Cooper Family

Cooper Family
May 3, Sun 8/7c
Ty and the gang travel to Martin County, NC, to honor a decorated disabled Veteran who has worked with congress to improve Veterans' benefits.

The Jordan Family – Aired April 24, 2009

The Jordan Family
Montgomery, AL

Brady Jordan, Dad

Monica Jordan, Mom

Brittany (Age 23) – Daughter. Wants to be a pediatrician

Miles (Age 15) – Son/Grandson. Wants to be a professional basketball player, but has a backup plan to become an engineer. Miles’ mother was killed by her fiancée, during domestic violence. He then turned the gun on himself.

Shaun (Age 14) Daughter/Granddaughter. She is interested in poetry.

Tay Tay (Age 11) Son/Grandson. He is interested in Earth Science. Tay Tay was only 5-yrs old when his father, William, was killed in a car accident caused by a drunk driver. Shaun and Tay Tay are brother and sister.

Brady and Monica Jordan had three children. They had raised them, and each were becoming successful in their own right.

Their oldest daughter joined the military in order to afford college, and was going off to boot camp shortly. She wanted to become a lawyer, and practice law with her mother as a partner. Then tragedy struck. No one knows exactly why, but her fiancé took her off to “talk” to her, and shot and killed her instead. He then called the police to confess, and shot and killed himself. This left a small child, Miles, without his mother.

The Jordan’s also had an older son, named William. William had two children: Shaun and Tay Tay. One night, William was killed in a car crash, caused by a drunk driver.

Instead of just letting someone else be responsible for their grandchildren, Monica and Brady welcomed them into their lives, and gave them a healthy and stable home. These children will grow up with values that they might not otherwise have because of the influences of their grandparents. They are growing up calling their grandparents “mom and dad.” Under these circumstances, that is such a healthy thing. I thought this was such a special family, because they were so committed to each other. They remind me of my own family.

My father died, at age 34, from lung cancer. I was only 9 years old. My grandparents took us into their home for a whole year. We lived with them, while my mother settled things. Then, they continued to help out for the rest of our childhood, young adult and adult lives. It’s interesting: They were retired. They were on a fixed income. They had their retirement years planned. And yet, they were there to help us within hours of my father’s death, even though they lived on the other side of the state. They put aside their "plans" and made our lives part of theirs. I’ve asked my grandmother about this, and her answer was, “We never thought about it. It was just the only thing to do. We are a family.”

I believe the Jordan Family is that kind of family. It was the only option. They are a family. I love that Extreme Makeover Home Edition helped out this family.

Design Team:
Ty Pennington – Brady and Monica’s Master Bedroom. Special Project: Unique “Helping Hands” Photos all around the room, inspired by Monica grasping Ty’s hand when she first met him, and not letting go.
Paul DiMeo – Miles “Basketball” room and Tay Tay’s “Earth Science” room
Tracy Hutson – Brittany’s “Study and Medical” room and Shaun’s “Poetry” Room
Eduardo Xol – House and Landscape Design.

Monica speaks out against domestic violence and drunk driving. She is very active with speaking engagements at churches and schools. She makes a difference in her community.

M.A.D.D. (Mother’s Against Drunk Driving) and Tracy Hutson did an exhibit of crashed cars in front of Biscuit (Riverwalk) Stadium for William.

Paul DiMeo helped with an exhibit of cut out portraits of victims of domestic violence at the campus of Auburn University, Montgomery, AL.

Auburn University, gave Monica and each of her children a full scholarship to get her law degree, and for them to go on to college.

The Home Builders paid off the Jordan family’s mortgage, so that they would not have to worry about that. (Pretty cool!)

This all helps ensure that this family will have a hopeful future.

“When you choose to get into a car and drive, after you drink. That is an act of violence. When you choose to take the life of another, in any fashion. That is an act of violence.
I will continue to speak out against acts of violence.” Monica Jordan

EMHE The Kadzis Family - Aired Easter Sunday, April 12, 2009

I’ve got to get this posted. I can hardly think straight. I can hardly see through the tears! I am not all right. It’s taken me so long to post this because I can’t stop crying. Every time I begin to write, I start crying again. Ben had to be on my lap during the whole two hour show. It impacted us in such a strong way.

