one hundered and fifty

Multiple sclerosis (MS) usually strikes adults in the prime of life - between the ages of 20 and 50. It is a chronic disease of the central nervous system affecting the brain and spinal cord. One new case of MS is diagnosed every hour. It comes and goes unpredictably, leaving people to wonder, "Will I become paralyzed, blind or have trouble walking? Will I be able to raise my family and continue my career?"


My dear friend, Rachel's mom was diagnosed with MS in 1990. Last year, while we were roommates, she asked me if I wanted to ride in the MS 150 with her--a 150 mile bike ride from Houston to Austin to raise money to find a cure for MS. The race was in about one month and I didn't even have a bike, but I agreed. It seemed like a good cause and I'm always up for a new adventure.

I found a bike, trained for a few weeks, and then headed down to Houston with Rachel's family. It turned out to be one of the greatest, most rewarding weekends of my life. Rachel's mom, Denyse, is such an inspiration and it was a pleasure and a joy to ride my bike for her and for all other fighting MS.


So, this weekend I will once again, head down to Houston, get on my bike, and--over a course of 2 days--will ride my bike to Austin. And, this year, my mom will be hanging out with Denyse and driving one of the chase cars. I can't wait!!

Rachel's siblings have started their own MS 150 team called "Team Yags" (Denyse's nickname) and I'm excited and honored to be a part of their team once again. Our website is www.teamyags.com where you can see bios of all of us and donate if you would like.

Please pray for our safety this weekend. There are thousands of riders and it can get dangerous on the roads with that many people out there. I'll post pictures of this year's ride next week!

Oh...and P.S.

While my trip to Italy was absolutely fabulous, my trip back to DFW from Italy was not so fabulous.

I woke up early (4:30am Italy time) on Saturday morning. I got dressed, and Sarah called a cab to take me to the airport.

The cab picked me up at 5:00am and I told Sarah, "Ciao" and was on my way. After a 20 minute silent cab ride, I was at the airport ready to head back to the ol' U.S. of A. Lufthansa apparently wasn't so ready for me to return!

I was greeted by a very long line at the Florence line, which I waited in patiently. (I, of course, made some friends from the Dallas area. The daughter of the family actually goes to LSU, so that was fun!) It was finally my turn to the ticket lady--WAHOO!! She checked my bags and gave me my boarding pass and then said the following words: "Your plane did not land in Florence last night, it was diverted to Bologna. You are going to take a bus to Bologna and leave for Frankfurt from there."

WHAT??

My idiotic response was: "Just me? Or the whole plane?"

I know...dumb. But to my defense, I was shocked! Have you ever heard of this? Is this a joke? I couldn't believe it.

So...we all headed to the gate and waited and waited and waited. The plane was supposed to leave Florence at 6:55am. It was 7:15 and we still hadn't gotten on the bus to drive the 1.5 hours to Bologna! At 7:30 our bus left. We were all thinking that the bus was going to drive straight to the plane for us to get to Frankfurt asap. Well...Italians do not believe in haste apparently!

When we got to the airport, we had to grab our own bags from below the bus and re-check them at the Bologna airport--seriously, at this point I think I am in a dream!! We all checked in and the plane did not end of taking off until 10:15am--the same time that my flight to Frankfurt was leaving for DFW!!

So, we got to Frankfurt around noon-ish and I ran to the ticket lady. I told her my situation and waited for her to check her system for any flights to DFW. She looked up at me and said the dreaded words: "I'm sorry. There are no more flights leaving today." I immediately started crying. I know, pathetic, but I was tired and sick and it was the LAST think I wanted to hear.

She gave me some tissue, booked me on a flight home the next day at 10:15am, gave me an overnight kit (complete with an XL t-shirt, a toothbrush, and some deoderant), booked me in a hotel room, and told me that I could make ONE phone call.

I felt like I was in jail.

I made my phone call and headed to the bus that would take me to my hotel. The hotel was very nice and Lufthansa also paid for me to get a yummy dinner and breakfast a the hotel restaurant--probably the best buffet in town!

I got to my hotel room at about 1:30pm and didn't know what to do. First of all, there was a double bed with a twin-size comforter and one flat pillow. WHAT???? I turned on the T.V., but of course everything was in German! So, I put on my XL t-shirt, turned on figure skating, and read my "Fried Green Tomatoes" book.

