Banquets and Mother's Day and Graduations Galore!

This has to be the busiest month of the year any more! I think it has surpassed December for craziness. We have been trying to keep up with everything, and it seems sometimes like I am forgetting half of what I need to do. Organization is not my strong suit. Even though I started planning for Sam's graduation months ago, I am still sucking wind here at the end trying to tie off the loose ends.

Sam cleans up well! Micah got this picture of him before Banquet!

A group shot of some of the kids that went to Sam's Junior/Senior Banquet!

Sam had a wonderful time at his Junior/Senior Banquet with some of the kids from the 'Boro up the road from us. They went to a place that served "country cookin'" which Sam is not usually too fond of. However, he came home raving about this place. He said it was just awesome. After dinner, there was a jazz festival going on on the town square, so they all stopped off there and listened a while. Then, they went back to one of the kid's house and were joined by some other folks for hanging out and playing in the game room. It seems a fine time was had by all!

Two very tired Mothers!

The next big day was Mother's Day! Daniel had made it back from visiting Jenn's family in Georgia, and we traveled down to be with my Mom for the day. I wanted all day to take a picture of us together before we got out of our "church clothes," but it was so chaotic all day that we finally ended up snapping a picture late Sunday evening after we got home and our families gave us presents. I was given multiple boxes of sugar-free chocolates, a lovely candle, and a new memory card for my new digital camera so that it can hold mega numbers of pix! Needless to say, I felt pampered!

Daniel and Jennifer on his most recent trip to GA. They never seem to lack for good times!

Now, the countdown to graduation has started, and I am in panic mode. We drove out and found the place where graduation is going to be held for the homeschoolers in our little group, and it is a beautiful setting. It is nestled in some rolling hills, back in "the sticks!" I hope those that come won't get lost. Mental note to self---make good maps! I finished the slide show of Sam's pictures that will be played at graduation, and I am tickled pink that a dear preacher friend of ours is going to be the speaker of the evening. I still have to get food ordered for the reception, and I pray that the other lady who is in charge of some of the bigger items like caps and gowns has her ducks in a row! I am now starting on the Senior Table for Sam, collecting memorabilia for it and plastering a presentation board with photos.

Hopefully, 2 weeks from today, we will be having a graduation ceremony, and some neat memories will be made. Pictures, as always, will follow.

In the meantime, the stomach virus came, went, and seems to have come again. Sarah was the only one who had it two weeks ago, but now, all the boys have dropped with a somewhat milder version of it (they would say it is bad enough). Tim even seems to have succumbed. I guess I had better go check on the biggest babe of all! 'Til next time.....

Not Again!

For all of those who keep records, mark this day down.
Pukebug is back in town!



And the current score is:
Pukebug 1, Lysol 6

Sarah has fallen! Sadly, so has her little friend Rachel Beth at church. We must have shared some love Sunday night after church at Arby's. To the rest of the inhabitants of Gravyville out there, grab your Lysol guns and start firing.

I SO Need to Update!

I decided that some other things would just have to fall by the wayside, because this blog needs updating so badly. I am not sure that I can remember all that has happened since I last wrote, but I will give it the old college try!

We were dreadfully late on getting to celebrate my Dad's, Micah's, Sarah's and my niece Kelsey's birthdays like we do every year in March. Tim has been very busy at work, and the weekends have all had something as well. Finally, towards the end of the month, we made it down to have the big family get-together. We always leave with tummy aches, because we try to have cake on top of the dinner, and it is just too much!

We have all been watching the progress of my father, who had the open-heart surgery in December. It seems he takes two steps forward, and one step back, as the saying goes. I think he takes 12 different medications, so it is no wonder that he feels badly on some days. I cannot tell you, then, how gratifying it was to see him preach last Sunday. Last year, around this time, he was in the worst part of congestive heart failure. He sat in his den with three fans on him and the a.c. on high, gasping for breath. When the congestive heart failure relented a little, the doctor decided to act, replacing his aortic valve. Here we are, about 6 months later, and Dad was "back in the saddle" on Sunday! He did an awesome job, and I had to shed a few tears

My brother, Daniel (not to be confused with son, Daniel) is the regular preacher at one of my favorite congregations in Middle Tennessee. Sunday, he moved over and let Dad into the pulpit. Few people know that Dad preached for a while when I was a little girl. Of course, at the time, he was also working as a Highway Patrolman. All my brothers have taken up similar challenges in their lives, working several jobs at the same time, usually. Drew is also preaching now in another church in the county, in addition to working his M-F job. That church had died down to a faithful few of about 40 or so, I think. In the last couple of weeks, they were delighted to have about 27 visitors one day! My prayer is that this church will soon be filled with young people to carry on the work when the 40 older people are gone.

At any rate, we enjoyed all the birthday festivities in March, and then it was no time until my young nephew Ben's birthday. Here are some pics from the festivities.


Sarah was the first to celebrate---about 3 times! I can't believe my baby girl is 7!


Next came the group celebration, and the photo of Dad with his NINE grandkids, the newest being little Emma Elizabeth!

Speaking of Emma, she is growing so much! She is 4 months now....

(They say she looks like me! I am flattered!)


Emma checks out her Meme's adjustable bed with darling cousin Lauren!


Then it was time for Ben's Birthday!


Here is the handsome gent and his precious mother Steph!


The grandkids had to pose again! It is amazing to have them there all at the same time, now that some are growing up! Micah's face is burnt from being out in the pool---yes, the freezing cold pool!