I think this one touched me so deeply because of the death of both of my parents to cancer. Dad in 1970 of Lung cancer, and mom in 1987 from complications from breast cancer. I don’t think you ever “get over” something like that. I think you just “get through” it. It impacts you for the rest of your life, hopefully not as severely as in the beginning. (Crying... need to stop for a minute.)

Dr. George Kadzis (Dentist) fought and won the battle with brain tumors in 2005. He now has stage 4 brain cancer and he is not going to get better. He knew his family would be fine because they have each other, but their house was too small for the family of 9! (I can relate!) One of the children (Martin) slept on the couch in the living room.

George wanted his family to have a safe secure home. That would give him peace, knowing that he would be leaving Barbara to raise the children. (Crying again. I can’t seem to get through this.)

The night before the ABC EMHE Design Team came, George was hospitalized. The swelling in his brain was just too much. He was experiencing (hopefully temporary) blindness, plus additional symptoms that were not really discussed.

The Kadzis family adopted six children from Chinese orphanages, five of them with special needs. Most of these children are considered “unadoptable” due to their special conditions. I have been told that in China, these children are considered “Unlucky” and Chinese people will not (I have to put in: in most cases.) adopt them. When they go home to be with their new family’s, then they are considered “Lucky.” The Kadzis family sought after these children, to give them a home and a family. What a special heart for children!

How the design team treated each of these children is especially noteworthy. Michael Maloney took the time to guide Melody’s hand down the length of the stretch limo, while he described it, so she could really know and experience what the family was leaving for vacation in.

Paige Hemmis tried learning some sign language as she was getting to know Aileen and Julia. Paige took pictures in the sand outside their vacation home, for their ocean/stars room. These girls had the cutest bumper sticker: "Made in China, Loved in the USA"

ABC and Extreme Makeover Home Edition Design Team gave this unique family a distinctive local vacation so that Barbara could be close to George in the hospital. EMHE rented them a beautiful beach vacation home right there in Tallahassee, FL.

Kadzis Family:

George (Dad). Loving, Devoted husband and father.

Barbara (Mom). A very strong wife and mother. You know this family will be all right, but you just want, so much, for her long-time friend, confidant and husband to be all right too. For Barbara's sake.

Chris (Age 16) Boy. Very understated, intuitive son. Music themed room

Aileen (Age 15) Girl. Beautifully articulate and helps her sister speak via sign language. Beach room shared with sister Julia.

Melody (Age 14) Girl. Blind at birth. Definitley understated. She was adopted at an older age, and had never lived in a family before. George and Barbara felt that she had the most difficult time with the old house. We all got the impression that this teenaged child had a lot to say. She just wanted a bookshelf to hold her partial Braille Holy Bible, which looked to be home-bound.

Julia (Age 13). Girl. Deaf. In China, she could not receive the education she needed to learn to talk. Here she is learning, and thriving. Her sister Aileen helps her out a lot. She wanted a room with stars. 

Martin (Age 10) Boy. Missing several bones in his arms at birth. Ever since he came to the U.S. he has been obsessed with American Trains. Received a specially designed Caboose bed with a trundle that held a model train.

Phoenix (Age 9) Girl. She was the first Kadzis family adoption. She was born with a cleft  palate, and required several surgeries, first in China, then in the U.S. Phoenix begged her mom and dad for a little sister, and they adopted Celeste!

Celeste (Age 6) Girl. She was also born with a cleft palate, and required several surgeries. Phoenix and Celeste both want to be teachers. Celeste wants to be an art teacher. The Design Team gave them a school bedroom.

The Tallahassee, FL community came together and made “Welcome Home” and “Get Well” cards for George and Barbara. Barbara took the “Get Well” cards to the hospital for George to enjoy. (Crying, again!) The love and mutual respect of these two was so apparent.

They are a very musically talented family. Barbara and George said that when the children would initially come home from China, they couldn’t communicate except that music was a universal language. Michael designed a music room with a baby grand piano, and made a unique art piece out of retired musical instruments above it.

