Update on blog site and info

Hello Folks,

I am not sure how these are going to come anymore. I feel in one way that I am finishing up, and in another that something new is beginning. At this point, I would rather have you make the decision about reading, rather than me continuing to send the updates assuming you are still interested.

Orien Rose's blog orienrose.blogspot.com had been set up now to accept anonymous comments. It has also been set up so you can "subscribe" to it by entering your email address. This means it can automatically be sent to you each time I post. This way, it is your choice to keep reading.

If you have any problem with this, PLEASE let me know. It is new to me as well.

Please comment on the blog, we love to see them and it helps get our ratings up! Please feel free to pass this on as well.

For those of you who asked, there is a book coming. I figure this will be the year I work on it. I believe I have found my ending. I am counting on you all to keep my butt in gear and offer any suggestions as to what path to follow with it.

We have been blessed by your energy! Thank you so much!!

Blessings
Christine

A new Orien Rose update

is posted on her blog at orienrose.blogspot.com

Thank you so much for reading and leaving comments! We read them all to her!

Blessings

Orien Rose's new blog

Folks who have been following the story...I had a mishap with Orien Rose's blog and needed to create a new one. It is now located at orienrose.blogspot.com

If you are just tuning in, there is a link on that one to the old one which contains the archives

She is through surgery and recovering very well! Go check out the blog!

Thank you to all who posted about her here and everywhere else!

