SOLD!

As you may remember (read here), JP's house has been for sale for 10 months. It's a terrible market for real estate and with the economy tanking, I think this sale is nothing short of a miracle. The timing could not have been better - long story, but suffice to say time had run out in a number of ways and this house HAD to sell. It just did. JP has been through a lot as this whole deal was shaky from the start, through the middle and right up to include closing. But it sold. Thank you God.

There is a great apartment waiting in a great location that has his name on it - some good memories will be made there. I'm looking forward to that. Stay tuned.

Unamused

Sometimes life gets pretty difficult - Lord knows we've all had those times. What's worse is when it's people that you love and care for that are having those difficult times. My dear Mom and sweet sis-in-law staying in a house that is half wrecked and literally soaked from the inside out for two weeks without electricity - it's awful on the Gulf coast and elsewhere as people try to recover from Ike. JP moving and all that goes with those details and financials in selling a home - adding to further problems with the financial crisis that has a huge effect on his work. My brother and other family members with huge problems I can't relate here -- it seems so many people I love are having a very, very difficult time. I pray for all of them.

The Battleship Texas - My Dad's project

My nephew-in-law Brett took a Texas Parks and Wildlife video and with his genius, edited and posted it here - you can read more about it on the blog we have created for Edwin Phillips, my father. I am so proud of my Dad, and miss him so -- this was like listening to him in the living room again. Enjoy some Texas history, and a piece of my heritage that I am deeply proud of.

The Aftermath of Ike

I remember when I first blogged about Hurricane Ike after receiving notice that we were evacuating, fear literally gripped my heart. I knew this storm would be devastating and dangerous. As it turned out, Corpus Christi was not affected. Not one drop of rain, just some easy, breezy winds. Galveston, Houston, Beaumont and surrounding areas have been ripped apart. Dickinson, my hometown and home for my mother was not spared. A huge tree through the roof, power lines tangled, impassable roads and damage everywhere. A sleepy neighborhood that looks like a nuclear bomb went off - and this is but one of thousands - millions? - of neighborhoods who are trying to recover without electricity in the sultry humidity of the south. Prayers for all these people as they try to recover and find a sense of normalcy. And thanksgiving that my area remained unscathed. So many prayers.

Take A Hike Ike

Praying for my Mom and millions of others who will be affected by this huge hurricane and it's storm surge....

Focus

I'm teaching a class in 5 minutes on stem cells - where they come from and issues regarding stem cell research. Yeah. My mind is so not on this topic...it's going to be hard to focus even though this is a favorite subject for my students (full of misconceptions/untruths generated by mass media). Anyway....classes after 2:00 today are cancelled, but not meetings. I still have those. A&M is evacuating entire campus by 5:00. Closed campus Thursday and Friday. Packing up my office, covering stuff with plastic, hoping this is just a rehearsal and the dance is gonna get called off. Ike is scaring a lot of people, including me. Really scary. I gotta go talk about stem cells....

Not good news

It's the middle of the day and an email flagged 'important' from the University crosses my desk - with the above image. It seems that hurricane Ike might be heading this way. Yes, it's still early but suffice to say my heart went cold and I prayed. I hope this storm stays away. It's been a rough summer for hurricanes and tropical storms on the Gulf coast. Did I mention there are travel plans? Oh well...I may be traveling, but with a dog and 2 birds to inland shelter/higher ground as a destination.

Blessings

I've loved to sing since I was very young and my grandmother had me sing Julie Andrews songs for anyone that visited - and would listen. Since then, I've always been in a choir - as a member, as a founder and as a leader - part of that story has been told. Today I auditioned for the Corpus Christi Cathedral choir. I love this church and the priests and the people who are part of it. My heart is filled every time I go. And today it was doubly filled as the concert choirmaster and organist - oh man can this musician play!! - invited me to join the choir after my audition. We are not just a Sunday choir - there are so many more engagements during the year - 27 dates outside of usual Sunday Mass were on the contractual agreement I was required to sign! - including going to IRELAND next summer for an ordination mass! I am so, so thankful. Corpus Christi has been been so good to me in providing so many opportunities both within my profession and in my personal life. So many blessings. I can't wait for rehearsals to begin!

What's black and white and roly-poly cuteness??

After putting in some 12 hour days here, I decided I'm taking off the next 30 minutes before the next class, closing the door and posting some pics my friend Matt in Colorado sent. I loved these - and hope they make you smile as they did me! "The pandas at China's famous Wolong Nature Reserve are all safe after the early summer earthquake devastated nearby areas of Sichuan province, forestry officials told the official Xinhua news agency."