<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rss version="2.0" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/">
  <channel>
    <title>Shelli's Blog</title>
    <link>http://activerain.com/blogs/uniquemoma</link>
    <description></description>
    <language>en-us</language>
    <item>
      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1098145/social-media-buzz</guid>
      <title>Social Media Buzz</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;Classes Classes everywhere!!! I have had the opportunity to team up with Gary Miljour of Cherry Creek Mortgage and Calie Waterhouse of Re/Max to teach fun Social Media classes.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Gary touches on Blogging&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Calie on Twitter&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;and I get to play clean up with Facebook vs LinkedIn&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;It has been fun teaching Real Estate Professionals&amp;nbsp; and helping one another.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Isn't it nice to help someone?! It is refreshing to be a part of the bloggin world wher success isn't abou&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Shelli Lamoreaux Bates (InHouse Home Warranty)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Mon, 01 Jun 2009 19:01:38 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/1098145/social-media-buzz</link>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/888086/we-have-lift-off-</guid>
      <title>WE have Lift Off!!!</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;This must be a record!!!!!&lt;/strong&gt; from December 31, 2008 to January 20th 2009 I was unemployed .....&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;THAT IS CORRECT I HAVE A JOB!!! I will be the new Sales Executive for &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.inhousewarranty.com/&quot; title=&quot;IN-House Home Warranty&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot;&gt;In House Home Warranty&lt;/a&gt;!&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I am very excited for this new venture and the fact I can continue with my Tech Thursday's as well as my many Networking activities.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;If you have the opportunity of referring a Home Warranty to your clients be sure to think of IN-House first!&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Here's to a Wonderful 2009 may we all SHINE this year!&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Shelli&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Shelli Lamoreaux Bates (InHouse Home Warranty)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Sun, 18 Jan 2009 19:14:34 -0600</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/888086/we-have-lift-off-</link>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/859912/shelli-is-looking-for-work</guid>
      <title>Shelli is looking for work</title>
      <description>&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Great beginnings are not as important as the way one finishes. -- Dr. James Dobson&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I am hoping beyond hope that it is indeed - the way one finishes &amp;amp; that judgments are made on who you are not what you have happen to you.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I have am the victim of corporate America, LandAmerica Lawyers Title has laid me off today.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I am looking for what I am supposed to be when I grow up, if you have suggestions or leads please let me know. thanks much&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Be safe and Have a Happy New Year&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;Shelli&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Shelli Lamoreaux Bates (InHouse Home Warranty)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Wed, 31 Dec 2008 16:35:19 -0600</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/859912/shelli-is-looking-for-work</link>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/767330/out-of-the-box</guid>
      <title>OUT OF THE BOX</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;How far you go in your life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in your life you will have been all of these.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;&lt;br /&gt;-- George Washington Carver&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Look inside yourself and ask ---- how do I treat the Young, the Aged, and my peers? Am I as strong as I want to be? Sometimes we forget where we have come from and pass judgment oh so quickly!&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;It is safe to assume we are in an interesting Real Estate Market. A market that is forcing&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&quot;Out of the Box&quot;&lt;/strong&gt; thinking, the question is are you approaching your new &quot;out of the box&quot; goal with your old &quot;in the box thinking&quot;?&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;All too often in life we can SEE what needs to be done - FEAR or lack of knowledge keeps us from reaching that goal. Do we appear WEAK or STRONG! What is really holding us back?