Laura

Laura Jo and JoJo

When I was a little girl maaany, maaany moons ago, I had an idol. It was my cousin, Laura. She was not that much older than me by adult standards but, at the time, I looked up to her and worshipped her as if she was some sort of goddess. My favorite bedtime stories were those in which my mom would make up tales of the two of us, Laura and I. I can still remember closing my eyes and seeing the images as the story unfolded. "Laura and Leslie did this" and "Laura and Leslie did that". I was enthralled to say the least. It was just like heaven on earth.

Laura was everything I wanted to be. A few years older, she was so very, very cool. Beautiful. Talented. With lots and lots of cute boyfriends. Oh, how I wanted to grow up and be exactly like her!

She had a pink princess telephone with RHINESTONES on it! Can you imagine? And she was a ballet dancer and did I mention that she seemed to have scads of boyfriends? And, sometimes, she would even let me go out with them on a "coke date"! Man, life couldn't have gotten any better than that. But it did. After graduating from college, Laura moved to New York City to be an AIRLINE STEWARDESS!! Now I KNEW she was a goddess. This was when they were still called "stewardesses" and they were all so gorgeous and glamourous and worldly! (Although I'm not so sure she fulfilled the height requirement.) Laura was my Jackie O, my Princess Diana, my Julia Roberts.

Now, almost fifty years later, not much has changed. I still idolize Laura. She is everything I believed she was and even more. Except now her passions have turned from ballet and boys to children. Children that suffer and children that don't have parents and children that live in poverty. Laura has devoted her life to those forgotten children and she has done a darned good job of seeing that many of those children are loved and cared for and given opportunities that they wouldn't otherwise have.

I know that this was Laura's calling because she sort of stumbled on it quite by accident. And we all know that THERE AIN'T NO ACCIDENTS IN LIFE!! You see, she first became involved with children because she was at a point in her life that she was looking for a new career. Any career. It so happened that her very supportive brother offered to sell her his interest in a chain of local "daycare" centers. Well, that small chain of daycare centers soon became an extremely well -oiled and highly accredited organization with waiting lists and very specialized infant care ….not your typical "baby-sitting" operation.

And that, my friends, was just the beginning! Laura had her first taste of infant and child care. She realized that she had a talent and a passion for the wants and needs of small children.

Then came a vacation to Eastern Europe where Laura became aware of the horrifying conditions in the Romanian government-run orphanages. These institutions housed children that had been abandoned during the Ceausescu regime. The living conditions were horrendous. No toys, no playgrounds, no physical loving touch. These children were being raised to be socially detached and Laura could not accept that. Once she returned home, she dove into action. With the help of family members, associates and much of her own money, she began a series of Atlantic crossings back and forth to deliver toys, books, teaching supplies, anything she could muster up to help these desperate babies. Follow that with meetings with UNICEF, foreign diplomats, internationally known child psychologists, etc. etc. and the next thing you know, she has set up an ENTIRE PLAYGROUND at a Romanian orphanage!

Laura has since become impassioned (to say the least!) with the child development philosophy developed in Hungary by the renowned Dr. Emmi Pikler of the Pikler Institute. These teaching methods involve communication, nurturing, hands-on personal interaction with infants and toddlers. (My very brief synopsis of a highly researched and very much respected philosophy.) She has united and taught caregivers all over the world by setting up World Forums and international teaching symposiums. She has met with internationally known child experts, celebrities and diplomats to help further her cause. Now she hopes to meet with the United Nations to discuss children's rights around the world. PHEW! Can you believe that one person can put all that into action?

Well, that is just a very condensed version of what MY COUSIN (I told you that I have an exceptional family) has done with her life and I could go on and on but I simply must stop here. I'm pretty sure blogs are supposed to be kept short and sweet but there is so much to say! Suffice it to say that Laura has a resume about a mile long with honors and achievements just short of Mother Theresa herself. She is living proof of what one single person can do to improve the lives of sooooooo many. She was recently quoted in a magazine (on which she and her associates grace the cover, I might add) as saying "What does it cost you? If you don't dream and try, you will never know what could have been."

Now I hate to be one to say "I told you so" (yeah, right) but this time I am so proud to say that I was right all along…..Laura really is a goddess….at least to me she is.

