Check! One down ...

On Wednesday night, I did something that I've always wanted to do ... I took a cooking class! My friend (and former employer at the Richmond Chamber of Commerce), Ali, invited me to go as an "early birthday gift." Have I told you yet how much she rocks? Well, she does. Taking a cooking class is one of the "to-do's" on my bucket list, and I'm so excited that I got to check it off! One down. At least 15 more things (for now) to go.

The class was taught by the awesome Phil Dunn. Of course, not being from here, I wasn't familiar with him. But, when I came back to work on Thursday and told everyone about the class, they were totally impressed. Apparently, he's a rock star chef!

The Menu:
Margaritas
Shrimp Tortilla Soup
Mexican Fiesta Dip
Arroz Con Pollo
Mexican Wedding Cookies

I've been on a diet, but I definitely cheated this night. There's no way around it! We cooked a course, then ate. Cooked then ate. Cooked then ate. And, of course, well, we had to stay hydrated while we cooked in that beautiful, hot kitchen!

Here are some of the pictures from the class:

Architectural Kitchens & Bath - Where the class was held.

Our first creation - Mexican Fiesta Dip - It was my favorite!

Chef Dunn browning the chicken for our main dish, Arroz Con Pollo.

Again, browning the chicken.

Preparing the cilantro for our Shrimp Tortilla Soup.

Ali butterflying the shrimp for the soup.

Chef Dunn making sure she's doing it right :)

Yummy!

We only used half of this butter to make our cookies - thank goodness! I can feel my thighs getting bigger just looking at this big chunk-o-butter!

Jared's "to go" plate. We cooked so much that there was no way I could eat it all! There's chicken and rice that was our main dish and a little bit of dip that we had as an appetizer on here. He loved it too!

Thank you for such a fun night!!!!!

And finally, "sugaring" our Mexican Wedding Cookies. I seriously could have eaten 100 of these! Mmmmm!

I can't wait to take another class! If anyone wants to go with me, just let me know, and I'll keep you posted about the next class schedule.

Updated Bucket List:
1. Sky dive (I'll have to do this when I'm on my death bed though. I really don't want to break my arm again.)
2. Write a book (I'm still trying to decide what I want to write about ... )
3. Live at the beach
4. Learn to fly a plane
5. Run a marathon (start with 5K and work my way up)
6. Wear a pink stripe in my hair
7. Travel to at least 10 different countries
8. Own my own business
9. Go to a Broadway Show in NYC (I can't believe I've never done this.)
10. Take cooking classes. COMPLETED
11. Learn to knit.
12. Take an art class/Learn to paint
13. Take a dance class (specifically salsa, but I'd love to learn all kinds of dances)
14. Go on a mission trip
15. Adopt a child (Jared isn't as convinced about this one as I am.)
16. Take a photography class



Cheers!
Rian

My Bionic Arm ... Well, sort of ...

Most of you know the journey I've been on with my arm  for the last (almost) 12 years. For those of you who don't ...

In 1999, I was diagnosed with a form of bone cancer called osteosarcoma. Shortly after the diagnosis, on May 28, my doctor's performed a somewhat experimental surgery on my left humerus (they had only done 5 before mine) where they took my bone out and replaced it with a cadaver bone. From the ball of my shoulder to about my mid humerus is not my bone; it's a dead guy from New Jersey's bone. (As you can imagine, I'm a big proponent of organ donation, but we'll get to that later.)

One week after my surgery, I walked out of the hospital in a huge brace (named Kenny after my doctor) ... it wrapped around my torso and held my arm straight up in the air like the statue of liberty. That was fun. I wore it for about 10 weeks if I remember correctly. It seemed like longer. I can't complain though. Other doctor's told me the only option was to amputate my arm. I knew that wasn't what God had in store for me, so we prayed for a miracle ... and I got one!

Then came nine months of chemo, but that's a story I'll get to later too.

For several years, my arm was great. I had limited range of motion, but nothing I couldn't deal with. I still lived a pretty normal life. Then in 2004, I broke it. Yes, I broke the miracle cadaver bone. The worst part is that I did it playing golf ... we think. I started having a pain that continued to get worse over the span of about four days. Finally, I went to the ER, and they confirmed what I was afraid of.

So, I had another surgery. This time the doctor put a steel rod down the center of my broken cadaver bone and sealed it with bone cement. He had to take out four of my eight screws to do this, but he left the metal plate that acts as a shield to my bone. It's amazing that I don't set off metal detectors at the airports. I have a pin in my shoulder, a steel rod, a metal plate, 4 screws and a weird rubber band holding it all together.

Since that surgery, my cadaver bone has continued to deteriorate. The cement didn't work, and I have more breaks. For the last six years, my family and I have been praying for another miracle. Specifically, we prayed for the medical engineers to create a new type of metal that will allow my soft tissue to attach to it. This will allow the doctors to go in and remove my cadaver bone completely and replace it with all metal. Without the new metal though, my rotator cuff can't attach to anything and will cause my shoulder to pop in and out of socket.

Fortunately, God didn't stop performing miracles back when He healed the blind man and the lepers a long time ago (these are some of my favorite stories in the Bible). In 10 days, I'll be going under the knife to have another experimental surgery. My doctor and the medical engineers believe they have gotten the metal created that we've been praying for. Praise the Lord! I'll be the first person to have this particular surgery ... EVER! It's a little scary, but I've always said that if my experiences can touch one person's life, it's totally worth the ride. And, who knows, maybe this surgery will pave the way for future advancements for amputees. That would be pretty awesome!

Here's what my arm looks like right now:

There are also 4 screws in my orginal bone. You can only see 1 and part of another one in this xray before the picture ends. Those will be coming out. Yay! But, they're going to have to heal like a broken bone would. The only part I'm keeping is the saucer looking thing in my shoulder.

