Month: April 2009

  • A Moment of Repose!

    Of course, the ONLY reason I've had any type of tranquility (or even a single moment of repose) is because all business and doctor's offices are closed on Saturday and Sunday!  Nothing to do, but enjoy the week end, my family, and no business to be handled.  Yay! for the week ends!

                                       
                                                          (see Chirper at the back of the cage?)

    Nikki and family are coming in tonight after 6pm.  Brother-in-law Richard and family should be arriving around noon, or shortly there after.  I imagine the phone will be ringing again today with more medical business to handle.  So far, so good - the phone has remained silent!  JoAnn said she'd help me get my curtains back on their rods.  They've been washed, but never rehung!

                                      

    I got those silly steam vaporizers cleaned (you have to soak the steamer heads in vinegar) and put away.  I went over the home school stuff with JoAnn.  I have decided (for sure) to drop health, science, and history.  The girls are a grade ahead and dropping those subjects will be of little consequence.  I'm also dropping the subject of art (oh gee! my poor children!!!) and their Greek and Latin lessons.  They are young and can learn that later.  They do art work all the time, so (trust me) they won't be deprived.   JoAnn will teach the two different grade levels in math; language & spelling to Rissy; reading to Annamarie & Luci; and phonics to all three.  I will still teach Bible and character development because I'm their parent and a parent teaching those things seems right.

                                        

    I'm thinking I should get off of here and fix pancakes for breakfast.  When the masses stay here as vistors this week, the menu will be much smaller.  Donuts from Wal-Mart, cold cereal, or instant oatmeal packets that they can make themselves.  I'm determined to not play the part of "hostess" (i.e. Martha Stewart) and let people fend for themselves.  We'll see how successful I end up being trying to stay relaxed!!!   

                                     
    Tango is so carefree, surrounded by her fortress (the bars of her cage).  She calls the cat and dog with kisses or the same whistle we use to call them - poor unsuspecting cats and dogs!  Despite Chirper being on the window sill behind Tango's cage and making a hole in Tango's blankets to peer at her, we made him get down and leave the bird alone.  His claws are trimmed short and the bars are narrow so he can't get a paw through them, but still . . .

    His face peering at her from the folds of the cage's blanket cover remind me of John 10:10
    The thief comes not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.

    Today's To Do List:
    *  Hang den valance and the bedroom curtains and valances
    *  Clean top of refrigerator (may have to be done later in the week)
    *  Clear coin collection from the top of my dresser
    *  Make a few phone calls

    JoAnn has gradually taken over my role with the girls.  They are beginning to come to her with their questions and needs and she is gaining their respect.

    Sushi loves JoAnn because she play wrestles with her.  She was thrilled to see JoAnn wake up this morning and come into the den!  Her buddy!  Her pal!!!


    Well, JoAnn is Sushi's buddy and pal *after* Chirper.  That's Chirper on top of Sushi's crate!

    Be Blessed  ~

  • Feeling Like Myself Again

    Yesterday was a long one for me.  I woke up tired. 

    I went to the hospital (had to be there at 7:30am), came home and ate my banana (had no time at the hospital) and had another cup of coffee.  It didn't help!

    Jesse had taken Rissy for her physical therapy appointment and they told him her leg braces would be done in two weeks, AND, if next week was too hectic for us, he could cancel her P.T. appointment.

    He left there and took the girls to Burger King before going to the airport to pick up JoAnn.

    I left here a little bit before the plane arrived to head west to our county's Department of Human Services office to apply for food stamps.  I was told I'd have to drop off the folder containing our information, but they asked me to wait (under our family's circumstances) and they got me in without an appointment after I waited about 40 minutes - time I spent relaxing and reading.

    The caseworker tried every way to approve us (really nice caseworker) and said if we didn't claim the girls, she could get us $66 a month in aid.  BUT . . . we would have to keep that $66 worth of food separate, and no one but Jesse and I could eat it. 

    Then, since JoAnn is living here as a caregiver without pay, SHE could apply for assistance, but she would have to keep HER food separate from the rest of us. 

    I looked at her and said, "That's not going to happen.  She is here to cook for our family and we will all sit at the same table and eat the same food.  There's no way we would eat our allotted food stamp food individually."  She said, "Well, is there any way you could keep it separate and just drink the milk or eat the eggs for yourself and the rest of the family could prepare their food separately?"  She was really wanting to help and I could tell by her face she was urging me to say yes we would separate *some* things.  I couldn't do it.

