Well it's almost that time. Summer is almost over and the kids going back to school is just around the corner. Fall is on its way...and what does this mean...oh yeah it's almost time for Light the Night Walk 2008.
I am back as team captain again for the Ann Arbor Friends of Heroes Team. This is mine and the boys 5th year participating in Light the Night. Most know I got involved thanks to a bright blue eyed, giraffe lover Allie Scott www.scotthousehold.com. Unfortunately she lost her battle in 2004, but many are currently fighting like Katia Solomon http://www.caringbridge.org/fl/katia_leukemiapage and some are SURVIVORS in remission such as Kendrie Escoe www.caringbridge.org/ga/kendrie. It breaks my heart that there are so many children suffering from blood cancers. Lets raise some money and find a cure.
Donate here - http://www.active.com/donate/ltnMadiso/2340_denisecoleman
I know times are financially tough for all, but please consider donating...no amount is too small. If everyone who reads this donates just $1, I would blow my goal out of the water. If you would like to join our FOH - Ann Arbor team walking at Gallup Park in Ann Arbor on Saturday, September 20, 2008. Please visit our team page and sign up at http://teams.lightthenight.org/FriendsofHeroes_HuronHSGallupPark
Thank you to all of you who always reach out to make a difference! You support is most appreciated!
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Mother's Day...
Mother's Day is here again. I have been wanting to take the time to write about my mom for a month or so. At church every year, Mother's Day is a big deal. We are encouraged to write letters about why our mom's should be Mother of the Year and then the pastor's wife and pastor pick one to be honored as MOTY. As far as I know they have done it as long as I have been on this earth. When I was a young I often wrote about my mom and turned them in. It's been many many years since I personally have participated in this ritual. This year I had planned to take a few minutes of my quiet time to write one and while I thought many times about things to say and recalled many memories...I just never took the time in the hectic schedule that is my life. So here I am blogging at the end of the day on Mother's Day.
Where do I start....growing up my mom has always worked. She showed me how to raise a family and be a help mate to her husband by helping provide for our family. As a child it seems at least in my memory that I was ALWAYS sick...bad ears....as I would have ear infection after ear infection and mom always took care of me. There was nothing she could do to take a way the excrutiating pain I had, but she would sit with me and tickle my face just so I knew she was there. Then came adolescence and oh my....I by no means was as bad of a kid as she thought, but I sure caused my share of trouble and heartache for her...yet she was always there. We didn't see eye to eye through my teen years...she was the overprotective parent only wanting to see me do right and I was the obnoxious teenager trying to make my own rules cause she was totally crazy and irrational and I had ALL the answers
I made it to graduation the time of my life I had dreamed of, freedom finally, but that didn't happen. I still had the "if you want to live here you have to follow OUR rules" and being the youngest, the only girl with 2 older brothers I just didn't get why they had more freedom and later curfews. Of course at 18, I was so much wiser than her. What did she know about life? She was just trying to hold me back from being independent...or atleast I thought so.
At 19 I decided I had enough we just couldn't get along and I was tired of being "the child" so I told her I was moving out. Time to get a place of my own. Dan and I had found a home to rent in Waterford (45 minutes to 1 hour) from my childhood home. I think I told her about 1-2 weeks before I planned to move. Mind you mom and dad had never met Dan....see although Dan and I had been together 10-11 months at the time...he was much older(15 years) so at first I didn't even let her know about him....then when I did she thought it was just a "phase" that would pass so to show her disapproval she didn't want to meet him. Once Dan and I began making moving plans she wanted to meet him and by that point in typical independent teenage style I told her it wasn't necessary she hadn't wanted to meet him before so why now...no point. She met him as he helped me move out of their home. Needless to say my moving wasn't on the best of terms but mom through her tears that day let me know while coming back home would never be the same....she would always be there if I needed her.
As I left and set out on my own I thought I didn't need her and would show her just how strong and independent I could be....Heck I didn't need her. Imagine my surprised that after I moved out the tension had been lifted which allowed us both to see each other in a different light. I didn't have to checkin or report to her anymore yet I would call her to checkin anyway just to touch base. It wasn't long after I moved out that we began to grow closer.
