What a season for storms! Hoping and praying that all are safe...especially those in Oklahoma, Arkansas and Missouri. I got a call from Ricky last night, who was ready to head to a shelter. Haven't heard anything since, but the news didn't show Ft. Smith being hit. We've been very blessed not to have been in the violent storms' paths. We got a little hail last night...some as big as ping-pong balls...but it wasn't hard and didn't last long. It was kind of fun to watch, since it didn't cause damage.
Mandy and Stacey B. came down for the weekend to have a girls' weekend with Sheila and Jessica. Friday night, we all went to watch the new "Pirates" movie together. Fun time with my girls! Saturday morning, I had to be in FW. I had accidentally come home with the keys to the Ronald McDonald House in my pocket Friday afternoon! They only have one set that is shared by all volunteers and cleaning personnel...and I think by the weekend staff, as well. So I got the keys over there by 9:00 and decided to make it a day of shopping while in FW. I really enjoyed myself. I made it home around 4:00 that afternoon.
Due to the looming storms, Mandy left right after services Sunday morning, so we really didn't get to visit with her. Stacey had to get back to her dogs, so it was just our two girls over for dinner. That evening, we had a group go to Rosa's for supper. It had been quite a while since Charles and Linda had been able to join us, so we really enjoyed our time together.
Last week, Dennis went back to the doctor for his blood pressure check. He started taking medication a few weeks ago. His blood pressure was still just a tad higher than the doctor wanted, so he upped his dosage by 50%. About 2 hours after taking it that evening, Dennis woke up coughing uncontrollably. He coughed all night and developed a rash on his arm. He determined that it was a reaction to the medication and quit taking it. He continued to have a bad cough and raw throat and started developing sinus symptoms as well. He went back to the doctor yesterday and got a prednisone pack and a different blood pressure medication. The doctor told him he was allergic to ACE inhibitors. By bedtime, he was already feeling much better from taking the prednisone...and his blood pressure was already falling back to a high normal range.
Anita called yesterday and the therapists that work with her dad at the nursing home told her that if he continues to improve as he has over the past week, that he should be able to go home around the end of June. What wonderful and surprising news! I guess the antidepressants are finally working well enough that he has decided to really work at his therapy. Up until last week, he basically refused to do anything...including eating. I hope that he continues to improve and can go back home. In the meantime, they are contracting some modifications to their house to make it easier to get around in a wheelchair. Hopefully, he won't be needing the chair much though.
I've started crocheting a rectangular doily to put on the chest of drawers the kids gave me for Mothers Day. I designed the main part, which has my "Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much" on it. I found a pretty border design on the internet that I plan to finish it off with. I haven't done filet crochet or worked with crochet thread in MANY years. My hands are giving me a little trouble with it. I can only do 2 or 3 rows at a time before they start going numb on me. But I'm making pretty good progress...over half way done with the main area.
We have a long weekend coming up this weekend. The post office is closed Monday for Memorial Day and Dennis' day off is Tuesday. The girls are planning to be in Alva, and Stephen and Mandy have a trip planned to Eureka Springs, so Dennis and I are trying to decide what to do with our extra time off. (That is, of course, dependent on whether he actually gets his day off!)
I hope everyone stays safe and has a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!
Na 1:3 The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Monday, May 16, 2011
Spending time with Ricky
Ricky came in for the funeral last week. Got in about 2:00 Monday night (Tuesday morn). He rode down with Brittney, Cody and Rick W. Brittney stayed with Sheila and Jessica, and the other boys stayed at the Cunninghams'. Sheila took off at noon, so she and Brittney followed Ricky and I to the funeral. I thought we had allowed plenty of time to get there, but I had my funeral homes mixed up and we ended up driving clear across town to the wrong place! I was SO frustrated and stressed...knowing that we would be running late. Ricky kept telling me not to worry about it and we made it to the right place about 10 minutes late. Didn't miss anything except some of the singing. It was standing room only. David and Colin both did a good job. They told funny stories about Brandon and both made it through their deliveries without breaking down.