I really think Ty Pennington connected with this family; offering hugs and stability at the appropriate times to Barbara. He was so respectful to especially when it came to George. The camera’s were not invited into the hospital room, and Ty was very reverent of that. (Crying yet again. I told you, I am a mess!) You kind of saw everything through a haze. I am so glad for that, because in the future, these children may want to watch the video of this episode, and they won’t have to be reminded of George’s last few days.

The family signed “Bus driver, move that bus!” together. That was so beautiful! Visually, practically and sentimentally.

So let me tell you, that Melody, the understated teenage girl that was blind since birth, was so much fun to watch when she got to “see” her room! The designers of the Kadzis home gave her a 3/16’ scale model of their new 3600 square foot, single level home, in order to help her make a “mind map” of it. This should help her to be independent much quicker, because it is so hard for people who are blind to function in new surroundings. Her room came with a new specialized computer system with a scanner, and a braille reader so she can “read” books that are not available in braille yet. 

Melody received the Complete Hard Bound Edition of The Holy Bible, written in Braille. How absolutely fabulous, because this meant so much to Melody! I love that part of EMHE... they try so hard to make everything so individually special.

The EMHE Design Team gave her a scanner system in the kitchen that reads bar coded labels. This helps her be more independent in the kitchen. She will be able to choose her own snacks, and I would imagine be able to eventually help out with the cooking.

The Design Team for this episode:

Ty Pennington - George and Barbara’s master bedroom, and bathroom (I think it was handicapped accessible, but you couldn’t really tell that.) Designed to help with George’s recovery.

Paige Hemmis - matched with Aileen, Julia, Phoenix, and Celeste. She took all the girls!

Michael Maloney - Interior design of the house, and Chris’ musical bedroom.

John Littleton - matched with Martin, designed the Caboose bed, and train trundle, with an amazing Train mural, and individualized work/study desk.

And finally, as a special gift to the Kadzis Family; EMHE brought in Stevie Wonder. Mr. Wonder sang a specially adjusted version of “I Just Called To Say I Love You.” Specially adjusted to reflect the Kadzis Family. It was so touching. He is such an amazing musician, and an positive representation for special needs people. (Crying, yes again.)

George Kadzis did not get to come home to his new home. He passed away three days after the Family moved in to the new home.

My deepest sympathy to Barbara Kadzis. Your love for George is a testament to all of us. I am so happy that ABC and EMHE came to help you, and that George was able to know that prior to his passing.

George Kadzis (1952 - 2009)

The Nickless Family (Re-aired)

Tim Nickless was a nurse working in Critical Intensive Care Unit of a Lansing, MI. He also taught Advanced Cardiac Life Support at Lansing Community College. Tim contracted Hepatitis C, which he battled for seven years. Tim passed away January 18, 2008 leaving a wife, Arlene and three sons: Aaron (age 11), Noah (age 9), Andrew (age 7).

Arlene and Tim lived in a 148 year old home that Tim was restoring, but it was in really bad condition. Tim told Arlene that if anything happened to him, “Let go of the house, it’ll take you down.” But they were stuck. Arlene Nickless couldn’t sell the house for what they had invested in it.

Tim had a workshop in the basement of the house, and he made beautiful hand-turned bowls, and worked on the house. He was teaching his sons to make things with the tools, and they were continuing on after his death.

There is a place that the boys could go, called “Ellie’s Place” that helps the boys with their grief. Michael and Paige went there and asked the kids to help them out on Noah’s room.

I could have used a place like Ellie’s Place when my dad died. I was 9 years old, like Noah, when my dad passed away from lung cancer. I had a really hard time working through the grief. It would have nice to have had other kids to talk to who had gone through something similar. I remember the time another child asked me: “What’s it like not to have a dad?” I responded: “What’s it like to have one?”

Design Team

- Ty Pennington created a unique master bedroom for Arlene Nickless (mom) that included a headboard with vases of yellow roses (very special to Arlene because Tim used to give her rose bushes) and a special master bed with hand-turned legs.

- Paige Hemmis created an electronics room with a “secret” room for Aaron Nickless (age 11)

- Michael Maloney- created building blocks room with a star-ship bed for Noah Nickless (age 9.) It was based on an idea from Noah himself.

- Rib Hillis created an Airplane room for Andrew Nickless (age 7) which had a handcrafted bed made to look like a propeller airplane.

