Good Morning Company Girls!

How are you all doing? It's been an interesting week here (to steal the words from another blogger) in the frozen tundra! Yes, it's absolutely freezing here...not too much snow but yesterday it was 12 degrees Centigrade below zero...and whether it';s Fahrenheit or Celsius....that's mighty cold.....and I hate the cold!!!!! I know, I know...than why do I live in Canada?...well, you kind of get trapped in your places you know......first you're here cause that's where your parents were when you were born....you grow up here, you get married here...you have babies here......and that's where you may have a short window of opportunity to flee....but...then the grandbabies come .......and you just can't leave the grandbabies....I never wanted to be one of those nanas that lived so far away that you only saw the grandkids once or twice a year...and pictures don't really do it....you can't receive a clutching hug around your knees from a picture...so ...here we stay....although hubby and I are always looking at those Texas temperatures......(we visited a number of times and hubby worked there every two weeks for three months a number of years ago....and there is this pastor named Jerold that keeps wanting us to move down and help us with his church....hmmmmmm.....nope, can't do it! Just look at those two pics above...could you? Didn't think so!

Anyways...it's been a busy week....appointments galore, the kids have been partly off school...exam week....and now they don't return til next Wednesday! Oh well, that's really only Monday and Tuesday...I'll survive. The cutest little two month old, that you see at the top of the post...and his mommy....are going to come for a visit next week, if all goes well...can't wait...haven't seen him since Christmas....the other grandbabies live close by so I can see them quite often but little William lives 3-1/2 hours away.....and considering my near brush with the biggest snowstorm I ever had to drive through occured when I bravely drove up, by myself....to see him be born...well, let's just say I'm chicken...yes people I admit it...cluck, cluck!....well, I'm hesitant (mild understatement) to travel up there on my own...in the winter...very soon......again.....so....all being well...they're coming here...I just hope my son doesn't get too lonely while they're gone.... :0(

If you have a mind to and have a spare $25 a month out of your giving account, well you could look at this blog......I've been following them and I will admit that if I was the adventurous sort and about 35 years younger...I'd be there...helping them...what an amazing ministry....it's a blog called drawnfromwater.org.....their story is quite amazing!

Have a wonderful week!

A Reminder...

This past Sunday, I had a very interesting comment from a little 7 yr old girl at our church. I have simply loved this child from the time that her and her parents started coming to our church a few years ago....some kids are just like that...there's just something about them. At first, I thought she was a child with some learning disabilities but in working with her I found out that she's like a mini Einstein...just brilliant but with little idiosyncrasies that make it a little difficult to work with...almost like some autistic tendencies.....she has 'blown me away' a few times with the comments that she's come out with or the things that she could remember. In Sunday school, her mom is her teacher and this past Sunday Grace was having difficulty focusing and staying calm and not speaking out, in her class. Her mom brought her out, just as I was coming along so Grace came back with me to the Sunday school office. At first I didn't know quite what I should do...after all her mom/teacher had already spoken to her...I didn't want her to just 'sit there'.....so I asked if she wanted to colour. She did, so I gave her a colouring book and markers and she started working away....I told her that she could do that for awhile but then she'd have to go back to the class room. (I didn't want this to become and every week occurrence) After a little while, I said 'Grace.....I think that you should go back now....do you think you can go and be a helper to mommy now?'......she said 'what do you mean?'...I explained that when she talks out like that that it's setting a bad example for the rest of the kids and that mommy needs her to be a good example, to help her. Grace said...'does she still love me?'....I reassured her and said of course.....just because you do something that isn't a good thing doesn't mean that mommy doesn't love you. So, she did go back to the class and she did behave.

