FEBRUARY?!?

February is already here? What happened to January? Where did it go? It seems just yesterday it was the 1st of the New Year and we are already one month down. I have heard that when you age, time flies. I guess you know I am aging!!!!

This will be a busy weekend for my family. My sister and her husband are coming as I posted earlier in the week. Then Mindy decided to come home as well. Her Valetine's gift from her beau was a plane ticket and Continental had a special this weekend. So.......she is coming home as well.

Saturday will be a busy day. Someone has to go to Houston to get Mindy by about 1:30 pm. The Arbonne party, (if there are any coming!) starts at 3:30 pm. We will have a family meal on Saturday night. Sunday proves to be even busier when we have practice right after services. We will run to get something to eat and I am hoping that T & C will stay to see the play practice. Then we will have a family super bowl party that night.

I plan to fix some fun things to eat on Friday. Like hot wings, broccoli/corn muffins, cheese straws, trail mix, popcorn, fresh veggies. We will have a good time. The little ones will spend the night with us on Sunday night and stay home with us Monday. Mindy wants to keep them and they will miss their daycare that day. It will be fun. I am hoping it will be pretty so we can get out and play outside or go to the park. I think Mindy will go with us to our dance lesson on Monday night and that will be fun as well.

Then Tuesday, I will take Mindy back to Houston. It will be a full but fun weekend. I always like having my familiy around me. It is comforting to me. Can be tiring but always a good tired.

I need to go do my routine today. I will do it! I have not done it all the way through in several days. I just can't seem to get back to it. I keep trying to figure out why and other than being sick last week, I just don't want to. I think being sick caused me to miss some days and that always starts the downward spiral of not doing it. So.......I will go do my routine today. I hope to get in the same amount of time I ususally do and then some.

I have been reading several blogs of late that are discussing some deep theological issues. I am enjoying them, but at the same time realizing how uneducated I really am.

Have a great weekend and enjoy the super bowl. I really don't care a thing about it, but it is a tradition. I have no desire to watch it if the Cowboys aren't playing and lately I am not even sure I would watch it if they were. But we will play and have some fun anyway. I won't be blogging for several days, since I will be busy.

My next post will be an apology. I have been forming this in my mind for several days now.

MOVING ON TO WALTZ

I haven't blogged in a while. I have been sick. I started last week with a cough and then had a major head cold. Friday and Saturday I was aching and just didn't feel good. I realized on Sunday how bad I felt Saturday! It was good to just sit and not do much of anything on Saturday.

Sunday was full and I had practice for the dinner theater. I know my lines! That is a good feeling. Now we just have to get everyone else there and start really acting off of each other. I think it will be fun.

My sister and her husband are coming this weekend. It will be a fun weekend. I dread the party, mainly because I have asked a lot of people but you never know who will come and how much good it will do. My sister is now selling a line of products by Arbonne. Since they are virtually homeless and jobless, she is hoping to get this going and not have to find a job in Corsicana. I am willing to help her as much as I can, but I did tell her not to ask me to sell the stuff. I am not a sales person. I have tried several other times in my life and I just know I am not a sales person. I don't like it and I am not good at it. She said she would not ask me. Of course, she did ask me to be thinking of someone at the party who might be interested!!!

Mindy is doing well in Kansas City. My baby is all the way in Kansas City and I miss her! She loves what she is doing at the internship. I keep trying to call it a job but refuse since she doesn't get paid for it. I haven't talked to her this week but I hope she enjoyed her weekend. She and Trent were going to try to make more time for them this weekend and enjoy each other's company more. They have both been very busy since she moved there. She is flying home the end of February for her Valentine's gift for Trent. I told him to "send her home while he can." Sort of tongue in cheek humor there! (Us mother's are getting a little anxious here, waiting and wanting to know what is going on!)

Jamie and her brood seem to be doing well. The girls are so fun. I had to hold both girls on my lap during services Sunday. I had been holding Ashton and we had been cuddling. It was nice and I was enjoying it. Then Emma noticed she was being left out and had to get in on the action. So I held them both and cuddled them both. They are so fun! I am so thankful that they are here.

Have I mentioned that I prayed for three years to be closer to my grandchildren? I really thought Tollie and I would be the ones to move, but my children moved here! What a surprise and what a joy! Thank you, Lord again for this wonderful joy you brought to my life.

Gotta run and go to work. Today is Tuesday and a work day. I think I will be busy. It looked like there were projects on my desk last night.

BTW, last night, we did learn to waltz. It was great! Tollie had some trouble with his footing at times and stepped on my toes a lot, but it was fun. We did real good with the Foxtrot and although we forgot somewhat how to do the Cha Cha, we learned it back real quick. The hour went by so fast. I wondered if that meant we were doing better!?! Seemed to be a lot of fun and energy is sure spent. I was so hungry when we got home! That is good though and I really enjoy it. Now we are trying to figure out what we can do to continue this after the lessons.

Have a great week!

ASSUMPTIONS

I received an e-mail the other day and was so excited about the possibilities! Then later, I received another e-mail and realized I had made some assumptions about the first one that were not there. Boy! I hate that! Talk about disappointment! Oh, well.

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My former boss, Fred, had a 10 1/2 hour surgery yesterday for his brain tumor. Wow! Can you imagine. It turned out he had two tumors! The e-mail I received concerning this stated that the disappointment for them was that they had to sever the facial nerve. That does not sound like great news. It also stated that they would implement several things to help compensate for this, so I am not sure what the outcome of that will be.

I realize how blessed we are health wise. Our friends from Argentina were here and he has cancer and now Fred and his brain tumor and Tollie's dad and his brain tumor and my dad and his neck surgery and my mom's health is not great. Whew! It seems like every where we turn we are facing huge medical crisis. Please continue to pray for all these people who are important in our lives.

I want to be a strong influence for Christ at work and it is at times like this that I think I can be. Most of our co-workers are Catholic and for our openness about Christianity, they depend on us for prayer. When I told Fred I would be praying for him, he stated that he was glad since he knew I had an open door for that! I was stunned by his comment. I know they see as "religious" but I want more than that. So please pray for these people and for us to have influence on them for Christ.

I got to get well so I can get back to my routine. I did not feel like doing anything today. I have sat here at the computer, took a long nap, slept in this morning and virtually done nothing. I watched a little television and now I am so disappointed in the subject matter of Brokeback Mountain. I had heard it was a love story. Just didn't know for sure that it was until today! A love story between two men! Ugh!!!!! It is moving more and more toward acceptance of homosexuality and we are being forced to accept it.

