LOVELY THOUGHTS

"Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." Philippians 4:8 NLT

You are what you eat. Garbage in- garbage out... simple. I think that's why I don't watch TV- it seems like there isn't ANYTHING worth my time and that is edifying. It wears me down trying to evade the everyday smut I happen to catch while walking through a room with the television on. It offends me.
On a rare occasion I will sit down and view part of a program, but usually I get up before it's over. Others handle this a lot better than I do- I just prefer to hear and do things that are 'true, honorable, and right'. Even the news is hard to swallow, and so I avoid watching that too.
You may think I'm an oddball, but I prefer things this way.
I've been reading the General Minutes of the North Union Reformed Presbyterian Church. The funny thing is that though the year is 1898, you would think it was today. Descriptions of "signs of the times" are so much like our news. It would appear that nothing has changed.

It's a soggy day- my first day off in a week, and I'm planning to do some cleaning. Where to begin? I don't seem to be able to walk into the living room except on one path- and no one can sit down there. We are in a transition here with John and Mandy "redoing" upstairs, so things kind of have to settle somewhere for the moment- till they can find a permanent place. They have been working hard on the upstairs clean-up. Good job! so far, so good.

Wendell has gone to work at the park- his second week beginning today. He seems so happy to be a part of the workforce again. He's still on light duty restrictions, and the guys there watch out for him making sure he complies.

That's about all for today. Stay dry, smile, and keep praying!

A SPECIAL DAY

"So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom."
Psalm 90:12
Today is a very special day. Not only is it the Sabbath and Mother's Day, but it is my sister in law's birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY CAROL!!! And many many more!!

AFTER THE RAIN

"And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord; It shall rejoice in His salvation." Psalm 35:9

Good morning all you happy bloggers! It's a beautiful day- the rain that soaked us all day yesterday and the day before is now passed and a new day has dawned! I'm feeling mighty joyful and thankful for it all.
It's been a busy week here with working extra for me, Wendell back to work and doing so well, and the honeymooners back and starting to clean out the upstairs.
We have a new friend too- a cat named Spiderman. He's black with white socks and a stripe of white on his belly. He belongs to John and Mandy. He's friendly, but as with all cats, remains somewhat aloof. I'll post some pictures of him later.
Have a great day all, ........keep praying!

WATER WATER EVERYWHERE

"You water its ridges abundantly, You settle its furrows; You make it soft with showers, You bless its growth. " Psalm 65 :10

Wow! We seem to have had a lot of rain since yesterday- long needed and very appreciated.
Even though it's a bit chilly, I notice more green in the woods and the grass seems to be taking off growing- time to mow soon.
Yesterday, though a soggy one, was very enjoyable. I spent the day in the office and then came home more relaxed than usual. Wendell had a good day too. We were both tired from being up so early in the mornng, so we both went to bed with the chickens. (Actually, before the chickens).
I found it necessary to have my foot injected twice yesterday for something called Morton's neuroma- very painful. The injection on the top of my foot wasn't too bad, and I felt immediate relief; the injection on the ball of my foot was like a giant bee sting! OUCH! I've had ice on it since, and it's still pretty painful to walk, but then it will take 3 days for the cortisone to be effective.
{A neuroma is a noncancerous (benign) growth of nerve tissue that can develop in various parts of your body. Morton's neuroma occurs in a digital nerve in your foot, often between your third and fourth toes. The condition isn't a true tumor, but instead involves a thickening of the tissue around one of the digital nerves leading to your toes. It causes a sharp, burning pain in the ball of your foot. Your toes may also sting, burn or feel numb.Also called plantar neuroma or intermetatarsal neuroma, Morton's neuroma may occur in response to irritation, injury or pressure — such as from wearing tightfitting shoes. But it may also occur for unknown reasons.Treatments commonly involve changing footwear, resting your feet, and using arch supports or pads to help take pressure off the area. In some cases, your doctor may recommend anti-inflammatory drugs, a cortisone injection or even surgery.}
That's about it for today. Keep praying!!

MTHFR

No, it's not an error, it is the DNA testing I had done this past February and thought I'd post the report on this blog. It's important to my family to have this information, and I was encouraged to 'spread the word' in case YOU might be afflicted.

MTHFR, DNA analysis
Result: A1298C/A1298C
Two copies of the same mutation identified.
Interpretation: (Methyltetrahydrofolate Reductase)
This patient's sample was analyzed for the MTHFR mutations C677T and A1298C. Two copies of the A1298C mutation were identified. Results for the C677T mutation were negative. Elevated homocysteine levels have not been reported when two copies of the A1298C mutation have been found. The diagnosis of hyperhomocysteinemia can not rely on DNA testing alone but should take into consideration clinical findings and other studies, such as homocysteine levels. Because MTHFR mutations and their associated risks are inherited, genetic counseling and testing of at-risk family members should be considered.
The MTHFR enzyme is responsible for creating the circulating form of folate. Folate is important in homocysteine regulation. Defects in the MTHFR enzyme can indirectly cause elevated homocysteine levels. The C677T mutation in the MTHFR gene can cause elevated homocysteine levels in individuals with insufficient folate, particularly when there are two mutations present. The A1298C mutation has not been associated with elevated homocysteine levels unless a C677T mutation is also present. Elevated serum homocysteine levels have been associated with an increased risk of cerebrovascular disease, coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction and venous thrombosis. In women, pregnancy complications and an increased risk of fetal open neural tube defects have also been reported. The relationship between these conditions and MTHFR mutations is controversial.
Additional information:
Dietary folic acid, B6 and B12 supplementation has been suggested to lower homocysteine levels in some people. Folic acid supplementation has been shown to reduce the recurrence of neural tube defects.

EVENTFUL DAY

It certainly has been an eventful day. I heard from my relief nurse at the office that she will be happy to work for me on June 1 so that I can visit with my Valentines and the Schneiders. Oh, I'm so delighted !!!!!!
About 1pm, someone came into the office and reported that there were police all over the courthouse just up the street from us. I went by as I came home, but there was nothing to see- just a policeman on each corner of the building standing as if on guard. So I tuned into the Butler radio station to hear what was happening- apparently a bomb threat was made, and they evacuated the court house and all the offices for the day at least. I wonder if these evacuees get paid for the afternoon when they had to leave? Hmmmm.. just a thought.
It's quite the beautiful day today. I'm going outside and enjoy some of it before I get supper started. I suggest you all do the same if you can.
Later gator!!

