In The Small Stuff

I've been crazy busy this past couple weeks with baby shower baking, banquet prepping and oh... throw an emergency root canal in the mix too!

Last weekend I was baking up a storm once again in preparation of my new little great-niece, Maddison's baby shower.  My sister, Maddy's "Grammie"and I were talking one day and she commented on how bored she was of traditional shower food.  I suggested, "why don't you make everything baby-themed" and then I offered to make baby cookies.

Last week I also painted my front hall mirror to match the new table we bought for the front hall while we were in Berlin, Ohio the weekend before.  Painting white "fake" wood was a little tricky but here's my finished front hall:

Okay.  So I'm not the most gifted handy woman out there, but the black looks better than the white mirror did so I think I'm pleased enough with it!

After the baby shower last Sunday I was in full banquet prep gear until I was awoken Tuesday night with excruciating, throbbing pain in my left lower jaw.  Ahh... the familiar, mind-numbing feeling of a tooth in desperate need of a root canal.  Blech!  And here I was getting ready to call the dentist to work on the needed crowns.  In some ways it was a huge blessing this happened first though so I could get it done before the crown was put on.

My dentist, who is wonderful btw, sent me to an endodontist who would do the root canal on Wednesday morning.  They took x-rays but couldn't fit me in until today (Friday).  He gave me a prescription of antibiotics for the infection under my tooth and pain meds to help me cope until I could get in for the RC.  He also mentioned that if my tooth (which I hate to say is FULL of filling) ended up being cracked, I wouldn't be able to have a root canal but my dentist would have to extract the tooth and either put a bridge in or transplant (both options CHA-CHING!).  

Honestly... all I could think of was being toothless.  I was freaking... and regretting not taking better care of my teeth all these years.  Why, oh why haven't I flossed religiously every day????!!!!

This morning I got to the office and was nervous (as I usually am at the dentist but even more so today wondering if I would become a toothless old lady).  The dentist and his assistant quickly worked while I listened to worship songs and prayed.  At one point they both left the room and my mind started to race.  Oh no... it's bad.  They can't do a root canal.  I'm going to lose my tooth and I'm not even 50 yet!.  They came back into the room and did a little more work and then the dentist told me he was done.  What??  Really??!!!  He told me there was no crack and the root canal was done.  I almost cried in relief.  Thank you Jesus!!  I don't deserve your grace for my lack of looking after my teeth but THANK YOU!!

As I drove home with my face frozen (and a temporary lisp) I was in awe of God's goodness in even the small stuff of life!  We have such a good Daddy!  He cares even about simple things in life - like dental care!

MentalPause and Other Joys of Aging!

I remember my Mom often joking about those mind-freeze moments in her mid-life years.  She called those times "Mentalpause".  At the time I kind of got that they had to do with that "change of life" moment for women, but I had no idea truly how it really affected women... until of course it happened to me.

Ah... the joys of "that" time in a woman's life... when nature stops it's usual "cycle"... the body starts to fill out like never before... and the brain stops cold.  Then, of course there are the extra special treats like night sweats, hot flashes and insomnia.  Oh the joys of being a woman!!

I'm not sure what exactly changed, but ever since we arrived home from our trip those little "treats" of this process have gotten worse again.  It had been months since nary a hot flash would creep up my body wanting me to catch the nearest breeze.  Oh to have just a stray sweat back then!

Perhaps the heat of the Caribbean boiled my blood to a new temperature.  I seriously don't know what it is, but I am one hot non-mama mama these days!  Some nights it literally feels like my mattress is on fire as I whip the covers off, gasping for air.  One of those big industrial size fans that blow the model off the runway would come in handy about now!  (Hubby is enjoying this to some degree as my old flannel jammies are now history!!)

With these night sweats comes the extra special delight of insomnia.  I've always been a night-owl (I think it's genetic!) but this is getting ridiculous!  Last night, I didn't wind down until sometime between 12:30-1am (even knowing I'd need to be up early for Abide).  I couldn't fall asleep for quite some time (maybe 2ish?).  Then... almost like clockwork, 4am rolls around and I am awake.  Some mornings by 5-5:30 I am wide awake and could almost get up and start my day... but I don't.  I do use that time to pray though.  Then, when Hubby gets up at 6:15 for work, I am awake again, hoping and praying I can get back to sleep.  Some mornings I do - others not so much.  When I do fall asleep, I end up sleeping in longer than I'd hoped and my day slips away from me super fast.

I won't even start on the lovely effects this insomnia is having on my face.  Let's just say on our next trip I won't need a suitcase because the bags under my eyes will be sufficient to pack in ALL I need!  YIKES!  Thank goodness for foundation!!

All this whining of mine is a little in jest I must say.   In all honesty, although it can be unpleasant at times, and super difficult to know how to dress anymore because one never knows when you'll want to strip down to your skivvies in one brief moment (only to be chilled the next minute), it could be worse.  I could have my period again!  (Sorry men who may read this... TMI I'm sure!!)

Thankful Thursday ~ January 5, 2012

In my quest to blog regularly in 2012, what better way to blog on a Thursday than joining some of my blogging buddies reflecting on God's goodness with a meme.  So...  here is what I'm thankful for this Thursday:






Today, I am thankful for my chiropractor!  At age 21, as my Mom and I innocently drove on a familiar 2 lane road on our way to a doctor's appointment, my physical well-being and future were altered.  At the time of the head-on collision, thanks to the woman driving on our side of the road, Mom had the brunt of injuries - a 22-stitch gash in her head and cuts on her legs and arms.  If not for the angels protecting us that day, Mom's life could have been snuffed out that sunny September morning in the early 80s but as God's grace would have it, the steering wheel came in and sat on the seat between us instead of crushing Mom.  My injuries were much less visible, although they would remain with me in some ways for the rest of my life.

At the time I experienced deep internal bruising in my left shoulder area which rendered my left arm useless for weeks.  It's funny the little things we take for granted in life, such as sleeping on one side.  For over a month I couldn't lie in any position except my back, which caused my feet to go numb in my sleep.  I am reminded as I write to be grateful for that fetal position I will sleep in tonight!

A year after our accident I began complaining of a numbness in my fingers and toes.  My Mom found a brochure at the chiropractor's office soon after which described almost verbatim my complaints.  The finding... whiplash.  It didn't show up for a long time because the other injuries I experienced masked it.  Funny too that at the hospital that day no one checked me for whiplash - Hmm...

Today, 30 some odd years later I still suffer with issues from that fateful morning.  This Christmas I suffered through with pain as my back went into spasm over the holidays.  This morning I made a much-needed visit to my chiropractor who, like all the kings horses in Humpty Dumpty, tried to put me back together again.  Some relief has come, but I know it's temporary in this life.

