flygirl254

flygirl254: SHELLEY KAYE was poking me over and over and over...and she was ganging up on me with one of my friends from church!!! My friend's hubby used to have a business near where SHELLEY KAYE lives, so maybe they got together once I moved to Tucson and they made sure that I met my new friend so she and SHELLEY KAYE would get to gang up on me on Facebook and poke me....LMAO!!!! I kept getting lost trying to keep up with the pokes and posts.

And please note I used capital letters to write SHELLEY KAYE!!!!! I would be ROTFLMAO but I am confined to bedrest so rolling on floors is a no-no.

However, I AM still LMAO!!!!! **poke**

flygirl254: if you're smelly and you know it close your nose
if you've gagged elevator riders with doors closed
when you ate your refried beans
then you'll get some gags and screams
for revenge on mean co-workers anything goes!!!

flygirl254: "if you're happy and you know it clap your hands
if you're happy and you know it clap your hands
if you're happy and you know it
then your face will surely show it
if you're happy and you know it clap your hands"

flygirl254: Ah hem!!! Ready to sing everyone?? (We have all four of our birthdays within a matter of five weeks, so keep those voices in tune!!)

Happy Birthday to James
Happy Birthday to James
Happy Birthday my poetic Flyboy
Without you the world would never be the same!!!

flygirl254: Hey there my wonderful friends!! Are any of you planning to come to the Tucson Poetry Festival 2012 - scheduled April 6-7? I've not heard of it until moving here, but it looks awesome with workshops and readings and the Slam Championship to see who's going to the Nationals. I believe the University of Arizona Poetry Center is involved with putting it out there and it's been going for 30 years now.

If you're coming, James and I would love to see you! We might be able to help out with a place to stay if you need it. Both kids would give up their rooms and camp out on the couch!!!!!

With all the deaths in my family in 2011 - I finally am starting to feel as if there is still life in me.

flygirl254: My Hubby just took James (aka flyboy130) over to the ER. He fell yesterday and hurt his chest and neck, but didn't mention it until later. I've kept an eye on him, but tonight he began having pain that made me very uncomfortable to go further without at least some x-rays. "Pray if you've got 'em," if you know what I mean. I'm truly worried.

flygirl254: It's our four year wedding anniversary today. Hubby had to work, but we're going to have dinner later! :-)

flygirl254: And all the cuddly puppies say, "woof...woof...woof woof woof woof.........woof...woof...woof woof woof woof wooooof..."

(don't ask boys and girls - i haven't slept since - what day is this?)

flygirl254: Heeeerrre Kitty Kitty Kitty

flygirl254: Just recently discharged from the hospital here in Tucson. I went to the ER simply to have pain in my knee checked. The ER doc came back and told me my blood tests showed a problem with my heart and I needed to stay. An echo shows the heart's shape is okay but the muscle in one part is actually "worn down" as though it's been trying to pump to the lungs but it's taking it's toll. Cardio hopes it's something simple like sleep apnea that is causing this chamber to work overtime and become damaged.

I also had anemia to the severity that they injected a vial of iron into my vein. Wickedly cool to watch a big thing of black fluid going in. It felt heavy in my arm.

BTW, They did, in fact, check the knee with an MRI and found there are significant changes that I can talk to my ortho about after they get the heart all fixed up. And the prior MRI of my spine shows some bulging and herniation of discs with nerve impingement (again) and also now there is narrowing of the spine (probably from the arthritis in there).

Dagnabbit! I'm falling apart again!! :-)

flygirl254: Join as my family celebrates the adoption anniversary of James and Francesanne on September, 2002!!!

flygirl254: I found out on Monday evening that my dad died. We won't be able to return to Illinois, but that is okay because I'm not even sure what I'm feeling right now.

I will check in and out on FS, but may not write or review for a while. I guess it depends on those pesky feelings.

flygirl254: I don't feel like writing, and I'm sorry about that for my own soul. It's not writer's block, it's the writer wanting to block everything.

