On April 14, 2012, we attended our oldest son Keith's, wedding here in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Lisa and Keith brought the wedding from Memphis, Tennessee, to Tulsa, so Pat and I could attend the ceremony. Our other son, Kipp, was the best man, and Lisa's daughter, Jessica was the maid of honor. We had lots of relatives come and it was a FAB U LOUS wedding..........so fun, so wonderful. God is GOOD to us, and we appreciate it.


Pat is home after a seven and one half month hospitalization stay. His doctors gave him two weeks to live, and that was sixteen months ago. He is doing swimmingly....getting in the shower, getting in our car......and we just completed a Christmas shopping trip........on November 22, 2010, he had triple-by-pass open heart surgery, went to a rehab center, got an infection, then a long-term intensive care hospital, back to rehab, had to have a leg amputated, back to the long-term intensive care hospital, then other leg amputated, back to long term intensive care hospital.........we are thankful he made it through all these ordeals. We have seen some dark days, but have made it through them with God's help.


We continue to live at Estancia Tulsa. I have a driver that takes Pat to and from his dialysis treatments three days a week. He just completed a round of radation for a skin cancer on his head. He looks good, still wearing a smile, and feels good. We are blessed. Our Savior treats us well.


Pat and I have two fine sons, three small precious grandsons, (the smartest and cutest boys in Colorado), two great daughter-in-laws, an adult granddaughter and grandson, and three precious great-grandsons, (the smartest and cutest boys in Tennessee). They are the light of our lives, and we enjoy them whenever we can. We are blessed by all of them on a daily basis.


The donor list with the NATIONAL KIDNEY Association is on hold. His heart surgery on November 26, 2010, was a shock and his recovery was slow. Dialysis hampers therapy and excerise, but we know God is with us. He no longer takes insulin, and his treatments have been cut to 3 l/2 hours from four hours. He is my hero. We are blessed. Our Savior treats us well.


While living in New Mexico, we volunteered at Good Sam's, a nursing home in Artesia, New Mexico, and our church. Like the former President George Bush expressed, volunteering is good for the SOUL. We miss this part of our retirement and hope to return to volunteering some day soon when hemodialysis gives Pat a better quality of life.  

                                                                               

I have two articles published in BELIEVER LIFE,
an article and poem (about my mom) published in HOPE AFTER GRIEF and it can be purchased at www.Xlibris.com. I also have poetry published in the 2012 SAN ANTONIO POETRY FAIR...Voices Along the River, PENNESSENCE, THE POETRY EXPLOSION NEWSLETTER - THE PEN; THE OKLAHOMA REVIEW; LONE STARS Volume 70, Volume 71 & Volume 73; 2012 CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS WITH MEMORIES, POETRY AND GOOD FOOD; THE BRUISED PEACH; The PEGASUS...(Kentucky State Poetry Society Winning Poems at their 2010 Annual Contest); THE SYLVAN---NEWS-LETTER OF THE PENNSYLVANIA POETRY SOCIETY; THE ALALITCOM-ALABAMA POETRY SOCIETY INC. ONLINE PUBLICATION FOR PRIZE POEMS for 2010; 2010 PRIZE POEMS FROM THE PENNSYLVANIA POETRY SOCIETY; GIFTS OF THE GREAT SPIRIT---Volume I, Volume II, and Volume III; The 2009 Enigmatist; The 2009 Poetry Society of Oklahoma 75th Anniversary Diamond Jubilee Chapbook...Poetry is for Everyone; Red Ink Magazine; Aging Today; Sol Magazine; The Texas Gulf Coast Poetry Society Newsletter & Monthly Minutes, Potpourri, The Lit Magazine Online Journal, Bible Dude, The Shine Journal, Heart Songs, More Than Conquerors, Poe Magazine, Inspirational Verses, Poet Speak, Creative Juices, Herlands Flaming Tongues, 2006 Forrest Fest Anthology, R. B.'S Viewpoint, Hodgepodge, Opened Eyes, The Rag, Our Piped Dreams, The Diplomat, Under the Yucca, New Mexico State Poetry Society Newsletter, Poets Forum Magazine, Wt-In Spirit, The Southwest Region of Haiku Society of America, Tamafyhr Mountain Poetry, The Poet Sanctuary---Poetic Musings, Bells Letters, Golden Words, Poet's Lane, The Cat's Meow, Litchfield Review, Silver Threads, Eternal Ink, and Along the Rio Grande---Poetry from New Mexico








I've placed two poems in the 73rd Writer's Digest top 100. I hold memberships in BARDS OF A FEATHER, HIGH PRAIRIE POETS of Roswell NM, NMSPS, NFSPS, Poetry Society of Oklahoma, and the GULF COASTS POETS of Houston, Texas. I was the chair person for the By-monthly contest held by the High Prairie Poets for five years. I have just been invited to be a SOL READER and JUDGE on their online magazine. This is so much fun and helps my poetry path grow with each endeavor.



