Small Blessings

Well, we got the ball rolling on my aunt's affairs. I signed the paperwork last Friday. I found out she had more money than we thougtht which made me feel better about her situation. I was thankful for that. At least that girl did not take a great amount of her money. I immediately saw where at least three things could be eliminated to save her money like the land line phone she used to call her kids in Idaho who never came. She can use Rob's cell phone instead for free. They use cable/phone/internet so AOL can go. There was something else, but I can't remember now. Small stuff but less than $100. I did not mean to come in and start taking over. I hope I didn't sound like that to my cousin. I can't judge from my cuz's non-responsive emotions.

Then Janet scared me by saying she hopes Robbie doesn't take off now that I am in charge of the money. It made me wonder if he said something about it to her about this. I mean after all, I would never have known there was a problem if Janet had not called me. Only Don and Lance had a inkling there was something wrong going on with Aunt Va's accounts when she called. Even Janet said she nor I could take care of Aunt Va like Robbie has. She wants to continue to praise him for all he has done for his mom. One friend suggested using a medical supply place to buy items for her cheaper such as Depends. Janet thought this was a good idea too.

Some things got postponed this week. That happens I know. It is apart of lilfe. Still her will was not done. It probably worked out best as I had my own personal female problem which improved so I canceled my dr's appointment. I made an appointment for my annual physical where I will discuss HRT this time instead of refusing to accept I am getting older. I guess I felt my age this week. Or I am just in a funk. I do admit I felt underappreciated as a wife this week, but at least I wasn't as grouchy and didn't yell as much. I am sure I wasn't the only one thankful for this minor miracle. LOL

I created one piece of art this week out of some scumbling I did the week before and I was thankful for it. I turned it, could see an image in it and I went with that image. I thought it was cute. I realized my artwork has dwindled down a lot. My inspiration has not bombarded me lately. I don't think my muse has deserted me. At least I hope and pray not. Lesson learned: turn your art around. View it from every angle to see what else you can come up with.

I was lucky enough to find two pennies heads up this week. I need all the good luck I cvan get! I had to smile, thinking of the email "Pennies from Heaven". I'd had a dream about two deceased church memembers the night before. It may have been them. Or I'd like to think it was my Grandma Graddy or Uncle Frank.

I am thankful to my friends who send me good inspirational emails. Especally one that I let Rhett read which made him cry. He was emotional, tender and raw Sunday night worrying about his daddy not having a job which made him wonder if he (Rhett) would have money to do things when he grows up. I assured him his daddy WILL find a job. We had two jobs that looked promising this week and we were thankful for them. It seems you have to be computer savy to sign up for jobs on line these days. You can send resumes via emails! I assured Rhett everthing will be fine. His daddy and I will always help him. His Daddy will teach him how to do things so he doesn't have to pay people to fix things. I will continue to teach him art. Not to worry. A child shouldn't be worrying about such things. This one email also helped another friend. It was just what he needed to hear so I was very thankful for it.

I wasn't thankful the school nurse called me to say Rhett had a fever of 102 yesterday. He went in complaining about his back hurting for some unknown reason. Now if a child's fever is over 100, they put a mask on them and send them home. They cannot even come back the next day! I am sure the mask scared him to death! If his fever is down, he may be able to go back Friday. I was not a happy mom about his missing school especially since he missed two days when we went to the reunion. 4 days in the 1st month of school is not good.

I had his baby asprin with me in my purse so Don took him to mom's. After work, I went to buy some for home, but Walmart's shelves were bare of Bayer! I found some at another place. It seemed a lot of kids were out or had to be picked up from school yesterday. A girl in Rhett's Wednesday nite Bible class also went home from school. Our preacher's wife told Don last night there was something on the news about it a lot of kids being out. Mom called later to tell me a lot of kids had bladder infections.

I could tell Rhett didn't feel well, but had no real symptoms of anything. He did cough some before bed, but not enough to warrant medicine. He and I stayed home from church last night.

This morning he scared me to death. I was drying off from the shower when I thought I heard him gagging. I wrapped the towel around me and ran to his room just steps across the hall from the bathroom. He was lying at the foot of his bed watching tv! I told him he needed his rest; to go back to sleep. He said he was fine. He did turn the tv off but got up later. I tried to take his temp but the thermometer wouldn't work for me. I told him his daddy would have to take it. When Don took it, he thought it said 104! But Rhett didn't feel hot. We'd never make it in the medical profession! LOL

I have an artist guild meeting this evening. I will be paying my entry fee for the upcoming art show. It has been over a year since I joined the guild. It will soon be almost a year since I won the People's Choice Award. I am hoping I can win it again this year! I have a photograph in mind this time. It was suggested by a wonderful photographer/journalist/blogger, David McMahon of authorblog at http://david-mcmahon.blogspot.com/
back around Thanksgiving. So keep your finger crossed for me.

