Sleepless

Ugh. I accidentally fell asleep last night about 8:30 pm, woke up about 1:09 am and haven't been back to sleep since. That sucks. Finally, I've decided to just be done with the attempts (now that it's about 4:30 am) and be awake. Maybe I'll get moving and go have breakfast somewhere before work! Yum!

So I left off here with frustrations about my niece. Hopefully, this situation will never happen to another student. But today, I'd like to share good news! More of God's blessings - Macy had her annual cardiologist appointment and everything looks great!! What a huge relief! Why does the 4-year-old have annual cardiologist appointments?  The condition she has - Marfans - typically impacts the heart. Feel free to google it, it's interesting to read, I guess. President Lincoln is a famous Marfans person.  

Anyway, her good news is a huge relief. My dad, who we also suspect has Marfans, also received a good cardiologist check up. He has all the heart symptoms - leaky heart valve and aneurysm in the aorta - but so far they have held off on surgery and continue to do so. Hooray! 

Mom couldn't shake a sinus infection - some serious steroids finally helped out. I'm not talking about that first round you get- this was scary amounts - but it worked! And after allergy tests, she doesn't seem to be allergic to environmental things - another great blessing! Woo Hoo! 

Mom and my brother have allergies to food. Mom: peaches, carrots, almonds, shellfish. Clay: tomatoes, black pepper, beef, oranges, I can't remember what all. And he has a tin of other allergies, too. He has sneezefests of 20+ sneezes at one time. Craziness. 

Macy and ree family went to the circus to see the last year of performances! So glad they were able to do this. She lived it!! 

 Katie, Macy, and I headed to Columbia to celebrate a very special girl's first birthda (with a quick stop at Krispie Kreme). Paulene and I became friends through United Way. 

And look at her precious girl!!! What a great celebration! 

The older sweet niece made it home. Our weather has been crazy warm so both girls rode bikes at Macy's school parking lot. Happy to have her home! 

We had no idea Macy was getting sick, but when you see her coloring in this picture, it makes sense. Her curls are so stinkin' cute! 

This is for my mom!! She's making bows now, doing such a good job!!! But she talks about the HUGE bows some mamas put in their daughters' heads. I had to explain it's kinda like big hair... The bigger the bow, the closer to heaven, right? HAHAHAHAHAH! 

Ok let's see if I can get one more hour of rest. :) sweet dreams! 

Repeat.

This message keeps coming to mind: I'm not familiar with anything in the Bible saying God won't give you more than you can handle. Who came up with that, anyway? God does give us more than we can handle to make us understand we need HIM. If we could handle it all on our own, why would we ever look to the Lord? That makes more sense to me. Something I'm still chewing on.

Already I've not followed my #nestingwithjesus like I wanted to his year. Time to hop back on the horse and open my Bible ... Or app, whichever one works for me. I love my Dr Charles Stanely study Bible (www.intouch.org) but the Bible app having many different versions at your fingertips also has merit. Sometimes it helps me understand a verse to read a few versions. She Reads Truth taught me that. 

Dolls my mom made for me when I was a child. Macy enjoys playing with them now :)

Last week at the end of a doctor visit, I mentioned a total medical miracle that happened in my family I thought she'd be interested in. The conversation moved along to her asking me to pray for a friend's salvation. I was very humbled she asked - so add this request to your prayers, if you feel so moved. Thanks. 

Anyone else addicted to PBS programming right now? Sunday night: Mercy Street, Victoria, and then a show about Henry 8th and his 6 wives. Loving it!! Trying so hard to be patient and not spoil Victoria but they realllly left us hanging. Mercy Street did, too. Now to get Poldark back up and running. Man I need to invest in some series on DVD! 

Have I shared this already? My sister and I took Macy to her school parking lot last Sunday so she could practice riding her bike. She was so cute! She loved it! Asked this weekend - Bethie, do you remember me riding my bicycle in the parking lot? Hahah! The storms this weekend kept us all indoors. 

She also entertained us with puppet shows in the puppet tent my friend, Donna, and her niece, Ellie, bought Macy for Christmas. She's loving it. Luckily my mom fits in the tent with her so they can both put on shows. Hahaha

Macy begged for a Panther Drink! Oh no!

Ok I'm headed for bed 2 hours after my self-appointed bedtime. Have a great week! 

Pride

I'm sitting in a small out-of-the-way restaurant in a very small town. Had to google map it to find it. Older couple is sitting in front of me and the man asked the young waitress if the local football team played last night. "Yes sir." "Did Jordan play? I know he did." Made me smile seeing the pride these folks have in the local community.

