Okay...I'm not awaiting autopsy, Nellie is. Who is Nellie, you ask? That would be my car. My green '05 paid-off Ford Escape. I'm a little bitter, because I just had my 60,000 mile check-up to the tune of over $400. Just wondering if they missed something at our routine check-up, or if something just quit suddenly.
I worked days yesterday in oncology clinic, got off right on time at 4:30. Headed to the bank to cash a couple of checks. Car started like a dream, no problems. Got my money and heading for Bloomington to help Steve clean out his apartment. Little Nellie decided to give up the ghost while I was pulling out of the bank lot and back onto the road. No matter how hard I tried to start her, all I got was chug-chug-chug. Some kind man pushed me into an empty lot across the street. So I was no longer blocking the road, the bank drive, and in danger of being killed. Thank God for triple A! I called, and the wrecker was there within 10 minutes. Mom had come to get me, and I thought it was gonna be longer before the wrecker got there. So I sent her to the grocery store to get her few items, then she was coming back after me. Meanwhile, the wrecker gets there, gets Nellie loaded, and his job there is finished. He wanted to know if he should take me somewhere, was I safe there? I assured him I would be fine. So I unloaded my stuff onto the grass and waited for Mom. I felt a bit like a vagrant standing there on the curb across from the bank :)I was relieved to see her coming quickly. It was unfortunate that I didn't have some cardboard. I could've made a sign asking for money, since I was directly across from the bank! Turn my little misfortune into a money making venture.
So I took Mom back home, changed clothes, picked up Kim, and we headed for Bloomington. Picked up Steve and ate at the Texas Roadhouse. Yeah buddy! Good eats. And then we proceeded to clean like a house afire for the next 2.5 hours. The place looks great and should pass his landlady's expectations. He moved out last weekend, and she was going to charge so much for every little thing left uncleaned. So he shouldn't incur extra charges, other than the ones he already knows about. So all in all, it was a full day.
Now I sit and wait on the phone call that will reveal Nellie's fate. I surely hope it's something simple and relatively inexpensive. Whatever it is, I'm sure to have to move money out of my savings account and into checking. I doubt the approx. $40 bucks in my checking is going to cover it, and I don't get paid again until Thursday :) And so life goes on. Just wanted to give my faithful few readers a tiny tidbit to chew on :)
Later....
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Monday, June 16, 2008
Yep, I'm still here....
Hello, hello. Now don't get your hopes up for a big newsy blog....I hate to say "I'm busy," but I AM!!!! This is merely to appease those of you who have gently reminded me that my blog is sadly lacking(you know who you are...lurkers included.) Therefore, it is with great joy that I make the following announcement: I am still in the land of the living! Yes, indeed, my friends, still alive and kickin'.
Now you may ask what could possibly keep a single person so busy? I'm glad you asked :) Right now, I am heavily saturated with wedding music, wedding music, and more wedding music. One of my bestest friends, Heidi, is getting married Saturday, and yours truly is playing for the wedding. So I went through the wildness of end of school activities...recital, graduation, awards night, grades, etc, to immediately immerse myself in wedding music. Hopefully, after Saturday, things will not be quite as crazy. Although I will have preparations to make for the coming school year. Sigh...it seems the busyness never ends. If you think of me, I would SO appreciate prayer for the wedding Saturday. I really want to do a good job, and help make Heidi's day extra-special. Thanks a bunch!
Oh...I might just do one catch- up thing. Some of you are aware that I attended a Booth Brothers concert in April. Wow!!!! That sums it up best, just Wow! If you get a chance to see them in person, do not delay in purchasing your ticket. It WILL be worth it, I promise! I could listen to them everyday...sometimes I do :) The music was lively, uplifting, but spiritual. God's presence settled down on the place in a beautiful way, and I felt conviction, encouragement, hope for the future, etc. I was moved to tears at one point, when Michael Booth was talking about trusting the very heart of God. I left inspired to live closer to God. Oh, and btw, I also got autographs from all 3 fellas :) That was very happy. The only downer was that I forgot my camera :( Anyway, if you haven't experienced the Booth Brothers, you should go to www.boothbrothers.com. And you should go there now....
G'night :)
Now you may ask what could possibly keep a single person so busy? I'm glad you asked :) Right now, I am heavily saturated with wedding music, wedding music, and more wedding music. One of my bestest friends, Heidi, is getting married Saturday, and yours truly is playing for the wedding. So I went through the wildness of end of school activities...recital, graduation, awards night, grades, etc, to immediately immerse myself in wedding music. Hopefully, after Saturday, things will not be quite as crazy. Although I will have preparations to make for the coming school year. Sigh...it seems the busyness never ends. If you think of me, I would SO appreciate prayer for the wedding Saturday. I really want to do a good job, and help make Heidi's day extra-special. Thanks a bunch!
Oh...I might just do one catch- up thing. Some of you are aware that I attended a Booth Brothers concert in April. Wow!!!! That sums it up best, just Wow! If you get a chance to see them in person, do not delay in purchasing your ticket. It WILL be worth it, I promise! I could listen to them everyday...sometimes I do :) The music was lively, uplifting, but spiritual. God's presence settled down on the place in a beautiful way, and I felt conviction, encouragement, hope for the future, etc. I was moved to tears at one point, when Michael Booth was talking about trusting the very heart of God. I left inspired to live closer to God. Oh, and btw, I also got autographs from all 3 fellas :) That was very happy. The only downer was that I forgot my camera :( Anyway, if you haven't experienced the Booth Brothers, you should go to www.boothbrothers.com. And you should go there now....