Fondly,

Leslie

If you, too, are passionate about children and would like to know more about Laura's journey and progress, check out these websites:

www.pikler.org

www.dayschoolsok.com

http://www.childcareexchange.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=5019474&search=&category=

Lindsay

Me 'n' Lindsay

July 27, 1982. A beautiful baby girl enters the world. Ten fingers, ten toes. A parent's dream come true. Love at first sight. Only one small problem. Lindsey was deprived of oxygen for a short time during her birth. A short amount of time by most standards but enough to change the lives of her and her parents forever.

Lindsay is now a twenty eight year old young woman. But don't feel sorry for her. She lives a very full life. She has a full-time job, devoted parents and a whole passel of friends and loved ones that adore her (yours truly included.) She wakes up every day to a magical, beautiful world. She's not at all concerned about global warming, nuclear proliferation, oil spills, or the many other hazards that plague our society. Lindsay's world is one of security, love, peace and fascination with all things around her.

Having no ego whatsoever, Lindsay is not at all interested in talking about herself. She is simply more interested in what others have to say. This becomes obvious when you try to have a conversation with her:

"What did you do at work today, Lindsay?"……"work"

"Did you have a good day today, Lindsay?"…"yep"

"Tell me about your day, Lindsay."….."I dunno"

BUT! Give HER the chance to talk:

"How is your mom?" "What did you do today?" "What are your dogs doing right now?""Is Adam at school?: "Where's Mason?" "What are you having for dinner?" How's Kenny?" "Are the dogs taking a nap?" etc. etc. You see, Lindsay is much more interested in everyone else than she is in herself. How refreshing is that?!

Another amazing thing about Lindsay is that she has a memory like a STEEL TRAP! To me, she is like a walking rolodex. I dare say that her power of recall is many times greater than my own. I'm thinking about keeping her constantly at my side for all those senior moments I have in which I can't even remember my own children's names! Believe me, she will not only tell me their names, but their birthdays and whether they are left or right-handed!

Lindsay has the same interests as most young girls. She loves to watch "Seventh Heaven", "Gilmore Girls", and "Hannah Montana" on TV. She loves to have a friends over on Friday or Saturday night to eat pizza and watch a movie. She is a HUGE fan of Taylor Swift and, more recently, Jewel. She loves to go to camp and never misses an opportunity to attend "Hannah's Promise." To me, it seems that the only things she has missed out on so far are all those things a parent wants to protect their children from anyway!

And have I mentioned her SKIN? She has that beautiful "peaches and cream" complexion (top to bottom) that most women would give a kidney for. Lindsay has an eternal youthfulness about her. No sun damage or worry lines for this girl! Alas, that we all could say that about ourselves.

I love Lindsay with all my heart and I am so grateful to her for teaching me to seize each day and live it to it's fullest. To dislike no one and to hold no grudges. To find nothing better than the company of others. To delight in the simplest of things and to LAUGH! Oh, if only all of us could live our lives like this precious gift from God. He has completed great works in Lindsay's life and the many lives she has touched so far. And He's not done yet!

So Happy Birthday, Sweet Lindsay. Thank you for teaching me sooooo many things about abundant living and for helping me see this wonderful world through your child-like, innocent eyes.

Fondly,

Leslie

Kim

Kim

(I wanna be just like her)

Does anyone remember that old Gatorade commercial about Michael Jordan with the song "I wanna be like Mike"? Careful! Don't Google it, or you won't be able to get that song out of your head for days. Well, I have a similar song that goes round and round in my head but the lyrics are slightly different. They go…"I wanna be like Kim."

I've never really considered myself much of a "wannabe" as far as envying people that seem to have more than me in the way of wealth, beauty or fame. But I have to admit that I am a "wannabe" when it comes to someone with a mind and a spirit and a heart that just won't stop. Well, that person in my life is my dear friend Kim. So, don't judge me, people, but I WANNA BE LIKE KIM! I'm fairly certain that you would too if you knew her.

Here's why. She never ages! She still has that youthful exuberance and ability to make everything fun no matter where she is or what she is doing. Can the rest of us say that?? I would like to think that I can (sorta), but I realize that I am really such a slacker whenever I'm around her. For one thing… she never sleeps! At least I have never seen her sleep. When I visit her, she is still up when I go to bed at night and has been awake for hours when I wake up the next morning. Not just awake, mind you, but she has probably already baked a cake, had coffee with a friend, ridden her bike down to the beach, and vacuumed the entire house by the time I drag my lazy rear end out of bed.

