Last night the men went to the hockey game, Laura Lou went to a friend's house to see a young man that's home on leave from the military and Pammy & I went to see "Pride & Prejudice". When she & I returned we had 6 young people here at the house hanging out. There were 3 of Laura's girlfriends and 2 young men home on leave watching movies & chowing down popcorn. Our house tends to be the meeting place which is fine with me, I've never minded having our kid's friends here. They are all good kids & obviously feel very comfortable being in our home.
They sat down to watch "Phantom of the Opera" with Pammy & I when the phone rang. It was my best friend Brenda telling me that her Daddy had just passed away a short time earlier. Whew! That was rough! I think the only feeling that comes close to grieving a loss, is watching someone you love go through a loss and the helplessness you feel at that time. She told me that the total time her Dad had, from the time her Mom noticed something wasn't right with him until last night was less than 3 weeks! She said that the original diagnosis showed 2 brain tumors but in a little over a week's time, a third appeared and it was extremely agressive. Man! There wasn't even enough time to accept the news he had cancer let alone say goodbye! Brenda has the most incredible faith and such a strong feeling of peace & comfort from God but she's still just lost her Daddy and I know she's hurting really bad.
Perry called the house a little after midnight, while I was changing into my jammies & brushing my teeth saying that they had gotten into Denton. When I came out, Dave was gone and I found out that Perry had needed help getting my Mother-in-Law into the motel room. I went on to bed and eventually fell asleep even though Dave had not returned yet. I just figured he was visiting with Perry. Dave told me this morning before he had to run into work, that he'd never seen his Mom so disoriented & lethargic. She didn't even acknowledge Dave's presence. She was behaving strangely on the drive down here and apparently at one point Perry asked his Dad if they should turn back? They decided to press onward. We're hoping that when they call us later on we'll hear that she was just extremely worn out from the drive and that she's her usual self once again. Dave said he had to wonder if she somehow had a small stroke or something in the car? If there is no change, we'll have to take her to the hospital. What a different holiday this is turning out to be?!
Still, in spite of all of these trials, hurts & struggles I am thankful that God is in control. He knows what the outcome of things are going to be even when we can barely tread water and are on the verge of being overwhelmed. Last night as I was praying for Brenda the old hymn, "Blessed Assurance" ran through my mind over & over. I love contemporary Praise & Worship music more than the hymns I have known for so many years. This newer style really ushers me into the very presence of my Heavenly Father and fills me with such a sense of adoration that I can't contain myself. I have probably become quite the snob in years past in my preference of "singing songs TO God rather than singing songs ABOUT God." However I think I have obtained a bit more wisdom as of late and realize that some of the old hymns have merit & worth after all, because of the comfort they provide. This a hymn that comes back to me more & more lately, during trials and tears.
Blessèd assurance, Jesus is mine!
O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.
Refrain:
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior, all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior, all the day long.
Perfect submission, perfect delight,
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels descending bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love.
Refrain:
Perfect submission, all is at rest
I in my Savior am happy and blest,
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.
Refrain:
Friday, December 30, 2005
Thursday, December 29, 2005
Bye Bye Flu Bug & Other Tidbits Of Info!
The flu came & went pretty quickly at our house, thank goodness. Charlie & I were keeping juice & yogurt down by that afternoon. We both slept a lot that day & by evening I felt good enough to strip the beds and wash the sheets, etc. I woke up yesterday morning, feeling 110%! Charlie & Jessica were feeling just as good yesterday morning too! It skipped over Dave, Steven & Laura so they were extremely happy!
Other news....
For the first time since we moved to Texas, our best friends, Charlie & Brenda Moore aren't down to ring in the new year with us & Dave's brother Trace & his family. Brenda's daddy has taken a drastic turn for the worse and isn't expected to last much longer. The doctor said they've never seen cancer this aggressive! We just saw him last month when we were home for Thanksgiving & he looked like his usual jolly self. He had fallen while raking leaves, (broke his arm) thinking he had stepped in a hole. It turned out that the 2 tumors on his brain had affected his balance. He went in a couple of weeks later to be seen by the doctor and that's when he was diagnosed with lung cancer and the 2 tumors. In such a quick amount of time he's went downhill really fast. He's been in & out of the hospital & has basically been sent home to die. It's completely shocking! He was given a clean bill of health in August, chest x-rays were as clear as can be & now, in the course of a month...Please send up a prayer for my best friend & her family. Her Daddy is a Believer & Brenda has been blessed to have such a truly wonderful father. She knows where he's going & she's praying for God's will but it'still painful to say goodbye. I love her like a sister and it hurts me to know how hard this is for her!
When I wrote about Lydia's funeral a couple of weeks ago, I mentioned her frail, elderly father, Mr Bailey, being helped to stand at her casket. What I didn't know was that afterwards he told the pastor who officiated the funeral (a dear family friend of not only my cousin Bill & his wife Lydia but the Bailey family as well) that he would be doing his (Mr Bailey's) funeral before much longer. We all know that nervousness we feel when someone says something that catches us off guard and the Pastor replied, "Oh Brother Bailey, you'll outlive us all." Mr. Bailey told him that he indeed would be doing his funeral soon. Mr Bailey passed away in his sleep 4 days later. When my father told me about his passing I said, "He was a Minister & maybe his last act of ministry as a servant of God, was to be of comfort to his daughter, Lydia. Now that she's with God, it was time that God called him home." Enter in thou good & faithful servant...
I spoke with my folks for the holiday & my stepsister is recovering remarkably fast from her surgery to have her tumor removed. I remember what a slug I was from my laproscopic procedure & here she was practically gutted! She'll begin chemo soon for the colon cancer.
Last night Dave's brother Trace, wife Pammy & son Jonathon drove in from Denver to spend the holiday with us. Today, Dave's youngest brother Perry is driving their parents down to see us as well. It'll be a longer drive than usual with many stops. With the Moore family not coming down this year it'll be a Hopkins only event. I told Dave that this is probably the last trip his parents will ever make so we plan to make it special all the way around, including family photos. I only wish my daughter Jennifer & her family were down, then it would be complete! We're going home next summer, God willing, to celebrate my father-in-law Bill's, 80th birthday. If Jessica & Steven are able to come with both girls, we could actually get everyone, including Perry's children & grandchildren, in a huge family photo. That would be 23 of us altogether! That would be really nice.
I cooked a brisket overnight (this is Texas afterall so what else would I fix for a crowd?) so we can have a nice meal tomorrow night, a Texas-style BBQ in December. Hey, it's been in the 70's & 80's even, this last week so I'll probably have to open up the windows. The menfolk are going to a Dallas Stars Hockey game tonight, they play are old home team the St Louis Blues. Pammy, Laura Lou & I will do something while we wait for word from brother Perry & figure out when he'll get in. We might go shopping today & I'll order pizza for this evening rather than try & cook a meal. It should be a relaxed day!
Signing off....
Until next time
Other news....
