Post-Surgery Anxious to Breathe Again

Ok, so 1 week and 1 day ago I had surgery to correct some issues with my nose: septoplasty and turbinate reduction. Although the recovery period has not been too awful, it hasn't been great either. The stuffiness of my nose alone is enough to drive me mad. I am super paranoid about bumping my nose, which  is still extremely sore and sensitive. The splints will be removed on Monday morning and I have been told that this will improve my ability to breathe through both nostrils. I sure hope this is the case because a week of mouth breathing is beginning to take its toll. I have used very little of the prescribed pain meds, choosing to stick to extra strength Tylenol since my body does not tolerate much else. The greatest lesson I have learned from this is that everyone's experience is different. I heard lots of horror stories about sinus surgeries gone wrong. I was also told a story about one woman's husband who drove himself home after the surgery because it was so simple. Since my surgery, I have swept all these stories under a metaphorical rug. So far, there have been no adverse effects and I don't anticipate any. On the flip side, it was no walk in the park. There is no way I could've driven myself home in my post-anesthesia delusional state after the surgery.  Some bone was shaved from my nose and my deviated septum was corrected, so I was pretty much unable to leave the bed the first two days after surgery. The pain at times was totally unreal and the bleeding and nausea just added to my discomfort. I am so thankful that I followed the advice of loving friends and family and took an additional week off from work because I have definitely needed it. Although I am still not healed 100%, things are getting better. By this time next week, I should be back at work and breathing clear. Until then...

BzzAgent Review- Glade Expressions

I have mentioned here before that I am a BzzAgent. I love, love, love being a BzzAgent! One of the benefits of being a BzzAgent is being able to try new products for free. I recently tried the new Glad Expressions line. I tried both the pineapple and mangosteen oil diffuser and cotton and Italian mandarin fragrance mist. Both scents were great, but pineapple and mangosteen is my absolute favorite! If you are as obsessed about having a house that smells as fresh and clean as it looks, then this new collection is for you. The new containers are sophisticated and fun!

<img src="https://img.bzzagent.com/image/gladeExpressions.jpg?Type=activity&Activity=9365102339&Campaign=5855213675&Uid=147594&token=be7a0235c53f4f7ef13e3a231f08e3d8" alt=""/>

Proud Momma- My baby girl and Sugarland

I am so proud of my extremely talented 16 year-old daughter Aliyah. Aliyah had the honor of performing onstage with the country duo, Sugarland, Friday night at the Fed Ex Forum. Aliyah is an aspiring singer and she entered the contest "Singing with Sugarland" a few months ago on You Tube. Imagine our surprise when we received the phone call from Sugarland's staff on Wednesday that she had won the contest. The Sugarland concert was amazing and of course, Aliyah's performance of "Baby Girl" onstage with Jennifer and Kristian was the highlight of the evening for me. She truly made the town of Arlington, TN proud! I was a little disappointed that our local media did not highlight this accomplishment, but I am confident that this was the first of many awesome opportunities for Aliyah. She was raised in a household filled with country music lovers (her grandmother and I). We are often questioned and teased by family and friends about whether Aliyah realizes she is black. Music is not about black or white, it is about loving the music. Music sees no color, there is no rule that states a little black girl cannot sing or love country music. Country music is one of Aliyah's passion, it is one of the avenues where she feels comfortable sharing her talent and showcasing her amazing voice. I will support Aliyah as she pursues her dreams and works to achieve her goals. She can do anything she puts her mind to, even becoming a Country Music star if that's what she chooses! The compliments and high fives she was given as we left the Forum on Friday proved that the crowd didn't care about the color of her skin, they cared about the performance she delivered.  Aliyah will not be dissuaded by the color of her skin, she will rise above the limitations! She is my baby girl and she makes me proud!
Click this link to read the story on Sugarland's website:
http://www.sugarlandmusic.com/news/93921