I can't remember the last thing I wrote and service is so bad here I figure I can't pull it up. So did I tell you my bro-in-law made it through his third back surgery... 10-hours! While it seems the surgery is successful, a nerve is very angry and causing him great pain. Please pray this sucker calms down!  This family could really use a break. (This photo is from the chapel in the hospital. Just beautiful) 

My sister moved into a new school building. She wasn't allowed in to unpack and arrange all her belongings until the day before Roger's surgery... A week before school started. So Dad and I spent some time in there making it look ready for students. Thank heavens for family :) My parents have really been here for all of us. 

Sweet niece #1 hit high school this year! I can't believe it!! She playing sports, sorta learning to drive, and is just beautiful. And sweet niece #2 is going to 4K at the same school all of us attended. She wore her tiara to meet the teacher and has already made a name for herself. After her evaluation, Katie asked her how she did and Sweet Niece said, "I rocked it."  Hahahahaha

My twin sweet nephews are doing so well. Growing so fast and changing every day. I stopped in to see them last week and was amazed at how sweet and friendly they are!! They'll be 1 in the beginning of October. That just doesn't seem possible. 

(Once again, I never finished this so I'm posting it as is)

Sorry folks, I totally fell asleep on you - but I'm awake and in a rush now. No winning!  I know I'm giving a photo dump-sorry about that but I like looking back and remembering what all was happening around the same time frame.

Daddy and Macy playing on the iPad. 

Macy saw her first movie in a theater (a local place called Sylvia, you should check it out) and she loved it!! The Secret Life of Pets. I wasn't that impressed but it was talking animals and a cartoon so she loved it. 

Clay turned 45 and he and Angela had us all over at their house. Her family and ours! So good to visit with the whole group. Look at Liam-Is he not a cutie! 💗💗 Love those boys, Heaven help!

Sweet Kellan had some surgery and I kept Liam. I was a little nervous but he was good as gold. We snuggled and rocked, ate up our food like a champ, cleaned up and played tummy time and supported sitting, back to snuggle and sleep. I sent pics to his parents all morning because I knew they were missing him fiercely. Kellan came through surgery well and Liam was a sweetie with me all day. God continues to bless those sweet boys 

 I hosted a Keep Collective jewelry party. I wasn't too excited until I played with the jewelry and fell in love. This is my set with four hearts, one for each niece and nephew. No one can have any more babies because I'm out of room. Hahah! 

Caught up to this week. Macy's mom had a conference in Columbia so mom and I took Macy on an adventure. We stayed in the same town so she could see her mama at dinner time but she stayed with us. The highlight of the trip was Edventure, the children's museum. She loves that place. 

One event just broke my heart and it was when two older girls started making fun of Macy. I wasn't paying them any attention so I had no idea until it was over. But sadly, she knew it and as they were getting ready to leave our area, Macy said those girls were making fun of her in the saddest, most pitiful voice. My mom said they weren't and made one of the girls tell her they weren't but the snide laugh at the end negated all that. 

The kids were with a daycare from the county beside ours and were wearing the daycare's shirts with scripture on the back. As much as I wanted to find those kids and point out what horrible examples they were of God's amazing love for us, I knew I was also a horrible example. 

I was mostly saddened by the fact at age four, Macy knew they were making fun of her. That innocence is gone already. A do know it will get worse before it gets better but it doesn't mean I can't wish for something better. 

While we were in Columbia this past week we were able to visit my friend, Paulene and her precious baby girl, Paige. What a sweetheart this adorable baby girl is! So outgoing and happy. It was so wonderful spending time with them both. 

I'm still sewing, lots of bibs and burp cloths. But a friend asked for a pillow for her to gift so there you go! Flannel front so it's really soft. It's getting mailed tomorrow. :) 

This Saturday and next I'm in a quilting class, learning so much!! Our project was to make a star block and we did that in class one. I enjoyed it so much, this is what I created at home. I want to bind in blues. And if I ever get motivated, I"d like to do one for every season for wall hangings :)  we'll see how it goes. 

So we've had some interesting days recently. I've already mentioned baby Kellan and his surgery. He goes back to the doctor Monday. 

Mom's knee "popped" this weekend and she's on crutches. She doesn't want to go to the doctor because they'll tell her she needs surgery and she's not interested in that right now. Hopefully the two days of rest will help her knee recover. 

