Marley, he ain't!

I know the Bible tells us to love our neighbor- does that include their dog? Our “neighbors” have recently acquired a pit bull. It is red and ugly. I don’t care what anyone says- they should be outlawed. I have a friend at work and she declares it is how they are raised- I declare it is inbred! The problem with this dog is the fence it is in. To think that the fence is going to hold this dog once it gets a little older, is a joke. The fence is basically just out of some type of roll fencing (about 3 feet high) and at places there are big gaps. We have neighbors with small children, and I worry about them. Their dad told David that he was keeping an eye on them and the dog. They should be able to play outside without worrying about the stupid dog. I don’t really have any reason to approach them about the dog- yet. The problem is that the “yet” might be after the dog does damage. Most of you know what type of people have these dogs- and if you are thinking of the typical stereotype, then you are so correct!

Grandparents Day, Spring Break, Baby Courington, and Ball Season!

I have been a delinquent blogger, once again. I guess I have been staying on Facebook too much! I have also noted that my blogger buds are not blogging as much, either. I am a little disappointed in the way the update is working on my blog. At first it seemed to be really accurate, and then I would check on someone's blog and they would have updated but the sidebar would not show they had. So for those who are depending on my update list, you might want to check the blog instead (did all of that make any sense?).

On to my update- well, I don't think I will update- just start where I am. We had the honor of attending Grandparents Day at Addi's school. I will note that I was the youngest looking grandmother there and David was the youngest looking grandpa! Now if you believe that, I have some AIG stock I will sell you at a good price. All kidding aside, Addi was proud we were there. She was so excited to see us, like she had not seen us in forever. I am going to post some pics so that you can enjoy (you will note that getting a pic of Addi with open eyes is hard!).

In other news, Baby Courington seems to be doing well. I know that Josh and Katie are still in that "anxious" mode, but I think things seem to be on target. I know that the next doctor's visit will help to ease their minds. I have started to look at baby things again, and doing so made me realize that we really need a new baby. Lila is now 17 months old and she seems like a big girl. She is talking very well for her age. The other day she told Hannah. "That's a big mess!" in response to Hannah dropping ice cream at McDonald's.

Kim and family will be in Oklahoma this week. We have to share with the other grandparents, but just knowing they are gone makes me miss them. We are looking forward to ball season. Scouting reports indicate that Addi is cracking the bat and fielding well. She is already a good ball player and I know this year, being her last in this league, will be great. Gramps will have to load up on bandaids, as she seems to go through them at a high rate of speed once ball starts.

Spring break is here and if all goes well, David and I plan to go to Nashville and then on to Louisville, Kentucky. We are going to the Grand Ole Opry and then to 2 separate Blue Grass events in Louisville. We have never been there before, so that should be fun. If anyone knows anything exciting to do in Louisville, send me a note.

Here's to a great week for all my friends and family.

Busy Monday

What a busy Monday! I was out of town this past week at a conference in San Antonio and coming back to the real world has been too busy for me. In case any of you are wondering- America's children are being educated by a bunch of drunks (just thought I would throw in that observation from my personal experience of watching central office personnel, superintendents, and "higher-ups" for the past 4 days!). I am now happily sitting in my recliner, with a fire burning in the fireplace, watching Little People- what a wonderful end to a busy day. We were scheduled to have our book club meeting tonight, but it was postponed because Kim had sick kids, and because Jasmine was not feeling well. Our book this month was The Secret Life of Bees. I don't know what our next title will be but I am already looking forward to it. Tomorrow looks to be no better than today- I have 2 parent meetings, one at 9 and another at 1- and between that we are doing the state writing test (also at 9- I hope to have all materials distributed before parents arrive- I had scheduled the meetings before I realized it was testing day. I did not want to reschedule.) Then I have to return the testing materials to the testing center, and go back for another meeting. Well, at least Friday is payday! I am also thankful for a job in these times. I hope everyone has a great week. Perhaps my next post will be more "exciting"- wait, every time I say that the "excitement" is not usually what I want, so maybe my next post will be more "enlightening!"

Thoughts of Mother

Those we love don't go away,

They walk beside us every day,

Unseen, unheard, but always near,

Still loved, still missed and very dear.
************************

As I write this entry, my Mother's birthday is in just a few minutes (February 16). Were she still with us she would be 97 years old. Although almost 11 years have past since I last held her hand in mine, some things never change. My desire to hear her voice, even in my head. My desire to see her sweet face and beautiful blue eyes, even if just in a photo. My desire to share a moment, a thought, the type of things that you tell your mother- those feelings never seem to diminish, even with years. My yearning to just be with her and to know that she is there- those feelings, still with me. Will these feelings ever cease to be- I hope and pray, not. For these feelings are my connection with my Mother. I thank God every night for my Mother, till this day. I think that will always be my prayer.

Pop Tarts

Okay...now that I have you wondering, I will have to confess that I am hooked on Hot Fudge Sundae Pop Tarts! I have them every work day at about 9:30. Maybe not the most nutritious or fiber high breakfast, but it works for me. I am holding my own, but that is about it...holding my own. I guess I need to give up the HFS Pop Tarts to get the scales moving! I am not a huge Pop Tart fan, but these things....WOW. If you haven't tried them, you need to!

The World is Mine

We have just returned from a great trip to the lectureship. I want you to read this poem and then see my comments at the end. I had a "Thankful Tuesday!"

The World is Mine
Today upon a bus I saw a girl with golden hair;She seemed so gay, I envied her, and wished that I were half so fair;I watched her as she rose to leave, and saw her hobble down the aisle.She had one leg and wore a crutch, but as she passed--a smile.Oh, God, forgive me when I whine;I have two legs—the world is mine.
Later on I bought some sweets. The boy who sold them had such charm,I thought I'd stop and talk awhile. If I were late, t'would do no harm.And as we talked he said, "Thank you, sir, you've really been so kind.It's nice to talk to folks like you because, you see, I'm blind".Oh, God, forgive me when I whine;I have two eyes—the world is mine.
Later, walking down the street, I met a boy with eyes so blue.But he stood and watched the others play; it seemed he knew not what to do.I paused, and then I said, "Why don't you join the others, dear?"But he looked straight ahead without a word, and then I knew, he couldn't hear.Oh, God, forgive me when I whine;I have two ears—the world is mine.
Two legs to take me where I go,Two eyes to see the sunset's glow,Two ears to hear all I should know,Oh, God, forgive me when I whine;I'm blest, indeed, the world is mine.

On Tuesday I made a trip to Jackson to check out some of the stores that I like to hit up when I go to Jackson. I needed some new shoes so I made a quick stop at Payless. I noted a family in the store, a mom, dad, and 2 sons who looked to be about 10 and 14. Being a teacher, I thought it strange that the kids were not in school, but let it go at that. I did note they were so quiet and the woman looked like she was in another world. They finished their transaction, and when I heard the clerk say the bill was something like $125.00, I thought that was a lot to spend in Payless. The family left and the girl came over to see if I needed help. She told me, "I am so shook up." I asked what was wrong and she said the family that just left was getting ready to bury their 16 year old son who had died as the results of an accident on the family farm. I later heard more about the story from the ladies in Dollar General in Henderson (small town talk, I guess). Apparently the father and son were in an "argument" about the use of the seat belt, and the boy told the dad that he would just jump out of the truck- and he did. He hit his head on a rock, and later died of heart failure after brain surgery. I was feeling so bad for the family. About that time the dad came back in to pick up a belt, and I walked out. As I did I looked at the mother sitting in the truck outside the door, and I have never seen such anguish on a face. I have my children, the world is mine!