    I told her, "I can't lie to you.  We won't be dividing food, we will be sharing it.  We do everything as a family and meals is one thing that we do every single day - ALL OF US . . . as a family.  I'm not going to lie to you just to be approved for assistance.  I can't lie."  Her face looked at me incredulously because I was being honest.   I guess most people say, "Okay," get their assistance, and go on their merry way with the caseworkers all KNOWING they are lying.  All the caseworker needs  is an affirmation that "the rules" won't be broken.

    I thanked her and said I was sorry to come in without an appointment and take up her time.  She felt SO BAD for turning me down, I could tell.  With the girls being included, we were $11 dollars *over* in our income (because of their adoption subsidy money we receive) to be approved, and she hating telling me so.  I told her everything would work out and I felt blessed by the medical coverage I just found out I would be receiving.  AND, I told her how kind everyone has been, and I included her.

    I drove home and shortly after eating a cheap Burger King burger and two stale donuts, Jesse, JoAnn, and the girls arrived.  BIG HUGS for JoAnn!!!!

    We talked a little and then I proceeded to make a chicken stir fry dinner.  I was so sleepy, and I think I cooked asleep, while standing on my feet.  I remember guiding Rissy through instructions and writing down the recipe for her, but I was so blurry-eyed and sleep deprived.  I know my fatigue made my face look haggard.

      


    I cooked and Rissy snapped away with the camera.

    I got the angel hair pasta going while the stir fried food was on its last leg of being cooked. 

    And, JoAnn came out to see the process and ask if I used olive oil (I do). 

    Like I said, I was so sleepy, I almost felt like crying - like a baby who has gone way past nap time! 
                                       
    My face looks pretty rough - lots of saggy skin and bags under my eyes.  But, I smiled anyway! 

    Rissy finally offered to finish up the skillet stuff while I finished writing the recipe card for her - such a helper!!!
                                       

    We ate and I told everyone to rinse off their plates and just stack them on the side of the sink.  The dishwasher was full of clean dishes.  Annamarie offered to put them away, but I was too tired to even *contemplate* loading the dishwasher.  Despite training my girls in household chores, I still win (hands down) when it comes to efficiently cramming more in the dishwasher than anyone else.  Jesse says he doesn't know how I do it!

    We sat in the den (Jesse, JoAnn, & I) and I began to feel like I was fading fast.  I went back and changed into my nightgown, Jesse suggested I go to bed, but I wanted to stay up and hear him & JoAnn talk.  I bet I was on the sofa (on my side with my hands curled under my cheek) for 10 minutes before falling into a deep sleep.  Since I was on my side, Chirper was balanced on my hip sleeping.  Jesse said JoAnn said, "I have to admit, he *is* kinda cute!"

    I'm sure I was snoring when Jesse woke me up and helped me back to bed.  It was 2 minutes before the news, and I told him to turn on the TV so I could watch the news.  I never made it!  I slept well until 6:00 this morning when some little cat woke me up with his whiskers.  At least I feel normal today and not so overwhelmed with everything.

    Nikki and her family arrive on Monday.  Then, I found out, Jesse's 1/2 brother, wife and their 3 children will also be here next week.  They are traveling from the east coast to see my father-in-law in Amarillo.  They need a place to stay for one (maybe 2, at the longest) nights.  JoAnn has said she'll go stay at her and Jesse's mother's house, which means a queen bed will be free in Rissy's room.  I guess their children can sleep on the floor.  I don't plan on entertaining or cooking like I normally would do.  I still have quite a few things I need to do before my surgery. 

    Never a dull moment around here, is there?

    Today's To Do List:
    *  Shower and wash my hair
    *  Divide that ground turkey meat I bought Wednesday and freeze it!!!!
    *  Begin a list of questions for my surgeon appointment on Tuesday
    *  Clean and put away those stupid vaporizers that are STILL in the bedrooms
    *  Go over homeschool books with JoAnn & show her how I do lesson plans
    *  Take JoAnn with me to the girls' therapy appointment this afternoon - she will have to drive them in the future

    Be Blessed  ~

  • TIme Flies When You're Having Fun

    Times flies when you're having fun???? 