I accept the people where they are, but when they continue to choose to practice this lifestyle, then I have a problem. You will have a hard time convincing me it is natural. God had a plan and I believe his plan was for one man and one woman. That is the "natural" way. Otherwise, there would be no procreation in this world. Some things cannot be explained away by what we want, not matter how we try.

God help us understand how to deal with this to bring about resolution and not anger. I fear the impact this is having in our own families and lives.

Here is a link I found interesting:
http://www.nextreformation.com/index.html

CHA CHA! HA HA!

We had our third dance lesson on Monday night and wow. We learned the foxtrot first and have done okay with it. But Monday we learned the Cha Cha and I can honestly say we were the star students of that class!

Tollie really got into it and as our instructor says, the men have to lead. It may be the one last chance for men to lead and get their glory! I know that the more confidence he has in leading the dance, the easier it is for me to follow that lead.

When we danced the foxtrot we have several hindrances. One is the confidence I mentioned and secondly, our heights. Tollie is 6' 1" and I am about 5' 2". When our instructor told the ladies to look over your partners shoulder, I laughed and asked for a stool! I have to look at Tollie's shirt pocket the whole time! The other problem is the length of the legs. In other things we do, like walking, I take about three steps to his one! When he takes off dancing I either take several steps or stretch a lot and get caught up in his feet! Needless to say the foxtrot is tolerated but not our favorite dance so far.

But......the Cha Cha was so much fun. We only hold hands and I can circle and we can do dips together! It is great and not dependent on our height, but our endurance. Sadly, I lack somewhat there. My tougue was hanging out and I was breathless during that dance. But I love it. It is great exercise!

We have not had time to practice since the class but hope to do some practice of it before our next class. We have to get some good music for it, though.
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We had a great weekend. Alberto and Jane Pata were here for Buenos Aires and stayed with us. These two are some of the mostly Godly and humble people I have ever met. We have known the Pata's for about 20 years and our friendship just keeps growing. Please pray for Alberto. Alberto has cancer. It started out in the prostate and has metastisized and he now has cancer in his bones. It has some back pain and shoulder pain. Although he is doing really well, the prognosis is not great.

But we know that our Lord can heal him and we ask that you join us in this prayer for this wonderful couple who is working hard and long to bring the gospel to the lost in Buenos Aires.

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Today, I keep thinking of my previous boss and his wife. My heart goes out to Debbie. She is waiting to hear on Fred's surgery. Fred is in surgery as I type this for a brain tumor. The surgery could last up to eight hours. That is a long time to wait. I think I would rather be in surgery than waiting for my loved one to come out of surgery! There is belief that the tumor is benign and he should do well. Please pray for Fred and Debbie and all their family.

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I have done well with my health routine. Although this week I have been under the weather and yesterday just did not do it and then today was feeling bad. But tomorrow, I will get back on that "Horse" and go again. Between the routine and the dance lessons, I should be in better shape before long.

DEPRESSED!

Tollie is in Tyler. I don't want to do anything! I think I am depressed. I told him to night on the phone that from here on out, I want to go with him. I woul only miss a day for work. That wouldn't be too bad. I just don't like being here by myself. I don't seem to get much done.

Yesterday was not a good day at work. At least, not in the work department. I didn't have anything to do. I did some genealogy stuff on the internet. Didn't really find anything new. The only work I had to do was to address seven envelopes. My boss has been real busy lately, in meetings and such. I think it will be this way for a while. So.....I guess its not too bad to get paid for sitting and playing card games and looking on the internet. But it sure makes for a long day! I think I feel a little guilty, too, making all that money and no hard work.

I talked with my baby tonight. She is enjoying her internship already. She said they have already given her some projects to work on. She spent some time looking on the internet for some information and had it ready when asked for it. The lady was very impressed she had this information so quickly. Helped to make Mindy feel needed and that she could make a difference there. She is really praying for direction as to how God will use her. Most of the people there are there to help the impoverished. But she senses that most just enjoying helping and not because they want to share the good news of Christ. She said she didn't want to be judgemental but she didn't think there were many there who were Christians, even though the whole organization was founded by Catholic nuns. It seems they want to keep religion out of everything. This will be a challenge for her!

I had dinner with my grandbabies last night. I met the kids at Chili's and it is so fun to have the girls see me and run to me and say, "Piggy, I missed you and love you." Emma says "Granma, I love you." They just hug me and hang on to me. When it came time to leave, Ashton didn't want me to go. They wanted to stay with me. That is so fun and so rewarding to have these beautiful little girls who laugh and make you laugh! God blesses me everyday with my kids and grandkids.

The dinner theater play rehearsals are going well. I have nearly memorized all of my lines. I plan to have them all memorized by this Sunday's rehearsal. I have told several at work about it and they seem excited to be invited to come. I hope it will be a rewarding time for all. I think it will be fun. I am Leah and as you know, she had so many children. No wonder, I am Leah. I love babies!

I am ready to go to bed already. Oh.....it is later than I thought. I didn't realize it was this late. It is 10:30 and so I guess it is time to go to bed. It will be a long, lonely night. I never sleep as well when Tollie is gone. He will be back tomorrow. Hopefully, before too late. Then on Friday, we go to Houston and will have some time for ourselves. We then pick up missionary friends from the airport on Saturday. That will be fun. They will come back and stay with us for a few days. Have a great "rest" of the week and weekend.

DIDN'T WANT TO, BUT I DID!

This morning Tollie left for Tyler. He left early so he could get an early start and get a lot done. He has a lot to do in the next three days and wanted to spend every minute making it happen. So....I stayed in bed a little longer and relaxed. But then I got up and thought of three or four really good reasons why I shouldn't do my routine this morning. But I found myself walking that way to do it anyway! And I did it. At one point, I thought, "I could just do half now and half time later!" But you know what? I stuck with it and did it anyway. It reminded me that I can do it, even when I don't want to do it.

We had our second dancing lesson last night. It was so much fun. Tollie and I are doing better at it. We had a hard time with our steps, getting them in sinc with the beat. The foxtrot consists of slow, slow, quick, quick, which sounds like four beats. But when you are muscially inclined such as Tollie, it didn't come out in time right. The slows were like half quarter notes and the quicks were like 8th notes. It just didn't add up. After talking with our instructor we realized you are really doing three steps to four beats! Well, not exactly, you just start the fourth beat on the first beat! Anyway, it explained a lot and helped us be much smoother. Actually, I didn't have my toes stepped on as much.

We were saddened though that one of the couples quit last night. It just wasn't his thing and they left before we got started. He was just not comfortable. So....we are down to three. But I can tell you that Tollie and I are sticking it out. It is good exercise and I enjoy it. I am still trying to learn to follow! If you know me, that is a hard one for me. I want to lead and I have to be led. Good lessons all around!