Speaking of going in the freezing pool---here is another brave little snaggle-toothed girl:


Finally, here is one last picture with Tim in it. He is standing in front of a bush that should be all full of leaves this time of year, but the frost got it. There are so many flowers that just did not make it. It looks kind of sad outside this year. I think it is going to be interesting to see the trees this fall. Wonder what they will look like?


(Pardon the sunbeams)

Well, that's enough for one update. Next time, I will try to share some Sam pictures--from his banquet, etc. He is having a fun senior year and is quite excited that graduation is less than a month away! Don't forget Mother's Day on Sunday! Mail those cards if you live far away!

Forgotten, But not Gone!

Well, I know my three readers must be awfully put out with me. If they are looking to this blog for internet entertainment lately, they have been sorely disappointed. I am sorry to have been AWOL so long, but duty calls from so many different places, I have been having trouble answering all the calls.

Spring is a hard time to get to stay on the computer very much around here. My four kids still at home continually have something pulling us in another direction, or chores call, or there is some special project awaiting, or someone needs visiting, etc. I made up my mind a month or so ago that I was not going to get frustrated by the amount of things that need doing, and just set to work doing the most important things first. I am trying to meet deadlines, so I just set priorities every day and try not to worry about tomorrow. It really helps to keep the stress levels down.

I always wondered when I was in high school why it had to be so difficult at that stage of life. In addition to having about 6 college-prep courses per year taught on a level harder than anything I came up against in college, I participated in drama, speech, volleyball, softball, honor guard, chorus, and some other assorted "after-school" activities. I used to have classes all day, go straight to athletic practice until dinner time, run home and eat dinner, and come back to the school for play practice or chorus until 10 at night. Then, I would go home and do homework til all hours, and get up at 6 to start all over again. Looking back, I know that only the vitality that comes with youth allowed me to accomplish so much. It is a little disheartening as you lose that vitality and cannot achieve as much in your days at 45 as you did when you were 16. I think, though, that the practical lesson I brought away from those days was that you are always stronger than you think you are, and you can do more than you think you can do. That lesson was hammered into my brain again when I found myself in my 30's a single parent of 3 active boys.

Sometimes you just have to reach down deep into your being and pull out the strength to do something that is neither fun nor emotionally stimulating. Laundry would be a good example, right Jen? It's hard to believe that doing history at 2 in the morning with your body battered and bruised from volleyball practice could prepare you to hold a vomiting child years later. The thing that those two activities have in common was that you have to be willing to sacrifice something very important to you (usually sleep) for another important goal to be met. Love is a huge motivating force--whether it be love for a sport early in life, or love for a person as you mature.

Now, 27 years later, as I prepare to see my second-born graduate, I understand some things that I did not when I was 18. Those teachers were driving us beyond the limits of human endurance at times to show us that it could be done. Students who went on to be doctors, lawyers, soldiers, mothers and fathers, and a host of other things have assuredly used those lessons to get through unimaginable challenges in their lives as well.

There are spiritual implications, too. We can always do more in the spiritual realm than we think we can. Sometimes when the Lord allows us to go into unimaginable spiritual battles, He, in His infinite wisdom, knows that we will come out the other side of life's battles stronger and more able to handle the next confrontation. The trying of our faith does indeed produce patience. I feel that patience growing, and for that, I am happy.

The washer and dryer will run today continually, and I will be going over math facts with a seven-year-old while I fold. I'll probably have a "wild card" thrown in there, as I did yesterday when the toddler exploded a whole bottle of soda on the dining room carpet. I have a biography to write, a bible class lesson to create, photo sessions to schedule, three cards to make and send, a yard sale to put together, people to call, kids to nurture, and a patient husband who awaits some "quality time" with me. Doubtless, all of it is not going to get done today. I just have to "forgive" myself tonight as I pillow my head, and resolve to do it all again tomorrow, hopefully a little better than I did today.

Another Mighty Warrior Falls

Alvin Lunn
1934-2007

"By humility and the fear of the LORD

Are riches and honor and life."
Proverbs 22:4

Monday afternoon, on toward dinnertime, brother Alvin Lunn, beloved elder in the Collegevue church in Columbia, Tennessee, departed this life. I trust in faith that he was carried to Abraham’s bosom, just as Lazarus was in Luke 16. The simple but beautiful picture of angels carrying one vexed in his final days on earth by pain and suffering to the restful peace and comfort of Abraham’s bosom brings a smile to my lips. I am confident that this soldier of the cross and follower of the Lamb has now entered into peace and rest!

"But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope." (I Thess. 5:13)

I was not privileged to know brother Alvin for many years. We first met him when we became members at Collegevue just a few short years ago. He and his wife were the first to invite us to eat in their home. We subsequently enjoyed some hayrides and bonfires there and celebrated one special birthday with him. He was the kind of man you wish you had known all your life. He was a man to be held in the highest esteem.

"Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly...." (1 Peter 5:2)

I had no doubt that brother Alvin was watching for my soul from the first day that I entered "his flock." I loved his eyes! The fire in them reflected the seriousness with which he held his office among us and the passion he had for the uncompromised truth of the gospel, yet you could look into those same eyes and unquestionably see the love he had for each one of us, also.

He was so tender with the children--a beautiful mirroring of the Good Shepherd with the little children. Yet, like the Chief Shepherd, he was a formidable foe to the wolves that threatened the flock. Sin and error and discord and all the negative darts that Satan could hurl would not reach his charges if he had anything to do with it.

"Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you."(Hebrews 13:17)

It was a blessing to be able to submit to the rule of this overseer. I always loved it when he stepped before the congregation, because you knew that wisdom, knowledge, and instruction would drip, as it were, from everything that he said. He wisely heeded the words of scripture that said, "Do not be rash with your mouth, And let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; Therefore let your words be few. (Ecclesiastes 5:2) He was a man of few words, but his words were indeed "deep waters." (Proverbs 18:4) He used every opportunity to make learning experiences for all of us. I think even when the flock gave him grief, that he was glad to do his work humbly and effectively. Though we sometimes let him down, he never gave up on us.

When technology "burst forth" in the form of an innovative internet radio program that the church could use to teach all over the world, he, as an elderly gentleman of the "old school" was not the least bit intimidated or afraid to try something new. That radio broadcast has continued, with him dropping into the "studio" in the earlier days before he got so ill, to contribute what he could to the live on-air discussion. I am sure his encouragement behind the scenes helped to make that program the success it has become.

We were all devastated when we learned that bro. Lunn had a bad form of cancer that invaded his mouth and throat, though he never smoked or chewed, I was told. He fought valiantly at this battle, too. He never gave up. He never took the easy way out. I am told by those closest to him that he never, ever complained through it all. He handled unsufferable torment with the same dignity and grace with which he always carried himself. He would often get out of bed to go to services on Sunday morning, go home and sleep a little and get back up and go back Sunday night. That continued until just a few short weeks ago, whenever he could possibly make it. Through chemo, and radiation, and feeding tubes, and the inability to talk for the pain, he persevered, with that fire still in his eyes. His manner of life taught a lesson that could never be conveyed by words. His handling of suffering will long stand as an example to us all.

Christopher Reeve once said, "A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles." In many ways, he appeared to be just an ordinary man. I believe, however, that he was an extraordinary man posing as an ordinary man, clothed in the finest suit of humility I have seen in many years. He was a Christian above all, and a husband, father and grandfather, successful businessman, farmer, and friend to many, among other things. But in the end, brother Lunn definitely found that strength which is not ordinary in times of deep trouble, undoubtedly sustained by his great faith in the Lord. For these reasons, and so many others, he will be numbered with the rare men who have been my heroes.

The fire has been briefly extinguished. Bro. Lunn now waits with the rest of the faithful dead for the Last Day, when one Shepherd will lovingly and proudly look upon another who so beautifully reflected His own love for us, and utter those promised words...

"Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord!"

Prayer Request

I got a request for prayers today from some South Carolina friends today for some dear Christians named Fred, Dot, and their daughter Melissa. Each time I think of them, some strong memories come flooding back. Fred was a Chief Master Sergeant in the Air Force when my first husband and I were in our mid-twenties and living in Sumter, South Carolina. My ex was not living the way a Christian should live, and Fred did all he could as both a superior in the Air Force and as a fellow Christian to help him. Fred impressed me more than just about any Christian I have ever met, and I will tell you why. He was not afraid to get his hands dirty. You see, sometimes, when a member of your family is not living as they should, it makes people in the church uncomfortable, and rather than be uncomfortable and help you, they turn their backs and shun you. This is an unfortunate and unscriptural response. Fred was not that way. He would walk into a bar and haul a drunken airman out and drive him home so he would not kill anyone on the way home. It did not bother him to get out of bed in the middle of the night and deal with a volatile situation that could not wait until morning. He would gently counsel and teach and try to lead that poor soul back to the Lord. He would exhort and encourage, and often rebuke, but there was never any question that he did it with love. The beautiful part was that when one repented, Fred could forgive and forget and still treat that person as though they were valuable instead of giving the cold shoulder and treating them like they were "damaged goods." The church in Sumter has always been small and has struggled through the years, because unlike other places, the preacher stays and the congregation goes. The airmen and women in the Air Force stay for a little while and then get transferred on somewhere else. Fred and Dot have been an integral part of that church for all these years, keeping the work going with their financial help and their "elbow grease." I can remember Fred growing vegetables in his beautiful garden and taking them to the nursing homes, quietly and without any praise, just so the residents could have good, tasty, and healthy things to eat. There are no telling how many things he did like that that I never knew about. He was a very modest man. Speaking of love, he loved his wife more than just about any man I have ever beheld. He still does, and he has nursed his wife Dot through the last 10 years when she has been really, really sick and bedfast most of the time. In the earlier years, you had better not ask Fred and Dot to do anything on Friday night, because it was a standing "date night" for them, and nothing was more important except the Lord. Their love has been an example for many young Christians who have cycled through the air base at Sumter, SC. Dot is not doing well as of this writing. She has had dialysis since her kidneys went bad some years ago during cancer treatment for breast cancer. She is tired. She cannot tolerate even another treatment. Without dialysis, the toxins will accumulate in her body. Fred and Dot have one very precious daughter, Melissa. Dot did get to see her first grandchild born into the world. She had prayed the Lord would give her enough life to see that. Fred has selflessly been at her side continually through it all. Please pray for them, and if you have just a moment to drop an email to Fred and Dot and Melissa, make it encouraging and uplifting, give them some love, and offer your prayers. I will be happy to send you the email address if you need it and email me!

I Really Have Not Fallen Off the Earth!

What a crazy week this has been! It has been Spring Break for my oldest boy, Daniel, so we made last minute plans to go to Atlanta for a few days and visit his true love and her parents! It really was a lot of fun, though we stayed in crazily-busy mode the whole time we were there. I had been hoping that since we get to take so few vacations, that there would be some time for just lazing around the hotel, but it really did not happen. We were there from Saturday until Tuesday, and every day was jam-packed!