Ed Sanders - Finished the clubhouse that Tim Nickless had started. He included a piece of wood that Tim had written on: “Aaron, Noah, Andrew I love you, Dad” Ed made it into a plaque for the clubhouse. The really neat thing was that it was a complete surprise to the boys. They had never seen it before.

The Nickless family was sent on a vacation to DisneyWorld. Pretty cool!

Lansing Community College and University of Michigan gave the Nickless boys a grant for a total of four years of college.

They were given a brand new 2009 Ford Flex seven passenger vehicle that had a special detailing of airplanes on the roof.
Their brand new garage was a mixture of old and new. Old tools from Tim, and brand new Craftsman tools from Sears

The grand finale was the airplane that flew overhead and read: “Welcome Home Nickless Family!” That was so cool.

This episode originally aired in November of 2008.

Next week is the Kadzis Family (a 2-hour special!)

April 2009 Families Served

I am having problems with the battery for my old MAC Powerbook, so I can't make this look right for a little while (until the new one comes.)

April 3, 2009 Donation Station
# Families Served: 37 (not too bad for Spring Break week)
# in Family's: 177
#Female Children: 55
# Male Children: 52

We also culled out all the older clothes and donated them to another non-profit organzation. We will receive new donations from the Just Between Friends Sale, held April 16, 17, 18th!
Great job everyone!

The Almquist Family - "Forever Wild"

Last night EMHE was about a family in Phelan, CA that helps out a lot of abandoned and abused exotic animals through their exotic animal sanctuary, "Forever Wild." Kind of like our local "Cat Tales." These are animals that someone decided was a cute and cuddly baby, but then didn't want any more when that baby grew up to be an unpredictable wild animal. Some of the large cats had been de-clawed, and it sounds like that is not very successful in big cats, because it seems that many of them had to have surgeries to correct serious problems from the original de-clawing. So sad. My heart goes out to any animal that is placed in a home and then abandoned. These animals can never be introduced into the wild, because they've been taken care of all their lives. The only thing that will happen is that they will go looking for someone to take care of them.

In addition to large cats, there were tortoises, horses, dogs, pigs, goats, a deer, a parrot of some kind, and many varieties of (poisonous) snakes.

The Almquist Family was running this learning facility to care for the animals, but their house was falling apart, and infested with mice. They were spending their own money to provide meat for the animals, and preparing it in their own kitchen. The Dad (Joel) had been recently laid off from his job.

EMHE built them a new home plus a really impressive new learning center, with a specialty kitchen for the animal food preparation, and housing for the animals, complete with play yard. They provided solar panels to offset 70% of the electricity needed to operate the facility. They were given 4-year college educations for their four children. A brand new Ford F150 truck that had a computer and printer built into it (That's so cool!)

EMHE sent them to Costa Rica on vacation (glorious warmth!), and the family was given the opportunity to work at another facility there helping build a bridge so that monkeys wouldn't get electrocuted on power lines or ran over by cars crossing the busy streets.

What an interesting family, and what an impressive build. It held my attention for two hours!

Number of Families served 2008/2009... so far!

I just got through crunching numbers from "A Hope and A Future's Donation Station." Guess what? We've had the opportunity to serve 1835 people involved in foster and adoptive care since our season began September 2008!


Whoo Hoo! No wonder we're tired!

UPDATE: The EMHE application has been sent!

Yesterday (March 10, 2009), I sent our application package off to ABC's Extreme Makeover Home Edition. It should arrive around 12:00 Noon today (originally, March 11, 209.)

I sent them:
- 4 mini DVD's full:
- Of our home
- A Hope and A Future's "Donation Station"
- Interview's with wonderful people that help support Donation Station
- Interview's with wonderful people that use Donation Station
- Interview with my beautiful 93-year old grandmother
- My interview

In addition I sent:
- Approximately 100 pictures
- The nearly 20 pages of application
- Oh, and a nice copy of our property via Google Earth (their newest was from 2003).

Boy I hope I got everything! I have fretted and fussed for over 4 weeks trying to coordinate everything. Gather the information. Wake up in the middle of the night, thinking of things I'd like to include, without telling them what to do. I have such complete confidence in this process. They are fully capable of asking us, if they need the information. The past 1-1/2 weeks was pretty intense!

