Out Of The Closet

On my to-do list for this weekend was the dreaded chore of cleaning out my closet.  I'm not one of the fortunate women with a closet big enough to hold my entire wardrobe (small that it is), so each summer and winter finds me sorting through clothes, and exchanging out warm items for cooler items.  This year, however, there were no bags and boxes of clothing in my attic to unpack for fall/winter.  When I packed up the winter duds at the beginning of summer, I took the boxes straight down to the local Goodwill store, and got rid of them forever.  Fat clothes. How come that is such a difficult thing to do?  For years and years, I have held on to favorite items, resolving to "one day wear this again".  Buried underneath five years of cramming stuff in my attic, I know there are boxes of tiny little jeans that have probably dry rotted by now.  Because it has been many, many years since anything about me was tiny.  At the beginning of this summer, I was a newly banded patient, full of hope and optimism about getting the weight off, and finally truly believed that it would happen.  My band gave me the confidence I needed to be brave and... get rid of those  clothes.  The summer clothing that I replaced them with were also of the larger size, and throughout the summer they became looser and looser on my shrinking body, until I finally had to break down and buy a few things to get me through.    What a shock to realize, now that it's time to once again drag out the winter clothes, that I have NOTHING TO WEAR!!!   I work from home, in my jammies) so business casual clothing isn't an issue for me.  Well, except for the rare time when I must go into the office, then I must adhere to a fairly rigid dress code, but thankfully that's not very often.  

I'm afraid I didn't get to check off every item on my to-do list for the weekend.  But I did get my closet cleaned out.  And now I have even more boxes for Goodwill.  My closet is looking very bare these days.  But even without my band in place, I still have the resolve that I won't be needing those clothes any more.  Yes, indeed.  It is time they come Out Of The Closet!!!

Home Sweet Home

Wow. What a fabulous week!  Autumn is my very favorite time of year to visit the beach, but each year usually finds me dodging hurricanes.  Fortunately, the tropics were calm this year, and there were no threats.  The weather was absolutely perfect.  Lazy was the word-of-the-week.  Mornings were spent sleeping in, watching morning tv, and drinking coffee with the parental units.  Afternoons were spent on the beach reading, napping and long, long walks along the shore.  Evenings were spent reading, watching tv, and working on my "homestead" on Facebook.  Another candle was added to my birthday cake while I was gone.  The big Five Two.  On the downside of half a century.  I don't feel old at all.  Well, not too terribly old anyhow. Debbie Jo and David were camping about ten miles south of us, and I spent the night with them on my birthday.  DJ and I did what we do best.... sit outside and talk until bedtime, and the next morning we enjoyed a few hours on the beach.  After that, they treated me to a birthday lunch at one of our favorite places, Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville.  Can I just say... YummmMEEE!!  It was a perfect vacation, and I enjoyed spending time with Mom and Dad.  Sweet times indeed.  I did miss my precious grandbabies, though.  Whitney kept me updated with Leyland's cute little antics, and I talked to her on the phone a time or two.  I was so anxious to see them, and couldn't wait for some sweet munchkin hugs and kisses.  The little rascals.... when they got home they were all tuckered out from a big day at the Oconee Festival, and didn't pay much attention to Greemaw.  This morning was a different story.  Leyland was all about Greemaw! She crawled into bed with me for some special snuggle time.  She put her little arms around me and said "I love my Greemaw soooooo much."  Okay, I could just go on to Greemaw heaven now.  Nothing sweeter in the world. 

I'm thankful indeed for such a great week, spending special time with my parents and the best friends ever.

Go West, Young Man!

Well, okay.  So that quote belongs more in the pages of my book than on my blog.  Exactly the opposite true.  I should say... "Go East, Old Woman!"  Tis true. In just over 24 hours (but who's counting?), I'll be crawling in the back seat of my dad's car, and headed for the coast.  You have no idea how happy this makes me.  The past few months have been busier than usual, and I am soooooooo ready for a lazy week of doing nothing.  Nothing, I tell you.  I can dig in the sand with my toes... or not.  I can drink coffee and watch morning TV until the morning is gone.  I can sit on the beach until the sun sinks behind the high-rise condos... or I can sit there until dark.  Even if I have to wrap up in a blanket.  Can you tell I'm excited?

