Busy days, busy evenings!

Had a great time of fellowship last night at my house for bunko. I served a pork loin stuffed with jack cheese, spinach and sun dried tomatoes, mac and cheese and broccoli casserole...everyone liked it and I was happy it was all eaten. We exchanged gifts, had a good time of prayer and sharing and ended the night happy we are in each other's lives. Blessings to all my good friends. Now my family is off to the horse park for Southern Lights...pictures tomorrow!

Face Lift

I don't have any new photos to post and when I've had the kids over lately, I haven't taken any new ones! So, this is a short entry with nothing big to say! Clyde and I enjoyed the weekend starting off with Friday night movies with our friends, David and Tricia. We went to see "The Blind Side" and loved it. Instead of dinner out, since time was short, we enjoyed movie popcorn and soda! Yummy. As we were leaving, my beautiful niece, Britni, gave me a big hug and a huge smile. She is so pretty and just as sweet.

Saturday was quiet, so good to be home. We loved watching UK basketball and eating Little Ceasar's pizza! Sunday service was wonderful at Southland. The music was some Christmas songs among others. The atmosphere was filled with the sweet spirit of God. Jon preached about "The Story" and many people came forward to make a commitment to change their story.

After church, we met up with our friends, Michelle and Fred, for lunch at one of our favorite Sunday spots, Red Lobster. We eat there more than other places for Sunday lunch. We enjoy eating at Logans, Cheddars or good ole Cracker Barrel with the Waggoners at least once a week for most weeks.

We only saw the grandkids briefly as Becky came by to drop off some things on their way to a birthday dinner in Frankfort. I ran out to the car for quick hugs. Austin had new shoes on that someone had given him....they were spiderman shoes that had a light on them. He forgot to tell me about the light, so after they left my phone rang....it was Austin saying "nana, my shoes light up when I stomp on them"....funny. I'm sure these will be shoes worn by both boys since they both love spiderman! He and Matthew gave me fist bumps for goodbye and Maggie reached way over to fist bump nana....they are so cute!

I can't seem to scoot these photos below the words, so they will stay on top! Today Austin was able to "jump up" on the bottle at the play area. He was so proud. He made it b/c I took his socks off...shhh, don't tell mom!!
I had the best day with Austin today. My first day off and he and I went by the dollar zone, bought lots of things for my STLP and I told him he could have one thing. He found a cool sword in a sheath and that's all he asked for. He bought one for Matthew as well. Matthew and Maggie went to the doctor today with Becky. After the store, we took muffins to mamaw and papaw and visited for a very short while.
I know the visits with dad will be among the last we have. He may linger on, but each day he looks weaker. As you know, we played Rook twice a week for the past two years or so. About two weeks ago, he played but wasn't himself. Then last week, he said he didn't feel like playing. This week he didn't either. So, we may have played our last game of Rook with mom and me against dad and Kent. It was a fun time just sitting next to dad for so many games. I could pat his hand or his knee or pick up a dropped card for him over and again. I could laugh at the times he made "small one line jokes" about his hand. He remains funny to this day.
On Monday, his foot was swollen and red. The girls went by earlier in the day and mom said they think it may be gout (how do you spell that...does it have a silent "h" or something??) Anyway, when I came in and he saw me, he said "I'm charging a dollar a look"....although many days I needed to get home and do a little cleaning, or cooking, I truly tried to remember that those things could wait, but my time with him may not. Both Martha and Beverly are very good at this as well, so none of us will have to worry that we should have been there more often. For each of us, our dad truly is the best. When we count our blessings this Thanksgiving Day, we have that on the top of our Thanksgiving lists, I'm sure.

Beautiful Fall Day

Today was almost 60 degrees and we had a nice ride out Pisgah Pk. to Midway. We love the ride in the convertible where we are able to see all the countryside. I had a blanket on my lap, but really was warm. Darlin' Jeans is our favorite rest. there...we LOVE the bagel melt...the best fries and shared a huge salad. We took the time to walk down through the town and just enjoyed being together.

Becky and Jason took Matthew for a visit that Austin and Maggie didn't get to go, so we LOVED having them for a short while. They ran in the backyard and laughed, Austin was looking for treasures for his bucket. Here are a few pix of them today.

Sunday

I am always thankful when Becky and Jason return to pick up the kids and they have not had any accidents. As Vickie said of Parker "he isn't going to get hurt on my watch" (similar?) and I agree. On our watch (with God's help!), we want them to stay unharmed! On anyone's watch we pray for their safety. They are so good and we had fun with them. Matthew was insecure and asked several times when would mommy and daddy be home....then a couple of times he cried. I assured him they would return and would always return. I told him they would not ever leave their kids anywhere and not come back for them. That they needed to get away some but they would always come back.

They went into church today running all the way down the breezeway (what do you call that?) and were so happy. Here are some photos of today.

I told you mommy would be here when you woke up! A weekend in Louisville for sessions in the adoption process is just what the doctor ordered. They came back very happy to be home and see the kids. Adoption may be awhile, but they are getting all their ducks in a row!

Weekend with the Grandkids

Jason and Becky are in Louisville at a conference for those in foster care who are planning to adopt. This was a weekend away, alone in a motel, and on top of that, classes that are super saturated with information, help, support and encouragment for taking care of their three. It's late at this moment and I should be in bed. This may not all be worded exactly right, but I wanted to post a few photos. I picked up the boys at Tots and Jessica brought home Maggie from Woodford Co. We all played outside while it was nice, then took off for Sir Pizza. Went to the mall after that and the boys played so nice. We even thanked them for leaving without one word or tear. Just a nice night. Getting all three to bed wasn't as easy, but it is done and if I don't get there soon, they will be back up!

This has been a great Veteran's Day. I have loved seeing all the red, white and blue at Clays Mill. The 3rd grade had a program and invited the Veteran's to come and honored them. In my lab, I showed a video on how to say "thank you" in sign language and as each student left, they signed thank you to me, practicing for when they see a soldier. I made a card for my dad and one 3rd grade class all signed it along with me. I took this to dad with a little gift snack basket. He served in World War II in the Navy.

These days he is fighting his own private war just to get up in the morning without falling. To arm himself with a cane on very good days, a walker when he's a little more weak, and like today, he gets into his wheelchair for my brother to wheel him to the bathroom.
While most of us are comfortable in our own skin, he is cold. I turn up the electric wrap that he sits under 24/7 to high today until he gets warm. His hands are still cold. He doesn't drink much doctor told him this would cause him to retain fluid. He is in battle against too much fluid in his abdomen and then he has to get out to the hospital for this to be removed. It has been three weeks since he had the last six or so liters removed...due again in a week (less or more). This is my dad's own personal war. Keep fighting dad. You make us proud. Happy Veteran's Day.

This is today outside of dad's house.