For the first time since we moved to Texas, our best friends, Charlie & Brenda Moore aren't down to ring in the new year with us & Dave's brother Trace & his family. Brenda's daddy has taken a drastic turn for the worse and isn't expected to last much longer. The doctor said they've never seen cancer this aggressive! We just saw him last month when we were home for Thanksgiving & he looked like his usual jolly self. He had fallen while raking leaves, (broke his arm) thinking he had stepped in a hole. It turned out that the 2 tumors on his brain had affected his balance. He went in a couple of weeks later to be seen by the doctor and that's when he was diagnosed with lung cancer and the 2 tumors. In such a quick amount of time he's went downhill really fast. He's been in & out of the hospital & has basically been sent home to die. It's completely shocking! He was given a clean bill of health in August, chest x-rays were as clear as can be & now, in the course of a month...Please send up a prayer for my best friend & her family. Her Daddy is a Believer & Brenda has been blessed to have such a truly wonderful father. She knows where he's going & she's praying for God's will but it'still painful to say goodbye. I love her like a sister and it hurts me to know how hard this is for her!
When I wrote about Lydia's funeral a couple of weeks ago, I mentioned her frail, elderly father, Mr Bailey, being helped to stand at her casket. What I didn't know was that afterwards he told the pastor who officiated the funeral (a dear family friend of not only my cousin Bill & his wife Lydia but the Bailey family as well) that he would be doing his (Mr Bailey's) funeral before much longer. We all know that nervousness we feel when someone says something that catches us off guard and the Pastor replied, "Oh Brother Bailey, you'll outlive us all." Mr. Bailey told him that he indeed would be doing his funeral soon. Mr Bailey passed away in his sleep 4 days later. When my father told me about his passing I said, "He was a Minister & maybe his last act of ministry as a servant of God, was to be of comfort to his daughter, Lydia. Now that she's with God, it was time that God called him home." Enter in thou good & faithful servant...
I spoke with my folks for the holiday & my stepsister is recovering remarkably fast from her surgery to have her tumor removed. I remember what a slug I was from my laproscopic procedure & here she was practically gutted! She'll begin chemo soon for the colon cancer.
Last night Dave's brother Trace, wife Pammy & son Jonathon drove in from Denver to spend the holiday with us. Today, Dave's youngest brother Perry is driving their parents down to see us as well. It'll be a longer drive than usual with many stops. With the Moore family not coming down this year it'll be a Hopkins only event. I told Dave that this is probably the last trip his parents will ever make so we plan to make it special all the way around, including family photos. I only wish my daughter Jennifer & her family were down, then it would be complete! We're going home next summer, God willing, to celebrate my father-in-law Bill's, 80th birthday. If Jessica & Steven are able to come with both girls, we could actually get everyone, including Perry's children & grandchildren, in a huge family photo. That would be 23 of us altogether! That would be really nice.
I cooked a brisket overnight (this is Texas afterall so what else would I fix for a crowd?) so we can have a nice meal tomorrow night, a Texas-style BBQ in December. Hey, it's been in the 70's & 80's even, this last week so I'll probably have to open up the windows. The menfolk are going to a Dallas Stars Hockey game tonight, they play are old home team the St Louis Blues. Pammy, Laura Lou & I will do something while we wait for word from brother Perry & figure out when he'll get in. We might go shopping today & I'll order pizza for this evening rather than try & cook a meal. It should be a relaxed day!
Signing off....
Until next time
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
Our Christmas present from Jacey-Beth
Short post today...
On Christmas day, Jacey-Beth got sick after dinner. I gave her a bath and washed her hair for Jessica (who doesn't do the whole throw-up thing well). At 2:45 this morning, Charles started throwing up and I got sick an hour later.I got off the phone with Jessica a few minutes ago and she is the 4th family member to spend time visiting the "porcelin throne". We're thinking that Jacey got exposed at Day Care to the flu bug and now it's making the rounds through our family. Dave, Steven & Laura Lou so far haven't been affected. Will write more later...
On Christmas day, Jacey-Beth got sick after dinner. I gave her a bath and washed her hair for Jessica (who doesn't do the whole throw-up thing well). At 2:45 this morning, Charles started throwing up and I got sick an hour later.I got off the phone with Jessica a few minutes ago and she is the 4th family member to spend time visiting the "porcelin throne". We're thinking that Jacey got exposed at Day Care to the flu bug and now it's making the rounds through our family. Dave, Steven & Laura Lou so far haven't been affected. Will write more later...
Monday, December 26, 2005
Sunday, December 25, 2005
Merry Christmas
I'm sitting here with my coffee and the house is quiet, no one else is up yet. The sourdough rolls I've made for dinner later today are baking in the oven. The aroma is wonderful! My thoughts turn to Christmas' past when my children were little. The one that stands out most in my mind was the Christmas of 1993.
We had just moved to Texas in July and in October, Charles David turned 3 years old. I can still see him running around the house in training pants and his first pair of cowboy boots. That's such a magical age of discovery and curiousity. We put the kids to bed and then proceeded to put out the Christmas presents and fill the stockings. (One of my favorite songs to listen to on Christmas Eve is , "Happy Christmas Eve" by Alabama. It sings of just such things.)
The rest of this story was reported to me Christmas morning by Jessica.
In the middle of the night, Charlie woke up. He went to Jessica & Laura's bedroom and woke her up. (Charlie & Jessica are especially close.) He told her,
"I heard a noise and I think it was Santa".
Her 11 year-old-wisdom said,
"Then you'd better get back to bed so he can leave us our presents."
To which he replied,
"I know, but I am just SOOOO excited!"
I can imagine his little body quivering with excitement, Jessica taking him back to his room to bed, covering him up and telling him goodnight. Children all snuggled in their beds, waiting ever so anxiously for the thrill of Christmas morning. What a sweet, precious memory!
Time moves on and children grow up. Yes, it's sad but there's such a sense of satisfaction that comes from knowing that you've done a good job. You've taught them the value of what's important so that they can pass those things down to your grandchildren. This morning, only 2 of our 4 children will wake up under our roof and they will anxiously await Christmas morning.One day, probably a lot sooner than I want, Dave and I will be like my parents, waking up on Christmas morning, just the 2 of us, no more little feet running through the house, yanking our arms to get us up out of our beds. The groans that will escape from their mouths when Dave says, "After I get my shower, we'll open up gifts", knowing they'll have to wait a little bit longer. One year for grins, Dave and I set the clocks back an hour before we went to bed on Christmas Eve. The next morning when the kids came running in to wake us up, thinking it was 8AM, it was really 9AM. We laughed at the joke we'd played on them. When Jessica told us that they couldn't figure out why the cartoons weren't on when they were supposed to be, we REALLY laughed! Another precious memory!
Life is so short and goes by so quickly, savor each moment when your children are small because it goes by in the blink of an eye. Make memories and treasure them in your heart.
Merry Christmas everyone!
We had just moved to Texas in July and in October, Charles David turned 3 years old. I can still see him running around the house in training pants and his first pair of cowboy boots. That's such a magical age of discovery and curiousity. We put the kids to bed and then proceeded to put out the Christmas presents and fill the stockings. (One of my favorite songs to listen to on Christmas Eve is , "Happy Christmas Eve" by Alabama. It sings of just such things.)
The rest of this story was reported to me Christmas morning by Jessica.
In the middle of the night, Charlie woke up. He went to Jessica & Laura's bedroom and woke her up. (Charlie & Jessica are especially close.) He told her,
"I heard a noise and I think it was Santa".
