Tonsillectomy & Valet Parking = Discontentment

So August 15 I had a Tonsillectomy. Yes, at my age! Yes, I know you are supposed to have this done when you are a child. No, I don't know why we didn't do it as a child. It is done and soon behind me. 

Well the Monday prior to the Tonsillectomy, I had a Pre-Op appointment with my specialist. After discussing the concerns with surgery and convincing the doctor that I really do want the surgery and didn't want him talking me out of it (since I cancelled surgery 6 months prior and I have finally prepared mentally and physically).  I leave the office to pick up my car in the parking garage from "Complimentary Valet" only to be handed a police report from an apathetic parking attendant and my car smashed along the driver's side from front wheel through driver's side door. Oh, and a vague, bland apology with little explanation to how this might have happened.

So what happened? Still don't know. Did I have time for this, literally, have time for this prior to surgery that would put me in recovery for two weeks?  No, I had no physical, mental, or emotional time available to provide for this extremely unfair, unnecessary and utterly ridiculous situation. Is life randomly unfair at times, yes. Yes, life can be unfair.

Did I mention the valet company's name?  CAH Valet service business address is still unknown to me but they are in Broward County somewhere. CAH Valet service provides medical parking service for Good Samaritan Hospital, the Victor Farris Cancer Center and the medical building I was in at 1515 Flagler Boulevard. 

What have I learned from this? Well, I recommend that if you have a "gut" feeling to NOT Valet, to embarrass yourself by asking for your car keys back before they drive away your vehicle, feel you should drive two blocks away to available parking regarding of the rain or being late for an appointment... IF your "gut" is telling you something, just give in and do it. Don't ignore it.

So was it my intuition or could it have been the Holy Spirit in which God speaks to us? Either way, I didn't listen and walked away. Because, after all, this was a prominent medical building with hundreds of customers/ patients using this CAH Valet service daily.

So Valet, no thanks. I will be passing on any Valet services from this point on.  My Gut  or intuition or God whisper in my ear, I hope to be obedient and more in tune with His voice. After all, God is always looking out for my best interest and ways to bless me - which is THE OPPOSITE of the intentions of CAH Valet Service, who does not have the decency to return my insurance company's phone calls and is perfectly willing to allow me to pay my own insurance deductible directly from my savings account - after all that's just why we have emergency funds, right?

My Tonsillectomy Recovery blog will have to wait for another day...

8-8-08 The Olympics

I am quickly discovering who are fans of the Olympics. Luckily, close friends are fans. And once again, my husband gravitates and converses over all the exciting games. I am a fan of a few sports like the gymnastics, swimming and track and field.  I have enjoyed most all of the sports I have watched with Todd. 

Todd was so excited for things to get started that he had to get his Olympic attire PRIOR to the opening ceremonies Friday night. He is fun to watch as his excitement builds.  I enjoy watching him enjoy watching the games. GO USA!

Disney Fun Day & Shingle Creek Resort

Well, my Disney Fun Day finally arrived on Friday, July 18. My girlfriend, Terra, and I had this day excursion scheduled for quite sometime. We have been anticipating only fun on our agenda. Little did we know that each of us would have marathon-busy schedules leading up to our magical Disney escape.  

We finally arrived at Disney at 11:00 a.m. Friday and had 7 hours of fun and laughs. Thanks to Terra's amazing organizational strategies, we hit all the key attractions we wanted in a timely, geographical order.  This saved the lifespan of my aching feet by the end of the day.  I think my favorites of the day were the interactive Buzz Lightyear ride, Mickey's Philharmonic and the Splash Mountain and Thunder Mountain. I liked the traditional exhibits of Peter Pan too. 

Terra also managed to pull off an awesome surprise stay at Shingle Creek Resorts.  Through Hotwire.com, she landed the ultimate rates 24 hours prior to check-in.  After a long day of fun and sun at the Magic Kindgom, those fancy-resort sheets gently soothed our fatigue and we had a great stay overnight. 

