Betty's Buddies!

This blog will be dedicated to what we have going on this Saturday!!! The Oklahoma City Memory Walk to help fight Alzheimer’s disease. My husband’s grandmother has the disease and as most people know, it is so much harder on the family than the person suffering from it. I have been exposed to Dementia many times in all my adventures, but this is the first time I have had direct exposure with Alzheimer’s.

It is so sad to see his grandmother in this “world” because I just know back in her day she was a fun and feisty woman. People who know Mr. & Mrs. Roof, and also know us, tell us that we are a spitting image of them. She loved to shop, had a small temper and was always ready for the party. He is laid back, easy going, and content in his recliner watching football. I can only hope that my husband and I are as blessed as the Roof’s in their marriage.

The funny thing is, when I first met Mrs. Roof, she was already in the beginning stages. Things like not remembering who I was, or always thinking I was dating my husband’s little brother, were a constant conversation that we had. In the past year, however, I am convinced that her BFF in childhood looked like me. Every time she sees me she lights up. I love it, even though it is not me that she is truly happy to see. We have the best time together. Sure we have had our moments like when we drove to Watonga from Thomas to have lunch and on the way back she was convinced I was going the wrong way and got VERY angry (that temper, I mentioned earlier…), but there are so many funny and joyful moments being with her that you take the good with the bad. I personally like having a friend that I can talk to knowing that no matter what I tell her, she will never repeat it!! I will sit down with her and say something like, “Betty, let me tell you what your grandson did the other night…” and she will say something sweet like, “Bless your heart” and my $150/hour therapy session was completed for free!!!

We have a GREAT walking team this year. We are honored that our friends Melanie and Hilary will be helping us on this adventure. We are trying to meet our goal of $1,000.00, and are about $400.00 short. If anyone reading this blog would even donate $10.00, it could help us in creating new avenues for research, treatments, and most importantly help for caregivers. You can copy and past this link below and it will direct you to my page. (…I am not greedy; I am the Team Captain…).

Thanks in advance!
Amy

http://okcmemorywalk.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=307945&lis=1&kntae307945=7DE4581EB79F43EE937FEF68DA08CD18&supId=269100230

Busy, Busy, Busy!

Well another crazy week and weekend has passed. I know what everyone is thinking... "You need to slow down!" I agree to a point as I feel my life passing me by (and my house getting dirtier and dirtier) but I have to keep busy. Not a single day passes by without me hearing someone is pregnant, yet again reminding me that I am broken. Not to sound pathetic, because I am so happy that nobody else I know has to deal with this, but I am one to run from my problems! The busier I am, the less I have to think about it! My husband and I were going through our calendars tonight, and until next Sunday night, the only night I am free is Wednesday! Nuts, I know. I figure I am like the Energizer bunny, and eventually my batteries will run out!

This weekend was fun....and expensive! We had the Watonga Cheese festival and Mistletoe Market! Let me tell you how not fun the 45 degree weather was on Saturday (see below).

Absolutely freezing! The Brinlee's finally got in the truck; I should have followed. Unreal - Oklahoma weather. At one point, the rumor was next weekend will be in the 80's. Who knows if that is true or not.

I am going to a Rheumatologist this week to have him analyze my blood. Apparently, having a high level of ANA is alarming to my husband's expert witness, who is a hematologist. I would not be concerned, if he wasn't a world renown hematologist that called the rheuma's office to schedule my appointment! Just when I thought I had all of that past me, here it goes again! 2010 has GOT to be better!

On a brighter note, "Glee" and "Modern Family" are the 2 best new shows on T.V. We DVR shows all week to watch on Sunday, and I have to tell you they are great. If you haven't watched them, you should! Have a good week! ~Amy

Huntington's Disease

I have been blessed to meet a lot of people in my life, but my friend Cathy is special. She has been diagnosed with Huntington's disease. She smiles daily and sees the positive in the world, and keeps her faith in God regardless of what causes her pain. If you don't know about the disease, please research it. It is put loosely as "MS on crack." It can deteriorate you body very, very quickly. My husband and I went to the benefit at the Petroleum Club last Thursday and had an amazing time. I have been honored to be named as a potential co-chair of the benefit next year. Wow!