G'night :)
Friday, May 23, 2008
Not exactly a princess...
Okay, people. This will NOT be the long update/newsletter that you have become accustomed to. No my friend, this is just a brief note to let you know about my evening. The newsy update must come at another time, as it is nearly 1am, and I need to arise around 6am! Yikes!!!!! Anyway...my Dad and my brother are sharing a roto-tiller, and hauling it back and forth between places. Cheaper that way. I decided that I wanted a garden this year, but am just not strong enough to till myself. I'm glad to help, I rake, break up clumps of dirt, hoe, etc., but I just can't push that tiller! So on Wednesday, I went to Dave's house, we loaded the tiller in his truck, and he came over and tilled for me! Bless the boy! I have the bestest brother in the entire world, and just don't even argue with me about that. You will not win. I finished planting around 9pm..what a day! So Dave is putting in his garden tomorrow, and needed the tiller back. He didn't have time to get it Wednesday, as he had to present an award in Mitchell at 7pm. So after our school awards night, he came over, and together we loaded it in the rain. Since it's nasty and sloppy tonight, we changed clothes prior to the loading process. So here is my outfit:a skirt out of the hamper that I mowed grass in earlier in the week(it is now covered in mud,) a shirt that has a spot on it and is now wet with rain water, my dad's old ball hat( to try to keep the rain out of my face....) Do you get the picture? No, I will NOT be posting a picture, but lets just say that I am a sight for sore eyes :) Driving my brother's big truck brings out the tomboy in me, I guess. Those of you who know that I have a bit of a prissy side to me should be laughing right now! The only thing that would've made it better is country music blaring. Instead, I had a little Karen Carpenter sing-along, since that's what was in his CD player! We keep having to switch vehicles,'cause we're finishing cleaning out my grandma's house in Indy tomorrow, and we need his truck for hauling.
Okay, if any of you need any fashion tips, just be sure and ask. And if you want to see my current get-up, make sure you come late on a rainy night, and ask me to help you load/haul heavy equipment :) Yeehawwwwww!!!!!! G'night :)
Okay, if any of you need any fashion tips, just be sure and ask. And if you want to see my current get-up, make sure you come late on a rainy night, and ask me to help you load/haul heavy equipment :) Yeehawwwwww!!!!!! G'night :)
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
The wearer of many hats...
Okay. Here I am, at least briefly :) I have been gently reminded by several fellow bloggers/lurkers(you know who you are) that I am WAY behind on blogging. It's true. I'm guilty. So tonight I stayed home from prayer meeting to blog. There. You happy now? haha....just kidding about WHY I stayed home from church. My grandma had a procedure today, and was still pretty tipsy. Someone needed to stay home with her, and I was glad to do it.
This will be a blog sans pictures...sorry to all you folks who like the pictures! I just don't have the energy right now to download pictures off my camera, and then search for just the right one to satisfy you, my readers. But I did decide to post a brief update on life as I know it.
My sister, Diane, had her 4th surgery on 2/27, and seems to be doing well. The surgeon said he wouldn't know until early summer if it was going to heal okay. She now has 2 plates in her arm, as well as part synthetic/part donor bone grafting material. She has been going to Occupational Therapy for a couple of weeks, and is even driving again! Yay! She still has to be very careful, and is not allowed to lift anything heavier than a telephone receiver. That's pretty challenging when you have small children to deal with, hot meals to take out of the oven, etc. But she is managing well, and is in pretty good spirits. She has so many sets of exercises she has to perform daily, and wears a bone stimulator so many hours. You can sometimes see her walking around church with a small machine attached to her arm. I tell her she's very cool :) She also has a special made gadget(for lack of a better word) that is helping her learn to lift her hand up again, like to wave at people. She currently can't do that. So overall, things are good in that department. She stayed with us for 2 weeks, and it was nice to have her and the boys here.
As for me...well, I'm busy. I keep telling you people that! Honestly... :) Here is what my current schedule looks like. Sunday: Play for 2 services, accompany whoever may need to sing, including extra practice with them, etc. Monday: Work 8-12noon in Cardiac Rehab, then drive 25 miles to Shoals to teach 11 piano lessons. I am hoping to get off the am shift as soon as I'm completely done with my orientation in that department. Tuesday: teach band, junior high chimes, 5th and 6th grade, 3rd and 4th grade music, go to Curves, etc. Wednesday: teach high school chimes( I was grumpy with them today)and then teach 12 piano lessons( I have 2 students that flip-flop every other Wednesday, making my grand total each Wed 12). Then I have either prayer meeting or youth meeting that evening. On Thursday, I teach band, honor chimes, 1st grade, and 2nd grade music, and then one piano lesson, go to Curves, etc. On Friday, I work Cardiac Rehab 8-5:30pm, and then the family comes over for the evening. On Satuday, I get up earlier than I want in order to make it to Curves, go to the grocery store, shower my grandmother, set up her meds for the next week, and then try to get caught up on laundry, cleaning, etc. I also like this day to do something with friends. Yes, I am the wearer of many different hats. But I am enjoying life. I never dreamed that I would love teaching like I do, even though I was grouchy with HS chimes today. Well, seriously people, we are less than 1 month from the Recital. We meet once a week, and they were just playing around today. We had 2-3 people absent, so I filled on one part, and had to move a couple people to semi-cover the bases. What aggravated me was that not only could they not read music, they couldn't seem to count today. I had to stop them over and over, and make substitutions until I found someone who could get it right. Even a couple of the students commented today "Wow, people, where is the melody?" Well, I'll tell you where it wasn't...it wasn't being played. So I'm afraid they got more than they bargained for from this spinster school marm :) They took it well, and were playing better by the end of class. Tough love and all that stuff you know. But overall, the teaching is wonderful. And I enjoy the variety in my life. I am learning a new job, Cardiac Rehab, and it is going to work out really well for me. I will be working every Friday, which is a plus when you need a consistent paycheck :) So that was a real answer to prayer. It is fairly fast-paced, but not real stressful. Most of my patients are really nice, though there is an old geezer or two who enjoy hitting on me. If I can just learn to not let them get on my nerves, and handle them gracefully, I'll be okay. One guy was telling me that I was probably looking for a "sugar daddy" like him...uhhh...I think not. He's in his 80's and married. So pray for me that God will give me wisdom in that regard. I guess that's one difficult thing about being single. Sometimes you get some very unwelcome attention, and you can't exactly say " Bug off, I'm married." And of course the attention you would welcome, you seldom get. Go figure :) Anyway....overall, life is very good.