Our own Motley Crew staring into the sun at Marietta Square in GA

We had a nice two-bedroom suite we found at Residence Inn. I have a special place in my heart for the Residence Inn chain! We spent quite a bit of time at one on our honeymoon, and it was just the best! This one did not disappoint either. The kids had their own room and bath, we had a bedroom and bathroom, and there was a huge living room with a pull-out sofa for the girls. We also had 3 t.v.'s which helped to keep the peace when we were there!

Saturday night, we went out to the Cheesecake Factory near Atlanta to celebrate Micah's 13th birthday. It was a wonderful evening full of good food, even better cheesecake, and the best in laughter and conversation with Jennifer and her parents. At times, all the young people were laughing so hard at their end of the table that I thought they would "bust a gut!" It seems to always be like that when Daniel and Jenn are together.


Micah tries to hide, but the birthday singers found him! :)

Dan, Jenn, and Micah are full and happy!

Sunday, we worshipped with Jenn's family at Douglasville, GA. They are almost done with a new church building, but they are currently meeting in a funeral home chapel. Lucky for me that I spent a lot of my 30's in a funeral home environment, and it did not phase me a bit to pass the body in the viewing room on the way to the restroom. Still, I know the brethren there will be tickled pink to be in their new building soon.

Monday was a very full day! We went to Marietta Square and played and shopped. They had some neat shops on the square, and we had a good time just goofing off.

Here, Micah plays at the Antique Shop!

Meet the Parents-- Tim, Dana, Rita, and Robert!!!

The kids had a ball playing on the train on the square, and so did some of the parents!

Robert and Hannah enjoy the slide!

The Valiant Dan rescues the Fair Jenn from the

train tracks!

Hannah and Sarah enjoy playing by the fountain!

On Tuesday, we decided to do something educational and go see where the Civil War battle at Kennesaw Mountain was fought. Tim had an ancestor who was possibly wounded there and died eventually as a result of his wounds. The mountain was pretty high, and there was an incredible view from up there!

You can even see Stone Mountain from up there--over 20 miles off in the distance!

We loved the museum and the theater! Here, Sarah waves her flag beside one of the cannons.

Dan attempts to keep the lovely Jenn from falling off Kennesaw Mountain!

After climbing parts of the mountain and admiring the view, we decided to head back toward Marietta and visit the grave of JonBenet Ramsey. I had no idea a day earlier when we were playing up on the square, that we had been so close to her grave.

I followed the story of JonBenet back in 1996 and 1997 like the rest of the nation did. I always thought it was such a sad story. We found her grave, all the way in the back of a very old cemetery. Her mother's grave is at her feet, still unmarked but for a simple wire fence about a foot high around the perimeter. A small tree hangs over JonBenet's grave, and people have tied all sorts of ornaments and suncatchers and wind chimes to the dangling branches. It is such an unremarkable grave for such a darling little girl. Jenn got this picture of Sarah by the grave. There is no caption needed:



Our trip came to an end, and we are back to reality now. Time slips ahead an hour tonight. I am not believing we are almost half-way through March. I am frantically preparing for Sam's graduation. We are thinking we have found a car for Daniel. I have umpteen appointments to go to this month. I got my c-pap machine, but some adjustments are going to be necessary. The thing is horrible to get used to.

Spring seems to be here, and I happily say goodbye to cold weather and static electricity. Hannah's hair has been unmanageable all winter! Happy Spring, Everyone, and set those clocks ahead tonight, or you will be late for church tomorrow!

My lovely, statically-electric Hannah Bee!

My Sweet "Baby" Girl

  

Sarah is Seven!

  

My Newest Teenager

  

Micah--13 and Incarcerated

 

Fortunately, Micah only occupies a play jail cell during our trip to Georgia 

One Cool Dude is 13!

 

He's gonna be a heart-breaker with that flat-top! He was pretending to be "cool" here! 

It's That Time of Year Again!

I came home tonight after church and checked the Weather Channel online to see what is happening with the weather. Some folks on a local blog are all excited because it looks like Middle Tennessee will see some bad weather tomorrow, unless this front falls apart.

I hate storms and I love them. They are just the best for sleeping to, if you know that you are not going to blow away while you sleep. It is not much fun to huddle with trembling children in our little hallway of choice, sometimes moving to the bathtub if the walls begin shaking.

Last year was not too bad, if I remember correctly. We did not have that many scary storms. This is the second of this year already. I thought it was going to be bad enough tomorrow that I moved some appointments with doctors back a couple of weeks. The only thing worse than being in the hall with scared kids is trying to keep the car between the paint while little girls shriek from the back seat, "We are all going to die!"

According to the posts tonight, tornadoes were on the ground south of Kansas City. I have a friend out there and a few family members on my husband's side. We will have to say some prayers for them and for the Arkansas people tonight. They can return the favor for us tomorrow.

This weekend will be filled with reunions. Dan wants to see his true love over Spring Break from college, so I guess we will go with him to see her. Micah turns 13 on Saturday and Sarah turns 7 on Wednesday! Mother-in-law Ginny also has a birthday that same day (Wed.), as does my dear old Uncle Doug. It is a busy week with the birthday preps! I guess we will celebrate the kids' birthdays with Jennifer and Daniel while we can all be together. Next week, we will play catch up and celebrate my dad's birthday, which happens on the 5th! Whew!