So, as I think about my Thankful Thursday today, I am thankful for so much:

• I'm thankful that God spared Mom's and my life that day, especially since I was still in full-on rebellious mode
• I'm thankful that I wasn't injured more seriously that day and that I still have mobility (although the older I get the less it seems)
• I'm thankful that I am able to sleep on my side, my back (and even occasionally my stomach... which I know isn't a good position but sometimes ya just gotta!)
• I'm thankful for the gifting of my chiropractor, particularly his method (the torque method) which doesn't require him to twist my neck with "manual" manipulation
• I'm thankful for the relief I feel from today's treatment

What are you thankful for this Thursday?

Sprained Plans

I woke up this morning and one of my very first thoughts was, 17 years ago today was my last day as a "Miss".  Sweet!  Yep... it's Anniversary Eve in our little Nest and by the time I finish writing tonight's post it will be time to run to the airport to pick up my Handsome Hubby once again from his week away on business.  Man... that travel is getting old, particularly when I'm not with him!


Since my last post I've experienced a little bit of pain.  It's proof that I am indeed getting OLD!  Only 3-4 pounds away from my weight loss goal and look what's happened:

Fortunately it isn't too serious, but apparently I have re-sprained the ankle I sprained in 2006 on my first trip to San Francisco.  I'm sure there is a touch of arthritis in the joint which gets definitely more painful in the damp weather like we've been having since mid-week.  Perhaps this means I should be moving to a warmer climate??  One can only dream!  I went to see my doctor yesterday.  She thought it was mildly sprained and also sent me for x-rays to make sure it wasn't anything more severe like a stress fracture or something.  I'm a little bummed by the setback though because I really wanted to get rid of those last few pounds before I'm back in a bathing suit soon for our vacation with my NC Sis and her family.  Hopefully a few days of rest will make a difference.  I plan to stop and pick up a tensor bandage on the way to pick up Hubby.

Speaking of Hubby... just got an email his flight is making good time and he'll be in early!  Better run!  I'll be back with tales of our Anniversary weekend later this weekend!  Happy Friday!!

What a Fungi!

Now friends... I'm going to warn you in advance.  Today's initial post may gross you out.  If you're eating, I suggest you put whatever it is down and grab a tissue in case I make you gag.  You've been warned!! ha ha

So... for our ladies group banquet in mid-May, to compliment my coral top and white pants ensemble, I found the perfect orange colored nail polish and applied it on my then "perfect" toes.  Weeks ago, I started feeling a slight throbbing in my middle toe of my left foot (wasn't that a movie?  My Left Foot?  I digress).  Seeing a small "bruise-like" mark on that toe, I decided to remove my polish and take a peek at what was going on down there.  To my horror and shock I found that my toenail was starting to look weird with parts of the nail seeming to lift off my toe.  Hmmm...  I began to apply an anti-fungal cream, figuring that it was the most likely culprit.  Within days the "bruise" looking mark had disappeared and the nail was looking somewhat better but still rather funky.

Today, I finally decided that it was time to go have a doctor look at it to confirm what was going on.  Being the google-aholic that I am, I was starting to freak myself out looking at the ghastly photos of other people's disgusting toe fungases and that's what spurred the rush to the walk-in clinic.

As expected, the doctor confirmed my suspicions and I do indeed have a toe fungus.  Great!  Fortunately, she told me I came in at the right time and it can be treated and should return to it's former beauty within ... months.  Oh well... guess I'll have to withstand ugly toes this summer.

Now... to complete this tale of toe, I mean woe, I've taken a picture so you can see my funky toe.  (This is where the aforementioned warning comes in... if you have a queasy tummy, you may want to rush past this photo to get to the 30 Day Photo Fun challenge picture.  This is NOT todays!!

Fortunately my fungas doesn't look as gross as some out there!  Phew!

Okay... enough of THAT... on to today's pic... .which I of course am again cheating on because, well, I had no time today with the toe emergency and all, to take today's photo.  

Day 24 ~ LOVE

This picture was taken on the second "formal" night of our cruise in January.  My Hubby is the LOVE of my life and I still pinch myself that he picked me to be his life partner and wife.  He is everything I ever dreamed of and so much more.  He constantly teaches me about God's love and grace and I feel abundantly blessed to be called his wife!  I LOVE that after almost 17 years of marriage, we are more in LOVE today than we were back then!   (as she sighs a big dreamy sigh).

Gotta run... the treadmill is calling my name (as is my Hubby!).

I Wanna Kiss My Dentist!

Okay.  Maybe not a real kiss.  A hug would suffice.  Even a hearty handshake would be appropriate.  Why  you ask?  Because after almost a week of horrific pain I am sitting here typing virtually pain free, all except the freezing and bruising from the root canal I just had.

Where do I start on the past week of my own personal nightmare?  I recognize in light of all that is happening on the other side of the world that my personal setbacks are minor, but to me they were huge.


It all started a week ago.  I had dropped Hubby off at the airport the Saturday morning for a business trip to CA and had enjoyed a lovely evening with an old friend, watching movies and drinking wine in my family room.  Sunday morning came and while pulling on my cords for church ... OUCH!  My back went out.  I pushed through the discomfort while I dried and flat-ironed my hair and gingerly made my way to the kitchen to make my tea to take with me for the drive to church.  Very rapidly my plans began to change when in a 10 minute time frame I went from feeling slight discomfort to all-out spasming pain.  I couldn't even stand up straight.  Church was now out of the question because I couldn't even drive myself there, let alone sit for 90 minutes in a hard pew.

The day felt so long and it turned into a restless night of attempted tossing and turning.  On Monday my friend,
(and perhaps an angel), came to drive me to the chiropractor's office for an adjustment.  My usual chiropractor works Tue, Thur & Sat but I knew I couldn't wait that long so instead I went to the other doctor on duty where she manually adjusted me.  I can't begin to tell you how much I hate that type of treatment, although I know it was exactly what I needed.

Tuesday I booked a massage at the chiro's office to help with some of the spasming and knots.  This was a much deeper massage than I'm used to and I came home bruised, yet feeling better... if that makes any sense.


Wednesday, as I slowly began to recover from the back issues, I started feeling a sharp, throbbing pain on the right side of my face and jaw.  I wasn't sure where exactly the pain was coming from and began to wonder if the DEEP massage I received the day prior had somehow thrown my jaw out of alignment.  Now if I thought the back spasm pain was bad, it was only because I'd never experienced this kind of pain before.  OH MY GOODNESS!  It was so harsh that when Hubby called after Survivor from CA I could barely even talk to him I was in such pain.

Thursday I dragged myself to Abide, feeling like something the cat had dragged in, but was blessed beyond belief when 2 friends prayed over me.  I felt a warmth run through me that I can only attest was the presence of God.  The pains were all still there from my back and jaw though.  I was back to my chiropractor for an adjustment after a quick lunch with my friend and her kids and I tried to explain to him that I thought my jaw was somehow out.  I could feel my back upper right molar wasn't in it's usual place and was starting to really hurt in a more centralized way.

That night another girlfriend was for a "sleepover" and while we sat and watched a movie, my jaw pain started to increase.  I was starting to feel like I was a) going crazy or b) falling apart or c) all of the above.

