Monday, December 28, 2009

Bye Bye CO, HELLO CA!

I leave for the Rose Bowl tomorrow. I am super excited. It has been a super busy week last week work wise, and I am ready for a break. California will be just the place. It is supposed to be 60-70 all week, so that will be much nicer than the teens we are having in CO now.

We get some down time while we are there too, and so we will hit the beaches, Santa Monica Peir is prob where we will ring in the new year, I hear its a ton of fun there.

I will update with tons of pic when I get back,
so....
HAPPY NEW YEAR! I hope 2010 is a better year for us all! May the Lord be with us.

Monday, December 21, 2009

One week and counting!

Hi friends,
Sorry it has been a while since I have posted. Things have been a little nuts in my world lately.
I have to pause here to remember my dear aunt Sue who has the Heavens rejoicing, and us back here on Earth a bit sad...... She made her journey to Heaven on the 12th of December. So all of last week I was back in NE helping with funeral plans, spending time with family. Which puts me now four days before Christmas. I have to be honest, I am not in the Christmas mood at all. Since getting back from NE, I have not plugged in my tree or turned on my lights, I just have lost the feeling this year. And to top it all off, I have to work all Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and the whole weekend after, so I'm kinda bah humbug this year. BUT

In one week from Today I will be headed to CA for the Rose Bowl and all the festivities that go along with it, and that has me excited!!!! I will try to post pic of what the float is supposed to look like..... soon. I can tell you that the theme this year is New Hope Rises....
and I just ordered some Oregon shirts for the game, there will be no rooting for OHIO here!!!

Friday, December 11, 2009

Where is the baby Jesus in the manger?

Well, an interesting story that I thought I should share with you all today.

I had to go visit one of the hospitals here in Springs for work, and while I was waiting for my co worker to show up, I walked over to a very beautiful nativity scene. I quickly noticed that Mary and Joseph were in the stable along with the animals, but no baby Jesus. This was bothersome to me, as I had thought someone had stole him. So, I walked up to the reception desk and the nice lady in her pink attire asked if she could help me.

So, I say to her,
" I was looking at the nativity scene and could not help but notice that baby Jesus was not there, did someone steal him?"

With a grin of all grins on her face, she looked up at me and said, " What is today's date?"

I thought to myself, what is she talking about, maybe he was broke and he was getting fixed and will be back on a certain day. But I looked at the calendar on the wall, and replied to her, " its the 10th", and to my surprise, she again smiled that big grin and said, " Well you have 14 more days til we can place him in the manger".

All I could do was shake my head. DUH!!!!!! but how interesting is that? Every other nativity scene already has Jesus in the manger, and the wisemen too. hummm..... Just something interesting that I have never thought about. HAVE YOU??

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

UGLY CHRISTMAS SWEATER PARTY

I hosted an ugly Christmas Sweater Party this year. It was packed with tons of fun. It was kind of last minute and unfortunately fell on the night of the HUSKER football game. Rest assured the game was playing in the back ground despite all the looks from my CU friends.

Our highlight of the night was a scavenger hunt around town I put together ( at like 2 AM one night while working and trying to stay awake.) I have attached a few pic from the evening. Enjoy...
These Guys are the winners for the ugliest sweaters.... and they got them from their mother/ mother in laws closet!!!!


Thursday, December 3, 2009

ROWEN :)

I was able to spent the day with my nephew Rowen on Thanksgiving ( and the couple days after :)

He is growing like a weed and he loves to talk to you and smiles all the time.
Enjoy a few pictures of him :) He is sure a joy and a blessing to be around!!

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Verse I need to live by more often!

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers - Ephesians 4:29


Sometimes I have just let my mouth go,( not necessarily bad, but just don't know when sometimes to be quiet and let things ride themselves out.... ) unfortunately I have had realize how guarded I need to be these days.....
Lord help me to remember......

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Really Woolly

I received a card in the mail while I was back for Thanksgiving break from a dear friend. The name of the cards are "really woolly". Let me tell you a little bit about this card, and how special it is to me.

Right before Thanksgiving I was diagnoised with Hypothryoidism. Which means that I will be spending quite some time at the doctor in the next few months to really determine what is happening to my body. For now, I have been started on some medicine and will go next week for my first visit to the endo doc. I have spent quite a bit of time on the internet trying to get a grip on what exactly this is. Well, when reading the types of people this affects, I was not in the groups at all, and was even more confused until I came to the line where it said " can come during pre menaposaul stages ", so that has me even more freaked out as I now have what seems to be three strikes against me for wanting to have kids.
- having most of my ovaries removed due to the cysts
-having polycystic ovary disease and the dr's telling me for the past three years that I have a very limited time to get pregnant.
-now am showing signs of going into menapause.

so.... needless to say I was very frustrated, and holding and being around my nephew all weekend was great, but made me think that I may never have that chance.

