Tyson Hugh Hooper

Tyson Hugh Hooper
Our son, Tyson Hugh Hooper, was born with coarctation of the aorta, hypoplastic arch, and a transitional avsd. His first open heart surgery reconstructed his aorta and was on day 9 of life. His second open heart repair was not anticipated to be needed until two or three years of age. Ty had other plans. We spent the vast majority of his first 3 months of life at Vanderbilt as he went into heart failure and was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension. As a result, the medical team concluded that he needed the repair much sooner than usually recommended, and at just shy of 3 months old Ty underwent his second life saving open heart surgery. God has already worked so many miracles in Ty's life and the life of our family and we know he is using our story. Because of this, we are grateful for Ty's special heart and feel beyond blessed that God chose us to travel this road. We ask for prayers as Ty continues to heal. We are praying for a full recovery and life without restrictions for Ty. We are praying for God to use our family and Ty for His glory.

Thank you to each and every person who supports us through prayer, giving, or just by loving on our family! We are humbled and blessed by all of the ways the Lord is providing for us and know that he is using Ty and his story to do great things!

Sunday, March 29, 2009

Spring Break Pictures...

In most people's minds, the title "Spring Break Pictures" summon images of barely there bathing suits and wild nights. Here you won't find anything that looks remotely like "Girls (or teacher, lol) Gone Wild" but you will see lots of good quality spring break fun! The kind I like!!


After using the first half of spring break to get things done around the house and to relax at home, the second part was for fun! I spent the last part of this week with friends and family packing in as much (affordable) fun as possible!

Starting Wednesday at the Bunganut Pig with Gina, Julie and friends...

...complete with my 3 favorite D's.... dinner, drinks, and dancing!

Thursday brought another one of my favorite D's....


Dawson!!!! I packed a picnic lunch of chicken salad, croissants, vegis n dip, and cookies and headed to La's house to visit with her, Dawson, and Zoey!


I think La enjoyed having another English speaker in the house! lol. Nothing like a little adult conversation int he midst of baby land!!


After lunch at Lauren's I hopped in the car and headed to C-town to hang with the family and play with Bentlee!!

We played, and played, and PLAYED! Dolls, Waitress, School, and Puppy dog!!!! The picture above shows Bentlee on the little carousel that Papaw bought for her and put at his garage! We took a Bitty Baby/American Girl "field trip" up there for some fun!

I also got to visit mom and dad. Although it was a short trip, I thoroughly enjoyed myself!


On Saturday Chris hosted a cook out! We had so much fun. Everyone came and brought their kids. It was supposed to storm all day but didn't until that night so the kids played outside and in and we grilled out!


Above you see one of my favorite little people, Vance! He and Web were giving the bat and ball a try! He had so much fun! His brother, little Jack, had a good time too kicking and rolling away in his Mama's belly for Aunt Meag! I also got to hear Vance say "Aunt Meag" for the first time - so sweet!!!


Here is Vance grilling with his namesake, "Uncle Chris."

And, of course, me and Moo! We had planned on Lauren and Dawson being there, but La came down with a stomach virus that David brought home! I hope you are both feeling MUCH better La!!!! We missed you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Spring Break To Do List - Check

Although I have only finished a couple of things from my actual to do list for spring break, I have done some very fun and spring-breaky things I'd like to share!


One of the things on my to-do list was to finish my book club book for this month...



I can't believe I actually thought I would have to put it on my list... are you kidding me? I couldn't put the thing down! Just the kind of book I like... a page turner that I can't put down, but also a book of substance, a worthy read, a book that makes me think. I highly recommend this book written by Lisa Genova, a first time novelist, who has a degree in neuroscience. It's about a VERY successful Harvard professor in her early 50s who is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. Megan, this was a GREAT pic for this month's book and I can't wait to discuss it over an Italian feast in your beautiful and oh, so cozy home!!!! (Am I making the rest of you jealous yet? lol)




Also, straight from my to-do list... I sprayed weeds! Just around the front landscaping and side and back of the house around the patio. I haven't gotten to around the privacy fence inside and out yet... if you remember I have a very LARGE back yard, so that's an undertaking! Anyhow, I was excited at the discover of...
Roundup (the best brand of weed-control if you ask me) "Extended Control." If the product does what it says... and I am SOOOO hopeful... it not only kills the weeds present, but keeps weeds out for 4 months! Wouldn't this just be a miracle product! I'll let you know how it turns out! :-)




Not on my list, but probably more important that the items found there... Lunch with my girlz!!!

