Dear Everyone,

I love you all, but I need you to be patient with me. My hands are getting worse. My kids and husband are now buttoning my shirts and zippering my pants. I don’t have much - if any somtimes - control over fine motor skills, plus it hurts.  I’m doing more of my typing with a pencil.  SO, I may not return emails as quick - be patient - I love you all.

Although I’m in the angry stage (about why I have to have this side effect), I know God has a plan.  I would like to throw in the towel instead of re-learning how to do life with no hands and feet. I can’t -  God needs me here still for my family.  I feel like I’m nothing but a burden - but I guess I need to be around to remind the kids to “Brush” every morning (lol).

So, day by day is all I can do.  I appreciate you all - your love and thoughts - and patience with me (such as no handwritten notes will be coming anytime soon).

Please pray that I can figure out work - bills don’t stop just because you don’t have use of our hands - teaching was perfect but with budget cuts right now I’m totally out of work - they may need me in February for a class.  God will provide and I just have to have faith I’m still doing Mary Kay, so maybe we should pray that more ladies look in the mirror and see wrinkles that they’d like to get rid of (lol).

Through it all - I still see how God has blessed me so much! I’m living with an attitude of gratitude.  I have all of you loving on me!  I hope you feel my love for all of you coming right back at you!

Thank you all for making my birthday special.  I received so many calls, emails, cards and wishes of love.  It was well worth becoming a year older

It’s my birthday (well in IL where I was born - I have a few more hours here in CA) and yes, I’m 47.  So, is 47 old?  Actually, I’m ok with 47 “being old” - that means I have LIVED TO A BLESSED OLD AGE and plan on living many more :-)  My Gram Sam said, “Life beings at Eighty” … but then when she turned 90 she said, “Life is best at ninety” … but then she turned 100 and said, “100 was the greatest”.  So I’ve made it 47 - only 53 more to go!!!!