I got even more sick that night and didn't really sleep because my sneezing kept waking me up. I got out of bed the next morning, enjoyed my delicious free breakfast (complete with cappuccino), and headed back to the Frankfurt airport.

This is when I decided to use my misfortune and sickness to my advantage. I went to the gate lady and told her of my woes, coughed a few times, and even managed a sneeze and asked for an upgrade.

IT WORKED!!!!

I got a business class seat on the way back to DFW!!!! I am pretty sure that is what made this story in the end a success! The flight was fabulous. My seat laid all the way down, I had a massage on my chair, my own personal T.V. with like 20 movie choices, a menu to choose my dinner... I mean the works! THIS, my friends, is the way to travel overseas!!!

I realize that this story was waaaaay long, and if you stuck with me--CONGRATS!! The situation was no fun at the time, but it made for a great story--and I'm always up for a great story!

Lufthansa, you are very strange in putting me on a bus when I paid for a plane ticket, but I salute you for making it up to me in the end!!!!!

Ciao! Grazie!

(NOTE: There's going to be a bunch of pictures...so get ready!!!)

So I made my journey to Florence, Italy last Friday and began a whirlwind Spring Break Trip. I arrived in Florence on Saturday afternoon and Sarah immediately began the "Keep Claire Awake" campaign. We went on a nice stroll around Florence which ended at the David statue. Here's a picture of the David replica--the real David is even bigger!



The next morning we got up and I got on my very first train and went to Pisa. Now, when I think about Pisa, all I can think about is Pauly Shore saying, "Look...it's the leaning tower of cheesa!" on Son In Law. Anybody? Anybody? Beuller? Sarah and I took our obligatory holding up the tower pictures. I took it one step further and went ahead and hugged the statue.





We then got on another train and headed to Lucca--a very quaint fortified city near Pisa. The city is very small (only 2.5 miles in perimeter) and the wall is so thick that you can drive a car on it. We rented bikes and rode around on top of the wall. We had a blast!



And watched the sunset from the top of the wall...



The next day, Hayley joined us from the States and we began operation "Keep Hayley Awake". Due to the lack of showering on all of our parts, I am going to refrain from putting up any pictures from that day!! We strolled around Florence and Hay and I each bought a genuine Italian leather bag!

The next day was Roma!! We spent the entire day in Rome and did EVERYTHING. Here's just a few shots of our nonstop day.

In front of St. Peter's Basilica:



The Coliseum:



Trevi Fountain:



The next day was the day I was looking forward to the most--biking through Tuscany. We rode a total of about 12 miles, but went to Machiavelli's vineyard (remember "The Prince"??), had a fabulous dinner, and enjoyed the Tuscan hills. Here's one for your enjoyment. (Click on the picture to enlarge for your enjoyment.)



The next day we were off to The Cinque Terra (The 5 Lands). We took a train to the first city and hiked to the fourth city along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. We spent the night in an apartment with a fabulous view and then took a train to the 5th city and headed back to Florence that night. Here's a few pics from the trip--I'm going to try to limit it to just a few...

The view from our balcony:



The girls on a bridge:



All of us in the fourth city--Vernaza:



We headed back to Florence for my last night there. Sarah took us to a restaurant called Za Za's where I proceeded to have the best steak I have ever head in my entire life. It was covered in cognac sauce with peppercorns on it--absolutely fabulous!! Here's Sarah and I enjoying our steak--my last meal in Italia!!



So, the trip was a success. We made our rounds and had a blast! Thanks, Bunkmate, for being such a great tour guide. Thanks Emily and Kelly for letting me stay at your apartment. Thanks Hayley for being a fabulous travel companion. A great Spring Break INDEED!!

Bunkmates for Life!

Today I will love the DFW airport.

No, it is not taking me to Joe.

But it is taking me to one of my other favorite people in the whole world on the other side of the ocean--my Bunkmate, Miss Sarah Page Viering.

Yes, people, I am going to Italy!

I don't speak a lick of Italian (that's what Sarah is for) and I know nothing about fashion, but I am going to be brave in an attempt to experience Italy to the fullest!

