Flat Tire

Yesterday was a good day. About an hour after I posted, on the way to work, I had a tire blow out. I didn’t even get mad. I thought it was kind of funny seeing how I had just stated how calm I was and everything being so perfect with the world.

Ash picked up his cap and gown yesterday. He is so excited about graduation. This weekend is Prom. I’ll tell you more about that next week. It is going to be so amazing for them.

Today was good as well. I worked late and David went to church. He is really coming back out of his shell. The memory problems are fading off in to the distance. They started over a year ago so for him to get so much better so quick is an adjustment. I have to back off and let him take the lead again, a welcome change I am grateful for. It is good to have him back.

Jesus Washed The Cars

How nice Jesus decided to water the plants, wash the cars and fill the pool (I had to drain some though). We are to have rain until Friday. It is great weather...for ducks and lobsters. As you can see the Internet is back on.

David had a good first full day back to work. I am happy for him. Your prayers are really paying off. Watching my husband come back in to his own is a relief. He shows a sense of purpose and gratification for being able to provide for his family again.

Ash hurt his leg in track and we are praying it heals quickly so he can finish the season. On the bright side he broke the school record for the mile on Friday night. We are so proud!

I am feeling a deep appreciation of gratitude and peace this morning and acceptance of everything and everyone exactly as it/they are. An overwhelming sensation of love and warmth from God surrounds me. The kids, mom, dog and husband are happy and all seems right with the world. However I am on my first cup of coffee and haven’t experienced traffic or work yet. I pray to keep this serenity though out the day.


Blessings!

Lobsters & Church Envelopes

Well another successful weekend, rest and relaxation all around. David and the kids came back from the beach looking like lobsters even though they used SPF 50. Saturday night David and I listened to A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor while grilling and The Civil Wars, a musical group, were on. I recommend listening to the song Barton Hollow. The harmonies are superb. Okay so the show is campy but I have been a NPR geek for decades.

We have been church shopping since we moved and have decided on a small congregation where the children are happiest. Next week we become members, envelopes and all. It’s the same place my mom has gone for 22 years. She is ecstatic to have us join her in worship on Sundays. It looks like David and the children will be attending the contemporary service, my mom the traditional and I’ll be going to all three since I am joining the choir.

David and I went on a date last night, a foreign concept since the move and his illness. It was nice to reconnect with him and enjoy some time alone. The service at the restaurant was poor but it didn’t really matter. When we finally received the food it was amazing and it gave us a chance to reconnect.

It is raining as I write this and is to continue all week. When my mom put all of the house plants out by the pool last night she stated she wanted them to get “God’s water” even though they had just had an encounter with the watering can.

The cable and Internet are out again, seriously? I want to scream. I think we might have to change service since they can’t keep ours on for more than 10 days at a time.

The plants are hanging in there. We haven’t sent any to heaven in a few weeks so God will be in charge of feeding the angels. I can hardly wait to pick the first tomato.

Today is David’s first full day at work. Please join us in our prayers that he does well.

Blessings!

Happy Saturday!

Happy Saturday! 

Ash is doing well in track. Wednesday he came in first place in all of his events. I’m so proud of him. He is going to see recruiters next weekend to look into the military. We are all looking forward to graduation in seven weeks.

Megan stayed here for the week while Andrew and Seth stayed at their moms. She had a good time. Thursday was her six-month anniversary with John. They are so cute together. We really like him; he is a wonderful young man. Both he and Megan are also looking into Military options after graduation.

Having children with such a sense of patriotism and responsibility to serve their country can’t help but to make us proud however with all of the wars the US is involved in that is a bit hard to handle. We have another year for Megan to make up her mind.

Andrew and Seth had a good week fishing and hanging out with friends. Their bikes were stolen on one of the expositions but later found in bushes down the street. What cruel people we have in the world that would steal a kid’s bike.

David finished his last week of working part time. Next week he is back to 40 hours. I am a little worried but think he will do well. He has improved so much with the new medication. Praise God for great doctors!

Everyone is going to the beach today to use the boogie and skim boards they received for Christmas. I am working, every other Saturday from here on out, so I won’t be able to join in the fun.

Mom went to St. Augustine yesterday with friends. They had a blast shopping and eating their way down Saint George Street.

The veggies are doing better. We might have to have another funeral for a few but all in all they are growing along with the flowers. The gladiolas are growing strong and the blueberries will be ready in another six weeks.

As you can see we are getting back to normal. It is a refreshing change. We are using the pool, which is 76 degrees at this point. The only sad thing at the moment is that I miss David’s parents. We had so much fun while they were here. It is nice to look out at the bird feeders and tomato plants they gave us and think of them.

