I felt just about everything they did (just stung a lot) and when they asked me to get into the wheelchair to go to recovery, I asked if I really needed the chair, because I was not impaired   Of course they made me get in it.

We drove home, and I began to get drowsy (FINALLY!) when we were almost here.  I slept for several hours after arriving here.  A LITTLE LATE!

The drug used for anesthesia has given me a horrible migraine (a side effect in less that 1% of patients – here we go again!) and the dose of steroid has also given me flu-like body aches.

I’ve taken a migraine pill to alleviate the worst of the headache, but I just feel achy all over.

Please pray for relief from these side effects. I would really appreciate prayers.

Also, quick note for now, the first words the surgeon said was I was really very close to needing major surgery on my back.  The degeneration is “very bad to severe,” HIS words.  BUT, he also said my cancer recovery was AMAZING and none of what he was looking at was due to cancer damage.  So, YAY! for that piece of good news!

He gave me a neck brace apparatus you blow up to gradually stretch your neck – a type of traction to be used for a short time daily, and I’m sure that will make me feel a ton better – WHEN I’m able to start using it.

Be Blessed  ~

CHERYLYN

I haven’t mentioned this in the past – fear, I think.

I have decided to undergo a procedure this coming Wednesday morning.  I’ll admit, I’m afraid of the procedure, in fact, I initially refused it with a hearty, “No thanks!”:

If I didn’t think the risk (which they say is not high) was less than my physical problems, I wouldn’t choose this route.

They are using a guided image (referencing my last MRI pictures) and going into the area by my spinal cord and injecting steroids and something else.  I’m a person who chose natural childbirth over an epidural because of the fear of having a needle near my spinal cord.

I have had a growing numbness in both arms, from the elbows down to my fingertips.  At this point, I wake up numb, gradually regain feeling, but NOT in the tips of my fingers.  According to my last MRI report of my cervical (neck) vertebrae, I have pressure that causes pain and numbness. 

The truth is, I have pain all up and down my back, but I’m not having this procedure done (not anywhere else, that is) to alleviate any  pain.  I simply want to regain feeling in my fingers, and less pain and numbness at night. 

The numbness also occurs when I read a book with my elbows bent, or it happens when I talk on the phone (even *IF* I change from one hand to the other) with my arms bent.

I will be put to sleep in surgery (I’m happy about that) at a “Spine Hospital” – which makes me feel more confident.  You know?  Like they do this procedure all the time, and they should be pretty good at it!! 

They’ve already told me I will be “tender” and may feel worse for 1 – 6 days AFTER the procedure.  Oh well, at least they were honest.

On Thursday, whether I feel good or not, I HAVE to go to the cancer place for my monthly bone IV AND visit with the P.A. (my oncologist is still on maternity leave) for a routine 3 month check up.

Okay – enough of that info. 

If I don’t have a chance to write on Xanga anymore this week (I Have a long “To Do” list!), I would appreciate prayers Wednesday and for the rest of the week.

Stephanie (our oldest) is watching the girls while I’m in surgery.  Jesse is taking off Wednesday and Thursday and my church has already inquired about help with meals.  I know I’m in good hands – not the hands of men, but in God’s hands, the best place to be!

                 *********************************************************

Even though the leaves on our trees aren’t quite ready to express fall colors, our clothing has taken a major turn.

We’re packing up the rest of the short sleeves and light summer colors.

      
And, we are sifting through the attic storage bins of warmer clothing, trying to figure out who can wear what, this year.

Just as I suspected, Luci is making out like a bandit in the clothes department and I’m SO GLAD I’ve bought Annamarie a bunch of sweaters and skirts.

My wonderful seamstress (for years and years) has been called to a ministry of helping couples and will no longer have time to sew or to alter my “too big” dresses.  I didn’t know this when I set out shopping for me and the girls in thrift stores and on Ebay a month ago.  God certainly led me and prepared me ahead of time!

                       
My closet reflects the fall and winter colors and has been recently cleaned.  I mean REALLY cleaned!!!  The shelves, to the right in the picture, have also been cleaned out. 

I had needed to work on the shelves 2 years ago and then when I was diagnosed with cancer (and all that unlovely stuff) last year, the disarray of the shelves was left for a future date.

It looks fantastically organized, now, and I even rearranged the hanging clothes on the rods. 

Now, I have a few short sleeves and pastel colored things left, but, they will soon go to the attic with their “friends!”