I have been having a great time with some friends/relatives. Steve, Mark B., Kristin, Randy, and I have been playing some Rook, and some of our games have lasted late into the night. Man it's fun, though! Even if some of the aforementioned are dreadful losers :) You know who you are. On Friday this week, several friends/family are going to a Booth Brothers concert! Yeah!!!! I can't wait. I am actually going to get off work early so we can head for the Indianapolis area. I'll have to let you know how it goes.
As for Snickers, he is cuter than ever. He is continuing to adjust to our home very well, and has learned to sit, lay down, stay, watch me, touch my hand, and we're currently working on "drop it." Also, when I put him to bed, he takes a treat from my hand, I say goodnight, and he goes into his crate. It's the cutest thing in the world, I promise! He goes for a little trim tomorrow, so I'll have to post more pictures soon. He's my little baby cuddle-bug! I'm going to miss him like crazy when we're gone for IHC next week, but my great aunt Marjorie is going to keep him for us. She's crazy about him too.
Well, in closing, the Lord is really working in my life, and in the lives of several of my family members. It's so good to have peace in my heart, knowing that I'm doing what He wants for this season of my life. Who knows what tomorrow will hold, but for right now, I'm right where He wants me. That is an awesome feeling, believe me! I'm slowly working my way through Beth Moore's Bible Study, "90 Days with Jesus, the One and Only." There is some great stuff in that book, and it's taking me alot longer than 90 days to get it done. But I am mining some wonderful truths from His word.
Well, my brother and family are here, so I gotta go. Want to tell them hello, and hug my babies. So until a later time....I bid you goodnight!
This will be a blog sans pictures...sorry to all you folks who like the pictures! I just don't have the energy right now to download pictures off my camera, and then search for just the right one to satisfy you, my readers. But I did decide to post a brief update on life as I know it.
My sister, Diane, had her 4th surgery on 2/27, and seems to be doing well. The surgeon said he wouldn't know until early summer if it was going to heal okay. She now has 2 plates in her arm, as well as part synthetic/part donor bone grafting material. She has been going to Occupational Therapy for a couple of weeks, and is even driving again! Yay! She still has to be very careful, and is not allowed to lift anything heavier than a telephone receiver. That's pretty challenging when you have small children to deal with, hot meals to take out of the oven, etc. But she is managing well, and is in pretty good spirits. She has so many sets of exercises she has to perform daily, and wears a bone stimulator so many hours. You can sometimes see her walking around church with a small machine attached to her arm. I tell her she's very cool :) She also has a special made gadget(for lack of a better word) that is helping her learn to lift her hand up again, like to wave at people. She currently can't do that. So overall, things are good in that department. She stayed with us for 2 weeks, and it was nice to have her and the boys here.
As for me...well, I'm busy. I keep telling you people that! Honestly... :) Here is what my current schedule looks like. Sunday: Play for 2 services, accompany whoever may need to sing, including extra practice with them, etc. Monday: Work 8-12noon in Cardiac Rehab, then drive 25 miles to Shoals to teach 11 piano lessons. I am hoping to get off the am shift as soon as I'm completely done with my orientation in that department. Tuesday: teach band, junior high chimes, 5th and 6th grade, 3rd and 4th grade music, go to Curves, etc. Wednesday: teach high school chimes( I was grumpy with them today)and then teach 12 piano lessons( I have 2 students that flip-flop every other Wednesday, making my grand total each Wed 12). Then I have either prayer meeting or youth meeting that evening. On Thursday, I teach band, honor chimes, 1st grade, and 2nd grade music, and then one piano lesson, go to Curves, etc. On Friday, I work Cardiac Rehab 8-5:30pm, and then the family comes over for the evening. On Satuday, I get up earlier than I want in order to make it to Curves, go to the grocery store, shower my grandmother, set up her meds for the next week, and then try to get caught up on laundry, cleaning, etc. I also like this day to do something with friends. Yes, I am the wearer of many different hats. But I am enjoying life. I never dreamed that I would love teaching like I do, even though I was grouchy with HS chimes today. Well, seriously people, we are less than 1 month from the Recital. We meet once a week, and they were just playing around today. We had 2-3 people absent, so I filled on one part, and had to move a couple people to semi-cover the bases. What aggravated me was that not only could they not read music, they couldn't seem to count today. I had to stop them over and over, and make substitutions until I found someone who could get it right. Even a couple of the students commented today "Wow, people, where is the melody?" Well, I'll tell you where it wasn't...it wasn't being played. So I'm afraid they got more than they bargained for from this spinster school marm :) They took it well, and were playing better by the end of class. Tough love and all that stuff you know. But overall, the teaching is wonderful. And I enjoy the variety in my life. I am learning a new job, Cardiac Rehab, and it is going to work out really well for me. I will be working every Friday, which is a plus when you need a consistent paycheck :) So that was a real answer to prayer. It is fairly fast-paced, but not real stressful. Most of my patients are really nice, though there is an old geezer or two who enjoy hitting on me. If I can just learn to not let them get on my nerves, and handle them gracefully, I'll be okay. One guy was telling me that I was probably looking for a "sugar daddy" like him...uhhh...I think not. He's in his 80's and married. So pray for me that God will give me wisdom in that regard. I guess that's one difficult thing about being single. Sometimes you get some very unwelcome attention, and you can't exactly say " Bug off, I'm married." And of course the attention you would welcome, you seldom get. Go figure :) Anyway....overall, life is very good.