&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;From my last post it is clear that I believe we must help each other in order to succeed, maybe just maybe it's time to ask for HELP! With my weekly classes &quot;Tech Thursday&quot; and other resources maybe it's time to schedule a little one on one and HEAR an objective perspective about your situation.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Let me help you create a step by step plan to reach your new goal. The market won't determine your income; YOU will determine your income.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Call today to make an appointment for a &quot;Shelli Session&quot; together we will climb the ladder of success.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;As always &lt;strong&gt;you get what you give&lt;/strong&gt; therefore &lt;strong&gt;GIVE NICE - GET NICE.&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Shelli Lamoreaux Bates (InHouse Home Warranty)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Thu, 30 Oct 2008 17:14:00 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/767330/out-of-the-box</link>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/752605/succeed-by-helping-others</guid>
      <title>Succeed by helping others</title>
      <description>&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;text-decoration: underline;&quot;&gt;Whether you realize it or not, you have the power to be successful by helping others succeed.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;br /&gt;-- David Cottrell&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;We are in a relationship business!&amp;nbsp;Our success is determined not so much by our paycheck these days as it is by the referral's we receive. I wish I had a dollar every time someone says &quot;oh your Shelli Bates&quot; it amazes me how people know me or at least know of me.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;When I was growing up I was always Alvin and Melba Lamoreaux's Daughter, then I was Tawnie, Tanner, Trey, &amp;amp; Talon's Mom.....but through it all I have always been me - simply Shelli Lamoreaux Bates!!!&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;I have done many wild and crazy things in my life and tried to always keep those in my life connected, it's what I do! I send e-mails and share ideas and then individuals will pass them on to their circle of influence as well.&amp;nbsp; This last weekend I took my younger boys to the State Fair to&amp;nbsp;the Angles and Airwaves &amp;amp; &amp;nbsp;Weezer Concerts(rock on)&lt;img title=&quot;weezer.jpg&quot; src=&quot;http://ts4.images.live.com/images/thumbnail.aspx?q=2464207995103&amp;amp;id=8ff36c80e80203a1e2f53e97d30c0ad7&quot; height=&quot;45&quot; alt=&quot;weezer.jpg&quot; width=&quot;59&quot; /&gt;as I was getting my fry bread from San Tan Fry Bread one of the ladies is my friend and we were chatting another lady asked who I was and then she said &quot;oh YOUR Shelli Bates&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;I am sure you have all heard the 3 degrees of separation project - it is so fun to realize how small the world really is, and if we can accept that concept and realize that fact it also makes sense to HELP each other succeed! In helping you I can become a better person.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;I offer many different classes and trainings besides my Tech Thursday's I would love to help you as you help me.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: left;&quot;&gt;Have a Groovy Week!&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.freeclipartpics.com/&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;http://www.freeclipartpics.com/images/flower.gif&quot; border=&quot;0&quot; height=&quot;48&quot; alt=&quot;Flower Clip Art&quot; width=&quot;43&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Shelli Lamoreaux Bates (InHouse Home Warranty)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Wed, 22 Oct 2008 12:10:15 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/752605/succeed-by-helping-others</link>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/732215/daughter-married-finally-back-to-blogging</guid>
      <title>daughter married - finally back to blogging</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;img title=&quot;mark and tawnie&quot; src=&quot;http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/5/9/3/1/1/ar122360906911395.jpg&quot; height=&quot;209&quot; alt=&quot;wedding&quot; width=&quot;244&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Now that my Daughter's wedding is behind me I can finally return to Blogging! :-)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;here is one photo you&amp;nbsp;can go to &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.wilsonfoto.com/&quot;&gt;&lt;span style=&quot;text-decoration: underline;&quot;&gt;www.wilsonfoto.com&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/a&gt; click online viewing for Tawnie &amp;amp; Mark password is Bates and you can see all 600+ photos that were taken! Glenn from Wilson Photography was EXCELLENT to work with considering my daughter had 3 pairs of shoes she kept swapping and then of course the umbrellas. AND the price was incredible!!!