                      ****************************************************************************

I’ve been busy in the den, too.

We’ve swung the sofa and love seat on an angle to the TV.  It’s better in the winter if we are not so close to the windows.

This way, we are facing the fireplace, too. 

Jesse said he didn’t want to buy wood to heat the front of the house, so the girls and I will be wearing our new sweaters and enjoying an occasional fire with the little bit of wood we have leftover from last year.

           
Another reason for the switch in furniture position was to make sure Tango (the cockatiel) is away from the windows.  She won’t get any sun in her new spot, but she won’t have a cold chill or breeze blowing on her, either.  The fish have a heater, so they’ll be fine.

Our windows LITERALLY blow air if you sit by them in the winter.  We may have to resort to heavy plastic on the windows.  I hate to block out the clear view – it makes the house feel more open, but it may save on the electric bill.  We just can’t afford windows in this house.  I think I once counted something like 24 windows in here!

AND, we need carpeting before we buy even a few replacement windows!

                 ***************************************************************************

Jesse took us out to lunch after church, today.  Nothing fancy.  “Golden Corral” buffet. 

I love to try a little bit of all their different salad items each time I go.  I don’t make carrot raisin slaw or any other unusual, “fancy” salads at home. 

I had a really good, but small-ish, piece of sirloin steak and some hot wheat rolls that were delicious. 

And, of course, a taste of 3 different chocolate desserts!

              
                 That means I didn’t cook dinner tonight.  The girls enjoyed popcorn for their dinner!!
                             Rissy’s mouth was full, or should would have smiled with her teeth!

                ********************************************************************************

I have a major grocery trip to make, tomorrow.  Jesse told me not to go October 1st since it would be too crowded.  My nervous system is definitely not as strong as it used to be.  Crowds tend to make me jumpy.

We also need to go to the library to return books and pick up some holds.  I figure it might be nice to lie around and read some books for a few days. 

The girls have a huge history test tomorrow – a first for them.  They’ve studied their history book this weekend preparing for THE BIG DAY!!!  LOL!.  AND, I had to give Luci and Annamarie another spelling test today, because they didn’t make a high enough grade on Friday.  In our school, if you don’t make at least 80%, you get to take the test over AFTER you have studied!  Both of them did much better on today’s test!!!

I have 92 million phone calls to make tomorrow morning.  Nothing can wait until next week, and, since I’m not sure how long I’ll feel bad . . .

                            
                                                                       Annamarie

I am planning to go to our local Christian bookstore tomorrow or Tuesday.  A real sweet young girl in church lost her mother yesterday.  She is so grief stricken, she sobbed through the entire service.  Everyone felt so bad for her. 

Our next door neighbor’s sister died suddenly yesterday. 

AND . . . two women in church are having a rough time.  I’m going to pick up some cards and maybe a couple bookmarks for each of them. 

A sweet, young friend who goes to the church the girls and I attend on Wednesday nights, may need help with a meal this week.  She lives only a few blocks from me.  If I was younger, I could easily walk to her house with the food!

As long as I can do something to be helpful BEFORE Wednesday, I’ll be just fine and will enjoy staying busy!

                     ****************************************************************

All the bad news and hardships in everyone’s lives! 

So sorry.  I didn’t mean for that to happen; but, I don’t really have the time to edit this and end with something more cheery!

How about this

Oh well, that was supposed to come across bigger, but I don’t have the time to mess with that, either!!!!!!!
 

Be Blessed  ~

But to ME . . . . .

Well,

I’m THRILLED!

                            
                               Do you REALLY want to know why I’m so happy?

Okay!  Here you go!

                               
                                                            Because of *THIS*!!!!!

Because of what?

No!  No!  No!  Not because my toes turn in.

Because of *THIS*

      
                                                                         MY SHOES!!!!!!!!!!!!

IT’S COOL ENOUGH TO WEAR MY WINTER SHOES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

     
                                                                  And, *SOCKS*, too!

Like I said, if you live in Ohio, you’ve already experienced this day – the first day it feels like fall.  If you are in Florida, I’m so sorry.  Just skip this post, today!

I have ravioli, tortellini, and meatballs covered with spaghetti sauce and cheeses BAKING IN THE OVEN! 

*MY* OVEN!!!!!!!

In my house, nothing much bakes in my kitchen during the summer months . . .