Blessings
Christine

Orien Rose Update 6-22-08

6-22-08

We are nearing the next, and hopefully final, surgery for Orien Rose. A lot of you have followed the story since last year, and we are incredibly appreciative. (If you are just joining us, please go back to May 2007 and read the first few posts for the complete info about the accident.) We have been taken care of, supported, gifted with blessings of energy and miracles. We have had energy sent our way from people all over the world. We are still hearing stories like the one told to us at my sister’s wedding in December. A family friend’s mother lives in Ireland. When she got the news, she gathered the people in the Pub (Church is open Sundays, the Pub is open every day) and they all prayed for us. We got emails from people from all over the US and from Canada, Africa, India, Australia…
Orien Rose is amazing, yes…and we (Orien and I) can’t discount that we have made it through this last year as well. The trials for us have been many…patience, willingness, wanting to give up so many times we learned to balance our needs. I have written more this year than I have in a long time and am merely waiting for an end to my book to finally put it together, at the goading of many of you.
A lot of energy has been sent our way, and as we retrospect over the last year, we can see the patterns of happenings. We have been blessed to open up to so many new people, to solidify long standing relationships and truly get a clear picture of where we stand in people’s lives. Our lives have been touched by so many who report the changes in their lives because of our story. This truly makes US feel worthy of our blessing.
What is in store for Orien Rose? Who knows? She has survived a near fatal accident. As we revisit the occurrence for another article for the Times Herald Record located at www.recordonline.com/apps/pb.../article we are reminded of the numbers, the statistics, the fact that 1-3cm to the right and she would have been dead. We pull out various PR pieces we have done for the Ronald McDonald House and Hasbro, pictures of Orien Rose a reminder of our miracle. We are reminded that the slice up her face was centimeters outside the tympanic membrane in her ear, yet she can hear. That the slice through her face damaged her tear duct and we were told we would forever have to put drops in her eyes to keep them moist, yet she tears. We were told she would be in PICU for weeks, the hospital for months and rehab after that. We left PICU after 4 days, HASBRO after a few weeks and rehab for an even less amount of time. Yes, it has been a long year, but as Orien says, “when you’re in the middle of a miracle it’s rude to say, ‘hurry up.’”
So here we are, getting ready for surgery. The doctors’ intention is to finish it up Tuesday, to be done with the inside of Orien Rose’s head. The scar on her face by her eye is almost unnoticeable. The scar on her cheek requiring more treatment, scar massage and care…but she is young and man is she a trooper. She was taught at Free Spirit how to massage the scar, and is doing so every day now.
We returned from Free Spirit glad to have been able to attend. For me, the stress wasn’t lessened, but the rest was increased. Time moved too quickly for me that week, but I was glad to have another week home before we left again. Finding balance in that, we moved forward to tie up some loose ends and to get ourselves situated for the next few weeks. We exchanged our festival clothing for “real” clothes and packed the cars.
We left for Rhode Island on Thursday evening about 5pm. Not too much traffic at that time, since we would hit Danbury about 6pm. Generally we leave later, but I was anxious to get on the road, anxious to begin this next leg of our journey where we get Orien Rose’s skull work done.
Orien Rose and I went to drop off “Zenzilla” at my mother’s house before we hit the highway. Our other two dogs found a thought in my mind, a slight pang of missing, knowing they were being well taken care of and so loved, the thought passed quickly.
Orien would be trailing slightly behind us as we left him home packing. When we finally got on the road, we were within miles of each other. We decided to take two cars after discussing our plans for the upcoming weeks of time.
I need to travel home on July 1st for a mid-term and will attend my Wednesday night class as well. Depending on what the plans turn out to be, I will either drive back to RI from school or return home to wait a day or two for Orien and Orien Rose to come home. I am not sure if we will be home for my mother’s annual Fourth of July party.
Why I decided to attend a Summer semester…who knows. I wanted to be done with school by now. I wanted to be pursuing other certifications at this point. Orien Rose’s accident set me back a year, and for whatever reason I believed I needed to jump on it again. I think there was fear, really, that I would give up, that I would just stop. I definitely have wanted to. I am tired and my brain is definitely not where it normally is. This has gotten a little frustrating for me. Then I remember what Orien Rose goes through to sometimes remember simple things. I remember what it looks like when we can see her brain finding a new route and I breathe.
So we are here, at the “Cottage” spending time with Grampy and Aunt Toni and waiting on Aunt Sandi’s arrival this evening. Anxiety is increasing for Orien and me as we get closer to Tuesday. Orien Rose is anxiously excited for Aunt Sandi’s arrival. Tonight we will all go out to dinner.
I make a conscious effort not to slice, but feel I am failing in staying connected. So I just keep walking away. I am in desperate need of cuddling, touch…but then I don’t want it. Keeping the Emergence group fresh in my mind I ask myself if I am learning from my suffering and use blame as a measure for my pain. If I am blaming, I am not learning, I am merely trying to avoid my pain. My fear grows and then subsides as I anticipate Tuesday’s surgery. I tried to escape into a book, and read a whole one yesterday. It was enjoyable, some of the time, but mainly provided my dreams with fresh material to keep me from resting fully.
Sleep has not come easy for all three of us. Orien Rose is excited about the surgery, but has expressed some fear as well. I am glad she has been vocalizing it, allowing for different outlets that are not all physical. Orien is a little edgy, I am edgy…we have gone out, sat some, gone out again, and sat some more together and independently. Time feels as if it moving so slowly, and then it seems as if a whole day has gone by without even taking notice of the fluctuation in our emotional state.
The past few days, we have gotten phone calls, emails, comments on MySpace and texts. Each one brightening our day and reminding us, when we feel alone, that there are so many supporting us. We appreciate ALL of you! Orien Rose loves hearing the messages and reading the emails! It allows us a moment to sit together and connect. This is a great tool when we are sitting in our dis-ease. It is a moment to step out of ourselves and connect not only with each other, but with all of you…our community, our support, our “clan” again. We are big believers that it “takes a Village.” You have all shown us just how powerful that village can be!
Thank you for continuing to read! I will update a little more frequently now that we are in the middle of major movement.
Blessings to all of you!

Orien Rose Update- post Free Spirit Gathering

6-16-08



Today would have had us traveling to Rhode Island if last Monday had gone very differently. However, we have learned that things change. Simple. Period. Things change and most of the time, you can't do anything about it. Though we can struggle to regain power, it isn't until we admit powerlessness that the pressure can dissipate.



Last Monday began with a cheery feeling that we would all embark on our journey to Free Spirit. Returning refreshed and rejuvenated we would drive straight to RI for Orien Rose's surgery. A journey that we anticipated with butterflies in our bellies as we knew we would have a chance to thank, again, those who worked for us. We knew we would see people we hadn't seen now in TWO years. The children got bigger. Two years is a lot of time for little ones to grow.



