THE BIRTHDAY GIRL

OK…it’s been nice knowing you bloggy friends…if I disappear from view…blame my sister!:o
Today is Joy’s birthday, and I couldn’t find the pic of us together that I wanted to post…what with me getting so organized and all…you understand. So, I found this one and it was just screaming to be posted for all the world to see. Isn’t she cute? People always told her and still do, actually, that she looks like me. I think she realizes how lucky she is!:)
Seriously, I love her with all my heart. She is there…anytime, anywhere. She is a cheerleader, supporter, confidant, partner in crime, and best friend…and a wonderful shopping buddy! She will even tell me to “get out of the bakery” if that’s what I need to do. (She did…and I did). She is there to take the extra load off of me, so I can be with Alex more. She many times does my part and her part…and never complains. She is more than an aunt to my boys. They love her, and respect her, and go to her for advice and as a sounding board. It is important that kids have someone other than their parents to turn to when needed. My guys have always had their Aunt Joy. And I fully trust whatever she would tell them…even if I never knew what it was. If they don’t want to worry me…they will call her to worry instead. And, she loves them back just as much. There is no need now, since my boys are grown, but she would have been the only one I would have trusted to raise my children like I would have wanted. As we have gotten older our bond stays just as close. She can read me like a book. She knows what is going on by the tone of my voice. She is the person in this universe who is the closest to me. She is my sister. And, my friends…that is a beautiful thing!

Organizing is a good thing.
Organizing is a necessary thing.
Organizing is a frustrating thing.
Organizing is a humbling thing.
Organizing is a freeing thing.
Organizing is a tiring thing.
Organizing is a hard thing.
Organizing is a sentimental thing.
Organizing is a funny thing.
Organizing is a time consuming thing.

Organizing is best done as you go along.
It is hard to organize…oh, say…32 years worth of stuff.

I’ve been organizing today.

Good news to report.

Pop is doing very well. He’s been up and walking in the halls. He’s still sore, but not much pain! God is good.

Mom had a very bad ‘bug’ or ‘something’. It bothers me to see her so sick. But, with the nursing skills of her 2 daughters…she is on the road to recovery. Her blood pressure was quite unstable, but that has resolved, too. Thank-you, God.

I missed work again, today. But, Bonnie shows me such grace and mercy when it comes to my family. That is such a blessing, and I do not take it for granted.

I have not succumbed to the desire to “eat my way through the stress”…this is most certainly not of my own strength!

And, I received sweet messages of support from so many of you. Thank you so much…YOU are sweet gifts from the Father.

Then, I received this:

Thank-you, Kat, for this happy award. The award asks that you list 6 things that make you happy. So, here goes:

1.Chocolate…any kind…any where…any time.

2.A good book…and time to read it.

3.The beach…on a sunny day…with a cool breeze.

4.Picking out furnishings for the Creek House…especially when I don’t have to negotiate too much with hubby.

5.Getting a good night’s sleep.

6.Rainbows

(Of course I would list family, friends, and dog also)
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Tropical storm Fay is upon us as I type. They are saying it is going to be very bad for the next few days…so I may not be blogging. Will catch up with you when we dry out. Several of my blogging friends are from this same area, so we appreciate your prayers.

1.Pop is doing great! He is feeling sore, but not really in pain. Doctors are very pleased!

2. Mom got sick during the night, and Joy brought her home early this morning. She insisted on spending the night with Pop. She must have picked up some sort of bug…throwing up, severe headache, etc. She’s not been able to get off the couch today. Not sure what tonight holds. We may be headed back to the ER with her.

3. Lori, Joy’s daughter, is at home trying to rid herself of 6 kidney stones! 6!!! She is in much pain, as you can well imagine!

4. Alex had a rough night, so I am running on little sleep.

5. Don and I had to go to the architect’s office this afternoon, because the builder is waiting for the lights. We had to OK some selections.

6. I have missed my first 2 days of school and the 3rd is looking ‘iffy’, too.

7. I missed my first weigh-in on the way to a new and fabulous me.

Life is like a blackberry cobbler…..I don’t like it when it has seeds in it!

I have just returned from the hospital where I have spent the day with my family. This morning, my Pop had surgery for 4 large hernias in his abdomen. (He will be so thrilled that I just announced that to the world). We all went into this operation with an amount of fear. You may remember that 2 years ago, he had emergency surgery for a ruptured intestine. The situation was very tenuous on its own…but, we found out afterwards that his heart did not cooperate while he was in surgery. This surgery resulted in him having a colostomy for 8 months. Surgery was necessary to repair the colostomy and put everything back into place. Again, his heart did not work as it should during this surgery and they had to watch him very closely and monitor him for a few months after. Now, we have these hernias which are not life threatening, but ‘quality of life’ threatening. They were so large and so uncomfortable, he really could not participate in the active life he has enjoyed for the last 82 years. After a visit to his surgeon, who left the decision up to him…and his GP…who said “go for it”…and his heart specialist who gave his blessing…the family as a whole decided that quality of life was much more important to Pop than quantity of life. We believed in our heart and were prepared for the fact that the surgery could go either way. But, which ever way it went…he would be OK! He would be a winner, either way.* This is because he believes, as we all do, that “to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.”. As sad as we would have been…he would not have been a happy camper if the remainder of his years had to be spent in a rocking chair or a recliner. He has motorcycles waiting to be ridden, and trips ready to be taken. He has fish waiting to be caught, and stories to be told.

Our pastor came this morning and led us all in prayer as we stood around his bed. Mom, Joy, Don and Myself, Pop’s buddy Bill, and Brother David held hands and put Pop into God’s healing hands. The hospital chaplain and a personal friend came by and led us again to pray for Pop. When they finally came to take him to surgery, we were ready . There was peace in my heart as he left, and as he was in surgery. And when we talked to the doctor and then saw him coming down the hallway…we were able to praise the Lord for answering our prayers. God is so good…and He has heard and answered our prayers. He chose to touch Pop during surgery and keep his heart functioning well and with no problems.

Another praise, I was hesitant to leave Alex at home, because he has not been doing very well. But, I had to decide what was the most pressing at that time. Alex assured me that he would be fine, and so off I went. In about an hour, the lady who cleans for me and a dear friend as well, called to tell me she was at my house today. Thanks, God, for helping ease this Mom’s mind! Isn’t He the greatest?

Pop is doing well, but is in much pain. Much more than he thought. So, we will all be sticking close for a few days, we’ll pamper and wait on him, and bring him home to finish recovering. Then he’ll head out to take on the world once again!
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*FYI: We have the assurance of heaven and life everlasting because we trust and have faith in God.. We believe the Bible is true. We believe God will do everything He says He will do. We have asked Him to forgive our sins and to live in our hearts. He is our personal Savior and our future is settled.

If you do not understand this process or would like some additional information, please feel free to contact me via my e-mail. I would consider it a privilege to introduce you to my dearest friend.