By Friday morning my back was feeling much improved and as I did some last minute errands before packing for a visit to see my sister, I was able to walk normally through the mall, although with each step, a deep throbbing pain was felt on that right side of my jaw and face.  I was still convinced it had to do with my jaw alignment.  I would bring that up again at Saturday's chiro appt.  I continued to do my errand running and ended up in the grocery store, where I found the 10lb bag of flour my sister wanted.  Picking it up and putting it in the cart was easy.  Getting it onto the conveyor belt was another story.  As I picked it up from the cart I felt that all-too familiar "ping" in my back and I was back almost at square one from Sunday.

Frustrated, I gingerly got the flour and other groceries into the car and headed for home.  Sheesh.  Would this week ever end?  I thought.  That night, standing at the gate waiting for Hubby, I could feel light spasming in my lower back.  I was fit to be tied!  The jaw pain was still there but at the moment I couldn't determine which was now worse.  I had just about had enough!

Saturday morning I got up early and head to the chiro one last time.  Again I complained about my jaw and he did a few adjustments and I felt my back upper right molar was back in it's "normal" position and I thought the pain would quickly ease there.  He fixed my back again and gave me some suggested stretches (again) and I was on my way.  At first I thought I was in the home stretch to wellness but then the pain in my jaw and back tooth was becoming greater and greater.  Have you ever felt a "heartbeat" in your tooth gums?  It was excruciating to say the least and it was by this time non-stop.  I had been popping Motrin all week in hopes that whatever inflammation in my back muscles and gums would be alleviated but the anti-inflammatory drugs were barely touching the pain.

By Saturday night I was overwhelmed with pain and confusion as to what Hubby and I were to do about our visit to my sister.  We were scheduled to leave early Sunday a.m. and the car was packed and ready to go but the nagging feeling within my gut (and jaw) was telling us otherwise.  By 1am Sunday morning I was in such bad pain I knew finally that I needed to see my dentist PRONTO.  I called the number, knowing the office was closed and got the on-call receptionist.  She told me she could page the dentist but I didn't want to bother him at that hour.  I would try & make it through the morning.

5 AM the pain was once again so bad and had woken me as it had the two previous mornings.  I couldn't wait.  I needed relief NOW.  I recalled the dentist's office and she paged Dr. W.  Within 5 minutes he called me back and unfortunately was out of town so there would be no immediate dental relief but he did give me a prescription and called it in to a 24 hour pharmacy about 15 minutes from our house.  In my pjs, at 6am, I wandered into the Shoppers Drug Mart and got an antibiotic and pain killer to hold me over until Monday when the dentist would be in.

Can I just tell you, yesterday was one of the longest days of my life!  Even on the pain killers the throbbing pain of this tooth was beyond description.  I wanted to cut my head off and put it in a bin.  I have never felt such pain.  My sister, when I called to tell her we'd be delayed indefinitely, told me she'd had this type of tooth pain before and likened it to childbirth.  Since I have no reference of that, I'll take her word.  All I know is that I hope to never have that kind of pain again.

So... to make a long story... come to an end.  It's Monday and first thing this morning Hubby and I went to the dentist's office where I had x-rays taken and a diagnosis.  At first we thought it was an absess, but the dentist said it was that the tooth nerve was too close to the filling and had made the tooth sensitive.  The only course of action to help this would be a root canal.  We informed him of our plans with my sister and he called the endodontist who was able to squeeze me in at noon today.

I am so grateful to the amazing dental care I received through my new dentist's office and the endodontist's office today but even more so I am grateful to God for making a way for this long week to finally come to an end so quickly.  Once the freezing and tenderness from the dental work itself is out I will feel like a brand new person... I hope!

Sunny Saturday Summary

Wow.  Four entries this week?  That's almost a blogging record of late.

For those blogging buddies who write their own blogs, do you find that while in the car, shopping, or the shower (as was my case) tremendously profound thoughts pop into your head that you think "Gee... I need to blog about that", but by the time you get to your computer keyboard those thoughts have evaporated like the morning dew?  Well.. yep.  That's me the end of this week.  The past two days I have had thoughts of things to blog with my computer nowhere in sight and here... sitting in the sun this beautiful (albeit COLD) Saturday morning... I got nothing!  So... what's a girl to blog about?  Nothing but the summary of my week since my last post and perhaps, if we're lucky, something profound might rear it's head by the end of the post!

Since my last post, I've had a busy few days.

Thursday was Abide where Kay Arthur was teaching us about how the crossroads in our lives are either opportunities to go "deeper still" with God or to fall into sin, like King David did with Bathsheba in 2 Samuel 11.  It was a really good reminder for us as temptation constantly tries to knock us off the spiritual path into a ditch.

I spent that afternoon resting and knitting before we head off to the "Surprise" 40th birthday party of our friend (and pastor).  Being the "keeners" Hubby and I are, we showed up at 6pm like our E-vite stated so we didn't miss the big "Surprise" moment, only to have our hostess, "A" shocked to see us at the door.  Poor "A" had put 6pm on the E-vite but had intended the party start at 7pm.  SURPRISE!!!  We offered to go home and come back but she wouldn't have that.  We just got the party started early, along with their family members who legitimately arrived in time for a little dinner.  It was a super fun night and it was such a joy to celebrate this big day for our good friend!  I have to say though it felt like it took him FOREVER to get to 40!!  We've been waiting for 6 years, man!!

Friday morning in the shower I came up with an idea (do you get the sense I do my thinking there?) to make a lemon meringue pie for my nephew who was coming for dinner.  (You can read the whole story at my other blog ~ Cookies, Cakes and Cupcakes... Oh My!).  While my hair dried I quickly threw together the crust, baked it and cooled it before heading off to two appointments.  First to my doctor to get a spot on my shoulder checked.  Fortunately, it is just an age spot and not skin cancer.  Note to self... SUNSCREEN!! and then I had just enough time to pop home for a quick bite to eat (and toothbrush) before heading to the dentist for a "bite test" from last Friday's dental work.

You may be wondering, what is a "bite test"?  It's exactly what it sounds like.  Because of being put out (and extremely loopy afterwards) I wasn't able to bite down with any amount of control for the dentist to see how the new back molar affected my overall bite.  They needed me to come back while cognitive and do it.  It started out to be an okay quickie appointment.  My bite was perfect (in fact better than it was before the dental work) but I had mentioned to the dentist that I was having trouble flossing that back molar.  My floss would get stuck and shred because the tooth fit was so tight.  He tried and found the same problem... so he took the file-thingy and started sheering off a part of the filling... without any prep.  Oh my... the phobia started up again and I tried super hard to put my "big girl panties" on and not cringe, cry or fling his hand off my mouth.  It was touch and go I tell ya - ha ha.  He apologized and within 10 minutes I was out the door with a perfect space to floss 'til my heart's content.  Phew!

So... that's the rest of my week in a nutshell.  Exciting I know!  Today is a relaxing day at the Lemonade Stand.  Hubby and I are going out to eat tonight before he takes off on a business trip (without me) this week.  Other than that a pretty quiet weekend!  What are you up to this weekend?