BLESSINGS

"May the Lord our God be with us, as He was with our fathers. May He not leave us nor forsake us, that He may incline our hearts to Himself, to walk in all His ways, and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His judgments, which He commanded our fathers."
I Kings 8:57-58

IT'S BEEN A GOOD DAY

"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. " Romans 5:1-5

What a delightful day I had at work. I'm covering for Nell in the office while she has to be away. I love the girls I work with and Dr Mitra is probably the best employer anyone could ever have. I'm glad I have these few extra days to help out.
After 2 days of not even seeing Wendell, I got home tonite and he was resting in the recliner. He's in good spirits and says he's had a couple of good days too. He doesn't look haggard or stressed out- but more relaxed than anything. The guys at the park are truly looking out for him- urging him to rest and helping him do the things that are required.
Everyone understands the limitations and they seem happy to have him back.
I brought home grilled chicken salad for supper. It was supplied to me by a drug rep at the office today, but I'd eaten before I left, so I saved it for supper tonite. It was sooooo good!
Way too much for one person- Wendell and I split it and were quite satisfied.
He still doesn't have a schedule, but was told he'd be off this weekend. I will be working every day- Wednesday again for Nell, then Thursday for Remicade, and Fri, Sat, and Sunday at the hospital. I'll be ready for a day off on Monday. I've offered to fill in then too, but I think Nell will perhaps return by then.
Lots to do here..... I best get busy. Keep praying for us.. we appreciate it!

OFF TO A SLOW START

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." John 3:16-17

We are off to a slow start this morning. Wendell's alarm failed to go off when it was supposed to, and so at 6:45am, he came to the bedroom frantically trying to get ready for his first day back at the park. I got up and made his lunch for him, and he was out the door by 7am. No breakfast, no insulin, and I don't believe he took it with him either. Oh, dear.....
I also have work scheduled for this morning, and haven't heard yet whether I'll be needed or not. I'm praying they won't need me so that I can get things in order here today. Let's hope things improve as the day goes on.

Not much else happening.. I should get myself ready to go.
Have a fabulous day everyone.. Keep praying- especially for Wendell

10:50 pm

What a lovely day it has been today. No glitches to keep us from worship, and though it was a tad chilly, the sun shown brightly. We were able to attend church this morning finally. It felt like being back home again.

I took a short walk today up to the garden to check the asparagus- the frost last night got them pretty good. All the stalks were a funny color and when I tried to snap them, they went to mush in my hand. There was a lot there to lose, but more will come in its place in a few days.

JJ and Keith dropped by for a visit, and to drop off our laundry. It's hard to know how to say thank you when someone looks out for you in this way.. but ..... thanks... you are so appreciated... and I'm glad we have time to chat.
Keep up the great work, Keith.. we are proud of you! You'll be a manager one day of your own shop- I feel sure of it.

I stopped over to see Becky the office manager and also a cousin today too. We had such a lovely visit. Lots to talk about.

Besides the normal chores that have to be done, I took the big trash can to the road for the first time tonite. It's heavy !! But it's done. I got Wendell's work clothes out for him and got little jars of fruit and sugar free pudding ready for his lunch tomorrow. It'll be his first day back.
I pray he'll do all right.

I am also scheduled to work tomorrow, but the odd shift 11am-7:30pm. It takes such a chunk out of the day. I asked to be downsized for that day or half a shift. They may not need me, and I'd be 'on call' for them, making time for me to get more done here. Spring cleaning has just begun, and already I'm looking for time to do it. With Nell going to Mississippi for the funeral, I am hoping to fill in for her on Tuesday and/or Wednesday this week + my Remicade day in the office. It'll be a crazy busy week.

Wendell is already in bed and probably sleeping.. I should do the same. So I 'll say goodnight to all my blogger buddies.. sleep tight and don't let the bedbugs bite!
Keep us in prayer please.......

PASSING THROUGH DEEP WATERS

When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee and through the rivers they shall not overflow thee.
Isaiah 43:2

Yesterday I received word of the death of a dear friend's husband. It was quite sudden. My heart aches and reaches out to her in this time of sorrow.
May God comfort you and be with you and give you peace, Nell.

JUST ONE MORE

We all look a little fuzzy??

NEW BEGINNINGS

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
John 1:1-4

I'm up early- it's a new day- you might say the first day of the rest of my life. These verses from John keep running through my head this morning.
We have a lot of 'beginnings' in our lives. Learning to walk, speak, drive, etc.. then new births, marriages, friends, and jobs.. All of these have one thing in common- in the beginning, they were the start of something new and special. God certainly is weaving a beautiful tapestry with our lives. He has given us so many new beginnings, and all things come from his wonderful hands.
Today I'll be at the hospital again- gainfully employed. It's my regular weekend off, but one of my co-workers was so kind to change days with me so I could be off yesterday to be with Mandy and John on their special new beginning. So I am fulfilling my obligation to my co-worker, and then be off again on the Sabbath.
We plan to be in church then, so ask that you all would uphold us in prayer again - that we would both be healthy and able to make the trip down to New Kensington. God has already provided new tires for my car, and a full tank of gas.
All is cleared on all sides for Wendell to return to work on Monday- 6 weeks post operatively.
He will be on light duty for 4 more weeks, and his boss says he'll have him do some painting for a while. He still has to be very careful- his sternum is just beginning to heal, and could snap easily if he isn't. He's moving around pretty well, and able to do some little things- like mowing grass on the lawn tractor.
I guess you could say it's a new beginning for him- new coronary vessels, and returning to work anew for this season.
New beginnings tend to make my heart joyful.. that's the way it should be.
Have a glorious new day, everyone... be thankful and pray without ceasing!

