Prayer

I have so many thoughts swimming around in my head.  Some are "post worthy" and some probably don't amount to a hill of beans.  I didn't plan to post except once a week or less as I'm sure people would get tired of numerous posts, However, I just can't get this out of my head and feel I just have to share.  I pray you will find it beneficial.

From the time I was very young I was a very prayerful person.  I prayed about everything, large and small.  I want to share a couple of things that were obtained through prayer.....or at least I feel they were.

Back in 1966 when we were coming back to the States by ship.....21 days of sailing if I remember correctly......Doyal entered a chess tournament.  He was a pretty good chess player back in the day but for the final match his opponent was very good as well.  So, being the good wife that I am, I prayed for him to win the tournament.  And, of course he did!  I was excited to tell him that I prayed for his win. He thanked me but cautioned,  "We shouldn't be bothering the Lord with trivial things like chess tournaments."  From then on I was more cautious about my prayers.  I weighed whether I should bother the Lord or not.  Once Doyal realized the effect his statement had on my prayer life he apologized and encouraged me to get back on my schedule of praying about even the smallest of things.  He still encourages me, as I will admit that I don't go to the Lord with the faith of a little child as I once did.

 

 

I don't think this was the ship that we returned home on.   It is one of the old P & O liners that traveled the Oceans back in the day though.

 

The next example I want to share with you is quite interesting.  We had one of the native Islanders visiting with us from September until early December in 1966.  Fiapati was born in the Ellis Islands and later moved to The Fiji Islands.  Of course he had never seen snow.  It was fresh on my mind not to bother the Lord with little things, but I thought and thought that it would be so neat if Fiapati could experience snow since he never had, nor probably never would.  I also wished and wished, but didn't actually ask God for it.  Then it happened!  The earliest Snowfall (1 inch or greater): 4.0 inches - November 2, 1966 recorded in Huntsville!

 

 

Fiapati Elisara in Fiji 1967.

 

The children and I coaxed Fiapati outside and pelted him with snowballs.  He joined in and we had a good snowball fight until it got too cold for that Islander's thin blood.  He stayed inside quite a bit of the time until the snow melted, but he did get to experience something most Islands only dream of.

 

 

We only have slides of Fiapati in the snow.  Here are Claudia age 12 and Frank age 3 with their first ever snow man.  The snow was beginning to melt when this was taken.

 

A few days later I asked Doyal,  "Do you think God answers prayers that we just think about and wish for but do not actually ask for."  He knew right away what I had done and asked,  "Did you pray for that snow?"

And the final story for today.  We moved to North Dakota in 1970 when our oldest son, Allen was almost 14 years old.  Deer hunting is BIG up there and Allen soon began to want to hunt.  Doyal hunted some when he was younger, but never was interested after we married.  You know good daddies, they will move mountains for their children.  So, within a few years Doyal and Allen looked forward to deer season.  I can't remember for sure, but I think it was the last year Allen was at home that the following happened.  They had been out a couple of time and had no luck. The last day of the season they went out for one final time.  I had to take some of the other children to Grand Forks, about 60 miles away, to the orthodontist that day and on the way there and back I prayed they would get a deer.  I requested that if they both could not get one, to at least let Allen get one.  We arrived home to find Mother standing out back.  She almost shouted,  "Guess what happened today?"  She had a smile on her face so I knew it was nothing bad.  I parked, walked around the garage and there was Allen with HIS deer.  I confessed to Doyal that I had prayed for that and how I prayed.  He grinned and replied,  "Next time ask for me one too."

 

 

Allen's senior picture.  The picture we have of him with his deer is a slide.

 

Now, don't get me wrong.  I have always prayed for important things like sickness, travels etc. and have thanked God for answers to those prayers as well as many other things, but I've been more careful about the little things.  Starting now I am going back to talking to Him about everything, both small and large.  And, the next post will definitely be of interest if any of this has.

I know some would disagree with me about my views of prayer and that's okay.  I love you just the same!

 

"And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive."

Matthew 21:22

 

 

   

I'm Back!!!

