than most but you decide how thick you like it. Salt and pepper to taste.

4.

This is where things get fun. I added one cup chopped ham and my guys were so happy for a little floating pig. I have also added chopped grilled vegetables which is equally delicious.

There you have it. Getting back to basics never tasted so good!

small successes (vol.31)...

"It’s important for moms to recognize that all the small successes in our days can add up to one big triumph. So on Thursday of each week, we do exactly that."

Danielle Bean @ Faith and Family LIVE!

1.

This week has brought many opportunities for grace. Courtney continues to hold her own weight wise. She didn't lose/gain anything this week. So we continue to take one step at a time and the rest is up to GOD.

2.

I have walked everyday this week. My route takes me up hills and down and the heart rate definitely moves. All in all it takes about 45 minutes to walk almost 2 miles. I know, I'm as slow as a tortoise. I will be working on that in the coming weeks. For now I am just happy to be moving.

3.

I have been trying to stay on top of the paper clutter in the house.

This week Paper -0, Mary - 1

Head on over to FaithandFamilyLIVE! and be inspired one small success at a time!

Blessings and Grace,

Mary

just keep asking...

With everything happening in my world recently, I have found myself on my knees quite frequently. Sometimes I am yelling at God informing Him of my displeasure with the situation. Other times I am just begging for the grace to get through whatever comes next. Rarely am I silent, listening for His voice. It's one of my failings, a big one.

As I was doing my daily meditation this morning I came across this passage from The Word Among Us:

"To see this life in action, all we have to do is to look at the apostles. They lived to proclaim the gospel, and because of their expectant faith, they witnessed numerous miracles like the one in this passage. Whatever trials they encountered—persecution, prison, beatings, and exile—they never lost hope or the sense that it was an honor to be ambassadors of God’s love and mercy.

How do we live this life that our Father has given to us in Jesus? By asking for it! Each day in prayer, surrender more of your “old” life to him, and ask him for more of his divine life in you. Believe that if you ask, you will receive it. This doesn’t mean that you’ll never experience suffering or sorrow. But it does mean that you will be able to respond to them with the faith and confidence that God is in control and that he will give you whatever you need to live victoriously for him."

Bells went off in my head. I was deafened by God's insistence in that moment.

Just keep asking! Have hope and confidence that God is in control!

Well...duh Mary!

You see I don't have Oprahlike AHAH moments, filled with girl power and self-realization. I have Duh moments because in most cases what God chooses to reveal to me would be apparent to a first grader. Did I say I had a thick skull and it takes a LOT to get my attention. A LOT!!

Here I was this morning just going through the motions and WHAM! right upside the head...He answers one of my constant prayers. How many times Lord? How many times can I keep asking for mercy? For me? For Court? How many times? Aren't you sick of hearing the same thing again and again?

Apparently not! The apostles expected miracles, why shouldn't I? They took action and walked with confidence that God was walking with them. They surrendered their lives, prayed in earnest and hoped with confidence that their Teacher, Our Lord, would answer their EVERY need.

So I surrendered a little more. I prayed for a heart of acceptance. Acceptance of God being in complete control of my life. He knows what Courtney needs. He knows what I need. He also knows what we need to surrender to Him in order for His work to be done, one day at a time. He knows how the story ends, so I need to just stop worrying about it and life in the moment. How many times do I need to be reminded of this? Every single day people! Every single day!

As for Miss Courtney, she has gained THREE pounds so far and is holding steady at 102 pounds. This week she didn't lose or gain any weight. We have an uphill battle ahead of us but we will boldly go with confidence and KEEP ASKING Our Beloved Lord to show us the way. Thank you for walking with us and lifting us in your prayers. Words fail me...we are so blessed.

Grace to You,

Mary

quinoa...the other grain...

The center of my home is the kitchen. It's where you can check the pulse of family life. It's where days are examined and celebrated and where my new healthy revolution will begin.

I am a huge fan of rice. I love it with my Chinese food, my favorite Indian dishes, as a side dish and in casseroles. The lovely little fried rice balls stuffed with mozzarella are just divine! My glycemic index however is NOT a fan of rice! So I needed to find a grain (besides brown rice) that would fill in for regular white rice and pasta.

