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This week marks a milestone.

It's been five years since I came off a ventilator.

I remember the feeling like it was yesterday.

A wild range of emotions from panic to joy to sadness to peace.

I was having a hard time sleeping later that day and a nurse had whispered in my ear: "I see you playing possum. You're not very good at it. You need to rest."

"I'm afraid," I replied, opening one eye.

"Of what?" he asked, leaning down.

"Not waking up," I whimpered with my scratchy voice.

"Oh, honey, we're past that part. Please, just let yourself sleep," he laughed and patted my hand. "You've made it through the hard stuff. You're our warrior."

This week's podcast is somewhat disjointed and awkward. You'll just have to forgive me. I need to pay homage to it. I need to pinch myself and realize how blessed I am to still be here. I need to thank all of you who stood in the gap. I know who you are.

And, at the end of the day, I need to get busy making good on all those promises I made to the Big Guy Upstairs.

I am pretty sure I told him I'd be good!

Shhhhh....I need you to back me up. He knows enough of my secrets already.

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My nieces and nephews have always been part mine.

So this week's podcast is about one of them.

They probably don't always like it, but I love them soooooo much, I just can't help myself as I cross the line of ownership time and time again. I always figured an extra mother can't hurt, right?

Chad Estes is a local character all his own. He is, indeed, a chip off the old block. He celebrated another birthday this week. I remember the day he was born just like it was yesterday.

Through the years, in typical Estes fashion, he has made lots of friends--both on and off the playing field.

What can I say?

People either love us or not. There's never any middle ground.

But, I can't count the times I've told people he is my nephew and a big smile creeps across their face. There's usually a story or two there somewhere.

He has a "knobs to the right" show on KKBL Radio on Wednesday mornings and can often be seen calling games for the Houn' Dawgs from the press box at Kelley Field.

Here's a couple more stories about Outlaw Junior.

I hope I'm around to celebrate 51 more birthdays with him.

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I like the idea of making New Year's resolutions.

Over 30 percent of America's population of 340 plus million people make them. It takes. Over 60 percent of those folks will not be following through on their commitments in six months.

My resolutions are focusing on healthier habits, more self-care, additional time planned for adventures with family and friends and cultivating a closer relationship to God. I want to carve out more time for laughter, mud puddles, backroads and singing at the top of my lungs.

In recent years, I have had a word of the year to focus on, including words like: redemption, grace, joy and intentional. This year, I keep landing on the word discernment.

I think the proper use of the word is spiritual as it implies the use of intellect, experience, divine understanding and gut instincts to help us with better choices, improved decisions and leaning into the proverbial circle with the right folks.