54 Degrees and Falling - - INSIDE

That's right, I woke up to a house that was 54 degrees Fahrenheit! OMG - - I realize it's freaking cold outside; (about 20) that's why I let the pipes stay open a bit. It didn't matter that I did, the water in those pipes froze anyway and now as of 9:00 p.m. we have no heat and we have no water. The heating issue is being taken care of; there's a man in my attic now looking at the LACK of insulation. I wondered why my electricity bill was out of world, and now I know. The VERY good news is that I'll be able to negotiate with my landlord over the issue. The VERY bad news is that I don't know that the man in my attic will be able to do anything tonight. Oh well, we have six dogs...3.5 if you add them all up into one big ball of dog and sleep with them. King helps out, he's an even 100 pounds, but Teagan, who is on the other side of the weight issue, only tops the scales at 8.7 pounds. She's virtually worthless and has thin short hair -- she's got to go! LOL

The water became a problem early on as one would imagine. It didn't matter, I said to myself this is a good day and I'm going to be happy anyway! I stuck to it, and I'm happy. I'm waterless, and I'm wearing 3 sweaters and 4 pairs of socks; 3 on my feet and one on my hands, but I'm happy!! If my fingers miss the keys while I'm typing this you'll understand. Thank God for spell check. (Or as it looked before I used spell check: thkgiuyl sgo forh dusghte cke.)

The man in my attic tells me that the people who bought the house should have put insulation up in the attic before renting it. He's right. After all, we need insulation for the air conditioning too. My electric bills have been higher than they should have been all along - - negotiate, negotiate, negotiate. That's my middle name tomorrow!

I went to the gym to take a shower today and to use the facilities for other purposes. I also found myself looking at the inside of the bathroom stalls at Lowes and Starbucks. I hope the exterior heat (God's work) becomes a bit warmer soon so that I'm not standing in line both at the bathroom and to buy coffee...I'm not sure which I would actually find more important. That's really sad when you think about it. I bought an AC filter at Lowes today - - figured that may have had something to do with the air not coming through the house - - it didn't, but still I needed a new filter. I like it when I learn new things so buying the filter was great. I found out that 24x24x1 inch filters are uncommon, they're more expensive, and come in 2 brands where as the longer filters can be purchased anywhere for less but hey MY filter can be put in from either side! It's square! Somehow that made me feel good. I don't know why.

My daughter was so amazingly cute when she said "Oh hey, I bet if we wanted to we could make one of these." I don't really know what we would start with, or how we could fold it, wire it up, border it with the right size of cardboard, or even make it fit, but it was a great idea for a summertime project maybe. I say summertime because I'll be living in Chicago by then and can call her to see how she's coming along with that process. She really is cute sometimes.

I just heard the man in the attic - - sounded as if he was about to fall through the living room. The thought occured to me that he's probably frozen. I could probably offer him something to drink - - but that would mean driving to Starbucks again. Oh well, this is a great day and I'm going to smile about it. WHY? The man in the attic is actually rather cute! My imagination is simply popping at this point! LOL

"REUBEN" Translated : "Surprise!"

There he is - - just another great kid, an American soldier and.... apparently a criminal. (LOL) For the past few days our family has been enjoying the return of my first born, my son Reuben. Reuben was in the U.S. Army for about 3.5 years and spent a year in Iraq - - with what I may say, a great level of success according to his "war stories". I'm sure I need to record them now as they will no doubt grow and become rather exaggerated as time goes by. (Actually I look forward to that, my Grandpa had the wildest stories of when he served in the Big War of 1918. It was many years before I found out he was never in that war! LOVE that man.) 