Whose Afraid of... the Dentist... and Other Ghoulish Tales!

It's another busy week around the Lemonade Stand.  I barely remember the weekend, after having my first dental work in YEARS done on Friday.  Okay.  Confession time.  I am horrifically phobic of the Dentist and because of that, it has been a very long time since I had last been for even a teeth cleaning.  Gross.  I know!

It all started when I was a young girl.  My first recollection of the dentist wasn't too far off the pscyho dentist from Little Shop of Horrors, who loves instilling pain on his patients.  I remember sitting back in the dentist chair, that light shining in my eyes, the sounds... the smells... (I'm starting to have an anxiety attack just thinking about it)... and then the needles.  Yes, I said NEEDLES!  Four of them to be exact.  Dr. Muirhead was not a tender dentist either.  In my mind's eye it was as if the man was standing on my face to get the needles down to the back of my throat.  And you have to ask why would I ever be afraid.  Hmmmfph!

The remainder of my youth and adulthood has been in search of the "perfect" dentist, if there ever could be such a thing.  I've tried many times to get back in the saddle (or dentist chair as it were) only to end up with the heebie jeebies and go cold turkey off the dentist for a long stretch of time.  Up until recently I had been content to ignore the fact that good dental hygiene was up there with godliness, but somehow that nagging ache in my upper right jaw wouldn't let me live in my alternate reality where dentists don't exist any longer.  No wonder these poor guys have the highest suicide rate.  Heck with everyone dissing them constantly!


Thanks be to Google... I typed in "phobic of dentist" and to my surprise (and delight) came up a "rate your doctor" site that had entry after entry of this one doctor/dentist, praising his work and clinic.  Hmm... this is interesting!   I soon learned that this "wonder doctor" was actually in my area, a short 10-15 drive from home.  I was thrilled (or as thrilled as a dental phobic patient can be).  I called the number, figuring that it would take forever to get an appointment.  The delightful Scottish accent on the other end of the phone was not only comforting, but also hugely helpful in getting me in to meet the dentist the following week.  I was shocked!

I went in for the meeting and was immediately put at ease, not only by the kind reception of everyone I encountered, but also by the lack of dentist office smell.  The environment was homey and warm (including the gas fireplace in the room where I met the Dentist).  After x-rays were taken and my teeth were shown to me on a tv screen above my head (and can I just say... there is a reason why it's dark in our mouths!!), we discussed the treatment methods to help ease my fears and get me on my way to regular dental treatment and health.  A teeth cleaning session was booked as well as the first of 2 much needed appointments to replace old decayed fillings and cavities.

I was able to get through my teeth cleaning with just a little anxiety a couple weeks ago with the help of worship music playing on my iPod (drowning out the sounds), the comfy "massage" dental chair and the dental freezing the dentist administered.  My big hurdle would be the actual dental work.  This appointment happened last Friday and well... let's just say it was a huge success because ... I DON'T REMEMBER IT!  Yep... not a thing!  Thanks to this dentist's training as a dentist AND anasthesialogist last thing I remember was chatting to the nurse about which church she attended...(which is the same one as two of my niblings). I vaguely remember the ride home and have snippets of recollection of Hubby feeding me yogurt and apple juice.  Apparently, he tells me, I told him the story about the nurse being a Christian like 40 times on the ride home.  Oops!  Loopy does not describe me apparently!  Hubby told me that next time he plans to videotape me.  After seeing this video... I'm not so sure I want him to - ha ha.  Check out this video on Youtube and you'll get a slight idea of what my Friday was like!

At least I was semi-cognitive enough to remember the calls from my oldest brother and his wife, keeping me abreast of my niece in labor with her first baby.  Little Elijah was born safely on Friday night around 10:20pm.  Thank you Jesus!!  That's SIX great-niblings now!  How blessed am I?!

Saturday I laid pretty low.  After Friday I wasn't looking forward to going anywhere but Hubby really wanted to get out of the house so I dragged myself out with him to do a little shopping before we came home to hibernate with a movie Saturday night.

Sunday was church, a visit from one of our nephews at lunch and then the invasion of Trick or Treaters in the evening.  We were thrilled when our friends dropped by late afternoon with their little 18 month old "Frog" to show us her Halloween costume.  We were sure to load up her little basket with candy... for her folks!  All in all we had drips and drabs of kids over the 2 hours of handing out candy.  Maybe 50 kids in all showed up.  Of course, the one time Hubby ran over to the neighbors was the time the ugly "Scream" masked kid shows up at the door and I am forced to give him candy.  I HATE creepy costumes.  Why must I "reward" the older kids with either lack of creativity (aka not dressing up) or evil, creepy costumes with candy?  I really am not a huge fan of Halloween.  Thankfully the costumes were mostly cute.  By 8pm we shut the door, turned off the light... and head downstairs for our Sunday evening of Reality TV.  Glad it's only one night a year!

Take My Breath Away

Remember the other day when I O'D'd on water and thought I had drown my kidneys with the overflow of H2O?  Well, I don't think that was the issue.  The past few nights I have awoken with pain in my back that has been roving around which I'm beginning to think is more a back issue than a kidney issue.  The chiropractor did a manual adjustment today and I thought he was going to break my back.  Whoa!  The pain.  Totally took my breath away.   It still hurts to take a deep breath but after my chiropractor appointment today, (and dose of ibuprofen) it doesn't seem as bad as last night, although it sure is still there.   If it's not gone by next week I'll head to my family doctor for investigation.  I've had back problems off and on my entire adult life, after surviving a head-on car collision back when I was in my early 20's.  I will say that I'm learning to give literally each breath to God because He ultimately is my Healer!

Not much else is happening around the ole Nest so I'll just get to my Thursday meme...

Top 3 favorite things you love about Summer

Summer is my most favorite season because it means:

1.  Bare Feet and Sandals Weather

even though by the end of summer my feet are killing me.

2.  Family Vacation (usually at the Ocean)

Love me some sun, sand and surf!! 

 I even enjoy being out in the sun in my backyard, 

although it's MUCH more fun at the beach!

3.  Fresh picked Corn on the Cob

and BBQs.  Mmm!!

What about you?  What are your top 3 favorite things about Summer?  Head over to Kelly's blog to play along with this week's Thursday Top 3.

Random Dozen Delayed

Yep... normally Random Dozen is done for Wednesday but well, this week has been quite a week.  It all began on Monday night after dinner.  All of a sudden, out of nowhere, came this sore throat.  It started on the left side of my throat and by bed time had moved to the center.  Tuesday morning it had moved again,this time to the right before settling in all over.  Pain in my ears.  Dull headache.  Yuck.  Getting sick!

By Tuesday night I began to feel like I was part of the circus... the knife swallowing act.  Every swallow I took was excruciating.  Slight fever.  Thinking I'd felt this before.  Guessing strep!

