Hawaii

Last May I was in Hawaii for the very first time. I really thought it would be my first and only trip, and I was surprised when Rhea Lana asked me if I wanted to go again! Our Rhea Lana's of Honolulu franchise sold to a new owner and we decided to send some franchise support: me!

This time Richard couldn't go so I was instructed by him to not have a lot of fun, but just to mostly work. It was so strange to be in a place so far away where I recognized so much! I drove myself across the big island every morning and every night. My motel room was in between Diamond Head volcano and the ocean. I don't want to live there, but it sure is surreal to me!

My pictures this time around are a little funky! I saw funny signs and things you wouldn't see other places and kept snapping pictures. I also worked every day in a beautiful, busy mall. I'll post the pictures of our great Honolulu event and our TV appearance in another post.

My FAVORITE Bath and Body scent is Velvet Tuberose. This lei had tuberoses on it. They grow in a stalk and this lei was so potent, people were sniffing the air around me. Now I have a wonderful association for my favorite scented lotion!

This is a shopper's foot at our event. She has the Hawaiian islands tatooed on her foot. I posted this pic on my Facebook page and a couple people gasped when they thought it was mine! I'm anti-tatoos, so this would've been funny! Anyway, I asked if I could take a pic and she said "yes!" She told me I wasn't the first person to take a picture of her tatoo!

Go Panthers

Erin is the CJH mascot next year! It's our compromise about cheerleading. She really loves to jump, yell and tumble, so we're hoping this is a good fit for her. She attended three days of cheer camp in town and had a great time! The girl loves life!

Softball

There's not much to say about Sheridan's softball season. In fact, it was over 2 weeks ago and I don't think I made a post the entire season. Before the season there were 5 practices and two of them were cancelled. It was a pretty much a wierd schedule with 4 games two weeks in a row and then two weeks off and then another game. Highlights would include playing with her best friends Parker and Anna Grace. And, having a red jersey and team name "Razorbacks."

So Worth The Wait

I haven't posted on the ADOPTION in a few weeks. Not much has changed. Our house is still for sale. It's been shown twice, with one offer and one "like." We are scheduled to show again on Monday. Keeping the house perfectly ready to show isn't easy, and we don't really, but we have to be ready for "the call" to show.



I had an unlikely conversation with two new RL franchise owners at our conference last weekend. Both ladies joined a table late at night in the eating area of the hotel where we were staying. The conversation turned to our families and I mentioned the pending adoption. In the next 30 minutes they BOTH shared their own stories of strange happenings and miracles that took place for them to be adoptive parents. I had chills with each telling.



I've come to the conclusion that when God's hand moves it's always a bit strange, because we never see it coming! Again, I commit to wait patiently and not miss the workings of the Lord in our lives.

Getting some Press

River Valley All-Stars: Ryan Rogers
Mon, 06/06/2011 - 4:04pm Category: Sports
ByMark Freeman
mark@rivervalleyleader.com
Clarksville junior Ryan Rogers has about a year to make the biggest decision of his young life.

Rogers has been named All-State in baseball after batting .534 with three home runs and 11 doubles, while reaching base at a .671 clip.

After a football season that saw the all-everything Rogers play offense, defense and special teams, Rogers was also contacted by both participants in the 2011 National Championship Game. Auburn and Oregon both emailed the strong-legged Panther, as news of his 50-yard field goal spread around the country.

“This summer will go a long way in determining what I’ll do at the next level,” Rogers said. “Right now I plan to play college baseball.”

Rogers plans to attend baseball camps this summer--- including the Extra Innings All-Star events for underclassmen July 6-7 in Jonesboro--- before switching gears back to football. Rogers received the most votes in the 4A-4 district to nab the Extra Innings honor.

The Panthers’ baseball season was, as Rogers called it, a successful one. Clarksville needed to beat Subiaco and Dover in a doubleheader to win conference, something Rogers said the team took a great deal of pride in doing.

In the regional tournament, Rogers and the Panthers fell to the eventual state runners up Prairie Grove, as the Tigers pitched their ace, whose fastball topped out in the upper eighties.

Coming into the season, Rogers worked on his catching skills, as Coach Jake Hudson found that saving his best fielder by playing him in the middle of the infield would not work with his young pitching staff. Rogers practiced blocking pitches and strengthening his arm, and throughout the season he cut down several runners trying to steal.

The best baseball game Rogers had from this season was against Subiaco, where he hit two home runs, a single and a double, just missing the cycle by a triple.

But as for the best memory from the 2011 year---in true Panther fashion--- Rogers chose a walk-off homer to beat Ozark.

“It was a really good year,” Rogers said. “It was fun; we were winning, so that made it even more fun.”