My baby girl is starting her internship today. I have said new job, but really it is not a job. She doesn't get paid for this. She is working with Operation Breakthrough in Kansas City and I know she will get a lot of hands on experience. Where did the time go? Where did my baby go? She will graduate with her masters in May! Whew! I am getting older! I am so happy for her and the opportunity she has with this and the possibilities coming her way. Thank you for your prayers for her today and this week.

I want to thank her boyfriend, Trent, for flying to Tulsa to meet her and be with her on the drive to Kansas City on Friday. I think it was a real help to her and I know it showed some care and concern for her. Thank you, Trent.

I must run and get to work. When you only work two days a week, it can mean a lot to do or not much to do. We will see when we get there, but when I get there later, it seems there is more to do. Have a great day!

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Writing from work. There has not been much to do today! I have looked on the computer, the internet for genealogy stuff and ate lunch with four other co-workers, played a little solitaire and am thinking of leaving early because I don't have much to do. My boss wants me to do his work, not any of the other guys here and that means I have to sit and wait on him. It can make for a long day. But....I do like my job. I get paid well to sit and write and look on the internet and talk with my co-workers. Not many opportunities like that and only two days a week. The other executive assistant (to my same boss) is thinking of quitting because she just feels too bored and he doesn't allow her to help him that much. She is trying real hard to get him organized and I think every one of his assistants has tried that for years. It just doesn't work. He wants things done his way in his time! So.....you wait a lot. But that is fine with me.

I am leaving early to eat supper with my kids and g-kids. I hope to put some pictures here soon of my darling little angels. Emma was sitting in my lap on Sunday and we were watching a music video. I was singing with the video and she was looking up at me and nearly went to sleep. If the video had been any longer she would have fallen asleep. That is special moments when grandma is holding those angels.

Gotta run, we are meeting in twenty minutes.

NOT YESTERDAY, BUT I DID TODAY!

My health routine is coming along. As stated, I didn't do anything yesterday, but eat. I did do my routine this morning. I was determined to get back each time I miss. Sort of, get back on that ole horse! I guess you could call yesterday a funk day. I was in a funk, a fog, a funny mood. I wanted to sleep yesterday morning when Tollie left for work and I did stay in bed until almost 9:00 am. Unusual for me! When I got up, I went straight to the shower, versus the routine! I planned to do laundry, change sheets on beds, clean the B&B room, that sort of stuff, but instead found myself just sitting most of the day, or playing tetris.

At lunch, which I knew I would not miss!, Mindy called. She was leaving Austin in a couple of hours but was eating her lunch. We talked and I found after talking with her, I was even sadder. So, I came back to the computer and looked at stuff on e-bay. In the meantime, I did sort the laundry and start a few loads. I pulled the sheets off our bed. But it was much later in the day that I found myself sitting again. Oprah had an interesting story of a child in Egypt who had a parasitic head attached when she was born. Surgeons had to remove the head because she would not live. She already had six heart attacks in her young life due to the strain of supporting the two heads. It saddened me beyond belief.

So.....I came back to the computer and was paying some bills, etc. Checking on my credit card account I realized Capital One was now charging me 28.24% interest! I nearly fainted. I have had the card for over five years and never had it been above 9.9. In fact that is why I use the card because of the fixed low interest rate! So I called Capital One. In case you ever decide to call realize that you will never get an operator if you keep pushing the numbers they give you to find a customer service rep. All you have to do is just sit there and not put in any numbers and after about the second time of going through what each of the numbers reach, you get a rep.

I visited with the first rep, explaining my situation. You see, back in October when we were evacuated for Rita, I had called Capital One to let them know I would be late on my payment. I was told then that because of the hurricane, I was being put on a special program where I didn't have to make a payment until January. Great! I probably would be making some payments, but appreciated the program. I made a payment in late October and you guessed it, I got a late payment fee charge! I called them and again they put me on the program, removing the late charge. I didn't make a payment in November and again you guessed it, December's bill had a late charge. I called again, and again it was taken off. I made a payment in January, and when I was looking at my statement on line, there was a late payment fee charge again! and the interest rate of 28.24%. After explaining all this, the lady said I would need to speak to one of her supervisors. When the next person came on the phone I had to go through the whole speal again! She indicated that she could put me on a program that for two months I would have 9.9% and then it would be come variable. I told her that was unacceptable. I used that card because of the fixed rate and expected it to be at 9.9. She stated it had changed because of my "bad" payment history. This is when the fumes started to rise from my ears!

Again I explained to her the whole story, stating that I didn't make payments or made late payments because they said I could! She wanted to know if I would accept the new terms and I stated yes, but if I was not going to get 9.9 fixed again, I would pay off the card and close the account. She stated, "Oh don't do that. You have been with us for a long time and we have had a good record with you." Duh!!!! She then said she would give me to her superivor. Again, I was given another person and had to tell the story through again. She said wait a minute. After about five minutes, a young gentleman came on the phone and stated, "how can I help you?" I said, "well, for the third time, I will start at the beginning." He then began to hem haw around stating he didn't realize I had already spoken to someone else. I quickly corrected him and stated not just one but three previous people!

He had me go through the speal again and then had the audacity to tell me that he was not authorized to change anything! Duh, again! Then why was I talking with him? I told him that I would be paying off my card and closing the account. He wished I wouldn't and said all he could do was turn in a request to look at my account and I would get an answer in 7 to 10 days by mail. Thank you.

Know what I did? I paid the card off, and after it is payed via bill pay, I will cancel the card! I get offers every day for low interest, lower than 9.9 and fixed and even no interest. Why would I want to pay 28.24%? Got me!

My day went from worse to horrible. By the time Tollie got home I was ready to pack it in the for the day! I was on the verge of tears all evening. I went to Bible Study anyway and due to some other issues, I was even more on edge when I got home. I had a bowl of cereal with bananas, which was a mistake. I tasted them all night and didn't sleep well, or at least didn't feel like I slept well. I slept too hard. I woke about 3:00 to a severe headache and dry mouth, which meant I was snoring hard and workinghard at sleeping!

I feel better this morning, if you can believe that! I feel better now getting all this off my chest. So I am off to work and to a doctor's gyno appointment. Oh thrills. But I think it will be better than yesterday.

I keep remembering, Today is the yesterday you worried about tomorrow! Although I wasn't worried yesterday about tomorrow, I just wanted to get through the day! So I hope you have a great day. I am trying!

SHE LEFT TODAY!

Today was a full day. I helped Mindy pack her truck and watched her head out to finish up her few days in Austin and then she is on to Kansas City.

