The most incredible story I've heard in a while...

I'm a television news producer. I see/write/watch/hear hundreds of "stories" each week. But this week, I was touched by a story in a way that I haven't felt in a while. The other day, I was checking in on my friend Christin's blog - where she gives updates about her husband, and their battle with cancer. (Pray for them - surgery coming up on the **12th**)

I clicked on a link. I couldn't believe what I was seeing before my eyes. An incredible love story. A young couple, facing a life I cannot imagine with strength, beauty and grace that made me cry and fall down on my knees in joy at the same time. Please click on the link and take the journey for yourself. I think the world needs to know the story of Nate, Tricia and Gwyneth Rose.

Tricia is a beautiful young woman with Cystic Fibrosis. She and her husband were getting things in order to prepare for the double lung transplant Tricia needs when they found out they were pregnant. It was not an ideal situation for Tricia to be pregnant, but she and her husband trusted God, and decided to have the baby. I'm leaving all kinds of details out but you can CLICK and read it all for yourself - in words and pictures and videos that tell the story a million times better than I could ever attempt to tell it. Tricia had to have an emergency c-section and tiny Gwyneth Rose was born way early. Tricia and Gwyneth still have a long way to go. They're both still in the hospital, away from home, facing major medical hurdles. Nathan is amazing. He is there with his girls, blogging updates all the way. His writing is beautiful, he's a talented photographer and the videos he makes are well done and so touching.

The crazy thing is - I know Nathan! I hadn't talked to him in years - you know how it is - you lose touch with people, it's normal. It happens. Nathan's dad pastors the church I used to go to when I was living in on the Outer Banks of North Carolina when I was home for summers and winters from Liberty University.

Well, after I spent almost the entire day, pouring over his blog - I was wishing there was something I could do to help this beautiful young family who is so honoring God with their lives it made me hit the floor. Face down. In tears. I could only think of one thing.

Their story. It needs to be on television. I couldn't stop thinking about it. I contacted Nathan, found out they would be interested, then it became my mission!

I scored within hours. An old pal, Barbara Gibbs, came to mind. Barbara used to be one of the main anchors at WSLS in Roanoke. When I was a student at Liberty - I had an assignment to interview a news reporter and have them grade my interviewing skills. I chose Barbara and we really hit it off in that school assignment. It was because of Barbara that I ended up interning at WSLS, then I got my first producing job there and you know the rest of my career from there!

Barbara is an awesome woman of God and she was the perfect thing I needed in my first job in the "real world," she totally made my transition into the world from the "Liberty bubble" possible.

Babs is in Raleigh, NC now. And you know what? I had lost touch with her, too. Until Nathan and Tricia's story.

Full circle: Today Barbara went to Duke and interviewed Nathan and Tricia and their story will be on the local news there in Raleigh/Durham. (air date is TBA) I am convinced that this is only the beginning! I have already contacted some national news outlets, and I'm praying they will pick up the story! Please pray - what is Nate and Tricia's prayer - that God would use this journey, this story, to raise awareness about CF, Organ Donation and Premature Birth.

I'm just honored and humbled to be a part of a blessing for a family that has truly blessed me. And I love the circle of THIS story - I think it's such a reflection of the BIG God we serve in this SMALL WORLD.

Personal Field Trip

Forgive me for leaving out one of the best parts of the Portrait Gallery!:(scroll to the bottom)

It's another breezy, beautiful day! Yay. I'm going to make this kind of quick so I can go to sleep and wake up to watch the returns tonight.

Scratch that. Brokaw just ate my sandwich! Argh! So I just had to detour in my kitchen and start all over again. I made some serious tuna salad, though, I put Old Bay in it, mmmmmm.

Where was I? Who knows. The construction has re-started on my apartment building so it kind of sounds like I'm inside someone's mouth who has a cavity and is at the dentist. Ick. What a horrible metaphor. Sorry about that.

This morning, The Tom Brokaw was on Morning Joe! I was beside myself. I love listening to TB adlib about elections and campaign stuff - he is hard to top! We had our political analyst in today, doing live shots and he shared a great story about the great Tom Brokaw. He ran into him after some late night live shots over by the Capitol, and they walked outside together. Marc (that's my political analyst friend) was hailing a cab. Tom was getting into his limo. Tom Brokaw asked where Marc was going and let him ride in his limo. Totally hooked him up. That Brokaw is a classy guy!

