Happy Anniversary

Today marks Kim and Paul's 10th anniversary. We love them so much and are proud of them and wish for them many more years to enjoy their family and one another. A good marriage is to be cherished. Paul has been a blessing to our family and I know that God in Heaven had a hand in their "finding" each other. Kim is one of the greatest joys of my life and she is a good wife and mother.
On another note- David is at UAB ER with Josh. He called a little before 4 this morning and said his back was killing him. He has not felt well this week having strept throat and some other pain that he thought might be a muscle pull or something. Anyway, David called me about 5 and said they thought he had a kidney stone or stones. They were doing an ultrasound/CAT scan. I have heard that kidney stones are painful, and many people compare the pain to childbirth. I guess only a woman who had given birth and had kidney stones could testify to that. Josh has never had any problem with stones, so I pray that this will be his one and only encounter. I hope to hear from them soon. Since it was the middle of the night, Katie stayed with Hannah. Hopefully once they see what is going on we will know which way to go.
I made it to WW last night and I had lost 2.8 making my total 61.4. I thought I would never hit that 60 mark. Despite parties and special occasions, I have managed to hold on. I know we have so many times when food is in abundance, so I just have to compensate during the "regular" times. My closet is getting pretty sparce, as I have had to discard at least 1/2 of my clothing. I have a Mother's Day gift card from Josh and Katie to Cato's and as soon as I have time I am going to go pick me out a new outfit. It is funny, but when I go look at clothes, I keep looking at the same size that I have been buying. It is hard to buy a smaller size for some reason. Thank goodness for jeans and t-shirts that take a while to get too big.
Last night we received a call from our sweet Brianna Montagano. She wanted to be baptized. Within about 30 minutes we managed to pull together a nice little group to witness this important and special moment. We love Bri and are so proud of her decision to put on Christ in baptism. She is a special girl.
I hope you all have a great day. Pray for Josh today.

Musings of a Proud Mom

Let me start by saying, I know I have been a blog slacker. It’s not that I haven’t had anything to say, it’s just that I have not had time to say it- and also, they have blocked our ability to post on Blogger from work. Imagine that!
Life has been busy. Kim and family spent a week during their bathroom remodel. The kids were good and I miss the big greeting I got every afternoon when I came home. Levi makes you feel like you have been away at war or something.
I am still plugging away at the weight thing. Last week saw a whopping one pound and I think this week has been about the same. I am going to miss WW tonight because Addi has a ballgame and I have some things I need to do. I will be back next week. I do think I have hit the 60 pound mark, but with Memorio Day (as Addi calls it) coming up, that might be a challenge.
The pool is open and I am working on getting the water clear. That is always a challenge because I like it to sparkle. Hopefully by Monday it will be blue and clear. It is on its way. We hope to get this year out of the pool and maybe upgrade a little and re-do our decks, etc. Everything costs so much.
On another proud Mother note- On Sunday Josh and Paul will be installed as deacons. I am so proud of both of them. They are good boys and I know they will do well in the position. Lord willing I know that one day they will both serve as elders. When my boys were little I used to think about wanting them to be leaders in the Lord’s church- and both have taken on roles and responsibilities in that field. I know that Paul’s parents are proud of him, as well. We will also have two new elders, Marty Glenn and Mark Wylie, and another new deacon in Brian Maddox. I am proud of all of them, as well. I have watched Mark and Brian grow up and it is a wonderful feeling to see them take on this position.
I hope all of you have a great week’s end and hold on- the long weekend is coming!

