Fortunately, there was no charge. 

And  I say "fortunately"

because my husband would have been furious if they'd extracted any amount of money from us! 

I came home and heated up some noodles with ground beef and a creamy sauce, 

bit into the noodles . . . yummmmmmm 

AND MY TEETH FELL OUT AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Can you believe that? 

God has certainly done a work in me these past 8 weeks!

I remember falling apart when the teeth fell out Father's Day of 2009, while I was going through chemo therapy.

My feeling was, "Oh God PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE, not this too!" 

They stayed put from June of 2009 until a few days after my surgery February 9th.

Then two weeks after that, and 2 weeks after that, and 2 weeks . . . .

I've become very nonchalant about the whole thing.

I haven't stayed  hidden in my home because one of my front(ish) teeth is missing and the one next to it ground down to a dagger like spike. 

I'm going to church (and wherever else I fancy) and just being careful to not smile really big!

I'm past being embarrassed.  I just tell people I'm not in a bad mood cause I'm  not grinning, I've just lost my fake teeth again!  Everyone has been kind to reassure me that you can't really see there is anything missing.

Of course they can't.  I'm barely opening my mouth to talk! 

The dentist office actually told me to glue them back in with nail glue    but to be careful I didn't get the glue on my gums or lips and glue them together.     (rolling my eyes!!!)

Now they are talking about making a "real" bridge and the cost of encompassing three teeth is about $3000.  

Despite my good relationship with my dentist, who puts up with all of my fears, Jesse has convinced me to shop around for bridge prices.  One lady at church works for a dentist and Pastor C.J. said they saved him a bundle when he had major dental work done. 

The front tooth will be ground to a spike to hold one side and the tooth that is already ground down (the 3rd tooth) will be used to anchor the other side.  Thing is:  the third tooth is a baby tooth.  I'm thinking going one tooth over (the 4th one) would be a more common sense tooth to use as an anchor, since it isn't a baby tooth with a shorter root.

Of course, I'm thinking "4th tooth" might add another thousand for a grand total of $4000.  Gack!  

But what do I know?   

I'm not a dentist   -

I'm just the one with the money!  

Does anyone out there have dental office experience and any advice for me? 

I'm open to ALL suggestions (and donations!)  - just kidding! 

Be Blessed  ~

1)  Went to Wal-Mart to do grocery shopping on a Saturday!!!     ???  I'm crazy, I know!!!!!

2)   Drove the girls and me to Sunday church service . . . late.  But, not as late as last Sunday!  It was unbelievably cold!

3)  Went to Whispering Pines church (Church of Christ) Sunday afternoon for their 4pm worship service.  There were some people who don't always attend Wednesday night, so it was good to see them.

4)  The  weather turned bitterly cold.  Saturday brought cold northerly winds.  But, on Sunday, we had a fine mist on top of cold temperatures and we frantically looked for church clothes that were warm enough for us!  Fortunately, they are still piled in our bedrooms and were easy to get to!

5)  Our family and the pets snuggled to keep warm.  We brought out one of Little Bit's sweaters, since his fur has been shaved for the summer weather. 

We found him on Jesse's side of the bed Saturday night UNDER the sheets and blankets!!!!

               
                                                                  Gotta love those cute pets!

6)  Then there was the OTHER thing that happened Saturday night . . .

         
                                                C'mon!  Show me those big pearly whites!

Can't believe it happened AGAIN!!!! 

And, here we are on Saturday, March 26th, toothless again!!!  And, I was eating a McDonald's SOFT fish sandwich when they fell out!

I just can't imagine the problem. 

They were put in years ago and first popped out during my chemo therapy, on Father's Day of 2009.  They've stayed put since then.  I've even been wearing my bleaching trays (a plastic mold of your own teeth you wear when professionally bleaching your teeth) at night to prevent me from grinding my teeth - IF grinding is even the problem.

So, Wednesday I'll be back at the dentist.

I can't go tomorrow because it's Annamarie's birthday AND, because Luci has a doctor's appointment,  She's been complaining for weeks about her stomach hurting and has thrown up several times (threw up again this morning) and Jesse is thinking her daily medications might be giving her stomach issues, rather than her having a recurring stomach bug. 

So, I get to take her to the doctor at noon, while Annamarie spends the afternoon with her Dad.

Tomorrow evening, Stephanie and JanaLyn will be here to have a steak dinner to celebrate Annamarie's birthday.  I sure hope Luci is well enough to enjoy herself!

And that's about everything from Friday to Monday!

Be Blessed  ~

What are some pleasant things I can talk about? ? ? . . .

My little girl preteen, Rissy, is here by my side counting her money.  I hate to call someone names, but "MONEYBAGS" is a defining word of her personality and characteristics. 

