I "HEART" Steve

I'm kinda sorta out of order on my posts of late, because there's so much going on, and so much I still need to go back and document...not the least of which is that on November 2nd, Steve had to have heart surgery!

Back up...We were walking around Atlanta on our little "30th Anniversary" weekend trip the end of October (yes, soon to be blogged), and Steve started having pains in his chest, and his left arm went numb. I was stunned, and recognized these as classic signs of a heart attack! I wanted to call '911,' but he told me not to, and that "this had been going on for about 3 weeks now, and it would pass." So he sat down and rested for a few minutes, and it did indeed pass. So, after I beat the crap out of him for not telling me about this, I found that he already had an appointment set up with the cardiologist (the upcoming Monday) to see what was going on.

Upon seeing the cardiologist, he had an EKG done, and it thankfully showed no damage to the heart muscle. Then he was sent to have a stress test done, which showed major blockage, but they couldn't tell how much or which arteries for sure until they could get in there and look around. That was on a Monday, and they wanted him to come in for surgery on Tuesday. Steve being Steve, said he "had to shuffle some clients, make some arrangements with work, etc."  So they gave him some nitroglycerine pills and we went in on Wednesday for the surgery at Vanderbilt. (It's amazing how many people are up and at 'em, going in for some kind of surgery at 6am!!)

It was a relatively quick procedure, they were able to go up the main artery in the wrist up into the heart, so they didn't have to go into the femoral artery (groin area) like in years past -- technology is amazing! By the time he was prepped and taken in, it was 9am, and they got in there looked at the situation, and put just one stent in. Dr. Richardson came out about 10:30 and said everything was complete, they found 99% blockage in the main artery that feeds the heart "LAD" artery-- the one they call the WIDOWMAKER (great...thank you for THAT!). They put in the stent, it went well, textbook procedure, no problems, and he'd be keeping Steve overnight,  and he is now an official card-carrying member (stent) of the "Heart Disease Club." So we need to change his diet, take care of his cholesterol, lose some weight and he should be fine -- if we don't, he'll be back. Simple as that...(I guess to these clinicians, it is just another day at the office).

He came home the next day, and took it easy for exactly four days, and was back at work full-time. He is on a few new meds, including blood thinners, gets tired very easily, and is supposed to not do labor-intensive work for awhile -- and of course, with the blood thinners, not use equipment or tools that could cause major injury where he could bleed out.  

My Corizon marketing department sent a plant and a 'heart healthy' snack basket (granola, fruit, nuts, etc.); Rich Hallworth, our CEO, and his assistant Brenda Henderson sent some beautiful flowers. We had friends bring us dinner, cookies, etc. It was nice to feel extra love and compassion to help ease the anxiety!

And Colton (& Rogan) sent the cutest "get well" letter to Pops! It says "We love you. Hope your heart gets better!"

I'm concerned about how in the world we're going to adjust our diets even more...we already eat pretty healthy low carb, low fat, high protein diets. Now we also have to watch SODIUM! I went to the store and started looking at all the cans of food, and everything has a TON of sodium! Seriously, spinach, green beans, chili beans, canned veggies...and don't even get me started on soups! THIS IS GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE!

I will now have to devote some substantial time to menu planning and food preparation. I've been on the American Heart Association website, and trying to get ideas and recipes for heart healthy foods. Steve says we're basically down to lettuce, cucumbers and celery...I fear he is right.

But he is still here to enjoy them with us, and for that I am very grateful!!

BLURB

I am so excited to be BLURBING!
I am in the process of converting my 2010 blog to a hard-bound scrapbook -- which is why I blog in the first place, it's basically a combination of a journal and a scrapbook, so I can print it out, and TWA-LA! A year's worth of scrapbooking done in a flash! What a feeling of accomplishment this will be!

Now -- about that "flash" part -- any of you bloggers out there done some Blurbing? or Blog2Printing? or other type of conversion to print? It's a little time-consuming and tedious, and I'm sure I'm probably re-inventing the wheel or something...I'm having to move photos around, combine two posts onto a page to conserve space, etc.  Maybe this is how it has to be done, or maybe I'm having some first-timer learning curve. Anyone, anyone...?

But I'm really digging that after I get everything placed, I can choose the background, theme, etc. and have a little pizzazz to my blog book. Tooooo coooool...!

Any comments or suggestions welcome, in the meantime -- I'll be BLURBING along...

I'm Legal!

This THANKSGIVING weekend, I'm GRATEFUL to finally be done with my Defensive Driving Course! And, of course...I passed!