Then I made a phone call, at about noon, to Plastics to confirm that on Monday, June 16th (today) we would go for a pre-op appointment. That was when I was told…"oh, you are no longer scheduled for that date. Something came up." So, of course, I was thinking to myself…"what the F*%!" We were 100% with both offices. Neuro and plastics BOTH confirmed the date with us. We finally made the call to CA to say, "yes, its time to come." They were coming. We were leaving in less than 24 hours for a retreat.



But, things change, and after 6 hours on the phone back and forth with plastics, neuro, family…we were exhausted and no where closer to finding out WHY and if things could change again. Orien is amazing, I have to say, in fielding the medical world. He knows the language, he knows where to put pressure and (mostly) where to back off. It is like the fine art of reflexology, where pressure in one spot triggers healing or movement in another. This is not my forte. I struggled for the two and a half hours until he got home to take over the dance of the phones. All through it, though, we stayed connected to each other.



My concern was what would keep them from doing it again, from saying…oh, you are no longer scheduled for that date. We know that it is essentially out of our hands, but I think we made it clear that another time would be extremely unsatisfactory and we would take larger measures to make sure Orien Rose was taken care of. I mean, the child has been wearing a helmet for over a full year! It is time to give Orien Rose her head back.
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So, we embarked, without answers on Tuesday to Free Spirit. The car was packed and ready to go Monday night. We just needed a little sleep and we were off. There was no rush, nothing too controlled, no stress about what time we got there. The ride was pleasant as we talked about who we were going to see, some of the classes we wanted to take, the rituals we would be apart of. We talked about who we hoped would be there. Then the phone rang as we were nearing the event. The doctor's confirmed we would not have the 17th, but the 24th instead. Roll with it. What will keep them from changing again? Roll with it. I need to change a LOT of things around…ROLL WITH IT! Okay, we have our answer, move on to the festival.



And we arrived, and it was great. My head not fully leaving the fact that Orien Rose's surgery was coming up. My head not fully grasping that it was time to relax and sometimes so overwhelmed all I could do was rest. I was gifted with an amazing massage, one that worked out over a year of tension from holding the world. When I got on the table, the beautiful woman said to me, "what do you want." I said, "Take all of it out." She said, "All of it?" "Yes," I said. It was no joke. She is a healer of the finest degree, very much affected by my last year as well. She could see what I have been carrying. She talked to me and gave me the permission to let it go, sometimes having to be slightly firmer as I resisted. I closed my eyes and as my shoulder muscles were being released, I could see the opera. I could see the Viking woman, blonde braids and helmet with horns singing her heart out. I could see her struggle slightly with her breath as the immensity of the Universe overwhelmed her, then suddenly the Earth appeared in her hands and she was no longer slipping.



Orien Rose was so happy to see so many, and they were happy to see her. Over and over, people came to us and told us how happy they were we had made it this year. And two years had gone by, not just one missed Free Spirit, but two years. For some of the children, there was drastic change. But Orien Rose went to school at Lady Amber's and learned what they taught. This year, when the bell rang, she was there and ready to go. No one had to tell her to be. I could hear her being reprimanded in some instances for touching things she shouldn't. More so, however, I heard her participating and sharing and asking questions. Each meal, she ate apart from us, meeting new people and talking to them. She saved the magic show on Saturday night (Magnus told her so), getting up with one cue and finishing the task another couldn't. Orien Rose got a kick out of telling Magnus we have been watching him on television….lol….



On Thursday night, I called in to my team teleconference where we worked out the logistics of the upcoming meeting that I would no longer be able to attend. My team is wonderful and they are stepping up beautifully! Of course, they loved the background goings on as Lori and I sat outside the tent talking on speaker phone. I am sad that I will not be able to attend. I have put so much energy into it, but I also trust my team to more than make up for my absence.



I took some classes and have more direction. My life keeps piling on top of itself, showing me doorway after doorway of opportunity and I can't wait to share it, put it out there, do it! All of this from sitting for a few days with amazing people as I watched Orien Rose have some Freedom that she longed for. Very few meltdowns were had (though there were a few). Thank you to all of you who spent the last few days with us.



