Gitchee Goo?

I got to attend the baby shower of a fabulous young woman today. She has been a friend of my daughter for a long time, originally meeting in church as a child and later through those fun days of high school. Sarah, the mom-to-be, still continuously volunteers to work around church and the community as well as venture out on week-long mission trips. Her behavior is one to be modeled.

Even if you don’t know me well, if I have ever nodded hello or grunted a greeting, you are aware of the fact that I am a grandmother of two fabulous grandsons. That might be partially due to my consistent topics of conversation. The speed of pulling out those candid photos is faster than those fancy NASCAR vehicles.  I couldn’t be prouder. I had never realized the joys that are involved with being the oldest of three generations. I love to be that model of unconditional love. Woo-hoo!

At the shower, you could see that magical twinkle in the eyes of the soon-to-be grandmothers. The miracle of a baby changes all of us. Our minds remain concentrated on those little fingers and toes. We somehow are able to pull out the plastic almost as fast as we can share those photos. Just look at those adorable clothes and cute toys! How can we resist. I can’t begin to delineate the multiple thrills when you see your daughter past plump with child. Their waddles bring out a pride that forever bursts from your heart.

There are so many items that a new mom needs that were not part of my generation’s motherhood. Since I already possess that role of grandmother, I could explain the special doughnuts that moms have to have circling their frames in order to feed their children. We were so goofy that we either used our biceps or substituted a couch pillow. We also tossed the dirty diapers in the trashcan instead of requiring the assistance of these special contraptions that encase the poopy things in plastic. We actually only possessed one stroller instead of one for jogging, another for the beach, a folded one for trips to the mall and sturdier ones for nice walks in the park. How in the world did we survive?

So it was great fun to reminisce with all of the other moms while getting to observe the thrill in the eyes of the moms-to be and those almost grandmothers. Today there was even the joys of a soon labeled great-grandmother. Can you imagine four generations? The drool from those of us over 50 who don’t yet have the knack of pulling out baby and toddler photos could almost be considered embarrassing.

God is pretty tricky. How can a little eight-pound bundle bring such joy? These pint-sized wonders chip away at even the hardest hearts until the tough adults bend down whispering little high-pitched gurgles. Where did “gitchee goo” come from? These wrinkled, red kiddos look good in layers of blubber and the females don’t even mind have a big derriere. Oh baby, life is good!

God Uses My Chronic Pain to Prove that Life is Good

        -  We can sometimes use those tiny giggles to smash our pain instead of resorting to medication.

Obey

In today’s devotion* from Ephesians, the word “obey” was once again emphasized. In today’s society, none of us want to include this term in our ever-growing To Do lists. The connotation is almost a blind following without any of our own input. We need to “obey” our boss, the police, and our mothers according to what is good for them. Forget us! Blindly help them – AGAIN - despite our busy calendars.

I checked out the word in the dictionary to find the word “comply” as a synonym. At least this verb shows a little more mental dexterity with even a possible payback in the future. My first instinct when I think of this word is of children who need to obey and be obedient without a second (or third) word uttered. They need to carry out commands. Eat your vegetables. Go put on your shoes. Brush your teeth. Buy me a fantastic Mother’s Day gift. (Well the last one isn’t in there, but you need to train them often and early.)

Who should I obey? Not one darn person because I have the gray hair from years of doing for others. (I guess I am a little testy this morning.) I need to obey the police and the laws. I can’t think of any others although I admit grandmothers are so adored because we almost always obey the grandkids. I guess I should listen to my hubby too. We’ll see about the obey part.

The word “obey” is in the Bible 206 times, 163 of those in the Old Testament. Most of those are in reference to our actions with God. Obey the Lord is in there a whopping 86 times. No wonder we Christians could have a bad image, particularly if those are the references we use when talking about our faith with others. But if we focus on those words, we lose all the power of this Lenten period for we should obey Christ because that is what our heart tells us. What a huge difference, for when I follow my heart, I make decisions that I want. I do what comes naturally because of my love. That makes my reference to grandmothers pretty accurate. Items just pop into my cart; it’s not me!