Anyway, I'm still here, and I guess that's good because it keeps me familiar with my other writers.

flygirl254: Flat on my back--doc said to keep out of hospital I have to stay down flat and only get up to pee. I have to stretch out the problem area because my Sciatic nerve is obviously being pinched by a disc, this time on the right. Also have to bring pulse and B/P back down which means I'm severely dehydrated right now. It's difficult to use laptop in this position. And truth be told, I don't even feel like writing.

flygirl254: my eyes are rebelling against me - the ophthalmologist told me that not wearing glasses (i broke them a year ago) is very BAD! so she prescribed new glasses and also Restasis to try to combat the dry eyes from the Sjogren's.

flygirl254: Here's my continuation from my post below...

...however...I suddenly have my eyes being painful, double vision, and now there's a halo around the moon in the sky...so I have an emergency appointment this afternoon...Besides having Sjogren's I have strong family history of cataracts, macular degeneration, and glaucoma.

Pray if you gottem.

flygirl254: Okay, I found out I have some issues with the Sjogren's and my lungs, so I have referrals and am okay and ready to write!!!

See next post (above) for my however....

flygirl254: Being sick sucks!

Having an illness that nobody has a cure for sucks when you can only "be made comfortable and take care of yourself"!

It especially sucks when half the doctors haven't heard of your illness and aren't willing to learn!

However, having a place to go where you can type this out, venting to friends and strangers as yet unmet, is wonderful!

flygirl254: If it takes one to know one, then what does one do if your particular one has only half a brain?

flygirl254: AAAaaarrrrrrggggggh!!! A tree branch fell down into our patio area during a monsoon storm and I went outside to make sure it wasn't in the way of anybody - so they won't get hurt.

Suddenly, I was charged by gigantic black evil things!!! Okay, they have a name, which is something like Desert Longhorned Beetles. They scream and they can fly and they are just glorified big cockroaches that have great big pincher horn things to come and get me!!!!!!

I'm a pretty heavy person, but I went out with shoes on and started stomping these suckers and they were so big I had to keep stepping really hard down on them to break their skeletons!!! Luckily, I'd also taken out a spray bottle of window cleaner with ammonia in it to shoot whatever came my way in a counterattack!

I took out eight of those monsters - and they are WAY too creepy!!! - They were living in the tree that fell, and they decided to run for it after they hit the ground on my patio.

DAGNABBITT!!!!

flygirl254: Our first Monsoon Season, and today I saw the aftermath of our first storm in our first Monsoon Season. It all happened while I was in the bathtub, but James came running in to tell me about the wall of sand and dust followed by the high winds and rain. We had trees down, leaves and branches everywhere, water everywhere, and hailstones still on the ground an hour later. Amazing!

flygirl254: "We've been through thick and thin, and back again. We can endure loves' sweet pain."
Stevie Nicks~"Loves a Hard Game to Play"

"It's not what's in the mirror, but what's left inside."
Stevie Nicks~"Sometimes It's a B&%ch"

flygirl254: Whew! Now that the contest is over and the voting is done, I can share my wonderful excitement that my young flyboy130 is maturing in his writing and learning more about what makes a poem more than just words; he is learning what makes those words become poetic.

We were walking to the apartment and saw this dragonfly on the post - I think it was a dragonfly, but it was really big and we're in a desert! Anyway, he saw it, and he immediately got very excited and said this dragonfly is inspiring him to write something. He got my camera and took some shots of it, which went along with the poem.

Where even more excitement came in was that it was a completely blind contest, and he was on the front page for a long time which made him very proud. He understood that winning the contest is a hit and miss thing, but what thrilled him was he has had 20 reviews since last night and he's hovering near the 100 mark on number of people who looked at it. The reviews he received were directed at a writer they believed was an adult poet. While I did need to explain some of the technical stuff, he felt so accepted and a part of things that he feels he is "unblocked" so he can write more. I congratulated him on reaching another level of maturity and skill in his writing.

SO-thank you everyone, because whether you are one of the reviewers I'm writing about or not, FanStory reviewers and writers ROCK!!!

flygirl254: Well, I finally updated my profile! It only took me six months, but it's done! those who've seen my reviews know I'm very thorough, so you can get the whole story now, because I never seem to know when to shut up! LOL!

