Blogging this year has apparently been difficult for me. That is going to make what I am about to tell you seem really far-fetched. I am getting ready to start a second blog. I have been mentally and spiritually preparing for this since October. That is probably part of the reason this blog has been having such a struggle.
See, I have felt the calling to write for years, seriously, years. I have used that in little bits and pieces. When I had the Jr. High and High School AWANA kids, I would right short devotionals based around their lives and things going on in the world. Usually having them read a verse a day to get them in their Bibles at least a minute each day. I have also written some random devotionals here and there and sometimes even here on this blog. I have been feeling a stronger pull lately though, it seriously started with the night we went to see Matthew West.
Robert got us tickets for this concert and I have to tell you I was thrilled to death. Matthew West is my absolute favorite singer/songwriter/performer. I love the fact that he writes his music based on people's lives. When he wrote the song, Do Something, it reminded me so much of why I go to work everyday. However, at that concert, we got to visit with Matthew before the main event. He had asked me what my favorite song was (after I asked what his was, and he never did answer). He told me this song came back to haunt him though because he would get to feeling like he really didn't do enough. THAT was when it started.
So, I know I get to do an awesome job that helps people and truly changes lives. I try to make sure Jesus shows in me with every person I come into contact with ( and yes, I fail at this :-( but I do try). But, I also know I bring home a paycheck for this work too. I have heard the Lord tell me I need to do more for Him out of the shear "want" to do more for Him.
It was not three days later, that a friend of mine (and the wife of one of our past pastors) posted something to my timeline about How to Write for the Lord. It was a series by Lysa TerKeurst (author of Made to Crave-one of my favorites). This made the bells go off even louder, how did she know to do that? Well, duh.....
So, I have been following what I can of that, most of that followed into how to be published, and I'm not sure I even want to go there right now, I am more concerned about getting some devotionals out there to help my friends, and their friends, and probably, truth-be-told, more than anyone else, it will help me.
A few days after that another friends had ran 16 miles (I think), getting ready for a marathon. As many of us encouraged her on through facebook, she made some statement about that little voice in her head that told her she couldn't do this. I made the statement to let us be louder than the voices. That phrase stuck in my head. God can be louder than the voices (who I sometimes just downright claim is the Devil talking), WE can be louder than the voices for each other too and that is what I am hoping to accomplish.
Because of our crazy busy lives, I am only committing myself to one post a week, on Saturday mornings, when hopefully, you have a little time to sit and unwind, and gear up for another week.
I am going to have a short post on Friday the 1st, just doing the general intro stuff to the blog and then HOPEFULLY, if all goes as planned, the first weekly post/ devotional will be up on the 2nd.
I want it dedicated only to what I write for God, which is why I am keeping it separate from my personal blog, which I also hope to do better with in 2016.
So, the new blog is setup, you go there, you will see there are no posts, but it is coming and as the day draws closer, the more excited I get.
So my faithful readers here ( and I seriously can't believe there are more than 2 but the little counter thing says otherwise), you get to be the first let in on this. Say some prayers for me, I want to do this, but I want to do it right.
Tune in on January 1 to see what is up. www.louderthanthevoices.blogspot.com
Happy New Year's Eve eve,
and Happy Wednesday.
Wednesday, December 30, 2015
Wednesday, December 9, 2015
Airing up the tire......
So, one day, over a week ago, I got this email--
Excuse me….I have been on vacation for a week…come
home…Patty updated her page and there is Mindy’s blog stuck at the side of the
road with a flat tire. It’s been since October 17th since you
updated. How do I know if what I am doing is exciting or not if you don’t
update? Just putting in my 2 cents.
Have a great day.
I replied that I would try to update that day, and here it is, over a week later, so, I sent the short rundown and will copy and paste that here, as well as add/ adjust as necessary.
What has happened since the last time I blogged:
My mom was back in the hospital.
They have ran every test in the
book but wouldn’t fix her head.
She took cold medicine and it
fixed her head.
I went to the doctor for me.
I’m fine but he knows I am not
exactly truthful with that at all times.
I have a colonoscopy scheduled
for January 4th
I got to meet “the” girlfriend,
and very much like her.
I got to meet her mom and little
girl also, ditto.
They all came to my house for
Thanksgiving
Andrew turned 51 Friday (the 27th).
Liz, the dog, turned 10
yesterday (the 29th)
I have to be in Robinson 4
separate times between now and Saturday. Tonight being #1. (last week, just have to be there once this week- tomorrow night for a ballgame)
I am going to Springfield
Wednesday, -- I went to Springfield Wednesday, with a client in tow as well as our Executive Director and Fiscal Officer. We attended a press conference as well as a LIHEAP roundtable.)
This week, we FINALLY got our money given back to us!!! Whoo hoo! (please understand, State LIHEAP money was passed through the legislation and the Governor signed to give it back).
I STILL don't have my Christmas tree up and am strongly debating if it is even going up or not.
We celebrated our 24th anniversary Sunday, I have officially been married to my best friend half my life.
We are going to see Lee Greenwood Friday night.
I forgot to slip in there that we went to see Matthew West, we got to meet him and he sang Do Something because it was my favorite song.
I am supposed to take a personal day sometime between now and the end of the year and I can't figure out when I can fit it in.
I also dropped out of my QuickBooks class, failed to mention that above too.
I am very ready to have 2015 behind us and to start 2016, though I want to start on the 5th, read closely above and you will catch why :-).
So there, caught up, as it is going to be for a while anyway.
Oh, and because of the list above, the person who sent the email decided she had life pretty good, glad I could be of assistance, lol.
Happy Wednesday!
Saturday, October 17, 2015
Mom's Hospital Experience
Several have asked what was actually wrong with my mom and it's a long story. I also hadn't written anything on my blog for 6 weeks, sorry folks, I really hate it when I do that myself. September's memories are relegated to my calendar at work, where I write down all the important stuff.
To really tell you what happened, I have to back up to August 23rd. The guys and I were out of town for the day and Mom was working at her garden. Sometime that afternoon, she fell, tripping over tomato vines and falling head over heals, landing on her head. The next day, she had a little bit of a stiff neck and started developing a headache, but she didn't even put the two incidents together. For the next five weeks, she had the stiff neck and the headache. She didn't tell me about either one until the 3rd week of September. She knew I had to be on a trip the last week of September and was afraid I wouldn't go if I knew how long this had been going on. Also, one of her dearest friends was in the final stages of her life and she didn't want to be in the hospital and not get to say her final goodbyes. The friends funeral was on the 4th of October, so after the funeral, I convinced her to call the doctor on Monday morning. On the 6th, we went to her appointment at 8:15. (Insert Dr. Mindy Browning's diagnosis here--I was wholeheartedly thinking that her real problem was probably TIA's and that her Eliquis had to be adjusted- I assumed we would have a CTscan and they would see that and either call Dr. Gest or send us to Evansville). When we saw Melissa, she did send us for the CT, and told us to wait in Olney for the results. It took 5 minutes to do the scan and an hour waiting. When they finally came in, they said Melissa was on the phone for us. She told us that it wasn't the problem she was expecting, that there had been bleeding in her brain but it had stopped, leaving some scar tissue. She had asked the Dr. to look at it, but she was currently in with a patient, so we were probably safe to come back to Newton until we heard from the doctor. We had left Mom's car at Melissa's office so we told her we would check with her when we got there.
Insert #2 (please keep in mind, in the back of our thoughts was the fact that Mom has one brother who died of brain cancer). We get to the office and they tell us, yes, they have heard from the doctor and we needed to have a seat and wait on Melissa. All kinds of things go through your mind when they don't just say, "Oh, everything is okay, we will get you some meds for your neck and headache and have a good day". When Melissa pulled us in her office, she said she was sorry we drove back because now they wanted Mom to go to the ER, apparently they saw some inflammation they didn't like. So, we took her car to my house and drove back down. We were a little dumbfounded as we really didn't think she was in any shape to need the ER. She had a couple of what she called "nuisance problems". 4 hours later, the doctor came in and said they were admitting her. She was not happy until he mentioned that they would have to give her steroids for the inflammation. Then she understood. Diabetes and steroids are not an easy combination to control. At the time, we were still thinking 2-3 days and we would go home.
That night, the doctor came in and said she believed Mom had temporal arteritis, she said it goes hand in hand with Poly Myalgia Rheumatica which we already knew she had. She was going to give her prednisone for a couple of days, and send her home. When it was all better, they would have to do a biopsy on the temperol artery to see if that was the confirmed diagnosis. Sounded good, and we thought we had a plan.
The NEXT day, the doctor came in and said she felt like the diagnosis was wrong, Mom's white count had been on a steady rise since she had been admitted and they now believed she might have meningitis. The best the doctor could think of is that when she fell, she gave herself a concussion and there was some bleeding, which allowed a spot for infection to get in. She doesn't know where she got the actual meningitis germ, but she wanted to do a spinal tap to confirm the diagnosis. We believed this was going to happen on Wednesday evening. Then, as quick as this all started, everything was brought to an abrupt halt. Mom is on meds for Afib. She would have to be off of them for 48 hours before they could do the spinal tap and my understanding at first, was that they didn't want her off of that medicine for 48 hours. We were told they could switch her to heparin but the doctor said no, we just would not do the spinal tap. I didn't understand that at all, at the time.
When the doctor came in the next day, she said they had went ahead and started her on the antibiotics for meningitis and Mom was responding. She explained to me the only way that they could have gotten a confirmed diagnosis was through the spinal tap however, they could not start treating it until after the spinal tap was completed. That turned the light bulb on for me as she told me she didn't want to wait 2 more days to treat it. She thought Mom has had the meningitis longer than she should have to start with and that we were probably on the brink of a disaster.
The doctor then told Mom this was a 10 day, very strong antibiotic combination and that she would either have to have visiting nurses twice a day or stay in the hospital in isolation for the 10 days. I called the doctor and just told her that if Mom was supposed to rest for those 10 days, she better figure out a way to keep her in the hospital because she was already getting antsy about sweet potatoes and gladiolas needing dug before we had a freeze. The doctor told her she could come home on Friday the 16th and that is what we started shooting for.
On Thursday, the 15th, she spiked a 103° fever, had a sore throat and a stomach ache. I was afraid this threatened her chances of coming home. She got over it almost as fast as it came on though and the myriad of tests they ran all came back negative for any new complications.
I brought her home to a very happy dog and several very happy cats last night. She has been told until her immune system is better, she needs to stay away from people as much as possible. I would really like for her to wear a mask when she even runs to the store, which she was told she could do. I don't know if I can get her to do that though. I'm hoping plan B is just to let me and the guys pick up anything she needs. She will have weekly blood tests and Melissa will be able to tell her by them when she can be back around people. I have a doctor's appointment in Springfield on the 13th of November, that is two days before her birthday and we were planning on meeting my sister there for lunch. Her goal is to be able to go that day.
So, my one-stop-shop here for what's going on. Sorry it was long, Mom is never easy or normal. That is just the fact.
To really tell you what happened, I have to back up to August 23rd. The guys and I were out of town for the day and Mom was working at her garden. Sometime that afternoon, she fell, tripping over tomato vines and falling head over heals, landing on her head. The next day, she had a little bit of a stiff neck and started developing a headache, but she didn't even put the two incidents together. For the next five weeks, she had the stiff neck and the headache. She didn't tell me about either one until the 3rd week of September. She knew I had to be on a trip the last week of September and was afraid I wouldn't go if I knew how long this had been going on. Also, one of her dearest friends was in the final stages of her life and she didn't want to be in the hospital and not get to say her final goodbyes. The friends funeral was on the 4th of October, so after the funeral, I convinced her to call the doctor on Monday morning. On the 6th, we went to her appointment at 8:15. (Insert Dr. Mindy Browning's diagnosis here--I was wholeheartedly thinking that her real problem was probably TIA's and that her Eliquis had to be adjusted- I assumed we would have a CTscan and they would see that and either call Dr. Gest or send us to Evansville). When we saw Melissa, she did send us for the CT, and told us to wait in Olney for the results. It took 5 minutes to do the scan and an hour waiting. When they finally came in, they said Melissa was on the phone for us. She told us that it wasn't the problem she was expecting, that there had been bleeding in her brain but it had stopped, leaving some scar tissue. She had asked the Dr. to look at it, but she was currently in with a patient, so we were probably safe to come back to Newton until we heard from the doctor. We had left Mom's car at Melissa's office so we told her we would check with her when we got there.
Insert #2 (please keep in mind, in the back of our thoughts was the fact that Mom has one brother who died of brain cancer). We get to the office and they tell us, yes, they have heard from the doctor and we needed to have a seat and wait on Melissa. All kinds of things go through your mind when they don't just say, "Oh, everything is okay, we will get you some meds for your neck and headache and have a good day". When Melissa pulled us in her office, she said she was sorry we drove back because now they wanted Mom to go to the ER, apparently they saw some inflammation they didn't like. So, we took her car to my house and drove back down. We were a little dumbfounded as we really didn't think she was in any shape to need the ER. She had a couple of what she called "nuisance problems". 4 hours later, the doctor came in and said they were admitting her. She was not happy until he mentioned that they would have to give her steroids for the inflammation. Then she understood. Diabetes and steroids are not an easy combination to control. At the time, we were still thinking 2-3 days and we would go home.
That night, the doctor came in and said she believed Mom had temporal arteritis, she said it goes hand in hand with Poly Myalgia Rheumatica which we already knew she had. She was going to give her prednisone for a couple of days, and send her home. When it was all better, they would have to do a biopsy on the temperol artery to see if that was the confirmed diagnosis. Sounded good, and we thought we had a plan.
The NEXT day, the doctor came in and said she felt like the diagnosis was wrong, Mom's white count had been on a steady rise since she had been admitted and they now believed she might have meningitis. The best the doctor could think of is that when she fell, she gave herself a concussion and there was some bleeding, which allowed a spot for infection to get in. She doesn't know where she got the actual meningitis germ, but she wanted to do a spinal tap to confirm the diagnosis. We believed this was going to happen on Wednesday evening. Then, as quick as this all started, everything was brought to an abrupt halt. Mom is on meds for Afib. She would have to be off of them for 48 hours before they could do the spinal tap and my understanding at first, was that they didn't want her off of that medicine for 48 hours. We were told they could switch her to heparin but the doctor said no, we just would not do the spinal tap. I didn't understand that at all, at the time.
When the doctor came in the next day, she said they had went ahead and started her on the antibiotics for meningitis and Mom was responding. She explained to me the only way that they could have gotten a confirmed diagnosis was through the spinal tap however, they could not start treating it until after the spinal tap was completed. That turned the light bulb on for me as she told me she didn't want to wait 2 more days to treat it. She thought Mom has had the meningitis longer than she should have to start with and that we were probably on the brink of a disaster.