I want to “obey” Christ because He has been pretty darn nice to me. Look at all my blessings that cushion these old bones. I have a husband who loves me. My relationship with my daughter’s family is strong. Many friends’ phone numbers have been collected into my phone. (There’s a slew of doctors’ contact information too, but I’m blessed for those too!) People care about us! Darn life is good! I have a roof over my head with walls thrown in to boot. The refrigerator is stocked with food, too much of it really. (Our elastic waistlines prove that fact.) We have cars to use for our own convenience even though we need a new home mortgage to pay for the gas. Thanks God! Life is good. Now throw in the whole eternal life and holy tamolee, you bet I will obey. I’m listening God! I hear you with my heart. Life is very good!

God Uses My Chronic Pain to Prove that Life is Good

      -  Check out all the medical attention we receive for our aches and wobbles. My goodness, life is good!

*  It’s Wednesday, so once again this blog uses the verses from www.goodmorninggirls.org.  Check it out!

My Three B's: Boxes, Beauty and Bids (Oops, sorry Bob!)

My “To Do” list has grown exponentially even over the time I was asleep. There are many items that need to be accomplished in this home, most of which involve sorting through boxes in order to decide if there is any hidden value. I personally feel like it would be much easier just to toss the boxes without looking inside, but my cheap side would never let that happen.

My stamping stuff has spread like a scrawny vine from my desk to the dining room table out the door throughout Roselle and even Illinois. Keep watching for I’m positive that it soon will be in a town near you. These items show the greed that lies hidden in the recesses of my heart. I used to sell Stampin’ Up but have since become my only customer.  When ordering, I do label some items for each of my grandsons or my unknowing husband just so it looks better. My sister-in-law put in a nice order earlier this month just to help ease my soul. She taught me a clever way to greatly reduce the storage space of my beloved stamps, but meanwhile they have overtaken my poor home. The process is a lengthy one however and requires me to make even more of a mess. Oh boy!

We still have some boxes in the basement and this time through the miracles of my hubby, they have doubled and tripled like sly little bunnies. He has transformed the space into a man cave with tools covering every open space. It’s difficult for me to clean down there for I still am unable to reach and bend. If I do forget and extend my arm, my stimulator sends me a shock reminding me of my promise to limit my movements.

Bob needs Surgery II on his poor foot. He broke it back in December of 2010 while walking our little pooch. It took three different hospital visits until his hunch of a break was located. He never felt as if it healed correctly and wouldn’t you know that the hardware placed during Surgery I caused a stress fracture in another place on his foot thus creating the need for this new trip to the operating room. They get to take out the first hardware and put in a revised version complete with buttons and string. We know the date of his operation but we are still waiting on the time. Anyway, that will fill our Thursday on our calendar.

Meanwhile, I feel quite complete huddled in the corner of my couch. There are multiple computer games to help pass the time. I love Words with Friends and would be indebted to anyone out there agreeing to help my addiction. I primarily send my plea to those of you with limited vocabulary who promise not to cheat with a dictionary. Slingo and Gardens of Time are other worthless games that steal my time. Plus a book rests on my end table, calling out to be read and appreciated.

So I’m off to Macy’s. (I bet you didn’t see that in any transition.) It’s Clinique Bonus Days so I need to go get my free stuff. That is how this cobwebbed brain works. Forget that there is a minimum purchase prior to my obtaining my free items. It’s free. That’s the same mentality defining why I need to avoid EBay where I win stuff. You get the idea. There are probably others out there suffering from these same afflictions, so I’m still able to keep my head held high. I’ll wait for EBay until I’m home with my Clinique stuff. Boy, life is good!

God Uses My Chronic Pain to Prove that Life is Good

-       My limited mobility has my confined to my home more frequently with plenty of time for me to place my bids on EBay. J

A Chainsaw for a Wedding Gift

I didn’t realize how many days had rolled by me as I plodded through the dates on my calendar. Now please don’t assume that Bob pulled out a fancy tux or we flew off to Europe for the week. I chose the word “plodded” quite purposefully to depict the way I spend my days.

