Yeah, Baby!

What a fun -- but so busy -- weekend! The best part was having little Kate with us for the weekend -- along with Casey, John, Anna and Zach! Because of the Auburn-Alabama game being on Friday, messing up the whole Thanksgiving weekend, we had our family Thanksgiving dinner on Sunday, and Gary, Carolyn, Brian and Amanda came down from Birmingham.

It took a little while for Kate to warm up to us -- and Stacy scared her and made her cry! I tried to tell him to use his "indoor non-school voice!"

Along with the Civic Club Rival Run that we did Sat. morning -- and Casey and Anna ran in -- we had Jenna's wedding that Anna was a maid-of-honor in. The wedding and Jenna were just beautiful -- and so sweet. We certainly wish Jenna and Brent a wonderful life! Kate even did some dancing -- no, not by herself. She can't even walk yet!

So Stacy and I brought Kate home after she conked out at the reception while the kids stayed til the end! That's just what you do for your grandchild! And so worth it!

Casey and I went up to the attic and got down some of the girls' toys for Kate to play with -- that get to stay here at the house! I think I need to find a toy tub! Of course, the Tinker Toys (Casey's favorite), the Fisher Price Zoo, a couple of My Child dolls, sock monkey, rocking chair . . .

So you can see we had a fun weekend! And the best part is we get to see her . . . ugh, them . . . again on Friday for the big game . . . well, the game. Don't know how big it will be this year. Not expecting too much! But I'm going to baby-sit while everyone else goes to the game! What I'll do for my granddaughter! Isn't she cute?

We're just a statistic

With the healthcare debate in Congress, it was only a matter of time before the government got into deciding how many people saved by cancer screenings was enough to make it worthwhile.

Evidently 15% of women saved by early detection of breast cancer isn't enough to recommend mammograms for women age 40-49. That's because some are false-positive and may cause some women discomfort and stress from having a biopsy when they might not actually have cancer. What's the discomfort of finding out they actually do have cancer and it wouldn't have been found if they hadn't had the mammogram?

And earlier this year it was testing for prostate cancer. Nope, don't need it any more according to the government. Not enough people saved to make a PSA test worthwhile or cost-effective. Again, the discomfort and stress of a biopsy aren't worth saving a few lives. You're supposed to make your own "personal health care choice" about whether you need the test or not based on your own "beliefs and values."

These reports were made by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, "an independent panel of experts in primary care and prevention that reviews the evidence of effectiveness and develops recommendations for clinical preventive services." What it really is? A panel of experts funded and appointed by the government of the United States. And it has no oncologists on its board of experts.

Basically, they look at statistics and decide if the statistics warrant the expense of tests. Is it any wonder that these reports come at a time when the government wants to cut back on health care costs? What better way than to get rid of expensive tests? Why bother if you can't save enough people with those tests?

Is this what we have to look forward to for our future in healthcare in the U.S.? Going backwards in decades of research and trying to save lives? Now what it's down to is the question: "Is the expense worth saving 15% -- or must we have 25% -- but why not make it 50%?"

I know why it's worth it! For my brother Walker, diagnosed with prostate cancer at age 45 -- wouldn't have happened with these new guidelines. Ask him if the inconvenience of a biopsy and treatment was worth it?

For my friends Lynn and Ann and Janet and Dianne and Deborah and Alice -- all diagnosed with breast cancer under age 50. Ask them if they were worth it? You better believe it!

This is a comment from one of the articles I read on the subject: "When examined at the level of individual case histories, screening saves lives, period. About 95 percent of women diagnosed early with breast cancer now survive their disease. Most of that gain came from early detection (self-exams and mammograms) despite what the large population statistics may suggest. Until we figure out how to identify whether your cancer, diagnosed early, will kill you or not, get screened, or risk becoming one of the people who end up on the wrong side of the statistics."

Read the article in the Wall Street Journal about mammogram recommendations. Read the article about prostate screening. Then you decide if you or your friends or family are worth the expense? Evidently our government doesn't think so. To them we're just a statistic.

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween everyone -- and be safe!

Trick or Treat

My cute little munchkin!

For Halloween, Kate is going to be a chicken, Casey will be a cow, and John will be the farmer! Of course, photo is by Casey Cooper Photography. So nice to have a professional in the family to take such cute pictures!

My Aaaahhhh Vacation!

I've been needing one of these vacations . . . the kind where you're not in line and in a crowd every minute or rushing off to a reservation . . . one of those vacations where you can just "mosey"! Well, Stacy and I just took a trip to New England to "watch the leaves change!" How much more laid-back can you get?