I have been having a great time with some friends/relatives. Steve, Mark B., Kristin, Randy, and I have been playing some Rook, and some of our games have lasted late into the night. Man it's fun, though! Even if some of the aforementioned are dreadful losers :) You know who you are. On Friday this week, several friends/family are going to a Booth Brothers concert! Yeah!!!! I can't wait. I am actually going to get off work early so we can head for the Indianapolis area. I'll have to let you know how it goes.
As for Snickers, he is cuter than ever. He is continuing to adjust to our home very well, and has learned to sit, lay down, stay, watch me, touch my hand, and we're currently working on "drop it." Also, when I put him to bed, he takes a treat from my hand, I say goodnight, and he goes into his crate. It's the cutest thing in the world, I promise! He goes for a little trim tomorrow, so I'll have to post more pictures soon. He's my little baby cuddle-bug! I'm going to miss him like crazy when we're gone for IHC next week, but my great aunt Marjorie is going to keep him for us. She's crazy about him too.
Well, in closing, the Lord is really working in my life, and in the lives of several of my family members. It's so good to have peace in my heart, knowing that I'm doing what He wants for this season of my life. Who knows what tomorrow will hold, but for right now, I'm right where He wants me. That is an awesome feeling, believe me! I'm slowly working my way through Beth Moore's Bible Study, "90 Days with Jesus, the One and Only." There is some great stuff in that book, and it's taking me alot longer than 90 days to get it done. But I am mining some wonderful truths from His word.
Well, my brother and family are here, so I gotta go. Want to tell them hello, and hug my babies. So until a later time....I bid you goodnight!
Friday, February 22, 2008
Change is in the wind...
Hi, folks. Sorry again about the long delay in communication. I've had a few changes take place in my life recently, so I am going to attempt to share some of them with you. And no, Bro. Hight, it doesn't have anything to do with Florida, though I wouldn't mind that right now! Last night, we had another ice storm, and more freezing rain, wintry mix today. I was supposed to work today in home care, but they called us off due to weather conditions. So I got to go back to bed and be lazy! Yay!
Okay...back to what I need to say. As of today, I am no longer a home care nurse. Today was supposed to be my last day. I will have to return stuff next week, due to the icy conditions today. No, I did not get fired, I quit. I found out on 1/31, that HHC was being sold off to a large corporation. We were already affiliated with the larger corporation due to a merger several years ago. But we would no longer be associated with the small hospital that I have been a part of for over 10 years now. Well, that did not set well with me. In addition to losing my seniority, and my foot in the door at the hospital, we would be going back to paper charting for 6 months, then returning to learn a new computer system. Well, that was all too much for this gal to handle, so after a week of prayer and thinking, I turned in a 2 week notice. There were other factors involved as well, but I think that's all that needs to be said right now. I will say that when I made my decision, a peace just washed over me, and I knew that it was going to be okay. I will be returning to the hospital, effective Monday 2/25, to work prn. There are pros and cons to working prn. One of the big cons for me is losing my health insurance. I am hoping to be able to make enough that I can afford some basic insurance. There seem to be more pros than cons however. I will be able to decide when I want to work, though my need for money will dictate that somewhat :) I will also be able to pick up more hours teaching at the school, which I am very excited about. The tentative plan is for me to teach 2 days per week in general music, etc, teach piano 2 days per week, and work 1-2 shifts at the hospital. I don't know exactly what areas I will be working in yet. Probably some ICU, house supervision, and possibly some cardiac rehab and outpatient surgery. I will be able to pick up more hours in the summer months, and on school vacations. I will appreciate prayer as I make the transition. I go for my computer training on Monday, and then will do some re-orientation later in the week.
On February 2nd, our church youth group attended a lock-in held in Shoals, Indiana. I got to go along as one of the leaders of the youth group. We had a great time, and got to get reacquainted with some old friends. Out of this, I had an answer to prayer which will help me financially. Several ladies approached me about teaching piano to their children. I originally thought that it wouldn't be possible, as my piano day in Bedford is totally full. But then I had an idea, and to be honest, I think God put it there. It came to me that there wasn't any reason why I couldn't travel to Shoals to teach one day a week if there was enough interest. Well, I later contacted a friend and then the pastor's wife. And they have 12 students for me! So every Monday afternoon/evening, I will spend in Shoals teaching piano! God is so good to take care of us!! I will continue my Bedford lessons on Wednesdays, and I think I will have 13 here for right now. Anyway, it will be a very nice supplementation to my income, and I will be able to help the folks in Shoals at the same time! Very happy. I believe I start there on March 3rd.