Nonetheless, to something less serious. Check out my hair in this picture... Tomorrow I have an appointment, and I am doing something DRASTIC! Ugh! I hate my hair!!! Darker or lighter? That is the question!

As far as where we are in our new journey, we are still unsure. We do know that we are going to put all decisions off until my mother sells my grandmother's house. I want to get her situated before we make any decisions. Chicago is still in our heads, for sure! ~Amy

Brit Brit

So last week, a good friend of mine called me to see what I had going on Tuesday night. When I replied, "nothing", she informed that wanted me to go somewhere with her. I agreed, to find out it was to see Britney Spears at the BOK Center in Tulsa. So, last night when I got off of work, she picked me up and we headed to our adventure. Here is something that I really don't understand. There were 3 populations at this concert (1) Gay men (2) Teeny Boppers and (3) Women our aged dressed as if they were prostitutes for Halloween. What is wrong with women these days? No, it is not cute for a 30+ mother to be dressed in a short maxi with boots, wearing sunglasses indoors!!! I think we had more fun making fun of people than watching the show! We got to sit in a suite, which was nice. If I had $60k lying around, I would buy one to watch all concerts at. Free food, free beverages, a personal lounge, comfy cushioned seating...It was a great concert, I have to say, although I didn't get home until 1am!

That being said, at 6:30 last night, on our way to Tulsa my husband called to tell me that he was leaving this morning at 4:45am to catch a flight to North Carolina. He didn't sound that excited until he mentioned it is to depose a doctor at Duke University! Every young man (including my husband) had dreams of going to Duke to play basketball, so I think he is just as excited about seeing Duke as he is speaking to the doctor!

We are still at a stand still in our life; looking for direction. As I wallow in sadness, God points out to me that my life could be worse. In the last 10 days we have had 2 tragedies in my office. My really good friends mother, only 60 years old, died of a random blood clot. It was completely out of nowhere and she is devastated. My heart breaks for her. Then, not but 4 days later we found out that another coworker's baby died. He was only 11 days old. The medical examiner thinks that it was SIDS. The saddest thing was hearing the story. She fed him, put him down and went to sleep. 2 1/2 hours later, she awoke, not hearing him cry and was concerned. She went into the nursery to see him not breathing. As she told it, she instantly tried to remember CPR and as she put her lips onto her son he was already very cold. I cannot imagine. As horrible as my husband and I feel about our situation, it is a horrific reminder that things are always worse. Please keep them in your prayers, they need all of them they can get.

One more thing.... HAPPY 1st BIRTHDAY ELLY!!!!

We can't wait for your party Saturday!

~Amy

Happy Birthday Honey!

Today is my wonderful husband’s birthday! I have been contemplating what to get him all day, and then when my friend and I went to lunch, J.S. Haggard was having a sale and I scored some Burberry! He loves Burberry. I would be comfortable saying that it is his favorite designer for menswear. He will be so surprised! Tonight we are doing something really romantic… going to my mother’s house for homemade tacos and then rice krispie treats for dessert, 2 of his favorites. I guess that is what happens when your birthday falls on a Tuesday! He would eat a plate of broccoli because he is so excited about his new I-phone that he got with his birthday money from his family. He went with the big one. That means nothing to me, because I am electronically challenged!

Everyone wants to know what is next for us; well so do we! We go back and forth daily. Sometimes we are ready to move and the next minute we aren’t. It is so hard being undecided on what to do in life. What we do know is that we can no longer sit back and watch everyone else around us be blessed with what we want more than anything!

Other than that, nothing exciting is going on. We are headed to Stillwater this weekend so my husband can see the OSU vs. Georgia game. I will stay and tailgate with the ladies while he goes to the game. We will have little Mason with us, so we might not make it the whole time. If that is the case, we will drive back and the guys can meet us later. Especially if OSU loses… it would be best for the girls to be without the men! ~Amy

Times a' Wastin!