For anyone wanting to know, my little blurbs (the two short signature lines with my name) are from "Come Together" by the Beatles. Rob and I both LOVE that song! And the quote line is from Stevie Nicks's song, "Stand Back" off of her "Wild Heart" album.

Oh yes, boys and girls, I'm from the dark ages of albums! I love the Sheryl Crow line from her song "Steve McQueen" that comes at the very end. Many young adults who have only heard of an album but only experienced a CD were upset until she explained. The line is, "Got my '45 on so I can rock on." They didn't know a '45 here is not the gun! These young whippersnappers!!!

flygirl254: After more than a month with a dead laptop, the flies are back! Flyhubby had a hospitalization with surgery for a strange infected area and is doing well. Flygirl (that's me!) finally had a rotator cuff repair. That really hurts! I was hospitalized a few nights, and was told I wasn't allowed to move my right arm in any way that involved using the shoulder under it's own power, or move so that the shoulder is in a different position. I was told yesterday that I've been very bad during some pretty active walks in my sleep, so now I have to spend another two weeks not moving.

But I did get my laptop back with the power issue fixed up, and I am ready to write! I've been so inspired lately, and I can't do more than scribble with my left hand!

I'm so glad to be home at FanStory! I found out through several sources during this past month that Tucson is very big in publishing poetry and publishing woman authors, so I have a double step up into that world!

So, now that I'm back, did anybody miss me? No? ...wait a minute - who ate the last Twinkie? I know I left one here, hidden right behind my profile picture. I intended to eat that Twinkie!! Who took it? Those things last forever so I KNOW it didn't go bad!!!

Where's my dad-burned Twinkie!?!?!?!?!

flygirl254: Hey there everyone - flyboy130 is writing again. I'm so very proud of him. And my stepson is online as well with a different name - Jakeyflake.

flygirl254: ..."I know you, you know me. One thing I can tell you is you got to be free. Come together, right now, over me."

flygirl254: "What would you think if I sang out of tune? Would you stand up and walk out on me? Lend me your ear and I'll sing you a song and I'll try not to sing out of key - OH I get by with a little help from my friends!"

The Beatles

flygirl254: writer's block??? BAH!! HUMBUG!!!

This flygirl is flying once more. Thank you to everyone on FanStory, and this website itself. You kept my creative juices warm enough in the cold depth of my writer's block, so I could have those creative juices ready to flow again.

YEE HAH!!!

flygirl254: Writer's block...Creative Constipation.

Does anybody have a cure? I've been eating my fiber. I draw the line at prune juice, though - BLECH!!

flygirl254: Hello World of Writing Friends

First, allow me to wish our own FanStory Junior Poet Boy, my son flyboy130, a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! He finally (barely!) made it to 11 years old today!

Second, it's been a very long time since I've picked up a writing tool or my laptop to actually create anything at all. Please send your vibes and waves and prayers and wishes of good creativity to my muse and me as we try to come back to our most loved craft.

It seems very difficult to actually begin writing again when I've been away from it for awhile. And my life has taken this HUGE turn; a death in our family, a "trip" to be with my mother-in-law, that trip turning into a permanent move to Tucson, Arizona (2000 miles from Ohio), and new church, new friends, new everything.

Third - I MISSED YOU ALL!!!

flygirl254: Well, we've decided to stay. Rob and I felt that God was leading us to make a clean start and a new home in Tucson, Arizona. So here we are, establishing ourselves into this beautiful place.

Rob's mom is having a very tough week. She is going today to bury her husband's ashes. It's been so hard for her. Rob tries to be strong, but he said the worst thing he has to deal with right now is just watching his mom and not being able to do a thing about it.

flygirl254: We arrived in Tucson a couple days ago. Wow! We went through very bad snow and ice through Ohio, turned south and thought it would be good, and then went through snow, ice, winds, rain, sleet, and everything else driving through Dallas and Fort Worth. It's unseasonably cold. But we are here and okay. I hope to be around FanStory more in a day or two.

I miss you all!

Rob's mom is doing as well as she can. We are doing our best to just be here for her whenever she needs us.

