User's Conference

Our office held a User's Conference at the The Westin in Frisco last week. It was actually alot of fun and good to meet clients that I talk to on the phone but don't know what they look like at all. I also had to give a presentation on Thursday and I was so glad to get that over with!! I was really nervous! Anyway, I posted a couple of pictures of Miriam and I. We work together and she has been an awesome friend!

Bathroom trouble....

Lee went to play golf yesterday so we left Lily in the bathroom with the baby gate up. We took everything off of the floor and put the shower curtain up high so that she couldn't mess with anything. She is too little to get on the counter or anything like that so we were not worried about her messing anything up. She had water, her toys and her crate in the bathroom with her. But, low and behold, she was able to get to the Toilet Paper. Here is what Lee found when he got home.

I LOVE HER!

This video is just Lily chewing on her new bone (thanks Mom) but I wanted to show how small she is and, of course, how precious she is!! Excuse the news going on in the background:) I am a news junkie so you know that is what I was watching this morning.

More Pictures of Lily

Here are a couple of more pictures of Lily.  She is doing great.  Getting the hang of going to the bathroom outside and sleeping most of the night.  She went to the Vet yesterday and the doctor says she is very healthy!  Hope everyone is having a great week!

Our New Family Member

This is Lily.  She is our new puppy.  She is 14 weeks old and adorable!!  We are loving her and she has been so easy so far.  These pictures are from the drive home after we got her on Saturday and then a couple from our apartment.  I'll take more and post them this week. 

What is on my mind.....

I have had a lot of things on my mind lately and I'm just going to write and try to get all of my thoughts out.  I've never understood why people get sick?  How are they chosen?  Why not me?  I don't want to be sick but how am I so lucky in my health?   My Grandfathers had heart disease and cancer that eventually took their lives but I was so young and naive then that it hurt but it didn't seem 'questionable' because they are my Grandparents and they are older and it just kind of made sense.  But now that I am older and I do understand more and it doesn't matter your age but yet it does if you haven't had the chance to live yet.....

A couple of years ago my 'second' father died of a Brain Aneurysm.  It was very sudden and I hadn't talked to him in a long time, I didn't get to say goodbye.  I'm not sure I would have wanted to say goodbye but I didn't get the chance to decide.  How do you say goodbye to someone you love?  Christy is the sister of my good friend Amy, and she was diagnosed with Breast Cancer this past summer.  Christy is only in her 30's, she is young and has 3 young girls.  She has had a double mastectomy and is now undergoing chemotherapy.  Michele Hall, the sister of one of Lee's good friends growing up (and still) was just diagnosed with Stage 4 Lung Cancer.  Michele is 30.  The cancer has spread to her back, chest, and lymph nodes.  She doesn't have health insurance but will receive Medicaid until the end of the year.  Because she qualifies for Social Security (she will start getting SS checks in January 2010) she no longer qualifies for Medicaid and will not be covered as of January 1, 2010.  I don't understand this but I am learning.  I have a link to Michele's blog on the right.  They are having several different events to raise money for her treatments, etc.  One of the events is a Garage Sale to be held October 23rd and 24th.  If anyone reading this has some things to go in a garage sale but maybe not enough to do your own, please donate them.  I will pick them up and make sure they get to the church where the Garage Sale will be held.  All they ask is that they are priced already.  If you don't want to price them, I will.  I have clothes that I was going to take to the Salvation Army but will donate.  I hope in a small way I am helping. 

I know that I will be challenged over and over with understanding and with my faith.  I know that there are so many healthy people in this world.  I just wonder why and how the 'chosen ones' get sick?  I have a strong belief in 'things happen for a reason'.  Sometimes I think I use that as an excuse so that I don't have to understand, so that I don't have to be sad, so that I can just move on without being affected.  Although, in most cases the things really do happen for a reason.  That reason may not present itself until later but it is there.  Being challenged by your faith or by understanding a difficult situation and how you handle it will only make you stronger. 

My prayers are stronger today and for the future.  I will try to love more and harder.  I will try to be better.  For those that have the time, please say a prayer for the families that have been affected by these terrible diseases.  And if you have more time, do something that you wouldn't normally do.  Buy something for yourself, or compliment someone else.  Do something for your parents.  Let everyone know how much you love them, now is not the time to hold back.

Pictures of Dylan Sloan Swan

Precious!

Fall Weather

I love this Fall Weather today!!  Too bad it isn't going to last for long.  Just a little update about what has been going on in the Smith/Gwaltney household.  This picture below is from dinner with Lee's parents a couple of weeks ago.  I'm just now getting around to uploading my pictures. 

These next two pictures are before going to the Rangers game on Friday.  We took Lee's parents with us and had a great time.  We ate at On the Border before going to the game and it was so good!  How do you like Lee's hippie Grateful Dead shirt?  You definitley don't lose him in a crowd:)

Ok, so last weekend we went to Tyler to visit my parents.  Lee had a specific question to ask my Dad so they played golf on Saturday and Lee was able to ask him for permission to marry me and, of course, got his blessing.  Though, Lee started the conversation by saying "I'm sure you know what I'm going to talk to you about since the rest of your family can't keep a secret."  Ha, he's right!  Dad started laughing and that broke the ice for the conversation.  The picture below is funny because I know Lee has my ring hidden somewhere so at the most random times I'll stick my ring finger up and say 'Can I see my ring?' and I get a clear NO every time:)  So, Lee did the 'ring finger' with me in this picture.