The doctor then told Mom this was a 10 day, very strong antibiotic combination and that she would either have to have visiting nurses twice a day or stay in the hospital in isolation for the 10 days. I called the doctor and just told her that if Mom was supposed to rest for those 10 days, she better figure out a way to keep her in the hospital because she was already getting antsy about sweet potatoes and gladiolas needing dug before we had a freeze. The doctor told her she could come home on Friday the 16th and that is what we started shooting for.
On Thursday, the 15th, she spiked a 103° fever, had a sore throat and a stomach ache. I was afraid this threatened her chances of coming home. She got over it almost as fast as it came on though and the myriad of tests they ran all came back negative for any new complications.
I brought her home to a very happy dog and several very happy cats last night. She has been told until her immune system is better, she needs to stay away from people as much as possible. I would really like for her to wear a mask when she even runs to the store, which she was told she could do. I don't know if I can get her to do that though. I'm hoping plan B is just to let me and the guys pick up anything she needs. She will have weekly blood tests and Melissa will be able to tell her by them when she can be back around people. I have a doctor's appointment in Springfield on the 13th of November, that is two days before her birthday and we were planning on meeting my sister there for lunch. Her goal is to be able to go that day.
So, my one-stop-shop here for what's going on. Sorry it was long, Mom is never easy or normal. That is just the fact.
Monday, August 31, 2015
Catching up the blog, bullet-style
I hate it when I get so far behind and there really has been things happening. Ugh!
I had already decided that I would spend my lunch hour trying to catch up August before September set in. I had also decided that it would be a bullet-point/ pictures post because of lots to say and not much time to say it in. Ironically, my timehop showed me a blogpost I did last year, on this same date, and lo and behold, I was doing the same thing, in bullets, no less.
Anyway, we have had SO MUCH going on the last 10 days and I really want to get it preserved, so, here goes....
Here's some shorter ones.
- On Friday evening August 21st, my friend, Karen came for a sit on the porch. It was so good to catch up with her. She is an operating room nurse, so I got to hear lots of really neat stories. Glad she likes to do that, because as much as it's needed, that would have to be one of those things I would say I probably couldn't do. We had a wonderful visit and what I thought was actually about an hour was really 3, definitely one of the nights where the quote from the end of Stand By Me applies, about not ever having friends like you had when you were twelve. I am so very glad Karen is one of those friends and look forward to her stopping by again!
- On August 22nd, we headed to Indiana for a family day, we stopped at a great little hole-in-the-wall diner in Vincennes for breakfast, took in the farmer's market there and then headed south. On our way out of town, we saw the Military museum, which intrigued the guys, and since it was really just one of those, we are going to do whatever we want days, we stopped. 3 hours later, we were back on the road. After taking a detour to see where the watermelon bus was going, we headed to Santa Claus, IN. We took in the museum there as well as the post office, church and the Christmas store. I got a belated birthday present in that Andrew found me a Willow Tree holding a gray cat.-- Perfect.
- We then went on to Owensboro KY to one of our favorite BBQ joints, Moonlite Inn. Always good, it was great! After making a quick trip to Harbor Freight and Menards, we were homeward bound. Great day!
- On the 23rd, we had a fish fry and carry-in at our church. David and Leslie Heath caught the fish (tons of it) and Mark Ervin fried it up, it was wonderful!
- We didn't have church that night, so we got to start preparing for the real work ahead of us the next day. Robert was on vacation, so Andrew and I both took the day off and we put down 5.5 tons (yes that is 11,000 lbs!) of rock around two sides of our house. This was my real birthday present from Andrew; my mom also had given me money for my b-day and it went to buy some of the barrier and trim.
- Monday was also Robert's birthday, his only present, which he asked for MONTHS ago, a pair of Ray-Bans. The main reason he wanted them, and wanted these in particular? There was a pair of them in my dad's truck when Robert first inherited it. My dad never had a beard, but I know by looking at Robert what he would have looked like if he did. The glasses are really nice.
- On the 27th, I went for my second week of band, we almost doubled in size, going from 6 to 11 and there was another flautist! and I was no longer the oldest one there! Double good things!
- On the 29th, I attended a two hour introduction to some different fitness classes being offered by our local Dance Hall Studio, what fun....I'm won two free classes of Holy Yoga; a regular class and a restorative class. Taking the regular one tomorrow night, the restorative is offered the 4th Tuesday, I thought I was going to be gone for it, but I just realized, I'm actually out of town on the 5th Tuesday, it's all good.
Here's some shorter ones.
- In my own "recommit to fit", I have lost 5 lbs in August and logged 28.2 miles in morning walks.
- I am walking 2 miles on workdays, 1 mile on Saturday and hopefully 3 mile on Sundays starting this coming Sunday.
- We get to start LIHEAP October 1, normally , we start September 1, but better late than never, especially this year.
Tuesday, August 18, 2015
48
When I was a kid, I never really imagined being 48, or more practical to imagine, 50. I truly believed something would happen to me and I would die young. I have no clue why I thought that but I truly couldn't imagine life beyond a year or two ahead, especially before Andrew and Robert. I think, and some of you will think this is weird, I was more prepared to die then than now. I remember very specifically telling a friend of mine that dying wasn't a big deal; Heaven would be fantastic and I would be with the Lord, here was okay, but there would be great. (That particular friend was agnostic, and I lost track of him for a few years, then I heard he had passed away--his services were in a church, so I PRAY that means he had changed his mind about God). And then I met Andrew.....and started those fantasies of growing old together. I still am most definitely not afraid to die, and I still know I will go to Heaven, but there are days that I want to see the next page before I go. I'm at that point. I hope I get to see my son married, and happy, ( and living in the blessed house that is going on 2+ years in the remaking). I am even starting to be hopeful of seeing grandkids someday.
Anyway.......yesterday was number 48. I started out the day with a mile walk, the 5th one of the week, today, I upped it to 1.5. We went to church, went to lunch at my cousin's nephew's place and then to my mom's and I helped, or supervised or something, while the guys laid new linoleum on her back porch. We got done in time to get home for a little rest before church last night. It was a good day, made golden by the fact that my mom made me a carrot cake. My favorite.
We really started celebrating Saturday, as Andrew needed to go to Evansville to pick up a flooring order. That meant we were going to be in the same town as the Acropolis, and I thought it was an opportune time to take advantage of a date night. I love working date nights like that. I love watching Andrew live his dream and being there beside him as he does. It was good to just be in the van together and visit for a while, we even stopped and got ice cream cones in Sumner on our way home, just a fun afternoon.
I had a yard sale that morning, my goal was $200 and I made $198, not bad, not bad at all.
So today, I go back to work and got to celebrate one more time. The girls I work with all brought in goodies for breakfast this morning. I love my job, and half of the reason I do is because of the people I work with. When they can make a Monday morning, especially the first one back from vacation, feel special, they are good-- really good. I also had presents waiting on me, conference calls just got a lot more fun because Sheila got me my own little dodads that I can fiddle with while listening.
(I tried to upload a picture, with a no-go, will try later)
So, now I have two weeks of whirlwind, let's see if 48 can keep up like 47 did, my bet is on a yes. We have an AWANA conference tomorrow, church Wednesday, Band Thursday, media night Friday AND a friend is coming to sit a spell on the porch, Saturday we are taking our family day to southern Indiana, (and Owensboro KY for some Moonlite BBQ). Sunday we are having a fish fry at church and Monday, we are all taking the day off and hauling Rock into the spaces around our house. Next Tuesday night, I am having a GNO with some friends, then Church and Band again and the 28th I have nothing going on.....yet......gonna be fun.
So, it's a little after 9 and I better be hitting the hay.....Here's to getting to 49.
Happy Monday,
Anyway.......yesterday was number 48. I started out the day with a mile walk, the 5th one of the week, today, I upped it to 1.5. We went to church, went to lunch at my cousin's nephew's place and then to my mom's and I helped, or supervised or something, while the guys laid new linoleum on her back porch. We got done in time to get home for a little rest before church last night. It was a good day, made golden by the fact that my mom made me a carrot cake. My favorite.
We really started celebrating Saturday, as Andrew needed to go to Evansville to pick up a flooring order. That meant we were going to be in the same town as the Acropolis, and I thought it was an opportune time to take advantage of a date night. I love working date nights like that. I love watching Andrew live his dream and being there beside him as he does. It was good to just be in the van together and visit for a while, we even stopped and got ice cream cones in Sumner on our way home, just a fun afternoon.
I had a yard sale that morning, my goal was $200 and I made $198, not bad, not bad at all.
So today, I go back to work and got to celebrate one more time. The girls I work with all brought in goodies for breakfast this morning. I love my job, and half of the reason I do is because of the people I work with. When they can make a Monday morning, especially the first one back from vacation, feel special, they are good-- really good. I also had presents waiting on me, conference calls just got a lot more fun because Sheila got me my own little dodads that I can fiddle with while listening.
(I tried to upload a picture, with a no-go, will try later)
So, now I have two weeks of whirlwind, let's see if 48 can keep up like 47 did, my bet is on a yes. We have an AWANA conference tomorrow, church Wednesday, Band Thursday, media night Friday AND a friend is coming to sit a spell on the porch, Saturday we are taking our family day to southern Indiana, (and Owensboro KY for some Moonlite BBQ). Sunday we are having a fish fry at church and Monday, we are all taking the day off and hauling Rock into the spaces around our house. Next Tuesday night, I am having a GNO with some friends, then Church and Band again and the 28th I have nothing going on.....yet......gonna be fun.
So, it's a little after 9 and I better be hitting the hay.....Here's to getting to 49.
Happy Monday,
Sunday, August 2, 2015
July in the Rearview
In a lot of ways, I would have to rack July up as a bad month, a month where as a State, we are exactly where we were a month ago and even to me, seeing the side of it that I do, there seems to be a lot of people not thinking there is much being affected by not having a State budget; when in reality, it's been a rough month for a lot of people. Many of our fellow agencies have already closed their doors, it is sad and scary; and as scary as it is for the ones of us who work for these programs, and our own jobs; I don't think there is a one of us that isn't feeling sorry for ourselves, we are scared to death for our clients.
We have been told not to really expect anything before September now as far as a budget. We still have Federal LIHEAP, as the Governor seems to be pointing out to everyone he can; unfortunately, at the moment, we have no authorization to run that program because the appropriations are tied to having a budget. We are pushing forward, planning on October 1, but at this point, I can't say with any certainty that we will get to start then. All of this tied up in politics when it shouldn't even be there.
Anyway, that's workwise.
As far as personal life, things have been better, thankfully. I started out the month with a concert in the park with the Robinson Community band. I decided that I would join the LTC band in the fall because this really was the equivalent of a really good massage for me, as far as clearing my mind. That starts on August 20th. I was in the LTC band before, specifically, three quarters in 1984- I was in high school. So, here it is, 30 plus years later and I am going back. At that time, I sat second chair to Ann Taylor, I so admire her, and wish she was here to play too. She moved away many years ago and I do see pictures from Joanie, I am very sure she still plays.
So, I am starting back to college again, however, I am going to be officially enrolled in two different colleges. I was needing a class or two on quickbooks to help me do Andrew's books. So, I am taking two online QuickBooks classes though OCC. So, I guess I'm "dual-enrolled", lol. Not exactly like some of the kids I have known who would go to EIU all day and OCC of a night, but it sounds good. I will have 30 credits when I am done, unfortunately, I am still a long way from an actual Associates because the classes are all over the place.
Andrew's business is going well, July was our busiest month yet. We had a renewal of the website that he uses to figure his prices last week, so we realized we started talking about this a year ago. Wow, it has been lots of ups and downs, and praying we were doing what God wanted us to. I had told people for years they had to have more faith and God has tested me first hand this year, as there have been times this year that I didn't see how on earth it was going to work out and He let things fall into place at just the right time that it made me feel like He was just putting His hand on my head and saying, "I am in control, not you." I'm afraid He has had to do that more than once.
July and the beginning of August has been big for Robert too. He not only got his big white diesel, but he and his dad got floor laid in the living room of his house. This is big. The last two weeks they have gotten up at 4:30 on Saturday morning, and headed up to beat the heat. I get my stuff done here and then when they get home, I can have Andrew for part of the day. Robert normally has other things going on. Robert also celebrated two years in his job this last week. He is still loving every minute of it.
He is truly living the dream. When you kid is happy, you feel successful, no matter what else is going on.
So, looking forward to August, hopefully bringing better things for work. If you read the last post and follow me on fb, we have decided to really TRY to make a trip to NYC in December 2016. It will be our 25th wedding anniversary and we are very used to most of the road out there. From here to Harrisburg, PA, we travelled every 6 weeks from the time Robert was born until we moved to Pontiac IL, almost 2 years later.
I am taking a week of vacation starting the 10th. I am so excited that I am starting my vacation by seeing my friend Sally, (also mentioned in my last post!) My mom has some projects and I am having a yard sale the 15th so it will be a busy week. On our July 4th family trip, we decided to take a family day every 6 weeks. Our next one will be August 22nd. We are headed to southern Indiana. We are going to those places you pass on the way to Holiday World and vow to go back to some other time. We also realized we will only be 35 minutes from Owensboro, KY, which means a trip to Moonlite BBQ! This is the Saturday between mine and Robert's birthdays so we thought this sounded perfect.
I should post pictures, but I'm lazy and it's time to get to church.
Happy Sunday, and Happy August!
Saturday, July 25, 2015
Just For the Fun of It.
It has been a while since I have posted one of those "here's mine, what's yours" post. I can't even explain what work has been like since the first of July. I try very hard not to feel guilty when my clients call and want to know what they are supposed to do. I haven't slept well, to say the least. Tuesday afternoon, I took off early, mainly because I had big company at work Monday and I had been nervous about that, and then we had VBS, so Tuesday morning, I felt a little like I had been hit by a Mack truck. Anyway, I took off Tuesday afternoon with the intent of listening to a friend of mine testify before the House of Representatives and then take a nap before Tuesday night's Bible school. Ended up, Jen didn't start her testimony until 2, along with 2 clients from other agencies and Dalitso, our Association's president. They didn't get done until after 3, they did a great job, and I was floored by all the questions--that's a good thing though.
Anyway, I didn't end up taking a nap. Tuesday night, I was finally tired enough though, I slept, and I slept so well that I dreamed. I don't remember dreaming forever. If I have ever even met you, you were more than likely in that dream. I couldn't believe how many people I saw that night, how many people were brought to mind that I hadn't thought of for years.
