DECISIONS DECISIONS

I could not decide what to write about this week...as each day went on, another subject presented itself...The Biggest Loser! The Inauguration of President Obama! Meaghan's Dance Show "Wonderscape"! Climbing Stairs and Eating Cheesecake! Clogging Workout! Dylan Travels to Reno! Prayers For Bobby!

Met at Dennice and Austin's house on Saturday to weigh in for the first installment of our very own Biggest Loser...the weigh in was the reason I almost didn't do it! I had to get on a scale and reveal to my son's adorable tiny athletic girlfriend just how much I really weigh...and it was 2 pounds more than it had been 2 weeks prior at the Doctor's office! What the? At this rate, I could weigh 8 pounds more at the next weigh in!

President Obama - I will choose HOPE instead of FEAR! And I thank you for the reminder. You and your family will be in my prayers daily as you lead and sacrifice for our country.
Aretha - YOU were AMAZING! You can bring it and you brought it! Even with your unfortunate breath-break in the second word you were singing...POWERFUL! And your hat, girl!
Rick Warren - your speech/sermon that you called a prayer was...well lets just say it was. Over. Done. Forgettable. So lets forget it now.











Meaghan my little red shoe-shakin-peppermint swirl you...ADORABLY WONDERFUL! How I LOVE watching you perform! You bring a smile to my face and to the faces of all that watch you dance! And ....you wear your sponge rollers and ribbons well!












My stint as the back stage dance room chaperone mom was a thrilling experience! My charges were 50 teenage girls jacked up on the rush that is opening night. They were loud, cute, respectful, talented, naughty, beautiful, young, and did I mention loud? I loved every one of my 210 minutes with them...

I have been climbing the stairs at work for the last two weeks. I work on the third floor, and it is two flights of stairs per floor...2 X 2 = 4. Thank goodness it is simple math. Four flights of stairs to get to my office. Hate it. But I am doing it. Hey...who handed me this piece of cheesecake? Okay..I am only going to take one bite to be polite. One bite. Or two. Or all of it. Okay, I didn't eat the whipped cream topping or the crust. Where the heck are the stairs?

OFF and ON for the last 5 years I have been CLOGGING. My purpose in doing so has been to get some exercise in a fun, non threatening environment. Currently I am ON, and so far (two weeks) it has been fun and non threatening. And sweaty.

My Dylan left at 2 AM for Reno for the Western Fair Association Showcase with Brian Bon and Right now they are in a snowstorm driving 20 miles an hour with chains. At this point I just want them to get there and back home safely. And if POWERHOUSE!!! books some shows at the showcase, then that is the icing on the cupcake! Who said cupcake???


I watched Prayers for Bobby last night on Lifetime. What a brave woman Mary Griffith is to tell this story. A story of how she loved her son but did not accept him for who he was, and how he ultimately took his own life by jumping off a bridge into oncoming traffic below. I wonder what affect this movie might have had on the outcome of Prop 8 had it been aired prior to the election. I am not sure. I do know that my commitment to my gay son, my gay friends, gay youth and the gay community is stronger than ever after watching the movie. Because there continue to be Mary and Bobby Griffth's out there; Bobby's contemplating taking their own lives, feeling hopeless and alone and Mary's not accepting their own children and about to lose them forever. My arms are open to all of them. Even though these mothers, these families cannot and do not accept their own children, they do not deserve to lose their children. So I will continue to fight to save these young lives and bring them hope, for those mothers that can't bring themselves to fight for them.

www.thetrevorproject.org

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter" - Martin Luther King Jr.

IT'S BACK!

THE HAIR! THE TATTOOS! THE MAKEUP! THE DANCE MOVES! THE BIKINI?
THE VOICES! I CAN'T GET THE VOICES OUT OF MY HEAD!!!!

Meaghan's Winter Formal

Meaghan Rose

Uh Oh...

Daddy puts them away!

Megpie Wins!



Los Alamitos High School Winter Formal 2009

Looking Forward to February 23rd...

I dread January 5th. I dread February 22nd. And I dread the days between January 5th and February 22nd.

January 5, 2009 marks the 5th anniversary of the LAST time my mom was admitted to the hospital, and the last time I saw her eyes open. The last time I spoke to her while she was conscious, although she couldn't speak because of the ventilator. The last time I was able to say "I love you mama" and know for a fact that she heard me. The next day, she fell asleep. But that day, January 5th, in the ICU, my mom's eyes were open, she communicated by writing notes on a pad (although it exhausted her) and hand gestures. Yes,including THAT hand gesture!

February 22, 2009 will mark the 5th anniversary of my mother's death. The end of her heroic 5 year battle with congestive heart failure, her multiple admissions to the ICU and being placed on ventilators; the end of pain and suffering and illness and anxiety. It marked the end of her final hospital stay that had included strokes, heart attacks, ventilators, kidney dialysis and more.

I wanted off the roller coaster...I wanted my mom off the roller coaster..and finally the ride ended. 5 days after my mom's 70th birthday. Over 5 years of life threatening illness, many many hospital admissions, almost 2 months on a ventilator asleep and finally it was over, and mama was at peace and pain free.

