I feel like I have had a grand "failure to launch" into 2015 and I can't really pinpoint why.
It just seems like since the first of the year, life is a blur and quite honestly, there has been a lot of sadness in it.
I have already been to two visitations and one funeral, I am going to another visitation this coming Friday night and if there were to be a visitation for another friend of mines family member, I would be going to it.
There are also many changes going on in Springfield, those changes will end up affecting me, either good or bad; but immediately, it has thrown some people I consider friends into a job hunt, or a transition and although it comes with the territory, I feel bad that anyone has to go through that.
And then of course, there seems to be my "January UC flare-up", I don't know how to prevent it but I have had a bad flare every year for the last 3 years, so I guess I need to know to expect it, wish I knew what to do to keep it from happening, but I guess I try again next year. Starting on prednisone on the 9th for at least a month kinda threw a wrench in my "get back on the weight loss train". I have such a love/hate relationship with prednisone it isn't even funny. While it makes the symptoms of the UC try to settle down (it hasn't really done that yet), it makes me feel like I weigh 2 ton, and makes me starve. A lot of people have that side effect, and then there are ones who don't. Why couldn't I just once be one of the don'ts?
Andrew thinks it's not getting any better because I called the doctor sooner, I know that doesn't make sense but fact is, I have never gotten to the point that I am normally in when I finally do call the doctor so I know what he is saying. I have leveled off and I don't normally do that. My body does some other things through the process and I am right in the middle of that and when I really think about it, I am not nearly where I normally at during this point, so he is right, I'm missing the worst--which hopefully keeps me out of another hospital stay.
Oh enough of that, I hate sounding like I am complaining and I guess there was no way around it, I was complaining. It is really, really, REALLY hard to "in everything give thanks" when you have to be thankful you have UC. but I am going to be thankful that it isn't as bad as normal. There.
Moving on......I have accomplished a lot of things already this year, I just have to really think about it. For one thing, I put us on a financial diet the first of the year. I had slipped into a pattern of every time I came home 10 minutes later than normal, I could rationalize eating out. We were eating out 2 to 4 times a week. We have not ate out as a family, or even just me and Andrew, once since the new year started. We have went to DQ for Ice Cream a couple of times (feeding the prednisone sweet tooth in my case) but we have done really well at roping it in. Andrew and Robert have both been cooking more, which helps. I am back to making a monthly menu which I have to admit, my organized side has missed.
I redid the microwave counter and am ready to redo my kitchen counters, and hopefully get the backsplash up. That will happen before the end of this month; at least the countertops will.
I have decluttered my guest room closet as well as the rest of the room, and the bottom kitchen cabinets. I have learned a new bookkeeping system for Andrew's business and have his books up to date and I have everything gathered to do our taxes this coming Saturday. First time in YEARS now I am actually looking forward to doing the taxes. No surprises this year though, at least not ones that are going to cost me money back to the IRS. (I know I told some of you, but last October, we got a letter from the IRS stating we owed them $35,000. Andrew called me all excited and bless my heart, for once in my life, I remained calm. I told him I knew it was a mistake and that I would take care of it when I got home. Sure enough, I had made a mistake and when I called the IRS, the girl I dealt with actually laughed at what I told her I knew I had done. She agreed with me 100%, I sent the amendment, thinking I would really probably owe another couple of hundred dollars just to find out, I didn't owe a thing. Whew!!)
Anyway, with all the startup expenses for the new business, this will be a happy tax year, I have already been informed by one of my friends whose husband has his own business that this will be the LAST happy tax year, but hey, I think I deserve one after the mess the last couple of years have been.
So, looking at all of that, I haven't had a failure to launch, I guess I just haven't taken time enough to sit back and breathe long enough to realize this is a new year. Anyhoo....I still feel a little like someone who slept through Christmas, just really didn't have a big separation there between '14 and '15.
In the midst of it all, I went to take Gibbs to be neutered and declawed. I can't believe I am such a fool over a cat. I love our dogs but the dogs are both girls and Andrew and Robert always rate higher on their scale than I but Gibbs, he likes the guys but he makes it very clear to everyone who he belongs to. Anyway, when I found out he would have to stay two nights if we declawed him, I chickened out. I trust Doctor Bob with my life, but I knew Gibbs would not fair well. I was right. I think everyone in the office was thankful he didn't have to stay any longer. Not a good patient doesn't even begin to put the icing on the cake.
So, this is my jumping off post I guess, my "getting through what I blogged about last" (which still just has it's moments of really stinging) and what I am going to be up to next.
So, Happy Thursday, Happy January and Happy Rest of the Day Today as well as Happy Tomorrow!
Thursday, January 22, 2015
Friday, January 9, 2015
What a Wonderful Life
Usually when I titled my blog something like that I am getting ready to tell you all the good things that have been happening. This time, the Wonderful Life isn't mine, and though good has happened for my friend. It has taken me almost a week to think of all the things I wanted to say.
When I was little and of course went to church where I have belonged all my life, there was another little girl who went to church and belonged there too. Her name was Amy. She was a couple years older than me so my oldest memories of church, she was there. As we grew up, we were never best friends but we were always good friends. As we got to be teenagers, we found the back row of the church on Sunday nights and often Dairy Queen after said service, as soon as Robert was old enough to drive. Robert came into our lives when Amy was in 8th grade and I was in 6th. Robert was in 8th grade too. Somehow, some of us, me included, knew those two were a pair from day one. I so remember one of the girls on the bus one evening who had a crush on Robert. She had written in the condensation on the bus windows that she loved Robert. I told her that was never going to happen and I know she thought I was talking about me so I had to tell her Robert liked Amy.
Sometime during that first winter, after Christmas, it snowed. My dad couldn't stay in the house in a snow to save his life, so he and I got in the truck and went visiting. He wanted to see Ted so I could see Amy. It must have been the week after Christmas because Amy went and got this box of chocolates. Robert had got them for her for Christmas. It was the first time she had ever received a gift from a boy. I told her that day that I knew she knew he was the one. She said yes, she probably did. Over the next 4 years though, they were typical kids and some of those trips to DQ was Dave Bowers and I playing matchmaker because they were officially "broke up". In one of my yearbooks she wrote, "Thanks for helping get me and Robert together". I told her that since it was going to be there for the ages, she had to stay together. And they did.