In 2004, I won six poetry contests. In 2005 I won five, increased my wins in 2006, 2007, and 2008; 2009 has seen a wonderful start--three wins at the Texas Gulf Coast Poetry Society monthly contest, a win at the Missouri Poets and Friends State Poetry Society WINTER Contest, a HONORABLE MENTION at the SOUTHWEST WRITERS monthly contest from Albuquerque, N. M., "THREE" HONORABLE MENTIONS at the ANNUAL PSO CONTEST, 2nd place at Abilene Writers' Guild Annual Contest, 2nd place at Amarillo 2009 Annual Contest, & Honorable Contender at Saturday Writers. I have a Special Honorable Mention at Bylines for poetry and two for short stories.




I chaired the committee for the bi-monthly contests held by the High Prairie Poets New Mexico chapter of New Mexico State Poetry Society for five years. This helped my poetry path grow and I met some incredible people doing this. All poets are invited to enter this contest through the New Mexico chapter now.

I am the 2012 Oklahoma SR. POET LAUREATE HONOR SCROLL AWARD WINNER at "Amy Kitchener's Angels Without Wings Foundation." I was the 2011 Oklahoma Senior Poet Laureate at "Amy Kitchener's Angels Without Wings Foundation." I was also the 2009 Oklahoma Senior Poet Laureate, and the 2008 OKLAHOMA HONOR SCROLL AWARD WINNER. I won this same contest in 2004-2007 while living in New Mexico and was the New Mexico Senior Poet Laureate winner as well. August 2012, was an AWESOME month for me. I won the 2012 Oklahoma Senior Poet Laureate Honor Scroll Award at AMY KITCHENER'S, (that is runner-up); I won second place at the POETRY SOCIETY OKLAHOMA WORKSHOP CONTEST, have THREE poems published in GIFTS OF THE GREAT SPIRIT, Vol III, and the book can be purchased online; have eight poems published in POETS FORUM; won second place at BRUISHED PEACH and the poem posted on their online site; have a poem published in LONE STARS, Vol. 71; have a poem published in THE OKLAHOMA REVIEW and can be viewed online; have an article and poem about my mom....published in HOPE AFTER GRIEF, and can be purchased at www.Xlibris.com; (sent this article out many times, and finally scratched) and have a poem that will be published in the SAN ANTONIO POETRY FAIR ANTHOLOGY; and on top of all this, my mammogram was normal, and my husband has been released by our home health care because (their words) there is no medical reason for them to continue coming in............GOD IS AWESOME, and HE TAKES GOOD CARE OF US. THANK YOU LORD!!!!! I was GUEST POET at ANN GASSER'S SPRING 2010 POETRY CHALLENGE, and my poem "BOSS OF THE WILDERNESS" was featured in The Sylvan 02-20-10 From: Ann Applegarth (aapple@plateautel.net) Sent: Tue 2/23/10 10:44 AM To: carol dee meeks (c_pmeeks@hotmail.com) Thank you, Carol. These poems are beautiful You would have been pleased with the portion of our meeting Saturday that honored you and your terrific accomplishments -- as a poet and as our fundraiser! Several people asked for copies of your poems, so I e-mailed the poems to them! After I read the caregiver poem, you could have heard a pin drop for a moment, and then everyone applauded! Love,Ann On 10-10-09, I attended the 75th DIAMOND JUBILEE CELEBRATION and NATIONAL POETRY DAY of the POETRY SOCIETY OF OKLAHOMA. Seventy five years ago, this society was founded and organized by Zoe Tilghman whose dream was to see young ones write and enjoy poetry. This was a fabulous meeting, meal, reading of poems by winning poets, and installation of new officers for the upcoming year of 2010. On April 2, 2009, I attended the 2008-09 PRESIDENTIAL Lecture Series at the University of Tulsa. BILLY COLLINS, the US Poet Laureate from 2001-2003 was the guest speaker. People say he is the modern day Robert Frost....a fun evening. It was sponsoreD by THE DARCY O'BRIEN ENDOWED CHAIR. I was honored at a POETRY READING in Dunn, Texas, in March 2005. I won SECOND at their poetry contest in November 2004, and they invited me for a reading of my poetry. It was an awesome time for me and my husband. We enjoyed it immensely. --

Carol Meeks Home Page
My son created my homepage. He has created all the backgrounds for my poetry. We have lots of things here....quizes, sports pages, tribute to 9-11, my poetry, my family...and we give thanks to our Maker for where we are in life. It is a nice, family, and fun site to view.

Heavenly Inspirations
daily devotions send out by Joyce Lock

Our Piped Dreams
I have poetry here in their monthly newsletters. This is a fun site and the Connolly's are wonderful people.