Dennis had his 3 day weekend last week, so we went to Arkansas. We spent Thursday night with Maxine. Got to her house around 1:00 and went straight to bed. We had a good time the next morning with her and Belinda, who had come over to visit with us. Didn't get to see any of the other family this trip, since we left Friday afternoon for Ft. Smith. We got up there about an hour before Ricky got off work. By time we finished supper it was almost 10:00, so we didn't get a lot of visiting done that first night. Ricky had to work until 4:00 on Saturday, so Dennis and I just hung around Ft. Smith and did some shopping. We met up with Amy and the kids for supper that night. (Clint was working and couldn't join us.) Then the three of us went back to Rick's apartment and had a very good visit. (Josh had given us his room and spent the weekend with family, so we could have alone time with Ricky.) I feel so much better after having spent time with Ricky. It is so hard to really know how he is doing without having some quality face time.
We enjoyed visiting with the Alma congregation yesterday morning...such a wonderful group! Mike gave an excellent lesson. We opted out of staying and eating lunch with the group...choosing to get on the road and making good time coming home. We had planned to make it home in time to eat out with our group at Highway. It turned out that just the Rasmussens and our girls were going to eat together, so they decided to eat in MW. We had planned to meet up with them, but my stomach had other plans. After a weekend of eating out (foods that I am NOT used to eating), I had to come straight home and nibble on cheese and crackers instead. We enjoyed the weekend, but it is good to be home!
Just as we were about to leave Thursday, I was carrying my last load to the trunk of the car and SOMEHOW managed to fall. I sprawled out on the driveway and scraped my knee up good. Thankfully that is all the damage I incurred! We cleaned it up and bandaged it and headed out. It was (and is) pretty sore but is starting to scab over now. I just can't be crawling around on my knees for awhile!
I hope everyone enjoys this beautiful weather we are having!
Job 4:4 Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees.
Dennis had his 3 day weekend last week, so we went to Arkansas. We spent Thursday night with Maxine. Got to her house around 1:00 and went straight to bed. We had a good time the next morning with her and Belinda, who had come over to visit with us. Didn't get to see any of the other family this trip, since we left Friday afternoon for Ft. Smith. We got up there about an hour before Ricky got off work. By time we finished supper it was almost 10:00, so we didn't get a lot of visiting done that first night. Ricky had to work until 4:00 on Saturday, so Dennis and I just hung around Ft. Smith and did some shopping. We met up with Amy and the kids for supper that night. (Clint was working and couldn't join us.) Then the three of us went back to Rick's apartment and had a very good visit. (Josh had given us his room and spent the weekend with family, so we could have alone time with Ricky.) I feel so much better after having spent time with Ricky. It is so hard to really know how he is doing without having some quality face time.
We enjoyed visiting with the Alma congregation yesterday morning...such a wonderful group! Mike gave an excellent lesson. We opted out of staying and eating lunch with the group...choosing to get on the road and making good time coming home. We had planned to make it home in time to eat out with our group at Highway. It turned out that just the Rasmussens and our girls were going to eat together, so they decided to eat in MW. We had planned to meet up with them, but my stomach had other plans. After a weekend of eating out (foods that I am NOT used to eating), I had to come straight home and nibble on cheese and crackers instead. We enjoyed the weekend, but it is good to be home!
Just as we were about to leave Thursday, I was carrying my last load to the trunk of the car and SOMEHOW managed to fall. I sprawled out on the driveway and scraped my knee up good. Thankfully that is all the damage I incurred! We cleaned it up and bandaged it and headed out. It was (and is) pretty sore but is starting to scab over now. I just can't be crawling around on my knees for awhile!
I hope everyone enjoys this beautiful weather we are having!
Job 4:4 Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees.
Friday, May 6, 2011
weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning
So much on my mind this week. Brandon's death was such a terrible shock to us all. My heart aches for his family and close friends. I hated having to tell Ricky...I knew he would take it very hard! We are still waiting to hear when the funeral will be. Ricky and Josh drove down to Stephen's that first night (was it just the night before last?!) so they could be here for it. It started to look like the funeral probably wouldn't be until next week, so they headed home last night.
