What's gray on the outside and pink on the inside?

Our house, today, in Oklahoma!

Gray and dreary skies - BUT . . . NO SNOW! -  and, lots of pink things decorating our den and refrigerator!

Yesterday, I had a good visit with my new (renewed relationship) general physician.  He spent a lot of time with me and encouraged me to continue praying for new bone to grow in my backbone, where the cancer ate it up.  I told him I knew new bones weren't supposed to grow in a person's body, but, if God could grow a leper's fingers back after they had fallen off, He could certainly grow a person's backbone AND I was going to ask God, no matter what doctors said. 

He asked me who said new bone couldn't ever grow and I told him the radiology doctor had said my damage was permanent, but I said again I was going to pray for new bone growth, despite what the doctor had told me.  The doctor yesterday told me, "Bodies sometimes *DO* grow new bone.  Don't quit what you're doing!" 

He had some suggestions to help my swallowing problem and esophageal spasms, since the surgery a few weeks ago wasn't as great as we had hoped.

After that visit, we made a quick circle around Wal-Mart.  My upper back has been VERY tender and painful (I'm sure it's the after shock of my angry cleaning frenzy last Friday!) and yesterday was a very painful one.  I really wanted to hurry up and get home.

Despite my hurting, I baked Rissy's cake, right after we got home, and froze it overnight (a secret that makes cakes more moist).

I'm feeling pressure about Rissy's birthday and other things I need to take care of.  I feel like there is too much for my brain to hold.  I'm trying to write every thought down on paper.  I know my memory isn't what it used to be - thus the feeling of pressure.  I do it to myself (the pressure thing)  but, it's real to me, nonetheless.

Jesse found that IRS had issued and deposited our income tax refund into our bank account overnight!  YEAH!!! We can breathe a while longer!

I made some easy canned cinnamon rolls for breakfast today and taught the basics in school.  Spelling test, a page in their language books, 2 pages in their math books, and a couple speed drills in math, with one test.  I decided to call it a day a little early.

I still needed to frost Rissy's cake and decorate it, so it would be ready tomorrow.

I brought her gifts out from the closet to "decorate the den" and now everything, everywhere around here is pink, Pink, PINK!!!!!

           
                                   These are definitely Rissy's "colors" and looks so much like her!

The maid came again today and was finished with EVERYTHING in 2 hours.  I told her she was awesome and that I had called her employer and told them the same thing.  She said they had told her I had called and was pleased with her work.  I'm so glad they told her.  Employees don't hear often enough that they are appreciated.

She is a sweet girl and just so cheerful AND good at what she does!

I'm going to go lie down for a bit.  JanaLyn and Stephanie are coming around 5:30pm.  Stephanie won't stay, except to watch Rissy open their gift, and JanaLyn will spend the night.  The girls are thrilled and Stephanie said JanaLyn was really excited, too.

I'm keeping tonight's dinner simple.  Chicken breasts with barbecue sauce baked on, shells & cheese, green beans, and fruit cocktail.  We'll probably cut into the cake tomorrow morning before JanaLyn leaves so she can share a piece.  Then Rissy has her "luncheon date" (so cute to hear her call it that!) with her Dad.

Gift opening will come after her steak dinner tomorrow night.  Steak, baked potatoes, and tossed green salad.  THEN, we'll have her fluffy, pink cake.  It almost turned out like the picture on her gift sack.  French vanilla cake, strawberry frosting between the layers, cream cheese on the outside with swirls of strawberry frosting.  A few cherries on top and 9 pink candles, with one blue one - to grow on!

Uh, oh!  I just looked at this picture and counted 8 pink candles.  I better go grab another pink one and add it to the cake!  I can't believe I did that!  Well . . . yes I can! 

Our little girl is growing up!
   

Be Blessed  ~

I slept great last night and my headache is gone.  All I have is some tenderness in my back, right below the neckline.  It's something I can live with and I'd say I'm back to 98%.

                         
                                                    (oops!)

I need to take a bath and wash my hair before I go to my general physician's appointment.  Just a recheck to see how I'm doing since he changed around some medications.  I'll probably need lab work.  Luci will too.  She is on a medication (for her temper tantrums) that could possibly harm her liver.  So, Momma AND Luci will have the ol' stick in the arm!

