Snow Day!

snow day
fire in the fireplace
cupcakes in the oven
walk in the cold white morning
candles lit
trip to get Christmas tree
Lucy and friend's wet clothes by front door
defroster on rear window of car

New Indigo Girls

If you know me very well, you will know that I love the Indigo Girls. They are my absolute favorites and Mary Kate gave me their new CD but Lucy stole it for awhile and now I have it back and I am loving it.
Words to one of my favorites on this new CD:

Last Tears

These are the last tears I'm gonna cry for you
My cryin's through I'm moving on
I don't regret and won't forget
A single thing that we went through
But these are the last tears I'm gonna cry for you
You take things so much easier than I do
And you could live your life without me if you had to
And you believe that in the end it all works out right
And I might if not for you
And if you ask which one lives alone just for love
I do
There was a time when all signs pointed to the warm south
The planets all lined up and built a new house
And everything we talked about felt like a prophecy
And when you looked at me they all came true
And if you asked which one wants to go the distance
I do
I'm gonna rack my mind one last time until I cannot think
I'm gonna dip into your memory and take a good stiff drink
And when I'm drunk on the last drop of sadness about how we went wrong
I'm gonna play this song
Make some coffee black and strong
Give thanks for healing time
And finally make up my mind
These are the last tears I'm gonna cry for you
My cryin's through I'm moving on


I love this song...the words...the music...and the blending of their voices.
Is there anyone or anything that you need to sing this song about?.... these are the last tears I'm gonna cry for you.....

More Crazy

I need to stop reading the news on the internet. Another article has riled me. A neighborhood in Colorado is angry at one of their residents for displaying a Christmas wreath in the shape of a peace sign. They say that it is anti-war...duh. But isn't Christmas about peace? They are going to fine the family for displaying the peace sign. Okay, like I said, I need to stop the reading the news.
Peace on earth. Good will to men and women.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving.
Thankful for:
God's grace
my husband
my children
other family
friends
hiking in Palo Duro canyon
laughter
inside family jokes
history (Panhandle Plains Museum in Canyon)
our new little house
our new little house that is clean
Ken and Jeanette and their welcoming spirits
listening to our girls laugh with their cousins
car trips

not thankful for:
Mexican dominoes (I lost terribly)

Work and Prayer

I worked 29 hours over the last two days. I feel like I have been run over by a very large truck right now but those hours at work were not as bad it might seem this morning. We were busy but we also had a great time while doing it.

I went down for a soda from the vending machine in the morning. It is one of those machines that has the little shelf that goes up and the soda drops onto the shelf and then is delivered to the little chute to send it out to you. My Diet Coke fell and then from the next shelf came a Dr. Pepper. I got two sodas for the price of one. I gave it away when I got back to the floor.
Later in the day I was going to go down to the lab and one of the other nurses wanted a soda....everyone said that she should have me get her a soda because I had been so lucky before. I got her a soda and it didn't seem that anything special was going to happen and then the change dropped down and I had 4 dollar coins and 3 quarters. There should only have been 3 quarters.
Maybe I should have played the lottery that day.


Update about Sarah...
She had another surgery on Sunday and has been unresponsive since. On Thanksgiving day they are going to put in a trach and a g-tube.
Her doctors are amazed and said that most people would've died after all these events and she is hanging on. She is amazing!
Her husband, Scott, has been praying Psalm 40 for her. "I have waited patiently for the Lord, He inclined and heard my cry. Her brought her up from the pit, out of the mire and clay. He set her feet upon a rock, and her footsteps firm. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord. She will sing a new song."
Let's pray that with Scott for Sarah. She is precious.

Is He Crazy?

I just got out of bed and clicked on the computer and the first screen that pops up is the Cox cable page with news. I was immediately enraged. The new president of Nicaragua, Enrique Bolanas, has signed a bill to ban abortion in any and every circumstance...even if the mother's life is in danger....and if a woman has an abortion she can be sentenced to 30 years in prison. Wow! This man is not living in reality. I am so incensed and there is nothing that I can do about it.

Better

I am feeling better and today is Friday. I love Fridays. I don't know why. I don't work a Mon-Fri job but somehow Friday says that some fun is coming...or maybe just some time with my family. I don't why but I just love Fridays.

