Concerts and Celebrities

On March 8, Alan and I had the opportunity to go to the Burning Lights Tour featuring Chris Tomlin, Kari Jobe (two of my favorite worship leaders) and Loui Giglio.  We went with our Preacher and his wife, our youth minister and his wife and three shepherds and their wives from church.  We met and ate at Johnny Carinos (YUM!) and went to the concert in Grand Prarie.  It was an amazing night of worship.  Andrew and Anna stayed home with my in-laws.  They were here for Alan's uncle's wedding the next day. However, I think Anna was quite jealous that we went and saw Chris Tomlin and Kari Jobe without her.  She is a fan too. 

After the wedding, Andrew and Anna went to Midland to stay with the Weaver's for a few days.  I had my chemo port removed and the second part of my reconstruction surgery during spring break so it was perfect timing.  I tried to get off the pain pills quickly because I had a project for Easter Sunday to complete.  I was to arrange a Casting Crown song into four part Acapella.  I did not get to that until Sunday night.  I took Monday off to go for my post op visit and worked hard the rest of the day and every spare second of the week.

Last Monday I took my Junior High Varsity Treble choir to the Zonta Status of Women Luncheon to sing.  As we were warming up, a lady comes up to me and hugs me like we were old friends and told my choir how AMAZING they were.  She asked who I was and asked how old the ladies were.  She thought they were High School students.  She then said, "I am LaDonna Gatlin!"  I almost fell over.............and she continued to tell us that she was in choir her whole school career and was a three time all state member and her brothers never made it once.  I asked my ladies if they knew who the Gatlin Brothers were? A few raised their hands and she asked what the big name country band is today and explained they were like that back in the 70's and 80's.  She was so friendly, warm and made everyone feel like they were special and mattered.  She even reminded me that even if I feel insignificant in the lives of my students, she said that I am having more of an impact then I will ever know.  We traded email addresses and she asked me to keep in touch.  I have her book on my tablet and can't wait to read it after I am done with the Duck Dynasty book. :-)

Then on Friday the family went with the High School choir to Bass Hall to see Peter Pan.  Alan said, "It was OK"  He just does not get into musicals unless it is Fiddler on the Roof.  Andrew and Anna loved it.  Anna got an autographed poster and we stayed in line about 20 minutes to meet Cathy Rigby and have her personalize it and get pixie dust.  Anna thought that was too neat! Andrew did not care for a poster but he did want the DVD. 

In four days, I met two celebrities.  That never happens.  I have met other celebrities but not more than one at a time and not in the same year.

Spring is almost here

Andrew has started baseball again, Alan track season is in full swing, Anna is full of surprises and I am counting down to UIL Concert Sight Reading.

Each year WCS has an art show and judges to judge each students art work.  If they receive a blue superior ribbon, they advance to the ACSI art festival.  This year both Andrew and Anna did it!

Professor Plum from the old Clue Game

Anna's flower

The New Year

I had a few more days off than Alan and the kids did.  While I had many tell me, "Wow! you will have the whole house to yourself and you can relax,"  That is not what I did.  I cleaned out closets, cabinets and got things in order that I did not get to do during the summer.  I also rearranged furniture in our bedroom and changed up some things in our bedroom.  All of that made me very happy!  I went back to school feeling accomplished, rested and most importantly..........Organized. 

WCS had spirit week last week.  One  of the the days was Duck Dynasty day.  My brother got us hooked on that show and now we are fans and go around quoting or imitating their accents.

Uncle Si and 80's Chick

Jase and Miss Kay

They had so much fun with this.  Right now I am about to go with HS to Solo and Ensemble contest on Saturday.  Andrew has baseball tryouts on Saturday.  He is also participating in Leadership Training for Christ through our church.  He will be putting together a PowerPoint devo and making a sculpture out of Lego's.  UIL Choir and Track is around the corner while basketball for Alan is still happening.  Anna is taking piano lessons and still loves to cook.  She just recently got a big girls bed and loves her new room.  Things seem back to normal.........except I sleep until 10 or 11 on Saturdays.  I still get wiped out easily.  Sometimes I just do not know when to quit.

