A ton of updates.

Lots and lots to update!! I totally forgot to tell the story about my former patient that I took care of a year or so ago. I had taken care of a patient in the ICU some time ago who was only 17 and had drowned in a bathtub from a seizure disorder. It was so sad and while we were able to bring her back to life by the aid of machines and medications and ventilators, she never regained consciousness and was brain dead. Her brave mother and sister made the decision to donate her organs so I contacted the transplant organization. They were able to harvest her lungs, kidneys, liver, heart, pancreas and corneas. She was honored thisJanuary in the Rose bowl parade and prior to the parade I was asked to come speak at an assembly at her former highschool where she would have graduated as a senior this May. It was such a humbling experience and I fumbled through most of it and it was extremely emotional but such an honor. While there Lexie's mom, grandmother and other friends and famalies were in attendance and helped complete a floragram which is a likeness of the person made entirely of flowers, seeds, grains and other  organic materials. Lexie's floralgram along with several others of organ donors from all over the nation were featured on a large float for donation for life. It was such a neat experience mom and Trey came with me for support. (disclaimer: the patient's family signed a release form so nothing about this is against HIPPA:)

The finshed floragraph of Lexie

Lexie's grandmother and Mother

All these young people were inspired to sign up to become organ donors after hearing Lexie's story!!

 

My humble attempts to explain Lexie's legacy through a caregivers eyes.

 

To become an organ donor simply sign up when you get your driver's license or go to

http://organdonor.gov/becomingdonor/index.html 

 

 

In January, we traveled to Birmingham to visit my dad's side of the family, most of the crew went to the Ole Miss bowl game that Saturday while the ladies (and children) went to shop around b'ham and then we all converged and went to dinner. It was a blast getting together and we always are guaranteed many many laughs and alot of eating with this group!

My brother (Jimmy), Tracy's boyfriend (Kyle), Trey and my cousin Melissa's husband (Robert)

Dad, his two brothers Ricky and Eddy in the back, Tracy and Kyle, Miriam (cousin), and Jimmy down front

The whole gang converged on a Mexican restaurant in Pelham, AL

My uncle Ricky had a white beard and resembled Santa so the boys kept asking if he was the real Santa! HAHA!

My beautiful sister mom and cousin and I out to eat with the family in Pelham, AL.

 

 

In February, we traveled to Fort Worth, TX with Trey's work for a business meeting he needed to attend. The boys and I tagged along and stayed in the nice hotel downtown, made forts, rented movies, ordered room service and had the shuttle take us down to the zoo (ranked in the top 5 in the nation!) while Daddy was in his meetings. The boys and I had a ball and I was blessed enough to have flexible jobs where I could rearrange my work schedule so that I could go! We had a ball. It was Brooks' first zoo trip so that was neat and he was pretty entralled with the lions and fish especially. We made a special trip through Rose's tortilla cafe drive through which is amazing! If you ever get a chance and are in TX make sure to stop! The tortillas are out of this world and worth the carbo load! We took 2 dozen home with us :)

On the (LONG) drive to Fort Worth, Cam was laughing hysterically at some movie they were watching!

What a view!! I love this sweet picture...

 

riding the train, checking out the aquarium at the Ft. Worth zoo

Lions, tigers and birds, Oh My!

 

 

The hotel fort

This was a cool take on a pot pie at a restaurant in our hotel in Ft. Worth, it had brisket, potatoes, BBQ sauce, cheese it was excellent!!

Brooksie mommy love

In March, we celebrated a big milestone birthday for my lovely mother Cindy. Since December, I had been combing through mom's phone and ipad contacts as well as email and facebook friends asking for all those who loved, knew worked with or went to church with mom to write her a letter for her bday! I had wanted her to have 60 letters to open on her birthday, but I think I actually got around 65!.

We also booked a surprise party for her at the new orleans themed restaurant in MEmphis, Owen Brennan's. Along with friends, and family, coworkers and her kids we totally surprised mom!! She thought she was going to dinner with some of her girl friends aka the "Grannies gone Wild" crew!

When she arrived she had no idea that 35 or so of her extended family and friends were huddled in a room waiting to yell "Surprise!" we had family from Birmingham, Grenada, Nashville, Florence and Tuscaloosa! Alot of her coworkers were there as well. It was such a blast and we had a slideshow of photos from childhood to present of mom, a lovely three tiered green ombre cake, and of course the letters for mom! We also had some kitchen towels made from scanned images of my grandmother's handwritten recipes printed on fabric! It was worth every bit of work and money we spent to see mom's expression, she was utterly shocked and very emotional which I didnt expect! We then went to Hickory Flat and stayed with my whole immediate family together at my grandad's old house and then we all went to mom and dad's church with them that Sunday which mom said was her best gift of all!

Mom's highschool portrait and her lovely cake by Delights 4 U

As you can see, she was shocked and emotional! Success!!

My great Uncle "Unk" (88) joined in the fun and was the life of the party!!

 

Brooks finally had his very first haircut! He hasn't needed one until now because he was so bald for so long, but right after his 2nd bday we went to the best place for little boy haircuts, Sport Clips! My sheryl who cuts Cam's hair did a great job, and he was a perfect subject until the hair dryer came out at the end of the cut to blow the cut pieces off his neck. His lower lip puckered out and I knew the tears were about to flow:( He was great though and after the scary hairdryer went away, he was fine and he loved the balloon and sucker treat at the end :)

 

I went to visit with some of my girlfriends from college a few weeks ago and it was a wonderful time. My friend Courtney (who we went to her wedding in Puerto Rico 2 years ago and I hadn't seen since!) was coming to New Orleans from her home in LA with her 4 month old the lovely Maxine and we have a friend Whitney who was also a Tri Delta with us who lives in Jackson and our other great friend Kelley all met up at Whitney's home near Jackson, MS. Whitney, even though she was very pregnant with twins (34 weeks exactly) offered her home and we all grabbed dinner with a few other girls who lived in the area which was great since I hadn't seen several of them since college! We had a ball and stayed up talking until 2:00 in the morning!

My Beautiful friend Kelley and the lovely Maxine!

All the girls at dinner

Courtney makes a gorgeous mommy!

Whitney a few days before having twins! looks great, Right?!

Whitney's little 22 month old made sure we were entertained and not going to sleep in too late :) It was so so fun and we're already trying to plan something else where we can all get together! It must have been a little too exciting for our pregnant friend Whitney because we left on Sunday and she had the twins that Tuesday!

Everything went perfectly and two healthy baby boys (Eli & Davis) were born to her and her husband John and big brother Porter. So excited for them!!