It got me to thinking..you see Grace is adopted...her parents went over to Russia when she was little and brought her home. This is not unusual for an adopted child to wonder if their parents will still love them if they've done something wrong. An adopted parent doesn't ever have to say or indicate in any way that their love will cease for that child for an adopted child to wonder if that will ever happen...they just do...sometimes they even test you numerous times to see if you will ever stop loving them.....
It reminds me of our relationship with God...we are all adopted into his family when we make the decision to follow him.....there are times when we do things that we know He is not pleased with,...there are times that He allows somethings to happen in our lives that we wonder..'if He truly loves me and cares for me then He would never have let that happen to me'.....but just like Grace and her mom.....it doesn't matter what we've done or what we think that God has or hasn't done for us....He always loves us......Grace's mom will always love her...that's what moms do, no matter what their kids do.....sometimes as parents, we have to step back and let our kids stumble, let them experience the consequences of their choices...just like God does.....He still loves us..but He gives us choices......

Grace is a pretty neat kid....I'm glad I know her...I'm glad she gave me a little reminder about Gods' love...we all need reminders sometimes.

She's a quick one!...

This is Verity......second grandaughter.....she is 4-1/2 yrs old......

Hubby has always had a question that he'll ask the kids when they're little.....he used to do it with Verity's mom (eldest daughter).....so yesterday morning, at church....he swung Verity up in his arms and said...'Where'd you get that face?' ...... the standard reply is.....'at the second hand face store!'.....yesterday, Verity made her papa laugh because she replied 'at Dollaramma' ...(the dollar store).....ever so cute.....then they had to have a discussion about the better variety of faces at the second hand face store as opposed to the dollar store....Verity finally agreed with her papa that the second hand face store would probably be better!

Don't ya love it?

I'm Glad this Week is DONE!

Hello Company Girls!

First of all, I would like to thank all who visited my blog last Friday and offered those sweet words of encouragement and prayer...it truly lifted and touched my heart...and if you read my post on Monday you will see how the Lord Himself actually reminded me and gave me hope and renewed my faith....God is still there...all the time....just need the reminder!


Today is DDO day.....that's Don's Day Off.......every other Friday hubby has the day off since they extended his workday hours for the previous two weeks...it works out great for us since normally we have great difficulty getting out on our own without teens sulking cause we're going someplace that they're not! Right now, we're trying to figure out what we want to do...usually we already have it all planned out...but..this week we're undecided.....we do have to do the grocery shopping today, which, in itself, is a big job!

On the Emma front.....she unpacked her laundry basket that she had filled to a large mound to move with her to her friends...by unpack, I mean she dumped everything all over her bedroom floor.....the Normal Look for Emma's room......she does seem to be in a better mood....exams start today and I didn't see her study at all so who knows how that'll turn out....

Eldest daughter and I are deep into plans for a dinner/movie fund raiser at our church for February 13th.....we're hoping that people come out and support the cause which is for the missionaries that our church supports. We're doing a simple lasagna dinner and the movie sounds really good.....it's called 'Straight from the Heart'...I want to get to Costco really soon to check out what's available so we can keep our costs for the meal to a minimum but still do it up nicely.

Wee grandson William is still giving his parents a lot of sleepless nights...hopefully they get some relief soon...he reminds me of my eldest daughter who only slept for 20 minutes at a time....(people always said newborns just slept and ate...not with her!) I imagine a lot of you have experienced the same thing but it is difficult when it's your first time, to be sure!

My sister and brothers and I had a little gathering with my mom and dad last night to see if they'll consider getting some home care to come in to help out...my poor mom, who spends a lot of time 'in a muddle' declared that they were doing just fine and didn't need a thing! This is going to be difficult but I think by the end of the meeting we had them at least considering it.

So, that's things in a nut shell....I certainly join the rest of you, I'm sure, in praying for Rachel's dear SIL Shawn.....what a trying and difficult road to travel on for her and her husband.....will be praying that they get all the love and encouragement and support that they need at this time.

Have a good weekend, ladies!

Emma

This is Emma. Emma is sixteen. Emma doesn't want to live here anymore. Emma wants to leave.

Do we beat Emma -No.