That's because I AM A DEFENSIVE DRIVER, doggone it!

And now, back to your regularly scheduled blog...

Grand-Sibs!

Oh, my GOSH! These pictures are sooooo cute!!

Colton, Addie and Rogan

Simply A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E!!

Turkey Week

Hooray!! It's Thanksgiving Week!

We decided we'd start the holiday weekend off Wednesday with a bash, by holding a *SURPRISE* birthday party for Ed Thomas, who was turning the big 5-0! Connie set it up, with a huge gang of us meeting up at Chuy's Tex-Mex resturant.

Ed was indeed surprised, and we had a great time with all 20 of us around the table: The Thomas', The Bennetts and The Harris'
(and an extra teenager or two thrown in there)

We continued the "5-0 Fun" at the Bennett's the next day after Thanksgiving dinner.

Hannah made this Fabulous Pittsburgh Steelers cake!

Right after Wednesday's dinner, Steve went up to Nashville and got Randi and her boys and brought them down to our house for a couple of days. The boys, of course, love an excuse to enjoy McDonald's!

Thanksgiving morning, we cooked and cooked, and prepared for a yummy feast with our "Tennessee Family," The Bennetts and the Thomas'. We had a great time at the Bennetts' party house, where it's always...well, a PARTY!
I'd like to say I made this (healthy) TERRIFIC TURKEY for our Thanksgiving enjoyment, but alas, the best of intentions turned into a big bowl of celery and not this fancified creature. Maybe next year...HOWEVER, I'm hoping those just skimming my blog will see this cool photo, and think I DID make it! HA!

They had a turkey where everyone wrote what they were thankful for on a feather, and added their feather to the turkey. Cute little
Andrew was doing his best to participate
in this festive activity.

Cielo kept pulling Whitney over to the piano to play along with him!

On FRIDAY after Thanksgiving, Randi made pancakes, and later we took her boys in to have their photos taken at the mall. THAT, my friends, was an adventure! We could get them to smile cute as ever for candids, but on cue -- well, that's a different story! We got a couple of good shots out of about 50...but they're adorable, so who cares if they're not all smiling at the same time, or looking at the camera, right? Stay tuned for the finished product...but in the meantime, aren't they precious?!

After pictures, we all went to see "Happy Feet 2," since Randi and Andrew both LOVED the first one. The boys were actually very good for that long of a movie! It was funny to watch them all dancing in their seats with the music...

After the movie, Pops took them all home, a fun, busy weekend come to an end.

Here's a couple of photos from the NEBRASKA Harris House Thanksgiving celebrations!

So MUCH to be grateful for...!

My Journey

I am thankful for MY journey.

Sometimes it's not the journey I ever would have imagined (and sometimes it is), but it's my journey. There will never be another life exactly like mine. There will never be another individual with exactly the same experiences, opportunities, disappointments, struggles, talents, skills, loved ones, shortcomings, successes, challenges or blessings as me. We all have them, but they are different and we all experience them differently.

So, at this Thanksgiving time, I want to express that I am grateful -- grateful for my journey, and those brave enough to share it with me.

Broken Record

Okay, so I admit it, my clean driving record with no speeding tickets is over. I finally got a speeding ticket a month ago, and this week had to go to traffic court, and I'm in the process of taking the on-line Defensive Driving course.

At least I can take it on-line so I can do it in spurts in between my life, and if I complete it, the ticket won't go on my driving record and increase my insurance rates.

While I'm totally irritated at the way the ticket was given (ambush style by a bunch of cops pulling us over in groups during busy morning rush hour traffic), I'm even more irritated that although it was my very first offense (at my ripe old age) I have to go to Defensive Driving school! Anyone who knows me knows I already AM a defensive driver! Ug...

I can think of 10 people right now who I know well and love dearly -- who need this course more than I do. YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE! So, count your blessings I'm the one who got caught doing 51 in a 35 coming over a hill on busy Franklin Road in prime rush hour. Seriously, handcuff me and take me away...

Addie - Those First Few Days

Sweet little Addie...how peaceful. (And painful, if I tried to lay that way!)

Franklin Fall

I think I am OBSESSED with the colors of fall!

Either I've just become much more aware of them the past couple of years, or they've become more brilliant, or maybe a combination of the two. I'm driving around this time of year gasping and ooooh-ing and aaaah-ing over the colors! I stop in mid-sentence as I drive by beautiful trees and leaves, and mountains full of autumn color. My kids don't get it, but the colors are simply breathtaking to me!