. . . except for the cook!  (that would be me)

              *********************************************************************************

Yesterday, a glorious cold front moved through the state and we needed sweaters to wear to church!

I can’t remember the last time I *needed* a sweater outside.

Maybe INSIDE, where the air conditioning was too low, but definitely not outside!

         ********************************************************************************************

After teaching school and completing a bunch of things on my list, the girls and I mailed a package for Jesse, went to the library to return and pick out new books, and to Wal-Mart to exchange some shirts, AND to buy a cucumber for tonight’s salad.

Rissy took these pictures of me being silly (can you tell she’s shorter than me!!!!!!!!!!) but the truth is, we are all embracing fall and living in the moment, while we wait for the leaves to change and begin to fall.

I’d say, “Oh!  I love this time of year!”  however, I enjoy the change of ALL seasons and right now “FALL* is my favorite time of year. 

I’ll be whistling a different tune when the first snow falls!

                        ************************************************************

Next time, I’ll try to take some pictures of me with my hair showing.  It’s 5″ now and some strands are closer to 5 1/2″ inches. 

And to think, last year, I was in bed after coming home from the hospital and healing from my horrible side effects due to radiation therapy!

Yep!  I’m happy!  Very, VERRRRRRRRY happy!!!!!

Be Blessed  ~

Today didn’t get off to a good start and it continually slid downhill for her.

She had a bad attitude (REALLY bad) and got in trouble from her dad for the smart mouth treatment.

By the time she joined the others at the school table, her mood was foul.

She dropped books.  Dropped her pencil.  Hit her head on the table when she bent down. 

You know what I mean.  Right?  We all have those days were NOTHING seems to go right.

She ended up on my lap in my bedroom and I held her while she cried and cried.

I brushed her hair from her face and said, “You’re really having a rough day, aren’t you?”

She said, “Yes.  This is the worse day of my whole life!”

I fixed her hair in a braid, so it would be out of her eyes (another irritation), and we tried school, again.

At lunch, when the other children started making lunch, Luci looked lost.  Kind of outta sync.

I asked if she’d like me to make shrimp salad like my grandma used to make for me.

Her eyes lit up (she loves shrimp).  “Yessssssss,” she gushed.

So, here are the pictures of Luci’s “pick-me-up” and “I-love-you” special lunch!

Grandma’s shrimp salad served on avocado halves.

Just think, all Beaver’s mom served him was milk and cookies when he was down!

“Aw Beav’ how about some cookies and a nice, cold glass of milk?”

To which Eddie Haskell added, “Gee, you’re sure swell, Mrs. Cleaver.”

Be Blessed  ~

We’ve had so much fun watching and learning about our fish.  We’ve added more fishies and now have 19 (we started with 20).

One of the smaller neon tetra fish has disappeared.  I might have even accidentally thrown a rock or shell over it while I rearranged the gravel colors and shells at the bottom of the aquarium.

Live and learn!  

And, we are.

They have everything the big fishies have except size!!!!!!!!

                ***************************************************************************

We are on our second week of full day school.

In history, we learned about Christopher Columbus. 

This year, there is a test & quiz booklet, as well as a geography booklet.  Filling in the blanks is uncharted territory for them and only one child is doing well.  Oh well, that’s my job . . . to persevere

and TEACH!!!!

There is a larger amount of work with these higher grade levels, and it’s taking us longer to complete stuff each day. 

We may have to revamp by starting school earlier, at intervals of 30 minutes.  We start around 10 and finish around 2:30.  That includes a lunch break.  Looks like that’s not going to be enough time, this year.

AND, since I’ve made a promise to myself to include music and art, this year, that makes more subjects to accomplish than before!

After learning that Christopher Columbus’s family were weavers and they had wanted him to become the same, we did an art project  “weaving” paper. 

I wanted to show them how thread is woven to make cloth.  Also (the lost art) darning socks.

The response was a good one.

Today we are going to tear the white paper off the paper “fabric” so they can see the end result of weaving!

                        ************************************************************************

I continue to eBay shop and have started looking for fall/winter tops in thrift stores.  We’ve been blessed with near to new clothing and some pieces still holding their store tag.  Hard to believe we only have a few weeks of really warm weather left. 

It’s become easier to cook things in the oven because the low 90′s are easier on the air conditioning system!  October is normally a beautiful month of nice weather with leaves beginning to turn at the end of October.

Yayyyyy for fall!

Be Blessed  ~

That’s me today.

