Happy Birthday Lauren!!

For those of you guys that don't know me - let me introduce you to Lauren.




Lauren is now 16 years old. She has cerebral palsy and I have been working with her for the past couple of years now. She sparked my love for Disney World last year when I was able to join her family on her Make a Wish trip to Walt Disney World!

We celebrated Lauren's 16th birthday earlier this month. We punctuated our celebration for this precious teenager with a party fit for a celebrity!

I just wanted to share some pictures with you guys from this fun party!

The theme was Hollywood...Here are some of the decorations...




Lauren all dressed up! Muffin was just along for the ride!




Lauren had a great time dancing with her friends.



I just wanted to share those with you guys. I have posted these to the DISboards already, but for my Team Voice friends - I wanted to introduce you to Lauren and share some pictures with ya!

The Practice

Before I get to my actual blog entry, I must introduce someone to you guys...

This is Muffin. She doesn't normally wear "clothes"...but she got dressed up to go to a party! I will post pictures from that party in another update...

But for now...meet Muffin!




Now, to the big news...I DID IT!!!!

This morning I went to the gym with a friend and was able to complete the following...

8 miles on the bike - followed by...
2.1 miles on a walking trail - followed by...
250 meter swim in the pool!

So...I did it! I can do all of those in one sitting...so I should have no trouble finishing the triathlon!

Of course, we will swim first on the big day, but I didn't think the gym would appreciate us running around the gym soaking wet.

Now, my timing was not great. We had a lot of transition issues because we had to walk outside, down 2 flights of stairs, and over to the walking trail to do the 2.1 mile walk - so that took extra time. I also had to stop and take a quick restroom break.

So...regardless of my final "time" I will be able to finish! :)

Try the Tri!

Hello folks!

Rae, Thank you so much for posting! :)

You asked about Triathlon training...and I am glad you did...because you got me off my rear end to really think about it.

Let's just be honest - shall we! I am way off the path for training for the triathlon. I have a kidney stone trying to pass, which doesn't always bother me, but certainly has me not feeling well. So my training schedule is all off. I had lost 18 pounds and now I am back to a net loss of 13...Ruh! No one to blame but me!

I have done a triathlon before. The picture above is of me (in the orange) at my first triathlon! Let's not tell Lisa (in the middle) that I posted this, ok? Rick, her husband, is on her right side!

The last time I competed in a triathlon I was ready. I didn't win. I was even in the big people division. But I didn't come in last, either!

The Triathlon is May 16th. Which gives me three more weeks to train for it. It is not a long triathlon - Just 250 meter swim, 10K bike and 3K run. Not too long. Less than a "sprint" honestly. But I am way out of shape.

Swimming is my strongest sport. I can swim a mile and not really miss a beat. I am not extremely fast, but I can swim a long time without stopping. The swim for this event is in a lake, which is new for me!

Biking is normally my favorite of the three, but I have not even been on my bike (road bike) all spring because Lisa has a broken leg. I actually store my bike at their house and we go on 16 mile rides often...but we have not since she has been injured.

The running. Walking, honestly. Is the very hard part for me. Not just because it is at the end. It would be hard at the beginning! I would rather swim last, honestly! I hate to run. I don't run. It just messes my knees and shins up. I do much better walking fast and actually go faster. However, I have been focusing on this part of my training as I am preparing myself for the half marathon in January. So, this may help my cause here!

Regardless of the fact that I am not really ready...I am going to do this triathlon. And try not to be embarrassed when I come in LAST. Dead last, I am afraid. But my good friends on the Disney boards have told me that a dead last finish is better than not finishing which is better than never starting! So...I am going to do it!

Thank you, Rae. For your encouragement today! Just asking about it made me realize that I have committed myself to this. And I need to get out there an DO IT!

So...tomorrow. Swim. It is time to get back in the pool!

Hi guys!

I am so excited! I have a reader! Thank you so much Rae, for reading and posting! :)

I have a double blog tonight since I missed last night.

First, I woke up yesterday morning and listened to a podcast as I was getting ready for work. A Disney Podcast, of course! And I was shocked...stunned...amazed - and as they said - turned 17 shades of red - when they actually read my email on the show! Thanks Bryan and Jonathan! (www.allaboutthemouse.com for those of you tuning in that have no idea what I am talking about!)

Jakob, the Make a Wish child that was referred to in the show, is now in the hospital again and is quite sick - so please pray for him!

Tonight was a very cool night! Lauren turned 16 last week and she had her Sweet 16 birthday party tonight! I don't have pictures yet. But I was part of the paparazzi and took a LOT of pictures! They just are not loaded yet. She had a movie themed birthday party, complete with the red carpet and her friends all dressed in their celebrity best! Muffin even got to come! Lauren was beautiful and we all had a wonderful time! About 50 people came to her party, despite a rainy Saturday night here in Mississippi.

I am quite tired and am glad to have a morning "off" for my computer duties at the church tomorrow. I am actually going to be attending a service at a different church tomorrow with some old friends. I am looking forward to getting to spend some time with them. We might even get to talk a little Disney. Gotta love that!

As I get used to this blog stuff...I will add pictures and all of that jazz. :)

Thanks for reading and posting! More tomorrow! :)

Heart Broken...

My heart is hurting for a family I don't even know. Breaking for a child I have never met in a city that is unknown.

I know this...that their family loves God. They trust God. They love Him. And a mother who loves her son. A mother who already lost her husband. Her husband already lives in heaven and it seems as though her youngest son will be joining his earthly father and his heavenly Father at some point in the near future.

Her son is not in pain. He has cancer that has just gone too far. But he lived his life to the fullest...to the very end. His family enjoyed some wonderful memories at GKTW. And now he is home. And will probably be eternally Home soon.

My heart breaks for that Momma. And his brothers and sister. Life is so hard for some incredible people.

This blog is going to be the real deal. And there you have it. The real deal.

First Post!

So...If you are reading this...you are getting in on the first floor, folks!

This is no pyramid scheme, though...So I don't suppose it really matters. But several of my friends have been asking me to start a blog. So here I am!! :)

I will update some more on this later. But for tonight...

Good Night, my friends, good night!