Do we deprive her of food - No.

Does she have to share a bedroom with other siblings - No.

Does she have a cell phone, mp3 player, DS player - Yes.

Does she have clothing, makeup - Yes.

Does she have parents who love her and care about her - Yes.

So....why does Emma want to leave home? Social life...she has none.....no going to friends homes who live in one of the highest drug areas in the city (since Emma had a try at that last summer, I drag my feet on that idea)....no hanging out at the mall, wandering aimlessly being tempted to shoplift, cause she hasn't any money to buy anything.....no hanging outside in the smoking area at school, with her friends cause her checkup at the respirologist showed a huge deficit in her breathing ability (she has asthma plus she had 2/3 of her right lung removed 5 years ago because of a benign tumour)......plus they just don't smoke cigarettes out in the smoking area...if you get my drift......or, go to the parties of her friends where the beer cases are stacked up and the kids eyes all look bleary (facebook pics).....

So...what's a parent to do...give up...abdicate parental responsibilities..let her move in with her friend and find out what life is really like?

That would be sooooo easy right now because I am sooooo weary.

As my son has mentioned a few times lately....'mom, you're gettin' too old for this job'........

I think he may be right.

The Blessing

There is a gentleman....with the emphasis on gentle....at our church who is the most wonderful man you would ever want to meet. His name is Andy and Andy is a retired pastor in the Salvation Army. Last year when I did the V.B.S. during March Break, he came to me and said 'I'll give you a donation for your V.B.S. and I'll also teach your oldest group of kids'! Now, nobody ever wants that class...they are Grade 5 & 6 kids...not exactly the easiest to teach! He did it and did a great job! Now, I don't think I've mentioned here that every Sunday I have the pleasure of teaching 4-6 boys in the Grade 4-6 range....I will admit to being tested every week by these boys...there is one in particular who I call the instigator......he's the one that decides he has to be constantly talking, saying or doing funny things to make the boys laugh.......yesterday, when I hauled him out of the class for a time out...I told him that he was an instigator...he replied that he did it to have friends...kinda sad yes...but before you start feeling sorry for him...this boy is an only child that brags about how he can fool his parents and play one off the other.....so...... back to Andy....

Yesterday, after Sunday school...Andy comes to me and says that he and his wife will help out with V.B.S. this year.....well, I'm not doing V.B.S. this year and fortunately one of the people that is in charge of it was standing close by and I pointed him in her direction. Then he turned to me and said..' how's Sunday School...do you have enough help?'....I was in shock! When do you get someone coming and asking you something like that?! After, I recovered from the shock...I said well, no...that we needed teachers....(I'm really not suppose to be teaching...when you help run a program then it's not the most ideal situation)....Well...he said...'whatever class you need me for, I will teach...and ...I'll start next Sunday'!!!! Oh...my...gosh.....!

Every week, I have thought that there had to be someone better to do this class...every week I've come home...exhausted....every week.....

Then, eldest daughter says to me yesterday afternoon....you'll never guess what.....I said 'what?'...she said...'Howard, comes up to me this morning'....(Howard is an older man in his 70's)....he shows daughter a picture of a young boy....he says that years ago...when we all went to a smaller church, and I ran the Sunday School program there too.....that one Sunday I put individual pictures of the Sunday school kids that I had each mounted on a square of construction paper, in the offering plate and I asked each person in the congregation to pick one and commit to praying for that child......we were a very small church....about 50 people....but when that plate was finished being passed, I remember all the pictures had been taken. This was about 15 years ago...Howard says to my daughter....'do you recognize this guy....I've kept this in my Bible and I've prayed for him every day'! People....I was amazed because that picture was of my second eldest son.....the son that has been in jail twice, the son who is messed up, confused and an alcoholic...now, some might say 'well, it doesn't look like Howard's prayers have worked'...but I see it differently...I see it that it's a reminder to me...a reminder that God is still there for this son (whether the son acknowledges it or not...that God hasn't given up...on this son or on any of my children)....that God is still waiting and will be waiting because Howard is faithfully praying for that boy who is now a young man...a young man who is wandering in the wilderness.....