In other "news,"I am getting ready to teach a 4-month class for the young girls at church! This is always something I have wanted to do (teach this age group.) I am really excited about it! I will have some help, as 3 other ladies are going to co-teach with me. We get to cover all those lovely teen topics like dating, drinking, peer pressure, etc. We met Tuesday and got a rough outline of the 16 weeks put together. I think I will learn a lot from these ladies, too. They are a quality group--smart as whips! Three of us are younger, and one is older. She (the older lady) will have her hands full guiding all of us into the study of some tough subjects. We have a fellow in the congregation who is a world-class artist, and he is going to make some visual aids for us to go along with the theme of the class, which is taken from II Peter 1:5-9. Hopefully, we can accomplish our objectives as teachers, and the girls will take away something good from the class.

Well, that is my wondrously exciting update for now. I think I am going to play a little internet Scrabble and go to bed! I have a lot to pack and to wrap tomorrow, if the good Lord wills! Night, my dear ones!

Sweet Sleep!

O.k., I know I said I was going to be more faithful about posting since I added my third reader recently. I haven't been doing such a good job keeping up, but I plead....sleepy!

I have been sleepy for about 20 years now. Coincidentally, 20 years ago is when I gave birth to the first of the five little eaglets. Daniel was not a lethargic baby by a long shot. Then, when Sam came along 18 months later, things really got rough. I can remember staying up with them until midnight, and then they would wake back up at 4 or 5 a.m. ready to go again. Folks, I can't make it on 4-5 hours of sleep a night. 10 is better, and 12 is more like it. I took them to the pediatrician for help, and his summation was that when they got to be teenagers, they would sleep. They do. However, I have always had babies in the house, too. And babies do not sleep! At least, mine never have!

The only problem is that when you sleep 10 or 12 hours a night, you don't get a lot more done. I have been fighting incredible fatigue for years. Finally, my internal medicine guy, being the genius that he is (this is the guy that asks me what dosage of medicine I want--good thing I am honest and not a drugie) figured out that I needed to have a sleep study done. Having ruled out heart disease and most other physical things that could cause tiredness, I decided to give it a shot and see what we would find.

So, a few weeks ago, I go in for part one of the sleep study. I did not know what to expect, because very little had been explained about what they would do. I was just told to pack pajamas and show up at my doctor's office at 9:00 p.m.

I arrive and am ushered back through the typical medical building hallways, through the exam room area, and down a hallway to a series of suites. Walking into one of them is like walking into a high-end hotel room--better than Best Western, though not quite as good as the Hilton! The decor is lovely! I have my own queen-sized bed, with comfy pillows and linens, a flat-screen t.v., and my own private bath. I also love the recliner chair. In fact I love it so much, I may have to find two for my own house. It is the most posh leather chair, with a high back that must have been filled with down. I could not have asked for a more comfy room.

It kind of goes down from there. Two nurses appear, and the wiring-up begins. First, they part my hair and make dots on the scalp with an ink pen. Then, while one begins putting all this goo in my hair, the other one is scrubbing parts of my arms and legs with alcohol so the electrodes would stick. For this reason, I would not recommend shaving one's legs just prior to going to a sleep study. I ignore the inferno-like sensations on my legs and try to focus on the cool dippity-doo that is going into my hair.

The nurses make small talk. "Do you think you can sleep here?"

I smile fiendishly. I want to say, "I have five children who never sleep. I have not slept in 20 years. Usually, there are at least two kids in the bed with me and my husband. I am all alone here in a posh room with every comfort. What do you think?"

Instead, I reply, "Yes, I think I will sleep very well!"

In about 30 minutes, I am wired. Then the fun really begins.

It is kind of disconcerting to hear a voice from above. (Just ask Moses.) The voice out of the ceiling says, "Dana, please close your left eye."

Easy enough.

"Now, close your right eye, while looking to the right with your left eye." (HUH?)

"Point your toes at the ceiling 10 times." (Ouch, toe cramps)

"Now, make the loudest snoring noise you can." (O.k., this is weird)

(The real indignities now begin.)

"Hold your breath and move your stomach in and out." (long pause, and just before I pass out....) "You can breathe again."

The "tests" continue. Finally, when I am entirely frustrated and having leg cramps, the voice says, "O.k, Dana, you can sleep now. Good night!" So, I grab my pillows and situate them the way I like and attempt to sleep, though the oxygen sensor clipped to the bottom of my nose is pinching and I want to pull it off and throw it.

I am just drifting off into dreamland, when the voice awakens me. "Dana, could you try sleeping on your back?"

I never sleep on my back. It makes me feel like I am choking. I guess that is a good sign that I have sleep apnea. I try to comply with their wishes. I am so sleepy now. It has been a long day, and I am two hours into being here. Then, the two nurses come back in. Something is wrong with the wiring. It is not picking up correctly at the desk. I am so tired that I think I will fall asleep in mid-sentence with them. They discuss whether they need to get me up and re-wire me with another set of wires. (NOOOOOOOOOOO!) Finally, much to my relief, they find the problem.

They leave, and I immediately start to fall asleep. The voice wakes me again! "Sleep well, Dana. We will leave you alone now!"

The rest of the night is uneventful. Occasionally, I wake and realize that, in order to turn over, all the wires have to come, too. Finally, thankfully, morning comes. I am a free woman.

The next week, I got my results. When on my back, I stopped breathing 72 times an hour. It was not as bad on my side, but I think I still stopped breathing about every 3 minutes on average. When you stop breathing, your brain puts out a hormone which tells your body to "WAKE UP!" You cannot ever get into deep sleep with this happening all night.

