Crowd outside the Orlando courtroom before Casey Anthony verdict - via @TtheROP http://twitpic.com/5lopjt
Photo by breaking on twitter

“	LIVE: The jury has reached a verdict in the Casey Anthony murder trial.
	KSAT 12 & KSAT.com July 5, 2011

07/05/2011
Photo by sandy hembree on flickr

Casey Anthony verdict is coming in - and the @ABC6 newsroom is listening. Live cut-ins start shortly after. http://lockerz.com/s/117348825
Photo by AbbeyNiezgoda on twitter

People at Houston airport watching CNN for the Casey Anthony verdict. http://lockerz.com/s/117350721
Photo by ProducerAlan on twitter

Awaiting the Casey Anthony verdict @ CNN US newsroom http://instagr.am/p/HCEUT/
Photo by nathanberrong on twitter

Watching Casey Anthony verdict with everyone else in the airport.
Photo by scott the painter on flickr

“	Casey Anthony Jury & Judge have come into the courtroom; verdict beig read in moments. #ksat livestream here: http://goo.gl/J5vCt
	bkearney July 5, 2011

“	Casey Anthony Wrap: Not guilty of 3 of 4 charges against her, guilty only of lying to investigators. #KSAT
	ksatnews July 5, 2011

“	KSAT.com: Casey Anthony: The Full Verdict – Jurors find Casey Anthony not guilty of murder in the 2008 death of her … http://ow.ly/1dDbny
	ksatnews July 5, 2011

Casey Anthony Not Guilty Of Murder – Photos – KSAT San Antonio Slideshows

Stunning verdict: Casey Anthony found not guilty of major charges, only of making false statements http://twitpic.com/5lp0cs
Photo by DaveKell on twitter

“	For those of you hiding under a rock, or purposefully avoiding the Casey Anthony circus like I’ve been, she’s just been cleared of all murder charges, but found
	Laura Confer July 5, 2011

Casey Anthony: NOT GUILTY!
Photo by Life in Stagnation on flickr

“	Casey Anthony=OJ Simpson#2
	SantaBarbaraPR July 5, 2011

“	I thought for sure casey anthony was going to jail… Wow
	missgenafire July 5, 2011

“	A lawyer’s take on the Casey Anthony ruling: http://bit.ly/kFagnr
	cjdyal July 5, 2011

“	SO I GUESS EVERYONE ON MY NEWS FEED IS JUST AS DUMBFOUNDED AS I AM REGARDING THIS CREATURE CASEY ANTHONY?…….
	Racquel Bennett July 5, 2011

“	I honestly have no idea what to think about Casey Anthony.
	Dylan Elliott July 5, 2011

Clearly the Twitterverse is reacting strongly to the Casey Anthony verdict. How sad. http://twitpic.com/5lpala
Photo by jnnamcky on twitter

“	Reaction to Casey Anthony verdict is alarming. Twitter consensus is apparently ready to dispose of the Fifth Amendment.
	radleybalko July 5, 2011

“	Casey Anthony Verdict: Social Media reaction http://bit.ly/mIVZyu
	mktgvision July 5, 2011

Anthony, Defense Team Celebrate Casey Anthony and her defense team cry and hug each other after the 25-year-old was found not guilty of murdering her young daughter, Caylee.

Casey Anthony Jury ‘Not Interested’ In Speaking to Media – ABC News The seven women and five men who found Casey Anthony not guilty of the murder of her 2-year-old daughter Caylee declined to discuss the verdict that stunned court watchers. Judge Belvin Perry, who presided over the trial, ordered that the jurors’ names be barred from being made public until further notice.

“	Jurors in the Casey Anthony case are not commenting on their decision. Why make a decision you cannot explain or defend? #cowards
	vctrevin July 5, 2011

“	Dictionary.com:aporia – the inability to determine the truth because of equal evidence for and against. See "Casey Anthony jury" for more
	rkmoats July 5, 2011

“	I love all these people blaming the jury for the Casey Anthony verdict. They do realize it was the PROSECUTION’S job to make the case, righ?
	deestiv July 5, 2011

RT @NBCNews: Photo of Casey Anthony in the court room while the verdict was being read. #caseyanthony http://instagr.am/p/HCGVX/
Photo by local4news on twitter

“	I dunno how I feel about NBC News using a filtered Instagram photo for the Casey Anthony verdict. http://t.co/LMx5Ich
	justinlfowler July 5, 2011

“	Wow, @nbcnews uses instagram: Photo of Casey Anthony in the court room while the verdict was being read. http://t.co/ByvEpqL
	cshreiner July 5, 2011

“	It’s fun and quirky! MT @amydunc Wow, @nbcnews uses instagram: Casey Anthony in court room while verdict was read. http://t.co/aR6kDJG
	JerryWord July 5, 2011

powered by Storify

And you know it’s forever.

My friends Lisa & Andrew – college friends – are like that. So, too, are their kids – Andy and Cami.

Andy is a wealth of knowledge about sports – especially anything Spurs. He’s funny and smart and loves his family and friends – and he is the most gentle soul I know.

Cami is just a bundle of energy, who never met a camera she didn’t like – a budding actress with a big, bright smile and a generous, kind spirit.

I describe The Ramon Family (briefly) because they have quite a story to tell – especially Andy Bear (his nickname since forever) – who just started his own blog,   from his hospital room at Santa Rosa Children’s Hospital.

I know I will be reading it regularly – I hope you join me.