We had such a wonderful childhood. There were just a lot of us that lived in a little 5 mile area that had been through everything together and that is truly what I feel is the meaning of roots. We had numerous church trips to here and there, Six Flags, Kings Island, and Opryland, back when Opryland was still an amusement park. I remember getting totally soaked on the river rapids ride. All of us girls seriously went into the bathroom and rung our clothes out. I remember ski trips, and lastly, the Women of Faith trip that Amy and Karen went to. They had to leave early for a wedding but it felt like old times when they were there.
We spent many nights having youth group parties, skating in Lowell and Nita Wellbaums's basement, swimming at Mark and Sheryl Fulton's as well as skating on her mom and dad's pond in the winter.
Amy was also in band so we had many band trips together. She graduated before we got to go to the Rose Bowl Parade, which I hated, and she did too.
I don't remember not knowing Amy had Cystic Fibrosis. I remember one time when I was really little, Dad and I had been to her house and I had seen the tent over her bed and asked him about it. That's when he told me that she was sick and would probably not get to grow up. I guess after that, I just measured what I saw against what was said. They would say she wasn't going to live to be 16. Her 16th birthday was on a Sunday and we were at church and she was doing well, it was a good day. I can't imagine your life being laid out in time frames for you, but Amy used that to live her life. I don't know what I would do, I don't think any of us do until we would be faced with it. She truly lived.
There were several times when we thought she wasn't going to make it, 20 years ago she needed a lung transplant. I was not here, I was in Pontiac so I didn't see her first hand but I heard that she was really struggling. Alice sent me a picture of their family at Christmas that year and I had our church up there praying for her, I seriously believe half the world was praying for her. It was a hard thing to pray for, she needed lungs. And we all knew that in order for that to happen, someone else was going to lose a loved one. Facts are facts though and many people die everyday and none of them are going to need any of their organs after that. I will never forget the day. We had absolute horrible weather the night before. Robert and I came home from Pontiac as tornadoes were raging through central Illinois. We saw two at Bloomington and then as we were getting to Champaign, the radio was saying to take cover. I got off the 74 to get onto 57 and stopped. I was just about to get Robert out of his car seat and get in the ditch when lightening flashed and I could see the tornadoes about a mile south of us. yes, there were two. I saw 4 all together that night. Anyway, I was at Mom's the next morning when the phone rang about 5:30, Amy and Robert were on a helicopter heading to Chicago to get her lungs. I can't even tell you the joy I can still feel every time I think of that moment. Since we were close to Chicago we got to go see her. The first time we went was on Tuesday after her surgery on Saturday. I need to back up and tell you, she always loved kids, and my Robert was no exception. We were in PA when he was born and the first time I brought him home, she had a port in her arm and couldn't hold him. It broke both of our hearts. That Tuesday though, Alice had taken us in to see Amy. We could only wave at her and Robert through the glass. Alice was holding Robert though and away she went and took him in to see her. It was so great a week later going up and eventhough we wore masks, we got to be in the same room and know how much better she was really doing.
I could go on forever about memories, good and bad, She was there for me when my dad died and when my mom was sick, I told her dad Sunday, seriously, I think she has been there more for me than I had for her. When we lived away, she had sent me a card and said if you get internet, here is my email address. Guess who the first person I emailed was? her address at the time was newlungs@________. I can't remember the carrier. Anyway, I'm going to move on.
I cannot tell you either, how many other CF patients she has introduced us to and that she has had her church family praying for. She just truly was an amazing person. And though her life was not a bed of roses by far. She made every day count so we can look back and say, she truly was a Wonderful person. The epitome of taking what God hands you and saying let me see what I can do with this, she did it all.
Hopefully, you have stuck with me through this because I'm getting to something really important.
We need to support finding a cure for Cystic Fibrosis. They have came up with lots of new treatments, but no cure. There is no federal funding for this, so it has to be donated. Please visit any of the websites at the end of the video I'm going to embed for more information.
Another thing I am asking is that you seriously consider organ donation. You truly will not need them after you are gone. After everything Amy had been through, she was still able to donate her eyes. I truly hope in someway, whoever gets them can truly see the world as Amy did.
So, as I said, I could write a book, there are so many things, her cousin preached the funeral yesterday and said "I didn't even have to make any of this up" which was funny but so true. I don't believe there was a person alive that knew Amy that didn't love her.
I leave you with One Republic's I Lived. I had heard the song before but had no idea that the video to it was made to raise awareness for CF.
Amy truly lived, and everyone who knew her, have richer lives because she did.....and does.....already looking forward to seeing her again when I get there. Through all the struggles just to breath here on earth, I know she is rejoicing with Jesus and has been since last Saturday. She isn't struggling to breath anymore and she is breathing in a glory that we cannot even imagine.
When I was little and of course went to church where I have belonged all my life, there was another little girl who went to church and belonged there too. Her name was Amy. She was a couple years older than me so my oldest memories of church, she was there. As we grew up, we were never best friends but we were always good friends. As we got to be teenagers, we found the back row of the church on Sunday nights and often Dairy Queen after said service, as soon as Robert was old enough to drive. Robert came into our lives when Amy was in 8th grade and I was in 6th. Robert was in 8th grade too. Somehow, some of us, me included, knew those two were a pair from day one. I so remember one of the girls on the bus one evening who had a crush on Robert. She had written in the condensation on the bus windows that she loved Robert. I told her that was never going to happen and I know she thought I was talking about me so I had to tell her Robert liked Amy.
Sometime during that first winter, after Christmas, it snowed. My dad couldn't stay in the house in a snow to save his life, so he and I got in the truck and went visiting. He wanted to see Ted so I could see Amy. It must have been the week after Christmas because Amy went and got this box of chocolates. Robert had got them for her for Christmas. It was the first time she had ever received a gift from a boy. I told her that day that I knew she knew he was the one. She said yes, she probably did. Over the next 4 years though, they were typical kids and some of those trips to DQ was Dave Bowers and I playing matchmaker because they were officially "broke up". In one of my yearbooks she wrote, "Thanks for helping get me and Robert together". I told her that since it was going to be there for the ages, she had to stay together. And they did.
We had such a wonderful childhood. There were just a lot of us that lived in a little 5 mile area that had been through everything together and that is truly what I feel is the meaning of roots. We had numerous church trips to here and there, Six Flags, Kings Island, and Opryland, back when Opryland was still an amusement park. I remember getting totally soaked on the river rapids ride. All of us girls seriously went into the bathroom and rung our clothes out. I remember ski trips, and lastly, the Women of Faith trip that Amy and Karen went to. They had to leave early for a wedding but it felt like old times when they were there.