Mindy has not lived at home in over a year and I really don't expect her to come home to live again. So why was it so hard to let her go today? I think it is just knowing she is so far away in Kansas City! Actually, it may be cheaper and easier for me to go see her by flying than it was when she was Lubbock. But things were different then. Our relationship was different then.

I was not ready for her to leave. We had breakfast at Burger King and just enjoyed our visit. Then we finished the packing. We had to stop to get trash bags to put everything in and keep it semi water proof in case of rain. She really isn't taking a lot to Kansas City, but she has a small Nissan truck and you can't put much in the cab, especially if Trent is to ride with her.

Trent is flying to Tulsa to meet Mindy on Friday and go with her the last four hours to Kansas City. Mindy will pick him up at the airport. I am so thankful for his doing this. She won't be trying to maneuver the traffic in Kansas City, going to new places before she is ready! It is just nice of him to do it besides.

Of course, we all know that Trent is the reason Mindy is moving to Kansas City! You don't have to be a rocket scientist to understand this! I know she will be happy there and I think her opportunities are will be great.

I sat in the waiting room of the Ford dealership, waiting to have my oil changed on my van this afternoon. It took all afternoon. I napped a little, read many chapters in my current book and waited. I overheard an older couple say, "it is worse than being in the ER." It did take a long time. They just had a lot of business. At least it kept me from cleaning Mindy's room and crying longer! It is just hard to cry in a public waiting room!

This is the third day that I have not done my health routine. I intended to do it this morning but with Mindy here, needing to get her out by 10:30 and then waiting all afternoon, it just didn't happen. But it will in the morning, I promise. I can tell that I have not done it and that is a help to know that it is making a difference.

I have lines to memorize for the dinner theater in February. I am Leah and don't have a lot of lines. In fact, I have had this part years ago and some it is coming back to me. Maybe it won't be too difficult to remember my lines.

We started our small group last night. What a group. There are two single ladies, by single I mean one of them is by herself as her husband doesn't come to church with her let alone a small group and the other is single and one other couple. I hope we can get some others to come and join us as well. I think it is going to be a great group.

Life is busy and full and I have visits to look forward to coming up, with the Patas in a couple of weeks, seeing my folks in February and seeing Gina for several days while we are at the ACU lectureships.

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We did it! We started our dance lessons tonight. Us and three other couples were having a great time! It is hard work! We are learning the foxtrot to start off. Tollie and I had a hard time at first. I want to lead him and he isn't sure about the leading! But by the end of the lesson we were getting the hang of it. We will have to practice some between now and next lesson. We want to do this and it was fun and good exercise too!

IT IS FINISHED!

For the past two weeks or so I have been working on a work project. This work involves our side buisness, Memories In Motion. We do videography for weddings and such. Earlier in December we went to a club downtown and did a video of a band, Mid Life Crisis. My pervious boss plays lead singer in it and they are pretty good. They play Rock music mainly from the 60's and 70's. It is fun to listen to them. I have had several occasions to listen, back several years ago when they first started and would practice in the showroom of the dealership and later at a CASA event where they played.

Anyway, back to the finished story.......we did the video, Tollie running mostly the still camera and I doing the moving camera. We then took the two videos and using a program on the computer were able to edit the two together and make a "demo" video for the band. It is fun to do and I have done something similar with another project. But this was my first real try at this. Tollie has done several weddings and has a lot more practice at it. I did finish the video last night and we produced the DVD this morning and played it on the TV. I am taking it to work with me to give to Fred and I am anxious to see his reaction. I really like and think he will be pleased with it.

It is good to have finished a project and feel good about it. Lots of time you finish something and when you look back you think, "I should have done that or this to it." I really didn't have that feeling when I viewed the final project. So that makes it sweeter.

I am looking forward to the weekend. My baby girl, Mindy is coming home and will be here such a short time and then she leaves on Monday morning and heads back to Austin for a few days and then on the Kansas City. My baby living in Kansas City?!?!? Wow, what a change it will be.:) I am trying to smile the whole way, even though there are tears!

I am still on a roll with my resolve to help my health get better. Still can't say the words to you or anyone, yet. Maybe in time, but I still don't want to jinx anything. It is working and I am feeling good about it and doing it great! Thanks for your prayers for me in that.

I would like to ask for other prayers, mainly for our shepherds at church who are working on a vision statement. I was priviledged to work on the statement some on Tuesday night and I pray for God's guidance and wisdom as this develops. They are presenting it to the congregation on Sunday, the 15th. They need your prayers!

Have a great day!

WELL, SO FAR SO GOOD!

I have done my secret endeavor every day so far! Again, I can't tell you what that is, because I might jinx it, but I can tell you I enjoy it and was able to do what I needed to do without revealing to Tollie or anyone else what I was doing!

Why is it that when we have clandestine meetings and secrets we feel so powerful? I understand now how affairs can be so enticing:) Not that I am having an affair, mind you. I just have information that noone else has and it feels so powerful! It is like I am in control. But I really know that I am not! That is what is so funny about all this. I am no more in control than before I had this secret, it just feels like it. I have known for a while that perception is 90% of one's thinking.

No matter what the truth, if it is perceived, it is believed! My whole life involved perceiving that I had to get it right all the time, that believing the scriptures as a whole was dependent on my salvation. I perceived that salvation was dependent on what I did ~ not who He is and what He did! Therefore, everything I did had to be perfect, in order to be eligible for that salvation.

Now, I realize that scripture is scripture and not necessarily part of the good news. I read several other blogs, including Mike Cope, Patrick Mead and John Alan Turner. Lately, JAT http://www.johnalanturner.blogspot.com/2005_12_01_johnalanturner_archive.html with a title of "Light and Life" and Mead http://www.tentpegs.blogspot.com (with a title of "But Is It a Tree") have had some really insightful posts lately and have helped me come to some better perceptions. Also, Bible classes have helped in this as well.

I like learning and lately, seems I have found some interesting concepts and insights that are shaping my beliefs to what I perceive is more correct than what I had in the past.

Have a great week!!:)

NEW ENDEAVOR

I am in the process of doing new things. First, I am working on a project of making a video for a client.

You see my husband has a side buisness where we video tape weddings, events and such and then he takes the video and dresses it up, doing fun stuff to it. I recently made a history video for my job where I took pictures and did basically the same thing.

Tollie and I went recently to record a band, Mid Life Crisis. They were playing at a club in downtown. We were there for several hours and did two camera views of the band as a whole and individuals in it. Now, I am taking those tapes and combining and transitioning and putting fun stuff with it to make a demo video for the band. Fun work! Fun stuff! Just hope we can do a good job!