Well here we are in mid-August, and we still have no idea what our next move is. We go back and forth on what we are going to do. We know that we are ready for something big, though! We have been so busy that we really haven't had time to think and with football season around the corner, our next 4 months will be occupied. We are either going to either game, or going to a watch party almost every weekend! That is what happens when you have a house divided. Really, I should get the pat on the back for going to the OSU games, because my husband really likes OU football! ;)

This weekend was a big one for the Bradt family. Lance, my husband's little brother, was initiated into medical school!

We are really proud of him! I tell my mother-in-law all the time, the pressure is on for her grandkids... Can you imagine having two sons, and one is a lawyer and the other one a doctor? Let's hope our kids get their drive to be successful from my husband's side!!

Have a good week! ~Amy

Update!

Yeah, it has been a long time since I blogged, but I haven’t had the energy. Also, things that I want to say might get me in trouble. Let’s just say that the past two weeks; I have had a mouth that could make a sailor blush…

How are we doing? We are completely deflated. This time, we are not so depressed, just angry. Everybody around us keeps getting pregnant, those who will be great parents and deserve it, and those who are as dumb as a box of rocks, and we wonder if they even know how to feed and wipe a baby. Also, I am in an extracurricular activity with a girl that I might punch in the face the next time I see her. Every time I am around her (she is 6 months pregnant) she complains about how fat she is getting. Really, genius? You are pregnant. I understand that in your shallow and vain world, you are all that matters, but God has blessed you with a gift that will make you gain weight because there is something GROWING IN YOUR BODY!

Seriously, I am about 1 conversation away from hitting a pregnant chick. Do you think I need a vacation? How can people be so stupid? You know, that is something that I have wondered about my whole life. Thank God I have a mother that is beautiful inside and out. For those who have never met my mother, she is absolutely beautiful and people always talk about her beauty. My mother, however, has never been impressed by it. Luckily, she taught me the same thing. People that obsess with outer beauty are shallow individuals. My favorite is when Christians focus on that. Hmmmm… Irony? I am pretty sure that God doesn’t want us to love a shell; we are supposed to love the soul. And another thing that I have always wondered for these people who are consumed with outer beauty; what happens when your really attractive spouse/boyfriend/child has an accident, or is horribly burned, and they are not as attractive anymore? Do you stop loving them? To me, this is a perfect example of how our society does not shadow Jesus.

Well, now that I am off of my soap box (this happens lately – so watch out) we have decided to take a MUCH needed vacation. I think that we will go over Labor Day weekend. Not sure where yet. We love the Caribbean (Honey if you are reading this, please take me to the Turks and Caicos), but it is hurricane season. I have been to Mexico soooooooooo many times, that I think I could be a Gonzales. We would love to go to the East Coast, but don’t have the money we would need right now to do a New England adventure. My husband has never been to Disneyworld, but I am not sure I want to be around screaming children. Decisions, decisions. Any ideas?

So the million dollar question; what now? Well, in-vitro is not an option. (1) We do not have another $20,000 sitting around to spend (2) Even if we did, we are not wasting that money on an unsure outcome right now (3) Try naturally, knowing that we will suffer numerous miscarriages (4) Adopt (5) Move to Chicago. We have been talking about it a lot lately, and we just need to have a change in our life. We cannot decide whether we will adopt or move, but the decision will be made by Christmas. I honestly think that he is leaning more to the Chicago thing right now. I am on board 100% with whatever he wants to do. The perks about moving to Chicago? (1) In Illinois, in-vitro is typically, at least, partially covered by insurance (2) We could both increase our salaries significantly (which would help with adoption b/c these days it is anywhere from $15-$40k!!) (3) Why not? We are young, and it would be a blast!

So, that is what we have been doing lately. I know this blog is really long, but it has been 2 weeks!

Amy