Nashville Here I Come!

Just a quick post here. . . I still can't get a picture of the woodpecker! But he is beautiful. He has a zebra striped body and a red cap. I'll get his picture one of these days! I think he likes to drill on/in the corner of the metal gutter because that is where all the leaves collect. There are probably some nice juicy bugs in there!

Mama Bird celebrated Mother's Day with a new baby in her nest! It is so cute. Even though there were three eggs, only one hatched and the other two are still silent. We've have some cold spells lately and I wonder if she couldn't keep them warm. I did find another nest just outside my front door. I love my birds and keep the bird feeders fully stocked!

I'm headed to Nashville today for my quarterly Governor's Council meeting. I will get to see Jennifer and my aunt Nelda. Jennifer and I are going to hang out together tonight and she will come to my meeting tomorrow. May is Better Hearing month and also the 30th anniversary of the Council so we are having our meeting at the new library downtown and having some sort of celebration. Should be fun! I'm also hoping to see my cousin and her new baby, too. I miss Jackson so much and need my "baby fix!"

Speaking of Jackson, he is doing well and growing! He weighed 10 lbs. 3 oz. the last time I talked with Jessica! Jessica is having a nice break from school and enjoys being a mommy full time! Jason would like to get some sleep! Sorry Jason, your nights of sleeping are OVER!

Last weekend we traveled to Virginia Tech for Brad & Caitlyn's graduation. It was a wonderful weekend and the graduates are so happy! I enjoyed the commencement ceremony on Friday night more than the graduation on Saturday because I could understand what was going on better. Hoda Kotb from NBC was the guest speaker and she was WONDERFUL! I'll save that for another post when I get some time to write. Nothing was closed captioned or hearing impaired friendly at any of the ceremonies. Below is a picture of the graduates! We are so proud of them.

The GRADUATES!

Happy Mother's Day!

Today is Mother's Day. It is a very special day for all women - a day to remember mothers. Even if you never gave birth to a child, it is in a woman's nature to nurture other people. And to appreciate those who have nurtured them. I am truly blessed. I have had many Godly women in my life who have loved me, encouraged me, and influenced me in many different ways. I could not begin to name them all but the most important one for me was my mother. So, I am thinking about her today and all the other women who are so important in my life.

I miss my mother very much but I see her gentleness and generosity of spirit in my sister and my niece (and my brothers and nephews, too). She taught us all so much about how to treat people and her desire to help others is with me every day. I would not be where I am today in my life if it was not for her strong faith, strength, confidence and determination. Several weeks ago when I was preparing for my first visit with Dr. Merwin, I was going through my file that Mom had saved for me with my audiograms, letters, documents, newspaper articles, notes, etc. I had tears in my eyes just reading her notes with her familiar handwriting. I miss her so much. She was my best friend, prayer partner, and confidant. She lost her battle with pancreatic cancer in 1992 at the age of 58.

I was almost two years old when I was diagnosed with my deafness. There was no explanation or family history of deafness. As God said to Moses in Exodus 4:11, ". . .who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say." My being born was no accident or mistake. I know that my parents were deeply discouraged when they found out that I could not hear but they NEVER gave up on me. I had the privilege to grow up in a loving, Christian home. God gave me two wonderful parents who did everything within their power, no matter what the sacrifice was, to help me be a part of the hearing world. They were told by doctors and professionals in the speech and hearing field that I would never be able to have a normal life and that I would never be able to talk or amount to anything. Mom and Dad were determined to prove them wrong and continued with their plan to teach me to read lips and to talk. Sign language was not a part of that plan so I never learned it, except to sign to music later in my adult years.

The challenges of growing up in a hearing world was often very overwhelming for me and still is at times. I know firsthand the frustration of trying to understand what people are saying when I cannot read or see their lips. I also know what it is like to misunderstand others and be misunderstood. My first word was probably "what?!!" Despite these difficulties, Mom was always there for me. And she still is, in a way. I believe she is my guardian angel, watching over all of us.

I will close this message with a quote that I found a few weeks ago written by Helen Hunt Jackson (1830-1855) who was an American writer. She wrote, "The woman who creates and sustains a home, and under whose hands children grow up to be strong and pure men and women, is a creator second only to God."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
*This post was originally published on Mother's Day 2005

Woodpeckers, Baby Birds, & Roses

**Update** We have a very elusive woodpecker. I hear him every morning but he flies away as soon as I peek around the curtains with my camera. I'll get his picture one of these days! He still drills on the same corner of the metal gutter! I did post two pictures of the bird's nest and roses - see below!

