Photo Hunt answers

Here are your answers from yesterday's "What is that" Photo Hunt:

1. The Empire State Building in NYC


2. Lionel, Sweet-Pea & firefighter posing beside a firetruck

Photo Hunt #120 - What IS that?

So...any guesses??? I'll post the answers tomorrow.

1.


2.

Happy 7th Birthday Sweet-Pea!!!

Our little Sweet-Pea is turning 7 years old today, I can't believe it!! The years have gone by oh-so-quickly. It seems like just yesterday we were trying so hard to get pregnant with our second child. It took years of prayer and many visits to the doctor because I had secondary infertility. The Lord chose to bless us with Sweet-Pea just before my Mom died...something that still gives me the goose bumps. Mom always said she wanted to live long enough to see all her grandchildren...well, she passed away only 2 months after Sweet-Pea was born. God is good and He allowed her to not only see Sweet-Pea, but hold her and look in her eyes before the cancer took her away.

Here is our precious girl through the years....

2001 (Sweet-Pea & Gramma)


2002


2003


2004


2005


2006


2007


2008


A note for my daughter:
"Happy birthday my dear daughter. I love you so very much and am proud to be your Mom. You are the light of my life and you always know how to make me smile. Your gentle loving ways are so sweet. May you always keep putting others before yourself. I love watching you dance ballet. You are so graceful and beautiful. I pray that you will always be that beautiful on the outside, but especially on the inside! The day you asked Jesus into your heart was one of the best days ever!! Remember to live for Him always and never ever compromise for anyone or anything and you will be blessed by the Lord! I pray for you each day and always will. Happy 7th Birthday Sweet-Pea. I love you with all my heart!!! Love, Mommy"

Poems I love

I have always loved poetry. I'm not that great a writer, but I did manage to win a poetry contest while in college. I got published and won $50. Back then that was a lot! My grandfather was a great poet though. He wrote several poems about his marriage, life in Scotland and what it was like to move here to America. Maybe Robert Burns was his inspiration, who knows...many wonderful poets hailed from Scotland.

That being said, here are a couple poems I found online that truly touched my heart this morning. Life has been rough these days for our family. The little comfort I received while reading them was enough to get me going for today. Here they are:

~ GOD’S TIMING ~

The vision that God has given
And the things that He has planned
May not happen right away
Or in ways that we understand

For often God’s preparing us
For when that day arrives
When we will see the outworking
Of God’s vision in our lives

Though it tarries, wait for it
For it will surely come
God’s timing never comes too late
He’ll accomplish what He’s begun

God is never slow to act
He will surely bring it to pass
We need not be anxious and despair
But have peace within our hearts

For when it comes we’ll be released
Into what the Lord’s prepared
So we will fulfill all that He’s planned
As we are being gently led.

~M. Loundes~

~ COMFORT ~

When your heart is sad and lonely,
And your friends seem far away.
Turn to Him who is all holy,
And He'll drive your cares away.

When a dear one seems to fail you,
When for friendship true you long,
Confide in Him who is all true,
And He'll right your every wrong.

Jesus' heart is your true refuge,
To Him you can always flee,
Even when your hopes are sinking,
He will then a true friend be.

He will soothe your lonely spirit,
He will love and bless and say,
"Come to me and I will comfort,
You, today and every day.

~Author Unknown~

Speaking of support....

Who'd have thought that after I mentioned how important support from family is, I would actually need it so much! Last night, was supposed to be Sweet-Pea's ballet recital. As I wrote in an earlier post, we decided that it was best if she wasn't a part of it. It's a good thing we made that decision. Just before she would've had to be there, I got a phone call from the nursing home telling me that my Dad was on his way to the hospital. Here we go again!!!

He was unable to get up, and he had extremely high blood pressure which concerned them. That was the least of his problems. When they got him to the hospital and ran tests, they also found he had:

• congestive heart failure
• elevated potassium
• infection in bladder
• dehydration
• is unable to walk
  

He was given nitroglycerin along with other medicines, but his blood pressure is still very high. They admitted him for observation to run tests and find out what's going on. Since he also can't walk (and is afraid to try), a physical therapist will be going in to see him tomorrow. He is extremely groggy and tired from it all, but fortunately he's not 100% alert as to what's going on around him.

All the issues we had with the nursing home wanting to transfer him we were able to resolve for the time being. I spoke with the director (after much prayer!!) and she told me that they were going to work with him. They decided that they would move him back down to the first floor and close the doors off to his wing when it was night time (when he apparently does most of his wandering). Hopefully this will work. If he actually leaves the hospital in a wheel chair, it will be very trying (and frustrating) for Dad, yet it would solve any issues of moving him out of the facility...so it's bittersweet.

We do covet your prayers! Please pray:

• for peace & comfort for Dad
• that God's will alone will be accomplished!!!
• for a bit of relief for our own family - this is exhausting and very time consuming as we are the only family here for Dad
• for our children - we will be starting our homeschool year on Aug. 4th and our time seems to be consumed with issues regarding Dad. Phone calls come every day and stress levels are high!
• Pray for God to show us clearly how to make decisions for Dad as his health seems to continue in a downward spiral.
  