When I returned to the lectureship, David and I were walking to the auditorium. Approaching us was a man, with no lower half of his body. He had an apparatus on his hands that he was walking on. Yet he was smiling and seemed to be enjoying being at the lectureship. Every "Step" he took involved him using his hands to pull his body along. I have my legs, the world is mine!

We attended a lecture where "I believe in the One they call Jesus" was led by a man led to the podium by another man, because he was blind. He used a Braille song book and led the song in a wonderful manner. I have two eyes, the world is mine!

We went to supper with our sons and daughter in laws. We were in one booth and they were in another (at the wonderful Bell's Diner!!). David started to tell me about visiting with an old friend, a precious couple that we had attended college with at Faulkner and Freed. David told me that our friend had confided in him about their 27 year old daughter, and her addiction to crystal meth, her having been in jail, and now going into a rehab program. As David is telling me the story, I am looking at the booth where my boys are sitting and both of them have their heads bowed in prayer. Thank you God, the world is mine!

Book Club and Laundry Detergent

We had an enjoyable evening at our first book club meeting. We don’t really have a name for our “group” so I guess we are just the “Book Club”. Ian wanted to know why Jennifer was going to the “Club” last night! How funny.
Our next book is “The Secret Life of Bees”. If you are reading this, then you might want to join us for our next meeting on February 23rd. On another note- I had such as great time with the young girls last night. I always enjoy being around younger women- it gives me hope for the future! I am also excited that Mary is doing so well and was able to host the book club. We had good food and great fun talking, laughing, and enjoying some girl time. We started discussing saving money, and our conversation got around to the Duggar family and how they make their own laundry detergent. So today I got online and read up on making your own laundry detergent- it is not hard at all and it makes the cost of a load of laundry to be about a penny. Comparison studies likens the cleaning power to Tide. I am going to see if I can find the ingredients- the only thing hard to find is Arm and Hammer Washing Soda (not baking soda) according to the online information. I thought if some of us wanted to, we might use the church kitchen one night and have a laundry detergent making session. Anyone interested?

Happy Early Birthday, Levi!

I know it is a day early, but I am home at the computer so I thought I would send Levi my birthday wishes while I had a minute.

Where do I start- Levi is my only grandson. He is beautiful, smart, energized, and one of a kind. His birth, following Addi's, was such a calm event and I can hardly believe that it has been 4 years. I can't wait to see what the future holds for Levi. I feel honored that he thinks I can save him from getting spankings and in trouble! While I certainly know that he can be a bit "challenging" at times, I also know that sweet side that gets excited when he hasn't seen someone in a couple of hours, the arms that come running to be picked up (yes, and he is getting heavy) when he sees you, the knock down hugs he bestows on special cousin Hannah at church, the way he loves his Mommy and Daddy, Addi and especially cares for Lila in such a sweet way, and his joy when Sponge Bob is on and he can get on Granna's bed. Levi, you are such a special part of my heart and I love you!

Lazy Blogger

I am not certain why I have been a Lazy Blogger, but I have. Let's see if I can catch up a little. Hey, wait- I will bullet!

• I signed up for Scale Back Alabama with my team members David, Kim, and Paul. We had to come up with a name and it is kind of dumb- The Power Losers. I hope I can be a power loser because my power losing has been pretty pitiful lately. Surely I can lose 10 pounds in 10 weeks. I don't want to let my team down.
• We went to see Celine on Thursday night. It was freezing outside and about 90 in the Civic Center. People were fanning like crazy. I do not know how in the world they could get a place that big that hot. It was miserable. Celine was outstanding but the opening act was trash.
• We are still trying to get the office and the "man cave" moved. It is slow progress. Josh put up new ceiling fans for us and they look really good. It is amazing at how out of date 10 year old ceiling fans can be. I still need 2 sets of drapes/curtains to complete the windows. We could use some touch-up paint in the living room, as well.
• We are going to the lectureship from Sunday night until Wednesday. We did not get to go last year so we are looking forward to going.
• I am excited about Levi's birthday because we bought him a train table. I think he is going to really enjoy it.
• We do not officially have inauguration day off- we have to go clock in and then we can leave. Would we have been given that option had the election been won by a republican? I think not!

Okay- not much meat to the post but at least it is something. Hey, I kind of enjoy being boring because when I have something exciting to post it usually means something has happened, and that is not always good!

A New Year is Here

Happy New Year to one and all. Wow, it is hard to believe the holidays are officially over and that school starts anew tomorrow. Given life and breath, the holidays will be back in about 10 months! I have truly enjoyed the season, although our family saw a lot of sickness which made things seem rather out of the ordinary.
We enjoyed going with the teens to Exposure. This is just a great opportunity. It is called a "camp" but it is not a "camp" in the way that we think of "camp". First, the accomodations are great- the Embasy Suites! Also, the kids spend the majority of the day in Bible classes and assemblies with a variety of teachers and speakers. The entire day is spent going from one class to another and at night they have a period where they meet as teams for another devotional and then to play games or get to know the people in their groups. On one afternoon they have about 3 hours of free time to go to the mall or just "chill out". What a great way to end a year and to start the new year.
I am so thankful for the blessings of this year. Mary's transplant has to be one of the highlights, for certain. We are so thankful that she is feeling better and that her energy seems to be returning every day. On the other side of life, we saw sadness with the loss of Josh and Katie's unborn baby and we still think of this little soul and the broken hearts that he left behind. As with all things, we know that while we do not always understand the workings of life, we know that God does, and He holds us in His hands. That is a comforting thought at times when our hearts are hurting.
Again, may 2009 find health, happiness, and contentment for all of my friends and family. I love you all!

EXPOSURE 2008

We are packed and ready to head to Huntsville for Exposure 2008. This is a great time for our young people and for the adults that attend. David will be teaching a class this year. David has always been so committed to young people and he jokingly told our kids that they were going with their "Old Minister" as opposed to their "Youth Minister"! I don't think they think he is too old!
Exposure 2007 was the location where I made the decision that I had to shed some pounds! Thankfully I am returning about 80 pounds lighter than last year. Since Thanksgiving it has been a battle. I am up about 3 or 4 pounds, which is okay considering the parties and food that I have been around. I am now back on the straight and narrow, so those pounds should be gone by the new year, if all goes well. I have good resolve and it is hard to believe that on the 29th I will have been on this program for a year. I hope to lose 50-60 pounds this year- which will put me about where I need to be. I will never be at the weight that those chart say I need to be- but I can be healthy. I plan to add exercise to my program this year. David is actually running again- WOW- I am so proud of him! Working together has made it so much easier. To Huntsville we go!

Christmas Eve

Today is one of my favorite days of the year- Christmas Eve. As a child, we celebrated Christmas on Christmas Eve. Santa started coming on Christmas Eve when my sister was small. Mother said that Patsy got sick from the excitement, so instead of making her wait until Christmas day, Santa decided to come early. We have always celebrated our family gathering on Christmas Eve, so it is a special time. Memories flood my soul on Christmas Eve. I miss my mother perhaps the most on this day- a feeling that has not diminished in over 10 years. I guess it is because this day is about much more than gifts- it is about family. This is the one night of the year when my family will, for the most part, be together. We will eat, exchange gifts, laugh, watch the newest generation entertain us, and reminisce about those gone on and days past. Memories are powerful, and I am thankful for them. I know that if there are holes in the floor of Heaven, then Mother will certainly be looking down on her family on this special night.
To all my friends and family- Merry Christmas and my prayers for a wonderful new year!

Thanks, Kim and Paul for the Blog Makeover!

Thanks to Kim, Paul and kids for the Blog makeover for my birthday. Teale did a great job, and I am truly excited about the new look. Just think- just a very few years ago no one knew what a blog was- much less give someone a "blog makeover" as a gift. Times are a changing! Do you like the new look?