It is absolutely amazing to follow her around and watch her mind at work. Always thinking and creating and planning….you can almost see the wheels spinning and the gears turning in her head. She modestly admits that she is like the shark that must continuously swim lest he stop swimming and drown. I think she just doesn't have that key that turns one's mind off. Just once, I'd like to borrow a little of her DNA. I promise I would give it back but I want to know what it''s like to have a mind that is always in hyperdrive.

Kim is my technology guru. She is always at the forefront of the latest technology, knowledge-wise. Photography, computers, you name it. Whenever my husband and I want to buy something but are too lazy to do the research, his standard comment is "Call Kim."

She is so very generous and fun-loving. She makes me laugh. Con-stant-ly. Like to the point where I sometimes wet my pants. Sorry, but it's true. CAUTION to ALL: never hang around Kim with a full bladder!

Kim has friends from all walks of life. From the rich and famous to the much less fortunate. She treats them all the same - as if they were the most important people in the world. Because to her, they are. And I'm pretty certain that most of them consider her to be one of their dearest friends just as I do.

I could go on and on about my friend Kim, but in an attempt to spare you even more verbage, I will simply list just a few of the m-a-n-y lessons I have learned from her during our nearly thirty years of friendship. Feel free to use them yourself at no charge. I like to call this list:

LESSONS I HAVE LEARNED FROM KIM:

l. It is always so much better to give than to receive (we all know this but few of us actually practice it)

2. Treat strangers with the same compassion you would treat your dearest friends

3. Never settle for being ordinary or predictable

4. Life is a gift so make the most of each day you are given - from sunrise to sunset

5. Take good care of your belongings and never be wasteful

6. Preserve ALL your memories with photographs

7. There is always something to laugh about - do it often

8. Encourage your children to be independent thinkers

9. Use every single neuron in your brain - don't waste a single cell

10. Go out of your way to make others feel special

11. Brush your teeth often (but really, 10-20 times a day is a little much, don't you think?)

12. Live music is always best

13. Never buy at Neimann's what you can find at Big Lots or TJMaxx

14. Take long walks on the beach whenever you can

15. NEVER miss an opportunity to watch the sun set!

I'm sure that after reading this, you'll understand why "I wanna be like Kim" (can you hear the music?).

She inspires me to live a fuller life.

.

George

(Note: these glasses are back in style! )

All right, already! For those of you that have mentioned that I have only talked about inspiring women so far, let me introduce you to a most inspiring man in my life.

Meet George. George was my mother's husband of thirty plus years. He was her Knight in Shining Armor. He entered Mom's life when she was forty two and she had pretty much given up any hopes of finding her soul mate. (Note to all single women out there: never never never give up hope!) He was the kindest, gentlest, most generous, lovingest (?) man I have ever known. (Except, of course, my very own personal soul mate.) I'm not sure I will ever know another man with as much integrity and devotion to his family as this man.

Already a devoted father of two adult children that he adored, George immediately accepted me as his step-daughter and treated me as if I were his own. You don't find that very often, folks. Step-children are usually looked upon as a necessary evil that just happens to come with the package. When my sons came along, he considered them his own as well. And what a grandpa he was to all his grandchildren! My boys are still convinced that he single-handedly won WWII in Italy where he was stationed as a Logistics Officer. He told them an abundance of war stories, as well as a few fish stories that he loved to tell to anyone else that would listen!

In addition to his kindness and generosity , George was also an unbelievable optimist….sometimes ad nauseum, I have to say. Not really, but he had the most positive outlook on life of anyone I have ever known! He loved everyone and was convinced that all mankind is as good and honest and generous as he was. Not wanting to burst his bubble, we all simply went along with this rosy outlook. And why not???

When George retired from his lifelong career, he insisted that my mom retire too so that they could travel together. She had worked most of her life and now this amazing man was insisting that she only needed to be with him! So sweet! And what do you think his favorite pastime besides travelling was? Golf golf golf golf golf golf and more golf! He was never more happy than when he was on the golf course with his son or his golfing buddies. And he had not one, not two, not three, four, five or six but SEVEN, count 'em, SEVEN "Holes in One" in his lifetime!

Well, that positive outlook on life never left George. Not even when he was diagnosed with lung cancer several years ago. He never gave up hope that the day would come that he would be back out on that golf course. And I don't recall ever hearing him complain throughout his entire illness, even when he was confined to a wheel chair and required constant nursing care. Now THAT'S just crazy!