Mother's Day

Well, tomorrow is the day set aside to honor mothers. I feel honored every day, so I don't really need a special day. I have the best kids in the world and I am so thankful for all three of them. They are not perfect, but who is? They are pretty perfect to me, for certain. I can't imagine my life without my kids. I thank God for them every day of my life. I am proud of what they have become and when I look at the world around me, I know how blessed I am to have such good kids.
My kids have always given me sweet, beautiful cards and expressed their love in so many ways- but yesterday I had a little group of kids do something that brought me to tears. Our Hispanic population at school now stands at about 20. These kids are so sweet. They love the library, and there is hardly a day goes by that I do not see at least 15 of the 20. They love books. They are working so hard on their English, and I am working on my Spanish. We sometimes communicate with hand signals, but we manage to get by. Well, I had gone to the office and my clerk and my "Doctor" intern were in the library when the entire group came in looking for me. Dr. Martin told them I had stepped to the office, and she told me off they went to find me. Now we have a fairly small office, but somehow all 20 of those kids got into the office to present me with a candle and an artificial rose for Mother's day. That had to be the most beautiful "flower" I have ever received. Then they all, one by one, hugged me with such passion. I wept. I felt like more of a "teacher" on yesterday than in all my years. What a wonderful day.

A Whopping....

2 pounds. Slow and steady...boy that seems slow, but the total is now 57.8 pounds.

Sunday Afternoon Thoughts

I have been blogging on Thursdays to give a WW update, but did not get to go this week because I went to Quintown with David. He preached in their revival this past week and I went every night. I don't often get to go every night when he is preaching away, but I did this time. I will get back to WW this week (while I did not have an official weigh-in, I have lost several more pounds according to my scales). David hit the 45 pound mark this week- WOO HOO!!!! Continue to pray for us, and I am not saying that lightly. Losing weight is harder than gaining it, and keeping it off even harder. When I was a kid I used to think that when I got older that I would no longer like candy, cake, pie, all that sweet stuff- but guess what, that did not happen. I have a very strong desire to be around for many more years, and I know that losing weight might help to insure my years. Again, it might not. I really want to see my children grow old and my grandchildren grow up.
The past week was busy with the revival (David did a great job and the people were very kind, work, a little ballpark activity, and a day of shopping on yesterday. I am trying to do some laundry this afternoon, and a little dusting and vacuuming. The next few weeks look to be very busy, as well.
I am in the process of inventory at school- ugh!!! I can't get it done for the interruptions. I hope this week might be better, as I think several grades have field trips planned. I wish they would all go somewhere on the same day!!!!!
In other news, the cemetery that was vandalized this past week is the cemetery where my parents, grandparents (both sets), aunts, uncles, and cousins are buried. We went by to check that afternoon as David had to go to Quintown anyway. The row of markers behind my Daddy's parents graves had all been knocked over and broken. How sorry is that. The people they showed on TV that had been arrested gave the appearance of "inbreeding" if you get my drift. They looked pretty low-life. Anyway, we went back by on Thursday so that I could put flowers on Mother and Daddy's grave, and my grandparents (Daddy's parents-I always put something on their grave as Mother tried to do that because there is no other family left- my aunt and cousin still put something on Mother's parents grave), and they had the grounds looking really nice and most of the damage as repaired as possible. I know my flowers got rained on hard on Saturday, but it did not make sense to make another trip out there as we were already there on Thursday.
MaMa and PaPa Courington are doing pretty well. MaMa's feet have been swelling a lot and PaPa had an eye infection. At their age and health, it is one thing after another.
Mary had to go to the ER this morning. She came to church but she was so tormented by the itching that she had to go to the hospital. They gave her a shot and told her to see her doctor. Of course, her doctor has said until the transplant, he has done about all he can do. They may have to put her on a benadryl IV to help the itching. I know I have said this before, but unless you have ever had anything to make you itch (I have and had to be hospitalized), you can't really imagine the torment. Pray for Mary and pray that a liver will be found soon.
I hope everyone has a great week.

Thursday Night Update

2.8 pounds- slow but steady wins the race. Actually, it has not been all that slow, but on the weeks where I lose less than 2 pounds I feel kind of like I should have done more.
David had a check-up this week. He has lost 42 pounds and dropped his Cholesterol to 146. Not bad!!!