I love this time of the year because I can hear the birds. We have so many of them around here! We have a beautiful red-headed woodpecker that has been visiting our bird feeder every day. (My bird book says he is a red-bellied woodpecker with a zebra-striped back and a red cap.) This morning as I was reading and having some quiet time in our breakfast area, I heard him! And with only one CI. (I like to start out my mornings with one ear while the house is quiet.) I've been hearing woodpeckers for some time but this wasn't the typical "rat-a-tat-tat" sound I was used to hearing. It was so loud and sounded like it was drilling on something other than wood. This woodpecker sounded like he was drilling and hitting the house! When we first moved here, woodpeckers were a problem for the previous owners because they would drill holes in the house. We haven't had any problems but I surely didn't want any holes in the house since we are getting ready to sell it. I heard it three times and said "Hey!" to get him off the house even though I couldn't see him. That didn't stop him because I kept hearing him. I started looking around trying to figure out where the sounds was coming from. You'll never believe where I found him. . .he was sitting on the edge of a gutter drilling into the metal! A cool sound and I listened to him do it several times. He then moved to the bird feeder. I tried to get a picture but he flew away before I had a chance. He'll come back and I'll post a picture when I get one!

We also have a nest of bird eggs in my hanging fern on the porch. I usually repot my ferns so I don't have to water them as often but was too late for this one. So, I left it alone. This nest belongs to the house finches that frequent our feeder and they are beautiful because they look like sparrows dipped in cranberry juice. The nest originally had four eggs in it but I found one on the ground last week after a storm. Can't wait for the baby birds!I love roses and try to buy a new plant every year. Actually, I buy them for Steve because he likes them so much. I found this one for $19.99 and thought it was a great deal because it has at least 30 buds on it! Beautiful! It is a Judy Garland rose and I love the red, orange and yellow colors.Must get to work but I wanted to share this with you. Check this space again because I'll load some pictures later today.

Branson Deaf Appreciation Weekend

I received this in my email box today from Signed Entertainment Enterprises (S.E.E.) and thought I should pass this news on to my readers. This event looks like great fun and I wish I was close enough to attend this! As you know, May is Better Hearing and Speech Month. I think it is wonderful when organizations and businesses make a special effort so that deaf and hard of hearing persons can participate in shows like these. You will note that the Osmond Family Hearing Center is one of the hosts. I just learned a few weeks ago that the Osmond family has a heart for the deaf and hearing impaired because one of the Osmond brothers is deaf. And will be making a one-time appearance on the 24th.

THE 1st ANNUAL

"BRANSON DEAF APPRECIATION WEEKEND"

Memorial Day Weekend 2008, Branson's own Signed Entertainment will team up with The White House Theatre, The Mansion Theatre, The All American Café, The Branson Tourism Center, The Osmond Family Hearing Centers, and The Radisson Hotel to host Branson's very first Deaf Appreciation weekend. Starting on May 23^rd and ending on May 26^th .

The White House Theatre will feature Mr. Ken Glickman in Deafology 101:

Many profound questions are all covered and answered in DEAFology 101, a highly entertaining lecture on Deaf Culture where many questions are raised and explained on stage by "Prof. Glick" in his comical lab coat and beady black reading glasses. Just about everything from Anthropology to Biology to Physics is covered in this hilarious, fast-paced course!

Special Host will be Justin Osmond from the World Famous Osmond Family and founder of the Osmond Family Hearing Center! This is a one time appearance, on Saturday May 24^th at 10:30 am.

Also Featured at The White House Theatre is The Magnificent 7 Dinner Show:

This show starts off with an incredible meal served by S.E.E. Certified "Deaf Friendly" wait staff, and then goes into an incredible show which highlights seven decades of Music, with the powerhouse vocals of Tamra Holden, Joe Tinoco, and an array of multi-talented performers!

The Unbelievable meal, and The Magnificent 7 show, and The White House Theatre, are S.E.E. Certified as "Deaf Friendly"!

The Mansion Theatre will feature:

"The Promise" a spectacular Branson play honoring the life, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ as you have never seen before! This incredible show speaks to the hearts of all ages.

"Celebrate America" a theatrical musical celebrating American Pride and Patriotism. Join us on a walk through time where you will discover that pride that was felt at the birth of our nation still rings true today.

These Incredible shows and The Mansion Theatre are S.E.E. Certified as "Deaf Friendly"!

The All American Café: Making it's debut as Branson's first "Deaf Friendly" restaurant. Serving American cuisine with a twist! The All American Café serves lunch and dinner, and is open after the shows. Catering and group menus available. All new atmosphere, menu, full bar, weekly dancing features and live entertainment. Also featuring one of Branson's largest Veterans' photo tribute.

We are proud to honor our Nations Deaf and Hard of Hearing by making our Branson businesses "Deaf Friendly", but remember, this wonderful fun filled weekend is for everyone! So come on out and see what all of the fuss is about!

For ticket or package information please contact our friends on the following links at:

The Branson Tourism Center - Or call 1-800-785-1550

The Mansion Theatre - Or call 866.707.4100

The White House Theatre - Or call 1-877-487-2386

Tagged!