Although it didn't start out that way! We had a flat tire before we even got to Enterprise! Stacy put on the spare. Thanks to Jim Whaley's Tires (just before you get to Wal-Mart) in Enterprise for helping us out with a new tire and getting us on our way to Atlanta. At least we weren't on a tight schedule since we were spending the night in Atlanta and flying out the next morning! We managed to make it to the Marriott Airport before too late -- and the Marriott bed made it worthwhile! Plus they have a "park and fly" policy so you can park your vehicle there (free of charge) for up to 8 days and take their free shuttle to the airport! Now that's the way to go -- and we didn't have to remember where in that airport parking lot our vehicle was!

We flew into Portland, Maine, on Sunday on AirTran. I was able to upgrade to business class the night before when I did our online check-in (for just $60 each) -- and now Stacy's spoiled with the big cushy seats and good service! It is soooo worth it! Arrived on time and went to Alamo (best price) to get our rental car -- a red Chevy Impala, very clean and fairly new!

Thank goodness we took the Magellan GPS, because I would have gotten us so lost and we'd probably still be up there somewhere in northern New Hampshire trying to find our way back! We drove across New Hampshire and just across the Connecticut River from Dartmouth College to Norwich, Vermont, where we were staying three nights at the Norwich Inn. It was a cute inn -- small town. Our room was on the second floor -- in blue and white with a comfy kingsize bed with a small sofa and flat-screen TV. The bath was tiny, but cute. There was a pub downstairs and we ate there one night and two nights in Hanover at Molly's Restaurant (the hangout for Dartmouth).

On Monday we rode down to Quechee and Woodstock, VT, then on up following the Green Mountain Forest to Stowe and Waterbury. The scenery was just beautiful -- everywhere. We stayed on two-lane roads and avoided the Interstate -- and just "moseyed" along!

On Tuesday, we woke up to snow! Then it turned to rain. We were heading to northern New Hampshire through the White Mountains. The higher up we got, it began to snow -- really big flakes. It was so beautiful! We stopped several times to take pictures. From Conway, we headed up toward Mt. Washington -- but it was getting foggy by the time we got there and we didn't try to go to the top (thank goodness)! Then the GPS got stuck and wouldn't tell us where we were and I had to get us back by reading the "paper map"!

On Wednesday, we checked out and headed south to the Vermont Country Store (my mom's favorite store and I promised her we'd go!) Then on over across New Hampshire to southern Maine. We spent the night there in Kennebunk at the Kennebunk Inn. Cute room, but very small. I managed to get Stacy to stop at one antique shop!

Stacy wanted "Maine lobster," so we went to Kennebunkport and walked on the beach there -- didn't see the Bushes, they must have been out of town -- and ate at Bartley's -- the home of Mrs. B's famous blueberry pie. Stacy got his "giant" lobster, and I had a wonderful prime rib -- and we shared some of that blueberry pie -- and it's just as good as they say it is! They had photos of the Bush family all over the restaurant and said that Mrs. B's pie had been on Air Force One!

And on Thursday, we headed back to Portland to fly home. It was a great vacation -- with beautiful views, and rich fall colors, and snow! And to think it was all Stacy's idea!

Kate's dedication

Dedicating Katherine Lee Cooper to the Lord - what a wonderful day of blessings for our family!

Kate's Dedication Weekend

We took the great-grandmas to Madison this weekend for Kate's baby dedication at First Baptist Church of Madison. I don't have the photos from the dedication (didn't want too commercialize the service with too many cameras) -- so I'll have to get those from Casey. But, needless to say, Kate was beautiful in the georgeous christening gown Casey was able to use from her photo shoot for Sew Beautiful magazine.



During the dedication, Kate just looked at the pastor just like she knew what he was talking about! She was very sweet, but kicked her little feet under the dress and looked around like she was thinking, "What am I doing up here with everyone looking at me?"

We had the whole family there -- Coopers and Hatchers! Anna and Zach came over from Atlanta, John's parents Mitchell and Kaye (PaPa and Nanna) came from Wadley, John's sister Dana and Lance Raughton came from Auburn with their boys Langley and Landon, Great-grandmas Adalee Stockley (my mom, Nanny) and Mary Hatcher (Stacy's mom, MawMaw), and Stacy and me (PawPaw and CiCi)!

Langley and Landon were so sweet and cute with Kate and got her to chatter and laugh! It was a wild time -- and I know Casey, John and Kate were happy to get some peace and quiet when we all left (although most of us stayed at a motel)!

Saturday afternoon the boys went down to Hartselle to the land Casey and John will build on in a few years -- and us girls went to the Madison Street Festival and ate at the Main Street Cafe in the old Town Hall. Then we all watched the exciting Auburn-Tennessee game that night (War Eagle for the big win)!!

Casey had a great chicken pie, artichoke dip, bacon-wrapped cocktail sausages and her delicious Paula Deen punch for after the church service -- and a DELICIOUS cake in the shape of a cross to top everything off. What a great weekend spent with everyone we love most!