Sunday is so peacefull!!!!!

Happy Sunday!!!  What a nice relaxing day. Every day has been busy.  We've been going to see Rhonda (Lanny's sister) at the nursing center where she is getting better and stronger I hope.  We'd gone to a meeting on Friday for her about their plans for her on therapy etc.... They want her up every day dressed for meals and even eating down in the cafeteria for dinners.  And she will be having Physical Therapy every day.  She wants to go home and I don't blame her. It's all up to her, thought.  We will be seeing her again tomorrow.   Taking a break today.
Yesterday we took Scruffy to see Dr Julie.  He was a good boy.  He got 4 shot boosters (2 actual shots). He got his ears checked because he has been itching them.  She checked them and one is a bit infected so we got medicine to put in his ear.  Then she took him back to check his anul glands and cleaned him.  He seems much more comfortable today.  Lauren held on  to him with his leash. Papa held him on the table while Lauren and I pet him.
Took Lauren home so she could get ready for her basketball game.  We took Scruffy home and had lunch.  Then we went to her game.  We won by over 20 points.   Ryan came up to me and gave me a huge hug for a long time.   A moment I will never forget.
After the game we went to WalMart where I was looking for a new home phone.  There were the Vonage people.  They talked to me about their plan. You get 3 free phone worth $89 for free. You plug it into your internet and it and go. It is $14 a month which is cheaper than through my phone company.  So I should be saving money, right?  Plus the phones work good.  I have to finish getting phone numbers in the phone.  First it took Papa and I quite a while to undo all the cords behind my desk computer. and get rid of ones we don't use and tie up and clean up ones we do. Does that make sense?  Hopefully this will be a God send.

Today is my great nephew and my niece's birthday!  I made these for them! I have to say.... we have such beautiful, handsome people in our family!!!!

Well, enjoy your week!  Scruffy has a grooming appt and kitkat is due for a pedicure (nails clipped). Busy week.  xoxo

My Afternoon Dreams

I just woke from a nap and I have to write about my dream about mom and dad!

Parts I remember.  I was on the couch in their rec room and mom and dad were standing up in front of me. Dad had his hand on my shoulder to hold him up.  We were talking about Kevin and Libby off delivering snow.  Dad said "Mother, do we want some?"  Mom just stared at him.  And stared at each other. Finally I said " Do you, dad?"  Then mom started to smile because she knew he did.  He pointed down the the lower corner where you come into their driveway and said "Well, they could put it down there."

The next part I remember I was on the deck. There was Doug driving, Danny in the front seat and then David in the back seat driving off. Danny was around 8 or 10 years old.  David hit Danny with a snowball and I thought Danny was going to cry.  Then Danny started drinking a bottle of beer.  I yelled "Danny can't drink beer!!!  He's too young!!!" as they drove away.

Another part of my dream is in their kitchen.  There was this rice dish in a styrofoam cooler. Dad said "Could you get me some rice, Joyce?"  I said sure so I picked up the cooler and took it to the table and put some on a plate. It was flat and in square chunk forms.  Dad was drinking a beer. And some green koolaid.  Mom said "It seems like I wasted half my life trying to get him to stop drinking beer. I worried too much."

That is it but I wanted to write this down so I would remember it.  It was so sweet to have them with me again. Touching me. Hearing their voices.  Thank you God for giving me those things to hang on to. It keeps them alive in my mind.

Happy Presidents Day

Nice long weekend! It is a weird holiday. I love Mount Rushmore. There is no picture that can truly show how amazing it is!  I've been there several times in my life. It is worth the trip.  One of my favorite pictures is of my dad and grandpa there years ago. My dad is the handsome one in the sunglasses. My grandpa is in the hat.

Years later here is a picture of Lanny there with my cousin Greg.  Changed a lot over the years.

It is a holiday weekend anyway. Here is why: President's Day is celebrated on the third Monday of February and honors the birthday of the United States' first president George Washington . The holiday was established by President Chester A. Arthur in 1885.

Washington's actual birthday is February 22. But in order to make the federal holiday fall on a Monday, thereby creating a three-day weekend, lawmakers ordered in 1968 that the holiday fall on the third Monday and that it honor all presidents, not just George Washington.