Rare Great Customer Service Moment

So, usually I turn to social media to complain about terrible customer service. However, today I am excited about a rare and shocking positive customer service experience. 95% of the time my interactions with customer service reps are actually ok, while only about 4% are terrible and send me into tyrants of rage and frustration which I usually post on FB, Twitter, or in this blog. That leaves about a 1% chance for outstanding customer service interactions, those few experiences when the customer service reps go above and beyond the expected or anticipated level of hospitality and who appear to genuinely enjoy their job. Well, I had such an experience yesterday in, of all places, a McDonald's. I have never in my 32 years on earth encountered such a pleasant experience in a McDonald's during the lunch rush. My family and I made an unplanned stop at the McDonald's (store # 32170) in Benton, Arkansas en route to the Magic Springs Amusement Park yesterday at around noon. The place was packed with families and other patrons looking for a quick lunch. We walked in with a sense of dread as we looked at the long lines and assumed that this "quick" stop for lunch would delay us for at least another thirty minutes. However, this was not the case at all. To my surprise, the lines moved quite swiftly. I was eagerly greeted by a cashier who accurately and efficiently took my lengthy order with no errors. The manager could be heard encouraging his staff with remarks such as : "good job grill team getting those orders out", or "I like the way you cleared the drive thru line in less than a minute". The entire team seemed to work together seamlessly and it appeared that everyone knew what job they were responsible for and they did that job. The cashier did not once show signs of being annoyed or frustrated by my large order that consisted of a few special requests. Our food was delivered to us piping hot and just as ordered in less than a minute. Everything that we requested was on the tray, including the sauce for the nuggets. I did not have to ask for anything, not even napkins. I left this McDonald's as a highly satisfied customer wishing that the McDonald's at home was as great as this one. The McDonald's in Benton, Arkansas has proven that great customer service and food can be delivered at a fast food restaurant.

Alaina's Journey

On June 6, 2008, my daughter ,Alaina, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. She was 8 years old and we were thrown into a world of daily, multiple finger sticks and insulin shots. Eventually she started to use an insulin pump, which eliminated the multiple insulin shots each day, but she still has to poke her fingers 5-10 times a day to check her blood sugar levels. Now that Alaina is in middle school, we struggle with "having a pump or having to go to the nurse's office to check her sugar is not cool". I know that this phase will pass eventually, but I don't want Alaina's health to be negatively impacted as she tries to cope with the typically middle school issues, in addition to having type 1. Alaina and millions of others like her need a cure! Every dollar counts and we need your help to make the dream of those living with type 1 a reality. This is our family's 4th JDRF walk and we encourage each of you to participate as a walker or with a donation. Alaina thanks you in advance for your contributions!
We would love to surpass our $500 goal this year! Please support Alaina in a cause that is her life! Alaina needs a cure!

Here is a link to our team page:http://www2.jdrf.org/site/TR?team_id=52919&fr_id=1876&pg=team

JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes Fundraising

I am participating in the West Tennessee 2012 Walk to Cure Diabetes! Please support Alaina!