I'm late jumping into this game but I was tagged for this meme by Drew's mom at Turn On My Ears, who writes/blogs about her son's hearing loss and cochlear implant. I love reading blogs written by mothers with deaf & hard of hearing children. It gives me a glimpse of the emotions, thoughts, and feelings that my parents likely experienced when they found out about my severe/profound hearing loss at the age of two. I'm so proud of these parents who are doing everything possible and using every resource available to help their children to hear and communicate in today's world. (I have links in my sidebar to some of these blogs. If you would like to be added, just let me know by email or in the comments.) To all you moms out their with children who cannot hear, thank you for all you do! You are making a difference. . .even if you feel like you are taking one step forward and two steps backwards.

Now, I will step forward and answer some questions!

1) Each player must post the rules at the top.
2) Answer the questions in bold.
3) Tag five people you would like to know better, go to their blogs, let them know they've been tagged and ask them to read your blog.

This is just for fun, so don't feel like you MUST play. I won't be hurt if you're too busy. Here are my answers to the questions. . .

What I was doing ten years ago. . .
1998 - I had four children still at home and had just started a part-time job as a bank teller. I was also thinking about returning to college and applying for scholarships. This was a decision that required much thought and prayer and was not done lightly because high school and college were not a positive experiences for me (except for meeting my husband). I did return to college in 1999 and graduated from the University of Tennessee in December 2003 with my Finance degree. I would not have accomplished this without the help of the Disabilities office. When I started classes they contacted me and offered to interpret my classes for me. When I told them that I was oral and did not sign, they responded by informing me that they had transcribers available for persons like me. Two transcribers came to every single one of my classes with two computers. I had a computer in front of me and they had the other one. The transcribers used a program called Typewell and typed almost word for word everything that was said in class. I could read it on the screen in front of me (and could sit ANYWHERE in the classroom) and participate. After class, the transcript was saved in a file and emailed to me for my notes! The purpose for two transcribers for every class was because they took turns typing during the 90 minute sessions so they wouldn't get tired. And I had different transcribers for different classes because they needed to take breaks. Believe me, my transcribers needed those breaks because my classes were not easy! These transcribers became my friends and I still keep in touch with some of them. As an added bonus, at my graduation. . .everything was transcribed for me (and others) on the Jumbotron in the stadium! I was very glad that I waited to return to college when I did because 25+ years ago there were few resources available for deaf & hard of hearing persons like me.

Five Snacks I enjoy: (wishing they didn't have so many calories!)
1. Oatmeal cookies with butterscotch chips
2. Kettle Corn
3. Flatbread and hummus
4. Any drink from Starbucks!
5. Chocolate!

Things I would do if I were a billionaire:
1. Donate to Methodist churches in Latvia and other missions.
2. Pay off our debts and be debt-free.
3. Build a log home in the mountains.
4. Take our kids, their spouses, & their families on vacation every year.
5. Travel the world and experience different cultures.

Jobs I have had:
1. Dental Assistant
2. Housecleaner (and I still paid someone to clean my house!)
3. Seamstress for quilting shop
4. Cashier & Department manager for a clothing store
4. Bank teller & Informations systems
5. Accountant

Three habits:
1. Procrastinator (I wait until the last minute)
2. Cleaning & Organizing
3. Have too many projects going at once. . .I love to start them but can't seem to finish them!

Five places I have lived:
1. Orlando, Florida
2. Idaho Falls, Idaho
3. New London, Connecticut
4. Two Rivers, Wisconsin
5. Ohio (Columbus, Dayton, & Chillicothe)

Something most people don't know about me:
I used to be a synchronized swimmer. But, I could not hear the music in the water because hearing aids aren't waterproof! I learned my moves outside the water and by watching the other swimmers. I also memorized the routines.

What is the one thing you would tell the parent of a child recently diagnosed with profound hearing loss?:
I answered this question at the beginning of this post. Also, I truly believe that God is too loving to be unkind and too wise to make a mistake. You are here for a purpose and God places special children with parents that He knows will do everything in their power to help them be the persons they are created to be!

Five people I would like to get to know better:
1. Elizabeth of Elizabeth Embracing Life
2. ??? of Loudest House on the Block
3. Denise of Hearing Elmo
4. Leah of Say What?
5. Lotte's parents of Lotte Sofie

I would also love to meet Heather Whitestone, Marlee Matlin, & Michael Chorost in person!

(If you have already been tagged for this meme or do not wish to participate, that is okay!)

Earth Day

Honor Mother Earth

Leaving Texas

Being a grandparent is GREAT! Steve and I are officially in the "Grandparent Club!" I never thought we'd get so attached to a little baby. . .he has captured our heartstrings forever! I thoroughly enjoyed my two weeks in Texas with Jason, Jessica, & Jackson and did not want to leave! I truly bonded with that little guy and want to see him again. And hear all his little sounds that he makes. He changed so much those first two weeks and I don't want to miss a thing. I'll be back in June after my HLAA trip to Reno, Nevada!

The following pictures were taken the last day we left. Steve and I got up early so we could take turns holding him before we left for the airport. Isn't he precious??? :)

Gramma Laurie & Grampa Steve with Jackson

Gramma Laurie & Jackson

Jackson - 12 days old