Getting ready for the Summer Camp Meeting!

This week has been mostly dedicated to getting things straightened up around here before we leave town for a week.  Dennis did get the last cabinet doors installed in the kitchen...just has some detail work to finish.  I'm so glad to see things starting to look like their supposed to!  I'm hoping, when we get back from the Summer Meeting, that Dennis will start on the "window seat" for the boys in the dining room.  After that, it will just be a little more trim work, caulking and painting.  Then this part of the remodel will be finished!

I've had a little "hiccup" on my remaining CASA case this week, which has taken up quite a bit of my time. These cases can be really stressful at times.  Not only do I have a responsibility to watch out for the safety of my kiddos, but the repercussions of actions taken can be devastating to the families. I'm very thankful for the wonderful caseworker that I'm working with on this case. It makes it so much easier when we can work together and agree on what needs to be done! I appreciate any and all prayers on behalf of these little ones that are at the mercy of others. I've heard of several devastating events in our area lately that just break my heart.  It is really hard to be gearing down right now and not taking on any more cases when the need is so great. If I didn't have Dennis helping by reminding me to "just say NO", I don't know if I could hold out.  But I know that once the ball starts rolling with Josiah's adoption that I will have my hands full!

Still no word on when Josiah will be coming home. This wait is getting more and more difficult.  Sheila found a blog of another family who picked up their daughter from Vietnam in March. I read it yesterday, and it helped some. Their daughter has done so well and is already speaking 2-4 word sentences in English, and she is only 4 years old. I daydream about what it will be like when we first meet Josiah and get to take him back to our room. I hope and pray that he will have an easy adjustment and bond quickly with us!

Today we are getting ready for leaving in the morning to go to Clarksville.  I've got most of my things packed already...except for last minute things I'll need to throw in tomorrow morning.  I'm going to Brookdale this afternoon to get the folks' meds, so I can get them sorted out and ready. We have a walker "reserved" for when we arrive.  We don't have room in our car to take theirs with us.  I tried to rent a couple in Clarksville, but they don't rent walkers. We may rent a wheelchair for Bobbie, if she thinks she needs one once we get there and see how much walking we'll be needing to do. Tomorrow will be a hard day of traveling for them...and us!

I heard from the dermatologist on Daddy's biopsies this morning.  They were both basal cell carcinomas.  The one on his arm can just be excised in the office.  The one on the side of his nose will have to be removed using Mohs surgery. I have an appointment set up with the surgeon the week after we return from Arkansas. I've heard that surgery can be pretty unpleasant. Prayers would be appreciated that all goes well!

Well, I'm looking forward to a week of spiritual revival and sweet fellowship! I am looking forward to "getting away from it all" for a few days and catching up with old friends, as well as making new ones. I hope to see some of you there!

Fresh veggies, health news, and Sheila turns 31

Summer has definitely arrived!  It got up to 103 or 104 today with a heat index of over 110.  Too hot for my tastes!

Our Father's Day lunch with the Brookdale bunch last Friday was great!  There were 6 dads being honored, and all but one had family show up.  It was fun getting to know the folks and their families a little better.  Tonette took her mom to lunch so she wouldn't feel left out.

I spent most of the day Saturday getting ready for our Sunday potluck.  Sheila and Ricky came over and we fixed Dennis tacos for his Father's Day feast.  Sheila spent the night, so she could come to Highway with us and enjoy the potluck and singing afterwards.  We enjoyed having Kyle as our guest speaker, and we always love having his family around.  The potluck at the Fields' house was great...as was the fellowship.  It was a great day all around!

Roy B. brought bell peppers and cucumbers to share with everyone at the potluck.  Then when we got home Sunday evening, we had a sack of fresh veggies on our doorstep.  (We later found out that Jimmy R. had shared with everyone at Eastside, and Daddy had brought some of it to us.)  There was a pattypan squash (which I had never had), an eggplant, and a bunch of yellow squash and a couple of zucchini.  I decided to try out a couple of new dishes for supper Monday night.  The eggplant wasn't good AT ALL, but the stuffed pattypan squash was a hit!  I used up most of the cucumbers making refrigerator pickles, which I LOVE!  I've been eating them for snacks!

