Thanksgiving 2010

Give Thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever. 1 Chronicles 16:34


Dad went up to D'Hanis and got Grandmother Wells on Wednesday afternoon.
On Thursday morning Mike put the turkey in the smoker and all of the cooking started. We went to church at 10:00 and came home to continue cooking and preparing for the carbohydate festival that was to ensue.


All of the work--cooking, cleaning--it is all fun, then we sit at the table, pray and in 15 minutes it is over. I wanted to say "Everybody sit. Stay."


These are the beautiful flowers that Cindy sent me this year. It made a lovely centerpiece for our Thanksgiving table.

Dad, Brian, Cindy, Mike, Grandmother, Katie and Lisa. Later Javier and his son, Christian, came over. The football games were on, Cindy and I walked 3 miles and Lisa and Katie were playing with the new addition to our home: Snickers.


I really need to get a better picture of this little kitten. She is cute and quiet. At night we put her in the bathroom and she does not meow at all.
The girls absolutely adore her.

On Friday I drove Grandmother back home. No black Friday shopping here. We got our tree down and started decoratating. The weather turned cooler too, which really helps to get one in the Christmas spirit.

Learning

This really spoke to me today.

This is the first time in my nursing career that I have no idea what I will be doing next. It is a little scary.

I have been learning to trust in God. To trust that He is in control and that He knows what my next job is.

I have been learning that my identity is not in my career or my marriage or my parenting, but my identity is in Christ.

I have been learning that taking a break from work can open up emotions that need to be dealt with. Namely, I have a great fear of getting dementia and dying at a young age like my mom did. I went to the doctor yesterday and he drew a whole bunch of labs and started me on a super B complex vitamin and Lexapro. I feel like I have been losing my memory lately and have been so tired, but not depressed. With all that said, my doctor thinks that it is "readjustment disorder." A normal time someone goes through after losing a loved one. Mine has just taken a year to get to me. It takes from 1-5 years, so the doctor says.

I have been learning...and will keep learning and praying and trusting.

*The Lexapro did not work for me.  So I am going the natural route with amino acids and vitamins.  I think that it is working.  Of course lots of prayer and memorizing scripture and trusting God.

Race Day

Cindy and I did the relay and it was so much fun. I enjoyed this so much.
I did the first leg which was 7.7 miles. Mile one had a 6 minute "break" for a passing train. There were some very unhappy runners. I left in coral 3 which are the fast runners. They are seriously into running. That being said, I ran my first mile in 9 minutes 30 seconds. So I had to s-l-o-w down. A good mile run for me is a pace of 10:30.

I ran it in 1 hour 25 minutes without any bathroom breaks. That is really good for me AND...I am not wiped out right now.

Cindy ran 5.4 miles in a little over an hour and did a great job. Brian dropped us off and picked us up without any difficulties.

The shirts we chose to wear for the race are from a group called Team 413 with the bible verse from Philippians 4:13 I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.

Day before race day

Today Cindy and I took the girls and headed to the Alamodome to get our race packs for tomorrow's race. We are running the relay. I was so thrilled to get the packet and the cute little baton which is actually a drum stick. It is light and can fit down the back of your sports bra if you are so inclined to put it there. I may. Or I may not.

I will take the first leg of the race and to tell the truth, I do not feel ready. I am bloated and do not feel energetic. The last part could be because I sat in the hot tub with Mike and have taken a melatonin to get a good nights sleep.

While at the expo, Cindy and I got a chance to shop a little and to laugh a lot. At one point I am on my cell phone with Melody and Cindy is mouthing to me "What did I do with my phone?" I look to make sure I am not using her phone and see that she has something that looks suspiciously like a cell phone in her hand, her cell phone. Yes, she was holding it asking where it was. We laughed so hard. It is typical what happens to us at least one time when we are together. :-)

Lisa and Katie were very playful with each other today (to the point of picking on each other) and this evening Lisa came up and said, "Katie is really getting on top of my fingernails today." I am pretty sure she meant that Katie was getting under her skin today. :-)

Yesterday the girls were playing outside and Katie went to rest. Lisa said "Katie come back and play." Katie replied, "I have some bodily aches right now Lisa." :-)

Cindy, Melody, Lisa and Katie

A special service

November 7 was mom's one year heavenly birthday. I cannot believe how fast this year has gone. It seems just like yesterday we were sitting at her bedside, laughing, talking, praying.

Mike was on team for the Men's STARS retreat again this year. Dad went, Gary Williams went, among a couple of other close friends. If you have never been on a retreat before, then I ask that you do not read any further.

