Jill's Blog

Fifteen Months Old

2012-01-19T10:22:00.013-06:00

Our baby boy is fifteen months old now. It has been a fun month, with lots of new adventures. Of course, this month included Christmas, which brought its own kind of fun.

We have had a few pretty days recently, and made the most of one of them by going to the zoo with a friend of mine. Here she is with Cooper on the merry-go-round.

He is feeding himself pretty well now. Well, sort of. You may note that he has a spoon on his tray, but it didn't get put to much use. Oh well.

He LOVES to read, and constantly brings us books, handing them to us and then putting his arms up for us to put him in our lap.

Every day brings new things: new words, new skills, new experiences, or just a new understanding of how things work. Mom and Dad are having to learn as we go too, for new challenges are arising (did someone say toddler tantrums?). All in all, though, life is good and, as always, we are very thankful.

Nash Checks In

2012-01-04T16:27:00.006-06:00

Hi. It's your old friend Nash again, checking in, as I like to do from time to time.

There's not too much new for me to tell. I still miss my dog-sister Dasha. Life just isn't the same without her. My dog-cousin, Lexie, came to visit at Thanksgiving, and we had a good time playing together. Here we are, both hoping for a bite of turkey (and yes, in the end, we both got some).

The family treats me well. Even the little guy isn't bad. He gets a little rough sometimes, but Mom and Dad always remind him to be gentle. Every now and then I have to growl a little to prompt them.

I feel like one of them for the most part, but sometimes I feel different, like when they all go someplace together and don't take me. We did all go for several nice walks over the Christmas holidays, while my dad was off of work. That was fun.

And speaking of Christmas, they didn't forget me. I found this dog in my stocking on Christmas morning. This picture was made that day. I have mostly destroyed it now.

I'm hoping for at least 1 good snow here before the winter is over. I always love playing in that.

Well, I guess I'll close. Happy New Year to everyone. I'll try to stop in again before too long.

Our Christmas Miracle

2011-12-28T07:50:00.004-06:00

This time last year we were celebrating that Cooper had recovered from meningitis, a miracle I will be forever grateful for, not to mention the miracle that he was even born at all, when I was 44. This Christmas he brought us another sort of miracle, smaller but not insignificant to us.

When Cooper was born he had a skin tag on the lobe of his left ear. From the shape and location of it, it looked like a small, round pierced earring, the color of his skin. Nothing major, but it bugged me.

His pediatrician didn't want to try to remove it herself. She had never seen anything quite like it and wasn't sure how to handle it. She referred us to a plastic surgeon. I took Cooper there a few months back. I spent an hour and a half in the waiting room. During that time, I saw patients with much worse deformities than what Cooper had, which reminded me that we were dealing with a very small problem. When we finally saw the doctor, he said he could remove it . . . with surgery under general anesthesia, followed by a round of antibiotics. Total charge: around $5,000, which happens to be our deductible on our insurance. Total price for 5-minute visit with plastic surgeon: $300.

Not only was the money an issue, but needless to say, we didn't want to put Cooper through all the surgery and drugs when it wasn't really necessary. It still bugged me, but I began to wonder if God may have put it there for a reason. I never really prayed about it too much, except to ask for guidance about what we should do. The answer seemed to be "wait," so that's what we decided to do. Maybe a dermatologist could provide a simpler solution when he was older.

A couple of weeks ago, we noticed it was getting bigger and redder. He also developed a fever, so we took him to the doctor, thinking he may have an ear infection that was causing him to pull on his ear, irritating the bump. The doctor said his ears were fine; he had a viral sore throat. She thought he may have just noticed the bump and had started messing with it.

Over the next few days it continued to grow and got even more red. I never really saw him messing with it, other than just touching it a couple of times. Then it started going from red to purple. We still weren't overly concerned, as he didn't seem to be in pain, and the area around it didn't show any signs of infection, so we left it alone. Then it went from purple to black and got smaller and hard. I decided it was time for me to "mess" with it.

Yesterday morning I pulled on just a little bit, and it popped off! He cried for a moment, but not as if it had really hurt him. It didn't even bleed. We don't know for sure what it will do from here, but from the looks of it, it seems it will heal up and be completely unnoticeable.

Was it there for a reason? I have recently felt my faith was weak and asked God to make Himself real to me. Maybe that little bump was there so He could remind us that we just need to trust Him, especially in situations that are out of our control, and He will take care of them in His own time.

At any rate, I am thankful.

Fourteen Months Old

2011-12-15T10:26:00.010-06:00

Wow, posting twice in the same week. I think that's a record for me since Cooper was born.

Our little guy is now fourteen months old. I am feeling so thankful that he is here and healthy, since last December we spent most of the month at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital, when he had meningitis.

We're still having some nice weather and went to the zoo with my mom a couple of weekends ago. This is an old house that is on the zoo property that was decorated for Christmas and open for tours.

I've found more joy in getting ready for Christmas this year than I have in years past. It's just more fun with a child in the house, even if he is too young to really know what's going on.

And even if we have to go to some extraordinary measures to keep him out of trouble.

Besides hanging the stockings on the curtain rods, we're not putting a tree up this year. We just felt like it would be a constant battle, mainly trying to keep him from eating and breaking the ornaments.

Christmas isn't about trees anyway. Or stockings. Or even presents. Christmas is about Jesus, God's Son coming to earth to save us from our sins.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

This Christmas we are thankful most of all for that Gift, and for the salvation and promise of eternal life He has given us.

Christmas Ideas

2011-12-13T12:09:00.004-06:00

It's going to have to be inexpensive gifts for the people on my Christmas list this year, but it's always been my belief that you could make up for not spending too much money on a gift by adding a little extra time and thought to it.

Here are a couple of things I am doing this year.

I made these Christmas potpourri jars with a few of the hundreds of baby food jars I seem to have around the house, but any jar would do. Just fill with potpourri, and then cut a circle of tulle (or any thin fabric), attach it with a rubber band and put a bow around it. Makes for a nice-smelling gift and costs very little.

Another thing I am making for a few people is Caramel Chex Mix. I got this recipe from Simple Girl but have made a few modifications to it:

13 cups rice Chex cereal (13-oz. box)

1-1/2 c. packed brown sugar

3/4 c. butter

1/3 c. light corn syrup

1/3 tsp. baking soda (I know that's an odd measurement; you just have to estimate)

1-1/2 c. plain M&M's (I used Christmas ones for this project)

Heat oven to 250 degrees. Spray a large roasting pan with cooking spray.

Pour the cereal into a bowl.

In a 3-quart saucepan, stir together brown sugar, butter and corn syrup. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture heats to boiling. Boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in baking soda. Pour over cereal, stirring until evenly coated.

Bake 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, until coating is set. Cool 5 minutes. Stir in M&M's. Spread on parchment or waxed paper to cool, at least 10 minutes. Store in an airtight container (I use a Ziploc bag).

Yum!

Thankful

2011-11-28T21:12:00.013-06:00

This Thanksgiving season gave us many reasons to be thankful.

It started out stressful a few months ago. My brother and his family, who moved to Boone, NC, in August, had told me they were coming to town for Thanksgiving, and it was my consolation when they left. However, I apparently never mentioned this to Don.

Then one day Don's brother David, who was supposed to come to town with his family in June to meet Cooper for the first time but had to stay home because he had a heart attack, called. Don talked to him and then came running up the steps, excited, and told me that David and his family were going to come for Thanksgiving.

Enter stress. A family of 5, plus a family of 6 (who don't even know each other), plus Don, Cooper and me, plus my parents. Hmmm. Our house just isn't all that big.

Then Don's brother Doug also wanted to come with his family of 3. I began to try coming up with alternate plans about where we could eat. I didn't think we could possibly all fit in our house.

I prayed about it and tried not to stress. Sometimes God just works these things out. Always, really, though we don't always understand what he's doing.

We found out that none of them wanted to stay at our house, which relieved some of my stress, but the biggest break came when we found out Don's brothers weren't coming until late Thursday night. That way, we would get to spend Thursday with my family. They have lots of friends here in town they wanted to visit with, so they could do that on the rest of the days they were here.

And so it went. We had a wonderful day on Thursday (except that my dad was sick and didn't get to come), and a good visit with Don's brothers and their families on Friday and Saturday. The weather was beautiful and we went to the park, the zoo and did as much together as we could cram into two days. They left early Sunday morning, so my family all came over (including my dad) for breakfast, and then we all went to church together before they headed back to Boone.

So all in all, it was a great weekend. Don keeps saying it was the best Thanksgiving he has had in a long time, and I'm inclined to agree. Cooper had a blast with his grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins and was sad to see them go (and especially his Uncle Andy).

God is good, and I am thankful for all of our blessings, especially our family.

Thirteen Months Old

2011-11-15T16:20:00.009-06:00

It has been a fun month, with a lot of nice weather, so we've spent as much time outdoors as we could.

Highlights include Cooper learning to walk,

a friend's wedding (here we are, all dressed up for it),

a trip to the zoo with my dad,

and playing in the leaves at our neighbor's house.

We also went to LaFayette, a small town about an hour away on Saturday to watch Don's band play, and on the way home we ate at a little restaurant called Suzy-Q's Cafe. It was a renovated gas station that had a both prices and ambiance that you wouldn't find in Nashville. We all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

Cooper continues to grow and learn new things. Walking has increased his speed of transportation, and he keeps his old mama busy chasing him! Still, I cherish these days, the smiles, the hugs, the baby chatter and just sitting and cuddling or reading a book. What a blessing he is in our lives!

An Autumn Outing

2011-10-31T09:22:00.008-05:00

It was a beautiful fall weekend, so Don and I decided to take a family walk at the Ellington Agricultural Center. This is one of our favorite places, but we haven't been there in a while and have never taken Cooper. I really hadn't wanted to go since Dasha died because I have so many memories of her there (we used to live nearby before I was married and went there for walks often), but it was time.

We got to enjoy a lot of God's wonderful handiwork
and take a few pictures of our little guy.
This is the gazebo where Don and I got engaged.
He's crawling here, but he actually started walking this week.
We stopped by to visit the police horses. Cooper had never been this close to a horse before, so he let out a few random, piercing screams. Fortunately, these horses are trained to handle things like that and didn't flinch.
It was a fun family outing. We all soaked in a little sunshine, got some exercise and just generally had a good time.

The Big Day

2011-10-17T21:01:00.008-05:00

My baby boy is a year old! We celebrated his birthday with a party which included all four of his grandparents. Don's parents (right) came all the way from Iowa.

He had his first cupcake ever. He ate every bite of it . . . every crumb . . . in mere seconds! Guess he takes after his mom in that regard.

He got lots of presents.

He is a blessed little boy! And we are very blessed to have him!

Imagination Library

2011-09-29T10:33:00.004-05:00

Cooper loves to be read to. And I love reading to him. Not only is it educational for him, but it's a time to sit in the chair together, to be still, to snuggle and to interact. I have a goal of reading him at least 10 books per day, which we generally reach easily and often exceed.

A great source of books that I have discovered is Imagination Library, an organization started by Dolly Parton, that sends preschool-aged children a free book every month. We have been receiving books since January, and I look forward around the middle of every month to seeing what the next book will be. Cooper is too young to anticipate them or get excited about getting mail, but he very much enjoys having the books read to him.

This is a really cool program, and anyone can sign up on their website. It is only available in areas that have a sponsor, and our area, thankfully, is sponsored by Nissan. My hat goes off to Dolly Parton and the people who make this program possible.

Eleven Months Old

2011-09-15T20:26:00.004-05:00

My computer seems to have acquired a virus that has completely disabled it. I could write an ugly blog about that, but for now I'll just say that, until I get that resolved, I'm using Don's, which I don't know too much about and I'm therefore I'm short on new pictures of Cooper.

He's keeping me VERY busy. He's not quite walking, but he's crawling and cruising everywhere at an impressive speed. I am reminded of my advanced age on a daily basis as I seek to keep up with him. He's fun though, learning new things every day. The weather has been pretty, so we have been sitting outside a lot. Because we live near the airport, we see a lot of low-flying planes, which he loves. He has also developed a liking for snakes (which we read about in books and saw at the zoo) and has learned to hiss like one. He's eating all kinds of new foods and so far hasn't refused anything we have given him.

As his first birthday approaches, I am reminded of all that has transpired in the past year: some good, some bad, but true to His word, God has worked it all together for good. I am so thankful to be the mother of this precious child and enjoy each day that I get to spend with him, watching him grow and seeing even now how God's plan is unfolding in his life.

A Day at the Zoo

2011-08-27T18:16:00.006-05:00

We took Cooper to the Nashville Zoo today for the first time. It was a fairly nice August day, and we had a fun family outing.We had been reading a lot of books about animals, so I thought it was time he got a concept of what they actually looked like. The Nashville Zoo has an interesting selection of animals -- a few traditional ones: elephants, giraffes, lions and zebras, and a few less-traditional ones: a giant anteater, a porcupine, a guenon (whatever that is) and a tapir (huh?). We didn't see everything today, but we got a 1-year membership so we can go back anytime.The most fun part of me was getting to enjoy being a kid again as I got to watch Cooper seeing new things for the very first time.

Ten Months Old

2011-08-15T21:30:00.011-05:00

Wow! It's been an eventful month. Cooper, now ten months, is pulling up and starting to say a few words, like "stuck" when he got his arm stuck in a drawer, and "cheese" when begging for macaroni and cheese. He raises his hands when we tell him to praise God.
We took him on his first vacation to our favorite spot, the Smoky Mountains. It was a little different with a baby along, but we had fun. We stayed in the same cabin we stayed in last time and took our dog Nash along too. We spent one day at Gatlinburg and another day hiking on a pet-friendly trail. -

The big news is that my brother and sister-in-law and their family are in the process of moving to Boone, NC. My brother got a job working at Samaritan's Purse. After having them here in Nashville for 13 years, I am REALLY going to miss them. It will help having e-mail, Facebook, and free long distance on our cell phones, but it's going to be hard not seeing them at church every week and not getting to watch my nieces and nephew grow up and being as big a part of their lives. I believe God has a plan in this though; it seems like a great ministry opportunity for them, and my brother will have much better working hours than he has ever had before.
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These pictures are of Cooper with his cousins and Aunt Lissa,

and with my brother and me.Cooper keeps me so busy that I don't have much time to sit around and be sad, or do much of anything else. He's a joy though, and we're thankful every day that God has blessed us with him.