I'm also harboring probably the most selfish thought I've ever had in my life.  I'm seriously hoping that everyone left behind at home can stay well, out of the hospital, disaster-free, and that the only phone calls we'll be getting are the sweet voices of the grandchildren calling to say hi.  Last year the vacation was cut short because Corey was admitted to the hospital with swine flu... poor little pumpkin.  The kids have both been sick, and I have an aunt and an uncle with some health issues.  So... okay, everybody... take your vitamins and eat your Wheaties.  Stay well.  Stay safe.  Stay happy.  (Didn't I tell you that was the most selfish thing ever???  I mean, I truly want them to be safe, healthy, and happy.... ALL the time... but I especially wish it for the time that we are gone.)

DJ and David will be about 10 miles down the beach, so I'm looking forward to spending some beach time with them.  I'm not big on doing the touristy stuff, and would rather stay home and eat a banana sandwich than fight the crowds, or leave the beach early to get ready for dinner.  One place I do like to go is to Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville out at Broadway.  DJ and I are looking forward to taking David out there.  For my mom and dad's 50th anniversary a few years ago, they gave them a *voucher* for a David Steak (THE absolute best steak ever in the history of the universe)  ... and for the past few years everything has just been so crazy that we never had the cookout.  David says he is going to cook the steaks next week.  How much better can it get than that?  A David steak... at the beach!!!  Oh yeah.  Seriously looking forward to that.

But before I can hit the road, I must get busy.  Four days' worth of stuff to be done in 24 hours.  Looks like it will be an all-nighter at The 409.  I'll be more than ready for a 6-hour backseat nap!

Daddy, Daddy, are we there yet?

My Kid Brother

An angel from heaven came down one night
And made a big sister of me.
And though Mommy said it would happen some day,
It's not all that I thought it would be.
The baby smelt funny and cried all the time,
And Mommy, she always was tired
This baby was simply no fun at all!
If I was his boss he'd be fired!
But as he got older, he got kinda cute,
And one day he smiled up at me!
And when he was able to sit up and play,
It was then I was able to see,
That someday he might be a very good friend,
A brother I really could love,
And I could than God for sending to me
This wonderful gift from above.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Happy Birthday, Michael!  I love you!

The Cake, Part 2

Okay, so I know you're just dying to see the final results of the cake.  We're happy with the results, but keep in mind this was an EXPERIMENT, and my anal self has to remember that first attempts often fall short of perfection.  I would have liked for the polka dots to have been perfect circles, but seeing as how we hand-rolled each little ball of fondant, then smooshed it into a circle, perfection was impossible.  The "real" cake will also have trim work on it.  You know what I mean, the "molding" stuff where the cake meets the plate, and where the first layer meets the second layer.  I'm sure there are professional terms to describe what I'm talking about, but, hey... I don't know anything about cake decorating, so I'll just call it "molding", or "trim work".  So please view the photo with a forgiving attitude, and remember... this IS our first one... drum roll please...

And in case anyone is wondering, the top level is NOT Mexican cornbread!  :-)

The Cake, Part 1

Hello Kitty or Minnie Mouse.  Leyland had quite a difficult time deciding between the cat and the mouse for her birthday theme this year.  The mouse finally prevailed, so this year's party is all about the ears.  Whitney found the most precious little Minnie Mouse dress (and of course the headband with ears) for her to wear to the party.  Conveniently, the sweet little outfit will serve as her trick-or-treat costume as well.  And to make a great deal even better, the essential black patent leather shoes will also fill the need for new "church" shoes for the fall.  A big bang for our bucks.  Gotta love that!  Birthday parties for the kids usually just about kill me.  Leyland's birthday falls right in the middle of football season, so her parties are usually held on Sunday afternoons, which means 1) I must rearrange my work schedule, and 2) I must rush to decorate after church.  (So far, we have used the fellowship hall at the church for her parties).  3) Then I must rush to get everything cleaned up before the evening service.  Fortunately, family and friends are there to help out, but it still just wears me out.  Earlier this year we decided to try a different approach.  We'll be having the party at 1-2-3-Jump, a place at the mall with the blow-up things that the kids hop around and slide down inflatable slides.  I'm hoping the stress level will be significantly less by eliminating the need to decorate, and having a much smaller menu.  Pizza, cake, ice cream and drinks.  Not quite the spread we usually lay out, but I think it will suffice.  Besides, there's a food court right around the corner for anyone who prefers more substantial fare.