And there were the weird things, like worlds colliding. I dreamed I was sitting on a bench in the mall in Mattoon. I was sitting there with Sally Furry. Sally and I first met when I worked at the Dairy Queen, in 1986. She helped me get my job at Walmart in 1989 and though we went a while without seeing each other, thanks to facebook, we at least know we are both alive and well. The mall was busy, very busy---that is an oddity all by itself, and then there was a conga line running through it. This is where all of you come in. It was crazy long, Susan Shull and Debbie Diel were leading it. Some people say you don't dream in color.....I dream in color. Susan and Debbie were wearing the brightest colored outfits that I had ever seen. In typical style for them though, they both looked like they stepped out of a magazine. I DO know why I saw those two, I had been reading about their trip abroad and enjoying getting to see Italy through their eyes. Brenda McDade, my boss until she retired, was in the line too, she came and hugged me and Sally like she hadn't seen us in a million years (I'm not sure if Brenda and Sally even know each other that well in real life, Sally did go to school with Brenda's son Mike). If I was trying to interpret my dream, that probably has some deep meaning about all that is going on and me wondering if I am really capable of everything I need to be doing at work and wondering if it would be better if Brenda was back. But who knows, as I said, there were people I hadn't even thought of for years, it was actually kind of cool, but has gotten me in a nostalgic mood.
I took off work early yesterday too, I was going to work on my basement but Mom had three tubs of tomatoes that needed worked up and I wanted to make spaghetti sauce so I spent the afternoon in my kitchen. Ever since the night of the dream, I have been craving Steve Winwood music. So, I pulled up my Rhapsody account and started playing one Winwood song after another...The Finer Things, Back in the High Life, Arc of a Diver, and on and on.
I am one of those people who tacks a song to a memory or a memory to a song, not sure which. But here is a list of some of my favorite memories/ songs, as of right this moment anyway.
Chicago: Hard Habit to Break--this song reminds me of my Senior speech class. I loved speech and if I would have attacked every class like that one, I would have had straight A's. Anyway, for our final, we had to give a 25 minute speech. We could use any kind of prop or other media for up to 10 minutes. My speech was on our class, the Class of 1985. When I told Mrs. Wiman what I wanted to do, she said it was fine, but if I shed one tear, she would flunk me, especially when I told her what my media was. I played 10 minutes of things that happened our Senior year, from the announcements, to just noise in the hallway, to a blurb, "Newton Marching Eagles, you may take the field for competition", to some of the songs that was popular at the time. This was going to be the song that I knew I had to make it through without crying. What was worse was, it truly did make others in our class cry. I didn't though. I never knew how much public speaking would be a part of my life but to this day, I know better than to cry, I told some pretty personal stuff about myself and my childhood last year at a meeting, but I didn't cry. Oh, and one last memory. David Casey was supposed to be the time keeper, our speech was to be 25 minutes long, with a little leeway on each side, I can't remember how much. My speech was exactly 25 minutes, and I will never forget hearing David say it was.
REO Speedwagon- Can't Fight This Feeling--I was working at the Dairy Queen and it was the summer of 1989. I hadn't worked there very long when a tall husky blond headed guy came in with this much older woman. We started talking immediately about how much he looked like Bruce Hall. So, Dibber, who waited on him, told him, he looked just like Bruce Hall. He laughed, as did the little, older lady that was with him. He said he was Bruce Hall. Turns out his grandma lived in Greenup and he would come down every so often to see her. They came in for lunch about every time he came down. A friend of mine, Tony McMorris, mowed this grandma's yard and ended up with tickets and back stage passes to their show at Shelbyville. Tony couldn't go so he gave the tickets to his sister, Heather and me. That was probably one of my favorite concerts ever. Bruce came over and treated us like he had known us forever.
Bryan Adams--Everything I Do. The summer before Andrew and I got married, I spent a lot of time with several people from Walmart. I was going through the aftermath of a major breakup with a guy that I had dated for over a year and knew it would never go any farther than it had gone and it was time to cut the cord. I also was going through having a major crush on a member of management that I knew I couldn't date. One of the guys I worked with was going through a lot of things too and all of our friends had significant others so we decided to spend the summer un-dating. We were friends and it was great, no expectations, but someone to go do things with when everyone else was in pairs. One night that summer, we went to see Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves, this song was the love theme. I absolutely fell in love with the song. The crush didn't let up and things started happening with my job so I ended up in a different store, As soon as I did, that crush, now my husband, asked me out. Everything I Do played at the restaurant on our first date and it became our song. I have totally lost track of my un-dating friend, Ray Fread, but he was in that conga line too, I'm sure people who I haven't seen for a long time would appreciate this dream because they all looked like they did the last time I saw them. I ran into Ray at an auction probably 20 years ago, he still looked the same then, so he looked 25 or so in my dream. Sorry to those of you I see regularly, you just looked like you.
Tears for Fears--Everybody Wants to Rule the World. This too reminds me of my senior year, yearbook and Marc Alblinger. Funny, Marc was one of those friends too, that guy friend you could talk to but didn't think anything further about it. Yet another reason I love facebook. Marc travels-- a lot, and I love seeing all the places he and his wife have been. The one place, out of ALL the places he's been, that I am most envious of is, believe it or not; Broadway to see Wicked. I'm gonna do that one of these days, Part of me says it won't surprise me if I end up in Greece, or Italy, or someplace someday, but I know I will make it to see Wicked on Broadway. Anyway, I heard this song today and it always reminds me of Marc. He introduced me to Tears for Fears before they were popular here because of his overseas connections. He bought me this album for graduation, I'm sure my mom even knows every word to every song because it was played constantly that summer.
I have so many more, but it is almost 10 and Andrew has already went to bed, so I best be heading that direction. Nice to take a little walk down memory lane. If I spend any amount of time with you, I probably have a song that I can connect, that's how my brain works. Something really funny is Robert does that too. I know we aren't normal because I mention this to people and they look at me like I have 3 heads, but oh well.
Sorry if this blog bored you (if you made it this far), this was a totally for me, maybe having a middle age crisis, kind of thing.
Happy Saturday.
Anyway, I didn't end up taking a nap. Tuesday night, I was finally tired enough though, I slept, and I slept so well that I dreamed. I don't remember dreaming forever. If I have ever even met you, you were more than likely in that dream. I couldn't believe how many people I saw that night, how many people were brought to mind that I hadn't thought of for years.
And there were the weird things, like worlds colliding. I dreamed I was sitting on a bench in the mall in Mattoon. I was sitting there with Sally Furry. Sally and I first met when I worked at the Dairy Queen, in 1986. She helped me get my job at Walmart in 1989 and though we went a while without seeing each other, thanks to facebook, we at least know we are both alive and well. The mall was busy, very busy---that is an oddity all by itself, and then there was a conga line running through it. This is where all of you come in. It was crazy long, Susan Shull and Debbie Diel were leading it. Some people say you don't dream in color.....I dream in color. Susan and Debbie were wearing the brightest colored outfits that I had ever seen. In typical style for them though, they both looked like they stepped out of a magazine. I DO know why I saw those two, I had been reading about their trip abroad and enjoying getting to see Italy through their eyes. Brenda McDade, my boss until she retired, was in the line too, she came and hugged me and Sally like she hadn't seen us in a million years (I'm not sure if Brenda and Sally even know each other that well in real life, Sally did go to school with Brenda's son Mike). If I was trying to interpret my dream, that probably has some deep meaning about all that is going on and me wondering if I am really capable of everything I need to be doing at work and wondering if it would be better if Brenda was back. But who knows, as I said, there were people I hadn't even thought of for years, it was actually kind of cool, but has gotten me in a nostalgic mood.
I took off work early yesterday too, I was going to work on my basement but Mom had three tubs of tomatoes that needed worked up and I wanted to make spaghetti sauce so I spent the afternoon in my kitchen. Ever since the night of the dream, I have been craving Steve Winwood music. So, I pulled up my Rhapsody account and started playing one Winwood song after another...The Finer Things, Back in the High Life, Arc of a Diver, and on and on.
I am one of those people who tacks a song to a memory or a memory to a song, not sure which. But here is a list of some of my favorite memories/ songs, as of right this moment anyway.
Chicago: Hard Habit to Break--this song reminds me of my Senior speech class. I loved speech and if I would have attacked every class like that one, I would have had straight A's. Anyway, for our final, we had to give a 25 minute speech. We could use any kind of prop or other media for up to 10 minutes. My speech was on our class, the Class of 1985. When I told Mrs. Wiman what I wanted to do, she said it was fine, but if I shed one tear, she would flunk me, especially when I told her what my media was. I played 10 minutes of things that happened our Senior year, from the announcements, to just noise in the hallway, to a blurb, "Newton Marching Eagles, you may take the field for competition", to some of the songs that was popular at the time. This was going to be the song that I knew I had to make it through without crying. What was worse was, it truly did make others in our class cry. I didn't though. I never knew how much public speaking would be a part of my life but to this day, I know better than to cry, I told some pretty personal stuff about myself and my childhood last year at a meeting, but I didn't cry. Oh, and one last memory. David Casey was supposed to be the time keeper, our speech was to be 25 minutes long, with a little leeway on each side, I can't remember how much. My speech was exactly 25 minutes, and I will never forget hearing David say it was.
REO Speedwagon- Can't Fight This Feeling--I was working at the Dairy Queen and it was the summer of 1989. I hadn't worked there very long when a tall husky blond headed guy came in with this much older woman. We started talking immediately about how much he looked like Bruce Hall. So, Dibber, who waited on him, told him, he looked just like Bruce Hall. He laughed, as did the little, older lady that was with him. He said he was Bruce Hall. Turns out his grandma lived in Greenup and he would come down every so often to see her. They came in for lunch about every time he came down. A friend of mine, Tony McMorris, mowed this grandma's yard and ended up with tickets and back stage passes to their show at Shelbyville. Tony couldn't go so he gave the tickets to his sister, Heather and me. That was probably one of my favorite concerts ever. Bruce came over and treated us like he had known us forever.
Bryan Adams--Everything I Do. The summer before Andrew and I got married, I spent a lot of time with several people from Walmart. I was going through the aftermath of a major breakup with a guy that I had dated for over a year and knew it would never go any farther than it had gone and it was time to cut the cord. I also was going through having a major crush on a member of management that I knew I couldn't date. One of the guys I worked with was going through a lot of things too and all of our friends had significant others so we decided to spend the summer un-dating. We were friends and it was great, no expectations, but someone to go do things with when everyone else was in pairs. One night that summer, we went to see Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves, this song was the love theme. I absolutely fell in love with the song. The crush didn't let up and things started happening with my job so I ended up in a different store, As soon as I did, that crush, now my husband, asked me out. Everything I Do played at the restaurant on our first date and it became our song. I have totally lost track of my un-dating friend, Ray Fread, but he was in that conga line too, I'm sure people who I haven't seen for a long time would appreciate this dream because they all looked like they did the last time I saw them. I ran into Ray at an auction probably 20 years ago, he still looked the same then, so he looked 25 or so in my dream. Sorry to those of you I see regularly, you just looked like you.
Tears for Fears--Everybody Wants to Rule the World. This too reminds me of my senior year, yearbook and Marc Alblinger. Funny, Marc was one of those friends too, that guy friend you could talk to but didn't think anything further about it. Yet another reason I love facebook. Marc travels-- a lot, and I love seeing all the places he and his wife have been. The one place, out of ALL the places he's been, that I am most envious of is, believe it or not; Broadway to see Wicked. I'm gonna do that one of these days, Part of me says it won't surprise me if I end up in Greece, or Italy, or someplace someday, but I know I will make it to see Wicked on Broadway. Anyway, I heard this song today and it always reminds me of Marc. He introduced me to Tears for Fears before they were popular here because of his overseas connections. He bought me this album for graduation, I'm sure my mom even knows every word to every song because it was played constantly that summer.
I have so many more, but it is almost 10 and Andrew has already went to bed, so I best be heading that direction. Nice to take a little walk down memory lane. If I spend any amount of time with you, I probably have a song that I can connect, that's how my brain works. Something really funny is Robert does that too. I know we aren't normal because I mention this to people and they look at me like I have 3 heads, but oh well.
Sorry if this blog bored you (if you made it this far), this was a totally for me, maybe having a middle age crisis, kind of thing.
Happy Saturday.
Wednesday, July 8, 2015
and Life Goes On.....
There have been periods of time in the last 8 days that have been downright heart wrenching to me. On June 2, Governor Rauner vowed to suspend the LIHEAP program if he did not have a budget he liked in place. On June 30th, I sat, linked to two of my friends who also worked with the program and literally watched as 53,000+ Illinois residence lost their Percentage of Income Payment Plan. my screen was up to one particular client, and my friend, Jen's screen was up to the active report. I was kicked out of the system about 11:45 and her screen went blank at 12:02. It was seriously watching a death. The next day, we had to start telling our clients. Many of my PIPP clients are seniors. We had sent letters out in April telling them we were doing our re-certification process different this year and that we would send a letter closer to time for them to come in. They were calling me just to make sure they hadn't missed their letter. I had to start telling them, "at 12:01, July 1, the PIPP program was dropped throughout the state". Yesterday, I had a lady tell me that it looked like this was the last straw and as much as she hated it, she was going to probably be moving to Joliet and moving in with her kids. I have had so many tears this week, and I want to cry right along with them. I had a lady last week that thanked me for everything I had done, she is 85, she was crying. I hung up and cried, because as many times as we made trips to Springfield to try to educate the Governor and legislators, it didn't work and I have felt like a failure.
I continued to tell all of my clients to call their legislators, and hand out their phone numbers. I did apparently have one that was tired of the phone calls and told one of my clients to tell me to call him. He has vowed to come down and let us teach him more about PIPP, I hope he holds to that.
Right now, we are not counting on having any State funds at all, even though, the state funds are not and never have been part of the General Revenue Fund. In 2002, a bill was passed enacting the 48 cent meter charge on the utility companies that have over 100,000 clients. This is part of a customer service charge on the utility bill. In this Act, that money was specifically to be used to help low-income families. Last week, on July 1st, as a matter of fact, just hours after our program was stopped, the Governor borrowed some of that money to pay bills while there is no budget. I do not understand how that is legal, and things like this takes time to sort out.
I do very well understand that this is just one of many issues going on with the state having no budget. I also know that to take away the PIPP program, where people are being responsible for paying 6% of their income to their energy bill every month, is just nuts. I had people who were finally starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. They were being able to budget, manage their bills, and work on making life better for themselves and their families. It is just truly nothing short of heart wrenching.
Many of our fellow agencies have shut down at least the Energy Assistance departments. Because we are structured to where all of our fieldstaff work with all the programs, right at the moment, we are still open. We closed the offices last Wednesday because we had no clear direction yet as to if we had the authority to pay staff without a budget. I am praying for a resolution soon but I truly thought it would happen last week. Now the Senate is off until the 14th, I don't know how they do that, knowing so many lives are at stake. I hope people remember this when election time rolls around.