Happy Birthday, Katie

Happy Birthday, Katie Courington! We love and appreciate you. You are a great wife and mother, and Josh and Hannah are so lucky to have you. I know this has been a tough few weeks, but you have shown such strength and courage. Thank you for being you!
Susan

Happy Birthday and Happy Anniversary- A little early!

I just could not let the occasion pass without wishing my wonderful husband a happy birthday (Dec. 18th) and Happy 32nd Anniversary (20th). I had a little time and I knew the next days would be busy, so I decided to write a little while I had a minute.
David, you are truly my rock. I think we have had a great partnership during the past 3 decades- and I look for the next 3 decades to be even better. You have supported me during good times and bad, you have been my “ear” and my “shoulder”. I cannot imagine life without you in it. It seems like only yesterday that we were just teenagers- and now, my oh my, time surely does fly. I remember when we would talk about our “imaginary” family- and now we have a “real” one, complete with beautiful grandchildren. The years we spent raising our kids were wonderful, and now to see the fruits of all those school projects, ball games, wrecked cars, and broken hearts come to such a wonderful point, makes all the hustle and bustle and tired days worth it all. I enjoy our time together and the fact that we never tire of one another. I love spending my every moment with you and never hunt a reason not to be with you. You have made my life so happy, and I want the world to know that you are tops in my book. So, Happy Birthday (you will soon be as old as me!) and Happy Anniversary to the one I love.

Sharing My Darlings!

Happy Birthday, Beautiful Addi!

Today my beautiful, sweet, smart, granddaughter turns 6 years old. I would have to write a book to tell how much I love her. She changed my world on December 1, 2002. Her birth was such a scary day- not at all how we had envisioned it. We came so close to tragedy on that day and at times when I look at Addi and Kim and think about how that day changed our lives, I can't help but thank God for bringing them both through. Addi's birth caused me to look at each pregnancy and birth since that point in a much different way. When you go from being on the mountaintop to being in the valley in just a few short minutes, it brings home the point that life is fragile at it's best. All that aside, I am so thankful for having Addi in my life. She is my precious firstborn grandchild, and she will always hold a special place in Granna's heart.
In other news, remember Mandi and her family in your prayers. Her grandfather was killed in a car accident on Saturday night. The services will be tomorrow at 2. There were only 2 grandchildren, so needless to say, he was special to Mandi.
Have a great week!
Susan

Remember Your Blessings

As I sit here on this Thanksgiving morning in the warmth of my home, in front of my 46 inch Bravia HD watching the Macy's Day Thanksgiving Parade (one of the highlights of my year), I thought about the 2 big turkeys that I am about to get ready to cook, about the refrigerator full of prepared food waiting on my family, and my mind went to my "children" at school. I work at a school where 98% of the students qualify for free or reduced lunch. Yes, some may not be truthful on their applications, but most are. I work with children who are often hungry- and they will tell you that. They get breakfast and lunch at school- but that means that some of them go long hours without a good meal. I shudder when I think about the weekends for many of these precious children. I do what I can- and I have a principal that has a knack for spotting hunger and trying to deal with it, but it is sad. We are soooooo blessed. We have such a bounty that I have had to work hard to get some of the bounty off my booty this year! Have you ever really been hungry? Hungry when you did not know that eventually you would get a meal, or pull into a drive-through for a burger and fries? About the only time I have ever been truly hungry may have been times following surgery or tests when food was not an option- not because I could not get it. I never remember being hungry as a child, although we had some very lean times when Daddy would be on strike or when the mines closed. Somehow my precious Mother kept us fed- she was a good manager! So, today when we pass around the counter, think of those who may not have this blessing and thank God. My Mother's favorite saying was- "Save by the Grace of God, go there I"- food for thought!

Blog Rerun

This is a rerun from 2006. My niece, Leslie, who resides in California wrote this and I wanted to share it again. We are so looking forward to Thanksgiving and Peanut Butter Pie! Enjoy.

Thanksgiving – Dixie Style

When I was asked to write a blog about my favorite Thanksgiving memory, I was flooded with so many, I had a hard time choosing what to write about. When I was younger, Thanksgiving was a time to hang out with my family and eat great food. I really didn’t think much about the holiday beyond that. I left my hometown of Birmingham, Alabama five years ago to pursue an acting career in Los Angeles, and Thanksgiving certainly carries a lot more weight for me now than it did then. No matter what, I go home for Thanksgiving every year. Now, instead of it being about hanging out with my family, it is about reconnecting with my family. While I used to enjoy eating great food, I now savor aromas and tastes I can only get when I make that 2,000 mile trek home. So many things I used to take for granted about that time of year in the South I don’t anymore: hearing the crunch of leaves underneath my feet, feeling the bristle of wind whip my hair around, watching those long red sunsets through the crisp air. Those are just the moments by myself. After spending the better part of the year alone in my little Los Angelian apartment, it is great to be surrounded by my family: loud, boisterous, welcoming, loving, and always ready to have a good time. In addition to eating all the great food (I’ll get to that in a minute), we spend the evening playing Balderdash and other competitive games like it’s the Olympics, draw names for who we will buy gifts for at Christmas and catch up on what’s going on in everyone’s life. The food, ah, the food. Like any Southern family, we have enough food to feed a small nation. It all tastes good, and it is all bad for you. My very favorite dish is my aunt’s peanut butter pie. When I tell people this, they say, “Oh yeah, I’ve had peanut butter pie” to which I quickly reply, “Oh no you haven’t!” How do I know this? I HAVEN’T SEEN THEM AT ANY OF MY THANKSGIVINGS! My aunt makes the best peanut butter pie ever. I’ve always associated peanut butter pie with Thanksgiving, and now that I travel cross-country to eat it, she makes two for good measure. It may sound silly, but knowing I will get that peanut butter pie the fourth Thursday of every November brings warmth and security to my life. I may not know how successful my acting career will be, but hey, on Thanksgiving I get peanut butter pie. I may be separated from my family for the vast majority of the year, but end of November, I get peanut butter pie. If nobody appreciates my talents and sacrifices, I STILL get peanut butter pie. I have friends who moved to LA from other parts of the country like myself, and many of them talk about how they can’t go home because of the cost of air fare, time off of work, blah, blah, blah. I simply reply, “Well, I have a date in Alabama with a peanut butter pie.” I can’t remember who it was who said the simple things in life bring us the greatest pleasure, but I couldn’t agree more. As you can see, the pie isn’t difficult to make, but I think it is the love instead of the ingredients that make it so great!
From my Aunt Susan:
Ingredients:8 ounces Cream Cheese
1 cup Powdered Sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter1
6 ounces Cool Whip
1 pre-made graham cracker pie crust
Directions:In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, powdered sugar, peanut butter, and cool whip until well blended. Pour into the pre-made pie crust. Refrigerate. For a more peanut butter taste, use 2/3 cup of creamy peanut butter.
Leslie McGuirkPasadena, CA

Food for Thought

BE THANKFUL
Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire.If you did, what would there be to look forward to?
Be thankful when you don't know something,for it gives you the opportunity to learn.
Be thankful for the difficult times.During those times you grow.
Be thankful for your limitations,because they give you opportunities for improvement.
Be thankful for each new challenge,because it will build your strength and character.
Be thankful for your mistakes.They will teach you valuable lessons.
Be thankful when you're tired and weary,because it means you've made a difference.
It's easy to be thankful for the good things.A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are also thankful for the setbacks.
Gratitude can turn a negative into a positive.Find a way to be thankful for your troubles,and they can become your blessings.
~~ Author Unknown ~~

Well, Dr. Phil would be happy

I bit the bullet and gave away most of my too big clothes. Pray I made the right choice! Dr. Phil says give them away, so I did.
We are okay- still trying to cope and still praying for Josh and Katie. It still seems unreal for me, so I know it does for them.
I am looking forward to Thanksgiving. We have much to be thankful for, even in light of the loss of this past week. Life is truly a roller coaster- and we are strapped on for the ride as long as we are on this side of eternity.
My co-workers have been wonderful to me since I returned on yesterday. I have had gifts and tokens placed on my desk, hugs, cards, and tears shared. I am blessed beyond words to work where I do. I also found out we had been selected as a Title I Distinguished School, which is a rare honor. I am going to San Antonio in February to receive the award, along with my principal and assistant principal. We will be there from Thursday until Sunday. Should be fun!