Then my brother-in-law has his third back surgery the first week of August. Big time surgery. It's his only chance of getting this pain down to something bearable. Please pray. We are very concerned. There is a team of surgeons coming in for it. Will take all day. As the doc said - this is the big league. We appreciate all prayers, spirit fingers and good vibes. 

Well, that's my life right now. Thanks for tuning in after weeks of silence :) 

New Rules.

Since I have to get my food life in order, I thought I should get my financial life in order, too.  I've done the Dave Ramsey class.  It's good - really, it is.  I wish I had applied it to my life much more than I did, because I've lost my envelopes and I'm still not balancing my checkbook.

But here is my new way of thinking - both with foods and money:

Don't Eat It and
You Won't Have to Work It Off. 

Don't Spend It and
You Won't Have To Earn It Again. 

Does that make sense? If I leave the cheese off my sub sandwich, I don't have to work to burn those calories and fats!  I can use those banked baddies somewhere else that's more tasty.  OR I could just be good and I'll know the calories I'm burning are making me healthier! It is helping me say NO NO NO NO NO.  No to fats. No to chips.  No to chocolates... sorta. Can't say I'm doing great with this one.  No to soft drinks.  No to McDonald's tea (and this one is killing me).



Same with money.  If I don't spend it, I don't have to re-earn it.  I'll still have it from the first earning! NO to buying something for Macy that she doesn't really need.  No to random purchases because they are on clearance.  No to ... well, to whatever I was spending my money on.



And that's what I've been doing for the past few weeks, trying to look at something, and put it back. Or not touch it to begin with. Not saying it's fun, but saying it's OK and I'm somewhat managing it.(Until the weekend ... when I bought 1, 2, 3, 4, 5!!!! pairs of shoes!!! Oh holy cow!! But for $240 or so... three pairs of Danskos! WHOA! Who knows when I'll wear all these shoes, but I'm tickled.  Heck, I may resell them if I find I never wear them.

Is this not the CUTEST photo you have ever seen? My dad and my niece at a family reunion. I just love it.  It's my new favorite photo of Mae Monkey. My dad got good news this week, too - he completed his bladder cancer check and it came back good! WHEW! Thank you, Lord, for taking care of my family like You do.  We are so so so thankful. 

And here is my sweet niece and me at her Muffins with Macy event at her preschool.  (It was actually Muffins with Mommy but her Mommy was in the middle of standardized testing in school, so there was no way she could get off from work).  She is such a sweetie, while also being the most stubborn person on the face of the earth.  I'm not sure if it will do her well in the future or get her in a ton of trouble... hahahaha.


I'm reviewing my sermon notes, just a random sermon, and written down the side of my notebook I have "Look at Jesus' Love."  It's bracketing these notes: 

• Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 
• The Lady at the well.
• Let the children come to me for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to them.
• On the cross - Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing.

While we were still sinners, - God's only Son died for us! 
Only when we see how desperately needing we are will we begin to understand God's love!
God's love is a self sacrificing love for people who deserve nothing.


Wow. Just a few notes, obviously random.  He was preaching from Romans 5: 1-11.  Now we are in Genesis, which I've really enjoyed.  It's always nice to start at the beginning and have that opportunity to see those stories you have grown up learning from an adult perspective. 


Ok, I'm thinking I've rambled on about randomness and should shut it down.  Giving thanks for all the blessings this week! :) Have a great one!

Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Crazy Cat Ladies...

Ya'll, I'm just happy right at this moment.  I'm not sure why - but I'm kinda wrinkling my nose and smiling.  Maybe because I feel accomplished at work: I'm getting the job done and feeling like I'm doing it well.  I'm managing some folks under me that will help take the load off by covering training classes for me and I just held an honest to goodness meeting where we covered everything I wanted to cover and it went smooth.  Let's hope that continues next week when they start teaching. :)

I'm also happy because I have a FITBIT! I'm so not into technology - I don't have internet at my house and the computer is so old I'm shocked it works.  Well, it used a modem to get online at some point but lightning fried that so... yeah anyway.  Fitbit.  I went to the DR and he basically said - your A1C is 6.5 and that's the threshold for medicine.  UGH.  HORRIBLE NEWS! Not what I wanted to hear at all!

Since 2014, I swear that June election tried its best to kill me.  Seriously.  Two ER visits. Thought I was having heart attacks.  I now have stomach issues.  I went from 2 medicines too 6 meds to try and get everything leveled out.  So when he said more meds, I just wanted to cry.  I knew I'd been being even worse than usual.  I really did.  I could feel it sucking the life quite literally out of my body.  But please no more meds.