 Here's another good Reuben story for Aunt Tammie! Just before he was to come home on January 1, 2010 -- JUST BEFORE he was to get on the plane and come home to his MOTHER, my son was arrested or at least he was detained. Here's the story: It was New Year's Eve and he had just celebrated the beginning of the brand new year, ringing it in with his good friend Chelsea at her family's home. They were kind enough to let Reuben drive their car to the airport or wherever it was he needed to go to get to the airport, but the CAR was missing a tail light. Reuben didn't know the car was missing a tail light - - but the officer thought it was important. Coupled with the fact that the car's license plate was partially covered in snow, the officer couldn't make a clear decision about the car and decided to pull the driver over. This particular moment was interesting in and of itself. Reuben said he was thinking "NO! No! I'm about to fly out of this place! NO way he's stopping me. I wasn't drinking, I'm not speeding!" Reuben rolled down the window and presented his military license to the officer who asked him about his state license.

 Reuben is from the Sooner state, so he pulled that license out and handed it over as well. A few minutes passed and Reuben was asked to step out of the car for what he was certain would be a passable sobriety test - - it wasn't. The officer quickly hand-cuffed the boy and had his friend's mother's car impounded. Fun times! While waiting in the backseat of the cop's car Reuben found out that his Oklahoma (Go Sooners) license had been suspended for non-insurance. HELLO - - he has been in the ARMY for 3.5 years. Surely someone figured that out when they went to renew and couldn't reach him. NOPE - - in Oklahoma if you don't HAVE insurance you get your license suspended. It happened to me once when I switched from Progressive to State Farm. Progressive didn't bother mentioning to the State Departments that I had simply dropped them, they told them I was no longer insured. I WAS insured but not with Progressive. Apparently it is MY job to tell the State Department of Public Safety when I switch insurance companies. REUBEN was in the ARMY. The fact should have been registered somewhere - - and it was, but the State Department of Public Safety doesn't really care. It was 4:10 a.m. my time, and 1:10 a.m. his time. He was to be up and at the airport in 4 hours but was stuck - literally stuck, to a bench in a Fairbanks, Alaska police precinct for having a suspended Oklahoma license for non-insurance. This too should pass - - but would it pass quickly enough for the boy to make his 6:50 flight out of the great frontier and back home to his mom who was laying in bed minding her own business remembering how very lucky she was to be leaving the GREAT state of Oklahoma soon - - Go Sooners.

I can say that much for our state...GO SOONERS! I won't go so far as to say I admire the laws or the procedures in the big offices downtown or on the Capitol's grounds. There are many issues to address in the Oklahoma legislature. ONE WOULD THINK that if a man or woman could show evidence that they stood in Iraq or Afghanistan for about a year holding a gun to protect the state's citizens that a waiver would be in place if they just happened to NOT tell said state they were going off to protect said state! BUT no....$350 to reinstate the said state's license. Is that fair? I don't think so. (maybe they found out my son likes to go curling. I'd charge someone extra if I found that out) It took just under 5 hours to process my son. He was released and someone, someone very sweet and kind, drove him to the airport where he was LITERALLY the last person to board the plane, and then only after they were announcing his name for the very last time before considering him a no-show. THANK YOU Jesus - - and very sweet person who drove him to the airport. HOMEWARD BOUND...and determined to follow his mom in a few years and move to a state with a bit less rigid rules and regulations. One that perhaps allows you to buy wine in the grocery store. Oh, wait, you didn't know that about Oklahoma? Well, all I can say is - - we have a HELLUVA football team!! ONE HELLUVA football team down in Norman! Go Sooners!

HIIT Me! (H.I.I.T. Highly Intense Interval Training)

Oh, you don't know about H.I.I.T.? Well, don't feel badly, I just found out and I'm 48. Highly Intense Interval Training is simply this: specific exercises using greater weight than you are use to using. The idea (simplified) is to use the weight training specifically targeted to build certain muscle groups, i.e. the arms, the legs, the butt, the gut. (Can you tell I'm not an expert?) Now, I'm not a fitness trainer, I'm not a medical doctor, and I don't have all the answers, but it seems to me that if the U.S. Army can do this type of fast and furious training and get the results they've been getting -- I should at least give it a try.

Here's what I know: I go to a gym and I noticed a guy doing extreme weight training for a very short period of time. He didn't come back the next day, but he did come back the day after that. I asked him about it. I asked him why he did a 15-20 minute work out with heavy weights and lots of reps, and why he lowered the weight amount after the three set. He said it was the H.I.I.T. method and he said he felt kind of funny talking about it because there was a time that he was fired for telling someone about it.