&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Speaking of photos that will be the topic for my next Techie Thursday!!! We will be discussing the proper pixels and interesting angles you can use when shooting photos for your listings - now that our MLS system allows unlimited photos you have UNLIMITED options to shoot.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;Join us next Thursday October 16th 9-11am for Tech Thursday 1630 S Stapley #129 Mesa, AZ 85204&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Shelli Lamoreaux Bates (InHouse Home Warranty)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Thu, 09 Oct 2008 16:58:02 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/732215/daughter-married-finally-back-to-blogging</link>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/535596/i-don-t-feel-this-old</guid>
      <title>I don't feel this OLD</title>
      <description>&lt;p align=&quot;right&quot;&gt;&lt;a&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.eac.edu/&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;http://www.eac.edu/Templates/images/portal/eLogoLogo.gif&quot; border=&quot;0&quot; id=&quot;eLogoLogo&quot; height=&quot;125&quot; alt=&quot;EAC Homepage&quot; width=&quot;325&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: right;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;img title=&quot;Eastern AZ College&quot; src=&quot;http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/5/4/8/7/6/ar121256007167845.JPG&quot; height=&quot;190&quot; alt=&quot;Tawnie &amp;amp; I&quot; width=&quot;246&quot; style=&quot;float: left; margin: 10px;&quot; /&gt;My Daughter Tawnie &amp;amp; I at the&amp;nbsp;Eastern Arizona College Drama Reunion&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: right;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.eac.edu&quot;&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;No big deal really, except the fact that my Drama coach Dr Crae Wilson was retiring&amp;nbsp;&amp;amp; he was also my daughter's Drama Teacher/coach/director. How could this happen?!?! I promise it was just yesterday I was on that stage performing in Music Man as the Widow Paroo! Or was&amp;nbsp;I &quot;slightly soiled&quot; one of the lost boys &amp;nbsp;from Peter Pan?! One thing for sure no matter my age I always feel 19 when I step on that stage. I attended EAC on a Drama Scholarship; my daughter is there on an alumni foundation Scholarship and into Music.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: justify;&quot;&gt;Where and What is Eastern Arizona College well, I will tell you it was originally Gila Girls Academy many, many moons ago &amp;amp; my Grandmother Ruth Tenney Lamoreaux attended there. Tradition runs deep in my family. This campus is small and most students are involved in the fine arts somehow. The Drama &amp;amp; Music department is stellar. Visit the campus by clicking &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.eac.edu/&quot;&gt;www.eac.edu&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;So here we are - why do I feel old!!!!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;LOOK at my Daughter she grew up!!!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;AND she is getting Married Aug 12th 2008!!!!!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mark is there to catch her who will catch me! :-)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align=&quot;right&quot; style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=3061306&amp;amp;id=706530356&quot; id=&quot;myphotolink&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;http://photos-b.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sf2p/v235/59/91/706530356/n706530356_3061305_933.jpg&quot; id=&quot;myphoto&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; /&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p align=&quot;right&quot; style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I need medication! :-)&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: right;&quot;&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Shelli Lamoreaux Bates (InHouse Home Warranty)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Wed, 04 Jun 2008 01:40:26 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/535596/i-don-t-feel-this-old</link>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/505920/mother-my-mother</guid>
      <title>Mother my Mother</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;Ah Mothers Day!!! A day to remember our Mothers, Grandmothers, &lt;strong&gt;and&lt;/strong&gt; to be remembered if we are indeed a Mother! One of my favorite memories from Mothers day was 2 years ago when the kids at church were asked to go up front and sing a song to the Mothers....we were telling my son Talon to go - he didn't want to but got up, as he was passing in front of me he whispered &quot;Child Abuse&quot;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I think about&lt;strong&gt; that&lt;/strong&gt; every mother's day now.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;I know that there are some women who struggle with Mothers day for them they review their faults and convince themselves that they are not a good Mommy....to the point that they cannot wait for the day to end. I used to think if it's so hard don't think about YOURSELF think about your Mother and Grandmother honor them not yourself.....for some that is where the original pain started, for others their Mother is no longer her to honor.