Just some thoughts

I don’t intend for this to become my “Diet Blog” but since dieting is first and foremost among my activities at the moment, I thought I would share this small list.
Things I have not had since December 29th-
• A Big Mac- and yes, I still have an occasional Big Mac attack. I guess some things never end.
• A real candy bar. I have had a couple of Hershey’s Kisses and on Easter I ate a Reese’s Peanut Butter egg, but no Snickers or Three Musketeers for me.
• A milk shake or malt- chocolate would be good!
• Heartburn. I have not taken one antacid tablet in almost 4 months.

Well, a loss is a loss

1.2 pounds- not exactly a record-breaking week, but it could be worse. I just felt like it was going to be a low week even though I had pretty much been on program.

WW Update

I lost 2.8 last week to bring my total to 52 pounds. The pile of under-grown clothes is growing, which is nice. David is fixing to hit the 40 pound mark, so he is doing good. I am going to try to get on the treadmill some this week. I have been lax with exercise in part because I have been loosing pretty good to this point, but I know I need to get walking.
Have a great week!!!

100th Post and Goodbye to a Dear Friend

I had thought I would make my 100th post after WW tomorrow night, in hopes of posting about the big "50" mark, but I could not let the passing of my dear firend, Betty Garrison go without a post. Betty passed away in the early morning hours. She had many health issues, especially heart-related problems. The past several months she has been in the nursing home, and at times seemed to be making some progress. Betty had more near-death episodes and comebacks than about anyone I have ever known.
When we moved to Maytown in 1978, Betty and Teamus Garrison endeared themselves to us. Betty and Teamus were so close that after Teamus died at a relatively young age, we wondered if Bet would be able to survive. Sadly her health became an issue almost about the time of Teamus's death, and she never really enjoyed very good health from soon after his passing. I well remember the second Christmas we were at Maytown. Kim was just over a year old, I was not working, and while we were certainly not going hungry, money was not in abundance. Betty gave me a set of Holly Hobbie Salt and Pepper Shakers. I thought- "How cute" and put them in the cabinet. A few weeks later I decided to get them out and use them. When I opened the package, out fell a $50.00 bill. Now remember, this was about 28 years ago and a $50.00 bill was a lot bigger than it is today. Needless to say, I immediately called Betty and apologized for not having thanked them earlier for this generous gift. I guess if I had not opened the shakers someone at a yard sale down the road might have got a $50.00 bill with the $2.00 salt and pepper shakers. I have many other physical memories- the rocking chair sent to the hospital when Kim was born, Kim's baby ring, the Bibles for the children, a crystal container, etc. but the best memories are of Betty. I never knew if I was going to be in the "dog house" because I had not visited in a while, or if she was going to let me know I was forgiven. That was Betty. I always felt that she treated me like one of her own because she would act mad at me if I did not come as I should. Sadly, I did not always go as I should. Sometimes the business of life gets in the way of doing what we need to do. All that aside, today I know that Betty is truly happy. She and Teamus are probably sitting under a tree singing praise to the Lord. If there is an old RV in Heaven, they might be traveling down the streets of gold. Whatever they are doing, I know she is where she wants to be, at home with her Lord and with the love of her life. Rest in Peace Betty, we will miss you and we long for the day when we will see you again.

Take Me Out To The Ballgame and Addi's Come-Apart

Last night started my favorite time of the year- ball season! Addi's team- the Firecrackers were defeated by a score of 7 to 5. I believe they are going to have a good team. The team they played is supposedly the team to beat. Save for a few "errors" the Firecrackers would have won the batting war and probably the game. Addi went 2 for 3, not bad for a first game, I would boast. She is so cute and funny. Just like last year, when she gets on first base she does the "Addi Dance" where she jumps up and down and laughs. Going to the ballpark last night was somewhat like a homecoming. We saw people that had kids that played with our kids, and now their grandkids are playing. As a matter of fact, there are 2 of the girls on Addi's team whose mothers played ball with Kim. One of the little girls looks just like her mother looked at her age, and of course Addi looks just like Kim (even playing 3rd base which was Kim's position at Addi's age), so it was like looking back in time last night. What fun!
The funny part of the night was once the game was over. We were walking toward the concession stand and Addi was in front of me. All of a sudden she started crying and she looked like she was in a panic. I thought she had lost sight of Kim, as we were in a pretty big crowd. I said, "Addi, we will find your mother." Addi turned around and still in a panic said- "I'm not hunting my momma, I'm hunting the snacks!" Well, apparently the snack bringer for the night overheard Addi and came apologizing for forgetting the team snacks. How funny.