There have been a couple of bright spots in our personal life at least. Last Saturday, the 4th, the boys both had the day off and I did so we decided to take a daytrip. Our original plans were to go to the Alton/Grafton area, but when I started looking things up, I found out most of it was still closed due to flooding. Plan B....Springfield. It's a little ironic, because of course, that seems to be my home away from home but when I go, it's usually all business and I don't spend much time doing the touristy stuff. We went to the Old State Capitol, and then walked over to the new State Capitol. I was amazed at 1) how EMPTY it was compared to the last few times I have been there and 2) those days that we were there and things were so chaotic, tours were still being given every 30 minutes. The upside of that, is like me, they got to go into the chambers and watch as laws were being made, whereas on Saturday, nobody was there. The funny thing to me was, when we go during the week, after you pass security, you go where you want, when you want. So, since we had walked quite a ways, I had told the guys that we would run to the basement and get a water out of the pop machine as soon as we got there. So we get through security and they tell us to wait in the rotunda for the next tour, and I asked if we could run downstairs and get a drink.....no. Okay, so when the Governor and most of the legislators are in house, you go where you want, when they aren't, you can't even go get a bottle of water......yeah, I'm from Illinois. We also went to Lincoln's Home and then back to Coles County Airport for fireworks. It was a good day, and it was nice to see a different side of the Capitol. The lady that was our tour guide was amazing at knowing all of the art work, some of it I had looked up on the internet but some I had never really noticed until the building wasn't so crowded.
Then, another bright spot of the week, Robert has wanted a diesel pick-up truck for, well, forever as far as he is concerned, Through a series of events between him and one of his best friends, he now owns one. It stands about a mountain's height tall and we had to get a wooden box for me to stand on to get in it, and then Garrett still had to pull me up into the seat. I am very proud of it for him. Typical mechanic, he now owns 6 vehicles, 2 will run someday and be restored, one needs the rest of the parts taken off of it and then scrapped and one he is hoping to get on the market soon. It truly has been a bright spot though, seeing him so thrilled.
Hope I have better news on the workfront soon.
Until then,
I continued to tell all of my clients to call their legislators, and hand out their phone numbers. I did apparently have one that was tired of the phone calls and told one of my clients to tell me to call him. He has vowed to come down and let us teach him more about PIPP, I hope he holds to that.
Right now, we are not counting on having any State funds at all, even though, the state funds are not and never have been part of the General Revenue Fund. In 2002, a bill was passed enacting the 48 cent meter charge on the utility companies that have over 100,000 clients. This is part of a customer service charge on the utility bill. In this Act, that money was specifically to be used to help low-income families. Last week, on July 1st, as a matter of fact, just hours after our program was stopped, the Governor borrowed some of that money to pay bills while there is no budget. I do not understand how that is legal, and things like this takes time to sort out.
I do very well understand that this is just one of many issues going on with the state having no budget. I also know that to take away the PIPP program, where people are being responsible for paying 6% of their income to their energy bill every month, is just nuts. I had people who were finally starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. They were being able to budget, manage their bills, and work on making life better for themselves and their families. It is just truly nothing short of heart wrenching.
Many of our fellow agencies have shut down at least the Energy Assistance departments. Because we are structured to where all of our fieldstaff work with all the programs, right at the moment, we are still open. We closed the offices last Wednesday because we had no clear direction yet as to if we had the authority to pay staff without a budget. I am praying for a resolution soon but I truly thought it would happen last week. Now the Senate is off until the 14th, I don't know how they do that, knowing so many lives are at stake. I hope people remember this when election time rolls around.
There have been a couple of bright spots in our personal life at least. Last Saturday, the 4th, the boys both had the day off and I did so we decided to take a daytrip. Our original plans were to go to the Alton/Grafton area, but when I started looking things up, I found out most of it was still closed due to flooding. Plan B....Springfield. It's a little ironic, because of course, that seems to be my home away from home but when I go, it's usually all business and I don't spend much time doing the touristy stuff. We went to the Old State Capitol, and then walked over to the new State Capitol. I was amazed at 1) how EMPTY it was compared to the last few times I have been there and 2) those days that we were there and things were so chaotic, tours were still being given every 30 minutes. The upside of that, is like me, they got to go into the chambers and watch as laws were being made, whereas on Saturday, nobody was there. The funny thing to me was, when we go during the week, after you pass security, you go where you want, when you want. So, since we had walked quite a ways, I had told the guys that we would run to the basement and get a water out of the pop machine as soon as we got there. So we get through security and they tell us to wait in the rotunda for the next tour, and I asked if we could run downstairs and get a drink.....no. Okay, so when the Governor and most of the legislators are in house, you go where you want, when they aren't, you can't even go get a bottle of water......yeah, I'm from Illinois. We also went to Lincoln's Home and then back to Coles County Airport for fireworks. It was a good day, and it was nice to see a different side of the Capitol. The lady that was our tour guide was amazing at knowing all of the art work, some of it I had looked up on the internet but some I had never really noticed until the building wasn't so crowded.
Then, another bright spot of the week, Robert has wanted a diesel pick-up truck for, well, forever as far as he is concerned, Through a series of events between him and one of his best friends, he now owns one. It stands about a mountain's height tall and we had to get a wooden box for me to stand on to get in it, and then Garrett still had to pull me up into the seat. I am very proud of it for him. Typical mechanic, he now owns 6 vehicles, 2 will run someday and be restored, one needs the rest of the parts taken off of it and then scrapped and one he is hoping to get on the market soon. It truly has been a bright spot though, seeing him so thrilled.
Hope I have better news on the workfront soon.
Until then,
Monday, June 22, 2015
Overwhelmed
That describes so much of my life right now. I don't know that I have ever felt like I have been pulled in so many different directions or that I have had so many things that should be taking first place in my life right now.
Our situation with State LIHEAP funds is a mess, and there is no easy way to tell what all is going on. Bottom line though, the Governor wants to use money that isn't his (or the State's). When he didn't get by with that, he simply "suspended" our ability to use it coming July 1. In theory, having it stopped for a few days shouldn't be any big deal; in reality, any gap in service shuts down our entire Percentage of Payment Plan. That is looking more real every day. There are many things that are simple solutions, and you would think that lifting the suspension would be a simple solution. The secondary problem is at the State level, guess who runs the LIHEAP program? Duh, State workers. If we have no budget July 1, many of them will not be supposed to go to work. Things are just a mess and I just can't help but think of my many, many clients, especially my seniors who are caught in the crossfire. It makes me want to throw up, and since I'm a stress eater, it makes me want to eat. That is a weird feeling, nausea and supposed hunger all at the same time.
That brings me to another dilemma, I have been letting my weight get completely away from me. UGH!! It is the stress and I know it. When I get home of an evening, all I want to do is eat and sleep. I don't want to get out of bed of a morning because I know the possibility of yet another really bad day is on the horizon. Thursday night though, I got on the scales. I know, you aren't supposed to weight of an evening, but I did. I was at a number worse than I had ever seen and it scared me, badly. Needless to say, I have spent the weekend trying to get ahold of myself and I am heading in the right direction. I have planned out every bite I am eating this week and plan to have the rest of the month and into July planned by the end of the week. I am forcing myself to get out of bed and exercise. I also am finding that I still remember what having a lot of this weight off felt like. That is nerve wracking as well because I relate all of my exercise to trying to do it while carrying ALL of my groceries in at one time, and that is how clumsy I feel after gaining all this weight. Part of it truly was 3 months back on prednisone, but a lot of it was not.
I am supposed to speak at the LIHEAP conference on August 12th, that gives me a goal and something to work HARD for. I wish I had the time to try to do something like the Biggest Loser. I truly know if I had all day every day just to devote myself to losing weight, I could. However, I would get kicked out the first hour because I can't seem to stay away from work. I am off today and already had a friend from Ameren try to tell me to get lost, I was supposed to be on staycation. I guess I hadn't explained to anyone (including myself) that staycation includes staying in touch with work.
So, Day 1 of my Staycation, (actually day 1.5, because I started a project yesterday just because we didn't have church last night). I emptied my upright freezer, sorted the food in it, took the good stuff to one of the freezers in the basement and threw the old stuff out, and defrosted that freezer, that was all last night. This morning, I worked on putting stuff back in the upright, and then sorting the other two. I stopped though because I have a lot of stuff to go to the trash :-(, (veggies from '12 and '13) and was afraid I would run out of trashcan space. Will do the rest a couple of bags at a time. I also cleaned my canned food area, noticed I am completely out of my homemade meat sauce (come on tomatoes!), and cleaned the area around my treadmill, bike and weight machine. I am making plans for Thursday afternoon to clean up the rest of that area. I actually changed my vaca to all day today and Friday, half days Tuesday and Thursday and all day Wednesday.
It is almost noon and I am really tired of going up and down the stairs. So, going to clean up, eat lunch, run some errands, get some stuff ready for a friend to come and pick up and then, maybe, just maybe, I may relax for a bit before either guy gets home for dinner.
Happy Monday, oh and I mentioned a summer bucket list; my list has now officially become "just get through the next day". I am truly looking forward to things being in a state where I really can take a week off and not worry about things.
Our situation with State LIHEAP funds is a mess, and there is no easy way to tell what all is going on. Bottom line though, the Governor wants to use money that isn't his (or the State's). When he didn't get by with that, he simply "suspended" our ability to use it coming July 1. In theory, having it stopped for a few days shouldn't be any big deal; in reality, any gap in service shuts down our entire Percentage of Payment Plan. That is looking more real every day. There are many things that are simple solutions, and you would think that lifting the suspension would be a simple solution. The secondary problem is at the State level, guess who runs the LIHEAP program? Duh, State workers. If we have no budget July 1, many of them will not be supposed to go to work. Things are just a mess and I just can't help but think of my many, many clients, especially my seniors who are caught in the crossfire. It makes me want to throw up, and since I'm a stress eater, it makes me want to eat. That is a weird feeling, nausea and supposed hunger all at the same time.
That brings me to another dilemma, I have been letting my weight get completely away from me. UGH!! It is the stress and I know it. When I get home of an evening, all I want to do is eat and sleep. I don't want to get out of bed of a morning because I know the possibility of yet another really bad day is on the horizon. Thursday night though, I got on the scales. I know, you aren't supposed to weight of an evening, but I did. I was at a number worse than I had ever seen and it scared me, badly. Needless to say, I have spent the weekend trying to get ahold of myself and I am heading in the right direction. I have planned out every bite I am eating this week and plan to have the rest of the month and into July planned by the end of the week. I am forcing myself to get out of bed and exercise. I also am finding that I still remember what having a lot of this weight off felt like. That is nerve wracking as well because I relate all of my exercise to trying to do it while carrying ALL of my groceries in at one time, and that is how clumsy I feel after gaining all this weight. Part of it truly was 3 months back on prednisone, but a lot of it was not.
I am supposed to speak at the LIHEAP conference on August 12th, that gives me a goal and something to work HARD for. I wish I had the time to try to do something like the Biggest Loser. I truly know if I had all day every day just to devote myself to losing weight, I could. However, I would get kicked out the first hour because I can't seem to stay away from work. I am off today and already had a friend from Ameren try to tell me to get lost, I was supposed to be on staycation. I guess I hadn't explained to anyone (including myself) that staycation includes staying in touch with work.
So, Day 1 of my Staycation, (actually day 1.5, because I started a project yesterday just because we didn't have church last night). I emptied my upright freezer, sorted the food in it, took the good stuff to one of the freezers in the basement and threw the old stuff out, and defrosted that freezer, that was all last night. This morning, I worked on putting stuff back in the upright, and then sorting the other two. I stopped though because I have a lot of stuff to go to the trash :-(, (veggies from '12 and '13) and was afraid I would run out of trashcan space. Will do the rest a couple of bags at a time. I also cleaned my canned food area, noticed I am completely out of my homemade meat sauce (come on tomatoes!), and cleaned the area around my treadmill, bike and weight machine. I am making plans for Thursday afternoon to clean up the rest of that area. I actually changed my vaca to all day today and Friday, half days Tuesday and Thursday and all day Wednesday.
It is almost noon and I am really tired of going up and down the stairs. So, going to clean up, eat lunch, run some errands, get some stuff ready for a friend to come and pick up and then, maybe, just maybe, I may relax for a bit before either guy gets home for dinner.
Happy Monday, oh and I mentioned a summer bucket list; my list has now officially become "just get through the next day". I am truly looking forward to things being in a state where I really can take a week off and not worry about things.
Monday, May 25, 2015
Memorial Day, 2015
First and foremost, I want to give remembrance to those who have died serving our county. That is what this day is truly about. Although I am always thankful for those who have served, this day was originally set aside to remember those who died in the Civil War, it was to be observed on May 30th. This was the day you were to go to the cemetery and decorate their graves., hence the original "Decoration day". Even if you didn't have family members at the cemetery who had served, you decorated your loved ones graves. It is rumored that this was decided for this day because so many flowers would be in bloom at this time. In 1971, it was decided to change the date to the last Monday in May and call it Memorial Day, honoring all fallen soldiers. My mom still complains that "if we would celebrate it when we were supposed to". I always giggle a little at this, she doesn't like change. The thing is, up until that time, it was what it was, changing it to the last Monday in May did lend itself to that three day weekend celebration feel.
So, yes, it is a three day weekend, it is the unofficial start of summer, and it is a good time to see friends and family, let's just not forget why you have this day. In 2000, the National Moment of Remembrance was enacted. So, at least at 3:00 this afternoon, you should pause to give thanks for those who've gone before, so you have the freedom to be spending the rest of the day as a relaxing day. I am sure it means different things to different people and that is okay. If you have loved ones close to you that have died in action, by all means, I think you should be remembering them if that is what you want to be doing. Our family really does not, so my day is going to be spent working on projects that need done because I have the day off. My guys are working at the farm today.
This evening, we are cooking ribs on the grill and eating out on the newly cleaned off patio, if I get finished cleaning it and if the weather stays fit, that will be our Memorial Day.
I have been in a blogging mood, just haven't had time to get it down, I am looking for a better app for my pad to translate handwriting to typing. There are times, I would just like to jot down some thoughts, and so far, I haven't found the right combination.
As always, things have been a blur lately. Andrew's dad and his girlfriend came for a visit. I was in Springfield the first two days they were here, Andrew had multiple jobs going on and Robert was working so we mainly saw them of an evening. We normally try to do something at least one day while they are here, but there just wasn't the time. Maybe this fall when they come. This past Friday night I got some much needed friend time as one of my BFF's from High School came and had a sit on the porch. IT was so good to see Tammy and to catch up, wish we could do that more often. On Saturday, we went to Bloomington to celebrate my Uncle Kenny's 80th birthday. It was great seeing everyone and it was just a perfect day. My mom started out life with 3 living brothers and 3 living sisters (she had a brother and two sisters who died in childhood before she was born), it is now down to these 2. I treasure the time we get to spend with them and for them to get to spend with each other.