I dread January 5th through February 22nd. Bring on February 23rd. I miss you mama. I love you. xoxo becca

CRISIS - Growing Up Gay In America

What is it like to be called an abomination by your religious leaders?

To live in fear of losing your family’s love?

To be afraid to go to school because of the torment that awaits you?

To lie to everyone about whom you love?



A MUST READ FOR EVERYONE!
(Including folks like Rick Warren!)

SOS - Sunday of Solidarity- CANCELLED

"SOS" or "Sunday of Solidarity" event, hosted by Soulforce, that was scheduled for Sunday, January 18, 2009, has been cancelled. A new date has not yet been announced, but when it is I will post it.

SOS-Sunday of Solidarity

Who:
Soulforce, Atticus Circle, and YOU!
Bring the truth about marriage equality to Rick Warren's church!

What:
Sunday of Solidarity -- See Steps 1-4 below

When:
Sunday, January 18, 2009

Where:
8:30 - 10:30am: Required Pre-Action Briefing
Pick up your t-shirt or lapel button and attend this required pre-action briefing at Irvine United Congregational Church (Plumer Hall), 4915 Alton Parkway, Irvine, California 92604.

11:15am: Attend Worship at Saddleback Church
Saddleback Church, 1 Saddleback Parkway, Lake Forest, CA, 92630
Peacefully attend worship wearing the lapel button or t-shirt and seek opportunities for respectful dialogue with members of the congregation.

Why:
Rick Warren, Pastor of Saddleback Church, will give the invocation at President-Elect Obama's Inauguration on Tuesday, January 20, 2009 in Washington, D.C. Many LGBT people and our allies have expressed their dismay at Warren's offensive statements and his substantial support of Proposition 8 that stripped same-sex couples of the right to marry in California. Soulforce tried to create opportunities for dialogue at Saddleback and you can read about that effort here. Now it's time to take the next step.

Soulforce, Atticus Circle, and YOU will bring a bold message of marriage equality directly to the congregation and staff at Saddleback by wearing a lapel button or t-shirt that reads "gay marriage? fine by me" to the 11:15 service on January 18, 2009. The lapel buttons & t-shirts will serve to jump start nonviolent conversation with those in Warren's church about the importance of supporting marriage equality for all American's.

To join us, take the following four steps:

Step 1: Go to http://finebyme.org/sos.html before the end of the day on January 11, 2009 (hurry - that's this coming Sunday!) and order your t-shirt or lapel button that reads "gay marriage? fine by me." Lapel buttons are just $2.00 and t-shirts are $16 (long-sleeve available for $20). All t-shirts and lapel buttons will be shipped to California and be available for pick-up at the required pre-action briefing (see Step 2).

Step 2: Come to Irvine United Congregational Church, 4915 Alton Parkway, Irvine, California, 92604 at 8:30am on Sunday, January 18, 2009 for the required pre-action briefing. You will pick up your pre-ordered t-shirt or lapel button, receive training in nonviolent communication strategies, and sign the Soulforce pledge to nonviolence. You must attend this briefing and sign the pledge card to participate.

Step 3: Attend the 11:15 worship service at Saddleback and seek peaceful dialogue with those around you using the tools provided during the pre-action debriefing.

Step 4: Optional but highly encouraged -- Attend a debriefing afterwards at a location to be announced during the 8:30am pre-action briefing.

Rick Warren may not be in attendance on January 18, but that's O.K. -- it's really his congregation with whom we wish to speak. We hope you'll join us if you are confident you can do so in a spirit of nonviolence. Please forward this information to friends and family who are concerned about Rick Warren's false teachings about LGBT people and are ready to take nonviolent direct action.

Kiss Me At Midnight!

What do warm coats, lettuce wraps, Wallace kids,banging pots, party poppers, little smokies, beagles, Ryan Seacrest and cream puffs have in common? New Years Eve Wallace Style!

Austin, Dennice, Evan (Katie had to work), Dylan, Meaghan and David and I bundled up and made our way to PF Changs for dinner where we enjoyed a variety of our favorite dishes, lively conversation and laughter.
After dinner, Austin and Dennice headed to a party, and Evan headed to Katie's house.
Back at home, we watched movies, ate little smokies, chips and salsa, and drank champagne!

When midnight arrived, kisses were exchanged and the New Year was ringing in - Wallace Family style-with pots and pans and party poppers!

In the morning, David left to join the Congdons for the Rose Bowl Game (let the tailgating begin!), Evan was AT the Rose Parade with Katie and her family, and I was watching the Rose Parade with Edwards and Eubanks while sipping my morning coffee! Meaghan and Dylan finally got up and we spent a wonderful day together watching old movies and snacking.

I love parades. Local parades, Disney Parades, The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, The Rose Parade...I love them all...could it have something to do with me being in marching band in high school? Not sure, maybe...but there is nothing like getting up on New Years Day, turning on the tube and hearing the familiar voices of Bob Eubanks and Stephanie Edwards and seeing spectacular floats cruise down Colorado Blvd. Perhaps next year I will join Evan and Katie along the parade route...

Welcome 2009! I greet you with cautious optimism,hope and thankfulness. I wish all of my family and friends a very Happy New Year!

smoochies, beckie