We do manage to head to church each Wednesday throughout Lent. The great thing is there is a free meal with dessert competitions that make me salivate just thinking of them. We have some time to discuss the book that we are reading then we head to the sanctuary for the Holden Evening Service that I love. I wish I could hear this comforting music more often for it sends me off with a deep peace that we all crave.

I snicker at the use of the word “sanctuary.” I know the correct term is “worship center” but to me it will always be the sanctuary. I love the feel of that word and the items it conjures. I feel safe and valued and peaceful. The worship center sounds much more sterile and staid. My little body craves all of the nice touches it can get, so sorry for all of you who slave away to make sure the political correct police can be welcomed. Instead, I’ll chat with them while feeling love swooping around me like a huge down filled comforter on a chilly night.

Yesterday we were able to celebrate the engagement of my niece. We love the fellow to whom she is engaged but still trip over ourselves when we notice that all the nieces and nephews have suddenly grown up around us. That has to be impossible for if they are somehow old enough to marry and have rug rats, what does that say of us? We couldn’t also have aged? Quick get me a box of hair dye so I can further refute this!

Celia and Ryan, the bride and groom, disagreed on the items to be placed on the wedding registry. This controversy has affected other young couples for similar items. Do you click on the pricey sheets or drop down to what you would personally buy? Then there is the hassle of equal clicking for both sexes. The guys tend to wander around until they find some expensive vase whose cost could feed all of the hungry children in Africa. It often is added to the list to see who is nuts enough to spend that much money on a flower receptacle. If you, like me, could benefit from that box of hair color, check with some young married couple and see if they agree. Guys want to get tools and grease and man stuff, but Macy’s and Crate & Barrel don’t carry chainsaws.

So we are off to begin a new week. The days look similar to past weeks. It’s stocked with the usual medical needs and ends with a fabulous baby shower. Bob will have operation two on his foot this Thursday, but we haven’t had another surgery yet this month. I’ll fill you in on more of those details tomorrow, but my husband is taking his night stroll with the dog meaning it’s time to head to bed. Happy snoring everyone. May your dreams be filled with calorie free, but good tasting chocolate while on a beach somewhere without hurricanes or snow. Enjoy because life is good.

God Uses My Chronic Pain to Prove that Life is Good

       -  You get by sometimes with speech that might be considered politically incorrect, so I’ll get to call it a sanctuary. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a sanctuary at the mall, doctor office or your own home? Ahhhhhh! Life is Good!

Wrestling a Polar Bear?

For my virtual Bible study, we are still in the book of Ephesians. We are currently on those confusing verses where wives need to submit to their husbands while love is for the reversal. I’m so blessed to have a great hubby who does love me and readily states that throughout the days. We use that triad of words when we hang up the phone or independently leave the household. What powerful words which mean so much.

Yet, Bob does much more than just says, “I love you.” He shows it in countless other ways. Let me give you some examples:

1.     He covers me up with one of my beloved throws when I fall asleep on the couch.

2.     He joins Einstein and greets me at the door when I return home.

3.     He always gets me an Easter lily or Christmas poinsettia at the designated holiday.

4.     He gives me a kiss each morning as he heads downstairs and I roll over for more zzz’s.

5.     He carries my silverware and napkins when we go through a buffet line.

6.     He’ll walk Einstein when the weather is cold so I can be lazy and stay inside with the throw from number one.

7.     He makes sure the fridge is well stocked with a plethora of fruits before he galavants out for fishing or sports watching. (He also leaves me with the credit card, but I'm the cheap one of the family when it goes to spending money.)

8.     He encourages my card making habit.

9.     He gets out and greets me with a towel at poolside when we are at an outside swimming pool.

10. He leaves me little loving notes whenever he packs a lunch for me.

11. He’ll make all the goodies that I volunteer to make for potlucks and buffets.

12. He goes up to change his clothes before we leave when I give him “that look.”

13. He’ll hunt for those lost keys, book, shoes or countless other items when I misplace them. (He also almost always finds them for me too.)