Robert got exciting news a couple of weeks ago that came to fruition this week, he no longer works on Saturdays. This is great because Andrew normally doesn't work at other people's houses on Saturdays unless he is pushing to get things done. This means now, most Saturdays can be spent on Robert's house. Not to mention the fact that Robert will now be driving to Charleston 5 days a week instead of 6 and making the same amount of money, that in itself was like getting a raise. He has been very involved in helping my mom with the gardening this year. This will all work out well because they won't try to get to the farm after work during the week now, they will concentrate on Saturdays for that, and Robert and Mom can work in the garden; so it's good for all of us that this happened. It is on a trial basis through the summer so we are all really hoping it stays this way.
Andrew has been keeping busy, not quite as busy as we would like but for the business just being 9 months old, I don't think we can complain. We had our first yard sale, which went well. We are doing the national road yard sale this coming weekend in Greenup and then whatever didn't sell from that we are pretty much tossing and starting over. I am looking at having a yard sale once a month through the summer. We have so much junk to get rid that I know we can do one a month and have different stuff. I haven't even started on my own attic yet.
I am getting ready to go to Springfield again tomorrow for a LIHEAP Action day. We are taking all the fieldworkers to the Capitol to stand up for our program. We had two bills that directly affect our agency, one was passed last Thursday, and the other one has been given the runaround. We feel it has to be up for vote by Friday, last day of session, or we will lose ground. I also have a huge amount of computer work to get done in the next couple of weeks. I have 5 new computers that need installed in our office, not to mention the day-in, day-out work of PIPP and the fact that I will probably need to have my implementation plan to the state by the middle of June. I haven't even looked at it yet. Busy, busy, busy.
I am working on a bucket list for the summer. It technically should be finished today but the day is already starting to get away from me, so it may have to be in the works for a few days, once again, a good script to type or a better talk to type would help me immensely.
So, here goes the day.
Happy Memorial Day.
So, yes, it is a three day weekend, it is the unofficial start of summer, and it is a good time to see friends and family, let's just not forget why you have this day. In 2000, the National Moment of Remembrance was enacted. So, at least at 3:00 this afternoon, you should pause to give thanks for those who've gone before, so you have the freedom to be spending the rest of the day as a relaxing day. I am sure it means different things to different people and that is okay. If you have loved ones close to you that have died in action, by all means, I think you should be remembering them if that is what you want to be doing. Our family really does not, so my day is going to be spent working on projects that need done because I have the day off. My guys are working at the farm today.
This evening, we are cooking ribs on the grill and eating out on the newly cleaned off patio, if I get finished cleaning it and if the weather stays fit, that will be our Memorial Day.
I have been in a blogging mood, just haven't had time to get it down, I am looking for a better app for my pad to translate handwriting to typing. There are times, I would just like to jot down some thoughts, and so far, I haven't found the right combination.
As always, things have been a blur lately. Andrew's dad and his girlfriend came for a visit. I was in Springfield the first two days they were here, Andrew had multiple jobs going on and Robert was working so we mainly saw them of an evening. We normally try to do something at least one day while they are here, but there just wasn't the time. Maybe this fall when they come. This past Friday night I got some much needed friend time as one of my BFF's from High School came and had a sit on the porch. IT was so good to see Tammy and to catch up, wish we could do that more often. On Saturday, we went to Bloomington to celebrate my Uncle Kenny's 80th birthday. It was great seeing everyone and it was just a perfect day. My mom started out life with 3 living brothers and 3 living sisters (she had a brother and two sisters who died in childhood before she was born), it is now down to these 2. I treasure the time we get to spend with them and for them to get to spend with each other.
Robert got exciting news a couple of weeks ago that came to fruition this week, he no longer works on Saturdays. This is great because Andrew normally doesn't work at other people's houses on Saturdays unless he is pushing to get things done. This means now, most Saturdays can be spent on Robert's house. Not to mention the fact that Robert will now be driving to Charleston 5 days a week instead of 6 and making the same amount of money, that in itself was like getting a raise. He has been very involved in helping my mom with the gardening this year. This will all work out well because they won't try to get to the farm after work during the week now, they will concentrate on Saturdays for that, and Robert and Mom can work in the garden; so it's good for all of us that this happened. It is on a trial basis through the summer so we are all really hoping it stays this way.
Andrew has been keeping busy, not quite as busy as we would like but for the business just being 9 months old, I don't think we can complain. We had our first yard sale, which went well. We are doing the national road yard sale this coming weekend in Greenup and then whatever didn't sell from that we are pretty much tossing and starting over. I am looking at having a yard sale once a month through the summer. We have so much junk to get rid that I know we can do one a month and have different stuff. I haven't even started on my own attic yet.
I am getting ready to go to Springfield again tomorrow for a LIHEAP Action day. We are taking all the fieldworkers to the Capitol to stand up for our program. We had two bills that directly affect our agency, one was passed last Thursday, and the other one has been given the runaround. We feel it has to be up for vote by Friday, last day of session, or we will lose ground. I also have a huge amount of computer work to get done in the next couple of weeks. I have 5 new computers that need installed in our office, not to mention the day-in, day-out work of PIPP and the fact that I will probably need to have my implementation plan to the state by the middle of June. I haven't even looked at it yet. Busy, busy, busy.
I am working on a bucket list for the summer. It technically should be finished today but the day is already starting to get away from me, so it may have to be in the works for a few days, once again, a good script to type or a better talk to type would help me immensely.
So, here goes the day.
Happy Memorial Day.
Tuesday, May 12, 2015
Deep Thoughts
Do you ever have a memory stored away and just know you remembered it correctly only to find out it was wrong? I have had that happen this week and it bugs me....on many different levels. The memory happened 30 years ago and itself is not important. It just gets me that my brain had transferred the whole ordeal to a different person. I don't know why and that is what brings me to the title.
Do you remember those people in your life you couldn't fathom going 24 hours without talking to? Do you still go less than 24 hours without talking to them? If no, what happened? I have been thinking a lot about how people move in and out of our lives. There have been people in my life that I thought would always be there, and then they weren't. And then they are back. I hate to think I have started having a hard time with change but apparently I have. I tend to over-think the what if's and the why's. Why did we go our separate ways in the first place, why can't I remember when that happened and worst yet, am I going to get burned if I start letting them into my life again?
Earlier this year, in one day, I was faced with not one but two of those people. I actually came home and cried. Somehow, I had went for years without this bothering me but it being slammed in my face seemed to wake me up. Thanks to facebook, we had rekindled some kind of mutual acquaintanceship but these were people that at one point in my life, knew my deepest, darkest secrets, my thoughts, my fears, everything about the real me. And now we are reduced to less than Christmas card exchangers. It made me think about all of my earlier life friends. One particular relationship I am assuming we had one more bad day that we did good. This was actually an old boyfriend and I can't help but hear the Garth song about some of God's greatest gifts being unanswered prayers. The only thing is, they weren't unanswered, God said no and somehow I guess one or both of us didn't care enough to ask if He was sure. That is the only boyfriend relationship that I can't remember the ending, I don't remember a blow-up (though there were several of them!), or being thrown against a tree (yes, it happened), or finding out the guy had two classrings, and indeed, two steady girlfriends (oh yes, that one happened too), or that he wanted to date someone else, (yep, this one too complete with telling me who it was--my cousin, no less and it was priceless, he didn't know she was my cousin OR that she was engaged, he just wanted to find her and see what she would say, needless to say--I let him. lol. ) or finding out later that he decided he wasn't into girls (twice). I guess now I wish I had a more cut and dried answer for that one relationship as well as some of the others of my friendships that ended instead of the shoulder shrugging "we just aren't close anymore" and then to the "I haven't talked to them in years", but my question is still why and why can't I remember?
This all made me think of this poem:
People come into your path for a reason, a season or a lifetime.
When you know which one it is, you will know what to do with that person.
When someone is in your life for a REASON it is usually to meet a need you have expressed.
They have come to assist you through a dificulty…
To provide you with guidance and support…
To aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually…
They may seem like they are a godsend, and they are.
They are there for the reason you need them to be.
Then without any wrongdoing on your part, or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.
Sometimes they die…
Sometimes they walk away…
Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand….
What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled…
Their work is done.
The prayer you sent up has now been answered and now it is time to move on.
Some people come into your life for a SEASON.
Because your turn has come to share, grow or learn.
They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.
They may teach you something you have never done.
They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.
Believe it, it is real. But only for a season.
LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons.
Things you must build upon to have a solid emotional foundation.
Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person, and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life.
It is said that love is blind, but friendship is clairvoyant.
Thank you for being a part of my life…
Whether you were a reason, a season or a lifetime
~ unknown author
Before anyone reads anything into any of this I know one thing for sure: when Andrew and I went on our first date, all of the other failures made sense. Between the above mentioned boyfriend and Andrew, I actually got engaged. I wanted so badly for that to be right at the time, but somewhere deep down, I just couldn't make myself accept it. Again, when Andrew came along, it all made sense. He was the one God made for me, and I waited it out and he waited it out, and we got to be together. I thank God for that daily.
In closing, I just want to say to all of those out there that still have their BFF's close, keep them there. I would give anything in the world if we didn't have these big gaps of seeing each other with my friends from high school and since we aren't used to making time for each other, it is hard to schedule things now. I have friends now and I like hanging around with them but I always go back to that line from Stand by Me. I know I've quoted it before but it never gets old to me: I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve.
So, if you were in my life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime, know that I treasured that time, and if you are in my life now, I hope that I do a better job of letting you know how important you are to me.
M
Do you remember those people in your life you couldn't fathom going 24 hours without talking to? Do you still go less than 24 hours without talking to them? If no, what happened? I have been thinking a lot about how people move in and out of our lives. There have been people in my life that I thought would always be there, and then they weren't. And then they are back. I hate to think I have started having a hard time with change but apparently I have. I tend to over-think the what if's and the why's. Why did we go our separate ways in the first place, why can't I remember when that happened and worst yet, am I going to get burned if I start letting them into my life again?
Earlier this year, in one day, I was faced with not one but two of those people. I actually came home and cried. Somehow, I had went for years without this bothering me but it being slammed in my face seemed to wake me up. Thanks to facebook, we had rekindled some kind of mutual acquaintanceship but these were people that at one point in my life, knew my deepest, darkest secrets, my thoughts, my fears, everything about the real me. And now we are reduced to less than Christmas card exchangers. It made me think about all of my earlier life friends. One particular relationship I am assuming we had one more bad day that we did good. This was actually an old boyfriend and I can't help but hear the Garth song about some of God's greatest gifts being unanswered prayers. The only thing is, they weren't unanswered, God said no and somehow I guess one or both of us didn't care enough to ask if He was sure. That is the only boyfriend relationship that I can't remember the ending, I don't remember a blow-up (though there were several of them!), or being thrown against a tree (yes, it happened), or finding out the guy had two classrings, and indeed, two steady girlfriends (oh yes, that one happened too), or that he wanted to date someone else, (yep, this one too complete with telling me who it was--my cousin, no less and it was priceless, he didn't know she was my cousin OR that she was engaged, he just wanted to find her and see what she would say, needless to say--I let him. lol. ) or finding out later that he decided he wasn't into girls (twice). I guess now I wish I had a more cut and dried answer for that one relationship as well as some of the others of my friendships that ended instead of the shoulder shrugging "we just aren't close anymore" and then to the "I haven't talked to them in years", but my question is still why and why can't I remember?
This all made me think of this poem:
People come into your path for a reason, a season or a lifetime.
When you know which one it is, you will know what to do with that person.
When someone is in your life for a REASON it is usually to meet a need you have expressed.
They have come to assist you through a dificulty…
To provide you with guidance and support…
To aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually…
They may seem like they are a godsend, and they are.
They are there for the reason you need them to be.
Then without any wrongdoing on your part, or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.
Sometimes they die…
Sometimes they walk away…
Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand….
What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled…
Their work is done.
The prayer you sent up has now been answered and now it is time to move on.
Some people come into your life for a SEASON.
Because your turn has come to share, grow or learn.
They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.
They may teach you something you have never done.
They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.
Believe it, it is real. But only for a season.
LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons.
Things you must build upon to have a solid emotional foundation.
Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person, and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life.
It is said that love is blind, but friendship is clairvoyant.
Thank you for being a part of my life…
Whether you were a reason, a season or a lifetime
~ unknown author
Before anyone reads anything into any of this I know one thing for sure: when Andrew and I went on our first date, all of the other failures made sense. Between the above mentioned boyfriend and Andrew, I actually got engaged. I wanted so badly for that to be right at the time, but somewhere deep down, I just couldn't make myself accept it. Again, when Andrew came along, it all made sense. He was the one God made for me, and I waited it out and he waited it out, and we got to be together. I thank God for that daily.
In closing, I just want to say to all of those out there that still have their BFF's close, keep them there. I would give anything in the world if we didn't have these big gaps of seeing each other with my friends from high school and since we aren't used to making time for each other, it is hard to schedule things now. I have friends now and I like hanging around with them but I always go back to that line from Stand by Me. I know I've quoted it before but it never gets old to me: I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve.
So, if you were in my life for a reason, a season, or a lifetime, know that I treasured that time, and if you are in my life now, I hope that I do a better job of letting you know how important you are to me.
M
Tuesday, May 5, 2015
Blessings
Good morning from Springfield!
Day 2 of our annual IACAA conference, which means Sunday night was our Family of Distinction Banquet. The banquet was good as always, lots of people making it because our agencies believed in them. Helping People, Changing Lives.
Our own award recipient couldn't come. He first came into our offices for assistance because the factory he was working at closed. Through our programs, he got his CDL license, was in Wyoming to see his sons and was offered a job by a trucking company out there! So, on top of everything else, he now gets to be with his family!
I love happy endings.
If you are with me on facebook, you know I love skylines too, I am on the 25th floor this time, and I always manage to get in room 1,2, 17, or 18. I love this because you can see the Capitol out all of those windows. Normally, when I am here, I wonder about the law process, knowing that what I do each day is to help change lives, but knowing what THEY do definitely changes lives. I still can't believe that the past two weeks, I have been inside that building, participating in the process. It is so incredibly humbling to me that God would let me have this life. I truly do feel like we made a difference. Helping People, Changing Lives.
I am posting a picture of the night skyline as well. I had sent a picture of my view to Andrew on Sunday evening, he showed it to my mom and Mom told him about me always watching the lights. I think watching the world go by might be as relaxing to me as some people sitting on the beach. One time, when one of my uncles was in the hospital at Barnes, in St. Louis, we got a room in Queeny Towers, it was either on the top floor or very close. Of course, the interstate ran right in front of Barnes. There was about a 12 inch ledge on the inside of our window. I laid on that ledge and watched the traffic for hours. So, I spent each evening just sitting for at least a half hour, watching the world go by. Still mesmerizes me, but still makes me incredibly thankful that God lets me do what I do.