Many of the oooh-la-la's are in Franklin, or on my way to work, and some right here in my own neighborhood! I really wish my little camera would do them justice!

Notice (upper right) the red trees on either side of Dr. Kemp's Orthodontics office just outside Forrest Crossing
(basically, with our third of four kids currently in braces, I can claim some ownership of that office with the beautiful red trees!)

The other day, I was intent upon capturing a photo of some of the gorgeous trees on my way to work. I was ready -- I had my camera out, turned on at just the right time, driving just a little slower so I could be sure to get it, pointed right where the trees were coming up, and *CLICK* took the picture, and YIKES! I found myself over the dotted line (of one-way Franklin Road). No harm, no foul, but I'm sure the driver behind me wondered about my sobriety at 7:15am!  I was disappointed that upon checking out the photo, it didn't turn out at alllllll.  Bummer...

And I love coming home into our little Forrest Crossing neighborhood and seeing this welcoming view...(even more beautiful a few days before when I DIDN'T take a photo...)

I LOVE FALL!! And don't like it when all the trees are naked, and making way for snow and ice. Which is just around the corner...so I'll enjoy while I can!

Trunk or Treat

This year's Halloween fun was mostly had at our Ward's "Trunk or Treat." Grayson, way too cool to REALLY dress up, went as a soccer player (wore his old uniform). Interestingly enough, his way too cool friend, Tristan Lonergan, had the same idea, so these 15-year olds could hang out together as jocks without looking like they were "too" engaged in the Halloween thing. (And, of course, it was simply NOT cool to pose for a photo, hence...)

Now Sam, on the other hand, has been asking us for a fedora since the costuming started for the 6th grade play (see more on the play HERE) , and some of his counterparts got to wear fedoras. He kept saying he could "totally ROCK the fedora!" So, we hunted for one, but it took until just before Halloween to find one.  So he went as a "gangster/creeper/dude" (whatever that means). 

His friend, Justin Keivit, went as LAST place winner in a knife juggling contest. HAA!! (notice all the knives sticking out of his head)

They had a great time...!

And, "Mrs. Bieber" (Morgan Rasmussen in a Mrs. Bieber t-shirt) was there with her 'husband,' Justin, and of course all the kids were getting photos with "the Bieb..."

Justin Keivit, Austin Berg & Sam -- imitating all the girls who were hugging on Justin Bieber

Steve stayed home and handed out candy to the maybe 10 kids who braved our block...

After the Trunk or Treat, Sam went to Justin's house and they went to the neighbor's Halloween Block Party! They added even MORE fun there, and then the boys went trick-or-treating in Justin's neighborhood (Keivit, not Bieber) on actual Halloween a couple of days later...So all in all, it was a frightfully good time!

I'm A Reformist

James K. Polk (from TN)
Last pre-Civil War President

Yeah, while I'd really like to be blogging about something very cool and fun right now, like my anniversary trip to Atlanta, or Halloween, or the beautiful colors of FALL...alas, NO.  I have no time to blog! I can't take the time to do something fun like that, because I'm up to my eyeballs in HISTORY homework! Yes, I'm finishing up Unit 5, on "Reform and Culture" in the United States in 1790-1860. The only thing vaguely familiar to me in these chapters was the brief section on Mormonism.

Nathaniel Hawthorne, Author
"Scarlett Letter" and more

And then (surprisingly enough) I knew the names of the first American authors like Washington Irving, James Fenimore Cooper, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Louisa May Alcott, Emily Dickinson and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. WOW! (I know you're thinking) She must be so well-read and very knowledgeable about early American literature!! Well of course I....am.... not! I grew up playing the card game "Authors." In fact, we bought the game this summer when we were in Nauvoo, and the boys like playing it, too.

Okay, my quick break is over, back to my lovely History homework. I have to write a 1000-word paper on what type of Reformist I would have been in the early 1800's, and why. Wish me luck...I've read 4 chapters and listened to 3 lectures, and I still have no idea.

Adelaine

Our First GrandDAUGHTER!

Adelaine Lyn Harris

November 7, 2011, 1:06pm

8 lb. 6 oz., 20" long

Sooooo precious!!

 

 

Be a Follower

Thanks to everyone who "followed" me in October, per my invitation (seen HERE).  I mailed all your CDs today, so you should receive them this week!