Valentines Day is over. It really wasn't a big deal at my house.  Lanny's mind has been mostly on his sister in the hospital. Can't blame him. She had her surgery on her knee Friday night and it went really good.  They got a real good sample from the biopsy and pinned her knee so she can walk again. He didn't go in yesterday but called her daughter, Hilary.  Rhonda was very tired and sleeping. He will head in today. He sure loves her.  He didn't meet her until 2004!  This was the day he met both sisters on his father's side.  What a day that was.  All this time they only lived a couple hours away! His father denied him as a baby so he never knew him or his other children.  He died in the 90's, Lanny's cousins wife Rebecca found Lanny through family searches etc and put them all together. We are forever grateful to her!  Lanny also has cousins all over this area!  We talk to them on email and facebook but only get together once in awhile.  Great people!

Friday was the weirdest day... I talked to Lauren after school and her house smelled like propane. Andrew was there and smelled it too. He took Lauren and the dogs out and turned off the tank outside.  Then moved the vehicles away from his house and contacted his parents. His dad called the propane company and they came out to the house and the tank was down to 5% and they hadn't noticed.  What is weird is there is a propane smell that is triggered when it gets too low.  So they filled it up but the dummies did nothing else.  So yesterday morning we dropped Lauren's bag off at their house and Andrew said nothing was working. The house is heated, the water is heated, and the kitchen stove is run by propane.  So papa was checking it out and couldn't get the hot water tank lit.  So I woke Kevon up to have him come over (he lives close) to help. Knowing Andrew would be in good hands we started driving down the road.  Then it hit me.... did anyone turn the tank back on? I asked papa and he had an aha moment. We turned around and he went and turned it on.  Then went in the house and they got every thing on.  Called Kevon but he pulled up in his truck at the same time. What a nice uncle coming to help Andrew.

At least I got to see him.  haha! Though we live 9 miles apart and we never get to see each other.  He is SO busy.  He is THE big boss at his job.  Top Dog. So he has many employees, lots of commitments, lots of work, and pressure below him. And one of his top guys just quit to move to eastern Washington. That has put more pressure on him.  My poor baby boy.  That's what he gets for being so smart and such a great worker.  I hear he is a good boss... Amanda is his admin and right hand. Joel works for him.  Andrew works for him. I love my boy. He is just a good guy. We get on the phone and talk for a long time about everything. I appreciate it so much that he still takes time to talk to me and is so patient with me.

I sure digressed.  Not much going on this coming week.  I guess that is good. But the next week is a week full of appointments.  For the dog, cat, and me. Yes, I am getting my pedicure, my hair done and going to see my doctor.  Getting it all done.  My pets are doing the same. lol!

Here are the 3 major channels weather forecast:

After seeing the weather in the East coast I am pretty happy with our weather!!!  I wonder how they get different temps?  Interesting.

Last night we had taco's for dinner.  Not my favorite... but Papa's favorite.  He deserved it for Valentine's Day. Plus he cooked!  lol!  Tonight he is making me steak. One of my favorites.  He is going to see his sister today.  I love her and would go with him but it is hard for me with the dizzy spells that hit me out of the blue. At Lauren's basketball game I got walking across the gym. Scared the life out of me.  We only stayed for half the game.  I hate this.  Hopefully we will find out something. I have to get fasting blood work first.

Well...have a great week!

Happy Valentines Day!

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!!  Just wanted to put that out there!  It really is no big deal around my house and family! lol!  The only Valentines greeting I got was from Madi.  She is so sweet!  I was so happy to wake up to this!

 
She is going through a lot lately.  She has had a lot of stomach issues and other stuff.  Karla has been doing research and thinks she may have a problem with wheat so they are going gluten free.  Tough to switch things up especially with kids. But if anyone can do it... Karla will figure it out.  She already made gluten free brownies today.

Lauren spent the night last night.  Then we took her to her basketball game today. They won.  Now she is a couple hundred miles away playing softball this afternoon and another game later and another one in the morning.   Riley is in tournaments too all weekend!  And so are Heather's boys! All over the state.

I worked on these valentine collages this week!  I love doing these.

1.  Happy Valentines to my love.  I love my sweetheart.  Us through the years.....

2.  The other Black's..  Andrew and Lauren loving each other and their parents. 

3.  Sweet kisses with Brad, Tara and their girls and Melvin!

4.  Uncles and Aunties with their nephews and nieces love each other!

5. Mam loving on her grandbabies!

6. The Rogers with their sweet kisses!

7.  The kissing Valverdes!!!!

8. Kissing cousins!!!!!!!

I'm loving the love!!!!!

Have a great rest of the weekend!!!!

Working on getting better!

