October 26, 2010

• Prayers Please/Questions Answered

  Yesterday was our daughter’s birthday and I never made it online to wish her a blessed year. 

  We mailed two boxes of presents on Saturday morning, another faux pas on my part.  I simply didn’t light a fire under Jesse, soon enough, to make decisions about what gifts to buy. 

  They were mailed Saturday and her birthday was Monday.

  I’m really kicking myself over the whole issue of being late!

  Anyhoo, BELATED HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NIKKI DOODLE DOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                          
  P.S.  Nikki, if you want me to quit posting this picture, you need to send me new ones!  LOL! 

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  Wow!

  I didn’t expect such an enthusiastic response to  my “Which Picture” question! 

  Everyone left such nice compliments and I thank you all for of them.  Y’all are so sweet!   

  As you can see, Picture #8, was the winner. 

  I like it, too, because the lighting was good, the dark background showed my hair and face better, AND it had a touch of the aqua sweater I was wearing.  With my pale face, color around it is always a good thing!

        
                                 The beginning of fall – only a few leaves on the ground!

  I also had a lot of question or comments that I want to answer in this post.

  1)  Holding my veil on with combs.  I’d have to find some really tight teeth in the combs and some that are light weight.  A regular plastic, small comb slides right through my thin hair – unless I make a rat ball at the roots of my hair.  My hair is seriously thin and soft.

  2)  Almost everyone made a comment about my skin.  AND, Amber asked about skin care tips!  Oh, Amber, your mouth will drop when I answer you – for sure!  

       I wash my hair and let the diluted shampoo drip down my face and THAT’S what I use to wash my face.  I also have a glycerin bar of soap from Bath and Body Works for the days I don’t wash my hair.  Head & Shoulders shampoo – sometimes a cheap Suave brand – that’s what I use! 

       I have VERY dry skin, and I moisturize, moisturize, moisturize my skin from head to toe.  That means, I use the shea butter cream from, Bath and Body Works, on my face, too.    (are you shocked, yet?)

       I know . . . HORROR of all HORRORS!!!!! 

       A few Saturdays a month, I try to remember to use a clay mask (currently am using “Freeman Avocado and Oatmeal” from Wal-Mart). 

       That’s it!  Lots of PH balanced shampoo and heavy body cream on my face.  I also have a lighter moisturizing cream by Pond’s – the jar with the blue lid.  I use it in between, when my face feels dry.

      I really hold no secrets.  I’ve never taken care of my skin except with soap, water, and a heavy cream or lotion.  Maybe that’s it, my pores are frozen in time!!!!!!!!  

       Seriously, the rest of my secret is genetics, of which I have no idea, whatsoever!  My mother’s sister, Aunt Doris, has always been beautiful and very youthful (still is).  My mother died at a younger age than I am now, she also looked younger than her age.  And THEIR mother (my grandmother) looked younger. 

  Does that mean genetics?  I just don’t know! 

             
                                            Fall leaves, as seen through the net around the trampoline!

  3)   No, I haven’t found my new hair growth to be any finer or softer than before.  In fact, it’s more healthy, because I have put no chemicals on it.  I’ve always had slightly curly hair, horrible cowlicks, and the texture has always been super fine, baby-like hair.  Even children’s hair barrettes slide out of my hair.

  4)   Yes, I went from a cue ball head to a tennis ball, too!!!  In fact, in the middle of chemo treatment, my two front left upper teeth (a bridge) fell out during dinner and I cried and cried, and said to Jesse,  “Now, I look like a jack o’ lantern!”

  5)   I can’t remember if Tina was the one who also suggested bobby pins to hold on my covering.  Those also slide right out of my hair.  Imagine a 2yo girl with thin, see through hair.  That’s mine.

  6)   Sarah, I checked on the Nioxin product suggestion and it really isn’t THAT expensive *IF* it works!   I’ve tried Rogaine, but I simple didn’t have hair from the beginning (of my life) and it works on stimulating unproductive hair roots. 