More later...

flygirl254: Our family is currently "on the road", driving the 2000 miles to be by Rob's mom's side during all this sorrow. I spoke to her the morning after she told Rob by telephone, and her grief broke my heart. My husband and I didn't even think twice. We packed up the kids, found someone to feed the cats, and left Ohio in our beat up old car. We drove straight through (okay, sometimes we stopped to find a bathroom) from Ohio to Memphis, where we are catching up on sleep tonight. Our friend had a free hotel room for us through his rewards club, so we are getting all the rest we can before we push through another 1300 miles to Arizona.

Please continue to pray for us. It's strangely opened up new communication in our little family. Riding nonstop in a Sunfire will do that.

I'm trying to keep writing through the crazy pace. I'm trying to keep up with my friends at FS, too. :-)

Teresa

flygirl254: My husband received a call a couple of hours go from his mom that my father-in-law suddenly died of cancer. We are very shocked because nobody even knew he was sick. Evidently, he'd been fighting the disease for almost two years, but they didn't tell the family because they thought he beat the disease, and also because they didn't want to worry us all. My husband and my brother both live here in Ohio, and they are in Arizona.

My husband is in utter shock right now. He seems dazed by the news, and understandably so given all he has been through just within the past month, let alone this past year's litany of bad news and disasters for us. We told James and Francesanne here, and Rob will tell the kids in Alabama tomorrow by telephone. This note here is pretty safe because our boy Jacob, who did a little writing here, is sleeping and has school tomorrow, so he won't see this note.

Please keep us in your hearts and prayers. I particularly ask this for my husband. The man has been through so very much with me and the kids all going through illness after illness that have turned his home life and work life upside-down. Our flyboy130 is also pretty upset, as is little heartdrummer. But the flyboy has always been obsessed with dying and death, so it is devastating to him.

I thank you all for being such wonderful and supportive friends to us. For those who are familiar with Scripture, you can recognize what I'm thinking about when Jesus explained that whenever they gave something to those who were hungry or in need or imprisoned or all those other things, we were giving those things to Him. I liken that with the wonderful friendship and support and encouragement that we give to each other quite anonymously and without reserve here on FanStory.

flygirl254: I seem to have misplaced my rabbit's foot. The poor little guy can't put on his shoes until we find it.

flygirl254: You know how sometimes you're young and just starting out in a new place and all that stuff after college, and you find you've been away from home for a long time? Sometimes you'll go back home which is now really you're mom and dad's home. You wonder if you should knock or just walk in. Either way, it's a really strange feeling to be there, knowing you belong but feeling like an outsider all the same.

I feel that way tonight. I have had a little battle with my health and have visited my different doctors and the ER a couple times and have spent a bit of time in bed or in my recliner, trying to recoup. I did manage to get my poetry book challenge done!!! HOORAY!!! But not much else, which bums me out.

And here I am, coming home, not knocking, but still having that feeling like I've missed out on being a part of my family for much too long.

I haven't written, other than that push to get the book assignment done. I couldn't let myself down and James was cheering me on. I haven't gotten out hardly any thank yous to the people who reviewed me, and have 67 to do right now. I haven't reviewed anybody else. I've checked into the forum to look around a couple of times, and said some stuff on the remarks pages for some people, but that's all.

So here I am, home. I got here, and now the trip has me tired out.

I hope somebody's getting doughnuts for tomorrow morning! :-)

flygirl254: Hey Everybody!

I would like you all to know that my son, flyboy130, is back on FanStory!!! Yay!!

And more great news - my stepson is also now a member under the screen name Jacob Nathaneil. Yay!!

flygirl254: HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO US!!! (but not a wedding anniversary:-)

On September 9, 2002, a wondrous miracle occurred in the fly family. As a single mom, I had been foster-mothering a little girl born February 1, 1999 who was born to a birth mother who used everything and anything possible during the pregnancy. She is my beautiful little lady, and the problems and the "defects" and everything that went with it was all worth it. On January 30, 2000, a little boy was born to that same birth mother who, although under monitoring, was still using a lot of things during the pregnancy. His physical problems and "defects" and all that stuff was all worth it as well. Two days before the horror of 9/11, only one month after the children finally both made it through the court system to become legally adoptable, I was informed that due to my status as a single parent and also due to my having a medical history of being disabled with a bipolar disorder, I was being denied my right to adopt these children. My caseworkers made sure I knew they weren't allowed to tell me that "name withheld:-) was the name of the top lawyer in our area who would fight for my children's rights and my rights. Thus, a one year battle ensued in Trotter vs Illinois. It turned out they had somebody else's mental health reports (they kind of thought I was homicidal, etc.). There was a big mia culpa directly from the top dog - the guardian ad litem director for all children in the state of Illinois came down and took me to dinner and told me personally that these were my kids and nobody would be trying to take them away anymore. Then she invited me to come march in the opening ceremonies with her at the United States Special Olympics.