Nine Months Old

2011-07-19T07:24:00.010-05:00

Our little cutie is nine months old now. What a fun age! He keeps us busy, though, getting into everything. He's not quite crawling yet, but he gets around, sliding across the room on his belly in no time flat! We've put locks on the cabinets, covers on the outlets, and we're getting a lot of practice saying the word "no." He's starting to eat some of the things we eat and feed himself a bit (well, sort of).

We get so much joy in watching him become aware of things (like touching a cat for the first time and looking up at me with a smile on his face and wonder in his eyes). He loves to read. And read. And read. He especially loves touchy-feely books and those with flaps that he can lift and see a picture underneath.

At church the other day he spotted Don walking toward us and whispered "Da-da."

God is blessing us so much with this sweet baby boy! Some days we wonder if we're going to be able to keep up with him, but so far we have. Every day is an adventure, as we find out anew just how much we can love, and be entertained by, our little fellow.

The Vaccine Decision

2011-07-14T14:36:00.007-05:00

There is no decision that has caused me more anxiety as a parent so far than that of whether or not to vaccinate my son. A wrong decision either way could have grave consequences, but who is to say what a wrong decision is?

The medical community will, of course, tell us that vaccines are necessary, that we would be crazy not to do something that could prevent our children from having serious illnesses.

But is it possible that their motives aren’t entirely pure? Is it possible that they are driven by a pharmaceutical industry that is making HUGE amounts of money? Is it also possible that the Center for Disease Control may know that they are at least partially wrong about vaccines and their consequences, but wouldn’t dare admit it because doing so would result not only in massive lawsuits, but also in a public distrust in them, in parents not vaccinating their children at all and the potential return of epidemics to our country that had previously been eradicated?

There is a lot of hype involved. I noticed this about the flu vaccine long before I became a parent. Every year there is some crisis, such as a “shortage” of the vaccine, so everyone must hurry and get theirs before it runs out. (Amazingly, they never do.) Or perhaps the flu will be a particularly deadly strain this year, and we must get vaccinated right away or risk certain death. But, whew, in the end enough people got vaccinated to keep it from spreading and we dodged another bullet. But next year . . . Interestingly, the only person I knew who had the flu last winter had actually gotten the vaccine (but of course, she was told, she had a milder case of it than she otherwise would have, had she not gotten the vaccine).

I’m not sure, but I believe doctors may take a drama class in medical school. They are prepared for parents like me who suggest that maybe vaccines are not the best option. “WHAT?? You would consider not vaccinating your child? Do you know what the consequences could be if you don’t?” Like they’ve never heard of such a crazy idea.

In a doctor’s defense, they constantly have the risk of a medical malpractice suit hanging over their heads. If my doctor were to agree with me that yes, choosing not to vaccinate your child is a valid option, and then my child were to acquire some illness that a vaccine might have possibly prevented, then I could easily slap a huge malpractice suit on my doctor. So that, of course, is a driving factor in their dramatic presentations.

We are led to believe that vaccines are required by law. They are not. We are told that children must be vaccinated before attending a public school, but in truth, you are allowed to “opt out,” based on your own philosophical reasons.

For many years, everyone just accepted their doctor’s word. If the doctor said their child needed a vaccine, they got one. But now we are in the information age. We have the Internet, where articles on virtually every topic in the world are available to anyone and everyone. Now we can find out all we want to know about vaccines, not just take our doctor’s word for it, though we have to realize that just because something is on the Internet, it isn’t necessarily accurate. We have to also use our common sense and get our information from a variety of sources.

But why would I NOT want to vaccinate my child? There are a multitude of reasons, but you have to dig to find them because the above-mentioned entities do not want to you to even be aware of them.

Vaccines can have side effects. They are hard to prove, and when you’re fighting such huge organizations, the little guy usually loses. But the parent whose 2-month-old baby dies of “SIDS” (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) within a few days after receiving a series of vaccines, or the parent whose healthy toddler gets his MMR shot and suddenly develops full-blown autism can tell you that these things are real. And then it is too late to do anything about them. And the medical community generally won’t admit that there is a connection. Incidentally, the United States comes in 46th for their infant mortality rate for children under one year of age. That means 45 countries have less babies dying, including far less developed countries. After all those vaccines we give to our infants. . .

There is a lot about vaccines that doctors won’t tell you. Did you know that many of them are made from tissue from aborted fetuses? Did you know that they contain poisonous materials such as mercury, something you would normally keep your child from ingesting at all costs, yet in vaccinating, you are injecting it directly into his body? It is also speculated that this unnatural way of forcing these foreign substances into the body can actually harm the immune system rather than build it up. What’s more, vaccines are not always even effective against the viruses they are designed to prevent.

“But the risks are much lower than the risks of getting the viruses,” they will tell a parent like me, who dares to question. Are they?? Do you know anyone whose baby has died of SIDS? What about a child with Autism? Both of these are currently “unexplainable.” A doctor will assure you that they’re not associated with vaccines, but how can they prove that, if they can’t tell you what did cause them? The SIDS rate is highest between 2 and 4 months of age, right at the time babies get their first rounds of vaccinations, often 6 or more at one time. Other things have been associated with vaccines too, including ADHD and more, even possibly diabetes and some types of cancer.

Medicine is a science. Everything is an experiment. If things work time after time, they are generally considered true, but there are always exceptions. Everyone’s body is different and reacts differently to things. Some things have long-term effects; it may be years before we see those effects and even longer before we can unquestionably associate them with certain causes.

The currently recommended number of vaccines given to infants under one year of age is approximately 26, beginning with Hepatitis B in the hospital within hours of their birth (this, by the way, is an illness generally spread through sexual contact or by sharing used hypodermic needles, which the majority of babies hopefully never encounter). This number has increased dramatically in recent years as more vaccines are being developed. So have the number of Autism cases. Hmmm. Some of them are for diseases that are really not all that serious (isn’t chickenpox just a rite of passage in childhood?). And there is currently discussion about adding 4 doses of a Meningococcal vaccine to this schedule.

So, what is a parent to do? Danged if you do; danged if you don’t. I wish I could conclude this article by telling you the right answer. I wish I knew it myself and could confidently take my child in for his routine vaccines, knowing that I am doing the best thing I can do for him. Or not vaccinate him at all with full assurance that he will never contact any of the illnesses.

But I can’t do either of those things. I have prayed about this. A lot. And I have yet to feel a complete peace about any of the options available to me. I have talked to a number of other parents, ranging from those who are adamant that their children shouldn’t have any vaccines, to those who completely trust their pediatrician and agree to give their children every vaccine recommended. And others, like me, who just don’t know what to do. I have even talked to a couple who feel certain their children were affected by their vaccines, one suffering seizures and another, Autism.

My current plan is to follow Dr. Bob Sears’ selective vaccine schedule. He has a program for spreading out the most important infant vaccines (so they don’t get so many at once) and then waiting on the others, or putting them off indefinitely. I’m not sure my husband is in total agreement, but he will admit that he doesn’t have all the answers either. My pediatrician may balk (some would treat me like a complete idiot; mine isn’t quite that bad), but I’m really trying to do the best thing, based on prayer, my research and my own maternal instincts.

If you want to read more about this, here are some websites that may interest you:

Dr. Bob Sears
Center for Disease Control Vaccine schedule
Infant mortality rate - Wikipedia
Aborted fetal cells in vaccines
National Vaccine Information Center
Mercola - Meningococcal Vaccine article

Mr. Simpson

2011-06-30T10:37:00.007-05:00

I was in the band in high school. We had a championship marching band, but I was never a very good clarinet player. And I felt like the director picked on me. I felt like he lowered my musical self-esteem so much, that I could never be a good musician. I respected him, but I really didn't like him. And deep in my heart, I have blamed him for my lack of musical ability all through the years.
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A couple of years ago he joined Facebook. A number of my band friends "friended" him and suggested I do the same. I asked myself why I would want to friend someone who I never liked. But as I thought about it, I realized that most of my feelings toward him were based on my own teenage immaturity. So I decided to let bygones be bygones. And I friended him. And I stopped blaming him for things.
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Less than a month ago he was diagnosed with lung cancer. I was genuinely sorry, and have been praying for him and his family. I even left a couple of notes on his Caringbridge site.
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This morning, he died. And I am sad. Though my contact with him since high school has been limited, it is sad knowing he isn't there anymore. I'm sad for his family, but I'm glad for his sake that he didn't have to suffer long. And I sincerely hope he knew Jesus.
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He actually taught me a lot, including a lesson in forgiveness.
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Goodbye, Mr. Simpson. I'll miss you.

A Friendly Dilemma

2011-06-25T07:32:00.002-05:00

Having a baby at age 44 put me in a unique position with regard to my friendships. Before he was born, many of my friends, like me, had never had children. I could relate to them for obvious reasons. Most of the others had grown or nearly grown children. Some were already grandparents.

Now I am experiencing sleepless nights, changing diapers and trying to decide whether store-bought or homemade baby food is the best option. Naturally, these are not issues my friends can relate to. I still enjoy their company, and many of them have joyfully accepted Cooper into our friendly circle, but we just don’t have a lot in common anymore. I can no longer stay out late at night or spend the whole day at a craft fair. Cooper’s needs have to come first.

I’ve met a few new friends who have young children like I do. I can talk to them about which brand of car seat is the safest or what is the normal age for crawling to begin. But most of them are twenty-something. Half my age. And for some reason I get funny looks when I talk about my growing need for bifocals, the best treatment for arthritis, whether to color my gray hair or go natural, and my high school and college days . . . in the eighties.

I’m struggling to find my place in this new parenting world that I have suddenly found myself thrust into. I am thankful to be here and wouldn’t trade it for anything. For now I will just enjoy the friendships I have, both old and new. Hopefully time will work out the rest.

Eight Months Old

2011-06-20T06:45:00.007-05:00

Whew! It's been a while since I've updated. You might say I've been a little busy. Just having an 8-month-old (especially when you're 44) is a handful, but we've had a lot of other things going on too.
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Here's a picture of "Cyclone Cooper" in action.Doesn't he look proud of himself?

Don's parents came from Iowa for a visit in early June.While they were here, we had Cooper baptized (or dedicated, in my way of thinking, but that's a blog for a less-busy day). Here he is with Pastor Mike.

This past week we had VBS at our church. It was a little rough trying to get up and out the door to church by 8:30 every morning, but we made it (well, mostly). Anyway, it was a good week. Cooper is shown here with "Aunt Lissa," my sister-in-law who helped make it all happen.This weekened we celebrated Father's Day, Don's first. Happy (belated) Father's Day to him, to my dad, Don's dad, and to all the other dads who are a part of our lives!

Seven Months Old

2011-05-25T13:57:00.006-05:00

What a handful Cooper is getting to be! He's still not officially crawling yet, but he gets around by rolling and scooting. He's learned to pull books off of shelves, tablecloths off of tables, and all sorts of other mischief.

But he's a joy. He smiles all the time, is learning to recognize things and respond. He loves to be read to and sung to and to go outside. He babbles and giggles and is forever doing "raspberries." He has three teeth now. And wild hair.He keeps me busy; I'm feeling my age a lot these days, but he's worth it all. We're so thankful to have him in our lives.

The Death of Osama

2011-05-02T21:26:00.003-05:00

Okay, I confess. The first thing that popped into my mind when I heard the news was the Wizard of Oz song: "Ding, dong, the witch is dead." Of course I had to change the words a little.

When I got on Facebook and saw my friends' thoughts about it, it made me think some more. It was interesting, really. Their responses were extremely varied, not really following the political or faith lines that I usually see. Many have had changing thoughts as the day has worn on.

Some, of course, rejoiced (even some liberals who have always opposed the war). Others lamented that he was in hell. A couple quoted Ezekiel 18:23: "Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord GOD, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live?"

Another, rather amusing, quote I saw was from Mark Twain: "I have never wished a man dead, but I have read some obituaries with great pleasure."

Interestingly, a couple speculated that he either wasn't really dead or that he died some time ago and for some reason they government didn't want us to know. After all, it is suspicious that they "buried him at sea" before they even told us he was dead. Also, it takes longer than few hours to get the results back from a DNA test, which they claim to have already done.

Time will tell. Or maybe it won't.

I don't know how I feel about it. I have mixed feelings, I guess.

The best quote I saw all day, was this one:

"There is only one death that brought the world peace, and we celebrated that last week."

Ultimately, Jesus is the One we need to put our hope in, not in the death of a man, evil though he was, or anything else.

He is the Prince of Peace.

Answering our Cry

2011-04-22T12:21:00.003-05:00

I'm learning so much about God's love for us through being a parent. Another sudden understanding came recently.

Some time ago Cooper rolled from his stomach to his back. He did it several times over the course of a few days and then stopped doing it. I wasn't too worried. I figured he'd do it if he needed to.

About a month later, he learned to roll from his back to his stomach. Well, apparently he really had forgotten that he could roll stomach-to-back, and he didn't like being on his stomach. So he would cry. And Don or I would roll him back over onto his back. The process would soon be repeated.

I finally wised up. I knew he was physically capable of rolling onto his back, but why would he bother figuring out how to do it if we did it for him every time? So I put him on the floor and sat in a nearby chair and watched. He rolled onto his tummy and cried. I sat and watched. It hurt to watch him cry, knowing I could easily solve his problem, but I knew it would be better for him if I didn't. After a few minutes of crying pitifully, he did it -- he rolled onto his back. Within a couple of days he was rolling across the floor with no effort.

Sometimes we cry out to God to answer a specific prayer for us, and He seems silent. We cry and cry, pleading for the thing we want, until finally we figure out what we need to figure out. God was there all along, watching over us, but He knew we would be better off if we had to work a little harder to learn something, rather than having Him do it for us.