Today is Monday, June 16th. By Wednesday, I will have my business for the next few weeks wrapped up. Hopefully, my papers for school will be written and I will pass the semester. But, really…none of that matters. I may not be "at my best" in some areas of my life, but I am still good. It has been a year of time, and all of that will still be waiting for me. If it is not, then it wasn't meant for me.



It has been so clear to us that what matters is US; Orien, Orien Rose and I. Our relationships matter, being present matters, connected matters. Orien, Orien Rose and I are what are important. We know that we would not have gotten this far without the aide, energy, blessings, prayers, and actions of those around us. We live this 24/7. In dealing with the doctors we need to remember that they are not. We live this 24/7 and in our, sometimes, loneliness we need to remember that others are not. We are strong and we know how to reach out. We are blessed in so many ways, and yes…sometimes blessing can weigh heavy. Our burdens have been shouldered not only by ourselves, but by others willing to help in our healing. Our dogs, who were not able to get the love they needed from us, have a new beautiful home (thank you so much Shannon!). Though we are struggling financially, we are doing it. We are readjusting our needs, readjusting our mental state and our thoughts to keep our heads above the water. Though sometimes the exhaustion leads us to believe we are drowning, we are actually swimming hard, moving in the right direction…or a boat comes along to give us a ride for a little while.



The coming weeks will see an end to one leg of this journey and the beginning of another. We are staying as calm as we can, expressing and releasing our anxieties in a spiral of energies that get absorbed into the Earth. Orien Rose is vocalizing her fear now, and we are talking about the positives of the surgery, we are talking about what she will be able to do again.



For now, we are asking for people to put something on your alarm clock on Monday, June 23rd, something to remind you when you wake up on the 24th to take a breath for us. We will be admitting Orien Rose at 6:30am on Tuesday, June 24th where she will go through a lengthy surgery to reconstruct her skull and the facial (orbital) part that needs to be finished. The goal is to have it completed on the 24th, to get ALL of it done. We would like this to be her last surgery.



So, please envision this with us: Orien Rose will ride horses again, she will continue her Tae Kwon Do training, advancing in her degree. By the end of the Summer, Orien Rose will be able to swim in a pool without a helmet because her head will be completely healed. The doctors' hands will be steady and swift, they will be focused, precise and artists of the finest caliber.



For you: thank you again for everything you have done. Thank you to all of you who are stepping up to fill my absence on the 24th (I am so proud of you ladies – my team). Thank you to all of those who came up to us at Free Spirit and gave us the hugs we needed. Thank you to all of you who keep sending us energy, cards, well wishes, phone calls, emails…time on the porch! Many, many, many blessings to all of you!

Join us Saturday, May 17th in Woonsocket RI

Please be our guest at our Athena's Extravaganza!

Come to the meeting for FREE & receive a free gift just for coming!
You are welcome to stay until the lunch break.
If you decide to join Athena's AT the LUNCH BREAK, you will be invited to stay for the 2nd half of the meeting and receive gifts valued at over $200!

Our company meeting will be held Saturday, May 17th
at the Stadium Theater in Woonsocket, RI
Registration – 9:00 am
Event time – 10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Here's a dozen reasons why you can't miss this meeting!

1. See the new product line
2. Learn the details of the new BOOSTER KIT
3. Network with your Athena's family
4. Hear about our Summer promotions - we're giving away $2,750.00!
5. Meet Adoni # 2000!
6. See the new Adventures of Craig and Ed video (it's hilarious)
7. Meet our rep from California Exotics
8. See the first key winners pick their keys that may unlock a box containing $10,000.00 in January!
9. Have Fun!
10. Raffles for incredible cash and prizes
11. We will be raffling of a cruise to Greece and Egypt at this meeting!
12. Receive a meeting goodie back valued at over $60.00!

Contact me for more information christine@athenasbychristine.com or 845-551-1654

Blessings
Christine Laplante
Goddess #431

Rhode Island Winds

Are blowing as I sit on the old porch of the Cottage, a home that has been transformed over many years of work, renovation and Dreams. Pictures hang on the wall documenting the changes. Family resides in the flat of the frames, generations of people who have played, laughed, cried here. I feel lucky to sit amongst the many who have called themselves Mrs. Laplante....and here I am, one of a few left.

