"Someday, it will be your turn!"

Those are the words that would make me want to scream not too long ago. When Marty was sick people would say that to me over and over. When NKOTB reunited, I had to tell Andrea "no" two times about NKOTB concerts and it was really hard for me. She would say " That's okay, someday it will be your turn and we will see them together." It was hard to think that day would ever come.

Then we met them at Town Hall together thanks to the kindness of the Twitter Blockhead's. It was truly a beautiful night that convinced me someday our dream would come true. This weekend, that dream came true. Andrea and I traveled to the Mixtape festival in Hershey,PA to see NKOTB. For me, it was the first time seeing them live in 22 years. I knew being there with one of my best friends, seeing them live with new good friends would be emotional. My new friend KTDQ captured the moment on film, the picture says it all.

This was taken when Joe was singing "Please Don't Go Girl"

A beautiful moment in a beautiful friendship. Photo: KTDQ

Andrea, not many friends keep their promises and make it happen. You made it happen and beyond my wildest dreams. I loved experiencing such a wonderful, intense, exciting weekend together. Thank you for letting me share in the other side of your life. It was fun seeing others enjoying meeting my wonderful friend and knowing you made many happy. Most of all, you made your sister of the heart over the moon happy. I love you and thank you!

Together with Andrea, I experienced the weekend with five wonderful women. They are new friends to me but because of them, I got the experience this weekend. They brought me laughs, joy, happiness and fun memories for a lifetime.

A2, I love seeing your face watching Jordan Knight sing. I love your love for NKOTB. Thank you for taking me to Town Hall and starting this whole thing going. I am forever grateful. Thank you for introducing me to so many wonderful people. The best moment was finding you under the A2 sign in Harrisburg and the worst moment was leaving you there.

LL Fancy, it was instant love when we met. A immediate connection, a bond so intense that I truly can say I never have experienced something like that ever. You are so fun, witty and make me laugh. Thank you for helping me have a good time this weekend. My favorite moment was meeting Joe together once again and getting our picture together.

MVP, you are hilarious. I am so glad to have met you this weekend and had fun watching you have fun! I cannot wait to see you again. My favorite moment was you during the after party dancing like crazy!

KTDQ, I loved watching you dance, have fun and your sweet spirit. Thank you for all you did to help make this weekend better. I truly think without your help, it would have ended very differently. I look forward to knowing you more and more. I loved our chat at lunch on Saturday and it was nice that you understood where I was coming from and that we have the same outlook on life. My favorite moment was watching you dancing during the shows brought me so much joy and made me dance!

Under the Taybles Mixtape sign with MVP, LL, KTDQ,A2 and AB

While in Hershey, another five year dream came true. One of the people who often told me "Someday it will be your turn" was my friend Janeen. We have been in a online prayer group with eight other ladies for years and never met. They have all met numerous times in the years Marty was sick and we couldn't travel. Every year I would watch them go off to meet and see pictures of the gathering. I felt like odd man out, that my turn would never come. Late last year, I was able to meet two of the people from the board. I just recently said to the others, I didn't think my turn would ever come to meet them.

Janeen's daughter Christy contacted me before I left for Hershey  and asked if I could meet them. She agreed to drive her mom to Harrisburg and meet me. So Sunday, my group of friends and I went to meet Janeen at Cracker Barrell. It is the place everyone in our group always meets and it had to be there. I will let the pictures speak for themself

tears of joy

Rocking on the porch

Thank you to Christy and Janeen for coming to meet me. I would also like to thank Nichole for coming along to meet them with the group and for sitting beside me during one of the most important moments in my life. We just met but you came to such a wonderful moment and now we are forever bonded.

I am proof that dreams do come true. Someday my turn did come, it blew my mind and was beyond my wildest dreams. I chose to do the right thing in the dark times and when the sun broke through the clouds and the rain went away, the sunshine was far brighter than the dark night.