The Burdens of an Educator

I am an educator...Not too long ago my profession was a very distinguished one, one that stood out above the rest. Today, as an educator, I find myself constantly on the defense. Defending myself against the government, politicians who do not understand the daily struggles inside a classroom or against the small percentage of parents that do not value education in any way, shape, form, or fashion. On a daily basis, I am a teacher, mother, nurse, and social worker to more than a dozen children. It is difficult to encourage and motivate children who come from homes where reading a book is unacceptable or frowned upon, but during the school day I am able to accomplish this task. My own children have been the victims of snide remarks from relatives who question why they are always reading a book or why they talk "white". These comments infuriate me and although the offending relative usually believes that the comment is harmless, it is actually quite harmful. My children love to read and these types of comments over time can discourage a child from wanting to read in front of others. I have students who face similar criticism on a daily basis (I have actually witnessed such negative interactions between students and parents). My children have me, their father, and grandparents to encourage them to read daily. We provide the positive reinforcement to counter the negative on a regular basis. I cannot be expected to motivate the child in the classroom and change the mindset of the parent at home. The reality is that children like to be praised, they seek acceptance from their family first. Unfortunately, making honor roll or having the most AR points is not a major event in all households. So many excuses can be created about where the disconnect came, when education started to lose it's value in some homes, but none of them make sense to me. I was not born rich, my children weren't born rich, but education is highly valued in our home. I have often heard that many African Americans do not value education because we were not offered the same opportunities in the past as other Americans. I cannot agree with this statement. I was not raised in a two-parent household. I was raised by my great-grandmother (mama), whose formal education ended at around the third grade. Mama could read and write and she could do basic arithmetic. Most of her life she and my great-grandfather were sharecroppers, by the time I was born(after my great-grandfather passed) she was doing domestic housework. Her main goal in raising me was to ensure that I received a quality education and that I became somebody. I attended a small public school in a rural, farming community where I was the ONLY African American student in my class from kindergarten through 5th grade. Never once was I made to feel inferior to my classmates, even though none of my teachers were African American. I was always an honor student and when mama couldn't help me with my homework or if my mom wasn't around, she found someone who could. I excelled throughout elementary school (my school was a k-8 school) and high school. I was a cheerleader, played basketball, ran track, was in chorus and participated in many civic clubs and honors organizations. Mama believed that failure was not an option and she expected me to become successful. She knew that education was the ONLY way that I could achieve my goals. I was taken to the library regularly and to Kmart to purchase books if the library didn't have what I wanted to read. Even after becoming a teen mom my senior year of high school, mama's determination for me to receive a college education did not waver. She did whatever was necessary to help me finish high school and attend college. Although I was not a traditional college student and I faced many obstacles along the way (I was the mother of 4 by the time I completed my degree), with the prayers of mama and the help of my mom, I  graduated Cum Laude with a BA in Applied Psychology . I returned to grad school soon after to complete the coursework necessary for my teaching certification and I haven't looked back since. I am almost certain that if it had not been for mama's encouragement and support (along with my mom later on), I wouldn't be who I am today. She taught me that no matter what happens in life, you can always reach your goals with hard work and a desire to succeed. I have instilled in my children that education is the key to their futures. I have high expectations for my children, as mama had high expectations for me. I just wish that all parents could sincerely see the value of education and support their children as they strive to make their dreams a reality. My goal as a teacher is produce lifelong learners and productive members of society. Sometimes, I just need a little help from home.

"Teachers are expected to reach unattainable goals with inadequate tools. The miracle is that at times they accomplish this impossible task." Haim Ginott

5x7 Folded Card

Birthday Burst Pink Birthday Card

Creating Christmas cards have never been this easy.

View the entire collection of cards.

Stationery Card

Bright Blocks Summer Summer Invitation

Creating Christmas cards have never been this easy.

View the entire collection of cards.

JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes

Hello! This year, I'll be taking part in JDRF's Walk to Cure Diabetes, along with one-half million other walkers across the country, as we try to reach our goal of raising $89 million. My  12-year old daughter, Alaina, was diagnosed 4 years ago and this will be our 4th walk. 

Type 1, or juvenile diabetes, is a devastating disease that affects millions of people, a large and growing percentage of them children.

There is some good news, though. JDRF is our best hope for finding a cure. It funds more type 1 diabetes research than any other charity worldwide and it's making progress along many promising paths toward better treatments and a cure.

Now, more than ever, you can make a crucial difference. Won't you please give to JDRF as generously as possible? Together, we can make the cure a reality!