    I'm here to attest to the fact that time also flies when you AREN'T having fun!  Yesterday, this morning . . . EEEEEEK!!!!!

    I was supposed to hold still this morning through my 30 minute MRI of my thoracic spine.  No problem - I almost fell asleep.  I had trouble sleeping again last night and had the alarm set for 6am so I could bathe and leave by 7am.   Much earlier than my body likes to be up moving OR driving and having to pay attention! 

    Embarrassingly, I yawned while I undressed, I yawned while the tech put me into the machine, took me out of the machine and injected dye (into my right hand this time - no veins left that haven't already been stuck in the past 2 weeks), put me BACK into the machine (I had to *will* myself to not yawn), while I redressed, and as I walked down the hospital's halls to have my hip x-ray done.  I apologized and apologized for my gaping, yawning mouth and no one thought ill of me, as my eyes clearly show I'm sleep deprived!

    Maybe . . . JUST MAYBE . . . I will have Friday through Sunday for rest and repose!  Since no clinics or offices are open on the week end, I'm hoping they all leave me alone!

    Can't complain about even one person I've dealt with - all have been simply wonderful, as was the new doctor's office yesterday.  A wonderful Nurse Practioner saw me and was very helpful getting my medications switched over to their clinic.  All I take is something for my insomnia and thyroid pills, but she was helpful in getting everything taken care of and at the cheapest cost to me.

    I had to laugh at these pictures.  I'm never happy for someone's loss, but this one time . . .

    . . . well, see for yourself!

    This was the scene of a vicious fire last Friday night.
      
     

    This is a piece of property that houses several bars, nasty adult stores, etc.  There are a few legitimate and "not nasty"  businesses, one being a discount furniture store owned by a Christian family I know.

     
    As I said, a very *vicious* and destructive fire.
      

    No one is quite sure how it was started.  They think there were gasoline cans stored in the attic (???) and that is where the fire started.  The fire department was greatly hampered while fighting the fire because of our ice/snow storm on Friday night of last week.  "Greatly hampered" is an understatement!

    The church we attend, occasionally, has property right next door to this building.  The church has asked for a long time if they could use this property owner's parking lot on Sunday morning, since the church membership had increased greatly and none of the building's businesses were open on Sunday morning.  For a fee of great substance, the owner of the property set his terms - an amount the church couldn't afford.

      
    We prayed for the owner's salvation many times.  The church membership was always kind and loving toward the property owner.  Yet, look at the destruction of this one exceptionally wicked set of establishments.  Next building down is where my friend's furniture store is located.  It came through the huge fire totally unscathed.

                                       

    So let us remember together the words of God - "Vengeance is mine" . . .

     . . . and it was last Friday night.

    Look carefully at this set of signs. 

    Focus in on the name emblazoned in bright red letters for all the world to see.

              

    Up 'n' Smoke

    And so it came to pass (and now is) as the sign declares!

    Be Blessed  ~

  • All the Time in the World

    We've all had the feeling, "I have all the time in the world."  We've also said of other people, "S/he has too much time on her/his hands."  I'm pretty sure that's where the bad habit of procastinating originates!  However, "All the time in the world," is not the case with me.

    I thought for sure I was done with appointments, etc. and, surely, I would *never* have anything more to do, except wait for my surgery and get the house in order.  You've also heard the phrase, "Never say 'never.'"  Yep!  Don't say it!

                                           

    I have new requests of my insurance company - I have to find a NEW primary care physician BEFORE my surgery April 17th.  I need to GO to the physician and establish myself as a new patient.  The Pollyanna part of me says that the GOOD NEWS in that phone call  is:  I found out I'm 100% covered medically.  I thought I was only covered for cancer, and I am, but they are covering me for colds and if I stub my toe . . . thus, the need for a primary care physician. 

                                            
                                                              (Pull the tail/string, and the toy rat vibrates)

    I called the radiology place to see if they had my work from last week in their office.  I wanted to make sure they had my insurance number.  I was told it would be weeks before they received paperwork to bill me; and, if I got a bill, just call them at that time with my insurance number.  When I came home there were two messages - one was the radiologist's office asking for my insurance number (rolling my eyes!).  I didn't need to call them back, because while I was writing a check at Wal-Mart, they called my cell number and asked me for that number.  So much for them needing it in a few weeks!

                                         
                                 I'm pretty sure she could work one of the old See & Say toys where you pulled a cord!