Wednesday morning... the worst.  I didn't even want to swallow.  Didn't want to talk.  Nothing.  All I wanted was sweet relief.  I journeyed to the nearest walk-in clinic, sat in the waiting room for an hour and then left rejoicing in the glorious piece of paper in my hand... my prescription that would take this sore throat away!  I popped my first pill when I got home and by this afternoon my sore throat is almost history.  Sorry to say... but I LOVE DRUGS!  (The legal kind of course!)

I've slept a good portion of this week realizing that being unconscious is much easier than being awake with such a throat.  Obviously I've needed the rest too because no other time can I sleep for 10 or 11 hours.  With that though I've missed a lot.  I missed getting out and about, missed my last morning of the Esther/Beth Moore bible study at Abide (ladies' group) and missed my weekly Memes.

But... it's only Thursday, one day late for Random Dozen so... here we go!  Thanks as always to Linda at 2nd Cup of Coffee for bringing this entertaining excitement to our week!





1. Have you ever been so lost that you were really afraid?  I would say... yes, sort of... one time Hubby and I were following the GPS through the mountains of central California.  I knew we should make this one turn, but instead we chose to follow the GPS and next thing we knew we were on this deserted twisty road and the gas tank almost on empty.  We were afraid we'd run out of gas on this lonely road and we actually were afraid... praying our faces off!  Obviously, we survived ;-)

2. Have you ever been to an island?  Yep.  Our honeymoon was on the island of Aruba, but before then I'd been to the Dominican Republic in my mid-20's, and technically... aren't all continents islands??

3. Are you more of a thinker or feeler?  FEELER!!

4. Do you tend to see issues or situations in life as black and white or shades of gray?  It really depends on the issues.  Some things are total black/white issues that shouldn't be seen as gray, but the non-essentials I can tend to be more of a shades of gray person.  Did that make any sense?  (If not... I'm blaming the medication!)

5. If you were stuck on an island, what book would you hope to have with you (Let's pretend the Bible is already there, so you can't say that.) I'd have my Sony Reader (which is technically a book) and I'd have it FULL of my favorite authors, both fiction and non-fiction.

6. What are you most afraid of?  Hmm... if I allow myself to go there, my biggest fear is Hubby dying and leaving me all alone.

7. Would you rather lose all of your old memories or never be able to make new ones?  Wow.  Great question.  I'm very sentimental so I'd probably say I'd rather not be able to make new ones because I LOVE reminiscing about the "good ole days"

8. Pretend I'm looking at a scrapbook page about you. There are three spaces for you to drop in individual pictures. What are those pictures of, and why did you select them?  Sheesh... another hard question.  Um... Definitely a pic of me with Hubby, most likely at the beach... my most favorite person at my most favorite place.  Another would be um... a pic of me with family cuz next to Hubby they are the most important thing and a third picture... hmm... Hubby & me with "the boys" most likely at some travel place we've been cuz it's always good to have a "family photo".

9. If you were re-doing your wedding, what would you do differently? (If you're single, tell me one thing you would do if you were planning a wedding OR huge party.)  If I were re-doing my wedding I would get a better photographer.  We cheaped out on ours and it has always been my one big regret.  I'd love to re-do my wedding just so I can do it all over again with my Hubby.

10. Tell me one thing you know/believe about forgiveness.  Forgiveness is essential for inner peace.  When we let someone off our hook and forgive, we take the weight off ourselves and it frees us.

11. You're waiting in a doctor's office. What is your favorite way to pass that time?  Well, this was me yesterday and what I did was read a book on my iTouch (Kobo application).  Totally made the hour go quickly!

12. If there were a clone of you in a parallel universe what is one way you hope she/he would be the same as you and one way you hope she/he would be better?  I would wish my clone were more Type A and focused but I would hope she was just as friendly and fun.  (I hope that doesn't sound conceited).


So there you have it.  This week's Random Dozen.  Go on... play yourself!!

One More Week To Go!

Yep... only one more week to go until my 3 little great-niblings will enter this world!  Krissy just got word tonight that her C-section has been moved up a week and she will deliver her triplets by this time next Thursday (unless something happens and they have to move it to the Friday).  She is ecstatic, of course.  Paul on the other hand, while totally excited to meet his little ones, is realizing that finishing his basement that was flooded last summer has now become top priority, and a little bit of a stressor as the babies will most likely be coming home sooner than the expected February date they thought it would be.

Everything is going well in the pregnancy according to Krissy's doctors.  Praise be to God for that!  They are really happy with how everything is going and the reason for the bump in the baby schedule is that the babies have run out of stretching room.  Baby A(boy) and Baby B(girl) are estimated to be around 4.4 lbs now and Baby C(boy) is trailing at 3.4 lbs.  God has surely had His hand on that little one as the concerns of earlier seem to be not as concerning re: his umbilical cord's bloodflow.  Baby A & B have been "practice breathing" in preparation for life outside the womb as Krissy and Paul saw their little diaphrams moving up and down in today's ultrasound. 

Krissy and Pauls' entire family (extended as well) are all so excited with tonight's news and we all can't wait to meet these three little miracles.  They truly are miracles as we have watched God's healing hand touch Krissy's heart and these little bodies as they've been growing inside Krissy's womb.  Talk about a Christmas miracle this year!

Thank you to my precious blog friends for walking alongside us as our family has anticipated this blessed event.  We're in the home stretch now and do still need your prayers.  As hubby and I will be on the other side of the continent next Thursday, I'll have to update you once I get the "big" email with the details!

On sadder news, I bring another prayer request tonight.  My brother-in-law who lives in North Carolina, got word today that one of his sisters is very sick up here (in the same hospital as Krissy).  We don't have a lot of details yet but she is diabetic (has been since her youth) and she was throwing up yesterday and collapsed.  Her 20-something son found her and she was rushed to the hospital and is now in the ICU in I believe a diabetic coma.  It's not known if she had the H1N1 virus or not, but they fear that she could have water on the brain or some organ failure.  Please keep her in your prayers.  Her name is Valerie.  Thanks!

It never ceases to amaze me how this life goes.  Sorrow and joy weave throughout the fabric of life and we are constantly reminded that life is indeed frail.  Blessings to you tonight!

Seeing A Miracle in Motion

I know I told you my next post would be about my Christmas decorations, but some things just take precedence... like today's experience... seeing a miracle in motion.

Today, this barren-wombed Auntie, got to be part of seeing first hand what God has been "knitting" together inside my niece, Krissy's belly... and what a knitting project it is!

I arrived at the hospital in time for Krissy, Paul and I to enjoy a sandwich before Krissy was whisked away in a wheelchair, two floors down to the ultrasound area.  While waiting, we girls had some fun with the camera...

Krissy waiting to be taken back for her ultrasound

Me and Krissy hamming it up while Paul sat in the waiting room.

While we were goofing around with the camera, a tiny baby was wheeled into the ultrasound area, waiting for their turn.  Such a precious little one with a yellow knitted cap over his/her eyes so only the perfect little nose was poking out.  Sigh.

