My Daughter Came Home From Camp, Yay!!

This is a little overdue, but I've been away everyday helping and visiting my mom who recently had back surgery. She's doing really well. Thanks to those who are praying for my mom and who prayed for my daughter.

It turns out that my daughter had a great time and wants to go back to camp next year. I was hoping this would be the result of every one's prayers.

If you read the post from August 1, 2009 you would see that my daughter was not too excited about going to camp and pleaded with me to take her home. It was difficult to leave her, but I did.

That's H in the light blue t-shirt with the black square on it heading for me. I'd say she's almost running. She missed me!

Here's H with her friends from church and from her cabin. C is on the left and JM is on the right.

I just thought this was precious. JM made a friend at camp and they said they were twins and that lot's of people asked them if they were.

Here's my friend DH with her oldest daughter D after they shared a big hug. D is a hard hugger. She hugs so hard it hurts.

Here's DH with both daughters after camp.

Next we had to get all of their stuff and carry it to the van. We had three men help us bring the girls, but it was just us girls carrying all their stuff now. Next year I recommend bags with wheels on them.

Here's the three youngest crammed in the van with stuff all around them.

Of course they were hungry so we stopped to get some lunch before we drove home.

DH and D eating their lunch and enjoying their time back together.

I didn't have anyone take pictures of me and H. I don't know what I was thinking. So H has been home four days and all of her laundry is clean and we're getting ready to get some clothes for school. She did enjoy camp and her team, blue, won first prize, the gold medal, for the most points accumulated for various things they accomplished during the week.

Sometimes we have to make hard choices for our kids and hope that things will go well. This time they did. Thank the Lord for His intervention again!!

My Mom Walked Today

I've been anxious for the weekend to be over so my mom could get started on her therapies. Finally this afternoon while my dad and I were there the PT came in and took her for a walk.

She did very good. Just a few reminders to keep a straighter back (not leaning over at the shoulders) and walk heal toe especially with the left foot.

Getting out and into bed carefully and without bending or twisting was a challenge (it would be for me too) and mom will need plenty of practice with this. It's especially hard when you have weak joints from other surgeries.

She has no shortage of visitors. I guess all those years of visiting the sick and disabled has blessed her in return. Blessed to be a blessing and blessed right back.

Many thanks to the faithful prayer warriors out there. You have helped to keep my mom lifted up. Things are certainly looking better.

Great Day For Mom

My whole family went together to visit my mom today. She had company when we arrived and another friend from church dropped in while we were there. Mom was doing real good getting in and out of bed so I was real pleased.

We took her to the church service at 3:00pm and she said "You made my whole day," so I was real happy. We took her out into the courtyard because she hadn't been out side for quite some time.

Here's everyone singing at the church service held in the main dining room. Mom is in the yellow and her friend is in the blue. My family is on the right. The service lasted about a half an hour which was perfect.

I feel so much better about mom's situation. Thank you once more for your prayers. It just feels wonderful to have the prayer support.

Please continue to pray and remember my dad as well. He locked himself out of the house two days in a row. Thankfully he had people that took care of him. I hope he'll remember not to do this again.

Praising God for His daily care and love for my family.

I Heard My Mom Laughing Today!!!

I'd like to keep thanking you all for your support and encouragement. I'm just posting most comments without responding these days. I appreciate you all and I will be reading and commenting on your blogs again, soon I hope.

Thanks to the new people who have dropped by. I will visit I promise. I just have to get more time and some real sleep. God bless you all.

Today my mom was pretty much herself. I was so glad to walk into her room and she was awake and speaking sensibly and clearly. She was in one of her own pantsuits and we had a good visit. I left the room briefly and on the way back I could hear her laughing with my daughter. YAY!!

The doctor had the pain medicine changed and that has made the difference. God's divine intervention is so cool. I'm very tired so I'll be going for now. I'll be back to my old self soon too.

Still In Family Care Mode

Thank you all so much for your continued prayers and kind comments of support and encouragement concerning my mom.