Maybe this is the best way to accomplish posting new info.

My each, and every, day hold so much.  I’m glad for the activity, as it was this time, last year, I was in the hospital, burned from my radiation treatments.  I could barely swallow a pill, much less expand my chest to breath, without pain.  What a WONDERFUL difference a year makes!

Today will be day *FOUR* of our school.  It’s beginning to come together.  There’s just so much more work with these older grades.  First grade wasn’t much different than kindergarten, but mixing 1st, 2nd, and 3rd is a challenge.

I was pulled in 92 million directions yesterday, making it hard for me to focus.  The chemo has left me without the ability multi-task, to the extent I used to multi-task.  The max I can handle is two things at the same time.

We’re still suffering from the after shocks of the freezer door being left open for more than 24 hours.  A couple of nights ago I made frozen corn and it had a mushy texture.  We have a bunch of things in the refrigerator taking up space.  Things that would have normally been in the freezer (like butter).

Yesterday afternoon, I lost it.  Three different times a Cool Whip container (with rice and meat stored in it) fell out of the refrigerator and onto my toes.  The fourth time it fell, I picked it and threw it (“chucked it” might be more accurate) across the room toward the sink filled with dirty dishes.  Jesse was home and saw the flying projectile missile and said,
 
“Hey!”
to which I replied,
“I don’t care!”
to which he said, “Cher’”??????!!!!!!”
and I again said (but with more emphasis),
“I DON’T CARE . . .
I just don’t care, anymore!”

That’s when I stormed off to the bedroom to put *myself* in “time out.”

When Jesse came through the room, a while later, I said, “Jesse. I’m not mad at you, it’s just . . . ” and he said, “Then don’t talk.  Just be by yourself.”  I think I weakly said, “Thank you.”

It’s a culmination of too many things on my plate, *PLUS* full time homeschooling again.  I ended up with tears dripping down my cheeks and muttering, “They don’t know I can’t do as many things as I used to do.  They still think I’m smart and I’m not.  I’ve turned into a bumbling idiot, but they still think I’m as sharp as I used to be.  They don’t realize how difficult “that which used to be simple for me” (a daily routine) has become.  

I’ve never been a huge crier, but those drops down my cheeks helped to take the cap off of the bottle within me, that was about to explode.  After 30 or 45 minutes of being alone, I felt a bit revived.

I went to church last night (hungry, because dinner lacked 10 minutes of being finished) and bathed in the love of our Lord.  Some of the hymns we sang were my favorites.  We closed with “Abide With Me”

Oh!  How I needed to read and savor those calming words!  Then, as always, the congregation was SO FRIENDLY after the meeting had closed.  All the warm hugs from the women and hand shakes from the men – it was the acceptance and genuine joy (that group of people give) that I needed.

Of course, I sleep hard last night, and that ALWAYS makes the next day easier to handle.

As you can see, I’ve finally gotten my shelves cleared out and less cluttered.  The additional third bookcase has been a real blessing.  Now I can easily see all of my books and they are grouped in sections.  All fiction, all historical, Christian growth, Condensed Reader’s Digest volumes, quick read pick me up booklets, books about raising children and the family . . .

I like organization.  I always have.  Now that I only have half a memory to work with, it’s proved to be a powerful tool!

Last week, I started going through the closets, pulling “summer” clothes.  I’ve almost gone through all of the dressers, pulling “summer” shirts.  The girls still have short sleeve shirts, but they are in fall colors instead of pastels.

Chirper sure has captured the beginning of fall.  He’s been eating like crazy (actually, he’s finally slowed down a bit) and sleeps on my side of the bed by my pillow.  He welcomes us by stretching out as long as his body can and literally wiggling his toes!

I’ve thought about becoming a cat, although I don’t know how to make that happen!!!

Oh to be him!  Everyone loves him, talks to him and strokes him all the time and tells him how sweet and good he is.  He’s told umpteen times a day what a good boy he his.  Then little treats are sent his way (secretly) under the table at meal time! 

Everyone is always glad to see him, and when he walks into the room a family member will almost always say, “Chiiiirrrr – perrrrrrr!  Hiiiiiiiii” 

He’s kept warm.  He’s played with, when he’s in the mood.  And he is kissed on the forehead and cheekbones more times in a day than I can count.  What a life.  People doting on you and catering to your every whim!!!!

Dream on, Cher’, dream on!