Last night, I got the ribbons and bows on Rissy's gifts.  I began to panic (not really!) because I so easily forget things.  I know these next few days will be busy and I was afraid of forgetting something important - like baking Rissy's cake or frosting it.  Or, forgetting to take the steaks out of the freezer for her birthday dinner.

                                  
                                                      Not sure what happened, here. 
                        The packages are light pink, and pink gingham with a pink bow and a white bow.
                                            It looks like my flash didn't go off, but it did!

Then, I remembered . . . that's why I keep a spiral notebook and pen by my bed - it's my brain!  I've started adding things to my list of "don't forget" things and I'm sure there is more I've already forgotten.

Caught some pictures of Chirper being a stealth figure checking out my bath tub.  He doesn't want *IN* it, just likes poking his nose *around* it and all my stuff!

       
 
Speaking of pets, Jesse took Little Bit to be neutered today.  We will pick him up tomorrow morning.  We're supposed to have rain moving in tonight and changing to snow tomorrow through Saturday morning.  Another front will be moving in Sunday and another one in the middle of next week.

Stephanie and JanaLyn are coming Friday afternoon.  Stephanie wants to give Rissy her birthday present, and then JanaLyn will spend the night and be picked up by her Dad Saturday late morning.  Rissy has "a lunch date" (her words) with her dad on Saturday.  We'll have her steak dinner in the evening and that's when she can open gifts from us.

I sure hope the Friday snow doesn't keep JanaLyn from being able to come and spend the night.  The girls are really looking forward to it.  I'm finally feeling strong enough to take on the care of a 4th little girl!!!

In fact, I recently invited my friend (Lori K) and her family to spend a few days with us, when they come this way to go to church camp in June.  She has 5 children of her own and I'm so excited about filling our house with company again and most excited to be close to Lori.  She's just one of those friends who is like family.  The girls were VERY excited about Lori's family coming, too.

I have a pot of pinto beans simmering on the stove.  Before we leave for our appointments, I'll transfer them and the remainder of our ham on a bone to the Crock Pot and pray they finish cooking in time for dinner tonight.

By the way:  The ravioli and meatball baked dish was EXCELLENT last night.  A keeper recipe!

Time for that bath I need!

Be Blessed  ~

The cleaning lady didn't show up on Friday.  ANOTHER excuse!  I told her I was going to have to let her go.  I thought I had been very patient with her, but I needed help and things weren't working out with her.  She began to talk (her one bad habit) about how she understood, and . . . I cut her off and said, "Dorothy, good-bye."

I had a sense of relief afterward.  I was angry, but also relieved that the decision to let her go had been accomplished.  I called the service and asked for another gal.  The nurse who follows my case said she had lined up a Christian girl who planned to take me, but they had sent someone else.  This time, I specifically asked for the girl who was recommended by my nurse.  We'll see what happens.

Since I was angry, I did what I shouldn't have done - which made me even more angry, afterward.  I polished the mahogany fireplace trim with Pledge - I stood up on the ottoman to reach the high spots.  Then, I cleaned the whole kitchen (moved everything on the counters & sprayed with 409, cleaned all the frames on the walls, scoured out the sink, polished the front of the dishwasher and stove, wiped the cabinet doors & hinges, and refrigerator doors . . . ) and it took me only 20 minutes!  I was in the process of wiping the crud from the kitchen tile floor with 409 when Rissy caught me bending over.  She volunteered to finish and, as I stood up and realized I was dizzy.  She sent me to the bed to lie down, after reprimanding me.  She polished the wood furniture through out the house with Pledge and a rag.  And in less than 30 minutes a decrepit old lady and 8 year old girl had the house looking and smelling good.  A thing our maid never was able to do in 3 hours.  And, she was supposed to come twice a week!