Today is the last day of the conference, in fact, for the first time in a long time, I don't know if I will be back in Springfield at all this month, more than likely yes, but I have nothing scheduled yet. Wait and see.
As we personally are learning to adjust to the ins and outs of owning our own business, the biggest adjustment is to worrying that Andrew won't have jobs. I get pretty scared, and pretty down even though I try not to. Gone (at least for a while) are the days when if I didn't feel like cooking, we just went out. I truly wish I would have had more discipline then and not spent the money, but life is a learning process and so I lived and I have learned. I always used to budget every penny, and I still did even after things got easier, I just didn't stick to it like I probably should have. A few weeks ago, Randy Black spoke at our church, and preached on God's grace being sufficient. He kinda blew a whole thing for me because I had always thought I would write an entire book on when God says no. Randy blew the whole idea because that book can be summed up in 4 little words: "My grace is sufficient". So, Sunday morning as I was reading (after paying bills on Saturday morning), I came across 2 Corinthians 12. Lo and behold, there it was, My grace is sufficient. Then yesterday morning, I thought I was on Chapter 13 and was on 12, so He said it to me again. I get the picture. Once again, I know we are going to be just fine.
So, now I am packed and ready for the final day and then to head toward home. I've learned some things at the conference, but I've learned a lot in that quiet down-time I've had here in my room this week.
Happy Tuesday!
Day 2 of our annual IACAA conference, which means Sunday night was our Family of Distinction Banquet. The banquet was good as always, lots of people making it because our agencies believed in them. Helping People, Changing Lives.
Our own award recipient couldn't come. He first came into our offices for assistance because the factory he was working at closed. Through our programs, he got his CDL license, was in Wyoming to see his sons and was offered a job by a trucking company out there! So, on top of everything else, he now gets to be with his family!
I love happy endings.
If you are with me on facebook, you know I love skylines too, I am on the 25th floor this time, and I always manage to get in room 1,2, 17, or 18. I love this because you can see the Capitol out all of those windows. Normally, when I am here, I wonder about the law process, knowing that what I do each day is to help change lives, but knowing what THEY do definitely changes lives. I still can't believe that the past two weeks, I have been inside that building, participating in the process. It is so incredibly humbling to me that God would let me have this life. I truly do feel like we made a difference. Helping People, Changing Lives.
I am posting a picture of the night skyline as well. I had sent a picture of my view to Andrew on Sunday evening, he showed it to my mom and Mom told him about me always watching the lights. I think watching the world go by might be as relaxing to me as some people sitting on the beach. One time, when one of my uncles was in the hospital at Barnes, in St. Louis, we got a room in Queeny Towers, it was either on the top floor or very close. Of course, the interstate ran right in front of Barnes. There was about a 12 inch ledge on the inside of our window. I laid on that ledge and watched the traffic for hours. So, I spent each evening just sitting for at least a half hour, watching the world go by. Still mesmerizes me, but still makes me incredibly thankful that God lets me do what I do.
Today is the last day of the conference, in fact, for the first time in a long time, I don't know if I will be back in Springfield at all this month, more than likely yes, but I have nothing scheduled yet. Wait and see.
As we personally are learning to adjust to the ins and outs of owning our own business, the biggest adjustment is to worrying that Andrew won't have jobs. I get pretty scared, and pretty down even though I try not to. Gone (at least for a while) are the days when if I didn't feel like cooking, we just went out. I truly wish I would have had more discipline then and not spent the money, but life is a learning process and so I lived and I have learned. I always used to budget every penny, and I still did even after things got easier, I just didn't stick to it like I probably should have. A few weeks ago, Randy Black spoke at our church, and preached on God's grace being sufficient. He kinda blew a whole thing for me because I had always thought I would write an entire book on when God says no. Randy blew the whole idea because that book can be summed up in 4 little words: "My grace is sufficient". So, Sunday morning as I was reading (after paying bills on Saturday morning), I came across 2 Corinthians 12. Lo and behold, there it was, My grace is sufficient. Then yesterday morning, I thought I was on Chapter 13 and was on 12, so He said it to me again. I get the picture. Once again, I know we are going to be just fine.
So, now I am packed and ready for the final day and then to head toward home. I've learned some things at the conference, but I've learned a lot in that quiet down-time I've had here in my room this week.
Happy Tuesday!
Tuesday, April 28, 2015
The Good Day
Does anyone remember Zig Zigler and the Power of Positive Thinking? One of his things was that if you told yourself enough times that it was going to be a good day, it would be a good day. I have been trying for over a week to have a good day. I have honestly had okay days in that week but I was really striving towards a day that I was the person I wanted to be all. day. long.
A week ago last Sunday, I wrote down what I thought a good day would be. It would be one where I got up early enough to do a good Bible study, spend time with God, have a good workout, have my house all straightened before I went to work, got everything on my list done at work, got everything done after work I wanted to, fix a good dinner, relax and be in bed by a decent hour. Yesterday was what I hope to be the first of many more.
I was up at 4:30, did my Bible study, had prayer time, did my C25K, day 1 (yes, again, this is truly the longest I have ever went without a good exercise routine and it showed, big time, yesterday but I did it anyway), had my dishes done and my house straightened, went to the Newton office and fixed a computer, went to work and got everything done on my list, came home and worked on the project I intended to, packed for a business trip today, fixed grilled pork steaks for dinner, watched the 2 hour episode of Amazing Race and took a great relaxing bath, complete with candles, music and a cup of Earl Grey decaf. I was in bed a little later than normal but I still woke up at 4:30 ready to go again. To top it all off, those scales moved 2.6 lbs from yesterday to today! It was my first day post prednisone so that was part of it, but the food and the exercise certainly played a part.
I am doing the Be Wise Bible study by Warren Wiersbe. This morning, one of the things he said was that everyday really is a good day in the life of a Christian because God is molding us into who he wants us to be. So, even if it seems like a bad day, it's a good day. I would rather have good days that seem like good days, but I do get it.
Today, I have had my quiet time and Bible Study, and am getting ready to go downstairs to lift some weights and do some crunches. I will be back in Springfield before the day is over. We are taking the ladies that we took last week, back to tell their stories to more people. Sounds like tomorrow has been declared an advocacy day, so there will be lots of people there telling their stories, it will probably end up being a long day, but hopefully a good one.
I have a list of things to accomplish before we go and I really do think I will get them finished.
Here is to lots and lots of good days!
I am planning on blogging more, it is one of the things that make me realize what is going on in my life and even though it doesn't seem like it to others, I am working on more changes to me. I will probably blog them as a way to hold myself accountable to me and to God.
With that being said, I am probably not going to post of facebook every time I blog. Some of my readers have followed me since way before facebook, but if you count on that post and really want to read my page, follow me, to the right and you should get an email when it updates, or just check back at the actual website every once in a while. If I have something really big, I will probably share it on fb, but a lot of times, I just won't.
Happy Tuesday everyone, hope it's a GOOD day!
A week ago last Sunday, I wrote down what I thought a good day would be. It would be one where I got up early enough to do a good Bible study, spend time with God, have a good workout, have my house all straightened before I went to work, got everything on my list done at work, got everything done after work I wanted to, fix a good dinner, relax and be in bed by a decent hour. Yesterday was what I hope to be the first of many more.
I was up at 4:30, did my Bible study, had prayer time, did my C25K, day 1 (yes, again, this is truly the longest I have ever went without a good exercise routine and it showed, big time, yesterday but I did it anyway), had my dishes done and my house straightened, went to the Newton office and fixed a computer, went to work and got everything done on my list, came home and worked on the project I intended to, packed for a business trip today, fixed grilled pork steaks for dinner, watched the 2 hour episode of Amazing Race and took a great relaxing bath, complete with candles, music and a cup of Earl Grey decaf. I was in bed a little later than normal but I still woke up at 4:30 ready to go again. To top it all off, those scales moved 2.6 lbs from yesterday to today! It was my first day post prednisone so that was part of it, but the food and the exercise certainly played a part.
I am doing the Be Wise Bible study by Warren Wiersbe. This morning, one of the things he said was that everyday really is a good day in the life of a Christian because God is molding us into who he wants us to be. So, even if it seems like a bad day, it's a good day. I would rather have good days that seem like good days, but I do get it.
Today, I have had my quiet time and Bible Study, and am getting ready to go downstairs to lift some weights and do some crunches. I will be back in Springfield before the day is over. We are taking the ladies that we took last week, back to tell their stories to more people. Sounds like tomorrow has been declared an advocacy day, so there will be lots of people there telling their stories, it will probably end up being a long day, but hopefully a good one.
I have a list of things to accomplish before we go and I really do think I will get them finished.
Here is to lots and lots of good days!
I am planning on blogging more, it is one of the things that make me realize what is going on in my life and even though it doesn't seem like it to others, I am working on more changes to me. I will probably blog them as a way to hold myself accountable to me and to God.
With that being said, I am probably not going to post of facebook every time I blog. Some of my readers have followed me since way before facebook, but if you count on that post and really want to read my page, follow me, to the right and you should get an email when it updates, or just check back at the actual website every once in a while. If I have something really big, I will probably share it on fb, but a lot of times, I just won't.
Happy Tuesday everyone, hope it's a GOOD day!
Saturday, April 25, 2015
My First Capsule
So today, I got it in my head to try the latest thing--a clothing capsule. For those who know me well, you know I'm a clothes hoarder so this was a big step. According to what I was reading, I was to skim down to 15 tops, 9 bottoms, 9 pair of shoes (yes, that was the HARDEST part!), 2 dresses, and 2 jackets. I didn't make it all the way to that, but I cleaned out a lot. I found out a few things about myself in the process. I almost always wear a blouse and a jacket as my top, so yes, I allowed myself 15 of each, I ended up with just 11 tanks and blouses, and 11 sweaters. I didn't really think that was too bad. I also ended up with 11 bottoms, because I had 7 pair of slacks, 2 split skirts (which I love this time of year), as well as 2 skirts. Because I almost always wear a skirt or dress to church, I thought I could keep the skirts as well as I have 3 dresses instead of 2. I really do only have 9 pair of shoes out right now. According to what I have read, I am supposed to change out once a season. I really think I will change in a little different schedule. I have, for a long time, changed out my sweaters in the middle of winter, so I am used to this. I also have room under the bed and in the closet of my guest room so it's not like they will be hard to change out. My shoes are actually still in my closet, just in these little cubicles out of the way, Andrew built those for me years ago. My picks though are on the shelves, easy to get to.
Back to the part that I learned about me. Back when I worked at Walmart and the restaurants, my clothing budget was pretty near to zero. I was pickier then about buying things that go with several things I already have. I have lost that somewhere along the way and I realized today that I want to get back to that. People used to complain that I always had new clothes; I didn't, I just put them together differently.
While I was at it, I did a capsule for Andrew as well. Wow, I may actually iron his dress shirts when I wash instead of waiting until the Sunday morning he wants to wear it. My reasoning always was our closet was so jam packed, it didn't do any good to iron until you pulled whatever it was that needed it out of the closet. Not so anymore. Andrew has an entire half of the closet! I also realized that somehow or another, he no longer owns a pair of black dress pants. Hmm....
I also, with a bit of sadness, found out that I totally missed out on wearing a favorite pair of shoes this past winter because, apparently, I had too many pair of shoes and didn't realize they were buried.
And, the worst part of the day, there were many things I put away that I love, but I have gained weight and they don't fit. That gives me a goal for the next 2 months and changing out the capsule.
So, starting on a new adventure, first time in my life I don't think I need a walk-in closet. I had actually thought about, when Robert moved out, moving our family room to the living room, making the current family room our bedroom and making our bedroom into one giant walk-in closet. I'm still not ruling it out, after all, this is not even officially day one of my capsule. We'll see.
Back to the part that I learned about me. Back when I worked at Walmart and the restaurants, my clothing budget was pretty near to zero. I was pickier then about buying things that go with several things I already have. I have lost that somewhere along the way and I realized today that I want to get back to that. People used to complain that I always had new clothes; I didn't, I just put them together differently.
While I was at it, I did a capsule for Andrew as well. Wow, I may actually iron his dress shirts when I wash instead of waiting until the Sunday morning he wants to wear it. My reasoning always was our closet was so jam packed, it didn't do any good to iron until you pulled whatever it was that needed it out of the closet. Not so anymore. Andrew has an entire half of the closet! I also realized that somehow or another, he no longer owns a pair of black dress pants. Hmm....
I also, with a bit of sadness, found out that I totally missed out on wearing a favorite pair of shoes this past winter because, apparently, I had too many pair of shoes and didn't realize they were buried.
And, the worst part of the day, there were many things I put away that I love, but I have gained weight and they don't fit. That gives me a goal for the next 2 months and changing out the capsule.
So, starting on a new adventure, first time in my life I don't think I need a walk-in closet. I had actually thought about, when Robert moved out, moving our family room to the living room, making the current family room our bedroom and making our bedroom into one giant walk-in closet. I'm still not ruling it out, after all, this is not even officially day one of my capsule. We'll see.
Thursday, April 23, 2015
Something New
I have said many times, I don't talk about my work as much as I would like to just simply because I think my job is so cool that I feel like I am bragging when I go into too much, somethings though, just have to be shared.
If you live in the State of Illinois and watch any news at all, you have heard that the Governor is trying to take every penny he can find to balance the budget. One of the attacks has been on State LIHEAP funds. Let me just go a little further and let everyone know where 100% of those funds come from. If you are an Ameren, IL Gas, Mt. Carmel PU, Nicor, ComEd, or Peoples Gas (there are a few more, but not as big) client, every month you pay a 48 cent surcharge on your bill. This money has been earmarked, since its inception to go toward utility assistance programs. About 5 years ago, we started a pilot program, through Ameren in our area, called PIPP. PIPP stands for the Percentage of Income Payment Program. I may have explained this before but it is a GREAT program and three years ago, it went from being a pilot to a statewide program. And for all of my friends who think that nobody should get anything for free, you would LOVE this program. Just as the name says, the client pays a percentage of their monthly income to the utility bill. Most middle class families pay between 3-6% of their monthly income to utilities, low-income families have the same bills, (or worse, because their houses are not as energy efficient). On PIPP, the client pays 6% of their monthly income and then we pay the rest of a monthly budget bill up to $150 a month. This program is sustained with 100% state funds. Lose State funds, lose PIPP, it is that simple. We also pay Ameren regular program, as well as Illinois Gas, Mount Carmel PU, and Shelby Electric regular program out of these funds, those are all utility companies that charge the 48 cent surcharge. So, right off the bat, I personally feel, as do many others, this money is not the Governor's to take.