We spent many nights having youth group parties, skating in Lowell and Nita Wellbaums's basement, swimming at Mark and Sheryl Fulton's as well as skating on her mom and dad's pond in the winter.
Amy was also in band so we had many band trips together. She graduated before we got to go to the Rose Bowl Parade, which I hated, and she did too.
I don't remember not knowing Amy had Cystic Fibrosis. I remember one time when I was really little, Dad and I had been to her house and I had seen the tent over her bed and asked him about it. That's when he told me that she was sick and would probably not get to grow up. I guess after that, I just measured what I saw against what was said. They would say she wasn't going to live to be 16. Her 16th birthday was on a Sunday and we were at church and she was doing well, it was a good day. I can't imagine your life being laid out in time frames for you, but Amy used that to live her life. I don't know what I would do, I don't think any of us do until we would be faced with it. She truly lived.
There were several times when we thought she wasn't going to make it, 20 years ago she needed a lung transplant. I was not here, I was in Pontiac so I didn't see her first hand but I heard that she was really struggling. Alice sent me a picture of their family at Christmas that year and I had our church up there praying for her, I seriously believe half the world was praying for her. It was a hard thing to pray for, she needed lungs. And we all knew that in order for that to happen, someone else was going to lose a loved one. Facts are facts though and many people die everyday and none of them are going to need any of their organs after that. I will never forget the day. We had absolute horrible weather the night before. Robert and I came home from Pontiac as tornadoes were raging through central Illinois. We saw two at Bloomington and then as we were getting to Champaign, the radio was saying to take cover. I got off the 74 to get onto 57 and stopped. I was just about to get Robert out of his car seat and get in the ditch when lightening flashed and I could see the tornadoes about a mile south of us. yes, there were two. I saw 4 all together that night. Anyway, I was at Mom's the next morning when the phone rang about 5:30, Amy and Robert were on a helicopter heading to Chicago to get her lungs. I can't even tell you the joy I can still feel every time I think of that moment. Since we were close to Chicago we got to go see her. The first time we went was on Tuesday after her surgery on Saturday. I need to back up and tell you, she always loved kids, and my Robert was no exception. We were in PA when he was born and the first time I brought him home, she had a port in her arm and couldn't hold him. It broke both of our hearts. That Tuesday though, Alice had taken us in to see Amy. We could only wave at her and Robert through the glass. Alice was holding Robert though and away she went and took him in to see her. It was so great a week later going up and eventhough we wore masks, we got to be in the same room and know how much better she was really doing.
I could go on forever about memories, good and bad, She was there for me when my dad died and when my mom was sick, I told her dad Sunday, seriously, I think she has been there more for me than I had for her. When we lived away, she had sent me a card and said if you get internet, here is my email address. Guess who the first person I emailed was? her address at the time was newlungs@________. I can't remember the carrier. Anyway, I'm going to move on.
I cannot tell you either, how many other CF patients she has introduced us to and that she has had her church family praying for. She just truly was an amazing person. And though her life was not a bed of roses by far. She made every day count so we can look back and say, she truly was a Wonderful person. The epitome of taking what God hands you and saying let me see what I can do with this, she did it all.
Hopefully, you have stuck with me through this because I'm getting to something really important.
We need to support finding a cure for Cystic Fibrosis. They have came up with lots of new treatments, but no cure. There is no federal funding for this, so it has to be donated. Please visit any of the websites at the end of the video I'm going to embed for more information.
Another thing I am asking is that you seriously consider organ donation. You truly will not need them after you are gone. After everything Amy had been through, she was still able to donate her eyes. I truly hope in someway, whoever gets them can truly see the world as Amy did.
So, as I said, I could write a book, there are so many things, her cousin preached the funeral yesterday and said "I didn't even have to make any of this up" which was funny but so true. I don't believe there was a person alive that knew Amy that didn't love her.
I leave you with One Republic's I Lived. I had heard the song before but had no idea that the video to it was made to raise awareness for CF.
Amy truly lived, and everyone who knew her, have richer lives because she did.....and does.....already looking forward to seeing her again when I get there. Through all the struggles just to breath here on earth, I know she is rejoicing with Jesus and has been since last Saturday. She isn't struggling to breath anymore and she is breathing in a glory that we cannot even imagine.
Friday, January 2, 2015
2015
Happy 2015!!
It seems the last few years have brought on so many changes that all I would really like is to have one year that doesn't, for a change!
I am really glad to see 2014 go, we had ups and downs this last year and I guess my major personal thing was spending so much time in uncertainty. I think it has made me remember more than ever that you can't take anything in your life for granted. Everything can change in a blink of an eye. 10 seconds.....the time it takes for the brain to register what it has just been told. I just keep holding on to promises from God that He will never leave me, He will take care of me and He will never give me anything I can't handle.
I didn't make any resolutions, I set goals. I almost always do. I guess I'm not ready to share those publicly yet but I do have something to share. The way God started off my day got me to really thinking about something and analyzing me, myself and I.
I was reading a passage in Matthew this morning, Matthew 21:28-32. This is a parable about a father telling one of his sons to go work in the vineyard. The son says no, he won't, but then later does it. The father told the other son to go work in the vineyard and he said he would but he didn't.
Anyone who spends much time around me knows I very seldom tell someone no. I am very willing to drop whatever I am doing to go do whatever is asked of my by somebody else. I realized this morning though that I am at fault of God telling me to do things and I think, "I will do that", then time passes and I don't get it done and I think it is no big deal. Case in point, I have several friends that have various illnesses; some cancer, some failing organs, some that their hearts are hurting. I hear God tell me, "You should call them", "you should text them", "you should send them a card", and I think, yeah, I will get that done, and then I don't. Notice I am being nice to myself. Not sure God is saying "you should" but I guess that soothes my conscious a bit that he isn't just saying, YOU call them, YOU text them, you get the picture.
Anyway, I am at work today and even though it is a good day, I have had a hairy situation to try to deal with this morning. It involved my clients who used to be clients of one of my counterparts in Chicago and a mixed up mess in a program we used. I drew everything out and realized what I needed to do to fix it, and did what I could but it is going to take several steps, including me calling my clients and my friend calling hers. What a first day of the year!
I had just hung up the phone and sent off an email saying I had it figured out when my phone beeps. When I saw who the message was from I curiously opened it, and there was an attachment that she had sent that was very personal to me, something we have in common. I read through it, watched the videos with it and laughed, what a treat compared to what I had been dealing with.
The thing is, it just took her a minute, and she may have even sent it to multiple people, but it made my day. Just knowing someone saw this and thought of me. Sometimes we get so tangled up in trying to save the world that it just takes you off guard that someone took the time.