14. He cleans my glasses every morning and lets me see that there is a world behind those messy lenses.

15. After I plant all my flowers on nice May days, he will water them all on hot and mosquitoey days in July.

16. He goes to get the car to pick me up when it is raining, too cold, too hot, yadda, yadda, yadda.

17. He says I look nice even when I am hidden inside 324 extra pounds of padding.

18. He is pretty darn quiet when he lets me “sleep in” in the morning. (Note: Number 18 is written with the prerequisite knowledge that he IS a male. That now makes sense to all the women readers.)

19. He’ll clean up messy kitchens after I attempt to make a meal.

20. He screens all those phone calls when my body just isn’t up to gabbing on the phone. His excuses for me not getting the phone are pretty creative too. (Sorry, she can’t come to the phone now. She’s wrestling with a polar bear that just snuck in the house.)

That’s just a few things from the list. I encourage all you lovebirds to make such a list on your own. Then when there is an oops of the tongue or dirty socks strewn over the bedroom floor, you’ll be reminded of what makes that spouse so easy to love and why you can confidentially say, “Life is good.”

God Uses My Chronic Pain to Prove that Life is Good:

-       He gives me a hubby who daily helps my struggles with my pain and lets us “share” our stock of pain pills.

The virtual Bible study that I talk about is www.goodmorninggirls.org. 

The Fashion Diva Arrives in Kansas

We’ve officially changed the season, and I love every bit of it. Watching flowers slowly peek from the earth and the tiny new blossoms of magnolia and forsythia sends happy shivers to my soul. Rebirth is such a wonderful theme, one that hopefully works for me too.

I’ve been taking longer strolls with my pooch lately partially in celebration of the wonderful weather that we now have in Chicagoland. (Sorry Phoenix – enjoy the snow!) These walks help a little on my daily struggle to lose weight plus they add a little spring in my steps. Unfortunately, the spring is added to the wobbles. I’ve learned that whenever there is anything from a gentle breeze to hurricane winds, my body attempts its impersonation of a gyroscope. In the winter, or projected colder weather that we will probably have in July, I just need to pull up my hood prior to facing Mother Nature. With weather in the 80’s and beautiful sunshine, I don’t require a coat. With no coat there is no hood. With no hood there is no balance. With no balance there is Janet preparing for Dancing with the Stars.

Does anyone have any hints or suggestions about what I can do? I was thinking of using a scarf something like those from That Girl or The Patty Duke Show. Those headbands were still behind the ear though. Maybe I could start a new trend. Do you realize there is a web site entitled 37 Ways to Tie a Scarf and multiple YouTube entries that could come to my assistance? Yet none of the ones I have looked at have one’s ears in hiding. Drat!

Now Bob would have me wearing colorful, fuzzy earmuffs to block out the wind. Better yet, he would buy expensive Bose headphones that weigh 96 pounds and are 4 feet in depth. Neither one would get me any stylish points. My idea is not to gain notoriety with an exciting new fashion sensation but rather to find some kind of help for me to stay vertical. The Mayo pain clinic really pushed us to find ways that avoid looking handicapped. Hot pink fuzzy earmuffs kind of stick out in July!

I’m heading out a wee bit after 11:00 PM to take a walk with Einstein. My goals are twofold: avoid any four-legged critter that has a white stripe down its back and also to walk and remain within 15 feet of the sidewalk. I’ll wear my spring jacket to aide in my endeavors. Drivers will love seeing me sashay down the road. I have now reached the pinnacle of fashion divaness. See how chronic pain helps. Boy, life is good.

God Uses My Chronic Pain to Prove that Life is Good

      -  I can attain new heights as a runway icon by selecting helmets and earmuffs for my evening strolls with Einstein. I’m glad I’m not in Kansas anymore. Life is good!

Hues of the Irish

Bob is still out in Pittsburgh. I don’t know which he is enjoying more: the basketball tournament or the high-caloric food. With him, it could be a tie. Today ends his games and eating frenzy, so he will soon be headed back home to a wife that attempts to have a wee bit of control over his beloved diet.

