If you missed Sunday’s episode of Desperate Housewives, here’s a quick recap:

Gabi and Angie: When she realizes that Anna and Danny Bolen might be doing more than playing footsie, Gabi decides to appeal to Anna’s materialistic side. She gives her an unsigned check for enough money to pay for her first year of modeling school plus an apartment in New York. The check will be signed once Anna graduates from high school without having sex. Anna takes the deal but still ends up getting caught by her Uncle Carlos with a half-naked Danny on top of her on the sofa. Carlos goes nuts and threatens Danny physically. Angie sees it happen through the window and bursts through the door to get all “mama bear” with Carlos, saying that if he ever touched her kid again she would kill him. Yikes! Later, Gabi and Carlos go to the Bolen house to apologize but hesitate when they hear an argument between the Bolens going on inside. What they heard tipped them off that the Bolens are definitely hiding something BIG.

Lynette: She and Tom are now in couples counseling, but Lynette wasn’t happy in this episode because she was always the one getting reprimanded at counseling. But by the end of the episode, the couple made a breakthrough when they realized that Lynette always plays the bad cop and Tom always plays the good cop. They agreed to back each other up from now on and not get stuck in the roles they’ve always been in. Then the therapist threw them out because they both said her acting skills (they saw her in a community play) were horrendous.

Susan: She sold her half of “Double D’s,” the strip club that Karl had left her in his will. But before she left, she gave a pep talk to a stripper who clearly wants to do more with her life than lap dances. The stripper took her words to heart, quit her job and came to Susan to say “What do I do next?” Susan helped her get a job as a teacher’s aide at the school but she was soon fired when a parent recognized her as a stripper he’d seen at the club. Susan feels guilty and wants to help, so she invited the stripper to move in with her and Mike and MJ until she gets back on her feet financially. This should be interesting.

Bree: She was worried when her volatile, wheelchair-bound husband finally got really peaceful and happy. Then she found a suicide note he was writing on his laptop. She confronted him and he admitted that he was planning to end his life. So Bree went on a suicide watch and tried to cheer up Orson. But when she couldn’t bring herself to say that she loved him, he was even more intent on ending it. Then they went to an anniversary party for an older couple, and Bree realized that this couple had made it through rough times but still remembered why they fell in love with one another. She found Orson just as he was about to roll himself into a swimming pool and she begged him to stay with her because she wants to “recapture” what they once had together. Looks like Orson is starting to fall for her all over again.

There were no previews for next week’s episode, so it might be a repeat. We’ll let you know what happens!

2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: Psalm 103:2 (NKJV)

By Bro. John L. Cash, “Country Preacher Dad�

When Susan had her surgery earlier this month, there were two outcomes that she wanted. First, she was praying the doctor would not find any cancer. And, secondly, she hoped the doctor would leave her an ovary so she would not have to take hormone replacement therapy.  (The doctor said that HRT would not be a good match for Susan because of a cancer risk in her family.) These were the things for which we asked God in prayer.

As soon as Susan woke up from surgery, she began asking questions about what the surgeon had done and what she’d found. She had a whole list of rational and well-thought out questions, and each query I answered led to another list of questions. The conversation went something like this (only longer and much more drawn-out):

“Did Dr. Nelson find cancer?�

“No�

“Did she leave me an ovary�

“Yes.�

“Which one?�

“Your left one.�

“I thought that was the bad one.�

“No, when she got in there, it was the good one.�

“What was wrong with the right one?�

“It had a cyst on it.�

“Did she do the surgery robotically?�

“No. She had to make an incision.�

“Why?�

“Because she wasn’t able to see what she needed to see with the robot.�

“Oh.�

She was so rational and reasonable I thought, “My goodness, she certainly is alert after having major surgery.â€� But then a tedious pattern emerged. After each 10 minute conversation about her surgery, her eyes would roll back into her head and she’d take a nap for 5 minutes. Then she would open her eyes, ask the same questions, and we would have a conversation identical to the first.

It didn’t take long for me to realize my wife wasn’t remembering at all. She was stoned out of her gourd on anesthesia. She was exactly like Drew Barrymore on the movie Fifty First Dates. Or maybe like Dory, the little blue fish on Finding Nemo —you know, the one that forgets everything she knows every seven seconds.

This went on all day. Then it went on all night. The next morning, she awoke in the sunlight with a kiss and a smile for me. Then she began her list of questions again. I thought, “Finally! She is sober, and I can tell her once and for all.� And this time, since she was lucid, I gave her a long explanation of everything I knew. After our detailed conversation, she smiled and closed her eyes. Then she opened them again and began her list of questions for the 999th time….

I have to confess, at this point I lost my patience. Wearied by the previous conversations (and the extensive explanation I’d just given) I said (a bit sharply), “Susan, look. The doctor said you’re fine. Everything is fine!�

I’ll never forget her shocked expression. She looked up at me and said, “I got a bad report. You’re not telling me everything. And on top of that, you’re being mean to me!�

Well, readers, eventually she sobered up. We got it all worked out. We’ve even laughed over this story a number of times since then. But let me tell you something I learned through all this.  It’s bad when a person can’t remember.