ALMOST A PERFECT DAY

I guess everyone wants a perfect day when they get married... or when their children get married. It doesn't matter really whether it rains, snows or whether the sun is shining.
Today started out to be Mandy and John's perfect day- a new beginning for them.
I figured I had lots of time to leisurely get myself ready for the ceremony, but when Wendell went outside, he discovered that my front driver side tire was flat- really flat.. sitting on the rim flat. He's not allowed to lift, so it was my job to get the tire changed. I put my old jeans and shirt on and went outside to survey the damages. Mandy followed me out, and between the 2 of us, we had almost half a brain. I opened my trunk and dug out the little donut to replace the damaged tire till I could get to Sam's Club to buy new ones. We searched for about 15 minutes for the jack and finally located it stuffed up into the trunk so obscured, I really don't know HOW we ever found it. I brought it out and then started looking for the rest of the equipment.. Uh- huh...... oh.. that WAS the equipment. We struggled to find just where to place it under the car and actually did. Now to get the car jacked up so we could remove the tire. Well, the tire kept turning while we turned the tool.. so we had to set the car back down onto the ground to make it more secure. Ugh! After all that work getting it up!
Finally we got the tool on that removes the lug nuts. Neither of us could manage to even budge one. Oh.. we needed a pipe for leverage. So I went looking for a pipe to put on the end of the tool. Meanwhile, Mandy called John and he said "well, if they were put on by a machine, you will have to put all your weight on the bar and it should move." Not so good.. when Mandy stood on the bar, the jack collapsed and the car came crashing down. John's next statement " I really don't know what to tell you.. I have Triple A and they always come and fix it for me" .... opened my eyes.. "HEY! I have triple A!!" So we decided to go inside and give them a call to see if they could change the front tire.
Yes, they could and a service person would be there within the hour. Wendell was so upset that I'd called them. He said they'll put the donut on the front and you can't drive the car with the donut there. My reply was simply that no one could drive the car without it, and besides, that's what the donut is for- to get you to a service station to repair a tire.
I'd lost my Sam's Club membership card, so Mandy took me there to get a new one and then we picked up the cake for this afternoon. Wendell called a little later and said he would drive my car to Sams if we'd meet him there and I could get the tires. We agreed. Meantime, JJ was on her way from Altoona and would be planning to arrive in Butler at 1:15 or so, and would need a ride home. That meant someone would go back to Butler to pick her up.
I got my new tires on- nice! It drives better and doesn't make all the noise the other tires did.
As I came out of the parking area, JJ again called and said she was about 20 minutes from Butler if someone would meet her. I pulled into Scheetz and waited for her to arrive. Everything worked out well. We got back home with just enough time for me to get ready for the wedding.
Well, it was an ALMOST perfect day!

THE FAMILY GROUP PHOTOS

MEET MY NEW SON IN LAW.......

Hi John, Welcome to our family..........
Mandy's co-workers made her this veil to wear at the wedding. She always wears a ballcap to work.. this was a fancy one!!!




2 happy sisters

AT THE RUNWAY

Showing off their wedding bands

WANNA HOLD THE FLOWERS?

We were in the Magistrate's waiting area.. all of us.. early... and anxious to get started.. The boys were counting trucks with trailers that went down the street- there were over 117 last I heard P3 say. Mandy asked me to hold her bouquet. I got an idea..

John's brother Jason with Daniel and Paul3..
I asked everyone to hold the bouquet, and then took their picture.....





John's mom

John's grampa

and his Gramma

MAGISTRATE'S OFFICE

Mr and Mrs Zombeck

BEAUTIFUL DAY FOR A WEDDING

Just a few of the immediate family gathered at the office of the Magistrate in Evans City.












Mandy and JJ chatted in the parking lot with John's mom















John gave Mandy a bouquet of flowers,















and one for John too! That's his gramma pinning it on.

THIS AND THAT

Good evening happy bloggers!
This has been a really good day. I worked in the office till 4:30pm, and put in a good day's work, though my census wasn't high. I'm hoping to be able to visit with Wendy and family at the end of the month. (shhhhh! they don't know it yet). Having put in a long long day, I am ready for bed and sleep for about 12 hours. My barometric body tells me that it's gonna rain soon. Everything is aching. So it's just as well I hit the sack early.

Tomorrow is the day Mandy and John will marry. I'll be taking pictures and I assure you there will be some on this blog... unless the camera breaks or some other unforeseen thing occurs.
But the plans are in place. We are going to dinner afterward- just the immediate family. It's a time to celebrate.

I walked over to see if Charlie's chickens had any new baby chicks, but , alas, none . The odd thing is that there were many more eggs before and now there are just a few. Either they ate them or buried them in the nest so they can't be seen. He pushed the broody hen aside to take a look, and she was very compliant with him and let him take a good long look. I saw too, and there are definitely fewer eggs than last time we looked- unless they are under the banty broody hen. Somehow I doubt it.

Wendell was out today mowing grass here.. it needs it badly. The mower started making noise, so he shut it down for now. His boss from the park called and they will have him doing light duty this Monday- painting for one thing.

Well, I'm so tired I'm about to fall off my chair, so I'm gonna call it a night.
Nighty night........don't let the bedbugs bite!!! hehehehe

RAIN IN ITS SEASON

"Then I will give you rain in its season, the land shall yield its produce, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit. " Leviticus 26:4

We had a gentle rain last evening and through the night too.. everything is damp. But I also notice that all the flowers are perked up and looking refreshed. And the rhododendron bush is also blooming like it will never end.
Now, there's an interesting bush- it blooms periodically through the winter AND summer. It doesn't seem to know that it's supposed to rest and recoup in the winter. I started dumping my left over coffee on the plant a few years ago- late at night when I came home from work and walked by with my cup. It seems to thrive on the coffee for some reason, and so I continue the practice. At the same time that I bought this plant, I bought one for my mother. She is the one with the green thumb, but her plant never did much and finally died. I suppose the deer didn't help matters any either. They walked right by the back of the trailer where she had plants growing, and then of course, would stop for a nibble now and then.
Mum had a lot of plants she put in while she was here. They still bloom and flourish. The little lilac bush is now a huge (tree)- and so tall you can't get to the higher branches. The cinnamon bush has always been a favorite too. I have tried to take snippets from it, but it won't grow for me. (maybe I should try coffee??) Bridal wreath is pretty much the first sign of spring, with it's dainty white flowers and then the greenery so beautiful all summer long. Peonies, crocuses, roses, marigolds, daffodils, forsythia, rhubarb, and then the flowers that Charlie plants in the garden every year are spectacular all summer. The redbud and firebush are works of art. Of course, the fruit trees have blossoms and despite the cold snaps of spring, they will produce fruit in July and August.. apples and peaches.... the cherries usually get picked off by birds. Red raspberries are setting their fruit now too. Ohhhhh... so good! Mandy makes jelly with them and everyone wants a jar when she gets done. And too, the asparagus- my personal favorite- will produce for weeks before we let it go to seed.
The showers bring on new growth everywhere! Scripture is true today even as it was written so many years ago. Rain in it's season bringing forth fruit- and it happens every year in it's season just as He said it would.

MAY 2- HAPPY BIRTHDAY KEITH!

I did try to upload a birthday greeting, but this blog didn't want to cooperate, so here I am the DAY AFTER Keith's birthday.. trying to do it all again. Better late than never, Keith..
Hmmmm.. I don't seem to have any baby pictures of you.
By the sounds of it, you had a pretty good birthday- I should have at least called, but this will have to suffice for now. Brownies are forthcoming!!!!

NOT ALL FISH ARE EDIBLE.......