&amp;nbsp; For those women I send you a hug and promise the sun will rise tomorrow and it will be okay. The later is now my path....how to celebrate Mothers day with out your Mother being here physically?!&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;*To borrow a line -&amp;nbsp;at least words from my Brother Edwin's song for my Dad (I know work with me here)&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mother, did I tell you enough that I love you? Did you feel it in my touch? Did you know dear Mom that you're my hero? Oh Momma I hope you know!&lt;/strong&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p style=&quot;text-align: center;&quot;&gt;&lt;img src=&quot;http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/9/9/1/2/8/ar121054148982199.jpg&quot; height=&quot;196&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; width=&quot;147&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;My Mother loved to read &amp;amp; write poetry, quotes, and little short &quot;gems&quot;. I can remember coming home from school to the sound of the old &quot;Royal&quot; typewriter going 90 miles a minute Mother would be in there creating her &quot;I P&quot; (inspirational points) books that she would send out with missionaries to help them preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. I remember that there were things my Mother would do that would just plain embarrass me to death however, I find myself doing them now.&lt;strong&gt; I love quotes!!!&lt;/strong&gt; I find myself giving &quot;gems&quot; to my children, my favorite &quot;Give nice Get nice&quot;! I am not sure if it is helping or hurting them at this point but at any rate, here are a few quotes to help celebrate the life of your Mother, Grandmother, and or YOU!&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;strong&gt;Mothers are fonder than fathers of their children because they are more certain they are their own.&amp;nbsp; ~Aristotle&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;strong&gt;Mother - that was the bank where we deposited all our hurts and worries.&amp;nbsp; ~T. DeWitt Talmage&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&amp;nbsp;Children are a great comfort in your old age - and they help you reach it faster, too.&amp;nbsp; ~Lionel Kauffman&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;strong&gt;Sing out loud -in the car even, or especially, if it embarrasses your children.&amp;nbsp; ~Marilyn Penland&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Here's to strong women everywhere!!!&amp;nbsp; &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;strong&gt;-May we know them -May we be them -May we raise them!!!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;May you walk with light and peace this Mothers day and always.&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;-Shelli&lt;strong&gt;&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;
&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Shelli Lamoreaux Bates (InHouse Home Warranty)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Sun, 11 May 2008 16:33:09 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/505920/mother-my-mother</link>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/484699/woo-hoo-we-are-off-and-running</guid>
      <title>Woo hoo we are off and running</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;HUGE and I mean HUGE thank you to Candace for letting me help sponsor/pretend to organize this event. Thank you to all that attended. I know that the next meeting will be bigger and better. I have contacted an organization that has meeting rooms by Mill n the 202 awaiting the return call but that might be a great location as well.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;No more monkiy - ing around, get back to Blogging! :-)&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Shelli&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Shelli Lamoreaux Bates (InHouse Home Warranty)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Fri, 25 Apr 2008 16:21:09 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/484699/woo-hoo-we-are-off-and-running</link>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/460723/donate-life-i-did-</guid>
      <title>Donate Life - I DID!</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Not to toot my own horn but I am pretty sure this is the BEST thing I have ever done in my life so far! Last June 06 I Donated a Kidney to one of my managers at work. WE are both doing Great! My life is just as cRaZy as ever&amp;nbsp;I just drink MORE water. Below is the article that ran in the AZ Republic. Enjoy!&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;img title=&quot;Caryn Bebeau &amp;amp; Shelli Bates&quot; src=&quot;http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/4/6/5/9/3/ar120772099939564.jpg&quot; height=&quot;261&quot; align=&quot;right&quot; alt=&quot;Awards Banquet&quot; width=&quot;384&quot; /&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;People still help people&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p id=&quot;mainByline&quot;&gt;Jul. 7, 2007 &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Just when you think the world&amp;#39;s gone insane, what with the warring and the ranting and the general overall nastiness that seems to permeate the air we breathe . . . Just when you wonder whether it&amp;#39;s time to put on a flak jacket and assume the fetal position, you meet Shelli Bates, and the outlook for this planet seems to soften.