So next time you think God isn't answering your prayer, think of Cooper rolling across the room. Maybe it will all make a little more sense. ( :

Six Months Old

2011-04-18T09:51:00.006-05:00

Wow -- how time flies! Cooper has now passed the six month mark and is growing by leaps and bounds. He has covered a lot of milestones in the past few weeks: first tooth, baby food, sitting up, and with rolling over both ways he has developed his own form of transportation: rolling across the room, so I am continually having to go get him and bring him back. I guess he's preparing me for the crawling and walking days ahead.
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Though he is keeping us busy, he is keeping us entertained too. Each day brings something new, and we're having a lot of fun finding out what it will be. The hugs, kisses, smiles and giggles are so rewarding -- what joy he is bringing to our lives!

Thankfulness

2011-04-08T10:25:00.004-05:00

I wished a friend from my Bible study a happy birthday today. But I think that, rather than being happy, she is somewhat depressed because it is a "big one." (40, I assume) Well, that one has come and gone for me, but it made me realize that I really don't lament my birthdays anymore, not even the big ones. Since my friend Pam died of cancer at age 38, leaving behind 5 children, I know firsthand that none of us really knows how much time we have left. Every year, every day, every breath we take is a gift, not to be taken for granted. Now I am thankful for every birthday I have: another year to live, and now another year to raise my child and watch him grow.

So I encourage you, as I encouraged my friend today, not to dread your birthdays or even be depressed by them, but to use them as an opportunity to thank God for another year of life.

A Parent's Love

2011-03-31T10:23:00.004-05:00

"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God." I John 3:1a

Now that I am a parent, I have a new understanding of God's love for us. I have always heard that there is nothing I can do to make God love me more or love me less. I'm not sure I ever completely understood that . . . but now I understand it much better.

I loved Cooper from the time I first found out he was on the way, long before I met him. He didn't DO anything! When he was born I loved him (even though he had caused me a lot of pain and misery through my pregnancy and his birth). He's cute and mostly sweet, but he still doesn't really understand much except his own needs. But I still love him.

He pulls my hair, wakes me up in the night and poops in his diaper, but do I love him any less? No! He is my child, and I love him.

Though my love for him will never be as perfect as God's love for His children, it is a reflection of the type of love He has for us. And I am so thankful for His unconditional love.

Five Months

2011-03-21T18:01:00.011-05:00

Cooper is five months old now. We're having so much fun! He is learning and doing new things every day. It is so rewarding to go get him out of bed in the morning and be greeted with a huge smile! We have to laugh at his "raspberries" and the shrieks he makes as he is experimenting with his voice. It's so neat to watch him study his hands and his feet and discover what he can do with them. He giggles when we play "peek-a-boo," but is also quick to let us know when he is not happy about something. He loves to be sung to and read to and will listen intently when we explain something to him.I'm loving every day of being a mom. Some are easier than others, of course, and some days I am overwhelmed, but I am so thankful to God for the privilege of raising one of His children. Don and I pray daily that we will have the wisdom, strength and health we need to do it well, and are definitely finding it character-building as we seek to be godly role models. Life isn't the same as it used to be. Going to the grocery store to get one or two thing is a major ordeal; sleep is much more of a luxury than it used to be, and talking on the phone is no longer a relaxing activity, but our little fellow is worth it all!

Nash's Update

2011-02-28T12:45:00.004-06:00

Hi, this is Nash, stepping in to give you an update on what is going on at our house, since my mom is busy all the time.

Things changed a lot starting a few months ago. We got a new pack member. He's a little person. We call him Cooper. As an older pack member, it is my responsibility to help take care of him. So I do what dogs are supposed to do: I lick his hands and face when he is crying, and I bark loudly to scare the birds and squirrels away that are in our yard, as well as people or dogs walking down the street. I get in trouble for both of these things. My mom and dad don't seem to understand that these things are my job, so I have to do them quickly, when they're not looking. It's worth the risk of getting in trouble to do what any good dog would do.

Then the people all went away for a long time. My dad came home at night, and my mom stopped in from time to time, and sometimes other people came over to let us out, but Dasha and I got really lonely. We didn't understand what was going on. People kept saying Cooper was sick, but I thought if he was, he needed to be here so I could take care of him. Finally, they all came home again and we were all happy, until a few weeks later. . .

Then my dog sister Dasha went away. I don't understand where she went, but I know my mommy was very sad. And I was sad too. I still am. I miss her. I've never been the only dog member of the pack before, but Mom and Dad say we can't get another dog right now. They're too busy.

So, I'm learning to accept this new way of life. Little Cooper is getting big and starting to do things like pull my hair (my mommy understands this problem because he does it to her too). The other day he rolled over. (I don't know why they think that's such a big deal; I do it all the time, and they don't cheer for me!) Dad says soon he will be big enough to play with me. They also say he will be throwing lots of food on the floor. I'm looking forward to that! And really, things aren't quite as crazy as they were when he first joined our pack, so I get a little more attention now. Sometimes we even go for walks, just mom and me, while Daddy stays home with Cooper, or sometimes the whole family goes together. I love walks!

So I'm adjusting. Things aren't like they used to be, but they are still good, just in different ways. We dogs are pretty resilient.

So that's what's going on. I'll try to stop in from time to time to keep you posted about any new developments.

Your friend,

Nash

Heaven is for Real

2011-02-15T10:57:00.003-06:00

I just finished reading this book about a young boy who apparently took a quick trip to heaven while battling a serious illness. He came back and began to tell his parents some pretty amazing things. His descriptions were Scripturally accurate (far beyond the knowledge a child his age would have had), and he told of family members he met who had died before he was born that he had never even known about.

One funny part was when his dad has trouble keeping him from darting out into parking lots. Dad points to a dead animal and reminds him that he could be run over like the animal was. The little boy says that would be okay -- then he would get to go back to heaven. The dad laments: what do you do with a child who has no fear of death?

I have always been a bit skeptical about books like this, but this one is pretty convincing. For Christians, it is comforting to remind us that not only will we go to heaven ourselves, but we will also see our loved ones again (and yes, even our dogs, he says). He stresses that people HAVE to "have Jesus in their heart" to go there. This could potentially be a great evangelism tool for non-Christians.

The book is easy and quick to read and I think it would be enjoyable for almost anyone.

Perfect Peace

2011-01-24T07:22:00.003-06:00

"You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you." Isaiah 26:3

Satan is having a heyday with my mind. Between two pretty major traumas in recent weeks (Cooper's meningitis and losing Dasha so suddenly), I am having some serious anxiety. Add to this that Cooper is congested and often has difficulty breathing, which is what we took him to the emergency room for when he was diagnosed with meningitis, and I'm basically a basket case.

But God KEEPS giving me this verse. Everywhere I turn.

Perfect peace. What a wonderful concept. So what do I need to do to have perfect peace? Keep my mind stayed on God. What does that mean? Read scripture, pray, listen to praise music, focus on Him constantly, and there won't be room in my mind for these fearful, anxious thoughts.

The verse was read at church yesterday by a man who is dying of cancer. Wow -- he has perfect peace? Yes, he said he did. A lady came up to me afterward and told me how God keeps giving her this verse lately. (Sound familiar?) She also pointed out the last part to me: because he trusts in you.

Do I trust in God?

Sometimes I do, when my faith is strong. Other times, like now, it seems my faith is weak. How can I make it stronger again?

God has brought me through many things in the past. I can't deny that. They haven't always turned out like I hoped or thought they would, but His ways are higher than mine. He will bring me through this too.

I can't necessarily control the amount of faith I have at any given time, but I can work to keep my mind stayed on God. I can pray for strength and comfort. He will handle the rest.

A Time to Mourn

2011-01-15T09:18:00.009-06:00

This past Wednesday marked the end of an era. My little dog Dasha left us.

The week started out pretty normal, other than the snow we had on Monday. Don and I took the dogs out, and Dasha romped and played and acted like a pup again. Later in the day Don kept Cooper while I took her for a walk, something else she loved doing. I noticed that she had developed a little infection, but it was something she had had before which was relatively minor. I called the vet to see if I could bring her in to have him take care of it, but he was closed because of the snow.

The next morning I called him again and took her in. He performed the routine procedure and gave her some antibiotics to kill the infection. Soon after we left, she began shaking and acting like she was in a great amount of pain. Back home she vomited several times, so I called the vet again. He said it was probably just stress, but to bring her back later in the day if it didn’t get any better. By that afternoon she was no better, so I took her back in after Don got home from work and was able to keep Cooper. The vet gave her some shots to help the infection, nausea and her pain, but that night she wouldn’t lay down and stood or paced around the house all night long.

Finally on Wednesday morning she wanted to get on the bed, so I lifted her up there. She lay down and barely moved for several hours, moaning pitifully when she did. I wanted to take her back to the vet, but it had snowed again, the roads were covered and I wasn’t anxious to get out in it, especially with Cooper. Finally, I knew she would need to go to the bathroom, so I picked her up and carried her downstairs. When I tried to set her down on the floor, she couldn’t even stand. I got really scared at this point and asked a neighbor to care for Cooper for me and rushed Dasha to the vet. By the time we got there, the vet said she was in shock and said he believed the infection had somehow spread throughout her body, which he had never seen happen before. He said he would try to treat her but didn’t offer me much hope. I had no real choice but to leave her with him, since I had to get back to Cooper. I got to love on her a bit and say something of a quick goodbye, knowing I may not see her again, but time was of the essence in getting her treatment started.

When I got home the vet called and told me that she had died just a few minutes after I left. I was not surprised, but I was heartbroken.

I could blame myself, the snow, the vet or any number of things, but in the days since this happened I have thought about the sovereignty of God. I believe her time was simply up. She had finished the job she came to do. I have recorded the story of how Dasha came to me here. I think God gave her to me as a gift to walk with me, to be my companion through what could have been a very lonely time in my life. And she did it well. Even after Don and I were married, there was still the sad emptiness of childlessness for several years, and Dasha, and later Nash, helped fill that void.

But now we have a child. And I am no longer lonely. Oh, I am sad – I miss that little dog desperately, but I have been able to see how God was merciful in the timing of her death. We had a fun day together on Monday. She only suffered for one day. I had feared as she aged that I would someday have to make a decision to have her put to sleep, and thankfully, I didn’t have to make that decision. She was growing increasingly incontinent and was difficult for me to care for with a baby too. I’m thankful God waited until I had Cooper to focus on, but it didn’t happen in the crazy early days when we first brought him home or when he was sick in the hospital.

I’ve been reminded of a quote I’ve heard before: “Don’t cry because it’s over; smile because it happened.” I can’t say I’ve adhered to this over the last few days; I’ve shed many tears as I mourn her loss, but I think as time goes on the pain will diminish, and the joy of my memories of the nearly thirteen years I had with her will outweigh the sadness. God was good to give her to me, and I will always be thankful for the time that she was a part of my life.

First Christmas

2010-12-27T13:52:00.006-06:00

Cooper's first Christmas was memorable in so many ways. Having him here made Christmas much more meaningful, and especially after the meningitis incident.

We went to the Christmas eve service at church. It was so good to be there, especially since I hadn't been able to go to church in nearly a month. Then God blessed us with a white Christmas, almost unheard of in Nashville, but the snow only covered the grass and trees; the roads were clear, and we were able to go to my brother's house to celebrate with my family. It was a nice holiday for all of us, I think, and the memories will be happy ones to tell Cooper about when he is older.

Cooper Update

2010-12-17T15:23:00.005-06:00

Thanks so much, those of you who have been praying for Cooper. He is doing much better, and we should get to go home late Sunday or early Monday. Meningitis has to be treated with antibiotics intraveneously for 2 weeks, so that's why we have had to stay so long. He's been feeling pretty good since the second or third day we were here.

Don and I are hanging in there too. He had to go back to work this week, so with that, in addition to taking care of the dogs and coming to visit us, he is getting pretty worn out, but today should be his last day of doing all that. I have had friends come to stay with Cooper four days this week so I could get out for a bit and go home and see the dogs. Also, when Cooper is not hooked up to an IV, we're free to take him out of the room, so we have been strolling him around, outside when the weather permits, or inside the hospital, so I haven't gone completely stir-crazy.

Cooper doesn't seem at all bothered by all of this. He's been here nearly 1/4 of his life -- I'm not sure he even remembers home. We're thankful, though, for the medicine to cure this illness that could have been very serious, for medical insurance, for a nice hospital facility with great staff, for all of the friends and family who have prayed for us and supported us in countless ways, and most of all, that our baby's health has been restored.

Pray for Cooper

2010-12-08T15:47:00.004-06:00

Cooper is in the hospital and has been diagnosed with bacterial meningitis. This can be very serious, but we caught it early, and his prognosis is good. Still, we need lots of prayer for our little guy. It's so hard to see him going through all this, and we will probably have to be here at least 2 weeks. Don and I need prayer too, for strength to get through this: the emotional aspect of it, the exhaustion, and with at least one of us having to be with Cooper here at all times (I can't leave him for long since I'm nursing him), while dealing with the other necessary things in our lives: work, taking care of the dogs, etc. Thanks so much.

A Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-26T10:23:00.006-06:00

We had a family gathering at my brother's house yesterday to celebrate Thanksgiving. We had the usual turkey, dressing and more, of which I ate entirely too much (not making much progress toward getting those extra pregnancy pounds off!). The best part, though (in my opinion), was having Cooper there with us. Last Thanksgiving, I had no clue what this year would bring, and God surprised me in a wonderful way. As always, I am thankful for my family to gather with, but this year I was especially thankful for this unexpected blessing He has brought to us!

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3:20-21

One Month Old

2010-11-13T17:11:00.003-06:00

Our baby Cooper is one month old now. He has filled our household with joy as we marvel at this blessing God has bestowed upon us. He has also kept us very busy as well as sleep-deprived.

He is a good baby. He has been to church 3 times, Bible study, and out to eat twice and has been perfect. Of course, I have to time it just right so that he has a full belly and sleeps in his carrier through these events, but he is still pretty low-maintenance as babies go.

My apologies to everyone whose blogs I haven't read or commented on in ages. I haven't forgotten about you; I am just spending FAR less time on the computer than I have in the past, for obvious reasons. I try to check my e-mail and Facebook a couple of times a day, but that's about all I have time for. Hopefully as we continue to get settled in I will get back to it, at least to some extent. I hope you're all doing well!