So, back to the card. The little info from the creator about the card on the back says " The one who loves me most-even at my wolliest- is my shepherd! It was in such a "woolly" time that HE helped me see how much He really loves his sheep. Raising a family and other daily adventures causes me to leap into the Shepherds open arms and trust him for dear life! Figuring you might need the same encouragement I find in him, I scribble them down, then I smile as a dear friend paints the Shepherd's woolly flock into life in his pasture of promises. I hope you will be encouraged by his failthfullness too."

The inside of the card says "when things seem to be unraveling, just remember who is knitting all things together for good!"

Thanks Andrea for this little pick me up /reminder that God works for the good of those who love and trust him, and who have been called according to his purpose!!!

I know that things seem to have not gone in the way that I want them too, and as hard as it is, as frustrtated as I am, I cant help but continue to trust him, he knows the desires of my heart.

I ask that you continue to remember me in your thougts and prayers as I will continue to trust him......
Warm Blessings

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Operation Christmas Child


Each year our church partners with The Samaritanspurse and we send shoe boxes to kids in third world counties for Christmas. I believe this year our boxes are going to Haiti, which is interesting to me. As I just returned from the DR, we were about 2 hours from Haiti. I learned that a lot of people from Haiti come to the DR for a better chance at life. Kinda like how the people from Mexico come to the US for a better chance at life. However, the DR seems so poor and dirty ( unless you are on the resort :) I cant even begin to imagine what Haiti looks like.
Anyways, I am excited to have my box all complete........ it was a challenge for me as I kept seeing things that I would like to put in my box, and I over bought, but managed to get it all in... thank goodness for some great tape :)!! My box is for a girl ages 5-9. Do you think she will like the stuff I am sending her?????



Phew, I got it all in the box..... :) Merry Christmas little girl.....

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Happy Veterans Day







I want to take a minute and thank my brother Heath for his work in the ARMY. I have cousins in the military line too. I love you all, and thanks for all that you do for our country!

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

So...where will you be on New Years Day???

I had to "borrow" that title from a dear friend...

Anyways, I will be in Pasadena, California... at the ROSE BOWL!!! That's right...
I entered a contest at work in which I had to come up with something artistic explaining what donation met to me. I used the story of a dear little boy, Matty who had liver cancer and even though got in remission, he needed a new liver. Matty knew that in order to get a new liver a little kiddo like him had to die. He was scared and did not want that to happen for someone, so he began to say things like.... "If I get to be 5, I want to take a spiderman backpack to school, If I get to be 5, I want a Sponge Bob birthday cake....... he NEVER said when, but rather if... Matty did get his liver and it gave him two extra years at life, unfort his cancer cam back and he had his arm amputated, and then it came back a third and final time in his brain, and he passed away.
Well, his story inspired me and I tell families about Matty all the time. His mother was kind enough ( and I thank her dearly) to send me pictures, I was able to create a story board telling his story. My project went up against 4 others and I unamously won.

SO......... my dear friend Lecia and I will head to Cali on the 29th of Dec, take in all the festivities of the float ( this means perfectally arranging the roses just right ), getting to be a part of the parade, and then the football game!!! Donor Alliance ( my comapany ) is paying for the whole trip!!! This is a huge honor for me and I am super excited. I will update with more details as I get them. For now, Enjoy my favorite shot of Matty, for with out him and his courage and his battle he fought, I would not have this awesome opportunity. Thanks Matty!!! I love and Miss ya!
Dont Stop Believing! Is it me or has this gotten very popular over the past 3 years??!!


Matty was so proud of himself for painting a face on the pumpkin. He surprised the child life specialist!


Monday, November 2, 2009

Final DR update


The final days of our trip were filled with fun as well. We played volleyball, soaked in the sun, looked for a wedding ring in the pool ( one of our friends we met there were on their honeymoon and he lost his ring playing vball ) it was found :) phew!!!!!!!! and just continued to enjoy the company our of new friends. The highlight of the last few days was our trip to Ocean World. This is kind of like a Sea World here. They have shows with the dolphins, sea lions. Then you have the chance to scuba, snorkel, swim with the animals. I decided to take scuba lessons and then I would get one on one time under the water with a dolphin for 45 minutes. Once I was all geard up ( about 70- 80 lbs extra with the weights and tank) I got to go under the water for the first time..... Well, needless to say at about 4 feet, I began to freak out and thought I could not breath, when I was in all honesty doing just fine.... but was just breathing really fast.... I popped up to the top of the water and my instructor was saying I just needed to take deep breaths and that I would be fine. So I tried it again, and again.... after the 4th time, I decided that this was not for me. I could not do it. I was sooo mad at myself, but I just could not do it. My little dolphin buddy was like...... are you not coming to play...