As always, thank you Debbie and Jerry for giving our family new life. Without the selfless gift of organ donation, I wouldn't have gone this weekend and experienced this mountain top experience.

Thank you to Lori for making it all possible. Thank you Taylor, Justin, Matt, Jennie, Wade and Tina for being our companions and helping us have the time of our lives. Thank you to Lisa, Teri, Heather and Hope for the great tweetups, it was nice meeting you in person. Thank you to Howie D. for helping me make Melly's dream come true, you are gracious and to Joe Mac for making my 25 year dream come true.

If you are in the darkness, know that you will survive and that there is hope.

I will do a all Mixtape picture blog this week to show you more of my time at the festival.

MTTMB Series: Six Songs of Me

Last week a friend posted a link to this article on Facebook, The Six Songs of me how music describes who you are as a person. In the article was a link to a website to pick the six songs.  The website didn't work very well for me and I tried to find my list again today to no avail.

So I am going to write it out as part of my series "The Music that Takes Me Back" and reminsce a bit.

"First Song you bought" Originally I picked the a different band but changed the answer to go way back. The first album I ever owned was the soundtrack to Annie. I loved listening to that record over and over, I had a Annie doll, book and my parents took me to see the stage play. I love you Daddy Warbucks! Maybe this is why I wanted red hair?







"What Song Gets You Dancing" My Sharona by The Knack. It's become a wedding tradition when one of me or my cousins gets married. Also when my friend Jenny got married, we danced to this song. It comes from my love of the movie "Reality Bites" a movie that I highly identified with at 18. The famous scene where they are in the gas station getting food and Jeanine Garofalo and Winona Ryder dance around has always been a favorite. I can here this song anywhere and immediately bust out the moves








"What Song Takes You Back to Your Childhood" Easy, literally the one that no question I would blurt out the same answer over and over. The theme to Welcome Back Kotter. For some reason, I hear that song and immediately am transported to being a little girl watching the Sweat Hogs goof around. There is just something about this song that takes me back.




"Perfect Love Song" I am waffling between two. I have "Eternal Flame" by the Bangles in one hand and "Somebody" by Depeche Mode in the other. I love both songs. There is something about "Eternal Flame" that always makes me cry. Not that it is a hard thing to do, make me cry. "Somebody" is a song that always reminds me of Marty. Plus, I love everything Martin Gore has written. Both are great and I will share both.




"Song Played at Your Funeral" This one I have waffled over. There is of course, "On Eagles Wings" the classic hymn played at every family member's funeral, a staple. Then I thought about a OC Supertones song, because I love ska.  I settled on "Here's Where the Story Ends" by the Sundays. I love this song, truly a song in the story of my life.




"The Encore, the Song that Makes You...You" This one I polled my family members, all three of them said the same song and it is truly the song I would say. Hands down the most influential song in my life and the song that screams Jules. I think this will shock absolutely no one. I am sharing this version of Curt Smith singing it acoustic a few months ago. He is my favorite singer to this day, so much more than when I was nine years old. I have been able to learn more about him and "get to know him" as a person via social media. Truly a class act, amazing talent and wonderful person. He still has "it" after all these years.







So what are your Six Songs? You can go pick them at the Six Songs of Me website and leave me a link in the comments. Or you can just tell me in the comments!

Music That Takes Me Back: Vinyl, 8 Tracks and a Mixtape

A few weeks ago,I was talking to my kids about how listening to music has evolved since I was a little girl. After talking about the Mixtape Festival I am attending next week, they asked "What's a Mixtape?" and it floored me that its lost on my kids.

I remember sitting on the floor of my bedroom in Buena Park listening to my little Fisher Price record player. I would drag out all my parents old albums and listen to them, making up dance routines to go along with the songs. Of course, you couldn't jump around too much so the record wouldn't skip!