On Friday I wrote a post that said how heavy my heart was.....many people prayed for me...I was touched beyond words.....on Sunday, the Lord showed me through Andy and Howard, that He was still there...still holding me,....still wrapping His arms round about me....

and I was blessed.

Good Morning ~

Good Morning Company Girls~ I do not have any stories or anecdotes to tell you today, although considering the week I've had ...there are many. My heart is very heavy this morning .....I'm not able to share 'why'.....too many would be upset if I did....but, if you are a praying person then I would covet your prayers.
Thank you.
Marie

Take a Deeeeeep Breath!

Have you ever gone from 0 to 110 on your emotional scale....when you're barely awake!!!!!! Happened to me this morning.....I had just woke up...hubby was still getting ready for work..(sometime he gets up and is completely dressed and I don't hear a thing!) I went in to visit the bathroom and lo and behold....there is Megan....in my awakening stupor, I notice her starting to apply toothpaste to her toothbrush......wait...not the expensive electric toothbrush the orthodontist gave her, but her old manual one...the pre-braces one. When I calmly asked her 'what the heck she was doing'...well, she says,...the other orthodontist (there are two in this office, when she went in for brace tightening last week she got the one that hadn't worked on her yet) ....apparently, she claims that he asked her if she had any other toothbrushes...she said yes....and that he told her that she could use that one instead of expensive electric one! Personally, I have a very difficult time believing this.....Megan constantly puts her own spin on conversations and they are usually quite out to lunch.....even with the expensive electric toothbrush, Megan does a mediocre job....but with the old manual...well, lets just say she might as well just pass the brush in a floating manner across the outside of her face and that would give you a good idea just how well her teeth would be brushed! As it is with the electric one I have to give her teeth a good brushing at least once every 1-2 days...just to get them all brushed! I can see that, now, instead of reading a book in the waiting room, that I'll have to go back with her and stand by while adjustments are being made...just to make sure that whatever load of ............ , she's trying to tell the orthodontist (or myself, later) isn't getting twisted in 50 million directions! She already tried to tell the new guy that her teacher wouldn't let her brush her teeth after lunch at school and maybe I should say something...I already knew about the situation...she tried to get out of doing her chore of washing the dishes at school to go and brush her teeth....she could go..just after she had completed her chore....I told the orthodontist this and he gave an all knowing smile..(he must be a parent)....I told her on the way home that I didn't think her teacher would appreciate her tattle tailing on her...she actually agreed and said the teacher would probably be angry. I said that I wouldn't blame her, in the least.

You see, I live with Megan...24/7......and mornings like today....when I'm sure my blood pressure shot up like a geyser.....first thing...upon awakening...are definitely not my idea of a good time! All I could see was the last 2-1/2 months replaying over and over for the next 2-1/2 years, while these braces are on...like that 'Ground Hog Day' movie........

...as hubby was giving me a hug goodbye...he said 'just relax dear'.....it brings to mind, a nurse I had after one of my many surgeries....I was in terrible pain...begging the nurse for another shot of pain relieving medication....and what would she say...in fact, she would sing it out...loudly.....'just take a deeeeep breath'......at the time, because I was just a kid, I used to think she didn't know what she was talking about...in fact I believe I disliked that nurse, intensely,...I felt she stood between me and being pain free....now, as an adult, I see that she was very right...she couldn't give me the pain meds any sooner or I'd overdose.....and all I could do was take a deep breath.......so, I guess that's what I'll do....take a deep breath and get on with my day......

Have a good one, people!

A Week and a Half!

Good Morning Company Girls!