Blog Therapy

Thanks for all the sweet comments concerning the loss of the baby. I think blogging is pretty good therapy. I think we write things that we might not verbalize- and that we respond with words that we might not be able to vocalize.
We are all still trying to cope with this loss. I have this great mental picture of my dear mother reaching out to take this sweet baby's little hand and welcome him or her to eternity. I can see MaMa Studdard making certain that God turns up the thermostat because there is a little baby in the house. I know that Bill and Lila Mae have to be there on the welcoming committee, as well as so many others. Lila Mae probably has that baby a quilt made! While I certainly do not know how Heaven works, thinking of images such as these helps to ease the pain. The sun will rise tomorrow, Lord willing, and with each day we will move forward. For Josh and Katie, the move will be slower- but we are here to hold their hands and to help them as they deal with the emotions of this loss. Continue to pray for us. The concern and love that have been shown truly means a lot to me, and I know to Katie and Josh, as well.

Our Hearts are Sad Tonight

Our hearts are sad as our sweet, unborn baby has been lost. I have never lost a baby, but tonight I have lost a grandbaby. We had such anticipation, as we have with the other grandchildren, and now we feel very empty. Though this baby had been in our lives just a short time, that does not minimize the hopes and dreams that we all had for this wee one. Katie and Josh are heart-broken, as this was a much wanted and loved sweet soul. Please pray for all of us, but especially Katie and Josh. Hannah hugged her daddy for such a long time tonight- she seemed to sense his hurt and put her sweet head on his shoulder for the longest time. Katie will be having a D & C tomorrow, so hold her in your thoughts and prayers.

Pray for JaKiera

Please remember to pray for our transplant baby. Temeka talked to Mary yesterday and JaKiera is going through the same thing Mary went through last week. They are doing a biopsy today and she said she would let us know what was going on. She has been readmitted to the hospital, which I assume is because of her age. They had hoped to return to Mississippi on Friday, but I am certain that is not going to happen at this point.
Mary went to the movies yesterday! They were the only ones in the theatre, so we will not give her too hard of a time. Her bloodwork is improving and they hope to get it all adjusted where her shaking will stop. Thankfully- NO ITCHING!

Random Monday Morning Thoughts

I have had some random thoughts on this Monday morning, so I decided to blog. I have been thinking about how wonderful the month of November truly is, and not just because it is my birthday month. November is like the threshold to the holidays- and, like most people, I love the holidays. I enjoy Thanksgiving and Christmas because of the opportunity to celebrate with my favorite people- my family. We have been blessed to have parents, children, grandchildren, siblings, in-laws, nieces, nephews, and even our children’s in-laws to celebrate the holidays with us. I enjoy fixing the Thanksgiving feast and watching those around me enjoy the meal. What fun. I also love the period of time between Thanksgiving and Christmas- the shopping, Christmas carols, food, gatherings, you name it. I can hardly wait! This year, of course, will be even more wonderful since Mary has her new liver and will be feeling better. We might even string some lights on her!
Christmas is so exciting, especially when there are little ones around. Our Christmas Eve and Christmas day have been made so special with the addition of the wee ones. For several years it seemed like we had “older” kids, but since Addi’s arrival, the little ones have been resupplied. Our family has always been on the “smaller” side, but I think we have made good progress at moving into the “mid-size” range. I am not certain what the numbers are for “mid-size” but I will just say we are.
One of my mother’s wishes was that her family remain a “family”. I think she would be proud of us.
In other news and notes- we are going to take a trip to Gatlinburg this week. We are leaving on Friday morning and we will be back on Tuesday night. While a little short, 4 nights is a nice get-away. I am excited to see all the decorations- it is beautiful during the holiday season.
This morning when I got out of bed I thought to myself that I had no aches or pains. How great. Prior to losing this weight, my back would hurt me if I stayed in bed very long. I guess it was a “touch” of arthritis, but now I never notice it. Is that not good? I have been blessed to not have many of the “fat” folks problems- diabetes, high blood pressure, etc., but I knew I was a ticking time bomb. I still have to give myself a lecture when I am around food- like this weekend, but then when I get on the scales, I am thankful that I did not give in. Reality is- if I can just hold on until I go to bed, once I get up I am not even hungry. I usually wait until about 9 or 9:30 to eat something in the morning, and even at that I am not just starving. I always tell myself if I give in and eat, especially at night before bedtime, I will not even realize that I have eaten it come morning- does that make sense? David put us up a new flat screen digital TV in front of the treadmill. He was walking when I left for work- so I am going to have to get on there and add the exercise to my program. I think having the TV will take away from the boredom of just walking by myself.
Well, enough random thoughts. Am I the only one looking forward to the holidays???

Happy Halloween!

Today is Halloween and all is well. Mary went to the doctor this morning, but I have not heard from her as of yet. Hopefully her meds have adjusted. When they increased them the other day, then the level was too high. I know it is going to take some time to get her "regulated", but we know that eventually she will be running full force. We can't wait. I really believe she will be feeling great by the holidays, and that is going to be wonderful.
I went to WW last night- another BIG number- .6! That means I have lost 2 pounds in the past 2 weeks. I am doing my part (save the exercise!), so I know that I am just at the point where the loss is going to be slow. 80 pounds in 10 months- not too bad. At least this is something I can live with. Even at the rate of .6 that is nearly 3 pounds a month, so I guess that is a good way to look at it. The girl that does the weighing at WW is so sweet and encouraging. I was kind of bummed and she said- "Girl, that is great. You have had a loss every week but one and that is almost unheard of!" She made my day. I have about 3 pounds I really want to shed by Thanksgiving, and I think I can do that even with my trip to Gatlinburg next week (I am soooo excited about my trip!)
I am looking forward to our Halloween party tonight. I made cheese dip and it is soooo good. I am going to have me some, even if it is like 20 points! Oh the holidays are hard for watching food consumption.
On a cute note- Lila is such a big girl and she is talking very well for a baby who is just 12 months old. On Wednesday night at church when the kids did Trunk or Treat she was saying, as plain as day, "I have candy!" So cute. All the kids looked so cute and had a great time. We have photos and I will try to add some later.
Have a spooktacular day.

Mary Update

The biopsy showed some "mild" rejection, so they are increasing some of the anti-rejection drugs. Hopefully this will get Mary over this hurdle. While we knew these things could happen, we hoped that the trip would be without any of these type of problems. She is sore and bruised from the biopsy, but still seems to be doing well. She will have more blood work this morning. Please continue to pray that the medicines will do the trick.

