In the middle of the storm, Donna and mom came to visit for Jaime and Trampus' annual Halloween Party that Dean and I always go to. This year's theme was Tim Burton and we went all out. We pregamed at Olive or Twist and shot a Geek Parlor in full costume! The laughter, the escape was good for my soul.
Stuck in California over Thanksgiving for two weeks sad, alone, uncertain, with minimal money but God was well ahead of me. Candice now lives in Fresno with her new man and his kids, Mom and Gary had long since planned to be there for a week. So to save money, when I didn't have to be in Long Beach I drove to Candice's house in Fresno and got to be surrounded by people I love. It was WONDERFUL! Every second of it. I will never forget how God perfectly planned everything and how kind, gracious and full of love the Trout house was to me.
Hotel Royal in downtown Long Beach California where I spent a total of 5 days. I loved everything about this small mid century hotel. From the windows that opened to let in the sounds of the city and the crisp California air, the hard wood floors and exposed brick wall in my room to the always friendly front desk attendants and the morning guy who played the Barry White Spotify channel while we ate breakfast. I could not have self tailored a more perfect hotel experience.
Driving the mountains of California, listening to my 70's playlist, being brought to tears by the beauty of it all, pulling over to be in the moment and feeling overwhelmed by how small I am and yet how perfectly placed everything was, even Simon and Garfunkle's America playing on the car stereo.
And then there it was, the dream, and Airsteam right in front of me. It was like God was saying, "this isn't the end, hold on to your dreams, I see you." and Bruce Springsteen sang Born to Run while I wept.
Taking Abel for his first non-treatment center-outing after 40 days in treatment and going to watch this movie together because a love of music is one thing we share. Then afterward him asking to listen to Queen in the car on the way back to the treatment center and us talking about Freddy Mercury's life, Queen, their music and this amazing movie. It was such a special night. I'll always be thankful that the Bohemian Rhapsody movie came out when it did for this very reason.
I've watched all four of Dave Chappelle's stand-up specials on Netflix several times this year. They are deep, hilarious, profound perfection.
All the visits with my great niece's and nephew, the innocence and their sweet love is grace personified.
2 miles at 5:30am, walking, jogging (when my knee isn't acting up) with Dumas. Arriving back home to Bella waiting for us. This time each morning was literally fuel for the rest of my day.
He's not an activist by any stretch but my Steele found himself walking arm in arm with the youth across American demanding gun reform and it made this mother so proud and happy to walk along side him that day.
The many trips we made to New Orleans to watch Evangeline MC at Cats Meow and to do Karoke. So proud of her using her talent as a performer to entertain the people of Bourbon Street.
Experiencing Father John Misty in concert with Jaime Wagoner was medicine, it was also intoxicating, and other worldly and just way beyond anything I could have every imagined. The best concert I've ever been to and I've experience the full Fleetwood Mac!
Bar tending all those LSU games with these two, wow, what a treat! So much fun! Lord those Jamison shots! Such an escape and we was making that cheese!! Geaux Tigers!!
The Geek Parlors were all just a joy to do. I love having discussions about pop culture, politics, fashion, food, whatever and I especially love that I got to do them with beautiful people who bring light and grace into any environment they enter.
I ugly wept with Antony, laughed with Johnathan, said AMEN a hundred times at least and left every episode feeling better about life and people and the world. I found so much joy, love, unity and a real sweetness in this beautiful show. It's what the world needs right now, it's what I needed this year. I am so thankful for the Fab 5!
And the year started off with a dream coming true, Dean got me tickets to see katy Perry and I got to go with Esther!
Those were some of the Grace Islands that got me through 2018. Glad it's over. I will leave this shit year a stronger woman only by the grace of God, grace he showed many times through his beautiful people and his magestic creation.
This week our Louisiana state senate was presented legislation that would allow both partners in a homosexual relationship to be named as a parent in an adoption of a child . pro-family and political Christian organizations were at the capital "fighting for traditional families" And they won, the law expansion was not approved. I'm all for free speech, fighting for what you believe in, so they have a right to speak out if they feel so led. I don't know every person that was at the capital fighting against this law expansion, but I do know many of them, and of the ones I know, NONE of them have ever adopted. I would hope they had at least funded an adoption, are part of a mentoring program for children in foster care or something that helps orphans, but I don't know if that's the case either. I do believe from over 25 years of being a part of many pro-life, pro-family political action groups, that most of the people who are in these groups have no adopted
Funny how life smacks you in the face with yourself. And it will smack you in the face with everything else. Both good and bad and at the same time too often. This last year I've said to myself more times than I can count, "But did you die? No? So shut the hell up. Buck up! Grow a damn vagina Carole! No one else is going to do it, you have to!" And somehow I make it through another day. The great benefit of being raised by a single mother and watching my sister live her life, balls to the wall is I KNOW I can rise to the occasion simply because I'm alive. I am in pain everyday in my heart and in my body. I have Frozen Shoulder. My entire left arm hurts all day every day pretty much. I'm in physical therapy which helps. Motrin helps. I have to take it before bed and get up and take it during the night. I'm left handed and it is of course my left arm. Washing my hair is difficult. I can't reach back to my bra strap with my left hand. The joy o
Chrissy Teigen and John Legend lost their baby last week and the hateful, pro pre-born baby crowd came out in full anti-Christ form to attack a grieving family. The adrenaline rush from the hate filled comment section on their social media will be their reward, I won't give them any more attention. No, in this post I'm going to talk about womb issues, empathize with a grieving family and share my story. From the time I was twelve until I had a hysterectomy at age forty I dealt with excruciating pain at the beginning of my periods most months due to Endometriosis. It also caused me trouble getting pregnant and caused me to have a horrific pregnancy. My doctor said he was surprised I got pregnant at all. After we had Evangeline I wanted to have more kids so we tried mild fertility pills which made the Endometriosis worse. There was one point during the treatment when my period was late so I took a pregnancy test and it was positive. I was so excited. All the pain and fertility t
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