Weight Watchers Update

3.6 pounds this week- for a total of 49.2. I really wanted that other .8 so I would hit the 50 pound mark. I have many more 50's to go, but it is a start. I have lost this same 50 pounds so many times and EVERY time I tell myself that I will not gain it back. Hopefully I am changing some habits that might help. David is doing great- I think he is close to the 40 pound mark.
Have a great weekend-
Susan

A Few Bullets

All is well in my world. These are just a few of the highlights of the past week or so.

- Another 4.2 lost last Thursday at WW. I hope to add to that this week, but it might not be but a little.
- Lads to Leaders was wonderful. My girls did great, and almost all of them placed in speech. The kids really did well in everything. Addi led her song, and she was adorable. She will be really good by the time she can compete.
- Today is Alex's birthday. He is 17. Hard to believe. He is a good boy.
- We celebrated Billy's 50th Birthday on Sunday night with a little gathering after church. I think, from his face, that he was surprised.
- All the grandkids seem to be well- TODAY. Addi, Levi, Hannah, and Lila have all had first one thing or another in the past few weeks.
- Hannah is talking big time. She is really a funny little girl and makes some wild faces. She also says something like "Where is he?" or "Where did it go?" and she throws her hands back to her side so cute.
- Lila is also talking, a lot. That might not be so good.
- Addi is going to do great in ball this year. She is fielding well, and hitting great. We are excited about her ball year.
- Levi is doing better at church. He made it through both services on Sunday, with a little entertainment from those around him. He volunteered "I love you, Granna" the other day, and I melted.
- MaMa and PaPa are doing pretty good. MaMa is still taking therapy, and seems to be improving. We are thankful for small signs of improvement.
- Daniel likes his new job, thus far. He and Mandi have a new dog and it has "separation anxiety", so they have it on medication. Quite funny, I think. She is a year old and never been away from her mother. I did not know dogs went through this type of mental stuff. I think she has torn up a door or something, so we will see how the new Grand Dog works out. Maybe she will adjust.

My love to you all!
Susan

HIGH SPEED, BABY!!!!

Well, despite everything that we tried, we have never been able to get DSL at 927 Hathcock Drive. So, in desperation, we decided to try Verizon High-Speed Wireless. WOW- it is WONDERFUL. I knew that come Fall my online teaching load was going to increase tremendously, so I dreaded the thought of having to get to work early, stay late, or go to the church building to handle the correspondence. While we are not thrilled to have to pay additional money, we are pleased, so far, with the results.
Tomorrow we leave for Nashville. We are almost packed. Addi has been with us today, and she is counting the hours. We pray that we have a safe trip and that our kids have a good time.
MaMa is still doing better, and that is wonderful. She is getting good therapy. We talked to the therapist on Monday and she said that she had actually got her onto her feet. She also implied that it was going to be a long road to see if they could get her mobile. Their goal is to get her where she can get to the bathroom. That, of course, will help the nurses. They were very puzzled about her hands, as we have been. I had not noticed, but her fingernails are bruised and black- she also has one nail that is completely gone. We don't know if this happened while she was thrashing about or what. She has had such a hard time. Kim and Paul took the kids on Sunday, and that was a dose of good medicine for her.
David and I went to Decatur to the Penney's Outlet yesterday. We had a good day and picked up a few good bargains. We stopped at the Cullman Wal-Mart coming home and they had some great buys. We bought men's dress pants for $3.00 a pair. David bought a few pair to work toward getting in and we bought Daniel 3 pairs.
I am at the 44 pound mark. Did any of you see the new show about thinking yourself thin? David has been making fun of me because I have tried to "incorporate" some of the ideas into my WW program. One of his main points is to eat slow and chew your food. He said you need to put the fork down between each bite. Now, I have always been a really fast eater. Too fast. I have slowed up the past few days, and I can tell a difference. I have read that it takes the stomach about 20 minutes to tell the brain it is full. The second show will be on Sunday night. Who knows- maybe this guy is onto something.
I better run. Have a great evening and I will post after Lads.