Happy Birthday, Kim

I am typing from the waiting room at UAB. We are waiting on word. The doctor came by and got our phone numbers and said he should call with the results around 4 this afternoon. We are not certain if they were already doing the procedure or not. I will update when I have news.
Today is my first-born child's 30th birthday. I cannot believe I have a 30 year old child. My goodness, I am getting old! What a great 30 years. Kim is my heart, my first beautiful baby, the one I probably made a lot of mistakes with, but also learned how to "mother". She has made us so proud- what a great kid!
Also, happy birthday to my wonderful niece Lisa. Lisa and Kim share the day. Lisa was born when I was 8- one of the big events of my childhood. She, too, has made my world a better place. It's kind of funny the Kim and Lisa share a birthday, and that my sister and myself also nearly hit having a baby on the same day a second time- Laura's birthday is August 3rd and Daniel's is August 1st. That would have been a real coincidence!
Keep praying- we hope for good news today.
Susan
'

Please remember Mary in prayer today

Mary went in for her blood work this morning and her liver enzymes had doubled over the weekend. They will do an ultrasound this afternoon and a liver biopsy tomorrow. While we knew there would be ups and downs, it has been so "up" that we were not prepared for a "down". We fully trust that all will be well, but I am personally asking that today you say a special pray. Even if Mary is starting to reject, the doctors have told her that adjustments in medication often stops the rejection process. I know that Mary is worried, and certainly dreads having to have the biopsy (which will be done under sedation). She has done so well through this whole ordeal and we are praying that this is just a small bump in the road to a successful recovery. I love you, Mary and I am trusting God to see you through this procedure and recovery.

Thanksgiving Early

You know, I love the fall. I love Thanksgiving- being with my family, the cool, crisp days, the thought of Christmas just around the corner. In reality, I feel like our family has had Thanksgiving early this year. Mary is doing great and I am so thankful. This has been such a stressful time for the family, especially Mary, Billy and the kids, and to have everything to have gone so smoothly is just a blessing from above. You know, David's side of the family is pretty small- just David and Billy, their parents, one aunt, and one cousin. So Billy, Mary and the kids have been such a close part of our lives. I told someone at work that I don't think that some people understood how emotional this had been for me, since they probably thought- well, it is just her sister-in-law. But coming from a small, close little family it has been a big event. I believe that the turkey is going to smell better than ever, the dressing will be moist and tasty, the peanut butter pies will be just right, and the day after Thanksgiving sales will be the best ever. I am also excited about Christmas. This time last year we were in the mode of wondering when the transplant call would come. We have been afraid to plan or do much this past year, in anticipation of that important phone call. That feeling has subsided, and although in my heart I know there will be other things in life that stress us, and give us cause for concern, but for today, just for today, all is well in my world. Mary is just my hero through all of this- she has been brave and strong, and I am so proud of her.
I hope you all have the bestest week ever!!!!

Out of the mouth of the elderly...

Okay..laugh at my expense.
Yesterday, David and I made a trip to the nursing home. As you enter there are glass doors and I was looking at myself thinking.."Okay, I can tell I have lost weight." I almost had the "thin" feel to myself (okay- believe me, thin is not what I am!), but I did have on black pants and a dark top, so I was feeling pretty good about myself. Anyway, we get into the Alzheimers unit and there is this little lady (well, she is actually short, but she is pretty chunky) and she comments, very quietly to the lady at the table with her (who does not know if it is day or night), "She is tall, (so I am thinking, "Oh, I am tall, that's okay), and then she adds, "and big, too!" Boy, talk about bursting a bubble. Go ahead...laugh... I did.
Mary is having a better day. She is up walking and they have her off the morphine (which was making her itch again). She is doing great. She still has a recovery ahead, and with 70 staples in your stomach you have to be sore, but she is still on target. She wanted to see Addi, and Jasmine and Alex took her today, so that was great medicine. We had Lila's first birthday, and of course she had a big time. She received several nice gifts, had a cute as pie cake, and had great fun eating her personal cupcake. She also had her other grandparents here from Oklahoma and we have enjoyed spending time with them today.
I will update soon, but for now, all is well. Please remember to pray for Mary each day when you say your prayers, and for little JaKeria (I put the wrong name on my last post- I have a student named KaKeria) who is still in ICU, but doing well at last report.

Oh the joys of this October morning!

UPDATE!!!!!!!!!!! Mary may go to a room as early as this afternoon. Whoever out there praying, keep on because it is working! BONUS UPDATE!!!!!!!!! SHE IS NOT ITCHING!!!!!! THANK GOD IN HEAVEN FOR HIS MERCY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I can't help but think of the song by Frankie Valli that starts like this...
"Oh what a night...late December back in 63, what a very special time for me"
Only our version is early October in 2008!
Mary is going to be a poster child for liver transplants. She came off the respirator by midnight and was talking! The doctor in ICU was amazed, as she said that was very rare. We are so thankful, as Mary was dreading having to be on the respirator. She is strong and a survivor, for certain. We are so blessed. Continue your prayers.
On another note, the baby was doing well. When the doctor came out to talk to Temeka she was sitting in the circle with all of us and he said- "Is this your family?" Of course, I guess you have assumed that Temeka is a young, black mother, and all of us are white, which is correct. She looked around this circle of like 30 people and looked at him and said, "Yes, this is my family." Anyway Kakeria is doing great. She will probably go to Children's today, so we will have to keep track of her. Thanks to Mia, Tina, Teresa, Lindsey, for helping me put together a Kakeria fund. We were able to give her enough money to eat on for the weekend. The tears flowed as I pressed the money into her hand (which she did not want to take or did not ask for but was so appreciative of). Tina has already contacted a friend at Children's who knows the ends and outs and she is going to try to make certain that the family receives the correct services that they offer. We are a pretty good team when we all work together! Once she gets to a room, she will have a refrigerator and a microwave, so we can help them out with stocking the frig. I am going to go buy the baby some pajamas at some point today and try to pick up a few other little things. You know, I don't need anything..but they do. I am sooooo blessed. We are going to take care of both our liver people. I am surrounded by some of the greatest people on God's green earth. For my blog commenters, I love each one of you and appreciate your checking on Mary. Mary is special to so many people, and once she can, I am certain that she will go back and read all the comments. I will try to update as we get news.
Again, love to all!

God is so Good!!!!!

God is so good! The transplant could not have gone better. The doctor said they might even get the breathing tube out tonight! He said the liver was wonderful and that it was already doing it's job. The baby (our new relative) is also doing great. The mom is with us as I type. She is anxious to see her baby. God is so good! We have been surrounded by family and friends, so many people. What a blessing. Keep praying!

Update

We do not know anything at this point, but I want to share this. I decided I needed to meet whoever's child was getting the other half of the liver, so I made a trip around the waiting room until I located this young lady with a red wagon. I asked her if her baby was having surgery and she started to cry. She told me she was getting a liver- I just grabbed her and hugged her and told her we were getting the other half. They are from Jackson, Mississippi. The little girl, KaKeiria, is 2. The mom, Temeka, is here alone. Her husband is in Miss with their 4 year old who has a cold. She is so alone. We brought her to our part of the waiting room (which is full) and have adopted her. How sad to be alone. Then the tears flowed as she told us that her first baby boy had died of this liver problem at 13 days old. Okay folks...are you using tissue yet? I am. She works at a nursing home as an aide, and she said they had just started to try to save some money to make it through this time, but since it happened so quickly (3 weeks) she had not had the time to save much. Now you know we are going to have to help this situation out. Once the baby comes out of ICU she will go to Children's and then after 2 weeks they will go to the Ronald McDonald House. Pray for Mary. Pray for KaKeiria.

They Just Took Mary to Surgery!

They just took Mary. The nurse said it would still be 30 minutes to an hour before they started, and then 4-7 hours after that. Keep praying!

Still Waiting...

3:30- still waiting. They say they will take her back in the next "little" bit. We were told they had started on the liver separation about 1:30. A 2 year old little girl is getting the other half. At this point, we are looking at late night. Keep praying..............

Still Waiting

As of last news- they have not "harvested" the liver, but will at about 2. It will take an hour and a half to split the liver, and they should begin about 4. If the surgery takes 6-8 hours, it might be midnight. Mary has been nauseated, but they gave her something. We are all just waiting. Keep praying, also for the baby that is getting the other half of the liver.