I had lunch today with my friend, Jackie. I love talking with her. She is comfortable and just fits with me. We don't have very much time together but when we do, it always feels like we see each other every day. I love friends like that. Thanks, Jackie, for being such a great friend.

Sick

Remember Monday when I said that I felt sluggish and just felt like I needed a nap. Well, I must've needed a nap because yesterday at work I started feeling worse and worse as the day went on. I now have a sinus infection and strep. So, today I have been lying on the couch and watching TV after my doctor's appointment.

Some observations from my day of TV....
...most television is not enough to keep me awake
....Gilmore Girls was better in the first season...now they are just shells of the characters they were in the beginning
....the couch is only comfortable for a few hours
....it is harder to breathe when you are lying down
....it is better if you have your cell phone and your house phone within easy reach
....it is kind of fun to have control of the remote
....I like the sky view out of our back windows
....Seventh Heaven was better in the first season...what happens after a few years?
....there is alot of trash on TV
....you need socks on your feet when you don't feel well
....it is better to have a real pillow instead of the couch pillows
...my family is sweet when you don't feel well

Sarah is off the respirator and has whispered some. Keep praying for complete recovery...for her to be cancer free...for her children to feel peace. Hallelujah for the progress!!!

Beginning of a New Week

Today is Monday and when I am off on Monday I seem to have a hard time getting started with life. I don't do much of anything productive. Today is cold and that just makes me want to be someplace warm and possibly take a nap. Even though I don't really enjoy napping that much...it usually just leaves me feeling groggy.

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Keep praying for Sarah. She is still on the respirator and still not conscious. She has responded to requests and that is a big step. She has opened one eye several times and has wiggled her toes and squeezed some hands. All signs that she is aware that people are with her. Yay!

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Saturday I was supposed to be at work but they cancelled me. I was happy to be cancelled because there was a worship retreat scheduled that I wanted to go to. But being cancelled doesn't mean that you are off the hook entirely. I was still on call and the retreat was out at a ranch about 60 miles away. I was told that it would take about 45 minutes to get there but it really was a little farther than that. I did get to go to the retreat but late. The drive out there was awesomely gorgeous...colors and hills...yellows, reds, greens and an amazingly blue sky. I needed that scenery.
The house on the ranch is set on a ledge overlooking a valley. Wow! I was in awe of the majesty of nature. I could have just sat on the edge and looked for the rest of the day and the trip would have been worth it...but....it only got better. We took a hayride up to place called the Safe Place. 12 huge poles encircling 3 stone rings...representing Father, Son, and Holy Spirit....cross in the Son ring and fire pit in the Father ring. The space was also another a ledge looking west over that same awesome valley. We sang together as the sun set beautifully. God is good.
We went back down and Kellie Miller spoke to us from her heart. Wanted her to talk more but it was then time for dinner. Good to sit at the table with people that I only marginally know and get to know them. Loved talking with Kellie at the table...a kindred spirit indeed.
Thanks, Jeremiah, for including me in that restful and thoughtful retreat.

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Sunday was full of worship and friends and family. That is what I love about Sunday.
We ended Sunday with Katie and Jeremiah in the living room talking about life. I loved ending the day in prayer with the two of you.

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Happy Monday afternoon everyone!

Funny

I didn't post that entry twice. It just happened. Maybe it was supposed to happen.

The Same

I did one thing the same for three days in a row. It may not be what you expect. Yes, I did shower and brush my teeth and all those normal tasks that I do every day but this one is different.
On Tuesday Tim and I went to vote and after voting we went out to eat at Rosa's. On Wednesday I was teaching class at church that night so I waited til after church to eat dinner....I went through the drive through at Rosa's. Tonight I worked until about 6:40 and then drove as fast as I could to ACU to hear Lauren Winner speak to the students. On my way home I went through the drive through at Rosa's.
Not only did I eat at Rosa's for 3 nights in a row but I ate exactly the same thing...a guacamole tostado, queso and chips, and a large sweet tea.
Crazy, huh?