I haven't posted anything on my blog since January 4 and I've certainly missed it.  Many (well.....perhaps three or four) have asked why and when.  I have a lot of "whys."  Actually there are too many to go into detail.  I'll sum it up by saying this:  Computer problems that wiped out everything, two different Google accounts that confused me, turning 79 and realizing my brain is fast fading (it doesn't understand technology as it once did.....hey, wait!  It never did understand technology, so scratch that excuse), had to have major help getting back on my account.....(Thanks to my favorite Dyer grandson who spent a "few" hours, I'm back up and running).  And further, we were on a two month long trip and I did very little on the computer, came home and spent three weeks pretty much in bed.  Now I'm feeling 95% and ready to get back in the swing of things so maybe I'll post more often for the many who are begging me to post.  Oh well, as I said the three of four and begging is a stretch also, it just makes me feel better and as I have said before, "It's ALL About ME!"  Is that really what I said.....Nope the statement was, "It's NOT All About Me."  So, first of all:

THANKS JOSH!

 

What would I do without my tech-smart grandson!

 

 

Next, and briefly if that is possible:  We are planning to get back to our Alabama roots within the next year.  We have been married 61 years, 3 month and 24 days as of tonight at 6 pm CST and have lived in this house 25 years, 3 months and 28 days.  Because of these years, and the fact that we are both "savers," we have a LOT of stuff.  Much of it is of no interest to anyone except us so we are trying our best to work on at least one room each week and get it cleaned, sorted and packed.  We're having success with many of the rooms but now are working on the study.  Wow!  This IS work because we tend to read every paper, bulletin, sermon, etc. etc. before we let them go to the land of no return....the shredder!

 

Our baby daughter, Sharon, and her husband spent two nights with us on their way back from northern Ohio where they went to be with John's mother who is quite ill.  During the time they were here our grandson, Jordan was here for a night.  Sharon and Jordan, with my supervision, got our bedroom closet cleaned out and organized and after Jordan left Sharon got a hard-to-reach kitchen cabinet emptied and put the few things back in that we just can't live without. This was a huge help!

 

 

Sharon and Jordan at the airport when we took Jordan for his trip to Florida to spend time with Frank and Becky.

 

 

I won't bore you with anything else on this post.  Will leave you with the following words from one of my favorite songs:



 

 

"This world is not my home, I'm just a passing thru. 

My treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blue; 

The angels beckon me from heaven's open door,

And I can't feel at home in this world anymore."

Oh my, my, my! I just realize I’m beginning to get old. I began pondering over the fact this morning and here is what I observed:

You know you’re getting old when your "baby" is over 50.

You know you’re getting old when your oldest grandchild is over 40.

You know you are getting old when 5 of your 31 great-grandchildren are in High School.

You know you are getting old when you are expecting your 32^nd and 33^rd great-grandchildren soon.

You know you are getting old when bones creak at odd times during the night and day.

You know you are getting old when you inquire about your high school class mates to learn they are dead.

You know you are getting old when you rarely have to shave your legs but should shave your face everyday.....or at least have it waxed OFTEN.

You know you are getting old when waitresses call your husband "honey" and neither you nor he mind at all.

You know you are getting old when suddenly you begin to sing/hum/whistle regardless of where you are and you aren’t embarrassed.....you just continue and even louder.

You know you are getting old when noises escape your body unexpected......and it doesn’t embarrass you nearly as much as it did when your mother did it.

You know you are getting old when you go into a room and have to stand there for quite awhile to remember why you’re there in the first place.

You know you are getting older when you have to leave that room and retrace your steps to try and remember even if it was important or not.

You know you are getting old when you give your husband instructions of how to dress/redress you before help comes if you get deathly sick or die during the night.

You know you are getting old when you have to think about how old you really are because your mind doesn’t admit you are that age.

You know you are getting old when you think more about death and dying and are actually looking forward to it.

You know you are getting old when you can’t deep-clean a room without stopping awhile....sometimes in my case it’s days.

You know you are getting old when you can look back and remember many "new" inventions and when they were invented.

You know you are getting old when you think your 16 year old car might be the last car you will ever own, because it will last as long as you do.

You know you are getting old when you get a back rub and moan and groan because it feels so good.

You know you are getting old when you decide to pass your treasurers down to the children so you can enjoy watching them enjoy your treasured items.

You know you are getting old when you roll over in bed to find your "father-in-law" next to you and realize he’s been dead for years.