Andy’s journey likely has lessons for us all.

http://ow.ly/1QgD0

Thanks, @dannycharbel for sharing!

Gertie Lou & Winston & Bernice

You stand there… you sit there… you love me… and I am grateful.

Sitting resplendent in your yellow dress, you are magnificent, every ounce the Queen, though you never knew it.

Standing guard in your white uniform, you twist your hands, playing with the nails on your thumbs, ready for anything

(you were always ready for anything).

And perched on my beloved red tricycle – red and orange tassles hanging from the handlebars like streamers ready to fly off at a moment’s notice -

I ride on, bracing for whatever comes my way.

I remember many nights laying my head on your chests, nuzzled in your soft, cozy arms, delighted by your smiles, your chatter,

your instant approval.

(But make no mistake, there were scoldings, too.)

I was safe, snuggled in the warmth of you, your hand-made afghans and cozy nightgowns.

But I always had the same wish when I threw a penny in the fountain at NorthPark: that I would go first so I wouldn’t

ever, ever, ever have to find my way without you.

Even as I tried to force my cats and dogs to love each other

(figuring that if I loved them so much, they should love each other, too),

you watched patiently, amused.

You patched up my scrapes, scratches and stubbed toes when

I tangled with the wrong tree.

Now, so many years later, I know my life without your lessons of love would be bland at best.

(A dose of reality here: I was spoiled by your treats – the cream puffs, chocolate eclairs and Angel Food Cakes – thanks to you, sweets hold no allure for me as a grown woman.)

Oh, my.

You stood… you watched… you loved… and you taught.

You helped bring me to me, and for that, Gertie Lou and Winston,

I Love U 2 Pieces*.

* ” I Love U 2 Pieces” is the way Gertie Lou (seated in the yellow dress) would end her letters to my great-grandmother Bernice Ryan Mills when they wrote to one another. I just love that. *

** I wrote this essay from my heart, but it also was written as part of a writing experiment initiated by my friend Dawn, who’s taking a writing class and thought it would be fun to share the experience and the homework.

This essay is my homework.

Here was the assignment.

I think everyone should try, too

(and post your essay in the comments section).

Girl Power has come to St. Gregory’s Catholic School!

Girl Scout Troop 2583 has organized a school-wide book drive to help stock the shelves of Abby’s Book Corner-San Antonio!
One of the scouts – Alisa Rodriguez – helped out with our labeling party in late-February and decided she wanted to do more.

So, along with her parents Daniel & Melinda and her sister and brother Leandra and Aaron,

Alisa and her troop got to work.

The result is astounding: every student went home with a flyer in their bookbags, explaining the program.

There are signs all over the school, describing the mission of Abby’s Book Corner.

There are boxes for kids, parents, parishioners and friends to put their donations into –

all of which will be donated March 15th to Methodist Children’s Hospital of South Texas.

The book drive continues through Friday, March 12th – donations can be dropped off at St. Gregory the Great Catholic School,

located at 700 Dewhurst.

I am so grateful for friends like The Rodriguez Family –

who have embraced our family and supported our efforts every step of the way.

And, I am thrilled to have Girl Scout Girl Power working so hard to make

Abby’s Book Corner-San Antonio a success!

Thanks, ladies!

I literally have been typing – and deleting…

typing – and deleting…

typing – and (well, you know the drill)..

I simply cannot think of the perfect way to start off this post.

How about this:

What a perfect day!

For several weeks, I’ve had stacks and stacks of books

crammed into the corners of my study,

shoved between tables and the couch, loaded up into bags bulging with

books, crayons, puzzles and more.

Sunday, a group of friends and family gathered at The Treehouse for a Book Labeling Bash – to finally make our mark (literally) on the books that have been donated through the generosity of so many people!

The day was simply perfect – gorgeous in every way.

My sister and my eldest niece were in town (always a delight), Paul was cooking up some seriously delicious Frito Pies and – most importantly – friends stopped by to help paste stickers inside the books donated in the memory of our niece Abby – a little girl who left us too soon, but who’s memory is leaving a lasting impact on families all across North Texas and soon – very soon – all across South Texas.

My thanks to everyone who joined us for this very special day!
It went far more quickly than we could have imagined…

… which is good – since we already have another book drive underway!

Details in another day or two, but here’s a glimpse of what’s to come…

St. Gregory the Great Book Drive: Girl Scout Group 2583

How about checking out Adventure Club of San Antonio ???
They’re hosting a Meet & Greet at Mamacita’s Restaurant & Cantina on I-10 between Medical & Callaghan.

The event runs Thursday, February 18th from 6:30pm – 8:30pm.

The event is open to the public, and is a chance for people who may be interested in finding out what Adventure Club is all about. Members will be there – the monthly meet & greet is their most widely-attended event – so you can ask all the questions you like to find out if it’s something you might be interested in joining.

I’m also delighted that they’ll be taking book donations for Abby’s Book Corner-San Antonio – and have asked me to say a few words about the project.

* A special thank-you to friends Dirk Davidek and his lovely bride Beverly

for giving me a chance to keep spreading the love about this cause *

Here’s more on the event – hope to see you there!

~ Bernice

Frivolously Fun!

Anyone who knows me knows I adore my nieces… they just crack me up…
Now – thanks to my fancy video upgrade – you can see why!
Happy Tuesday – Enjoy!

*PS – My Flip Camera is my own – paid for with my own, hard-earned money*