So, to make a long story even longer, the official adoption of my wonderful children happened on September 9, 2002. We celebrate the anniversary every year by doing something special.

And ever since I married their most awesome daddy in 2007, the only daddy they have ever had, he has touched all of our hearts by making sure we all, as a family, party down for this anniversary, because he has made it his own (this makes me a sniffly with love) just as he has made our children his own.

So HAPPY ANNIVERSARY of the building of a family!!!!

The picture on this profile page, BTW, is James and I taken this year. He's 10, I'm 42. And yes, I know my nostrils don't match!!! LOL!

flygirl254: I am very sad to let everyone know that the sweet kitten, named Indy or Miss Independence here on FanStory, died this morning in an accident. Her babymomma brought the kittens out into the living room recently, and had them camped out behind my rocking recliner chair. At some point in the night while I was sitting in my chair writing, Indy was crushed beneath the recliner as it rocked back to put the feet up.

Needless to say, this is a very sad time for our family. Young flyboy is devistated, and he wanted me to let everyone here on FanStory know what happened, and how much we loved Indy and the new name you all gave her.

She is already missed, but we know that she didn't suffer at all. Thank you to all of our friends, because we truly do appreciate every one of you.

Teresa and James - the "flyfamily"

flygirl254: I want to extend a huge DeMeowMeow congratulations to Shirly B who gave my littlest ball of fluff a name - little Miss Independence (Indy) DeMeowMeow is so very impressed that she looked up at me with one eye, gave a little tiny yawn, and fell back to sleep. That's high praise, as any cat person knows!

Thank you to everyone who entered and to all who messaged me personally with suggestions. I appreciate the awesome poetry and the sweet words for my little lady.

flygirl254: I've changed my profile picture to go with the writing prompt I've posted for this weekend. That's three different poses of my adorable little girl. She and the other five were born July 30th, and they are very attentive and sweet. It's so neat, because I will walk into a room and this kitty and two of the others always stop what they are doing, walk to where I am, and sit down to stare up at me as I speak. They love to watch my mouth, and of course I talk enough to keep them happy and entertained for a LONG time! LOL!!! Anyway, my angel girl here should be named very soon, so good luck in the prompt contest, all you who have come to my page to learn more about my personality as I suggested in the prompt! Have fun!!!

flygirl254: Say, "Cheese!"

*click*

flygirl254: It gives me great pleasure to be here tonight, writing, reading, reviewing, and hanging out with my friends. My sadness is turned to gladness, and I'm pretty sure my future poetry is going to reflect that, instead of the sadness I displayed in my poetry today. I do stand by the fact that God gave me these wonderful gifts of writing to use, just as I shall use my illness in some way that benefits Him. I don't know how yet, but He'll let me know...:-)

In the meantime - Wahoo everyone!!!Thank you all. I do indeed get by with a little help from my friends!!!!

flygirl254: A fellow poet proposed on FanStory in his poem yesterday.

Seriously - no joke. And she said, "Yes," which made it even better! I'd not read his poetry before, but on FanArtReview I got a notice that somebody used one of my pictures on FanStory with their writing. I make it a policy to always check out how my artwork is being used (particularly if it is artwork involving one of the kids - but this wasn't one of those). I try to review the writing if it's being matched to one of my pictures.

In this case, it was a long poem, very sweet and full of energy. You could feel it in the poem that this man was overflowing, bursting, unable to control all the feelings of love he had. And at the very end of the poem, in his last stanza, he popped the question.

Now think about trying to review THAT!!!!

flygirl254: It's a kit-n-kaboodle!!!!