She's the child who saves money in her drawers.  One time  I pulled money from this, that, and the other drawer and asked her WHY???? . . . . .

She told me it was her, "just in case" money.

"Just in case of WHAT, Rissy?!!!!"

"You know, Mom, just in case.  Just in case of an emergency!"

Of course, I had to ask what (in her young years) she deemed an emergency!

The casual reply . . . .

"You know what I mean, Mom.  An emergency!   Like if we are in a thrift store and I see something really pretty that is modest - that's an emergency.  I NEED my money!"

She's becoming a young lady and has been bitten by the "pretty clothes" bug - at least that bug includes the "modesty" bug, as well !!!!!!!!!!!!

Her head turns, when we drive by a garage sale.

She points out new thrift stores, whenever we drive to appointments around town.

I love the fact she is thrifty.  I love the fact she carefully weighs each purchase and frequently puts things back on the rack or a shelf.

I'm in no way bragging, but the clothes drying in this doorway are only SOME of the things Rissy and I bought on our thrift store excursion on Monday. 

Annamarie's aren't here at all and Luci got about 6 blouses for $5.00 and they aren't hanging.  My point?  The clothes in the doorway cost me $20 (some still had a price tag on them - like a $58 blouse!) and Rissy's were $24.   Like I said, the hanging clothes are only a portion of what we brought home.  Most items were $1 to  $2 a piece, and I got my ***SENIOR CITIZEN** discount of 25% off, on top of that!!!!  These are expensive mall or catalog clothing items that are out of my price range - even on a "wealthy" day!
 

My friend, Carisha, was telling me (at church Wednesday night) several younger couples in church are going through the Dave Ramsey series.  He says the most important thing he would like to teach is how NOT to get in debt, so you don't have to learn how to get *out* of debt. 

He says it's our job, as parents, to teach our children about dividing our money (when we receive it) into 3 categories.  1)  A portion goes to the church - tithing, offering, support of mission work, etc.; 2)  Another portion goes to personal savings;  3)  After that, you have what is left to pay the bills, buy groceries, and entertainment.

Carisha said, if her daughter (maybe 3 or 4yo??) receives two quarters, she holds them up and looks at them carefully, then says something like, "I think this one will be for giving and this one will be the one I keep!"  Isn't that awesome?  If I want my children to get to that point, I have some fast teaching to do!

When we went on our thrift store binge trip, I bought one "perfect for me" blouse - for church. 

I'm so proud of my find.  It's a blouse I would never have purchased new, mostly like not even on the sale rack. 

I'll have to wear a camisole under it for modesty, but it's ruffly and has 92 million pleats in it, the new "style" I like because it fits everyone!

Speaking of things about Rissy, she made a recipe this last weekend.  I think it was supposed to be a pancake baked in one cookie sheet size pan.  It didn't turn out right - more like a scone.

So, I altered the recipe and used craisins instead of chocolate chips and made my own "scone" breakfast.

   
They had a nice crispy outside and a springy, moist inside.

I've had a rough day of homeschooling.  This is the last of many bad days in a row.  This one made me cry.  Not many  things make me cry.  I locked myself in my bedroom, took a hot bath, pulled my hair up (using 92 million claw clips!) and I'm waiting for Jesse to take me to lunch. 

Not exactly like "getting away from the children" (since they'll be with us) but at least a break from the tension at the kitchen table.

Be Blessed  ~

I have more pictures, rather than words, today. 

         
                              (My *step*mother-in-law who came from Amarillo to care for me.
                                 She liked all of Rissy's sunglasses and tried on each pair!)

 
          (And big sister, Stephanie, liked some of Rissy's new clothes and wanted to "borrow" them!  LOL!!)    

Yesterday I drove to church alone.  

It was the first time (in months) for me to get ready with the girls and drive somewhere all by myself.  

         
                                                        Rissy - eleven years old!

I was embarrassingly late for church;  

but, I made it! 

And, people were genuinely glad to see me!   

Plus, I got to wear some of my new spring clothes, as it was the first day of spring! 

It felt like I was getting a new and fresh start on life! 

A little late, but a start, nonetheless!   

           
                                          (Jesse's best friend, Camilo, and his family)

I had a really hard time focusing on getting ready and making my clothes match;  not to mention, getting the girls ready, as well.    

In the car, I checked to make sure my shoes matched! 

And, at church, I discreetly slipped on off my knee high white hose.  (I realized my skirt had a split in the back AND they looked horrible with the beige shoes, anyway    )

           
                           (Two variety cheesecakes and one "Tres Leche" cake from Camilo's family)

So, here are some pics from Rissy's birthday and party;

and,

                         
                                                       (One of the neighborhood trees)

of spring around our house. 