Please pray that things continue to chill out and that the kids, coming off of spring break, hang in there and give 100% until the end of school.

Blessings!

RIP

Spring break is here. Megan and I went out to lunch yesterday and the boys went fishing. When David came home with the boys Andrew, David and I went to the seedlings, held hand, bowed our head and said a prayer. It went something like this...

“Lord God, we commend these plants into your hands. Please enjoy the sacrifice of watermelon and cucumbers. We ask that the rest of the plants do well so we can feed our family and not the angels in heaven. Amen”

Holy irreverence at its best I guess. We laughed most of the way through, oh well, at least the Miracle grow is put up.

After David and Andrew planted the tomatoes, peppers and squash in the ground. They are doing well.

We are still getting used to how to use the smoker but boy is it tasty. I just need to learn to use less wood or how to use it as a communication device. ;)

Megan is going out with her boyfriend, David and the boys are doing yard work and I need to get started cleaning the house. I think after I’ll take a swim.

Please continue to pray with us that David keeps improving and for those in Japan. 

Blessings!

Here Birdie, Birdie, Birdie...

David was given birthday money with the specific direction to buy a camera. Ours got lost in the move. We miss it so and are grateful to be getting a new one. A Samsung camcorder/camera is the winner. The store is out so we had to get it offline and anticipate its arrival. The kids grow up so fast it will be nice to be able to document them shooting up.

When Dad was here last week he put up three birdfeeders and a birdhouse. The birds love them. I didn’t know so many lived in our development. It’s like their version of McDonald’s, fly in for a quick bite and fly out before Spook (next door's cat) jumps over. They are a sight to be seen and fun to watch.

David is still doing well at work. He comes home beaming with pride. He no longer sleeps during the day and is going to the gym. I am so proud of him. It is good to be getting my husband back.

The Internet is still going on and offline. A technician has been out three times this week trying to get it to work consistently. I am shocked at how much we are dependent on our wireless service for our smart phones and computers. Remember when you wanted information you looked it up in an encyclopedia or phone book? Oh well I hope they figure it out soon before the kids stroke out from not being on Facebook. 

Blessings!

Miracle Grow

David started work on Monday part time. He loves it. The report from him is he is much more productive and focused than when he left the first week of January. I am so proud of him.

His mood is light going back to work. It is giving him more purpose than cleaning the house and pool although I won’t mind if he continues helping me in those areas.

The medication is really starting to take hold. He still has memory problems but they are not nearly as bad as they were. We are blessed.

On a sadder note many of Andrew’s seedlings are dead. FYI if you are growing seeds don’t put Miracle Grow on them when they are three weeks old it will kill them. He is going to be so bummed that we have to start all over. On the bright side it is only mid-March and we have time.

With spring arriving we have the hope of new life in God and our family. Watching the gardens start to take shape and grow along with David’s recovering memory is reason to rejoice.

Please pray with us for those we met with Alzheimer’s that are not as fortunate to have the hope of recovery and their caregivers. If you don’t mind praying for plants please pray for Andrew’s vegetables. They need all the help they can get right now with the fertilizer accident. Thank you all for your continued support. We are grateful for each and every one of you.

Blessings!

House vs. Home

As I walked around the house this morning pulling the laundry together I realized the house has become a home. I am used to living here now and it seems like we’ve been here forever even thought it’s only been three months.

I’m relaxing into it now that we are unpacked except for the bookshelves we are having built for the family room. It is comforting to be back in a house. Having company I think is helping the shift in thinking.

As you might remember I lost the sapphire out of my wedding ring in the move. I received the repaired ring back last week and it feels good to wear it again. With all that is happening with David I felt horrible not having my ring. He loves the new stone and I am grateful to have it back. Now I take it off when gardening or doing dishes to keep it safe.

Back to the routine of work and school today. I’m looking forward to David’s first day back to work and his healing.

Please join us in our prayer that he continues to get better. We ask that God restore him completely to the capacity he had before this all started over a year ago. 

Earl Of Sandwich

I woke up with a migraine today. It saddens me with this being the last day David’s parents are here. We got the whole brood to church and then went to Downtown Disney to the Earl of Sandwich. If you ever have a chance to eat there take it. They have fabulous food.

It was sad to see David’s Mom and Dad go but they will have a good time in Zephyrhills seeing friends. We had a brilliant visit and look forward to seeing them this summer.

As far as David goes the medication the Doctors have put him on are working. He is staying up during the day and his memory is improving.

It is wonderful to get my husband back. It is good to see him going to the gym and perking up. He starts back to work tomorrow part time. He is a bit nervous but grateful to be going back. It is good to see him happy. 

Happy Birthday David

Saturday was busy. The boys and David dug out the plot for the garden. Andrew’s seeds are doing really well and will be ready to plant in two weeks.

