ESA Wonderful Wednesday - January 29, 2014

 Happy Wonderful Wednesday!

The February Board Meeting is coming up next week! Have you sent in your Registration? I have! If you have not done so, please send your registration in to District 11, only $20.00! District 11 has planned a WONDERFUL weekend for us, including a field trip (always love field trips) to the George W. Bush Presidential Library near SMU in Dallas. If enough of us go, the group rate will apply at either $9.00 or $10.00.

Apparently, the room rates may have been quoted incorrectly on some of the registration forms. Rather than $70.00 per night, it is $75.00. Therefore, there will be an additional cost if you plan to stay at the hotel. We apologize for the error. However, you need to send in your Registration now!

Remember Saturday evening of the Board Meeting our Jr. Past President and ESA Disaster Fund Chairman, Valerie Dickens, will be hosting a Bingo event benefiting the ESA Disaster Fund. Each District is responsible to bringing two wrapped (not in gift bags with tissue, but wrapped) prizes valued at $10.00 each. This should be great fun!

During the Board Meeting on Sunday, the 9th of February, we will have a donation towards the Literacy for Life campaign, as part of the Sharing and Caring Team efforts. LeeAnn Henderson is asking that we commit to donations to our local Head Start Grantee or Delegate, sign the donation form, and bring to the Sunday meeting for a special donation segment. We want to show ESA Texas has an impact on Literacy in Texas!

We are coming up on the Academy Awards, the Oscars! Therefore, here is the IAWL trivia question for this week… In nearly every category IAWL was nominated for, another movie won Best Motion Picture in 1947 at the 19^th Academy Awards. What is the name of that movie? Interestingly, this same movie won the following categories and each time IAWL was nominated as well – actor, direction, and film editing. Can you name the folks who won in those categories? Then there was one category neither that movie nor IAWL won – what was the category and who won?

Happy, Happy, Happy Birthday to the following sisters (and brothers) for the coming week! 

Shirley Wells – January 31 of Rho Theta, District I and PPAC

Kay Turrentine – February 1 of Sigma Epsilon, District 6

Tina Anderson – February 1 of Epsilon Iota, District 11

Brenda Fuson – February 2 of Theta Alpha, District 7

Pauline Rivers – February 2 of Rho Theta, District 1 and District Vice President

Rose Pasillas – February 4 of Sigma Iota, District 6, State Leadership Chair, Texas PPAC and IC Sr. Past President/PPAC

If you desire to get the blog postings sooner than later, please let me know by email at sueannesa@yahoo.com and I will add you to a mailing group list I have set up. To see the blog, click on the following address:

http://esawonderfulwednesday.blogspot.com/.

Remember, ESA's . . . A Wonderful Life!

Love and hugs to all Every Day Angels,

sue ann

ESA Wonderful Wednesday - January 22, 2014

Happy Wonderful Wednesday!

This last weekend, Owen and his sisters went to their Aunt's 90th Birthday Celebration. I was unable to go, as I was in Houston for the Convention Planning Meeting and District 2 Council Meeting. Years ago, Owen's Aunt Frances had crocheted a HUGE afghan for her mother. Somehow, the afghan got into Owen's mother's procession due to a travel motel the family had once owned in Dallas. Since we live in Owen's mother's house, it stayed with Owen. Well, to make this story shorter (yeah!) Owen gave the nearly perfect afghan for its age back to his aunt for her present. While it will go to her daughter, Frances was very touched and proud to see the work she had done so many years ago. In addition, her daughter, Zazelle, sees the legacy she will receive in the future. Zazelle sent Owen an email the next day expressing her gratitude for giving her mom something so very special. 

This brings me to Legacy...... Legacy in ESA. I am very big on that as you may remember. I am the third in a family of five who have joined ESA. My grandmother (the first, so to speak, although not the first to join... that would be my mom - Letha) was in my mom's chapter in California - Mu Chapter. Now, Letha belongs online to a Texas chapter... mine - Chi Kappa, as does my daughter, Holly, and my DESA granddaughter, Emma - five generations, four in one chapter!   