Sunday Morning

It has been over a week since I blogged, so I will write a brief post this morning.
This is Spring Break week! It is also Lads to Leaders week! Two great events. The only thing is, when I get back on Sunday I will be tired to face a new week that will involve test materials, etc. But, I will not let that thought keep me from having a good week.
Addi and Levi are seemingly over the flu, but now Hannah has a temp. We hope her problem might just be a cold or virus.
MaMa is doing some better. She is more responsive and is taking therapy. They still have her in the unit with PaPa, which kind of surprised us since she has so much medical stuff going on and since she is bed bound. I hope they keep her there as we like the nurses.
We had a "Transplant" shower for Mary last night. A few of us managed to pull together a party very quickly (Thanks Becky for the use of your home)and we "showered" Mary with pajamas, gowns, and panties. We actually kept it a surprise. We love Mary and we pray that the transplant comes soon. We didn't plan a real big event, but it was nice. We felt bad because Mary is not going to get to go to Nashville, so we tried to cheer her up. I think it worked!
I am still working on the weight stuff. This last week involved a lot of meals at the building, and they were all wonderful. I still managed a small loss on Thursday, but have added some to the loss since then. I have moved into a new range of numbers, meaning I loose one of my daily points. This week will also be a challenge with Lads, traveling, good food, etc. I also will not weigh this week as we will be gone, so that works into the mental part of eating. I am going to try to be good- so if you see me with something I don't need- shame me.
I cleaned out my closet yesterday. It was much needed. I had a bunch of old, ratty clothes that needed to be taken out. My closet was so full that the good stuff was getting wrinkled. I just did the racks, not the floor stuff or the shelves. I filled 3 LARGE trash bags (33 gallon size) and really could have added some to it. It looks better and now I can see my stuff.
I hope this is a great week in your world!

A Kinder, Gentler Post

Well, I've decided my blog posts must have become depressing as my comments have soared to a big, fat zero. I will try to "lighten" up.
Speaking of "lightning" up- I hit the 40 pound mark this week. I am cautiously optimistic. Truly, the "diet" or whatever you want to call it has not been bad. I still have my moments of weakness, but so far I have been able to, as Dr. King said,"Overcome". I jokingly told someone that I knew that Bible scholars have tried for centuries to figure out what Paul's thorn in the flesh was- I am thinking cellulite. What else besides added weight causes one to be so burdened? You guys know I am kidding- but cellulite is a flesh thing.
My blood pressure tonight was 105/55. It has always run low, but I think it has dropped with the weight loss. I think when it gets too low that you die, so I am going to have to monitor that. Again, just kidding.
The snow was very pretty this morning. Bandit played and romped like a kid on a ski slope. He was so funny. Fortunately, according to our area weather men, there were not any travel problems(except for the 20 some odd accidents and the one fatality in downtown B'ham). Seriously, the weekend guy made the statement that there had not been any road problems, and this statement came immediately after the news story about all of the skidding and so forth on the interstate. They showed footage from their weather cameras of some of the accidents and I don't think those drivers heard the news that the roads were clear and there were no travel problems. Give me a break weather people.
Well, tomorrow starts our spring revival. I look forward to a busy week, but a good week we hope.
My sweet Addi has the flu. If I could have it for her, I would. She is such a sweetheart. They started her on Tamiflu and Kim thinks she might already be perkier. I hope the rest of the family is spared the dreaded flu virus.
I hope you all have a great week.

Saturday Evening Post (Isn't that a magazine or something???)