Here's a diagram of what my arm will look like after my surgery:

The really skinny part at the bottom will be inserted into my original bone. The part right above that where it gets bigger will eventually heal to my bone, so it will seem like one solid structure.

This is a picture of the new metal that we've been praying for:

This will be at the top of my arm, right before my shoulder starts. The part that looks like thread is the suture that will hold my rotator cuff on.

My surgery is at Vanderbilt Hospital on March 3. The plan is to spend 48 hours there which means I'll get to come home on Saturday. I'll be in a sling for about six weeks, and I should only miss about 9 or 10 days of work. Not too shabby for such a crazy surgery!

My only request is this: Please say a prayer for my sweet husband, Jared. He is one strong Christian man, and I know that he will take excellent care of me. And, I'm trusting that the Lord will take care of him, ease his mind, comfort his heart and take away all concerns. This will be our first big "thing" to go through as husband and wife, and I know it will bring us closer to each other and strengthen our faith. And, of course, please remember my family in your prayers too. My sister and my brothers have been through this with me for the last 12 years, and they know all too well what is to be expected. I know it's hard for them to see me go through this. My sister has been my rock, she still is and she always will be. I've seen her nearly take a nurse out for not giving me my pain meds on time. LOL! But, in all seriousness, they need prayers of comfort as well. I truly have the most amazing support system a girl could ask for!

I'll keep you all posted on my progress. Thanks so much for all the prayers!

Love,
Rian

The Beginning of a Bucket List

For a long time I've wanted to start a "Bucket List." I saw the movie. Hated it. Loved the concept. I think that so many of us get so wrapped up in our day-to-day stuff that we forget to live our lives. I don't want to be one of those people who looks back on my life and wishes I had done so much more.

So, I started trying to think of all the things I want to do. I'm realizing that this has to be a working list. I'm a little sporadic, and I'm always thinking of things I want to do. So, here's the plan: I'll just continue to add stuff as I live. And, hopefully, cross some of the things off too. :)

The one thing I know is this ... Every day I realize just how much I love my husband. Just when I think I can't love him ANY MORE than I already do, wham! another day comes, and I love him more. He is truly my best friend. So, as I plan/do some of these things, I really want to keep him in mind. He may not want to do all of these things with me. But, everything I do will, in some way, affect him. I do, however, hope that he will agree to participate in the majority of my list (especially #15 - he he he). Besides ... Everything is so much more fun when your best friend is with you!

1. Sky dive (I'll have to do this when I'm on my death bed though. I really don't want to break my arm again.)
2. Write a book (I'm still trying to decide what I want to write about ... )
3. Live at the beach
4. Learn to fly a plane
5. Run a marathon (start with 5K and work my way up)
6. Wear a pink stripe in my hair
7. Travel to at least 10 different countries
8. Own my own business
9. Go to a Broadway Show in NYC (I can't believe I've never done this.)
10. Take cooking classes.
11. Learn to knit.
12. Take an art class/Learn to paint
13. Take a dance class (specifically salsa, but I'd love to learn all kinds of dances)
14. Go on a mission trip
15. Adopt a child (Jared isn't as convinced about this one as I am.)
16. Take a photography class

So, there it is. There's 16 things I want to do before I kick the bucket. I'm sure that by tomorrow, I'll be able to come up with 16 more things. But, hey, it's a start. Do you have a bucket list?

A beautiful day for an AU celebration!

This past weekend, Jared and I went to Auburn for the national championship celebration. We left single digit temperatures in Kentucky for a beautiful 50 degree day ... it was like being in Heaven (especially for Jared since Auburn is his happy place). The celebration was great. The stadium was packed. There were a few empty seats behind the band, but that was all. And the field was full of people. There were probably well over 80,000 Auburn fans in attendance.

The new governor was there, and his speech was really great. Glad to know he's "all in." He He He! The quarterback from the 1957 championship team was also there. His speech was my absolute favorite. What a cool guy! He spoke to the players. He talked about what it means to be an Auburn man and an Auburn woman. He told them not to forget where they came from when they put that national championship ring on their finger (of course, he held up his ring and everyone cheered - super cool stuff). I love that he came to this celebration, and I love how supportive he is of Auburn.

This Auburn football team has faced a lot of challenges this year. And, they faced them with class, integrity and faith. We're proud to be Auburn Tigers, and not just because of the football season we had. We're proud to be Auburn Tigers every year because of what it means: 

THE AUBURN CREED

I believe that this is a practical world and that I can count only on what I earn. Therefore, I believe in work, hard work.

I believe in education, which gives me the knowledge to work wisely and trains my mind and my hands to work skillfully.

I believe in honesty and truthfulness, without which I cannot win the respect and confidence of my fellow men.

I believe in a sound mind, in a sound body and a spirit that is not afraid, and in clean sports that develop these qualities.

I believe in obedience to law because it protects the rights of all.

I believe in the human touch, which cultivates sympathy with my fellow men and mutual helpfulness and brings happiness for all.

I believe in my Country, because it is a land of freedom and because it is my own home, and that I can best serve that country by "doing justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with my God."

And because Auburn men and women believe in these things, I believe in Auburn and love it.
-George Petrie (1945) 

To watch the videos I took, click here. In the meantime, here are some pictures. War Eagle!

 

A carrot, an egg and a cup of coffee walk into a pot of boiling water ...

I received this email today, and I thought it was worth sharing. 


A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.
Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying
a word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl.

Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, "Tell me what you see."

"Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied.

Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg.

Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled, as she tasted its rich aroma the daughter then asked, "What does it mean, mother?"

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak.
The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its insides became hardened.
The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

"Which are you?" she asked her daughter. "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?

Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?

Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?