"When I Grow Up, I Want to Be A _____?"

Lawyer?  Doctor? Surgeon?  Chemist?  Teacher?..... A Blonde?  Oh, no, maybe I wish!

A Mom?  "When I grow up, I want to be a mom!"    Hummm... I honestly never thought of that one way back when I went to school.

Just wait until you read about Isaac's latest career choices today on "Hott Flashes!"  Here's the link; and, let me know how your little ones answer "When I Grow Up, I Want to Be A _________!"

I'm curious.  Are you?  Click here for the story and please link to your friends:

http://momsoffaith.com/2012/04/when-i-grow-up-i/

Parkinson's Disease Foundation Includes the Hott Family's Wear Grey Day

http://www.pdf.org/en/parkinson_awareness_profiles
Guess what! Have you heard of "Men in Black?"  Well.....  Check out the "Girls in Grey" on the Parkinson's Disease Foundation webpage.  Recognize anyone?

The Parkinson's Disease Foundation, a nationally recognized organization that "supports the highest-quality research in the search for the causes of and a cure for Parkinson's, sent me a facebook message earlier this week.  Isn't that cool!

Since last Saturday was Wear Grey for Parkinson's Day, I blogged some of the pictures of the Hott Family wearing their grey in an attempt to raise awareness for, what I feel, is an excellent cause.  I was SUPER tickled when the Parkinson's Disease responded to my story.  They asked permission to include one of our family photos.

Here it is the link to the page:  http://www.pdf.org/en/parkinson_awareness_profiles

Aren't they adorable?  Appearing (above the fold on my computer) are Violet with her friend, Tori Reed.  Tori was here for a sleepover and let me take her picture wearing my grey sweatshirt.  Thanks Tori!

Here is a collage created by another PD advocate I found on facebook, Ideliza Tita Gonzalez Hernandez.

The Final Hurdle Finale at a Middle School Track Meet

http://momsoffaith.com/2012/04/the-final-hurdle-part-2/

 This week's column is "Part 2" of The Final Hurdle.  Please click above to see what happened to Violet after she took her big spill at her first hometown track meet.  And, here are a few pictures of our "hurdlerer" (Thank you to the photographer - Dan's brother, Charlie Hott.)

When I "fall" from now on, I sure will remember to learn from it, as did Violet, and the lessons will carry me to my next hurdle.
“When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other.”  Ecclesiastes 7:14






This was the track meet over at Jefferson High School on April 19, 2012.  Thankfully, no falls... (I closed my eyes this time.  Good thing that Uncle Dick brought his camera! LOL!)

Hotts Wearing Grey for PD Awareness Day!

We wore grey yesterday... Did you?  Although not everyone who showed up at our house yesterday had grey on, by the time they were here a bit, we found them something grey to wear.  Yesterday, April 21st, was wear grey to raise awareness for Parkinson's Disease.

Check us out.  Send me your picture.  I'll send it to the Parkinson's Foundation.

"Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for YOU!"  1 Peter 5:7

Wearing Grey on Saturday for Parkinson's Awareness!!

I have seen many declarations on the news lately for the month of April.  The many meaningful causes attempting to generate awareness for worthy efforts include the following list for April:

April is:  

Autism Awareness Month, 

Distracted Driver Awareness Month, 

STD Awareness Month, 

Sexual Assault Awareness Month, 

National Sarciodosis Awareness Month, 

Alcohol Awareness Month, 

Esophageal Cancer Awareness Month, 

Child Abuse Awareness Month, 

IBS (Irritated Bowel Syndrome) Awareness Month, 

Oral Cancer Awareness Month, 

National Stress Awareness Month, 

Organ Donor Awareness Month, 

Community College Awareness Month, 

Oil Speculation Awareness Month,

To name a few......

Holy Cow!  This list came up from a simple google search on Yahoo.  Did you know there were so many organizations holding events this month to generate awareness?  This was news to me.

However, I have been following the efforts of the Parkinson's Disease and Michael J. Fox Foundations.  They have been doing some great things to bring awareness to this crazy chronic illness.  