AND You know you are getting old when you spring out of bed because of the shock of the above, rush to the bathroom, look in the mirror and see your own mother staring back at you!

MY ACCIDENT

I didn’t plan to write in my blog until after Christmas and then I had my accident! Thought I’d share it with my dedicated readers. I know you will be interested. It happened yesterday as I was wrapping presents to get to Denver so Frankie and his girls would receive them in time to start opening their 12-Days-of-Christmas which begins in our family on the 14th. I looked and looked and looked for a 5" X 7" envelope that I needed to put one of Frankie’s presents in. I couldn’t find one anywhere in the house and then had one of my bright ideas! I found some junk mail we had just received. Like the good re-cycler that I am, I began working on my envelope. I opened it, shredded the junk inside and began reassembling it. That’s when the accident happened! As I was gently removing the flaps on the side so I could turn the envelope inside out I slit my thumb! Have you ever had one of those paper cuts! They hurt like the dickens....right?

 

Oh my!  You can't even see my boo-boo.  How sad!

 

So, I began whining about that “awful” injury until I remembered my new motto; “It’s not all about me!”

 

 

It wasn’t long till I was able to focus on those less fortunate. The first that came to mind was our Claudia. Last Friday afternoon she was doing one of the things she loves.....not climbing on her kitchen bar, mind you......but decorating! She was on that counter for a short while. And then she fell! She landed on the couch in the sitting room side of the kitchen, hit her ear on the side of the coffee table while her leg stayed in place on the couch. Well, “stayed in place” is stretching it......it twisted and broke the tibia near the knee (or something like that....you’ll have to get the true and full story from her.) I do know that she has had x-rays and recently a CAT scan (waiting on the results). She is wearing a brace that keeps the leg immobilized at this point. The next thing will be another visit to an orthopaedic surgeon. We are praying she won’t have to have surgery and I am asking for your prayers for her as well.

 

My sweet "baby" and the first brace.  She smiles no matter the situation!

 

 

And I was whining about a paper cut!

 

 

We’ve had pretty bad weather here the last few days and there have been quite a few accidents in our television viewing area. We are snow/iced in for the time being. Plenty of food and the heat it working great.....too great right now for me....I’m warm! Frank’s fiancee, Becky lives in Georgetown, Kentucky which is almost 2 hours away. She came to Cincinnati after work Thursday and she and Frank had a lovely evening celebrating her birthday. She was so excited about all the thoughtful gifts Frank gave her. Someone taught that guy well! Then yesterday she and Frank braved the elements and got their marriage license. It’s a good thing as they will be married 2 weeks from tonight. Schools were closed all over yesterday because of ice and snow and things were getting worse when they left Cincinnati to go to Georgetown. Why would they decide to make the trip in not so great weather, you ask. I’ll tell you. Her baby was celebrating her 19th birthday the next day (today.) What mother worth her salt would miss her child’s birthday if is was possible to be there. They left in plenty of time to arrive before dark with Frank leading the way in his car and Becky following. About 10 miles from Georgetown Frank went over a hill and lost sight of Becky for about 2 minutes. The next think was a call telling him she had rolled her car! Imagine his fright as he quickly made his way back to find his sweetheart not only alive, but without a scratch! We’ve played the “what could have been” ever since. I was doing decently fine until during one of our conversations we were saying we could have lost her and Doyal said, “And, they just got their marriage license today.” I had my cry then!

 

Becky's car after rolling and landing on the driver's side.

 

 

 

And I was whining about a paper cut!

 

 

Becky has become a celebrity over this. A Lexington TV station came to the scene and interviewed her and there was also a write up about the accident. Both mentioned the fact that she had celebrated her birthday the day before and their upcoming wedding. She said they left out her joke. She joked to the camera crew when they came up to her and was ready to tape, "Oh gosh I must look a wreck. No pun intended." Today when she and Frank were doing a little Christmas shopping at Wal-Mart she said Santa Clause recognized her from being on the evening news. Here I am 78 years old and Santa has never recognized me! I sure don’t want to be in a wreck for him to recognize me though! Thinking of all of this and what could have been still makes me shake!