Oh How I loved this record player

I think my favorite album to listen to was the Grease Soundtrack




I would spend hours and hour listening to records until I figured out the radio and cassette tapes came on the scene. Personally, I think my parents were glad I wouldn't destroy anymore records. I remember when they thought 8 track players were cool. We had one in our car, there is a funny story about that.  Needless to say,  Cassette tapes quickly became a favorite of mine.


 It was especially cool when you could record straight from a record on to a tape and then from tape to tape. I like other 90's kids spent hours making my own mixtapes. Recording from the radio was especially a favorite of mine, it was like music sharing before computers. Having a tape paused at all times to hit record the second the song came on the radio. It was like free Itunes with really bad quality and commercial interuption.





You could make one for your friend, boyfriend or for yourself.  What 90's girl didn't make a sappy, love song filled Mixtape for her latest crush? I know that I am not alone......right? When the Walkman came out, you could take Mixtapes to your friends at school and let them listen. I love making customized mixes for myself and friends.

I know with iTunes, there are still mixes and music sharing. It's just not the same as carrying around a bulky tape with sharpie writing all over it. Nothing can replace the countless hours of sitting with one finger on the play button and one finger on the record button, trying to get the timing just right. One time my friend Ruben wrote me a entire note on the tape part of a Mixtape.

This also went hand in hand with the invention of VHS ( even though we had a BetaMax first) and watching MTV for hours trying to record my favorite videos or shows

  I wish that I had held on to my Mixtapes to listen to them today. Well...I don't even have a tape player to listen to them anyways.

Just fun to reminisce and re-live one of my favorite tween memories. There wasn't much I like about being a tween but making Mixtapes was one thing I loved.

Stanford Garden of Peace, Joy and Blessings

The beautiful Gardens at Stanford Hospital. A place painted with memories.

Six months have passed by and today we dragged our sleepy bodies out of the house at 4 a.m to head for Stanford. We always hold our breathe, not really consciously or that we would ever admit that out loud. The drive to Stanford is always a bit tense. Old habits die hard and its hard to not be on edge to hear what the doctor will say today.

Marty has been doing his blood work every few weeks and we have reached the stage where things are stable and we just receive a postcard in the mail saying "no changes" . It's really nice and we've slowly slipped into normal life. Somedays I have to remind myself that there is a reason life is normal and to never grow so complacent as to forget.

Ever since our Stanford trip last June and the phone call that shook us up, we are always a bit on edge for this trip. Today we were running a bit behind and barely made it in time for his appointment. The clinic was empty, I sent Marty to get his blood work and started checking in for him. He came back and said they didn't have a lab order for him this time. So we checked in and immediately went back to the room. This is a rare occasion at Stanford, we usually are pretty lucky since we always schedule the early appointments hoping for this.

We asked about Dr.G, our favorite transplant surgeon. Last time we went, we asked and were informed she was now on the liver side of things. We were bummed to hear that and asked again today if she was still doing liver. We were told "yes" and that we would be seeing Dr.M, we like Dr.M. but don't have the same rapport we do with Dr.G and Dr.B.

I walked out of the room to get Marty some water, came back and he said, "Did you see Dr.G, she was right behind you." and I said, "No, maybe we will get to see her after all." 

Sure enough, she came bursting through the door, just as excited to see us as we were her. She immediately said she loved my hair and that Marty looked thinner. We began filling her in on life today, she has only seen him once since he was stablized and so there was a lot to share.

She was thrilled to pieces to hear how transplant changed our lives, all of our lives. She said, " I remember your donor so clearly" and I was able to tell her that we now knew Jerry's story and had been able to contact his mother. She was blown away by that and was so happy that we cherish this gift we've been allowed to have.

Basically the visit was more old friends catching up than a doctor's visit. She said Marty's last blood work was perfect and there was no need to have new labs today. Immediately we took a deep breathe and breathed a sigh of relief.  She told Marty to check his blood sugar every two weeks because "You're not a diabetic anymore". Words that a Type I diabetic thinks are impossible and will never happen.

