Let’s all be thankful!

To all my friends:

I have so many things to be thankful for.

This blog is my favorite because I get to thank all of you for your support. I wrote this down and wanted to say it at our Board Meeting for JUST ASK! I didn’t get to; I’m saying everything now.

After my website went live, everything has changed for me in great ways. Lou doesn’t want to take credit for what has happened here. If it wasn’t for Lou, there would be no Website and Blog, Live Stock Show and Rodeo, Baseball Games at Minute Maid Park, Football at Reliant Stadium, meeting The Neville Brothers, Mayor Bill White, George Clinton, Kevin Nealon, the Houston International Festival, the Texas Renaissance Festival, The Houston Roller Derby Bouts and the NF Fund Raiser. And I wouldn’t have met the hundreds of wonderful people along the way.

I’m thankful for my friend William Hughes for helping with the website and all things having to do with my computer. Matt Jones for all of his help with the Just Ask Foundation. Michelle Reed for helping with her generous donation to set up the Just Ask Foundation. And of course William, Matt and John Person for helping me “refine” my musical talent at our “Jam Nights” at Lou’s.

Thanks to all of my friends who helped with Doodle Day by donating doodles. Matt Loftiss, The Art Guys, Aaron Long, Andy Dearwater, Kim White, Kate Wiggins, Matt Walsh, Jordon Walker, Elena Congelio, Rhea Diaz, Former Senator and now Fort Worth Mayor, Mike Moncrief, and Sugar Ray Leonard.

Also, thank you to my friends and famous photographers Arthur Meyersen and Greg Gorman. Greg was nice enough to photograph we when I was in Los Angeles a few weeks ago visiting my friend Scott Dicksonand his family. The Dickson family treated me really well. Thank you Arthur Meyersen for helping my family after Hurricane Ike.

I will always be forever grateful and appreciative of the warmth and friendship extended to me from all my friends  at the Houston Roller Derby: Dementia, Mistilla the Killa, Jeckill & Heidi, Carmen Geddit, Fro-ro-cious and the one and only David Beebe, “The Colonel!” You guys rock!

How could I forget Christi Myersfrom ABC KTRK and Damali Keith from FOX 26 for their wonderful news stories. Laurie Seltzerfrom MNI Networks for the full page ads in Time, Newsweek and US News & World Report. Henry De La Garza and Jorge Moya for helping get the word out about “Just Ask!”

One of the best things to ever happen to me happened this year when my friends, Connie and Jaen Lawrence, found the perfect dog and companion for me. “Shiner”is without a doubt the best dog in the world!!! Connie and Jaen also provided me with a new mahogany desk, computers, printers and office supplies so I could move into STANANDLOU and start the “Just Ask! Foundation. I am so blessed to know these two wonderful people!

I think it would be nice if we took a minute here on this blog and said thanks for all the wonderful people and events that we have experienced this past year.

I know we all have something we are thankful for.

I feel that we have lots of promising things ahead for all who suffer with NF. Let’s give thanks to the doctors, nurses and researchers for all they do for NF research and treatment. Especially you, Dr. Riccardi,  Dr. Bart Moore and you, Dr. John Slopis!

Last, but not least, I am thankful for all the wonderful, caring people that I have met on this blog: Emily, Patricia, Brian, Shelley, John P, Meredyth, Everette, David Linn, Susan, Cindy, Francis from France, Fran, Laura, Connie, Sugar Ray Leonard, Scott, Colleen, Allyson, Jerry, David, Tanya, Escarlata, Ne-Ne’s mom, Bob, Rick from England, Vera, Rie, Jaen, Rick, Michael, Bea, John K and over 150,000 visitors who have come to the site.

Thanks also to PJ at PJ’s Sports Bar for  Thursdays evenings for our group on Steak Night. Always a fun time before our Jam sessions. And P J ALWAYS serves my steak first!!!

In my many thanks, I’m including my Church, Second Baptist in Houston. My Bible Study Class, CrossTraining , took on a project when they saw my family had a need and the entire class pitched in and gave our home a make over,  While the work was being done, we were put up in a hotel.  We how have a new home with wonderful landscaping. Thank you Nancy Adkins and Dotty Tompkins for heading up the project. Everyone in the class took part in making our home comfortable.

I hope you all have gotten as much from the site as I have and will continue to share your stories, your challenges and your victories here on this site. Thank you all for being such good, no, great friends!

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! Your friend, Reggie