Soon it was Krissy's turn so I went out to join Paul in the waiting area.  About 20-30 minutes later they called us in and the show began.  3 tiny heart beats... 3 little spines.  Baby Boy A and Baby Girl B were playing hide and seek with their tiny faces, but Baby Boy C gave us a perfect view of his beautiful little face:

 

After the show was over and Krissy's belly was mopped free of the ultrasound goop, Paul pushed Krissy's wheelchair back up to the maternity ward.  While she was on her feet, I couldn't help but take a belly shot and one of the last few pictures of Krissy and Paul alone before their family physically increases.

Krissy's belly shot - Week 29

After I left the hospital at 4pm, the doctor came in with the "official" results of today's ultrasound.  Baby A weighed in at approximately 3.7 lbs, Baby B at 3.5 lbs and Baby C a smaller 2.7 lbs.  Baby C's little heart is still having irregularities, which I could see on the screen down in the ultrasound room. 

The doctor shared with Krissy & Paul  that they did a Doppler test of blood flow from the placenta to the umbilical cord and Baby C has resistance to the blood flow which is a bad thing.  This explains his lower weight I would imagine as well as perhaps his labored heart beat (at least that is my non-professional read of that).  The doctor said they did a second test, a brain Doppler where they WANT to see resistance.  Little Baby C passed this test which was good news.  They aren't sure what causes the resistance so they'll be doing another Doppler on Monday to see if Baby C's results are worse.  If he continues to struggle with this, Krissy may not make it to 34 weeks so please PRAY!!  She'll be 30 weeks this Sunday and is SO close but most important is Baby C's little heart and growth. 

It was a really special day for this Auntie and I thank Krissy & Paul so much for allowing me to tag along on this appointment.  It was extremely special to see Great-Niblings 3, 4 and 5 in utereo!

I will be back soon with the Christmas decorations... I promise!

The Blogging Blues

I can't believe it's almost been a week again since my last post.  My aching back that has now been going on for almost a month (if not longer) has really started to get me down and affect my entire being and my poor hubby who wonders if his sweet wife will ever return to him!

I've been to the chiropractor every Tuesday and Thursday for weeks and all seemed to be progressing in a positive mode until this past Monday.  I had joined a friend for breakfast and before leaving the restaurant, I took a quick jaunt into the "little girl's room" before heading out for some shopping.  While leaving the stall, I heard a loud CRASH which caused me to quickly jerk my head to see what fell (it was the cover to the double toilet roll thingy) and I re-injured my neck/shoulder/back again.  SIGH!  I had the mother of all headaches from that point on until Wednesday morning.  I am beginning to wonder if I will ever not feel pain in my upper extremities again.

On a positive note, my precious mother-in-law came by on Monday and Tuesday afternoons after her work to help me plant some bulbs in my front and rear gardens.  I can barely wait until Spring to see the tulips, hyacinth & crocuses pop their little heads above the earthy soil.  In order to keep the squirrels from stealing my buried Spring treasures, I sprinkled Cayenne and Chili pepper over the ground to ward off the "rats with bushy tails".

Speaking of work... my next door neighbor called me on Tuesday.  Her BFF is a naturopath doctor who is in desperate need for reception help and my neighbor "J" wondered if I would be interested in helping her out for either a short-term or long-term gig.  I met with Dr. C on Wednesday morning and tomorrow I begin training.  I'll be working M-W, & F, 10am-2pm for at least a month probably.  I'm uncertain if this is a job I'd like to do long-term because I am still thinking I'd like to sign up with a temp agency so I would have more freedom, but for now, this position allows me to continue leading my ladies' small group at church which I would have been sad to give up.

I have not much else to say tonight as I'm wrestling through feelings of discouragement from my aches.  It amazes me that in this time of chronic pain I lose sight of my need to call out for God.  I'm too busy feeling sorry for myself and I have a few times in the past weeks forgotten to remember to pray for God's healing over my back.  Isn't that silly?  Why is it that when we truly need God in those daily things we sometimes forget Him?  I know that it is only in spending time talking over with Him my situation and my days that I will feel the strength to carry on through the pain of what I'm enduring.  I was reminded this past week in one of my many "pity-parties" that my Mom, who suffered every day with ailments for the last 20+ years of her life, never seemed to let them get the best of her.  She would say aloud to herself and anyone within ear shot every day, "This is the day the Lord has made.  I will rejoice and be glad in it!"  I need to follow her lead!

Ba Bump

I was on the run today.  First to the chiropractor for yet another treatment to get my back in order.  The deep tissue massage he gives me with his elbow surprisingly works... as does the one hubby gives me before  he leaves for work each morning right now.

Speaking of hubby... talk about how when it rains it pours.  Remember yesterday's whiney post about how happy I was that it was Monday?  Yikes... let's just say I'm glad Monday's over too!  Around 4:15pm yesterday, after spending the afternoon at a funeral, I got a call from hubby on his way home from work.  "I just got in an accident" he tells me.  "What?  Are you okay? Is the car okay?" I quickly replied.  Hubby was in the Honda, on the highway in rush hour, bumper to bumper traffic.  He was stopped in traffic and was rear-ended by another car that had been rear-ended.  He ended up hitting the guy in front of him.  Thankfully no one was injured more than just a few bumps and maybe a stiff neck (hubby hasn't felt anything yet) and our little red Honda only has a few bumps and bruises of it's own.  Thank goodness for plastic bumpers!  The front of the car where hubby hit the guy in front of him only has a big scruff and tiny indent.  At the back, the panel of the bumper at the back driver's side has been knocked out a bit, but not enough to make the car undrivable.  An appointment has been booked at the collision center on Tuesday to fix the little red bomb up!  I had a feeling yesterday that one of us was going to be in an accident.  Don't tell me how... but I just felt it.  Darn... I should have prayed instead of just thought about it!  *smacks myself in the head*

Back to today... after my treatment at the chiro I was off and running to visit Krissy and her belly full of babies.  I had made lasagna on Friday (remember the unmelted cottage cheese lasagnas!) and stopped to pick up some bread, caesar salad and cherry pie for her and Paul to enjoy for dinner tonight... tomorrow night... the next night...

We had a great visit and I handed her a large supply of t.v. series on DVD and books to keep her occupied while she's on bedrest (or is it house arrest?).  While chatting, she let me feel one of the babies kick.  So cool!  It's moments like that I feel a little twinge at never having the opportunity to experience that but the twinge lasts only a second now.  She's feeling great and things seem to be going well.  We're all very hopeful that she'll make it to her 32-34 week date and that the babies will be strong and healthy.  God has been SO faithful already and we just praise Him for His answered prayers to date!  Thanks again to you, my dear friends, for standing with our family as we watch this miracle happen before our eyes!

After I left Krissy's, I skipped book club this week and had dinner with another niece.  "S" & I hadn't read this month's book since we couldn't find it in the bookstore and it was too late for both of us to read it.  Instead we went to a bookstore so that kind of counts, doesn't it?  "S" even bought a book... a calendar/appointment book... but a book!  Maybe next month we'll make it to book club?!

Oh My Aching Back!