This is the front porch cafe! One of our favorite girly lunch spots on the square! We all three had their wonderful chicken salad in one form or another... Moo on a croissant, La and I on the "Magnolia Delight" lunch plate! Mmmm. I will say, they have changed owners and the service wasn't nearly what it used to be and pasta salad was undercooked for my taste - that was a disappointment because we LOVE this place! But, the company was the best part anyway!!!
And last, but certainly not least, I FINALLY hit the golf course for the first time this season!
Don't get me confused, I'm no "big time" "hot shot" golfer (the thought of that alone makes me laugh out loud!) However, I do enjoy it SO MUCH! So I met my friend Diane that I work with at school and we headed to Champion's Run to play 9! It was so much fun and I felt like, for the first time ever, that I found someone with whom I was equally matched!
It was a wonderful day to be outside yesterday and I hit it pretty good for my first time out this season. It was a very satisfying feeling leaving the golf course, not frustrated and with my head up! :-)
Today is WINDY and stormy looking! I think we are supposed to have some type of rain/storm each day until the end of the week! Sounds like a good day to stay in or to take myself to a movie!!
Hope your week's going as great as mine!!



Sunday, March 22, 2009

Miracle's happen...

Thank you for praying! I just got a phone call... Mr. Hooper is scheduled for brain surgery tomorrow and he doesn't need it! It's simply a bruise from his fall! How WILD is that! There sure is power in prayer and I am giving God all the glory. According to the doctor he's in good health and he can return home and come back for his regularly scheduled check up in a few weeks! :-) Happy Day!



PRAYER'S NEEDED

Some of you might remember this post back on April 21... and this one as well about Mr. Harris Hooper who was suddenly diagnosed with melanoma exhibited in a brain tumor. After surgery and treatment he was practically declared a medical miracle and cancer free.

I am sad to say that after falling on the way to vacation, Mr. Hooper had an MRI and another mass was discovered... this time embedded in his frontal lobe.

I don't know lots of details, but I do know this. I believe with all of my heart that his fall was a blessing in disguise, as I believe it is what called early attention to this new concern.

Mr. Hooper will undergo surgery sometime this week. I ask for your prayers... lots and lots of prayers... for Mr. Hooper and for his family.

Thank you all so much.

Friday, March 20, 2009

Spring Break...

...is finally here!!


My "to do" list...
Spring Clean
Paint Mailbox
Trim Hedges
Pull up landscape fabric (and maybe mulch)
Plant flowers/veggies in back
Finish book
I have big hopes, we'll see how much I actually get done! I know it will be MOST tempting to just RELAX... and if that's what happens, and the list doesn't get done??? That will be okay too!

Sunday, March 15, 2009

I'm feeling Lucky...

This was a fun filled weekend in spite of the dreary weather!!


Friday night was Bunko with a "Spring Fever" theme! Everyone wore bright spring colors, but I failed to get a picture. It was a fun night, even though I didn't win anything and Tara and Anne did a wonderful job hosting. All the gifts were "things you can do on Spring Break." So fun... and you have to know that each of us in that Bunko group are in education and I think we are more excited about Spring Break than the kids are! :-)


Saturday brought a lazy morning! I slept good and woke up refreshed. I met Julie, Lynn, Chris, Vonda, and Sean at Red Robin for lunch. That was fun! Vonda and Sean are quite a couple as he is blind and she has MS and is wheelchair bound about 80% of the time! Sean says they complete each other... he is her legs and she's his pair of eyes! So sweet! After lunch I met La to get my toes done in my most favorite OPI color, Cha Ching Cherry! Then headed home for a quick power nap to get me ready for Luck of the 'Boro!


Saturday night I went to Luck of the Boro, a charity event raising money for the Junior League. I was on the committee that actually created, planned, and executed the event last year, so I am extra proud that it has become an annual fund raiser of the Junior League and the only one that is not already earmarked for a specific purpose, which is always nice to have so we can use it as it's needed throughout the year! I was also excited to go because Lauren and I are on the committee next year... we're responsible for all of the decorating for the event! The night was fun with everything you could want in an event... food, green beer (and other drinks, of course), a live auction, a Band (Burning Las Vegas - they are SOOOO good!), and dancing, of course! I had the best time and I have included pictures below of the evening (it was kind of dark after the band got wound up, so I only have closeups of those at my table and not of the actual event).