So we made a deal - 3 months to get my life back in order and healthier.  I did something I so rarely do - I spent money on me. A Fitbit Alta and I love it.  I am not walking as much as they tell you to walk, but I'm walking more than I ever have been.  One of those reasons I'm happy today - I found a place to walk that is usually empty-ish, air conditioned, and big enough to make some laps around it and you know you've accomplished something.  They have a gym, too, so I'm hoping I can hit it after work a few days a week.  Free Free Free! (Part of the training for the police officers).  So I went on my lunch break today and did several laps before having a salad and chili for lunch. I'll keep you posted on how this continues.

Of course, it was Mother's Day this weekend.  The first picture is Macy and Katie, ready to go to church. I thought they were just so cute and we were late because I insisted on pictures. :)  But it is a great photo of them.  Below that is Katie, Macy and Mom - the three generations photo.  This one also needs a frame! I love it! Katie and Roger added a nice deck to the side of their house and bought patio furniture, this covered swing and a grill.  So Roger grilled for everyone for Mother's Day and it was DE-LI-CIOUS.  The weather was great, it was so relaxing.  Very thankful for a good day with family.   The picture below is what I made my profile photo for Mother's Day - me, my mom and my grandmother.  Another three generation photo from way back yonder.

My friend, Raynore - ALWAYS remembers me on Mother's Day.  It's really awesome, actually, because there isn't an Aunt's Day or anything like that.  But I so very dearly love my nieces and nephews and spend a lot of time with them (at least Macy right now! AH is a teen and is busy busy.  The boys I try to see when I can!) So it's very special to have someone recognize the love I have for my nieces and nephews on Mother's Day.  Her cards always bring happy tears to my eyes.

And look! I am a mama! To FIVE kittens. Oh yes.  Five.  One-two-three-four-FIVE.  I'm totally going to lose my mind if I don't find a home for these babies.  So stinkin' cute! But holy moly, I'm going broke in cat food!  But aren't they precious?  Yes, I'm smitten but not so much that I don't welcome a happy home for them...

I need to get home and figure out what halfway healthy thing I can eat tonight.  Tomorrow I teach a night class and will be home late, so maybe I grocery store run is in order to find food for the rest of this week.  Tomorrow morning I get to go with Macy to Muffins with Mommy (Katie is a teacher and they are in the middle of standardized testing, no way she could get off for this!). MawMaw is going with me, so she'll have extra "mommies" ... yummm... muffins. Ok, food is needed.

Night ya'll!  :)

Blog writer, Part 2

I knew if I added many more photos, that last post would never go. Then I fell asleep! (Sleep- Success!)

Macy practicing giving the boys bottles... Hahaha! Ok, not really. She was feeding her baby-dang I can't remember the baby's name. She's in this great imaginative play phase and I just love it!

I finally got well enough to have the shots I needed to visit with "the boys" aka Liam and Kellan. What sweethearts. Liam was my twin for the day so I fed him bottles and snuggled. These are my nephews who were born at 28 weeks. And at 6 months you wouldn't know it. I consider them miracles from The Lord. Getting back to my visit, Liam snuggled up on my chest and slept for a good while. Gosh they melt my heart. 

So of course, on the morning of my second visit I woke up sick and haven't been well since. Sigh. I hope to see them again before they graduate college! Yes, dramatic I know... I just want to see my nephews! 

My nephews were in the NICU for quite a bit of time. What an amazing place! One thing we learned about were isolette covers that make the baby's incubator (isolette) dark and quiet. I'm not sure why I became obsessed with making and donating as many of these as possible. Shared it on Facebook and my work intranet. 

A lady from church made it a Women I the Church project. Let's tell you, we have many amazing quilters at church. So these babies have some incredible cute handcrafted isolette blankets!  

When we finally gathered our blanket and headed for the children's hospital, we had a total of 18 blankets! The stack was almost as tall as her son! It was great to deliver these directly to one of the NICU nurses that watched after my nephews. 

I love thinking about these babies tucked into their dark and quiet Isolettes with their cover on top. Warms my heart. 

Once I chilled with making isolette covers, I went back to quilting. New pattern I saw for sell and just figured it out. I'll be working on this one for a long time. 

My ADD tendencies kicked in so in the middle of a sewing fest, I worked on this project.

Mom found this empty frame at a yard sale years ago and I just managed to turn it into a photo board for my bedroom. Love having easy access to update photos. And love having family pics in sight :) 

Last photo- taken this week at my parents. Sweet niece was crawling all over me so I made her stop for a pic.