Today and for quite a while now, my mom has been one of my best friends. I am so glad that her and I have been able to become as close as we have. She has always been there for me and to me is mother of the year every year!
Mom was there through the planning of my wedding....through the birth of my 3 sons....and she the best mom and grandma in the world! She has grown to love and accept Dan and he has become her favorite son in law....not hard since there's no competition She has kept my boys when Dan and I can't be there! She is the one who taught us how to get Damien to sleep at night when he was just a few days old. She's been with me at many scary hospital visits with the boys. She was the first person I called when Dan had his heart attack....she is always there not only for me, but also for my husband and boys as well as my brothers.
So today, I honor my mommy and friend! I am so blessed to share the relationship I do with my mom. Mom for all the times you have been there cheering me on, shedding quiet tears for me, just loving me.....THANK YOU!
I love you mom! Happy Mother's Day!
Where do I start....growing up my mom has always worked. She showed me how to raise a family and be a help mate to her husband by helping provide for our family. As a child it seems at least in my memory that I was ALWAYS sick...bad ears....as I would have ear infection after ear infection and mom always took care of me. There was nothing she could do to take a way the excrutiating pain I had, but she would sit with me and tickle my face just so I knew she was there. Then came adolescence and oh my....I by no means was as bad of a kid as she thought, but I sure caused my share of trouble and heartache for her...yet she was always there. We didn't see eye to eye through my teen years...she was the overprotective parent only wanting to see me do right and I was the obnoxious teenager trying to make my own rules cause she was totally crazy and irrational and I had ALL the answers
I made it to graduation the time of my life I had dreamed of, freedom finally, but that didn't happen. I still had the "if you want to live here you have to follow OUR rules" and being the youngest, the only girl with 2 older brothers I just didn't get why they had more freedom and later curfews. Of course at 18, I was so much wiser than her. What did she know about life? She was just trying to hold me back from being independent...or atleast I thought so.
At 19 I decided I had enough we just couldn't get along and I was tired of being "the child" so I told her I was moving out. Time to get a place of my own. Dan and I had found a home to rent in Waterford (45 minutes to 1 hour) from my childhood home. I think I told her about 1-2 weeks before I planned to move. Mind you mom and dad had never met Dan....see although Dan and I had been together 10-11 months at the time...he was much older(15 years) so at first I didn't even let her know about him....then when I did she thought it was just a "phase" that would pass so to show her disapproval she didn't want to meet him. Once Dan and I began making moving plans she wanted to meet him and by that point in typical independent teenage style I told her it wasn't necessary she hadn't wanted to meet him before so why now...no point. She met him as he helped me move out of their home. Needless to say my moving wasn't on the best of terms but mom through her tears that day let me know while coming back home would never be the same....she would always be there if I needed her.
As I left and set out on my own I thought I didn't need her and would show her just how strong and independent I could be....Heck I didn't need her. Imagine my surprised that after I moved out the tension had been lifted which allowed us both to see each other in a different light. I didn't have to checkin or report to her anymore yet I would call her to checkin anyway just to touch base. It wasn't long after I moved out that we began to grow closer.
Today and for quite a while now, my mom has been one of my best friends. I am so glad that her and I have been able to become as close as we have. She has always been there for me and to me is mother of the year every year!
Mom was there through the planning of my wedding....through the birth of my 3 sons....and she the best mom and grandma in the world! She has grown to love and accept Dan and he has become her favorite son in law....not hard since there's no competition She has kept my boys when Dan and I can't be there! She is the one who taught us how to get Damien to sleep at night when he was just a few days old. She's been with me at many scary hospital visits with the boys. She was the first person I called when Dan had his heart attack....she is always there not only for me, but also for my husband and boys as well as my brothers.
So today, I honor my mommy and friend! I am so blessed to share the relationship I do with my mom. Mom for all the times you have been there cheering me on, shedding quiet tears for me, just loving me.....THANK YOU!