The Same

I did one thing the same for three days in a row. It may not be what you expect. Yes, I did shower and brush my teeth and all those normal tasks that I do every day but this one is different.
On Tuesday Tim and I went to vote and after voting we went out to eat at Rosa's. On Wednesday I was teaching class at church that night so I waited til after church to eat dinner....I went through the drive through at Rosa's. Tonight I worked until about 6:40 and then drove as fast as I could to ACU to hear Lauren Winner speak to the students. On my way home I went through the drive through at Rosa's.
Not only did I eat at Rosa's for 3 nights in a row but I ate exactly the same thing...a guacamole tostado, queso and chips, and a large sweet tea.
Crazy, huh?

Keep Praying

Sarah has not had a good night. She has additional swelling in her head and I know that they were going in to try to relieve that pressure. She has not been very conscious these past couple of days. Please pray for her family and for her. Pray for a miracle and pray for peace.

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I thought I would share some beautiful writing from my thirteen year old daughter. I felt like I needed to post something peaceful.

This is from Lucy-
"As I sit here in the aftermath of a beautiful rare west texas rainstorm I see tiny flying creatures winding in between the raindrops. I can feel the cold damp cement beneath my feet and hear a lonely crow crying for something lost or simply something that is yet to be found. My hair is curling because of the moisture in the air. Drops of water are falling from the edges of my big brick house reminding me of what fairies must look like as they fly toward each other gracefully ignoring the chaos going on in the big crazy human world we live in. They fall as if they want to freefall for awhile before the clouds leave us and the sun comes out and forces them to evaporate before again participating in a rare beautiful west texas rainstorm."

Thank you, Lucy, for these peaceful words.

Pray, Pray, Pray

Remember my prayer request for Sarah Bergquist. Well, I am asking for big time prayers now. There are complications. Sarah has been receiving chemotherapy and was in the hospital for several reasons but last night they think that Sarah had a stroke between 4 and 4:30am. They are trying to determine the best way right now to relieve the pressure in her brain. Pray for Sarah. Pray for her husband and little children. Pray for her mom and dad and siblings. Everyone is scared and would absolutely love it if you would pray.

Many Things Bouncing Around in my Head

I just finished reading Notes From the Midnight Driver by Jordan Sonnenblick. He is the same author that wrote Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie. Jordan Sonnenblick is a middle school math teacher. His high school English teacher was Frank McCourt who wrote Angela's Ashes. If you have a middle schooler or even early high schooler, have them read these books....give them to them for Christmas or just anytime. They are excellent books. A little excerpt from near the end of the book...

"But I guess somewhere in the course of this weird year- my junior year of high school, my senior year of childhood, Sol's last lap around the sun- I figured out that we're all free, in the only way that matters anyway. We're all free to choose some people to love, and then do it."

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We just got back from the family retreat at HEB Foundation camp. It is a amazingly beautiful place....the greenish blue Frio River running through this deep canyon, lots of wildlife, trees turning autumn colors, and the faces of family gathered around just to be with each other.
This weekend it was raining or drizzling the whole time. It made the weekend feel different but it was still fun. I didn't take the big hike because I didn't want to go in the rain but Tim went and loved it. I took a short hike with some friends and we looked out over Echo Valley...so pretty. Tim played frisbee golf, ultimate frisbee and bocce ball. All very spirited games and they looked like they were having great fun. I had many conversations with friends...much laughter.
The talent show was a hit as usual. Aidan's egg was my favorite part of the show.

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This blog has brought some people back into my life that I haven't talked with or seen for many, many years. One of those people is Trisha Arnett. She recently sent me a letter. I have always wondered how she was doing and where she was living. I promise, Trisha, that I will email soon and we can get caught up. This has been a busy year for me. I love that you are doing well and I love that you cared enough to find me. Thanks.

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Right before we left for the retreat, the mail came. I received a card from my friend, Pixie. It was my birthday present and I love it. She gave someone in the world a flock of chicks in my name from Heifer International. I love it. I love that she knows that I would love it. Also, the card is adorable. I need to put it up somewhere to display.

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Our house is getting better every week. I wish that I could say that every day but we still have to live our lives and there only seems to be one day in the week that we make significant progress on getting things together. My Jack and Jill prints are framed and hung. Jesus is over the living room fireplace and Jonah is in the dining room. I love them!!

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Happy Monday everyone!