Well, I have had another very big change in my life. On Feb. 11th, we had to put our dog Winkie to sleep. We had prayed about it for quite some time, asking God to just take him in his sleep. Well, that didn't happen, and I was frustrated, and even a little angry about it.I kept saying "God, the Bible says you care about the sparrows. We really need you to answer prayer for this little dog." I didn't see how we would ever get through putting him down. We got Winkie when he was 3 months old, and he was nearly 15 and a half. He has been a part of our family, and was happy to be with us as much as possible. Well, that last weekend was very bad. He had been feeble for maybe 4-5 months, would sometimes get down and then couldn't get back up. The last weekend of his life, he was down more than he was up. He was starting to get sores on him from where he would try to get up, and had to be held up to go to the bathroom. Poor Mom was up with him about every hour through the night, and we knew it wasn't fair to him to let him continue like that. He had slept in Mom's room for years, and was really more her dog than mine, since I was at work a lot. Needless to say, it was very hard on our whole family. I was already crying when I called the vet to make the appointment. But the vet was very compassionate, and they let us stay with him the whole time, and also let us bring him home to be buried. Several times during that day, I prayed that Winkie wouldn't be afraid, and that he would go peacefully. And God answered that prayer! He was usually terrified of going to the vet, would start shaking on the way there, would bury his head in my chest during his exams, etc. He was NEVER calm that I can remember. But that day, he was super calm, no shaking, no anxiety. And it was over in seconds. He never did act the least bit upset, and Mom and I stayed with him, talking to him and stroking him. He went very peacefully. And I will say that God helped us so much that day. We had several family members and close friends praying for us. We brought him home, and buried him that evening when Dad got in from work. The ground was frozen, so I wasn't able to make too much of a dent in it without his help. But we were able to dig the grave together, and buried him with his 2 favorite toys. I know that sounds really sentimental, but I don't really care. If you must know, I just had to go get a Kleenex just writing about this! It was spitting snow and sleet by the time we got him buried, and poor Dad fell trying to cross back over the creekbed behind our house. He didn't see the patches of ice on that stone. Fortunately, he didn't break anything, but was plenty sore for a few days. Here is a picture of Winkie in happier days, Christmas 2006, when he sneaked under the tree and opened his present without our knowledge :)
After moping around for a few days, we realized just how empty our house seemed. We were looking for Winkie everywhere. Every time we got out of a chair, or came into the house, we expected to see him. So this past Saturday, Feb. 16th, we drove to Daleville, near Anderson, Indiana, and picked up a new Yorkie puppy! We've had him almost a week, and he is rotten already. He turned 3 months on 2/20, and weighs somewhere around 3 pounds. He is completely adorable, and is in fact, asleep in my lap right now. He has adapted very quickly, and wants to be with us constantly. I tried to put him down for a nap in his crate earlier, but since I wasn't in there with him, he cried until I thought he would get sick. He is very smart, and is already doing well with 3 commands. He also knows that when he hears the icemaker on the fridge door, he will probably get some small pieces of ice that fall. He runs to the fridge everytime somebody gets a drink :) His name is Snickers, after the candy bar. We haven't sent in his papers yet, but it will probably officially be Matlock's Little Sir Snickers :) We pondered his name for several days, and decided we liked that the best. Other choices were Jackson, after Thomas Jackson, and Little Sir Winston, after Winston Churchhill. But we just couldn't fathom calling him Winston or Winnie, so Snickers he became. I haven't been able to get great pics of him yet, as he runs at the camera every time he sees it. These are mostly taken looking down at him. Enjoy!
As you can see, he is a big hit with the kiddos! In fact, Jared told me Wednesday that he wished he could come to our house every day to see puppy :) We have to protect Snickers from them a little. They try to be gentle, but he is so tiny, and tires easily still. He is very playful, very affectionate, and we are all completely smitten! Even my father, who stopped at a pet store yesterday just to get him a chew bone. My brother-in-law says Snickers doesn't know how lucky he is :) I'm sure you will hear more about him later.
Another change for me is that in January, I joined Curves. I love it! I go 3 times per week to exercise, plus sometimes I use the treadmill here at home too. I got weighed and measured after 3 weeks, and I had lost 2 pounds of body fat, and 3.25 inches! Yay for me! I hope to have more positive things to report in that department soon.
Well, I should go for now. Thanks to those of you who have been praying for me! My brothers family should be here soon, to celebrate our weekly "We're happy it's Friday" night :) My sister and her family are staying in this weekend, as they hope to avoid the flu that seems to be going around. Diane is scheduled for surgery on Wednesday, to hopefully finally correct that arm. Please continue to remember her in your prayers.
Have a great weekend!
Okay...back to what I need to say. As of today, I am no longer a home care nurse. Today was supposed to be my last day. I will have to return stuff next week, due to the icy conditions today. No, I did not get fired, I quit. I found out on 1/31, that HHC was being sold off to a large corporation. We were already affiliated with the larger corporation due to a merger several years ago. But we would no longer be associated with the small hospital that I have been a part of for over 10 years now. Well, that did not set well with me. In addition to losing my seniority, and my foot in the door at the hospital, we would be going back to paper charting for 6 months, then returning to learn a new computer system. Well, that was all too much for this gal to handle, so after a week of prayer and thinking, I turned in a 2 week notice. There were other factors involved as well, but I think that's all that needs to be said right now. I will say that when I made my decision, a peace just washed over me, and I knew that it was going to be okay. I will be returning to the hospital, effective Monday 2/25, to work prn. There are pros and cons to working prn. One of the big cons for me is losing my health insurance. I am hoping to be able to make enough that I can afford some basic insurance. There seem to be more pros than cons however. I will be able to decide when I want to work, though my need for money will dictate that somewhat :) I will also be able to pick up more hours teaching at the school, which I am very excited about. The tentative plan is for me to teach 2 days per week in general music, etc, teach piano 2 days per week, and work 1-2 shifts at the hospital. I don't know exactly what areas I will be working in yet. Probably some ICU, house supervision, and possibly some cardiac rehab and outpatient surgery. I will be able to pick up more hours in the summer months, and on school vacations. I will appreciate prayer as I make the transition. I go for my computer training on Monday, and then will do some re-orientation later in the week.