Her 11 year-old-wisdom said,
"Then you'd better get back to bed so he can leave us our presents."
To which he replied,
"I know, but I am just SOOOO excited!"
I can imagine his little body quivering with excitement, Jessica taking him back to his room to bed, covering him up and telling him goodnight. Children all snuggled in their beds, waiting ever so anxiously for the thrill of Christmas morning. What a sweet, precious memory!
Time moves on and children grow up. Yes, it's sad but there's such a sense of satisfaction that comes from knowing that you've done a good job. You've taught them the value of what's important so that they can pass those things down to your grandchildren. This morning, only 2 of our 4 children will wake up under our roof and they will anxiously await Christmas morning.One day, probably a lot sooner than I want, Dave and I will be like my parents, waking up on Christmas morning, just the 2 of us, no more little feet running through the house, yanking our arms to get us up out of our beds. The groans that will escape from their mouths when Dave says, "After I get my shower, we'll open up gifts", knowing they'll have to wait a little bit longer. One year for grins, Dave and I set the clocks back an hour before we went to bed on Christmas Eve. The next morning when the kids came running in to wake us up, thinking it was 8AM, it was really 9AM. We laughed at the joke we'd played on them. When Jessica told us that they couldn't figure out why the cartoons weren't on when they were supposed to be, we REALLY laughed! Another precious memory!
Life is so short and goes by so quickly, savor each moment when your children are small because it goes by in the blink of an eye. Make memories and treasure them in your heart.
Merry Christmas everyone!
Saturday, December 24, 2005
Norman Vaughan Passes at age 100
This is a totally unrelated to Christmas blog today. I was reading the news this morning on the internet as is my usual custom every morning with my coffee and read that a man named Norman Vaughan had passed away at age 100. Besides the fact that he was well advanced in years, what caught my eye was the rest of the title:
"Famous Explorer Norman Vaughan Dies At 100".
In all honesty, despite the headline's claim that he was famous, I'd never heard of the man. I read the article and was instantly fascinated by this man. He was a member of the Byrd Antarctic Expedition 1928-1930. Admiral Byrd named a glacier as well as a mountain after him. When Mr. Vaughan was 89 years old, he climbed to the summit of that mountain to celebrate his birthday. He was planning a return climb for his 100th birthday.
I decided to do an internet search and found a website on Mr Vaughan (whose link I've included.)
http://www.normanvaughan.com/index.html
To my great delight, I found that this gentleman wrote 2 books during his lifetime and I intend to purchase them. I love to read anything and everything but the books that are of particuliar interest to me are the historical biographies or autobiographies. Some of my most treasured books are the stories of everyday people, Ada Blackjack for example, and the not so everyday, like Stonewall Jackson.
If you have a few minutes to spare, I encourage to check out this website and read about an interesting man whose motto was:
"Dream big and dare to fail". Godspeed Mr Vaughan, mush on!
"Famous Explorer Norman Vaughan Dies At 100".
In all honesty, despite the headline's claim that he was famous, I'd never heard of the man. I read the article and was instantly fascinated by this man. He was a member of the Byrd Antarctic Expedition 1928-1930. Admiral Byrd named a glacier as well as a mountain after him. When Mr. Vaughan was 89 years old, he climbed to the summit of that mountain to celebrate his birthday. He was planning a return climb for his 100th birthday.
I decided to do an internet search and found a website on Mr Vaughan (whose link I've included.)
http://www.normanvaughan.com/index.html
To my great delight, I found that this gentleman wrote 2 books during his lifetime and I intend to purchase them. I love to read anything and everything but the books that are of particuliar interest to me are the historical biographies or autobiographies. Some of my most treasured books are the stories of everyday people, Ada Blackjack for example, and the not so everyday, like Stonewall Jackson.
If you have a few minutes to spare, I encourage to check out this website and read about an interesting man whose motto was:
"Dream big and dare to fail". Godspeed Mr Vaughan, mush on!
Friday, December 23, 2005
T'was the night before, the night before...
T'was the night before, the night before Christmas and all through the house,
I'm typing and right-clicking away on my mouse!
Checking my e-mails and blogging away,
hoping presents I've ordered are still on their way!
What with cookies to bake and presents to wrap
Who has time to take a well-earned nap?
We're caught up in the rush, to make everything right
We've forgotten WHO comes on that special night.
No, it's not St. Nick or old Santa Claus we await
It's the Christ-child Himself that we all anticipate.
Let our hearts rejoice and sing evermore
It's Jesus alone whom we adore!
All praise and glory on Him we shower
Spendid in majesty, honor and power.
Jesus is the gift that keeps on giving
His coming has given us a reason for living.
Remember that Christmas is so much more
than something that can be bought from the store.
It's about love coming down, in human form
Offering mere mortals a chance to be reborn.
Welcome Lord Jesus, make my heart your home!
For Jennifer,
Love, Mom
Is this a little more upbeat? Ha Ha
I'm typing and right-clicking away on my mouse!
Checking my e-mails and blogging away,
hoping presents I've ordered are still on their way!
What with cookies to bake and presents to wrap
Who has time to take a well-earned nap?
We're caught up in the rush, to make everything right
We've forgotten WHO comes on that special night.
No, it's not St. Nick or old Santa Claus we await
It's the Christ-child Himself that we all anticipate.
Let our hearts rejoice and sing evermore
It's Jesus alone whom we adore!
All praise and glory on Him we shower
Spendid in majesty, honor and power.
Jesus is the gift that keeps on giving
His coming has given us a reason for living.
Remember that Christmas is so much more
than something that can be bought from the store.
It's about love coming down, in human form
Offering mere mortals a chance to be reborn.
Welcome Lord Jesus, make my heart your home!
For Jennifer,
Love, Mom
Is this a little more upbeat? Ha Ha
Monday, December 19, 2005
LONG WEEKEND
I went to Lydia's funeral on Sat. I woke up at 4:30, left by 5:30 and got there by 8:30. The service started at 10AM. As far as funerals go it was more up beat then some since we knew Lydia was in the presence of the Living God. It wasn't like some funerals that I've been to that were so depressing and lacking in hope that you almost wished YOU were the one dead! I told my father that when I die, I want people singing praise and worship songs, laughing, wearing bright colors and feeling a bit jealous because of where I'm at!
That was the "nice" thing about going to the funeral. My father and my stepmother Ruth were there, his brother, my Uncle Carl (his wife, my Aunt Carolyn was diagnosed with lung cancer last month) and one of his kids, my cousin Darrin were there as well as other family members that I haven't seen since before my grandmother passed away in 2000! That part was good, reconnecting with family again.
I have never been to a funeral where so many people came! Lydia was loved and respected by so many people. She was not only a Minister's wife she was also a teacher. My cousin Bill is a Baptist Minister in Marshall, TX and his church was too small to hold Lydia's funeral. The funeral was held in a bigger church with a balcony and stained glass windows.It was a beautiful church. It was a cloudy, dreary day all day with the threat of showers but at the very end of her service, for a brief moment, the clouds must've broken up, because a ray of light shone through one of the windows. We sat in the section reserved for family, about 7 or 8 long pews. There were people standing in the back because it was so full. When the service was over, it took at least 45 minutes for the people other than family, to go through the receiving line up front!!!