See, the H.I.T.T. method has been used for years by professional and college athletes and the trainers in these professional and college level gyms are all but sworn to secrecy about it, or so he said they were. He told me that as a professional trainer in L.A. for 2 years he saw many people's lives changed by the method and he wanted to share this style of exercise and program so that others could lose more weight, burn more fat, and become healthier than they have ever been. His boss had other plans. By leaking out the secrets of the high-paying mega bodied celebrities and athletes to the common man/woman it put the gym at jeopardy. If someone loses the weight faster than usual they may leave the gym and there goes the mainstay of the facility. The celebrities and athletes were pulls, draws for clients to keep paying, but the trainers knew they had limited time with these people. The regular clients were told that steady 30-60-90 minute work outs with treadmills, bikes, laps, and crunches or classes were best for them.

Jake, the ex-trainer and now buddy told me that he's kept his weight down to what it is by using the H.I.T.T. method, and that he's shared the training program with about 10-15 of his friends who have kept their weight down and bodies in toned shape for years - but that telling the average person is hard because of all the things we've been told in the past. Sometimes people just don't believe that 15-20 minutes 3 times a week is all you need. But the physics prove it is.

I looked it up - - studied it and now am about to employ it. I encourage you to do the same. NOW, if you're one that HAS to have a book to look at, there is an e-book by a couple called the "15-Minute Fat Furnace" and you can download it for about $5.00. I just prefer doing the study myself and talking to Jake who I think I can trust - - at least I can physically see with my eyes that he's in shape; I have to trust what he says is true.

For 5 minutes you use as much weight as you can handle for a certain group of muscles. Let's say we're doing upper body today. Do the chest first, all the machines you can with as much weight as you can take for 20 second reps. Fast and hard reps for 20 seconds and then rest. Change machines during the 5 minutes is OK if you want to, but keep the area of the muscles focused. Rest between machines for about 30 seconds. 2 or 3 reps should do it per machine. Then target the arms for the next 5 minutes - again with as much weight as possible. Rep. rest. rep. rest. The last 5 minutes is done at a medium weight level and slower reps. It's sort of a cool down period. Again, focus on the chest for 5 minutes, and then the arms for 5 minutes. It takes 20 minutes total.

OK....and this is REALLY important. Shower. Take a shower or soak in the hot tub for a while to get the muscles loosened up. Over the next 24 hours your body will be screaming at you - literally shaken by the intense work you put it through, but that's OK. The nostrils and mouth are bringing in so much more oxygen than they normally bring in and you're body is burning so much more fat because of it. In most cases (I read) 9 times as much fat!

This workout is done 3-4 times a week. One day you focus on the top part of your body, the next time the lower half. Oh, and you have to eat sensibly. You know how to eat correctly, just do what you know to do and do it early enough. If you have to eat later in the evening eat fruits and vegetables or nuts. The H.I.I.T. method is real, and I can't believe I didn't know about it before; but I didn't. I do now, and I think I'll keep a journal to see the dramatic difference. Wish me good work, luck will have nothing to do with it.

The BEST Year! 2010

Some people eat black-eyed peas and cornbread for good luck on January 1, but I plan on doing something FAR more productive. I'm going to pray and thank God for the gift of allowing me to receive my son Reuben back from his 3.5 years in the United States Army. WHAT a better way to start off an amazing year? God is GREAT.

When I heard Reuben was going to be coming home for Christmas I was really excited. I thought to myself "Oh, the perfect Christmas miracle story ever!" My son would be coming home on Faith's 7th birthday, and she would be so unaware until she saw him and then go crazy in the baggage department at the airport when she realized it was him. Oh, it was going to truly be the moment of a lifetime...but the Army changed their minds. They recalculated my son's departure date and set it back to January 1,2010. Of course I felt deflated at the news - - but then I realized that if he was coming home on the VERY first day of the new year then the new year must be so much better than the closing of this past year!