Sorry if I sound as blah as I feel. I know I have a lot to be thankful for and I am indeed thankful. I know everyday can't be an up day or every week can't be an up week. We'd probably take them for granted if that were the case. In trying to come up with a title for this post, I realized I had small blessings this week. Small is better than none at all.

If you would like to participate in Thankful Thursdays, please go to the following...
http://www.eph2810.com/

The BIG Responsibility

I am so very thankful we arrived back home safely from our trip to Indy for a family reunion, but I think I need to go on HRT now! LOL I am thankful for the pictures I took. I am thankful to my brother-in-law Alan for providing me with inspiration once again. This time in the form of taters! LOL Who knew? I am thankful for the one piece of artwork I created while there out of boredom in the museum while Don was doing family research. Even if when I printed it as a 5x7, and it didn't turn out right, but I will make it work. It looks like I was on psychodelic drugs from the '70's, but I assure I wasn't!

I am so very thankful my parents raised me right. That I am a responsible person. I know what my priorities are. I know that family comes first and foremost. I am always there for my parents.

On our way home, I received a call from my Aunt Va's old neighbor who happens to be head of a local credit union. My aunt requested I be added on her bank accounts. I couldn't believe it. Her oldest son never came here like he said he would weeks ago which seems more like a year now. Her youngest son had been handling everything. My aunt has never asked anything of me before. I told Janet I would have to discuss it with my husband, my Daddy & my cousin Lance first. Not that I needed my husband's permission. Immediately Don thought something must be wrong with the accounts. My Daddy asked that I do this for him. I told my cuz Lance I didn't want to step on anyone's toes. He told me to "step". So I decided to step up to the plate since Lance won't come here to take on these responsibilites that are his not mine. I just cannot understand brothers and sisters not communicating with each other. Nor children not being there for their mother even if they don't like her as a person. She is still their mother. If I only had brothers and sisters to communicate with... I am so very thankful for the mother I have as well as my Daddy.

I called Janet yesterday to tell her I would do this with conditions. She was relieved because there are major problems as Don and Lance suspected. The caregivers my cuz Robbie hired who have been living in the house have been spending money right and left! There is a warrant out for his best friend's arrest! It made my blood turn so cold I had to literally put on a sweater. It made my blood turn cold that they could take advantage of a sickly, elderly woman! I am going into a big mess with my eyes wide open. One of my friends has a really good feeling about me taking over this BIG responsiblity. I will need prayers on this matter please. Thankfully my husband has an accounting degree so he will help me.

I meet with Janet after work so wish me luck. I feel sort of like Mother Teresa... I just wish the Lord wouldn't trust me so much with all this responsibility, but someone has to do it.

I am thankful my mom is feeling better. Please continue to keep her in your prayers. Thank you. Like Iris, I too am thankful for all my friends including my blogging friends.

If you would like to share your thankfulness, please go to the following....
http://www.eph2810.com/

My Momma

I was going to participate in ABC Wednesday C is for.... and I planned to use the picture of Genie & Penny with me cropped out. I would have titled it "Cousins" because they are. This is dating me, but that brought to mind the theme song from "The Patti Duke Show" "...Cousins... identical cousins. They walk alike. They talk alike. Sometimes they even act alike..." Although that does not hold true for my two best friends who are cousins.

Then I thought of creating my own sign that said, "NO MORE CANCER!", taking a photo of it & posting the photo on my blog. You will understand why as you read on....

This week I am so thankful I got to spend time with my two best friends in the world last weekend. I wouldn't trade it for anything. Not all the crab legs in the sea! I did not get a wealth of photos, but I got the ones that count.

I am so thankful my friend Penny went by my mom's before they departed for Dollywood. We pulled in right behind them. My mom said she knew Penny would come by to see her. I didn't know she'd cleaned the bottom of the fridge & had a dizzy spell. So when they left, she told me she was dizzy and had to go lay down. I laid down with her, telling her about our visit. There were a couple of times she almost cried which worried me. I was also paying close attention to her speech. I am not sure how long we stayed there, but I said I'd cook lunch for all of us. Thankfully when mom got up, she said she felt better, but I was still greatly concerned.

I had errands to run; bills to pay. I called her again when we got home to check on her. Rhett & I went over there Sunday after dinner at church. She'd cook speghetti with the remaining hamburger meat we had leftover and said she felt better.