And thanks to my dear technically-challenged friends who follow my blog, but don't know how to become a 'blog follower.' (You KNOW who you are -- Bahahaha!) Your e-mails will suffice, you made me smile, so you get a CD, too!

ENJOY!!



Merre Bulles

The last week of October, my office had guests in town from all over the country, members of the new C3 (Corizon Culture Committee) addressing company culture issues for our newly merged organization. We had all-day meetings at the corporate office the next day, so when everyone arrived the night before, we went to dinner at Merre Bulles -- a very nice restaurant near our office. Can I just say...I may (or may not) have ordered the fabulous New York Cheesecake with strawberries  pictured here. And I may (or may not) have eaten it all myself, although my intentions were to share it with someone. What happens at Merre Bulles stays at Merre Bulles...

Save the Ta-tas!

A common phrase now in support of Breast Cancer Research is "Save the Ta-Tas!" Although  I didn't run in the Susan G. Komen 5K run last weekend in Brentwood (I know, you're shocked), I did support the cause by purchasing a t-shirt through our company's logo store, that had the logo in PINK, and a big PINK "TEAM CORIZON" on the back of the t-shirts. The company is donating half the $10 purchase price to the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

Jennie Latimer and I were all decked in pink, and were very enthusiastic in cheering for our Corizon team who were going to be walking the next day in the marathon. I love working for a company that supports such causes as this!

Martina

Anyone who knows me, knows I love the music of Martina McBride. She's one of the most consistent, successful women in country music, and I've sung her songs on stage for years. She has a strong, gentle, powerful voice, and just keeps cranking out the hits. She is amazing! Steve got me her new CD for our anniversary, and I've just listened to it one time through so far, and read the entire CD insert, which instead of having lyrics this time, she  tells the story behind each song...I love that! It makes the songs so much more meaningful, especially when you're hearing them for the first time.

I especially like the song "I'm Gonna Love You Through It," which talks about cancer, and support, and love, and triumph. The first time I heard this song was when I saw the music video for it. It is very well done, and features celebrities who's lives have been touched by cancer, themselves or family members (Cheryl Crow, Katie Couric, several others). She says when she first heard the song, she told her husband she just had to record it, and he said he understood, because the message of the song was exactly how he felt about her. He'd love her through anything...I'm blessed to know I have the same kind of love from my husband.

I also like "Always Gonna Be This Way," "Marry Me," and "Long Distance Lullaby."  I look forward to getting to know all the songs, so I can sing along!

Who's the Boss?

Having finally hired an assistant in August, I'm now a BOSS again!  So, it was a nice surprise when Jennie Latimer, my assistant, came and asked me to lunch in October for Boss' Day!



Jennie Latimer, Briana Lutes and me

She and Briana Lutes, the Production Assistant, treated me to Longhorn Steakhouse, and we had a delightful lunch. They are great girls, and fun to work with. It's funny, because Jennie and I share the same birthday (July 25th), and she was born in Chris' birth YEAR (1982). So THAT'S why she seemed the perfect fit for this position!  :o) Agewise, she actually could be my DAUGHTER
(bizarre-o)! And Briana is about the same age, and we have all become good friends.

It's fun for this 'old lady' to hang out with these young 'uns! And it was such a nice gesture...

Peeping Tom!

One October afternoon a couple of weeks ago, I was laying on my bed reading my History book, and Sam came in and was talking to me. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught something out my window that startled me. I started looking closer, and Sam started looking closer, and we thought it might be a RAT or something, crawling across the storm gutter...peeking in my window?

We got closer, to try to keep from startling it, and as we got closer, we found it was a SQUIRREL!

But how was it hanging on to the bricks outside our window? Those must be some massively strong claws!

So Steve had come into the room by now, and he and Sam ran out front to see if they could get a photo of our little Peeping Tom from the outside.

Yes, indeed, it was a squirrel -- with some powerful fingernails!

If I'd known I had company, I might have put on my nicer robe!

Stake President Apostle

Elder D. Todd Christofferson

 The weekend of October  14-15th, we had our Stake Conference, and had a very special guest, Elder D. Todd Christofferson, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Elder Christofferson holds a very special place in our hearts, because he was the president of the Franklin Stake in 1988 when we moved to Franklin, for about the first year we lived here. I specifically remember the Christmas of 1989 when the tornado hit our stake center. We were temporarily meeting in Brentwood High School while the building was being repaired, and one Sunday he came, and as he closed his remarks he blessed the congregation. He gave us some very specific, special blessings,  that came to fruition for our family in very meaningful ways that summer. I've always been very grateful, and have felt a special connection to him since that time.