ANYWAY, he tried to sweep funds for this year and right at the moment that has been stopped. There are no LIHEAP funds listed in his 2016 Budget, which for us, would affect us starting this coming July, when the new fiscal starts and we start recertifying most of our agency's almost 1600 PIPP clients.
A little over a week ago, I was contacted by Julie Vahling, one of the Assistant State Directors for AARP. She too, is very concerned about the effects these cuts would have on her clients, the 50+ population. She had been asked by the Speaker of the House to find clients who were willing to come and put a face to these details, I was honored that Julie called me. She had arranged for us to bring our clients to a House of Representatives Appropriations Committee Meeting.
So, yesterday, two of our clients, my Executive Director, and I, went to Springfield. I have to tell you, I was so humbled by our clients stories, and the fact that, because I get to do my job, these clients have a better quality of life.
One of our clients is divorced, and had stepped out of the full time workforce to work with ailing parents, as well as to help a daughter who had recently became a single mom herself. She is now 59, going though job-training with Experience Works, and getting prepared to take on a whole new career....at 59.
Our other client is 58 and has recently been widowed, her life changed drastically with the death of her husband but also through the turmoil of his three year battle with cancer. Of course, that started draining them, and so, as well as adjusting to life without a spouse she had been with for 20+ years, she had to take on a new financial burden as well.
They both got to tell their stories to Julie, as well as Dalitso Sulamoya, our president of IACAA, our community action agency association. Susan Henry, our divorcee, got to tell her story to the appropriations committee as well. Because Susan works through Experience Works in our Tuscola office, she was also able to tell of the many people who have been in our office needing assistance, and how that number has increased over the past year.
We had a good day, I think both ladies thoroughly enjoyed the outing, even on top of the job we went to do. We ate lunch at Boone's, looked up some of our Senators and Representatives, sat in on both chambers as they were voting and explored the Capitol.
Yes, this is one of those days, where I still can't believe the job I get to do. 30 years ago, had you told me I would take clients of mine to an Appropriations Committee meeting, I would have seriously doubted you.
Helping People, Changing Lives, it's our Association's motto, but it is mine too. Yesterday, I seriously believe we took a step towards that.
Here is a picture of all of us (clients names used by permission)
If you live in the State of Illinois and watch any news at all, you have heard that the Governor is trying to take every penny he can find to balance the budget. One of the attacks has been on State LIHEAP funds. Let me just go a little further and let everyone know where 100% of those funds come from. If you are an Ameren, IL Gas, Mt. Carmel PU, Nicor, ComEd, or Peoples Gas (there are a few more, but not as big) client, every month you pay a 48 cent surcharge on your bill. This money has been earmarked, since its inception to go toward utility assistance programs. About 5 years ago, we started a pilot program, through Ameren in our area, called PIPP. PIPP stands for the Percentage of Income Payment Program. I may have explained this before but it is a GREAT program and three years ago, it went from being a pilot to a statewide program. And for all of my friends who think that nobody should get anything for free, you would LOVE this program. Just as the name says, the client pays a percentage of their monthly income to the utility bill. Most middle class families pay between 3-6% of their monthly income to utilities, low-income families have the same bills, (or worse, because their houses are not as energy efficient). On PIPP, the client pays 6% of their monthly income and then we pay the rest of a monthly budget bill up to $150 a month. This program is sustained with 100% state funds. Lose State funds, lose PIPP, it is that simple. We also pay Ameren regular program, as well as Illinois Gas, Mount Carmel PU, and Shelby Electric regular program out of these funds, those are all utility companies that charge the 48 cent surcharge. So, right off the bat, I personally feel, as do many others, this money is not the Governor's to take.
ANYWAY, he tried to sweep funds for this year and right at the moment that has been stopped. There are no LIHEAP funds listed in his 2016 Budget, which for us, would affect us starting this coming July, when the new fiscal starts and we start recertifying most of our agency's almost 1600 PIPP clients.
A little over a week ago, I was contacted by Julie Vahling, one of the Assistant State Directors for AARP. She too, is very concerned about the effects these cuts would have on her clients, the 50+ population. She had been asked by the Speaker of the House to find clients who were willing to come and put a face to these details, I was honored that Julie called me. She had arranged for us to bring our clients to a House of Representatives Appropriations Committee Meeting.
So, yesterday, two of our clients, my Executive Director, and I, went to Springfield. I have to tell you, I was so humbled by our clients stories, and the fact that, because I get to do my job, these clients have a better quality of life.
One of our clients is divorced, and had stepped out of the full time workforce to work with ailing parents, as well as to help a daughter who had recently became a single mom herself. She is now 59, going though job-training with Experience Works, and getting prepared to take on a whole new career....at 59.
Our other client is 58 and has recently been widowed, her life changed drastically with the death of her husband but also through the turmoil of his three year battle with cancer. Of course, that started draining them, and so, as well as adjusting to life without a spouse she had been with for 20+ years, she had to take on a new financial burden as well.
They both got to tell their stories to Julie, as well as Dalitso Sulamoya, our president of IACAA, our community action agency association. Susan Henry, our divorcee, got to tell her story to the appropriations committee as well. Because Susan works through Experience Works in our Tuscola office, she was also able to tell of the many people who have been in our office needing assistance, and how that number has increased over the past year.
We had a good day, I think both ladies thoroughly enjoyed the outing, even on top of the job we went to do. We ate lunch at Boone's, looked up some of our Senators and Representatives, sat in on both chambers as they were voting and explored the Capitol.
Yes, this is one of those days, where I still can't believe the job I get to do. 30 years ago, had you told me I would take clients of mine to an Appropriations Committee meeting, I would have seriously doubted you.
Helping People, Changing Lives, it's our Association's motto, but it is mine too. Yesterday, I seriously believe we took a step towards that.
Here is a picture of all of us (clients names used by permission)
 |
| L-R: Julie Vahling, AARP; me; Jill Kelley, Susan Henry, Marsha Roll, Executive Director, ERBA; Dalitso Sulamoya, President, IACAA. |
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Onward and Upward
Here it is the start of a new month yet again. I can't imagine how life just keeps getting faster.
So, it's April 1 and I am trying to get a feel like it is a new year, not just a new month. After many failed attempts, the prednisone finally kicked in and did its job of tackling the UC. I was pretty sure two weeks ago that today I would be in the hospital and instead I finally got to take my first real walk of the year. My fitbit just told me I have less than 3,000 steps to get in 10,000 today so I probably should try to squeeze a couple of times around the building in before I leave here in a few.
So, with it being my new year, I am starting my very own 30 day challenge. I started a graduated C25K this morning, I only did half of the 1-minute runs, but this sets me up to do that again Friday and then Monday morning hit the 8's. I have gotten so flabby so fast! I don't think I have ever felt as squishy as I do right now. I have always been fat, or at least to some degree, but ever since I was 24 and catching shoplifters, you could normally punch me in the gut and hurt you a lot worse than you hurt me. I MISS THAT!!!! and yes, it all stemmed from taking a royal beating one time, I swore I would never let that happen again and seriously, right at the moment, it could.
I also started back on counting calories, 1400, I hate my metabolism but that is where I have to be to lose and I know it. I was doing great until I decided to stop at 2:00 and get me a grilled chicken sandwich with no mayo at McDonalds only to get on the interstate and find a crispy chicken with mayo. God Bless McDonalds....still put it in the fitness pal and still have about 400 calories left so I should be doable seeing as how it is AWANA night and I really don't need much more since I ate at 2.
April is already looking crazy busy, hopefully fun and productive along the way too though. Today I did a lot of what turned out to be just minor troubleshooting; 5 computers and 5 fixes though, not bad for a day's work. AWANA tonight as well as the next 2 more Wednesday as regular club, then awards night and fun night, once again, time going way too fast. This weekend, I am doing some shopping with my mom, seeing my friend Patty, enjoying the Easter play at Scott Avenue and then having our own Easter Celebration at our church Sunday morning. If you have no place to be Sunday, Sunrise service is at 7, Breakfast at 8 and Morning Worship at 9. We are providing breakfast, so just come and be our guest.
Next week, I have a computer to install, a meeting in Springfield and then taking (gasp) a day off--I need to take 8 before June 30th or I lose them, trying to get started because I know I will plan some and it just won't work. My sis and BIL is coming the 11th and 12th, back to Springfield on the 16th for a meeting and then the AWANA Grand Prix is the 18th. This is the best/worst, most fun/ most nerve racking, crazy day of the year for Andrew, Robert and me. We spend most of our day holding our breath that everything goes well because if it doesn't, we pretty well will be the ones blamed. There have been years we have said never again, but by the time it rolls around, we can't imagine not doing it. Last year was one of the best to date but we met with a wealth of problems before the first car ran down the track. This year there are more changes, hopefully everyone is happy with them.
That is pretty well the major events for April, oh except for another day off scheduled for the 24th. I have a conference to go to the 1st week of May, hence a good reason to drop some pounds and work on getting some healthier vibes going on.
Think I'll hustle out and try to get my steps in!
Happy Wednesday!
So, it's April 1 and I am trying to get a feel like it is a new year, not just a new month. After many failed attempts, the prednisone finally kicked in and did its job of tackling the UC. I was pretty sure two weeks ago that today I would be in the hospital and instead I finally got to take my first real walk of the year. My fitbit just told me I have less than 3,000 steps to get in 10,000 today so I probably should try to squeeze a couple of times around the building in before I leave here in a few.
So, with it being my new year, I am starting my very own 30 day challenge. I started a graduated C25K this morning, I only did half of the 1-minute runs, but this sets me up to do that again Friday and then Monday morning hit the 8's. I have gotten so flabby so fast! I don't think I have ever felt as squishy as I do right now. I have always been fat, or at least to some degree, but ever since I was 24 and catching shoplifters, you could normally punch me in the gut and hurt you a lot worse than you hurt me. I MISS THAT!!!! and yes, it all stemmed from taking a royal beating one time, I swore I would never let that happen again and seriously, right at the moment, it could.
I also started back on counting calories, 1400, I hate my metabolism but that is where I have to be to lose and I know it. I was doing great until I decided to stop at 2:00 and get me a grilled chicken sandwich with no mayo at McDonalds only to get on the interstate and find a crispy chicken with mayo. God Bless McDonalds....still put it in the fitness pal and still have about 400 calories left so I should be doable seeing as how it is AWANA night and I really don't need much more since I ate at 2.
April is already looking crazy busy, hopefully fun and productive along the way too though. Today I did a lot of what turned out to be just minor troubleshooting; 5 computers and 5 fixes though, not bad for a day's work. AWANA tonight as well as the next 2 more Wednesday as regular club, then awards night and fun night, once again, time going way too fast. This weekend, I am doing some shopping with my mom, seeing my friend Patty, enjoying the Easter play at Scott Avenue and then having our own Easter Celebration at our church Sunday morning. If you have no place to be Sunday, Sunrise service is at 7, Breakfast at 8 and Morning Worship at 9. We are providing breakfast, so just come and be our guest.
Next week, I have a computer to install, a meeting in Springfield and then taking (gasp) a day off--I need to take 8 before June 30th or I lose them, trying to get started because I know I will plan some and it just won't work. My sis and BIL is coming the 11th and 12th, back to Springfield on the 16th for a meeting and then the AWANA Grand Prix is the 18th. This is the best/worst, most fun/ most nerve racking, crazy day of the year for Andrew, Robert and me. We spend most of our day holding our breath that everything goes well because if it doesn't, we pretty well will be the ones blamed. There have been years we have said never again, but by the time it rolls around, we can't imagine not doing it. Last year was one of the best to date but we met with a wealth of problems before the first car ran down the track. This year there are more changes, hopefully everyone is happy with them.
That is pretty well the major events for April, oh except for another day off scheduled for the 24th. I have a conference to go to the 1st week of May, hence a good reason to drop some pounds and work on getting some healthier vibes going on.
Think I'll hustle out and try to get my steps in!
Happy Wednesday!
Saturday, March 21, 2015
Thoughts
2015 can stop being a roller coaster of emotions anytime now as far as I am concerned. I lost another long time member of my extended family this week. This time, my next door neighbor growing up; Vaneta Carr. Better known most of my life as half of "Ernie and Nete", it was hard enough adjusting to it just being Nete. I am happier than I am sad though, especially for her. The last few years have been rough for her and I know in the 12 years since Ernie went home to be with the Lord, Nete wondered why she couldn't go too. They were inseparable, where one was, there was the other. She preached that too. I remember so well, when Andrew was getting transferred from Chambersburg PA to Pontiac, IL, I loaded up Robert, then 20 months old, and drove home with him so I could get a jump start on house hunting. The morning I got home, Nete came over. She made over Robert for a minute and then asked where Andrew was. I explained that I had came home by myself. She scolded me and as glad as she was to see me, she wished I would have waited on Andrew.
When I was born, my mom's mom was 70 and didn't drive. Vaneta did a lot of those "grandmotherly" things that my grandma couldn't. Like picked me up after school and take me to her house if Mom had to be someplace. I loved going to their house. There was a pinball machine in their basement and that in itself made it a cool place. She always made me cookies when I came too. The day my dad had his first heart attack, she was the one waiting on me to get off the bus and my sister to get home from work so she could tell us. 2 years later, when my mom had some major problems and had to go to the hospital, it was Ernie waiting on me because Vaneta and Carolyn, her daughter-in-law, had taken Mom to the hospital.
I was very honored when Phil, her son, asked if I would sing at her funeral. By what I have been told, she talked about me being choir director and loved it when I would sing. Funny thing is, I sing alto, Vaneta did too and for years and years, I sat right behind her at church and learned to read the alto line of the hymnal from listening to her. When it came time that she couldn't stay by herself, she moved to Simple Blessings in Casey. Before she started having the dementia, we would go over every month as a church family and sing to the residents one Sunday afternoon a month. All this week, I have been so thankful we did that. One of the last times we were over there, as the dementia was starting she saw my Robert and called him Kenny (my dad, who Robert looks like). I wouldn't trade the world for that memory. We went to the nursing home at Christmas, I was already in her room when my mom walked in. For a split second, there was recognition, like, "There's my old friend!" and then it was gone as quick as it came. We all told her who we were after we sang, but she didn't really respond. I still know, for just a second, she remembered Mom.
This week has also has brought some relief to the UC, FINALLY!! I called the doctor Monday evening, mainly because I had started having a backache too. I wasn't making the connection between the UC and the backache but after some Internet searches, I realized they might be related. However, the light bulb in my head was centered on the fact that I had a backache before and I got a steroid shot. I also take steroids for the UC, so I thought, calling the doc for some more prednisone might take care of two problems and it did!
So, today, I had a whirlwind schedule and I was able to get almost everything on my list done. My last two Saturdays haven't been so successful. The only thing that was on my list that I didn't get finished was my mom's taxes and I think I was just not wanting to think that hard this evening.
Now starts a couple weeks of craziness so I am glad I am feeling better.