Good Spirits

We have just returned from the hospital, and Mary is in great spirits. The surgery is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. but could be earlier. The operation will take 6 to 8 hours, so it will be a long day. Mary will be kept under full sedation for about 24 hours, which originally she was told 3 days. They say 7-10 days and she could be home. The doctor said the liver was in excellent shape. A little boy from Memphis is supposed to get part of the liver, but they were having a hard time reaching them so it might go to someone else. I can't understand why you would be unreachable if your child was waiting on a transplant, but then again, who am I?
Say a special prayer that the transplant is successful and that Mary does not have a rejection problem. We are hopeful that everything is going to go smoothly, but we still know that this is not like having a hang nail removed. UAB has a tremendously successful rate of success on liver transplants, but it is not every day that someone close to us is added to the statistics! We are so thankful that the day has arrived.

MARY GOT THE CALL!!!!

YES, MARY GOT THE CALL!!! SHE HAS TO BE THERE IN AN HOUR AND HALF, BUT THE TRANSPLANT WILL NOT BE UNTIL TOMORROW MORNING. PLEASE, PLEASE, SAY YOUR PRAYERS FOR HER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Better Late than Never!

I am so behind on my blogging. I finished the Cataloging class I was teaching this term. It took some of my extra time, so blogging fell to the wayside!
Updates-
First and most major, as most of you know, we are going to have a new grandbaby! We are very happy with the news from Josh and Katie. They are great parents, and we know this baby will be loved by everyone. Hannah will be a great sister, I know. What a girl!
WW continues to go well. I am at about 80 pounds, and still going. I have almost NO clothes, no coat, no shoes (my shoes are too big) and the underwear- well, we will not go there! I am going to go shopping on Columbus Day. One pair (I am serious as a heart attack) of pants does not a week make.
Lila is about to be one year old. What a baby doll she is. She is walking, talking, and being a big girl.
Addi and Levi continue to amuse us on a daily basis. Addi is doing great in school, soccer, and Fall ball. Levi is my heart- enough said! He seems to be doing some better with his busy self, and actually did good in church on Sunday night. He is going to do great things in life, if he survives childhood intact! Hannah continues to amaze me at her maturity. Things about her make me think of Kim at that age. She is wise beyond her 2 years, for certain.
David, my love, is still busy trying to return money to the Veteran’s Administration. Seriously. How can a government agency send you an extra $30,000.00 (or more)? He has tried his best to give it back, and nobody will take it. If it were not serious in regards to PaPa’s eligibility for Medicaid, it would be funny. It is almost like a bad dream that will not end. Pray for him.
Better run. I will try to do better at blogging- we shall see!

Transplant Time??

Mary saw her doctor on Wednesday and he told her he thought she would have a liver within a week. If you are a praying person, now is the time to pray. Mary is miserable from the itching- which never lets up. I am thankful that hopefully the transplant will be soon and she can return to good health for many years to come While we all realize what must happen in order for the transplant, we also know that it will not happen just because Mary needs the liver, so we just can't dwell on that part- but we are dwelling on the fact that people are willing to donate, and that modern medicine has come so far.
We hope to be able to post good news soon. I am #3 on the call list from the hospital- Billy, David, me, and then Mary. I guess we will all be running like chickens. David and I have new phones, so that would be a great first call to get.
I love you all!
Susan

The Biggest Loser

Last night was the first episode this season of the Biggest Loser. Since I am on a weight loss journey (the never-ending journey, I might add), I watched with great interest. I really enjoyed the show the past year, and I know I will this year. I do not have a “team” as of yet, but I think it might be the orange team. They were in the bottom 2 last night but survived. The girl is a “big” girl, so I can empathize with her. Anyway, all that aside, I did have a “beef” about the show and was wondering if anyone else watched it. They had to climb this mountain and retrieve a banner dropped by airplanes. The yellow team, a father and daughter, had been told earlier that the father could not participate as his health was really bad. As a matter of fact, they say this is the first contestant that the doctor has limited on activity- of course the man lost like 20 something pounds, anyway. Go figure. Back to the challenge- the daughter had to do it by herself, as opposed to doing it with her dad. In order to retrieve the flags both members of the team had to be at the top of this mountain. Well the way I look at it, she was at an advantage, rather than a disadvantage. If the dad had been able to participate, I am certain that he would have been one of the last up the mountain. She was first (she is one of the lighter contestants) and retrieved the “immunity” flag. I just did not think that was fair- am I alone in my thoughts?

Thursday Tidbits

Well, tis Thursday night and I have just returned from Weight Watchers and the ball park. WW was a straight line- no gain, no loss, which surprised me because my scales show a loss, as does the WII, and the scales have been pretty much in line with the WW scales. Oh well, at least there was no gain. This is the first week since January that I have not shown a loss. I still believe I have lost at least a pound, but we will call it even. I stopped at the soccer field to watch the kids. Levi is apparently going to be a soccer dropout, but that is okay. Addi played goalie, but cried. I think she was afraid the other team would score on her. She did great, and did not let them score. Whenever she had to play she quit crying and did what she needed to do. Then Paul let her play in the field and she was upset that she was not the goalie. Go figure??? She was having an "emotional" evening, to say the least. She has improved so much since last year and should be a good player this season. Hopefully she will not take it too seriously. She is pretty competitive and is aware when her team is losing or winning, which is something a lot of the kids her age do not notice one way or the other.
On another note, David and I have become WII fit fans! SOOOO MUCH FUN!!!!!!! Can you believe I was sore today- all from standing on a little white box and playing "soccer", "skiing", and this marble game. I am in love with the WII Fit.
Here's to Friday!

Cousin Cliff

This morning when I picked up the newspaper, I was sad to see that “Cousin Cliff” had died. Cousin Cliff is one of my favorite childhood memories. I waited eagerly each afternoon for his television program. My how I loved Cousin Cliff! I had heard that he had Alzheimer’s, and was not doing well. As a matter of fact, we ate at Jack’s in Parrish last night and we commented on his picture on the wall. I told Billy that he was not doing well at last report. David had the “honor” of being on the program as a child. I would have been “over the moon” if I had been able to go. Mother always told me that Cousin Cliff lived “over the mountain” (which in Birmingham means Mountain Brook), but in my small world I thought he lived on the other side of the slate dump, (this is coming from a coal miner’s child that lived ON the slate dump above the mines)! I am sorry that today’s children do not have Cousin Cliff. Sponge Bob will just never be as good.

Ma Pounds and Stuff

This morning David called to tell me that “Ma Pounds” had passed away. She had been battling cancer for a while and while I am not certain of her exact age, she was hitting or over the nine decade (90) mark. For those who knew and loved Ma Pounds, she will be missed. Her presence at our camp week always added something special. She was there long after she should have been because of the terrain and her mobility issues. I gave her the walker that my mother had (it was more than a walker, and had cost Mother several hundred dollars) and she told me time and again how she would not have made it without it. I bet she had put 10,000 miles on those wheels. My mother would have been so proud that someone was able to use it for their good. While we do not yet know the arrangements, I am certain there will be many hundreds of people wishing to pay their regards to Mr. Black (yes, Ma Pounds remarried several years ago when she was well into her 80’s), and to her many children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and possibly great-great grandchildren. She was a true soldier of the cross, and she loved the church and the Word. Her life was not easy. Her father passed away when she was a little girl, and she told me often that she had to work like a man from childhood. She loved children, and all of my children were privileged to sit in her Bible classes at camp.
In other news, for those who have read Kim’s blog, you know that David, Kim, Billy, Mary, Addi, and myself spent Labor Day laboring. We cleaned out the house at Parrish. I cannot believe how much we accomplished. Mary was having a pretty good day and she was able to help big-time. Even Addi worked bringing us garbage bags and getting stuff out from under beds. Stuff-stuff-stuff. Every bank statement, every cancelled check, pay stubs, for not only MaMa and PaPa, but for their parents. To me the funniest thing is keeping all the old watch boxes and broken watches. I am going to try to keep less, but you know how that goes. We still have work to do, and some furniture to sell, but we made good progress. We used over 45, 33 gallon garbage bags, and dozens of boxes. We tried to laugh and just get it done, and it was not too sad. Their goodness was evidenced by Bibles and religious materials everywhere. What great people. We never know where we will spend our sunset years, and we never know if we will have sunset years, do we? Houses are just houses, cars are just cars, furniture is just furniture, but living a Godly life is priceless.