I have some mini muffins (apple and cinnamon) about to come out of the oven.  I’m going to jump right on that challenge, and see if I can eat a few! 

Be Blessed  ~

This might be a perfect time for another bullet blog!   

You know those weeks where EVERYTHING goes wrong, day after day?   

We did well to keep joy in our hearts and not blow a gasket with the bad tempers, that were looming just on the fringe of our sanity. 

We held our tongue, afraid to speak, and said to each other, “Boy!  What’s going on with us?  Do you feel like we’re being picked on??!!”  

Monday:
     *  A long hard day of cleaning and moving around books, etc. to accommodate the new bookcase in our room.
     *  The girls had their last social skills therapy session from 5:30 – 6:30pm.
     *  I dropped them off and was supposed to go to Stephanie’s to hang out. 
     *  She didn’t answer her phone (left it in her car). 
     *  Went to Payless Shoes to kill time.
     *  Stephanie called and said JanaLyn was crying because we weren’t coming over. 
     *  I said we would be by after I picked up the girls. 
     *  I *RUSHED* back to pick them up and sat in the car and extra 15 minutes.  Our therapist is ALWAYS LATE.
     *  Her lateness further confirmed our desire to drop the Monday sessions. 
     *  Nice visit at Stephanie’s – bought some things from JanaLyn’s school fund raiser.

Tuesday:
     *  I was in a cleaning mode, at my desk and files, when the cleaning lady showed up. 
     *  She told me what time she’d be here Wednesday, but hadn’t mentioned coming on Tuesday. 
     *  I found something to keep her busy.
     *  I cleaned off the top of my desk.

Wednesday:
     *  Went to a Physical Therapy appt. *EARLY* (made appt. early, so I’d be here for cleaning lady).
     *  They sent me home with an apology.  Some sort of bookkeeping mix up. 
     *  Went to the jewelry store to buy Luci & Rissy heavier silver chains for their new cross necklaces.
     *  Deposited money at bank.
     *  Cleaning lady came and went.
     *  Jesse and I noticed a huge wet spot on the dining room carpet, just outside the kitchen door.
     *  I thought the bucket of water the cleaning gal used to mop the floors had spilled.
     *  That would have been too easy to fix. 
     *  The dishwasher was leaking. 

        
          
     *  Jesse turned off the water supply to the dishwasher, which left me with no hot water at the sink.
     *  I don’t have the strength to carry water from the bathroom to the kitchen.
     *  So I boiled 4 kettles of water for each dish washing job! 
     *  At first, we had an oscillating fan to dry the carpet (lots of “white noise”)

     *  Our friend gave us a dehumidifier to dry out the carpet.  The pad was ruined.
     *  The sound of the dehumidifier was “distracting” to say the least!  Much louder than our fan.
     *  I continued to boil water to wash dishes.
     *  That’s night’s meal was HORRIBLE!!!  I made chicken, that dried out, and curled up, like shoe leather. 
        The green peas were hard, the black-eyed peas were mealy, and the corn on the cob was w/o flavor!
     *  Went to church, despite severe fatigue.

Thursday:
     *  The girls had their regular therapy appointment and I had my IV at the cancer place. 
     *  Jesse and I returned home to find blood (and a swarm of flies) in front of our large freezer. 
     *  Annamarie had gone out there to get bread for Wednesday’s lunch, the door had been opened over 24 hours. 
     *  We threw fish away and tried to save as many things as we could.  It was FULL of meat.

                                                  
                                                                 The freezer “Now”.

     *  Rice, beans, cake mixes, oatmeal, and other things that didn’t require cold temps, were pulled from freezers.

                            
 
     *  We alternated “almost thawed” with “very frozen” foods in the small refrigerator freezers.
     *  Then we mopped the blood up AND generously sprayed Black Flag to fight the bugs! 
     *  Food was on the washer.  Food was on the dyer.  Food was on the top of the refrigerator.  What a mess!

Friday:
     *  I got up and came to the computer with my coffee. to relax.
     *  The keyboard was locked up.  No matter what I checked or unplugged and plugged back in – it was locked. 
     *  We gave ourselves a “high five” because the fish we bought were still alive 24 hours after being purchase!!! 
     *  When Jesse dumped them in their new tank, I asked if he wanted me to time them to see how long they lived!
     *  Thursday night, Jesse had cooked a bunch of the freezer meat – pork chops, chicken breasts, steaks.
     *  Dinner on Friday was fruit and leftover chicken.
     *  I got to bed at a reasonable hour – we’re both exhausted from the past week.