You see, my "hott-hubby" Dan has Parkinson's Disease.  At 49 years old with a young family of four, he was diagnosed with this debilitating illness that effects his mobility, among other things.  With two young boys at home (now they are 7 and 8 years old), living with Parkinson's can be challenge.

But aside from the physical demands of PD, we at the Hott House have chosen to find it's blessings.  So, for Parkinson's Awareness Month, this wife of a PD patient, mom of a PD family, caregiver in a PD home wants to say "thanks".  Because when Parkinson's joined our family, I learned to hear better and experience the blessings in the smallest moments, to appreciate how healthy we are this very minute, because, as I learn more and witness advanced stages of this stinking disease, PD has taught me to celebrate right now!

It's like God tapped me on the shoulder and whispered in my ear "Excuse me, can I tell you something?" I'm here.  And we can live with this!

Wear grey this Saturday, April 21st, to express your support of Parkinson's research.  

I am.

"I can do all things through him who strengthens me."  Philippians 4:13

Space Shuttle's Final Pre-dawn Launch

This is the picture I have on my cell phone for my wallpaper.  Check.it.out!  It is the last pre-dawn launch of NASA's Space Shuttle.  Today, the space shuttle was piggy back flown to Washington, D.C., to it's final resting place at the Smithsonian Institute.

In April 2010, the Hott Family made it to Florida to see a shuttle launch from the Kennedy Space Center.  It only took three attempts to finally witness such an amazing sight.  While staying directly across the river from the launch pad, our balcony at Ron Jon's Resort provided an excellent front row seat.

Really, it was kinda strange to hear the loud boom and then feel the sound.  But it was the coolest thing ever to watch it launch only about a few miles away.  It rose in the sky and headed towards the International Space Station. As the sun rose over the Atlantic Ocean, the picture you see here of the jet stream was captured.

Kinda looks like a big dragon, doesn't it?

The Final Hurdle

http://momsoffaith.com/2012/04/the-final-hurdle/
There are just about a million images that enter my brain as I share this story with you.  The experience I am about to tell brings up so many different things for me....to many to include in one column.  So, I just decided to tell you the story as it happened.  For all you parents reading this, I am sure you have also experienced this race too; whether it is waiting for the gun to fire, running down the track, or crossing the final hurdle.

You tell me.  Sometimes we just have to hit a few.  Even when it hurts, it can't be avoided.  Here is the link:  http://momsoffaith.com/2012/04/the-final-hurdle/

Part two comes in next week's column.  As our Easter Break comes to a close, I remember this week that Jesus started his life knowing fully what the end would bring.  How many of us would start such a "race" knowing how it ends? Sometimes, just starting another day is hard for some.

Prayerfully, I hope you hear God's gentle whisper "Excuse me, can I tell you something?"  Frankly, I'm not sure what it is but my hope is that it blesses you.  Although as strange as it may sound, "The Final Hurdle" has been a surprising blessing for me.

love, a

Superstar

http://parkinson.org/Community/Parkinson-s-Superstars/Dan-Hott

Imagine my surprise tonight when, for a moment Isaac and Levi were playing upstairs and I jumped on my laptop to cruise around facebook.  Hoping to see my column ("Hott Flashes") posted somewhere (I missed my editor's deadline this week with all the Easter craziness), I stopped along a posting about Parkinson's Superstars.  It mentioned an artist and so I stopped to view the video. 

The link took me to the National Parkinson Foundation's webpage (http://www.parkinsons.org/).  As I viewed a very nice story about an 87 year old man, Wendell, with PD, from the corner of my eye, I noticed list of other Superstar winners.

Guess who was there?  Check it out here.... I 5starred my "hott-hubby" Superstar!  You can too!... It's all about April being Parkinson's Awareness Month!  Spread the word!  Here's the link:
http://parkinson.org/Community/Parkinson-s-Superstars/Dan-Hott

Please share Dan's "Superstar" Story! 
love, love, love,
Angie

25 Cents

http://momsoffaith.com/2012/04/25-cents/
At what age is it appropriate to send your sons to the Men's Restroom alone?  Help!  http://momsoffaith.com/2012/04/25-cents/  Click my column to see what happend on yet another trip to the potty and share your "25 Cents" with me!
love, a