With Bob gone, I took a hero stand and went out to battle my enemies first thing this morning. I took Einstein for a fast walk and confronted the mold and pollen that is everywhere this gorgeous March day. I actually had to turn our air conditioning on yesterday to try to filter the air. That’s the nutsy part about the homes of allergy sufferers. The first spring days bring gentle touches of warmer weather, and we hunker down in our locked homes surrounded by boxes of tissues and migraine medicine.

Yes, you read the despised eight-letter word. In my head, I view it with the disdain of two four-letter words. It has that much impact on my life. MIGRAINE! Yesterday was the first day in a while that they were way past tolerable and I needed to take refuge in a dark bedroom. I took my medicine as prescribed and even managed to swallow Mountain Dew and a small chocolate Weight Watchers bar. (Note that there are some positives with this crazy head of mine! Caffeine can scare away some of my headaches.) Anyway, those steps were all in vain and things progressed quickly throughout the day. My late night stroll with Einstein brought back that Weeble walk on which rests part of my fame. Catalogs and magazines are now stashed in the bathroom to aid in passing the time while I cling to the porcelain goddess.

Things don’t appear much better today however I figure that I am now all dressed for this leprechaun madness as my face remains locked in various hues of green. I had thoughts of venturing out to a craft show with a friend, but her calendar was booked solid and I can’t carry our toilet out to the car. (Stop reading a second and picture dainty me lugging around a toilet as I walk the crowded rows of a frenzied craft show. People would probably clear a path for me though.)

So instead, I will gather my materials for studying for my class. At least this book is really quite interesting and beneficial. If I am feeling better later, I might bravely venture out or possibly descend to the basement to gather some of my ancient Easter decorations.

Green isn’t a good color for me, so I pray that my cheeks might switch to a pasty white or even better a slight pink. I fear that the only way they could transform me to an Easter pastel is for me to pour on liquid foundation and then cake on lots of powder blush. At least I am in no pain, just more frustrated at my usual plight. But I hope all of you can get outside to experience these record setting days with friends and family. Enjoy! I’ll drown my sorrows in drink – Mountain Dew.

God Uses My Chronic Pain to Prove that Life is Good

             - I’m already festive for any hidden leprechauns with my face a pea soup             green.             Maybe I can crawl to that pot of gold. Boy, life is good.

March Madness

March madness has struck this home twice, and that’s even without that little green leprechaun hopping around. Can craziness grow anymore this week?

First off, my husband has taken his annual pilgrimage to spy on athletic men chasing a ball around a court. He loves the college sports, particularly football and basketball. Although he’s not exactly the poster child of health and he hardly resembles a jock, he journeyed east with slight trepidation but high hopes. Sporting events have eluded him these past few years because his body has not cooperated. The actual games would be fine yet the trip to the stadiums brings forth a multitude of problems. If you haven’t noticed, his gait is hardly sprightly, in fact both the tortoise and hare lapped him several times. Gravity pulls him down the ramp and makes him simulate walking in place.

Although I encouraged Bob to return to the arenas, I’m not sure of the sanity involved. His seats are so high up that they look down on the nosebleed section. If you have excellent visual acuity, you might be able to make out a few dots moving about the gleaming floor. If the surrounding crowd is mute, one might be able to make out the reverberations of a ball bouncing down on the court. The pictures on TV provide a much better view of all of the shots to the hoop, but I guess a hot, sweaty center is preferable. That’s probably how the “madness” is paired with this month.

March provides it’s own madness visible as soon as you step outside your door. When I walked with Einstein, I saw tulips standing strong in countless yards. Buds are on every tree and bush as they reach out for this unexpected weather. We are all thrilled with the warm new records being established each day. Past records are being smashed as the temperature dashes past the old ones. It’s been wonderful sitting outside reading each day.