My assistant is really good about this, in fact, she debates about if she should hold off on stuff, but it seems to just be part of her that this is what you are supposed to do. I seriously think I used to be that way, I just lost it somewhere in the middle of being busy. I don't think it was a good thing to lose.
So, that is my new goal for this year, to be better about taking a second to tell someone that I am thinking of them, to try to brighten their day. I often wonder if anyone really thinks their life is better because I exist (yes, of course I've watched It's A Wonderful Life recently). This little epiphany just popped up that you have to seriously be IN their lives to start with, for them to even think about it.
I get so caught up in taking care of people who are basically strangers, and don't get me wrong, that's not going to change, I love what I do and I love helping people; but, it has dawned on me that maybe I spend more thought and time on total strangers than I do my own friends and family.
Just my deep thought for the lunch hour, I told my friend who sent me the message that I was thinking way to hard for Friday. Maybe I am thinking too hard about this too.
So, it's 5 til one, time to get back at it. If you set goals for yourself in 2015, hope they are starting out well. And if you didn't, don't decide you have blown it, everyone says each day is a new day, but the fact is, each minute is a new minute, you don't have to wait until you wake up to have a do over.
M
It seems the last few years have brought on so many changes that all I would really like is to have one year that doesn't, for a change!
I am really glad to see 2014 go, we had ups and downs this last year and I guess my major personal thing was spending so much time in uncertainty. I think it has made me remember more than ever that you can't take anything in your life for granted. Everything can change in a blink of an eye. 10 seconds.....the time it takes for the brain to register what it has just been told. I just keep holding on to promises from God that He will never leave me, He will take care of me and He will never give me anything I can't handle.
I didn't make any resolutions, I set goals. I almost always do. I guess I'm not ready to share those publicly yet but I do have something to share. The way God started off my day got me to really thinking about something and analyzing me, myself and I.
I was reading a passage in Matthew this morning, Matthew 21:28-32. This is a parable about a father telling one of his sons to go work in the vineyard. The son says no, he won't, but then later does it. The father told the other son to go work in the vineyard and he said he would but he didn't.
Anyone who spends much time around me knows I very seldom tell someone no. I am very willing to drop whatever I am doing to go do whatever is asked of my by somebody else. I realized this morning though that I am at fault of God telling me to do things and I think, "I will do that", then time passes and I don't get it done and I think it is no big deal. Case in point, I have several friends that have various illnesses; some cancer, some failing organs, some that their hearts are hurting. I hear God tell me, "You should call them", "you should text them", "you should send them a card", and I think, yeah, I will get that done, and then I don't. Notice I am being nice to myself. Not sure God is saying "you should" but I guess that soothes my conscious a bit that he isn't just saying, YOU call them, YOU text them, you get the picture.
Anyway, I am at work today and even though it is a good day, I have had a hairy situation to try to deal with this morning. It involved my clients who used to be clients of one of my counterparts in Chicago and a mixed up mess in a program we used. I drew everything out and realized what I needed to do to fix it, and did what I could but it is going to take several steps, including me calling my clients and my friend calling hers. What a first day of the year!
I had just hung up the phone and sent off an email saying I had it figured out when my phone beeps. When I saw who the message was from I curiously opened it, and there was an attachment that she had sent that was very personal to me, something we have in common. I read through it, watched the videos with it and laughed, what a treat compared to what I had been dealing with.
The thing is, it just took her a minute, and she may have even sent it to multiple people, but it made my day. Just knowing someone saw this and thought of me. Sometimes we get so tangled up in trying to save the world that it just takes you off guard that someone took the time.
My assistant is really good about this, in fact, she debates about if she should hold off on stuff, but it seems to just be part of her that this is what you are supposed to do. I seriously think I used to be that way, I just lost it somewhere in the middle of being busy. I don't think it was a good thing to lose.
So, that is my new goal for this year, to be better about taking a second to tell someone that I am thinking of them, to try to brighten their day. I often wonder if anyone really thinks their life is better because I exist (yes, of course I've watched It's A Wonderful Life recently). This little epiphany just popped up that you have to seriously be IN their lives to start with, for them to even think about it.
I get so caught up in taking care of people who are basically strangers, and don't get me wrong, that's not going to change, I love what I do and I love helping people; but, it has dawned on me that maybe I spend more thought and time on total strangers than I do my own friends and family.
Just my deep thought for the lunch hour, I told my friend who sent me the message that I was thinking way to hard for Friday. Maybe I am thinking too hard about this too.
So, it's 5 til one, time to get back at it. If you set goals for yourself in 2015, hope they are starting out well. And if you didn't, don't decide you have blown it, everyone says each day is a new day, but the fact is, each minute is a new minute, you don't have to wait until you wake up to have a do over.
M
Thursday, December 25, 2014
Merry CHRISTmas
Merry CHRISTmas everyone! The time of the year we celebrate our Savior's birth. I am so very thankful that God sent his son to earth. I am even more thankful that Jesus died for my sins, conquered death and is in Heaven today, guiding my steps here and waiting for my time to come and join him.
I have been promising for weeks that I would get my decoration pictures up. Here are a few, I decorated a lot like last year, so the main things I will put are things I did differently.
This was one of my favorite "new" pieces. It had been an autumn decoration that I converted to a Christmas one. Here's the thing, At Hobby Lobby, arrangements not nearly this nice were selling for almost $100. I bought two $20 swags that were on sale for half off, which made them $10 a piece, wired them on, fluffed them and then added three tea light electric candles. The picture isn't as pretty as the real arrangement. I LOVE it!
This actually just got added yesterday, the canvas is my Christmas gift from Sheila King, my program's assistant coordinator. I love it as well, it will be one of my favorites for the rest of my life.
This is the guest room, I don't think I posted any pictures of it last year.
I got a new nativity this year, at Sheila's parent's auction. It has a really nice stable with it, but I liked it up here, so I didn't use the stable this year.
Part of our guest bathroom, I don't think I put anything here last year either.
My Christmas tress.
And my front porch....
So, here it is, Christmas day, am I ready for Christmas? Finally. Good thing too since it's here.
I will post another post over the next few days with more thought, but for now, going to leave you with the crafts I made this year....
I have been promising for weeks that I would get my decoration pictures up. Here are a few, I decorated a lot like last year, so the main things I will put are things I did differently.
My Christmas tress.
And my front porch....