My next endeavor is my Christmas present. I said in a previous post that I was re-gifted this year. About three years ago, Tollie gave me a present of dance lessons. Unfortunately, he couldn't find a teacher for these dance lessons, or at least procratinated till it didn't matter anymore! His co-worker is good at reminding him of buying a Christmas present for me and asking him if he has gotten it and what it is, etc. When he mentioned to her that he wished he could fulfill that previous gift, she had the solution. Another co-worker use to teach dance! Wow! We are going to have six weeks of dance lessons. Ballroom dance lessons. She says that if we learn the Foxtrot we can do most dances! So, starting in a couple of weeks on Monday nights, we along with four other couples from church are going to take ballroom dance lessons at our place of business. What fun! I can't wait and I am silently preparing for them!

I did it again this morning and was glad. I am already stiff and sore in the mornings and it helps to loosen me up. So, I have to figure out now how I can do it in the morning without giving away my secret! Tollie will be home and then tomorrow night we will be playing and "keeping" the g-kids. They will be spending New Year's Eve at our house. We plan to play and play and take them to McDonald's and just have a great time!

Ever since Hurricane Rita, they have been reluctant to stay away from home or mom and dad. The last time they stayed with us, over Thanksgiving holidays, they both cried when it came to bed time. They wanted their mommy! Hopefully, they will be so tired from playing they will be fine. I know I will be tired!

Have a Happy New Year and talk to you next year!

I DID IT!

I did it this morning. I did it yesterday morning and I will do it tomorrow morning. I can do this and I will do this.

Isn't it interesting how life can hand us what we think are lemons and people tell us to make lemonade. It is easy to say things when it is not your lemons!

Please pray for a little boy named Ira. He is struggling right now in a hospital in New York. Joe and Laura Hays are his parents and his big sister Sophia. I have been reading Joe's blog for a while now. They were given lemons the past few weeks. I'm not sure they are ready to make lemonade yet ~ they are patiently waiting on the Lord to heal Ira. I say patiently and yet I can't imagine the patience it is taking for them!

I have my own lemons with my parents and I will call them today and check up on them. I am going to Lubbock the week of February 15th. I will probably leave the 14th or 15th and stay a week. I just can't go in January. I am at peace with that decision and believe it to be the best. Unless things here or there change, that is my plan.

NOW NEW YEAR'S

Well Christmas came and went with little or no problems. It was actually a pretty quiet Christmas. We went to our kids house for lunch on Sunday after church services. They did the cooking. It was quite nice for a change.

The little grand daughters were so excited about Christmas. At 5 and 3, the experience is so exciting! What do you mean? At 53 it can be exciting too! Anyway, I digress. The little girls had been opening some presents and it came time for them to give me my present. Ashton and Emma had been telling me for days they had a present but couldn't tell me what it was! They were so excited. They had made the present and wrapped it themselves. I opened it and they were jumping up and down. They had made me necklaces out of curly ribbon! Ashton immediately starting putting them on me. They are so cute! (The girls) Not what I would have picked out at the store!, but I cherish them. They were so excited about it. It was so much fun. Tollie got it on tape and it is priceless!

Well, really when I think about it, Christmas was quite an awesome experience. I did things I don't normally like to do and had decided not to do and then wham! I did them.

We had a candlelight service on Saturday night at church. It was very good. We had families at appointed times get up and sing some of the songs for the season. The Goebel's and us sang Joy to the World. Tollie and Jamie sang a duet of Mary, Did You Know. Tollie had prepared a slide show from the picture book we have of the song and had it playing while they sang. They did a great job. It went well, considering I had had my feelings hurt earlier when Tollie asked her to sing instead of me, but that is another long story for another time. The whole service was very uplifting and fun.

The most humbling part was when we served communion. Earlier in the week we had been asked to help serve the communion. We said yes, not really knowing what would take place. There were two couples who were asked to serve. We were asked to come forward and we were served and then we were to stand at the aisle and I would break off bread to give to a person and then that person would dip the bread in the cup and partake. At the time we were served, we were told, "this is Christ's body broken for you, and this is Christ's blood shed for you." I was doing okay until my kids came to us for their turn and when I looked at my daughter and told her, "Christ's body broken for you," I could tell she was fighting back tears and so was I. I had them streaming down my face. Very humbling experience!

Then Sunday morning, while waiting on Tollie to finish getting ready I was reading my blogs. I was reading from John Alan Turner and it was so good! I read it out loud to Tollie and he suggested I print it out and give it to Jerry, especially since it went right along with his sermon. So I did. Tollie had a call during the morning that Robbie was sick and would not be able to do the power point. Tollie asked me if I would do it. I have done it many times, but we have a newer program at Christ Covenant and I had not ever done it. So I agreed.

We got to the building and he was showing me the program, really easy! He then took the article to Jerry, the minister and had him read it. Jerry read it and asked if I would read it to the congregation. Tollie came back and asked me to read it. What?!? A woman in the pulpit in the middle of the service? Of course, I would! I told Tollie I just hoped the ceiling would not fall down on me!

I became a little nervous the closer it got to time. We also had to coordinate Tollie coming to take my place while I read the article and then I would come back to the tower. It all worked very well. I read the article and had many tell me they appreciated what I had read. And guess what? The roof did not cave in, there was no rumblings that I had done that and all is well. Imagine that!?!

So this Christmas as been a time of new beginnings, new experiences, humbling experiences and trying to find my way back to God ~ inching closer every day.

Now, we are looking forward to the New Year and I have a plan in my mind for my health but I cannot share it with you. The reason I cannot share it with you is that as soon as I do, it will not work. I have experienced that in the past. I have a plan and I tell someone thinking it will give me support and accountability but all it seems to do is not work then. So......I am going to keep it to myself this time. Working on the plan and seeing if it works with me not telling anyone. Hopefully, you will hear of changes coming about little by little. Until then, pray for me! Actually, pray for always!

I miss my younger daughter. She is in Missouri and spending time with her boyfriend's family. I know she is having a good time, but it was hard to hear her voice Sunday and especially when she said she was really missing us and had been crying very easily lately. I miss her and just hope she is having a great time. I don't want her to think she has made any mistakes in making the decisions she has made. I think the time in Missouri will be great for her, especially as the spring comes and the weather is better and the love birds appear!!!! We will see!

My parents are not doing as well as I had hoped. My sister and her husband went to their house for Christmas. It was not planned but they decided at the last minute to do it. Cheryl says that mother and dad are depressed and that dad is not making much progress. He still has to have so much help doing anything and mother is so tired. My sister asked me to go to Lubbock in the next few weeks. I want to go and I need to go. But.......