I had hoped to post for Friday Fill-ins this week and to update you on a few other things happening around the Nest but as you can tell no Friday post this week.  Yesterday while I was out and about (getting my hair cut, grocery shop, exchange an accessory for the new vehicle at the dealer) my back, that has been aching all week, started to spasm, causing me a lot of discomfort and no desire to sit and type on my computer.

Sleeping has been fitful for the past two nights and I was up before 7am (unheard of on a Saturday morning) and head off to the chiropractor's office for 10am.  He did some work on me, but I'll have to return again on Tuesday morning for another treatment.  The kink I had in my neck last Sunday has worked it's way down to the middle and lower back area.  All this from knitting too much without taking proper breaks.  Man... I hate getting older!  And I still have one and a half baby gifts to knit before the triplets arrive.

I will try & get back tomorrow to blog because I have some pictures to share with you of some fun surprises that have taken place this week/weekend so I'll see you soon!  Hope your weekend is going well.  I'm going to attempt going out to the movies tonight with hubby and friends. 

Ch..Ch..Ch...Changes

Okay. I just have to say... I think I'm starting to really go through the "change"... you know that time in a middle-aged woman's life when her hormones go completely whacky. Yep. I think it's started... big time.

I noticed over the past year that my cycles were changing. Last summer Aunt Flo was on her own little vacation and I didn't see her until September. This year... she's gone again which on one hand isn't so bad. Saves cash for one thing

For the past month I think I've noticed that my body temperature is changing. In years gone by I was ALWAYS cold, especially in the summer with air conditioning on I'd have to bundle up in sweats, etc. While at my sister's house these past couple weeks, I found myself getting hot and clammy despite the air conditioning. I asked my 52 yr old sister, who is nearing the end of the "change", "What do hot flashes feel like?". Her reply, similar to other women I've heard, "feels like a power surge." "Hmm. I think I might be experiencing that."

For those of you in your 30's and early 40's... this is NO FUN! Let me tell you how uncomfortable this "change" is. Last night, I decided that the flannel pj pants I wore the night before were too hot. Instead, I put on a slinky little nightgown, hoping that this little spaghetti strapped number would keep me cool. Long story short... I woke up in a hot sweat this morning... blankets flailing off the bed... gasping for fresh air. The sheets were damp, my hair was damp. "Eve... you got some 'splaining to do girlfriend!!!"

Tonight, hubby has brought a fan upstairs to our room which should hopefully keep me under wraps in the blanket department. It really is a gross feeling when you feel chilled one minute and the next minute your skin feels like it is suffocating with an overheated feeling.

I truly didn't expect for this "change" to happen so soon, having just turned 45 last month, but I guess when your cycle doesn't stop for any length of time with a pregnancy (or two or three), the egg basket depletes a little faster than fertile women's. Oh well... what can ya do? At least my sister and I can go through this together!

Things Nobody Tells You

Has it really been over a week since my last post? Did you think I'd gone to sleep after Little Miss "H" left the building and never woke up? No, I just shut down my brain for the week and vegged... a little too much though because every day that passed, it became harder to think of something to write because I had nothing exciting to share. Oh, I could have told you how my Sims3 family was doing in their fabulous beach front home. I could have shared the details (and frustrations) of trying to plan a real life beach front vacation (which you may still hear about some day). But every time I thought of writing, I just couldn't put fingers to keyboard and the days flew by.

Mid-week I got walloped by the unfortunate effects of perimenopause. I'll just state here, if any men are reading this post (or women who don't enjoy a good TMI moment) you may want to pass over this next section of the post.

There are things in life that nobody tells you... or at least nobody told me. I grew up in a family with 5 females. Mom, and four older sisters. You would think SOMEONE would have warned me about the perils of perimenopause, don't you? Granted two of my four sisters had their "plumbing" removed in their 30's/40's after their children so I guess I can't blame them. They are completely unaware of just what they've missed. My Mom passed away 2 months after my 39th birthday so she isn't around to fill me in. Then there's my sweet sister in NC who we talk about EVERYTHING but at 52 (or is she 53 now... I've lost track... could do the math but I'm too lazy!) is just now thinking she is finished and "didn't really notice" the changes. WHAT??? How could that be?

I need you, my peeps, to walk with me down this crazy road. For those of you in your mid to late 30's... listen up... you'll want to hear this! For those of you in your 40's (early, mid, late) or beyond HELP!!

I turn 45 (can barley type that without going into some sort of gag reflex) in 5 weeks. For the past two years my previous "clockwork" cycles have gone completely haywire and unpredicatable. Last summer, for instance, I didn't have a single period the entire 3 months of summer. In our almost 15 years of marriage I've never been pregnant (other than the doctor induced one during artificial inseminations back in 1999 which lasted all of 2 days). Never miscarried that I've ever been able to tell (other than said experience above). Stopped doing home pregnancy tests LONG ago after numerous let downs of negative strips. I just waited all summer long for good ole "Aunt Flo" to show her ugly face but she didn't.

When she did show... holy Moses... I thought I was going to bleed to death... but I won't go into all the gorey details. Since that experience last summer, my cycle now goes from maybe one or two "normal" months to one humungously long one... like this month. And the cramps... oh my. Sometimes I think they are coming to stay for a week along with Aunt Flo!

Before this week, I hadn't seen "her" since mid-May. Of course, I don't mind in some ways not seeing her but when she disappears like that it's never a good thing because I know that when she does arrive... whoa... does she arrive! The worst thing about her showing up late is that she brings with her those excrutiating cramps. I mean the "Is this what labour feels like?" type of cramps. The "I can't even touch my belly it hurts so bad" type of cramps.

Then there is the... how do I say this without being too graphic and gross... the flow. For the first two days I felt like I was going to hemmorage the flow was so heavy. Gross, painful, messy. Some days I think I'll smack Eve upside the head when I get to heaven! I'm keeping the femine hygiene product business in the black that's for sure!

So... what I want to know is ... are any of you out there experiencing this too? How are you coping? I fortunately haven't gotten to the hot flash stage (although it might be kind of nice to feel warm in the winter... finally!). I don't really have any of the other symptoms of emotional crankiness (thanks to God I'm sure!) nor the insomina, etc. It all seems to linger around the menstral area for now. Any thoughts? Any comfort you can give?

So, that's where I've been this week - first of the week recouping from the previous two weeks - end of the week suffering with Aunt Flo's arrival and feeling quite sorry for myself if truth be told. Gotta love being a woman! Blech!

And just think... this is only ONE of those things nobody tells you! Can't wait to find out the rest!!

Pondering a Parable

I woke this morning, thinking I had shed my cranky pants of yesterday only to find them back on after my visit to the chiropractor this afternoon. How did these get back on? I wondered. Traffic! Construction! A hideous drive through the city. That's how!

So, upon arriving back home I decided I would pack my knapsack with my Bible, a notebook and some sheets I'd printed of helpful advice on how to write a parable. I hopped back into my car and head southwest, to a park along Lake Ontario where I could ponder my next writing assignment - writing a parable.