I will post another post over the next few days with more thought, but for now, going to leave you with the crafts I made this year....
 |
| I made nine of these, probably going to make many more to sell at craft shows, I am really happy with how they turned out. |
 | |
| Made these for Robert's coworkers, tp snowmen. The card says, "Money is tight and times are hard, I got you this instead of a card, something to use, something to share, so Bottoms Up because I care. Merry Christmas!" They were well received. |
 |
| I made 39 snowmen, should have been 40 but they are made out of socks and who would have thought that out of two 10-pks of socks, one would have a whole in it. These were for co-workers and a few friends. |
 |
| This is sweet trash, I took for coworkers. |
 |
| and whipped Chocolate Orange Body Butter that I made over three times before I decided it was okay, still needs some work on the recipe. |
 | |
| Made these for the AWANA kids I worked with, one of the offices made these last year for all of us and I knew our kids would think they were great, and they did. |
Merry CHRISTmas Everyone!!!
Friday, December 5, 2014
and into December
The playing catch-up seems to be a never ending story right now. I am actually sitting at my desk over my lunch hour, quite frankly, where I was when I made my last post. Just thought I would give you a quick update.
We had a good thanksgiving, the guys worked at the farm, I went to Mom's, looked through some things she wanted me to go through and then the guys came and had lunch with us. Very simple but very nice. The snow was falling and it was just a good day. The year my dad died, it snowed on Thanksgiving. We went to my aunts for lunch that day but not before the Fulton boys came down on the snowmobiles and we got to have some fun in the snow. I'm still a fool for snow much to the disliking of some of my family, friends and coworkers. I honestly love living in Illinois. We truly get to have 4 distinct seasons. When we lived in Pennsylvania, we had two; Winter and August. It was either really hot and dry or really cold and wet, there was no middle ground. There truly is no place like home.
After lunch on Thanksgiving, Robert took me down in the bottoms to cut greenery and weeds. There is a place down in there that seems to be a million miles from anywhere. I love it, God's country for sure. I tried to capture the feeling with pictures but it just didn't do it justice. The snow was ever so gently falling. This was truly a place where there was peace on earth.
Andrew also turned 50 on Thanksgiving, we celebrated on Saturday though so he still had his own day. He got a new air compressor for his birthday, I guess it was what he wanted but I find it the equivalent of getting a vacuum for a present, but oh well, he is happy.
We also took in a little shopping on Thursday evening. Robert had wanted a tv for his bedroom at the farm and I was wanting one for over the fireplace. I didn't think I would ever do that but I can't seem to get anyone to just go sit in front of the fire so maybe we will use our living room more if there is a tv. I know I will at least on Sundays when I have had enough of NASCAR or football.
Black Friday was a first for Andrew to be on the other side of the cash register. I was really leery of how he would behave but he did great and actually outlasted my old partner, Robert. We left at 4:30 Friday morning and got home at 5 Friday evening. We just really had a good fun day. I LOVE the fact that he finally is his own boss and can take off when I have a chance to so we see each other more.
Saturday is our 23rd wedding anniversary, we are going to Evansville to the Acropolis for dinner, it is our favorite place. I was just in Evansville on Monday with Mom for a doctor's appointment and I think that is what caused us to want to go.
About time to get back to work so I will close with a couple of notes (okay, so I totally ran out of time and now it is 9:15 p.m). I have picked this year's theme song for Christmas...Holly Jolly Christmas. It is Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer's 50th Anniversary, of course we have special ties to Rudolph because Sam the Snowman, who narrates Rudolph was our very own Burl Ives. We celebrate Holly Jolly Christmas here in Jasper County every year, tonight is our first night. I chose this not only because of the anniversary but because of Andrew's business, we joined the Chamber of Commerce, which is responsible for Holly Jolly Christmas. And I chose it a little bit because John Cougar Mellencamp's "Small Town" isn't a Christmas song. I am so very, very proud of my hometown, while the world was going crazy just two short hours from my house in one of my favorite town's to visit, we had a 9 year old member of our community fighting big battles on the medical front. Ironically, he is in St. Louis in the hospital. His name is Jack and I have known his family for a long time, his aunt is married to one of the Fulton boys mentioned earlier in this post. Jack and his parents spent Thanksgiving in the hospital. The morning after, Jack had major surgery. The amount of support from this little spot in the world has been priceless, not only to his family but to us standing on the sidelines cheering them on, holding them up and bringing them before the Lord.
I learned a long time ago, when we were what seemed to be a million miles away, again, there's no place like home.
So, we are well on our way into the Christmas season. We have already had our Christmas party at work and I feel officially behind because my house isn't finished. I am hoping by the time I go to bed Sunday night I will be there. I am, as usual, making many of my friends homemade things for Christmas. The only thing I have completed is these little sock snowmen, thanks to Pinterest. I leave you with our little contribution to #jackattack, my snowman army and at least one random picture of Gibbs
.
We had a good thanksgiving, the guys worked at the farm, I went to Mom's, looked through some things she wanted me to go through and then the guys came and had lunch with us. Very simple but very nice. The snow was falling and it was just a good day. The year my dad died, it snowed on Thanksgiving. We went to my aunts for lunch that day but not before the Fulton boys came down on the snowmobiles and we got to have some fun in the snow. I'm still a fool for snow much to the disliking of some of my family, friends and coworkers. I honestly love living in Illinois. We truly get to have 4 distinct seasons. When we lived in Pennsylvania, we had two; Winter and August. It was either really hot and dry or really cold and wet, there was no middle ground. There truly is no place like home.
After lunch on Thanksgiving, Robert took me down in the bottoms to cut greenery and weeds. There is a place down in there that seems to be a million miles from anywhere. I love it, God's country for sure. I tried to capture the feeling with pictures but it just didn't do it justice. The snow was ever so gently falling. This was truly a place where there was peace on earth.
Andrew also turned 50 on Thanksgiving, we celebrated on Saturday though so he still had his own day. He got a new air compressor for his birthday, I guess it was what he wanted but I find it the equivalent of getting a vacuum for a present, but oh well, he is happy.
We also took in a little shopping on Thursday evening. Robert had wanted a tv for his bedroom at the farm and I was wanting one for over the fireplace. I didn't think I would ever do that but I can't seem to get anyone to just go sit in front of the fire so maybe we will use our living room more if there is a tv. I know I will at least on Sundays when I have had enough of NASCAR or football.
