Don't you just hate it when.....

you have your whole day mapped out and then... BAM! ... things change!!
Yep. This is what happened to me today. I took off work so that I could be at the hospital this morning when my mom was discharged from the hospital. (This would be a non-paid day off, since I used my 3 paid days when I had my surgery!)

When I arrived (about 9:00am), I passed my mom's heart doctor at the nurses station. I thought to myself... "Oh good! He's here! That means that I should see him soon and he will release her soon." He was busy, of course, so I didn't stop to talk to him.

I went down the hall to my mom's room and found her sound asleep! I snuck in and sat down with my "everything bagel" that I stopped and bought at Panera Bread. YUM!! I turned the TV to my favorite morning channel and sat there, in peace, eating my bagel, waiting for the doctor to arrive and release my mom.

My mom awoke to the nurse coming in to do her job, about 30 minutes after I arrived. After the nurse left, she fell back to sleep and I enjoyed more "me time". **Smile**

The next time the nurse came in, I asked her when the doctor was going to come and release my mom. She, of course, had no clue!

So.... I waited some more. I watched TV. My mom snoozed. I read my book. My mom snoozed.

Finally.... about 11:30am, her heart doctor came in. He said that he wanted to keep her another night to continue draining the fluid off her lungs.

My heart sank, but I understood.

Now, I had to make the dreaded phone call to the nursing home to beg plead ask for more time to be given to us so that my mom would not lose her place at the nursing home, without us paying the extra expense.

Thankfully, the director granted us another day! So.... I am now praying (again) that my mom goes home TOMORROW!

I hate that I wasted a day of not going to work. I don't think I can afford to miss another day, so I WILL be going to work tomorrow, but my phone will be GLUED to my side!! 

you are in the middle of typing a blog post, email, letter, etc. and then... BAM!! ... the screen goes blank!!
This happened to me as I started to write this post!! I HATE when that happens! Thankfully, Blogger saves your posts in a draft! 

you just clean your carpets and then... BAM!! ... the dog tracks in mud!!
Yep. This happened just the other day! We don't get rain for weeks!!! And as soon as we clean the carpets.... here comes the monsoon! Guess it's a good thing that we now own a carpet shampooer!

you get a flower garden planted and then.... BAM!! .... the dog digs it up!!
Yep. I never had a dog that liked to dig until we got Chester. Of course, with my other dogs, I had never had a freshley planted flower garden in the yard either! I sure hope he grows out of it before Spring! I want to replant what he dug up!

Comment Change!!

Hello Readers!!

I have hopefully & successfully changed the way that I receive comments on my blog. I hope that it doesn't make it harder on you.... the reader & commentor... to leave comments, but I wanted to be able to KNOW when someone comments on my blog posts. The way that I had it set up before... I had to go to each post and LOOK for any new comments. -- NOT fun! I am afraid that I have missed many. Please forgive me for that.

PLEASE let me know if commenting is more difficult now. I don't want it to be.

Also --- for those of you that are not "members" of Blogger.... I think I changed my blog so that YOU may comment on my posts, as well. -- You're welcome! **Smile**

Okay. I think I've covered everything that you need to know.

I love all of you and I am VERY THANKFUL that you are here, reading "my" blog and even enjoying it! WOW!! -- I am blown away by that!

Hope you have a blessed day! I am off to get ready to head down to the hospital to hopefully get my mom discharged!! YAY!!

Thirty Days of Thankfulness - Days 28, 29 & 30

YES... I missed a couple of days! (I"ve been just a little busy!)

This post is going to be short & sweet, because I have other things on my mind this morning.

On Day 28, I was thankful that... (This is going to sound really stupid to those of you that are not football fanatics, like I am! But, bare with me, please!)... The Atlanta Falcons won their game against the Green Bay Packers!!! If you are one of my regular readers, then you know that I am a HUGE football fan and my favorite team is the Atlanta Falcons.

During football season, you will always find me in front of my TV on Sunday afternoons, watching MY TEAM play. The Falcons are doing extremely well this year, only losing 2 games, so far. They are in 2nd place in the NFL and 1st in the NFC!! That is BIG TIME!!!!