Today’s Scripture text (at the top) teaches us about the importance of remembering—especially when it comes to remembering the blessings of God. David, the Psalmist, teaches us the importance of recalling the many ways the Lord has blessed us, and he tries to construct the whole list. David doesn’t succeed in listing the manifold blessings of God, and neither will we. But it’s important for us think on all the benefits that God gives us so we can offer thanks to Him. That’s bound to make us all more grateful and joyful in our daily lives.

By the way, there’s a part of the story I left out until now. Each of the many times I gave Susan the good reports of her surgery, she had the same reply: “Praise the Lord. Thank you, Jesus. Praise God.�  It made me think. Maybe it’s not so important if you can’t remember your own name—just so long as you remember the Name of the most important One of all. Mamas, let’s remember, give thanks, and make it a blessed week.

Dr. John L. Cash is the “Country Preacher Dad�  He was raised in Stuttgart, Arkansas, and is enjoying his 25th year of being a country preacher in the piney woods five miles south of the little town of Hickory, Mississippi. He and his lovely wife, Susan, and his sons, Spencer (age 18) and Seth (age 15) live in the parsonage next door to the Antioch Christian Church (where the Preacher’s wife says the entirety of Psalm 103 is her new favorite passage. We studied it at Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting.)You should write him at extramailbox@juno.com.

By Gwen Rockwood, newspaper columnist and mama of 3

During the holiday break, I did something stupid – something that would have been no big deal if I was about 10 years younger than I am. But alas, the decade has taken its toll.

My kids, ages 8 and 5 and 3, challenged me to a game of Wii Fit, the video game system that exercises your body instead of just your thumbs. For the record, I love the Wii Fit because it gets you active with your kids, and, as an added bonus, it’s really fun. The kids let me choose the game I wanted to compete in, and I chose hula-hooping. You have to stand on the Wii balance board and move your hips in a big circle in order to keep your virtual hula-hoop on your virtual waist.

I don’t want to brag or anything, but I’m pretty decent with a hula-hoop, real ones as well as the video game version. I was determined to show the kids that their old mom still had a few moves she could teach them. We started the hula-hoop tournament, and I’m proud to say that I totally smoked those guys. I hula-hooped multiple hoops for long periods of time without ever dropping a rotation. So there. I won. Ha, ha! The kids were duly impressed.

The next day, I knew something wasn’t right because my back was screaming at me. Apparently, I’d shaken my groove thang right out of its groove. My left hip hurt. Something felt like it was poking the middle of my back. And my lower back seized up every time I reached for something in a lower cabinet. In short, it was a New Year and I was feeling very, very old.

I took some ibuprofen and tried a few stretching exercises over the next week or so. It helped a little, but the aches and pains came back, moved from one spot to another and made it hard to get comfortable enough at night to go to sleep.

I had to do something – even if it meant something that scared me. I made my first-ever appointment with a chiropractor. I’d heard great things about the doctor, and several friends told me that chiropractic “adjustments� had helped them through an array of different ailments over the years. But I was really nervous, although the reasons were silly.

If you have an aversion to things “popping,� visiting a chiropractor is not typically high on your list. In high school, one of my friends had a habit of popping her knuckles, and the noise made me crazy. I hated how painful it sounded, although she swore to me it felt good. So I was nervous about the popping my own body might make on the chiropractor’s table. And I had this ridiculous vision of my head being twisted the wrong way and popping right off my body in one of those colossal “oops� moments no one wants to experience.

But I pushed the irrational fears aside and promised myself I’d be a grown-up about it. I admitted to the doctor that I was a first-time fraidy-cat, and she was very gentle with me and explained every step along the way. Sure, things popped a little here and there but it wasn’t nearly as loud as I expected and it didn’t hurt.

During the exam, which included x-rays of my spine, the doctor asked if I had any past accidents, even from childhood, which may have caused any of the symptoms I was experiencing now. I’ve been fortunate because there are no big car accidents to talk about or sports injuries to report. But when I thought about the question after the exam, I began remembering all the little things that seem like ancient history – falling off a swing, wipe-outs on water skis, bicycle crashes, and the back-hand-spring in gymnastics when I landed on my head, not to mention the three babies who each took up residence in my body for nine months and then moved out during hours of childbirth.

The doctor said all these things can have a cumulative effect on a person’s spine. Apparently, my overly ambitious hula-hoop session was just the proverbial straw that messed up the camel’s back, so to speak.

Though I didn’t feel an immediate difference when I left the doctor’s office, I did notice that suddenly I was able to turn my head over my shoulder while backing out of a parking space without whispering “ouch� under my breath. Then later that day, I stretched out on the bed for just a few minutes and unintentionally fell asleep more quickly and easily than I have in years. I slept soundly for almost two hours and woke up feeling decidedly “less old.�

Now that I’m not afraid of snap, crackle and pop, I’ll probably go back to the chiropractor’s office as the need arises. And I’m going to keep doing exercises designed to strengthen my back. Because I’m far too young to retire my hula-hoop just yet.

Gwen Rockwood is a mom to three great kids, a newspaper columnist and co-owner of nwaMotherlode.com. To read previously published installments of The Rockwood Files, click here.