Black Friday was a first for Andrew to be on the other side of the cash register. I was really leery of how he would behave but he did great and actually outlasted my old partner, Robert. We left at 4:30 Friday morning and got home at 5 Friday evening. We just really had a good fun day. I LOVE the fact that he finally is his own boss and can take off when I have a chance to so we see each other more.
Saturday is our 23rd wedding anniversary, we are going to Evansville to the Acropolis for dinner, it is our favorite place. I was just in Evansville on Monday with Mom for a doctor's appointment and I think that is what caused us to want to go.
About time to get back to work so I will close with a couple of notes (okay, so I totally ran out of time and now it is 9:15 p.m). I have picked this year's theme song for Christmas...Holly Jolly Christmas. It is Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer's 50th Anniversary, of course we have special ties to Rudolph because Sam the Snowman, who narrates Rudolph was our very own Burl Ives. We celebrate Holly Jolly Christmas here in Jasper County every year, tonight is our first night. I chose this not only because of the anniversary but because of Andrew's business, we joined the Chamber of Commerce, which is responsible for Holly Jolly Christmas. And I chose it a little bit because John Cougar Mellencamp's "Small Town" isn't a Christmas song. I am so very, very proud of my hometown, while the world was going crazy just two short hours from my house in one of my favorite town's to visit, we had a 9 year old member of our community fighting big battles on the medical front. Ironically, he is in St. Louis in the hospital. His name is Jack and I have known his family for a long time, his aunt is married to one of the Fulton boys mentioned earlier in this post. Jack and his parents spent Thanksgiving in the hospital. The morning after, Jack had major surgery. The amount of support from this little spot in the world has been priceless, not only to his family but to us standing on the sidelines cheering them on, holding them up and bringing them before the Lord.
I learned a long time ago, when we were what seemed to be a million miles away, again, there's no place like home.
So, we are well on our way into the Christmas season. We have already had our Christmas party at work and I feel officially behind because my house isn't finished. I am hoping by the time I go to bed Sunday night I will be there. I am, as usual, making many of my friends homemade things for Christmas. The only thing I have completed is these little sock snowmen, thanks to Pinterest. I leave you with our little contribution to #jackattack, my snowman army and at least one random picture of Gibbs
 |
| Gibbs is giving Robert a wet willy. Robert is his second favorite person in the house. I think he will always remember that Robert (and Garrett) is the reason he is alive. |
Monday, November 24, 2014
Oh, trying to play catch up again.....
It has been almost two months since I have put up a new blog post. It feels like it has been a year. How can so much happen in such a small amount of time? The last time I blogged, Andrew's Dad and girlfriend were still here. We were on our way to Lincoln Log Cabin for the Fall Follies; that was a great day! We picked up sandwiches at Subway and Robert grabbed a sandwich after work and met us there. We had a picnic lunch in perfect 70 degree weather. That along with the fact that watching all the crafters, I realized one of them was Cathy Grafton, who used to be the LIHEAP Coordinator for the Bloomington area. I got to have a nice visit with her so that was an added bonus.
I have made many more trips to Springfield, spoke at several parent meetings, worked on many (TOO many!) computers, ran the furnace program (and ran out of money on it) all in the last 50+ days. There were a couple days I thought I was nuts. There was one day, I had a come-apart and thought I was stupid for thinking I could do all of this. God shows me in big ways, I am doing what I am supposed to be though. On that particular day, I had work, a parent meeting at 4:30 in Chrisman, and was supposed to be at AWANA at 6:15. I was to go to Springfield the next day, and I knew by the agenda of the meeting, there was something I needed to do some research and studying on. I got it all done though, and was ready to say what I wanted to say at the meeting. This was the second time in two weeks that I had stuff heavy on my mind about decisions being made at the state level. On the 8th, I had most of a page full of talking points. Funny, I go to Springfield, I sit at a table with 7-10 people that I consider friendly, most of them I consider friends. There are 7-10 people on a video conference from Chicago, same thing; if they aren't friends, I don't consider them the enemy.....for the most part anyway. I have never been so scared to death to speak my mind in my life. But I think what I said on the 8th got a lot of support and what happened on the 16th started a chain of events that, after me sending an email this week, actually got things changed. That's why I go, that's why it's important. I made a difference, a difference to the workload of some of my colleagues, but most importantly, a difference to the confusion factor for our clients. So, this last couple of months have been worth it.
While I was in Springfield on the 16th, we had a major issue going on in our office, our accounting system stopped working correctly. I am horrible at talking someone through how to do stuff over the phone. Most of the time, I just do it, I need to work on that. I dealt with that Thursday evening after I got back, all day Friday and most of the day Monday. Friday afternoon, I talked to the people who run the software, we worked for 2 1/2 hours, thought we had it fixed, only to hang up the phone and 10 minutes later, find out it quit working again. It took most of another week but we finally got it all together and figured it out, I don't want an issue like that to happen for a long time!
Andrew has had a very good start to his business. God is good, all the time. Scary is an understatement when venturing out like this but he has only went one full week without work. Next year, we will have furniture to repair, restore and resale for when this time comes. We had a goal for the first real month, and we met it, we went a whole $7.00 over that goal but I decided I just did a really good job of setting the goal!
I hate that I basically have lost that month and a half, I vow to do better about blogging, I WANT to do better about blogging, it just gets out of hand and then there is so much to say....
I guess the big thing that happened in October was going to Covered Bridge, where I finally found Robert's cabinet at a bargain price no less; it needs redone, but that's what we have Andrew for :-).
We also got to see my Uncle Kenny and Aunt Nancy as they were set up for a flea market at Mattoon for one weekend.
November, we got to go to my cousin Tracy's wedding reception, they got married on a cruise, so we celebrated when they returned. Her mom, Nancy (different Nancy than above, this is my COUSIN Nancy Glosser, the one above is my AUNT Nancy Glosser) brought me a braclet from the cruise. IT is one of the add a bead ones and I had wanted one forever. I am very proud of my braclet but just how cool is it that you go to a wedding reception and come home with gifts?
My mom celebrated her 75th Birthday and Andrew is celebrating the big 50 on Thanksgiving day.
Mom has been having some heart issues and we go Monday to Evansville to see one heart doctor and Tuesday to Olney to see another one. Hopefully, they are very fixable issues and we can get her back on the straight and narrow soon.
Robert is good, Chrissy, Liz and Gibbs are good.