He's here!

2010-10-15T20:38:00.004-05:00

Our long-awaited Cooper has arrived! We are so thankful and completely smitten, though a bit overwhelmed right now! I'll post more later when things slow down. I'm not sure when that will be, but hopefully soon.

What's Missing?

2010-10-02T19:04:00.010-05:00

We have a lot of new stuff at our house:

A car seat

A cradle (handmade for us by Don's uncle)

A changing table
And lots of other baby stuff.

I have had four showers now, and we have been blessed beyond our wildest dreams. We really haven't had to buy anything that we didn't have gift cards for.

So what's missing?

No, the baby isn't here quite yet. I'm getting a little impatient (not to mention enormous), but he should be here any day now. Please keep us in your prayers as we make this huge transition. I'll keep you posted.

75 Years . . . and Counting

2010-09-22T07:44:00.005-05:00

Today is my dad's 75th birthday, a pretty big one, if you ask me!

We had a little family get-together for him on Sunday to celebrate.

I am thankful he's been around for three-quarters of a century now, and that he's still in relatively good health. Should we shoot for a full century?? You never know -- his mom lived to be 97.

Happy birthday, Dad. And many, many more!

Shower of Blessings

2010-09-10T15:13:00.005-05:00

I am blessed. I know that, but sometimes I get a reminder, as I did yesterday.

Some friends at work gave me a baby shower. I got lots of "material" gifts (shown below, including a number of gift cards as well), but I was even more blessed by the work people did to pull it together, and "shower" me with their love. Many of their gifts were handmade (clothes, blankets and quilts for my baby, etc.). These are gifts and memories I will always cherish.

Today I am 8 months pregnant. As far as I can tell, Baby and I are both healthy. I have another shower this weekend that my church friends are giving me. God is providing for our needs even as He is blessing us with this baby boy. Of course I have panic attacks from time to time about everything that could go wrong, but God is faithful, and I trust that whatever comes in the weeks and months and years ahead will be in His hands, as He is currently reminding me through the many ways He is blessing me.

Party On

2010-08-23T14:58:00.010-05:00

Don and I partied all weekend. I guess we should; we had a lot to celebrate!

Friday night I fixed dinner for him for his birthday. Saturday night we went out to dinner to celebrate our anniversary, and last night my brother and sister-in-law hosted the family at their house for another birthday celebration, including grilling, cake, gifts and games.

Apples to Apples is a family favorite!

I think everyone had a good time, though it turned out to be just a bit too much for some of us. (I was feeling this way by the end of the night as well.)

Next year we'll have another family member to join our celebrations!

A Day to Celebrate

2010-08-20T07:40:00.004-05:00

Five years ago today I was walking down the aisle at Hickory Grove Presbyterian Church to be married to a wonderful man. It was his birthday.

Now it's his birthday again, and we're celebrating 5 years of marriage. And we are very thankful. Thankful to have each other as companions in this crazy world. Thankful for our health, for a roof over our heads, food on the table, our families, our dogs and all the many ways God has blessed us in these 5 years.

This year we are especially thankful because God is blessing us again with a baby boy due in October. In some ways we are afraid of what lies ahead for us and our son, but we just have to trust that it's all in God's hands. And He is good. He has blessed us beyond our wildest dreams, and I pray that He will continue to do so as we journey through this life together.

Happy birthday AND happy anniversary to my husband Don. And many, many more.

We're Not Telling!

2010-07-17T17:44:00.009-05:00

Whenever I run into someone who I haven't seen in a while, the first question they ask me, once we talk about me being pregnant, is, "Do you know if you're having a boy or a girl?" Well, I'll answer that one. Then comes the inevitable next question: "What's his name?" We've decided we're not going to tell anyone this, for two reasons: we reserve the right to change our minds (don't want any personalized gifts with the wrong name on them), plus we want to have something to announce when he's born. After all, "It's a boy!" will be old news by then.

Some people seem downright offended when I tell them this, and others badger me endlessly about it. So, I mostly just tell people now that we haven't decided yet, which is true. We thought we had a name we liked, and then I woke up in the middle of the night one night realizing all three names had 6 letters. After Ronald (Wilson) Reagan got accused of being the antichrist for the same reason (the 666 thing), I always thought I'd make a point not to do that. So, we're back to square one. At least for one of his names.

In other news, I just bought a new "wedding" ring. My hands are starting to swell, and my real one had gotten so tight that I was afraid if I waited much longer, I wouldn't be able to get it off. So, since I don't want to look like an unwed mother, I got a cheap one to wear until the baby is born. Unfortunately, cheap ones only come in full sizes, so this one is pretty huge. I may grow into it, though, if my hands swell any more.

I've passed the 6-month mark. Here's my latest photo: As you can see, my belly is getting quite large. I'm starting to feel handicapped: can't bend over to pick things up, have trouble getting up out of bed and other things that I have always taken for granted. And of course, it's going to get worse. But in 3 more months, I'll have my body back and a little baby as well, so I just keep reminding myself of that and try not to complain. Truly, I have much to be thankful for.

Church and Patriotism

2010-07-05T20:56:00.005-05:00

I come from a very patriotic family. My dad is an Army veteran, and we grew up loving and taking pride in our country. The 4th of July has always been one of my favorite holidays.

It seemed natural to me that, since the 4th fell on a Sunday this year, our church (a "frozen chosen" Presbyterian Church of America) would be celebrating. My brother, my dad, Don (at my prompting) and I all arrived decked out in our red, white and blue. I was shocked to see that we were part of a very small minority. There were no patriotic songs scheduled to be sung during the service. The 4th was hardly even mentioned by anyone.

Finally, my dad stood up during "testimony time" and asked if we could sing "God Bless America," a song which I consider to be very appropriate for a church service. There were whispers and some general discomfort evident throughout the room, but finally the leader did agree to sing 1 verse. It wasn't in our hymnal, and a rather pitiful rendition was sung. It seemed most people there didn't even know all the words.

Apparently this sparked a major discussion in the adult Sunday School class which lasted the whole hour (I wasn't there, as I teach children). Everyone seemed to have an opinion on the place of patriotism in church.

I found it all a bit unsettling. I don't understand what the problem is. Don says church is for worshipping and honoring God, not our country. I don't disagree, but I hardly think singing "God Bless America," which is basically a prayer asking God to bless our country, is dishonoring to God. If my dad had simply asked that a prayer be said along those lines, it probably wouldn't have generated such controversy.

My mom, meanwhile, attended the service at her Baptist church. She said they had a special, extra-long service in which they sang patriotic songs, honored the military and veterans and prayed for our country.

What do you think? Does patriotism belong in the church? Where do we cross the line of taking the focus off of God if we do choose to celebrate in such a way? I'm curious to know how other people feel about this.

Little Pumpkin

2010-06-24T07:40:00.006-05:00

My garden isn't doing as well as last year. We have had a considerably hotter, drier summer, plus I don't have a lot of energy to brave the heat and get out and weed it too often. So, we get what we get. So far we've gotten some green beans, peppers, sugar snap peas and broccoli, plus strawberries and various herbs. The tomatoes, potatoes, black-eyed peas and cucumbers are looking pretty promising as well.

An interesting thing that has happened is that I have three healthy pumpkin plants that I didn't plant. Apparently the seeds came out of my compost pile (one of them is growing in my compost pile and climbing my neighbor's fence). This little pumpkin, which has worked its way out of the garden and into the grass, is almost ready to pick.

Meanwhile, my other "little pumpkin" continues to grow and is apparently healthy. He is moving around a lot and, other than combatting the heat, having trouble sleeping and difficulty breathing, I am feeling pretty good. I am making progress toward getting the nursery ready, and we are doing what we can to otherwise prepare for his arrival. I'm not someone who thinks we have to have everything the market has to offer for babies, but there are a lot of things they really do need, so we are thinking about all of that and trying to pull it all together. People have given us a few things, which helps a lot.

We are praying each day for this child: for his health and ours, as well as lots of wisdom so we can raise him well. We pray for his salvation, for the country and world he will grow up in, and even for the wife that he will hopefully one day have, that God will protect her from evil and prepare them for each other. We pray for our finances, that God will provide for our needs so that hopefully I won't need to work outside the home and and can focus on being a mom, especially while our son is young. We know that these things are out of our control for the most part, so it has been a lesson for us in surrendering to God and a time of growing in our faith.

I am 23-1/2 weeks along now. Some days it feels like it is flying by, and at other times, he can't get here soon enough. At any rate, the time will come when it comes, and hopefully we will be ready.

It's a . . .

2010-06-07T20:47:00.006-05:00

Yes folks, I'm still alive and well. Life has just turned crazy on me!

We had the "big" ultrasound today. It's a boy! It appears he's healthy, except there was a small concern that one of his kidneys was bigger than the other. They didn't pinpoint it as a problem, just something to watch, so we're hoping and praying that it's NOT a problem.

He's a feisty little guy, moving around constantly, making it hard for them to get a good look at what they needed to see. I already knew this, though, as he has been kicking me regularly for the past couple of weeks!

Here's another sneak preview of what he looks like:We don't have a name picked out yet. At least the news today narrows our options. (I guess "Holly" is out -- oh well; Don didn't like it anyway.)

I can't wait to meet him personally! The due date is still officially October 17, but they said he looked a little bigger than 21 weeks, so maybe he'll be born on my birthday: 10/10/10. ( :

Checking In

2010-05-19T08:52:00.004-05:00

Well, I haven't blogged in a week now. I have moved my computer to a less-comfortable spot. I used to lounge on the couch with it in my lap, but I don't really feel like that's good for the baby, so I moved it to my "office" which is far less comfortable, and the Internet doesn't pick up as well, so I don't spend as much time on it now. But just to update things:

1) The baby, which was stuck behind my pelvis and causing the problems I was having (including 2 hospital visits), has moved to where it is supposed to be. This is definitely answered prayer, because I was facing the possibility of surgery if it didn't happen on its own.

2) They said I would be less tired during my second trimester. They were wrong. I need to sleep A LOT. If I can get comfortable, that is, considering my ever-growing belly. Other than that, I am feeling pretty good.

3) Bible study has ended for the year, and so has my band, so I have more time on my hands. This is good, because I have to consolidate two of our bedrooms to make room for a nursery. (You'd think 2 people living in a 4-bedroom house would have plenty of room, but . . . no -- too much junk.) I'm hoping to have a garage sale later this summer.

4) My garden is pretty well planted and growing. It has been much harder to do this year, and I will probably skip the flowers and other non-necessities I've done in years past. I've gotten lots of strawberries already, though picking them is no easy task. The task of mowing the lawn has been turned over to Don for this year.

5) I was supposed to have an ultrasound this week to find out what I'm having, but the doctor postponed it for 3 weeks because of the problems I was having. So, I guess we'll find out then.

It seems everything in my life now revolves, directly or indirectly, around this big bulge in my mid-section. Guess I might as well get used to that . . .

THIS is Nashville

2010-05-12T09:31:00.010-05:00

By now most have seen pictures of the flood in Nashville and the damage that was done. But it has been a week and a half. The waters have receded. What does Nashville look like now? These are some pictures I have pulled from my friends’ Facebook pages of their homes or those of people they know. This is what Nashville looks like now.
What you will see in these pictures is people helping people, people who are under no obligation showing up to help others, in some cases people they don’t even know. What you will not see is anyone sitting around, feeling sorry for themselves, waiting for the government to come in and help them. You will not see policemen patrolling neighborhoods, guarding against looters or others who may take advantage of those in bad situations. (While these things may exist on a small scale, they are definitely the exception rather than the rule.) Nashville has been an example of what a community should be. People have pulled together to help tear down and rebuild, provide housing for people and pets who have lost their homes, bring food and water to workers, donate clothing, furniture and other necessities to those who have lost them, and encourage and pray for others. Churches have taken up collections for their members and others in the community. For some, it has been a lesson in swallowing their pride and graciously receiving the help offered by others.
In the days during and following the flood, people who owned boats went around rescuing people or bringing them supplies. Neighbors went into houses to save pets and other priceless items when the owners couldn’t get there. One man on his jet ski even saved a woman and her dog from their burning home that was surrounded by water. I am proud of my city. I am proud of their old-fashioned values. I am proud of the way they have pulled together and been an example to the country and the world of how we can help our family, friends and neighbors in need. I don’t watch much TV, so I don’t really know how the national media is portraying us. I can only hope that, if we’re getting any attention at all, they are showing the spirit of camaraderie that is here. But whether or not the media or the government decides to help us, we’re pulling together and making it happen.

Opryland

2010-05-05T07:47:00.007-05:00

I believe one of the biggest impacts this past weekend's flood will have on Nashville is the damage that occurred at the Opryland Hotel.

This is sad for a number of reasons. For Don and me personally, this is a place we enjoy going for a free date. It is just a few minutes from our house, and is a wonderful place to walk around, enjoying the indoor atriums, sometimes stopping to eat or get ice cream. Here is a previous blog I did with some pictures I took at Christmas time.

Here is a video of what it looks like now.

Opryland is one of the largest employers in the Nashville area. It is estimated that it will be 3-6 months before the hotel opens again, and in the meantime, thousands of people are without jobs. This includes several people we know personally, one of which is my brother, who works there part-time. Nashville's job market was already in pretty bad shape before this happened.

Another way it will affect us is the tourism industry. The Opryland Hotel, one of the largest hotels in the country, is a major tourist spot, hosting vacationers and conventions from all over the world.

The nearby Opry Mills mall, also flooded, was a big part of our economy as well, along with the Grand Ole Opry, shown here:

This is, of course, in addition to the many people who have lost their homes (a good number of which didn't have flood insurance), cars, pets and all their possessions. A few even lost their lives.

Apparently the national news media isn't giving us much coverage compared to other current events, but from an insider's perspective, this is a very sad time in our city which will have far-reaching implications. I pray that God will bring good out of it, and perhaps this great city, known as the "buckle of the Bible belt" will turn tragedy into triumph.

Praise You in the Storm

2010-05-03T09:47:00.004-05:00

This song, by Casting Crowns, has more or less been my theme song over the past couple of weeks.