Last night, Orien and I took some time on the porch and smoked good apple hookah tabacco...an obsession I have had for a while now...getting a hookah that I could sit and relax with. I don't do drugs or drink, haven't in almost 14 years, so when I tell people I want a hookah and they automatically assume I am getting high, I laugh. Think what you want, I say to myself, I am merely enjoying a connection with another through a ritual that contains really sweet mouths and sentences coated in candy. I am sitting still, not running from one task to another...sitting and talking, playing music and smoking. There is something missing in the cigarettes of today, the ritual, the sacredness. Even those I know who smoke pot don't actually revel in it. They quickly smoke down a joint, anxious for the chemical reaction in their brains that will come, the need to get out of their heads so overpowering the enjoyment it truly could bring. That is the nature of our society, I guess. To do everything quickly, needing substances to balance us out.

Anyway, my manuscript is in the works. Thank you for all of you who have pressured me to get it out there, to tell our story. I am waiting, waiting on the finish. Soon, it will all come together, I can feel it. Then begins countless admissions to publishers. But, I trust that this story is meant to be out there.

Blessings
Christine


images.tribe.net/tribe/upl...7f3.medium
images.tribe.net/tribe/upl...7f3.medium

Photos, Magic and ....

To post here, it has been such a long time. A time I felt connected as the Tribe grew. I love this place, the solace of the keyboard as it clicks beneath my fingers and I think about where I sit. I look out my window and I see Promise. I see Beauty and Vision. I see Possibilities.

I have been in some debt, my whole family has and with the boating accident almost a year ago now, I had set a goal. I wanted our debt to be payed for in full before a year. And so we are one card away. But as I tell others, it is often the case that you need to be careful how you work your magic. Our tax return was seized and our banks accounts frozen for a short period of time. And it is okay.

We are learning to live simpler. To condense our expenses, to use what we have. There is Creativity in that!

I recently found my Cello to be almost unrepairable. It will cost me more to fix it than it would to buy a good used one. I will not discard my Cello, but I will not fix it either. Instead, it will be transformed into something new. Something, that possibly ends in fuel for the fire, but the energy and intent will be Creative, will have Vision and Beauty.

Tonigh I will paint with my daughter. We will open our hearts to each other and communicate by brush. We will heal some more, moving forward, looking up and out, putting our energy into something.

I have worked on manifesting more lovers in my life, more people to know, to communicate with. These are my desires. I want people to play with, to make music with, to love with. I want to reach out, way beyond any comfort zone, and open my art to experience, more experience. I want to fully bloom in my sexuality, in my talent of touch. I want to play my body like a cello, slowly, maddingly.

Tonight, i will paint...perhaps I will take a few pictures as well!

Blessings

You're Invited

You are invited…

Athena’s Home Novelties
Business Opportunity Event

Sunday, February 3, 2008
From 2-4pm
In Montague, NJ
(please RSVP by Monday, January 28th for directions)

Come join us for food, beverages, fun and information at our Athena’s Opportunity Event and see just how easy it is to own your own Athena’s Business.

• A Free Gift just for attending
• 50% off starter Kits - $250 earns you $500 in retail product!
• Limited time offer on Booster Kits for your Demos from top manufacturers
• Comprehensive training and support – unmatched in the industry!
• Nationally recognized company celebrating 10 years in business!


2,000 women have already changed their lives by joining Athena’s –
seize the opportunity and find out for yourself what Athena’s has to offer!


Contact:
Christine Laplante
Goddess #431, Company Trainer and Team Leader
845-551-1654
Christine@athenasbychristine.com
www.athenasbychristine.com

Doing Homework has never been so fulfilling

So, since Orien Rose's accident, I have spent time slowing down, taking in the beauty around me. It is not that I didn't see it before, I just didn't SEE it. So, happiness, truly is in contentment (something I read today). I am finding that I don't stress so much about my house, or perhaps I should say that I notice more what makes me uncomfortable. It is in these moments that I try to own my suffering. By owning my suffering, I don't need to blame (the house, the dog, the kid...). I can just find contentment in the moment, even if it is painful.

So, here I sit with my daughter, in our big bed, doing homework. I can write, she can write, we can talk. It is good. Even though I need to leave shortly, and her homework is not done, I can slow down!

~Blessings