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The Gilbert woman is not a glass-half-full sort. She&amp;#39;s more the cup-runneth-over type, a 42-year-old single mother of four who is grateful for what she&amp;#39;s been given and believes in the concept of payback. She shrugs at the idea that she&amp;#39;s doing anything extraordinary.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&amp;quot;I grew up in a family where, if someone needs something and you had it, you gave it,&amp;quot; she said.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Caryn Bebeau looks at Bates as if she&amp;#39;s wondering what planet the woman departed before her arrival here. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&amp;quot;I kept saying, &amp;#39;Are you sure? Are you sure?&amp;#39; &amp;quot; said Bebeau, a 55-year-old Mesa mother of four with six grandchildren and a seventh on the way. &amp;quot;I can&amp;#39;t believe it. I can&amp;#39;t believe it still. Do you realize she&amp;#39;s saving my life?&amp;quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;A couple of years ago, Bebeau&amp;#39;s appendix ruptured, and soon after, her kidneys began to fail. Medication kept them working for a while, but over the past year, life has become mostly an exercise of just getting through the day, which is no way to live. She works, she trudges home, she&amp;#39;s asleep before the 6 o&amp;#39;clock news. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;It was time, her doctor said, to prepare for dialysis. Either that or find a new kidney.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Not so easy to do. There are 1,000 Arizonans waiting for kidneys, according to Stacy Underwood of the Donor Network of Arizona. The wait can be up to four or five years unless you&amp;#39;re lucky enough to have a family member who&amp;#39;s a match and willing to give up an organ.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Bebeau has a son who was eligible to donate. But his kidneys weren&amp;#39;t fully functioning, and doctors ruled out the gift five months ago.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The day she found out, Bebeau came into the Mesa title company branch office she manages, and the look on her face told Bates all she needed to know.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Bates needed a job a few years ago after being a stay-at-home mom for 17 years. Bebeau gave it to her. Since then, Bates has risen from receptionist to marketing rep for LandAmerica Lawyers Title. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Now she&amp;#39;s returning the favor.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&amp;quot;It wasn&amp;#39;t even something to think about,&amp;quot; she said. &amp;quot;She needed a kidney. I&amp;#39;ve got two. I don&amp;#39;t need two, so I said go ahead and take one.&amp;quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Underwood said such a reaction is rare. &amp;quot;It&amp;#39;s a miracle,&amp;quot; she said, &amp;quot;to have somebody willing to just say, &amp;#39;Here, I&amp;#39;ll give you my kidney.&amp;#39; &amp;quot;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Some in Bates&amp;#39; family cautioned about being overly generous, pointing out that someday she may need that kidney. But Bates isn&amp;#39;t wired that way. Maybe it&amp;#39;s the quote mounted on her bedroom wall. &amp;quot;Things happen for a reason,&amp;quot; it says. &amp;quot;Just believe.&amp;quot; And she does.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;A week ago, the two women underwent surgery at Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center in Phoenix. From one woman to another, a gift unimaginable in this world.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Or, as it turns out, not so unimaginable at all.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Bates&amp;#39; friend, Greg Guthrie, told me that both women are home now, and Bebeau is feeling better than she has in years. As for Bates, she&amp;#39;s already counting the days until she can take her son on the trip she gives to each of her kids when they turn 17 - a trip to ride roller coasters.&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&amp;quot;Life is a journey,&amp;quot; she said. &amp;quot;You have to enjoy the journey.&amp;quot;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;For a better understanding of&amp;nbsp;donation visit:&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&lt;a href=&quot;http://www.donatelife.net&quot;&gt;http://www.donatelife.net&lt;/a&gt; &amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp;&amp;nbsp; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;For more information about Banner Transplant services visit: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.bannerhealth.com&quot;&gt;http://www.bannerhealth.com&lt;/a&gt; &amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;To become a donor register at: &lt;a href=&quot;http://www.donatelife.net/CommitToDonation&quot;&gt;www.donatelife.net/CommitToDonation&lt;/a&gt; &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Shelli Lamoreaux Bates (InHouse Home Warranty)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Wed, 09 Apr 2008 01:11:28 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/460723/donate-life-i-did-</link>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/460695/visiting-all-50-states</guid>
