Special Day . . . Special Blessings

Today was a great day, and long overdue.

I have an uncle (Kendall) that is 3 years younger than I am. Until 1976 we lived in the same town as my Grandad, Grandma Dorothy, and Kendall. Bryan (my brother) and I spent a lot of time with Kendall and we thought of him more as a cousin than an uncle. Of course we still kept in touch after we moved but didn't get to see each other as often as we had been able to before we moved. Many things changed over the years and Kendall went through some very hard times and lost both his parents (my grandparents) before he was 21. To make a long story short I will just say that through the years of difficulty Kendall received a lot of love and support from a family that took him in as their own and over the years it seemed that we all grew further apart and rarely saw each other. In fact, I had not seen Kendall since he got married and had never met his 12 year old son and 10(?) year old daughter until my sister got married this last May.

When we were planning Mom and Dad's anniversary celebration I invited Kendall. (We had recently gotten in contact through facebook)His wife was scheduled to work the day of the celebration so he suggested we all plan a day to get together while we are all on Christmas break so that we could have time to visit and catch up.

Well, today was that day. My brother and SIL offered their home and we all gathered there today for lunch. We had such a great time! Bryan smoked meat all night and we all brought side dishes and ate until we were stuffed. Then we just sat around the table visiting for hours.

Towards the end of our time together Kendall opened up some about what he went through during the times that Grandma was so sick, Grandad had to go to a nursing home, and how lost and confused he felt as a High School (and then college student) to have these things going on, and to have lost both of his parents before he was 20 years old.

I have had a lot of conflicted feelings through the years about that time and had always wondered how Kendall became so out of touch with our family and so much a member of another family. But now I thank God for the Barrett family. They showed Kendall the love of Christ when he needed it the most and when we were unaware of how difficult things really were for him.

Kendall has a wonderful family now and I feel blessed that we were all able to spend such a special day together. We all left promising to keep in touch with each other and get together again.

Good stuff!

Mom and Dad 50th Anniversary

December 8th, 1960 my parents were married in Meramac, OK in the church where their families both attended. Fifty years have passed and they are a great example of how love and dedication can overcome hard times and increase the joys of good times! My brother, sister, and I are lucky to have such a legacy passed on to us. (My grandparents had been married 72 years when Grandpa passed away).

It was an honor to stand back and see Mom and Dad have such a great time and be honored by so many friends and family.


It was also a huge blessing to realize that my siblings and I have made that transition from sibling rivals to now being adults who love each other very much. In hindsight I realize this transition happened years ago but it was brought to light more in the planning and implementing of the reception.

Good times of great blessings!

2010 Vacation/Staycation

Once again we had a great time at the Richardson Resort.

Roxie had a blast running with Smore and Star (the two dogs that live there) and playing chase with Princess (the cat that lives there). We got home this morning at 12:30 AM. Roxie went straight to bed and slept all night. She then moved to the sofa this morning and has slept non stop all day (it is now 3:15 PM).

Don and I had great fun and enjoyed a lot of quiet and relaxation.

Don picked sand plums and I made 27 jars of sand plum jelly (14 jars with jalapenos).

We made our annual trip to Porter to buy fresh peaches, made a stop at Bass Pro, and then had a wonderful visit with Portia and J.D. (Don's sister and her husband). They made us a really yummy meal and then we all enjoyed catching up on what has been going on in our lives since last year.

On Sunday, we went to church with Mom and dad and then they took us out to eat at Montana Mike's. We also got to visit with them a couple other times while we were there. That was really nice as it seems we don't make the time to go down and visit often enough.

Haleigh and Lorrine (our niece and Don's brother's wife) came up and canned peaches with us. Here is a picture of us after 8 hours of making and canning jams:



Bryan and Noel got home late Tuesday night and we really enjoyed hearing about their fun packed vacation to MD with Noel's father and her siblings. Sounded like they had a wonderful time. Wednesday we enjoyed some time hanging out with them, eating at the local Mexican joint, hanging out some more, and then having grilled burgers topped with fresh tomato slices, fresh-from-the garden cucumbers in vinegar, and home made peach cobbler together before we had to leave.

Our original plan was to leave Winfield on Wednesday and take Don's dad to see his brother in Houston and then his sister in Lake Charles, LA. That trip had to be canceled due to Don Sr. experiencing some back problems and being unable to travel. We were a little disappointed not to get to see Don's aunt and uncle but it will be nice to have a few days here at the house to get a few projects done.

