Main Entry: 1friend
Pronunciation: \ˈfrend\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English frend, from Old English frēond; akin to Old High German friunt friend, Old English frēon to love, frēo free
Date: before 12th century

1 a: one attached to another by affection or esteem b: acquaintance
2 a: one that is not hostile b: one that is of the same nation, party, or group
3: one that favors or promotes something (as a charity)
4: a favored companion



Being sick AND injured gives you lots of time of reflection... I'm over people who aren't good people, I'm over people who aren't there for others, I'm over being used... I've decided that life is full of ups and downs and those people that stand beside you are your true true friends.

One of the funerals I went to in the past few weeks was my moms very best friend, Elaine, they have been friends since bunny school, so just about 55 years long. They have stuck by each other through everything life has thrown their way, many rounds of chemo and radiation, an amputation of a limb, to the last dying moments of Elaine's life. THAT is what true friendship sincerely is about....



When I think about my ups and downs of my own life and health, there are friends that were there and there were the friends I wished were there. However today I have conceded. They aren't there and I'm OK with that.. I know that whatever diagnosis is handed to me, I can handle it and I will be strong, just as Elaine did. Because I have faith in the lord.

They're almost unbelievable -

some prayer answers

You sent so fast

they took my breath away

And made me laugh.

I thank You.

I thank You there were other times

It's seemed

You've left me

way out in the dark alone to wait...

Until YOU became

more important

than any answer

I was looking for.

Fortunately for me I have a sisterhood of friendship, that rain or shine, day or night, we stand beside each other.. Here are the Elias girls there for me after my surgery, and my mama isn't pictured because she was taking the picture. :) I'm so blessed to have such amazing strong women to support me and hold me up.

I will now close all of my blogs with some of Elaine's last words

"Has anyone done anything SPECTACULAR Today?"

Update on Miss B....

Good morning everyone...........this is Brittney's big sister MINDY in true CJane fashion, I am updating my sisters blog since she is unable to type.

Brittney is doing great from her surgery (as you can see)


these are her hands and below, the writing where the doctor wrote YES as in YES, it's okay to cut into this arm! (YES is on both of her wrists)


She is all about this blankie...............loves it!


Bella came to visit today.........she was so tired at the end of the day! She loved being on the bed tho!

Thank goodness for our parents giant bed............we were watching Miss America! Goodnight!!!

One more update...

My sweet Giovanna is now in the intermediate care nursery, in a regular isolette like a big girl. She took her first nipple feed on Wed, and she did well. She is over 4 pounds now! This sweet little miracle baby will be home with he mommy and daddy in no time! Thank you all so much for your continued prayers for her!

The President's Inaugural Speech

He said many things, the transcript can be seen at this link, http://www.bartleby.com/124/pres68.html

However this line in particular, really bothered me: We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan.

What I want to know is, what exactly does he think we have been doing in Iraq all this time? WE WILL BEGIN TO RESPONSIBLY LEAVE IRAQ TO ITS PEOPLE?

Why don't we ask Cpl. Jenner who was there TEACHING the Iraqi Police, how to to be enforcers of the law? Clearly the Cpl. wasn't there by himself, and he wasn't the first one there either, his team relieved a team that was there doing the same thing, just as another group of brave men relieved him to continue their work.

I feel the statement completely discredits all of their hard work there.

View some of the pictures below... This is some of the Cpl. and his team with the Iraqi Police aka IP's. Judge for yourself, does it look like they are being irresponsible with their time and efforts?

random

In light of my many funerals of the past week, I'd like to recap some interesting things said or heard...

*How many calories are in communion?
*Can I pluck your gray hairs when we get home?
*You look really good. Oh thank you. No not you I said Karen looks really good.
*The man about to sing is Sergios brother. (Que music....A woman starts singing)
*Are you the baby?
*Peace be with you, I still have to pee
*Are you going to Tucson? No, I'm here for funeral. Oh, the one up the road?
*How did my auntie Elaine die?
*My brother says my dress is ugly.
*Don't those balloons like sperm?
*I teach parenting classes.

And an oldie but goodie..... "Those are the Elias girls, NONE of them are married!" HAHAHAH

Perhaps you have to be an Elias to get almost all of these, but years from now we'll look back on these and laugh.....

Happy Birthday Mindy

HaPpY BiRtHdAy!!!!!

Today 35 years ago, my oldest sister was born.

Mindy Nicole Ann Elias!