I went for my 6 month checkup on my Achilles' tendon on Wednesday.  I go back in a month to be fitted for new orthotics, and I had to buy a new pair of tennis shoes and another heel lift.  She was pleased with my recovery and told me to work more on stretching to help with the pain and soreness.
Thursday, I took Daddy to the dermatologist.  He froze several pre-cancerous spots and took a couple of biopsies.  Daddy has one place on his nose that is probably cancer.  If the biopsy is positive, we'll have to go back to have it removed.  His skin was in better shape than I expected.  It had been over a decade since his last visit to a skin doctor.

Sheila came over and spent last night with us.  She had to be at the hospital in Weatherford at 11:00 for her cystoscopy.  We stayed up extra late last night, so we would be able to sleep in later, since she couldn't eat or drink anything.  Everything went well, and the doctor was able to correct her problem during the procedure...which we didn't expect to happen!  She will be sore for a few days, but after she is completely healed from the procedure, she should be symptom free!  That was great news!  After eating a baked potato, she has been sleeping off the anesthesia.  She probably won't be good and awake until tomorrow.  She is staying over again tonight to recover.

Sunday is Sheila's 31st birthday.  We are planning to go to Henrietta Creek to be with her and celebrate.  I'm looking forward to visiting with everyone over there again.  It has been awhile since my last visit!  It was funny at the hospital today...everyone was SO surprised to find out that she is 30 years old!  When the (elderly) volunteer was taking us back to pre-op, she asked if Sheila was a minor.  When the nurse came in to care for her post-op (she hadn't met her yet), the other staff had to warn her that Sheila was 30.  She wouldn't have believed it otherwise!  Of course, lying in bed without her glasses and no makeup, with her hair in a ponytail, accentuated her youthful looks.  She does get tired of being mistaken for a teenager though!  (And it doesn't help when EVERYONE tells her that she will appreciate it some day in the future!)

Next week we'll be getting ready to head to Arkansas for the Summer Camp Meeting.  I hope that the trip goes well and Daddy and Bobbie hold up to the traveling and activities.  It will definitely be a different trip than we are used to!  Hope to see some of you there!

Doctor visits and Family Time

Last Saturday was the Putman Reunion (quite possibly the last one).  I spent most of the day Friday prepping veggies for Daddy's Japanese Fried Rice.  He takes it every year...as well as to most potlucks.  When I cleaned out the kitchen in Saginaw, the main things he wanted me to keep were his giant electric skillet that he cooks it in and his vegetable shredder and rice cooker.  (I had never used his shredder before, but I am now hooked!  That thing shredded a whole pound of carrots in no time!)  Daddy came over early Saturday morning to cook the rice dish.  Then we headed over to the reunion.  I enjoyed visiting with everyone.  There are several that I never get to see, except at this yearly event.  It will be sad, not having the opportunity anymore.  But the crowds keep getting smaller, and the ones who have been in charge of planning and executing it every year finally got tired of the responsibility.  No one else wanted to take it on.  So...thus ends an era.

Daddy and Bobbie came over for Sunday dinner.  Then they decided to attend services at Highway that afternoon with us.  They have been going to Eastside every assembly.  Everyone at Highway was happy to see them again!  They are also planning to come this Lord's Day, when Kyle Y. will be our guest speaker.  We are having a potluck afterwards and a singing for the afternoon service.  Looking forward to spending Father's Day with everyone!

The folks have had several doctor visits this week.  Toni took her mom to her new primary care doctor on Monday.  I took Daddy to see the back surgeon on Tuesday.  Unfortunately he determined that Daddy's back is too messed up to do surgery.  It is correctible, but not safely so at his age.  There is too high a risk that he might end up worse off!  I really appreciated the doctor being ethical and letting us know the risks.  So he is referring Daddy to a pain management specialist to see if there is anything he can do, other than just pain pills.  Daddy does ok as long as he isn't on his feet, but he can't stand or walk very long without hurting.  He had to use a stool while cooking last Saturday.  That's also the main reason he uses a cane or walker...it helps take some of the pressure off his back.