On Day 29, (Yesterday), I was so VERY thankful to my friend, Heather, for coming to visit my mom and being able to stay with her while I had to leave for a couple of hours. I know for a fact, that God sent her to me!!! He knew that I needed her, and there she was!

Today, (Day 30).... I am VERY thankful that the heart catherization that the doctor did on my mom yesterday, showed NO SIGNS OF BLOCKAGE!! Wow!! That was a surprise! I was really expecting them to find something and then we would have more decisions to make and possibly a longer hospital stay. This was GREAT news tho, because she "should" get to go back to the nursing home TODAY! ---- Which was another concern!! But, God came thru again and should be no worries of her losing her room over there!! YAY!!

MANY THANKS to those of you that prayed for her (and me!!!) and wrote such kind and sweet words. That means SO VERY much to me and I definitely count you among my FRIENDS!

Sending ((BIG HUGS)) to all of you!!!!

Life Changes Quickly

Once again, that "roller coaster" called LIFE has taken a huge dip down again for me.

My mother was admitted to the hospital on Friday because of difficulties in breathing.

About a year and half ago, she was diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure and was in the hospital for about a week. Since then, her doctor has managed to keep it under control with medications & oxygen 24/7.

Over the past few weeks, I knew that she wasn't feeling well... but, I also know that she has so many health issues, that it could have been any number of things causing her to feel bad. I didn't really worry about her because I felt that she was in great care at her nursing home.

Friday, I got the "always dreaded" phone call from the nursing home that they were sending her by ambulance to the emergency room. This, of course, was NOT a good day for me to spend at the hospital! (What day is??) David and I were in the middle of shampooing our carpets.

You may think that I am a terrible daughter, but I decided that I would wait and see how serious her condition was before I went rushing down there to sit ALL DAY in the emergency room. I knew that she was in good hands. I did call our pastor to let him know, so that he would be alerted.

Later in the day, she was admitted to the hospital and I learned that they were treating her for the Congestive Heart Failure, once again. Chest x-rays showed fluid on her lungs.

I talked to her on the phone and she sounded good, which made me feel better. I decided to wait until the morning to go visit her.

The next morning (Saturday), she was taken for another x-ray and an EKG. Not long after she came back to her room, the cardiologist that read her x-ray and EKG, came in and talked to us about what he saw.

Apparently, her heart has weakened over the past couple of years to only 40-45%. This is not good, but it explains a lot.

He asked her a lot of questions about her stroke that she had 5 years ago and also about her symptoms with the CHF. He said that for now, they are just going to continue to drain the fluid and to treat her with medications, but he would like to know what is "causing" the CHF.

Yesterday, (Sunday), when I talked to the doctor... he suggested that they do a Heart Catherization on her so that they can determine what the cause is. So... that will most likely happen this afternoon (Monday).

Another problem that we are facing is that, because my mom is on Medicaid, the nursing home can only hold her bed there for so many days. The "number" of days, at the moment, is unclear to me. THAT is my #1 priority this morning ... to find out how many days she has left before she loses her bed.

I am trying VERY hard not to worry about this and to remember that God is in control of the situation and He knows what she needs. AND.... He will take care of her needs and mine.

I have to remember that.... it is not MY will, but HIS.

It's about what HE wants, not what I WANT.

I don't know how many of you are Christian, but if you are.... I would love it if you would please add my mother (and myself) to your prayers.

My prayer for my mom is "healing", whether it be on this earth or in God's Kingdom in Heaven.

Thank you.

Thirty Days of Thankfulness - Day 26 & 27

Please forgive me for being a day late on this post. Yesterday got away from me and didn't quite go as I had hoped it would. -- I'll explain later.

(You can read "Day 27" at the bottom of this post.)

Yesterday... Day 26, I was thankful for the wonderful Thanksgiving Day that we had at the home of our very good friends, Richard & Cindy.

Thanksgiving in our family usually consists of going camping with a few other families, or spending the day at home, just the four of us.

This year, since Miranda wasn't going to be with us for Thanksgiving, we weren't sure what we were going to do since it was just going to be the three of us. Do we do a big turkey dinner?? Do we go out to eat?? Do we invite other people over?? If so.... who??? These were questions that went thru our mind.