I love you mom! Happy Mother's Day!
Monday, April 21, 2008
Four Things.....
A friend posted this and I thought it would be fun.....
Four things about me that you may or may not have known in no particular order.
A ) Four jobs that I have had in my life
1. Mortgage Operations Manager
2. Mortgage Processer
3. Account Specialist - International Trade
4. Cash Handler
B) Four movies I would watch over and over (or have
watched over and over)
1. Dirty Dancing
2. Pretty Woman
3. My Best Friends Wedding
4. Gotcha
C) Four places I have lived:
1. Garden City, Michigan
2. Westland, Michigan
3. Waterford, Michigan
4. Canton, Michigan that's correct I have never left SE Michigan
D) Four TV Shows that I watch:
1. Lost
2. Samantha Who
3. Kyle XY
4. ER
E) Four places I have been on vacation:
1. Florida
2. Tennessee
3. Illinois
4. Pennsylvania (girls weekends)
F) People who e-mail me (regularly):
1. My mom
2. Melissa B
3. Bruce
4. Dan
G) Four of my favorite foods:
1. Chicken
2. Steak
3. Chicken and Dumplings
4. Homemade Calzones
H) Four places I would rather be right now:
1. Home with my family
2. Siesta Key
3. Tennessee
4. Anywhere but work.......
I) Things I'm looking forward to.....
1. Disney in January
2. the weekend
3. getting the house decluttered
4. having a date night (no kids) for my anniversary
J) Four things a few of you may not know about me....
1. I love working....I thinking being a SAHM is the HARDEST job in the world kudos to those that do it..
2. Dan is 15 years older than me (and we have been married for 12 years - well in a few days)
3. I never wanted a girl....I was thrilled to find out Dillon was another boy.
4. I have a hard time saying no, I am just a yes person by nature even if it means overwhleming myself with commitments and things to do.
K) Four Books I love! This one is hard as I am not a book reader.....
1. Radically Obedient, Radically Blessed
2. Look great feel great
3. How to listen so your children will talk and talk so your children will listen
4. Bible
Now its someone else's turn to post this!! Have Fun!
Four things about me that you may or may not have known in no particular order.
A ) Four jobs that I have had in my life
1. Mortgage Operations Manager
2. Mortgage Processer
3. Account Specialist - International Trade
4. Cash Handler
B) Four movies I would watch over and over (or have
watched over and over)
1. Dirty Dancing
2. Pretty Woman
3. My Best Friends Wedding
4. Gotcha
C) Four places I have lived:
1. Garden City, Michigan
2. Westland, Michigan
3. Waterford, Michigan
4. Canton, Michigan that's correct I have never left SE Michigan
D) Four TV Shows that I watch:
1. Lost
2. Samantha Who
3. Kyle XY
4. ER
E) Four places I have been on vacation:
1. Florida
2. Tennessee
3. Illinois
4. Pennsylvania (girls weekends)
F) People who e-mail me (regularly):
1. My mom
2. Melissa B
3. Bruce
4. Dan
G) Four of my favorite foods:
1. Chicken
2. Steak
3. Chicken and Dumplings
4. Homemade Calzones
H) Four places I would rather be right now:
1. Home with my family
2. Siesta Key
3. Tennessee
4. Anywhere but work.......
I) Things I'm looking forward to.....
1. Disney in January
2. the weekend
3. getting the house decluttered
4. having a date night (no kids) for my anniversary
J) Four things a few of you may not know about me....
1. I love working....I thinking being a SAHM is the HARDEST job in the world kudos to those that do it..
2. Dan is 15 years older than me (and we have been married for 12 years - well in a few days)
3. I never wanted a girl....I was thrilled to find out Dillon was another boy.
4. I have a hard time saying no, I am just a yes person by nature even if it means overwhleming myself with commitments and things to do.
K) Four Books I love! This one is hard as I am not a book reader.....
1. Radically Obedient, Radically Blessed
2. Look great feel great
3. How to listen so your children will talk and talk so your children will listen
4. Bible
Now its someone else's turn to post this!! Have Fun!