There were a couple of times that I got choked up. When the service began there was a hymn played, I'm assuming one of Lydia's favorites and I looked and saw my cousin Bill with his hands lifted in worship. Only God can give that kind of peace when the love of his life is lying in a casket in front of him! That was humbling.
At the very end, before we left for the cemetery and we were filing past the casket one last time, Lydia's father was helped out of his wheelchair and supported so he could stand and look at her one last time. Her Daddy is a retired Baptist minister, in his 90's and as he sat in his wheelchair he looked so small and frail. Lydias mom died of cancer herself years ago and now he was saying goodbye to his child. His tears just fell silently. My stepmother and I had to turn and look away because it was heart-breaking.
This has been an emotional weekend. On the drive home I spoke with my Mother back home in St Charles.She and my stepdad (Pop) have had quite a year. Last Dec my Mom had her pacemaker put in and has been trying to get her meds adjusted. I know she's been discouraged because the side effects have been hard on her. I had my surgery back in March, my 50 year old step-brother has had heart problems and subsequent surgeries and recovery since July and then she told me that while my 47 year old step-sister was having a tumor removed from her ovary and the doctor's were doing her hysterecromy Friday, they discovered she has colon cancer. They removed the cancer as well as part of her colon and she will begin chemo as soon as it's possible. To say that my family could use some extra prayer cover is an understatement!
Today, my best friend's (Brenda) father, should get the results of his bone scan to see if his lung cancer has spread to his bones. He also begins radiation on the 2 brain tumors today. For some people this is going to be a hard holiday to get through. As overwhelming as all of this is though, ironically, I am probably more in the Christmas spirit than ever before! All of these struggles and sufferings remind me of the HOPE that Christ alone can give and what a joyous day it will be when we get to forever be in His presence! That's only possible because of Christmas, Good Friday and Easter!
Death is not the end, it's the first step of a new journey. For those of us who have placed our trust in Jesus, it's the beginning of something more wonderful than our finite brains can even begin to comprehend. Death holds no fear for me. My tears are for those left behind, the ache that is in their hearts because they are missing someone that they love so dearly.
This life is but a blink of an eye when compared to the eternity that awaits us!
That was the "nice" thing about going to the funeral. My father and my stepmother Ruth were there, his brother, my Uncle Carl (his wife, my Aunt Carolyn was diagnosed with lung cancer last month) and one of his kids, my cousin Darrin were there as well as other family members that I haven't seen since before my grandmother passed away in 2000! That part was good, reconnecting with family again.
I have never been to a funeral where so many people came! Lydia was loved and respected by so many people. She was not only a Minister's wife she was also a teacher. My cousin Bill is a Baptist Minister in Marshall, TX and his church was too small to hold Lydia's funeral. The funeral was held in a bigger church with a balcony and stained glass windows.It was a beautiful church. It was a cloudy, dreary day all day with the threat of showers but at the very end of her service, for a brief moment, the clouds must've broken up, because a ray of light shone through one of the windows. We sat in the section reserved for family, about 7 or 8 long pews. There were people standing in the back because it was so full. When the service was over, it took at least 45 minutes for the people other than family, to go through the receiving line up front!!!
There were a couple of times that I got choked up. When the service began there was a hymn played, I'm assuming one of Lydia's favorites and I looked and saw my cousin Bill with his hands lifted in worship. Only God can give that kind of peace when the love of his life is lying in a casket in front of him! That was humbling.
At the very end, before we left for the cemetery and we were filing past the casket one last time, Lydia's father was helped out of his wheelchair and supported so he could stand and look at her one last time. Her Daddy is a retired Baptist minister, in his 90's and as he sat in his wheelchair he looked so small and frail. Lydias mom died of cancer herself years ago and now he was saying goodbye to his child. His tears just fell silently. My stepmother and I had to turn and look away because it was heart-breaking.
This has been an emotional weekend. On the drive home I spoke with my Mother back home in St Charles.She and my stepdad (Pop) have had quite a year. Last Dec my Mom had her pacemaker put in and has been trying to get her meds adjusted. I know she's been discouraged because the side effects have been hard on her. I had my surgery back in March, my 50 year old step-brother has had heart problems and subsequent surgeries and recovery since July and then she told me that while my 47 year old step-sister was having a tumor removed from her ovary and the doctor's were doing her hysterecromy Friday, they discovered she has colon cancer. They removed the cancer as well as part of her colon and she will begin chemo as soon as it's possible. To say that my family could use some extra prayer cover is an understatement!
Today, my best friend's (Brenda) father, should get the results of his bone scan to see if his lung cancer has spread to his bones. He also begins radiation on the 2 brain tumors today. For some people this is going to be a hard holiday to get through. As overwhelming as all of this is though, ironically, I am probably more in the Christmas spirit than ever before! All of these struggles and sufferings remind me of the HOPE that Christ alone can give and what a joyous day it will be when we get to forever be in His presence! That's only possible because of Christmas, Good Friday and Easter!
Death is not the end, it's the first step of a new journey. For those of us who have placed our trust in Jesus, it's the beginning of something more wonderful than our finite brains can even begin to comprehend. Death holds no fear for me. My tears are for those left behind, the ache that is in their hearts because they are missing someone that they love so dearly.
This life is but a blink of an eye when compared to the eternity that awaits us!
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Early Christmas Present?
I haven't posted anything here lately about my ITP situation and the whole platelet count.
The day after we returned from our Thanksgiving trip from St Charles, I had a platelet count (CBC) at the Texas Cancer Center. The numbers were really low-only 18,000. I was discouraged but I reasoned that A) I had had some dental work done by Charlie while I was back which included 6 shots of anesthesia to the gums, B) I always have sinus issues when I go home because of the changes from Texas and Missouri and C) I was in the house with a chain smoker and that maybe that was bothering my sinuses more than the normal. (Sorry Perry if you happen to read this. Of course you're a Hopkins so I know you don't feel bad or sorry about ANYTHING!! Ha Ha!)
The Oncologist decided to not play with my meds but just have me come back in for another draw 3 days later. They were up to 85,000 with out increasing my dosages like he's done in the past.
I went in this past Monday and had a scheduled appointment with the Oncologist so he can check me out. The good news is that I don't have to see him for 6 months! Yippee! The other good news is that my counts were 358,000! They haven't been that high since they overdosed me on the drugs right before my surgery for having my spleen removed!
What that means is that they are lowering my dosage of Danazol to just 300 mg a day! The Oncologist thinks that initially when my meds are lowered, I do okay but then nosedive a few weeks later. Naturally then, they up my meds. He's decided on a "wait & see" approach with my meds. If they consistently stay down then obviously he'd have to up them. However, it's likely that they rebound making it unnecessary.
All I know is that I am happy. I can't help but remember this time last year when I was sitting back in the Infusion Room, hooked up to the chemo drug, Rituxin. Can you even believe that stuff is $16,000 a dose? Oh my gosh! That's more than my new Saturn Ion cost that we bought this year! Needless to say all it did was start making my hair fall out! I was to the point that I hated taking a showers and washing my hair for fear of how much of it was going into the drain plate! This year is SO much better for me health-wise! Thank you God!!!