Well, it's been a week and a half! The picture above is of my mom and dad, 84 and 85 years old respectively. Physically, my mom is doing okay...she had a heart attack a year ago, but other than that, not bad. Her biggest difficulty is that she's in the early stages of dementia....although, if this is 'early' then there are days that I shudder to think of how bad it's going to get. My dad's physical health is quite fragile. He's been a diabetic for a number of years, which caused his kidneys to deteriorate and he now has dialysis, three times a week. A year and a half ago he was diagnosed with ulcerated colitis, which often leaves him house bound because of the severe side effects. They aren't able to get out to church anymore, which they miss terribly. My dad's mind is pretty good still....so he has to do the thinking for both of them...he's exhausted. We are trying to convince them that a retirement home would make their lives a lot easier...dad is ready, but because of mom's muddled brain, she is not.

Normally, my sister and her husband..they are both retired....do a lot of the driving to and from appointments and being another set of eyes and ears as the doctor speaks.....since I still have 4 teens at home, that I still have to ferry around to appointments, it's a little more difficult for me to do it. This past week and half, my sister and husband have been away ..on a cruise....they return the middle of next week, so my youngest brother and I have picked up the mantle of responsibility...and what a big one it is! I have tried to help with mom and dad regularly...if sister was not able to.....and sister and I are constantly communicating about what to do with them but I will admit that with her gone, this responsibility is a heavy one. My sister is very meticulous with detail and has one of those minds that can take everything in, calculate it, file it and retrieve it, at will. My mind...not so much....I find myself straining to remember everything....wanting to cry out...oh no..I'm not going to remember all this...good grief...I can't do this job! It's much easier when sister is here because then I can relax because I know she's handling it...but when the responsibility is yours!..well! ....it's very intimidating.

This week both mom and dad had some major tests that they had to go to....on Wednesday my dad had a bone marrow test done...fortunately, my brother was able to go with him...I had an orthodontist appointment with Megan...plus, I wouldn't have the muscles to help dad if he physically required it...so that was wonderful...I was so grateful that he was there...and then yesterday both brother and I took them to the hospital because mom had to have an angiogram done. For the past week she's thought each day that she had to go for this...it's been difficult on everyone,..especially my dad. I stayed with her while the test was being done and brother took my dad across the street, to an eye specialist appointment (he also has glaucoma). I was ever so glad that brother was there because by the time dad got over there he was exhausted and when the appointment was done, brother had to go and get the car to transport him back across the street....my dad uses a walker....not a wheel chair.

Mom came through the angiogram with flying colours..we were relieved that they didn't have to do an angioplasty, like they had feared...so she was able to come home...after she had lain for 3 hours flat on her back, and then another hour of sitting up. We got to the hospital just before ten in the morning and left, just around 6 p.m.,........a very long day...for all of us.

So...I know this post has been a little draggy..but....it's a good reminder of what the elderly are going through every day...some, unfortunately don't have sons or daughters to step in and help..they struggle..on their own...I'm not sure how.....it's a reminder that we need to be grateful for other people when they are willing to step up to the plate...I know that I've expressed to my sister and her hubby just how much I appreciate what they do since my involvement is limited and I was also so very grateful for my youngest brother who was there to help so much this week...couldn't have got through without him, that's for sure. It's not fun getting old...and it's sure not for sissies!

Where's my rocking chair?

On my google reader list..which by the way is way toooooo long...but I can't help myself, it's like an addiction.....anyways, one of the blogs I read on a regular basis is one written by a gal named Cindy Beall....now Cindy has mentioned a few times that this is the year she turns 40.....40!....my goodness..she's a baby! Let's see the year I turned 40, I just had 4 kids in the house...coincidentally, I have 4 kids here now....not the same 4 kids mind you....and the ones I had at 40 were a lot younger! I was a lot younger. This morning, as I was getting my shoes on to take Megan to the orthodontist, Paul was observing me letting out a big sigh and he said 'mom, you're getting to old for this'....I looked at him and said, 'you're telling me?!'