A sister is the one who makes life easier to live,

Whom you can share our likes and dislikes with,

She is the one who tells us her vast secrets and feelings

And asks us to do the same,

And has the rights to know all our friends name.

She makes us feel comfortable when we are sad,

She guides us the right way when we are bad,

She is more than any word can tell,

She holds us when we tend to fall.

She comes to know our problems through our eyes,

She is of course naughty but wise,

She is my life's sunrise.

We should always make oneself full of these qualities to be a sister.

And my Sister you are the most beloved to me

As you care so much for me!

Health update

They called with my US results today and I do have multiple nodules on my thyroid, I am going to have a thyroid uptake scan and a biopsy... As I told my mom, worst case scenario, it's cancer, they cut it out and I'm done with it... It's not as scary because my dad, Godmother and several several other people had the same thing...

However, I could just have a nodular thyroid and nothing more to it :)

Will keep you posted!

Valentine's Decorations :)

Most of you know by now, I love to decorate for the holidays and or seasons... Well I got to decorate the house today and I was so excited! I love hearts and I love Pink and Red, so it's fun! Here is the "theme" bathroom in it's newest decor:

Bucket of hearts :) I made that!

XOXOX garland and glitter hearts!

There is a pink elephant on one of
the towels :) I also love pink elephants!!

You can sorta see the cute rugs

The dasies Mindy brought us :)

Yesterday I saw my PCP, I have been diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease, in other words, my antibodies view my thyroid as something foreign and so it's attacking my thyroid. It's an autoimmune disease. I also have PCOS... I have an ultrasound on my throid today to look for nodules.. .Keep ya posted...

On a bright note,

Have you ever watched a father rock his lifeless baby in his arms?

Have you ever heard a mother profess her love to her little angel?

I feel like we're in an epidemic, all of these losses lately at work, and these full term losses... My heart ached for my couple last night, this is the first time I have ever had a couple that I have taken care of before, I had them in triage before, back when their little angel was alive.... Now just days before her due date, she is no longer alive...

This was one of those couples that rocked me deep, I cried with them, something I have only done once in my life, and that was with Heather and Michael...

Please, please prayer for Sweet baby Karina and her family....

Psalm 139:13-16: For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.

It's going well, I'm losing, and I feel very very good. It is surprising how my body is responding, I feel "healthy" for lack of a better word! I have been a long time Chron's sufferer and I always just thought the bloating, gassy, icky tummy feeling was related to my Chron's however now that I am eating a balanced diet of a protein, vegetable, and fruit with every meal, I feel amazing!

Yesterday was pretty easy on the diet, only a few issues, I don't normally eat a big lunch at lunch time, so when I had to eat my chicken, tomatoes, apple and breadstick it took me about an hour lol.... But over all I felt great! I know the 5 pounds down is water weight, but who cares, it's weight!! lol

Diet officially starts today!

So I started the diet 2 days ago, it started Monday with my daily injections of HCG and 2 days of "loading days" today begins the VLCD (Very Low Calorie Diet) 500 calories is what I can eat each day, so for breakfast today I had a cup of my Tazo tea, and I'll make lunch soon and prepare my dinner for work later.... I have a lot to lose so we'll see.. On this diet plan I'm supposed to lose .5 to 1 pound a day!! For information on this diet, email me and I can get you in contact with the Doctor who is managing it for me.

I've been slacking!

It's tradition that we all get together and have dinner together as a family on New Year's Eve, then from there we can go our seperate ways or do what ever is planned. We have gotten together for dinner for as long as I remember! We went to Carrabba's which was wonderful!! Here are pictures of us at dinner. Take notice of Danielle's new hair cut, it is so cute I am so jealous!!

Me and Danielle

Bethany and The Cpl

Bethany and our Mama!

Our very sun burnt Dad and Danielle



Mindy wasn't able to make dinner this year bummer! After dinner the kids went back home to our house and had another couple over and they played games, and Danielle and I went to our parents and we watched movies and hung out, then around 11 we decided it was time to go home lol we went home and did some house work....

Then on New Year's Day I met Heather and Michael for lunch at Oregano's. We had such a nice time, I love them and their sweet baby girl so much! Then after lunch I went to my parents and hung out because we had family dinner again :) We had a traditional ham dinner! It was super yummy, here are pictures of that night! After dinner we sat around playing catch phrase! WOW what a fun game, it was hilarious!

The 3 "older" girls

Petty new hair

The kids


Sisters and BFF's

Getting ready to eat! My mom would kill me if she saw this picturs with the red cups on the tabel! She hates it with the China!!!