The day after we returned from our Thanksgiving trip from St Charles, I had a platelet count (CBC) at the Texas Cancer Center. The numbers were really low-only 18,000. I was discouraged but I reasoned that A) I had had some dental work done by Charlie while I was back which included 6 shots of anesthesia to the gums, B) I always have sinus issues when I go home because of the changes from Texas and Missouri and C) I was in the house with a chain smoker and that maybe that was bothering my sinuses more than the normal. (Sorry Perry if you happen to read this. Of course you're a Hopkins so I know you don't feel bad or sorry about ANYTHING!! Ha Ha!)
The Oncologist decided to not play with my meds but just have me come back in for another draw 3 days later. They were up to 85,000 with out increasing my dosages like he's done in the past.
I went in this past Monday and had a scheduled appointment with the Oncologist so he can check me out. The good news is that I don't have to see him for 6 months! Yippee! The other good news is that my counts were 358,000! They haven't been that high since they overdosed me on the drugs right before my surgery for having my spleen removed!
What that means is that they are lowering my dosage of Danazol to just 300 mg a day! The Oncologist thinks that initially when my meds are lowered, I do okay but then nosedive a few weeks later. Naturally then, they up my meds. He's decided on a "wait & see" approach with my meds. If they consistently stay down then obviously he'd have to up them. However, it's likely that they rebound making it unnecessary.
All I know is that I am happy. I can't help but remember this time last year when I was sitting back in the Infusion Room, hooked up to the chemo drug, Rituxin. Can you even believe that stuff is $16,000 a dose? Oh my gosh! That's more than my new Saturn Ion cost that we bought this year! Needless to say all it did was start making my hair fall out! I was to the point that I hated taking a showers and washing my hair for fear of how much of it was going into the drain plate! This year is SO much better for me health-wise! Thank you God!!!
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
HOPE
I've been in a funk the last couple of days. When Dave goes out of town I miss him a lot but not to the point of feeling the way I have been. I think it's because I know first-hand of several families who have lost loved ones recently. On Monday night, my cousin who is a Baptist minister here in Texas, lost his wife to cancer. I went to their wedding 30 years ago and if it's possible, I will go her funeral this weekend. I can't help but think of the absence that will be in that family this holiday and the remainder of their lives. A wife, mother, sister, daughter-in-law, sister-in-law, aunt, teacher and friend, so many will grieve her passing.
I love how God's Word brings comfort to our spirits. For those who are Believers; (we have recognized that we are sinners, know that there is nothing that we can DO to remedy that situation, acknowledge that God has the solution to our dilemma by sending His son Christ to pay the penalty of our debt on a cruel cross and have humbled ourselves by accepting that wondrous gift of grace, having turned the keys of our life over and said, "You drive", ) for us, God is very near.
In 1 Thessalonians 4:13 Believers are told "not to grieve as those who have no hope" for we know that those who have gone on to be with the Lord are forever in His presence and we will see them again. It doesn't say not to grieve, it says not to grieve like the world. We are "set apart" and our grief is different from the way those without Christ would grieve.
Writing is so thereapeutic for me because as I write this the Holy Spirit is reminding me of WHY Christ came. He is our hope. What a miserable existence we would be living if we had no hope. I get this mental picture of the "Dark Ages" and people who have been beaten-down living and working day to day, usually for someone else's gain, with nothing to brighten their lives.
I am reminded of a Beth Moore study I did a few years ago, "Jesus The One & Only". Between the last book of the Old Testament (Malachi) and the first book of the New Testament (Matthew) there was 400 years of silence from God. The Jews were a nation that were used to hearing from God. Whether they always obeyed the commands that He set forth, well now that was another story. During these 400 years of deafening silence, the nation of Israel would know the conquest of Alexander the Great, see their temple defiled and its treasures ransacked by Antiochus IV and see the rise of Herod the Great (he will go down in history for his murderous rampage against the male children under the age of 2 because he was threatened by the Infant King that the wise men from the East sought). If ever there was a people that needed hope, it was them!
Is it any wonder then that Zechariah was stunned and skeptical when an angel came to him while he was serving his duties in the temple and told him that he and his elderly wife would become parents to the fore-runner of the Messiah and he would be named John (the Baptist). Six months later the angel Gabriel would come to a young peasant girl and tell her that she was found worthy to give birth to the Messiah. Four hundred years of silence and boom! within 6 months, 2 major proclamations from God! I believe the word overwhelming would definitely be an understatement at this point!
I love what it says in God's Word, "You see at just the right time,when we were stll powerless, Christ died for the unglodly" (Romans 5:6). Just the right time. At just the right time, when Israel was probably in it's darkest time in history, God spoke, God was on the move, bringing hope to a weary world.
Oh how my soul rejoices over that simple 4-letter word, HOPE. I encourage anyone to look in their concordance at the references to the word HOPE. The Psalms are filled encouragement but I take comfort in 1Corinthians 5;12-26
"But if it has been preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that He raised Christ from the dead. But He did not raise Him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ the first fruits, then, when He comes, those who belong to Him. Then the end will come, when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father after He has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death."
Hope lives!
I love how God's Word brings comfort to our spirits. For those who are Believers; (we have recognized that we are sinners, know that there is nothing that we can DO to remedy that situation, acknowledge that God has the solution to our dilemma by sending His son Christ to pay the penalty of our debt on a cruel cross and have humbled ourselves by accepting that wondrous gift of grace, having turned the keys of our life over and said, "You drive", ) for us, God is very near.
In 1 Thessalonians 4:13 Believers are told "not to grieve as those who have no hope" for we know that those who have gone on to be with the Lord are forever in His presence and we will see them again. It doesn't say not to grieve, it says not to grieve like the world. We are "set apart" and our grief is different from the way those without Christ would grieve.
Writing is so thereapeutic for me because as I write this the Holy Spirit is reminding me of WHY Christ came. He is our hope. What a miserable existence we would be living if we had no hope. I get this mental picture of the "Dark Ages" and people who have been beaten-down living and working day to day, usually for someone else's gain, with nothing to brighten their lives.
I am reminded of a Beth Moore study I did a few years ago, "Jesus The One & Only". Between the last book of the Old Testament (Malachi) and the first book of the New Testament (Matthew) there was 400 years of silence from God. The Jews were a nation that were used to hearing from God. Whether they always obeyed the commands that He set forth, well now that was another story. During these 400 years of deafening silence, the nation of Israel would know the conquest of Alexander the Great, see their temple defiled and its treasures ransacked by Antiochus IV and see the rise of Herod the Great (he will go down in history for his murderous rampage against the male children under the age of 2 because he was threatened by the Infant King that the wise men from the East sought). If ever there was a people that needed hope, it was them!
Is it any wonder then that Zechariah was stunned and skeptical when an angel came to him while he was serving his duties in the temple and told him that he and his elderly wife would become parents to the fore-runner of the Messiah and he would be named John (the Baptist). Six months later the angel Gabriel would come to a young peasant girl and tell her that she was found worthy to give birth to the Messiah. Four hundred years of silence and boom! within 6 months, 2 major proclamations from God! I believe the word overwhelming would definitely be an understatement at this point!