A couple of weeks ago, while we were camping, the subject of Thanksgiving came up in conversation between my friend Cindy and I. When she heard that we weren't sure what we were going to do, she so very graciously invited us to join them at their new home for Thanksgiving dinner. The more we talked, the more we got excited about it and accepted her invitation!  Wow! How fun this was going to be! I couldn't wait!

The day finally arrived. YAY!! At home, David worked in the kitchen making turkey and dressing, while Ashley and I worked on making the desserts to bring. I had seen an adorable way to make Pilgrim Hats out of Reese Cups and Keebler Fudge Striped cookies, so Ashley and I made some!

They are very easy to make. Just use icing to attach the "mini" Reese Cup to the cookie and then, make a buckle for it! Easy!

I thought they turned out rather cute!

While I was taking pictures of our creations, I couldn't help but take another picture of my Fall Tablescape. **Smile*

Okay.... here come the pictures of our day together with our friends. I just LOVED their new house!! My friend, Cindy, has become quite the decorator! I wish I had taken more photos to show off what she has done. Oh well!

Here's the yummy dessert table. You can see the Pilgrim hats that Ashley & I made. To the left is our Apple Surprise dessert, too. Cindy made the chocolate cake & a pecan pie. YUM!!

I loved this centerpiece that she had.

This was the centerpiece on her kitchen island, until it got moved to make room for the turkey carving.

Of course, I don't think the cell phone

is supposed to be part of it! Haahaa

I love the color combination in the napkin!

David & Ashley (right) sample the turkey, while Ryan

(Cindy's oldest son) carves one of them.

Yes. We had TWO turkey's!

David & Ashley.

Father/Daughter photo

David & I

Anniversary photo

(We met on Thanksgiving Day - 1981)

Ashley & I

Mother/Daughter Photo

This is Chris & his new (BRAND new!) fiance', Norma.

Chris is leaving for Afganistan soon.

He is my young friend that I asked my readers to please pray for.

I just had to take a picture of the "Chia Pet Cheeseball"

(as we called it!).

It was a lot more "yummier" than it looked!

I didn't get a picture of our turkey BEFORE it was carved, but

here it is, AFTER. It was yummy, too!!

My friend Cindy (The "Hostest with the Mostest) & I.

Her friendship is one that I treasure!

Ashley and her "big brother", Ryan.

After a beautiful prayer that Richard said, it was time to EAT!

Ryan and his girlfriend, Stephanie.

Look at all that yummy food!!

I loved, loved, loved this table that Cindy got at

 from an antique dealer!

It is handmade. I wish I had gotten a better picture of it.

It is beautiful!!

Our hosts, and great friends.... Cindy & Richard.

David & Ashley callapse on the couch after our delicious meal.

After everyone had let their food digest a bit, we played a few rounds of the card game,

"Apples to Apples". Great fun and a lot of laughs!

Of course, I'm caught with my big mouth open!! (on the left!)

What a wonderful Thanksgiving that we had.

The only thing missing was...

my Miranda, for which....

on this day.... Day 27.... I am extremely thankful

that Miranda is home from Arizona

and is now napping in her own bed!

Thirty Days of Thankfulness - Day 25

Today, I am thankful that I met the Love of My Life on this day, 29 years ago!

Yes, we met on Thanksgiving Day! The memories are so vivid in my brain that it really does seem like yesterday to me!

If you care to come down Memory Lane with me, then come along for the ride!

The year was 1981. I was 16 years old, about to be 17 in a couple of weeks. I awoke late in the morning on Thanksgiving Day to find that my parents had gone to the grocery store. (They must have left a note. I can't remember how I knew that, but somehow I knew that this is where they were.) It was just going to be the three of us for dinner, as I am an only child and we had no other family in town. For me.... it was a day off from school and an excuse to be lazy!! Haahaa!

I was hanging out in my room, in my PJ's, I believe... when the doorbell rang.

OH..... I forgot to tell you that we lived in an apartment near Atlanta, GA.