OK, it's all in how you look at life, right? Take a lemon and turn it into lemonade as they say - - just decide to see the bright side, decide to see the light! My son is coming home on the first day of a year that is destined to be so very amazing. My book is going to be picked up by a publisher. Anthony Tortoriello and I are going to do a children's book! My daughters will be employed full time. My son will attend college and play ball. The Faith Train is pulling out of more and more stations! Cher Marketing is going to sell lots and lots of Faith-inspired gear and we can help animal shelters like C.A.R.E. and the Michigan rescue groups that Norma backs. My daughters will enroll in college and probably NOT play ball - - which is a good thing really. I'll be moving to Chicago to write! I'll be carless and kidless and have only one dog (Faith). I'm going to meet friends in person who I've only been acquainted with online. I'll be working with people who I both admire and love...this is going to be a banner year. THANK YOU Jesus for holding Reuben's arrival. WOW - - who would have thought?

So, this having been a great and educational year, I am looking forward to the new one with the surprises, the gifts, the laughs, the soldiers, the work, the books, the move, the kids, the man....EVERYTHING. I may even get a new turtle this summer for keeps...you just never know what a girl has planned for a great and new start from a great and new year.

Viva La Life! Choose wisely!

After Christmas Promises to Myself

I do it every year and actually, to be honest, I've kept my word! I bought myself a great recumbent bike last year and I ride it all the time. I'm taking it further this year and getting myself into the gym on a daily basis. I wanted to get a few pounds off before I actually started the hard-core training. One thing I don't want for myself is to have muscles sitting on top of fat cells. The plan to remove the fat surgically hasn't changed - - but I can at least get as much of it off as I can on my own (or with the help of Ug-Man the trainer) and then go under the knife.

I'm in a bit of a situation here - - currently I live in a small town in Oklahoma, where the gym is nicely priced, I can get to it easily, work out daily, and have the best of the best with regard to personal trainers because they have more equipment and more team members than the average big city facility. However, the problem is that I'll be moving to Chicago soon and live in a glorious downtown condo with a fitness center on a certain floor but without trainers and I'll have to work out my schedule to avoid the uppy-yuppies that parade around so wonderfully in brightly plumed outfits that fit just a bit better than my own.

When I do move I hope I at least have a shot at fitting in - - and by fitting in I am referring to the Spandex. At this point I have 23 pounds to go. I know I can muster the will, strength, and persistence to carve about 11 off before the doctors carve off the rest. When we're all (all of us) finished I should be a well-rounded, and/or curvy size 9 body standing 5'7". Nope, not going for the wispy look. Not going for the run-way model -- just me a little smaller here, a little flatter there, and by all means a LOT flatter UP there. Anyone want an extra pair of boobies just let me know, I plan on leaving 1/2 of mine behind....thank you 2010! This is going to be the year of change.

Promises, promises, promises. I trust me, and when I say something I mean it. If I promise myself I'll do it then by golly and all things holy I'll do it. This will be the year of persistent health, better eating, more salads, less meat (if that's possible) and more and more and more attention to the smile. Don't be surprised if in the future you encounter a metal-mouthed, red-headed, Jude walking right up to you and smiling big enough for you to see the wires! If I'm paying for them you're going to look at them. It's MY turn, thank you very much, and this is the year the girl gets an overhaul - - I don't mind the sweating if you don't.

Santa in Baghdad - Merry Christmas

The red glow was unmistakeable. 

 The young soldier saw him coming from the air and warned the others - - his eyes couldn't believe what he was witnessing first-hand. It wasn't a missle, it wasn't an air assault of any kind. It was a sled, a very large sled, pulled by 9 furry reindeer; the first with a signature red-nose. The light from Rudolph's nose blasting through the Middle-Eastern fog...just before midnight. As the soldiers came out of their make-shift barracks to greet the old man they did something they never do - - they put down their weapons. There was absolutely no threat here. 