My work is starting fresh and furious. I have new projects to do. That limits when I can go. And then my Christmas present re-gift (another story for another time) starts for six weeks on Monday nights. I will not miss any of those. That limits me again when I can go. I am trying to decide how I can go maybe from a Tuesday to a Saturday or Sunday. But then in January we have some missionary friends coming. Mindy is coming home the first of the month, iiiiiiiiiiiiiii! It is complicated and I don't know what to do. Please pray for me as I plan and prepare to do what I have to and need to do. Help me make good decisions for me and my family as well as my parents and sister! Life is complicated sometimes and I can assure you that getting old is not for sissys.

Have a great day, a great New Year and stay safe.

CHRISTMAS IS ALMOST HERE!

Christmas will be here this weekend! Where did the year go? Because after next week, we will be in 2006! I remember when it was scary to reach 2000 and now we are five years later! Wow! Time is flying.

I have several hurry up things to do this week. I have decided to sew for my grand kids. I am making them night gowns. It is okay, they don't read yet, at least not blogs anyway! They are only 5 and 3 1/2!

They are so cute! I know my grandkids are the cutest and prettiest in the world! They are certainly the most fun! We went shopping on Saturday, to the outlet mall about two hours away. Ashton, the oldest has really become a home body, especially since the hurricane. She doesn't seem to want to go anywhere. I started talking about the shopping trip on Thursday, really making it sound fun in my voice. She was excited about going! Yet Saturday morning, she was lamenting the fact she couldn't stay home. She really wanted to play and stay home! But when I got to their apartment, she was ready to go and sounded okay. She did okay until after the first store. Of course, the two hours to get there was something of a challenge as well. We did some singing and laughing along the way! She was a real trooper, though.

The only thing was that I had planned to take the two girls with me alone and do some shopping for their parents. It just didn't seem to happen. So, I guess I will try again later in the week. Yikes! Going to the mall a few days before Christmas, that sounds like suicide. Maybe Walmart would be better. Walmart would certainly be more exciting to Ashton. She likes Walmart and is always ready to that! So, looks like Walmart, here we come. I will try on Wednesday and will let you know how it goes.

Only two more days to do my cooking! Every year I make a basket of goodies for those at work. I make candy, fudge, cheese straws and this year I am trying some new cookie bars. I only have today and Wednesday to finish this up because I have to take it to work with me on Thursday.

So......better get busy and get going today! Have a great day!

A WEEK ALREADY?

Has it really been a week already since I last posted? They say time flies when you are having a good time. Am I having a good time yet?

Actually, I did have a good week. On Tuesday, my son-in-law, (which I hate the term because he is the son I never had!) and I went to Austin to help my youngest move her things home to my house. We arrived about 8:00 pm and went to Jason's Deli to have dinner. We enjoyed our soup and sandwich and then went to the house where Mindy has lived the past year or so. She has rented a room from a young lady whose parents still own the large home in the elite area of west Austin. The house is located in the hills and I do mean hills. The driveway is at a 90 degree angle to the house. Very interesting for parking! It also means we have stairs to maneuver as well as the steep driveway.

Mindy informed us on Tuesday night that she had to work. She had failed to mention this before, or at least I didn't remember hearing it. Anyway, she had to work from 9:00 to noon. So, Paul and I "slept in" sort of, sleeping until about 9:00 and then began packing. We had most of the large items packed in the van by 11:00 am. I had packed the van in my head several times during the night! So....it went fairly smoothly. Especially when I measured the foundation for the day bed at 76 inches and matched it to the 76 inches exactly for the space we had in the van. We were able to pack a day bed with wood frame and all, a cedar chest, dining table, plastic bin with drawers, wicker chair, all her kitchen stuff from pots and pans to groceries, hanging clothes, pictures on the walls, lamps, desk, and two book cases in my van. The only thing we were unable to get were the four dining room chairs. We actually could have gotten them if we had not planned to take Mindy to the airport in San Antonio on Thursday. I think we did really well.

Paul and I both are good packers and have good spatial sense! We decided if we ever needed a job we could start our own buisness for organizing and packing/moving. We would be really good at it.

We left Austin around 4:30 in deep traffic! And I mean deep traffic. It took us 1 1/2 hours to get to the south side of Austin. We would go a few miles and stop, go a few miles and stop. I don't know how anyone can live in Austin and like it because of the traffic. It seems it is always that way, at least every time I have been there.

We got to San Antonio where we had a room at the airport LaQuinta. We ordered pizza and watched a movie, "Must Love Dogs." It was an okay movie. We all decided watching the previews of it was as much fun as watching the whole movie! We got up Thursday and took Mindy to the airport. Paul was able to help Mindy with her large bags and get her checked in. That was a big help. Mindy parked her truck at the hotel and will be able to ride the shuttle when she returns in about three weeks. She was so excited about seeing Trent again.

I learned from Trent's mother by e-mail that Trent was a little excited too! I think they will have a great time in the next three weeks and have a Merry Christmas. Mindy then moves to Missouri in January. Coming home on Thursday reminded me that she will be moving three states away! I will miss her. Even though we didn't see a lot of her while she was in Austin, she was only four hours away. Now she will be as far away as Lubbock was, or even a little further! Looks like we will depend on airlines again.

I got home Thursday afternoon and Paul helped me unload the van. It didn't take long to unload all the stuff and pile it in several areas. Now.....I have to find a home for most of it. She will be taking some things to Missouri, but no furniture or kitchen stuff. She will be living with Aunt Betty, Trent's aunt and she has an extra room. So... for the next five months, Mindy will be living with her in Kansas City. She plans to go to New Hampton on weekends to spend that time with Trent and his mother Lavonne.

Tollie left for Tyler to work over the weekend. He is replacing all the shelving for the computer room and trying to clean up the mess there. The server was moved to Tyler when we were evacuated for the hurricane and it was decided to leave it up there. So....he had to make a good home for it and that meant a weekend, especially a Sunday when they could un-plug the computer. For some reason the sales people get a little cranky when you un-plug their computers!

I have had a good time with my g-kids. We went shopping yesterday at the outlet mall and enjoyed a fun day. Even though it was rainy and overcast, it was a good day for shopping. I plan to cook tomorrow and finish up some presents by sewing and and wrapping and mailing a package. I can't believe Christmas is here this next weekend. Where did the year go? It has been a whirlwind, especially the last few months with the hurricane and my parents struggles with their health.

Speaking of my parents, my dad is back home. They came home on Friday. Mother fell while dad was in the hospital, actually she fell at the hospital, as she entered dad's room. She had to be taken to the ER and have her gash above her eye glued together. She is not sure what happened. It is getting harder and harder to see them staying in Lubbock with all that has happened lately.