It was hard work, but I am happy to do it. I was even happier to have it done. Now, I have to let it go. I still find myself, thinking of stuff I could have given them to make them want to PICK ME!

If we are chosen, at some point I won't be allowed to update this. It's against the rules, and makes it impossible to surprise you all. So don't expect that we can tell you "insider" information. If chosen, I'll be as quiet as a mouse.

What you can expect, if you know us, is that if we are chosen... just as soon as we are approved to, you'll be invited over to fully enjoy the blessing we will have been given. 

Update From US Post Office:
Label/Receipt Number: EB99 5241 560U S
Associated Label/Receipt:
Detailed Results:

Delivered, March 11, 2009, 3:23 pm, LOS ANGELES, CA 90038
Notice Left, March 11, 2009, 10:29 am, LOS ANGELES, CA 90038
Arrival at Pick-Up-Point, March 11, 2009, 10:25 am, LOS ANGELES, CA 90038
Arrival at Pick-Up-Point, March 11, 2009, 10:12 am, LOS ANGELES, CA 90038
Arrival at Unit, March 11, 2009, 7:18 am, LOS ANGELES, CA 90009
Processed, March 10, 2009, 5:10 pm, SPOKANE, WA 99224
Acceptance, March 10, 2009, 4:00 pm, SPOKANE, WA 99205

Extreme Makeover Home Edition!

I can't help thinking: Wouldn't it be awesome to have Ty Pennington, and The Design Team show up at my house yelling through a megaphone: “Good Morning, Grytdal Family! Glenn, Carla, Kolina, Parker, Ben and Molly! Wake up and come out here!” I can see myself and my family running out the front door, laughing, and crying. I’d hug each one of them. So glad to see them, so thankful they were here!

Every Sunday, for the past four years we’ve made sure we are ready precisely at 8:00 p.m. (Mountain Pacific Time) I sit in my chair, lately with a quilt on cause it’s so cold outside. Sometimes with a six year old on my lap, because he can sense that mom might need to snuggle one of her children before the show’s done.

I can remember the stage, where Ben wanted me to make his hair “spicey, just like Ty’s!” I can’t tell you how many time’s I’ve cried pools of tears because the families were so wonderful, and so deserving. I have cried because the house was so perfect for the site and so perfect for the family. I’ve cried because some child would have a better life, because if it.

I can envision us showing our 1067 square foot home to Ty. Telling him the problems with our house, and why it doesn’t work for us, any more. I’d tell him why my fourteen year old daughter has no place to go to read at night, because her three year old sister will wake up if she goes in their bedroom to read. They share a 10'X10' room. The same situation is true of my thirteen and six year old sons. The older two have both been known to go outside to our mini van to read in peace. That's a lot more comfortable in the summer than it is right now!

I’d show him our small kitchen, which isn't big enough for a dinner table. There isn't a dining room. I'd explain that I love to invite people over, but I haven't had a place to put them for many years. I'd explain that my youngest son has a food allergy, and that I cook most of our food at home, because it is healthier for all of us, and much better for him. I love to provide locally grown food for my family.

I’d show him the mold on the bathroom ceiling, because the fan can’t keep up with six people showering/bathing. I'd show him the second bath tub, which we can't use because it has a crack in the bottom, and we can't afford to remove and replace it. The bathroom is so small, we'd have to replace the tub/shower with a shower stall, only. It's been storage for our extra stuff for at least four years.

I’d show him the places in our kitchen and our living room where the decorative molding is separating from the wall/ceiling due to settling of our house. I'd show him the sink in the kitchen, and how the facing is separating from the wall. And I’d show him how the house is set up on cinder blocks for a foundation.

How there are no sidewalks and no mud room, and why that is a bad thing with four children.

I would tell him why we had to give up our Washington State Foster Care license last September after six years, because there wasn’t any more bedrooms to put foster children in. How two of our four children were adopted from the Child Welfare System, and why I am so proud of them.

The Design Team would each choose one of my children to “get to know them” so they can design the perfect room for them. How do they do that? They get it right every time!

I’d love to tell them about the non-profit organization: “A Hope and A Future” which I am the (volunteer) Executive Director of, and which helps foster and adoptive families. I am one of three founders of this organization.