 Hooves landed softly on the sand, clattering and tearing at the soil as Santa called for them to halt. This visit was one of his last of the very long night now behind him. From their vantage point they could see that there were no presents in the sleigh for them, but then again, they knew each one of them were a little too old to expect anything from Santa - - but still there he was. 

 One of the soldiers that approached the slick red sleigh was a woman; a Spc. infact, Ali Hargis of Ardmore, OK. She smiled as she reached to hug the old man - - and he accepted her. As he drew her close to squeeze her tight others wondered why she had been chosen, and how she knew instinctively to go to him. It wasn't magic, not really. Ali's little brother Rocky had just recieved HIS gift from St. Nick. He wanted to wish his big sister, his hero, a Merry Christmas. Santa and Rocky were Facebook friends. Of course he would know where she was. Santa stood before a hundred or more soldiers - - and he did something he doesn't usually do. Santa cried.

 As he stood perfectly still in the dead of the night, a sense of unspeakable awe surrounded every one of them. Before he turned to continue his long and wonderful journey around the world Santa paused. With his chin held up just a little higher, and his lips trembling ever so slightly, the old man's right hand came up as he addressed the soldiers perfectly - - with a salute. "Gentlemen, Ladies" he whispered, "Thank you so very much. Thank you." Not another word was spoken. How could it be? As the reindeer bowed their heads to show honor and respect Santa jiggled the reins twice. It was then that the silence was broken, and as if in unison the soldiers waved and called out "Merry Christmas Santa!" and with that, the soldiers picked up their weapons again and continued doing what they do - - it's my turn now to say it. THANK YOU. Thank you so very very much!

Happy Birthday Faith - - 7 is a Good Age

Faithy is 7 today, she's celebrating with her brothers and her little sister under the bed. I made them all eggs with cheese and they're just chomping away, kicking each other out of the way, and pulling on each others tails to get to the bowls that aren't their own. They're just such dogs!

We have six dogs right now. All of which are ours. We're not fostering any others at this time. When I move to Chicago I'll take Brody with me and of course Faith. She and I will have to cuddle really close to get away from the Chicago wind, but it looks like it may be as late as Spring before I get that opportunity so who knows. Brody's real name is: Sir Henry Wallace Broderick. I named him. He's a special needs little guy too -- he was dropped. The damage isn't too bad, but he's just a bit slower than most active and off-the-wall crazy Jack Russells. He's the little tri-colored dog.

We have Brody's sister Teagan, she's yellow and white - - a very normal and active Jack Russell. She belongs to Caity and will travel with Caity when we all disperse and go our separate ways. While Caity currently also owns King, and I also own Matrix, these dogs will go to live with Reuben when he comes home in January and sets up his homestead. He will have a nice backyard and will be able to take great care of the mutts given to him in love. Matrix is 10. I don't want to force him to move to Chicago where he'd be in the apartment more than outside. He's use to going in and out the backdoor at least 20 times a day if for no other reason than to say that he does. He would go crazy in a high rise.

Laura has her little Yuki mutt. He's a black Chihuahua mix with the disposition of a tiger or a big bull that has no intention of letting you in his fence. He down right adores Laura and we think he actually worships her. We love on him of course, but the instant she comes into sight, hearing, or smell, we are worthless beings in his heart. She is his world. She will of course take Yuki. For a while Laura and Reuben will be together, until such time that they both realize that they love each other but can't live together -- it's probably going to take 3-4 months.

So, all together now, the dogs are happy, laying around and playing. Soon they will be in separate houses living in California (Caity) Illinois (me) and Oklahoma (Laura & Reuben) - - it's a good birthday for Faith; one I hope she remembers and cherishes for a very long time. We think she's pretty happy - - she's still wagging the tongue anyway.

Humbled and Honored - Thank You

When I was called by Sue Manning of the Associated Press and she asked me a few questions about my dog Faith, I was sure her story would be heartwarming and it would probably be picked up by a few of the papers and television news anchors across the country. I even went so far as to let myself believe that a handful of countries outside of the United States would be picking it up too. I know Faith is popular in Japan, Australia, and the UK for example.