As is our habit, we have been eating fish at least 3 times a week since Wendell's surgery in late March. I actually enjoy Tilapia. It's not fishy tasting or smelling. I have this habit of baking it in milk and that takes all the 'fishiness' out of it. Tonite I went for groceries- and bought that which was on sale- Perch. I should have known to spend the money on the fish we both love, but I opted for the sale. Now it wasn't THAT bad, but it wasn't what I was expecting either. It just had a fishy odor before I opened the freezer wrap on each piece, and then , when it was cooked, it had a very definite fishy taste. I was glad I gave the larger portion to Wendell. (hehehe) Live and learn.
The rest of the meal was truly delicious- fresh steamed broccoli and asparagus from my little patch up near the end of the garden. We had potatoes too- wedges fried in olive oil- lightly, of course.
I bought gas today too- my tank was nearly empty, and another trip to Butler would be the last.
I stopped at the 7/11 on the top of Armco Hill where I'd noted last night the price was less than anywhere else... $2.95/gal. They now have you pre-pay before you pump gas. I should have seen that coming. When I bought my little Honda several years ago, I loved the fact that I could fill the tank for less than $12 when it was empty. Now, at a quarter of a tank, I put $20 in and it didn't quite register full. Whew! What do others do with larger tanks?
I overheard a conversation at work the other night where the one person said it costs them over $100 to fill their tank! YIKE! Surely that must be a motor home. I didn't hear the entire conversation.. just the $100 part.
Onward to the evening now..... have an enjoyable one- and don't buy the smelly fish! Yechhh!

ANOTHER BEAUTIFUL DAY

"I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will praise You. " Psalm 22:22

The sun is shining this morning. It's a most beautiful spring day.
There is much to do here.. more cleaning, preparing for Wendell to return to work next week. I'll have to locate his work clothes and have him try them on to see if he needs to have them replaced or use the ones he has.
I don't hear the roosters crowing this morning. I know Charlie was planning to get rid of them, I guess he did. Odd not to hear them welcoming the new day. He's got a couple of hens sitting on a nest- yes, that's right - on the same nest.. there must be 30-40 eggs under them, and they can't cover them all. I don't suppose half of them will hatch, but they try.

It was a very busy evening at work yesterday. Many discharges leave beds open for admissions, and in the evening is when that happens. After a very quiet weekend, I was slammed with admissions last evening. The first one was a post op patient with 14 full pages of orders! That's a record for me. I always think of 6 pages as being a lot. Well, this one topped them all. It took over an hour to complete- a tedious task. The nurse that checked my orders had to be particularly careful with this one- it was so long and detailed. I missed one entry in the computer- a consult with the PCP. Well, not bad for all the work. By a little after 6pm, I'd completed 5 admissions, and then later one more. It was a really busy evening.
I did get out on time, though, and that makes me happy.

It's getting late in the morning and I need to get my patients called for the office this week.
Have a great day everyone. Keep Praying!!!

CARDIOLOGIST'S VERDICT

"Now therefore, our God, We thank You And praise Your glorious name. " I Chronicles 29:13

There is super good news here today! Wendell has just returned from the cardiologist's office with a return to work slip effective MONDAY.. May 8 !!!!! Oh, I feel like dancing! For JOY!!
God is so good and merciful!!
Preparations need to be made... lunch supplies, gas money, and perhaps even some work clothes.
This is just such wonderful news!! Thank you Lord!

WEARY......

"Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, The Creator of the ends of the earth, Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable." Isaiah 40:28

I'm starting to feel weary. I'm so thankful that God doesn't and is able to keep me going. After 2 evenings at the hospital, and a 3rd one today, I do feel the effects. It doesn't seem to matter whether I'm overworked or have had 2 easy nights there (which I have). I've been the lone secretary on my unit that is usually tended by 2 secretaries. It hasn't been bad. Quite the opposite. But my body gets so tired from the regimented up at 8am and to bed at 1am the next day, with all the activity in between.
Wendell has gone to see the cardiologist- his first trip out by himself. It was sort of a force play in that if I got up at 6:30am to go with him, I'd not have had enough sleep to make it to midnight tonite. Hopefully all will be well physically with him. I see no reason for any other choice. He's done very well, and though he doesn't care to do his walking, he needs to do this to return to his job in another 8 weeks hopefully.
I have been in contact with a cousin from my mother's side of the family. He sent me some old pictures with identifications. This is such a delight to me. I haven't done much with the family history for quite a while. I'd been compiling photos to put on another blogsite,listed to the right of this posting- IMM BEST CONNECTION - when his e-mail arrived. I have been seriously considering posting my mother's journals online in yet another blog. It would be time consuming, but like the photos, I'd be doing only a little at a time.
I need to get moving on my day. It will be another long one. Enjoy the sunshine and keep praying !!!!

WHAT GOD DELIGHTS IN

"The strength of a horse does not impress him; how puny in his sight is the strength of man. Rather, the Lord's delight is in those who honor him, those who put their hope in his unfailing love." Psalm 147:10-11 NLT

What God delights in
In Psalm 147 we discover an important secret about relating to the Lord. Our great and mighty God, who has absolute power over everything in heaven and on earth, is not impressed with powerful people. Those who are strong and mighty in their own strength don't get God's attention.
Instead, it is the brokenhearted and humble he notices and supports . He chooses to work not through those who are strong but through those who are weak. And most of all, we don't earn his approval by being great or strong.
He delights in those who reverently honor him and put their hope and trust in his unfailing love and mercy, not in their own ability.
Today, if you've put your hope in anyone or anything else, ask the Lord to forgive you. But don't stop there. Ask his Spirit to so work in your life that your primary goal becomes honoring and pleasing God.

Adapted from the One Year Book of Praying through the Bible by Cheri Fuller, Tyndale House Publishers (2003)

LET THE CLEANUP BEGIN......

"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." Galatians 2:20

Good morning happy campers!......er....... bloggers!
Another beautiful day is coming right up.. sure is chilly at night, though. Well, that's spring for you!
Spring cleaning got off to a slow start yesterday, but in the evening hours picked up with amazing results. I can now see one corner of my bedroom! HOORAY! 1 down, 3 to go.
The closet will be saved for another day- it's a whole project in itself.. but how wonderful it was today to be able to actually access it without leaning over Rubbermaid tubs and piles of comforters. Yippee! Being a packrat really bogs one down.. really. I can almost breathe better knowing all the little stuff I've been hoarding (and big stuff too) is now awaiting the trashman next Monday morning.
Unfortunately, though I was on quite a roll yesterday, the weekend will not be as productive, as I'm gainfully employed Saturday and Sunday and Monday.
Speaking of Monday, Wendell has his first visit with his cardiologist that day- 8:30am- ugh.
I have been trying to get him behind the wheel of the car to make some small trips so that he can do this one on Monday alone. It's hard for me to get up so early and be at an appointment after working the previous evening and not getting to bed till 1am, and then going back to work in the afternoon again with little sleep. We'll see how it goes.
Back to Spring Cleaning....... Mandy and I found the rest of our booklet- Jim & Char .. about our cats. All the pages seem to be there.. so I'll be scanning them and posting them in the near future.
JJ came by yesterday and helped me go through one of the tubs with 'memories' .. We pitched a lot of old papers- receipts for things I don't know what for? Certificates from elementary school .. kids.... and all sorts of nonsensical stuff that no one would want- I'm the likely one who WOULD, and believe me, I hadn't a clue why I kept much of it. So I'm down to just a few papers and important items. The box is anything but full. Thanks JJ..... can we do this again with the other 20 tubs?
How thankful I am for my children who are present and helping in every way they know how. God is so good to us and is providing for us daily as the needs are made evident.
Pray for Wendell to encourage him to walk more - especially during the day when it's so beautiful outside- and for his complete physical healing. VNA has now picked up the monitor, and all that is left is the oxygen equipment. I'll be calling to have that removed next week after he sees the cardiologist. Pray that he'll be able to withstand his CPAP too.. he's having a problem getting acclimated to it.
And pray for me too.. there is so much to do here and I'm working 2 jobs besides- I need physical strength and stamina to complete the tasks before me. I tire easily.
That's it for now..... Keep praying!