Now I realize sometimes our families maybe "tired" of hearing "don't you want to join"... I get that! Maybe there is a family member or friend that lives out of town, out of the vicinity of your chapter, but could call in, join an online chat room, skype in? I know in Sigma Iota of District 6, one member, a daughter/niece skypes in from San Antonio to chapter meetings in the Fort Worth area and other members send in reports or call in from California and other parts of the US. Chi Kappa meets in a chat room. More and more chapters are thinking outside "the box" to keep the members they have and even gain new ones or reinstatements. So do not let location, location, location be a barrier to membership, membership, membership! 

Now with that... "Be One, Get One... BOGO" Be a member and get a member is the theme for the membership drive announce by ESA Headquarters and Susanne Dullack earlier in November. The ESA website has more information about the pluses of this campaign and how to sign a commitment card for pledging a new member. If you do this, you get a special BOGO button to wear. I signed a card. You should as well. Check out the ESA website. There is always a wealth of information there!  

The visit to District 2 was WONDERFUL filled with the Convention Planning Meeting and their scheduled Business Meeting. Some of you may remember going to convention several years ago in League City, staying at the South Harbor Shore Resort. Ladies, it is just as wonderful now was it was then. There are several agenda changes for this upcoming convention to allow for some free time halfway through. Of course, there will be the expected Thursday evening events of Pre-Convention Party and several meetings and/or rehearsals. Friday is filled with two General Assemblies (including the Flag Ceremony), a Workshop with a Guest Speaker on Domestic Abuse, and the Campaign/Skit Dinner. Note, we are not having an Invitational Executive Board Luncheon. However, the Resort will have available a no-host buffet during the lunch hours for a very reasonable cost. Saturday, there is nothing scheduled in the morning, except ballot counting. So, there is time to sleep in, shop, go to Kemah, tour NASA, sit by the pool, or visit with your Texas Sisters. Saturday at noon, we kick off with the Awards Luncheon and then later move to our Banquet and Installation Ceremony. After our Memorial Service and then breakfast buffet, we convene for the third General Assembly. Breakfast Buffet is included in the room changes for each of the three days. I am looking forward to an ESA packed weekend...  ESA's... A Wonderful Life! 

The February Board Meeting is now less than a month away. Have you sent in your Registration? I have! If you have not done so, please send your registration in to District 11, only $20.00! District 11 has planned a WONDERFUL weekend for us, including a field trip (always love field trips) to the George W. Bush Presidential Library near SMU in Dallas. If enough of us go, the group rate will apply at either $9.00 or $10.00. So send in your Registration now!

During the Board Meeting on Sunday, the 9th of February, we will have a donation towards the Literacy for Life campaign, as part of the Sharing and Caring Team efforts. LeeAnn Henderson is asking that we do the following – 
“Taking steps to increase Literacy is one of our goals for this year. Our Caring and Sharing Project for Literacy for this year is to make book donations to the children in Head Start Programs. All areas of Texas need help with Literacy.  Instead of bringing books to the Garland meeting, please make donations to your local Head Start Grantee or Delegate. We want books that can be used in the school lending library. Parents have the opportunity to borrow books to read to their children.  There will be information and a form on our Texas State Council website by the end of the week. Please fill it out and show your commitment to the project. Bring the form with you to the meeting in February so we can show what an impact ESA Texas can have on Literacy in Texas.”

Karen Luchenbach, the Outstanding Youth Chair has that I remind everyone that the forms for Outstanding Jr. Youth award and the Outstanding Sr. Award is due to her by March 1 (Postmarked)  

I will have a listing of approaching deadline dates along with special dates to remember at the State Board Meeting on the last page of the pamphlet agenda we have used during this sorority year. 

Now for the answer for last week's IAWL trivia question…. The question was - If George Bailey had never been born, what would Bailey Park be named? Would Bedford Falls have always been called Bedford Falls? Bailey Park would be Potter’s Field, a cemetery. Bedford Falls would have been named Pottersville. Henry F. Potter saw himself as the true benefactor of development and the town to have everything named for himself!