I know that I won't fit in with my Patagonia fleece, Tim Buk 2 bag, and rounded toe shoes, but whatever--I'll make it!

I'm so excited about getting to see where Sarah lives and all that she loves. Italy has been her baby for so long and now I will get to enter into her world and walk in her shoes--well not her literal shoes...they would KILL my feet!! Hayley will be there on Monday, so it will be half of the chicks invading Italy! WAHOO!

A follow-up post will be coming next week...so stay tuned.

A Love-Hate Relationship

I have a love-hate relationship with the DFW airport.

I love it when it brings Joe to me and when it brings me to Joe.

I hate it when it takes Joe back home and when it welcomes me back to Dallas.

I loved it this past Thursday when I drove there after work to greet my amazing boyfriend and I hated it on Monday morning when I had to drive there at 4:30am so that Joe could go back home.

I am grateful for the DFW airport because without it I would never be able to see Joe, but a lot of the time I absolutely hate it.

Confessions of a Sonic Junkie

I love Sonic.

There. I said it. It's out there.

But the problem is that I not only love Sonic America's Drive In...

I adore it.
I crave it.
I don't know what I would do without it.

A large Coca-Cola Classic, half ice is the greatest thing in the world to me. It makes my heart race (that was for you Jecca).

(NOTE: In Texas, I have to say it like that because sometimes when I order Coke they ask me, "What kind?" I want to yell at them, "What kind do you think? I said Coke, not Dr. Pepper!!" So now I avoid the frustration I simply order a Coca-Cola Classic.)

A Coca-Cola Classic from Sonic is better than a Coca Cola Classic from any other place in the whole wide world. Sonic must put some sort of addictive agent it that keeps me coming back for more. Lauren (Garrison) Helton would even argue that MY Coca-Cola Classic from Sonic is even better than HER Coca-Cola Classic from Sonic. Maybe it's my love for Sonic mixed in with the addictive agent that keeps her sipping on my Coca-Cola Classic instead of hers. (No, I am not bitter!!)

In addition to Sonic Cokes, I also crave Sonic cheese sticks (fried mozzarella cheese for those more refined than me). I am a self-proclaimed cheese stick connoisseur, and would argue with anyone that Sonic has the best cheese sticks around. So, a number 10 with a large Coca-Cola Classic instead of a medium with half ice and extra marinara sauce just about makes my day!

So there you go.

It's out there.

I LOVE SONIC and I'm not afraid of it!

Now, get it your car and go get you your favorite yummy treat from America's Favorite Drive In.

It will put a smile on your face.

Oh--and if you go between the hours of 2pm and 4pm, it's Happy Hour and all drinks are 1/2 price. I'm telling you--Sonic's got it going on!!!!

Now hurry. Go! Go!

Not Boring

Sometimes I think that I have a boring life, and then I remember where and who I came from and remember that there has never really been a dull moment in my life. When I try to describe the family I came from, most people do not understand. So, pictures usually get the point across. Some of you may have seen these on facebook (click on the link and you can see the pictures even if you are not a member), but I’ll throw some on here for your viewing pleasure!!


The short version: My mom is in Mardi Gras Crewe (like a club) and she was the Dame Commander (in charge of the ball). The theme this year was the British Empire and all of the colonies. She had a "special" part because she was, of course, THE Dame Commander!!

My mother as the "SUN" that never sets on the British Empire (it's a long story!)

My Brothers and me at the Ball

My Fabulous Parents (who are on Facebooke, by the way--ridiculous!!)

I was also very blessed by my fabulous parents with a frequent flyer ticket to visit my fabulous boyfriend, Joe, in Boone, NC. (Thanks again, Mom and Dad!!) Joe and I were blessed with great weather and good friends to hang out with in Boone. As always, it was an amazing visit and I am more and more thankful that he is in my life.

Here we are before snowboarding--not quite Colorado, but it was so much fun to get to snowboard with Joe!!

And here's Manny--he's Joe's roommate and my friend! We love Manny!!

So, no, my life is not boring--it's actually really exciting! In two weeks, I went to Mardi Gras and to the Appalachian Mountains. I hung out with my family and with my boyfriend! My Jesus is so good to me.