I was too melancholy yesterday to do much of anything...just felt tired and unmotivated (which is typical for me when I'm upset). Dennis was off, so he and Thiess were able to get our a/c up and running again. Then he mowed the grass that afternoon. He accomplished a LOT more than I did. I bought groceries, went to the library and did a little laundry. We also went to pick up my mother's day gift from the kids...a chest of drawers for the guest room. Sheila bought it at a local "junktique" store downtown. We got it moved into the guest room and I cleaned it up and oiled the drawers. I'm using it to store bed linens and blankets. I love it!
I selected a library book to read yesterday afternoon: The Goodbye Quilt. I knew it was a "dangerous" choice, but sometimes having a good cry from reading is quite cleansing. It is the story of a mother who is trying to finish a quilt for her daughter while they travel cross-country to take the daughter to college. I could really identify with the main character's ambiguous feelings concerning her looming empty nest. I really enjoyed the book, and I did feel better when I finished it. I had been teary eyed for the past 24 hours, but I needed that good cleansing sobbing! I also needed the reminder that it isn't my job anymore to pick up after or fix my kids mistakes. I'm still here to help them, encourage them, and support them. But they are adults now who should, and can, make their own decisions and reap the consequences...whether good or bad. That seems to be such a difficult thing to internalize as a mother...at least for me. You spend practically all of your adult life focusing on caring for your children...taking care of all of their needs...training them and disciplining them. Then you have to step back and let them go. Such a difficult transition! Not only the letting go, but also having to re-find yourself after so many years. As the book stated so eloquently you don't go back to who you were or what your relationship with your husband was before kids. You are a different person now, and your marriage is different now. You have to redefine your life and what it is to become at this new stage...very thought provoking. (So much for my book review.....)
Well, I need to climb on my treadmill! Happy Mothers' Day to all of you mothers out there! I'm looking forward to spending it with 3 of my 5.
Lu 2:51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.
I was too melancholy yesterday to do much of anything...just felt tired and unmotivated (which is typical for me when I'm upset). Dennis was off, so he and Thiess were able to get our a/c up and running again. Then he mowed the grass that afternoon. He accomplished a LOT more than I did. I bought groceries, went to the library and did a little laundry. We also went to pick up my mother's day gift from the kids...a chest of drawers for the guest room. Sheila bought it at a local "junktique" store downtown. We got it moved into the guest room and I cleaned it up and oiled the drawers. I'm using it to store bed linens and blankets. I love it!
 |
| Look at the beautiful wood in these drawers! |
I selected a library book to read yesterday afternoon: The Goodbye Quilt. I knew it was a "dangerous" choice, but sometimes having a good cry from reading is quite cleansing. It is the story of a mother who is trying to finish a quilt for her daughter while they travel cross-country to take the daughter to college. I could really identify with the main character's ambiguous feelings concerning her looming empty nest. I really enjoyed the book, and I did feel better when I finished it. I had been teary eyed for the past 24 hours, but I needed that good cleansing sobbing! I also needed the reminder that it isn't my job anymore to pick up after or fix my kids mistakes. I'm still here to help them, encourage them, and support them. But they are adults now who should, and can, make their own decisions and reap the consequences...whether good or bad. That seems to be such a difficult thing to internalize as a mother...at least for me. You spend practically all of your adult life focusing on caring for your children...taking care of all of their needs...training them and disciplining them. Then you have to step back and let them go. Such a difficult transition! Not only the letting go, but also having to re-find yourself after so many years. As the book stated so eloquently you don't go back to who you were or what your relationship with your husband was before kids. You are a different person now, and your marriage is different now. You have to redefine your life and what it is to become at this new stage...very thought provoking. (So much for my book review.....)
Well, I need to climb on my treadmill! Happy Mothers' Day to all of you mothers out there! I'm looking forward to spending it with 3 of my 5.
Lu 2:51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.
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