I should name my doggie after him... wait! Too bad the puggle just doesn't measure up to the person. Brokaw is cute but if he had real class, he would have left my Pastrami & Cheese alone. Boo.

Now... pictures from my personal field trip to the National Portrait Gallery... as promised:

I have arrived! It's pretty sweet how the Metro pretty much takes you right to the front door.

I don't remember who this guy is, but I thought he looked a lot like Tim Russert. Your thoughts?
This is Andrew Jackson. He has awesome hair, it's wild... kind of like the ideas he had during his time.

I think JFK's portrait was my favorite.  It's a mess, right?  Well, it was painted in 1963 - just weeks after he was killed.

I think the frantic strokes are quite representative of the chaos that our country was feeling emotionally at the end of '63.

Check those microphones.

LOVE IT!

Classic. HAHA.

Guess which President's portrait includes this folded up New York Times?

Go ahead. Guess. Leave a comment.  If I get guesses, I'll post the whole portrait so you can see who was rocking the NYT.

After the NPG field trip, I strolled around Chinatown.

It was a busy Friday afternoon - everyone who lives a normal life was getting off of work.

Check out the Chinatown ATL!

Awesome.

Too bad they were having double style cards... it's like the "ruin your lent commitment" gnomes are conspiring against me.

But I was strong! Take that anti-lent gnomes!

An end of the field trip skinny caramel latte and I called it a day.

What a fun Leap day!

Life is Good

There are BIRDS CHIRPING in DC today. I am not even kidding you! It's sunny and breezy and I was able to drive home with my windows down. Oh, it's grand. I love nice weather, it makes things like running errands well, pleasant -- and I'll take that any day!

I didn't even wear a coat to walk Brokaw. Nice!

Okay... so primary prediction time... I can't believe I'm still playing this game because I've been wrong so many times but I'm saying Texas for Obama and Ohio for Clinton. I'm going to go ahead and give Clinton Rhode Island and Vermont too. Just to keep it interesting.

Is everyone loving SNL being back because I am! This weekend, I caught up on my Daily Show and Colbert Reports... wasn't it great to see Tony Snow? He looks good. I'm so happy he's doing well.

I need to post pictures from the personal field trip I took Friday - to the National Portrait Gallery. Gretchen - you have got to go there next time you come to visit - you can see all the official Presidential portraits and there's even one of the elusive Colbert! You'll be all over it.

I have officially decided that I prefer Facebook over Myspace. So, there. Today it cost me $47.00 to fill up my gas tank. 47! Old school joke but these gas prices are no joke!

Standby for pics... I'm still kind of training wheels on the MacBook.

I LOVE NPR. Seriously. Love. I can't get enough.

I am a pen twirler, but I have NOTHING on this guy. I remember really making an effort to master the pen twirl in high school. Cecille and Leslie taught me during meeting time in cheerleading practice.

It has stuck with me. I still twirl in meetings. I try not to in job interviews, but no guarantees.

Words

Hello friends.  I'm back to my little world after an incredible trip to Texas to see my amazing boyfriend.  Yes, it's adjectives galore.  Each time I see him I feel something shift inside myself... but never before like this.

Sometimes there are times when words can't really do a good job of describing something.  This is one of those times.  Really the only way to express how I feel on the inside is to sigh and smile.

This is really happening to me? Sigh. Smile.

I'm not much into PDA, so I'll just say it was remarkable and throw a few words out there - they all make up the picture I get to play and replay in my head.  I don't know if it will communicate the joy we're experiencing to you... but here goes:  Dinner. Art. Champagne. Chocolate. Prayer.

It was warm and close and fun and funny and interesting and well, sigh. Smile.

It's lovely how things like going to the grocery store and going to church and cooking dinner and listening to a Meet the Press podcast can be so special.  Not in and of themselves but in the context of another person who makes moments morph into adventures.