Reflections of 2012

I have been a little emotional as 2012 comes to a close.  It is real easy for me to say "Good Riddance 2012!"  But somehow, I cannot accept that.  Sure there were very difficult times.  The moment my doctor told me on the phone, "unfortunately it is cancer," will forever stay with me.  Between the diagnosis, the surgeries, the chemo etc. I can easily say this was a horrible year.  But was it really horrible?  What if the breast specialist did not come back into the room to look one more time at that spot and become suspicious.  Or the first time I met with my surgeon, she said five different times in 40 minutes, "You are still in good shape! Women your age come to me in advance or aggressive stages."  God did intervene for me and my family.  Every doctor involved referred each other to me and I believe they were the best for me at this time.  My nurses gave me the support needed each time.  Our church family and those in our circle kept close tabs on my family and me.We had support from Alan's students and their families as well as mine.  Our families offered support as well, especially those who had already went through what we were going through. 

A dear sweet "experienced" lady from our church (she prefers that instead of old) who knows all about my Dad's side of the family shared many devotions with me through email.  She reminded me that not only my children are watching how I handle this, but the entire church is watching how I practice my faith.  I was so worried about my children, that I really did not think about the fact that I could teach others much less those older than me how to handle a crisis.  She was right!  Everyone was watching my little family.  I only missed two times singing on the praise team since March.  I read a book almost two years ago called, "Worship as it is in Heaven."  In one of the chapters it talked about the power of music and praise.  Historically musicians were out front of the battle line to scare/intimidate their opponent.   When I got off the phone with my Doctor on that March day, I had three thoughts......"What about my family, the praise team and my students?"  I heard in my head, "I guess you will have to quit the praise team now."  I immediately said, "No way, not an option." I refused to take time off the praise team because I knew I was in a battle and Satan was not going to win.

Cancer does not discriminate and neither does Satan.  Alan and I have held on to different verses from the Bible and one was on our Christmas card and Thank you notes.  

2Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 4Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4

I have no doubt that God allowed me to go through this in order to prepare me for the next level.  While I will never forget the events of this past year, I will not dwell on it but look ahead.  As I was receiving my last chemo treatment on November 8, I remembered another favorite verse;  

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:12-14  

Our prayer is you have a blessed and happy New Year!

Christmas 2012

My parents came to our home for Christmas.  My Mom, Andrew and Anna made a Ginger Bread House together.  We decorated cookies and had our traditional Christmas Eve soup. After dinner we lit our Advent candles and my Dad read Twas the Night Before Christmas while my Grandparents listened on speaker phone.  Andrew decided he wanted to read the Christmas Story and he did a great job.  I was so proud of him for doing that.  After the opening of our presents, we made hot chocolate and popcorn with M & M's and watched The Polar Express.  The kids had a hard time going to sleep that night because they knew the stockings were coming in the morning.  They were not disappointed at all.  We got a surprise Christmas morning.............SNOW! We all had a great Christmas.

Fall 2012 Continued and Thanksgiving

Fall continued with Anna putting together a new outfit and the rest of us making candied apples.  I have made carmel apples but never candied apples.  The kids and I watched an episode of Trisha Yearwoods cooking show and she showed how to make candied apples.  Andrew, Anna and I decided that it looked easy enough to do and I had all the ingredients.  It was fun!

We stayed home for Thanksgiving and Christmas.  I really did not want to travel anywhere and risk getting sick by being in different environments.  I really needed to be in my surroundings.  I actually cooked a whole turkey for the first time.  I have done smaller turkey breast but never a whole turkey.  I was really proud of myself and Alan was quite impressed with the Thanksgiving dinner that Anna and I cooked together.  Anna loves to bake cookies, cakes and pie and she really enjoyed cooking with me this year.

Fall Fun 2012

We all went to a fall fun festival the last Saturday in October at the kids music teacher's church.  We all had a blast playing games, and eating.

Of course we have our costume for Halloween..........