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Breaking News...... FINALLY!
I think Dillon is FINALLY potty trained!! Woohoo!!! He has finally started going 2 on the potty on Friday and has gone 1 or more times a day both Saturday and Sunday and said on Saturday night he no longer needs pull ups cause it’s soooo easy to use the potty! I hope and pray we truly have finally got it! So just over 2 weeks from being 5 and he finally got it! So I salute and say so long to diapers and pulls up for the first time in 8 years and 7 months. Hallelujah! My baby days are over!
As most of you know this had been no small feat as he didn’t even pee train until 14 months ago, but by golly everyone was right...he won’t start Kindergarten still in diapers. Dan, myself, the boys and heck my whole family are beyond thrilled he finally got it.
As most of you know this had been no small feat as he didn’t even pee train until 14 months ago, but by golly everyone was right...he won’t start Kindergarten still in diapers. Dan, myself, the boys and heck my whole family are beyond thrilled he finally got it.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
All about Dan
Monday, March 24, 2008
All about Dan.....
Current mood: thankful
Category: Life
So today I thought I would take a bit to write all about Dan. Although many times I take for granted what I have, I am truly married to a great guy and my best friend. It was a year ago today, that changed our lives forever. Dan had a heart attack while at work. It was in that moment of not knowing whether he was alright or if he would be alright that I truly realized just how lucky I am that God brought us together so many years ago. Once I got to the hospital and got to see him and knew he should be alright my fears of losing him lessened and I began to reflect on just how great my life with him is.
A list of just why my husband is the best!!
Dan takes such good care of me and the boys.
For 9 years, he worked afternoons so that our boys would always be with one of the two of us.
Dan is a hard worker who always put the needs of me and the boys before his own.
For the past 7 months Dan has been on days, which means he gets the boys from school daily and then comes home, helps them with homework, and has dinner ready when I get in from work. He greets me with a smile and a kiss.
He is funny, witty, sarcastic, charming, lovable, caring, kind, and many other things.
He keeps me grounded and evens me out.
He loves me for who I am accepting (or tolerating) all of my flaws.
We don’t fight, never have...disagreements here or there on occasion.
We are partners in raising our boys, from the day they were born he shared in changing diapers, night feedings, etc.
He loves my family and gets along with them all very well....sometimes too well I think my family loves him more : ) hehe
He listens to me rant and rave about work, co workers, etc or whatever is bothering me that day without interruption, then reminds me that work is work and it’s just a job...relax and dwell on the important things in life, our family.
He doesn’t harass me for getting behind in the housework as I work too...he just steps up and does the work that needs to be done.
When he wanted only 2 children and I wanted 4, he compromised and we had 3 as it was the fair way to do it. Hence how we got Dillon....thanks Dan!
He watches chick flicks with me.
He is a awesome father to our 3 boys!
I love him more today than I did 14+ years ago and I look forward to spending many more years with him.
I could probably list many other reasons why Dan is the best, but I am sure those reading are tired of listening to me gush!
All about Dan.....
Current mood: thankful
Category: Life
So today I thought I would take a bit to write all about Dan. Although many times I take for granted what I have, I am truly married to a great guy and my best friend. It was a year ago today, that changed our lives forever. Dan had a heart attack while at work. It was in that moment of not knowing whether he was alright or if he would be alright that I truly realized just how lucky I am that God brought us together so many years ago. Once I got to the hospital and got to see him and knew he should be alright my fears of losing him lessened and I began to reflect on just how great my life with him is.
A list of just why my husband is the best!!
Dan takes such good care of me and the boys.
For 9 years, he worked afternoons so that our boys would always be with one of the two of us.
Dan is a hard worker who always put the needs of me and the boys before his own.
For the past 7 months Dan has been on days, which means he gets the boys from school daily and then comes home, helps them with homework, and has dinner ready when I get in from work. He greets me with a smile and a kiss.
He is funny, witty, sarcastic, charming, lovable, caring, kind, and many other things.
He keeps me grounded and evens me out.