My baby still hasn't moved into the position it's supposed to be in, though, thankfully, I haven't had to make any more trips to the emergency room, and the doctor is still optimistic that the problem may correct itself. So I'm trying to be optimistic too. And not worry. And not be anxious. And praise God in spite of it all.

After I had been singing this song for days, it was sung at my Bible study on Wednesday as "special music." Think God is trying to tell me something??

This weekend, the song took on a whole new meaning, as Nashville and the surrounding areas experienced record-setting rainfalls. Many parts of town are still flooded. You can view some pictures here. Thankfully, our house wasn't affected too much, other than a small leak and some water in our garage. We pretty much stayed home the whole weekend. Our church service was cancelled, as were many other churches and events around town, and most of the schools in the area are closed today.

Please keep the people of middle Tennessee who have been greatly affected by this in your prayers. And please keep my little baby in your prayers too. And me. In the meantime, I will keep trying to praise God. Even in the storms.

Blessed

2010-04-24T07:40:00.002-05:00

While the past week has been a whirlwind, last night Don and I had to step back and be thankful. I am okay. The baby is okay. While I have had to endure some unpleasant things, it doesn't appear there will be any long-term problems for the baby or me. This is going to cost us a lot of money, though thankfully we have good insurance, and we won't have to pay another deductible when the baby is born.

So nothing really bad has happened. And a lot of good things have happened. We have been shown SO much love, and concern by those around us! The day I came home from the hospital (when we were both trying to get some much-needed sleep!), I counted 18 phone calls we got from concerned friends and family. There have been many more since, plus cards, e-mails and other forms of caring. People Don hardly knows have been coming up to him at work, asking how his wife is doing and assuring him they are praying for us. We have never felt so loved!

God is faithful. He is taking care of us and using those around us to remind us of that.

We are optimistic that the worst is over. I went to the doctor yesterday for a follow-up visit and he said things were looking better, though still not exactly as they should be. I will see him again in another week. Please keep us in your prayers -- that this problem will be resolved and that I will give birth to a healthy baby in mid-October.

A Wild Few Days

2010-04-21T16:19:00.008-05:00

Well, things have been a little crazy for the past few days, which included a trip to the emergency room and an overnight stay in the hospital and some other unpleasant things I won't bother to mention.

I am having pregnancy complications. Apparently, I am carrying the baby in an odd way, which is causing me some big problems. This is something that happens only in very rare cases.

As of now, thankfully, the baby is fine. The doctor was planning to do a procedure on me this morning (under anesthesia) to try to resolve the problem, but lots of people are praying for us, and when he checked me out he said things were looking a little better and decided not to do it. This is not to say he won't need to at all, but I am choosing to believe God is answering our prayers, and this procedure can be avoided.

This is a time in my life when all I can do it trust in God, because things are completely out of my control. I want very much for this baby to be okay, but I know that whether it is or it isn't, God has a plan that's greater than mine. I would very much appreciate any prayers for the baby and for Don and me.

. . . and here's a "sneak peek" we got yesterday.

National Day of Prayer

2010-04-16T19:53:00.004-05:00

I just heard the news that the National Day of Prayer has been ruled unconstitutional. That is utterly ludicrous! How in the world can anyone object to it???

No one is being forced to pray. If other religions want to hold days in honor of their religion, it doesn't offend me. They're not forcing me to participate. I think that's where we have crossed the line to absurd in this country. Now it's not enough for atheists to not be forced to participate in events honoring God; they don't want anyone to be able to acknowledge Him. AND THEY ARE SUCCEEDING! At least on a federal level. They will never be able to stop me personally, but it is tragic that we can no longer be free to acknowledge God and honor Him as a country.

I would encourage you to pray more than ever for this nation. I believe God has historically blessed us and made us great because we are a country founded on His principles. What will happen when we turn our backs on Him? What kind of country will our children and grandchildren grow up in? I believe it is up to us as Christians to stand up now for what is right and make our voices heard loud and clear. And to pray. May we always be one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Overwhelmed

2010-04-12T07:53:00.003-05:00

If I were going to choose a single word to define the past few weeks, since I learned I was pregnant, it would be “overwhelmed.” When I first found out the news, I was overwhelmed with a whole gamut of emotions ranging from excitement to fear to thankfulness to doubt that it was even real. (I’m getting past that one, now that my belly is getting bigger by the hour!)

In the weeks since, I have been overwhelmed with exhaustion, trying to just get through day-to-day life at about half my normal energy level. Rarely does a day pass when I don’t need a nap, and even then, I find it hard to muster up the energy to do the things I normally do.

Now that the word is out, Don and I have both been overwhelmed with the love, the joy, the excitement that those around us have shown. When he announced our news in church on Easter Sunday, the entire congregation responded with applause and cheers, followed by hugs and lots and lots words of happiness and encouragement. This has been echoed by the many others who have found out our news since then. It is so heartwarming to both of us to have people be so very supportive and joyful for us.

I’m sure I will have plenty more overwhelmingness in the days ahead: long nights with little sleep after the baby is born, the responsibilities of being a parent, and other things I can’t yet imagine. I am trying not to get overwhelmed with worry about my health and the baby’s, what kind of world this child will grow up in, how we will manage financially, etc. God is in control. He loves us and gave us this child for a reason, and I know He will take care of us all. I am so thankful for that and so thankful that He works all things together for the good of those who love Him.

And I am overwhelmingly thankful for all of you, who have shared in our joy and been supportive to us during this precious time in our lives.

Good News

2010-04-07T17:45:00.003-05:00

Well, I didn’t want to blog about it until I told some people personally, and I didn’t want to tell anyone before I was 12 weeks along, but the time has come.

I’m having a baby!

God is good. He is also full of surprises! The baby is due just after my 44th birthday. One day, shortly after I found out the news, I was questioning, “Why now?” “Why, after we’ve been married for 4½ years?” We had certainly thought that, especially at my age, if it was going to happen, it would have happened long before now.

The answer came to me clearly in the form of a passage of scripture that I have grown to love in recent months since studying the book of Acts in my Bible study:

“From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.” Acts 17:26-27

God determined the time and place this child would live from the very beginning, so he/she would seek Him. To add to my reassurance, this was the passage covered in our sermon at church this past Sunday, the day we announced our news there.

We are so thankful for this gift God is bestowing upon us. We are trying not to fear the many uncertainties that lie ahead, but just to trust that our child’s life is in His hands.

Another sweet reminder God gave me came in the form of an old Gaither song we sang today in Bible study, which I hadn’t heard in years:

How sweet to hold our newborn baby
And feel the pride and joy he gives,
But greater still, the calm assurance
This child can face uncertain days because He lives.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, all fear is gone.
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living just because He lives.

Easter Fun

2010-04-05T17:29:00.016-05:00

It has become a tradition in our family after church on Easter to come to our house for pizza and an Easter egg hunt. A few friends join us sometimes too. And it's not just the kids that hunt eggs; it's the adults as well!

Don and my brother Andy made homemade pizza in advance, so when we got home, all we had to do was pop it in the oven -- much easier than a fancy dinner and at least as much fun!

When they got here, everyone (who wasn't cooking) had to stay downstairs until the hunt began.

I reviewed the "rules," and the hunt was on! The adults' eggs were hidden in high places, and the kids' in low.Some were hidden in strange places (incidentally, the egg he sought was on the floor behind the toilet, not in it.)Afterward, everyone examined their loot. My brother's birthday was a couple of weeks ago, so my mom made a "bunny" cake (every 37-year-old man's dream), and he opened his gifts after we ate.It was a wonderful day to celebrate Jesus' resurrection and have a little fun with family and friends as well.

Girls' Night Out

2010-03-25T08:40:00.005-05:00

It's been a busy week, but a good one!

On Monday night, I got together with a group of friends, most of whom I was in a Bible study with twenty years ago. One of them had moved to Wisconsin and was back for a visit, so we had a great time getting caught up and reminiscing about the old days.

Here is a picture of us back then, taken at Standing Stone State Park around 1993:

6 of the 7 of us were there Monday, but only 5 are in this picture. These were the original members of our study.Do we look any different?? I was really surprised at how little we had all changed, in spite of marriage, children and other good and hard times life has brought our way.

I am so thankful for the people God has placed in my life through the years who have helped make me who I am. I think the old Michael W. Smith song, while maybe a bit sappy, is true: "Friends are friends forever if the Lord's the Lord of them."

It's Now or Never

2010-03-17T08:53:00.004-05:00

Dear Representative Cooper,

I am writing to urge you to vote AGAINST the healthcare bill that is coming up in the next few days. This bill would force those of us who believe abortion is a crime against children and against God to pay for others to have them. It is bad enough that our country allows such a heinous thing as abortion to be legal, but to force our God-fearing citizens to pay for them is beyond reprehensible. This country was founded for the sake of freedom, and I believe this bill, if passed, will take away many of the freedoms that our founding fathers worked for and our soldiers died for through the years. Again, as a voter in your district, I plead with you to vote AGAINST this bill.

Sincerely,

I urge you to write a similar letter to your Representative . The vote will be coming up in the next few days and could be life-changing. You can go here to write your Representative, or here to find out information about how to call them. And please pray! We are at a crossroads in our country's history, and these next few days are vital!

At Long Last

2010-03-16T08:09:00.004-05:00

I am having a bit of trouble adjusting to Daylight Savings Time, particularly with getting up in the morning while it is still dark, but when I finally managed to take the poor dogs out this morning, I saw something that woke me up quickly:

FINALLY, I have a daffodil! This is at least a couple of weeks later than I got them last year, but they are here now, or at least one of them is. The days are still cold and dreary for the most part, but this gives me hope -- spring is just around the corner!

The Virus

2010-03-11T20:57:00.004-06:00

I got a harmless-looking message from a friend on Facebook with a video attached. It was late and I was tired, but I was curious about what she would be sending me, so I clicked on the link. It said I needed to download the latest version of Adobe to view the video, which made sense, because my computer had been telling me for some time that there were some Adobe updates that I needed to install. So I clicked on that too.

It didn't take me long to realize I had made a grave mistake. The video still wouldn't play, and suddenly my Facebook page was popping up on my screen, and showing me that it was forwarding this "video" (which I now realized was a virus) to all of my friends (250+). More things started popping up on my computer, keeping me from being able to control anything but making me watch in horror as it continued to send the virus to my friends.

I re-booted my computer. I tried to send word out to my friends not to click on the link, but my computer soon locked up again, and the same thing began happening. I tried several times, with the same results.

This was late Saturday night. I don't get on my computer on Sundays, so I turned it off completely. Monday I had to leave early for jury duty, and Monday night I was too tired to even think, but I did try a couple of strategies I had thought of while sitting and waiting to be called for jury duty. I changed my password on Facebook and fixed it so the password would have to be typed in every time before it could be opened. I made more efforts to alert my friends during the approximate 5-minute stretches I could work on my computer before it locked up and started acting crazy.

Friends sent me suggestions for how to get rid of it, but every website they told me about that offered help had been blocked by the virus, and I couldn't open it. I ran my antivirus scan, which found a couple of things but didn't knock it out.

Meanwhile, I was back in jury duty all day on Tuesday and Wednesday so still didn't have much time to fool with it. Finally on Wednesday night, a friend suggested I get into my computer's Safe Mode and gave me some suggestions about what to do. I tried that and, while I couldn't get it to work exactly like she said, when in Safe Mode my computer suggested I use System Restore to repair my computer. Basically what that does is to take your computer back exactly like it was on the date you specify (limited to days that it backed itself up). Of course, I would lose anything I had done since then, but I hadn't really done anything since I got the virus, so I didn't have much to lose. I had it restore things to the way they were two days before I got the virus, and as far as I can tell, it worked!

The lesson here (for me and for you) is this: Be careful what you open! Be very aware of clicking on any suspicious link, even if it came from someone you know. If in doubt, check with that person before opening it.

I think the thing that burned me up the most was that some brilliant person out there, who could be using their brains to find a cure for cancer or some other worthwhile cause, is using them to figure out ways to destroy people's computers that they don't even know. It's something I'll never understand.

Jury Duty

2010-03-09T19:16:00.004-06:00

Today was my second day of jury duty. Besides my obvious complaint of having to miss work and the pay that goes with it, I'm realizing that this whole experience is WAY out of my comfort zone for a number of reasons:

1) Having to drive downtown in rush hour traffic and park in a parking garage.

2) Being stuck in a building all day, especially when the weather is nice outside.

3) Being away from home and my dogs for long stretches of time (my dogs were locked up for 11 hours today).

4) Being made to socialize with people I don't know and have little in common with.

But it's really not so bad. The trial itself has been kind of interesting (I'm not allowed to share any details), and I am getting more comfortable around some of the other jurors. None of them know each other either, so we're all on equal turf. Once I found my way there and knew where to park, I was less fearful about that too.

I'll probably survive. I might even become a more well-rounded person because of it all. I guess sometimes God has to get us out of our comfort zone a little bit to help us grow.

Happy Birthday Mom!

2010-03-04T07:03:00.001-06:00

I want to wish my mom a happy 70th birthday. I thank God for the years He's given her and pray He'll give her many, many more!

I'm Back!

2010-03-01T07:21:00.010-06:00

Hi, remember me? It's been a while. I simply haven't had time to blog because I've been consumed with this. My mom is turning 70 this week, and we (my brother and I and our spouses) decided to make a scrapbook for her, getting friends and family from throughout her life to contribute to it. It was a MAJOR project, which I couldn't blog about because it was a big surprise!

We also had a surprise party yesterday, inviting a few of her close, local friends and family. My brother and sister-in-law made the wonderful food for it, but it still kept me busy with invitations and RSVP's and getting my house cleaned up (no small task). I believe my mom was very blessed by all this, as we had hoped she would be. She hasn't been looking forward to this big birthday, but hopefully this made it all a little better.

I don't know what to do with myself now that it's all over. Actually, it's just about time to start working on my garden . . .

Nothing Much

2010-02-23T06:46:00.002-06:00

In light of complaints that people are tired of looking at my "More Snow" blog, I am posting a new one, even though I don't have much to say. It's just one of those phases in my life that's not really conducive to blogging.