We lost George on November 30, 2006, but we all find comfort in knowing that we will see him again and can't wait to get a big ol' George Bearhug on the other side of those pearly gates.

Rest in Peace Dear Husband, Father, Step-father, Grandfather, Friend…..we'll love you forever!

Aunt Jane

Well, after much thought and deliberation in deciding who I would write about this time, I decided to chose my dear, sweet, wonderful Aunt Jane. I realize that by choosing another family member for this blog, I risk being accused of nepotism but it's my blog and I get to choose whomever I want! Right? Can I help it if I come from an exceptionally inspirational family??

My Aunt Jane is one such inspirational family member. I have grown up watching her fulfill many roles with grace and elegance: wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend. She has set such a remarkable example for all these roles that they are pretty darned impossible to match. Everyone, and I mean e-v-e-r-y-o-n-e, adores my Aunt Jane.

Blessed with good health, Aunt Jane has led a very active life. However, the one subject she does not care to talk about is her age. She says that she really doesn't feel all that old until people start talking about how old she is. OK, makes sense. This has nothing to do with vanity…..she simply gets sick and tired of all the talk about her age! So….. let's just say that she is somewhere in her nineties. But she has such a delightful disposition and the most contagious giggle you've ever heard and an energy and a spring to her step that makes you just want to hang out with her all the time.

Aunt Jane is actually my great aunt, my grandmother's sister. But she has been as much a part of our lives (mom and me) as if she had been a second mother. I remember when I was very young, begging her to tell me the story of her life as I found it abso-LUTE-ly fascinating. Orphaned at a very young age, she and her brother and sister were separated and each raised by a different aunt in Claremore, Oklahoma. However, being part of a very close-knit family, the siblings were able to remain close and maintained an incomparable devotion to one other throughout their lives. Incidentally, it was about this very close family that their cousin, Lynn Riggs ,wrote his book "Green Grow the Lilacs", the rights of which were later bought by Rodgers and Hammerstein and developed into the musical "Oklahoma!" The play's main character, Laurey, was named after my great-grandmother, Aunt Jane's mother. Kinda makes us all famous, no? Probably not.

These days, Aunt Jane spends most of her leisure time either playing bridge (real-life AND computer!), participating in church activities, and……BOWLING! She has been bowling in the same league for over 50 years and considers it a bad day when she scores below 140! And, I might add, she is pret-ty competitive! (She reeeeeeeally likes to win.)

OK, so now you have an idea of why we all adore Aunt Jane so much. I have no doubt that you would adore her too, but if you ever have the privilege of meeting her, I wouldn't mention her age!

Fondly,

Leslie

Jentry

Jench

Jentry is the daughter I never had. I love her as if she's my own and I have the same hopes and dreams for her that I have for my own sons. I have had the privilege of watching her grow from a very quiet, slightly insecure little girl into a confident, outstanding young woman. Actually, it is as if I have witnessed a metamorphosis.

Born with profound hearing loss in both ears, Jentry was at a slight disadvantage for most of her childhood years. Through multiple hearing aids, FM transistors, and, finally, cochlear implants in both ears, she has been challenged all her life to listen and hear in a way that most of us cannot possibly comprehend.

Unfortunately, in our society, hearing loss isn't just a physical handicap but it has a way of becoming a social handicap as well. As a child, Jentry had to pay extremely close attention to her teachers and classmates to follow their conversations. Because she had to become adept at "piecing" together the words that she actually heard into the empty spaces she didn't quite hear, a lot of context and subtle meanings were missed. This can be a huge problem when you're a little girl on the playground trying your darnedest to keep up with what the other kids are saying. Or when you're at that very fragile age when acceptance by your peers is so very important. Tho she was never mistreated, she was often simply overlooked.

Let me just say that Jentry handled all of that beautifully. She had such a refreshing purity and innocence about her. Yes, there were some painful times like there are for all young girls hoping to be part of a "group". Fortunately for Jentry, her mom (my own personal bff!) was her very best friend and what a friend she was! I still remember the two of them staying home together most Friday nights to watch "Reba" (although "Gilmore Girls" was their very fave). Jentry had an amazing support system in her mother (again, MY bff!) that sustained her through the most challenging of times.