We drove home singing and laughing all the way. Blessings poured out on us in abundance, the peace that comes from God to remind us "It is finished" was all around us all the way home. The phone just rang and it was Stanford, just clarifying a blood pressure medication change. We don't have to go back for another six months and this may in fact be our last Stanford visit if we move to Georgia this fall. Dr.G kindly recommended a great program in Atlanta for us. As we walked out she said, " I hope to see you again. I want you to all have a really nice life and be happy."

Miracles happen, they are possible, we've lived a miracle and never take that for granted. The paths at Stanford are painted with memories, really good memories in most cases for our family. Places where friends called, came to visit and walked with us. We have a family we followed whose outcome wasn't the same and so we carry a huge knowledge that things could have been different. We are thankful and will never forget why or how.

Happy Birthday Cousin Series: Dear Alex

Dear Alex,

It's hard to believe you're seventeen years old today. You're just one year away from being how old I was when you were born. I remember when your mom told us she was having you and the joy we felt in our family. It had been a long time since we had a baby around and we were thrilled. I went crazy buying you presents, I was overjoyed.  At that moment, I wasn't even thinking about having my own kids and didn't know they would be your cousins someday.

My favorite memory of you is that you had a little wooden duck you loved to push around everywhere. Once your mom lost you in Michaels and she told everyone to look for the little girl pushing a wooden duck! I also remember your fondness for Bananas in Pajamas.

Sadly I moved away and missed most of your growing up years. I look forward to being closer as we are older and coming to visit you at college. The best part of you is that you are me in many ways. You are the oldest cousin of the younger generation. Conner and Elizabeth look up to you and they love you so much. Kind of fun that my cousin is their cousin too! They always want to come see you and Randon. It's you who gets to lead the way, something that I did with our other cousins.

I really hope you enjoy your senior year, have fun and enjoy life as a teenager. The days are numbered in youth and this time is really precious. Some of my best friends to this day are the friends I went to high school with.

Be yourself, love yourself and honor yourself. I always have just been me regardless of what anyone else thinks and that has served me well.  So often there is so much pressure at your age to fit in, be what you are not and to make choices. Always listen to your heart.

I am proud to call you cousin, I look forward to your bright future and wish you the happiest of birthday's ever! Seventeen is such a great age to be!

Love, your cousin Julie

Elizabeth, Randon, Alex and Conner

Randon, Julie and Alex

"Little Bit" and Alex

Love this picture!

You put Randon and Conner on a leash! Smart little girl taming those two monkeys!

You were helping me at my baby shower for Conner

Cousins Randon, Conner, Alex, Little Bit and Tony

What a precious picture. Cousins in front of Grandma's tree

"Little Bit" always has loved Alex. She looks up to you

MTTMB Series: I Remember When

Last August in celebration of my 35th birthday I wrote the wildly popular Music That Takes Me Back Series. It was a great trip down memory lane and I nowhere near completed the trip. I had already decided to bring it back and then something happened....NKOTB came crashing back into my life.

You may remember I wrote this blog about New Kids on the Block a few days before my birthday. I had no clue that 35 would turn out to be one of the greatest years of my life. Also one of the greatest years of my New Kids fan life.

I recently had the opportunity to meet them thanks to my new found "sisters" Blockhead sisters to be exact. Thanks to Lori, Lindsey, Trish, and A2 also known as Andrea. My dear friend, SOH and I got to meet the New Kids together. You can read about that here.

September 14,1990, three days after I turned 14, I saw New Kids on the Block for the second time at Dodgers Stadium with my friend Jackie. It was truly a Magic Summer Tour and little did I know the last time I would see them live for twenty two years.

This year Andrea and I are celebrating our 36th birthday's together in Hershey,PA by seeing NKOTB live together for the first time. I am thrilled beyond words for this trip.

Getting to go away with one of my best friends, getting to see New Kids, going to Hershey for the first time. I get to meet back up with my friends Lindsey and Andrea, plus meet many of the BH sistas that are my tweeps. I could wax poetic for hours about this.