                  
       (Our maple tree has budding leaves, and the blossoms from the pear trees look like popcorn!)

 
      (We have a "different" evergreen bush, with VERY SOFT needles, and a rose bush.  Both bushes are budding.)          

Now that I'm driving again, the girls are begging me to take them to the thrift store and PetSmart!  

Getting out of the house and getting some fresh air sounds wonderful to me. 

It's been a tough morning of schooling and I'm in the process of looking for new books for Annamarie to use next year.  A Beka just isn't right for her.  I've come upon some books for children with Down Syndrome and/or Autism and that may be the closest fit for her.  Math and language subjects (and their teaching format) encompass real life things she'll have to know in the future.   I feel really insecure about this and Jesse and I are praying for God's guidance. 

      (These are the "weeds" budding in the grass.  It looks rather pretty when you take a close up picture!)

        
(A perfect statement of our neighborhood.  Some trees bursting with buds, and others still spindly and barren.)

The girls are eating lunch and I'm going to grab a small snack, then, I think, we're about ready to leave on our expedition!  

         
                                                 (That pesky weed, the dandelion!
                                 Another pretty picture, when taken with the right lens!)

Hope you enjoy this new and lovely week!

Be Blessed  ~

I've been given permission to drive again!  

I just love this gyn/surgeon!  He explains EVERYTHING so clearly.  On my last visit, Jesse came with me and he, too, was very impressed with how thorough the doctor was in explaining everything.  He simply leaves NO ROOM for you to misunderstand what he is saying in medical terms.  He reminds me of the doctors who trained me, years ago, in the emergency room work I did.

Anyway, I have to go back in 4 weeks.  On the whole, he thinks I'm doing really well; and, I'm being smart (wise) with how slowly I move or try new endurance tests with different tasks.

We discussed several technical things - i.e. when I wait too long to empty my bladder, it literally hurts my whole insides, as I dash to the bathroom.     He said the body can't process lots of sensations at once.  So, if you are swollen down there (due to recovering from surgery), your brain is  processing those sensations of stitches, swelling, raw & healing tissue . . . and there is no sensation (or signal) from the bladder that it is filling up . . . until it's REALLY filled. 

Same thing with my body signaling me that it's time to lay down.  He said when you begin to think, "I need to go lie down in a little bit and rest," you should actually go lie down at that moment and NOT wait.  When your brain first registers "fatigue" that is the time to listen. 

That's what happened to me at Wal-Mart, the other day.  I  knew I was getting tired, and by the time I got to the check out counter, I was teetering and barely able to stand.  I was so grateful when I climbed into the passenger seat of my cushy Suburban! 

I find the way God has made our bodies (and so many other things we take for granted) just fascinating.  The reason we have pain is to warn us.  The reason we cough is so our lungs don't fill up with fluid.  The reason our eyes tear up is so foreign bodies will be washed out of the eye.  The reason we have eye lashes is to KEEP  foreign bodies out of our eyes in the first place (I learned that when chemo made me lose my eye lashes).  The reason we can't walk on a strained leg muscle is so we will quit trying and let it heal. 

Just looking at one of my fingers:  the cuticle, the nail, the joints, the colors in my skin & nail, the wrinkles . . . all that in one little finger!  Flip that  same finger over and you have a finger print that is yours alone and all the  sensations in the finger tip that tell the brain whether something is smooth or rough, hot or cold . . . 

Like I said, God's attention to detail within my body (and then, THE WHOLE UNIVERSE) just blows me away.  "I am fearfully and wonderfully made." 

Only a VERY BIG God could have thought up all of those minute details!   That's the God I trust.  I bought a book recently called something like, "When People are Big and God is Small" - can't wait to read it!

When I try to get a mental picture of God in my head, I picture a hand with the galaxies of our universe and - whatever else is out there - all resting in the palm of His hand.    

Now, THAT'S a B.I.G. God!!!!!! 

And, thank you, God, that you are! 

Be Blessed  ~

I am navigating my way around this new computer.

Loaded a few pictures from an old memory chip. 

Finding my way around the new editing features, as well, on this computer!  

Found out I have speakers, microphone, and web cam.

Wouldn't it be great if I knew how to use it all???!!!  

This is an HP TouchSmart 300 PC and I don't like the "touch" part of it.  I was just getting comfortable with using a mouse (not just the keyboard) and now they've sprung a "touch screen" on me!  

Most of you think I'm low-tech, and I am!  I dislike change, for the most part, and the "relearning" curve takes more and more time, as I get older!