Apparently I'm unable to function without some level of stress, and birthday parties are no exception.  Instead of getting a $20.00 cake from Sam's large enough to feed an army, (no stress!) Whitney and I have undertaken the task ourselves.(Stress!)  Our internet search lead us to hundreds of Minnie Mouse birthday cake photos.  We decided that if those folks can do it, so can we.  First, you must understand that my personal culinary skills are laughable, at best, and downright toxic at worst.  Whitney is an excellent cook, but (with the exception of one cake last summer) her cake decorating skills fall just shy of ... pitiful.  So to even entertain the idea of decorating a cake for Leyland's birthday seems unlikely... and to plan a fondant cake is unthinkable.  I've always loved the look of a fondant cake, but never, EVER thought that I would attempt one my ownself.  Thanks to You-Tube, we have watched many videos, and our confidence was boosted to the point that we decided to tackle it.  Our most daunting task was deciding which design to use.  Tiered round?  Tiered square-round? Sheetcake? Layer cake?    

Tonight was the big night.  Time to make the prototype.  We decided on a square bottom with a round top.  I have one of those cake-leveler thingies, so once the bottom layer had cooled sufficiently, I leveled that baby out, and whipped up some butter cream frosting to smather all over it.  Oh yeah.  I learned that to use fondant, you must first ice the cake with butter cream frosting, then chill it until the frosting is somewhat firm. I was delighted to find that butter cream frosting comes in a box, requiring only a tad of milk and butter and an electric mixer.  Check.  

Despite our confidence when watching the You Tube videos, when it came time to prepare, roll, and drape the fondant, we were a tad bit nervous.  Whitney was soon up to her elbows in corn starch and confectioner's sugar, and soon had it rolled out to an adequate size.  The moment of truth had arrived... draping it over the cake.  Total Piece Of Cake!! (pun intended)  

I'm very happy to say that we are delighted with how the bottom layer has turned out.  

The jury is still out on the top level, as it remains unfinished.  Of course, we couldn't complete the project without a disaster.  I only have one 6" round pan, so the top layer had to be made in two batches.  Oops.  Whitney forgot to spray the pan, so the first layer wouldn't release from the pan and tore all to pieces.  No worry, we had more batter, so into the oven it went.  Well, by the time I leveled it out, the layer isn't tall enough.  We need that second layer.  We didn't have another box of cake mix anywhere in the house.  As a final effort to complete the project, I asked her if we didn't have some blueberry muffin mix, or SOMETHING to bake in that pan so we could frost it and finish our masterpiece. After looking one last time, she was finally able to locate some Mexican cornbread mix....  

....to be continued....

Old Things

My dad will be 80 years old in June.  80 years.  Eight decades.  Wow.  That's a lot of years.   And my dad has packed a lot of living and learning in those 80 years.  As a young boy, he waited in the chicken house with his dad while Santa Clause (and the good doctor) brought his baby sister into the world on Christmas Day.  He learned to work the fields and tend the livestock with my grandfather.  His leg was shattered in a milling accident, and he still bears the scars.  Fortunately, a good surgeon saved the leg, and it has caused no problems in subsequent years.  As a young man he served his country in the Air Force as a communications specialist.  Shortly after leaving the Armed Forces, he met and married my mom, and 16 months later he became a father.  4 years and 11 months later, my baby brother was born, and our family was complete.

My brother and I enjoyed the proverbial "Anything your daddy can do, our daddy can do better."  I speak the truth.  We were the lucky kids, the ones whose parents resolved to stick it out through thick and thin, and who held together when times were tough.  Our daddy worked hard every day, then came home at night and was a *real* daddy to us.  Not like the daddies of today, who have one ear plugged with a Blue Tooth, one hand on the remote, and one hand on the cell phone.  Nope, he played with us kids, fixed things around the house, helped his neighbors any way possible, and built things.  He has always been a builder.  Whether it be a garden shed, a greenhouse, a newfangled carburetor (which he should have had patented!), or a toy from a wooden spool, a toothpick, a rubber band, and a chunk of soap that could be wound up and would roll across the floor.  Magic, I tell you!  He built much of the house in which they live.  He built toy chests for the grandchildren, numerous bookcases and a beautiful pie safe for my home.