      <title>VISITING ALL 50 STATES</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;I admit I am a little crazy! But what women isn&amp;#39;t just a little bit crazy? I have these 4 amazing kids and about 5 years ago their Dad decides to make a choice and leave our home! So in order to have a little fun, we decided to travel to all 50 states! We have 7 more to go and we will have accomplished our goal. We just returned from North Dakota, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. We went to the Mall of America in MN visited a Cheese Factory in WI and saw a very colorful Buffalo in ND &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I have to admit althought I am not a Green Bay fan I did like the bra! I went to take a picture of my children in WI in front of some buffalo and I pulled the car over got out and took a step onto the snow and sunk up past my knees! You can take this farmers daughter out of the desert but she won&amp;#39;t survive the snow! &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;My Favorite states so far have been CT, NY, HI, OK, and SD. WHERE have you Been!?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img title=&quot;Shelli in MN @ Green Bay Store&quot; src=&quot;http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/8/5/3/6/7/ar120771782276358.JPG&quot; height=&quot;325&quot; alt=&quot;cheesy&quot; width=&quot;405&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Here is a photo of my adorable children being HAPPY of all things!&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;img title=&quot;Tawnie Tanner Trey &amp;amp; Talon Bates in WI&quot; src=&quot;http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/1/4/9/6/4/ar120771974746941.JPG&quot; height=&quot;459&quot; align=&quot;textTop&quot; alt=&quot;kids in WI&quot; width=&quot;613&quot; /&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Shelli Lamoreaux Bates (InHouse Home Warranty)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Wed, 09 Apr 2008 00:17:21 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/460695/visiting-all-50-states</link>
    </item>
    <item>
      <guid>http://activerain.com/blogsview/460660/take-a-hike-</guid>
      <title>Take a Hike!</title>
      <description>&lt;p&gt;&lt;img title=&quot;Trey &amp;amp; Talon Bates @ Fish Creek AZ &quot; src=&quot;http://activerain.com/image_store/uploads/9/2/6/4/7/ar120771723674629.jpg&quot; height=&quot;342&quot; align=&quot;right&quot; alt=&quot;Fish Creek AZ&quot; width=&quot;452&quot; /&gt;Arizona is a Beautiful state and I have lived here my entire life! This is the time of year we love!!! The desert is in full bloom and the weather is just right. Time to lace up those hiking boots and hit the trail. Be sure to bring plenty of water, it will only do you good on the inside so drink up! &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;One of my favorite places to go is Fish Creek. I took my younger boys Trey &amp;amp; Talon along with two of their friends there last summer. To get there head towards Canyon Lake. If you are new to AZ be sure you are in a vehicle that you do not care if it gets dusty and be sure your brakes work! Once you enjoy the beauty of Canyon lake continue on the &amp;quot;old Apache Trail&amp;quot; toward Tortilla Flat your last chance for a beverage for a while. The pavement ends after Tortilla flat and you will continue on a dirt road that is wash board at times. YOU will be on a curvy MOUNTAIN road with sharp turns. Continue on though it is so worth it! Be sure to park as far off the road as possible once you are at the bottom of Fish Creek. &lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We hike up into the canyon and love to go to the &amp;quot;cave&amp;quot;. I will let the boys run until they are spent. Then we will climb back in the car and continue on, I am not one to go back the same way so we &amp;quot;Loop&amp;quot; we stopped next at Apache Lake and let the boys jump in and swim around. Then on to Roosevelt Lake we just drove past that and headed on into Globe Miami Area. WE love to eat Burritos at the &amp;quot;Burger House&amp;quot; in Miami AZ the Red Mix and Green Mix are a family favorite. Don&amp;#39;t forget the Chips WITH butter.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;I enjoy hiking AZ and would love to have you join me on one of my Realtor/Lender hikes. We have been doing Silly Mountain and the Wind Cave trails lately. Contact me if you would like more information.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</description>
      <dc:creator>Shelli Lamoreaux Bates (InHouse Home Warranty)</dc:creator>
      <pubDate>Tue, 08 Apr 2008 23:38:39 -0500</pubDate>
      <link>http://activerain.com/blogsview/460660/take-a-hike-</link>
    </item>
  </channel>
</rss>