AHEM....!

PLANT A TREE, WATCH IT GROW

"Then he took some of the seed of the land And planted it in a fertile field; He placed it by abundant waters And set it like a willow tree. " Ezekiel 17:5

Well, imagine that.. it's the last Friday in April, and that means it's ARBOR DAY. It's a national holiday, but do you know what it's all about? It originated in Nebraska in the 1800s to replace trees lost on the plains. It was finally declared a national holiday, and there is even a website from the Arbor Day Foundation. Here you will learn a lot.. about trees. You can even buy trees from them- 10 trees for $10- your money will enroll you in the foundation. The site also has lots of things for kids.

PICTURES

Check out the Current family photos link on the right. I've posted a lot of pictures current from last year to now. Still a lot to go, but fun to upload and look at all the pictures.
You might have to go to the archives and click April to get all the pictures.. Christmas especially.

SPRING CLEANING

Ahhhhhhh Spring! I love spring. It's my favorite season of all. I love all the new growth, flowers, and trees in bud. I don't much care for the pollen in the air, but I can deal with that. It means no snow for another 6 months at least.. and no icy roads! Yippee!!!
Spring also is the time that most people start to clean out their homes of all the riffraff and junk they accumulated over the last year. Garage sales are starting to pop up all over!
I don't do garage sales myself, though with all my 'treasures', I'm sure I'd make a fortune.
I'm a packrat basically, and need to learn to NOT keep every little scrap of paper 'just in case I might need it' next year. I suppose it wouldn't be so bad if I had it organized, but most of it gets 'filed' in my bedroom or on the kitchen table or the file cabinet- in no order whatsoever.
I DO know where all the books on genealogy are, and those are neatly organized. And all the pictures I've accumulated, in the thousands, are in Rubbermaid tubs waiting to be dealt with in one way or another. I guess it's a matter of priority here.
So I'm designating tomorrow as 'spring cleaning' opening day. I don't have enough funds to do any shopping, so I'll make the best of my day off by trying to sort through some of the debris.......er..... *treasures*.... especially in my bedroom. This is not a task for the faint of heart.
It's a monumental task that will last for weeks likely. Like a mountain, it can't be climbed in one session.
One of the problems with cleaning in my bedroom is that there are so many 'little things' that cry out for my attention.. ie.. JJ's 2nd grade school picture, or Mom's graduation announcement, or any number of other bits of memorobilia. I try to stifle these things by encasing them in more Rubbermaid tubs to be sorted later when I finally have time. One day, I'm going to sit down and actually look through these boxes and try to decide what to keep and what I can part with.
I am planning to get rid of the bed. It's too high and too big for our bedroom, and has gotten bigger since we bought it years ago when we built the house. The closets have shrunken too. Amazing. Hopefully by the time I'm done, the walls will be repainted and the curtains replaced, and another bed will take the place of the monster that is now there.
Mandy is going to move the cedar chest to her room, so that will be a relief also. One more surface that one can't drop their 'stuff' on. I wonder what is actually in the chest? I haven't opened it for years. (too covered with 'stuff'). I know my wedding dress is in it, and a few craft things, but wonder what else? We should have a grand opening and see on some rainy day.

The kitchen and bathroom come next.... but I think I'll stick to one project at a time.
HAPPY HOUSEKEEPING !!!!!!!!

WORD GAME

Okay....... try to figure out what the following words have in common:
Assess, Banana, Dresser, Grammar, Potato, Revive, Voodoo

Give up? click on "comments"

A BEAUTIFUL DAY

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. " John 13:34

It really is a beautiful day. I don't feel much like blogging, but here I am.
I really enjoyed seeing the pictures of Joyce on Jane's blog. She is learning to sew. Atta girl Joycie !!!!
I remember learning to sew too, but I was much older and in junior high school- Ridge Avenue in New Kensington- now just an empty lot. The guys took wood and metal shop and the girls learned to sew and cook. It wasn't much fun. I made a pleated skirt for my first project. I finished it, but was never really happy with it. Mum taught us so much more and later, we did make dresses and pants and all kinds of things on her old machine. Now, THAT was enjoyable.
I taught myself to knit and crochet years later, and made not a few sweaters and afghans for my family. I remember a green and white knitted dress I worked on so hard getting just right for JJ. She was about 2 yr old, wore it once and pronounced it 'fratchy', and wouldn't wear it again. Hehehehe.. sorry , JJ. I stuck to sweaters after that. One day I'd really like to get back to making things that way again. It's an enjoyable craft.
My mother didn't have a fancy machine. Her's did one straight stitch, no zig-zags. She made amazing things with that machine, however, and it got a lot of use when my girls were growing up. She made them all dresses-sweet little frocks for sweet little girls. I think there are still a few around saved for the girls when they had their own children.
Wendell's sister Mary liked to crochet and made Wendy a sweater set when she was born. Of course, Wendy was over 4 weeks preemie, and was so tiny. I remember Mary calling from Arizona to ask how little she should make the outfit for her.. I overheard Wendell saying to her "you know how big a Barbie doll is?".. and we all laughed.
Sewing is grand! Keep up the good work Joyce. I'll be looking forward to seeing your present handiwork in person and your future projects too.

I need to go outside and check asparagus. Yesterday I brought in about enough to make 2 cups cooked. It's coming slowly right now because of the chill in the air. When the weather gets warmer, it'll come a lot quicker. I'd been watching it over the weekend, several stalks about ready to pick (5-6" high) , but when I went out yesterday, they were gone.. perhaps a deer? I sure hope not, they could do some real damage to my little row. I got the smaller ones that were only about 4" up anyway. I really don't expect to find any today, and my habit is to pick every other day, but I like the walk up to the edge of the yard to look at it anyway.
In the next few weeks we'll be overrun by it.... if you want it, let me know and I'll make sure you get some as it comes in.