It is scary hearing all of this. I think of people who died in their sleep for no apparent reason. I feel fortunate that they have discovered my apnea.

So, part of the mystery is solved. It remains to be seen if the treatment (wearing a cpap mask at night) will do all the sleep doctor says it will for my body. He says I will start to lose weight, because all of this affects my metabolism and my heart. My blood sugar should improve. The endocrinologist will love that.

I went back after church Wednesday night and did part II of the study. I wore the mask all night. It hurt somewhat, and it will take some getting used to, but I had an excellent night of sleep. One of the funny things I have found from all of this is how many people have this same problem and sleep with the mask. They would not do without it now!

One guy I know said that he woke up in a hotel one night unable to breathe. He was determined that he was not going to die in that room and maybe be found in several days, so he got up and crawled outside onto the walkway. He eventually started breathing again, but he got a cpap and would not trade it now for anything. I hope I will feel the same way.

Meanwhile, I am convinced that a certain husband and a certain father I know need this, too. However, each one has to get to the point where he or she cannot endure feeling badly another moment before they do anything about it. Maybe they just need a night out at the spa! Just check your sleep study place out before you go. A cousin of mine said his room was like a cot in a storage facility. You have to be careful these days. I heard an "OB-Gyn" was running his business out of a storage facility, too, and his "patients" were not smart enough to figure out that something was amiss.

Sleep well, all! I will be soon!

Since Winter Has Abandoned Us, C'Mon Spring!

I love this picture! It looks like my kids, except they are on the inside of the window, plastered against it, wondering when we can get out again!

We've all felt awful, except for Sam and Micah who have managed once again to escape the viruses with their good immune systems. The rest of us are coughing, blowing, and aching. I'm ready for spring, if winter is not going to do us any service around here. Being cold is very unpleasant, but I also don't look forward to the predicted record-breaking heat that will be here in the summer.

Like everyone else, we amuse ourselves with American Idol--on our one t.v. station that comes in on the bunny ears, besides PBS. We are glad to be able to see Idol, except when we are at church, and we are going to have to figure out how to tape it via the antenna.

Micah helped me locate some neat clips that show my favorites this year so far.
One of everyoneÂ’s favorites already, Chris Sligh (has some Nashville roots) is looking to be an interesting part of the 2007 show. And yes, he is for real with the hair! I expect any moment for him to reach up and pull off that hair and those horrible glasses and be a fairly good-looking fellow underneath. We will see if he gets a makeover or not. Here, you can see him with his garage band, and they are good! I did not get to see the show where he made it into the final cut, but here is a clip of his great performance that got him through.

Another favorite so far is Melinda Doolittle, from my old hometown of Brentwood, TN. She is such a sweet lady, and I hope she will do well. Here is her original audition.
I am still trying to figure out which superstar she sounds like...Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight, Dionne Warwick??? I can't discern it yet, but I know she is good, because she gives me goose pimples. I can see her going all the way, but then I thought that last year about Mandisa!

And finally, you have to hear this little 11-year-old girl that auditioned on another version of Idol. She sounds like she is decades older than 11! And speaking of child prodigies, if you have not seen the 12-year-old in this video you have missed seeing the next DaVinci/Beethoven!

O.K., that's enough videos for one post! Lots of neat stuff, though. Take the time to view them!

Winter Doldrums

Right after "'Tis the Season to be Jolly" follows "'Tis the Season to be Melancholy!" Yes, it is winter in Tennessee. I never understood why all the elderly flocked to Florida during the winter. I am beginning to understand.

I had to go to the clinic again and get an antibiotic. My ears are infected, and the throat was a mess, too. It's just a given in this weather that if you go out in public enough, you are going to catch something. I am not even going to mention "the illness that shall not be named" that we get every year that we so fortunately have not gotten this year. I am sure that, now that I have blogged about it, we will come down with it shortly. That is how these things seem to go. Let he that standeth....

I have a hard time looking at the pictures from New York right now where they do not even have to get ladders to climb on their roofs. They just walk on the 12 feet of snow they have right over to the roof and climb on. Bet some of those kids are having lots of fun doing what my husband did as a boy in Minnesota--climbing on the roof and jumping off into deep piles of snow. Those of us down here in New Florida, a.k.a. Tennessee, can't even get 12 inches!

The only time I remember one of us jumping off the roof was when my brother Doug went through his Batman phase. He gave poor old neighbor lady Mrs. Starkey cardiac arrest as she tried to dial the phone and tell my mother that one of her offspring was about to become a caped-greasy spot. (Luckily, the roof was not high enough that serious injury was sustained. Come to think of it, that is debatable, considering my dear brother's altered mental state!)

I digress. Well, as we continue the Spring semester of home schooling, we yearn for warm days again. I am mentally preparing for graduation number two, with my sweet Sam being the senior this time. I have to start his photo board, which will take hours and hours to do. Graduates get to have a memorabilia table at graduation. We had one with Daniel, too. I learned then that it is best not to put this stuff off until May!

Sweet Sam! I have to brag on the boy a little. One Sunday morning a couple of weeks ago, I woke to the smell of coffee I did not make followed quickly by the wafting of the smell of hot pastry. It was 5 a.m, and Sam was bringing me breakfast in bed. He then informed me that clothes were in the dryer unwrinkling, and he was on his way out to clean out the car before we left for worship. Without having to be asked, he gently guided the little ones towards clothes, coats, and the car. Without knowing it, he provided my "cup of water" for the day. There aren't many teenagers who will extract themselves from the bed at 5 a.m. and lead their families to church. I appreciate this special young man so much, and I dread the day that he moves out into the world, even though I know he must.