About a year ago I began asking God (yes, I do that, I talk one on one with the Almighty and I actually believe in my heart that He cares about me enough to listen and respond)to help me to understand my mission with Faith. I wanted Him to show me something, and I remember asking Him to bless me, but I added a caveat. I said out loud "God, bless me beyond my imagination" let me see something that I couldn't have foreseen. Well - - that happened.

December 17, 2009 my dog's story as told by Sue Manning over the wire was the #1 story on capital news agencies such as MSNBC and Yahoo! My dog's face (and sadly my non-makeup face LOL) was seen everywhere - EVERYWHERE. What I was most surprised with were the numbers coming out of Russia! RUSSIA!! Who knew? I was floored and I was excited!! WOW - - my web developer was just as shocked. He started spitting out numbers and techy stats at me faster than I could say "I really don't understand a single word you're saying to me right now." I say that a lot to Randall Goya. He's one of those IT guys -- you know, a real geek. Someone I have only dreamed of being - but know my brain would explode if I tried any harder than I do now to "get it". I don't get it.

HUMBLED is the only word I can use, and hey, being a SOONER -- "humble" doesn't come to mind or heart all that often. This has been a very humbling year - - both with football of course, and with my dog. I have just been so amazed at the outpouring of love and the feedback we have been receiving on my site at www.faiththedog.info. I say it all the time; when I feel down I just have to look up a few of these comments and know that whatever I may be experiencing at that moment will pass -- it has to, I have a job to do. I have work to finish, and it includes talking to, hugging on, and walking around with a little yellow mutt who simply chooses - chooses- to smile. It's not the easiest decision sometimes, but one I have to make.

Thank you Sue. Thank you Yahoo! Thank you WORLD!! (But mainly - - Thank you Jesus. Without your sense of humor and plan to give a little dog to a lady with a big mouth - - YOU ROCK!)

Who Wants to Sleep in Seattle?

Well, the answer to the question "Who wants to sleep in Seattle?" would be FAITH. She was such a tired puppy after all the fun she had at the PX and BX and then the Public Market.

We went to Seattle to celebrate Faith's 7th birthday. It won't be until December 22, but we knew we'd have fun going up a little early! The Associated Press came out, they brought Manuel Valquez as a videographer from Seattle. We got to play with him a bit. He's adorable. He said he'd rather cover stories like Faith and the soldiers anyday! He is usually stuck following boring professionals and business situations! Of course it's more fun following a happy-go-lucky mutt with a bunch of soldiers!!

We played at the Ft. Lewis BX with Ultimate Fighter Todd Duffee -- photos coming soon, and we played with the Buffalo JILLS, the Buffalo Bills cheerleaders Alyssa and LaKeisha! WOW are they gorgeous, and YES, LaKeisha is 6'6" I think. They're fun! We took our pictures with these girls and pretended we were Jills too! AS IF!! LOL

We played with soldiers, we played with Airmen. We played with staff from both the BX and the PX, we played with families of the soldiers, and we played with thousands of people at the Public Market including the Fishermen! Caity is in love with one named Ryan, so we had to stop by and have her picture taken with him. It will be loaded soon too, and I'm sure they'll be married and she'll have free sushi at the reception! LOL

We went to the original Starbucks, but we also went to Faith's #579 and #580th Starbucks too. She and I have been to so many stores you'd think Starbucks would want to make us their spokesperson/dog! We'd say yes....if they asked. (Go ahead Starbucks, ask!!)

We truly had the best times again - - as we always do, and I wanted to thank Pat McGhee of the Ft. Lewis PX for hosting us. He took us to an Open House where we met lots of higher ranking soldiers who were having an awards ceremony. Faith met Jason Haynes, the guy who MAKES the challenge coins for the soldiers. He's going to make one JUST for her!! I'll get to pass them out to people who have helped Faith to make it this far in her journey.