At any rate, we did have some wonderful spring-like weather this past weekend, and it lifted my spirits. Now it's cold and dreary again, but at least that good dose of sunshine we had will help me get through it.

I've got several projects going on and have been keeping busy. I may write more on some of those later.

I've been called to jury duty next month and am trying to get out of it. Two of my three part-time jobs won't pay me, and it would be a big financial strain for me to miss two weeks of work.

So, that's about it. Now at least you know I'm still alive and kickin'. Hopefully I'll have more to blog about soon.

More Snow

2010-02-16T08:11:00.004-06:00

I've had enough. We haven't really had too much snow in the past few years, but we seem to be making up for it this year. I am usually seeing signs of spring by now (warmer weather, daffodils popping up, etc.), but this year . . . snow. And more snow. I'm missing lots of work (for me, no work = no $), and our upcoming band concert had to be cancelled because we've now missed 2-1/2 practices (that "1/2" meant I had to drive home in a surprise snowstorm last Monday night, which nearly pushed me over the edge).

I'm sure in a few weeks spring will be here and I'll have forgotten all about it, but it's not soon enough for me.

Okay, enough whining. I'll try to cheer up before I blog again. I'll bet a good dose of warm sunshine would help . . .

Nash's Update

2010-02-13T13:31:00.005-06:00

Hi, it's me, Nash, again, just giving you an update on my previous post.

I'm doing a little better with scratching on doors. Well at least, sometimes I remember. When I don't, my mom makes me "sit" until she opens the door. It's just so exciting to think about what endless possibilities await me on the other side! My daddy is going to paint the doors I have scratched up soon, though, so they don't want me to mess them up again. I'm really going to try!

My mom has been working with me on heeling too, rather than yanking on my leash. I seem to get it, at least when she reminds me, but sometimes I see another dog or something else interesting and I forget all about heeling. It's hard; it really is!

As for my bunny-sister Heidi, I don't know what happened to her. One day she was there, and the next day she was gone! I keep looking around for her. I looked all over the downstairs. She just isn't there. I guess that will make it easier for me to keep my resolutions, at least the ones related to her. Poor Heidi. I should have been nicer to her. I hope that wherever she is, she is okay.

So that's my update. I'm going to keep trying to be a good boy. My parents know that I'm just a fun-loving sort of guy, and they don't want to squelch that completely, but they do want me to behave. They've just got to be patient with me while I try to remember all this stuff they want me to do.

RIP Heidi

2010-02-12T09:33:00.004-06:00

Our bunny died in the night last night. It wasn't a huge surprise. She had been acting sickly for a month or so, and last night she took an obvious turn for the worse. Don and I loved on her and prayed over her, that if it was her time to go, that she would die peacefully, so it was kind of a relief that she didn't linger on.

Do animals go to heaven? I like to believe that all of the pets I have loved in my lifetime will be at the gate to greet me when I get there, but the Bible isn't really clear on the issue. Heidi had some sort of little spirit that was her life, her personality, that inhabited her body only yesterday but has now left it. Where did it go?

Animals aren't made in the image of God as people are, and they obviously don't have the capacity to understand their sin and accept Jesus, but Isaiah 65:17-25 does refer to them being there in the new heaven and new earth.

It's one of those things I will probably never know for sure in this life, so I just have to let God handle it.

I am sad, though certainly not as sad as I would be if I lost one of my dogs. A bunny just doesn't have the bond with humans that dogs do. Nonetheless, she was a part of our lives for 3 1/2 years, and we will miss her.

The Help

2010-02-09T07:11:00.006-06:00

This bestselling book is set in Jackson, Mississippi, in the early 1960's. "The help" refers to black maids who work for white families and how they are treated. It is a work of fiction but is supposedly historically accurate.

There were a lot of things in here that surprised me. I was born in Tennessee in the mid-60's and have unfortunately known some who look down on black people, but nothing like this book refers to. They are almost treated as less than human. Assuming this book is accurate, it seemed that, other than not being in the bondage of slavery, very little had changed in the 100 years since the Civil War. Did Martin Luther King make all the difference?

I don't know. I only know that I hope I have never possessed one shred of the arrogant spirit that is seen in many of the white characters in the book. I hope I never look down on anyone the way black people are looked down upon in this story. And I hope that the progress in racial relations that has been made since the 60's will continue. God made everyone and loves us all, and He commands us to do the same.

"There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." Galatians 3:28

This book was interesting and captivating. Though the treatment of black people shocked me, the personalities of the characters and the relationships are very realistic. At times it is funny, at others sad. I found myself cheering the "good guys" on, wanting to see the mean ones go down in defeat. Though there is a bit of bad language, it is for the most part fairly clean. I would recommend this as a good read, both in an educational and an entertaining sense.

A College Nightmare

2010-02-06T17:47:00.005-06:00

I had another one last night. This one wasn't as bad as some, but it was definitely one of those. My college nightmares.

Does anyone else have these? Don says he does. I have them fairly regularly. You dream you are back at college in some disastrous situation: it's the first day of a semester, and you can't find your class; it's exam time, and you haven't been to class all semester; you forgot to wear pants to class . . . the list goes on. In the one last night, I was moving back into the dorm with my roommate, but everything in the room was all out of place. I've had several before along that line too.

Was college that stressful that I'm still having nighmares about it on a regular basis over 20 years later? I don't remember being THAT stressed at the time, but maybe I was too young to recognize stress for what it was.

I wonder if they'll ever stop. I wonder if I'll ever be able to resolve my college experiences within myself. Any psychiatrists out there who might be able to shed some light on this?

An Unlikely Favorite

2010-02-04T10:20:00.008-06:00

You would likely NEVER guess what I consider to be one of my favorite stores. Alright, alright, I know the suspense is killing you, so I'll just go ahead and tell you: Tractor Supply Company.

Now, why in the world would a store with a name like that appeal to me? I don't even own a tractor.

It's about WAY more than tractors. They have all sorts of pet items (food, cages, medicines, litter, toys, etc.), yard and garden supplies, tools, and, as Don discovered last week, a part for his gun that he couldn't find anywhere else in town. They even have some farming-related toys and casual clothes and shoes.

The prices are very reasonable too. Maybe not quite as cheap as Wal-Mart, but the selection is much better for the categories they specialize in. It is considerably cheaper than other pet and garden specialty stores I have compared it to.

It's a fun place to browse. The staff is very helpful and friendly. We have one just a few minutes from our house. I'm learning more and more that this is a good place to check if I need something in one of the above categories.

So check it out sometime. Even if you don't own a tractor.

Happy Birthday Abbie

2010-02-01T17:13:00.005-06:00

Happy birthday to my niece Abbie, born on Super Bowl Sunday 6 years ago! I'm so glad you're a part of my life! ( :

Look at My Garden Now!

2010-01-30T09:38:00.005-06:00

Following my tradition from last summer of taking pictures of my garden from my upstairs window, I decided to take one this morning: Yes, believe it or not, we got about 4-5" of snow yesterday! This is the first "real" snow we have had here in several years, so it's pretty exciting!

It's a little crusty on top this morning, so my dog Dasha, who weighs 15 pounds, had a really hard time walking in it. She would take a careful step, and it would hold her up for a couple of seconds; then SPLAT -- she would fall down into it. Made for a rough time pottying this morning.

But all in all, it's kind of fun. I'm considering us to be "snowed in," though I'm sure we could get somewhere if we really needed to.

I posted a question on Facebook yesterday: if you were snowed in, assuming all your basic needs were met, what would be the one thing you wouldn't want to be without? I got lots of creative answers, some of which I am listing here, in the order that I would find them important:

Spouse/family
Pets
A good book
Junk food
Puzzle book
Facebook
Blankets
Chili
Hot chocolate
Sled
Movies
Beer/Wine

We never get snowed in for more than a day or two here in Nashville, so I guess we'll enjoy it while we can. Thankfully, I'm well equipped with the first few items on the list above, so I'm in good shape. Now maybe I can go out and build a snowman.

Birthday Girl

2010-01-28T12:28:00.003-06:00

Happy 12th birthday to my sweet dog, Dasha. Since she came into my life, she has truly been to me the meaning of her name -- a gift of God.

Chicken Cheddar Chowder

2010-01-27T18:07:00.002-06:00

This is a favorite of Don’s and mine. I got it from Cooking Light magazine a number of years ago. A 1½-cup serving is only 6 points on Weight Watchers and is very filling.

2 bacon slices
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup diced red bell pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
4-½ cups fat-free chicken broth
1-¾ cups diced peeled red potato
2-¼ cups frozen whole kernel corn
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups 2% milk
¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. black pepper

Cook bacon in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan. Crumble. Set aside. Add the chicken, onion, bell pepper and garlic to drippings in pan; sauté 5 minutes. Add broth and potato and bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until potato is tender. Add corn and stir well.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife. Place flour in a bowl. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Add to the soup. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 15 minutes, or until thick, stirring frequently. Stir in the cheddar cheese, salt and black pepper. Top with the crumbled bacon.

Prayer for Haiti

2010-01-26T07:05:00.006-06:00

Well, I haven't blogged in nearly a week now, and I had a silly little one in mind to do this morning, but then I got on Facebook and went to a page about the Haiti search and rescue efforts. Apparently the rescuers in Haiti are posting updates, and those whose family and friends are still missing there are posting pictures and other details about their loved ones, just in case they are found. Others are just praying for and trying to encourage both of these groups of people.

I heard on the news a couple of days ago that the rescue efforts had stopped, but on Facebook I heard that yesterday some rescue dogs identified the same spot twice, bringing hope that there might still be someone alive in there.

So all that is to say that I didn't feel right posting a silly blog after reading these things. To think about this country, already devastated by poverty, having to go through such a traumatic thing, makes me want to fall to my knees and cry out to God to help them.

I don't know why God allowed this to happen. If it was for the sake of punishment, why hasn't such a thing happened here? Are we any better, really, in God's eyes?

I encourage you to pray for Haiti: for the rescuers, for those missing loved ones, and that God will use all this for the ultimate good of this economically and spiritually impoverished country. And pray for our country as well, that God will have mercy on us and not allow something so tragic to happen here. I'll be praying too.

For the People

2010-01-20T07:05:00.005-06:00

"It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." (from Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address)

Yesterday was a big day. The people of Massachusetts elected a Republican senator to replace the recently deceased Ted Kennedy. This was significant for a number of reasons. One is that Massachusetts is possibly the most liberal state in the union. Since 1973, every person they have sent to Congress have been Democrats. It was significant because special elections usually have a low turnout, and this one huge, in spite of bad weather. It wasn't just a small victory either: he won by a 52-47% majority.

But the biggest reason it was significant is that it will break the Democratic party's 60-vote, filibuster-proof majority in the U.S. Senate, posing a big problem for Obama's healthcare plan and other bills he is currently trying to push through Congress.

The people have spoken. They don't like his agenda, which is really more socialist than liberal. And if this ultra-liberal state (the only state which gets to speak in the form of an election right now) doesn't like it, that makes it pretty clear how the majority of the country feels.

Still, in the news today I read that Obama and Congress are plotting ways they can shove the healthcare plan through anyway.

Is this a government "of the people, by the people and for the people"? It doesn't sound like it to me at all. It sounds like our leaders want power. They want their own agenda, not that of the people they represent.

I only hope they will reconsider. I have written my congressmen multiple times to make my voice heard (incidentally I am proud that both of our Senators from Tennessee voted against the healthcare plan, though my Represenative voted for it). I pray that God will remove or change the heart of any our leaders who are in their positions for the wrong reasons. And I pray that He will have mercy on us all.

For Such a Time as This

2010-01-19T07:35:00.004-06:00

". . . And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" Esther 4:14

In my journey through the Bible, I am currently reading the book of Esther. Interestingly, Esther is the only book in the Bible that never mentions the name of God, but in reading it, one can see His hand throughout the book.

Esther, an orphaned Jew, suddenly finds herself in the position of queen in Persia. A plot is made to kill all the Jews, and Esther must take a stand to save her people, knowing that she could be killed in the process.

One of my favorite verses is the one above, ". . . And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?"
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This brings up a question that has been argued throughout history: did God plan every aspect of our lives before the beginning of time? Did He place Esther in her position just so she could save her people? I believe He did, and I believe He has a plan for our lives too.
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Do you ever get discouraged or mad when things don't go as you planned them? Do you ever stop and think that maybe God has a greater plan to put you where He needs you, or to keep you from a place of danger? Sometimes it's hard to think in these terms when we want things the way we want them, but I believe in my heart that it is true. At times we can look back and see exactly what God was doing, and at other times we may never understand in this lifetime.
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My challenge to you is to try to see things from this perspective. Remind yourself that God has a plan, and you have a part in it. It may not always be exactly the same as your plan, but it is actually far better!
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This Wayne Watson song is one of my favorites:

Incidentally, Esther, the lowly orphan, was able to save her people. Jews now celebrate Purim to remind them of this event. Our role in God's plan may not go down in history the way Esther's did, but He still uses us. He has us where we are "for such a time as this."

Poor Nash

2010-01-15T10:25:00.005-06:00

My dog Nash is having a hard time.

Yesterday, he tripped over Dasha while trying to jump up on a bench and fell smack on the floor, against the bench. Then he walked across the room and peed all over the place, looking at me helplessly all the while. Later yesterday I noticed his urine had blood in it, so I took him in to the vet. The vet said it was probably just a bruise to his bladder that he got when he fell, but put him on an antibiotic, since it could possibly be a bladder infection.

This morning he was laying on the bed, and I noticed he was trying to get up and was having trouble. A similar thing happened a couple of weeks ago, but he was sort of in an awkward spot and finally did get up then, so we just kind of laughed it off. This time I tried to help him, and he still couldn't get up. I picked him up and tried to stand him on the floor, and he fell down. He kept trying to stand and walk. He would take a few clumsy steps and fall down or run into something.

I was panicked. I called a friend who lives down the street and asked her to come over, which she did right away. By the time she got there, he was doing better, but I wanted to take him to the vet anyway. My vet is closed on Fridays, so she called hers. She went with me to take him in. He didn't have any more of these episodes. After examining him thoroughly, the vet said she didn't think it was a neurological problem (I had thought it was a seizure), but rather that he had deformed kneecaps. She thought probably his kneecap had locked into place so he couldn't bend it, which is why he couldn't get up or walk. Still, she said to watch him, if it happens again, and make sure he isn't disoriented and that he is breathing okay.