 

 

A couple of smaller issues within the family that are a worse that a paper cut.....one of our pregnant granddaughters had a tummy bug this week end. I’m praying that has left their house by now! Those things are no fun at any time and especially when a mommy-to-be is the recepient. Today we heard from our Oklahoma family. They experienced a pretty heavy earthquake. It didn’t do any damage that I know of, but could have been worse.

 

 

From now on I am going to try to remember even better.......

 

 

“It’s not all about me!”

Sunday afternoon @ 3:35.  Happy to report that everyone is doing fine....well as fine as one can expect.  Becky said she isn't in nearly as much pain as yesterday.  Claudia was not in much pain when I talked with her earlier in the day.  Frank posted three videos on Facebook of three different news interviews.  I copied them to my Facebook page but do not know how to put them on this post.  If you are a Facebook member I think you will enjoy them.  Such a romantic news cast over a potentially serious accident.

 

 

 

GIFT GIVING

It won’t be long till Christmas. I would imagine most of us have our shopping done, or near finished. I would hope that most of you are NOT like me when it comes to getting your tree up and decorated. Our tree was bought up from the basement on Thanksgiving, put together a couple of days ago and now I am fluffing the limbs a little along. I think that will take me till Christmas at the rate I’m going so this pretty, brightly lit tree might be just that come Christmas morning. I’ll just get out pictures from the days when there was a tree of some sort in every room and things decorated inside and out. This year we’ll be doing good to get the star on the top of the tree. And do you know what......Christmas will get here and be gone and we’ll have just as much fun, laughter and joy than we would if the entire neighborhood was lit up to perfection!

I try to come up with gift ideas that will mean something to my friends and family. Way back in 1977 when we had six children, two in-laws and two grandchildren I decided to make Christmas memorable especially to those who could not be home for Christmas for the first time in their lives. So I came up with the idea or 12 gifts for each person. They began on December 14th opening a gift each day with the climax (the "big" gift) on Christmas day. This went over so well that everyone wanted to be included, not just the ones away from home. It was nothing back then planning and wrapping 12 gifts each (I also did it for my mother and husband.) But, guess what! The family grew....and grew....and grew! After reaching a vast number of presents I decided to let the parents take over (or not as some have chosen) the year after each grandchild married. Now we only have 19 that I do the 12 days for. Of course every family gets a Christmas Day gift.

Another thing I started back around 1979 or so was writing a story for each grandchild for his/her birthday. I call them my "I Remember Stories" as they are written about my childhood. I began writing these when there were only 3 grandchildren. Those three grew to 21! After a few years of getting way behind with the books I decided to write a story from age 1 through age 18 for each. I’m still way behind, but one of these days I am not going to take on another project (well I won’t give up the projects of wedding quilts and quilts for each of the great grandchildren ..... soon to be 33) and maybe I will finally catch up with all the stories. I’m beginning to run out of memories though. This little pea-sized brain of mine can only hold so much you know.

Now that I told you all about my doings, I want to share something else with you. I asked our 21 grandchildren to share memories of the favorite gifts we have given them over the years. I was hoping it wasn’t the gift of the Ferrari we bought our favorite grandchild as I didn’t want the others to know. If you believe that I have some other things I’d like to sell you on! I was going to condense their answers but have decided to print them pretty much word for word. I won’t use the names in order not to embarrass the ones who didn’t respond. I know that many are busy with family and friends and the hustle and bustle of life and put requests on the back burner and I understand as I am swamped. But, I don’t have little ones needing my attention.....just a sweet old man and three active "kids." Kids as in dogs.

Responses: (I’m leaving off the very special personal notes that I will keep forever and cherish always.)

I have been thinking about special things/memories when I was little. I wasn't sure if you meant things that you had done, but some of my best memories are things that you have done. I loved when you would send us packages when we were living in North Dakota. We would scream when we would see the UPS man coming up the road. I remember getting one particular package, it was full of valentine gifts. I think all it was, was a baby food jar filled with candy hearts and you had put a pretty decorative thing on top of it. But, to us it was so special! I also loved the "I Remember Stories". I don't think I appreciated them back then like I do now. Now that I am grown, I realize how much time you spent doing what you did. I also loved 12 days! I hope to continue that with my kids when they are grown. I loved when you would come to visit and take each one of us out for "special time". That meant a lot and I treasure all the time we spent together. (From a grown-up with 4 children of her own)

~~~~~~~

12 days of Christmas has always been so special to me. I always line all of the presents up and anxiously wait for Dad to get home from work so we can open our presents together! I remember at the old house getting this blue rubber ball I loved. And of course I LOVED getting my NorthFace jacket a couple years ago. I wear it alllllll the time! (She had it on today while we were on ooVoo together)

