www.Loose Ends

Thursday's Thoughts...more questions than answers....

Well, my parents made it to Florida. My grandmother is very weak and very critically ill, though still being cared for at home. I am concerned that all the chaos involved with a possible evacuation to the local hospital might just be her undoing. It also presents problems for my mom who has been battling with lymph node problems and probably should not be exposed to all the different diseases present in a hospital, especially a hospital that may not be able to maintain the usual standards of cleanliness. Then there is my 85 year old granddad and my 65 year old dad, both with heart problems. I hope this storm will not scare them into some kind of a spell. I'm still hoping that somehow this monstrous storm will weaken, and leaving their home will not become necessary.




My grandparents in a 2002 photograph











On a happy note, Tim's brother Kevin called us from Mississippi today where he is training to go to Iraq. It was so good to hear his voice and to talk to him! Kevin is a true Patriot who is keeping his chin up despite the dread of leaving his wife for a long-term assignment in a war zone. His wife is having to hold down the fort up in Wisconsin.

I'm still waiting to hear on the "going back to work thing." I think that the lady who is currently running the place is not sure if she wants to give it up or not. The boss is not happy with the way she is running it, but I am not sure he has the energy to fight her to take it away from her. I'm in no hurry. I'm leaving it to the Lord to work this one out! This is one situation where I can truthfully go either way and be perfectly happy!

The clothes sorting continues. Arghhhhh! How one family can grow out of so many clothes, I do not know. Little girls outfits are notorious, too, for having several pieces to them, and I hate to store them until I have found all the pieces and put them together. So I am doing a lot of "where did I see that blouse?" Sometimes, I think I will perpetually be sorting clothes the rest of my life. Currently, Hannah is bringing me a stack of sorted dresses, one at a time, and wanting me to put them on her. She does not understand that they fit her a year and a half ago.

Speaking of Hannah, I have less than a week to plan her second birthday. I can't get in the mood with the events unfolding in Florida. I think I will have to know that my parents and grandparents are safe before I can proceed. Gratefully, she will only be two and won't know the difference if we wait a few days, one way or the other. Meanwhile, little niece Lauren is patiently waiting for her family celebration of her 1st birthday.

The news made me sad today. I hate it when I go to my Fox news on the net or CNN or both, and all the news is sad. Mother throws babies off of pier. Ford laying off workers. Earthquakes and Hurricanes everywhere. I am trying to figure out if it is just me or if lots of people are very somber and serious right now. I have to watch it, because sometimes, I think it is just my perspective. But it seems like every blog I go to, I read another sad story and see that there are lots of desperate people right now. I will get enough of it and back off of viewing any news for a while. Sometimes you just have to stop the negative sensory input.

I guess if I had one of those little icons on my blog that said "Today I feel...." that today's answer would be "philosophical." I am trying to figure out a lot of things right now, and there just don't seem to be any good answers. However, from the looks of my email today, and the tone of aforementioned blogs, I am not alone. I have faith, and I know that God is ALWAYS in control of everything from government to weather. Yet, I cannot help but wonder if this old earth is winding down.... If that is the case, or even if it is not, there is not one thing I can do about it.

Those of you who know me know that I usually profile my loved ones on their birthdays. Today is the birthday of my ex-father-in-law, and it is amazing what a gigantic mess he has made of his life. While I won't be doing a tribute to him, I ask that you pray for him, that he will see the error of his ways before his life is over and change. He has lost everything...his kids, his wife, his material possessions. Despite the fact that his son (my ex) is a louse, he was always pretty decent to me. I wish him no harm and do pray that he can get in the Light before the end of his days.

At any rate, life goes on, and this weekend, we will take Sarah to her much-anticipated birthday celebration and hayride for one of her little "boy friends." I hope the rain and storms do not interfere or Sarah is going to be to bury. It is so cute. She has a string of potential suitors, all of whom have asked her at one time or another to come over and have a sleepover, much to her father's horror! The sweet little ones do not know yet that boys and girls do not sleep over together, and in their innocence, they do not exactly understand why not! I often wonder if one of these young men will be the men our daughters choose to marry some day. Oh, well, that is WAY too premature. Yet, I know from having a 19-year-old and a 17-year-old how fast it goes by.

Well, that's the update for now. Hopefully, tomorrow will produce more answers than questions as well as a much lighter blog for your reading enjoyment.