We also met up with author and fantastic ghost writer Rudy Yuly!! Photos soon! Rudy and I are writing Faith's book "Faith Walks" and I can't tell you how much fun that was. You meet someone online, you work with them, talk on the phone, get to know each other, but meeting in person!!! That was fun and great and rewarding. He said his ex-sister in law is a dog psychic and she'll be so jealous that he got to meet Faith in person!! I hope to meet her soon too. That will be fun to see what she has to say about Faith's future and maybe she'll let me in on a little secret Faith has been keeping from me all this time! LOL

Well, we had so much fun we didn't sleep that much - - but Faith did. She crashed every night and slept hard! She was of course ready for the fun and frolick of the next day -- and with love for all the OPS staff at the PX including: Meghan, Little Maegan, Elizabeth, Nora, and Mary - - THANK YOU!!!! Thanks for putting up with us, and for going with us, laughing at my jokes - - which is hard sometimes, and for just being great!!

Oh, and thanks to Tom for being so sweet to Caity, Oklahoma's not too far to travel to see a girl, right?

Twisters and Storms = OMG

Why is it that we untouchable humans get the fear of God in us when the weather kicks up a bit? I'm the biggest wussie, bigger than any of them. I have always fallen flat on my face first thing and acknowledged the power of my Almighty God. I'm not about to oh, I don't know, sit on top of a mast and scream at God to bring it on...nope, let Lt. Dan do that, for me it's a bit more like falling to my knees in the closet with the mattress over my head when the winds reach 250 mph and they're 10 miles away. That's me praying and begging God to forgive me for making fun of Sarah Kesler in the 2nd grade! God just has a way of getting to me in a storm.

It was 2003 I think, Laura and I were on our way back from Arnett, Oklahoma, a little community way out West. So far west you could say Eastern Texas Panhandle and still be describing it. The area is KNOWN for being the starting point for whirlwinds that turn into tornadoes. It is just a point on a map, just a little piece of land, but over that land are clouds and winds forming from the weather combining after moving east from the Rockies and North from the Gulf. If you live in Lawton, Oklahoma or Arnett/Gage, Oklahoma, you don't worry so much because the winds only START there - - they move on!

Laura and I were coming home, home was EAST of Arnett -- and so were the winds. My car was moving about 70 mph but the winds, God's winds, decided to pick it up a bit - - they ran closer to 100-110 mph, and within minutes of the radio broadcast alerting drivers to pull over -- we were engulfed. We had baby tornadoes, F1 and F2 factors both behind us and in front of us! We were in the middle and with absolutely NO WHERE to pull over it was up to GOD Himself to keep His winds rolling and spitting around us, I couldn't let the one behind me gain on me, and I couldn't creep up on the one in front of me. Talk about a constant and open means of Divine communication. God and I are on a first name basis of course, but I was actually thinking about letting the 13 year old drive while I confessed everything possible in the passenger seat. I would have too, but she was more interested in praying herself and asking God to help, stop or do something.

When we did finally find a place to pull over it was none to soon. We found a bathroom at a convenience store with a solid metal door. It was open, we could see that from the road. We pulled into the parking lot, jumped out, got into the bathroom, locked the door (as if) and then I pushed baby Laura (13) behind the plumbing of the sink and just laid myself over her. Within minutes the twister behind us had passed us and we were safe to travel again behind the storm, but all the while knowing it was going where we were going. I couldn't reach my other kids because cell towers were down. BACK TO PRAYER! God works better than U.S. Cellular at this point.

When we got home and found my two others in the shelter and safe, coming out of it and eating popcorn - - I thought "Wow, I'm so glad I don't have to convert to Christianity, I'm there." You never hear of anyone begging Satan or anyone else to help them in a storm - - seems like most people understand that these matters are controlled by God. Call me crazy, but I think He just likes to hear from me sometimes...I figure the more I talk to Him BETWEEN the storms the less I have to confess when they do show up. Besides, He know my sins...He made me.

I've read where some people convert to God or faith during a storm - - OK, that's probably good, but what about when the tide is fine and all the clouds look like marshmellows? I'd like to think this would be a good time to thank Him for the day.