I go back to the gynecologist/surgeon's office on Thursday, I'm hoping he releases me to drive.    It's not that I have a gazillion places to go, but it's been hard being chauffeured around.  I have come to love my new independence.    If I *do* have to have more radiation in my lower spine, it would be nice to be able to drive myself to the appointments and not have to wait for Jesse.  It takes a long time to drive to and from the appointment, more time to dress and redress, and only 2 minutes for the actual radiation part. 

Jesse had a horrible stomach bug over the weekend.  Luci had it a few days before him.  All of the family help (mil and sil) have gone home.  I kinda jumped back into everything by myself.  Yesterday was too much.  We ran errands, took Annamarie to the doctor for pink eye (rolling my eyes    . . . don't ask!!!   ), and then went to Wal-Mart.  It was there, in line, that my body cratered.  I felt like my abdominal  muscles wouldn't hold me upright much longer. 

No pain, just that shaky feeling you get when you've overdone things.  

I came home and made chocolate Malt O Meal, bacon (in the broiler), and scrambled eggs for dinner.  That sounds awful, doesn't it?!      Jesse hadn't eaten in days and he mentioned the hot cereal and I came up with the eggs idea.  He held everything down nicely ( )   and the girls cleaned the kitchen while I rested on my bed, until it was time to get in it!

We're plugging away at school work.  I'm proud that the girls have stayed current in spelling, language, and math, while I have recovered from my surgery.  They know the routine and graciously didn't  try to take advantage of the fact I was down for a while! 

I'm fixing a ham and scalloped potatoes for dinner, tonight.  Someone gave us the frozen ham (a gift they didn't want) and I've been trying to cook it for almost 2 weeks.  Tonight, I think we can all enjoy it without food issues! 

I'm reading a light and entertaining book written by Julie Andrews, Home, about her early years growing up.  I read a few chapters, each night, and it's hard to turn out the light and quit reading!  I've been reading some heavy spiritual Christian books and this is nice vacation from my studies!    I hope that didn't sound funny!  I enjoy Christian growth books, but the last 2 or 3 have been meaty and it's taken a lot of time to read 3 or 4 pages at one sitting and digest it all.

There are definite signs of spring around ~ beautiful budding trees in white, pinks, and yellow.  We  have a dark pink hyacinth that has poked its head out of the soil, this past week.  And, those green weeds are rearing their pesky heads, as well!

Perhaps I can capture some Oklahoma spring on my camera and share it with everyone!  Cross your fingers! 

Until then,

Be Blessed  ~

We had a nice party for Rissy on Sunday evening.  Except for me cratering.

Seriously, I think I must have had an anxiety attack.  We had 6 extra people show up and I tried hard to not make them feel like they were not welcome.  Jesse came out to the kitchen where I was preparing the hot foods in the oven and asked if I was okay.  I think I was staring at the counter with a blank look.  

I told him, "No, I'm not," and he told me to go lie down.

I numbly said, "Okay," and walked to the bedroom.  Stephanie came looking for me and I was sitting on the toilet lid in our bathroom and shaking like a leaf.  She got two of my tranquilizers and had to hold the cup because my shaking was that bad.   

I put on "Quiet Beauty" (cello/piano music) by James Todd, focused on the ceiling fan globe, did deep breathing, and slowly recited the 23rd Psalm, the 91st Psalm, and part of Psalm 103.  Praise the Lord for Bible memorization! 

Eventually I felt a little more calm, and a whole lot embarrassed.  Stephanie & Jesse brought me plates of food (low blood sugar could have been a factor, too), but I stayed in bed the rest of the evening.  Besides having Jesse and Stephanie to check on me, my mother in law and sister in law were both here to look in on me. 

JoAnn left yesterday.  She actually left Monday for Dallas, and the plane left from there yesterday, and she's home safe and sound.  So glad she was here when I had my surgery.  That was such an early hour and in the middle of that blizzard . . . I don't know what we would have done with the children.   Certainly nothing as easy as leaving them sleeping in their beds with JoAnn to watch them. 

My mother in law will be here another week.  She's also been an immense help with the children, making sure they do their school work and their chores.  She's helped me by cleaning some of the house that I haven't been able to do.  I lost my household help last October and have never replaced the lady who left. 

My mother in law has taken the girls to the park, shopping, and just about anywhere to give them something to do.  I'll miss her company when she's gone. 

Jesse has been sick with a nasty cold that won't leave him alone.  He's NEVER sick, so I imagine the stress of everything has been a health factor for him.  We're beginning to have nicer and nicer weather with rain, which means the grass growing season is just around the corner.  He's definitely looking forward to that.  He enjoys being outdoors  .

I'm keeping busy reading book after book and nothing else.  I sorted my laundry today (big woot!) and I cleaned the desk top.  Last night and this morning, I wrote a gazillion letters (then I ran out of people to write!!!). 

Heading back to bed to read and rest, now!

Be Blessed  ~