Toady we transferred her from the hospital to the care center for rehab. The Oxycontin (spelling?) for pain is really too much for my mom. She cannot even stay awake to eat so I was with her for lunch and dinner to make sure she ate as much as possible.

It's difficult to see her trying to do things and she just can't complete a task. I inquired about the meds and the Dr. called about my mom right when I got to the desk and the nurse took care of that while I was standing there. I call that divine intervention. I expect to see a change in my mom next time I visit.

Today I had to go to find the safe deposit box (SDB) at the bank to get the POA out to take to the care center. Mom couldn't tell me where the bank was (the meds, not her) and dad never goes to the bank so he didn't know which bank it was.

We found the check book in the "hiding place" and the keys to the SDB were there too. I also had to read and sign about 25 pages of info. today. My brain is fried. I've been gone for eight & 1/2 hours doing Family Care. I feel bad for the folks doing a permanent transition to a care center. It has been a stressful day.

I feel like my schedule is totally flipped out. My eating habits have gotten worse in just four days. I'm getting concerned because I have two kids to get ready for school and I'm suppose to go to two orientations next week for two substitute para educator jobs.

But you know what? I will not worry about these things because they are in God's hands. Praise God! He cares about every detail of our lives.

Please continue to pray for my mom and our family. Thanks so much.

My Mom Is Coming Along

In case you just stopped in for the first time, my mom had back surgery two days ago. She is still in the hospital. She has to be medically well before she gets released. Meaning she has to be passing fluid, have the drain removed, and her blood work has to come back with good results.

She will probably be released tomorrow (August 7th) to a rehab facility. Now, she is not happy about rehab, but for her own safety she needs more physical therapy. Her face just went sad when they told her she needed to go to rehab. They had forewarned her so she wasn't shocked, but just sad that things aren't going as she had planned.

It's good to have a goal, but there are steps to take and hoops to jump through to meet that goal. She'll just readjust the goal now.

I think she would have done a little better if the pain meds hadn't made her so drowsy. She's coherant, but she keeps dozing off. I got her a cup of coffee at the canteen and she kept dozing off and the cup would tip. Thank goodness it had a lid on it.

I may inquire about the pain meds and see if there is anything that will be effective and not cause the drowziness.

Thank you all for your prayers. Please continue. Tomorow could be a long and stressful day for all of us as we transfer her to rehab.

A Walk Down Memory Lane, August 5, 2009

Come for a walk with me down Memory Lane!
And if you have a "Memory Lane" post, head on over to Scottsville to join in on the fun!


Here's a trip down memory lane I'd like to forget. Certain church ladies always reminded me that all I ever did was cry. Well here are two pictures that show I cried at least twice.

Truly, I know that I cried about having my feelings hurt or being left in the church nursery. Maybe I even cried when older women with scary faces approached me at church or elsewhere. Heck, I don't know, I was a kid.

I do remember being afraid of some of my older female teachers until about fourth grade. I have no idea why. Maybe it was the old lady at church that told me "all I ever did was cry." There's no way to know what a kid like me was thinking.

A lot of people called me a cry baby which only served to make it worse. At my first wedding the old lady who said what she said, decided that this was the day she had to remind me one more time. Not, "Best Wishes," or "I'm so happy for you," but "I remember you always used to cry."

That day I was all smiles and I just laughed and smiled. Can't remember what I thought, but I'm sure it was along the lines of, "I cried cuz you're so ugly." Please forgive me, I was an unsaved 22 year old bride and that's my excuse. And I'm sticking with it.

I still cry over all kinds of things, but most of the time I try to be really tough.












I think someone pinched me and I know that little boy just took my toy. These are good reasons to cry. Why is it that out of the very few pictures of me as a baby, there have to be ones of me crying?

That's my trip down memory lane and I'm laughing about it now, but I sure wasn't then. Hope you laughed and didn't cry, cuz if you cried I'd say, "You're a cry baby."