~~~~~~~

I have so many memories of things you did, but more than anything the example of your marriage means the most. Seeing the way you and Grandad cherish each other and love each other still is such an amazing example to me. More than any physical gift of money or the letters I still have from you, your hand in raising me and being a second mother really means the world to me. If I think of some better physical gifts I'll pass them right along. (From a grown grandson)

~~~~~~~

My favorite things were the I Remember Stories and 12 Days of Christmas. I love both of those so much!! My favorite story was "Feedsack Dresses" and the dress that went along with the story! My favorite 12 Days of Christmas gift was a pencil box that was FULL of sharpened pencils and a pencil sharpener...perfect for a "nerd" like me! I also loved when Granddad would take us to the grocery store and let us pick out whatever we wanted...oh the freedom! I remember not being able to decide between Little Debbie Nutty Bars and Marshmallow Creams. He said, "Well, baby, get both!" WOW!!! That was a treat! (Another tradition that we didn’t really realize was a tradition is that Doyal waits to shop until the family arrives. He does this mainly to let them get the kind of cereal, etc. that they like. It seems more than one grandchild thinks this special time with Granddad is truly special! ..... On a side note.....Once he had two of our young teen granddaughters (cousins) shopping when they called to him to come to the aisle they were in. They were shopping for feminine products!

~~~~~~~

 

I have never forgotten the memories that you have made with me over the years! Traveling with you when you worked for the paper in Park River, burying special memories in the back yard at the Park River house, and spending the summer with you in Lawrenceburg in 1989. I will never forget any of it. I just hope that I can be half the grandparent that you and Granddad have been to me!!! The biggest thing that you did for me was to show me the one-on-one attention or "special time" together. Just sitting down and talking with me at night before I went to bed, or when I woke up and sat at the kitchen table with you to just talk. The small things are what I remember the most!!! (From another grown grandson with children of his own)

~~~~~~~

 I would have to say the story books you made me for my birthdays. Also the doll house that we made together and all the trimmings that went with it. (This was made from a cardboard box. I think it was the time together more than the "house" itself, although she kept it for years.)

~~~~~~~

I will always remember the time I was pretty young and was out grocery shopping with Granddad. As we were shopping around, I spotted a very cute purple hair brush. I don't remember if I asked for it or if Granddad saw me checking it out, but I got to take it home. I was so excited! I know I wasn't living at home any more, but one of my favorite gifts ever is the book you guys gave us last year with your voices reading The Night Before Christmas. It was perfect! (Another tradition is that I have read The Night Before Christmas to my children, my grandchildren and now my great-grandchildren when we are together. After Christmas 2011 I bought 27 recordable books from Hallmark and spent the year recording in them. Then on Christmas eve each family/child opened their own and then I read to them.) A very special memory is when you guys were staying with us in Batesville and it was late the night before I had something "big" at school the next day and "nothing to wear!!". Granddad took me to Walmart and bought me an entire outfit!!.. New undies and everything! Of course, one of the most precious gifts from you is the quilt you made with Granny Gran's clothes for our wedding. I can't explain how much I love that gift! (The wedding quilts are made from my mother’s clothing.) It wasn't the amount of money you guys spent on me, but the thought you put into things.

~~~~~~~

Christmas at your house and listening to The Night Before Christmas. Going grocery shopping with Granddad and getting whatever we wanted. Listening to Granddad sing the wake-up song. Going to church with both of you. Having y’all visit us in Arkansas and being here for special events (graduations, weddings). Getting Caden’s quilt made by his Great-Mama! (Caden will make his entry into God’s beautiful world in early March....our 33^rd gread-grandchild) I could go on and on! Oh and getting the 12 days of Christmas from you!

