Female in Motion

The Hubster and I had something extra to be thankful for this year...Rachel and Drew got married the day after Thanksgiving! Yes, our little girl is now Mrs. Mailman. We are so very happy for the bridal couple, and we're thrilled to have a new son-in-law. And it was all done in less than a month! It was a teeny little wedding, just 16 guests, but oh, so sweet and meaningful and warm, just like Rachel. My cousin Todd, senior pastor of Westlink Christian Church in Wichita, officiated. The santuary was already beautifully decorated for Christmas, so no need for loads of flowers. After they exchanged vows, we took family photos and then dined at Thai Tradition, Rachel and Drew's favorite restaurant. Drew looked sharp in a new black suit and tie, while Rachel wore a flirty cream-colored dress with a pink satin cape she designed and made on her wedding day. The ensemble was highlighted by pink satin sequined pumps and a matching pink satin bag with crystal beaded handle. Her pink and...

Sometimes you run your life and sometimes your life runs you. I have been plenty busy lately and more than a little stressed, as I discussed in last week's entry. Although I sound like a whiner, I am content with my life and grateful for God's blessings. The pace lately has been hectic, however, and I feel like a toothpaste tube with all the paste squeezed out. Way too busy! When I met with my writing coach Dean Hall last week, we discussed my situation and the impact it had on my writing. I told him of my frustration with not accomplishing enough tasks in a day's or week's time. He said, "You're a woman of faith, why don't you pray over your "to do" lists?" Whoa...that one stopped me in my tracks! Dean is such a practical man. Why hadn't I considered this before? *** Happy Thanksgiving to my readers! My prayer is that you will spend the day surrounded by loved ones, enjoying each other's company and a great meal. Don't forget to ...

"Into the Woods," a Stephen Sondheim play was performed by the Ark City High School drama department last weekend. This musical is a retelling of a collection of fairy tales, now not necessarily fit for tots. I snickered through the humor and was properly grossed out when the giant squished certain citizens of the woods under her massive Aerosoles. Oh, I'm so mature! There were a number of standout vocal performances in this play: Mary Beth Byers as Little Red Riding Hood, Shane Clark as Jack (of ...and the Beanstalk fame), Joseph Descartes as The Baker, Rachel McAfee as The Baker's Wife, Lane Russell as The Narrator and Emma Schrag as Cinderella. Shane Clark's high tenor and acting prowess will make him someone to watch in the future. Two very good friends worked hard to make this play a success, Conner Coldwell on drums and Alexis Coldwell on makeup. Way to go, Coldwell kids! *** I have become a Facebook drone. I promised myself I wouldn't do it. That websit...

Kibbie called Sunday night...Drew proposed! My sweet girl is getting married! We are really excited for them. Rachel and Drew have been in love since their first date nearly four years ago. The biggest surprise is, they are getting married on Thanksgiving. Yeah, like two weeks from now. Oh, well, at least they aren't eloping like her parents! *** I made the annual pilgrimage to my parent's homeland last weekend. My mom, sister and I returned to the University of Missouri--Columbia, to present my dad's memorial scholarship at the yearly banquet. This year marks the 50th anniversary of my dad's graduation from MU Engineering School. Our family instituted this scholarship to honor the memory of my father, who treasured the time he spent at MU. We consider it his legacy, and our family's legacy, as well. Our latest scholarship recipient is Shawn O'Donaghue, a freshman in mechanical engineering from Lebanon, MO. He is a sweet, normal guy who is super smart and the fi...

A very long journey that The Hubster and I had been on for the last year has finally come to a conclusion, we hope. Man, are we tired! Last fall, The Hubster started having some pain in his legs and hips. It was getting stronger and included numbness and tingling. His regular doctor told him to knock off exercising on the treadmill for a few days. He said it was just part of aging. The pain kept increasing, so we found another doctor. And another. And another. They all had opinions...arthritis, bursitis, fibromyalgia. One even said it was all in his head. And the tests! He was poked and prodded and scanned and lit up for eight solid months. And then it got scary. One of the blood tests detected a cancerous blood disease. The Hubster was diagnosed with Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance (MGUS). It is a chronic cancer, not an acute type. However, it must be monitored the rest of his life, as it greatly increases his risk of a blood-borne acute cancer, like multiple myelom...