So, as we come into the Thanksgiving season, I am very thankful for all of the above. I didn't do the thankful posts on facebook this year because some people either made fun of them or took them in a way I didn't intend. God has been good to us, this is true, but I never mean for it to sound like I am boasting. I could very well sit down and tell you all our troubles and worries but the deal is, I KNOW God is gonna take care of me so why do that?? IF I have something I seriously need prayer for, I ask because I believe prayer does change things. Otherwise, why not be thankful for what God blesses us with. With all of this being said, I think that day to really focus on one thing to be thankful for each day up to Thanksgiving has truly been missed for my own blessings. I thank God everyday for all I have and I normally name them, piece by piece but there was just something "adventish" (sp?) about doing the thankful posts. I have really enjoyed my friends who have done them and I truly do take them in the light they are intended.
And why we are on the subject of being thankful, I will close with this little thought. God tells us that as we grow in Him, we will grow in the fruits of the spirit. Those are love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. Prosperity isn't one of them. This was in one of the devotionals I was reading this morning. God doesn't promise to make us rich because we follow him. He promises to take care of us, and he always does. Somehow when you stop dwelling on money, the rest falls into place. I'm not saying that anyone can go without money, I work in the wrong business to have my head in the sand like that. I am saying, if God tells you to do something, I don't think you should worry about the money part, I think you should concentrate on doing what He tells you to do and I believe you will watch the rest all just fall into place. The epitome of having faith.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I will update soon!
I have made many more trips to Springfield, spoke at several parent meetings, worked on many (TOO many!) computers, ran the furnace program (and ran out of money on it) all in the last 50+ days. There were a couple days I thought I was nuts. There was one day, I had a come-apart and thought I was stupid for thinking I could do all of this. God shows me in big ways, I am doing what I am supposed to be though. On that particular day, I had work, a parent meeting at 4:30 in Chrisman, and was supposed to be at AWANA at 6:15. I was to go to Springfield the next day, and I knew by the agenda of the meeting, there was something I needed to do some research and studying on. I got it all done though, and was ready to say what I wanted to say at the meeting. This was the second time in two weeks that I had stuff heavy on my mind about decisions being made at the state level. On the 8th, I had most of a page full of talking points. Funny, I go to Springfield, I sit at a table with 7-10 people that I consider friendly, most of them I consider friends. There are 7-10 people on a video conference from Chicago, same thing; if they aren't friends, I don't consider them the enemy.....for the most part anyway. I have never been so scared to death to speak my mind in my life. But I think what I said on the 8th got a lot of support and what happened on the 16th started a chain of events that, after me sending an email this week, actually got things changed. That's why I go, that's why it's important. I made a difference, a difference to the workload of some of my colleagues, but most importantly, a difference to the confusion factor for our clients. So, this last couple of months have been worth it.
While I was in Springfield on the 16th, we had a major issue going on in our office, our accounting system stopped working correctly. I am horrible at talking someone through how to do stuff over the phone. Most of the time, I just do it, I need to work on that. I dealt with that Thursday evening after I got back, all day Friday and most of the day Monday. Friday afternoon, I talked to the people who run the software, we worked for 2 1/2 hours, thought we had it fixed, only to hang up the phone and 10 minutes later, find out it quit working again. It took most of another week but we finally got it all together and figured it out, I don't want an issue like that to happen for a long time!
Andrew has had a very good start to his business. God is good, all the time. Scary is an understatement when venturing out like this but he has only went one full week without work. Next year, we will have furniture to repair, restore and resale for when this time comes. We had a goal for the first real month, and we met it, we went a whole $7.00 over that goal but I decided I just did a really good job of setting the goal!
I hate that I basically have lost that month and a half, I vow to do better about blogging, I WANT to do better about blogging, it just gets out of hand and then there is so much to say....
I guess the big thing that happened in October was going to Covered Bridge, where I finally found Robert's cabinet at a bargain price no less; it needs redone, but that's what we have Andrew for :-).
We also got to see my Uncle Kenny and Aunt Nancy as they were set up for a flea market at Mattoon for one weekend.
November, we got to go to my cousin Tracy's wedding reception, they got married on a cruise, so we celebrated when they returned. Her mom, Nancy (different Nancy than above, this is my COUSIN Nancy Glosser, the one above is my AUNT Nancy Glosser) brought me a braclet from the cruise. IT is one of the add a bead ones and I had wanted one forever. I am very proud of my braclet but just how cool is it that you go to a wedding reception and come home with gifts?
My mom celebrated her 75th Birthday and Andrew is celebrating the big 50 on Thanksgiving day.
Mom has been having some heart issues and we go Monday to Evansville to see one heart doctor and Tuesday to Olney to see another one. Hopefully, they are very fixable issues and we can get her back on the straight and narrow soon.
Robert is good, Chrissy, Liz and Gibbs are good.
So, as we come into the Thanksgiving season, I am very thankful for all of the above. I didn't do the thankful posts on facebook this year because some people either made fun of them or took them in a way I didn't intend. God has been good to us, this is true, but I never mean for it to sound like I am boasting. I could very well sit down and tell you all our troubles and worries but the deal is, I KNOW God is gonna take care of me so why do that?? IF I have something I seriously need prayer for, I ask because I believe prayer does change things. Otherwise, why not be thankful for what God blesses us with. With all of this being said, I think that day to really focus on one thing to be thankful for each day up to Thanksgiving has truly been missed for my own blessings. I thank God everyday for all I have and I normally name them, piece by piece but there was just something "adventish" (sp?) about doing the thankful posts. I have really enjoyed my friends who have done them and I truly do take them in the light they are intended.
And why we are on the subject of being thankful, I will close with this little thought. God tells us that as we grow in Him, we will grow in the fruits of the spirit. Those are love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. Prosperity isn't one of them. This was in one of the devotionals I was reading this morning. God doesn't promise to make us rich because we follow him. He promises to take care of us, and he always does. Somehow when you stop dwelling on money, the rest falls into place. I'm not saying that anyone can go without money, I work in the wrong business to have my head in the sand like that. I am saying, if God tells you to do something, I don't think you should worry about the money part, I think you should concentrate on doing what He tells you to do and I believe you will watch the rest all just fall into place. The epitome of having faith.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I will update soon!
Saturday, September 27, 2014
Another eventful week
Life is moving along at the Browning house. Andrew's Dad, Bob, and his girlfriend, Janette have been visiting so we have enjoyed some down time this week that we haven't taken for a while. I had really planned on all of us watching a movie last night but by the time we would have started it Bob thought they would only get through half of it before they would want to go back to their motorhome. When they left and Robert went to bed, we stayed up, popped popcorn and watched a movie just the two of us. Neither one of us even fell asleep in the middle of it. I don't know when that happened last.