Tuesday night I have a date with my husband to see Do You Believe? , Wednesday night is AWANA, Thursday night I have a date with my mom to see Mary Poppins, and Andrew and I might go back to see it Friday or Saturday. Sunday, we are having a building dedication and dinner at church, and that's the week. Except for the fact that my yearly monitoring for LIHEAP is this week, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. I think we are good there.
I'm going to leave you with a few more thoughts. Andrew and I started to Effingham this morning, combination grocery/supplies for his jobs this week trip. We realized on the way over that a chip in his windshield had spider webbed. My first thought, and I said it out loud, was, "Really, Lord?" We were already taking the truck because my van had a bearing going out and Robert had to fix it this afternoon (and it's fixed). Anyway, it hit me very hard, I'm not burying my mom this week, I'm not in Texas praying a new pill takes away new cancer cells, I'm not wondering where I am going to lay my head tonight, or where my next meal is coming from. Very quickly, I decided I better change that to "Thank you, Lord."
Remember to count your blessings, there are probably more of them than you think.
When I was born, my mom's mom was 70 and didn't drive. Vaneta did a lot of those "grandmotherly" things that my grandma couldn't. Like picked me up after school and take me to her house if Mom had to be someplace. I loved going to their house. There was a pinball machine in their basement and that in itself made it a cool place. She always made me cookies when I came too. The day my dad had his first heart attack, she was the one waiting on me to get off the bus and my sister to get home from work so she could tell us. 2 years later, when my mom had some major problems and had to go to the hospital, it was Ernie waiting on me because Vaneta and Carolyn, her daughter-in-law, had taken Mom to the hospital.
I was very honored when Phil, her son, asked if I would sing at her funeral. By what I have been told, she talked about me being choir director and loved it when I would sing. Funny thing is, I sing alto, Vaneta did too and for years and years, I sat right behind her at church and learned to read the alto line of the hymnal from listening to her. When it came time that she couldn't stay by herself, she moved to Simple Blessings in Casey. Before she started having the dementia, we would go over every month as a church family and sing to the residents one Sunday afternoon a month. All this week, I have been so thankful we did that. One of the last times we were over there, as the dementia was starting she saw my Robert and called him Kenny (my dad, who Robert looks like). I wouldn't trade the world for that memory. We went to the nursing home at Christmas, I was already in her room when my mom walked in. For a split second, there was recognition, like, "There's my old friend!" and then it was gone as quick as it came. We all told her who we were after we sang, but she didn't really respond. I still know, for just a second, she remembered Mom.
This week has also has brought some relief to the UC, FINALLY!! I called the doctor Monday evening, mainly because I had started having a backache too. I wasn't making the connection between the UC and the backache but after some Internet searches, I realized they might be related. However, the light bulb in my head was centered on the fact that I had a backache before and I got a steroid shot. I also take steroids for the UC, so I thought, calling the doc for some more prednisone might take care of two problems and it did!
So, today, I had a whirlwind schedule and I was able to get almost everything on my list done. My last two Saturdays haven't been so successful. The only thing that was on my list that I didn't get finished was my mom's taxes and I think I was just not wanting to think that hard this evening.
Now starts a couple weeks of craziness so I am glad I am feeling better.
Tuesday night I have a date with my husband to see Do You Believe? , Wednesday night is AWANA, Thursday night I have a date with my mom to see Mary Poppins, and Andrew and I might go back to see it Friday or Saturday. Sunday, we are having a building dedication and dinner at church, and that's the week. Except for the fact that my yearly monitoring for LIHEAP is this week, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. I think we are good there.
I'm going to leave you with a few more thoughts. Andrew and I started to Effingham this morning, combination grocery/supplies for his jobs this week trip. We realized on the way over that a chip in his windshield had spider webbed. My first thought, and I said it out loud, was, "Really, Lord?" We were already taking the truck because my van had a bearing going out and Robert had to fix it this afternoon (and it's fixed). Anyway, it hit me very hard, I'm not burying my mom this week, I'm not in Texas praying a new pill takes away new cancer cells, I'm not wondering where I am going to lay my head tonight, or where my next meal is coming from. Very quickly, I decided I better change that to "Thank you, Lord."
Remember to count your blessings, there are probably more of them than you think.
Sunday, March 8, 2015
Happy Sunday Morning!
So, it has been over a month since I blogged. Part of me always hates that, but reality is, part of me started two or three times, read my last blog, cried and forgot about it.
It's amazing to me how quickly life can change, I have had losses since the beginning of the year, to me they were big. They have been huge to others of my friends though, I have yet another friend who lost a sister last month. I can't imagine. I truly have such a long prayer list right now, and it just feels like things are constantly getting worse, I know that's Biblical, but it doesn't mean I have to like it.
So, trying to move on....February was our first slower month for Andrew, he has had some frozen pipes to thaw and insulate but other than that, he has been working on a major furniture restoration project. I don't believe he really realized how much time was involved in this one, but it is coming along and he hopes to have it completed in the next week. (Owners, if you are reading this, I will tell you, I am totally jealous of how beautiful the coffee table is, not to mention the side table--I truly know you will be happy). It has been the first one of those scary months though where the phone hasn't rang everyday. I pray that God would let it ring more, but then I hear him saying, "It's not like he isn't working on something". And He, once again, as always, is right.
This month has been a fierce one at my work as well. I don't know how many of you watched or at least read the transcripts from Governor Rauner's State of the State address, or his budget address the following week, but my program is one on his target right now. LIHEAP is funded through both State and Federal funds. I know I have explained the PIPP program before, but it is the one program that I feel like both political parties, or "everybody", should be happy with. One side always says, "we need to help the less fortunate", the other side says, "the less fortunate needs to learn to help themselves". With PIPP, both things happen. Our clients pay 6% of their income to pay their utility bill every month and then, we pay the rest of their monthly budget bill, up to $150. It has been a good program and in our 9 counties, we have almost 1600 families on it. In Rauner's 2016 Budget, there is no line item for LIHEAP. Our PIPP program is 100% funded through State LIHEAP funds and CANNOT be funded through federal funds. See the problem? I have so many people, including seniors, disabled persons and households with small children that are starting to see the light the end of the proverbial tunnel. I do NOT want to be the train that hits them with, "You've done really well and made progress but now the program no longer exists." I know we need to make cuts and sacrifices, it just always amazes me that it seems to first cuts are always to the poor. I wish I could make people understand, you take things away from the poor and you are cutting your own local throats. I mean, how many truly low income families have the luxury of going to Terre Haute, Evansville, or even Effingham to get their groceries, they mainly stay in town and use their food stamps at our own grocery store. As appalling as that seems to some of you, it is guaranteed money for that store. That leads to the store being able to pay its employees, which leads to them getting to go to Joe's or the Bowling Alley to eat supper, which leads to those people getting to pay their employee's.....you get the picture. And not to mention that someplace like the Bowling Alley is more appealing to our fixed income, or low income families for an occasional night out than say, Red Lobster. People don't like to see this reality but it is, in fact, a reality nonetheless.
This coming week we are going to Springfield, with the hopes of getting to talk to some of our legislators about these funds. To top it off, do you want to know where these tax dollars come from? From a 48 cent surcharge on the regulated utilities (in our area, that is mainly Ameren). I am both scared, and honored to get to do this.
We have also spent a lot of time getting another piece of the puzzle put in place for running this program. Something we have been working towards since its inception is about to come to fruition and I am so very excited. Once again, I have had the honor and privilege of helping get to this point and it is exciting to see something that, in the back of our minds, we kept thinking would just keep getting put off. Me and three of my friends, from other agencies, asked for this to happen two years ago last December. It was for a process that would need to start in April. We were told then that there was no way it could be started by April of 2013, and we said fine, shoot for April 2014, they said no problem. In January of 2014, we got the devastating news that it hadn't even been started but that a team of contractors had been hired and we were shooting for April 2015. I think we all feel a little like Dr. Brown in Back to the Future, when you finally see the flux capacitor working, we are seeing the steps of our recertification starting to work and it is just very gratifying.
So, here's to another crazy week, hopefully a busier month for Andrew, and hopefully one that God blesses us and leads us safely through.
Happy Sunday.
It's amazing to me how quickly life can change, I have had losses since the beginning of the year, to me they were big. They have been huge to others of my friends though, I have yet another friend who lost a sister last month. I can't imagine. I truly have such a long prayer list right now, and it just feels like things are constantly getting worse, I know that's Biblical, but it doesn't mean I have to like it.
So, trying to move on....February was our first slower month for Andrew, he has had some frozen pipes to thaw and insulate but other than that, he has been working on a major furniture restoration project. I don't believe he really realized how much time was involved in this one, but it is coming along and he hopes to have it completed in the next week. (Owners, if you are reading this, I will tell you, I am totally jealous of how beautiful the coffee table is, not to mention the side table--I truly know you will be happy). It has been the first one of those scary months though where the phone hasn't rang everyday. I pray that God would let it ring more, but then I hear him saying, "It's not like he isn't working on something". And He, once again, as always, is right.
This month has been a fierce one at my work as well. I don't know how many of you watched or at least read the transcripts from Governor Rauner's State of the State address, or his budget address the following week, but my program is one on his target right now. LIHEAP is funded through both State and Federal funds. I know I have explained the PIPP program before, but it is the one program that I feel like both political parties, or "everybody", should be happy with. One side always says, "we need to help the less fortunate", the other side says, "the less fortunate needs to learn to help themselves". With PIPP, both things happen. Our clients pay 6% of their income to pay their utility bill every month and then, we pay the rest of their monthly budget bill, up to $150. It has been a good program and in our 9 counties, we have almost 1600 families on it. In Rauner's 2016 Budget, there is no line item for LIHEAP. Our PIPP program is 100% funded through State LIHEAP funds and CANNOT be funded through federal funds. See the problem? I have so many people, including seniors, disabled persons and households with small children that are starting to see the light the end of the proverbial tunnel. I do NOT want to be the train that hits them with, "You've done really well and made progress but now the program no longer exists." I know we need to make cuts and sacrifices, it just always amazes me that it seems to first cuts are always to the poor. I wish I could make people understand, you take things away from the poor and you are cutting your own local throats. I mean, how many truly low income families have the luxury of going to Terre Haute, Evansville, or even Effingham to get their groceries, they mainly stay in town and use their food stamps at our own grocery store. As appalling as that seems to some of you, it is guaranteed money for that store. That leads to the store being able to pay its employees, which leads to them getting to go to Joe's or the Bowling Alley to eat supper, which leads to those people getting to pay their employee's.....you get the picture. And not to mention that someplace like the Bowling Alley is more appealing to our fixed income, or low income families for an occasional night out than say, Red Lobster. People don't like to see this reality but it is, in fact, a reality nonetheless.
This coming week we are going to Springfield, with the hopes of getting to talk to some of our legislators about these funds. To top it off, do you want to know where these tax dollars come from? From a 48 cent surcharge on the regulated utilities (in our area, that is mainly Ameren). I am both scared, and honored to get to do this.
We have also spent a lot of time getting another piece of the puzzle put in place for running this program. Something we have been working towards since its inception is about to come to fruition and I am so very excited. Once again, I have had the honor and privilege of helping get to this point and it is exciting to see something that, in the back of our minds, we kept thinking would just keep getting put off. Me and three of my friends, from other agencies, asked for this to happen two years ago last December. It was for a process that would need to start in April. We were told then that there was no way it could be started by April of 2013, and we said fine, shoot for April 2014, they said no problem. In January of 2014, we got the devastating news that it hadn't even been started but that a team of contractors had been hired and we were shooting for April 2015. I think we all feel a little like Dr. Brown in Back to the Future, when you finally see the flux capacitor working, we are seeing the steps of our recertification starting to work and it is just very gratifying.
So, here's to another crazy week, hopefully a busier month for Andrew, and hopefully one that God blesses us and leads us safely through.
Happy Sunday.
Sunday, February 1, 2015
Tribute to My Chrissy Girl
Chrissy came to us on Sunday, October 16th, 2005; just a few months after we moved into our house in Newton. We had discussed that we wanted a little dog, for the first time in our married life, we had a home of our home and could have a dog. We knew living on the main street that she would need to be a house pet. So when a friend of ours told us about a stray poodle hanging around their house, we jumped at it. When we pulled up to the house, there was this adorable little peach poodle that came to meet us, it was love at first sight. We were told there was a possibility that she might be pregnant, and that was okay too, we'd figure it out. So, on our way home, we tried on names, we ran through a ton but when we got to Chrissy, her ears perked up and we all could have sworn she smiled. She officially became Chrissy Raye Browning. On Monday, I called the vet and on Wednesday, we went for a checkup and to see if she was chipped, which she was not. I told them I thought she was pregnant and so they did an ultrasound. Sure enough, three little pups were showing up on the screen. She gave birth to all three, very much alive, on November 29th of that year. Mandy went to live with my mom, Liz stayed here and became Robert's puppy and Charley went to live with a lady I worked with. Chrissy was the best mommy. Up until the last few weeks, she had given Liz a bath everyday and she would still clean Liz' eyes.
Chrissy loved fireworks and we would always take both girls to watch them, Liz couldn't care less but Chris would watch totally enthralled. She also loved to swim when we had the pool and in the last few years her favorite pastime was getting to sit on the front porch in the swing.
Last summer, I realized she had one eye that was getting cloudy and took her to the vet to see if there was anything that could be done. She was going blind and the vet thought we would start seeing her decline....and we did.
As badly as I hated to think about it, we had discussed getting a puppy because Liz had never been by herself. Then Gibbs came into our lives and he and Liz are so close that we soon knew that was the answer. Gibbs wanted Chris to love him but she would object loudly when anyone was watching. When nobody was watching though, they would cuddle up together and take a nap. I have a feeling Chris told Gibbs to take care of Liz because he has taken over the daily washing of Liz's eyes.
Chrissy was just a doll, she loved getting her hair done and would walk out of the salon like she was queen of the world. We lost our groomer last fall though so instead of traumatizing her with someone new I bought a grooming kit and watched lots of videos, we did our last grooming the first week of the new year and I think we both did okay.
So, to my little Chrissy girl I say thank you. Thank you for rescuing us when we thought we were rescuing you. Thank you for being such a great mommy and thank you for being such a great friend. I miss you already more than you can imagine but I know by the look in your eyes on the way to the vet that night that you were begging us to make it stop. You were breathing so hard your little head was shaking and I knew I could be selfish and make you suffer to the last breath or I could do what was best for you and let you go. I hope we always did what was best for you.
We buried her under the catalpa tree in the back yard and I ordered a stone just for her. Gibbs and Liz are both a little lost as even though Chris spent a lot of the last few months resting, she was still the boss. We will all help each other find a new normal with our little family member creating a huge hole in her absence.
Love you Miss Chris, miss you terribly.
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