Thank you all so very much for your prayers. I am at peace with whatever God wants to happen in Dad's life. I just want Dad to feel comfort and peace as he goes through this difficult stage of his life. He is a strong Christian man and I know that one day he will walk with our heavenly Father in heaven - what a joy that will be!!! He also will be reunited with my Mom who died 7 years ago from breast cancer.

"Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you;
he will never let the righteous fall."
Psalm 55:22

In His time,

Photo Hunt #118 - Support

Nothing says 'support' like family, so here we are...Edward, myself, Lionel and Sweet-Pea. It's during the tough times (like what we've been experiencing with my Dad) that family support means so much. My husband and children each have a very special place in my heart. I am so thankful to God for blessing me with them!!



OK, and now a silly one...

Without proper support, this roller coaster would collapse!

Friday Faves #25 TV Channel

Friday Fave #25 - Favorite TV Channel

Frankly there isn't any one particular channel that pops into my mind... not many of them are child-friendly these days which is so sad...even the channels specifically geared for kids! If I had to pick though, it would be between HGTV and the Animal Planet channels. I love decorating, crafts, architecture and house hunting, so HGTV covers that. I also love animals, and Animal Planet offers some great quality shows. I only wish that we could watch TV without all the commercials...they really are annoying, especially that Vonage one...ever see it?? Yikes!!! I can't get their song out of my head...which I guess is their point.

I'd rather be reading a good book or watching a Jane Austen movie than watching TV anyhow!!! So, what's your favorite channel??

Sweet-Pea's room makeover - Part 2

We haven't finished Sweet-Pea's room yet, but I did manage to get a photo of one section that's done. She's been sleeping in our bedroom the past few nights, so putting her bed back in the room was our first priority! She went from clutter princess & Pooh to clean and neat purples and pinks.

BEFORE:


AFTER:




We still have things to hang on the walls, but you get the idea here. I'm going to be getting rid of a bunch of things out tomorrow as I go through all her toys and books. I'm sure she won't be a happy camper, but we're overdue for a good purging! She had so many toys in her room that she hasn't played with in ages. Nothing is going back in that room until it's been cleaned out and gone through!! Ahh...I love getting rid of clutter, don't you?!?

More photos to come!

BRRrrrrring!!!!! Someone else answer that, PLEASE!?!

The calls keep pouring in about my Dad. They aren't friendly calls asking how things are going, they're calls from the nursing home telling me that he is sick, needs to go to a doctor's appointment, that he fell, or most recently, that he is wandering around the home so much they are thinking of transferring him to another nursing home. Yeah, you read that right...they want to transfer him!

WHAT!?!?! THEY CAN'T DO THAT!!!

First of all, I'm so sick and tired of the phone calls. Part of me wishes I didn't even have a phone right now! We do have caller ID but that doesn't help in this case since I have to answer all calls about my Dad. I have put off friends and family members who have called because I'm just so sick of being on the phone. (Sorry if you're one of them!!) My kids are sick of me being on the phone too and I don't blame them!!!

Yesterday the phone call came after we had such a wonderful morning together. It was Edward's day off from work, and we went to an art museum for a little bit then we went out to eat some breakfast. We got home and were going to finish Sweet-Pea's bedroom when the phone call came. So much for our family day!!!!!!! Edward could immediately sense my frustration and anger as I was speaking to the social worker on the phone. He told me that since my Dad is wandering in the halls so much, he's bothering some of the part time patients. (This nursing home has a hallway dedicated to those who are there for physical therapy only...those who are there only a month or so.) They aren't doing it yet, but they are thinking of transferring him to another home - one that is 40 min. away!!! I know they need our permission to do so, and frankly I'm not even thinking about it, the answer is a flat out NO!

My Dad was moved by the nursing home from the first floor to the second about 3 months ago. They feared that he would walk out the front door if he got close enough to it. Fair enough, I understood, even though he wears one of those alarm bracelets. They moved him to the room at the end of the hallway on the 2nd floor. The part-time PT wing is off of that wing. The nursing station is directly between both wings. There are ALWAYS nurses and nurses aides in the halls. Almost every time we visit my Dad, most of the nurses aides are just sitting around doing not much of anything. I'm not sure how or why they get away with it, but they do. So...my question to the social worker on the phone was..."Why aren't the nurses and aides telling Dad to turn around and go the other way?" They will watch him enter someones room and say nothing! They even said he walks in on the board meetings sometimes and I asked the director of the home why they don't just either shut the door, or tell him he can't be there. It's not that difficult people, my Dad will listen!!