I went to the door and peeped out thru the peep hole. Through it, I saw our neighbor friend -- a man that was roughly my dad's age --- and a VERY CUTE guy that looked to be MY AGE with him!! I knew that this man had two sons that were in college. One of which I had met before. I decided that THIS guy must be his other son!! WOW!!!!!! I liked what I saw!!! But..... Oh my gosh!!! I couldn't open the door!!! I hadn't had a shower yet. I had NO make up on! AND.... I was in my PJ's!!! YIKES!! 

As my heart was beating out of my chest, I watched as they walked away from the door. I raced back to my bedroom and peered thru the blinds to get another look at this CUTIE!!! I watched him walk back, across the parking lot to where his dad lived. I then, practically RAN to the shower and decided that I was going to make sure that I met this guy later! After my shower, I put on my favorite purple sweater, my blue jeans and my boots. I fixed my hair, put on my make up .... and devised a plan to meet him!

My parents had come home. My mom was in the kitchen, cooking and my Dad was out in the parking lot working on my car. Ah-ha!!!! THIS would be how I would meet this incredible guy!!!

It was not unusual for me to hang out with my Dad as he worked on our cars. It was something that I enjoyed doing. So.... that is where I was when my future "LOVE" appeared again.

Here is the parking lot where we met! - This picture was taken when David and I were on our 25th Anniversary Trip.
You can read about that HERE.

He was indeed the other son of our neighbor friend. He was in his first year of college at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida. This is also where his older brother went. They had driven up to spend Thanksgiving with thier Dad.

His Dad introduced us and I finally got to meet him, face to face!! WOW!!! I was IN LOVE!!! (Little did I know that he was, too!!!)

His name was David. He was rather shy, but I was too. I can't even remember us even talking!!! But, I'm sure that we did.

Our "meeting" didn't last long. I think I made my way back inside... and ran straight to my window to WATCH for him to appear again so that I could just look at him again!!

Later, after my parents and I had our dinner, the doorbell rang again. This time it was David's soon-to-be, step-mother. She was very sweet and said.... "I wanted David to come up and invite you down for dessert, but he is too shy to come up! So, here I am!"  I was a bit shy to, too... but, I went with her anyway. She wasn't going to let me say "no". But, that's ok. I'm glad, now, that she didn't!

I went down there and he and I talked a little, but it was still awkward. Finally, his dad came over to him and gave him some money and said... "Why don't ya'll go to the store and get some more soda." That was the icebreaker that we needed!! We needed a way to be alone so that we could talk and get to know each other a little bit better.

We drove to the nearest convenience store and got the soda, but we also took our time and talked. He asked me if I would show him around Atlanta the next night. I said, SURE!! So, that was it. Our FIRST DATE was set!!! **Smile**

When we got back to the apartments, I ended up going home because I had plans to go to "out" that evening. (I later found out that David missed me terribly!!! Awwww..... how sweet!) I also regret that decision! Oh well.

I decided for our date the next night, I would take him to downtown Atlanta and show him the big Christmas Tree on top of the Macy's department store. This tree was famous and supposedly, could be seen for miles.

His Dad let him borrow his REALLY nice Pontiac Trans Am, which was fun! We set off on our quest to find the Christmas Tree. Did I mention that I had no idea exactly where it was?? Hahaa! I knew how to get downtown because my friends and I would go down there often for concerts, to go ice-skating, and to ride the "glass elevator" that was on the outside of Peachtree Plaza hotel. ~ Fun!



Here's David sitting in his Dad's Trans Am on Daytona Beach.


First, I took him to the mall that had the ice-skating ring. This is where he first held my hand!! It was when we were crossing the busy street. He took my hand, and didn't let go for the rest of the night! **Smile**

We then drove around downtown Atlanta looking for the giant Christmas Tree, but never found it! So, I decided to take him to my other hang out place, closer to where I lived -- Stone Mountain Park. BUT... when I tried to guide him back to the highway... we got LOST and ended up in a not-so-nice area of Atlanta. Ooops! All I could think of is.... "This guy must think I am pretty stupid. He'll never want to see me again!"

We finally made our way back to the highway and back to my side of town. We went to Stone Mountain Park, which was open until Midnight. **Smile**  I took him to all of my favorite places at the park and after getting back in the car at one place, it happened.... OUR FIRST KISS!!! If I wasn't attracted to him before.... I was NOW!!