    The other phone message was the insurance people calling to be sure I knew all about my coverage and that's when I learned I'd have to find a new doctor for my minor aches and ailments.  I called the girl and number back to learn of my coverage, and she told me I should consider applying for food stamps.  I've always known our family probably would qualify.  The size of our family and our income most likely would net us a bunch of benefits.  We've chosen to never inquire and have made it just fine without assistance.  BUT, she said these were different circumstances and I should call.  I called the county office, quickly explained, cancer - no income yet from the lawn business - here's what we DO have . . . and the food stamp office said she definitely thought it was worth my time to come out and apply.  One MORE place I need to be.  I'm an economical shopper and cook.  But, since I won't be doing the shopping and cooking, it's possible our food costs may rise while I'm recovering.  Another Pollyanna thought - it's possible we may get more temporary help.

                                         

    Here is a sample of Thursday morning's schedule:
    7:30am     - I have to be at the hospital for an x-ray of my hip and an MRI of my thoracic spine (lengthy visit)
    10:30am   -  Rissy has her physical therapy appointment and her leg braces may be ready
    12:40pm   -  JoAnn arrives at the airport

    Does it look like I have "all the time in the world"????????  Not to me!!!

    Meanwhile, between today and April 16th, I have to work in the hospital x-ray/MRI, meet with food stamp people, find a new physician and go see him, and make one more trip to the grocery store for the stuff that I forgot to put on yesterday's list.

    Nikki and her family arrive on Monday (4 days from now) and will be here all next week.  We don't celebrate Easter (which is the same day as my birthday this year), but I don't know if Nikki's family does something with our granddaughter, Jaiden.  I definitely don't feel like making a huge meal.  I can barely do the paperwork and meet all the people at the gazillon appointments.

                                          
                             Chirper is fascinated with where the water goes and wonders how the refill water does its thing!



    Yesterday, I cleared the junk from the guest room floor - mainly stuffed it all in those cupbaords that were empty after I cleaned a few weeks ago.  All but some of the girls' white clothes have been washed (thanks to Jesse's help).  That is a miracle in itself because we haven't BEEN here to do laundry!  We ate leftovers again last night.  I don't know how those leftovers have multiplied to last a few days - but I've sure appreciated them.

    I took Sushi and Chirper to the vet yeserday morning.  Sushi had her rabies shot.  Chirper had his nails trimmed and has gained even MORE weight!!!!!  He is 7pounds 6 ounces!!!!!  The veterinarian can't believe how well he has been doing.  He gave Chirper a clean bill of health as far as respiratory and bowel system.  Thank you, Lord!

    After returning the pets to our house, I took the girls to Applebee's for lunch.  I had a gift card from last Christmas from Stephanie.  We split salads and ordered one of their high calorie chocolate desserts and split it, too.  After lunch was the Wal-Mart trip and then PetSmart for some treat sticks for Tango (the cockatiel).  I don't know when I'll be able to take the girls out again.  It only cost me $7, with $6 of the $7 being a tip!

                                              

    So, while some may have "all the time in the world" - I don't.  My schedule continues to fill up each day, despite the fact I was relatively sure I'd have *some* time to relax and smell the roses.  As you can see from the pictures, the children and pets have "all the time in the world" to relax and enjoy whatever catches their fancy!

    I'd give you "Today's To Do List" . . . but things probably will be more of a mock chaos than a list to scratch off each accomplishment. 

    At the store yesterday, I bought 6 large packages of ground turkey meat that need to be divided into smaller packages and then frozen.  Also, a large package of boneless, skinnless chicken breasts that need to be divided.  Since tomorrow morning is taken with places to be every minute of the clock, the meat division must be done today.  Oh yeah . . . it would be nice if I could work in a bath this morning!!! LOL

    Seems like someone (or a few) have asked what Bible passages I was reading over and over again.  The only one I have time to quote is

    PS 118:17 . . . I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord. 

    I'm memorizing the 91st Psalm and know the 23rd Psalm by heart.

    Here are a few more:
    Ephesisans 6:10-17
    I John 5:14-15
    Hebrews 13:8
    Matthew 18:18-19
    John 9:31
    Jeremiah 30:17 (1st half)
    Proverbs 4:20-23

    If any of you would like to look up these passages and pray with me, I'll accept any and all prayers!

    Be Blessed  ~