On February 2nd, our church youth group attended a lock-in held in Shoals, Indiana. I got to go along as one of the leaders of the youth group. We had a great time, and got to get reacquainted with some old friends. Out of this, I had an answer to prayer which will help me financially. Several ladies approached me about teaching piano to their children. I originally thought that it wouldn't be possible, as my piano day in Bedford is totally full. But then I had an idea, and to be honest, I think God put it there. It came to me that there wasn't any reason why I couldn't travel to Shoals to teach one day a week if there was enough interest. Well, I later contacted a friend and then the pastor's wife. And they have 12 students for me! So every Monday afternoon/evening, I will spend in Shoals teaching piano! God is so good to take care of us!! I will continue my Bedford lessons on Wednesdays, and I think I will have 13 here for right now. Anyway, it will be a very nice supplementation to my income, and I will be able to help the folks in Shoals at the same time! Very happy. I believe I start there on March 3rd.
Well, I have had another very big change in my life. On Feb. 11th, we had to put our dog Winkie to sleep. We had prayed about it for quite some time, asking God to just take him in his sleep. Well, that didn't happen, and I was frustrated, and even a little angry about it.I kept saying "God, the Bible says you care about the sparrows. We really need you to answer prayer for this little dog." I didn't see how we would ever get through putting him down. We got Winkie when he was 3 months old, and he was nearly 15 and a half. He has been a part of our family, and was happy to be with us as much as possible. Well, that last weekend was very bad. He had been feeble for maybe 4-5 months, would sometimes get down and then couldn't get back up. The last weekend of his life, he was down more than he was up. He was starting to get sores on him from where he would try to get up, and had to be held up to go to the bathroom. Poor Mom was up with him about every hour through the night, and we knew it wasn't fair to him to let him continue like that. He had slept in Mom's room for years, and was really more her dog than mine, since I was at work a lot. Needless to say, it was very hard on our whole family. I was already crying when I called the vet to make the appointment. But the vet was very compassionate, and they let us stay with him the whole time, and also let us bring him home to be buried. Several times during that day, I prayed that Winkie wouldn't be afraid, and that he would go peacefully. And God answered that prayer! He was usually terrified of going to the vet, would start shaking on the way there, would bury his head in my chest during his exams, etc. He was NEVER calm that I can remember. But that day, he was super calm, no shaking, no anxiety. And it was over in seconds. He never did act the least bit upset, and Mom and I stayed with him, talking to him and stroking him. He went very peacefully. And I will say that God helped us so much that day. We had several family members and close friends praying for us. We brought him home, and buried him that evening when Dad got in from work. The ground was frozen, so I wasn't able to make too much of a dent in it without his help. But we were able to dig the grave together, and buried him with his 2 favorite toys. I know that sounds really sentimental, but I don't really care. If you must know, I just had to go get a Kleenex just writing about this! It was spitting snow and sleet by the time we got him buried, and poor Dad fell trying to cross back over the creekbed behind our house. He didn't see the patches of ice on that stone. Fortunately, he didn't break anything, but was plenty sore for a few days. Here is a picture of Winkie in happier days, Christmas 2006, when he sneaked under the tree and opened his present without our knowledge :)
After moping around for a few days, we realized just how empty our house seemed. We were looking for Winkie everywhere. Every time we got out of a chair, or came into the house, we expected to see him. So this past Saturday, Feb. 16th, we drove to Daleville, near Anderson, Indiana, and picked up a new Yorkie puppy! We've had him almost a week, and he is rotten already. He turned 3 months on 2/20, and weighs somewhere around 3 pounds. He is completely adorable, and is in fact, asleep in my lap right now. He has adapted very quickly, and wants to be with us constantly. I tried to put him down for a nap in his crate earlier, but since I wasn't in there with him, he cried until I thought he would get sick. He is very smart, and is already doing well with 3 commands. He also knows that when he hears the icemaker on the fridge door, he will probably get some small pieces of ice that fall. He runs to the fridge everytime somebody gets a drink :) His name is Snickers, after the candy bar. We haven't sent in his papers yet, but it will probably officially be Matlock's Little Sir Snickers :) We pondered his name for several days, and decided we liked that the best. Other choices were Jackson, after Thomas Jackson, and Little Sir Winston, after Winston Churchhill. But we just couldn't fathom calling him Winston or Winnie, so Snickers he became. I haven't been able to get great pics of him yet, as he runs at the camera every time he sees it. These are mostly taken looking down at him. Enjoy!
As you can see, he is a big hit with the kiddos! In fact, Jared told me Wednesday that he wished he could come to our house every day to see puppy :) We have to protect Snickers from them a little. They try to be gentle, but he is so tiny, and tires easily still. He is very playful, very affectionate, and we are all completely smitten! Even my father, who stopped at a pet store yesterday just to get him a chew bone. My brother-in-law says Snickers doesn't know how lucky he is :) I'm sure you will hear more about him later.