The gladiolas are a foot tall now. It’s amazing how fast they grow. Dad and I put up some bird feeders and David and the boys put up the birdhouse Dad brought us.

What a fun day. We celebrated David’s birthday with a fresh baked German Chocolate cake. Since the fire we don’t use real candles so we put some flameless tea lights on the cake. We have used his birthday gift twice the past few days. It is a smoker/grill. Yum.

It is good for the children to make good memories with their grandparents. The wisdom they provide is priceless.

Please join us in prayer for the people in Japan, recovery of the lost, the safety of the reactors and the peace of those who mourn. 

Discovery

Our Internet has been down so these are late to post.

Discovery is home. I was standing in our back porch doorway watching NASA Select and listening for the sonic boom. Tears filled my eyes as I flinched knowing this was the last time I would hear her call home. I remember the first launch and can only guess this is the sadness felt when the Saturn project ended.

Please pray with us for all of the family’s affected by the job cuts associated with the shuttle program and those still looking for work due to the recession.

David's parents arrived safely from Alabama. We had a good day sitting catching up and going out to eat. It is fun talking to an elder and seeing their outlook on life. Being separated by a generation gives one a different perspective. We look forward to a relaxing week enjoying their company. 

Blessings Abound

What a week it has been. We went to David’s Doctor on Friday to get the results of our trip to Miami for the second opinion. Alzheimer’s has been ruled out. The memory loss is real however the Doctors are not sure why. Maybe, they think, it is vascular.

David has been put on medication for his depression, which we were told is mild and probably not causing the memory loss. They are hoping the medication helps him to perk up a bit.

The Doctors also want David to go back to work, part time at first, to see if he can handle it with accommodations. They are asking for his assignments to be written down so he can remember when looking at the list.

When he told work on Friday they were ecstatic. He is so missed. No one was doing his job while he was out. We are a bit worried about how he is going to do but if things don’t improve or worsen his Doctors will take him out again.

The family is grateful David no longer has the cloud of Alzheimer’s over his head. At least at this point there is hope that David can improve. Although the Metabolic Syndrome is still looming over his head he is making strides to get healthy. We pray it is before that catastrophic event they predict happens.

To help rejoice our good news David’s parents are driving down from Alabama to visit for five days and will arrive tomorrow. We look forward to a peaceful and fun time with them. How wonderful it will be to celebrate David’s 44^th birthday with family and friends.

David and the boys planted the blackberry bushes and golden candlestick Saturday. The flower rolls didn’t work out at all. You know those things you see on TV that has the seeds in them. We only used two and are sending the rest back. Dad and David are going to put some posts for bird feeders in the yard to go along with the ones we hung in the tree Saturday. 

While the guys were busy in the yard Mom and I went through a lot of bins. The extra silk flowers, kitchen, bathroom, clothes and the like were donated. We weeded out 5 trips worth of stuff to Goodwill. Having two houses of holiday stuff is a lot. We felt quite accomplished. The only thing left to go through is the Christmas bins.

We want to thank all of you for your prayers and support. You have all been a wonderful blessing in our lives. Please join us in our prayers that the time with family is blessed. That David will start to improve or at least not get worst and that the children do well in school.

Golden Candlesticks

I went old school yesterday leaving my phone at home. It was a mistake minds you however nice not being tethered but on the other my phone case is also my wallet. That caused a problem due to the fact my boss sent me out with blank checks to the post office and the like and I didn’t have ID. So I was calling Betty Ann for her driver’s license number. Oppsy.

I also missed a call from my dear friend Mandy who is only in town until today and wanted to see the new house and us last night. That stunk.

I’ve had a computer since the late eighty’s but I only became cellphone dependent in 2002.  Do you remember pagers? I thought I was hip slick and cool back then.

Moving on, David had Brain Fitness Club Yesterday. After he remembered on his own to pick up the Golden Candlesticks from the nursery. I am so proud of him! They grow wild here but are hard to come by in stores. A nursery near us had two growing in a ditch and dug them up for us.

If you have ever seen a pure yellow butterfly it is called a sulfur and the caterpillars grow on Golden Candlesticks. They start off green from eating the leaves then turn yellow at the end from eating the flowers.

I am so excited to have a butterfly garden again. Five years ago I had worked for years on one and was about to be certified by Monarch watch for my garden right before I moved.

David is finding great joy in gardening and keeping the pool clean. It gives him purpose plus he is doing a tremendous job. He is still putting food on the table just in a different way.

God is blessing us every day with the gift of David. Please join us in our prayer that we might have him for a while to enjoy and learn from. The more innocent he becomes the more I see pure joy in his eyes with the worry of the world slipping away.