We cherish all of the things that he has built with his hands.  Perhaps the most amazing thing that he has built, though, is a car.  That's right, a car.  As a young boy, he always dreamed of building a car from scratch.  (Go figure... I guess it was a "boy thing".)   Since the age of 16, he has had the dream of building a particular model of a car.  An Oldsmobile Model R.  A year or so ago found him realizing his dream, as he researched the project and located the plans that he would need.   He ordered materials, doodled things on paper, read manuals, and talked about his project to his friends.  He cleaned out his "building" to make room for the project, and greased up his saws and presses, and prepared for The Big Day.  Finally he was able to begin the adventure.  He would disappear for hours, "piddling around", making a little progress every day.  My mom would get a report of what he had accomplished that day.  Finally things started to take shape, and you could really see that all those piles of wood and metal were coming together to form something... and as time went on, it became evident that it was indeed a car!  Not the kind of car we use today.  The body of it looks more like a carriage.  (At one point in assembly, I told him it looked like Santa's Sleigh.  I don't think he much appreciated that.)

Hours and hours of determination and dedication have resulted in The Car My Daddy Built.  It is really cool!!  He is so proud and excited, as he very well should be.  He has taken it to several car shows, and has won several awards.  This past Saturday he won a 6' trophy, for being The Favorite of the show's sponsors.  How exciting!

We are so thankful for the continued good health of our dad.  And so very thankful that he is industrious and ambitious, regardless of his age.  His mind is sharp and his hands remain skilled and talented.  This project, we feel, has been instrumental in maintaining these blessings.

Yes, we are very proud of all that he has built in his lifetime.  And The Car is no exception.  But what we are most proud and grateful for is the relationships he has built with his family and friends, and with God.  We love you dad!!!

My dad and The Car will be at the Sunflower Festival in Statham this Saturday.  If you're in town, drop by and take a look.  He would love to tell you all about it!!!  Here are a couple of photos of the finished product, and of his latest award.

Name That Tune

"I can name that tune in TWO notes!"  That was a fun show back in the 70s.  Saturday night at DJ's house found us playing a similar game.  Tony Orlando was hosting an infomercial for Time Life for a CD collection of "romantic songs" from the 70s and 80s.  As a clip would come up on the screen, we would all try to name the artist.  The name of the song would be listed, and a few seconds later the artist's name would show on the screen.  Yeah, sounds like a lame attempt at entertainment on a Saturday night, but it was fun to see who could call out the name first.  I rather enjoyed the trip down memory lane. 

Friday night I took the plunge and purchased a treadmill. My mom has one at her house that I could use, but that would involve too much planning (i.e. getting dressed and driving over there).  I put it together on Saturday before going to DJ's, and had my first workout Sunday night after work.  I use the word "workout" very loosely here. After ten minutes I was pooped.  What's up with that?  I can walk for a long time!  Maybe it was the incline.  Maybe it was the speed.  At any rate, I'm good with 10 minutes, and I'll build from there. 

A little funny thing to share:  Friday morning I was getting my oil changed at Akins.  They have this great little "internet bar", so I pulled up a chair and proceeded to check Facebook and work on my homestead in Frontierville.  (If you don't know what it is, don't even ask!)  There's a guy sitting beside me, and we're both busy doing our internet thing.  The service guy walks in and says "Bueller?"  "Bueller?"  Fortunately the guy sitting next to me understood when I started laughing, and together we just cracked up.  (Again, if you don't get it... never mind..)  We had a nice belly laugh over it. 

This is shaping up to be a busy week.  Danette is setting sail today for an anniversary cruise, and I'll be working for her while she's gone.  It comes at a good time for me, since I used my Danette stash to buy the treadmill.  Now I can start adding back to my little mad money envelope.  There is always something to come along and take my money, but I try to keep that money set apart, to save for special occasions, or something that I wouldn't ordinarily purchase. 

That being said, I suppose it's time to get up and get busy working.  It will be a long work-day indeed. 

Why I Hate My Laptop

I had a FABULOUS post all typed out.  Several long paragraphs.  I'm sitting with the laptop propped up against my deck in an uncomfortable position.  I sneezed.  Somehow the entire post was highlighted and I hit a key at the same time and the whole stinkin' thing disappeared.

...sigh...

I just don't have the heart to type it all over again.  I simply MUST figure out why it is that my desktop computer won't access the internet.  I have three other computers in this house that will access the internet.  There are two wireless laptops, and one I use for work that is straight wired (however through the same wireless router).  I took my desktop to the Geek Squad, and they could access it down there both wirelessly and wired.  So I don't know why it won't do it here at home.  Comcast says it's the Dell computer.  Dell says it's Comcast.  ....sigh.... what's a computer illiterate supposed to do??? 