Well, I hope that Spring is at least in your heart, and may the love of God carry each one of you through the gray days, whenever and wherever they occur.

3 Whole Readers!

I got a note this last week from a dear fellow in Florida, who started his note with "Yo, Dana!" Now you might guess that the fellow was in his teens or twenties, but noooooo! He reports that he is a very-young-nearly-81!

Brother Roy has been a special part of my life for as long as I can remember. He and his dear wife, Sister Dot, who departed this life some time ago, were members of the church where my earliest memories lie. That was a special church in so many ways. Many of my family members were baptized there. Many of the same people were married there. I attended there and wedged myself between my dear grandparents for the better part of 10 years, until we moved away. I still look to the right and see Brother Roy and Sister Dot sitting across the way in my mind's eye. Brother Roy served as a beloved elder there, and he is one of the finest in that role that I have ever known.

When my parents decided to move nearer to Nashville for my father's Highway Patrol job, I was devastated to leave that wonderful assembly, with some of the people who shaped my spiritual self. The Bible class teachers there were so devoted, and they assisted my parents in teaching me the ways of God, His precepts and laws and His love! People like Brother Roy and Sister Dot made huge impressions on my little psyche that have stayed with me to this day. So you can imagine how delighted I was when I found out that Brother Roy and Sister Dot were going to be moving, too, and living very close to us in the new place.

Brother Roy and Sister Dot had two precious daughters, too, and they always doted on us a lot when we were children. In time, they married and moved away, and so did the children of our family. Through the years, however, we have managed to have some contact, occasionally running into each other at church services somewhere.

Now, Sister Dot is gone to heaven, and Brother Roy has moved into a condo development which has been overtaken by Christians so that they can have a little piece of heaven in their retirement community in Florida. My dear Uncle Fred and Aunt Fran live around the block from Brother Roy. It is such a small world.

Brother Roy has become my newest reader! Welcome, Brother Roy! As my 3rd reader, he probably ought to get some prize or something. I will have to think of something good to send him! (Need a Rottweiler, Brother Roy? Or maybe a two-for-one special with a stupid Retriever?) I have told Brother Roy that I shall try to be more faithful about writing, if he is going to grace my "blob" with his presence. That is what he calls weblogs, and he reads them on his "contraption." He is learning to access links via email now without the assistance of his lovely daughter Claudia. Good going, Brother Roy.

Brother Roy sent me a story about my grandfather that I should like to share with my other two readers in closing. You will remember that my grandfather is the reason behind the naming of this blog. (If you don't recall, you can follow the links below and read the post, "Why Grit Gravy?") My grandfather was a character. He is worthy of a book, for sure, and I may just find my pen for the first time in such a biography. At any rate, I loved this story, and I shall add it just as he told it. My grandfather is Mr. R.R. (Railroad) Pollock (pronounced Paahh-luck, for those who don't know. He was in the tire business for over 60 years, patenting several tire machines.) Here's the story:

Yes, your grandparents were unusual hard working individuals who were successful in so many ways. RR's inventions were just amazing!! I'll never forget an incident that showed his remarkable ability. I had stopped by his tire shop on a Saturday to get a trailer wheel balanced. He was there that day by himself and several customers waiting in line (and all in a hurry of course).. He was running around like a whirlwind trying to accommodate them all. Leo Bunt from Ethridge drove up about that time with a huge tractor tire that needed fixing in a hurry so he could finish plowing or harvesting or whatever and Saturday was his only day off to do it. RR said he didn't see how he could he could possibly get to him but finally said if Leo would remove the tire from the rim, he'd do his best to work it in. So I volunteered to help him. We got this big wheel on the ground and RR tossed us a wedge and sledge hammer to break the tire loose from the rim. I held the wedge in place and Leo swung the sledge with all his might time after time but the tire didn't budge. So I tried the hammer while Leo held the wedge until we were both worn out. RR passed by about that time and saw the mess we were making of it. He pushed us aside, picked up the wedge in one hand and the heavy sledge with the other and whammed it one time and that tire popped right off while Leo and I hung our heads in shame.
Rufus Clifford said he would never stop shaking the hand of anyone who could stop the baptistery from leaking. They had tried painting it, then lined it with galvanized tin which promptly rusted through at the joints, then lined it with copper which turned green and leaked at the joints and didn't have a descent way to heat it. RR had seen someone put a new product (fiberglas) on a boat so he took all that stuff out lined that baptistery with it and it didn't leak one drop for 50 years when they tore the building down. He also hooked up an electric water heater in the room just below and piped it up into the baptistery and it kept warm water in it continually until the last day. So much for that.

Thanks for sharing those memories, Brother Roy. And thanks for always being one of those rare heroes of the real world that "kids" of 44 like me can look up to.

It Snowed, Mama!

If it is going to snow in Tennessee every year, it usually does it on February 2nd. I don't think I can remember a lot of "Ground Hogs Days" that did not include snow. It also happens to be my parents' wedding anniversary. That is the real reason I can remember that tidbit of information.

Yesterday morning, my wee ones bounded down the stairs to look out at the strange white covering on the ground. I was surprised that they could identify it as snow, since this is the first time in a long time they have seen any! It was not a very respectable snow, but some is better than none at all, I suppose.