Stone Mountain.
We were married on this lawn in April of 1985.

Sadly, he had to go back to school and I wasn't sure when I would see him again. Maybe Christmas?? Maybe New Years?? We'd have to wait and see.

We exchanged phone numbers and addresses, which led to a notebook of letters that I now have and CHERISH!

This was the first photo taken of us after we met.
I think it was New Years Day, 1982.

Now, here we are 29 years later..... VERY HAPPILY MARRIED!!! **Smile**

We have a LOT to be thankful for!!

Thirty Days of Thankfulness - Day 24

Today, I am thankful that I was able to have the morning to myself so that I could clean my house & start cooking for Thanksgiving!

I vacuumed the living room, my bedroom, the rug under my kitchen table, and part of my office. (I couldn't do all of it because it is my "stashing" place and I have too much on the floor at the moment! Ooops!) I even vacuumed my living room curtains! I didn't vacuum the couch, tho. It's still on my "to do" list, listed below.

I took care of the dust bunnies in the living room and on my hutch in the kitchen.

I baked the biscuits & the cornbread for David's dressing that he is making tomorrow.

The dishwasher is washing the dirty dishes as I type.

I did get a little distracted from my cleaning when I went into my closet earlier! I started thinking about what I was going to wear tomorrow, on Thanksgiving Day. You see... we were graciously invited to have Thanksgiving Dinner with some dear friends of ours, at their house. (That will most likely be my post for Friday! **Smile**)

I knew the shirt that I wanted to wear. It is one of my favorites and very "Fall-ish"! I just didn't know whether I wanted to wear my Levi blue jeans or my Levi ,cream-colored, corduroy jeans. I ended up trying on my "skinny jeans" with my favorite shirt and REALLY liked the two together! I then tried on my tall brown, faux-suede, boots with the jeans & shirt. TA-DAH!!! I think I found a winner!

What do you think???

Please overlook the mess on the floor. Miranda didn't bother to clean her room before she left for Arizona and she is the only one that has a full-length mirror. (Sorry, Miranda!) 

This is a better look at the shirt (bouse), whatever you call it! I never know!

This earring and necklace set looks really pretty with it!

And here's one of my boots!

Okay... I've played around long enough. Gotta' get back to my list of chores still to be done ---

- Clean the kitchen floor.
- Do the "white" laundry.
- Clean the bathrooms.
- Vacuum the couch.
- Take care of the dust bunnies living in my bedroom.
- Tidy up my office.
- Think about cooking dinner.

Hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving Eve!!

Thirty Days of Thankfulness - Day 23

Today, I am thankful that I am no longer a teenager, living with my mom. I know this is a weird thing to be thankful for, but after the conversation that I had with my mom today, it is something that has been strong on my mind, ever since.

Many of you know that my dad died when I was a young, eighteen years old. I thank God that David was in my life at the time, because my mom and I did not have a close relationship. The only place that I wanted to be was with him, so I didn't spend much time at home. This didn't help my relationship with my mom, of course.

David and I were married when I was 20. The two years in-between our marriage and my father's death, were a rough couple of years, to say the least. I look back now and realize that my mom really needed me to be there for her. But, at the time (and being so young)... I was only interested in "me" and what was going on in "my life".

Today.... I was talking to my mom about my daughter, Miranda, who is 19 years old (the age I was during those "rough" years that I had!). I was telling her that Miranda made it safely to Arizona, when my mom decided to bring up the subject of ME when I was that age!! And believe me, this is NOT a good subject for her and I to talk about (BAD memories!!), so I stopped her before she went any further and told her so. Believe it or not.... she then tried to talk to me about one of my old boyfriends that I dated BEFORE David!! She actually said...."I wonder what ever happened to him?" YIKES!!!! I cut her off on that subject, too!!!

When I went to go visit my mom at the nursing home today, I had no idea that I would be taken down a not-so-fun memory lane! I am thankful that my mom still has such a wonderful memory after having her stroke 5 years ago, but today..... she chose memories that I had no desire to remember.

Here's a couple of pictures of me at age 18 and David at age 20.