Another change for me is that in January, I joined Curves. I love it! I go 3 times per week to exercise, plus sometimes I use the treadmill here at home too. I got weighed and measured after 3 weeks, and I had lost 2 pounds of body fat, and 3.25 inches! Yay for me! I hope to have more positive things to report in that department soon.
Well, I should go for now. Thanks to those of you who have been praying for me! My brothers family should be here soon, to celebrate our weekly "We're happy it's Friday" night :) My sister and her family are staying in this weekend, as they hope to avoid the flu that seems to be going around. Diane is scheduled for surgery on Wednesday, to hopefully finally correct that arm. Please continue to remember her in your prayers.
Have a great weekend!
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Excuses, more excuses....
Hello, folks.
I feel compelled just to offer a few words here, very few as it is late. I fully intended to catch up on my blogging today, but have spent the day doing lesson plans and cleaning instead. So, such is life, first things first and all that. As I told a friend this week, it seems that my blog is more of a monthly newsletter, rather than a true blog. But it could be worse. I could be writing a yearly Christmas epistle instead :) So let us at least be thankful that we don't have to wait THAT long between installments! Ha...I promise that I will catch you up on all the nosy news very soon!
I would like to ask that you pray for me in a certain area of my life. I once again am faced with some pretty major decisions/changes, and some of you know what a state that puts me in sometimes. I can't really say much at this point, but stay tuned for further details. In the meantime, please remember me in prayer, that God will give me wisdom, and that I will be sensitive to His leadership. Thanks so much!
See you soon....
I feel compelled just to offer a few words here, very few as it is late. I fully intended to catch up on my blogging today, but have spent the day doing lesson plans and cleaning instead. So, such is life, first things first and all that. As I told a friend this week, it seems that my blog is more of a monthly newsletter, rather than a true blog. But it could be worse. I could be writing a yearly Christmas epistle instead :) So let us at least be thankful that we don't have to wait THAT long between installments! Ha...I promise that I will catch you up on all the nosy news very soon!
I would like to ask that you pray for me in a certain area of my life. I once again am faced with some pretty major decisions/changes, and some of you know what a state that puts me in sometimes. I can't really say much at this point, but stay tuned for further details. In the meantime, please remember me in prayer, that God will give me wisdom, and that I will be sensitive to His leadership. Thanks so much!
See you soon....
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Christmas memories
Hello, all you fellow-bloggers/lurkers :) Just thought I'd post a few pics of Christmas this year, and also wish you a Happy New Year! Yay for 2008!!!!
First, I wanted to post a picture of our church choir during the cantata. We were 3 down from illness, but they
did really well anyway!
On December 22nd, we had our immediate family Christmas. We had so much fun...always great to be together. I thought I'd post a picture of me in front of the tree prior to the kids arrival, and a few pictures of "Auntie's little angels."
As you can see, Janae enjoyed her dress-up Boyd's bear! They were so cute, and enjoyed their Christmas so much. They sure make it a lot more fun, and a lot more chaotic :) But that's okay. They're only little for a short while, and I'm already dreading the day when they're not little anymore...I enjoy cuddling with them. Before I get too sad just thinking about it, I'll move on.
On December 24th, we celebrated my Grandmother's 83rd birthday by going out to eat. We then watched some old family movies. My dad had my grandmother's old films put on DVD as part of her Christmas. We got to see moving pics of my Dad when he was a little shaver, and then there was me and the sibs. Oh boy. Some of those pics are priceless! Some are adorable, and others(teen years) are geeksville USA :) Nana's reel projector has been broken for years, so we hadn't viewed this stuff in forever. It made for a very enjoyable evening...and we've still got more funnies coming! On the 24th, Mom and I also spent some time cooking/baking. I love baking, but seldom do it. 1) I don't have a lot of time, 2) I'm always on a diet....oh well. I made a red velvet/french vanilla checkerboard cake. If I do say so myself, it was very yummy! And pretty.
On the 25th, we hosted both sides of the family. Everyone was there, except for 2 of my cousins and their families. Mom fixed the turkey and trimmings, and then everyone brought in at least 1-2 covered dishes. Aunt Carolyn thought she was helping to feed and army, so brought TONS of food! It was unbelieveable! We didn't even have room to set it all out, and had to use the washer and dryer tops for dessert! But wow, we had a great time eating :) We had 29 people at our house Christmas day...and that's the way I like it! Loud, chaotic, kids everywhere... After our dinner, the younger generation( I like to include myself here) sat around and played games for hours! It was only interrupted for more eating. And I must report that some of us played until 2:30am! It was a blast, and I wish we could be that carefree more often! Here are a few pics from Christmas day.
As you can see, "Baby Snooks" as we call Janae, was feeling cuddly. She had gotten a new nightie that matched a nightie for her baby doll. She wanted to put it on all day :) The above picture is of an eskimo kiss we shared...such a sweetheart! It was a wonderful day!
Since then, Patrick turned 2 on December 27th, and we celebrated with him on the 29th. We also went to Schnitzelbank in Jasper, a lovely German restaurant, to celebrate my brother and sister's birthdays(January 5th.) We had to celebrate their birthdays early, as Diane is having surgery on her arm again on January 3rd. Please pray for her! This will be the 3rd surgery, and she is supposed to be in the hospital a couple of days. The surgeon is optimistic, and we're thankful for that. He is planning to take bone out of her hip and put it in her arm, in the hopes of stimulating bone growth. He will also be putting in plates. If you think of her, please do pray that God will guide the surgeon as he works on Diane's arm.
Okay, gonna post a picture of Patrick's party. Keep in mind that this little hoss is just 2, and weighs about 40 pounds! What a cute little chunk he is, though!