Foster and Adoptive families are some of the most giving people in our society. They give their time. They give their money. They give their homes, wisdom, and families. And they give their hearts.

A Hope and A Future is the only service organization in our area, available to encourage and help retain the entire foster and adoptive family in a tangible way. We provide new and gently-used clothing and household goods. We serve an average of between 55 and 75 families each month (over 300 people.) And we serve the entire family (biological, adoptive and foster.)

Right now we don’t have a building, or office of our own. My living room and bedroom are the office and file room. A well-used laptop (Mac PowerBook G4) was donated to us, and it has been an magnificent help for the past two years. An incredible donation of a brand new printer last year, was so helpful. The Five-Mile Prairie Grange is very generously allowing us the use of their facilities. At this time, and for the past five years, we have needed to transport all of our donated goods by U-Haul; set up; host “Donation Station;” and then tear down; and transport back to our rented storage unit; and store. All within approximately six hours. It takes about 25-30 volunteers to host "Donation Station" each month, and we are getting tired.

We could set up our free “store” permanently. Organizing the clothing by size, on hanging racks. We've gathered hanging racks, over the past several years and they are on the North side of our shop. The household goods could be organized on display racks and tables. We'd love to be able to serve foster and adoptive families better and more often. We could help out on an emergency basis, when a child shows up at a foster home at 2:00 a.m. without any clothes. When the police close down the meth house they live in, all their clothes and toys have to be destroyed. Some times all they have is the blanket they were given after the hazardous incident “shower.” D.C.F.S. simply does not have the storage available to provide the necessary clothing for all the children they help. We could provide pajamas, a clean stuffed animal, a few toys, and clothing for the next day. And then they could come back and we could provide them with more! We can always use new and gently-used pajamas, diapers, and clothing of all sizes, for all ages.

We could add so many additional services to area foster and adoptive families, if we could just have a place where we can set up permanently. I envision a lounge area for foster and adoptive parents to enjoy while waiting for children to finish visitations, physical therapies, psychological therapies, etc. “Coffee, Tea, or Soda?” A safe comfortable place, with a play room, and reading room to enjoy with their other children, not participating in court ordered services. I have a dream of a professional choir made up of foster children. One that tours to places they can only dream of, in order to raise awareness of America’s invisible children, of all races/ethnicities. Also office space.

Sunday night is the only night that Ben is allowed to stay up past bedtime. He loves the show so much, how could we prevent him from seeing people gathering together from all over America, giving of their time. Giving of their money; giving because it is the right thing to do for others; giving because it is truly better than receiving. Brought together by the awesome personalities of Ty Pennington, Michael Maloney, Paige Hemmis, Ed Sanders, Paul DiMeo, Tracy Hutson, Tanya McQueen, Rib Hillis, John Littlefield, Didiayer Snyder, and Eduardo Xol.

Remember the episode where Ed Sanders got his hand severely injured by a saw while building a unique (and extremely beautiful) piece of furniture for the bedroom he was working on? It was miserable weather, and they were way behind. Everyone was so tired, and he made a mistake, and it hurt him, badly. I was truly worried about him, and was so glad when he recovered and was able to return to the show! I love his british accent, and how he pesters “Pauli” (Paul DeMeo.) And Pauli... he’s such a hoot! I love Paige Hemmis. She is so intelligent and talented, and is such an incredible role model for women. I would love it if my daughter’s would use their intelligence and learn to be handy, like that! And Michael Maloney... how can you not just fall in love with his perpetually cheery personality, and phenomenal smile?

We are always impressed with the "Green" builds. We love the idea of solar and wind power. My husband is particularly interested in that part of the show, since he is a Stationary Engineer and an HVAC Technician by trade.

He has the illustrious distinction of being Spokane County's budget cut, not just once... but twice! You know the drill. Last one hired; first one laid off. Now the wonderful news is that he has always been employed. We are a single income family, and I think he would work for a fast food restaurant, if he had too, in order to provide. But we have lost a lot of our personal income, to their budget cuts. 'Nuf said!

So what am I doing? Why, I’ll tell you! I am gathering together the information to send in to ABC. I am completing my application package (I'm making a list, and checking it twice!) And if you know my family, and you feel inspired to do so, I am providing you all the links to nominate our family. But only if you want to.