Another Caption This

This and That

Thursday night finds football playing in the background (YEAH! I have missed it!!!) and all quiet on Hathcock Drive. I had a good day at school, went by the thrift store (I went to get a blouse I had passed up the other day, and of course it was gone. For some reason I could not pay $5.99 at the thrift store, even though it was new with $40.00 tags on it- go figure my mentality- I did get a great pair of $1.25 dress pants that are the perfect length), came home and did a little bit of nothing, went to Weight Watchers (3.2 pounds!!!!!!!!!!!, bringing me to about 75, I think), went to the store, came home and with the help of a Sam's roasted chicken, steam-fresh veggies, and microwave mashed potatoes, had a great supper. That sums up today, in a nut shell. David spoke at Roebuck Parkway last night in their summer series. He had been scheduled for months, and we had no idea that last night Daniel and Mandi would be introduced to the congregation. Everyone had so many nice things to say- especially many that were on the search committee. One of the elders gave Mandi a copy of the new church directory and jokingly told her there would be a test on it next week. I don't think she will learn everyone by then. Daniel grew up at Maytown (Sylvan Springs), which is a relatively small congregation, and Mandi grew up at East Gadsden, which was I would guess at that time a mid-size congregation- so to go to 700 in attendance is going to be a big change for them. They will have their work cut out for them, but I think they can handle it. They are house-hunting, and house-selling, so they have much to do.
Addi and Levi have their first soccer practice tonight. We should get lots of laughs this year, for certain. Levi should provide lots of entertainment, and I imagine we will see Addi make a lot of improvement since this is her 3rd year to play (and she is just 5!).
Hannah is busy being busy. She is very entertaining, to say the least. Lila continues to grow and has found her "voice". It also appears that her quiet disposition may be a thing of the past. She seems to have little patience when she has to wait, and her red hair might come with a bit of a temper. She is funny when she is waiting on her bottle- she makes her hands into fists and gets all excited. She is a very good baby and I believe she will be walking soon.
I better go- the long weekend is just around the corner. It appears from the weather that we may be spared the current hurricane as it seems to have shifted west- tomorrow may be another story. I hate to take weather days this soon in the school year, but that is out of my control.
Have a great Friday.

Caption This

Happy Birthday, Hannah!

I am a day late, but I could not let Hannah's birthday pass without mentioning it and sharing some photos (I LOVE my new camera).

Hannah had a great birthday, with a house full of grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, family, and friends. She was the best 2 year old present opener I have ever seen. She even opened her cards and acted as if though she was reading them. She is very smart.

I am so proud of her. Her parents are doing a great job, and it shows.

I love you , Hannah, and never forget that fact!

Granna

Whewwww.......

Well, I hoped to post about a "normal" week, but for those who know me best (and have read David's blog at http://www.fromcalmtochaos.blogspot.com/) then you know about the goings on at our home. I will admit, I held it together, but it looked like a murder scene from a horror movie, and I am not a horror movie person. Thankfully David did not lay his head down on his desk and die, as Kent told him he might have done. From the moment my phone rang, before Kim said a word, I knew by her breathing that something was wrong. My first thought was that something had happened to one of the kids, and my heart was already in my throat. When she said "Dad", I had my keys in my hands. I don't guess it is any surprise to any of you, but I love that "Big Column of Pressure" (as the kind doctor referred to him), and he is my rock. I am glad to report he is doing well, but he has been pretty weak the past couple of days. He lost a lot of blood, more that I think the doctor even realized. It would be hard to measure, but it must have been at least a pint and a half or 2 pints. Every time something happens that ends us up at the ER, I always make the comment that you never know in the morning where your night will see you. David also made the comment that it seems that through the years we have never had "normal" things...and that is so true in hindsight. How many kids get an infection in their leg from "concrete" after taking a ride in their grandfather's new car up a telephone pole (with their 2 year old brother at the wheel), how many people get a virus that attacks the liver, or have AFLP (acute fatty liver in pregnancy), just to name a few of our "weird" and unusual illnesses. But, thanks to a great and loving God, David is on the golf course this morning (not playing, but helping with the camp tournament- he thought he could play, but the weakness gave him pause to reconsider!).
In great news, Daniel has been hired as the youth minister for the Roebuck Parkway Church of Christ. They plan to move to the Trussville area, which will put them an hour closer to us and in the same county! They have a house to sell, and much to do. I think he has one more week at his present job at DHR and 2 more Sundays at Glencoe. The job at Roebuck will be a big one- a large youth group numbering close to 100, I think. Their attendance is around 700 and there are 4 other ministers, I believe. They are an active church in an area of town that has seen decline in many ways. Pray for Daniel and Mandi as they take on this new position. Mandi will be able to continue teaching at Locust Fork, and her drive will be cut way down, so that is great news.
Have a great weekend- and watch out for purple veins!
Susan

"Twas the Day Before the New School Year

Tomorrow begins a new school year. Can it be? I can hear the pump on the swimming pool, so I know it is still summer. Fortunately my media center has excellent air conditioning!!!! I remember my mother telling me once that each September she would get that "back to school" feeling, even decades after she or any of her children were off to a new school year. Being in education, I not only have that feel, but I am there. The summer has been so busy, and my last two days of "freedom" have not exactly turned out to be "free". I fixed lunch for the kids at church yesterday (they are having Lads to Leaders "Boot Camp"), and then I had some errands to run and some "orchestrating" to get two meals prepared and delivered to families with deaths. Thanks to everyone- especially Katie, Kim, and Emily. They have really helped during this time. I am proud of them.
This morning David hit a new low!!! Yeah, David. Then it dawned on him that he needed to try on his suits to see if he had one that he could wear for the funeral on tomorrow. Mercy----we moved almost all of his suits to the "too big" closet. This is not a good situation for a minister. He has 2 new sports coats, but they are still a little small, so his options were limited. He did come up with a dark suit that will work, but I had to put the hem back in the pants. He is fixing to hit the place I hit a few weeks ago- a closet full of too big clothes. Not a bad problem.
The scales are moving in the right direction for me, as well- albeit very slow. I hope once school resumes that the special events will not be as frequent. I do well on normal days, so I am praying for normal days.
Last night was so nice. We floated in the pool, watched planes fly over, and just chilled out. Those nights are few and far between.
Well, I must go. The laundry calls. My goal of having a spotless house when I returned to work has now vanished into the reality that it ain't going to happen. Oh well, maybe some day.
Love to all!!!