We didn't know him and his wife, Kathy real well personally, but our friends, Tom & Alycia McClurg were very close with them and use to do social stuff, and hang out, and I think Alycia & Kathy used to serve in the ward Primary Presidency together. So Tom & Alycia drove down from Cincinatti to be here for the conference, since Kathy came with him.

We enjoyed the opportunity to get together with Tom & Alycia (and Tom's mom, Diane) that Saturday and go to lunch, and then sat together at the adult session of conference Saturday night. Both Elder Christofferson and Kathy spoke, and their talks were wonderful. They were reminiscing about how they used to meet in the "old warehouse" before the stake center was built, and how much the stake has changed over the years, and marveling at the growth! (When we moved here, the stake center was just a few years old, so we missed the "old warehouse" days, but have heard much about them over the years.) They mentioned many people and families in their remarks that we know and remember well. Our dear friend, and Tom Mcclurg's dad, Buryl McClurg was President Christofferson's counselor in the stake presidency. It was sort of a reunion for the Christoffersons, I'm sure, to see so many familiar faces in the crowd.

Prior to his comments on Sunday, Elder Christofferson asked that a few people come up and bear their testimonies to the congregation. One of those people was Tom McClurg, who of course, was eloquent and sincere in his humble remarks and bore a beautiful testimony. Elder Christofferson later remarked that he loved and admired Tom's dad, and he was certain that he is so proud of Tom today (Buryl Mcclurg died in September, 2009. I sang at his funeral.).

Another person he asked to bear her testimony was Georgia Harris. Georgia and Fred Harris were in our ward when we first moved here, and we used to get each other's church voice messages in error from time to time. Randi had a special feeling for Georgia from the time she was a little girl, and would always go up and hug her, and Georgia was always so sweet to our family. Georgia has been a blessing in Randi's life in recent years, too. Such great, giving, salt-of-the-earth people, who have been stalwart members of the church through much difficulty. I remember Fred bringing me through the veil many times as a temple worker. Georgia is a VERY quiet, very shy person, softspoken and unassuming -- and would never anticipate (or appreciate) being called up to speak in Stake Conference! When she got up to the pulpit, she softly said "I know we have twelve apostles on the earth today, and right now I wonder if it would be okay if I choked one of them." The congregation cracked up! Then Elder Christofferson stood up and put his arm around her shoulders, and said, "I don't know if ELEVEN could get the job done." HAHA It took a several seconds of laughter before everyone quieted down!  And then she bore a beautiful testimony.  See more on Fred & Georgia Harris HERE. 

Elder Christofferson said many impactful things, I really wish I had written down every word. But some things I remember, he said in his many travels as an apostle over the past three years, he said he marvelled at the way they are able to travel the world in service of the Lord. He said that if the apostle Peter in the Old Testament had been able to travel like we can today, he probably would have had the entire world converted in about ten months!

There were a couple of concepts he spoke about that spoke to me. One, when he was 17 years old, visiting the Sacred Grove with a group, he thought it was the perfect opportunity and place to gain a stronger  testimony of the prophet and the gospel. So he went alone to the Grove at night and he prayed for confirmation of what he thought to be true. He prayed and prayed, and no confirmation ever came. He left, disappointed and discouraged, his prayers felt unanswered. About 6 weeks later, reading scriptures on his own, the confirmation came strongly and clearly, and his prayers were answered "Spirit to spirit." He learned that we should continue our petitions to Heavenly Father, but warned that we should not put ourselves in the position of telling God what to do, or when. "Our duty is to be open to receive His answers in His time."

Another thing he stressed, which we hear regularly from the pulpit at General Conference, is the concept of "Good, Better, Best" (HERE).  He counseled us again not to fill our lives so full of GOOD things that we leave no room for the ESSENTIAL things...something to ponder, and something that is always on my mind, as I feel our life is so busy that at times it feels out of control. So we've done some more thinking and talking about this counsel since conference.

It was such a wonderful thing to have them here! I had Alycia take a copy of our Stake Relief Society's booklet, "Sisters of Faith," and give it to Kathy. I thought she would recognize many of the names in the stories in the book, and maybe even some of the stories themselves! Learn more about those booklets HERE .

At the adult session, the only seats left when we got there were on the VERY front row, in the very middle. We literally had to tilt our heads back a bit, and look straight ahead to see the speakers. How wonderful to have sat literally at the feet of an Apostle of God!