Saturday:
     *  Jesse was going to rotate the tires on his trailer when he noticed the wire mesh showing on one tire. 
     *  Why are trailer tires the same price as huge car tires?
     *  A carpet guy (a friend of a friend) was supposed to come by to give us a bid.  Never showed up.
     *  Luci broke her brand new silver chain.  I took it and her ID bracelet away from her.

Sunday:
     *  Went to church without event and came home to eat MORE leftover meat from Thursday night. 
     *  Jesse took care of a few things around the house and cleaned the  pool for the girls (green water, again)
     *  Annmarie opened a kitchen cupboard door that we had told her not to open.  The hinge wasn’t working right. 
     *  But, as usual, she didn’t listen to her sisters trying to help her.  
     *  The door broke off the hinge when she opened it, despite the cries of many who said, “No!  No, Annamarie!  Don’t
        open it!” 

Monday:
     *  Jesse put an old tire on the trailer and took the Suburban to have the oil changed.
     *  They informed Jesse the rear brakes needed to be replaced. 
     *  Jesse cooked home style ribs outside and I made green beans and 4 cheese mashed potatoes.
     *  That’s when I discovered the milk expired on 9/1.  It was 9/6. 
     *  The milk hadn’t been rotated after our last purchase. 
     *  Now we have NO milk.

                                      
                                          See the vacant spot on the right?

     *  The friend who knew the carpet man, came to replace the brakes.
     *  The carpet guy called (finally!) and said he’d be at our house at 8pm Monday. 
     *  Jesse was in bed (I was getting ready for bed), when the carpet guy called Jesse at NINE O’CLOCK!!  . 
     *  He left a message.  I don’t know if he was thinking he’d come at 9pm or had another excuse for not coming.

Tuesday:
     *  I woke up this morning and went to the kitchen to get my coffee.
     *  The dishwasher was running.  (Annamarie forgot to run it last night after cleaning the kitchen up.) 
     *  Also, everything from under the sink was sitting on the floor with the door open. 
     *  Jesse said their was water standing in the plastic tub that holds our cleaning products. 
     *  He thinks the water is from the day they worked on the dishwasher.  I hope so!

     *  The cleaning lady just called and said she has a sick baby – just as well.  I’d like to enjoy the silence!
     *  The physical therapist called to reschedule me. 
     *  She explained the secretary had been wrong and I *should* have been seen last week.

ALL THAT *AND* PICTURES, TOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Would you like to hear of something happy?

Everyone slept in today and there’s nothing much planned – except, what I’ll fix for dinner and my first week of school teacher’s planner (we start the 13th) needs to be filled in.

I seriously hope last week isn’t repeated. 

In my opinion, “Labor Day Weekend” is highly overrated!

Be Blessed  ~

What a busy life I’m leading – for right now, anyway!

The same people who gave us the piano, blessed us with a huge fish tank. 

It’s a corner (triangular) tank, and Jesse killed the poor fish while transporting them.  We will first get the tank looking pretty and “decorated” and then start buying fish.  A snail or some other scavenger will be bought, too.

The unit works very well, because the other corner holds the black TV stand and black flat screen TV.  The fish tank balances the room at that end.

Well, as you know, in my house, you can’t bring in a new piece of furniture without it causing a major switch-a-roo project!!!!

The fish tank is sitting in the corner of the den that used to have a bookcase with lower cupboard doors.

                       
NOW, the bookcase is in OUR bedroom, against the wall on Jesse’s side of the bed. 

He hates it.

And, it doesn’t look right there.  Not enough room.

I think if I move my dresser and pictures to the left, and move the long mirror and chair to another wall, there will be room, on the right side of the dresser, for the bookcase. 

The bookcase matches the tall shelves AND the TV cabinet.  We purchased all of the pieces at the same time. 

The bedroom has other issues, it’s not just the new piece of furniture in the den and (now) in the bedroom.

A friend donated a bed and big screen TV to the grandparents at church who lost their daughter.  They are the ones with the 3 children – parents, all over again.  Like everyone, they were NOT prepared.  It’s been such a blessing to watch the body of Christ come together and bless them with furniture, clothing, food, and cash. 