My dear Michael, thank you so much for Valentine's day, and the day before, and the four days afterward.  Thank you and I can't wait to see you again.  Perhaps by then, I will find some words.

Right now I'm drinking out of a plastic Kenny Chesney cup.  I probably paid $10 for the drink that was originally in this cup.  Oh how I wish a sip out of this cup would take me back... to the sun, to the concert, cowboy hat, flip flops, scream-singing.  Can't wait 'til summer!  Kenny will be in Virginia Beach July 17th - it's a Thursday.  Note to self: must get that day and the day after off.

I am groggy.  Didn't get enough sleep.  I hope soon (whatever that means) that I can be off this dreadful shift.  I feel like my 20s are passing me by as the days come and go in a fog.  Last night when I was getting ready for work I stopped myself from applying lip gloss to my eyelashes.  This is what I'm talking about, people.  You don't ever get used to waking up at 11pm.  It's just not normal.  I've been working overnights for more than a year now and it's still just... not right.

In my fog as I watched World News last night, I felt like Charlie was doing a newscast specifically tailored to me.  Oh, the joy of February sweeps, when you're smack dab in the middle of that "sweet" demographic spot - a woman between 25 and 54.  The economy.  Splenda is bad?!?!  Blackberry outage!?!? What is the world coming to?

Oh, I'll share this too -- happy random blog post.  So, yesterday I was in a Hallmark store and this woman came up to me from behind and just started talking.  I assumed she thought I was someone else because that happens to me ALL THE TIME.  In the elevator.  At the gym.  In the mall.  When I start a new job, I almost always hear from at least one person about how I remind them of their cousin/college roommate/sister/neighbor.  I may have even blogged before about how I think I am just the generic short blond chick.  I am, and that's okay, really. 

Anyway, back to the Hallmark stranger... so this woman taps me on the shoulder, "Excuse me." She proceeds to ask me if I would be a hair model for her.  She is apparently a hair stylist and is looking for people to take pictures of for advertisements.  I thought this was HILARIOUS!  She told me I could get free hair cuts.  I got my hair cut on Friday, and I told her and she was like, "yes, I see that."  Okay? So, do you see the problem here, lady? You didn't cut it!  Don't you think that's a little dishonest to take pictures of my hair and sell them as your work?  Apparently this is not an issue.  She gave me her card.  Huh-larious!!  I can't wait to tell my stylist, Helen.  Helen does a great job and she always cuts me a deal.  We're in a committed relationship, I'll never cheat on her but I have to tell her because she'll be flattered.

That's all for now.  Back to the fog.  And work.  And my Kenny Chesney cup.  Valentine's trip countdown: 1 day!!

Up Close and Personal

If I had a dollar for each campaign event I've logged.... you know where this is going. I pretty much have the campaign stump speeches memorized. I even know the playlist order for the pre-rally music for a couple of candidates. They go to different cities and pretty much say the same thing, in the same order. Well, today I got to be at one of those rallies - not for work - but for my own personal interests. Jessi, Greg and I went to hear Mike Huckabee speak today at the University of Maryland. Greg went to U of M and he was an excellent tour guide - it's a HUGE school and the campus is really pretty.

Using the skills I have acquired from various stalking out missions with Gretchen, I pushed my way to the front. We were right up there with the babies! You know the ones who their parents cart them to campaign events to get kissed by politicians. Those babies. We were right there with them. And when Huckabee was finished talking, he made a b-line right for where we were. Oh. I. am. so. good. He shook my hand!!! I don't think he saw me, there was a tall guy in front of me talking to him, i snuck my hand around the side of the tall guy and Huck grabbed it. It was my left hand, his right hand. Pretty cool. He has smooth skin. Ha ha, what kind of dork notices that?? Me.

Here are a few pictures for your viewing pleasures...

Birthday Boy!

Happy Birthday Tom Brokaw!!

Oh, he is the man.  Last night's Super Tuesday coverage is just one example of why.  Tom Brokaw and Tim Russert on election night - unmatched.

Thank you to my friends who drew my attention to this important day.

I wish so badly that I could work with Tom Brokaw just once.  We've never even met.  I did get to talk into his earpiece once.  It was the summer of 2001.  I was working in Roanoke and he had just put out his first book, The Greatest Generation.  We were putting together a one hour special for the opening of the National D-Day Memorial, so we had Tom for a satellite interview.