But I will attempt to figure it out.  Because I really do hate trying to do serious typing on this silly laptop.  When I'm working on my book, I use a peripheral keyboard, but I don't usually drag it out for everyday surfing.

It has been a while since I posted, an I had a good story to share tonight.  I'm sorry you missed it.  Maybe I'll be inspired to try it again tomorrow night.  Just do me a favor.  Laugh.  Because it was really funny.  So just take my word for it and go on and have yourself a good laugh.  The endorphins will do you good.  :-)

Supernanny!

What a great week it has been for Corey and Leyland (and Greemaw!!!)  Our babysitter disaster turned out to be a huge blessing.  Two days before we needed her, the lady who had committed to come to my house and keep the munchkins called with the news that she wouldn't be able to do it after all.  Whitney took a chance that Rhonda might be interested in the gig, and gave her a call.  Sure enough, she was available... and willing. 

Now, I've known Rhonda since she and Whitney were in 2nd grade. She has spent many nights at my house. I've chaperoned many trips with them.  I probably know more about her than I should... haha... but what I didn't know was that she is SO FABULOUS with children!  Corey and Leyland fell in love with her, and Leyland even announced that Miss Rhonda is her best friend.  It is good for children to spend time with someone other than their parents/grandparents.  Leyland went to school from January to May this year, but other than that, they've never known anything but staying home with Mom, Dad and Greemaw.  Miss Rhonda was a breath of fresh air.  She was very attentive to them, played with them, and let them watch their favorite tv station (Sprout).  All. Day. Long.  Her greatest accomplishment?  No More Pappy!!!  Leyland and Corey have been addicted to their pacifiers (pappy) since birth.  They gave them up a little less than a year ago, but then Corey got sick and begged so pitifully that he got it back.  Then Leyland started swiping it, and soon they were both addicted again.  On Tuesday when Miss Rhonda was leaving, Leyland decided to give her the pappy to take home to her dog.  Guess what???  No pappy for Leyland since then!  And, Miss Rhonda only let Corey have his pappy during nap time.  AMAZING! And tonight, Corey even went to bed without the pappy!  She also taught them to leave their sippy cups on the ledge, go over and take a drink, and put the cup back.

I invited her to move in with us.  :-)

Unfortunately, we only got to have her here with us for one day last week, and then four days this week.  (An opening at the daycare center here in town became available, and we had to take it now or lose it.  Corey starts the daycare center on Monday, and then Leyland starts at Hope on the 23rd.)  I'm thinking that if they'd had a couple more weeks with her they'd be cleaning their rooms and doing their own laundry. 

Thanks, Miss Rhonda, you are loved, and you will be missed!!

Hello, Remember Me?

There is no doubt, these past few months rank very near the top of the Worst Times Ever for me.  What I had hoped would mark the beginning of a new era (a new me), resulted in a nightmare situation and extreme disappointment. 

Random as it may seem, this past Thursday was a really great day.  The first great day in a very long time.  My strength has pretty much returned, and I finally feel like "me" again.  I had almost forgotten what it felt like to be "me".  :-)

The week was not without its challenges, of course, and for sure there's never a dull moment at The 409.  A few weeks ago, we had made arrangements for a lady to come here and sit with the kids while Whitney works.  I'm at home, but I work all day, and can't care for the children.  On Saturday before she was due to report on Monday, she called and said she wouldn't be able to take the job.  This sent our plans into a tailspin.  Fortunately, I was able to revise my work schedule and take the second-shift hours.  And once again, GiGi to the rescue!  Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, she came over at 2:00 each afternoon to watch the munchkins, and stayed until Whitney got home from work.  Always the life-saver, that GiGi!! 

But let me back up a few days. Last Friday Corey swallowed a penny.  I'm sure back in the olden days we all probably swallowed everything from marbles and pennies, to a fair amount of dirt, but nowadays they tell us that the penny can carrode and become rough, and cause internal damage.  Or, if it stays in there long enough, (not sure how long is "long enough"), copper poisoning could become an issue.  On Wednesday, the penny still hadn't made its way into a poopy diaper, so I took him down to RFC to get an x-ray.  Wouldn't you know it, it was "right there".... just waiting for the next poop to usher it back into the world.  Corey was beginning to show some signs of discomfort, and we were very anxious for that penny to come out.  It wasn't until Thursday evening that the well-traveled coin made its appearance  This, of course, meant multiple phone calls to relatives and interested parties, letting them know that the issue had passed.  (pun intended) 

Wednesday afternoon found Whitney in the emergency room with yet another episode of cardiac arrhythmia.  This time they brought in a cardiologist, and he diagnosed it as definite atrial fibrillation, a condition that plagues both my father and my brother.  Thankfully, she converted, and they let her come home with a prescription that will hopefully keep her heart in a normal rhythm. 