Here are my worries. I predict the temperatures may not rise about the teens once the calendar pages flip to July. We never got the cold temperatures this past winter, so they have to come sooner or later. Beach cover-ups might switch to parkas so summer swimmers will be prepared for confusing weather. Don’t confuse this for complaints for I love the weather outside my door. Spring trips to the south for spring break hold nothing new. Why go visit Mickey when the 80’s are peeking out of local thermometer readings? Forget the southwest when I can dine on my own back patio for better weather. March madness is here! Life is good!

God Uses My Chronic Pain to Prove that Life is Good

    -  Even with my vertigo, I am balanced enough to know “madness” when I see it. Life is good!

This Little Light of Mine

This past week in Ephesians has been pretty basic as a laundry list of some of the big no-no’s. None of them have been any surprise. Follow Paul’s decrees if you want any inheritance from God. Make sure to avoid the biggies like immorality and impurity. That sounds pretty easy. However on two different days, I was busted. No greed! Gulp!

I’ve written before about the greed that overcomes me with ease. The words, “I need that” just slip out so easily. The majority of these items are just monetary “stuff” that would only further be crammed into my closets and drawers. I see some new stamping stuff and my drool becomes pretty evident. Beware of either Bob or I in a saltwater store because we “have to have” that shiny coral or colorful fish. Remarks of being God’s creation are just plain hogwash. I just plain want stuff. Stephanie has been showing me all the newest in the line of 31 products. I “must” have these purses as a support a show of support to my daughter. WRONG – it’s my greed.

Today we are told to be the light and expose the darkness. I read the neatest book that reminds me of this very description. The book is Fireflies in December by Jennifer Erin Valent. I won’t go in lots of details, but the young heroine is told by her dad to become like a firefly in December. Now a firefly is a pretty ordinary thing of no great value. They aren’t like the huge Hollywood lights beckoning all to come. They just kind of flit around, yet once it gets dark, their light is so obvious. Put a few of them together, and woo-hoo, you’ve got quite the light show. Now there aren’t a heck of a lot of them come December, even this past December when it was pretty warm, but that doesn’t matter. We are still to be those very fireflies. Alone or in a group, we must shine of God’s love.

I treasured that analogy and have imprinted that image in my old muddled brain. It makes sense to me as it reminisces just like that old song This Little Light of Mine. I like the newest metaphors of this whole idea. Now I just need to try to shake off that greed and shine my little light. Together, we can change the world. Life is good.

God Uses My Chronic Pain to Prove that Life is Good

-       With time off work now because of disability, I have lots more time to read great books and lots less green for my greed.

These devotions are part of the Good Morning Girls readings. Check it out at www.goodmorninggirls.org. 

Pull Out that Plastic

It was a nice day as Bob and I staggered through a beautiful spring day. We went to church this morning and then spent the majority of the day at a conference for marine aquarists. It was great. Just think, I’m a marine aquarist. In other words, there were tons of sponsors selling a variety of goodies for all sorts of aquarium needs or greeds. There were fish, and lights, and lots of different corals. Bob and I even managed to help the economy a wee bit. We have lots of new corals to show off to friends.

It’s funny how so many different hobbies tend to teach greed without even trying. I heard lots of “Oh, I need that!” We teach little ones the difference between needs and wants but fail to learn that same concept. I’ve had this disease with a variety of my interests. I need those stamps and ink pads. It could be severely detrimental to my health if I don’t obtain enough. I’ve been downright drooling over a variety of meditation supplies. Get this – I HAD to order a zafu and zabutten.

Bob also gets such an affliction. I gave him a scroll saw for Christmas and oh my gosh, he now NEEDS every woodworking item that has even been conceived in the last 92 years. His one saltwater tank managed to blossom to five tanks with dreams of that increasing soon. His closest friends are still waiting for him to open up his own tackle shop in order for us to be able to squeeze through our basement. 

I’m sure we’re not the only ones to succumb to this condition. My time on disability has increased this severe urge since I am spending even more time at home. However, my checkbook reminds me that I need to more closely examine my purchases. If I would like to maintain simple things like keeping a roof over my head and food in the refrig, I better watch out for this whole greed thing. I need to keep my addictions in check so I can continue to brag that life is good.

