Lists

I have a friend that writes me email every day; in fact we write back and forth.  Most of her emails are a summary of the things she accomplished for that day.  This can be a little daunting to read because they include things like painting the molding (fresh look), washing windows, replacing the broken slat in the shed and washing the floor and dusting etc.  You get the picture. Not only does she do all that plus outside work she does all the work in her aged mom's house.  I love her dearly, but when you put my list of activities next to hers, I am seriously lacking.  I take it all with a grain of salt and some humor when I write what I did today:


*I dusted the furniture
*Did a load of towels
*Made my bed
*Read
*paid some bills


And that is a longer list than it is some days.  I didn't even go swimming or walking today so I will have to do that to make my list look longer tomorrow. She is a good friend and I only jest; she would laugh if she knew I wrote this, but alas, she doesn't do blogs or facebook.
  
I will be watching DWTS tonight-the finale show is tomorrow night and than IDOL is showing tomorrow night (will have to DVR one of them).  I can't believe my two favorite shows are ending this week.  What will I watch?  How about "Duets?"  That looks semi-promising.  Forget "America's Go Talent" because Howard Stern is a judge and I cannot abide by that horrible man. I do like "Shark Tank" but it is only on once a week-Fridays.  I like "American Pickers" and "Pawn Stars" because they find some interesting antiques and stuff. But I will miss my dance and singing shows.  

ER

Maybe I will just loan my body to science and they can find out what is wrong with me.  Nice way to spend Sunday morning-in the Emergency Room.  I've said it before; I have to be in a lot of pain to go to the ER.  After x-rays, blood work, and some stomach soothing drugs, I finally resorted to morphine which helped the pain.  The blood work was fine the x-rays showed all kinds of gas.  It seems that when they did the procedure on Thursday they put gas in to move your other organs out of the way-just what my poor tummy needed!!! NOT! I have been suffering for 3 days with the gas pains. 
 Finally, at 2:00 I felt better and they sent me home. I have no words of wisdom, or nothing "from the heart."  I am, to put it bluntly, very discouraged.  I am going back to eating wheat-and whatever else I feel like.  They did remind me as I was leaving the ER to not forget my Thursday appointment for my MRI.  How could I?  U of M and I are getting to know each other quite well.  And Don has been the epitome of patience and kindness because we are in this together and I couldn't do this without him. 

Whew!

I made it through that test; everything looked fine except a little redness in the lining of my stomach which would not be causing the pain that I have.  She said my pancreas is beautiful!  Spoken like a doctor.  The time goes by so fast when you are asleep; I couldn't believe it when I woke up and they told me it was 2:30.  They had to put me under a bit more because they used an ultrasound scope which is bigger and goes farther down.  So, while, I am pleased not to have any dread diseases, I still wonder what is wrong.  I have a repeat MRI on Thursday that I had in November.  And, to tell you the truth, I don't expect any new findings, but am glad to check it one more time.  After that she will have a treatment plan.  I love this lady doctor at U of M.  She is good and so sympathetic which is very important to me in a doctor.  I generally find more women doctors are that way than men. I still have an appointment with the holistic doctor and the results of any foods I might have sensitivities too.  So that might be enlightening. 
Today I still felt very tired so did some laundry and reading. I haven't bought any flowers which to me is a complete change from other years.  We have to go to Schwartz' flowers the beginning of next week before the Memorial weekend frenzy cleans out all the best plants.  My heart isn't in it this year as the deer cleaned us out by the end of summer last year.  All my miniature hostas came up even if they were all chewed down last year.  Donaldo is trying something called "Liquid Fence" to see if we can keep the deer at bay.  Personally, I think we need a BIG DOG.  The deer never bother my neighbor's plants and we think it is her black lab.  Also, Donaldo has to clean the deck this year, so I can't put pots on it until he is done.  
Hopefully I can get a little more motivated this week.     

EGD

A what? Upper Endoscopy?  Yep, esophagogastroduodenoscopy; see if spell check likes this word!!! No, it doesn't like it. Well, since I have had stomach pain since Saturday which started the Saturday before in Chicago this is what I am having.....tomorrow at noon.  As you all know I am such a fan of being sedated and put to sleep...ah...no. I can hardly wait.  It's the waiting that gets to me.  The same pain I had last summer has returned and the doctor needs to get to the bottom of it, so to speak.  Every day since Saturday I have taken pain pills and this can't go on.  So, I am asking for prayer to find a diagnosis and that I will have peace about the procedure.  A week from Thursday I am having another MRI and those are really fun!   
Meanwhile, my daughter Kristen has an enlarged thyroid sometimes called a goiter.  She is having blood work and an ultra sound of her thyroid gland, so please pray for her also. She has also been running a fever for several days.  
You never realize how much you take for granted in life until you get sick or don't feel well.  

From The Heart....Mother's Day

Thinking about my mother today and celebrating the good things that she brought to my life.  No matter how long your mother is gone, you still painfully miss her. 
I am so thankful for my own beautiful daughters and daughter-in-law.  I am astounded by their wonderful spirits and amazed at all they go through and what they have accomplished.  They are all wonderful teachers in some capacity and loving and caring moms.  I am so blessed to have all three of them!

Today

Happy Birthday to my dad who is 86 today!

                                            I love this picture of my dad.  Yes,  he had red hair



Such BIG plans I have for today; not really!


