Rounds Inspirational Journeys

I hope you noticed the new video at the top of my blog.  I have been working on ways to introduce my story at presentations and created this video.  I would love to know what you think, please write to me with comments, suggestions, or ideas.  I would really appreciate it! Thanks, and enjoy my new video!  Nancy

A few weeks ago I shared some pictures of my newly planted garden.  Now several of the plants are blooming.  I am so excited to see them all doing so well!  Just one more reminder to be thankful for all of the beautiful things God has made for us! The center bunch of flowers I grew from seeds.  It is so amazing to me to see these plants full grown, when at the beginning of the summer there was nothing. I also planted seeds by the back porch.  This is what has grown. What a wonderful and rewarding experience this has been!

I absolutely love the song  Before the Morning  by Josh Wilson.  It speaks to me in a very deep and personal way.  I recently found this YouTube video that explains Josh's inspiration for this song.  It is a very moving story about the power of putting your faith and trust in God and watching the miracles that will spring forth from your faith.

My nephew, Kevin, just graduated from secondary school in Germany.  They have a different educational system than the US.    All German children enter in the same program, but at the age of 10, they go to one of four types of schools.   From grades 1 through 4 children attend elementary school  (Grundschule) , where the subjects taught are the same for all.  Then, after the 4th grade, they are separated according to their academic ability and the wishes of their families, and attend one of three different kinds of schools:  Hauptschule ,  Realschule  or  Gymnasium . The  Hauptschule  (grades 5-9 in most German states) teaches the same subjects as the  Realschule  and  Gymnasium , but at a slower pace and with some vocational-oriented courses. It leads to part-time enrollment in a vocational school combined with apprenticeship training until the age of 18. The  Realschule  (grades 5-10 in most states) l...

Hannah had a sleep over several weeks ago and the girls spent hours videoing this fun sequence.  It has taken me too long to put together for them, but it is finally finished. Check out Hannah, Amber, Mary, and Becca in Annoying Water Balloons

For those of you who have been trying to figure out the Twilight phenomenon, I wanted to share this article with you.  My mom passed it on to me because I have told her how much I admire the character of Edward in the Twilight series.  In fact, the whole Cullen family is to be admired.  Many people hear vampires and automatically turn off to the series, but it really is so much more. This is an interesting look at Twilight. Published on  National Catholic Reporter  ( http://ncronline.org ) Home  >  Blogs  >  Jamie L Manson's blog  > Twilight: The 'Eclipse of God' Twilight: The 'Eclipse of God' By  Jamie L Manson Created  Jul 01, 2010 Is it just a strange coincidence that on the date of the release of “Twilight: Eclipse”, the pope announced the creation of a new pontifical council to address what he calls the “eclipse of God”? The pontiff is so concerned about the crisis of secularization that he has created a new...

Hello! I have been wanting to share my new volunteer opportunity with you, but things have been so busy, I just haven't had a chance.  A few months ago I applied to be a volunteer for Upstate New York Transplant Services, UNYTS.  UNYTS is an Organ Procurement Organization (OPO) that covers the 8 counties of Western New York.   There are 58 OPOs in the United States and their job is to evaluate potential donors, discuss donation with families, arrange for the surgical removal of donated organs or tissues, preserve those organs, and arrange for their distribution according to national organ sharing policies.  In addition to this, UNYTS also runs a community blood bank, offering a lower cost alternative for area hospitals regarding blood purchasing. I have completed two trainings so far, the first was the initial volunteer orientation and the second was a speaker training.  UNYTS has a Talk it Up Program that provides speakers to schools and other organiza...

Something I was reminded of in a BIG way while I was in Jackson was the power of friendship.  It can and does last the test of time.  Your true friends know and love you for who you are.  No matter how much time goes by, or how we change, they still SEE us. These are two of my best high school friends, Jenny and Amy.  We were a part of a group of 5 girls who hung out and did everything together.  We all shared values, went to the same church, and loved each other dearly.  We also all went separate ways for college, distances from each other. Every break we would get together and continue our awesome friendship.  And through the years, that friendship hasn't changed.  When we're together I feel like we are in high school again, no time has even passed.  To me, that is a sign of a really good friendship! We had the opportunity to reconnect in Jackson and it was truly a homecoming for me. Here we are, 17 years later, yet feeling like w...

Help Push the Clinical Trials Bill Over the Finish Line: Visit Your Representative in Your Community YOU can help more people participate in CF clinical trials, increase awareness of CF, and foster relationships between members of the CF community and Congress by signing up for Make Every Breath Count , the CF Foundation’s third annual national advocacy campaign. Once you register, your State Advocacy Chair or a Foundation staff person will give you the tools and support you will need to meet with your members of Congress. On Thursday, June 24, two dozen teens from all over the country came to Washington, DC to advocate on behalf of their siblings, cousins, and friends with cystic fibrosis. Thanks to the combined power of your efforts and the advocacy of these teens, 14 additional members of Congress signed on to cosponsor the “Improving Access to Clinical Trials Act” within days of the event, with more working to join the legislation soon. Your calls, emails, letters, and ...