My Dad is not an angry Alzheimer's patient like most often tend to become. He is gentle, loving and frankly he's just looking for someone to talk with most of the time. Even he doesn't talk that much...he's very quiet these days. Sometimes when he wanders, he's just doing it for something to do. I also told them that if their recreation department had more programs for him, they wouldn't have to worry. They should tire him out during the morning hours so in the afternoons he's tired and wants to be in his room and rest. Edward even questioned them and asked if they were talking about the same person. Every time we go, he's sitting somewhere relaxing, is fast asleep in his room, or is watching his TV. He's NEVER wandering when we show up, and we visit him at different times during the day. Go figure! The funny thing is that he is the ONLY person on that floor who is ambulatory (can walk), but even at that, he's not very stable, so he's extremely slow. It's not like he's running all over the place like an uncontrollable child.

We met with the director yesterday and are waiting for her to call me today....yes, another phone call!!!! I need a secretary. By rights, they can't just transfer my Dad. By rights, we can appeal it even if they say they want to. So...for now we just wait. The director said there was a meeting this morning with the nurses, social worker, recreation department etc. and that they would try to work with Dad and figure out a way to keep him there. I was so upset in her office, the tears were flowing. She could see that I was at the end of my rope. I'm the ONLY family who visits Dad, talks to him or is there for him. No one else lives nearby or cares. It's so sad and the burden on us is very heavy.

Please help us by praying for an end to all the stress, burdens and exhaustion. One family can only take so much. We will be starting school in just over 3 weeks, so things need to calm down by then. I do not want the kids education to suffer another minute. We missed enough school this past year. Although Lionel did test well, it still isn't fair to him (or Sweet-Pea) to make them miss school days because of issues with my Dad.

I'll update once I hear from the home. Thanks!

Pepto Bismol or Cotton Candy?

We can't decide...which is it?



Regardless of what you want to call this paint color, it's the new color of Sweet-Pea's bedroom!!! Since next Friday will be her 7th birthday, part of our gift to her was to repaint and decorate her bedroom. Yes, she STILL had up the classic Pooh border from when she was a baby, so it was definitely time to redecorate!!!

Besides the new paint color, I picked out a few other items for her room. She already had a purple carpet (very cool with the pink!) and purple curtains, so those will stay. We put up sixteen 12" mirrors on her wall along with a ballet pole, so she now has her own mini dance studio. She'll love it I'm sure! I also got her a new throw rug with purple/pink princess designs on it, a pretty wooden sign with her name on it, and a couple other ballet items. Tomorrow we should be putting the room back together, so hopefully I'll have photos to post.

Our children's rooms have always been an issue with me. We live in a cape cod style house, so their bedroom walls have those awful sloped ceilings. The side walls are only 4' high, so it makes it difficult to decorate and place furniture. Hopefully tomorrow it'll all fall into place. In the mean time, if you figure out what the paint color really looks like, let me know...we can't decide...but she picked it out, so that's what went on the walls! It's BRIGHT, but very girly!!!

Campfire + Sparklers = Family Fun!!!

On the 4th we had an indoor picnic with family and friends (it was raining), but that's all we were able to do beside play games and chat. We didn't go anywhere this year to see fireworks, and our next door neighbors, who usually put on a great fireworks show, decided not to do their own. So, we ended up having our own family fun in the backyard last night! We set up our outdoor fireplace, gathered a gazillion sparklers, and lots of goodies for making s'mores.

Other than our dog Cody, we all had a wonderful time. He was so nervous being outside, but he managed to huddle under the table near my legs for most of the time where he felt safe...poor guy! We knew that if we left him inside by himself he'd have been even more scared. There were fireworks going off all over the neighborhood, and the noises alone would have sent him into cardiac arrest!! He just needed to be with people who would reassure that he'd be safe.

I actually had more fun taking photos than playing with the sparklers or eating s'mores - although I must say that they bring back wonderful memories of summers spent up at Camp-of-the-Woods in New York! Anyhow...here are a bunch of the photos I was able to take by using a combination of my nightvision and tv modes. I haven't mastered the camera by any stretch of the imagination, but I play around with it enough to get a few good ones now and then.

Here goes:

Our campfire...no it wasn't out of control, it's just a moving photo.


Sweet-Pea and Lionel enjoying s'mores...well, Lionel is. Sweet-Pea is eating a Hershey bar by itself. = )


Sweet-Pea had a BLAST playing with the sparklers! Her dance experience came in handy for some 'moving' photos!


Lionel got in on the fun trying to make interesting designs.


Oh, I almost got the heart shape Sweet-Pea was making! Bummer I didn't wait another second!


Lionel making a circle with 10 lit sparklers - it was VERY bright!!


Sweet-Pea with what looks like the number 43 - how old I'll be this year. ha ha


I think by the time we were done, got the fire out and everything cleaned up (including showers for us all...and the dog) it was midnight! Phew! We had so much fun though, we didn't care what time it was. We already talked about next year. We decided that we're going to invite friends over and have some smashing fireworks of our own. I can't wait!!! Care to join us?

Photo Hunt #117 - Pointed

These birds have pointed beaks...I took these photos at a local museum.
There are literally hundreds of birds on display there.

Happy 4th of July!