I long to hear the words: “Bus driver, move that bus!" and “Welcome home, Grytdal family, Welcome home!”

Extreme Makeover Home Edition Applications - Click here if you or someone you know can be helped by the Extreme Makeover Home Edition team. (Off KXLY’s website)

Lend a Hand

Lend a hand to one another,
In the daily toils of life;
When we meet a weaker brother,
Let us help him in the strife.
There is none so rich but may,
In his turn, be forced to borrow;
And the poor man’s lot to-day
May become our own to-morrow.

Lend a hand to one another:
When malicious tongues have thrown;
Dark suspicion on your brother,
Be not prompt to cast a stone.
There is none so good that may,
Run adrift in shame and sorrow,
And the good man of to-day.
May become the bad to-morrow.

Lend a hand to one another;
In the race for Honor’s crown;
Should it fall upon your brother,
Let not envy tear it down.
Lend a hand to all, we pray,
In their sunshine or their sorrow:
And the prize they’ve won to-day
May become our own to-morrow.

Out of the McGuffey Readers

EMHE - The Bell Family

14 year old Lizzie Bell, from Tuscon, AZ, has a rare blood decease that requires her to receive blood transfusions. There are only about 750 people in the whole world who have this decease. She is dedicated to inspire people to give blood. What a noble cause! This story will help so many people.

Although I am unable to give blood, do to a childhood illness, Glenn is a member of the "Gallon Club" at our local blood bank. He is one of only 7% of all people that have O negative blood. This is the type of blood that is the most universal in the ability to give to others. It means that in a pinch, if there is not enough blood of a specific type, they can transfuse O negative blood. Unfortunately, that also means that he is only able to receive O negative blood. But thankfully, he has never needed a blood transfusion.

The design team gave the Bell Family a beautiful "green" home, complete with solar power, and tube skylighting. There was a wonderful outdoor kitchen for entertaining in the Arizona outdoors.

Ty made Lizzies room his "special project." She loves the color yellow and designing clothes. Ty made her room an incredible and bright shade of yellow, and took one of her designs and had it make up into the first of her own line of clothing "A Positive" How special is that? It was really cute, by the way... I think she has talent!

One of the things that Lizzie said is: "If you give blood only one time a year, you are saving a persons life. It might be an accident victim, or it might be someone, like me." WOW! Make's it worth it, that little pin prick. It sure makes it worth it.

Good job, Lizzie.

Avocados In Winter!

One of the things that I’ve really missed about living in this house is plants. I mean, we have two small Aloe Vera plants that I just recently bought, but other than that, nothing. Really, where would we put them? The only window that faces south, is in our girls room. Our east facing windows are in the boys room, living room and kitchen (where the aloe vera lives.) One window to the north, also in the kitchen. And two windows to the west, in our master bedroom (again no room.)

I miss plants in my house!

A couple years ago, I decided to grow a Avocado plant from seed. They are easy, fun and inexpensive to grow. I started it shortly after the first part of January, when the snow was deep. I decided that it would be the positive thought that would keep us going through the rest of the winter and spring, and lead us to getting our addition project under way. Ah! The power of positive thinking! Well, it really didn’t work out that way. We just couldn’t swing the addition that year.

Since it got to big and gangly to live indoors, due to a serious lack of daylight, I had to move it outside during the summer. And it was getting into the fall, and I couldn’t find anyone who wanted to babysit my Avocado plant during the winter. It died. I decided that I wouldn’t do that again. It kind of turned into one of those “not such a good idea” things.

I have a friend from California who told me about how incredible the smell of orange blossoms are in the Spring. I’ve never experienced that myself, but her description was wonderful. Ever since then I’ve wondered if I could grow a couple of those miniature orange trees (a lemon, and a lime too) so that we could experience that smell in Spring in Washington. I know that I would enjoy their look, and just watching them grow. It would add interest to our dreary winter days.

I hope that we can do the addition this year. We so badly need the room, and the encouragement, too. I really can’t wait to grow some more avocado plants for our bigger, improved home. I think it would be so wonderful to see them grow taller and fuller. And, maybe... just maybe, we can grow avocados in Winter.