Thanks,
LaTia Ellis
Alaina's mom and Team Captain of Alaina's Elite Forces

Personal Page Link:  http://www2.jdrf.org/goto/alaina-latia
(copy and paste the link into your browser)

 

Caution in Freebies Websites

So, I am always looking for freebies, something new to try. I enrolled in this program that gives you an opportunity to host parties and share new products with your guests. I signed up for various events with this company over the years and was never accepted to host a party. I signed up for a party in May and was utterly shocked when I was selected. I visited the party page several times as I anxiously awaited the arrival of my party kit. The party kit arrives and I go into full party planning mode. I invite guests and send out messages on Twitter and Facebook. The product could not be shipped directly to me, so I immediately embark on a journey to find this product. I search high and low, travel to surrounding cities, but have no luck finding this product. I finally decide to search the product website for the nearest retail location. The 3 nearest retail locations were in Kentucky and Missouri, each at least 100 miles from my home. So my question is, how do you offer an opportunity for someone to try a product (that makes this person obligated to post pictures, videos, etc.) that is not available to them locally? I was not able to complete my obligations as a host because I was not willing to drive an hour to purchase this product. I will probably never be accepted to host one of these parties again, I probably don't ever want to be selected again. Lesson learned with this particular website. I am ending my affiliation immediately.

Family

My family came into town this weekend from all across the country for our annual family reunion. I was so excited to see everyone and my kids were ecstatic about having a chance to play with all their cousins. Well...things didn't quite go as anticipated, as with any family function there were some issues. Feelings were hurt and at times I felt downright insulted, but every cloud has a silver lining and that silver lining for my family was my cousin and her family. I am absolutely thrilled about the new relationship that we have established. We were raised on opposite coasts and have only seen each other a few times in our 30+ years on earth, so we have never had the opportunity to get to know one another. Her family traveled here from Texas on Friday and by the time they left Monday afternoon we had to pull our children apart and wipe their tears because they hated to be separated from their cousins. It makes my heart glad that I now have a cousin who I can visit and keep in touch with. I have never been able to do this with anyone else on my mom's side of the family, I have always felt like the outcast. I am so thankful for my cousin and her family. We are making plans to see each other again real soon. My children are already counting down the days. I no longer feel that I have to find acceptance with this side of the family, this relationship with my cousin is all I need. I have learned this weekend that you do not accept mistreatment and abuse for the sake of family. Your family should respect you and make an effort to embrace you, too. I will no longer go out of my way to please people who do not care to be a part of my life. I will no longer subject my children to mistreatment because I desperately want them to be a part of a family that does not fully accept/embrace us. I want my children to grow up feeling loved and accepted by the people in their lives. I want them to understand that they don't have to seek approval from people who are mean or indifferent towards them. This is the last year that my children will have to defend themselves for the sake of family. No longer will I spend hundreds or thousands of dollars to attend reunions that make my family uncomfortable. We will use our time and resources wisely and invest in the relationships that are meaningful and that will really matter. My family will invest in making trips to Texas in the future, to visit family that cares :)

Summary of My Week June 10-16, 2012

Ok, so this week has been pretty busy. Wednesday my family and I attended a preview screening of "That's My Boy" courtesy of Gofobo. It was a very good movie! I actually want to see it again. Thursday we went to Putt Putt and the kids played for a little while, followed by a trip to the mall. Later that day, the kids and I took advantage of our free summer membership to the Pink Palace museum and attended a free screening of the IMAX movie "To The Arctic". Very good film, very educational. I learned a lot, as did the kids. Friday we attended a birthday party at Incredible Pizza. This experience could have been an all around great one had the lack of quality customer service not put a damper on the day. If you are going to hire teenagers, make sure they are trained properly. The place was packed due to that fact that a mid south college had 2 charter buses full of students there and of course there were several grade school groups. I understand that this may become a bit frustrating, but it is never appropriate to make your frustrations known to the customer. No one wants their kids in an establishment where the workers have an attitude with them. We spent today at home completing D.I.Y. projects. Looking forward to church tomorrow and to celebrating Father's Day with all the wonderful fathers I know!