Monday morning she called me to tell me she'd been up all night peeing. She knew she had a bladder infection & was going to her oby/gyn. I did not hear from her before I got off work so I went to the house. The dr had to deliver a baby which is what took so long. She did have a bladder infection and was given meds for that. Then she told me he found a tumor over her bladder! He put in a device to hold the tumor up instead of it pressing on her bladder. She has an another appointment at the end of this month when he will tell her if she will need surgery to remove it! We have not told my Daddy yet because he has a heart condition & will only worry until the appointment. Like we won't! Nor does Rhett know.

My first thought is that it can't be cancer. That this cannot be happening to us. Not to my mom. I don't want her to die yet. I need her a little while longer. I know it is not my will but His. It is just very hard right now. I am trying to hold it together. Of course it could just be a tumor we have caught in time and I pray this like a mantra. Now I do have Hope and Faith.

When I was born, it was supposed to be a c-section, but her dr let her have me naturally. According to her, she was "torn all to jigglets"! If I have heard that expression once, I have heard it a thousand times. I swore I would be better when I had a baby. She never could have any more children which is why I am an only child. When I was in 4th grade, she was around 30 something, but not the youngest woman to have a hysterectomy. She had a tumor(non-cancerous)and had to have a hysterectomy as well as two other major surgeries all at once. They removed her ovaries, tacked up her bladder, and removed her appendix which had grown up behind her liver. It took her a long time to recover. She wore moo-moos for many years. When I had my hysterectomy, I was determined I would take good care of myself.

Mom says this device is a bit uncomfortable, but I asked her to try to keep it in. She is able to remove it. She says it presses on where her bladder was tacked up from her hysterectomy a lifetime ago.

Please keep my mom Lois in your prayers. Pray the tumor isn't cancer. We will be going to a reunion this weekend so please pray for traveling mercies for us. Thank you very much.

If you would like to participate in Thankful Thursday, please go to the following...
http://www.eph2810.com/

Pickle with a Face

 

I took this one awhile back. Maybe in May? Although I captured another great Odd Shot over this weekend which Rhett suggested I use. Instead I picked this one for today's Odd Shot. Am I the only one who finds faces in my food? LOL If you would like to participate in Odd Shot Monday, please go to Katney's place at the following...
http://katneyskaboodle.blogspot.com/

My Two Best Friends

 

I was lucky enough to be able to spend time with my two best friends in the world this weekend. This is me, Genie and Penny at CiCi's pizza. I think this is the first time all three of us have been together at the same time. I wouldn't take a million six dollars for this photo.

5 Dragonflies on a Fearless Friday

This morning on the way to work, I saw five dragonflies flittering around my front windshield. I had my window a quarter of the way down and the 1st one scared me! LOL
I always tell them hello. I feel like dragonflies are a very unique gift from God. I was very thankful to see all of them this morn.

I do have a few prayer requests to Fearless Friday... My husband told me his unemployment may run out in in three weeks. He won't know until after it ceases. So please pray he will find a job soon! Thanks.

I am so happy I will be seeing my two best friends this weekend!!! I have some other friends I would be so grateful if you would pray for them as well... My sweet friend Patti, who always puts her needs aside for her family. Pray that the browns spot on her cheek is not anything serious and will fade away with the grace of God. Another previous co-worker, Elaine Jones had cancer. She developed shingles so she could not contine her cancer treatment nor remain in a nursing home because she cannot care for herself. She was moved to Vista Care. Our church friend Annie Kate had a hysterectomy and chose not to have a bladder sling like I have. Not sure if that is a good thing or a bad thing. Some days I don't regret my sling.

Thank you for all your prayers. Hope you have a great weekend. If you would like to participate in Fearless Friday, please click on the icon to join us.
Sorry I couldn't get it to link correctly.

P. S.... Paulie, you will be happy to know I captured my 3rd dragonfly on my camera Saturday! It was so pretty just sitting there on the windshield wiper of the truck.