Happy, Happy, Happy Birthday to the following sisters (and brothers) for the coming week!  
Carolyn Hunt – January 24 of Sigma Delta, District 8
Carrie Hurd – January 25 of Epsilon Iota, District 11
Lesa Hearon – January 26 of Kappa Kappa, District 4
Lois Powers – January 26 of Sigma Epsilon, District 6
And my baby girl, Holly Henderson – January 28 of Chi Kappa, District 1 and Presidential Assistant, my daughter, my friend, and my sister in ESA!

If you desire to get the blog postings sooner than later, please let me know by email at sueannesa@yahoo.com and I will add you to a mailing group list I have set up. To see the blog, click on the following address: 

http://esawonderfulwednesday.blogspot.com/. 

Remember, ESA's . . . A Wonderful Life!

Love and hugs to all Every Day Angels,

sue ann

ESA Wonderful Wednesday - January 15, 2014

Happy Wonderful Wednesday!

The February Board Meeting is now less than a month away. How can this be? If you have not done so, please send your registration in to District 11, only $20.00! District 11 has planned a WONDERFUL weekend for us, including a field trip (always love field trips) to the George W. Bush Presidential Library near SMU in Dallas. If enough of us go, the group rate will apply at either $9.00 or $10.00. Three of my family (Grammie and Grandpie Owen are taking JonBoy) are going to experience what a Presidential Library is, no matter political beliefs. 

This field trip will be in the afternoon of Saturday, February 8th. A special lunch will be set up for us on Saturday between 12:00 and 1:00 in the WILDFIRE RESTAURANT ($12.95 per person).  We will leave for the library as soon after that as possible.  We will be carpooling. There will be maps for the drivers.  It is easy to get to – Travel west on 190 (George Bush Tollway) to south on 75 (Central Expressway) then exit to SMU.

NOTICE:    If you are planning to go on 

The Presidential Library Tour, 

You must send in your registration to District 11 

By January 24th!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you rather go shopping, Firewheel outdoor mall is very near the Holiday Inn in Garland off the George Bush Tollway. Of course, just spend the afternoon with your state sorority sisters. The afternoon is YOURS! 

That evening, Valerie Dickens, Jr. Past President and ESA Disaster Fund Chairman, will be hosting a Bingo event benefiting the ESA Disaster Fund. Each District should be supplying two wrapped items (in gift-wrap - no bags for peeking inside) valued at $15.00 each to be used for winning Bingo prizes. I generally do not win a Bingo Game as Joyce will attest... but I enjoy playing and seeing how the prizes unfold! 

During the Board Meeting on Sunday, the 9th of February, we will have a donation towards the Literacy for Life campaign, as part of the Sharing and Caring Team efforts. LeeAnn Henderson will be getting me more details about this in the coming weeks. This campaign is the platform of our 2013-2014 IC President Vicky Jones. So let us get behind this... 

Hopefully, I will remember to attach the updated schedule of events for the board meeting weekend with timing of meetings on Saturday morning. I had sent out one last week to the Executive Board and PPAC's, but it has been updated since with several changes and enhancements. 

I attended a Webinar here at work today "Small Steps Lead to Big Changes". Primarily it was relating to making changes in your life to better your health. However, growing this idea outside box makes sense too. Many of the tasks we do in ESA are huge, at times daunting. Sometimes we do not know where to start, when, or how. This is true for the many reports we will be completing in the next several months!

To complete the task, we have to figure out how to make it manageable, achievable, reasonable, and satisfiable! What I have to be reminded of... to make it small to start and link the small steps to something fun. With each step, more is completed, the outcome is timely, and enjoyable all at the same time. 