~~~~~~~

So.....if you have endured this far I must thank you! If you haven’t then you aren’t even reading this. (Smiles)

I would like to say that when I asked my grandchildren to respond to my request I was not fishing for compliments. I was hoping they would respond with special times, places and memories instead of material things. They exceeded my expectations! I will cherish these, and the more personal comments, for as long as I live. I have received my Christmas present already! These sweet responses!!!

Now, my question to you is this: Why do we steam and stew and get all hot and bothered about physical gifts? Think of the important gifts you have received. Are those gifts material? I remember very few material gifts from when I was a child but I remember watching my grandmother sew dresses for the entire clan ..... all from the same bolt of dotted swiss, the times spent "working" with my grandfather at the depot in Dozier, Alabama, the piggy back rides to town on my daddy’s shoulders, etc. etc.

Let’s make Christmas, and every other day simple and clutter free. If there is going to be clutter I plan to clutter my home with love, joy, peace, comfort, and the teachings of the Master Teacher.....Jesus of Nazareth!

Merry Christmas all!!!!!



 

An only child from Notasulga, Alabama (Picture from around 1936 or 1937)

 

Twenty-eight years later ready to take the family of 7 to New Zealand.

 

Just a few of the 72 who were present last Christmas.  The tradition of The Night Before Christmas continues!

A SAFE PLACE TO FALL

Would you believe it! Some are asking when I plan to post again on my blog! That makes an old lady feel pretty good. Well, hey, what if it is just a few family members and two close friends who ask. So, here’s to you my "favorite people." Now, you other readers will know how to get in the "favorite" category. Just let me know you read this. I’d love it if you could/would make comments on the blog itself but I do understand it’s a bit confusing. I also think there is a way to "follow" a blog. It must be, because I follow a couple of blogs. I don’t have a clue how that began but I do know that I get notices through email when one of those bloggers posts something new.

I have a post in mind for gift-giving and plan to post that soon. I’ve been enjoying those on Facebook who post something each day during the month of November for which they are thankful. With this in mind, I was going to post 30 things of which I am thankful. That changed when I let Thanksgiving come and go without posting. Thanksgiving got me to thinking about so many things and I am going to share one here.

Everyone needs a soft place to fall. It doesn’t matter how young or how old you are, you need a safe place. I have always had one of those places and am grateful for those special places.

Early in life my safe place was home. Many times it was as simple as a fall but I knew I could find comfort in the safety of Mother kissing my "boo-boo" or if it needed more than a healing kiss she doctored it perfectly. My Daddy’s lap never lost it’s place of comfort. The last time I sat in that lap was mid-July 1957 the night before I left to return to Baton Rouge only to return on July 28 when I learned of my daddy’s death near midnight. He was only 58 years old and I a "mature" 22 year old with 2 children and one on the way. I will digress here....most people think of comfortable laps as soft and cushion-like. Well, that sho’ wasn’t my Daddy’s lap! He had finally gained a lot of weight before he died. He weighed a whopping 145 and didn’t have an ounce of cushion on those boney little legs, but they were the softest cushion for a little girl who needed a safe place to fall no matter the problem.

 My safe places to fall for as long as they lived....My momma and my daddy.

 

My mind wanders to a couple of more isolated safe places. There were so many special places a little girl could find at Alabama Poultry Farm in Notasulga, Alabama where my daddy worked. If I needed quite and solitude I would often retreat to my writing room in the shrubby where I had placed a board between the branches of one of the "huge" trees there. (Those trees really shrunk over the years....the older I got the smaller they got.) I spent hours in what I dubbed my writing room in the woods sitting in a little chair and writing my heart out. I even had a safe place on rainy days. That was in the attic high above the Big Hatchery. I was allowed there any time I wanted to go up, sit, look out on the world....well maybe not the entire world, but the world of Tuskegee Street.....and dream about other towns and states. I never considered other countries back in the 1940's.

 

We  lived up over the hatchery on the right.

 

My rainy day safe place was in the upper right hand window in the hatchery on the left.

 

My Writing Room was in the clump of "woods" on the right.