Work is already kicking in, full speed ahead. Sigh. I wish I could have gotten more time off before it picks back up but it didn't work out that way. I knew 2016 was going to be a doozy. 

It's now Saturday and the sun is up! Time for me to get moving and see what I can find to get into! Have a wonderful weekend. :)

Blog Writer, Where Are You?

I'm here! I've not totally abandoned you! At least this time it's not because of medical drama that I've been slack. It's probably more due to the fact I've been seeing, enjoying family time and working more than plenty.

I'm crazy behind so let's start with Easter. Baby Sweet Niece very much enjoyed Easter and REALLY got into the Easter Bunny. Everything that happened was the EB playing tricks on her. Pretty hilarious. This lasted for weeks. 

The week after Easter, Macy had another eye appointment. This is where we expected "the surgery talk," so I went with Mom and Katie so I could take Macy somewhere to play while they had this serious discussion with the doctor. 

I waited in the lobby. When everyone came out I was confused. Tears shimmered in Mom's eyes. And then - surgery talk is off the table for the time being!! Her vision had improved with these special glasses and is just under the surgery threshold. Lord, thank you for that blessing!! 

Katie had to go back to work after lunch so Macy and I celebrated by visiting my alma mater. She loved it! 

Such a sweetie. She told her mama we went to a really fun town. Hahahaha

I have wanted pics with the beautiful pink trees for a while now... But didn't really have the funds for that. This year I asked two photographers whose work I greatly admire. One was $300 and one $125. And the $125 was closer, allowed more outfit changes, more time and was a daughter of a church member. SCORE! 

She really worked with Macy and I LOVE our portfolio. So many pics that I just adore. So thankful this worked out. 

This dress is one of Macy's "dress up" outfits but she insisted we take it. Don't you know it was the best color-wise?? Hahaha love it :)

I hoped her sister would be home but she wasn't. She's a teen now and it's harder and harder to catch up with her. I swear I haven't seen her in a month of Sundays! 

Adventures on Hump Day

Yay! We survived two primaries in SC and the one in NC. (When SC people hear NC is voting, they call us and ask why their precinct isn't open or voting... #BecauseYouLiveInSC) hopefully, work life will calm down for another month and a half.

I took today off. Was supposed to go flea marketing with Pop but instead we ended up in the ER last night and got home about 2 am. He went to the dentist with an abscessed tooth (is that what you call it?) and received some antibiotics. But suddenly late yesterday evening his face started swelling quite badly. Off to the ER we went. 

I could spend quite some time discussing the sadness that is the ER. So sad. We arrived at 9:30 pm and left at 1:30 am. Our "room" was actually a trauma room of some sort with a curtain wall dividing us from our neighbors. Just the two groups in this makeshift patient room. So we could hear their two year oldish girl singing and dancing barefoot and eventually lying in the nasty floor on a blanket sleeping, the mama bursting into tears every so often, and the doctor telling the man his vitals look good but he needed to check into rehab tomorrow morning. That he was the third addiction case he'd seen tonight. Please pray for these people. He admitted he'd been to rehab three times before and the dr encouraged him to keep trying-it was worth it. 

Dad got two shots of antibiotics and a prescription for another. Since mom, dad and I were the late nighters and I knew they were worn out, I took Macy on an adventure today! 

First we visited my friends at my old job. That was fun. Then we the at a meat and three. She gobbled up applesauce, slaw and mac & cheese. Gobbled! After a quick shop t Hobby Lobby for Easter crafts, it was playground time!!! This 3-year-old was as tall as a 6-year-old! And he had glasses, too. And some serious issues they haven't discovered answers to yet. Praying for them, too. 

Of course you gotta have a cookie after playing so hard! Rainbow cookie-devoured. Then a quick visit wih the Easter Bunny brought us back home. To PawPaw who had missed his girl. 

I am so excited!! We have an appointment with a photographer, who's work I adore, this Saturday. In a peach orchard. Tons of Pink flowers! Yes!!! I so hope the pics turn out beautiful! Excited!!!! 

She is Spring with the flowers in her hair. She gave all of us flowers for our hair. :) I know it looks like I only love her, but she's easiest to get photos of, an she is very lovable. ;) 

Went to a conference at Myrtle Beach last week and really enjoyed it! Lots of great election-related information that I found interesting. Loved the #selfiespot outside the restaurant we ate at and would love one for our office during election season. I'm brewing up some ideas. 

Ok I think I'm finally tired enough to sleep. Let's hope so, it's 2 am! Night and sweet dreams!