Many of you may know, I was an OB nurse by trade and taught childbirth education (Lamaze) classes 4 to 5 evenings a week for over 13 years. There were many steps to having a baby... they tend to be in a sequence; they tend to be hard; and, they tend to make a mother overwhelmed to face the entire process. It is "a kin" to running a 26-mile marathon! We have to start somewhere... we have to shoot for small goals before we can get to the big one! Therefore, I would encourage my couples, the students, to work through one contraction at a time. If they would do that, relax, breath, concentrate, and focus, they could work through the 45 to 90 second contraction to rest up for the next one. If they get through 60 seconds, they find they can work through several 60-second contractions. Then they are making it through 15 minutes of labor, then 30 minutes, and so on... One contraction at a time! One step at a time! But if the couple looked at facing the entire labor as just one task, it becomes overwhelming, too much to feel they could overcome and get to the end to have that new baby! 

Bringing a task down to achievable chunks is the way to succeed and then achieve. So when you face a huge ESA task, spend a short bit of time to assess the task. Determine how you can break it down to something you can achieve, having fun at the same time, laying that foundation; and before you realize it, you are well on the way to making it the best of the best, getting it done, and having fun at the same time.  Just some thoughts for the week! 

Now for this week's IAWL trivia question…. The question is - If George Bailey had never been born, what would Bailey Park be named? Would Bedford Falls have always been called Bedford Falls? 
  
Happy, Happy, Happy Birthday to the following sisters (and brothers) for the coming week!   
Brittany Fonseca – January 17 of Kappa Kappa, District 4 
Louanne McAnally – January 19 of Delta Omicron, District 7
Jan Miller – January 20 of Pi Delta, District 1, State Installing Officer, My Presidential Advisor, and PPAC member
Elizabeth Reyes – January 20 of Alpha Beta, District 10
Janis Brown – January 21 of Lambda Nu, District 5
Tonita Williams – January 21 of Theta Alpha, District 7
Sandra Blackmon – January 22 of Epsilon Iota, District 11
  
If you desire to get the blog postings sooner than later, please let me know by email at sueannesa@yahoo.com and I will add you to a mailing group list I have set up. To see the blog, click on the following address: 
http://esawonderfulwednesday.blogspot.com/. 

Remember, ESA's . . . A Wonderful Life!

Love and hugs to all Every Day Angels,

sue ann

ESA Wonderful Wednesday - January 8, 2014

Happy Wonderful Wednesday!

Now that the Holidays have come and gone, I am back to the business of the Texas State Council...... One passing I want to speak of... the passing of Virginia Mankins, Zeta Nu, Kilgore and PPAC. Those of us from the "old" District 12 remember Virginia as "Mother Superior". For skits... she would even dress that way.... She was ESA all the way... a former Kilgore Rangerette, a highly educated woman, a force to be reckon with, a wife of a former Texas Legislator - the love of her life - Jimmy Earl, a mom, a grandmother, a friend, a sister and someone we could all look to for information and advice. Everyone in Texas ESA, those of us in Districts 1 and 12, her Zeta Nu sisters, will miss Virginia and of course, her PPAC pals. I want to thank Jan Miller and those from District 1/Pi Delta who were able to represent Texas ESA at Virginia's services the day before Christmas. The passing of Virginia Mankins will leave a gap in our sweet sorority... 

The February Board Meeting is just a month away. How can this be? Please send your registration in to District 11, only $20.00! District 11 has planned a WONDERFUL weekend for us, including a field trip (always love field trips) to the George W. Bush Presidential Library near SMU in Dallas. If enough of us go, the group rate will apply at either $9.00 or $10.00. Three of my family (Grammie and Grandpie Owen are taking JonBoy) are going to experience what a Presidential Library is, no matter our political beliefs. This field trip will be in the afternoon of Saturday, February 8th. If you rather go shopping, Firewheel outdoor mall is very near the Holiday Inn in Garland off the George Bush Tollway. Of course, just spend the afternoon with your state sorority sisters. The afternoon is YOURS! 

That evening, Valerie Dickens, Jr. Past President and ESA Disaster Fund Chairman, will be hosting a Bingo event benefiting the ESA Disaster Fund. More information will be coming out shortly. However, I am told that each District should be supplying two wrapped items (in gift-wrap - no bags for peeking inside) valued at $15.00 each to be used for winning Bingo prizes. I generally do not win a Bingo... but I enjoy playing and seeing how the prizes unfold! 