Yesterday, I took Bobbie back for a follow-up with the GI doctor who did her scope last week.  The scope didn't show any reason for the anemia she has been having.  (They thought she might have some internal bleeding causing it.)  She has been put on a high-dose iron supplement to try to build her blood back up.  I'm hoping it will also help with her appetite, which hasn't been good lately.

Next week will be another busy week of doctor visits...not all for the folks though.  I go back to see my foot doctor on Wednesday for my six-month visit.  It will be interesting to see what she says, since I've been having more trouble lately.  She will probably also order new orthotics for me.  They were already breaking down six months ago, so I'm sure they will need replacing this time.  I am hoping to find some good shoes on sale, too.  The orthotic shoes (although not the most fashionable) really work better for me than any other shoes I've found.  They are so expensive, though, I try to only get ones off of the clearance rack!

I also take Daddy to the dermatologist next Thursday.  He has some places on his ears and forehead that will probably need to be removed.  Then Friday, I take Sheila for a procedure.  She will be need to be sedated, so she will spend the night before and after here.  It will be done in Weatherford, which is very convenient!

Tomorrow, Brookdale is taking all of the "dads" out to lunch at the antique car museum in Weatherford.  Dennis and I are going over to eat with them there.  I've always wanted to check out the museum.  I didn't realize that they also had a restaurant inside.  Toni is planning to go to Brookdale to have lunch with her mom, so she won't be left out.  I just love all of the activities that Brookdale provides for it's residents!  They always have something fun going on!

Sheila and Ricky plan to come over Saturday evening to celebrate Father's Day a little early with Dennis.  We will do Dennis' favorite...tacos!  I love it when the kids are here to help with the preparation...all of us working together in the kitchen.  Ricky loves to make the guacamole, and Sheila is a champion of doing the meat.  Dennis usually helps with the chopping of the veggies, while I fry up the taco shells.  Afterwards Sheila will spend the night, so she can be here for Sunday's activities.  It will be a family fun-filled weekend!

Happy Father's Day to all of you dads out there!

Two year update

It has been just over a year since we started on our kitchen/dining room/laundry room/entry renovations and two years since we started the whole project.  I want to do a little update and brag a bit on Dennis (if you will indulge me).

The first year was devoted to the new building projects:  the den and shop and driveway.  The shop was necessary for Dennis to have a place to work and store his tools.  It is definitely HIS favorite part of the project!  He's finally got it pretty much the way he wants it, with just about any tool he might need.  The den has also been very helpful, since we've been using it for storing stuff while we've been tearing out and rebuilding the other rooms.  It is a mess, right now, but as soon as we finish the kitchen areas, we will be able to empty it of all the excess and have it for living purposes again.  This is primarily Dennis' room:  den/office/hunting room.  He loves it, too!

People are always asking, “Are you done with the kitchen yet?”  I don’t think any of them realize what all has been done during this past year.  We pretty much tore everything down and started over, with Dennis and Ricky doing ALL of the work.  Sheetrock (walls and ceilings) were torn out and rebuilt.  Walls were knocked down and redesigned.  Cabinets were built FROM SCRATCH.  Dennis (with help from Ricky) has done all of the carpentry, plumbing, wiring, flooring, and finishing work.  I admit that Dennis has always been slow.  He spends a LOT of time thinking, planning, and researching on the internet to figure out the best way to do everything.  That’s why he does such a good job!  Plus, he is turning 65 this year, so he doesn’t have the stamina that he once had.  He doesn't work on it every day, but he does MOST days.  He is really looking forward to finishing, so he can take a much needed break!

All we have left are the upper kitchen cabinet doors, a little trim work and some painting when it is all finished.  My kitchen is a dream to work in now!  Everything is nicely organized and readily accessible.  I absolutely LOVE all of my drawers!  It is great to be able to get out any pan or casserole dish without having to get down on my knees and dig for it.  All I do is open a drawer and lift it out.  My kitchen utensils are all tucked neatly away in their sectioned drawer right beside my stove.  The basic ingredients that I use every day are easily reached in my cabinet to the right of my stove or my pull out spice rack across from my stove.  My countertops are clear, providing an abundance of work space, with my cutting boards and knives within arm’s reach.  Dennis provided plenty of electrical outlets, so plugging in a small appliance is never a problem. He has built everything exactly like I designed it.  I couldn’t be happier with the results!