Welcome to our new nwaMotherlode Fashion Editor, Michelle Thompson! Here are some of her best picks for the New Year:

Top Ten Trends for 2010:

1. Flowy, fluid floral dresses and tops.
2. Tribal Influence: dresses (like this Mark dress from Avon at right), tops, shoes, bags, belts, and scarves  (Do this trend sparingly…don’t be tribal from head-to-toe.)
3. Neutrals: use of monochromatic nudes, in clothing and accessories.
4. Metal Studded Accessories:  belts, shoes, and purses:  This trend is everywhere I look.  I tend to see the most of gold studs on black leather, which will add a big punch to your wardrobe.  As with most trends, only wear one studded item at a time.  DONâ€�T OVERDO THIS TREND!!!!!!!  My favorite item for this trend is a black, gladiator style high-heel with gold studs (pictured at right, from Warren’s Shoes at the NWA Mall). GORGEOUS SHOE!!!!!
5. Ruffle Shoes, bags and tops: I love, and have always loved ruffles, and this year they are all over dressy shoes all the way to flats and yummy purses. Ruffles add such a feminine touch to your outfit so have flirty fun with this trend this Spring. (Like this ruffled beauty from Warren’s at right.)
6. Denim dresses and skirts.
7. Lingerie Trend:  You can wear this trend by adding a bit of lace or a bustier-inspired top or dress.  Don’t wear your favorite nightgown out of the house! (See an example at right from locally-owned Masons)
8. Saddle Leather:  This trend is everywhere in bags, purses and shoes.  Love this distressed, warm leather look.  It is really complimentary to many Spring styles. 
9. Tie/High waisted, pleated, tapered, cropped pant:  Quite a mouthful I realize, but it is the best way to describe this fun/new trend.  Paired with a basic white tee, fun jacket and sneakers or flats it is the perfect new ensemble for going into Spring.  Oh, and don’t forget the jewels to dress this look up. 
10. Jump Suits:  Not a trend for everyone, but when you do find the right one for your body type it will most likely become one of your favorite go-to pieces in your wardrobe. Stick to a basic black if you jump in to this trend, then you can accessorize to funk it up and make it you. Maude Boutique in Fayetteville has an entire armoire devoted just to jumpsuits this season. (And here’s a cute suit at right from Masons.) Go check them out, and see what style suits you best.  You will be surprised how cute they really can be with the right accessories. 

Comeback Pieces to Take Into the New Year:

1. Skinny Jeans:  These babies aren’t going anywhere this year.  Keep enjoying their versatility. 
2. Boyfriend Blazer:  Such a great go-to piece!
3. Boyfriend Cardigan:  Great belted over a dress or left open over a tank and boyfriend jeans.
4. The Boyfriend Jeans.
5. Leggings.
6. Biker Jacket.
7. Cowboy Boots: I added this one, because they really just don’t go out-of-style.  There are such cute styles around town, so have fun with it in Spring.  Just don’t cowgirl from head-to-toe. Unless, of course, you really are a cowgirl. In that case you have a free pass. 

Accessory Trends for 2010:

1. Big Bold Silver Jewelry: Cuffs and Thick Chain Necklaces (Check out Heidi Klum’s necklace on the cover of In Style this month.)
2. Fringe: This is mostly seen on purses. Not one of my favorite trends, but if you love it, do it sparingly on just one item of your outfit. 
3. Scarves: This is a continuing trend, but jazz it up with some fun tribal prints and bold bright colors.
4. Embellished Flats: There are numerous styles available in the shops around town.  Warren’s and Dillard’s had my favorites. I even spotted some cute ones on the 50% off rack at Warren’s. 
5. Adorned Cuffs: Check out Stelladot.com and Francesca’s at Pinnacle Promenade. 
6. Straw Bags and Shoes: This trend seems to come back every year, but in a subtle, new way.  I have seen some great pieces pairing black patent with gold accents with the straw. I love this trend because it just screams SUMMER IS HERE!!!!!!!!!!!
7. Oxford Shoes: Not my favorite trend, but could be cute with the knee-high sock trend with a cute skirt or a wide-legged pant. 
8. Smaller Bags: This is one trend I personally will have an extremely hard time accepting. As a mom of two beautiful young daughters, I live out of my purse, so my bag probably resembles carry-on luggage. However, our backs will thank us in the end. 
9. Tribal Jewelry:  There are great Indian-inspired pieces at Masons. Also, the Cortez Cuff on Stelladot.com..
10. Woven Sandal:  Love this trend, especially with the flowery dress trend. I am looking for the perfect pair right now. 
11. Platform  Heels:  They are everywhere this year. This is actually a great trend for your foot and back health.  The platform actually gives you the illusion of a higher heel without the actual incline.  Love these!!!!!!!
12. Snakeskin: Mostly seen on shoes and bags.

Michelle Thompson is mom to two beautiful daughters, Macy and Brooklyn, and is nwaMotherlode’s new Fashion Mama editor. Look for new articles from Michelle on the last Friday of the month. To read more about this local fashionista/mom/marathon runner, click here.