Get out and enjoy the day.. sunny , bright and glorious! Keep praying- we appreciate it!

ACLJ

The American Center for Law and Justice, otherwise known as the ACLJ, this group fights for Christian civil liberty. Ten Commandments in the schools and on public property, the IRS wanting to tax churches, etc.
Visit the site to see all the things for which they are going to bat for Christians in the world of law.

STEELITES

Wendell's family were Steelites. His grandfather was the last pastor of the North Union Reformed Presbyterian Church- Steelite.
More information about this branch can be found here.
Another site is a biography of Rev David Steele.
And this by Tony Cowley..on voting.
Interesting articles..

PSALMODY & INSTRUMENTS

Periodically the questions come up about Exclusive Psalmody and Why we use NO instruments in our worship. The Regulative Principle has everything to do with the answer.
I've found some internet articles, and thought I'd share why Covenanters believe as they do.
Click on the blue hyperlinks to read the articles, and of course, take a look at the Manchester RPC link too.
Perhaps take a look at the 5 points of Calvinism .
Lots of reading here, but very informative and fairly easy to understand.

CATCHING UP

"The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. " Psalm 19:7

It's Tuesday... a beautiful one, though it's to be pretty chilly tonite- near freezing! Unseasonal weather that threatens delicate blossoms that will later bring forth fruit.

What a lovely time we had at the tea yesterday. I didn't bring the camera, as I was also on my way to work. Joyce and Jane did a lot of preparation for this party, and it showed. Lots of enjoyable conversation, very relaxing. Thanks for inviting me!

Work was pretty busy last night on my unit, but not overwhelming. The last orders were transcribed at 11:30pm, and I was able to leave on time. My shift seemed to zoom past me, and at one point I was startled to see it was 9pm. I don't spend much time 'clock watching'.
Everything was done including the start of daily work for today's secretary on the morning shift. I'll be there again this afternoon.

Wendell seems to be status quo. Just needs to be out and about a bit more- walking especially. With the chilly weather and his tendency to be cold anyway, he hesitates to go outside. All his incisions are now shiny scars on the outside, though bruising remains on his legs, and likely will for some time to come. Tape burns caused a lot of injury, but then, it's a small price to pay for new vessels to the heart.
His blood sugars are staying down in the target range consistantly.

God continues to bless us daily with children who are supportive in every way, and grandchildren who supply the extra measure of joy for our day. I would ask that you hold us up in prayer even so, as we have a long way to go yet in healing, and still have many issues to overcome.
And remember Amanda and John as they plan their wedding in the coming weeks.
Sidenote: I was able to trade a day with another co-worker to be able to attend.. the Lord is so good!
That's about it... keep praying!

RAINY DAYS AND MONDAYS...

"Make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ" 2Peter 1:5-8

Good morning.. it IS a good morning.
Feeling somewhat better today. Thanks to Sandi's suggestion for Cranberry juice.. it worked!

For the next 2 days I'll be gainfully employed by the hospital. I pray they will be good days and not overwhelming. It seems to get 'out of control' some evenings no matter what one does to try to avert it.

Not much going on this morning, thankfully. I need to run some errands and then stop by Jane's before going on to work today. That's the plan. In the mean time, I'll be getting meals ready for Wendell in my absence tonite. He's handling that pretty well. He had a small piece of the pineapple upsidedown cake yesterday, and it reflected in his blood sugar that evening, but not over 200. He can have these things in small portions without causing major problems if he can just do it on occasions few and far between.

Have a super duper day today everyone.. keep praying for us.. it is effectual.

THANK EWE....

With the slow start we got on today, it has actually been a wonderful one. When I started feeling better, I made a pineapple upsidedown cake with chocolate chips on the top too.
Yummy. Paul and Amy came with the kids and with the sun shining and wind blowing, we tried to fly our kites. Well, not so good. We will need some new ones, I'm afraid. But we did get the eagle one up pretty good for a few moments.
Joyce brought me a beautiful heart shaped box tied up with a bow-for my birthday she indicated. Everyone stood around smiling like a pack of Cheshire cats.. I knew something was up. I was surprised that it was a set of smelly candles and the scent was delicious! But wait.. there was a book of matches on the top....... "open the matchbook , Gramma!!!".. so I did... Oh, you guys are so funny......... all the tips of the matches were neatly cut off for 'my safety'. Hehehehehe The children squealed with delight and the adults had a good laugh.
Jane gave me a flashlight for the cake too.. don't want to take ANY chances here.. hehehehe
Thank you one and all! You are more than wonderful.

Flowers are blooming..... my tulip bed has about 7 multicolored ones opened today. How very beautiful.. Charlie has bridal wreath, forsythia, and redbud bushes blooming, and of course his peach and apple trees. Daffodils in the yard, painted bright yellow make the day truly look like spring. I put the cushions on the big swing in the front yard, and enjoyed the sounds and smells of a perfect day.

THE BEST LAID PLANS

"The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry."
Yeah.. that's us.. make plans and then they get blown away. Today was to be our first day back in church for at least a month. How we looked forward to it with such joy... I spent time checking out details with Wendell.... 'Are you feeling up to this?', ' You are sure you are able to walk that little hill?' , and then getting the showers over with, dressed and breakfast. Everything looking perfect.. smooth sailing. I'd been praying over this- that THIS week would be the best return to the church ever. Got enough gas to make it down and back.. what could go wrong?
Well, after umpteen trips to the BR this morning for myself, and chills, and a low grade fever, I realized it wasn't Wendell who was the concern, but Myself. I've got a urinary tract infection with blood in the urine. No wonder I've been feeling low and feverish for a couple of days. It wasn't till nearly time to leave that I realized I couldn't just drive down without stopping 3-4 times, and then what when I got there? Stay in the BR? Oh...... just another bump in the road... again. Seems like it's a long and bumpy road no matter.
Lord, where does it all end? The disappointment is so great for both of us.
Wendell went into his little room to lay down.. I suppose I'll do the same.

PSALM 32

What blessedness for him whose guilt
Has all forgiven been!
When his transgressions pardoned are,
And covered is his sin.

O blessed the man 'gainst whom the Lord
Counts no iniquity,
And in whose spirit there is not
Deceit or treachery.

When I kept silent, my bones aged;
My groaning filled each day.
Your hand oppressed me day and night;
My moisture dried away.

Then I to You admitted sin,
Hid not my guiltiness;
I said, "I will before the Lord
Transgressions now confess."

Then You did all my sin forgive
And take my guilt away.
For this when You are near at hand
Let all the godly pray.