I am getting tired and ready for bed now. I hope to get a lot done tomorrow so need to get a fresh start in the morning. I hope you have a great week.

HERE WE GO AGAIN!?!

I certainly hope not, but I am afraid we are at it again. My mother called tonight to say that she had to take my dad to the ER today. He had not done well over the weekend. He was really tired and she had to help him with everything. When the therapist came today he suggested they call a nurse and she heard a crackle in his lung. When they talked with the doctor's office, he said to take him to the ER. Mother called me while at home getting some things for both of them as they were going to admit him. They said first off his oxygen was too low.

My dad was a smoker for most of his life. I know this is affecting him now. He doesn't think it has anything to do with anything, but I believe it will affect him for the rest of his life. I know that was my main concern when he had the surgery. With the weather getting cold, he may have pneumonia. We will see tomorrow as more develops. At least he is on oxygen and where he needs to be.

I am leaving tomorrow for Austin to help move my youngest daughter's things home. She is moving to Missouri. It is almost here and I will certainly miss her. She has been in Austin for two years and although she was not home a lot, it was not too far if she wanted to come or we wanted to go to see her. But Missouri, that is a different story. She will not be four hours away. She will be more like 15 hours away. We are back to flying to see her or taking a week to do it.

I do hope we can make a trip out there in February or March. It will be fun to drive up and see her in her new surroundings. She starts her internship in January. She is going up there at this time for a visit, for three weeks. She will be spending the holidays with Trent and his family. We will miss her but I am glad she is going. She will be back for a short period to finish out her job in January and then permanently move then. Hopefully, she will be home for a few days in January.

Christmas is almost here and I am just about ready. I really need to get a few more things, mainly for the little girls. I wanted to do something really special, but now I'm not sure I will have the time. We will see.

Life can change on a dime! I keep telling myself that and when my previous boss found he has a brain tumor, we both lamented that fact.

Tollie is wearing a heart monitor today. He went to the doctor after they had taken him off his Toprol. He is trying to figure out what he can do about allergies and that is part of the puzzle to treat the allergies! Very confusing and complicated.

There are lots who need prayers at this time.

Tollie, for his heart and allergies!
Me and my son-in-law, Paul as we travel to Austin
My dad to get better soon
My mom as she takes care of dad and is not in great health herself.
My sister and her husband as they are now "homeless." They have sold their home and the one they will live in is not ready yet. So they are living out of suitcases at their children's homes.
Fred Schwartz, my previous boss.
Gina, my best friend as she goes for a checkup tomorrow for her breast cancer. Please, please Lord let them find nothing this time!!!!!
My attitude toward a few at church when things didn't go very well at a meeting yesterday. I am working on it real hard.
The elders, to be men of integrity and prayer and more than paper shufflers!


Have a great week! Mine has certainly started off great!?!

WONDERINGS!

I was wondering the other day what it would be like if the kids had not moved close to us? Would the girls know us as well? Like us as well as they seem? Where would be spending Christmas this year? I know it does not good to ponder these things too long, but I did think about them and it brought me to thankfulness.

I am thankful that the kids did move close. I am thankful that the girls love to sit in the Pops lap and let him read them books. I am thankful that those little arms reach around my neck and hold me tight and say, "I miss you grandma!" I am thankful that Emma calls me grandma sometimes and Piggy sometimes. It is fun to hear either way!

I am thankful that Thanksgiving was so much fun and every one seemed to enjoy themselves. I am thankful that Thanksgiving gives way to promise of more fun times.

What are we doing Christmas? I have no idea. I did decorate and I am ready for whatever happens. We will be home, maybe by ourselves or maybe with the kids. Who knows? It doesn't really matter. We will be thankful for whatever happens and life will continue and we will look toward the promise of tomorrow's joys.

TODAY!

I like the saying:

"Today is the yesterday you worried about tomorrow."

I had to read this several times before it made any sense! But I now know that it is my mantra. I have to remind myself not to worry about anything further along than this moment in time.

This moment in time I have stopped up toilets and cannot take my shower! Also, this moment in time, I am trying frantically to get a plumber. We called our plumber yesterday and he did not return our call. I should have known something then, but today he cannot come. He said it would be tomorrow afternoon! No way, Jose! or Johnny or Paul or Tom, Dick or Harry! I have no toilet use and my house is beginning to smell like there is no toilet use. Afterall, what are you suppose to do at night?

Let me tell you, when you get up at night and have to trudge across the house to a different bathroom and remember to not flush! It wakes you up totally. I can usually get up, do my buisness and go right back to bed, falling back asleep as I climb in bed! But when you have to do things differently, and your sense of smell is heightened and you can't flush, well you tend to be wide awake and it takes longer to go back to sleep.

So, today, at this moment, this moment that will be yesterday tomorrow, I am deprived of my normal sleep, can't shower and holding it as long as I can!!!

Yeah, I think I have found a plumber who can be here this afternoon! This afternoon? Well, better than tomorrow afternoon!

It is going to be a long day!!!!!!!

THANKSGIVING!!!

I was so worried a few weeks ago, thinking I could not get everything done for Thanksgiving. Now, on the other side, I wonder why I worried so much. Actually, it was good to be gone two weeks before hand and have everything planned out in my mind. Then when I actually had to do all of it, it was easy to do. I got it all done and everything went smoothly.

We had our company, 13 people here at my house for Thanksgiving and we had a great time. Everyone seemed to enjoy it so much. We laughed and everyone pretty much did what they enjoyed doing. We played games, watched TV, took naps, went to bed early, went to bed late, watched movies, did some shopping, eat out, eat desserts, eat Turkey, prayed, talked about scripture and prayed with our eyes open. What a joyful time this week has been for me.

I had my best friend beside me all the way. Tollie was right there helping me and doing what he could. My next bestest friend was there for most of it. Gina was here, although she was feeling a little under the weather, she was here and we had some good talks. My family was here, my kids and g-kids. That is always a treat. And new friends, Lavonne and Trent. Ours could not have been happier or more fun. It met every expectation I had.

I talked with my folks today and my dad got to go home yesterday. He is doing well, sounded in good spirits. My mom is doing well, although a little tired. She is doing things she usually doesn't do and I think actually enjoying it. Home health is coming to do therapy and be there for them if they need it. That is good and I think they are surprised by the service.

Life is good, thank you God and God bless all those travelling, especially tomorrow as Mindy, Trent and Lavonne travel to Austin, drop off Mindy and continue through Texas, Oklahoma to Missiouri. Be safe!