Went for a long walk
Hanging my sheets on the line and smelling the freshness tonight
Reading on the deck
Going in the hot tub
Looking forward to my drawing class on Tuesday night.

Looking backward
Hollie got kicked off Idol.  I always liked her, but it seemed the judges mostly said her singing was "forced."  I never saw it myself.  It seems Joshua already has a career whether he wins or not.  He does have a great voice.

My two favorite shows, Dancing With The Stars better known as DWTS and American Idol both end in two weeks.  What am I going to watch after that??

We went to our church garage sale with Karen and the kids on Wednesday night's preview.  We bought a bag of goodies and couldn't find it when we got home.  It is in a green grocery bag so am hoping someone saved it in the office.

And finally the supplement the new Holistic Doctor gave me is making my stomach feel worse, if that's possible, and I am going to take a break from it.  I see him again at the end of the month.  I am having a hard time being completely sugar and wheat-free.  Can you believe they put wheat flower in Campbell's soup?

Okay, gotta get those sheets on the line.  Don't you just love the sun???

It's So Hard......

to say goodbye!  We had such a nice time in Chicago this past weekend; it felt like we weren't there long enough.  And when the kids didn't want us to go, it was doubly hard!  Poor Meg just wanted us to stay and was willing to give up her bed for us.  We will have to add on some more time next time. Thanks everyone for such a great time.  We love you!
                                  

                                                                    Getting ready for the ice show

                                                             A cutie in costume

                                                              A little mermaid

                                                                   On the ice

                                                       I think that is Meg in the middle

                                       We had fun watching their three ant farms and the ants building tunnels

                                                             A swim in the hotel pool

                                                     Bubbles in the hot tub

                                   Meg and I drawing from her "How to Draw a Princess book."  What fun!

                                                                     Great job Megan

                                                            Playing "Apples to Apples"

           And a duet from the boys.  They are very good!                    

From The Heart

                                 


"Do not search for security in the world you inhabit.  You tend to make mental checklists of things you need to do in order to gain control of your life.  If only you could check everything off your list, you could relax and be at peace. (How true)!
There is a better way to find security in this life.  Instead of scrutinizing your check list, focus your attention on God's presence with you.  This continual contact with Him will keep you in His peace.  Moreover, He will help you sort out what is important and what is not, what needs to be done now and what does not.  Fix our eyes not on what is seen (your circumstances) but on what is unseen (His presence)."  Sarah Young


I have so many mental checklists going that this is a perfect devotional for me.  How many of us make these mental checklists to get through the day?

They Won

It was perfect timing; we made it to the big red house of the grands in time for lunch and Ry Guy's baseball game.  It was a tad chilly but a hot cup of tea warmed things up for me. Loved watching the game and Ryan got a walk and then he made it to home.  I was very busy with my camera.  I can't believe that our first-born grandchild will be twelve in less than a month. 

                          Perfect stance 

                                                                     Papa and Meg

                              Cavman
                           

May The Fourth Be With You.....

Happy May 4th!  "Meet God in the morning stillness while the earth is fresh with the dew of His presence."


*Storms last night; it seems my sistopher near Flint got the brunt of them with 85 mph winds and a flooded street; great for her garage sale this week!


*Getting ready for our Chicago weekend...will be seeing Meg in her ice show and probably Ryan play baseball.


*Still waiting for my stomach to feel better; no wheat or sugar and taking my supplements. "Patience, my dear Watson."


*Trying to figure out what to pack, what to wear because this weather is just downright crazy. 


*Charging up our IPOD, KINDLES, PHONES and CAMERAS.  Can't forget my camera because it has a great zoom lens; all the better for taking grandkids pictures. 


*Going to the Chiro-cracker this morning


*And soon we will be on our way.  

                Isn't she the cutest "Little Mermaid?!"

Happy May

After days of waiting for the sun to come out; today turned out to be a scorcher.  My thermometer read 90 degrees.  What a perfect day for the opening day of the Northville Farmer's Market.  It is on my list of favorite things to do.  It was so much fun to mingle with other market-goers and take in all the beautiful flowers and soak up the colors that have been missing all this long winter and spring.  I only bought herbs; as it is too early to buy flowers; although some people were doing just that.  Our weather is too fickle to take a chance of frost nipping at the poor plants.  So I left all the beauty until another week.  I picked up a pot of pansies to bring to Chicago with us this weekend.  My most favorite spring flower is in so many bright colors this year; they are hard to resist.  Since they get all leggy and kind of sad looking in the heat, it's best to enjoy them now.  And, now, I have many more weeks to go to the market.

Eating

Really?  What do you have for lunch?  It is the hardest meal for me to plan for and I never know what to eat.  It is the meal I would chose to eat out every day if I could. 
Speaking of food, I went to a Holistic doctor today and was very impressed with what he said and how he is going to treat me.  It seems the natural way might have less side effects than the toxic drugs I have tried to take recently and in the past.  
He did several blood tests; one is for allergies for over 100 different foods.  He is testing my thyroid and other hormones and will probably be giving me a natural thyroid compound.  For now, he wants me off of wheat and sugar...does that sound familiar?  
What I need to do is sit down and plan a whole week's worth of meals including LUNCH!!  Then I need to have the food available to eat.  I know I can do this, I did it once before and I can do it again.  Now what's for dinner tonight?  Chef Donaldo suggested a chicken-veggie stir fry.  Yep, sounds good to me.