So, Ash had already decided her thing she was going to do was to swim with the sharks and sting rays. They removed the stinger from the sting rays, but kept the teeth on the shark.... hummmm!!! So I decided to join her. Our shark was named Snoopy! She was about 80lbs and was 3 years old. You actually sit on a step in the water and they place the shark on your lap ( the teeth were at my thigh ugggg!!!!!!!!!!!!) Then you get to feed it, and then snorkel with it. Ash asked if she could hold the shark and the guy let her, no one was able to capture that on camera, but I was there, and saw her holding it. My camera unfort ran out of battery byt this little nice lady from the UK took pictures for us and emailed them to us. But we still bought the actual pictures too.

We had to say goodbye to our friends from DC, NY and NJ, all who we miss dearly already. But we will forever have the memories...... all of them.

The last day or so Ash and I began to get sick from either the food or the water ( which we did not personally pr purposfully drink, but they wash everything in that water, including the fruits and veggies ) we took the sickness back to the US, and finally after about a week and some meds for me, We are better and are constantally talking about our wonderful trip :) So glad I was able to share these memories with my little sister!!!

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

DR update 2





SO you ask what the people there call "friends", let me tell you..... hold on :)
It was out 2nd night there and we all had gotten ready for a show by the ocean and then a "wanna be Vegas show", and if you wanted some time in the casino. Well, after we had our fill on these, we came back to the resort and were hanging out in the lobby, when we spotted some ( what in the US would make us remember the movie Pretty Woman and Julia Roberts character...get it ) girls in the lobby. Then there became a HUGE ruckous ( sp?) at the front desk with 4 men. They were arguing and screaming with the workers about they are not paying anymore money to have quests, it should be their choice if they want to bring a guest to their room etc..... at one point, one of the men went and grabben his video camera and was taping the workers and saying he was going to sue....etc... it was quite the show ( an to be honest it was better than the Vegas wanna be show). Before we knew it the Julia Roberts were escorted out to a van in the valet area and so it got the best of me and one of the other girls I was with, so we decieded to go out to the valet area and just "talk" well we ended up talking to the manager that was on duty of the resort. We were asking him about this situation. He informed us that in the DR the Julia Roberts are called "friends", and that guys all them time pick them up at the casino and try to bring them back to the resort. The "friends" know that they have to stop in the lobby and check in. It was 108.00 a night extra to allow them in the resort ( plus the guys would have to pay them for their duty ) so this is why they are upset. Well, to make a very interesting and long story short, they all left in a van and went to a cheaper hotel. The manager also told us that the normal age for girls to have babies is 13. WOW, I thought the "friends" looked young. How sad.
Throught the week, we would continue to see the guys and wonder if they knew they gave us a great show. To top it all off, on the way back to Miami from the DR it was a full flight and I ended up in the middle seat, and Ash on the window side. It was my lucky day I guess (NOT!) b/c one of the men sat down beside me. He reaked of alcohol and had terriable breathe. It was all I could do to not laugh, at him..... I did ask him his reason for coming to the DR, and he said that he and his buddies were on a wk trip. I asked if they missed their wives ( just wondering, you know how I am) and he said he is the only one NOT married. SO, the other three guys that encountered the "friends" were married. That made my stomach turn...... uggg!!!!!!!! Then he fell asleeep and began to drool.... ugggg!!!! enough of that story, but for the rest of the week we used the term "friend " lightly.

I will attach a few pic of Ash and I parisailing. We had such a great time being 280 feet in the air. It was beautiful clear blue water and sandy white beaches. We hung in the air for about 20 minutes before he "dipped" us in the ocean. It was wonderful and an amazing experience that I am glad I did with Ashley :)

Friday, October 23, 2009

I am back part 1





My trip to the DR was most definately full of memories. We had such a great time and met many wonderful people. It started out a little rocky as we got to Denver airport at midnight to find out our flight had been canceled and we were scheduled to leave at 6 AM, so we picked a little place in the corner of the airport and "camped out" this time actually went by fast as we were making lots and lots of phone calls. I had to get ahold of the resort we were staying at because we now will be missing our connecting flight from Miami to the DR. Things seemed to not be going our way, but we managed to get to Miami eventually, find a great Italian place to eat ( btw, they were actually closed, but opened for us an hour early after hearing how crappy of a day we had, and it was some of the best Italian food ever). We got back to the hotel around 8 and crashed, as I had been on a case the day before we left and didnt get much sleep and Ash was coming back from State Softball and did not sleep either. Needless to say I awoke on my birthday in a not no nice hotel room, but that was quickly changed as I managed to get my birthday drink and meet some great friends when we finally arrived.