Andrew's business is starting to take off. God has a sense of humor and shows me where I err in my ways. I first started praying that Andrew's phone would ring. On that day, it rang twice, both times a wrong number. So then I prayed that we would get phone calls, then he got one that when he went to do the estimate on, it needed to be handled by someone bigger than him. So I finally started praying that he would get jobs. He has gotten a few to get him started and has leads on more. We never planned on him having anything at all in September so this makes us feel like what everyone has been telling us is true, it is something that is truly needed. By the way, we are focusing on both Jasper AND Cumberland counties, so if you know of anyone looking for a handyman in the Greenup area as well, please tell them to call us, or direct them to our facebook page. Starting Wednesday, we are going to have a spot on the radio, 8 times a day, from noon until 5 am Monday-Friday and all day on Saturday. This part is all a little surreal but a life long dream of Andrew's is starting to come true and I just absolutely love it for him, and love that I get to help make it happen. This week, I am planning on getting an ad to the paper as well. That part is all my responsibility, so it has to be fit in there with my REAL job, :-).
My job is, of course, crazy busy right now with the start of a new program year. I am now an invited guest to the Policy Advisory Council and am a member of the PIPP steering committee. I went to Springfield on the 18th for the PAC and will go to Springfield on Tuesday for the steering committee. I love being involved in the decision making process and fell like that is part of what I really wanted when I was still an assistant fieldworker in the Olney office and knew I wanted to do more than take the applications. One of the best parts though is I get to spend most of those days traveling with my friend, Kathy, who serves in the same capacity as me in both instances.
I also have been doing lots of computer work lately, getting the last of our Windows XP machines switched out to new Windows 7 machines. I have done 4 in the last 8 days and have two more to do out in the field, hopefully next Friday. There is one that needs done in our office as well as I am trying to find new laptops for a couple of people in our office. Seems the days of that being simple are over.
Gibbs is great, growing like a bad weed. I got him a harness so he can enjoy the front porch and the back yard.
He has lived with us 7 weeks now and should be around 11 weeks old. I have taken at least 200 pictures of him, so see how many you are spared???
I put his little cat bed in the window on my desk, he LOVES it there, he can lay in it and look out and watch the squirrel that is almost always out there. For the most part, outside still kinda scares him, especially if there are any loud trucks go by. He seems very content for living in the house. I am still sad for him that he lost his family but I am hoping maybe he was little enough he doesn't remember, though he sucks in his sleep, so there is some memory there. We are very thankful and happy that he came into our lives.
He is about to grow out of his baby bed. I have a friend that is opening a new pet store this week here in Newton (Perfect Paws and Claws (www.facebook.com/perfectpawsclaws)--how sweet is that?) Anyway, I am hoping to get him a kitty condo there, one tall enough that I can set it by my desk and he can sit on a perch and sleep and still be able to see out the window. I am afraid by the time he reaches adulthood, he could take up a good chunk of my desk.
Today we are taking Bob and Janette to Lincoln Log Cabin to see the festivities going on there. Hopefully, Robert will join us for a picnic lunch (I took the easy way out, we are taking the cooler and stopping at Subway).
Here is a couple of pictures from our adventures last weekend, we took them to see some of the covered bridges in Parke county. It's kinda nice to see them without the Covered Bridge Festival going on, but I am STILL very excited for it to come up, come on October 13th! On top of everything else, it is the first time in almost 23 years of marriage that I don't have to wonder up until that morning if Andrew is really going to get to go with me- I still love that, we get to plan without waiting for the no word to come up.
Andrew's business is starting to take off. God has a sense of humor and shows me where I err in my ways. I first started praying that Andrew's phone would ring. On that day, it rang twice, both times a wrong number. So then I prayed that we would get phone calls, then he got one that when he went to do the estimate on, it needed to be handled by someone bigger than him. So I finally started praying that he would get jobs. He has gotten a few to get him started and has leads on more. We never planned on him having anything at all in September so this makes us feel like what everyone has been telling us is true, it is something that is truly needed. By the way, we are focusing on both Jasper AND Cumberland counties, so if you know of anyone looking for a handyman in the Greenup area as well, please tell them to call us, or direct them to our facebook page. Starting Wednesday, we are going to have a spot on the radio, 8 times a day, from noon until 5 am Monday-Friday and all day on Saturday. This part is all a little surreal but a life long dream of Andrew's is starting to come true and I just absolutely love it for him, and love that I get to help make it happen. This week, I am planning on getting an ad to the paper as well. That part is all my responsibility, so it has to be fit in there with my REAL job, :-).
My job is, of course, crazy busy right now with the start of a new program year. I am now an invited guest to the Policy Advisory Council and am a member of the PIPP steering committee. I went to Springfield on the 18th for the PAC and will go to Springfield on Tuesday for the steering committee. I love being involved in the decision making process and fell like that is part of what I really wanted when I was still an assistant fieldworker in the Olney office and knew I wanted to do more than take the applications. One of the best parts though is I get to spend most of those days traveling with my friend, Kathy, who serves in the same capacity as me in both instances.
I also have been doing lots of computer work lately, getting the last of our Windows XP machines switched out to new Windows 7 machines. I have done 4 in the last 8 days and have two more to do out in the field, hopefully next Friday. There is one that needs done in our office as well as I am trying to find new laptops for a couple of people in our office. Seems the days of that being simple are over.
Gibbs is great, growing like a bad weed. I got him a harness so he can enjoy the front porch and the back yard.
I put his little cat bed in the window on my desk, he LOVES it there, he can lay in it and look out and watch the squirrel that is almost always out there. For the most part, outside still kinda scares him, especially if there are any loud trucks go by. He seems very content for living in the house. I am still sad for him that he lost his family but I am hoping maybe he was little enough he doesn't remember, though he sucks in his sleep, so there is some memory there. We are very thankful and happy that he came into our lives.
Today we are taking Bob and Janette to Lincoln Log Cabin to see the festivities going on there. Hopefully, Robert will join us for a picnic lunch (I took the easy way out, we are taking the cooler and stopping at Subway).
Here is a couple of pictures from our adventures last weekend, we took them to see some of the covered bridges in Parke county. It's kinda nice to see them without the Covered Bridge Festival going on, but I am STILL very excited for it to come up, come on October 13th! On top of everything else, it is the first time in almost 23 years of marriage that I don't have to wonder up until that morning if Andrew is really going to get to go with me- I still love that, we get to plan without waiting for the no word to come up.
 |
| (doesn't he look happy?? This makes ME happy!) |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)