God Uses My Chronic Pain to Prove that Life is Good: 

       -  Being on disability makes me reexamine my priorities when using that plastic, rectangular credit card.

Fishin' or Fashion

Last night, we were able to attend a local style show. Our presence was not because Bob was attempting to become trendy. Instead, it was to show our support to a young woman we have been blessed to know since childhood. She was just completing a course on event planning and was required to come up with a show in just nine weeks with a hopeful gain of $12,000, quite a heft sum.

By supporting Lauren, we were supporting not only her but also a wonderful non-profit organization. Guess what, this in turn then supported women and their children who come from a home of domestic violence. What a wonderful way to support people in need.

We saw quite a few people we knew. Our church friends were definitely in attendance as well as Lauren’s mom, sister and grandmother. It’s always a family affair with their loving bonds. Lauren is blessed with many people who love and care for her. Quite a few of those individuals were able to make a physical sign of that support by purchasing a ticket to the fashion show.

My husband is quite the goof. I was surprised when he agreed, somewhat slowly but agreed nonetheless, to go to the fashion show. I did not really expect his presence. He later declared that he thought it was a “fishin’ show” instead of a “fashion show.”  That’s Bob!

I was also able to see an art teacher from the school that I recently left. She was the one to come up to me and greet me with a great hug. That show of compassion and support did much to lift my spirits. It was a physical example of someone from my past showing that they still cared about me, a feeling that escapes me most of the time. What an added bonus to an otherwise pleasant evening.

It feels good to support others, and it feels marvelous to feel support returned or even better, offered on its own. Sometimes I feel as if I am unable to extend support to others, but I neglect to remember the power of a small card offered in thanksgiving. So I encourage all of you to go support someone. It can be a phone call, a token gift or a ticket to a special event.  Besides helping the individual, it will bounce back and support you. What a pleasant glow showing that life is good.

God Uses My Chronic Pain to Prove that Life is Good:

      -  I’m willing to pass the green and go to a place with loud, modern music to support a dear friend. It ended up I got my own unexpected support. Thanks Dawn!

It's a Girl (almost)

I got to go to a wonderful baby shower this weekend for the wife of a nephew. The thrill and excitement of becoming parents was clear just by gazing at either of the two. You could see the love for each other, but there was something so much more there. Their lucky child now has enough clothes to change outfits three times per day until she is forty-eight. All the other prerequisites for a complete nursery now sit piled in boxes in their dining room.

I was able to visit with both of my sisters, as we wanted to assist the parents-to-be. It was nice to sit and ramble for a few short hours in an afternoon. The journey to Iowa is just three hours, but took more out of our bodies than I at first realized. I so much wanted to look like a “normal” aunt that I remained seated as long as I could with my stimulator turned to high. My hubby and I stayed the night, conversing with others through pleasant reminiscent thoughts. My sister and nephew even carried a mattress downstairs so my husband would not have to attempt the stairs. Lights were out by 9:30, and our tired bodies slowly sank into our soft mattress.

We gathered our belongings the next morning and hit the road for Chicagoland. This trip took a wee bit longer as our bodies both requested times to stretch and refresh. Einstein for overly happy to see us, providing welcome home kisses to our exhausted bones. I was in bed by 4:00 PM, assumedly for a short nap but remained there until 9:00 the next day. My bones and muscles had had enough and my feeble brain seemed somewhere missing for action. I was much better after my long snooze and feel very grateful that my life allows these special trips with the recovery that follows.

Without disability, I would have had to make the journey in one day, continuously rushing to the next appointment. I would have missed a trip to the “shed” and a quick peek at the new nursery. The strong love and devotion to God and family envelopes one as you are surrounded by relatives when you relax in her home. Tales of fabulous grandchildren outweighed fishing trips by far. I would have missed all that if I needed a rush home.

I can’t imagine making the short trip in one day. My disability status allowed more talk around the kitchen table, the best place to gather at any get-together. Conversations about the miracles of grandkids were strong since you were dealing with two of the proudest grandma’s around. I could feel God’s blanket of love as time with family was extended. Thanks God for a fabulous trip. Life is good.