  I also have to be careful of products that mess with my hormones because I’m taking pills to suppress my hormones, which, in turn, suppress cancer cells from growing again.

         
                                     Our neighbor’s tree.  It will soon be a fire red color.

  7)   Lori, taking a picture of my bookshelves before moving them – an EXCELLENT IDEA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I’ll do that.  I think I did that with the family gallery of pictures in our long bedroom hallway, when we painted. 

       I will take pictures of the bookshelves AND the china cabinet.  I’m not sure HOW I’ve managed to balance the stuff in those two places.  Both the shelves and china cabinet contain things that are stuck in their and fit together like jigsaw puzzle pieces!!

   
  Luci’s picture.  That girl can never keep her clothes on her shoulders.   This is a typical picture of how she looks!

  I’m happy to post the children’s finger painting art work of fall trees. 

  I even tried my hand (no pun intended!!! LOL!!!) at finger painting a picture!

                       
                                                                    Mom’s tree!  

  I’m going back tomorrow for another one of those epidural procedures on my neck.  I hope it works this time.  I’m still wondering about taking any anesthetic at all.  Since the last one didn’t work in the surgery room, maybe I can tough it out and not have the after effect headaches.  Then again, the procedure itself could have been what produced the headaches! 

                   
                                                                Rissy’s tree.
                                   The smear on the right is a shadow.  Good eye! 

  We got a call, yesterday morning, that Jesse’s dad was declining rapidly.  The nursing home had told my mother in law to get there quickly.  He is stabilized today, still not in good condition, and they are guessing at what the problem could be.  We’ve decided to go ahead with my Wednesday surgical procedure.  Jesse’s sister is scheduled for surgery on Monday.  We both need this stuff done and are proceeding ahead as planned.

  Prayers are always welcome.  I’m especially praying major back surgery isn’t necessary. 

  We bought a new (HARD) mattress on Saturday and picked it up Sunday.  We’re having to get used to the hardness (it’s almost like a pad on a hard floor), but we have both noticed our hips don’t ache in the morning.  I’m still having the numbness in whatever (or both) arm I’m sleeping on when I wake up (which is several times a night).  We’ll see if the surgery and the “chiropractic” bed make a difference.

   
                                                                        Annamarie’s tree.     

  I have errands to run today – need to pick up a few groceries and need to return library books.  Stephanie is taking the girls tonight and we’ll get them tomorrow evening. She will be with me Thursday and Friday if I need her.  Probably will.  I canceled the cleaning lady today – I needed the time slot she would be here to use for the errands. 

  Can’t remember If I mentioned that we also picked out new carpeting.  Got a good price that became even cheaper, and will have the whole house done instead of only the front of the house.  Still don’t know when we’ll plan the installation. 

  One step at a time.

       
                                      Rissy and Annamarie, on a lazy Saturday morning!
                                                      They are both getting so big!

  God has been so good to us.  In the past 3 months, we’ve been blessed in so many ways.  Jesse has picked up a few new  customers.  Someone (a neighbor) bought his extra work diesel truck for the amount we had invested in it.  We have been able to store up our freezer with meat for the winter, and should only need to replace ground beef and chicken breasts.  We prayed before shopping and found some bargains at different store’s meat departments.  We also had the lovely fish tank and piano given to us.  This morning, Rissy was able to read and pick out the song, “Old McDonald,” and I had to smile, remembering the first song I was able to play on a piano.  Of course, that was light years ago . . . (LOL!!!!)

  God has put people in *our* path that we can bless and help, and we stand, His ever ready servants.

  
          
  Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them.  Are ye not much better than they?  Matthew 7:26

  I know God will see us through all of these surgical decisions that need to be made and will also get us through the winter months, when there is no work for Jesse.    We continue to thank God and praise Him each day. 

  I love watching the hearts of my children turn to God and grasp a better understanding of Him, as they begin their own relationship with Him. 

  Enjoy the rest of the week – I’ll be back as soon as I’m able to post again.

  Be Blessed  ~

  • 2:04 pm
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