It bothers me when people work and get paid, but they do a lousy job.  I feel like they are stealing from their employer.  I can't explain the gal I had, but she talked too much and showed up for work too infrequently.  Yet, I'm sure they will use her somewhere else.  A really nice gal, just a huge talker and slow worker . . . (sigh)

I took pictures of Rissy's transformed white boxes of gifts.  They are covered in pretty paper and I only have 3 more to wrap (a cute pillow for her bed and Luci's and Annamarie's gift to her).  She's sticking with the fluffly pink and white frosted French vanilla cake.  I need to put pink candles on the grocery list.  She thinks she wants my homemade chili for her birthday dinner.  I told her she HAS to make up her mind today, so I have time to shop for food. 

She is very laid back about birthdays.  Luci is already planning hers and talks about it constantly, but it isn't until August 5th.  I can barely get Rissy's desires out of her.  I patted her once last week and told her I thought she was going to have a very nice birthday (remember, this is the first year she isn't having a party) and she told me she was sure it would be nice - it always is!

I washed the sheets from our bed this weekend.  Before I could grab a clean set from the closet, I found my two furry little boy animals snoozing on the turned down blanket!  Chirper ALWAYS races me for my spot in bed.  It's "a thing" with him and I.  Little Bit wants to cuddle, but he waits for ME to settle down, first.  He's super cute and hard to not love.  Just a darling personality when he's with me.  Maybe he thinks I'm his Mommy!

Anyway, Chirper and Little Bit play together all the time (another thing that is cute to watch) but finding them cuddled together in my bedding was something that called for the camera to be hauled out!  Neither one of them could keep their eyes open while I snapped a picture!

Jesse is at the hospital with his mother, this morning.  She was admitted last week because of some blood work that didn't look good.  So far, they can't find anything wrong with her and her blood work looks better.  Instead of concentrating on her kidney and stomach area, they are going to investigate the back pain and see if something is wrong there.  Besides the bad lab work, she has pain from her stomach to her back bone.  Jesse's been up there a couple of times since he took her in (an emergency run) late last week.

I definitely need to get school started, so I'll say "bye" for now!

Be Blessed  ~

Not so, today!

We have 3 different weather systems moving through our state in the next week, bringing mainly rain and possibly snow.  Winter isn't quite finished with us!

I had my IV yesterday - uneventfully - and we ran to the Christian book store before picking up the girls at their appointment.  We bought Annamarie and Rissy NIV Bibles that are made for their age group.  Annamarie's birthday is next month, Rissy's on 27th of this month.

I bought a journal for myself.  I had intended to look at them *if* we had time, but they were right inside the door as you entered the store.  Only $3.99, too!  I bought a journal and a bookmark.  Nice little treat for myself!

Yesterday I got all of Rissy's presents in tissue paper and in white boxes.  They are stacked on the shelf in my closet.

I hauled the wrapping paper and ribbon in from the garage.  "Her colors" are pastel pink and mint green" - not neon pink and green. 

I showed her a gift sack in those colors (pink and green) and she loved it, AND, she asked if I could make her cake look like the middle picture on the gift sack!

I feel bad.  She asked for a coconut cake covered with grated coconut and dressed with red cherries.  We can't find a coconut cake mix anywhere, and believe me, we've looked!  She settled yesterday for a lemon cake with blueberries folded in it and cream cheese frosting.  Then, after seeing the gift sack cake, she sighed and said, "Oh yeah, I'm having lemon and blueberry cake."  She rarely asks for anything and the fact I can't give her the cake she wants makes me feel sad.  Such a little request.  I told her I could make a French vanilla cake and use cream cheese and strawberry frosting in swirls like I had used on our Valentine cake and *that* would kind of look like the cake in the picture.  She lit up and said, "You mean you can make it pink and fluffy?" 

So, pink and fluffy she shall have!

                     
                                            The pink and fluffy Valentine cake.

The cleaning lady is supposed to come today and I haven't heard from her - I hope that is a good sign and she is still planning to come.  I have to get things ready for her, in that I remove counter top or desk items so she can clean the surfaces.  I've done that so many times, only to get a call that she couldn't come!  So frustrating!

I need to check the children's homework and teach some school.  Today is spelling test day (oh thrill, NOT)!