What a blessing it was to be able to enjoy each other and our family on a great vacation!

A Great Birthday!

I must confess to you all that I have been feeling pretty low lately. Whether it is stress, worries, hormones, or Satan I have spent a lot of time over the last 6 weeks or so not feeling so good about myself or my life. At times I have felt helpless, hopeless, on the verge of panic, and often throwing myself quite the pitty party. I have been in prayer over these feelings and dreaming of a way to escape the funk.

Well, let me tell you something great. God has really been blessing me this week.

Yesterday I had lunch with Karen McCorkle and she remembered my birthday. That made me feel so loved and special it really brightened my day. In addition we had a wonderful visit and I really enjoyed catching up with her.

I also got a message from a really terrific friend (PJ - she was my Matron of Honor when Don & I got married) whom I had not been in contact with for more than 8 years. We have sent messages back and forth today catching up and planning to get together.

First thing this morning I got a call from Jenna, my 7-year-old niece who shares my birthday - just calling to wish me a happy birthday! What a special girl (and a special momma for helping her call Aunt Neta)!

Today my facebook was flooded with happy birthday wishes. What a joy! Every time I logged on I saw new messages.

Tonight I got to chat on the computer for a short time with my best friend from High School, Karen Wilkie. I sure do wish we lived closer!

I also received a text message from Trevor (my nephew) and Paige (my niece)!

This was all very uplifting at a time when I really needed it. God is good . . . . AND so are my wonderful family and friends!

Thanks Everybody!

One Crazy Night!

Well, last night as we waited for the Awana awards to begin I get a call and my brother (with his voice cracking with emotion) tells me that my mom is on her way to the hospital. Don and I run out of the church and head to Winfield.

When we get to the hospital we find that mom is VERY confused and throwing up blood. I have never seen her look worse and my dad was pretty upset to see her that way.

Bryan explains to me that mom was driving home from Winfield and started feeling light headed so she pulled over. (Thank goodness she was smart enough to pull over) Once she got pulled over she tried to call 911 but couldn't get her hands to push the right buttons. Thankfully in her dialing she must have pushed the speed dial button for Noel. Noel said she sounded very confused and told her she needed help. Bryan and Noel rushed to where she was and by the time they got there she was really confused and disoriented and they are not even sure she knew who they were. They were not sure what might happen so they called the ambulance to come get her.

Testing in the ER ruled out a stroke. Her hemoglobin count was 13. Dr. said this is low but they would not need to give her blood until the count gets under 8. My mom is a really tough woman and NEVER admits she is in pain or needs help. In the ER she just kept saying "I'm sick", "Somebody help me". We were all worried sick and emotions were running high.

Then dad admits that mom has been having trouble with her stomach for over a month and had told him she would go to the Dr. after Toni's wedding. (May 8th) You see, mom is sewing 5 dresses for the wedding and she told the Dr. this morning that she did not have time to go to the Dr.. (I bet she really didn't have time to be in the hospital for several days!)

Last night they said they could see a kidney stone on the CT but that that could not be causing all the symptoms she was experiencing. Nothing else was showing up on the tests so they gave her anti-nausea meds and morphine until her regular Dr. could come in the morning. Even morphine every 2-4 hours was not keeping her from saying she was in pain.

Don and I headed home about 10:45 since I had two final presentations to make today. We were on pins and needles just waiting and praying that God would heal mom and make everything OK.

This morning mom was stable and her pain was being better controlled but her hemoglobin count was down to 11. They decided to do a Colonoscopy to see what might be going on.

Then, this afternoon I received the best text. Colonoscopy showed no new bleeding. They did find several ulcers in mom's lower abdomen, which can be treated with medications and they are thinking she MAY get to go home tomorrow. We are so grateful that she is no longer confused and that she does not need surgery and that the problem is treatable with medicine!

Praise God for taking care of mom and her crazy kids that drove like maniacs to get to her!

Thanks to all my friends and family that said prayers and called with concern and words of encouragement. I could not have gotten through this without you!

Bedroom Makeover

For at least 8 years Don and I have searched for a comforter set. I searched the internet and stores but either couldn't find the colors I like, the style I like, or the price was too high. Finally the day after Thanksgiving we found a set that we loved and because of the special sales we were able to purchase as our gift to each other for Christmas.