Sorry for the depressing post. Hopefully, tomorrow will be a more joyful one!

Thirty Days of Thankfulness - Day 22

Today, I am thankful that I am starting to get excited about Christmas!!

Every year For the past few years, I have stressed so much over Christmas, that I have dreaded it's coming!

Last year, was a little bit better, since I wasn't working at the time, (Sadly, I had lost my job in September) and had more time to prepare. Unfortunately, the stress was still somewhat there because we did not having a lot of money to spend on gifts, holiday food, etc. But, it all worked out and we had a wonderful Christmas!

This year..... I can feel God's peace about it all and don't feel so stressed. I don't feel worried about... "How are we going to afford gifts for the girls??"... "What gifts am I going to get my mom & David's mom??"... "What am I going to get for my co-workers???"  Normally, I am panicked about these kinds of things and it ruins the holiday for me.

I used to get caught up in all of the commercialism of the holiday. This year... I am more focused on the REAL reason for Christmas --- Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior.

I want to listen to beautiful Christian holiday music.
I want to take part in all of the Christmas events at my church.
I want to make a birthday cake for Jesus like I did when my girls were little.
I want to do lots of things as a "family".

I love shopping during the month of December - believe it or not! - and seeing all of the beautiful holiday decorations! This year... I plan to take it all in and ENJOY it! I think I may even take my camera with me so that I can capture what I see, in photos.

Here are a few photos to share with you from our Chirstmas, that I love.

--- By the way... I have no idea WHY these words are highlighted and I can't figure out how to "unhighlight" them! -- Sorry!

I love Santa ornaments.

And Snowmen!

Here's one that my mom painted for me prior to her stroke in 2005.

Here's our table on Christmas day - 2008

This was last year (2009). It's funny... I'd forgotten that I had bought those Christmas placemats!! YAY!! They will go great with my tablescape plan for this year!!

(I forgot to take this picture BEFORE the food was on it! Oops!)

Thirty Days of Thankfulness - Days 20 & 21

I apologize for missing a day. Yesterday got away from me before I had the chance to sit down and write!

Yesterday, I was thankful that I have a warm bed to crawl into at night. There are so many people all over this world that do not have this luxury that so many of us take for granted.

Night before last, I awoke during the night with a terrible migraine of a headache! I am quite sure that it was the temperature change outside (the drop in barometric pressure, to be exact!). I tend to only get these kinds of headaches when this happens.

When I get these headaches in the night, my bed feels like it's made of stone and my pillow feels like a rock! -- I picture it something like this....

Photo found HERE.

I woke up and was cursing the fact that I couldn't sleep and had this horrible headache!!

Then.... after taking some meds, getting a cold compress for my head and laying back down.... I realized how blessed I am to even HAVE a bed!! Much less one that is soft and warm.

This is not my bed, but one that David and I were blessed to sleep in when we visited New Orleans last year. This bed was SOOOOOOOO comfortable!!! Even tho mine is not this luxurious, I am thankful for it, just the same.

Today, I am thankful that Miranda (dtr. #2) and her boyfriend made it safely to Arizona on their flight last night. They are spending the Thanksgiving holiday week with his mother and her family. I am excited for her to be able to go out there again, (she went after Christmas, last year, for a week!) but at the same time... I will miss her very much!! This will be the first time our little family of four will be separated for a family holiday.

When she first mentioned to me that this what they wanted to do, I was a little bit upset. But, I also knew that, as they got older, the day would come that we would not all be together for a holiday. I am okay with it now. Not as sad. I will still miss her (I already do!), but I am okay. I can't say that I won't let a few tears loose on Thanksgiving Day, tho!!

This photo was taken by them when they wre at the airport last year, waiting on their flight to Arizona.

Here they are at the Grand Canyon!! I was so glad that she got to see it.

These photos were taken on Thanksgiving Day, 2008. We were camping with friends, which was something that we did for three years! It was fun, but we tired of it and missed being at home for the holiday.

David, Ashley and I are excited to be doing something different this Thanksgiving, though! We have been invited by some close friends to have Thanksgiving with them and their family!! It should be a lot of fun! I will be sure to take pictures and blog about the day. So be on the lookout for that post!