lil_lambs_eat_ivy February 2009 Tootsie is very special to many of us. I call her my conscience coz trust me I could get into a whole lot more trouble without her talking me out of stuff!! A few calls her their angel and she can be that too unless she gets her dander up. But one thing about Tootsie, you always know where you stand and she is there for every member, new or old. We love ya Tootsiebelle! Tell us about yourself. I grew up in a Christian home with six sisters on a farm in Tennessee. We worked hard and played harder. Being #3 and having no brothers, I learned most of life’s lessons following in Daddy’s footsteps, milking cows, working in fields, driving tractors, and relying on “God Almighty” to meet our every need. Early in life, I concluded that if my Heavenly Father was anything like my earthly one, I wanted to know HIM better! As a result, God has been my first love for many years and His people are my passion! I became involved in ministry at the age of 13, babysitting in church, and from there, I have taught Sunday School, Ladies Bible Studies, and been Teaching Director for CBS (Community Bible Study) for women. I enjoyed counseling college students for 18 years and am now mentoring young moms with teenagers. My husband and I share in facilitating a small Bible Study group that meet once a week and I am scheduled to teach at a Ladies Retreat in Oct 09. For the most part, I was a stay home Mom (and with NO computer WOW!) Later, I worked as church secretary, Admin Assistant to President of McDonald Douglas Aircraft, and in Human Resources. I now do Estate Sales. I met my husband when I was a 16 yr old senior and have loved him ‘forever’. We were married while in college and have one son, one daughter, a foster daughter, and 8 grandchildren. Where are you from? Where do u live? I was born in Chico, California, grew up in the beautiful hills of Tennessee, and now live in San Diego, California. After coming into suicide lounge 4, what made you decide to join Stargazers? What keeps you in the league? Foxy invited me to Gazers about three years ago. Spades was new to me and I had never been in a league. The people are my reason for still being here. This is my substitute FAMILY and I love knowing that when I do have time to sit down and/or am feeling ‘lonely”, I can come here to be hugged and connect with people I’ve come to love. Even though I have only met one gazer face to face, I have an image of each of you in my heart. What time do you usually play? LOL I used to LIVE AT THE COMPUTER! Now when I play, it’s usually the 12 Noon (if I wake up in time and can find a brave partner) and in the evening, sometimes ‘til the wee hours of morning. Being 3 hours behind tourney time makes my routine a bit different. What is your favorite game? Wellllllllllll, NOT Mirrors of any kind! I prefer Regular Spades with Nil Only as the OFFICIAL game of Spades and most challenging, but I love 5-3-0. Spades is ‘just a game’ to me and the people who play are what make it fun. What is your least favorite game? Brian’s description of “Hope and Throw Spades’, which is ANY mindless game of throwing cards. What advice would you give to a person considering joining gazers or have just joined? WELCOME to the most accepting and loving League Family on line. There are no strangers here; only friends you haven’t met. BUT REMEMBER, we are all ‘different’ and everyone has our own ‘story’ so come with an open heart and make yourself a part of a family who cares for each other. Is there any story, or memory of an event that occurred in gazers that you would like to share with the other members? Oh SO many, but will limit those to IMs for the sake of space. My heart will always have a special place for RICK, among others, but a highlight was hanging out with Judy Kats and loving her even more in person than online. I look forward to meeting more of you who have brought much joy into my life just by sharing a part of yourself with me. My greatest honor was being recipient of the Sportsmanship Award my first year in Gazers, and my biggest disappointment was it being dropped by Cases when I left the league for two weeks this year to start a new church ministry. However, the memory is still mine. Gazers are blessed with the most dedicated Admin and Staff of any League I know. I want to thank each of you who have assumed this responsibility of ‘stepping out in faith’. Your roles are not easy as we are a diverse and demanding group of people, but without your leadership, there would be no ‘we’. I also want to thank the players who consistently come into the room with a cheerful attitude and a reason to be loved. Thank you, Bernie, for asking me to share my story. Hugs and Blessings ……Tootsibelle When I was little my Grandma made me learn a verse that reminds me of Tootsie~~.Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver, and the other is gold. ~~ Watching Tootsie in the lobby reminds me of that. She never meets a stranger. We love you Tootsie and may you always be blessed with special friends. TRIPLES with EMMA