Today is another cool and cloudy day and I am spending it in a much more low key way than the rest of the weekend... at home, relaxing, planning lessons, and blogging!

I hope your weekend was just as great!!

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Welcome to the South...

Yesterday: flip flops

Today: winter coat

Boy, am I ready for spring to come and stay a while!

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Another busy, but great, week...

Wow! The last time I posted there was snow on the ground and today I had all my windows open and the fans on! I am LOVING this weather... I just wish it was here to stay!

This was a long week because I had bus duty. I am always extra-tired on bus duty week - hence, no posts! Plus we had parent-teacher conference night Thursday night and had to stay at school until 6:00.

In short, I lived at work this week, so there isn't too much exciting to tell about! But, I will share a recipe I tried this week...

Italian Casserole

1.5 pounds Ground Beef
Spaghetti Sauce (regular size, not large)
Mozzarella Cheese
Crescent Rolls
Parmesan Cheese

Brown 1.5 pounds ground beef, drain. Add spaghetti sauce and simmer 10-15 min until thick. Pour into a rectangle casserole dish. Sprinkle with mozzarella. Unroll crescent rolls (I used the new seamless "Recipe Creations" of course!). Sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake until crescent rolls are brown (basically follow the instructions to bake the rolls on the can).

This recipe was SOOOO quick and SOOOO good that I just had to share it! I enjoyed it so much I am thinking I might make it again this week! Shhh... don't tell! ;-)

Sunday, March 1, 2009

1 visit, 2 birthdays, and lot of snow flakes

This was a busy busy weekend with a visit from one of my favorite out-of-towners, birthday celebrations for both Donnie and Chris, and a lot of snow (lots for us anyway) on Sunday!





Friday night my friend Yalitza (who we affectionately call, Yatzi) came up from Huntsville, AL for a long over due visit! She brought a friend with her who had never been to Nashville, so of course we had to show him some of the hot spots!!







We went to eat at Big River - Yatzi's request! This in on 2nd avenue - pretty hoppin' place on a Friday night. Then we headed down the street to Buffalo Billiards to shoot some pool and hang out! FYI, I'll never be a professional billiards player... I stink! lol

After dinner and some friendly competition we were ready to head out of the touristy zone and kick it over in Printer's Alley! We headed to Bourbon Street Blues and Boogie Bar... so fun.




And... the best part... Burning Las Vegas was playing! They are like my FAVORITE local band - they are SOOOOOOOOOOOO good! We danced the night away. It was so much fun! They play retro 7os, 80s, and 90s hits... it was great!

Saturday I slept in and did a whole lot of nothing. That too, was wonderful! And then Saturday night we geared up again to celebrated Donnie's and Chris' birthdays!!! (Donnie's was Saturday the 28th and Chris' was the 26th!)

We went to Fuji's, a Japanese steak house! It's always a favorite! Hibachi grill - chicken and fried rice - and YUMMY sushi!!
Here's the whole gang! There were 15 of us... we hardly ever are able to get ALL of us together in one place on the same night, so that was pretty fun!
After we were all stuffed, we drove out to the farm (aka Moo and Web's house) for game night! We played 3 rounds of catch phrase and 2 rounds of trivial pursuit. Unfortunately the boys came out on top this time, but that is a RARE occasion! :-)

Here are the birthday boys, Donnie and Chris (standing) with Gary and Scott (Skinney)! We had SO MANY good stories and laughs... it was so much fun!!


And a shot of the three amigo's of course! We always have a blast together! (La - I can't wait until tomorrow!!!!!) (Moo - thank you for hosting - your home is amazing and I had THE BEST time!!)
We had so much fun, none of us realized the snow had arrived and had been falling for quite some time! The roads were icy and white and we had to drive home SOOOO S-L-O-W! We made it safe though - Chris is a great snowy weather driver, he never once got in a hurry!
This morning we awoke to 4 inches! That's a pretty "big" snow event for us! I just hate it wasn't on a school night, ;-) But it's still pretty to look at!

Overall, it was a very fun, full, and satisfying weekend! I hope yours was just as great!