It is Sunday!  It is cloudy but not raining like it did yesterday!  But I love the rain.  Especially at night. I love a rainy night....like the song!  We have great deck roofs which bring a lot of noise I love.   This has been a relaxing day.  Trying to feel better and I think I am starting to!  It is hard to describe how I have been feeling.  It is in my head...I don't mean like I am crazy.  I have had sinus pain, ear pain, headaches, dizziness mostly. Also some neck and back pain. It has been almost a week going on.  So I have been keeping a low profile.  I'm a homebody anyway but when you aren't feeling right it is easier to stay home.  
  Back in 2012 I had gone to the specialist in Seattle regarding my ear issues. I looked it up in my health website. What the doctor had written was I had skull anomaly and conductive hearing loss. He found from my MRI skull base lesions on the right and left. Two types of lesions on temporal bones. The right was called encephalocele (protrusion of brain through a bony defect). The left was a bone defect (enhancement pattern is suggestive of a nerve sheath tumor of the facial nerve).  I really don't know what all that means.  He was suppose to discuss the images with a neuroradiologist and let us know. Never heard back.  I don't really remember what he said except something about if my brain continued to seep through the defect (hole) I may need surgery. I would know if my face started getting paralysis. I don't have anything like that so I think I am ok there.   I guess I just need to buck up and go see the doctor. I hate spending the money when it could be nothing.

Well, I gained some of my weight back.  Back on the treadmill.  Back to cutting my food supply. Things I have neglected this year.  I eat when I am sick and do NO exercise.  This is my 3rd time feeling bad since Christmas!  There is the weight gain.  lol!  Wish me luck.  Better yet, pray!

Papa spent the day with his sister again. He did Monday-Friday.  Saturday he stayed home and rested. He really is a good brother!  I just hope he isn't being a nuisance. I don't think I would like my brothers with me every day at the hospital. But they wouldn't anyway.  Haha....two of my brothers don't even call me...not even on my birthday or holidays. Papa just got home and took scruffy for a walk.  He hasn't been able to take him lately so that dog was really excited! He loves that dog!

A friend posted this on facebook and I love it.  I need to pay attention to it, too!

Tonight we're having Shake and Bake Chicken and Julienne potatoes.  Have you ever had boneless/ skinless breast baked this way?  It is so good and tender.  Easy and good.

Well, that about sums up life lately.  A few new pics of my grandbabies and family birthdays and I will close.

Madi was sick one day.

Riley and her new softball uniform

Patrick and his new bike

Heather, the only female school board member, and the rest of the school board were awarded certificates of appreciation! So proud of her!

Scruffy resting. I love that dog.

 Birthdays last week!
Corey Black (our nephew):

Our son-in-law Brad, turned 44~

And our other son-in-law, Joel, turned 40!  Don't we have handsome boys?????

Another thing I need to remember is this I can't save people.  I want to save the world in more ways than one.  Especially my loved ones!  You can see them heading the wrong way and you can't stop them.  Breaks my heart.

Have a great week.  No big plans for us. :D  My dad's birthday is coming up on Wednesday. I miss him.  A lot of us do!!!

Prayer requests please!

Ok, today is going to be my journal entry.  I have stuff on my mind I need to get off.  First of all, please pray for my sister-in-law, Rhonda.  She lives in Forks and is down in Bremerton at the hospital.  She has been having trouble with her knee to the point she couldn't even walk on it she was in so much pain.  She had a fall on Saturday which really did her in. She went to the hospital and they did a scan and saw a tumor on her knee. It looked like it is eating away at her knee. So they sent her to a bigger hospital in Bremerton Monday night.  They did an MRI on her knee and chest, an xray on her knee, and then today they are doing a full body scan.  No results or answers on anything yet.  It is scary waiting.  Lanny is really feeling bad for his sis and he doesn't worry much....but he is pretty concerned. He spent all day yesterday there and all day today.  He loves her and knows where he needs to be today.  He's a good guy.   Please pray for Rhonda.  Thanks.

Rhonda and Lanny

My complaint is small compared to hers.  I woke up yesterday with pain in my left hip.  Stuck with me most the day.  Had a headache and bowel issues.  Today the pain moved into my lower left side and my back left side.  Weird, never had this before. Please pray I feel better. I only stayed a short time at the hospital visiting Rhonda. I was really surprised how tough it was for me at the hospital.  I couldn't keep thoughts from running through my head. Thoughts about the three weeks Lanny was in the hospital. No one knows how difficult that time was.  How he almost died! Time after time. Five to be exact. It was emotionally insane. I had to be so strong I don't know how I did it.  But God. He did it.  I know that is the truth whenever I wonder how I made it through it....I couldn't have without help. The help coming from God. He saved Lanny over and over. He is an awesome God. I also thought about the day in that hospital walking into my dads hospital room and he was dead.  And being in that same hospital holding my mom's hand as she died. It was a bit overwhelming. Everything happens at that hospital. On the bright side...Karla and Kevon were born there. So was Parker, Dylan, Jordy and Patrick.  So good things have happened in that building. Not all sad.