Okay, think that's all the pictures I'm gonna post for now. I didn't do much celebrating of New Years Eve, as I was on call, as was my brother. I did stay up late, watched more family movies, and listened to Dad blow his Shofar at midnight :) He will love that I posted that on the net...haha! Some traditions just keep going on. Today, it's cold and snowing, so I've stayed indoors. I have exercised, eaten healthy, read, and surfed around on the internet. Not real exciting, but my brother and his family are coming over later to eat and play some games. So it should be a fun evening. btw, the diet is going well. It resumed on December 26th, after a day of serious gluttony! I have been very good MOST of the time since then, and have even been doing some exercising. And I'm pondering whether or not to join a gym. Dad and Mom got themselves a treadmill for Christmas, plus we have a bike, not to mention aerobics videos. I don't have trouble exercising in the summer, as I love walking. But winter takes alot more discipline for me. So...I guess that's that for now!
Happy 2008! I'm not really into posting resolutions, but I do have definite things I want to accomplish this year. Most of all, I desire to draw closer to my Lord, and to do/say the things that He wants me to do. I want the desires of my heart to be placed there by Him, to completely match what He has for me. May God bless you this year!
First, I wanted to post a picture of our church choir during the cantata. We were 3 down from illness, but they
did really well anyway!
On December 22nd, we had our immediate family Christmas. We had so much fun...always great to be together. I thought I'd post a picture of me in front of the tree prior to the kids arrival, and a few pictures of "Auntie's little angels."
As you can see, Janae enjoyed her dress-up Boyd's bear! They were so cute, and enjoyed their Christmas so much. They sure make it a lot more fun, and a lot more chaotic :) But that's okay. They're only little for a short while, and I'm already dreading the day when they're not little anymore...I enjoy cuddling with them. Before I get too sad just thinking about it, I'll move on.
On December 24th, we celebrated my Grandmother's 83rd birthday by going out to eat. We then watched some old family movies. My dad had my grandmother's old films put on DVD as part of her Christmas. We got to see moving pics of my Dad when he was a little shaver, and then there was me and the sibs. Oh boy. Some of those pics are priceless! Some are adorable, and others(teen years) are geeksville USA :) Nana's reel projector has been broken for years, so we hadn't viewed this stuff in forever. It made for a very enjoyable evening...and we've still got more funnies coming! On the 24th, Mom and I also spent some time cooking/baking. I love baking, but seldom do it. 1) I don't have a lot of time, 2) I'm always on a diet....oh well. I made a red velvet/french vanilla checkerboard cake. If I do say so myself, it was very yummy! And pretty.
On the 25th, we hosted both sides of the family. Everyone was there, except for 2 of my cousins and their families. Mom fixed the turkey and trimmings, and then everyone brought in at least 1-2 covered dishes. Aunt Carolyn thought she was helping to feed and army, so brought TONS of food! It was unbelieveable! We didn't even have room to set it all out, and had to use the washer and dryer tops for dessert! But wow, we had a great time eating :) We had 29 people at our house Christmas day...and that's the way I like it! Loud, chaotic, kids everywhere... After our dinner, the younger generation( I like to include myself here) sat around and played games for hours! It was only interrupted for more eating. And I must report that some of us played until 2:30am! It was a blast, and I wish we could be that carefree more often! Here are a few pics from Christmas day.
As you can see, "Baby Snooks" as we call Janae, was feeling cuddly. She had gotten a new nightie that matched a nightie for her baby doll. She wanted to put it on all day :) The above picture is of an eskimo kiss we shared...such a sweetheart! It was a wonderful day!
Since then, Patrick turned 2 on December 27th, and we celebrated with him on the 29th. We also went to Schnitzelbank in Jasper, a lovely German restaurant, to celebrate my brother and sister's birthdays(January 5th.) We had to celebrate their birthdays early, as Diane is having surgery on her arm again on January 3rd. Please pray for her! This will be the 3rd surgery, and she is supposed to be in the hospital a couple of days. The surgeon is optimistic, and we're thankful for that. He is planning to take bone out of her hip and put it in her arm, in the hopes of stimulating bone growth. He will also be putting in plates. If you think of her, please do pray that God will guide the surgeon as he works on Diane's arm.
Okay, gonna post a picture of Patrick's party. Keep in mind that this little hoss is just 2, and weighs about 40 pounds! What a cute little chunk he is, though!
Okay, think that's all the pictures I'm gonna post for now. I didn't do much celebrating of New Years Eve, as I was on call, as was my brother. I did stay up late, watched more family movies, and listened to Dad blow his Shofar at midnight :) He will love that I posted that on the net...haha! Some traditions just keep going on. Today, it's cold and snowing, so I've stayed indoors. I have exercised, eaten healthy, read, and surfed around on the internet. Not real exciting, but my brother and his family are coming over later to eat and play some games. So it should be a fun evening. btw, the diet is going well. It resumed on December 26th, after a day of serious gluttony! I have been very good MOST of the time since then, and have even been doing some exercising. And I'm pondering whether or not to join a gym. Dad and Mom got themselves a treadmill for Christmas, plus we have a bike, not to mention aerobics videos. I don't have trouble exercising in the summer, as I love walking. But winter takes alot more discipline for me. So...I guess that's that for now!
Happy 2008! I'm not really into posting resolutions, but I do have definite things I want to accomplish this year. Most of all, I desire to draw closer to my Lord, and to do/say the things that He wants me to do. I want the desires of my heart to be placed there by Him, to completely match what He has for me. May God bless you this year!
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