You see after reading Cindy saying a few times about this being a big year for her, and all...that all of a sudden I realized...'oh my gosh...it's a big year for me ..I'm going to be 60!!!!!!'

Now....according to most stores...and movie theatres(I realized on Monday when hubby and I went to the movies and saw a really depressing movie) I haven't yet achieved senior status....but.... still..... people....doesn't 60 sound old?...I mean really old! When I was 40, I'm sure that I thought 60 was old.....I'm 59 and I feel like 60 is old...it just sounds old!

Cindy says that she's going to celebrate turning 40 all year long.....good grief.....turning 60, one day will be sufficient! (Here's where you smile Ryan (inside joke)). Hubby and I were talking about this the other day...he actually had the nerve to agree with me...don't men know when they're suppose to agree and when not? When I asked him if he thought 60 sounded old..he smiled and said...'ya'! Obviously he doesn't know what side his bread is buttered on!

I really think that since I'm going to become this grand old age then I should be able to sit all day..if I want to, I should be able to quilt all day....if I want to....I should be able to read a book all day if I want to...don't ya think? To heck with all these appointments...where's my rocking chair!

The Christmas Trip!

This is where we went over the Christmas Holidays! A quilter's dream...... ....a lovely place to lay your head...the Amishview Inn.....

...the outstanding Christmas tree top at the Sight and Sound Theatre..near Lancaster...

...the outside of the theatre where we saw The Miracle of Christmas!

A few months before Christmas, hubby said to me....I've got an idea for the Christmas holidays...now,...usually we just sit around, doing diddly squat...maybe a little trip to Niagara Falls to see the lights....a 45 minute drive away.....nothin' much.....but...he had something bigger in mind! He thought it would be a good indicator of how things might be on a bigger trip in March Break with 4 unpredictable teens!

He chose the Sight and Sound Theatre near Lancaster, Pennsylvania! (my little grand daughter Honour asked me if that's where they made pencils!..hehe..so cute) anyways...the Monday after Christmas we all piled into the van...drove for 7!!!! very long hours.....and arrived, in the dark...to this lovely inn......
the Almishview Inn.....hubby had booked us into the only room that would hold 6 people...which happened to be a suite...(yes, we saved up for this one!) ....it had two separate bedrooms, one with an ensuite (we claimed that one) , a living room, a kitchen area w/a dishwasher!...and another bathroom.....and a fireplace(not in the bathroom).....three televisions (the teens thought they hit pay dirt!) it was a fabulous room...hubby did well!......

The next day we went a little sightseeing.....the town next to Bird in Hand, is a town called Intercourse.....one of our teens was a little unbelieving at that!...the other three didn't get it..:0)..the joys of having delayed kids....we went to this amazing quilt shop called the Log Cabin where I had to severely restrain myself to getting only a couple of things! Then on to an outlet mall...have to keep the teen girls happy!.....after a little rest and down time at the inn, we went off to the theatre. If you've never gone there, well, it's an experience you really don't want to miss....a theatre that seats over 2000 people with a 300' stage that stretches in front of you and on either side...live animals that come galloping down the aisle and up onto the stage!.....our teens were suitably impressed ...Don and I were thrilled.....it was a very impressionable evening....on the way back to the inn we stopped at this place that served Amish food....the kids thought it was great that there was so much food to choose from!

The next day, after we stopped at a local bakery, we started the long trek home.....leaving there around 11 a.m. and getting home at around 7 p.m. (the border crossing took much longer coming back).....

It was definitely a wonderful trip and the teens did well...just one melt down....not too bad....it's quite the thing how electronics can keep teens occupied! Here's hoping they do as well on March Break, where we'll be driving for about 19 hours....spread over two days....oh, my poor back! :0)

So, that was our Christmas trip....hubby was quite pleased with himself for his choice,...and he should be...it was quite wonderful...now him and I'll just have to go back sometime...all by ourselves...maybe we could even save up the airmiles to fly!