I love what it says in God's Word, "You see at just the right time,when we were stll powerless, Christ died for the unglodly" (Romans 5:6). Just the right time. At just the right time, when Israel was probably in it's darkest time in history, God spoke, God was on the move, bringing hope to a weary world.
Oh how my soul rejoices over that simple 4-letter word, HOPE. I encourage anyone to look in their concordance at the references to the word HOPE. The Psalms are filled encouragement but I take comfort in 1Corinthians 5;12-26
"But if it has been preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that He raised Christ from the dead. But He did not raise Him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ the first fruits, then, when He comes, those who belong to Him. Then the end will come, when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father after He has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death."
Hope lives!
Monday, December 12, 2005
Christmas Party
It's Monday morning & Christmas is now less than 2 weeks away! I finally finished my annual Christmas letter last night so now I can get my cards out by the end of the week. I'm actually behind on my cards this year but I'm not going to stress over that one little bit.
I will start wrapping Christmas presents tonight so that I'm not under the gun and doing it Christmas eve like in years past! I'll pop in one of my Christmas movies like "Holiday Affair", an oldie with Robert Mitchum & Janet Leigh or a newer one like "A Christmas Story" and start cranking them out. I've already watched "One Magic Christmas" which is one of my favorites. Dave & I saw it when it came out in 1985 & the Santa/St. Nick in the movie is the kind of Santa Claus that I grew up envisioning. My mother's from Germany so the "Old World" St. Nick with flowing robes is my idea of Santa, not the guy in the red & white suit with black boots!
Saturday evening Dave had his work Christmas party. It was really nice! We met for appetizers at the Reatta Tower and then had a wonderfully tasty meal. We received American Express gift cards which was a great idea and the Ft Worth Fire Dept presented "us" with a plaque thanking us for our "Cowboy Santa" participation. Several years ago, the decision was made to do away with exchanging gifts with one another. You know the token, $10-$15 limit kind where you give better gifts than you get. It got to the point where I was trying to pick my own gift from the pile! We were encouraged to buy a gift for an underpriviledged child instead. This year I bought a boys bike and had Dave bring it to work. Do you know that buying that particuliar gift gave me the greatest joy over every other thing I've bought throughout the year. How I wish I could see that little boy's face on Christmas morning. Not to be thanked but just to see the look on his face! It makes me warm & fuzzy inside just thinking about it!
After dinner we walked over to Bass Performance Hall for a performance of "The Nutcracker." The hall is beautiful and elegant. The production was first rate! The sets were dazzling, the costumes were beautiful and the dancing was exquisite! Can you tell I enjoyed myself? I've loved the ballet since I was 7 years old when my mother took me for my birthday to see the famous Russian, Bolshoi Ballet perform "Swan Lake". I was hooked and started ballet lessons that very Fall. Even my macho, ahletic husband couldn't help but admire the physical abilities it takes to be a dancer. I told him that I dared anyone to tell me that dancers weren't athletes. I know better and I was just an amateur when I stopped dancing! I would attend classes 4 days a week and still wasn't nearly as good as some of the girls that were there! Watching the performance was a great way to get into the Christmas spirit, of course I don't have a problem with that, I've been in it for weeks already! It's nice to see we can have some culture in Cowtown.
This morning I'm running Dave to the airport so he can fly out to California again for the week. In an earlier posting, in fact his last trip out there, I wrote how I hate it when he's gone. That hasn't changed- I still do! The only thing that will make it better this time though is that it gives me the opportunity for a home improvement project. I've been thinking of painting our Master Bathroom and this is a good opportunity to get it done. I can have a mess, sprawl stuff all over and not have to worry about cleaning up until I'm done with my project! I also need to change out the faucets in our tub so I'll be busy this week.
"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere you go..."
I will start wrapping Christmas presents tonight so that I'm not under the gun and doing it Christmas eve like in years past! I'll pop in one of my Christmas movies like "Holiday Affair", an oldie with Robert Mitchum & Janet Leigh or a newer one like "A Christmas Story" and start cranking them out. I've already watched "One Magic Christmas" which is one of my favorites. Dave & I saw it when it came out in 1985 & the Santa/St. Nick in the movie is the kind of Santa Claus that I grew up envisioning. My mother's from Germany so the "Old World" St. Nick with flowing robes is my idea of Santa, not the guy in the red & white suit with black boots!
Saturday evening Dave had his work Christmas party. It was really nice! We met for appetizers at the Reatta Tower and then had a wonderfully tasty meal. We received American Express gift cards which was a great idea and the Ft Worth Fire Dept presented "us" with a plaque thanking us for our "Cowboy Santa" participation. Several years ago, the decision was made to do away with exchanging gifts with one another. You know the token, $10-$15 limit kind where you give better gifts than you get. It got to the point where I was trying to pick my own gift from the pile! We were encouraged to buy a gift for an underpriviledged child instead. This year I bought a boys bike and had Dave bring it to work. Do you know that buying that particuliar gift gave me the greatest joy over every other thing I've bought throughout the year. How I wish I could see that little boy's face on Christmas morning. Not to be thanked but just to see the look on his face! It makes me warm & fuzzy inside just thinking about it!
After dinner we walked over to Bass Performance Hall for a performance of "The Nutcracker." The hall is beautiful and elegant. The production was first rate! The sets were dazzling, the costumes were beautiful and the dancing was exquisite! Can you tell I enjoyed myself? I've loved the ballet since I was 7 years old when my mother took me for my birthday to see the famous Russian, Bolshoi Ballet perform "Swan Lake". I was hooked and started ballet lessons that very Fall. Even my macho, ahletic husband couldn't help but admire the physical abilities it takes to be a dancer. I told him that I dared anyone to tell me that dancers weren't athletes. I know better and I was just an amateur when I stopped dancing! I would attend classes 4 days a week and still wasn't nearly as good as some of the girls that were there! Watching the performance was a great way to get into the Christmas spirit, of course I don't have a problem with that, I've been in it for weeks already! It's nice to see we can have some culture in Cowtown.
This morning I'm running Dave to the airport so he can fly out to California again for the week. In an earlier posting, in fact his last trip out there, I wrote how I hate it when he's gone. That hasn't changed- I still do! The only thing that will make it better this time though is that it gives me the opportunity for a home improvement project. I've been thinking of painting our Master Bathroom and this is a good opportunity to get it done. I can have a mess, sprawl stuff all over and not have to worry about cleaning up until I'm done with my project! I also need to change out the faucets in our tub so I'll be busy this week.
"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere you go..."
Friday, December 09, 2005
THAWING OUT!
Yesterday the temps were still pretty cold but the roads did begin to thaw out. Enough so that Dave and I worked, although we did get a later start than usual. The kids are back in school today and I have just 1 house to clean today. I've been packaging up my Christmas goodies on their trays and have begun handing them out to everyone on my list. Between that and the way my family's gobbling them up at a furious pace, I need to make more of the Carrot Cake Cookies and the Frosted Pecan Cookies! This is the easiest recipe on the planet. I got it back when Jenn was in Kindergarten, from her teacher. Here it is:
Easy Instant Cookies
1 box of packaged Cake Mix
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
Beat together, drop by rounded spoonfuls onto cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 11-13 minutes. Cool completely, frost with canned frosting and decorate (optional).