Well, it looks like I have become a Saturday poster. Things here are up and down, for certain. PaPa is back at the nursing home after being at UAB for almost a week. He had some pulmonary issues, but seems to have improved. He was really sick for a couple of days. His issues seem to be increasing, but so far he has managed to bounce back. When he was admitted last Saturday, he was having a really hard time breathing. They brought him in through the ER, which everyone knows what the ER at UAB is like on a Saturday (not to mention the flu, etc.- there were 2 separate car accidents that killed two 16 year old boys- not a fun place to be in the waiting room) so it was a number of hours before they got him to a room. Once he was in and settled they let me and David in (Billy and Mary had been there, but they had already left) to see PaPa. I went to his bedside and called his name, and for a minute, just a minute, he knew me. Even David said- He knows you! It was brief, but his eyes were so blue and sweet, and I knew that beneath the Alzheimer’s there was still our PaPa.
MaMa has had a terrible week. They moved her back to the Psychiatric unit (which is like being transferred from one hospital to another), but we had our thoughts as to whether she was really well enough to be transferred (as did her Psychiatrist, it seems). Anyway- they moved her on Tuesday, I think it was, and then in the middle of the night on Thursday night they moved her back (did not even call us). She was having trouble breathing, and she is swollen terribly. Anyway, they are looking at possible heart issues at this point. She is much calmer, but pitiful. The psychiatrist called David yesterday and pretty much told him that he felt it was a medical issue at this point, and that he would recommend that there be a consideration of putting a DNR on her chart. That alone let me know that he felt that her problems were serious. He more or less said that at this point the physical therapist did not seem hopeful about her future mobility, and with her medical problems they were hesitant to sedate her for any future treatments. We are in the dark as to what is really going on with her physical condition. Her hands are almost in a fetal position, at this point. She is much clearer mentally, and she is no longer yelling and screaming. David said yesterday that he tried to get her to move her feet and hands and she could hardly budge them. Please pray for her. The decline has certainly been swift, to say the least. I would never have dreamed that PaPa would be in better condition physically than MaMa. Old age is not always graceful.
On a happier note- I have now lost 37 pounds and praying to reach the 40 pound mark this next week. David is also doing very well. We went to Lloyds tonight, and we split a meal. Funny thing- when we left we were both full despite it being half a meal. It was still a generous portion. Today I stacked up some jeans and shirts that were too big. Now don't get excited- these same clothes have been packed away before. I am going to try my hardest to make these changes life-long. I think Weight Watchers will help with that. I needed some accountability- when you go and weigh each week, you keep that goal in mind. I have also developed a love for the new microwave vegetables (I am not a big veggie lover, but I like most all of these), and I have really keyed-in on whole grain cereals in the morning. Just pray for me that I will be able to press forth. The stress and strain of the past few months are the types of situations that I think trigger my eating (then again, so does happiness- so go figure).

When Do You Feel Blessed?

This morning I put clean sheets on our bed (now I am not a "dirty" person, but changing sheets is not a weekly occurance I am afraid to admit), and I thought about how blessed I was to have a good bed. Many people sleep on dirt floors, but I have a new mattress that is a "back supporter", that is about 10 inches thick in cushion and padding, and that cost as much as some people, in some countries, make in their lifetime! Now don't get me wrong, my mattress did not cost thousands of dollars, but I have read that in some countries people might be fortunate to make the equivalent of $300.00 American dollars per year- so it would take them about 4 years to buy my mattress. Aren't we blessed? Have you thought about the things that make you feel most blessed? Here are a few of mine- feel free to list some of yours-
1. The blessing of knowing Jesus as my Savior and the opportunity to worship freely and unharmed
2. The blessing of a wonderful husband
3. The blessing of my children, and their mates
4. The blessing of 4 beautiful, healthy, smart, grandchildren
5. The blessing of my extended family and the fact that we can all be together in one location and no one is fussing or fighting or talking ill about one another
6. The blessing of going to a store and filling my buggy with food and anything else that I truly need
7. The blessing of employment- yes, we all tend to complain about our jobs at times, but what a blessing it is to have a source of honest income
8. The blessing of having had good parents who provided me an education so that I could make a living
9. The blessing of sight and sound. I am so thankful to be able to see my beautiful grandchildren and to hear their noisy chatter (well, it is actually above chatter level at this point!)
10. The blessing of health and life. I awoke this morning to no aches or pains, and what a blessing that is.
11. The blessing of each of you who read my silly old blog.
Remember- Count your many blessings name them one by one, and it will surprised you what the Lord has done.