God Proves that Life is Good by Looking at My Chronic Pain

      -  Trips to see family get to be extended. Life is good!

Passwords

Passwords are such a bother. I realize the vital importance of maintaining security to avoid identity theft, however some things have just gotten out of control. It seems like I can’t order a pizza online without having a username and password. There’s an advantage with maintaining a similar password for everything, but I have trouble equating my life savings with a $10 pizza.

Certain restrictions impact the selection. For some sites, you need numbers or characters, upper or lower case or both. Some should be only 4 to 6 spaces while others demand at least 936 spaces. I’ve gotten emails that I need to update my password because it needs to be altered every six seconds. Then some won’t let you repeat a password you have used within the last 72 years. Then I got one, this is honest even, that you could not have a letter by a letter or number by a number PLUS no letters or numbers could be consecutive. I can’t remember who had such atrocious rules but it must have been something with such federal security like looking at a sales ad for a local sporting goods store.

How do people keep track? You could write them down and store them in some safe location. I could keep them in my safe, but our safe combination is written on the list and then I would never be able to open the safe. I could store them in a file marked “Dairy Products” in the guise of being tricky, but at my age I would then need a note telling me where I hid the passwords. I could stick them in the back of the freezer, but who knows what else is back there wrapped in foil and freezer wrap. Where is the confidentiality in that?

I just heard on the news last night that the number one password is “password1”. How clever, but where are the characters on that one. Who even figured out that was the most common? Did they ask people their top password and actually get replies? Right now we have 36 pages of passwords typed in size 3 font. I think they might be hidden in the meat drawer in the refrigerator or with the spare tire on Bob’s vehicle.  I’ll just order my pizza by phone to have one less secret password. I need a password to blog, but I just try my darndest to not log off.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone. Watch out for those passwords.

God Uses Chronic Pain to Prove that Life is Good

       -  I was getting too stiff and sore accomplishing anything of value so I got to write my blog. Thanks God! Life is good!

Waken the Inert Blob

This site has been without any new postings for far too long. I did not run off and join a band of gypsies or hired out to the local Barnum & Baileys. I didn’t have the energy to complete either of those exciting options, although my inclusion in such would bring about some mighty interesting blogs.

Instead my body just stopped. I was not deathly ill, placed under quarantine or require bands of medical specialists. Instead I started with a headache, which got way worse leading to sensitivity to noise, light and life in general. The nausea and fatigue that came with the headache were strong. This all began Saturday morning. I woke up Sunday morning begging Bob to take me to the hospital where I got nausea and strong pain medication. The nausea drug was a Godsend, improving my temperament and outlook on life. The pain medication was beginning to break my migraine when my IV bag emptied. Do you know that soothing noise that is gently emitted from an IV machine when it is empty? The obnoxious and repetitive alarm quickly brought my migraine back to not only the heights before I entered the hospital, but it magnified the headache to even higher levels.

I basically came home and crashed. A freight train could have careened through our bedroom, and I don’t think that I would have noticed. My inert blob remained just that! I don’t know what happened anytime from Sunday through Thursday. I recall Bob occasionally coming up with the all-favorite Jell-O, Sprite or a peanut butter / jelly sandwich. I would take a bite or two, grunt and rollover for another decade or two. Stephanie called and talked with me once. She did the typical daughter thing of extending the word “MOM” into multiple syllables. Take a second to practice it and you will realize the noise all kids learn to say in-utero. She warned me of the need to drink plenty of liquids. Another grunt from me, three gulps of water and back to sleep.

I became conscience on Thursday when I waddled downstairs much to the shock of my poor husband. I have avoided returning to a comatose position although my movements are still somewhat stilted. Yet I needed to at least fill in reasons for my extended absence.

Stay healthy. Life is better that way; in fact you can even call it good.

God Uses Chronic Pain to Prove that Life is Good:

        -  You know the names of the “good drugs” to request when you go to ER.