Mom died last year on the day of Candlelight service for the men's retreat. It was incredibly special to think that she received the ultimate Candlelight service on that day and I will forever be touched by this service. This year we had Grandmother Wells there for dad, Cindy came, Mike was there, Lisa and Katie of course. Sheila came for Gary, Rhonda came for her husband Don, Crystal came for her husband John. Plus, my church family. The people I love the most in the world were there. It was such a gift from God.

I have much more to talk about...I am not working right now, our other house has a contract on it (praise the Lord) and how big Lisa and Katie are getting. But it will have to wait for another time. Getting ready to go on a date with Mike--yeah!! And the relay 1/2 marathon is this Sunday. Lots going on.

Catch up

I cannot believe that October is almost over.

It has been a very busy month.

October 4 was dad's birthday. He is going on the men's STARS retreat the first weekend of November (it is the opening of deer season--but he is still going--reluctantly).

October 6 was Mike's 43rd birthday. In the new bible (NASB Greek/Hebrew Study Bible) I gave him I put for his 44th birthday. I guess I am a year ahead of myself:-) Not that he looks older that 43!! Because he doesn't. Really. He looks no older than 40. I better keep going.

October 8 Pastor Jaeger passed away. He was my patient. I wanted to quit doing hospice prior to him coming onto our hospice services. He was discharged from Vitas and still met the criteria for hospice under another diagnosis, so we took him and I became his nurse. I didn't want to quit while he was still with us. I didn't think it would be as hard as it was, but I became really hard on myself. As he deteriorated in condition I would question my nursing skills. My head knowledge told me everything was going the way it was supposed to, but my heart was not. They were too close. It was almost like taking care of family.

October 14-17 was the women's STARS retreat. I was on team again and got to be the nurse and a table leader. It was an incredibly busy time, but at least I didn't have to spend the night in the ER like the last retreat. However, we did have a lot of issues needing medical attention. I felt like a nurse the entire retreat. I was even calling them my patients instead of retreatants. It was fun to serve again and I did get a couple of moments that were appointments by God. One was with my friend Crystal and the other was my friend Scarlet's (who passed away in June) mother-in-law, Yvonne. God is in the details.

October 18 was Katie's birthday. My little 9 year old. She got a new little fish aquarium for her room and her beta fish "Lucky" proceeded to die in it 2 days later. He was named "Lucky" because Katie got him from Wal-Mart. She saved his little life because Wal-Mart really does not care about the "pet" department. Note to self: Do not get anymore fish from Wal-Mart.

October 21 was our 13th wedding anniversary. We have not done anything special for it yet, but I am so thankful for another year with this man (who is 43 not 44). Pastor and Mrs Jaeger celebrated their 61st wedding anniversary in June and it was so impressed upon my heart and so special. I told Mike that we have 13 down, 48 to go!!

I am training for the relay half marathon. I will run 7.7 miles and Cindy is going to run 5.4 miles. Maybe "run" is a bit of an exaggeration. Perhaps jog would be a better word. Walk-really-fast maybe?? Really I have been training. My goal is to run my part in 1 hour 15 minutes at the most.

My last day at this hospice job is October 28. That is this coming Thursday. I do not have another job lined up at this point. I felt peace about our decision when I gave my notice. Funny thing is our friend Gary Williams had given his notice at the funeral home he was working at for the same day, October 28. I think God wanted me in hospice for a season. I don't know where He wants me now. But I plan to slow down, be still and wait for God to lead me. I pray I do not get worried and anxious but to have clear understanding where I am to be.

September Already

I cannot believe how fast time is going this year. School is now in full swing. BSF starts very soon and I will be a group leader in October after the STARS retreat.

Lisa has started 4th grade with Mrs. Moody. Mrs Moody was also Cindy's 4th grade teacher many, many years ago. It is really neat to think that Cindy and Lisa had the same teacher!

Katie is in the 3rd grade and has Mrs. Fincke. We already love and adore her from last year.

I am still doing hospice. I am going through a tough time right now. I love the philosophy of hospice, I am just not too sure I like to company I am working for. The communication is poor and I find myself stressed out more than I should be. I like most of the nurses I work with and I really respect our medical director. I am very fond of my patients...some of the family members are very selfish. A couple of the families want the family member to die so they can sell their stuff and get money. It just makes my heart sick.

Mike is still with Gentiva. He absolutely loves his job. He is very good at what he does. His patients love him. He gives safe patient care and is so competent at what he does.

Sometimes I think of when we go to heaven and everything will be perfect. No more need for doctors, nurses, police officers, lawyers. What a world that will be.

I have thought about what I want to do in heaven:

*worship God by playing the piano fluently

*worship God by gardening

*worship God by cooking for the banquet

*worship God singing with a beautiful voice

*worship God by dancing like a ballerina