Sam and I went to Wal-Mart after church Wednesday night and stocked up on essentials in case it iced instead of snowed. We well remember the ice storm of a few years back which left us immobile for a few days, with no electricity. We bought plenty of drinks, and of course, the essential bread and milk that every Southerner is obliged to buy when snow is predicted. It is amazing how many things there are to think about at a time like this. We bought batteries, as we were down to barely any, t.p., pull-ups, and lots of snacky food that does not have to be refrigerated. I have to admit that I was a little miffed when I saw the light dusting of snow on the lawn. All that for nothing--again. Oh, well, it is nice to stock up on those things for lots of different kinds of crises. Crises or not, you can bet that food does not go to waste here.

Today is my parents' 46th wedding anniversary! Happy Anniversary, Dear Parents! (That picture above was last year's attempt to get all attending grandchildren to sit still for a picture with their grandparents at their 45th celebration!) I know my mom is very grateful to have Dad around this year after all his heart troubles last year. We are all grateful to have him with us.

It's going to be another whirlwind weekend. You can't ignore (though I wish I could) Super Bowl Weekend in this family of football-playing men, and so I am sure there will be a gathering. We may miss the first of the game due to church, but I am sure we won't miss much. We are planning to leave the girls with their grandparents for a week or so, so that I can do some deep cleaning and hopefully make some headway that is not negated by their daily messing up! I surely will miss them, but I hope that they will have a good time with their grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and best of all--big brother Dan who will see them after classes every day.

I have to go back and do part two of my sleep study this next week. They found out that I do, indeed, have sleep apnea. I stopped breathing 72 times an hour when on my back! I did better on my side, but they said that I need the c-pap device to force breathing. The doctor gave me hope that I may see improvement in a lot of things that have troubled me for years now. Sleep apnea affects blood sugar, your heart, and of course, keeps you tired all the time. It may speed up my metabolism when I sleep properly, he says! Hey, I'll do anything to lose weight effortlessly! The funny part is that I never would have thought that I stop breathing that many times! I won't tell you who else needs to go see these people! Some folks just won't believe that sleep apnea can do all that to you!

I don't mind doing the sleep study thing again. They treat you like a queen. You are in a hospital setting, but the rooms look more like hotel suites. I had a big old plush bed with a flat screen t.v. on the wall, the most wonderful leather recliner, and a nice bathroom all to myself. Of course, I'd rather he were with me, but the object IS to sleep! :) So, I will just have to tough it out another night in my plush suite, although I will have 50 jillion electrodes and a c-pap mask attached, but I can request a sedative if I cannot go to sleep. Last time, I was so sleepy by the time they let me go to sleep that I was begging to be left alone!

The new puppy, which some finally guessed correctly to be a Rottweiler, has been doing very well for a little puppy. She has cried minimally, and she is potty training better than Hannah. Perhaps she can teach Hannah. I have just about given up. Hannah just sees no practical value in potties.

Well, that's the update. May the best team win this weekend, whoever they are. (Will someone tell me who is playing?)

Little Emma is One (Month) :)

 


Happy 1 month birthday, my darling niece! Tell Mommy to send me some new pictures! Hope to see you this weekend! 

One of Many Reasons Why it is Dangerous for Me to Go to Wal-Mart

There are just some places I probably should not go, because I am the title holder for World's Most Gullible Woman! I was raised in a very loving, trusting atmosphere, and I came away believing that everything is as it should be and that people do what they say they will do. When I look someone in the eye and ask a direct question, I am apparently horrible at discerning whether they are telling me a bold-face lie or the gospel truth. I have had two situations in two weeks now where two different people have told me something that was just untrue! I am reminded of what Jesus told his disciples..."Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves." (Matt. 10:16) I apparently have the dove part down, but I have some work to do on the serpent side of the equation.

Here is what most recently happened. The kids and I were going to Wal-Mart to grab a few things for dinner, and we passed by the typical "Free Puppy" display set up in a corner of the parking lot. The serpent on my shoulder said, "Keep driving." The dove said, "AWWWWWW, look at the cute puppies. Go back, go back!." The serpent said, "You did this once before with bad results." The dove smacked the serpent off my shoulder and said, "You can't leave a little defenseless, unwanted puppy out here in this 20 degree weather!"

I did a u-turn and went back around.

People were grabbing pups quicker than I could extricate myself from the car. By the time I got there, there was one left, and another lady was on my heels. I asked, "What kind of pups are they?" {Here comes the BIG FAT LIE part} "Oh, they are beagle/bloodhound mixed!" I thought, "Now those are nice, gentle breeds, should be good with kids...." I took pup-pup over to the car full of kids and asked what they thought. What did I expect them to say--no?

So, seeing that the other lady was standing there waiting to see if I was going to leave the puppy so she could take it, I decided to take it. Nearly all puppies are cute, and this one was no exception. She was apparently abused by her bigger brothers and sisters, because she was really introverted for a couple of days. The owners said that was the case. But there was something bugging me.

This puppy did not look like a beagle or a bloodhound.

I started doing research on the internet, and I came across this picture, which is the spitting image of our new pup, Lizzy. Now you tell me, what did I get?



This picture is one I found, but the markings are EXACTLY like our Lizzy's. In fact, these markings are found on every full-blooded pup of this breed. How dog-savy are you? Am I the only one who did not know what this puppy was?

Lizzy's future with the family is yet-to-be-determined. She is precious and well-behaved. It is going to be hard to give her up if it comes to that. In the meantime, I don't think I'll be making any more important decisions alone for a while.