So after a harrowing Wednesday afternoon, having a great day on Thursday (made even better with the penny episode behind us), was appreciated even more.  Friday was a great day as well.  Chores in the a.m., birthday shopping for my niece in the afternoon.  This being the last weekend before school starts, there were fabulous clearance sales at the mall, and I was able to contribute nicely to Mary's back-to-school wardrobe, and found some great bargains for Corey and Leyland as well.  Saturday I worked on a couple of small projects outside, and even though it was terribly hot outside, I enjoyed the work, and the feeling of accomplishment when the projects were complete.  Peyton's birthday part was Saturday afternoon, and we enjoyed some Bennett family time, which is always a pleasure.  The evening found me home alone, enjoying some quiet time.  I should have been doing chores, but instead I relaxed a bit, caught up on Facebook, and updated my blogs.

The week has ended on a positive note, and for that I am grateful.  And can I just say, that it is so nice to be me again!!! 

A New Day

Sunday. The first day of a new week. A new week that has just GOT to be better than the past few!! I'm not much about whining, and I really hate it when my glass-half-full attitude turns to glass-half-empty-of-sour-rotten-disgusting-milk attitude. Thankfully that doesn't happen too terribly often. I inherited from my dad an optimism that, for me, sometimes belies reality... but if I have to be a little unrealistic at times, I'd far rather it be in the half-full sense rather than the half-empty one. Know what I mean? But now that I'm ready to leave this past week behind me... far, far behind me, let me take just a moment to reflect on what I have learned.

~Trust your instincts. Nobody knows your body the way you know it.. and when you know that something is amiss, you must investigate it. The dangerously frustrating thing is that some health care providers simply don't want to be bothered, and want to poo-poo it all away. "Take an aspirin and call me in the morning" kind of thing. Or "I'll call you back" and then the call never comes.

~Be proactive in my own care. During this entire ordeal, I have spent many hours waiting for return phone calls. Having worked for many years on the other end of the phone, I've tried to be very patient, pleasant, and understanding. I truly know how it works behind the scenes in physicians' offices. However, the time comes when you must INSIST on getting answers, and DEMAND that someone pay attention to you. I really don't like doing that (and it really should never be necessary), because I know what it's like dealing with a chronically whining patient who calls 20 times a day. I never want to be that way. It was either Whitney or DJ who kept reminding me that in a month these people won't remember me anyway, and to keep calling them. Haha.

~Do the best you can do with what you have. My entire week was focused on the fact that I had a postop problem.. and how best to address it. I saw three different doctors within four days.. one in the ER, one at a walk-in clinic, and finally the surgeon on call for my out-of-town surgeon. My sweet mama was playing taxi mom, carting me all over town, while often being the recipient of my snappy attitude. By this time I'm dealing with a big ol' case of frustration, and a little bit of self-pity, thinking that nobody (providers) really care, and do these people really know what they are talking about??? But, the best I could do is whatever they told me to do. Late Friday night and yesterday morning I was feeling pretty low, and quite fearful that I was getting worse. After a nap yesterday afternoon, I was delightfully surprised to see that the wound looked significantly better, and the soreness had ramped down a notch or two. Finally!!

~The saga is not over. Once the band was removed, the esophageal spasm/swallowing/vomiting issues were gone. However, over the past few days, I have had episodes (at least once daily) of the same spasmodic symptoms that lead to all kinds of unpleasantness. This has me pretty bummed. At the time of band removal, I threatened to "slit my wrists" if this symptom didn't go away. Of course, I was joking, but.... I really need for this symptom to go away. Perhaps it is meant to be the thorn in my side, but I am sure praying that with time it will leave never to return. It is a horrible feeling!!