Going to save that for the after trip blog which will be a part of the series. Until then, I leave you with two videos. One a old New Kids song that fits the bill and the second is a great promo video done for the event by my friend Andrea.


This song takes me right back to being twelve. I always knew that New Kids would be a huge part of my life story.



Here is Andrea's promo video to share more about the festival. Warning there is language in this video, so please don't watch if that will upset you

I used to think I was fat, then one day I was....

I remember in Jr. High and High School, I always thought I was fat. Constantly dieting in Jr.High to be thinner. It was the late 80's and skinny jeans ruled. Always having curves, I thought that I was overweight. In high school I was not super skinny but still not fat. I swam on the swim team and was very active. Body image was always a struggle for me in those years.

127 lbs graduating high school. My skinny days

I graduated, started working odd hours at Disneyland. 3 am trips to Denny's after work didn't help matters and I stopped exercising. I started slowly but surely gaining weight and suddenly realized, I had been thin.

The Disneyland days. Marty and I's engagement picture

I got married, had Conner a year and half later and became a busy working wife and mom. My Grandmothers were women who put their families ahead of themselves and that was something I learned from them. I remember Grandma telling me "It's not about you anymore" once I had Conner. 

Growing up, everyone in my family struggled with weight issues. My grandma's both were of short stature like myself and constantly battled when they were my age. My aunts and parents struggled with weight at one time or another.

Also facing chronic illness on both sides of the family, I am working hard to prevent heart disease, auto immune disorders and kidney failure. My family health history isn't pretty for the most part and I have a lot to battle in that department.

When I moved to Visalia, I weighed 202 lbs. I worked hard to lose fifty lbs and kept it off for three years. Then my Gramie died and I started gaining it back. Then several life changing events in the next three years caused stress and I just kept gaining.

Pregnant with Elizabeth, I managed to keep my first weight loss off

My heaviest ever. I saw this picture and it really motivated me to lose weight

Marty was diagnosed with end stage renal disease in 2007 and I ballooned to my highest weight ever during his sickness.  By the time he was well, I knew it was time for a change for everyone. We started riding our bikes, walking and working out together. 

Last year I met several people online who had completed major weight losses of their own. It inspired me to start my own weight loss journey. I set several benchmark goals for myself and so far I've met every one of them by the time allotted. 

My first goal was several five lb weight loss goals. Then my second goal was to be under 200 lbs by Olympic swim trials which I met. Then my third goal was to have hit 50lbs lost by the time of the Olympics. I am ten lbs away from that goal and think I can do it.

 It's not about looking good or being "thin" . I am blessed to have a husband who loves me no matter what size I am. It's just about feeling good, being healthy and taking care of myself. For the first time in nearly 15 years, I am doing something just for myself. 

So far, the proof has been in the mirror. I have been able to see myself getting thinner, Marty and the kids have been so encouraging. I am not only doing this for myself but for them. I hope to teach my kids healthy eating and being active is important. 

I have more energy, I am not tired and sore like I was before. I feel great and look forward to feeling even better. My new overall goal is to lose fifty more lbs for a 100 lb overall weight loss. After I hit my fifty lb goal my next goal is 70lbs lost by January 2013.  Then 30 lbs by April 2013 which will put me at the 100 lb mark. 

When I hit that goal, I intend to enjoy being that weight and not for once think of myself as fat. I learned that lesson the hard way. Being heavier, I never hated myself or felt badly, I just learned that I didn't have good body image before and vowed to never think that way about myself again. So the mental issue has been overcome for a long time, now to overcome the weight issue. I am well on my way.

Last August

One day the kids noticed that my face was thinner than in the picture above. It was so exciting!

My friend Andrea came to visit last year. One year later and I could really see the results of my hard work

Finally happy with what I am starting to see in the mirror. 40lbs lighter