The rising floods will harm him not.
You are my hiding place.
And You will comfort me with songs
Of victory and grace.

this is undoubtedly one of my favorite Psalms..... there are so many favorites. Psalm 32- if you want to hear the tune we sing to these words, click here.

ZEPHANIAH 3:17

“The LORD your God is with you,
he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing.”
Zephaniah 3:17

WHAT?! NO INSULIN???

It's another frustrating day where simple things become mountains.
Wendell used his last insulin this morning. I dutifully went to the pharmacy where we get all our medications, and found that they were out of his insulin- but they were expecting at least some by Monday.. What to do? Immediately , the gut starts to twist again, and the nausea appears. For the rest of the world who are not diabetic, it presents no problem, but for a diabetic who is getting regulated again post operatively, it's life threatening. I could only pray and trust that they could rectify the situation. It occurs to me that I am relying on God more and more all the time.. that's what He wants me to do, and if it takes one crisis after another, then so be it.
Of course it's Saturday and no doctors are in today, though there would be someone on call to talk to, but not his doctor- Not someone who KNOWS how he has been going up and down with his blood sugars over the past 4 weeks, and that he's just been in the normal range all day for 2 days now. It's really quite stressful.
The pharmacist finally called another local pharmacy at a grocery store, and was able to get one box of the filled pens with Wendell's type insulin. I was so relieved and went directly there for the medicine. They actually had 2 boxes left in their stock, but since I was not one of their 'regular' customers, they would only give me the one box. That's okay.. at least he'll have his insulin tonite for dinner, and we'll go for the 2nd box next week and thank the Lord for providing again. He goes through about 5 pens a week (one box).
That seems pretty odd to me that a drug company would run out of their supply of insulin. I mean, when you think of the millions of diabetics in the world, and the need for the drug to sustain life, you'd think that there would be a never ending supply... but there isn't.
Here is a site that is about diabetes. Wendell is a Type 2.

LAND OF PROMISE

Well, it's a fertile field out there.. Here's a list of RP bloggers on her website Land of Promise.

IRISH RPC

Good morning. I was having my coffee and decided to do a search of the Reformed Presbyterian Church to see if there were any blogs referring to it. I found this one from Ireland.
Mark Loughridge is the pastor of the Milford RPC in Co Donnegal. Interesting.

WE COULD USE THE MICROWAVE

I just wanted to make a personal thank you here... for the birthday gift from JJ and Keith.
S'more makings! You guys are so silly...... but rest assured, they will be made into s'mores if I have to use the microwave to do it.
Campfires are good. I love them, but I'm a little shy of open fires at the moment. Maybe after the rain...

SHOWERS OF BLESSINGS....

"then I will give you rain in its season, the land shall yield its produce, and the trees of the field shall yield their fruit"
Leviticus 26:4

It's 3am. Why I awaken at this hour so many nights, I wonder. There is gentle rain falling in these wee hours of the morning- something that normally would put me to sleep soundly.
And yet, here I am.
We needed the rain that came yesterday afternoon and evening, and there is more to come today says the weatherman. Work day at the church had to be cancelled.
Yesterday afternoon Wendell was wrapped up in a fleece blanket with a heavy comforter and a flannel shirt. He was cold. It was nearly 80 degrees. I wouldn't have thought much of it, but he said he was chilling. I looked for a thermometer, but couldn't find one and had to leave for work- I was already pushing the clock pretty closely. I'd noticed he was pale at breakfast, but then he does look pale by times. I was feeling pretty shaken by this event, so I decided to buy a thermometer on my way to work and ask JJ to stop by the house on her way home and check him out. As a second thought, I decided to call her at work on my way and make sure she didn't leave before I got there, but the cell phone was disconnected- the bill came this Tuesday and I hadn't paid it yet, but there it was- no service. It would have been a minor annoyance normally, but with Wendell convalescing, he could still develop infection and need more hospitalization if that were the case- he could go down pretty rapidly. So my nerves were becoming a bit tattered in light of this fact and that if I had to wait to get to the hospital to see JJ, I might just miss her. Prayer is always the answer. And the various verses I have hid in my heart started coming to mind .. "I will not leave you nor forsake you", "Fear not", "Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you".. and they go on. I don't remember much of the drive into the hospital- my stomach was in knots wondering "What next?".. but still hanging on to the promises. I told JJ what I needed and she quickly and cheerfully agreed to check her dad on her way home.. and then I asked her to call me to set my mind at ease- but to use the department phone as mine was not in service because of the bill. She assured me she'd call, and I gave her the new thermometer and headed up to my department.
I was chosen to mentor a new secretary. She's a delight and will be a good one for my unit. This was to be her last night of orientation, so I was able to sit back and just be there in case she had any questions and make sure she did the job correctly. God is merciful in that I wasn't sure I'd be able to think straight until I heard all was well at home- he provided another secretary to do the work while I sat, observed and made suggestions on how to do things in a more orderly manner. She asked me how my past week had gone since I'd been her mentor last Monday. I told her about the fire and how I thought I'd done well with all the joking that went on after. Then I told her about Wendell and how he'd been chilling, and she told me her father in law had open heart surgery 6 weeks ago, and has had the same thing! Well, now, maybe it isn't infection then.. maybe a quirk of post op recovery for open heart. She offered so much reassurance. By supper, we were laughing and giggling at silly mistakes we make when we transcribe and when we answer the phone. ("5Main- Unit specimen".. I'll never live that one down! ) JJ called shortly after supper to say all was well on the homefront, his temperature was 97 something, and that my cell phone works fine. I was happy and relieved to hear he was okay, but then , confused about the cell phone..... she said the bill was paid and service was restored. Well, what does one say but Thank You ... and then the tears start to well up..
I don't think I know anyone who has a family that is so supportive and comes together so much and so often when another member is having a hard time. It is only the hand of God who is making provision for us.
I have really experienced 'showers of blessings' yesterday. Prayer answered, Wendell is okay, the cell phone is in service, and He sent me Kelly for reassurance, and we are getting the rain we have needed. Who could ask for anything more?
Sometimes I just am so awestruck at the things that happen around me.... how God takes what I see as catastrophe and turns them into good. I can only see such a wee tiny piece of the tapestry He weaves. Sometimes I just don't understand why things happen, but I know that things are always under His control, and though I can't see it, there is purpose to it all- and He just keeps weaving.. adding new threads and removing others and making things perfect.

BEST WISHES TO KAREN

Our cousin Jeff sent an email about his wife Karen having surgery this week. She's doing fine.
Our best wishes go her way and to Jeff too.. GET BETTER SOON !!! We love you and are praying for a speedy recovery!

HEADING FOR THE WEEKEND..