I'M BACK!!!

Well, not really. I am in Arlington at my sister's house, breaking up my 10 hour trip home from Lubbock.

To update you, my dad is doing great, my mom is doing great. I left them this morning, reluctant to leave but anxious to get home. I have been gone almost two weeks. My dad had cervical neck surgery is now in rehab, doing great. The only reason he went to rehab was because my mom was in the hospital and there was no one for dad to come home to help take care of him. It was hard the first few days. My dad is one who likes control and in charge. The first few days of rehab, he knew he was not in control and certainly not in charge. And rehab is certainly different from the "hospital". Even though he is in the same building, only on another side of the hospital, things are done differently. When you are in the hospital, people want to help you go to the bathroom and serve you lunch and take care of you. When you are in rehab, you are expected to do as much for yourself as you are able. Help is there, but you have to ask for it. For an 82 year old man who has been babied all his 62 years of marriage and has babied his wife for those same 62 years, this is a hard task. My dad does not like to have to ask for help and is certainly not going to ask twice!!!

Dad is doing great though. I am in hopes he can come home this week. There is a case management meeting on Tuesday morning and they should let us know then when he is expected to come home. It will be determined then also if he is to have outpatient therapy after he goes home. Dad is feeling much better, in fact he said this morning he felt great! He can "bounce" out of bed and go to the potty chair next to the bed by himself in the night. He can walk with a walker and get around as needed with the walker. He is able to dress himself and has no trouble eating and feeding himself. The only concern is the residual effects of the pinched nerves that cause him to have a very weak left leg and tingling in his hands.

His favorite part of rehab is the bowl of red beans. He thought at first it was odd to do this, but they had him massage the red beans in and out with his hands. He was surprised how good it made his hands feel. For a few minutes after doing this, he has "normal" feeling in his hands. They have told him they plan to have him put his feet in the bowl next week. I believe he will come home on Wednesday or Friday. Not Thursday, since that is a holiday. My prayer is for Wednesday.

My mom is doing good. My dad had his surgery on Friday, the 11th and mother was very weak and pale that whole day. The day before she had a injections of cortisone in her left surgery by her rheumatologists. She is on Coumadin and the two didn't mix well. Normally, she would have gone to her Coumadin clinic and had her PT tested, but because of the surgery, we forgot to have her do this. Needless to say as Friday morning passed with her passing out every time she stood up, we knew she was not doing well. But how do you focus on her when your dad is having major surgery. We also thought most of it was due to her stress level.

Saturday morning, she could hardly get out of bed. She felt weak, nauseated and everytime she sat up, she was almost pass out. So to the ER we went with her. My sister had stayed the night with my dad and when she came home, we knew that is where we were headed. After blood test and then repeat blood tests it was determined her blood was four times thinner than it should be and the volume was low also. They would admit her to the hospital.

Now, my sister and I had our hands full. We tagged each other as we passed in the hallways going back and forth. "Tag, you're it!" At least we kept each other laughing!! Mother was given two pints of whole blood on Saturday and although they planned to give her two pints on Sunday, it was determined she didn't need more. She had an esophageal scope on Monday. There was only a small tear found in her duodenum, not enough to cause internal bleeding. So a colonoscopy was planned for Tuesday. But Monday morning, she bottomed out. She had pain in her abdomen and her blood pressure dropped dramatically. It got quite scary for several hours. They took x-rays and more x-rays and gave her Dopemine to get her BP back up. She finally began to rally Monday evening but it was determined she could not have the colonoscope on Tuesday. It was thought that her electrolytes were out of whack and she was having too much go out and not enough liquid in. So they reversed things and took her completely off the Coumadin.

It was determined then on Monday that my dad would go to rehab. Believe me, that was a relief for me. At least he would be taken care of and we would not have to stay in the hospital through the night to stay with him. The heart institute where my mom was didn't allow family to stay the night, so we both could go home and get a good night's sleep. I was looking forward to that.

Dad moved to rehab on Tuesday afternoon, but his first impressions of this facility were not great! He was not very happy in the next few days. Mom was to have her colonoscopy on Wednesday morning, which my sister and I were glad to have done. We knew if mom left the hospital without having this done, it would not be done. Mom was not too enthused about this, but agreed. We spent the evening with her on Tuesday, keeping her laughing and encouraging her on as she drank the colyte to prepare for the test. She did great. This was surprising since she had had a panic attack earlier in the day when the decision was made to have this done!

Wednesday morning went smoothly and we were told mother had internal hemorrhoids and a polyp that would be sent off. We assumed they would keep her to make sure her BP didn't bottom out again. We left about noon to take my sister back home to Arlington. She had to go home and I was left to take care of both parents! (I was the one insisting that my sister go home. She had to get ready for their move in two weeks and had issues at home!) As I was returning from Abilene, I got a call. Mother's friend was in a panic that mother had been dismissed and there was no one to take her home. I called the hospital and talked with the nurses station and explained that I was on my way and would pick her up later that night. They were fine with that.

Remember, we are talking about people in their 70's and 80's who believe every word a doctor tells them and when they are told to go home, they believe they have to leave righ then or be thrown on the street. I called mother to explain I had talked with them and it was okay for her to stay there. I would come and get her.

So....I got mother home on Wednesday evening. She is feeling much better. I on the other hand was not happy, not knowing what the doctor was thinking. Did she still have internal bleeding? Who or when were they treating the anemia? Mother left the hospital with a card stating that she was to see her heart doctor on January 30th. A whole two months away. There seemed to be no conclusion. I called the doctor's office the next morning, asking my questions and expecting a call back. Mother said she didn't think I would get a call back.

On Friday, I called the office again and explained that I was leaving town and had to find out the answers that day. Later in the day, a nurse called me and as I explained the questions, she understood my confusion and feeling of incomplete treatment. Finally, about 5:15 I received a call stating that the doctor thought he had left mother a prescription for iron and they would call in the prescription. Needless to say, I am not too happy with her doctor and plan to write a letter to him to get the rest of my questions answered. I know doctors are busy, I know they have lots of patients, but in this case, it was neglect. I will do what I can to rectify this.

My mother is one that would have gone on and not questioned any of this. She was glad I was there to see that this was done.

I left today, after visiting my dad this morning. When we arrived, he said he felt great and I think he is well on his way to full recovery. I asked him before I left if he would be uncomfortable for me to pray for them. He said he didn't mind and I prayed over them. I am asking God's blessing and peace to be with them. This is all new territory for them and I know God will get them through this.

My mom is not one to stay by herself and this is hard for her. I just talked with her and she is okay! God, please give mom comfort and peace tonight!