Hello Quinoa! Come to Momma!

One of the things that this new challenge is forcing me to do is step out of my foodie comfort zone and actually create my own recipes. I have made tested this recipe at least ten times now and each time it is light and lovely. It is filled with fresh veggies, fresh herbs and the balsamic dressing is a easy as opening a bottle. So if your looking for a healthy alternative to enhance your spring/summer table look no further. Mary's Balsamic Quinoa Salad is here.

Celebrate the Feast!

Mary

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mary's Balsamic Quinoa Salad

1 cup uncooked Quinoa

2 cups chicken broth

2 tablespoons of chopped basil

1 red pepper finely, chopped

1/2 cup of kalamata olives, chopped

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

1/2 red onion, chopped

2 plum tomatoes, chopped

1/2 English cucumber, chopped

1 15 oz jar of marinated artichoke hearts, chopped

favorite low-fat balsamic dressing

1.

Rinse quinoa under cold water until water runs clear.

2.

in a 2 quart saucepan, bring quinoa and broth to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 15-20 minutes or until quinoa is tender. Drain quinoa and cool completely.

3.

in a large serving bowl toss quinoa and the remaining ingredients with your favorite low fat balsamic dressing.

Can be served cold or at room temperature.

apparently size does matter...

*http://blogs.essence.com/theblackberrybride/weight-loss-program.jpg

It has been a challenging month here in the land of Nod. Courtney's current health challenges consume a lot of my physical time and mental energy. Hubby's new schedule is not really helping me but I knew that was going to be the case. J is busy with classes doing what he is supposed to be doing. So at the end of the day it's me and my girl. For the first few weeks we did OK.

Then I was handed another challenge. This time with my own health. Not to worry, it is not doom and gloom news but more like get off your large Irish/German backside and take your life back news. I am not a small woman. I have battled my weight for the last 20 years. I have talked about that battle before here in cyberspace. My love for good food is well documented here as well. My love for exercise however is somewhat non-existent. OK, let's be honest...I absolutely hate it!

So what's a girl to do when the doc sits her down and says "Sistafriend, things have got to change!" I would like to say that I made a plan and got to work. Instead I made a batch of oatmeal cookies for my honey's office. That's what I do when stress comes my way...I bake. You can only imagine how many dozens of cookies have been baked, how many pies, tarts and cakes. There has been a LOT of stress in my life over the past 17 years!

Well my friends, that will not solve this problem. There was a time in youth that I loved competetive sports. I danced for thirteen years and used to obsess about arabesques. I need to dig down deep and rediscover that drive and passion. Only hours of sweat and an elevated heart rate will accomplish what needs to happen along with good clean eating.

Speaking of eating...apparently size does matter. Portion size that is! I have spent the last ten days weighing my food to learn what proper portion size really is. Now, I am not a stupid woman. I have spent a lifetime learning different cooking and baking techniques and loving food. However, there are times when you need to get back to the basics. Back to simplicity. Back to what really matters. For me that means that I have to put myself on the "to-do" list of life. I realize that I am the core of this family and if the core is a jelly filled donut...it's gonna get real ugly when the WEIGHT of life smacks that donut to the ground! Just think of the clean-up! YIKES!

So let the reality check begin! I can actually say that I am looking forward to this Extreme Life Makeover. It will not be easy and I am sure you will hear all about every sweaty painful moment. My Dad used to say that I was at my best when I leaped and then figured out how I was going to land. He used to tell me to trust that inner voice because it was God's way of telling me to shape up and figure it out.

Well that voice is screaming right now. It's telling me to leap and figure it out. As with all things in my life...Baby, it's gonna be a hell of a ride!

So here is to health and happiness and a good hard workout!

Blessings and Grace,

Mary

barefoot bloggers ~ individual meat loaves...

I have been neglecting many things on this blog in the past month as my hubby and I were trying to get a handle on Court's current medical challenges, my cooking posts among them. So for the next few Thursdays I will be posting a Barefoot Bloggers recipe so that by the end of the month I will be all caught up. So here we go...