ANYWAY, our friend was cleaning out his attic and gave Jesse a set of china AND a box of beautiful figurines.  I asked Stephanie if she’s like the china and she said yes.  BUT . . . *I* kept the figurines for myself.  I obviously have no place for them, as they are stuck (here and there) on my overcrowded, bedroom shelves!

All the more reason to get that extra bookcases into our bedroom!

Back to the story about the den. 

I took everything, that was on the bookcase, off, and put it on the fire place mantel. 

This is the second week for the girls to have no school

They like to have “sleep overs” and are having one tonight.  We don’t let them go to a friend’s, or have friends come here, for sleep overs; but, they have one among themselves.  They each have their own room.  Asking for a “sleep over” means they all sleep in one room and get to stay up later than usual.  It satisfies them and we, as parents, know exactly where they are and what they’re doing.

No one has complained about having “nothing to do,” and I hope they enjoy their 3 weeks of vacation.

It’s always good to make them WANT and MISS school.  That’s what I’m praying the next two weeks of vacation, and new textbooks, will do for them. 

I’ve gotten quite a bit of housework done this morning.  I even baked a peach pie and a batch of (premixed) cookies.  I’m telling you, having the stuff mixed and stored in zip lock baggies, and only having to add vanilla, an egg, and a stick of butter is SO EASY!!!!  Only a spoon and a bowl were dirtied. 

Jesse just walked in from work.  The dry grass doesn’t need to be cut as often, and things will continue to slow down for him over the next few months.  There’s always some fall clean up work, and trimming of bushes and trees, but not much more to do before things quit growing completely. 

I like having him home, so I’m definitely NOT complaining!!!

Guess it’s time to make a sandwich and have some lunch.  Chirper must be growing a winter coat of fur.  He’s crying for food twice a day.  He has kibble available all the time, but he’s been following me around and crying.  When I go to the kitchen he really cranks the volume up!!!!

         
          
                 
Have a beautiful week in the Lord, and

BE BLESSED  ~

There was the church picnic I told you about. 

Swimming, DELICIOUS cooked-out food, and fun fellowship. 

This was the same picnic where the young mother mysteriously died the next morning, leaving three children behind. 

It was also the picnic held at the house of a couple who GAVE US their electric piano (similar to the size of a spinet piano) and, just yesterday, their huge tropical fish tank with all of the paraphernalia. 

Luci had TWO birthday parties to celebrate being 8 years old.

AND, she had two cakes!!!

 Luci is easy to buy for, because she truly loves everything she gets.  She thinks gifts for her are “cool!”

She is always so nice about thanking everyone (enthusiastically) for whatever gift she’s given, even cards!

While our company was here, Jesse and his brother (our “company”) put up a basketball goal in the driveway and a trampoline with security net in the backyard.  Their children and ours had a ball jumping – even in the horrific heat wave we were experiencing. They jumped early in the morning.  They jumped after meals.  They jumped in the evening when the mosquitoes became thick. 

Jumping, jumping, jumping!!!! 

It’s turned out to be a very good investment!

We hated to say good-bye to our company.  They are such easy house guests and their family molds easily with our family. 

So, it’s a vacation for me to have them as company, as well as their long drive from Virgina being a vacation for them!

Jesse definitely is going to miss the time he spent with his brother, Richard.  They get along REALLY well and together are so funny.  They make everyone in the room laugh to see them cut up and tease each other.

      
              In this picture they were acting like “girls” as they “got close” for a close up!  Such goof balls!

Jesse is SO DARK & TAN from working outside and I am so not!  I can’t believe I used to make “getting a tan” a summer priority!  Now my priority is to stay cool, which was hard to do this summer.

      
I don’t feel so odd with sister in law, Angie, here.  We are both “WHITE” next to the rest of the family!

The summer heat wave has killed all of the greenery here in Oklahoma.  Such a desolate place with yellow grass and withered plants.

My basil plants, and even my aloe vera plants, didn’t have a chance – not even in partial shade.

The rose bush tried hard.  It only bloomed once this year with profuse roses.  After that it was spotty and it valiantly produced ONE flower in the past two weeks.

This is the same bush that produces creeping vines laden with roses all summer long – one red bush and the other coral.  They are entwined together and normally VERY beautiful.

God bless it.  You have to give this flower an “A” for effort!

We finished summer school last Friday and are taking off 3 weeks of vacation.  I’ll probably hand out and introduce their books and subject matter on Friday, the 10th, but our classes won’t formally start until September 13th.