I got in his ear and I said, "Hi Tom, this is Dana in Roanoke, can you hear me okay?"  He replied "Yes, Roanoke."  I repeated myself.  I wanted desperately to hear Tom Brokaw say MY NAME.  But he never did.  He called me "Roanoke" once more.  Then the anchor who was asking the questions I had written for the interview said, right before we got started, "D-Day? That was in World War Two, right?" I was MORTIFIED.  So, that's the only Tom Brokaw memory I really have.  Sad, yes?  Well, if I ever have the opportunity to meet him I hope I don't freeze up and I may or may not mention that my dog is named Brokaw, I'll have to feel him out and decide whether he'll be flattered or think I'm a freak.

It is so warm here and I am loving it!  I am not a winter fan.  You know me, you know this.  I love that it has been 70+ for the past two days.  I have had my window open non-stop for two days!  Oh, the breeze is so nice.  I wish my window didn't overlook the very loud loading dock area, but hey, that's okay - I'm loving the fresh air! 

I was caught in traffic on my way home from work because of the President's visit to the Dept. of Agriculture - RIGHT on my way home - but I didn't mind because I had my SUNROOF OPEN and I heard a randomly wonderful song on the radio... Whitney Houston: I wanna dance with somebody - wanna feel the heat with somboooooodyyyy. Oh yeah! I was totally jamming out.

I took Brokaw (the puggle, not the man) to a dog park and it was fun to see him running around with all the other doggies.  He was loving it!

I am just now realizing the Jack Johnson album I pre-ordered from iTunes is available TODAY.  Woo-hoo. This day just keeps getting better!

Super Tuesday!

Oh. My. Goodness.  How exciting is this?  That State of the Union party I'll be having on day?  Well, add a Super Tuesday party to the list.  Complete with state bets and the whole deal.  It's so exciting!! 

I couldn't even sleep today.  I got up and started watching the evening newscasts and literally had to peel myself off the couch and put myself back into bed and force myself to go back to sleep!  THEN I had a dream about Mitt Romney, I don't remember the details, which is likely a good thing, but I know he was there.  Sad, yes, I realize this.

Well, I better get ready for work.  It's going to be a 12+ hour day, I believe, but that's okay.  Please keep praying for Christin and Dave, as they expect news tomorrow.

I wish I could bring Mr. Puggles to work with me tonight, I think he gets into politics too... (side note: sometimes I look up the links that link to this blog, and yesterday I had two from two Google searches for "Mr. Puggles)  He is world wide, baby!

One more side note... what is it with Hillary and yellow?  She has been rocking that black/yellow deal that reminds me of the Blind Melon video from like 9th grade... and she was rocking yellow again tonight.  Hmmm.... wonder if there's any research behind that?

Tomato Paste and E-mail

Random, yes, I know. But those two things made my Monday bearable. When I got to work last night, Jessi had this for me:

Isn't that grand? I can't wait to cook with it. It is merely another step I can take towards becoming Rachael Ray. It's a long road ahead, but I have tomato paste in a tube, so anything is possible.

Now, the other thing that happened this morning that was grand was in the form of an e-mail. I finished up Penelope Trunk's book this weekend, and let me just tell you, friends, you must read this book. It is no nonsense about the work world. I love every inch of it. I wrote her this morning to tell her that I loved the book, I think she's brilliant, and that she should come speak at a seminar or something in DC because I would buy a ticket and you know what??? SHE WROTE ME BACK!! Told me she loved my "spunk." Yeah! That ROCKS.

So, that was pretty splendid. See? Tomato paste and e-mail, making my day. Anything is possible.

Then, I ran into this guy online:

Cute, yes? I certainly think so. I'm in total countdown mode. Counting down to Valentine's Day - who would have thunk it? I'm psyched. Pumped. Really needing to get my eyebrows waxed. That's on tomorrow's to-do list.

Please pray for my friend Christin and her husband, Dave. They get some huge test results tomorrow and need your prayers. Have at it. Wear your knees out. Please.