A Special Day

Today would be Mother’s 96th birthday. It’s hard to believe that come June she will have been gone from us for 10 years. I was blessed to have a wonderful mother. I wonder if people ever quit missing their mothers. True, time heals, but at times I still want to call her to tell her something special, and then I remember that she is gone. Mother had a lot of pride in her family, and I think in my heart how I would love to share the past 10 years with her. So much has happened- weddings, babies, graduations, jobs.
So, on this February 16th, I remember a special woman. Happy Birthday, Mother.
On another note...MaMa is still very bad. We had hoped that maybe things would start to improve, but they haven't. They could not give her a treatment Friday because she was so aggitated. We understand they are moving her to another section of the hospital, possibly a medical unit, but we are not certain. Billy was there today and they told him they were moving her. We are not certain what is going on, but being the weekend I guess it will be Monday before we know what is up. We think they are trying to see if there is something medical going on. They did all kinds of tests in Jasper, and could not find anything medical. I think they are barking up the wrong tree, but perhaps they might unearth something. For some reason they say when a person hallucinates, that something medical is usually going on. One of the nurses told David that she had not been working all that long, but MaMa was in the worse shape of anyone she had ever seen on the unit. Billy said she was yelling that the house was on fire while he was there. I simply can't express how bad this all is and how sad it all is at the same time. I hope that something works, and soon.

A Day for Love!

Today is Valentine’s Day. I have found great amusement in my middle schoolers and their delight at bringing their so-called boyfriend or girlfriend a balloon, candy, or stuffed animal. Oh that love were as simple as a balloon or a red teddy bear.
I awoke to beautiful card and a new Bible. I had warned David that I did not want (let me re-phrase that…I did not NEED any candy), so he obliged me. I bought him an Allison Krause CD and one of the secretaries put it in a basket with some gum and a small bear and, get this, hand sanitizer (David uses A LOT of hand sanitizer). It turned out cute.
I can’t imagine my world without David. He is just the best. He loves me and I know it. We have such a great time together, even after 31 years. I love spending time with him.
So, Happy Valentine’s Day my love, and thanks for being my perfect Valentine!
For my children on this day, let me say- Your mother loves you beyond words. Kim, Josh, Daniel, you are my hearts. Also, Paul, Katie, and Mandi…how did I get so lucky. And then for the baby Valentines- Addi, Levi, Hannah, and Lila…I thought I had loved as deeply as I could love, and then you came along. I found a new “chamber” in my heart called the “Granna Chamber” and it is as big as the world full of love for the four of you. I pray that you will always know love and kindness in this world.

On another note…please continue to pray for my mother-in-law. She is having such a hard time. She was so bad that on Monday they could not give her a treatment. She did get a treatment on Wednesday, and the doctor is now giving her fluids because she is not eating or drinking. They cut her hair off to keep her from pulling anymore out. She does not even look like herself to me, she is so aged and pitiful. The doctor said it could take a number of treatments before she sees improvement, and in reality, it could be that she does not improve. We certainly hope not. Thankfully she was sleeping some yesterday, although fitfully. The nurses are having to sit over her to keep her from coming out of the chair. I just don’t know how long a body can physically endure the type of situation that she is currently in. On another note, PaPa seems to be doing fairly well, and for that we are thankful. He doesn’t know any thing or any one, but he seems content. Every so often he will say something that makes you wonder if he is having a lucid moment. He still smiles on occasion, and that is worth so much. We are thankful for Cherry Hill and for the wonderful care they give. Having a place for PaPa that seems to be as good as it can be has made it easier.