Just a Short Update

I haven't had time to do much posting this week. It has been busy. We left Thursday to go to Lake Guntersville State Park. Just let me say- if you are needing a one night get-away- that is the place to go. The scenery and views are just too wonderful. The lodge is beautiful and all of the rooms are newly re-modeled. It costs about $100.00 a night, and the views are as pretty as any in the Gatlinburg area. I had to work a lot while there, but we had fun being together as a faculty. David truly enjoyed sitting on the deck with his camera, binoculars, and a cup of coffee.
On Saturday morning we left at 7 and drove to Glencoe. David had to speak 3 times at their back to school rally. It was well organized and there were about 100 in attendance. Then after the rally we went to Daniel and Mandi's and met their dog, Tipin. She is so sweet and well behaved. She is a golden retriever. Mandi had somewhere to be, so we went with Daniel and ate. I had a wonderful smoked chicken salad with a dying fly in it! I had eaten about 1/2 when I discovered him fighting for his life. They kindly removed the charge from the ticket. This is the second time in 2 weeks that I have had a fly in my salad. Oh well, it was good for the diet!
This morning the phone rang early and it was Jeannette Cagle telling us that Michelle Blankenship had over-dosed and died sometime around 3:00 a.m. Michelle's family attends church at Sylvan Springs, and Michelle came during certain periods of time. She was at church on Wednesday night, I believe. Sadly, the lure of drug addiction won the battle. The family has never tried to hide the fact that Michelle had problems, and they really wanted to help her. The family is making arrangements today. We went and spent some time with Pat and Casey. Their hearts are broken. As sad as it is to see someone in their early 30's lose their life this way, I hope maybe her death will be a wake up call for others. If you keep playing with rattlesnakes, eventually you will get bit. Pray for the family, they are going to need a lot of support. Drug addiction has been the cause of many untimely deaths. and this is one.
In other news, I got my Weight Watchers vouchers. I think I am going to wait and go back on next Monday after school starts back. I am still on the program, but since the next few days are going to be so busy and since school starts back for me on Wednesday, I think I will wait. I have missed a couple of weeks waiting on the vouchers, but I have stayed with the program for the most part. We were over-fed on the retreat, so I have a day or two to make up, but I am working on that.
I hope you all have a great week. Remember, I love you!

How's It Working For You?

I love a Bargain, Part 2

I love Paul's sister's blog (Katie). She is a coupon queen. I used to do coupons, but I kind of gave that up for other bargain escapades. Now, I still like a grocery bargain and in that line I shop at the Bent and Dent, Aldi, anywhere I can get a great buy. I thought I would share some of my current "bargains". While some of these items are "winter", it will not be long. There are 16 pieces of clothing in the photo- all new with the tags. There are 2 light-weight jackets, 2 pair of athletic type pants, and 12 tops of varying styles. Any guesses on how much I spent on all 16 pieces? Well, I added it up and excluding tax I spent $11.25. Not bad, would you say????

I Love a Bargain

As most of you know- I love a bargain. Perhaps, too much. I love finding good buys. We have always had an over abundance of clothing, but we have never spent very much money on any of it. When all 3 of the kids were at home, I would shop off-season, the thrift store, yard sales, you name it. I still do. My grandkids have been the beneficiaries of many great bargains. I almost always have something for them, every time I see them. I like to think I am helping their parents out some, as their wonderful mommies have elected to fore-go careers and stay at home with them. That is not easy.

For my birthday- 30th anniversary- Christmas, etc. year before last, David bought me a new sewing machine that does embroidery. While I have not had enough time to just sit and play with it, I have managed to create a few things. I have monogrammed many shirts for David and Paul, and a few things for the kids. The other day I was at the thrift store and found this little dress for 75 cents. It was one of those marked $2.99 and it was 75% off (see photo to see what I did to make it belong to Hannah!). It is cordurory and come winter I think it will be cute with a white shirt under it. Each week they have items that are 50% off and 75% off. I shop by tag colors- this week was pink. I just go down the row and look for pink tags (75% off) and then look at the item and see if it will work for anyone I know. This week I bought me 2 items- a brand new shirt (tags still on ) for $1.25 and another shirt that appears to be brand new for $1.00. I also bought Mrs. Courington a brand new pair of pants (tags still on ) for $1.25. I love a bargain. Since I have discarded 90% of my clothing- I am going to have to hunt bargains. I am going to post a new photo made Sunday. Anyone notice any difference????

Love to all-

Susan

A Little of This and a Little of That

Well, tis Thursday night and this week is flying by. Kim and the kids have been by to visit for a little while, and Josh also stopped by. I love my kids- what would I do without them????? Addi and Levi are going to come and spend the night on Monday. I have to go to school on Wednesday to meet Dr. Snider to make a portfolio pick-up for the university. Then on Thursday we are going to Lake Guntersville for a faculty in-service. We will be there until Saturday. David is speaking at the Back to School Rally on Saturday at Glencoe, so we are going to leave from Guntersville and go to Glencoe. Then I will have a couple of days the next week and then----back to school on the 11th! Where has the summer gone??????

I did not get to go to Weight Watchers this week. I am changing to a voucher program and my insurance is going to pay about 1/2! I have to wait on the process, so it may be a couple of weeks before I get the vouchers. I am still with the program although I am certain that this week would only see a small loss.

I am going to post some other photos from my new camera, which I truly love. I am still a novice when it comes to all the gidgets and gadgets, but I am eventually going to get it together.

Hope you all have a good end of the week and a great weekend.

My Girls

We've been ripped off!

WW Dupdate- 1.6 lbs. bringing me to a grand total of 69.8 lbs. May I claim 70????
Today one of our neighbors told David that someone had stolen the radio out of her husband's car. The neighbor next door told us a few weeks ago that someone had stolen their radio and I believe the radio of someone else that was visiting. Today David went out to his truck, and guess what??? No radio. He had not been in the truck since we returned from camp, so we are not certain when it happened. You know, I really feel ripped off. Nobody belongs in our truck, save us. I guess we are going to have to be more diligent in locking our doors, but I hate that feeling.
In other news, not much happening here. My pool has taken a turn for the worse and I have been battling the cloudy water today. I hope I have it on the run. I am going to WW tonight. I am not expecting anything major, and given vacation, I hope to have held my own. On my scales I show a small loss, but that is okay. I am continuing on my program, give or take a few small slip-ups. I think, let me say I know, I have to get with the exercise program. I feel at a little of a plateau. Although the scales are not moving too fast, I am continually adding to the pile of clothing that is too large.
I worked 2 days this week as opposed to the entire week. We are going to pick up the other days at a workshop at Lake Guntersville. I have never been there to stay, so that should be fun.
Better run!

Sunday Musings

Well, my Verizon network forsook me at Ft. Morgan this past week, so I did not update. We were shocked that we had minimal cell and wireless service, but it wasn’t so bad. I had papers to grade this past week so it made doing that a bit harder. I spent 2 and ½ hours in the Wal-Mart parking lot one night in an effort to get caught up.
The week at the beach was really nice. It was a lot of fun having all of my kids and grandkids under one roof. Everyone made it well, including all of the wee ones. Levi and Hannah provided a lot of entertainment. On Friday night Hannah was sitting with me in a chair and Addi was seated on the end of the chair (chaise lounge type chair)- Katie had just bathed all the kids and Addi’s hair was wet. Hannah was drinking her juice and she stopped and patted Addi on the back of the head and so sweetly said- “Addi, I like your red hair.” She is such a big girl and such a great talker.
David, Josh, and Daniel went deep-sea fishing and caught a LOT of fish. We ate fish one night and it was great. We also brought some home.
David, Josh, Katie, Hannah, Addi, and myself made a trip to Pensacola on Friday to watch the Blue Angels. David and I have seen them once before, and it is just outstanding!!! If you get a chance, go see them.
We went to the nursing home this afternoon. MaMa is doing much better, thank goodness. They have her wearing a helmet to try to prevent her from hurting herself if she falls. We are so pleased that she has improved.
I am going to work this week- and then I will have a few weeks before school begins. Summer is so short. My UWA classes will finish the first week of August, but my new sessions will start just as these end. We are going to 8 week sessions as opposed to 10 weeks- meaning I will have 5 sessions per year instead of 4.