I’m kind of looking forward to the structure again.  I do better with “a plan” in my head.

I’ve made some terrific purchases on Ebay for fall and winter clothing.  Sweaters, hoodies, skirts, and even fall blouses for the girls and me.  I’m still waiting for a package of shirts for Annamarie, a hooded olive green Aeropostale sweater for her, and one pair of Anne Klein black loafers for me.  These are all mall brands, some with price tags still on them and the amount of savings is in the hundreds of dollars.  There is no way we would ever pay “mall prices” for these things.

So there you have it . . . August at a glance.

If we sneeze, September will be here!  I’ll be happy when fall arrives and the fall weather.

I made chocolate Malt O Meal for breakfast yesterday morning and Rissy came to the kitchen, made a long sniff sound and announced, “It smells like winter in here!  Yay!”

Be Blessed  ~

Our company left late Thursday night, headed back to the East Coast.

We had such a good time with them.  They stayed about a week, and then left for Amarillo on Thursday.  Jesse and the girls left for Amarillo the next day.  A spur of the moment trip for us.  He and his brother visited their dad in the nursing home, but he was asleep and very groggy, both times.  A disappointment to Jesse AND Richard.

I stayed home with strict instructions from Jesse to relax and rest.

HOWEVER, I spent Friday and Saturday cleaning the girls’ rooms and “correcting” the DVD library.

        
                This bedroom rug is 7′ long, to give you an idea of how many movies I put with cases!

On Sunday, I made myself relax, and I read a book that’s taking me 92 million years to finish.  My family arrived home late Sunday afternoon.

Our company came back on Tuesday (I think) night.  They were tired of traveling and ready to go home.  They said our house was always the highlight and “real vacation” part of their trips to Oklahoma.  We hated to say good bye. They had brought a friend with them and he was the nicest guy. So glad he came and fit right in with our family.

Everyone wanted to take Sushi home with them and the dogs will really miss their Uncle Richard!

I’ve continued to be VERY busy.  The week after the girls were baptized, Rissy and Luci decided to answer the altar call, because they had never publicly made a statement that Jesus is they Savior.  I know baptism and THEN going forward in church is a bit backwards, but they wanted to do it, anyway.  The pastor knows us all very well and knew the girls were ready for baptism.

I ended up, at some point, with a stomach bug – the kind you don’t get very often (thank you, Lord!), then healed and caught a summer cold the weekend everyone was in Amarillo.  Next Rissy, who really looked horribly sick, had the cold bug, and then Annamarie.  Now, Luci has the stomach bug. 

Maybe that means the bugs are all out of the way and we’ll have a really healthy fall and winter!!!!

Friday was the last day of their “Summer School” workbooks, and we will take a break for either 2 or 3 weeks.  We’ll start back with the regular classes AFTER Labor Day.

                              
                                                         Angie (my sister-in-law) and me.

I think I mentioned that a husband and wife, from the church we attend on Sundays, offered us their electric piano FREE.  Just this morning, Jesse and I were talking about picking it up, when the brother from church called to ask when we could pick it up. 

         
                                I’m now the proud owner of a (full size keyboard) electric piano.

Of course, adding a piano to the house meant rearranging furniture in the formal living room, but I’m liking the change.

I’m attending a baby shower tomorrow afternoon.  She’s a friend of Stephanie’s from high school.  I’ll stay home from church with the children who don’t feel well, and then have dinner ready when Jesse and the children come home from church.  I’ll have to leave soon after that to pick up Stephanie and go to the shower..

I continue to take the girls to Wednesday night church at the Church of Christ who helped us so much last year.  I like both churches (the Sunday one and Wednesday night one) and figure there is no need to pick only one, when this is working very well for us.  Both churches have a lot to offer, but in different ways.  AND, my children feel a part of both churches and I do, too.

I’ve been buying the girls and myself clothes from Ebay for fall and winter.  I’ve gotten some wonderful deals on heavy sweaters, sweatshirts, etc.  It always seems like a lot items (and money), but when you figure the items are parceled out between four of us, I’ve really done quite well and am pleased with the purchases.  I even needed new underwear because I’ve lost 25 pounds or more!  And, I decided the girls are old enough to need half slips under their dresses.  Again, all purchased from Ebay for a fraction of store prices.

I think that’s the news – or most of it. 

I have so many pictures, of so many things, but this will suffice for now!

Be Blessed  ~