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13

Good morning ! Got my coffee here and I'm reading my e-mails and decided to throw in a blog for the day.
Judging from the SIB (sacro-iliac barometer), it's going to rain within the next 24 hours. Well, we need it badly. I think we must be in drought condition - bearly any snow this winter and little rain so far. And, no, I won't be out burning any papers for a l o n g time.

Today I get to work at the hospital, and then have a weekend off. YIPPEE! With Wendell getting stronger each day and able to do more for himself, I can devote more time to cleaning up inside and outside. There is MUCH to do........ spring cleaning, you know. I'll be pitching a lot of trash we've accumulated over the winter and last fall. No garage sale stuff, but just stuff that the garbage man will be happy to receive all packaged in bags.
There is a work day at the church tomorrow too, but I'm afraid neither Wendell nor I are able to do much to be of any help this time. Perhaps the next. We are so thankful for those who CAN be of help and are willing to do the work there that needs done.

Mandy took Wendell and I out for my birthday on Wednesday evening. I was so happy to have a quiet day with no more excitement. I was a little concerned that Wendell might not be able to make the choices he needed, but he did fine- he chose fish (baked scrod) and soup and veggies. He's still learning how to choose, but I guess my concern is really needless. When you have the same foods in front of you day by day, meal by meal, it sort of soaks in, and you get the idea.. X amount of protein (meat/cheese), X amount of starch (bread/potato), X amount of fruits and veggies.. and watch the fats! Not hard. He's catching on.
And if he should botch up one meal, it'll reflect in his next blood sugar, and he'll learn by that.
The thing is that until his blood sugars are totally consistant all day long, he'll be jagging his fingers for samples 4 times a day- so it's an incentive for him to get it right.
I spent a lot of time on the phone on Wednesday.. calls from family and friends wishing me a happy and peaceful day... thanks everyone! You all made my day.

Well, my coffee cup is about empty, and there is much here to do today before I leave for the afternoon/evening.
Happy blogging everyone! Remember that God loves you all and so do I !

TOO TIRED TO BLOG TONITE

Yeah, I'm too tired to do any blogging tonite. It's been a long long day- up at 3:30am and here it is nearly 11pm and though I took a short nap when I got home today, I'm still weary.
I got flowers from the "good doctor and the singing secretarial staff " at the office. I have taken quite a beating over the fire issue on Tuesday. The doctor asked me to make a choice for lunch today- on him. I chose Pizza- I haven't had any since we started on Wendell's diet. So he suggested to one of the staff that they put a single candle on a pizza and let me blow it out. About as quickly as he said it he retracted it and decided a small flashlight would be much safer in my case.. can't have the file room going up in smoke, now, can we?
What a hoot!
All in all it was a long day, but a day I really love and enjoy.
The picture above is from Christmas.. it's the whole group. We need to do a picnic in the summer too, I think.... just no open fires please?

Well, now, for not wanting to do any blogging, I'm doing a pretty good job, eh?
Wendell had a good day today.. he tinkered with the lawn mower till Paul came and made some adjustments, and then mowed off the old asparagus so the new growth would accelerate.
Thanks Paul!

We WERE planning a trip to Wendy's the last week of May. Unfortunately, when I got my tires changed, the mechanic tried and tried to balance them, but couldn't. It's something with the tires, but he couldn't see or feel any steel belts. So we need tires. I came home this afternoon noting the price of gas too.... By Saturday it'll be $3/gal. Really tough to fill a tank just to use here in Butler, but we want to go to church on Sabbath, so I'll take what I have and fill the tank as far as I can.

Okay......enough blogging for the night. I'm weary, tired and ready for my bed.
Good night all...... pleasant dreams...... and don't forget to pray!

APRIL 20- JANE'S BIRTHDAY

Here is one more really cute one of Jane.. 13 months.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY , JANE !!!!!!!

APRIL 19 OF NOTE..

This is one of my favorite pictures. It's Wendell's brother Jim with his wife MaryLou and son Steve.
Coincidently, MaryLou and I share the same birthday today. Happy Birthday MaryLou!!!!

APRIL 20 - HAPPY BIRTHDAY JANE

I'm posting this early because I may not have the time later.
Happy birthday Janie! Here are a couple of pictures from long ago..hehehe
The first one was taken at Gramma Best's house in New Kensington.
The second one is a baby picture marked 3 1/2 mos. You sure were a cutie.

LIFE IS GRAND

"My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and give praise." Psalm 57:7

Good morning! It's Wednesday. Already I have had 2 little girls sing Happy Birthday to me!
It is just the best part of my day so far. I'm certainly looking forward to a far less exciting day today.
As you probably can imagine, I was awake during the night and staring out the kitchen window looking for any sign of fire. Satisfied there was none, I went back to bed praying there would be no cry of alarm during the rest of the night. I slept peacefully thereafter.

VNA called yesterday to affirm that Wendell didn't have to do the monitoring any more. Of course, this morning he again registered 88% for oxygen saturation, but by now you would surely think that they would understand that the readings are incorrect. I retested him after it transmitted, and it read 97%. Pretty good. We may hear from them again, but hopefully this time it will be to come to remove the monitor.
With his changes in insulin, his blood sugars are fairly stable most of the time. He'll be continuing checking 4 times a day until it evens out all day.

The sun is shining brightly this morning. All is well again. Keep praying!

APRIL 19- TURNING A PAGE

"This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:24

Well, it only seems fair that I put my own picture from years ago on the blog on my birthday. I was 3 yr old here.
We lived in Upper Burrell then.
Dad took this picture..there are many others in existance that he took and developed himself. Is it any wonder that I am the 'visual' person that I am. It's a trait I got from him.

(Note to self: have fire extinguisher in hand , pin pulled and ready when the candles are lit on my cake this year. 911 is the number to call 'just in case'.)

My hair was bright red, thus "Carrot top" and "Red" were some of the nicknames I carried throughout my childhood.
It was a lot redder in those days. No comments, please.

Nicknames were kind of interesting.. in my teen years I was referred to as "Mimm" .. and at the hospital I got dubbed "Mern" for some strange reason. I understand from Mandy that John has already started referring to me as "Blaze" ! Thanks John.. I know you read the blog.
I have to admit, the hair color and the temper seemed to go hand in hand.. though in my adult years, it doesn't show a lot or very often. We can be thankful for some things. I've mellowed.
I'm still outspoken often enough, and will state my cause when I feel strongly about an issue, but more often than not, with a gentleness rather than fury.

Please....... be patient ...... God isn't finished with me yet.
He seems to be molding me and shaping me moreso in these last few years than ever. As I read His Word and learn, I grow closer to Him and put all my trust there. In my aging, I am learning patience, love, and to be willing to give more than I receive. There is much more, and I'm thankful to know the Father loves me, cares for me, provides for me, and is always there for me.
Yep, I'm turning a page today.