If you know me, I generally speak in word pictures, thinking of common visuals to explain the point I'm trying to get across. Do you think I can think of one now that I need to for this assignment? Of course not!

Sitting on a bench in the park I watched and listened as people wandered along the water's edge. I read Jesus' parables in the Gospels. Still nothing!

The air is much cooler along the lake front so I decided to move out of the wind and chose to sit on the far side of the children's jungle gym in the park. Not having kids, I don't spend much time in this section of a park but I chose to sit here because we can learn so much from children.

One little girl was wandering around the playground seeking out a "friend". Eventually, she began talking to a woman with a little girl somewhere around 1 yr old. The "new" Mommy decided to trust this older stranger with her wee one as she placed her in the little girl's lap to slide down the slide.

Another little girl, who I could tell was a tomboy, was climbing up on this white climby-thing (not even sure what to call it really) and she slide down, bumping her chin. I could tell she had either stunned herself or jarred her chin. She ran off to her Mom for a few minutes and then was back to running down the slide (instead of sliding down).

Joy shone through the faces of little ones as they played. They were so carefree and full of adventure. When do we lose that?

As I sat observing, many thoughts ran through my mind but no real "a-ha" moments came to help me with my parable. I think I'll need to spend a little more time out in the "real world" watching and listening and looking. I know it's in my head somewhere but God just needs to bring it to the forefront!

After my adventure at the park I met my niece for dinner and then head to Book Club. I was co-leading the group tonight and although I didn't feel nervous externally, apparently internally I was because after dinner my stomach got really upset. I used to experience this when I used to sing solos in church 15+ years ago. I haven't experienced it since so needless to say I was shocked by this revelation. I immediately upon departing the bathroom a second time, called Hubby to ask him to pray for me.

Being the transparent person I am I casually mentioned it to the couple of women waiting for book club to start as I took my seat at the front of the room. My co-leader, K, was running a little late so I began promptly at 7pm. Long story short, I actually had a great time leading the club and wasn't nervous at all. My tummy settled down as soon as I sat down and the 90 minutes flew by! Everyone participated and it seemed everyone enjoyed themselves. So what was all that about? Crazy body!

Where Did I Put Them Now?

I hate being in my mid-forties. Can I just say that loudly? Not only did my metabolism stop on a dime, but my eyesight has gone so buggie that I'm forever misplacing my glasses.

I've worn glasses since I was in my early teens. I needed them for distance because I couldn't see the chalkboard at school. As soon as I could, in my teen years, I graduated to contact lenses, but because of an astigmatism in my one eye, I couldn't wear the cheap disposable ones, I had to wear the "special" kind that of course cost more. I found the soft lenses okay but they would feel so goopy most of the time.

So, for awhile I tried "Boston lenses" - the semi-rigid kind like my one sister wears. At first, the vision from them was incomparable to the soft lenses, but because they are "semi-rigid", they bothered my eyes. My eyeballs got so itchy with them in that I wanted to rip my eyes out of my head not long after putting them into my eyes. I gave the Boston lenses a valiant effort, but could never get used to them so back I went to the soft lenses.

Then... I turned 40! Why is that no one tells you how you fall apart after 40? You'd think at least my sister's would have warned me!

One day while out shopping with my BFF we were looking around Linens 'N Things (sigh... remember them!) With face scrunched, glasses perched on my head I squinted to try and read the price tag on the item in my hand. "AHA!" Startled, I looked up to find my BFF pointing at me with a huge smirk across her face. "I caught you!" she said. Yes, indeed, she had caught me in the embarrasing moment of my first realizaton that I do in fact need bifocals.

Last year at my yearly optical appointment, the eye doctor confirmed what my friend had so "discreetly" discovered. My prescription has changed and bifocals are inevitable. But, being the rebel that I am... or is it just denial... the prescription remains in my wallet where it was placed almost a year ago.

Instead, I prefer to just lift my glasses off in order to see close up. Watching tv and working on my laptop is frustrating because I can't do both at the same time. I don't need glasses for close up so wearing my glasses I either have to set them higher on my head and try to peer down underneath them (which I do in church when reading the passage the pastor is referring to in his sermon), or I have to take them off and watch t.v. blurry while tapping on the keyboard.

The worst part about this denial is that I keep putting my glasses down in the house and then quickly forget where I've laid them. Oh ya... the third big gift in your 40's... the gift of perimental-pause! The brain that you used to be so proud of all the crap you could retain in it... a total seive now!

Take tonight for instance. The time was nearing for DWTS. I've had my glasses off and on all day and then when I really needed them, they were nowhere to be found. I checked the sofa by my laptop. I checked the kitchen. Where are those stupid glasses? I wondered. I went upstairs and started ranting to hubby, "Have you seen my glasses? I can't find them again!"

Hubby walks to his dresser. "Are these your glasses?" Sheepishly I look at him. "Yes." I say. I had them on when I brought the laundry upstairs to put away. I must have placed them on his dresser, because apparently I can't see to put laundry away with them on my face (sheesh!). I forgot instantly that I put them down and wandered around the house for hours not missing them. Maybe it is time to get that prescription filled... or at least the "librarian's chain" I asked "Santa" for last Christmas!

Perspective by the Porcelain

On Tuesday morning, I awoke to this twisting, turning, churn in my stomach likened to a dishrag being rung out. I knew it wasn't going to be a very good day!

To make matters worse, just as I was heading into the bathroom for what might have been the first "upchuck" of the day, I hear a knock at my door. No way, I'm thinking to myself. I run to peek in the peep hole. It's an old friend I haven't seen in around 5 years.

Talk about a nice greeting ~ "Hi E! Come on in... I'm just about to throw up!" No wonder she was a little hesitant to come in but I was determined to have a quick visit since she stopped by. Unfortunately, no doubt more for her than for me, the first 5 minutes of our visit was with her standing in the hallway watching me hang over the porcelain. I can't begin to tell you how thrilled I was that I didn't throw up in her presence! Thank you Jesus!

We ended up having a quick little catch up visit before she had to go... and I had to throw up... but in our visit she brought with her sad news of another old friend who was diagnosed with cancer recently.

As I was sicker than a dog that day, I couldn't help but think of people, like my old friend, who deal with horrific sickness every day. For me, it was really bad for 24 hours, but for so many in our neighborhoods that kind of sickness is a way of life.

It's now Saturday and I am finally able to eat solid food again without wanting to go back and hug the porcelain. I am so grateful for my health. I take it so much for granted. God truly has blessed me with so much but it is in those times of suffering, like Tuesday, where I forget that. As humans we cry out to Him for relief, only to take things back and resume our old pace.

This is one of the reasons for my new blog site and new theme. There are always going to be lemons in life, whether sickness or financial troubles, family issues or emotional turmoil. But when we hand over those lemons to God, He somehow enables us to take those lemons and make something sweet out of them. Perhaps that something sweet is only sweet in Heaven, but we can choose in those lemon-filled moments, to choose Joy.

I hope you are able no matter where you are at today to make a little lemonade and find some of the sweet spots in your life!