He has given us a lot to worry about and cost us quite a bit of money in the past couple of days, but hopefully none of these things is too serious. Nash is our "boy," and I think we both realized anew what a big part of our lives he is when all this happened. We are thankful for him (and Dasha), and hope they both have many years of good health ahead of them.

Guarding My Tongue

2010-01-13T16:43:00.004-06:00

"He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity." Proverbs 21:23

Harry Reid's comment wasn't nice. And it came back to haunt him. Will he be forced to resign? Probably not. Liberals rarely are.

But I have to say this. Yes, I believe his comment was wrong, and no, I really don't agree with much of anything he says or does, but in some ways, I feel sorry for him.

If the press stood waiting for me to make a slip of the tongue, I would be in trouble in no time flat. Big trouble. I am glad this doesn't happen, but that doesn't mean I don't often hurt those around me with the rude and insensitive remarks I sometimes make.

One thing I want to really work on this year is controlling my tongue. I would love to say I never criticize, insult, judge or belittle others with it, but that just wouldn't be true. I pray though, that with God's help, my tongue can be used for His glory, and not only will I not have to worry about what the press would have to say about me (if they cared), but I won't need to worry what God would say to me, because He does care.

The Funk

2010-01-12T20:34:00.001-06:00

They say January is the most depressing month of the year. I can’t completely disagree. The frenzy we all work ourselves into during the Christmas season is past. The weather is cold and dreary. The days are short. We realize how much money we spent and how much weight we gained during the holidays. What were we thinking?

I’m not writing this to depress you, but just to explain that I’m in my annual January funk, and besides that, I have a nasty cold. My brain is dead, and I have really nothing to say.

So I’m going to shut up. Now.

The Big Flurry

2010-01-08T08:51:00.006-06:00

A new group was started on Facebook yesterday. At press time, it has 6,460 members and is growing by the hour. Its name: I survived the big Nashville snow flurry of 1/7/10.

People are using this site to post impressive snow pictures, such as snowmen they built: Why is this so funny?

Nashville is apparently pretty desperate for some “real” snow. Earlier in the week there were predictions that we would get up to 6 inches. It was later downgraded to 4 inches “in some areas,” and then to “up to 2 inches,” beginning between 3:00 and 6:00 a.m.

Even 2 inches would be the biggest snow we have gotten in recent years. Excitement mounted. Grocery stores were mobbed and completely sold out of milk, bread and other essentials. Crews got out and salted all the roads. Pretty much every single school system and private school in Middle Tennessee had already called off school by Wednesday night before a single flake fell.

We all prepared to wake up to a winter wonderland.

Thursday morning I jumped out of bed and looked out the window . . . at . . . nothing. Brown grass and bare sidewalks. Not even a flake falling from the sky. “Never fear,” said the weather people. “It will arrive around rush hour.” I didn’t know whether to go to my 8:00 meeting or not, but I really couldn’t justify staying home, since it wasn’t even snowing yet, so I went. When I got done at 9:00, nothing. “It’s still coming,” they said. “It will be here around noon!” The predicted accumulation had been reduced to half an inch.

Well, around mid-day we did begin to get a little snow. It stuck, because of the cold temperatures we have been having, but it could hardly be considered more than a dusting. Kids, while happy for the days off (they are out again today), were very disappointed that it wasn’t really enough to play in, though some tried. Thus the snowmen, pictured above. Oh well. I guess we have to take what we get.

Nash's New Year's Resolutions

2010-01-07T11:07:00.004-06:00

I have decided to give my dog Nash a spot on my blog so he can share the resolutions that he plans to work on this year. Nash has come a long way in his behavior, but, like the rest of us, there are still a few rough edges that need to be smoothed out, so to provide him with some accountability, I encouraged him to get together a list and publish it here for all to see. Here is what he came up with:

I am going to stop jumping on doors and scratching them. I have not only scratched the paint off several doors in my own house; I also did it at my grandparents’ house in Iowa when my parents left me there for a couple of hours. This was when my mom and dad realized that this was a problem that needed to be corrected.

I am going to stop yanking on my leash. Several months ago I injured my mom’s shoulder (possibly a torn rotator cuff), and it still hasn’t healed. My mom may need to get me a choke collar or something similar to help me work on this problem.

I am going to stop trying to eat my bunny-sister, Heidi. Neither of my parents have really figured out how to help me with this, but they are working on it. I really wouldn’t want to eat Heidi. After all, she is my sister. I know rabbits are prey for dogs in the wild, but I get two square meals a day, so there’s no real need to supplement that. And while we’re on that topic, I am also going to stop yipping obnoxiously when I see her in her cage. My parents are working on a strategy to help me with that too. Nothing has really worked so far, except they have figured out that when they yell at me, I get more excited and yip louder.

I am going to stop eating paper. I like all sorts of paper: shredded phone book pages that I pull out of Heidi’s cage, and also tissues, napkins, and more. But that was the old Nash. That was before I found out that my cousin Lilly, a Bernese Mountain Dog, ate five potholders and had to have surgery. They, well you know, wouldn’t come out. It cost my Uncle David and Aunt Tricia a lot of money. And it couldn’t have been much fun for Lilly either. My mom says that while paper is probably not as bad as potholders, it could have the same effect on me. And that would be bad. So the new Nash is going to stop eating paper. My dog-sister Dasha shares my taste for it, so I’m hoping we can maybe hold each other mutually accountable or something.

This is my year. I really want to get it right. I want to be a good dog. I think I just need a better understanding of what’s expected of me. I’ll try to keep you updated on the progress I make if my mom will let me write on her blog again.

Keep Trying

2010-01-06T18:01:00.004-06:00

So, you may have noticed that I haven't posted a blog about new year's resolutions yet.

I'm still working on last year's.

But seriously, I can gratefully say that I have made some progress, particularly on the computer one. I stopped letting my blog be an obsession; it is now just a hobby. Even so, around mid-year I still felt like I hadn't had much victory over the problem as a whole, and as I was praying about it one day, I felt God telling me that I should "fast" from the Internet and e-mail on Sundays. I wasn't sure at the time that I could do it, but so far I have, and it has made a huge impact. I feel like my "addiction" has been broken. Rather than running to the computer every time I have a spare moment, feeling like the world would end if I didn't check my e-mail every few minutes, I feel a whole new freedom about it all. It will wait. Facebook will go on without me. If anyone needs me too urgently, they are likely to call rather than e-mail anyway.

Another of my resolutions was to get healthier and take better care of myself. I don't think I have made too much progress in that area, though we did eat pretty healthy this summer when I had my garden. I got a lot of exercise that way too, but this is an ongoing battle, especially the eating part.

The tongue control one needs some more work too. I want to focus specifically on not being critical or judgmental of others.

I'm so thankful for God's grace! I will never get it completely right in this life, but He forgives and forgives and forgives. He doesn't just give us a new start each year; His mercies are new every morning!

Winter

2010-01-05T19:40:00.005-06:00

My husband Don loves winter. He says in heaven, it will be winter year ‘round. I say he must be going to a different heaven than me. But in order to be a good wife, and an optimist, I’ve decided to try to come up with a list of 10 good things about winter. So, here goes:

1) chili
2) flannel sheets (my mother-in-law gave us a set for Christmas, which we love!)
3) fires (if you have a fireplace, which we don’t)
4) getting snowed in (when everyone is safe at home)(doesn’t happen much here)
//(I’m really trying here, folks),
5) hot chocolate (preferably with either marshmallows or a peppermint stick)
6) seeing the days start to get longer once 12/21 is past (see how hard I’m trying?),
7) not having to mow the grass (even though I like to mow the grass)
8) getting to play in the snow with my dogs and go for walks in it (if we have any, which we rarely do)
9) big, bulky sweaters, and
10) knowing spring is just around the corner

Wow, I did it. Well, sort of. I guess. But that doesn't mean I'm not still counting the days 'til spring! There are 75.

Our Visit With Don's Family

2010-01-04T11:32:00.013-06:00

As I said before, we had a fun visit with Don's family. He always enjoys hanging out with his brothers, talking about old times, and we had great family time with everyone. We crammed a lot into what was really just two full days -- eating wonderful meals prepared by his mom, opening gifts, playing in the snow, going to the children's museum, lunch out with the "girls" (my sisters-in-law and me), getting to hear a mini-concert by our talented niece and nephews, and more. Here are a few pictures I took while I was there:

His dad, Charlie
His mom, Marcia (with an apron my mom made for her)
Don's brother David, his wife Tricia, and their boys, Daniel and Luke

Dave and Tricia's daughter, Cara

Don's brother Doug

Doug's wife Amy (with Nash)

Doug and Amy's daughter, Annabel

Daniel (age 8) playing his cello

Cara (age 6) playing violin

Luke (age 4) playing viola

Annabel (age 4) making cookies with Marcia

Fun in the Snow

2010-01-02T10:36:00.013-06:00

While we didn't enjoy the drive to Iowa in the snow, we did have some fun times playing in it while we were there. Nash, our 3-1/2 year old dog, had never seen more than a dusting of snow, so this was a new experience for him (which he loved!), and Dasha, nearly 12, acted like a pup again! I guess Don and I sort of acted like kids too, sledding and romping with the dogs.

P.S. Happy birthday to my niece, Grace. Thanks for making me an aunt on that cold night nine years ago! ( :

A Wild Ride

2010-01-01T09:04:00.004-06:00

It was one of those days. I mean really, ONE OF THOSE DAYS!

It started out uneventful. We were headed to Iowa to see Don’s family for a Christmastime visit. Things went smoothly until shortly after we crossed the Illinois line. Then the snow started. We had already postponed this trip for a day to avoid the snow, but apparently we miscalculated. We drove through snow for several hours in Illinois. We counted about 20 cars and trucks in ditches along the side of the road, some turned over on their side. This didn’t make for a very relaxing trip.

We made a quick stop for gas and lunch. Don tried to use his credit card, and it was denied. Fortunately, he had the cash to cover what he needed, but he was concerned about why it was denied. We hoped it was just a fluke. When we got into Iowa, we had to get gas again. He tried to use his credit card, and it was again denied. He used what little cash he had left to buy enough gas to get us to his parents’, and when he later called to check, found out there had been “suspicious” activity on his card, so they had cancelled it. It turned out someone had stolen his number and made some purchases.

When we got to his parents’ house that night, exhausted and stressed, their driveway was already full of cars, so we had to drive around the block and park on a side street and walk. We had both of our dogs with us and quite a bit of stuff that needed to go in. It was then that I found out that these shoes, while comfortable for a car ride, are not suitable for walking through snow that was above our ankles and at least a foot deep in the banks we had to stand in to unload the car.

Later we left his parents’ house and went to the nearby hotel where we were staying. Don’s parents had graciously offered to pay for our stay there and had made the reservation, securing it with their credit card. Still with both dogs, we also hauled all of our luggage into the lobby before checking in.

There was a problem with his dad’s credit card. They would have to have his signature in order for us to use it for our room. (No one had mentioned this to them when they made the reservation.) Maybe Don had a credit card we could use just for tonight? Uh, no. Well, no problem, they could fax his dad the form and he could sign it and fax it right back. Great, except that his parents don’t have a fax machine. We asked if he could give verbal permission over the phone. No. Could Don sign for him, with permission? No. Could we at least check in for the night and have him come down the next day and sign it? No. His dad would need to come in and sign it before we could check into the room. It was their policy.

His dad is 81 years old, currently can’t drive because of an injury, and usually goes to bed around 9:00 p.m. It was after 10:30 p.m., and the temperature outside was in the teens. There was snow and ice on the roads. We were exhausted, our luggage was strewn all over the lobby, the dogs were impatient, and we certainly didn’t want his dad to have to come down there, so in the end, Don was able to call his credit card company and get them to approve the charge on his own (cancelled) card. It only took us about an hour to get to our room from the time we got there.
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When we were finally there, I was whining to God about what an awful day we had had. He gently reminded me, as only He can, that nothing REALLY bad had happened. Yes, the drive in the snow was stressful, be we had arrived safely. Though we were rightfully upset about someone stealing Don’s card, he won’t have to pay for the charges that he didn’t make. We had enough cash to get there. We were tired, but we would get rested up, and the irritations of the day would pass.
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In the end, I had to be thankful. Thankful that we made it safely, for family, our dogs, and for the ways God took care of us. We did end up having a really good visit with his family, once the wild trip was behind us. The hotel even bent over backwards to make things up to us during the rest of our stay. Apparently, they felt bad for the "inconvenience" they had caused.
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So I must conclude that all is well that ends well, and come to think of it, the whole thing gave me something interesting to blog about!

The Aughts in Review

2009-12-31T09:18:00.005-06:00

No one really seems to know what to call this decade that began with the year 2000 (remember Y2K?) and ends today. The first decade of the 1900’s was known to many as “The Aughts,” a term that has mostly fallen out of use now, but some use it to refer to this decade, for lack of a better term. I happen to like it, so, “The Aughts” it is.

I’ve been thinking back through the decade over the last few days, and I believe I can say it was my best one yet. Of course there have been a few bad times, but far more good ones.

Beginning on January 2, 2001, my nieces and nephew came into my life one by one. God hasn’t given me any children of my own so far, but I am so thankful for these children whose lives I can be a part of, watching them grow and learn and building relationships with each one of them.

Also in 2001, I joined Weight Watchers and lost 90 pounds, mostly during that year. I had come to the conclusion that I was destined to be a “fat” person, that nothing could change that, but thankfully, I was wrong. I do still struggle with my weight and have gained some of it back, though I have kept a substantial portion of it off and now know I am capable of losing the rest if I choose to.

I had been in Bible Study Fellowship since the late 90’s, and during the ‘00-’01 and ‘01-’02 years, I was asked to be treasurer, which required me to stand up in front of as many as 300 people every few weeks and give a brief report. At first I was terrified, but as time went on, I became more comfortable. During the ‘02-’03 and ‘03-’04 years I was a discussion group leader, a time of huge spiritual and personal growth. This experience was also where I met Ramelle, the friend who would ultimately introduce me to . . .