Next step in the process, finding a paint color to compliment the new comforter. We must have looked at every paint sample in both Lowe's and Home Depot. Carried a pillow into the stores on numerous occasions trying to find just the right color. Next step, painting paint samples on the wall and trying to decide - still no luck in finding one we liked. Next, we took the sheets (which matched the comforter) to Home Depot and had the color matched. Ugh, still not exactly right. So, next I mixed matched color with the ceiling color we found and painted a sample on the wall. Wha la! That's the color. I painted a small piece of wood and Don took that to Home Depot, had the color matched, bought the paint and painted the room. He did a wonderful job and our long overdue makeover is now complete. The perfect added touch . . . . a nice new ceiling fan that my parents gave us for Christmas.

Don told me this morning that he woke up in the night and thought he was in a hotel. :-D

Check out the transformation:

SPRING HAS SPRUNG!

I looked outside Friday morning and noticed how beautifully our plum tree, forsythia bush, and red bud tree are blooming. While I was taking pictures the birds were singing, the squirrels were chasing each other up a tree, and everything just smells fresh and clean. Spring is here my friends!

Presenting a Lesson

Friday I presented my first lesson to 16 wonderful 1st Graders! The lesson lasted 30 minutes and was about inventions. It was a follow up to Mrs. Groom reading the book "Great Inventions" the day before and discussing inventions with the class. We reviewed the vocabulary words and I made a power point with pictures of inventions on a time line from how the first invention was to how it has been improved upon over the years. I was so excited that the students really got into it. They were so excited when I would change the slide to see what the next invention was and they wanted to talk a lot about what they noticed the new invention improved.

The most exciting part - I brought a "dial" phone that we have here at the house. I plugged it in and drew names for one student to hold my cell phone and one student to use use the dial phone to call my cell phone. They loved to listen in the old phone and see how it sounds different and all were really excited.

The best part was that at the end of the lesson everyone was excited and thought they could be great inventors!

Most encouraging part - As I was leaving I got big hugs and one little girl asked me if I could teach some more! It just doesn't get any better than that!

THE GRASS IS ALWAYS GREENER

When Bella came to live with us we washed up Domino's old cat bed and put it out for her to sleep in. Well, Roxie was constantly laying in that bed. As Roxie got bigger and bigger this was obviously not comfortable but she continued to try to fit in it. Whoever got to the bed first was the one who got to sit in it.

So, for Christmas Roxie got her own comfy bed that was just her size. We thought this would solve the problem as they would each have their own special bed. BUT, this is what happens now:

NASA DOWNLINK

Today was an awesome day! Mueller Elementary along with WSU College of Education had a live downlink with three astronauts on board the NASA Space Center. 275 students (3rd - 5th graders) came to exploration place and were able to talk to these astronauts live. The astronauts answered their questions and I felt so privileged to be there.

After the download the students toured the 30 "Discover Centers" prepared and presented by WSU COE students. My partner and I had a "Comet" center and the children were able to make a model of a comet to take home with them. Most students seemed like they really enjoyed the activity and were interested in the information.

As we were walking to the car we passed by some boys waiting in line to board their school buss and they yelled out "thank you for the comets!". That made my day!

One thing I was surprised by is that other people also came through and asked questions about our Discovery Centers. I had been under the impression that it would only be Mueller Elementary students there. Had I known they allowed others to come in I would have called my homeschool friends and let them know to come. The kids would have really enjoyed and benefited from visiting all the discovery centers.

I feel sure after today that I have chosen the right profession. What a great day!

P.S. - Bad news is . . . forgot my camera. BOOOOOOOOOO! :-(

ONE SPECIAL DAY!

I totally forgot to post about my most wonderful girlee day with some of my favorite girls. One evening my SIL, Lorrine, called and asked if I would like to have a girlee day with her and my 16 year old niece, Haleigh. Of course I said "YES!" right away. A day or so later I was with my other SIL, Noel, and I asked her if she and my 13 year old niece, Paige, would like to join us. Unfortunately Noel was unable to break away but Paige was able to join us.

We were able to go to Xenon School of Hair Design and enjoy manicures, pedicures, and facials. Haleigh and Lorrine also got haircuts. We all felt like royalty!

I had never had a facial before and let me tell you, it will not be my last! I felt like I was in heaven! From the dim lights, the soft music, the warm towels, the fantabulous face, neck, and shoulder massage . . . . . . ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. If she would have left that room for even a second I'm sure snoring would have ensued. PURE BLISS!

After all that special treatment Lorrine took us to On the Border and treated us to a great meal and dessert. Great food and and a super fun time just hanging out there visiting. I think this should be a new tradition!

Here are a few pictures from that day . . . . .