Brings me to another concern.  My love for God is so deep. I love Him so much and need Him so much.  Every minute of every day. For the air I breathe.  For each beat of my heart. I am so confused why everyone doesn't feel the same way.  There is no other explanation in this world but God. Things aren't just created without a creator.  The Bible is real.  It is the oldest best selling most read Book ever written because it was God inspired. It is infallible.  The truth is in the Book. Jesus is the truth, our only way to salvation, our only way to Heaven. Some people I love have questioned the existence and truth lately. My heart is aching.  Please pray for this screwed up world. And my loved ones.

I also need prayer for our family.  A marriage needs prayer bad. I pray things change.  I pray they find their love and commitment to the Lord and to each other. Please pray with me!  God restore.

See why there is so much on my mind?  Why prayer is needed?  Why I just want to curl up in a ball and hide my head sometimes?  Sometimes I wish I didn't care so much.

Well, this wasn't a very uplifting post but it is what it is.

sad loss, scared dog, and birthday girl!

Happy February!!!  I am so glad it is finally here.  Closer to Spring!  January was such a long month. Football is over.  Sadly on a loss.  That game was  heartbreaking yesterday.  Our team messed up at the end and we lost the game.  One of my favorite players is Marshawn Lynch.  Here is what he said:

Instead of running with Marshawn Lynch, offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell called a pass, Russell Wilson was picked off, and the Patriots sealed the victory.

NFL Media's Aditi Kinkhabwala asked Lynch after the loss if the running back was surprised he didn't get the ball. "No," he replied.

When pressed further why he wasn't surprised, the running back known as "Beast Mode" said, "because football is a team sport."

That response is one reason Lynch's teammates love him. He never throws anyone under the bus -- even if that play call warranted coaches to be sent under a 16-wheeler.

With NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reporting Sunday morning that the Seahawks want to give Lynch a contract extension that includes $10 million in 2015, Lynch and his Seattle teammates could have a chance to avenge their Super Bowl defeat next year.

I noticed I haven't typed in here for awhile.  I don't know why except there isn't much to write about. Lauren spent the weekend.  That was fun! Yesterday we all went to church and after church she went with her friends to help babysit.  She made money so that was cool and she had fun.  We had a great time at church.  We don't go very often.  I am closer to my Lord now than I was going to church.  It is just me and Him during worship and prayer. That is when I feel close to Him.  "Church" is hard for me.  The people are usually great.  What is hard is the politics and leadership and betrayal and backstabbing and hurting one another. I've seen it in every church. It taints it for me. However, on the other side it is nice to see  friends, papa enjoys going, the message was really good and I was blessed by these things.  I am glad we went.  It is where Andrew and Lauren go and it was nice they found us after their Sunday School class.  Lauren met Gin... and Gin adores Andrew!  Judie gave Lauren the hugest hug!  She's known her since she was born and amazed how grown up Lauren seems!  Proud Grandma!

Went home to watch the Superbowl.  I don't understand what is going on with my dog!!!! He hates football now.  He starts stressing out and you see it.  He starts by growling.  Pretty soon he is barking.  He hides under the table in the dining room.  The only time I've seen him under the table is if I am leaving. He gets upset by it.  Anyway, then he climbs into Papa's lap. He's never been up there like that with the cat there too. It was pathetic and funny at the same time.  

Awwww...my sweet husband just brought me biscuits and gravy from Central Market.  It is the best in the world.  I love them.  That was so nice of him. What a nice surprise.  

It was great!  Today is my nieces birthday! Happy Birthday Vicky!!!! I made this for her today! She loves her bulldogs! 

We got paid and Papa got a new pair of shoes and I got a tablet.  It will arrive on Friday and then I get to figure out how to use it.  Yeehaw!  Well, I can't  think of much more to write. Except for a prayer request for our son and daughter-in-law.  They need prayer bad!!!! Please pray for Ryan and Amanda!  And especially their kids Andrew and Lauren.

Have a great week.  Again, I will try to write more often.