Finally, enough time and healing has pasted since Ryan's bone marrow transplant that he can now have pets again!  We adopted Peter and Parker from the LMN Feline Rescue in August 2014.  Above is a picture of Peter and Parker with their new PS Pet Tags from Cool Cat Collars. Can you guess who they were named after?

When people think of musician Kid Rock, they typically picture the long hair, skinny, sunglass wearing "Bad-Ass; " but that's just his persona.  Ask Ryan, he will tell you otherwise. 

When the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (HLS&R) concert series announced that Kid Rock was going to perform this year, I got two tickets.  While neither husband Mike, nor daughter Lauren wanted to go, I wasn't too concerned about finding someone to go with me. 

About a week later, while Ryan and I were talking i...

Have you ever been greeted at a restaurant with, “We’ve got another one for you Ryan”? Usually I get, “Hello, welcome to Chili’s!”  Well, there’s a first time for everything and that was the greeting I warmly welcomed along with dozens of others at the Pearland Chili’s on February 13^th.  Chili’s graciously hosted a fund raising benefit in Ryan’s honor, donating 10% of all sales to his medical fund “Ryan’s Warriors” to any table with a benefit coupon.  Although genero...

In June of 2011, Ryan and his mom, Nicki, were invited to come spend a few days with Grandpa Corky and his family on a Shasta Lake houseboat trip. Ryan had never met his Aunt Kim and Uncle Chris and their 2 boys, Cody and Casey, and Grandpa Corky wanted them all to get to know each other.  Ryan, Cody and Casey hit it off right away. 

While we were driving around on the lake trying to find a place to tie up the Houseboat, Ryan wanted to ride the Jet Ski. Grandpa Corky, being the first willing s...

This August Ryan enjoyed another week on Lake Travis.  The freedom he enjoys on the water is the antithesis of the confinement he experiences in a hospital room.  Lake Travis affords Ryan the opportunity to embrace his adventuress side.  His love of speed and danger are embodied in some of his favorite activities:  jet skiing, tube rodeo and lake diving while attempting to catch a football.  

Ryan also embraces the quality time he spends with friends and family.  Often the activities are as si...

Peeking from under a cowboy hat that swallows half his head, 7-year-old Ryan Calderon, rope in hand, ventures into the rodeo arena to try his luck at lassoing a "bull" -- a bale of hay with a plastic bullhead at one end.

For the last 22 years, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo has held a very special event for some particularly distinctive kids. The Lil Rustlers' Rodeo is an event held each year to allow children with illnesses and disabilities in on the fun.

The kids are invited onto the di...

In March 2011, Ryan got the chance of a lifetime - a ride in an A60+ airship, better known as the MetLife Snoopy Two blimp.  MetLife teamed up with the Believe in Tomorrow National Children's Foundation to provide children with life-threatening illnesses an unforgettable experience.  Ryan was allowed to bring one guest on his flight and I was honored to be his companion.

As we arrived at Ellington Airport, Snoopy Two was soon seen approaching with her current load of passengers.  We watched Sn...

"Shhhhhh, I think they are right over that hill," whispers Ryan.  "Let's go get'em!  Mom and Mandy won't see us coming... "

One warm, summer evening around 9:00 pm, a Nerf War of Capture the Flag developed surrounding the 8th hole of Southwyk Golf Course in Pearland, TX, just south of Houston.  Complete with tactics, Nerf guns, camo, face paint, and a "hilly" terrain, the battle was on between "The Moms" and "The Warriors."

"The Warriors" consisted of Ryan, Lauren (Ryan's sister), and me, and "...

A perfect summer day. Bright sun. No clouds. The sweet smell of nachos, stale popcorn, sweat and infield dirt. Baseball. McKaylan is at first base. His mom is right behind him yelling final instructions from the dugout. A.J. is at third. Bubba is behind the dish. That’s what baseball players call home plate.

I hope that Bubba stays there the whole game because I’m back-up catcher and I think that I forgot to wear my cup. Yep, I did. Dad is on the mound. And oh yeah, “Sho...