He loves me for who I am accepting (or tolerating) all of my flaws.
We don’t fight, never have...disagreements here or there on occasion.
We are partners in raising our boys, from the day they were born he shared in changing diapers, night feedings, etc.
He loves my family and gets along with them all very well....sometimes too well I think my family loves him more : ) hehe
He listens to me rant and rave about work, co workers, etc or whatever is bothering me that day without interruption, then reminds me that work is work and it’s just a job...relax and dwell on the important things in life, our family.
He doesn’t harass me for getting behind in the housework as I work too...he just steps up and does the work that needs to be done.
When he wanted only 2 children and I wanted 4, he compromised and we had 3 as it was the fair way to do it. Hence how we got Dillon....thanks Dan!
He watches chick flicks with me.
He is a awesome father to our 3 boys!
I love him more today than I did 14+ years ago and I look forward to spending many more years with him.
I could probably list many other reasons why Dan is the best, but I am sure those reading are tired of listening to me gush!
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Dan Update 10/20/07
Dan Update
Current mood: thankful
Category: Life
I am happy to report that Dan had his 6 month check up since his heart attack and he is doing fantastic! He had an echocardiogram about a month ago and yesterday had the follow up appointment with the cardiologist. After his heart attack in March and procedure his through put on his heart was about 35% a normal healthy heart is 65%. Well at his appointment he found that his though put is up to 50% which shows drs that his heart is healing extremely well! I praise God for this step forward as it is Him who gave Dan's body the ability of quick healing. Dan was able to come off one med, which is better than none. So he is down to 5 scripts now. I would presume at 1 year he will drop 1-2 more. A few he will be on for the rest of his life, but that's a small price for his life. He is scheduled to go back to the Cardiologist the first week of December for a stress test.
Thank you to all my family and friends for all of your support this year! You all mean the world to us!
Current mood: thankful
Category: Life
I am happy to report that Dan had his 6 month check up since his heart attack and he is doing fantastic! He had an echocardiogram about a month ago and yesterday had the follow up appointment with the cardiologist. After his heart attack in March and procedure his through put on his heart was about 35% a normal healthy heart is 65%. Well at his appointment he found that his though put is up to 50% which shows drs that his heart is healing extremely well! I praise God for this step forward as it is Him who gave Dan's body the ability of quick healing. Dan was able to come off one med, which is better than none. So he is down to 5 scripts now. I would presume at 1 year he will drop 1-2 more. A few he will be on for the rest of his life, but that's a small price for his life. He is scheduled to go back to the Cardiologist the first week of December for a stress test.
Thank you to all my family and friends for all of your support this year! You all mean the world to us!
Check this out 10/10/07
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Check this out......
Current mood: content
My cousin won the 99.5 WYCD contest to meet Taylor Swift and go on her tour bus for a private acoustic show with 9 of her friends. My cousin, niece and I already had tickets, but loved getting a chance to meet Taylor. You can see the surprise video where they surprised her at school as well as footage from our meeting on www.wycd.com under videos on the front page. One is titled Taylor Swift winner the other Katelyn meets Taylor. We had a BLAST!! Taylor is very down to earth and humble. We were also followed around by Channel 7 and appeared on the news the night of the concert. It is also my understand that Channel 7 was doing footage for the upcoming CMA's in November for commericals and or footage for the show.
Thanks Again Katelyn!!
Check this out......
Current mood: content
My cousin won the 99.5 WYCD contest to meet Taylor Swift and go on her tour bus for a private acoustic show with 9 of her friends. My cousin, niece and I already had tickets, but loved getting a chance to meet Taylor. You can see the surprise video where they surprised her at school as well as footage from our meeting on www.wycd.com under videos on the front page. One is titled Taylor Swift winner the other Katelyn meets Taylor. We had a BLAST!! Taylor is very down to earth and humble. We were also followed around by Channel 7 and appeared on the news the night of the concert. It is also my understand that Channel 7 was doing footage for the upcoming CMA's in November for commericals and or footage for the show.
Thanks Again Katelyn!!
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