Okay, my final post for today and I think I am all caught up.  We drove to Pittsburgh last Sunday and had appointments on Monday and a Bronch on Tuesday.  My appointments went GREAT!  I got a new record on my Pulmonary Function Tests, my FEV1 was 109%, I was SUPER excited!  I got to see Dr. Pilewski which is always a treat, what a sweet man he is! I also had an opportunity to meet a friend that I met on this blog, Crystal, who is preparing for transplant.  We caught her before her transplant orientation.  It was great to give her a hug and reassure her that things will get better.  While I was there I popped into the orientation class and briefly shared my story.  It was really neat to tell the people in that room about what they had to look forward to.  All of them are in a really scary place right now and I hope I gave them a glimpse of hope.  We also stopped by my pre-transplant coordinator Paul's office.  He give...

We had a great trip to Rochester last weekend.  My mother-in-law was able to come along to experience her first Feis and Scott's and my nerves.  Hannah had a rough feis due to not practicing while we were in Jackson, but still walked away with three 2nds and two 5ths. After the Feis, we visited Scott's Rochester cousins, the Matthews.  Jeff, Jennifer and their kids were wonderful hosts and served a delicious cookout.  Jeff's brother Bret and his family also stopped by.  It was great to see all of the kids, it is hard to believe how big they are getting! I got another special surprise.  Jennifer had connected me with a mother of a child with CF and we were finally able to meet.  The gorgeous little girl in black is Julia.  She is 3 and she has CF too.  It was nice spending time with her and her mom, Caren! A party just isn't a party without a slip and slide! What a wonderful weekend!

I already feel like it was a lifetime ago that we were in Jackson.  Is it really possible that we flew home just a week ago?  So much has happened since we got home that I have just gotten lost in the shuffle. I thought you would like to see our last day in Jackson... We celebrated my nephew, Brian's, Birthday with a cookout, cupcakes, and movies for the boys and girls. I think he liked the Wii game we got him! The kids enjoyed their last day together playing and enjoying the beauty of Jackson (or at least I'd like to believe they were enjoying that view, but we are talking about children.) Our dear friends the Tallbergs came for a visit.  I haven't seen them since my wedding 14 years ago. Meg and Eric have been in my life since I was a baby.  Their daughter, Gretchen, was my very first friend. It was so incredible to see them both looking so well! While the boys went to Toy Story 3, the girls FINALLY got to see Eclipse.  It was well worth the w...

These two girls give me the chills every time I see them perform.  They aren't letting CF stand in the way of their dreams.  Hopefully, you all know by now, that is my message.  Never let anything stand between you and your dreams! I am so excited for Christina and Ali because I loved to sing when I was their age.  Yes, it isn't easy to sing when you can barely breathe, yet there can be such great joy found in song.  I miss singing, all of tubes shoved down my throat have pretty well destroyed my singing voice, so, Christina and Ali, I'll live vicariously through you. Please continue to support these lovely sisters.  I recently found out they are from Idaho Falls.  That is where my parents took me for all of my CF appointments, the Salt Lake doctors had a satellite clinic there, so I am very familiar with their home. Next stop, FINALS!

Just a quick post to let you all know we arrived home safely yesterday afternoon.  What a wonderful trip!  It was so terrific spending time with my niece and nephews. We leave for Rochester today for an Irish Dance competition, then we will head to Pittsburgh on Sunday for appointments at UPMC.  Please pray all goes well! I'll be in touch in a few days!  All my love!  Nancy

Meeting the Carruth kids at the airport. According to the kids I drank A LOT of coffee, but what do you expect after only 2 hours of sleep. We had a three hour layover in the Salt Lake airport.   The kids were good about keeping themselves entertained! Arriving at the airport in Jackson. Mom and Dad's house, what an awesome sight! We took a hike to Phelps Lake.  It was so awesome to hike in Jackson again! Hannah, Amber, and Brian Hannah and Amber have been best friends the whole trip, how fun to have a cousin so close in age! My Dad and Me Burr, the lake was COLD!  But look at those crazy kids anyway. What a beautiful day! My rock climbing monkey! Sweet Amber! We saw a lot of animals, a bull and cow moose, antelope, deer, elk, bison, chipmunks, ground squirrels, marmots, and a snake! The Grand Teton Mountain Range MY three girls! Amber, Brian, Grama Ann, Mikey, Granddaddy, and Hannah This is Mt. Moran, Scott's favorite mountai...