That's it, incredibly easy! I have tried different varieties over the years and here are some of the best combinations.
Lemon Cake Mix, Lemon frosting
German Chocolate Cake Mix, Coconut Pecan Frosting
Butter Pecan Cake Mix, Butter Cream Frosting
Chocolate Cake Mix, Chocolate Frosting
Butter Vanilla/Yellow Cake Mix, Butter Cream Frosting
(these taste like those expensive cookies you find at the grocery store that are packaged, bakery section)
Carrot Cake Mix, Cream Cheese Frosting
(tuck raisins inside cookies before baking)
The trick to decorating these cookies, for example I used multi-colored sprinkles on the Lemon ones and chopped pecans on top of the Butter Pecan ones, is to frost them and then immediately put the sprinkles on. If you let it set, the icing gets a film on it and the sprinkles just run right off.
If anyone wants to use this recipe I can vouch for it! The Lemon Cookies are my most sought after cookies at Christmas time!
Tomorrow night is Dave's Christmas Party for the Burlington Northern Santa Fe RR. We are headed to Ft Worth and will eat dinner at the Reatta Tower and then go over to Bass Performance Hall for an evening of the "Nutcracker Ballet". I will especially enjoy tomorrow night since I love the ballet. A little known fact is that I studied Classical Ballet for almost 10 years! I love going to an evening of this or seeing a Christmas Concert (one year Dave took me to an Amy Grant with Michael W Smith and CiCi Winons Christmas Concert). It really sets the mood for the holidays! I still remember the days of the RR's Christmas Parties where we would go down to the Ft Worth Stockyards and have BBQ at either the White Elephant Saloon or Billy Bob's! For crying out loud! What does that have to do with Christmas? They would even reserve rooms for people at the hotel next door so they wouldn't be driving on the roads afterwards! Classy huh?
Time to hit the floor running......
Easy Instant Cookies
1 box of packaged Cake Mix
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
Beat together, drop by rounded spoonfuls onto cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 11-13 minutes. Cool completely, frost with canned frosting and decorate (optional).
That's it, incredibly easy! I have tried different varieties over the years and here are some of the best combinations.
Lemon Cake Mix, Lemon frosting
German Chocolate Cake Mix, Coconut Pecan Frosting
Butter Pecan Cake Mix, Butter Cream Frosting
Chocolate Cake Mix, Chocolate Frosting
Butter Vanilla/Yellow Cake Mix, Butter Cream Frosting
(these taste like those expensive cookies you find at the grocery store that are packaged, bakery section)
Carrot Cake Mix, Cream Cheese Frosting
(tuck raisins inside cookies before baking)
The trick to decorating these cookies, for example I used multi-colored sprinkles on the Lemon ones and chopped pecans on top of the Butter Pecan ones, is to frost them and then immediately put the sprinkles on. If you let it set, the icing gets a film on it and the sprinkles just run right off.
If anyone wants to use this recipe I can vouch for it! The Lemon Cookies are my most sought after cookies at Christmas time!
Tomorrow night is Dave's Christmas Party for the Burlington Northern Santa Fe RR. We are headed to Ft Worth and will eat dinner at the Reatta Tower and then go over to Bass Performance Hall for an evening of the "Nutcracker Ballet". I will especially enjoy tomorrow night since I love the ballet. A little known fact is that I studied Classical Ballet for almost 10 years! I love going to an evening of this or seeing a Christmas Concert (one year Dave took me to an Amy Grant with Michael W Smith and CiCi Winons Christmas Concert). It really sets the mood for the holidays! I still remember the days of the RR's Christmas Parties where we would go down to the Ft Worth Stockyards and have BBQ at either the White Elephant Saloon or Billy Bob's! For crying out loud! What does that have to do with Christmas? They would even reserve rooms for people at the hotel next door so they wouldn't be driving on the roads afterwards! Classy huh?
Time to hit the floor running......
Thursday, December 08, 2005
ICE STORM!
Well folks, it's time for our occasional ice storm here in the DFW area. By the time I got home from driving carpool and gassing up my car yesterday morning it had started drizzling. I left 10 minutes later to clean my first house and it had already started to sleet. I didn't have any problems on the road but in those couple of minutes of travel time, it really picked up. The bad weather was arriving ahead of schedule!
I made the decision to move my afternoon house to this afternoon since I had an opening and I figured it was only going to get worse. Laura Lou called me at 9:30 after swim practice at the Autotorium asking me what she should do-come on home or go to school? I told her to slowly and safely come on home. Luckily she wasn't scheduled to work last night. She has NO experience of driving in this kind of weather and I wanted her home.
I finished my cleaning job around 11:30, the sleet had lessened but I knew we were out of milk at home and that I needed to go to Wal/Mart. I got milk and some extra firewood and headed on home. When I got there, Dave was already home and he had picked up some milk too! The weather in Ft Worth was worse than Denton and he had to drive the interstate home. He is a Safety Driving Instructor for the Railroad and made the decision to leave earlier than he had first planned. Everyone else in the office left early as well.
I had found out earlier, that after school soccer practice was cancelled and Charlie called asking for me to pick him up at 2PM. School wasn't getting out early but he wanted to come home. I went up and got him and am I ever glad that I did! Not long after we got home, we got another round of intense sleet!
I got a call from Jessica, her work had dismissed everyone at 1PM to go home. She was picking up Jacey-Beth from Daycare and Steven had been working from home all day as well. When we watched the 10PM news last night, there were people stuck on the highways that still hadn't gotten home from work yet! The number of car accidents were mind-boggling! One lady was in hysterics, she was coming home from the hospital after having had a baby and they were in a car accident and the Dad was being loaded up into an ambulance! It apparently wasn't life-threatening and the baby wasn't in the car with them at the time because it had been scheduled to be released today. Poor thing! I'd be hysterical too just from the hormone issue!
Our family hunkered down yesterday afternoon with a fire going in the fireplace, I read some more of the "Chronicles of Narnia" and we all had chili from the crockpot. It was very relaxed! Charlie went outside to "play" with some of his friends. This translates into falling on your butt while you slide around like an idiot! He plans to do more of the same today since school has been cancelled.
Dave said he would go in later this morning, Laura Lou wasn't on the work schedule for tonight and I haven't decided if I am going to work today or not? It'll depend on the roads. Right now the temp is 16 degrees with a wind chill of zero. We aren't supposed to get above freezing so the only way the ice will melt off is because of people driving on the roads. Tonight it'll be bad again. This kind of weather is not normal for us, we get an ice storm like this about every 2 years. That's why they're so bad. People have no experience dealing with this type of weather and they overestimate their driving abilities.The smart ones stay home whenever it's possible!
Staying warm for now!
I made the decision to move my afternoon house to this afternoon since I had an opening and I figured it was only going to get worse. Laura Lou called me at 9:30 after swim practice at the Autotorium asking me what she should do-come on home or go to school? I told her to slowly and safely come on home. Luckily she wasn't scheduled to work last night. She has NO experience of driving in this kind of weather and I wanted her home.