Don. We began dating in March of ’04, and in August of ’05, we were married. At nearly 39, I had pretty much given up on the idea of ever getting married, but God is faithful. His choice for a mate for me was far better than any I could have ever made, and though we may not fully understand His timing in this life, it is perfect. I am so thankful that I am going into this next decade with Don by my side.

Shortly after we were married, Don gave me a birthday gift that I had wanted for a long time: a flute. I took lessons, and while it has been a challenge for me (and I am not as dedicated as I should be), it has been a great experience to be able to play along with Don on our church’s worship team and also be a part of a community band.

I have had my dog Dasha since 1998, but in early 2007, Nash arrived and turned our world upside down. The first year with him was a huge challenge, but he has since turned out to be a really good dog who brings a lot of joy and laughter into our home.

In mid-2008 I started to blog. Though I only have a handful of faithful readers (and I appreciate every one of you!), it has been a great outlet for me to express myself in ways that I can’t always do verbally. Those who do read say they feel they know me much better now, and I have also enjoyed reading the blogs of others and getting to know them better.

This decade has also brought some sadness. I have lost several loved ones, including my grandmother, my friend Pam and her daughter Ashley. Even in my grief though, this makes me all the more thankful for my salvation, as I look forward to seeing each of them, as well as other loved ones, again in heaven.

So many other things have happened during this decade -- too many to mention, of course, but the changes have helped me grow in my faith, as well as bringing me joy, peace and confidence, not in them, but through them. God is good. He has brought me a long way, and I look forward to seeing what He will do in my life in The Teens!

Family Christmas

2009-12-30T16:39:00.005-06:00

We went to my brother's house on Christmas day. It was a great time of exchanging gifts, eating, playing games and just generally being together. We even saw a few snow flurries! (A white Christmas is almost unheard of in Nashville.) I am thankful for my family and for this day we got to spend together celebrating Jesus' birth. Here are a few pictures I took (you may need to click the "Play" button at the bottom after it opens):

Make a Smilebox slideshow

The Great Piñata Bash

2009-12-26T08:37:00.015-06:00

We made one in my class when I was in kindergarten. Perhaps that's where my love for them began. When I was in high school I had to make one for my Spanish class and figured out then exactly how it was done. I have since made several of them through the years. For whatever reason, I love piñatas.

We broke one once before as a family Christmas activity, and I wanted to do it again this year, so I made this one:

I had planned to let my nieces and nephew help me make it, but I just ran out of time, so I did it myself. It takes a week or more to do the layers of paper mache, letting them dry in between, and making sure it is completely dry before popping the balloons inside and then filling it and decorating it.

I filled it with all kinds of goodies for adults and children, ranging from traditional (candy and toys) to strange (gloves, bars of soap, toothpaste, lint rollers, first aid kits). But it didn't matter. It was breaking it that was fun.

We had the "bash" on Christmas Eve after church. Everybody got blindfolded and spun around and got to take a swing or two at it. I made sure my brother went last, because he is always bound and determined that he is the one who is going to break it. Don almost did -- he was next-to-last -- but Andy gave it the crushing blow.

It made a mess, paper mache and broken candy canes all over the floor, but it was still fun. I hope to do another one next year, hopefully with the kids' help. Maybe we'll make a star . . .

Merry Christmas

2009-12-24T08:26:00.004-06:00

In these uncertain times, let us remember the good news that Christmas brings:

"For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6

From our home to yours, have a very Merry Christmas!

Buffalo Wild Wings

2009-12-22T19:50:00.003-06:00

They recently opened one of these just down the street from our home. For the first several weeks it was always packed, so Don and I waited until this past Sunday to check it out.

The first thing we both noticed when we walked in was that it was NOISY! But then, it was Sunday afternoon, and there were a lot of football games on, including the Tennessee Titans. We weren't really there to watch football, but that wasn't their fault.

Neither of us opted for their specialty (wings). Don ordered the Jerk Chicken Sandwich, which he said was good, and I got the Chili Queso Burger, which was huge and kind of a mess to eat, but very tasty. Don, who got to eat part of it, thought so too. All the sandwiches came with fries and were in the $8-$9 range.

It is a grill and bar, so they serve a variety of drinks, as well as salads, ribs, wraps and a number of other things. Both of us agreed that we would probably go back, but it won't be when we're looking for some peace and quiet. This is probably not somewhere you should go with someone when you want to do any serious talking, but if you want to take in a game, eat some good greasy food and just have fun, it might be a good choice.

A Night at the Schermerhorn

2009-12-21T14:34:00.006-06:00

On Saturday night Don and I went to hear the Messiah performed by the Nashville Symphony and the Symphony Chorus. It was amazing! This was the first time I had really sat down and listened attentively to the whole oratorio.

Written by George Frideric Handel in 1741, Messiah beautifully covers Christ's life, beginning with Old Testament prophecy, His birth, His life, death, resurrection, and even His second coming. Handel expertly incorporates scripture from all parts of the Bible.

The symphony used mostly strings for this occasion, adding a harpsichord, organ, oboes and a bassoon, with small trumpet and timpani parts. The approximately 130-member chorus, which I later found out are mostly volunteers, was incredible. Of course, the highlight of the evening was the well-known "Hallelujah Chorus," during which everyone stood, a tradition which was begun by King George II of Great Britain.

The Schermerhorn Center itself is a beautiful concert hall, which we have been to several times. Our seats were near the back of the balcony, but I suspect our view may have been at least as good as the main level seats. Built specifically to house the Nashville Symphony, the sound quality is excellent in every part of the building.

It was a fun outing, a good cultural experience, and we were blessed not only by the talented musicians and by Handel's impressive composition, but also by this Christmastime reminder of the sacrifice that Christ made for our salvation.

It's a CHRISTMAS Tree!

2009-12-19T08:03:00.003-06:00

A Jewish friend of mine wished me a "Merry Christmas" yesterday. She didn't get offended. I have had a number of Jewish friends through the years, and none of them would have hesitated to wish me a Merry Christmas. If any of them came into my home, they would have commented on my Christmas tree. They may have even sent me a Christmas card or given me a Christmas gift. And I am happy to wish them a Happy Hanukkah as well.

So why is it taboo to use the word "Christmas"? Who, exactly, is offended by it? My latest pet peeve is going in Wal-Mart and seeing "holiday" trees, candy, cards, gifts, etc. I think Wal-Mart has actually made a point not to sell anything with the word "Christmas" on it, though they certainly don't mind profiting from the season's sales. The weatherman tells you what the weather will be for your "holiday travels." There is even "holiday music" playing on the radio.

If you are going to put up a tree, aren't you celebrating Christmas? And if you are going to celebrate Christmas, how can you not call it that? If you don't want to acknowledge Christmas, then don't celebrate it! Don't buy a tree or gifts, sing carols or send cards. Because it's Christmas, and it's our holiday, and I refuse to call it anything else just because there are a few people in the world who are offended by a word that contains the name of Christ, even though they are celebrating His birth.

So, I may be the only one to do it this year, but I would just like to take this opportunity to wish all my readers a MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Christmas Parade

2009-12-18T07:27:00.006-06:00

I haven't done one of these in YEARS! But last Saturday I took part in the Mt. Juliet (a Nashville suburb) Christmas parade with my community band. We played "We Need a Little Christmas" over and Over and OVER.

Honestly, I was dreading it. The forecast originally predicted a high of 40, and since this parade was in the morning, I figured it would be 30-35. Not exactly weather that makes you want to spend a couple of hours outside riding on the back of a truck.

In the end they changed the high to 48. I bundled up, and we were pretty cozy on the back of the truck, and all in all, it was fun! We all wore Santa hats and acted silly. We waved at people when we weren't playing. Many of them waved back and smiled.

I'm in the front row, right in the middle, with the red socks and white shoes.

Several people I know said they saw me riding by, and our band got a lot of good comments about how we sounded. Now I'm hoping we'll do it again next year. Really, I am!

Pancake Pantry

2009-12-17T11:39:00.003-06:00

My dad, Don and I had breakfast this morning at Pancake Pantry. This is a Nashville landmark, of sorts. It has been here longer than I have (since 1961), but oddly, this was the first time I had ever eaten there.

Located on 21st Avenue in Hillsboro Village, near the Vanderbilt Campus, finding a place to park is no small task. (We actually walked from the retirement home where my dad is now living.) Unless you're lucky, you will probably get to stand in line outside for some length of time (there is no indoor waiting except for a small lobby area), so dress for the weather. It is open from 6:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on weekdays and 6:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on weekends.

The food is good, typical pancake house fare. I had the "Pigs in a Blanket" (pancake-wrapped link sausage). Don had the Wild Blueberry Pancakes, and my dad had Potato Pancakes. They are served with warm maple syrup. We all had our fill, and then some, in my case. The usual sides of bacon, sausage, eggs and other breakfast foods are offered, as well as coffee, juice, milk, soft drinks, etc. They also have a selection of soups, salads and sandwiches. The prices are moderate. Most of the pancake plates are $7.50.

This restaurant has been owned by the same family since its inception. Many of the staff have also worked there since the earliest days. The restaurant is small, but has a cozy atmosphere. I would recommend it if you have some time on your hands and plenty of room in your stomach.

The Ornament Party

2009-12-14T21:03:00.009-06:00

Our pastor's wife holds an annual "ornament exchange" for the ladies of all ages from our church. We each bring an ornament and exchange them white-elephant style, except that, unlike the usual white elephant party, everybody gets to go home with something nice!

I got this pretty little ball. It has a Christmas tree inside and lights up with changing colors. It got stolen from me once, but I was able to reclaim it later when another ornament got stolen from me too.

My sister-in-law Melissa wasn't able to come, so I brought my three nieces (it's a milestone that they're old enough that I'm not afraid to try to bring all three of them!). My niece Grace won the second place prize for "most stolen from." She was a pretty good sport while 5 or 6 ornaments got taken away from her throughout the evening, and she played right along, stealing from others, including me!

Here's Hannah. She seemed pretty happy with the snowman ornament she ended up with.My niece Abbie shed a few silent tears at the end because hers didn't get stolen. I consoled her, reminding her that her mom and dad would love her ornament, and she got over it quickly.
Afterward, all 3 girls sang "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" in the back seat of the car all the way home! It wouldn't have been so bad, except they only knew one verse, so they sang it over and over. I'm pretty sure I'd be fine if I never heard that song again.

All in all, it was a fun evening -- fun to spend time with the ladies of my church and with my nieces, to laugh and eat and see all the pretty ornaments people had brought. It has become an event I look forward to every year.

. . . and at Christmas, too!

2009-12-11T07:24:00.003-06:00

This is something that I sort of get a chuckle out of every year, but not really. It's certainly not the misfortune of others that I think is funny, but the phrase itself.

Here's what I'm talking about: whenever anyone relays a story of something bad that has happened to them or to someone else during this season, someone inevitably adds, "and at Christmas, too!" This automatically doubles the "badness" factor.

Christmastime is supposed to be perfect in every way. Nothing bad is supposed to happen.

How in the world can we ever live up to that standard? It adds to our stress!

Jesus didn't come to add to our stress. He came to bring "peace on earth, good will to men." So if something unpleasant happens to you or someone you love during this season, as it almost inevitably will, rather than letting Christmas multiply its "badness," try instead to remember what Christmas reminds us of: that Jesus came into the world to die for us, to bring eternal life to those of us who would receive it. We will spend eternity in heaven, which WILL be perfect. No more bad things will happen, even at Christmas.

The Christmas Program

2009-12-08T21:43:00.005-06:00

I went to a Christmas program tonight that two of my nieces were in. They did a great job! My niece Abbie (age 5) did a duet with another child (she is on the far right). The song she sang was called "Perfect for the Part," which was fiting because Abbie is one of those kids who loves to be on stage. Grace (almost 9) (middle of photo, wearing green) was in the choir. She has been blessed with a wonderful singing voice.This was through the homeschool co-op that they are a part of. I am so proud of both of these girls!

To Tree

2009-12-05T20:01:00.004-06:00

We couldn't decide whether to put a tree up this year or not, for a couple of reasons. So I put as my status on Facebook: "To tree or not to tree, that is the question. . ." and explained my dilemma. The response was overwhelming: "Tree!" A few people suggested we get an artificial tree instead of a real one because they are less trouble.

Now, that is something I thought I would never do. They're just not the same. But this year we broke down and did it. Mind you, we still don't plan to put it up every year, but for this year, it will have to do. And it's not bad. With lights and ornaments, and a pine-scented candle burning, it's still Christmasy. It's a little smaller than what we usually get, so we had to pick and choose our favorite ornaments, but it's okay. I'm glad we decided to tree. Even in an artificial sense.

Catch-Up Day Update

2009-12-04T09:17:00.001-06:00

My dad's Internet is working! Apparently there was some software on there that was causing the problem, and once we removed it, everything is working fine. ( :

Catch-Up Day

2009-12-04T07:18:00.003-06:00

Well, I guess the Christmas season is officially here, and as usual, I'm so busy, I hardly know which way is up. I have decided not to post my "Grinch Countdown" this year. I thought it was kind of funny last year, but I don't think everyone agreed with me. Oh well.

My dad moved to a retirement home this week. It's not a nursing home, just an apartment for older people, though he does have a chain he can pull if he needs help. He wasn't aware of this feature until he apparently leaned against it and a short time later had people beating on his door wanting to know if he was okay.

He has switched Internet companies, and I spent 4 1/2 hours over there yesterday trying to help him get his new one set up (2 solid hours on the phone with AT&T). We never did get his problem resolved, which is frustrating for him and for me. He can receive e-mail but not send any, and apparently he has an Internet connection, but he can't get on it. Any suggestions?

So between my 3 part-time jobs, helping my dad move, getting ready for a band concert. Christmas preparations, plus my usual activities, I haven't blogged in a week. I'm behind on my blog reading too. Today is a catch-up day, so I'm hoping to do some of that, between laundry, grocery shopping, running errands, practicing my flute, preparing my Sunday School lesson, doing my Bible study, and a few other things. Better get busy!