I'd like to announce that our siamese cat, Padame, mother of One Eye'd Jack and I'm Puff, gave birth to five kittens this morning, in the middle of our bed. Mother and babies are doing fine at this moment. Pictures will be posted soon. We've tentatively named some of the kittens, but not all. I'll let you know those as well. Maybe a name that kitten contest is in order!

flygirl254: For any who have wondered...

I know I've been missing in action quite a bit lately. Some have heard I've been in and out of hospitals and seeing doctors. I recently went to a specialist, already knowing I have psoriatic arthritis and just wanting to restart my treatment. Psoriatic arthritis is very similar to rheumatoid arthritis in many ways, but it's one of those wild-card diseases they don't know how to treat because they don't know the cause. We just know it is an immune deficiency problem and hereditary.

At that time, the doctor diagnosed another immune deficiency problem we didn't know about, fibromyalgia. It did explain a lot, but usually both syndromes don't happen in the same person. Lucky me with the great DNA, I guess! LOL!

The specialist did some blood work, and I actually began suffering from severe dehydration. No matter my intake at home, I couldn't get on top of the problem. I was hospitalized with this twice when I was to the point of incapacitation.

When I went back to the doctor, the test results showed I also have another immune deficiency disease, this time Lupus.

Right now, I'm in a flare of the Lupus which keeps me down sometimes and away from FanStory, which really sucks. I've got an infection in one of my systems, but they can't figure out where. Until they do, I'm supposed to "take it easy," blah blah blah.

It has thrown us for a loop, all these diagnoses at once. Particularly the Lupus and whatever the future may hold because of it. I wanted to let my friends here know, because it helps me to know that you have the reason I am not always here to catch up on reviews and thank yous and submitting my contest entries on time.

Did anybody else notice that the new spell check on FanStory actually flags FanStory as a misspelling? LMAO!!!!!

FanStory wrote to flygirl254: Congratulations! Planets in Tonight's Sky won the contest "Naani"

flygirl254: Congratulations to all graduates! In particular, I'm quite proud of my husband, pictured here in the profile on his graduation day with a degree in Culinary Arts. He is now, officially, Chef Rob!

flygirl254: My momma always sayid, "Life is like a box of choc-o-lates. Ya never know whacher gonna get."

Did anybody ever notice that Forest Gump speaks, for the most part, in iambic meter? Tom Hanks really exagerated those emphasized syllables. I wonder if that was his secret of how to give Forest that memorable speech pattern. He'll sometimes have two really quick unemphasized syllables before that emphasized syllable, but basically it's got that rhythm that screams iambic!

How exciting is my life that I notice these kinds of things and think about them?

flygirl254: You know the world is just as crazy as you are when a poem called "Noxious Fart Clouds" earns recognized status, ends up on the front page, and almost wins a contest.

I worked almost four hours on that picture, so I'm putting it here on my profile for awhile. I can't let a good thing go to waste! That is my hubby, ladies (or gentlemen?), so hands off!

Okay, so I DIDN'T add the clouds. He really does emit green gas. But I love him anyway!

And all you scientific types thought it was cow farts that caused the ozone trouble! Sheesh!

flygirl254: I just received recognition for pee poetry. AnotherJim was on the front page for a LONG time for his pee poetry. What's up with the pee poetry? Did anyone just notice I like saying pee poetry? It's alliterative, doncha know?

FanStory wrote to flygirl254: Congratulations! What True Love Sees won the contest "Short Love Poem"

flygirl254: Honeymoon in Cleveland - an what a life!

Although we were married two and a half years ago, since it was an instant elopement the day we met, Rob and I didn't have a chance to honeymoon. We finally have the time, the money, and the child care to be able to do three nights and four days here in Cleveland. We are in the theater district which is very cool. We went to Tower City today so we could go to the Hard Rock Cafe - AWESOME! Tomorrow it's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Sunday it's the Great Lakes Science Center and then home. Anyone who is a friend of flyboy130, please send a note to him because he is missing his mom and dad a LOT. In the meantime, there will be plenty of stories and photos from this wonderful experience. Miss you all....Teresa

flygirl254: Okay, I'm older today. WooHoo. Kids and kittens throwing up.