This Disney excursion was a blast and just what I needed to enjoy summer just a bit more. Thanks Terra for all the fun and surprises!

Stress & Foods

For those that know me, also know that I can be a bit high strung!  Yes, I confess that it is true. 

Part of my summer goals has been to become healthier.  Here is an article from Dr. Oz's RealAge website on healthy, stress-reducing foods:

Berries, any Berries - Eat them one by one instead of M&M's (which is my drug-food of choice). The carbs in the berries transfer into sugar at a slower pace than processed sugary items, which prevent a blood-sugar crash. This also gives you a great source of vitamin C, which helps to prevent the spike in stress hormones (cortisol).

Guacamole - Avocados are filled with B vitamins, which stress quickly depletes and which your body needs in order to maintain nerves and brain cells. Scoop up Guacamole onto whole-grain baked chips for a healthier choice.

Mixed nuts - Just an ounce will do. Walnuts help replace those stress-depleted B vitamins, Brazil nuts give you a whooping amount of zinc (which is also drained by high anxiety), and almonds boost your E, which helps fight cellular damage linked to chronic stress. 

Oranges - People who take 1,000 milligrams of C before giving a speech have lower levels of stress hormones and lower blood pressure than those who don't. So peel an orange and enjoy while reducing stress.

Asparagus - Each tender stalk is a source of folic acid, a natural mood lightener. Dip the spears in fat-free yogurt or sour cream for a hit of calcium with each bite.

Chai tea - a warm drink is a supersoother, and curling up with a cup of aromatic decaf chia tea (Tazo makes ready-to-brew bags) can make the whole hectic day simmer down.

Dark chocolate - If you must reach for chocolate - the dark chocolate's antioxidant flavonoids are the better choice. 

Memorial Day Surprise

Well, one week after my Emmaus Walk, my husband set aside an amazing surprise for me on Memorial Day! Now, you have to realize that I am not very cooperative when it comes to surprises. I have to search for hints and clues to figure out the mystery or puzzle. This was no exception. I would ask Todd questions about the weekend, just out of the blue. And you have to understand my husband. He has a great memory and does not get stumped very easily. He also has a belief system that one should not give away the ending... So if he has read a book or seen a movie that I have not, and I am just wanting the punch line or ending to the movie, he will NOT give it up for anything.  So I have to read the book myself or watch that movie myself - with no clues from him. However, fortunately there are no laws by God or man that say I cannot read only the last chapter or fast forward to the end of the movie! Thus, immediate satisfaction! ( So I hear some of you saying I should discover the joy in the journey. And I agree with you half-heartily. I am working on that in my life right now.)

So my husband managed to keep our weekend getaway a complete surprise.  And I loved it that much more. On Sunday, we went up the road to Stuart to the Inn at Shepard's Park. It was just far enough away from home to relax. It was our first Bed and Breakfast experience and it was delightful. We arrived before check in. So we went to Jensen Beach for a late lunch. We enjoyed a waterfront experience at Conchy Joe's. Our shrimp sandwiches were quite tasty. I loved the rustic, tropical setting too. When we arrived at the B & B, I entered the room that Todd picked out. It was so delightful, I loved all the little details. He had gotten me a Kilwin's Chocolate gift box that was waiting for me in the room. The room was in a white wicker, old-Florida style setting. There were four cute windows overlooking Shepard's Park. Once we settled in with luggage, we set off on the bicycles provided.  We went through Sheppard's Park which ran along the waterway and had a view of the huge Roosevelt Bridge in Stuart. There was a unique little walkway with water on both sides. I decided to walk my bike along that because I could foresee a small stumble causing me to be head-first in all that water. We then followed the red brick roadways to a sidewalk under the bridge. This led to a beautiful wooden boardwalk along the water that ended at the Stuart's Historical Downtown District. We enjoyed strolling downtown. I was a typical tourist taking pictures of almost everything.  Todd got used to stopping and smiling for pictures or sometimes, just stopping and looking my way. We enjoyed dinner on the water, once again, at Wahoo's Restaurant.  After dinner, we returned to the B & B for a leisurely lounge on the veranda to read for the evening. In the morning, we enjoyed breakfast back on the veranda. All of it was so relaxing and so peaceful. It was such a pleasant surprise and reminds me of the many reasons I am in love with my sweet husband. Thanks again sweetheart, for a great Memorial Day weekend.