It took me some time and research to decide on what kind of sink I wanted in my kitchen.  After almost a year of use, I am still completely satisfied with what I chose.  I went with the 80/20 split, which is perfect for my needs!  I love the extra large sink that will hold any of my large pans.  The smaller side is perfect for washing produce!  It is also the perfect size to fit our ice cream freezer. 

My pantry and storage closet are two of my favorite things about the remodel.  I now have room for everything!  I can easily go to my pantry and find what I need or see what needs to be replaced when I go buy groceries.  I can stock up on items, which I’ve never been able to do before.  All of my small appliances and large serving dishes and pots fit nicely in the storage closet, as well as cake decorating supplies (which used to be stored in the garage), small ice chests, picnic supplies and my cookbooks and recipes.  It is so nice to have everything neatly tucked away behind closed doors!

Even though I’m really looking forward to having everything “finished”, I am truly loving every minute I spend in my new kitchen.  As soon as it is all done, we hope to host a potluck here to “break it in”.  This house has never worked very well for entertaining, because it was so tight and boxed in.  The new open design should work great for crowds!  I am very thankful that Dennis has the skills and desire to give me such a wonderful place to work and entertain!

Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.

Today is a wonderful day!  The money from Daddy's house sale was wired into his account at the close of yesterday; so this morning, Dennis and I funded his investment account with Stephen.  This is the first time Daddy has ever had any money for investing!  At this point in his life, we will be keeping most of it in very stable investments, which aren't high yield, but will increase his assets slowly.  I think he is pretty excited to have a portfolio!

About a month ago, we discovered that Daddy had never reported Momma's death to the Teachers Retirement System.  Since his monthly annuity from them is based on him having a beneficiary that would continue to receive the annuity after his death, Dennis said that he should have some back pay coming to him (plus a raise in his monthly check).  So I wrote them, sending Mom's death certificate, and explained the circumstances.  Daddy got a letter from them this morning stating that he would soon be getting a check for over $28,000 in back pay!!!  That, along with what he made off the house, should ensure that he has plenty to last him as long as he lives.  I am SO thankful that God has allowed Daddy to have enough resources to allow him to live comfortably for the remainder of his life!

I found out yesterday that one of my (two) CASA cases is finally closed.  It has been going on for two years, and the last 5 months have just been waiting on little details to be taken care of...very frustrating for everyone!  Now this family can move on and not have to answer to CPS for everything.  I KNOW they are very relieved to finally be finished with all of the hassle.  That leaves me with just one case, and it is scheduled to close in August, if all goes well.  I'm not taking on any more cases for awhile.  Handling Daddy's affairs has been very time consuming and stressful, and I really don't have the capacity right now to take on anything extra.  Hopefully, we will also be going to get Josiah this fall, which will then completely fill my days!  So I'm taking off for a year or so until things settle down and we adjust to our new routine as full-time grandparents.

Ricky came over for supper last night.  I promised him fried deer steaks...a family favorite, but especially one for the guys.  He has been training as lead on his new job and is starting to really enjoy it.  He'll like it even more when the raise kicks in!  He has been sick with a sinus infection for a couple of weeks, but was finally able to get into to the clinic yesterday for a shot and some antibiotics.  He was already feeling better by suppertime.  (Prednisone shots really can perk a body up!) 

Looking forward to Sheila coming over tonight.  We missed our time last week, since we were in Arkansas.  Tomorrow, she, Ricky, Stacey, and I are planning to go watch the new "Pirates" movie.  Those three used to get together every week and watch reruns of the other "Pirates" movies.  Sheila's first birthday party, after we moved into this house, was pirate themed (and, of course, Stacey was here!).  So I'm expecting tomorrow to be a good time to be had by all!

Finally, on this wonderful day, we got a great rain...with more to come over the weekend.  Things had really started drying up around here, so it is very welcomed!  After a stressful few days, it is so nice to have a day in which everything seems to be going great.  Hope you can say the same!