During the Board Meeting on Sunday, the 9th of February, we will have a donation towards the Literacy for Life campaign, as part of the Sharing and Caring Team efforts. LeeAnn Henderson will be getting me more details about this in the coming weeks. This campaign is the platform of our 2013-2014 IC President Vicky Jones. So let us get behind this... I was reading an article this morning on CNN that there is a huge gap between athletic students and their peers. This is so sad. One athlete is unable to read the news articles about himself. Another athlete cannot pronounce the state he lives in... Wisconsin. So not only do we need to support those youngsters starting school already behind, but those in school and those finishing school... going into adulthood unable to read and write!   

I know it is difficult, as a person with a form of dyslexia. Most do not know that is what I have and it was not discovered until I went back to school in the early 2000's to get another degree. It all makes sense now... the additional testing in junior high and the prospect from that being told I would not even make it to college, let alone make it through high school. Nevertheless, I worked my behind off! When I got accepted to University of California at Davis (went to Berkeley in the summers), University of Hawaii at Honolulu, and the College of St. Mary's in Oakland, as I had only applied to three colleges, I went back to the school administrator who happened to be a "chum" of my grandmother, the educator/administrator, and dropped the acceptance letters on her desk. She told me she knew I could do it! However, at that time in the 1960's, we only knew I had a learning disability and took speech therapy forever... So let us get behind the Literacy campaign when the details come forward! 

Now for last week's IAWL trivia question…. The question was - most of us know the song at the end of the movie is “Auld Lang Syne”. Do you know the name of the song that is played at the beginning of the movie? It is presented at least one more time mid-way through the movie as well… "Buffalo Gals (won't you come out tonight)". It was the "love song" of George and Mary Bailey..., played during the movie intro, when George walks Mary home after the dance, during the "love scene" when Mary starts playing the Victrola, and when George discovers Mary is "on the nest". 
  
Happy, Happy, Happy Birthday to the following sisters (and brothers) for the coming week!  
Donna Johnson – January 12 of Kappa Kappa, District 4
Patti Musick – January 12 of Delta Omicron, District 7 
  
If you desire to get the blog postings sooner than later, please let me know by email at sueannesa@yahoo.com and I will add you to a mailing group list I have set up. To see the blog, click on the following address: 
http://esawonderfulwednesday.blogspot.com/. 

Remember, ESA's . . . A Wonderful Life!

Love and hugs to all Every Day Angels,

sue ann

ESA Wonderful Wednesday - January 1, 2014

Happy Wonderful New Years Wednesday!

Well the New Year has come along, swept in with the stroke of midnight followed by the 125th Rose Parade in Pasadena! I pray the New Year will be peaceful and prosperous for all within Texas ESA, for our family and friends, and for those worldwide! 

The first day of 2014 was spent eating great food, watching the parade, some college games, a movie, and getting some rest. Tomorrow is back to working and catching up on ESA activities…. Christmas does not come down for me until after January 6th!  It gives me just a few more days to enjoy the holiday fun and cheer!

As I did last week, my blog entry will be very short out of respect for the holiday season… But I will include an IAWL trivia question…. Most of us know the song at the end of the movie is “Auld Lang Syne”. Do you know the name of the song that is played at the beginning of the movie? It is presented at least one more time mid-way through the movie as well…

Happy, Happy, Happy Birthday to the following sisters (and brothers) for the coming week!  
Joan Ciarocco – January 3 of Kappa Mu, District 3
Carolyn Ikard – January 7 of Beta Zeta, District 11
Cathi Laughery – January 7 of Alpha Tau, District 6
Christy Atkinson – January 8 of Kappa Mu, District 3
Manny Pasillas – January 9 of Sigma Iota, District 6

If you desire to get the blog postings sooner than later, please let me know by email at sueannesa@yahoo.com and I will add you to a mailing group list I have set up. To see the blog, click on the following address:
http://esawonderfulwednesday.blogspot.com/.

Remember, ESA's . . . A Wonderful Life!

Love and hugs to all Every Day Angels,

sue ann