The Upper Room Walk to Emmaus

My recent Walk to Emmaus was "an experience of Christian spiritual renewal and formation that begins with a 3-day short course in Christianity. It is an opportunity to meet Jesus Christ in a new way as God's grace and love is revealed to you through other believers.  It begins with a prayerful discernment and invitation from a sponsor. After one accepts this invitation they complete an application. Leaders prayerfully consider each application and in God's time, the person is invited to attend a three-day experience of New Testament Christianity as a lifestyle."

emmaus@upperroom.org

One of many unique aspects of Emmaus was that guests come with no access to clocks, wristwatches, cell phones and communication with home. For me, the value of this is to remove our daily life distractions and reconnect with God, the lover of your soul. By the end of the first day, I was ready to honor this request. It was at the end of the first day that I discovered just how many distractions I have lived with in my life that kept me from connecting with God daily. I was blessed by God to be relieved from distractions. And not fighting the urge to know the agenda became a blessing. There were so many thoughtful sections of the agenda that became meaningful.

It was truly a Walk to Emmaus. Thank you to everyone that unselfishly gave to all of us throughout that 3 day journey. God bless each of you.

Land of Dry Bones

"God grabbed me. God's Spirit took me up and set me down in the middle of an open plain strewn with bones. He led me around and among them - a lot of bones. There were bones all over the plain - lots of dry bones. God said, 'Can these bones live?' 

I said, 'Master God, only you know that.'

God said, 'Prophesy over these bones. Dry bones, listen to the Message of God! I'm bringing the breath of life to you and you'll come to life... You'll come alive and you'll realize that I am God'!  There was a sound and, oh, rustling! The bones moved and came together, bone to bone. God said, 'Come, breath. Breath life!" The breath entered them and then came alive!" 

The Message// Remix Contemporary Bible Translation

Emmaus Walk #62      Table of Ruth

So the first discovery on my journey was that I desperately needed God to breath life into MY dry bones. I didn't seem to pay attention that they were all dried up! Aren't we thankful that God loves us and blesses in spite of ourselves!  And I was truly blessed. It was a lifetime experience that I will forever cherish.

I walked away in awe of the continual demonstration of God's love for me and unconditional love given to me by the body of Christ, by His Church, my brothers and sisters in Christ. To comprehend what I mean, you must experience it for yourselves. 

Now I can look back and fully understand / respect the suggestions given to me to have limited information beforehand and to NOT anticipate. NOT ANTICIPATE! ME? Never!  My inquisitiveness always gets the best of me. Curiosity is something I have a hard time turning off. However, I heeded and gladly obeyed. And it was worth the presentations of surprises. To be pleasantly surprised is a mild description.  I was overwhelmed with love, kindness, joy and peace.  

DeColores my Emmaus Sisters of Walk #62. As I experience more of what God would have me share, I will do so. 

God Bless You and keep you in your journey of life!

Laura

Carolyn - I loved every minute of it!  Thank you, thank you, thank you.  Your love and care for me overwhelms me. 

Emmaus Walk

My dear friend Carolyn has chosen to sponsor me for an Emmaus Walk! And I am very excited. She is sending me on a Christian, women's retreat for 3 nights and 3 days, starting this Thursday. I anticipate it to be a time of peace and tranquility, reuniting with the Lord. It is an opportunity to rediscover the Joy of the Lord and my relationship with Him. 

I am so excited for the quietness. It is a retreat set up with limited information of location and agenda. I am asked not to bring a laptop, cell phone or even a watch. I am blindly led by the trust of my friend that it will truly  be an enlightening event.