Bah Humbug

flygirl254: flyboy130 looked at his rank area on his home page today. His recent essay on what inspires him counts as his second short work, so he has a ranking there. He just noticed that on the home page, it says author in the ranks instead of short works.

The boy was amazed that FanStory and all of you now call him, "author". I think he thanked me about a dozen times after that for letting him join.

Now I get all misty-eyed thinking about it.

And to top it off, the little rascal's rank for short works is 38 points higher than mine!!!!

I have to say, though, the boy earned it. He worked very hard on that piece. Imagine, a ten year old with a work ethic like his, what will he be writing when he's twenty?

flygirl254: Hear ye! Hear ye! - and hear ye some more! I am just as proud and just as devistated (I cried like a baby at midnight last night!) to announce that my daughter, heartdrummer, is now eleven years old! 132 months!

My daughter is now entering the territory of periods, boyfriends, and hair sprouting in new places. I am wholy and truly thankful my husband is around to take care of all the new territory that flyboy130 is entering - like hair sprouting in new places and the kind of dreams that cause, um, noctural emissions.

Happy Birthday to heartdrummer!

flygirl254: Hear ye! Hear ye! I am very proud/devistated to announce that my son, flyboy130, is now ten years old! One decade! 120 months!

For the next two days, I will have two ten year olds in my house, until my daughter turns eleven. How does time go so danged fast? It seems like just yesterday I was bringing my son home on my daughter's first birthday, sort of a birthday present for her.

Happy Birthday to Flyboy130!!!

flygirl254: I would like to thank the wonderfully kind reviewers of flyboy130 and heartdrummer. They are my going-on-ten-year-old son and my going-on-eleven-year-old daughter. Their experience on FanStory has been inspirational for them. Flyboy130 will continue on with writing, and at this time his birthdate has been pulled so he no longer will appear as a student. I will still give a note in the author's notes about his age, but he feels, and I agree, the blind voting contest he enters as a student writer single him out because his reviews don't receive stars and he therefore is identified immediately, thus ruining the blind voting. He recently entered the haiku contest without the student writer part and he got more votes than I did, so he might have a point. He's got a very mature writing style and he has learned a great deal from everyone, as have I. I'll monitor his feedback to make sure everything is going okay with lifting that student status.

My daughter, heartdrummer, is a very bright and creative child, but she has a learning disability and finds it very frustrating and difficult to keep up with writing reviews and replying to comments she receives. She's slower at the physical act of writing as well. She will be leaving FanStory after her month is up. However, she is not disappearing. Since she was about four, she has been very good with conceptual photography, almost a natural. She also does well painting abstracts and loves to paint in a Picasso style which she learned in second grade. You will therefore see heartdrummer on FanArtReview. She wants everyone to know that she will continue to read as much work as she can from her FanStory friends.

Thank you all again for everything you've done with the kids, and also I'd just say that you've all taught me a lot. I'd hardly ever worked on poetry in all these years I've been writing, but when I joined here in September, I've learned so much and I've caught the poetry bug. I'm still writing short stories, but I'm concentrating on the poet in my heart. Thanks again!

flygirl254: Update on Itty Bit's health - he made a complete recovery (definitely miraculous). Instead of having feline upper respiratory disase, he did just have a cold and the medication knocked it out. None of the other thirteen cats/kittens got sick. Thanks for caring!

flygirl254: For all who fell in love with my Itty Bit kitten through my poem, his tough saga continues as I took him to the emergency room. They think he has feline upper respiratory infection - the very thing that killed his brother and made us almost lose Itty Bit before. We've lost five kittens and a cat to this in the past. But the boy is up and running around like his lunatic self. These are the Days of his Kitty Nine Lives. Since I had such a huge reaction to Itty Bit's rough beginnings, I thought I'd share. The vet was great and gave us about 100 dollars in meds, including something to help the immunities of the other ten kittens and three cats in the house right now. I feel another poem soon.

flygirl254: Celebrating my second anniversary today on Thanksgiving Day. Rob and I met on Thanksgiving Day two years ago and two hours later tried to elope. You can't get a license on a holiday weekend. Try as we might, we had to wait until that Monday!! That's a great thing to give thanks for!