What Made Me Happy This Week

Well, here it is... another Thankful Thursday and as always, I have a great deal to be thankful for this week. I am thankful for my dear sweet mom who bought Rhett some back to school clothes and a book bag. We got to spend some quality time together shopping Saturday. We went to the Kiddie Shoppe 1st, but didn't find anything there for Rhett. However, I found an awesomely illustrated book Cinderella by K. V. Craft, but I did not buy it. I haven't tried to look it up on the net yet, but I hope you will so you can see the beautiful artwork. I was concentrating on buying for school - not me. There were very large sunflower type flowers hanging in the store's windows. Naturally I took a photo of one. We had a good lunch. Got Rhett shoes at Kohl's as well t-shirts & other things. He got a bookbag at Target which my mom refered to the place as that one that began with an "O". I thought she meant Old Navy. I had to figure out where she meant. LOL We had popcorn and a Pesi after shopping there. Later it turned out to be my day to see folks. I emailed some of my high school friends who I saw. They cannot get over my remembering these people. It is a gift. What can I say? It makes my friends feel like they were on another planet during high school or slept through it. LOL

On Monday, I printed pictures at Walmart. The big flower pictured here was one of them and the same one I wrote about up above. This time I did something different... I added a border to the photo which was a good thing because it cut out some of the parked cars underneath the flower which I didn't care for. This is an uncropped photo. Sorry. I used a turquoise scrapbook type of border that to me complimented the red colors of the flower. This photo made me very happy. So I made another one adding the words, "Be Happy" in yellow which is on the flower. I did yet another one with a blue jean border. Rhett liked the blue jean one whereas I prefer the turquoise. I showed them to two people at work the next day. They really liked them. One was a plant man, but he didn't care for the words on the flower. He felt it took away from the flower. This did not bother me. I realize we all have our differences, preferences and opinions. We can't all be the same and I for one would not want to be just like everyone else. Although I valued his opinion, it didn't hurt my feelings in the least. I still like mine better. As I have stated before, the little things mean far more to me. I still can't believe that one photo could make me so happy! The plant man also said if I keep at it, I will find my niche. Little does he know I already have... It is called art. Art makes me very happy. I am thankful for my inspiration that comes from ABOVE.

Sorry the picture does not have the border I described. I have yet to take a photo of the photo. LOL I need to hook up my scanner so this will be easier on me.

Georgia had a tax free weekend last weekend and I was thankful for that small blessing. Besides getting Rhett's school supplies, I got myself some paint markers and other markers. Earlier in the week, I drew a flower on a inexpensive piece of stationary and turned it into a scrapbook page. This made me happy also.

I am thankful I had a class yesterday so I could see some old co-workers. I got to see my dear sweet friend Patti. She reminded me that it had been awhile since I had been in our old office to see her. Maybe 6 months which made me feel bad. I am deeply concerned about her. She has had a brown spot on her cheek for some time. It seemed bigger than last time I saw her and it has a tiny dark spot on top of it now. I know she always puts her family before herself. I didn't say anything about the brown spot to her because I would never hurt her feelings. I am asking for prayers on her behalf please that it is not anything serious or life threatening. Our preacher said it may be something internal. All I can do is pray about this and hope for the best; hope it is nothing.

I forgot my favorite little black jacket in the conference room. I emailed the person who had the class after I got home.

I am thankful I got to talk to my best friend Penny not once, but twice yesterday. Hopefully we will get together this weekend. I can hardly wait! She always has a cough when they fly down to Ga which concerns me also since she had breast cancer. I know I am such a worry wart, but I want to keep my friends a little longer.

Thankfully I was able to get my black jacket back this morning. I am so lucky. This jacket has been like a faithful friend to me over the past couple of years. It is always there when I need it. It keeps me warm in the Spring and Fall. It goes with everything. Like in Goldilocks, it fits just right. I am thankful to still have it. I think because it was so much apart of me, I KNEW it would still be there waiting for me. I am thankful for honest people. Getting my favorite jacket back made me happy. Getting my favorite jacket back. Priceless.

I am thankful I found two inexpense blouses this week. One is not exactly my style, but it was my color... hot pink. It reminded me of a Hawaiian blouse I have had for so long it is starting to fade. One blouse was $2.99! I also found two unique photo frames for 99 cents! The bird picture I took Friday did not fit it. I will have to play with it to get it to fit. Then I found 11 cents in one day. I am artful. I am rich. I am blessed and I am indeed thankful for all that made me happy this week. What made you happy this week?

If you would like to participate in Thankful Thursday, please go to the following....
http://www.eph2810.com/

Crying Tree

 

photo copyright ~theRAV~

Well, as most of you know I have an affinity with odd shot trees by now. I have not posted one in awhile. When we were in Indy back at the end of May, I was walking around the farm looking for things to photograph. This was one of the many, many things I captured. It looks like has eyes and is crying, doesn't it? Rhett helped me pick this one out for Odd Shot Monday which I am uploading early on Sunday. I will link on Monday. Hoping you all have a great Odd Shot Monday. Odd Shot Monday can be found at the following...
http://katneyskaboodle.blogspot.com/

Becky aka ~theRAV~