This recipe was chosen by Tonya@What's on My Plate?. As many of you know meat loaf and I have a very close friendship. We talk monthly usually accompanied by those lovely creamy mashed potatoes and the very fit green beans. We make a pretty good team this meat loaf plate and I. So when I saw that this recipe was on the menu, I did a little happy dance in my kitchen.

This particular meat loaf recipe came together quickly and was on the table within the hour. It was moist and flavorful. You could switch out the beef for turkey and the ketchup with Heinz 57 or your favorite BBQ sauce to switch things up a bit. These also freeze very well so you have another quick fix meal available later. Very versatile recipe...loved it!

Check out the Barefoot Bloggers for more fabulous recipe inspiration. You won't be disappointed.

Celebrate the Feast!

Mary

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Individual Meat Loaves

recipe by Ina Garten

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon good olive oil

3 cups chopped yellow onions (3 onions)

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1/3 cup canned chicken stock or broth

1 tablespoon tomato paste

2 1/2 pounds ground chuck (81 percent lean)

1/2 cup plain dry bread crumbs (recommended: Progresso)

2 extra-large eggs, beaten

1/2 cup ketchup (recommended: Heinz)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat the olive oil in a medium saute pan. Add the onions, thyme, salt, and pepper and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent but not brown. Off the heat, add the Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and tomato paste. Allow to cool slightly. In a large bowl, combine the ground chuck, onion mixture, bread crumbs, and eggs, and mix lightly with a fork. Don't mash or the meatloaf will be dense. Divide the mixture into 6 (10 to 11-ounce) portions and shape each portion into a small loaf on a sheet pan. Spread about a tablespoon of ketchup on the top of each portion. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the internal temperature is 155 to 160 degrees F and the meat loaves are cooked through. Serve hot.

small successes (vol.30)...

"It’s important for moms to recognize that all the small successes in our days can add up to one big triumph. So on Thursday of each week, we do exactly that."

Danielle Bean @ Faith and Family LIVE!

1.

It feels good to be back online this week. I consider this my first success. It's time to get back into a normal rhythm with life. Courtney's health issues will always be challenging. I need to work on having a more even response to these ups and downs.

2.

The family has been saying the Divine Mercy Novena since Good Friday. This has always been a powerful Novena for our family and boy could we use some serious answer to prayer. God is in control and I need to stop being such a horrible back seat driver!

3.

I stepped outside my comfort zone and am preparing my household for some big changes that are long overdue. I am calling it an "Extreme Life Makeover". Stay tuned to see what's going on.

(I know. I am a total DRAMA Queen but you're intrigued. I can tell.)

Head on over to Faith and Family LIVE! to be inspired by some fantastic woman. These successes come one at a time, so don't give up. Keep walking one step at a time!

Blessings and Grace,

Mary

while i was away...

Courtney stepped up and STOPPED loosing weight and started GAINING weight. She has gained three pounds and needs to gain at least ten more. The docs backed off on some of her seizure meds and we have been laughing and singing ever since. I will never tire of this face and her awesome laughter!! Please keep praying for our girl. We have a long way to go and have been so blessed by all of your support.

Courtney ROCKS!!

(and so do all of you prayer warriors)

My brand new nephew, Sean William Green, arrived on Saturday, April 3 at 1:58 p.m. He weighed in at 8 pounds 11 1/2 ounces and was 20 inches long. Mom Nancy and little Sean are home and doing well. Dad, my youngest brother Andy, big brother A.J. and big sister Sarah are loving their new Easter Bunny.

This is my mother's 17th Grandbaby!

I LOVE my family!!

The Fam came for Easter Dinner. Chaos ensued and much fun was had by all. The food rocked and so did the company. I am one of eight and six of the eight were able to be here with their children. Nancy, Andy, Jen, Caden, Trevor and Rich we missed you so much!!

Apparently my little sister Marianne thinks I am pretty cool. Who knew??

I hope you enjoyed your Easter. I am so happy to be back!!

Blessings and Grace,

Mary