The resort had a theme " tell it only to your best friends". Stay tuned for the next post to learn what "friends" in the DR are really..... you wont want to miss this!!!

But before I go, I shall leave you with a sign I am sure you are all farmiliar with..... I could not believe I saw this there. This is just off the beach...

Sunday, October 11, 2009

SNOW- but warmness is right around the corner!!!

I cannot wait for my trip, its seems so unreal to me. It has been super cold here in CO already! Some friends of mine have lost power as we have had huge amounts of ice. Most of the bridges through out town have been closed, and parts of the interstate.
This has made packing a bit interesting..... I am in flannel pj's and a hoodie. The heater is kicking on quite often, and I am folding sun dresses and tank tops.... hummm. BUT I CAN"T WAIT!
I will try to update while I am there, but when I get back I will have pictures and stories to tell, I am sure!!!!! Please keep my sister Ashley and I in your prayers for travel mercies.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

In Rememberance of Grandma


19 Years ago today, my grandma Pat went to be with Jesus. She is so greatly missed. I learned a lot from her, especially how to cook :) One of the first things she taught me how to make was rice crispy treats.. still one of my favorites to this day. Every year for our birthdays Grandma would make our favorite meal and we would all sit around the table and eat and share stories. Oh how she is missed and how I cant wait to someday meet up with her in Heaven and "catch up". For now, I know she is watching out for me.

Grandma, Please watch out for my dear friend Sammie who today will be joining you in Heaven. I know she is scared and is afraid to leave her mom and dad. Please welcome her with open arms.
Love and miss you more than you know,
Heather

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/sammiehartsfield
to visit Sammie please visit her webpage
Sammie and Oliver Cullen

Sunday, October 4, 2009

Been busy



I have been busy these past few weeks and have not had time to update. Here is what has been happening the past few weeks.
I finally got to go snuggle and meet my nephew ROWEN. He is such a snuggler and likes to be held and doesn't like to sleep very well.
( sorry the picture is blurry, I promise a clearer one soon :)


I went to TX for a work trip, where Memorial Hospital ( the hospital where I did Child life at, and is one of Colorado's busier Hospitals for donation ) won an award for donation, so I got to receive the award, and attend the rest of the conference. It was a good conference and I brought back some good ideas with me, that hopefully I can put into good use here. I met some new friends there as well from other hospitals and different organ groups. We got to stay in the Gaylord hotel ( which is a spin off from the Gaylord Opryland in Nashville. ) It was a super nice hotel, but I did not really get to explore much, as the conference kept us very busy. )
Here are a few pictures from the trip.







But my highlight of the trip was getting to meet up with Chris Klug who is the 2002 Winter bronze medalist in the Olympics for snow boarding. He received a liver transplant and came back just 11 weeks after transplant to begin training for this medal. He speaks at a lot of our functions, but I have only heard the name, and had never gotten to actually meet him. He and I got to share a few brief moments together and I was telling him about Shining Stars in Aspen ( which just happens to be his hometown ) and he agreed that if he was in the states he would come hang out with the kids for a few days.... Oh goodness, I cant wait to see the kids' reactions if he is able to come. I am praying now that he will be available.

Monday, September 14, 2009

Miracle Party 2009







Did you know that cancer is the #1 cause of death by disease for children. An estimated 46 children will be diagnosed with cancer today!!! WOW huh, that is a lot. Did you also know that funding for pediatric cancer research has the 2nd lowest funding in the US? Pretty sad huh? I was fortunate to be a part of Miracle Party 2009. This is a party designed to raise awareness and funding for pediatric cancer. This party was started by a mother who's daughter was diagnoised with bone cancer. Through her daughters treatment she realized and saw how little was being done and wanted to help. This night was dedicated to all the children, whose battle had just begun, those in remission, the many who have relapsed, and to pay a tribute to all our "cancer angels". All of these children are brave hero's.











I have come to know so many and have fallen in love with each and every one of them. Unfortunately, I have also had to attend several funerals for these kiddos. They are forever in our hearts......









Here are some pictures of some of the kids at the party. Because the kids are hero's they were encouraged to come dressed like a super hero. Enjoy the pictures.











"Children with cancer are like candles who accept the possibility that they are in danger of being extinguished by a gust of wind from nowhere; and yet, as they flicker and dance to remain alive, their brilliance challenges the darkness and dazzle those of us who watch their light. " unknown author
Seeing the kids dance the night away, with smiles under their masks or permanently on their face. I agree whole heartedly with this quote.









Thursday, September 10, 2009