~I really do have more strength than I ever gave myself credit for. Hopefully I am not a boastful person, but I am giving myself credit where credit is due this time. Throughout the entire process, even immediately after the initial surgery, it has been a hard row to hoe, and I worked very diligently to do the right things, to keep the very best attitude, even in the hardest of times. I look at other people who go through trials and challenges far greater and tragic than anything I've ever experienced, and I just say WOW. People who suffer and survive, overcome, and flourish should be our true heroes in this world, not somebody in an athletic jersey or holding an Oscar.  It is true.. God will never lead you where His grace will not keep you. And though at times I tend to try to carry the world on my shoulders instead of letting God shower His mercy and grace on me and let HIM carry it, He is always there, ready to bear the load, and restore me. Thank you God, for your blessings.

~Sometimes you just gotta let it go. Blessings can sometimes be found in the most unusual places or circumstances. My dear friend Danette called yesterday afternoon to discuss business, and during the conversation I pretty much lost my composure and bawled like a baby, trying to tell her what was going on. Such a sweet, kind, and compassionate woman. I'm sure my babbling between sobs didn't make much sense to her, but the details didn't matter at the moment, and she was such a blessing to me at the moment I needed it. I must have continued bawling for another 10-15 minutes after we hung up. My sweet daughter hugged on me, rubbed my shoulders for a bit, then went straight to my bathroom, got my bottle of Zoloft and said "Take it. NOW." So I did. It was a cathartic moment, though, and I felt better after the dam burst. Sometimes you just gotta let it go. There's no reward, except maybe a stomach full of ulcers, high blood pressure, etc., for keeping it all bottled up inside. So, to my dear friend Danette, thank you for being in the right place at just the right moment. Close enough to me to love me through it, distant enough not to advise me or try to "fix" it. Just to listen. Exactly what I needed.

~Friends and family. Absolutely the best blessing on earth.  This is not a new lesson, it's one I have known all my life.  But it has been undeniably reinforced throughout this journey!!

I have no clue what this week will hold. I'm sure there are more frustrating moments ahead with phone calls (or maybe lack thereof), more sitting in waiting rooms and missing work. Aaargh. Hopefully, though, the uphill portion of the battle is behind me and soon this will all be just a blip on the radar of a life that is truly blessed.

There's No Place Like Home

The ruby slippers fit perfectly, and though it was a bit more involved than clicking them three times and repeating "There's no place like home" to complete my journey, I have indeed found home again, both literally and physically.  My band was removed late Wednesday afternoon, and I am now back home recovering nicely.  Due to the late hour of surgery, I did spend one night in the hospital, and most of the next day, before going to mom's for a couple of nights.  I have the best mom and dad, and they have been with me through every mile of this journey!  I returned to my house on Saturday, and now there's nothing to do but wait for the postop pain to go away.  Not my favorite part.  But I can tell you with great joy and thankfulness that my nasty esophageal symptoms were immediately  corrected!!  Woo Hoo!!!  I am still taking it slow with introducing solid food, but so far only one or two bites have been even remotely reminiscent of the problems I had endured for weeks.  It is fabulous to take regular-sized drinks of water rather than microscopic sips.  Most of all it is wonderful to attempt to swallow something, solid OR liquid, without the excruciating spasms that had been plagueing me, and without multiple episodes of vomiting that had begun occurring at the end of the journey.  Of course now I turn my concerns to maintaining the weight loss already attained, as well as continuing the process for another 40 or so pounds to reach my goal.  Hopefully it will be easy for me to remember the Road Through Hell that I have recently traveled, and that will inspire me to work even more diligently not to gain back even ONE pound, and to continue the send the numbers downward on the scale.  I am thankful to be back home in my own cozy bed (though pampering at mom and dad's is nice too!), but I am mostly thankful for my tummy to be back "home".... i.e. functioning in the fashion that God meant for it to function.  There really is no place like home.  Thanks for your thoughts and prayers, and for those of you who were subjected to my whining, my tears of disappointment, and who encouraged me to fight the good fight... you are all my heroes, and mean more to me than you will ever know.  CathyB

4th of July Cuties

Since the 4th fell on a Sunday, and I work on Sundays, I wasn't able to follow the children around with my camera all day to capture the cuteness factor.  I got only a couple of shots in their little red, white, and blue outfits.  A little later in the day, I got a few photos of them in the pool.  Not our typical celebration, but it was a good day nonetheless.  Hope everyone had a safe and happy holiday.  Remember, freedom never was, nor will it ever be free. 

Corey loved playing in the pool!

Leyland.... Not so much

Corey: Havin a Ball!

Leyland:  Havin a Hissy Fit!

More pictures of Corey lovin the water