Be Blessed  ~

We just got in from eating lunch out after our church service.  It was nice to not have to cook, but since I can't taste much of anything (STILL), I feel money is always wasted on me when I'm taken out to eat.

I plan to fix steaks (broiled in the oven), baked potatoes, and a green salad for our dinner tonight.  I've made and decorated a cake for dessert.  It's a red velvet cake with strawberry frosting in the middle and cream cheese on the outside, swirled with a bit of pink in the white.  There are little candied hearts sprinkled all over the sides and top.  It's prettier in person and the camera didn't do it justice!

Mainly,  I wanted to post pictures of the flowers Jesse had sent to me for Valentine's Day.  Such a delightful surprise!  The color looks great on my computer, but is lost when I load them onto Xanga.  The vase is a deep red color.

I had to laugh at Chirper - right in the middle of everything - as always!  Do you like the cattails in my flower arrangement?

LOL!!!!

I finished the last book listed (the one I posted on Friday) and am having difficulty deciding what to read next.  I'm thinking of a volume of 4 fictional stories in one.  Just can't decide if I want to start the huge book, or not!

I think we may go to Wal-Mart for a few things we forgot to buy earlier in the week.  But first, the girls are going to open their Valentine pouches!

I spent another night holding my stomach after dinner.  The food agreed with me alright, but it pushed more of that surgical gas through my intestines.  I was really uncomfortable and befriended the heating paid, once more!

It's been such a beautifully, sunny day, today.  We haven't had sun like this in quite a while.  I'm enjoying having the windows open and light streaming in from everywhere.  Another "system" is due to move in this weekend and, by Sunday, things will be cold and gloomy again.  Isn't that why we have spring and appreciate it so much?  New life, new brightness, and things looking so newborn pretty?!

Jesse went for a walk and took Sushi (off her leash) and Little Bit (the first time walking *ON* a leash) with him.  Sushi behaved really well and stuck by his side, but, he said, Little Bit acted like he was strangling him every step of the way!  I'm sure he was dragging Little Bit more than walking him!  He said he told him to sit, and Little Bit refused.  Even when he pushed down on his bottom, Little Bit stood as firm as a granite statue!  He's smart, but doesn't enjoy training or obeying.  He's slowly coming a long and Sushi is turning into a wonderful dog and less & less destructive.

In the book I finished reading a few days ago, there was something written that I want to share.  It really left an impression upon me and I've thought about it many, many times over the past 48 hours.

From the book, "As I Remember It," by Uria Byler, I quote:

. . . One evening about the middle of April while we were milking , one of the children came into the barn to report that our neighbors, Gene Schnells, were both sitting on their front steps crying.  We wondered what could be wrong  now.  Something serious must have happened.

Soon Gene came across the road, walking slowly as if in deep anguish.  He came into the barn, wiping his eyes, and in a broken voice said, "The President passed away this afternoon."  Gene was a loyal Democrat, and he had idolized Franklin Delano Roosevelt.

So FDR was gone.  He had been reelected to a fourth term the preceding November, but that meant nothing now.  All the honors and prestige which he had received and which he relished, had come to an end.  When they lowered his body into the grave a few days later, he would be on the same level and hold the same status as the unknown, friendless pauper who would be buried in a potter's field across the road from the County Home.  In the eyes of God, there would be no distinction between the two.  What now was important was, "Where would their souls spend eternity?" . . .    

I don't know why Mr. Byler's words haunt me.  I don't think of myself as puffed up or arrogant, but maybe this passage served as a warning to me so I never *will* become such a way.  I just felt it was worth sharing with everyone else.

While I was eating an apple for my lunch, the doorbell rang.  It was a man delivering flowers.  FOR ME!!!!  Jesse had them sent for Valentine's Day.  I'll take a picture of them and post them this week end.  The vase is a lovely deep red and will be pretty in my kitchen's black and red (barn, apple, & rooster) decor long after Valentine's Day has passed.

I'm fixing a meatloaf for dinner and praying I digest it without incident.  I believe I'm on the last few days of having an upset digestive system!!!!  THANK YOU, LORD!!!!

AND . . . I think that just about takes care of all the news here for the day.

Be Blessed  ~