OK…enough about the challenges and difficulties of being deaf. Let me tell you about our little girl now. Twenty-two years old and a senior at William Jewell College in Liberty, Kansas, Jentry is about to embark on an adventure and a journey that most people would shudder at. After first completing her internship this June at the Cochlear Institute of America, she will pack her duffle bag, grab her sunscreen and head south for the Peruvian Amazon. Let me say that again, people……THE AMAZON !!!!! I believe that there are man-eating piranhas and anacondas and giant hairy bugs big enough to bite off limbs and natives with poison darts and MAJOR HUMIDITY!! Not to mention no interior plumbing, hair dryers or Diet Cokes! I get the heeby-jeebies just thinking about it! AND not to mention the fact that Jentry is barely five feet tall and a hundred pounds soaking wet.

This is all happening because Jentry is one of fifteen students from across the United States selected to participate in an International Field Workshop sponsored by Phonak and Global Explorers called "Hear the World". It is part of a worldwide campaign aimed at bringing awareness and support to the importance of hearing. In addition to exploring the bio-diverse rainforests of THE AMAZON , Jentry and her group hope to work with the local communities to promote a greater understanding of both the challenges and solutions to deafness. She recently returned from a four-day conference in Estes Park, Colorado to meet with her co-volunteers and discuss strategies and activities for the trip.

So….in addition to now having an abundance of wonderful friends that love and adore her for who she is, Jentry has developed amazing photography and artistic skills and does a weekly editorial cartoon for her college newspaper. Like all normal college girls, she actively participates in all those friendly sorority competitions and skits that she may have missed out on in her younger years. I could go on and on but I have already exceeded my self-imposed limit on extensive verbage.

Do I sound like a proud mother? Heck, yah, I am! I have witnessed God's goodness, once again, in the life of someone I care very deeply about. There is just no telling where all this will lead in Jentry's life but you can be sure of one thing….she will enter into each new opportunity with the confidence and self-assuredness of the amazing young woman she has become. And she will be a true ambassador for Listening and Hearing in the 21st century. Mark my words…..she is going to do GREAT things. That's OUR girl!

Fondly,

Leslie

Cathy Jo

(Can you see the aura?)

Have you ever known a person that glowed? I mean really glowed like a huge spotlight was shining down on them? A person that just radiated love and joy and peace and warmth? Well, if you haven't, you really need to meet Cathy Jo.

Cathy Jo is a teacher of the Bible. She knows the Bible like most people know their childrens' birthdays, social security numbers, telephone numbers and addresses. Ask her any question about the Bible…..I dare you. Yes, she has a special gift and she shares it with her "students" almost every day of her life. She takes no credit for this abundance of biblical knowledge but gives all the credit to God, referring to herself as only a vessel.

I was fortunate enough to meet Cathy Jo about ten years ago when we were going through a family crisis. I had finally run into something in my life that I couldn't fix on my own and it had taken me to my knees. I needed a power greater than myself and I didn't know where to turn. Gee. Well, some very devoted, caring and conniving friends of mine (you both know who you are) suggested we start a Bible Study. "Great", I thought, "like that was going to fix up my life and everything would be all hunky-dory again." Let's just say that my knowledge of the Bible was very limited and I had a very dim view of those that truly believed its every word and led their lives accordingly.

Enter Cathy Jo. I knew there was something special about her but I couldn't quite put my finger on it right away. So I attended the weekly meetings to show my dear, sweet friends how much I appreciated their love and support but I was very skeptical that a weekly Bible Study could "fix" anything in my life……W R O N G. Cathy Jo had this amazing knack of making the Bible come to life for me. I had never been able to make any sense of it before.

Well, needless to say, it wasn't Cathy Jo or the Bible Study that actually reversed the crisis and made things all better. But during this process, I finally learned to trust in God and put my life in His hands. Whew! That made all the difference in the world! News flash: I wasn't supposed to be the "fixer"! I NEVER WAS!!! What a relief! But it took a beautiful lady from Kansas with an amazing gift from God to help teach me this.

Cathy Jo has been teaching our little Bible Study for ten years now. And she teaches hundreds of others in Bible Studies throughout our city week after week. This is her calling. Not in Africa or China or some unknown village in South America but in good ol', mostly Republican, "Heartland of America" Oklahoma City. And, boy howdy, do we need her here! She has never married or had children of "her own" but she has an entire flock of little, wandering, often lost sheep that she can call Family. Matter of fact, she probably has the biggest Family of anyone I know.

God has blessed Cathy Jo with an amazing gift. She's very humble and refuses to take any of the credit, but, I swear to you, she actually glows. God bless her heart.

Fondly,

Leslie