So after I return from this weekend of anticipation, I am to promise to keep most details of location and activities to myself so that others can experience it on their own. I hope to share with you that I found my way back to the heart of God - well, that my heart was reunited with His. (He is always offering His heart to me and to all in order to show His love.)

Enjoy your week. As for me, I have a four-day work week with an exciting 3-day weekend ahead. God bless you! And thank you again Carolyn. I can't wait to share with you all that I will be experiencing.

I've Married THE Genetic FREAK!

Am I insulting or belittling my husband, you ask? By no means! My husband defied science and is blessed by God. Thus, doctors have referred to him as a Genetic Freak.

There are only glimpses in time that I recall my single days PT (prior to TODD). Most of my life consists of my fulfillment in being married to Todd Shoemaker! It is never dull and extremely new ALL THE TIME.

There are fun and rewarding times when we enjoy life and enjoy each other. And there are times of struggle with once being mysterious medical issues that are now more obvious symptoms of Parkinson's Disease (PD). But wait, there is more. This man that I am so madly in love with that just happens to have PD, runs for his life! He runs and runs because he has life and because he has a story to share. His message on life is that God loves us and wants to bless us. As Todd runs and I mean runs marathons, he shares a positive message with others, possibly others that don't know God or have hope. In the midst of challenges, Todd is strengthened by God's love and by serving others.

For that, I am the luckiest women, well, I am the most blessed women in the world. If you wish to debate that, sure, bring it on! I have all that I need in life and I have the love of a man, love in a marriage and love from God that provides all that I ever wanted in life.

And to know Todd Shoemaker is to love him. To know him is to know of God! I hope you know God today and are experiencing all the love you can have in life.

FEBRUARY 3, 2008

Hello there. Superbowl Sunday was fantastic! Great game, at least the last quarter! Todd and I spent time with a group of close friends and we created our own half time show with the American Idol video game. It was hilarious and a blast. Great company, excellent food - burgers on the grill!

Sunday was also the 2nd anniversary since my wonderful mom passed away. At times, I envy the joy and peace she feels. She met her lifelong goal, to be in heaven praising God! I miss her. However, this year was more peaceful than I anticipated. I was thankful for the cherished memories I hold in my heart. I cling to the compliments those have given me who say, "Oh you look just like your mom", "Oh, when you laugh you sound just like her". I pray that I will become more Christ-like as she was, as I grow older. She taught me to love family. I like to think that I love Todd so much because I learned from how she loved my dad. I enjoy serving and giving to Todd like she would serve and give to my dad. I am so fortunate to have a blessed marriage with a strong friendship and I have to believe it is from what my mom taught me in life.

On Sunday, my amazing husband beat his own running record and did it in honor of my mom! He ran 31 miles and lives to tell about it! He gives God the glory. You should check out his blog on GeneticFreakMinistry.com to hear about it from him directly.

I am thankful for my life. My life is whole and complete with the Lord in the center and an amazing husband. I thank Todd for his support and encouragement for helping me through times of missing my mom. I am thankful he got to meet her and she loved him (especially after all the toads I kissed - mom was proud that I finally caught a Prince - My Prince I daily thank God for and don't take for granted!

Tidbids on Laura

Quiet evening blogging... I thought I would follow the lead from my dear friend Carolyn and share interesting tidbids about myself...

WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? My beautiful Abeula (Laura) and Momma (Carmen Maria)!
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? Monday night thinking of my mom!
DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? mostly, when I take my time.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Frequently - Turkey. Prefer - Roast Beef.
DO YOU HAVE KIDS? no but have helped and supported hundreds over time
IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?? Weekend me, yes! Workplace me, not so much- too uptight!
DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? not too much
DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes, and your point?
WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Absolutely but probably AFTER skydiving
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Special K with strawberries
DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Are we supposed to?
DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Mostly
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Vanilla with toppings
WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? Little of everything-uniqueness
RED OR PINK? red
WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? when stressed, lack of patience
WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? my mommie
WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? chicken, stir fry veggies, rice-a-roni
WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? Oprah DVR
IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? multi-color rainbow!
FAVORITE SMELLS? vanilla
WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? My #1 Friend and love of my life!
FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? hockey
HAIR COLOR? brown
EYE COLOR? brown
DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? too blind and too many allergies
FAVORITE FOOD? lobster & seafood
SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? happy endings
LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? National Treasure I
WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? purple
SUMMER OR WINTER? summer - blue skies and ocean breezes
HUGS OR KISSES? Both- always!
FAVORITE DESSERT? chocolate cakey icecream yummy stuff
WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? Today Matters by John Maxwell
WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? "Dell" standar pad - nothing exciting
WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON T.V.LAST NIGHT? American Idol's ridiculous auditions!FAVORITE SOUND? ocean waves
ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Beatles (Mick Jagger will never be a pretty face!)
WHAT IS THE FURTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Mexico and California
DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? none that come to mind at the moment except loving my wonderful husband

Marathon of the Palm Beaches & Flight36 Ministry

The team of Flight36 successfully completed the half marathon of December 2, 2007. All of the guys did an amazing job completing the race. It was a great opportunity to receive recognition for the Flight36 Ministry, as well. Thanks to Channel 25 News, there were several stories that aired about the ministry.

This race was Todd's 3rd half marathon. For 2008, Todd plans to run 1,000 miles for the year. Thanks to a great week of feeling good, Todd has run 32 miles so far over three days. I expect he will successfully meet this goal over the upcoming year.

To see Todd's personal TV interview about the race, click on the YouTube link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4EV-PlSqcw

Happy New Year welcoming 2008!

Happy New Year Friends!

Yes, I can hear some of you welcoming me back. I have disappeared for two months now.

Well, thanks for having me back. The holidays proved to be quite busy and absolutely fabulous! I think I can give an overview of what Todd and I have been doing...

• Thanksgiving - we delivered meals together through the Substance Abuse Coalition and Christ Fellowship. For dinner, we spent a wonderful time with the Savignac family.


• December 2 - Marathon of the Palm Beaches - My wonderful husband finished a half marathon with the team from Flight36.


• December 7 - Flight36 Ministry Gala - Huge success and amazing evening! We were so appreciative and excited to those that came out to support the ministry and meet the boys in the program. I was very proud to be apart of what God is blessing in this ministry.


• December 8 - Famous Picklesimer Christmas Party - I look forward to this family reunion with Todd's family. This gathering is festive with amazing foods and homemade crafts. We had an extra treat to welcome a beautiful new baby boy - William - to the family. Todd's mom, brother and his kids made the trip to attend driving from Sebring.


• December 15 - Urban Youth Impact Christmas Store - This annual charity event provided Christmas gifts to over 1,500 families in the inner city of West Palm Beach. Todd volunteered with Flight36 and their boys to provide support at the event. I had the priviledge to babysit one-year-old Micah, who is the adorable son of the event's program planners, Pam and Proverb.


• December 16 - ROPES course with Terra Cay. Todd and I faced our challenges as we scurried up 20-30 foot telephone poles and walked across narrow beams that seem to tower in the air. It was exhilarating and exciting. I enjoyed conquering my fears and physical challenges. I don't know why I was so amazed to watch Todd get up that pole so quickly. After all, he is THE Genetic Freak!


• Christmas - Enjoyed services at Christ Fellowship. We enjoyed Christmas breakfast with the Brown family and kids. We also enjoyed dinner with the Savignac/ Richard family. My brother and sister-in-law took a trip to visit us from Tallahassee. We had a memorable visit and appreciate their efforts to see us.


• New Year's Eve - The Savignac/ Richard's family invited us to welcome the new year with friends and wonderful food.


• New Years Day - We enjoyed a quiet, relaxing evening with the Byrd family. Florida was just getting that cold snap that temperatures were dropping to the 30's that evening. It was quite nice.

I have enjoyed two weeks off from work and it has been a delight. I wish everyone a Happy New Year filled with God's love and blessings.