I finished my cleaning job around 11:30, the sleet had lessened but I knew we were out of milk at home and that I needed to go to Wal/Mart. I got milk and some extra firewood and headed on home. When I got there, Dave was already home and he had picked up some milk too! The weather in Ft Worth was worse than Denton and he had to drive the interstate home. He is a Safety Driving Instructor for the Railroad and made the decision to leave earlier than he had first planned. Everyone else in the office left early as well.
I had found out earlier, that after school soccer practice was cancelled and Charlie called asking for me to pick him up at 2PM. School wasn't getting out early but he wanted to come home. I went up and got him and am I ever glad that I did! Not long after we got home, we got another round of intense sleet!
I got a call from Jessica, her work had dismissed everyone at 1PM to go home. She was picking up Jacey-Beth from Daycare and Steven had been working from home all day as well. When we watched the 10PM news last night, there were people stuck on the highways that still hadn't gotten home from work yet! The number of car accidents were mind-boggling! One lady was in hysterics, she was coming home from the hospital after having had a baby and they were in a car accident and the Dad was being loaded up into an ambulance! It apparently wasn't life-threatening and the baby wasn't in the car with them at the time because it had been scheduled to be released today. Poor thing! I'd be hysterical too just from the hormone issue!
Our family hunkered down yesterday afternoon with a fire going in the fireplace, I read some more of the "Chronicles of Narnia" and we all had chili from the crockpot. It was very relaxed! Charlie went outside to "play" with some of his friends. This translates into falling on your butt while you slide around like an idiot! He plans to do more of the same today since school has been cancelled.
Dave said he would go in later this morning, Laura Lou wasn't on the work schedule for tonight and I haven't decided if I am going to work today or not? It'll depend on the roads. Right now the temp is 16 degrees with a wind chill of zero. We aren't supposed to get above freezing so the only way the ice will melt off is because of people driving on the roads. Tonight it'll be bad again. This kind of weather is not normal for us, we get an ice storm like this about every 2 years. That's why they're so bad. People have no experience dealing with this type of weather and they overestimate their driving abilities.The smart ones stay home whenever it's possible!
Staying warm for now!
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
Christmas Traditions!
I haven't posted for a few days since I've been getting ready for the holidays. On Monday, Laura Lou and I baked all day long! In recent years I've let her play hookey from school that day and we get all of our cookies and candies made that day. Starting *10 years ago, I've let the kids have a hookey day from school every year. If the kids struggled in school and weren't such good kids, I wouldn't let them do it. In the past, I have asked the kids, "What do you want to do on your special "Mom & Me" day?" We've gone bowling, 6 Flags, shopping, ice skating etc. I want them to grow up with special memories of our time together which is more important that a piece of paper that says, "Perfect Attendance". My kids wouldn't get that anyway because they typically get sick and miss a day or two anyway! However I've digressed....
This year Laura Lou & I made a record amount of goodies. I give out trays to all of my cleaning customers, good friends and Dave takes a large amount into work for his office. Since I love to cook and I know people enjoy eating these treats, it's a lot of fun.
For the record, we made:
8 Dozen Frosted Lemon Cookies
4 Dozen Frosted Butter Pecan Cookies
4 Dozen Frosted Carrot Cake Cookies
5 Dozen Dipped Gingersnaps
10 Doazen Rum Balls
7 Dozen Holiday Truffles
6 Dozen Mocha Truffles
*300 Peanut Butter Snowballs
80 Turtles
2 Pans of Fudge (1 with nuts, 1 without nuts)
1 Batch of Peppermint Stick Brownies
1 Box of Ritz Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies, dipped in Chocolate
1 Box of Ritz Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies, dipped in Vanilla
Now the extra holiday pounds begin!
Today we're expecting an Arctic front to come through and mix with the rain that's coming up from the south. For all of my new Alaska Blogger Pals, don't laugh! Recently Connie Marie from up there asked me if we would be getting any snow down here? I chuckled to myself at the time because in all of the 12+ years we've lived here in North Texas the total amount of dustings we have gotten probably would measure less than 10"! We are prone to ice storms more than anything. If there's anything worse than Texas drivers, it's Texas drivers trying to drive in Winter weather! They still think I-35 is their own personal Texas Motor Speedway and when you add some freezing rain, let's just say the police, ambulances and insurance companies are working overtime! I hear people that live in other areas make fun of us because we "shut down" when it starts to snow/sleet. Heck Yeah! No one knows how to drive in this mess and it's just safer, easier and cheaper to just stay home!
I have 2 houses to clean today but they're both just 5 minutes down the road from my house. I am putting on a pot of chili in the crockpot and we have some firewood piled up outside so we're going to batton down this afternoon and evening. Needless to say, my son the weather maniac, is glued to the Weather Channel giving us updates every 15 minutes! I'm hoping that I won't have to go at 5PM and pick him up from soccer practice. If the weather starts turning yucky I'm hoping that the coach will cancel practice for today. However this is Texas and this is Athletics so common sense doesn't usually prevail!
Stay warm wherever you are!
This year Laura Lou & I made a record amount of goodies. I give out trays to all of my cleaning customers, good friends and Dave takes a large amount into work for his office. Since I love to cook and I know people enjoy eating these treats, it's a lot of fun.
For the record, we made:
8 Dozen Frosted Lemon Cookies
4 Dozen Frosted Butter Pecan Cookies
4 Dozen Frosted Carrot Cake Cookies
5 Dozen Dipped Gingersnaps
10 Doazen Rum Balls
7 Dozen Holiday Truffles
6 Dozen Mocha Truffles
*300 Peanut Butter Snowballs
80 Turtles
2 Pans of Fudge (1 with nuts, 1 without nuts)
1 Batch of Peppermint Stick Brownies
1 Box of Ritz Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies, dipped in Chocolate
1 Box of Ritz Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies, dipped in Vanilla
Now the extra holiday pounds begin!
Today we're expecting an Arctic front to come through and mix with the rain that's coming up from the south. For all of my new Alaska Blogger Pals, don't laugh! Recently Connie Marie from up there asked me if we would be getting any snow down here? I chuckled to myself at the time because in all of the 12+ years we've lived here in North Texas the total amount of dustings we have gotten probably would measure less than 10"! We are prone to ice storms more than anything. If there's anything worse than Texas drivers, it's Texas drivers trying to drive in Winter weather! They still think I-35 is their own personal Texas Motor Speedway and when you add some freezing rain, let's just say the police, ambulances and insurance companies are working overtime! I hear people that live in other areas make fun of us because we "shut down" when it starts to snow/sleet. Heck Yeah! No one knows how to drive in this mess and it's just safer, easier and cheaper to just stay home!
I have 2 houses to clean today but they're both just 5 minutes down the road from my house. I am putting on a pot of chili in the crockpot and we have some firewood piled up outside so we're going to batton down this afternoon and evening. Needless to say, my son the weather maniac, is glued to the Weather Channel giving us updates every 15 minutes! I'm hoping that I won't have to go at 5PM and pick him up from soccer practice. If the weather starts turning yucky I'm hoping that the coach will cancel practice for today. However this is Texas and this is Athletics so common sense doesn't usually prevail!
Stay warm wherever you are!
Thursday, December 01, 2005
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