The Graduate School Journey

Soon I will enter the world of graduate school yet again. I have tried the online thing once before with little success. Yes, I passed all my classes, but I didn't really like the program. That was almost 3 years ago and until now I always had some excuse about why it wasn't the right time to go back to school. Well, I am now finished procrastinating. I have been accepted to a program and I am scheduled to begin classes in the next few weeks. I am excited, while at the same time a little apprehensive. As a full-time educator, a mom, and a wife, my life is already chaotic and hectic. However, earning my Master's degree is very important to me and it is necessary to prepare myself for the uncertainties that I face in the field of education. My husband, children, and mom are very supportive so I know that I can do this and I know that this is the time in my life to embark on this journey. I know that will prayer, patience, and faith I will succeed. By December 2013, I will have a Master of Arts degree.

The Cable Saga Continues...

So, this morning I awoke to no internet. Seriously? Comcast is quickly becoming my least favorite company ever! So after a very unpleasant conversation with yet another incompetent customer service rep, I decided to call back. This time was much different than the other 10+ conversations I have experienced with Comcast reps in the past 4 days. This lady was very understanding, very patient, and she did her job. My cable services have now been restored to 100% working order and I now feel like a valued customer again. This customer service rep delivered quality customer service by showing genuine concern and by offering some sort of compensation to give me an incentive to remain a Comcast customer. Good, old fashioned customer service does exist, sometimes it just takes dealing with several bad to reach the good.

More cable woes

At this point, I am seriously considering changing to another provider. Comcast has proven to have the absolute worst customer service ever! "Yes m'aam, we messed up your services and we will come right out and fix it...next Saturday!" Are you kidding me? Services that I had before you "upgraded" me no longer work, but I am expected to wait a week for you to correct the situation? I don't think so. I am deeply saddened by the sheer, utter lack of quality customer service. Why do corporations think that customers have to use their services? Yes, I would prefer cable over satellite, but if satellite means better customer service than satellite it will be!

Private Selection Brand

So, as I mentioned in an earlier blog, I am a bzzagent. A few weeks ago, I joined a campaign for Private Selection products. For those of you who are not familiar with this brand, it is a Kroger brand. Since Kroger is my go-to store for all my grocery shopping needs, I am quite familiar with the Private Selection brand. Through the campaign I was able to sample Private Selection kettle chips (sea salt and black pepper flavored), Southern Butter pecan ice cream, and Black Angus ground beef. All three products were great! I must admit that the Southern Butter pecan ice cream is now one of my favorites and has officially replaced another brand. My family enjoyed the chips and we have even purchased other varieties since the campaign. Private Selection stands out as an affordable and high quality brand.

<img src="http://img.bzzagent.com/image/privateSelectionSummer.jpg?Type=activity&Activity=3204199940&Campaign=6490548621&Uid=147594&token=a6a0c7a5828692fcb1fd6eddaab39a02" alt=""/>

SMOOTH 'N SHINE® KERATIN POWER SEMI-PERMANENT HAIR TAMER

Ok, so I am a bzzagent! I am a member of this really cool site where I have the opportunity to try new products, usually for free or at a reduced cost with coupons! I absolutely love being a bzzagent. I have received everything from free toys for the kids to free food. Most recently I was given the opportunity to try Smooth n' Shine's semi-permanent hair tamer. Well, let me tell you, this product worked wonders on my daughter's very unruly, unmanageable hair without the side effects that a regular relaxer usually causes. If you are tired of relaxers or just need to tame your hair between relaxers try

SMOOTH 'N SHINE^®KERATIN POWER SEMI-PERMANENT HAIR TAMER

<img src="http://img.bzzagent.com/image/smoothNshine.jpg?Type=activity&Activity=3552773727&Campaign=0046798219&Uid=147594&token=8108dd942ba9ab0f2363c37fee4b52d8" alt=""/>

Cable Woes

So today started out as a wonderful Saturday morning, until the Comcast technician showed up! What should have been a simple upgrade has turned into a complete disaster! Really? I am still dealing with this foolishness at 3:34 pm and it began at 8:15 am. How sad? Is it even possible to speak with a competent customer service rep?