I had great parents but they didn’t always understand me and there were times I really needed my own space and that was a little further away. On the way to the pond, which must have been 10 miles from the hatchery back then, there was a tree that had a perfect place for a little girl to sit way above the earth and wonder what was wrong with her parents. Let me tell you a bit more about that tree......I went back once when I was grown and, would you believe, that tree had also shrunk. And the pond had been moved much closer to the hatchery. You know what? It probably wasn’t even 1/4 of a mile. I’ve often wondered how they moved that entire pond! I cannot remember the reason, but my mother did something that was very unfair. She needed a lesson, and a good one at that, so I decided to teach her that lesson. I ran away from home! I knew she would be heartbroken and crawl to me begging forgiveness when, if ever, she and Daddy found me. So, I took off! I walked way down the lane to the solitude of my tree, my soft place to fall when my parents needed to be taught a lesson. I climbed up and sat there thinking how my parents must be frantic by now. I almost felt sorry for them but they needed a lesson so I sat there and almost gloated. And then it happened! I heard the familiar whistle from my daddy when he called me in. I sat there. He whistled again and then yelled, "Skeeter, come on in. Supper’s ready." You know what? Those people didn’t even know I had run away! They thought I had just gone to my tree as I often did. It was the last time I taught my parents that lesson!

Everyone needs a safe place! I will share more of my safe places in a later post. I hope you had a fantastic Thanksgiving and wish for you a great December!

THE CONDITION IS REMISSION!

Yesterday I was involved in the best news I’ve had since learning we were going to be great-grandparents for the 32^nd and 33^rd time!

Our good friend, sister in Christ and "adopted" daughter and I had an appointment with her oncologist to learn the results of the scan she had Monday. Dr. Partridge came in with a smile on her face.....good sign. She sat and asked Margie a lot of questions about her general health.....a little unsettling. She checked out the computer and then checked it out again........getting a bit scary at this point. Then.......BOOM! Very casually, but with a huge smile she let us know that the tumor on Margie’s lung that once threatened her life was no more....gone.....nada! She did tell us there are three very, very small spots on the lung that were there at the beginning and she’ll keep a close track of them, but they could be anything. She explained that many people living in our area have spots on their lungs.

 

My question at that point was, "So can we say she is cancer free?"

 

Reply, "I like to use ‘in remission’ until she has been clear for five years and then use the term ‘cancer free’."

 

But, she told me I could use Cancer Free and that’s what we prefer!

 

Margie and Dr. Partridge soon after the announcement.

 

Talk about joyful!!!! Dr. Partridge was definitely joyful and smiling from ear to ear. We walked out into the office area and the girls behind the desk were waiting for the news. I thought both of them were going to shout! They hugged us both and gladly had their picture made with Margie. We just had to go back to the treatment room and share the good news with the girls who have been such a big part of our lives since early June. They too were beyond excited. The only down-side was learning that one of the girls who has journeyed with us through the good times and the bad times is no longer with the center. She has gone back to her first love......working in labor and delivery! Although we are proud for her, we were sad to know she wasn’t around.

 

 

 

These two girls from the office (along with others) have been with us every step of the way.  Once, when Margie was at her sickest, I began sniffing as I left her for a few minutes.  The girl on the left, Naomi saw me and asked what was wrong.  Of course I "lost it" and she was so sweet to take me in her arms and give me the biggest hug ever.

 

 

Two of the sweet nurses who administered chemo.  The other who was a huge help is the one who has moved.  I always knew this, but this journey has reinforced it:  Nurses are the most caring and loving people in the world.  Love these girls and all the others at the OHC in Lawrenceburg, Indiana.

 

 

 

As we walked......almost danced.....to the car we met a man wheeling his wife out to their car from treatment. We had never seen them before and I asked if she had just begun her treatment. She said this was her first day. As we talked, we found she has lung cancer and her treatment will be much like Margie’s. Margie took the time to talk with her, tell her a few things to expect and encouraged her to keep on keeping on. I truly believe we were put in the right place at the right time for this to happen. She is just beginning a long, hard journey, but she could see Margie and the results she has had and I believe that has given her hope.

 

To all of you who have made this journey with us......through your cards, your gifts, your deeds, your thoughts and your prayers I thank you from the bottom of my heart and I know Margie does as well. Her life, nor mine, will ever be the same because of the good that has come from this!

 

God is so good. God is so good. God is so good. He’s so good to me (us)!!!!



(I apologize for the poor quality of the pictures.  I won't make excuses as I really don't know the reason.  But they all show how happy everyone was to learn the good news!)